Vichakhyu's Verse on Non-Violence

Verse 1 (12.271.1)

शरीरमापदश्चैव न विदन्त्यविहिंसकाः । कथं यात्रा शरीरस्य निरारम्भस्य सेत्स्यते ॥

śarīramāpadaścaiva na vidantyavihiṃsakāḥ | kathaṃ yātrā śarīrasya nirārambhasya setsyate

"Those who harm no creature know neither the body nor its calamities. How will the upkeep of the body be accomplished for one who undertakes nothing?"

Note on the text: Speaker heading "युधिष्ठिर उवाच" slipped into the verse text (printed with a stray backtick); removed and made the speaker (the input had left it empty). Bracketed first occurrence of the question that the page repeats as verse 14; Wikisource reads न विदन्त्यविहिंसकाः where CE 12.257.12 reads विवदन्त्यविहिंसतः. Text kept.

Verse 2 (12.271.2)

यथा शरीरं न म्लायेन्नैव मृत्युवशं भवेत् । तथा कर्मसु वर्तेत समर्थो धर्ममाचरेत् ॥

yathā śarīraṃ na mlāyennaiva mṛtyuvaśaṃ bhavet | tathā karmasu varteta samartho dharmamācaret

"In whatever way the body does not waste away and does not fall under the power of death, in that way let a capable man engage in action and practise dharma."

Note on the text: Removed the stray "।।'" (wiki quote mark) printed after the verse. Bracketed first occurrence of the answer that the page repeats as verse 15; a variant of CE 12.257.13 (म्लायेन्नैव मृत्युवशं भवेत् for ग्लायेन्नेयान्मृत्युवशं यथा).

Verse 3 (12.271.3)

अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । प्रजानामनुकम्पार्थं गीतं राज्ञा विचख्युना ॥

atrāpyudāharantīmamitihāsaṃ purātanam | prajānāmanukampārthaṃ gītaṃ rājñā vicakhyunā

"On this subject they also recite this ancient tale, sung by King Vichakhyu out of compassion for creatures."

Verse 4 (12.271.4)

छिन्नस्थूणं वृषं दृष्ट्वा विरावं च गवां भृशम् । गोगृहे यज्ञवाटे च प्रेक्षमाणः स पार्थिवः ॥

chinnasthūṇaṃ vṛṣaṃ dṛṣṭvā virāvaṃ ca gavāṃ bhṛśam | gogṛhe yajñavāṭe ca prekṣamāṇaḥ sa pārthivaḥ

"Seeing a slaughtered bull and the cows bellowing loudly in the cow-pen and at the sacrificial ground, that king looked on."

Note on the text: Corrected वृपं → वृषं (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष, CE 12.257.2a reads वृषं).

Verse 5 (12.271.5)

स्वस्ति गोभ्योऽस्तु लोकेषु ततो निर्वचनं कृतम् । हिंसायां हि प्रवृत्तायामाशीरेषा तु कल्पिता ॥

svasti gobhyo'stu lokeṣu tato nirvacanaṃ kṛtam | hiṃsāyāṃ hi pravṛttāyāmāśīreṣā tu kalpitā

"'May there be well-being for cows in the worlds,' he declared. Where violence has begun, this blessing was devised."

Verse 6 (12.271.6)

अव्यवस्थितमर्यादैर्विमूढैर्नास्तिकैर्नरैः । संशयात्मभिरव्यक्तैर्हिंसा समनुदर्शिता ॥

avyavasthitamaryādairvimūḍhairnāstikairnaraiḥ | saṃśayātmabhiravyaktairhiṃsā samanudarśitā

"Violence has been taught by deluded, unbelieving men of no fixed limits, doubtful in mind and obscure."

Verse 7 (12.271.7)

सर्वकर्मस्वहिंसां हि धर्मात्मा मनुरब्रवीत् । कामकाराद्विहिंसन्ति बहिर्वेद्यां पशून्नराः ॥

sarvakarmasvahiṃsāṃ hi dharmātmā manurabravīt | kāmakārādvihiṃsanti bahirvedyāṃ paśūnnarāḥ

"In all rites Manu, whose self was dharma, taught non-violence. Out of self-will men kill animals outside the altar."

Note on the text: Corrected सर्वकर्मग्वहिंसां → सर्वकर्मस्वहिंसां (misprint in Wikisource; ग्व for स्व, CE 12.257.5a reads सर्वकर्मस्वहिंसा). Wikisource reads कामकाराद् where CE reads कामरागाद्; variant, kept.

Verse 8 (12.271.8)

तस्मात्प्रमाणतः कार्यो धर्मः सूक्ष्मो विजानता । अहिंसा ह्येव सर्वेभ्यो धर्मेभ्यो ज्यायसी मता ॥

tasmātpramāṇataḥ kāryo dharmaḥ sūkṣmo vijānatā | ahiṃsā hyeva sarvebhyo dharmebhyo jyāyasī matā

"Therefore one who knows should practise dharma, which is subtle, on the basis of authority. Non-violence is held to be greater than all other duties."

Verse 9 (12.271.9)

उपोष्य संशितो भूत्वा हित्वा वेदकृतां शुचिः । आचार इत्यनाचारः कृपणाः फलहेतवः ॥

upoṣya saṃśito bhūtvā hitvā vedakṛtāṃ śuciḥ | ācāra ityanācāraḥ kṛpaṇāḥ phalahetavaḥ

"Having fasted and sharpened their resolve, and set aside what the Veda prescribes, though pure, wretched men who act for reward call non-conduct 'conduct'."

Verse 10 (12.271.10)

यदि च्छिन्दन्ति वृक्षांश्च यूपांश्चोद्दिश्य मानवाः । वृथा मांसानि खादन्ति नैष धर्मः प्रशस्यते ॥

yadi cchindanti vṛkṣāṃśca yūpāṃścoddiśya mānavāḥ | vṛthā māṃsāni khādanti naiṣa dharmaḥ praśasyate

"If men fell trees for sacrificial posts and eat meat to no purpose, this is not a dharma that is praised."

Note on the text: Corrected नैप → नैष (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष, CE 12.257.8c reads नैष). Wikisource reads वृक्षांश्च यूपांश्चोद्दिश्य where CE reads यज्ञांश्च वृक्षांश्च यूपांश्चोद्दिश्य; variant, kept.

Verse 11 (12.271.11)

सुरां मत्स्यान्मधु मांसमासवं कृसरौदनम् । धूर्तैः प्रवर्तितं ह्येतन्नैतद्वेदेषु कल्पितम् । कामान्मोहाच्च लोभाच्च लौल्यमेतत्प्रवर्तितम् ॥

surāṃ matsyānmadhu māṃsamāsavaṃ kṛsaraudanam | dhūrtaiḥ pravartitaṃ hyetannaitadvedeṣu kalpitam | kāmānmohācca lobhācca laulyametatpravartitam

"Liquor, fish, honey, meat, strong drink, rice cooked with sesame: this was set going by rogues and is not laid down in the Vedas. Out of desire, delusion and greed this gluttony was started."

Note on the text: Variant of CE 12.257.9a, 9c, 10a (the items are listed in a different order, मांसं मधु सुरा मत्स्या आसवं कृसरौदनम्).

Verse 12 (12.271.12)

विष्णुमेवाभिजानन्ति सर्वयज्ञेषु ब्राह्मणाः । पायसैः सुमनोभिश्च तस्यैव यजनं स्मृतम् ॥

viṣṇumevābhijānanti sarvayajñeṣu brāhmaṇāḥ | pāyasaiḥ sumanobhiśca tasyaiva yajanaṃ smṛtam

"In all sacrifices brahmins recognise Vishnu alone; his worship is declared to be with milk-rice and flowers."

Note on the text: = CE 12.257.10c, 10e (CE: तस्यापि यजनं स्मृतम्). The page records a manuscript reading विष्णुमेव यजन्तीह.

Verse 13 (12.271.13)

यज्ञियाश्चैव ये वृक्षा वेदेषु परिकल्पिताः । यच्चापि किंचित्कर्तव्यमन्यच्चोक्षैः सुसंस्कृतम् । महासत्वैः शुद्धभावैः सर्वं देवार्हमेव तत् ॥

yajñiyāścaiva ye vṛkṣā vedeṣu parikalpitāḥ | yaccāpi kiṃcitkartavyamanyaccokṣaiḥ susaṃskṛtam | mahāsatvaiḥ śuddhabhāvaiḥ sarvaṃ devārhameva tat

"The trees fit for sacrifice that are laid down in the Vedas, and whatever else is to be done and well prepared by the pure, by great-souled men of clean intent: all of it is fit for the gods."

Verse 14 (12.271.14)

शरीरमापदश्चापि विवदन्त्यविहिंसतः । कथं यात्रा शरीरस्य निरारम्भस्य सेत्स्यते ॥

śarīramāpadaścāpi vivadantyavihiṃsataḥ | kathaṃ yātrā śarīrasya nirārambhasya setsyate

"Body and calamities quarrel with the man who does no harm. How will the upkeep of the body be accomplished for one who undertakes nothing?"

Note on the text: Corrected अविहंसतः → अविहिंसतः (misprint in Wikisource; dropped ि, CE 12.257.12a reads अविहिंसतः).

Verse 15 (12.271.15)

यथा शरीरं न ग्लायेन्नेयान्मृत्युवशं यथा । तथा कर्मसु वर्तेत समर्थो धर्ममाचरेत् ॥

yathā śarīraṃ na glāyenneyānmṛtyuvaśaṃ yathā | tathā karmasu varteta samartho dharmamācaret

"In whatever way the body does not grow weary and does not fall under the power of death, in that way let a capable man engage in action and practise dharma."