Vyasa Counsels Yudhishthira

Verse 1 (12.31.1)

तूष्णींभूतं तु राजानं शोचमानं युधिष्ठिरम् । तपस्वी धर्मतत्त्वज्ञः कृष्णद्वैपायनोऽब्रवीत् ॥

tūṣṇīṃbhūtaṃ tu rājānaṃ śocamānaṃ yudhiṣṭhiram | tapasvī dharmatattvajñaḥ kṛṣṇadvaipāyano'bravīt

Then Krishna Dvaipayana, the ascetic who knew the essence of dharma, spoke to King Yudhishthira, who sat silent and sorrowing.

Verse 2 (12.31.2)

प्रजानां पालनं धर्मो राज्ञां राजीवलोचन । धर्मः प्रमाणं लोकस्य नित्यं धर्मोऽनुवर्त्यताम् ॥

prajānāṃ pālanaṃ dharmo rājñāṃ rājīvalocana | dharmaḥ pramāṇaṃ lokasya nityaṃ dharmo'nuvartyatām

'The protection of the people is the dharma of kings, O lotus-eyed one. Dharma is the standard of the world; let dharma always be followed.

Verse 3 (12.31.3)

अनुतिष्ठस्व तद्राजन्पितृपैतामहं पदम् । ब्राह्मणेषु तु यो धर्मः स नित्यो वेदनिश्चितः ॥

anutiṣṭhasva tadrājanpitṛpaitāmahaṃ padam | brāhmaṇeṣu tu yo dharmaḥ sa nityo vedaniścitaḥ

Follow, O king, the station of your father and grandfather. The dharma that rests on brahmins is eternal, fixed by the Veda.

Verse 4 (12.31.4)

तत्प्रमाणं प्रमाणानां शाश्वतं भरतर्षभ । तस्य धर्मस्य कृत्स्नस्य क्षत्रियः परिरक्षिता ॥

tatpramāṇaṃ pramāṇānāṃ śāśvataṃ bharatarṣabha | tasya dharmasya kṛtsnasya kṣatriyaḥ parirakṣitā

It is the authority among authorities, eternal, O best of the Bharatas; and the kshatriya is the protector of that dharma in its entirety.

Verse 5 (12.31.5)

तथा यः प्रतिहन्त्यस्य शासनं विषये नरः । स बाहुभ्यां विनिग्राह्यो लोकयात्राविघातकः ॥

tathā yaḥ pratihantyasya śāsanaṃ viṣaye naraḥ | sa bāhubhyāṃ vinigrāhyo lokayātrāvighātakaḥ

Whoever in his realm defies that command is to be restrained by force of arms, for he obstructs the course of the world.

Verse 6 (12.31.6)

प्रमाणमप्रमाणं यः कुर्यान्मोहवशं गतः । भृत्यो वा यदि वा पुत्रस्तपस्वी वाऽथ कश्चन ॥

pramāṇamapramāṇaṃ yaḥ kuryānmohavaśaṃ gataḥ | bhṛtyo vā yadi vā putrastapasvī vā'tha kaścana

Whoever, fallen into delusion, treats what is authoritative as no authority, be he servant, son, ascetic or anyone at all,

Note on the text: Not matched automatically; Wikisource lines 1–2 = CE 12.32.6a, 6c.

Verse 7 (12.31.7)

पापान्सर्वैरुपायैस्तान्नियच्छेच्छातयीत वा । अतोऽन्यथा वर्तमानो राजा प्राप्नोति किल्विषम् ॥

pāpānsarvairupāyaistānniyacchecchātayīta vā | ato'nyathā vartamāno rājā prāpnoti kilviṣam

such sinners should be restrained, or put to death, by every means. A king who acts otherwise incurs guilt.

Note on the text: Not matched automatically; line 1 = CE 12.32.6e, line 2 = CE 12.32.7a.

Verse 8 (12.31.8)

धर्मं विनश्यमानं हि यो न रक्षेत्स धर्महा । ते त्वया धर्महन्तारो निहताः सपदानुगाः ॥

dharmaṃ vinaśyamānaṃ hi yo na rakṣetsa dharmahā | te tvayā dharmahantāro nihatāḥ sapadānugāḥ

One who does not protect dharma as it perishes is himself a destroyer of dharma. Those destroyers of dharma have been slain by you, together with their followers.

Note on the text: Not matched automatically; line 1 = CE 12.32.7c, line 2 = CE 12.32.8a.

Verse 9 (12.31.9)

स्वधर्मे वर्तमानस्त्वं किंनु शोचसि पाण्डव । राजा हि हन्याद्दद्याच्च प्रजा रक्षेच्च धर्मतः ॥

svadharme vartamānastvaṃ kiṃnu śocasi pāṇḍava | rājā hi hanyāddadyācca prajā rakṣecca dharmataḥ

Abiding in your own dharma, why do you grieve, son of Pandu? A king must punish, and give, and protect his subjects according to dharma.'

Note on the text: Not matched automatically; line 1 = CE 12.32.8c, line 2 = CE 12.32.8e.

Verse 10 (12.31.10)

न तेऽतिशङ्के वचनं यद्ब्रवीषि तपोधन । अपरोक्षो हि ते धर्मः सर्वधर्मविदां वर ॥

na te'tiśaṅke vacanaṃ yadbravīṣi tapodhana | aparokṣo hi te dharmaḥ sarvadharmavidāṃ vara

'I do not doubt your words, ascetic. The dharma is plain to you, best among those who know all dharmas.

Verse 11 (12.31.11)

मया त्ववध्या बहवो घातिता राज्यकारणात् । तानि कर्माणि मे ब्रह्मन्दहन्ति च पचन्ति च ॥

mayā tvavadhyā bahavo ghātitā rājyakāraṇāt | tāni karmāṇi me brahmandahanti ca pacanti ca

But I have caused many who ought not to have been killed to be slain, for the sake of the kingdom. Those deeds, O brahmin, burn and torment me.'

Verse 12 (12.31.12)

ईश्वरो वा भवेत्कर्ता पुरुषो वाऽपि भारत । हठो वा वर्तते लोके कर्मजं वा फलं स्मृतम् ॥

īśvaro vā bhavetkartā puruṣo vā'pi bhārata | haṭho vā vartate loke karmajaṃ vā phalaṃ smṛtam

'The doer may be Ishvara, or man, O Bharata, or chance may rule in the world; or the fruit is born of action. So it has been held.

Verse 13 (12.31.13)

ईश्वरेण नियुक्तो हि साध्वसाधु च भारत । कुरुते पुरुषः कर्म फलमीश्वरगामि तत् ॥

īśvareṇa niyukto hi sādhvasādhu ca bhārata | kurute puruṣaḥ karma phalamīśvaragāmi tat

For man, set to his task by Ishvara, does good or ill, O Bharata, and the fruit goes to Ishvara.

Verse 14 (12.31.14)

यथाहि पुरुषश्छिन्द्याद्वृक्षं परशुना वने । छेत्तुरेव भवेत्पापं परशोर्न कथंचन ॥

yathāhi puruṣaśchindyādvṛkṣaṃ paraśunā vane | chettureva bhavetpāpaṃ paraśorna kathaṃcana

Just as a man might fell a tree in the forest with an axe, the sin would be the feller's, and in no way the axe's.

Verse 15 (12.31.15)

अथवा तदुपादानात्प्राप्नुयात्कर्मणः फलम् । दण्डशस्त्रकृतं पापं पुरुषे तन्न विद्यते ॥

athavā tadupādānātprāpnuyātkarmaṇaḥ phalam | daṇḍaśastrakṛtaṃ pāpaṃ puruṣe tanna vidyate

Or if the fruit of the deed were to come through the instrument taken up, then the sin done with rod and weapon would not rest in the man.

Verse 16 (12.31.16)

न चैतदिष्टं कौन्तेय यदन्येन कृतं फलम् । प्राप्नुयादिति तस्माच्च ईश्वरे तन्निवेशय ॥

na caitadiṣṭaṃ kaunteya yadanyena kṛtaṃ phalam | prāpnuyāditi tasmācca īśvare tanniveśaya

And if it is not accepted, son of Kunti, that the fruit of what another has done should fall on someone else, then lay it upon Ishvara.

Verse 17 (12.31.17)

अथापि पुरुषः कर्ता कर्मणोः शुभपापयोः । न परो विद्यते तस्मादेवमप्यशुभं कुतः ॥

athāpi puruṣaḥ kartā karmaṇoḥ śubhapāpayoḥ | na paro vidyate tasmādevamapyaśubhaṃ kutaḥ

Or if man himself is the doer of deeds, good and evil, and there is none beyond him, then even so, whence could evil come?

Verse 18 (12.31.18)

न हि कश्चित्क्वचिद्राजन्दिष्टं प्रतिनिवर्तते । दण्डशस्त्रकृतं पापं पुरुषे तन्न विद्यते ॥

na hi kaścitkvacidrājandiṣṭaṃ pratinivartate | daṇḍaśastrakṛtaṃ pāpaṃ puruṣe tanna vidyate

No one anywhere, O king, turns back from what is ordained. The sin wrought with rod and weapon does not reside in the man.

Verse 19 (12.31.19)

यदि वा मन्यसे राजन्हतमेकं प्रतिष्ठितम् । एवमप्यशुभं कर्म न भूतं न भविष्यति ॥

yadi vā manyase rājanhatamekaṃ pratiṣṭhitam | evamapyaśubhaṃ karma na bhūtaṃ na bhaviṣyati

And if you consider, O king, that a killing is something settled, then even so no evil deed has ever been or ever will be.

Note on the text: Flagged: Wikisource reads 'हतमेकं प्रतिष्ठितम्' where the critical edition (12.32.18) has 'haṭhe lokaṃ pratiṣṭhitam' ('the world rests on chance'); a recension reading, kept as printed.

Verse 20 (12.31.20)

अथाभिपत्तिर्लोकस्य कर्तव्या पुण्यपापयोः । अभिपन्नमिदं लोके राज्ञामुद्यतदण्डनम् ॥

athābhipattirlokasya kartavyā puṇyapāpayoḥ | abhipannamidaṃ loke rājñāmudyatadaṇḍanam

Or if the world must make provision for merit and sin, then the kings' raising of the rod of punishment is accepted in the world.

Verse 21 (12.31.21)

तथापि लोके कर्माणि समावर्तन्ति भारत । शुभाशुभफलं चैते प्राप्नुवन्तीति मे मतिः ॥

tathāpi loke karmāṇi samāvartanti bhārata | śubhāśubhaphalaṃ caite prāpnuvantīti me matiḥ

Even so, deeds keep recurring in the world, O Bharata; and it is my view that these creatures reap the fruit of good and evil.

Verse 22 (12.31.22)

एवं पश्य शुभादेशं कर्मणस्तत्फलं ध्रुवम् । त्यज त्वं राजशार्दूल मैवं शोके मनः कृथा ॥

evaṃ paśya śubhādeśaṃ karmaṇastatphalaṃ dhruvam | tyaja tvaṃ rājaśārdūla maivaṃ śoke manaḥ kṛthā

See it thus: the fruit of action is certain, and the way to the good is shown. Abandon this, tiger among kings; do not set your mind on sorrow like this.

Verse 23 (12.31.23)

स्वधर्मे वर्तमानस्य सापवादेऽपि भारत । एवमात्मपरित्यागस्तव राजन्न शोभनः ॥

svadharme vartamānasya sāpavāde'pi bhārata | evamātmaparityāgastava rājanna śobhanaḥ

For one who stays in his own dharma, even where it draws blame, O Bharata, such self-abandonment is not fitting for you, O king.

Verse 24 (12.31.24)

विहितानि हि कौन्तेय प्रायश्चित्तानि कर्मणाम् । शरीरवांस्तानि कुर्यादशरीरः पराभवेत् ॥

vihitāni hi kaunteya prāyaścittāni karmaṇām | śarīravāṃstāni kuryādaśarīraḥ parābhavet

Atonements for deeds have been prescribed here, O son of Kunti. One who has a body can perform them; one without a body is lost.

Verse 25 (12.31.25)

तद्राजञ्जीवमानस्त्वं प्रायश्चित्तं करिष्यसि । प्रायश्चित्तमकृत्वा तु प्रेत्य तप्ताऽसि भारत ॥

tadrājañjīvamānastvaṃ prāyaścittaṃ kariṣyasi | prāyaścittamakṛtvā tu pretya taptā'si bhārata

So, O king, while you live you will perform atonement; but if you do not, you will suffer after death, O Bharata.'

Verse 26 (12.31.26)

हताः पुत्राश्च पौत्राश्च भ्रातरः पितरस्तथा । श्वशुरा गुरवश्चैव मातुलाश्च पितामहाः ॥

hatāḥ putrāśca pautrāśca bhrātaraḥ pitarastathā | śvaśurā guravaścaiva mātulāśca pitāmahāḥ

'Sons and grandsons, brothers and elders have been slain, fathers-in-law and teachers, maternal uncles and grandfathers,

Verse 27 (12.31.27)

क्षत्रियाश्च महात्मानः संबन्धिसुहृदस्तथा । वयस्या भागिनेयाश्च ज्ञातयश्च पितामह ॥

kṣatriyāśca mahātmānaḥ saṃbandhisuhṛdastathā | vayasyā bhāgineyāśca jñātayaśca pitāmaha

great-souled kshatriyas, kinsmen by marriage and friends, comrades, sister's sons and relatives, O grandfather;

Verse 28 (12.31.28)

बहवश्च मनुष्येन्द्रा नानादेशसमागताः । घातिता राज्यलुब्धेन मयैकेन पितामह ॥

bahavaśca manuṣyendrā nānādeśasamāgatāḥ | ghātitā rājyalubdhena mayaikena pitāmaha

and many lords of men, gathered from many lands, were slain by me alone, greedy for the kingdom, O grandfather.

Verse 29 (12.31.29)

तांस्तादृशानहं हत्वा धर्मनित्यान्महीक्षितः । असकृत्सोमपान्वीरान्किं प्राप्स्यामि तपोधन ॥

tāṃstādṛśānahaṃ hatvā dharmanityānmahīkṣitaḥ | asakṛtsomapānvīrānkiṃ prāpsyāmi tapodhana

Having slain such kings, ever devoted to dharma, heroes who had often drunk the soma, what shall I attain, O ascetic?

Note on the text: Corrected क्रिं → किं (misprint in Wikisource; not a Sanskrit word; CE reads kiṃ).

Verse 30 (12.31.30)

दह्याम्यनिशमद्यापि चिन्तयानः पुनः पुनः । हीनां पार्थिवसिंहैस्तैः श्रीमद्भिः पृथिवीमिमाम् ॥

dahyāmyaniśamadyāpi cintayānaḥ punaḥ punaḥ | hīnāṃ pārthivasiṃhaistaiḥ śrīmadbhiḥ pṛthivīmimām

Even today I burn ceaselessly, thinking again and again of this earth bereft of those splendid lions among kings.

Note on the text: Corrected पुन पुनः → पुनः पुनः (misprint in Wikisource; dropped visarga).

Verse 31 (12.31.31)

दृष्ट्वा ज्ञातिवधं घोरं हतांश्च शतशः परान् । कोटिशश्च नरानन्यान्परितप्ये पितामह ॥

dṛṣṭvā jñātivadhaṃ ghoraṃ hatāṃśca śataśaḥ parān | koṭiśaśca narānanyānparitapye pitāmaha

Having seen the dreadful slaughter of kin, and hundreds of others slain, and crores of other men, I am tormented, grandfather.

Verse 32 (12.31.32)

का नु तासां वरस्त्रीणामवस्थाऽद्य भविष्यति । विहीनानां तु तनयैः पतिभिर्भ्रातृभिस्तथा ॥

kā nu tāsāṃ varastrīṇāmavasthā'dya bhaviṣyati | vihīnānāṃ tu tanayaiḥ patibhirbhrātṛbhistathā

What will now be the state of those noble women, bereft of their sons, their husbands and their brothers?

Verse 33 (12.31.33)

अस्मानन्तकरान्घोरान्पाण्डवान्वृष्णिसंहतान् । आक्रोशन्त्यः कृशा दीनाः प्रपतिष्यन्ति भूतले ॥

asmānantakarānghorānpāṇḍavānvṛṣṇisaṃhatān | ākrośantyaḥ kṛśā dīnāḥ prapatiṣyanti bhūtale

Reviling us, the Pandavas, banded with the Vrishnis, as dreadful agents of their end, they will fall to the ground, wasted and wretched.

Verse 34 (12.31.34)

अपश्यन्त्यः पितॄन्भ्रातॄन्पतीन्पुत्रांश्च योषितः । त्यक्त्वा प्राणान्स्त्रियः सर्वागमिष्यन्ति यमक्षयम् ॥

apaśyantyaḥ pitṝnbhrātṝnpatīnputrāṃśca yoṣitaḥ | tyaktvā prāṇānstriyaḥ sarvāgamiṣyanti yamakṣayam

Not seeing their fathers, brothers, husbands and sons, all those women will give up their lives and go to the abode of Yama.

Verse 35 (12.31.35)

वत्सलत्वाद्द्विजश्रेष्ठ तत्र मे नास्ति संशयः । व्यक्तं सौक्ष्म्याच्च धर्मस्य प्राप्स्यामः स्त्रीवधं वयम् ॥

vatsalatvāddvijaśreṣṭha tatra me nāsti saṃśayaḥ | vyaktaṃ saukṣmyācca dharmasya prāpsyāmaḥ strīvadhaṃ vayam

Out of their devotion, O best of brahmins, of this I have no doubt, and through the subtlety of dharma, we shall clearly incur the guilt of killing women.

Note on the text: Corrected ये नास्ति → मे नास्ति (misprint in Wikisource; ये gives no sense; CE reads me). Corrected संसयः → संशयः (misprint in Wikisource; श for स; CE reads saṃśayaḥ).

Verse 36 (12.31.36)

ते वयं सुहृदो हत्वा कृत्वा पापमनन्तकम् । नरके निपतिष्यामो ह्यधः शिरस एव ह ॥

te vayaṃ suhṛdo hatvā kṛtvā pāpamanantakam | narake nipatiṣyāmo hyadhaḥ śirasa eva ha

Having slain our friends and committed endless sin, we shall fall into hell, head downward.

Note on the text: Corrected नकरे → नरके (misprint in Wikisource; transposed letters; CE reads narake).

Verse 37 (12.31.37)

शरीराणि विमोक्ष्यामस्तपसोग्रेण सत्तम । आश्रमाणां विशेषं त्वमथाचक्ष्व पितामह ॥

śarīrāṇi vimokṣyāmastapasogreṇa sattama | āśramāṇāṃ viśeṣaṃ tvamathācakṣva pitāmaha

We shall cast off our bodies by severe austerity, O best of sages. Now, grandfather, explain to me the distinctions among the stages of life.'