Anusasana Parwa 137

Mahabharata 13.137

 

Anusasana Parwa 137

 

  1 [य]
     कां तु बराह्मण पूजायां वयुष्टिं दृष्ट्वा जनाधिप
     कं वा कर्मॊदयं मत्वा तान अर्चसि महामते
 2 [भ]
     अत्राप्य उदाहरन्तीमम इतिहासं पुरातनम
     पवनस्य च संवादम अर्जुनस्य च भारत
 3 सहस्रभुज भृच छरीमान कार्तवीर्यॊ ऽभवत परभुः
     अस्य लॊकस्य सर्वस्य माहिष्मत्यां महाबलः
 4 स तु रत्नाकरवतीं स दवीपां सागराम्बराम
     शशास सर्वां पृथिवीं हैहयः सत्यविक्रमः
 5 सववित्तं तेन दत्तं तु दत्तात्रेयाय कारणे
     कषत्रधर्मं पुरस्कृत्य विनयं शरुतम एव च
 6 आराधयाम आस च तं कृतवीर्यात्मजॊ मुनिम
     नयमन्त्रयत संहृष्टः स दविजश च वरैस तरिभिः
 7 स वरैश छन्दितस तेन नृपॊ वचनम अब्रवीत
     सहस्रबाहुर भूयां वै चमूमध्ये गृहे ऽनयथा
 8 मम बाहुसहस्रं तु पश्यन्तां सैनिका रणे
     विक्रमेण महीं कृत्स्नां जयेयं विपुलव्रत
     तां च धर्मेण संप्राप्य पालयेयम अतन्द्रितः
 9 चतुर्थं तु वरं याचे तवाम अहं दविजसत्तम
     तं ममानुग्रह कृते दातुम अर्हस्य अनिन्दित
     अनुशासन्तु मां सन्तॊ मिथ्यावृत्तं तदाश्रयम
 10 इत्य उक्तः स दविजः पराह तथास्त्व इति नराधिपम
    एवं समभवंस तस्य वरास ते दीप्ततेजसः
 11 ततः स रथम आस्थाय जवलनार्कसमद्युतिः
    अब्रवीद वीर्यसंमॊहात कॊ नव अस्ति सदृशॊ मया
    वीर्यधैर्य यशः शौचैर विक्रमेणौजसापि वा
 12 तद वाक्यान्ते चान्तरिक्षे वाग उवाचाशरीरिणी
    न तवं मूढ विजानीषे बराह्मणं कषत्रियाद वरम
    सहितॊ बराह्मणेनेह कषत्रियॊ रक्षति परजाः
 13 [अर्जुन]
    कुर्यां भूतानि तुष्टॊ ऽहं करुद्धॊ नाशं तथा नये
    कर्मणा मनसा वाचा न मत्तॊ ऽसति वरॊ दविजः
 14 पूर्वॊ बरह्मॊत्तरॊ वादॊ दवितीयः कषत्रियॊत्तरः
    तवयॊक्तौ यौ तु तौ हेतू विशेषस तव अत्र दृश्यते
 15 बराह्मणाः संश्रिताः कषत्रं न कषत्रं बराह्मणाश्रितम
    शरितान बरह्मॊपधा विप्राः खादन्ति कषत्रियान भुवि
 16 कषत्रियेष्व आश्रितॊ धर्मः परजानां परिपालनम
    कषत्राद वृत्तिर बराह्मणानां तैः कथं बराह्मणॊ वरः
 17 सर्वभूतप्रधानांस तान भैक्ष वृत्तीन अहं सदा
    आत्मसंभावितान विप्रान सथापयाम्य आत्मनॊ वशे
 18 कथितं हय अनया सत्यं गायत्र्या कन्यया दिवि
    विजेष्याम्य अवशान सर्वान बराह्मणांश चर्म वाससः
 19 न च मां चयावयेद राष्ट्रात तरिषु लॊकेषु कश चन
    देवॊ वा मानुषॊ वापि तस्माज जयेष्ठॊ दविजाद अहम
 20 अद्य बरह्मॊत्तरं लॊकं करिष्ये कषत्रियॊत्तरम
    न हि मे संयुगे कश चित सॊढुम उत्सहते बलम
 21 अर्जुनस्य वचः शरुत्वा वित्रस्ताभून निशाचरी
    अथैनम अन्तरिक्षस्थस ततॊ वायुर अभाषत
 22 तयजैनं कलुषं भावं बराह्मणेभ्यॊ नमस्कुरु
    एतेषां कुर्वतः पापं राष्ट्रक्षॊभॊ हि ते भवेत
 23 अथ वा तवां महीपाल शमयिष्यन्ति वै दविजाः
    निरसिष्यन्ति वा राष्ट्राद धतॊत्साहं महाबलाः
 24 तं राजा कस तवम इत्य आह ततस तं पराह मारुतः
    वायुर वै देवदूतॊ ऽसमि हितं तवां परब्रवीम्य अहम
 25 [अ]
    अहॊ तवयाद्य विप्रेषु भक्तिरागः परदर्शितः
    यादृशं पृथिवी भूतं तादृशं बरूहि वै दविजम
 26 वायॊर वा सदृशं किं चिद बरूहि तवं बराह्मणॊत्तमम
    अपां वै सदृशं बरूहि सूर्यस्य नभसॊ ऽपि वा

 

 1 [y]
     kāṃ tu brāhmaṇa pūjāyāṃ vyuṣṭiṃ dṛṣṭvā janādhipa
     kaṃ vā karmodayaṃ matvā tān arcasi mahāmate
 2 [bh]
     atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam
     pavanasya ca saṃvādam arjunasya ca bhārata
 3 sahasrabhuja bhṛc chrīmān kārtavīryo 'bhavat prabhuḥ
     asya lokasya sarvasya māhiṣmatyāṃ mahābalaḥ
 4 sa tu ratnākaravatīṃ sa dvīpāṃ sāgarāmbarām
     śaśāsa sarvāṃ pṛthivīṃ haihayaḥ satyavikramaḥ
 5 svavittaṃ tena dattaṃ tu dattātreyāya kāraṇe
     kṣatradharmaṃ puraskṛtya vinayaṃ śrutam eva ca
 6 ārādhayām āsa ca taṃ kṛtavīryātmajo munim
     nyamantrayata saṃhṛṣṭaḥ sa dvijaś ca varais tribhiḥ
 7 sa varaiś chanditas tena nṛpo vacanam abravīt
     sahasrabāhur bhūyāṃ vai camūmadhye gṛhe 'nyathā
 8 mama bāhusahasraṃ tu paśyantāṃ sainikā raṇe
     vikrameṇa mahīṃ kṛtsnāṃ jayeyaṃ vipulavrata
     tāṃ ca dharmeṇa saṃprāpya pālayeyam atandritaḥ
 9 caturthaṃ tu varaṃ yāce tvām ahaṃ dvijasattama
     taṃ mamānugraha kṛte dātum arhasy anindita
     anuśāsantu māṃ santo mithyāvṛttaṃ tadāśrayam
 10 ity uktaḥ sa dvijaḥ prāha tathāstv iti narādhipam
    evaṃ samabhavaṃs tasya varās te dīptatejasaḥ
 11 tataḥ sa ratham āsthāya jvalanārkasamadyutiḥ
    abravīd vīryasaṃmohāt ko nv asti sadṛśo mayā
    vīryadhairya yaśaḥ śaucair vikrameṇaujasāpi vā
 12 tad vākyānte cāntarikṣe vāg uvācāśarīriṇī
    na tvaṃ mūḍha vijānīṣe brāhmaṇaṃ kṣatriyād varam
    sahito brāhmaṇeneha kṣatriyo rakṣati prajāḥ
 13 [arjuna]
    kuryāṃ bhūtāni tuṣṭo 'haṃ kruddho nāśaṃ tathā naye
    karmaṇā manasā vācā na matto 'sti varo dvijaḥ
 14 pūrvo brahmottaro vādo dvitīyaḥ kṣatriyottaraḥ
    tvayoktau yau tu tau hetū viśeṣas tv atra dṛśyate
 15 brāhmaṇāḥ saṃśritāḥ kṣatraṃ na kṣatraṃ brāhmaṇāśritam
    śritān brahmopadhā viprāḥ khādanti kṣatriyān bhuvi
 16 kṣatriyeṣv āśrito dharmaḥ prajānāṃ paripālanam
    kṣatrād vṛttir brāhmaṇānāṃ taiḥ kathaṃ brāhmaṇo varaḥ
 17 sarvabhūtapradhānāṃs tān bhaikṣa vṛttīn ahaṃ sadā
    ātmasaṃbhāvitān viprān sthāpayāmy ātmano vaśe
 18 kathitaṃ hy anayā satyaṃ gāyatryā kanyayā divi
    vijeṣyāmy avaśān sarvān brāhmaṇāṃś carma vāsasaḥ
 19 na ca māṃ cyāvayed rāṣṭrāt triṣu lokeṣu kaś cana
    devo vā mānuṣo vāpi tasmāj jyeṣṭho dvijād aham
 20 adya brahmottaraṃ lokaṃ kariṣye kṣatriyottaram
    na hi me saṃyuge kaś cit soḍhum utsahate balam
 21 arjunasya vacaḥ śrutvā vitrastābhūn niśācarī
    athainam antarikṣasthas tato vāyur abhāṣata
 22 tyajainaṃ kaluṣaṃ bhāvaṃ brāhmaṇebhyo namaskuru
    eteṣāṃ kurvataḥ pāpaṃ rāṣṭrakṣobho hi te bhavet
 23 atha vā tvāṃ mahīpāla śamayiṣyanti vai dvijāḥ
    nirasiṣyanti vā rāṣṭrād dhatotsāhaṃ mahābalāḥ
 24 taṃ rājā kas tvam ity āha tatas taṃ prāha mārutaḥ
    vāyur vai devadūto 'smi hitaṃ tvāṃ prabravīmy aham
 25 [a]
    aho tvayādya vipreṣu bhaktirāgaḥ pradarśitaḥ
    yādṛśaṃ pṛthivī bhūtaṃ tādṛśaṃ brūhi vai dvijam
 26 vāyor vā sadṛśaṃ kiṃ cid brūhi tvaṃ brāhmaṇottamam
    apāṃ vai sadṛśaṃ brūhi sūryasya nabhaso 'pi vā

 

Yudhishthira said, 'Tell us, O king, what is that reward attached to the worship of Brahmanas, seeing which thou worshippest them, O thou of superior intelligence! Indeed, what is that success, flowing from their worship, guided by which thou worshippest them?'

 

"Bhishma said, 'In this connection is cited this old narrative of a conversation between Pavana and Arjuna, O Bharata! Endued with a thousand arms and great beauty the mighty Kartavirya, in days of yore, became the lord of all the world. He had his capital in the city of Mahishmati. Of unbaffled prowess, that chief of the Haihaya race of Kshatriyas swayed the whole earth with her belt of seas, together with all her islands and all her precious mines of gold and gems. Keeping before him the duties of the Kshatriya order, as also humility and Vedic knowledge, the king made large gifts of wealth unto the Rishi Dattatreya. Indeed, the son of Kritavirya thus adored the great ascetic who, becoming pleased with him, asked him to solicit three boons. Thus requested by the Rishi in respect of boons, the king addressed him, saying, 'Let me become endued with a thousand arms when I am in the midst of my troops. While, however, I remain at home let me have, as usual only two arms! Indeed, let combatants, when engaged in battle, behold me possessed of a thousand arms, observant also of high vows, let me succeed in subjugating the whole earth by dint of my prowess. Having acquired the earth righteously, let me sway her with vigilance. There is a fourth boon which, O foremost of regenerate persons, I solicit thee to grant. O faultless one, in consequence of the disposition to favour me, it behoveth thee to grant it to me. Dependent that I am on thee, whenever I may happen to go wrong, let the righteous come forth to instruct and set me right! Thus addressed, the Brahmana replied unto the king, saying, 'So let it be!' Even thus were those boons acquired by that king of blazing effulgence. Riding then on his car whose splendour resembled that of fire or the Sun, the monarch, blinded by his great prowess, said, 'Who, indeed, is there that can be regarded as my equal in patience and energy, in fame and heroism, in prowess and strength?' After he had uttered these words, an invisible voice in the welkin said, 'O ignorant wretch, dost thou not know that the Brahmana is superior to the Kshatriya? The Kshatriya, assisted by the Brahmana rules all creatures!'

 

"Arjuna said, 'When gratified, I am able to create many creatures. When angry, I am able to destroy all. In thought, word, and deed, I am the foremost. The Brahmana is certainly not above me!' The first proposition here is that the Brahmana is superior to the Kshatriya. The counter-proposition is that the Kshatriya is superior. Thou hast said, O invisible being that the two are united together (in the act upon which the Kshatriya's superiority is sought to be based). A distinction, however, is observable in this. It is seen that Brahmanas take refuge with Kshatriyas. The Kshatriyas never seek the refuge of Brahmanas. indeed, throughout the earth, the Brahmanas, accepting such refuge under the pretence of teaching the Vedas, draw their sustenance from the Kshatriyas. The duty of protecting all creatures is vested in Kshatriyas. It is from the Kshatriyas that the Brahmanas derive their sustenance. How then can the Brahmana be superior to the Kshatriyas? Well, I shall from today, bring under my subjection, your Brahmanas who are superior to all creatures but who have mendicancy for their occupation and who are so self-conceited! What the virgin Gayatri has said from the welkin is not true. Robed in skins, the Brahmanas move about in independence. I shall bring those independent wights under my subjection. Deity or man, there is none in the three worlds who can hurl me from the sovereignty I enjoy. Hence, I am certainly superior to the Brahmanas. This world that is now regarded as having Brahmanas for its foremost denizens shall soon be made such as to have Kshatriyas for its foremost denizens. There is none that is capable of bearing my might in battle! Hearing these words of Arjuna, the welkin-ranging goddess became agitated. Then the god of wind, addressing the king from the sky, said, 'Cast off this sinful attitude. Bow unto the Brahmanas. By injuring them thou wilt bring about troubles on thy kingdom. The Brahmanas will either slay thee, king though thou art, or, endued with great might that they are, they will drive thee away from the kingdom, despoiling thee of thy energy!' The king, hearing this speech, addressed the speaker, saying, Who, indeed, art thou?' The god of wind answered, 'I am the god of wind and the messenger of the deities! I say unto thee what is for thy benefit.'

 

"Arjuna said, 'Oh, I see that thou hast today shown thy devotion and attachment to the Brahmanas. Tell me now what kind of earthly creature is the Brahmana! Tell me, does a superior Brahmana resemble the Wind in any respect? Or, is he like Water, or Fire, or the Sun, or the Firmament?