व्रतोपवासैर्बहुभिः कृतं भवति भीष्म यत्। सर्वं तदनपत्यस्य मोघं भवति निश्चयात्
All that is accomplished by many vows and fasts, O Bhishma, becomes futile for one without children, certainly.
सोऽनपत्यश्च वृद्धश्च मिथ्याधर्मानुशासनात्। हंसवत्त्वमपीदानीं ज्ञातिभ्यः प्राप्नुया वधम्
Thus, being childless and aged, due to false instruction on dharma, you may now, like the swan, incur death at the hands of your kin.
एवं हि कथयन्त्यन्ये नरा ज्ञानविदः पुरा। भीष्म यत्तदहं सम्यग्वक्ष्यामि तव शृण्वतः
So spoke others of old, wise men, O Bhishma; what they said I will now properly recount to you as you listen.
वृद्धः किल समुद्रान्ते कश्चिद्धंसोऽभवत्पुरा। धर्मवागन्यथावृत्तः पक्षिणः सोऽनुशास्ति च
Once, at the edge of the ocean, there was an aged swan, speaking of dharma but acting otherwise, who instructed the birds.
धर्म चरत माऽधर्ममिति तस्य वचः किल। पक्षिणः शुश्रुवुर्भीष्म सततं धर्मवादिनः
‘Practice righteousness, avoid unrighteousness’—such were his words, O Bhishma, which the birds, always fond of dharma, continually heard.
हंसस्य तु वचः श्रुत्वा मुदिताः सर्वपक्षिणः। ऊचुश्चैव स्वगा हंसं परिवार्य च सर्वशः
Hearing the swan’s words, all the birds rejoiced; gathering around him, they addressed the swan in their own language.
कथयस्व भवान्सर्वं पक्षिणां तु समासतः। को हि नाम द्विजश्रेष्ठ ब्रूहि नो धर्म उत्तमः
Please tell us everything, O best of the twice-born, to all the birds assembled; who indeed, tell us, knows the highest dharma?
प्रजास्वहिंसा धर्मो वै हिंसाऽधर्मः खगव्रजाः। एतदेवानुबोद्धव्यं धर्माधर्मः समासतः
Among creatures, non-injury is dharma, injury is adharma, O flock of birds; this alone should be understood, in brief, as dharma and adharma.
वृद्धहंसवचः श्रुत्वा पक्षिणस्ते सुसंहिताः। ऊचुश्च धर्मलुब्धास्ते स्मयमाना इवाण्डजाः
Hearing the aged swan’s words, the birds, well gathered, spoke, eager for dharma, smiling as if they were egg-born.
धर्मं यः कुरुते नित्यं लोके धीरतरोऽण्डजः। स यत्र गच्छेद्धर्मात्मा तन्मे ब्रूहीह तत्त्वतः
The bird who always practices dharma in the world is wiser; wherever such a righteous one goes, tell us truly, what is his destination?
बाला यूयं न जानीध्वं धर्मसूक्ष्मं विहङ्गमाः। धर्मं यः कुरुते लोके सततं शुभबुद्धिना। न चायुषोऽन्ते स्वं देहं त्यक्त्वा स्वर्गं स गच्छति
You are young and do not know the subtlety of dharma, O birds; one who always practices dharma in the world with pure intent, at the end of his life, after leaving his body, does not go to heaven.
तथाऽहमपि च त्यक्त्वा काले देहमिमं द्विजाः। स्वर्गलोकं गमिष्यामि इयं धर्मस्य वै गतिः
So too, when I leave this body at the proper time, O twice-born, I will go to the heavenly world; this is indeed the path of dharma.
एवं धर्मकथां चक्रे स हंसः पक्षिणां भृशम्। पक्षिणः शुश्रुवुर्भीष्म सततं धर्ममेव ते
Thus the swan spoke extensively of dharma to the birds; and the birds, O Bhishma, always listened only to dharma.
अथास्य भक्ष्यमाजह्रुः समुद्रजलचारिणः। अण्डजा भीष्म तस्यान्ये धर्मार्थमिति शुश्रुम
Then, those egg-born who dwell in the ocean waters brought him food, O Bhishma, as we have heard, for the sake of dharma.
ते च तस्य समभ्याशे निक्षिप्याण्डानि सर्वशः। समुद्राम्भस्यमोदन्त चरन्तो भीष्म पक्षिणः
And they placed their eggs near him, all together; while the birds, O Bhishma, moved about joyfully in the ocean waters.
तेषामण्डानि सर्वेषां भक्षयामास पापकृत्। स हंसः सम्प्रमत्तानामप्रमत्तः स्वकर्मणि
The sinful swan ate all their eggs, being attentive to his own actions while the others were careless.
ततः प्रक्षीयमाणेषु तेषु तेष्वण्डजोऽपरः। अशङ्कत महाप्राज्ञः स कदाचिद्ददर्श ह
Then, as those eggs were being destroyed, another bird hatched from an egg; the wise one became anxious, and at some time he saw this.
ततः सङ्कथयामास दृष्ट्वा हंसस्य किल्बिषम्। तेषां परमदुःखार्तः स पक्षी सर्वपक्षिणाम्
Then, seeing the sin of the swan, that bird, afflicted with great sorrow for them, began to speak.
ततः प्रत्यक्षतो दृष्ट्वा पक्षिणस्ते समीपगाः। निजघ्नस्तं तदा हंसं मिथ्यावृत्तं कुरूद्वह
Then, seeing directly the swan's wrongful conduct, the birds nearby struck down that swan, O descendant of the Kurus.
एवं त्वां हंसधर्माणमपीमे वसुधाधिपाः। निहन्युर्भीष्म सङ्क्रुद्धाः पक्षिणस्तं यथाण्डजम्
In this way, Bhishma, even these kings of the earth, angered, might slay you, who follow the dharma of the swan, just as those birds killed that egg-born one.
गाथामप्यत्र गायन्ति ये पुराणविदो जनाः। भीष्म यां तां च ते सम्यक्वथयिष्यामि भारत
There is also a verse sung here by those who know the ancient lore; Bhishma, I will properly recount it to you, O Bharata.
अन्तरात्मन्यभिहते रौषि पत्ररथाशुचि। अण्डभक्षणकर्मैतत्तव वाचमतीयते
When the inner self is struck, anger arises, O pure one with wings as chariots; this act of eating eggs is spoken of in your words.
स मे बहुमतो राजा जरासन्धो महाबलः। योऽनेन युद्धं नेयेष दाक्षोऽयमिति संयुगे
That king Jarasandha, mighty in strength, is highly esteemed by me; he is skilled in battle, and none could bring him to fight.
केशवेन कृतं कर्म जरासन्धवधे तदा। भीमसेनार्जुनाभ्यां च कस्तत्साध्विति मन्यते
The deed performed by Keshava in the killing of Jarasandha, together with Bhimasena and Arjuna—who considers that a worthy act?
उद्वारेण प्रविष्टेन छद्मना ब्रह्मवादिना। दृष्टः प्रभावः कृष्णेन जरासन्धस्य भूपतेः
By entering through the gate, disguised as a Brahmin, Krishna saw the power of King Jarasandha.
येन धर्मात्मनाऽऽत्मानं ब्रह्मण्यमभिजानता। प्रेषितं पाद्यमस्मै तद्दातुमग्रे दूरात्मने
By whom, righteous in soul and knowing the Brahmin's ways, water for washing feet was sent to him to offer first to one of wicked intent.
भुज्यतामिति तेनोक्ताः कृष्णबीमधनञ्जयाटः। जरासन्धेन कौरव्य कृष्णेन विकृतं कृतम्
He said, 'Let it be eaten,' to Krishna, Bhima, and Arjuna; but by Krishna, O Kaurava, a distorted act was done to Jarasandha.
यद्ययं जगतः कर्ता यथैनं मूर्ख मन्यसे। कस्मान्न ब्राह्मणं सम्यगात्मानमवगच्छति
If he is the creator of the world, as you foolishly think him to be, why does he not properly recognize the Brahmin as his own self?
इदं त्वाश्चर्यभूतं मे यदिभे पाण्डवास्त्वया। अपकृष्टाः सतां मार्गान्मन्यन्ते तच्च साध्विति
This, indeed, is astonishing to me, that you Pandavas, withdrawn from the path of the virtuous, consider it praiseworthy.
अथवा नैतदाश्चर्यं येषां त्वमसि भारत। स्त्रीसधर्मा च वृद्धश्च सर्वार्थानां प्रदर्शकः
Or perhaps it is not astonishing, O Bharata, for you are aged and follow the dharma of women, and you are a guide for all matters.