देवतातीर्थतपसां भारतादेव निश्चयः । न जन्यते नास्तिकता तस्य मीमांसकैरपि
O Bharata, the certainty of the gods, sacred places and ascetics exists solely because of you; even the critics of scripture cannot generate disbelief there.
विष्णौ देवेषु वेदेषु गुरुषु ब्राह्मणेषु च । भक्तिर्भवति कल्याणी भारतादेव धीमताम्
Devotion to Vishnu arises among gods, in the Vedas, in teachers and in Brahmins — such auspicious devotion comes to the wise from you, O Bharata.
धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणां भरतात्सिद्धिरेव हि । अजिह्मो भारतः पन्था निर्वाणपदगामिनाम्
For the achievers of dharma, wealth, pleasure and liberation, Bharata is indeed the means of success; Bharata is the path taken by those bound for the state of nirvana.
मोक्षधर्मार्थकामानां प्रपञ्चो भारते कृतः । अनित्यतापसन्तप्ता भवन्ति तस्य मुक्तये
In Bharata the world is made for the ends of liberation, duty, wealth and desire; those scorched by the transient heat of asceticism become freed by it.
विपत्तिं भारताच्छ्रुत्वा वृष्णिपाण्डवसम्पदाम् । दुःखावसानाद्राजेन्द्र! पुण्यं च संश्रयेद्बुधः
Hearing of calamity befalling Bharata and the riches of the Vrishnis and Pandavas, a wise king should, at the end of sorrow, take refuge in virtue, O lord of kings.
एवंविधं भारतं वै प्रोक्तं येन महात्मना । सोऽयं नारायणः साक्षात् व्यासरूपी महामुनिः
Thus was Bharata described by that great soul; that very Narayana himself is present — the great sage Vyasa in embodied form.
स तेषां वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रतापी यो महीपतिः । प्रसादयामास मुनिं व्यासं शास्त्रविशारदम्
Hearing those words, that king of prowess appeased the seer Vyasa, the master of the scriptures, granting him favor.
शतानीक उवाच अञ्जलिः शिरसा ब्रह्मन्! कृतोऽयं पादयोस्तव । ब्रूहि मे धर्मशास्त्रं तु येना पूततां व्रजे
Anjali, with head bowed, said: O Brahman, your feet have indeed been placed upon my head; speak to me the law code by which rites may be purified.
समुद्धर भवादस्मात्कीर्तयित्वा कथां शुभाम् । यथा मम पिता पूर्वं कीर्तयित्वा तु भारतम्
Lift me up, recounting that auspicious tale which your father once proclaimed about Bharata before me.
व्यास उवाच तस्यैतद्वचनं श्रुत्वा व्यासो वचनमब्रवीत् । एष शिष्यः सुमन्तुर्मे कथयिष्यति ते प्रभो!
Vyasa said: Having heard these words, Vyasa replied — 'This pupil of mine, Sumantra, will relate it to you, O lord.'
यदिच्छसि महाबाहो! प्रीतिदं चाद्भुतं शुभम् । श्रव्यं भरतशार्दूल! सर्वपापभयापहम्
Whatever you wish, O mighty-armed one, this delightful and wondrous auspiciousness—hear, O tiger among Bharatas!—it removes all fear of sin.
यथा वैशम्पायनेन पुरा प्रोक्तं पितुस्तव । महाभारतव्याख्यानं ब्रह्महत्याव्यपोहनम्
As Vaishampayana once told your father long ago: the exposition of the Mahabharata frees one from the grave guilt of killing a brahman.
अथ तमृषयः सर्वे राजानमिदमब्रुवन् । साधु प्रोक्तं महाबाहो! व्यासेनामितबुद्धिना
Then all those seers said to that king: "Well spoken, O mighty-armed! This was rightly said by Vyasa, endowed with such understanding."
सुमन्तुं पृच्छ राजर्षे! सर्वशास्त्रविशारदम् । अस्माकमपि राजेन्द्र! श्रवणे जायते मतिः । अथ व्यासो महातेजाः सुमन्तुमृषिमब्रवीत्
The kingly sage Sumantu asked the sage who is expert in every scripture: "O great king, listening brings understanding to us as well." Thereupon the illustrious Vyasa addressed Sumantu the seer.
कथयास्मै कथास्तात! याः श्रुत्वा मोदते नृपः । भारतादिकथानां तु यत्रास्य रमते मनः
He said: "Tell me, venerable one, the tales upon hearing which a king rejoices—wherein the mind finds delight in the narratives originating from Bharat and others."
असावपि महातेजाः श्रुत्वा भावं महामतेः । व्यासस्य द्विजशार्दूल! ऋषीणां चापि सर्वशः
Hearing this, the great-minded sage felt a deep emotion; O foremost of twice-born Vyasa, he caused all the seers likewise to... (their hearts).
चकार वक्तुं स मनस्तस्मै राज्ञे महामतिः । व्यासस्य शासनाद्विप्र! ऋषीणां चैव सर्वशः
He made that mind speak to the king, O twice-born Vyasa; by Vyasa's command the seers, in every respect, spoke as well.
अथ राजा महातेजा आजमीढो द्विजोत्तमम् । प्रणम्य शिरसात्यर्थं प्रवक्तुमुपचक्रमे
Then the great-radiant king rose up and approached the best of brahmans with bowed head, ready to speak his purpose.
शतानीक उवाच पुण्याख्यानं मम ब्रह्मन्! पावनाय प्रकीर्तय । श्रुत्वा यद्ब्राह्मणश्रेष्ठ! मुच्येऽहं सर्वपातकात्
Sumantri said: "Recite, O brahman, a sacred story for purification and praise; upon hearing from you, best of brahmans, I shall be freed from all sins."
सुमन्तुरुवाच नानाविधानि शास्त्राणि सन्ति पुष्पानि भारत । यानि श्रुत्वा नरो राजन्! मुच्यते सर्वकिल्बिषैः
Sumantu replied: "There are many kinds of scriptures, O Bharata, like flowers; whoever hears them, O king, is indeed liberated from all defilements."
किमिच्छसि महाबाहो! श्रोतुं यत्त्वां ब्रवीमि वै । भारतादिकथानां तु यासु धर्मादयः स्थिताः
What do you wish, O mighty-armed one? Hear now what I shall tell you: among the stories of Bharata are those in which the duties and laws (dharma and so on) stand established.
शतानीक उवाच मतानि कानि विप्रेन्द्र ! धर्मशास्त्राणि सुव्रत! । यानि श्रुत्वा नरो विप्र! मुच्यते सर्वकिल्बिषैः
Satanika said: Tell me, O learned one, which of the law-books, firmly observed, you hold as true; for upon hearing those a man, O twice-born, is freed from all his sins.
सुमन्तुरुवाच श्रूयन्तां धर्मशास्त्राणि मनुर्विष्णुर्यमोऽङ्गिराः । वसिष्ठदक्षसंवर्तशातातपपराशराः
Sumantu said: Let the law-books be heard—Manu, Vishnu, Yama, Angiras; also Vasistha, Daksha, Sanvart, Satata, Tapas, and Parashara.
आपस्तम्बोऽथ उशना कात्यायनबृहस्पती । गौतमःशङ्खलिखितौ हारीतोऽत्रिरथापि वा
Apastamba and Ushana, Katyayana and Brihaspati; Gautama and Sankhyali, Harita, Atriya, and even Ratha are listed here.
एतानि धर्मशास्त्राणि श्रुत्वा ज्ञात्वा च भारत! । वृन्दारकपुरं गत्वा मोदते नात्र संशयः
Having heard and understood these law-books, O Bharata, go to Vrindaraka-town and rejoice—there is no doubt in this.
शतानीक उवाच यान्येतानि त्वयोक्तानि धर्मशास्त्राणि सुव्रत! । नेच्छामि श्रोतुं विप्रेन्द्र! श्रुतान्येतानि हि द्विज!
Satanika said: Those law-books you have named, O well-vowed one, I do not wish to hear, O twice-born; indeed, O Brahmin, I will not listen to these heard teachings.
त्रयाणामपि वर्णानां प्रोक्तानामपि पण्डितैः । श्रेयसे न तु शूद्राणां तत्र मे वचनं शृणु
Even those expounded for three classes and by learned teachers are for the good, but not for the Shudras—hear my words on that point.
चतुर्णामिह वर्णानां श्रेयसे यानि सुव्रत! । भवन्ति द्विजशार्दूल! श्रुतानि भुवनत्रये
For the welfare of the four castes, O well-vowed one, the teachings are made known; O tiger among the twice-born, these heard laws prevail in the three worlds.
विशेषतश्चतुर्थस्य वर्णस्य द्विजसत्तम!
Especially of the fourth caste is this matter significant, O foremost of the twice-born!
ब्राह्मणादिषु वर्णेषु त्रिषु वेदाः प्रकल्पिताः । मन्वादीनि च शास्त्राणि तथाङ्गानि समन्ततः
Among the castes beginning with the Brahmin, three Vedas have been expounded; likewise the codes beginning with the Manus and others and all their parts throughout.