न रक्षिता तदा बाला केनापि द्रुपदात्मजा । प्राप्तकेशग्रहा काले साध्वी च वरवर्णिनी
At that time, the young daughter of Drupada, though virtuous and of excellent beauty, was not protected by anyone when her hair was seized.
किमत्र चिन्तनीयं वै धर्मवैगुण्यकारणम् । केशवे सति देवेशे धर्मपुत्रे युधिष्ठिरे
What is there to ponder here as the cause of the failure of righteousness, when Keshava, Lord of the gods, and Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma, were present?
भवितव्यमिति प्रोक्ते निष्फलः स्यात्तदागमः । वेदमन्त्रास्तथान्ये च वितथाः स्युरसंशयम्
If it is said that 'what is destined must happen,' then all scriptural injunctions would be fruitless, and the Vedic mantras and others would surely be rendered false.
साधनं निष्फलं सर्वमुपायश्च निरर्थकः । भवितव्यं भवत्येव वचने प्रतिपादके
All means and efforts would be fruitless, and every method would be pointless, if destiny alone is established as the determining factor.
आगमोऽप्यर्थवादः स्यात्क्रियाः सर्वा निरर्थकाः । स्वर्गार्थञ्च तपो व्यर्थं वर्णधर्मश्च वै तथा
Scripture itself would become mere eulogy, all rituals would be meaningless, austerity for the sake of heaven would be in vain, and so too the duties of caste.
सर्वं प्रमाणं व्यर्थं स्याद्भवितव्ये कृते हृदि । उभयञ्चापि मन्तव्यं दैवं चोपाय एव च
All authority would be pointless if destiny alone is fixed in the heart; yet both destiny and human effort must be considered.
कृते कर्मणि चेत्सिद्धिर्विपरिता यदा भवेत् । वैगुण्यं कल्पनीयं स्यात्प्राज्ञैः पण्डितमौलिभिः
If, after performing an action, the result turns out contrary, then the wise and learned should attribute it to some defect.
तत्कर्म बहुधा प्रोक्तं विद्वद्भिः कर्मकारिभिः । कर्तृभेदान्मन्त्रभेदाद्द्रव्यभेदात्तथा पुनः
That action has been described in many ways by learned ritualists, due to differences in the performer, the mantra, and the materials used.
यथा मघवता पूर्वं विश्वरूपो वृतो गुरुः । विपरीतं कृतं तेन कर्म मातृहिताय वै
Just as, in former times, Maghavan (Indra) chose Vishvarupa as his priest, but he performed the ritual in a contrary way, for the benefit of his mother.
देवेभ्यो दानवेभ्यस्तु स्वस्तीत्युक्त्वा पुनः पुनः । असुरा मातृपक्षीयाः कृतं तेषाञ्च रक्षणम्
Having repeatedly said 'well-being' to the gods and the demons, he favored the side of his mother, the Asuras, and protected them.
दैत्यान् दृष्ट्वातिसम्पुष्टांश्चुकोप मघवा तदा । शिरांसि तस्य वज्रेण चिच्छेद तरसा हरिः
Seeing the Daityas greatly prospering, Maghavan (Indra) became enraged, and with force, Hari (Indra) cut off Vishvarupa's heads with his thunderbolt.
क्रियावैगुण्यमत्रैव कर्तृभेदादसंशयम् । नोचेत्पञ्चालराजेन रोषेणापि कृता क्रिया
Here, the defect in the ritual was certainly due to the difference in the performer; otherwise, even the king of Panchala, acting in anger, would have succeeded.
भारद्वाजविनाशाय पुत्रस्योत्पादनाय च । धृष्टद्युम्नः समुत्पन्नो वेदिमध्याच्च द्रौपदी
For the destruction of Bharadvaja and the birth of his son, Dhrishtadyumna was born, and Draupadi too, from the midst of the altar.
पुरा दशरथेनापि पुत्रेष्टिस्तु कृता यदा । अपुत्रस्य सुतास्तस्य चत्वारः सम्प्रजज्ञिरे
Formerly, when Dasharatha performed the sacrifice for sons, though he was childless, four sons were indeed born to him.
अतः क्रिया कृता युक्त्या सिद्धिदा सर्वथा भवेत् । अयुक्त्या विपरिता स्यात्सर्वथा नृपसत्तम
Therefore, a ritual performed properly always brings success; if done improperly, it turns out contrary, O best of kings.
पाण्डवानां यथा यज्ञे किञ्चिद्वैगुण्ययोगतः । विपरीतं फलं प्राप्तं निर्जितास्ते दुरोदरे
Just as, in the Pandavas' sacrifice, due to some defect, the result was reversed, and they were defeated in the game of dice.
सत्यवादी तथा राजन् धर्मपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः । द्रौपदी च तथा साध्वी तथान्येप्यनुजाः शुभाः
Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma, was truthful, Draupadi was virtuous, and so too were his other noble brothers.
कुद्रव्ययोगाद्वैगुण्यं समुत्पन्नं मखेऽथवा । साभिमानैः कृताद्वापि दूषणं समुपस्थितम्
Due to the use of impure materials or some defect in the sacrifice, or because it was performed with pride, a fault arose.
सात्त्विकस्तु महाराज दुर्लभो वै मखः स्मृतः । वैखानसमुनीनां हि विहितोऽसौ महामखः
O King, the sāttvika sacrifice is considered very rare; it is prescribed as the great sacrifice by the Vaikhānasa sages.
सात्त्विकं भोजनं ये वै नित्यं कुर्वन्ति तापसाः । न्यायार्जितञ्च वन्यञ्च तथा ऋष्यं सुसंस्कृतम्
Those ascetics who always partake of sāttvika food—lawfully obtained, from the forest, and from the sages, all well-prepared—
पुरोडाशपरा नित्यं वियूपा मन्त्रपूर्वकाः । श्रद्धाधिका मखा राजन् सात्त्विकाः परमाः स्मृताः
Who are always devoted to puroḍāśa offerings, who perform viyūpa rites with proper mantras, and who possess deep faith—such sacrifices, O King, are regarded as supremely sāttvika.
राजसा द्रव्यबहुलाः सयूपाश्च सुसंस्कृताः । क्षत्रियाणां विशाञ्चैव साभिमानाश्च वै मखाः
The rājasic sacrifices are abundant in material offerings, performed with yūpa posts and well-arranged; they are undertaken by kṣatriyas and householders, and are marked by pride.
तामसा दानवानां वै सक्रोधा मदवर्धकाः । सामर्षाः संस्कृताः क्रूरा मखाः प्रोक्ता महात्मभिः
The tāmasic sacrifices, belonging to the dānavas, are performed with anger, promote intoxication, are filled with wrath, and are cruel in nature—so declare the great souls.
मुनीनां मोक्षकामानां विरक्तानां महात्मनाम् । मानसस्तु स्मृतो यागः सर्वसाधनसंयुतः
For sages who seek liberation, who are detached and of great soul, the mental sacrifice is said to be supreme, endowed with all means.
अन्येषु सर्वयज्ञेषु किञ्चिन्न्यूनं भवेदपि । द्रव्येण श्रद्धया वाऽपि क्रियया ब्राह्मणैस्तथा
In all other sacrifices, there may be some deficiency—whether in material, faith, or action—even when performed by brāhmaṇas.
देशकालपृथग्द्रव्यसाधनैः सकलैस्तथा । नान्यो भवति पूर्णे वै तथा भवति मानसः
Because of differences in place, time, materials, and other means, no other sacrifice is ever truly complete; only the mental sacrifice is so.
प्रथमं तु मनः शोध्यं कर्तव्यं गुणवर्जितम् । शुद्धे मनसि देहो वै शुद्ध एव न संशयः
First, the mind must be purified, made free from qualities; when the mind is pure, the body too becomes pure—of this there is no doubt.
इन्द्रियार्थपरित्यक्तं यदा जातं मनः शुचि । तदा तस्य मखस्यासौ प्रभवेदधिकारवान्
When the mind has become pure, having abandoned attachment to sense objects, then alone does one become qualified to perform that sacrifice.
तदाऽसौ मण्डपं कृत्वा बहुयोजनविस्तृतम् । स्तम्भैश्च विपुलैः श्लक्ष्णैर्यज्ञियद्रुमसम्भवैः
Then, one should mentally construct a pavilion, vast over many yojanas, with great and smooth pillars made from sacrificial trees.
वेदीं च विशदां तत्र मनसा परिकल्पयेत् । अग्नयोऽपि तथा स्थाप्या विधिवन्मनसा किल
There, one should mentally arrange a clear altar, and also establish the fires according to the prescribed method, all within the mind.