भीष्मद्रोणवधः कामं भूभारहरणे मतः । अर्चिताश्च महात्मानः पाण्डवा धर्मतत्पराः
The killing of Bhīṣma and Droṇa is indeed considered as removal of the earth's burden; and the great-souled Pāṇḍavas, devoted to righteousness, were honored.
कृष्णभक्ताः सदाचारा युधिष्ठिरपुरोगमाः । ते कृत्वा राजसूयञ्च यज्ञराजं विधानतः
The followers of Kṛṣṇa, of virtuous conduct, led by Yudhiṣṭhira, performed the Rājasūya and the king of sacrifices according to the prescribed method.
दक्षिणा विविधा दत्त्वा ब्राह्मणेभ्योऽतिभावतः । पाण्डुपुत्रास्तु देवांशा वासुदेवाश्रिता मुने
Having given various gifts to the Brahmins with great devotion, the sons of Pandu, who are portions of the gods and devoted to Vasudeva, O sage—
घोरं दुःखं कथं प्राप्ताः क्व गतं सुकृतञ्च तत् । किं तत्पापं महारौद्रं येन ते पीडिताः सदा
How did they come to experience such terrible suffering? Where did their merit go? What is that dreadful sin by which they were always afflicted?
द्रौपदी च महाभागा वेदीमध्यात्समुत्थिता । रमांशजा च साध्वी च कृष्णभक्तियुता तथा
And Draupadi, greatly fortunate, who arose from the midst of the altar, born from a portion of Lakshmi, virtuous, and endowed with devotion to Krishna—
सा कथं दुःखमतुलं प्राप घोरं पुनः पुनः । दुःशासनेन सा केशे गृहीता पीडिता भृशम्
How did she come to suffer incomparable, terrible pain again and again? She was seized by the hair and grievously tormented by Duhshasana.
रजस्वला सभायां तु नीता भीतैकवाससा । विराटनगरे दासी जाता मत्स्यस्य सा पुनः
Menstruating, she was brought into the assembly, frightened and clad in a single garment; in the city of Virata she again became a servant of Matsya.
धर्षिता कीचकेनाथ रुदती कुररी यथा । हृता जयद्रथेनाथ क्रन्दमानातिदुःखिता
She was violated by Kichaka, weeping like a curlew; then abducted by Jayadratha, crying out in great distress.
मोचिता पाण्डवैः पश्चाद्बलवद्भिर्महात्मभिः । पूर्वजन्मकृतं पापं किं तद्येन च पीडिताः
Later, she was rescued by the mighty and noble Pandavas. What was the sin committed in a previous birth by which they were afflicted?
दुःखान्यनेकान्याप्तास्ते कथयाद्य महामते । राजसूयं क्रतुवरं कृत्वा ते मम पूर्वजाः
They encountered many sufferings—tell me of these today, O wise one. Having performed the great Rajasuya sacrifice, my ancestors—
दुःखं महत्तरं प्राप्ताः पूर्वजन्मकृतेन वै । देवांशानां कथं तेषां संशयोऽयं महान्हि मे
They experienced even greater suffering, indeed, due to deeds from a previous birth. How could such things befall those who are portions of the gods? This is a great doubt for me.
सदाचारैस्तु कौन्तेयैर्भीष्मद्रोणादयो हताः । छलेन धनलाभार्थं जानानैर्नश्वरं जगत्
Though the sons of Kunti were of good conduct, they slew Bhishma, Drona, and others, by stratagem, for the sake of gaining wealth, knowing the world to be transient.
प्रेरिता वासुदेवेन पापे घोरे महात्मना । कुलं क्षयितवन्तस्ते हरिणा परमात्मना
Urged by the great-souled Vasudeva into that dreadful sin, they destroyed their own lineage, guided by Hari, the Supreme Self.
वरं भिक्षाटनं साधोर्नीवारैर्जीवनं वरम् । योधान्न हत्वा लोभेन शिल्पेन जीवनं वरम्
It is better for a sage to live by begging, subsisting on wild grains; better to live by craft than to kill warriors out of greed.
विच्छिन्नस्तु त्वया वंशो रक्षितो मुनिसत्तम । समुत्पाद्य सुतानाशु गोलकाच्छत्रुनाशनान्
Though the lineage was cut off by you, O best of sages, it was protected—having quickly produced sons to destroy the enemies of the race.
सोऽल्पेनैव तु कालेन विराटतनयासुतः । तापसस्य गले सर्पं न्यस्तवान्कथमद्भुतम्
Yet, in a short time, the son of Virata's daughter placed a serpent on the neck of the ascetic—how did this wondrous thing happen?
नकोऽपि ब्राह्मणं द्वेष्टि क्षत्रियस्य कुलोद्भवः । तापसं मौनसंयुक्तं पित्रा किं तत्कृतं मुने
No one born of a Kshatriya family hates a Brahmin or an ascetic devoted to silence. What was done by his father, O sage?
एतैरन्यैश्च सन्देहैर्विकलं मे मनोऽधुना । स्थिरं कुरु पितः साधो सर्वज्ञोऽसि दयानिधे
Because of these and other doubts, my mind is now unsettled. Make it firm, O father, O holy one—you are all-knowing, a treasure of compassion.
कर्मणो जन्मादिकारणत्वनिरूपणम् सूत उवाच एवं पृष्टः पुराणज्ञो व्यासः सत्यवतीसुतः । परीक्षितसुतं शान्तं ततो वै जनमेजयम्
The determination of karma as the cause of birth and other matters.
उवाच संशयच्छेत्तृ वाक्यं वाक्यविशारदः । व्यास उवाच राजन् किमेतद्वक्तव्यं कर्मणां गहना गतिः
Sūta said: Thus questioned, Vyasa, the knower of the Purāṇas and son of Satyavati, addressed the calm son of Parikshit, Janamejaya.
दुर्ज्ञेया किल देवानां मानवानां च का कथा । यदा समुत्थितं चैतद्ब्रह्माण्डं त्रिगुणात्मकम्
Indeed, the Divine is difficult to comprehend for the gods; what then of humans? When this universe, composed of the three gunas, arose—
कर्मणैव समुत्पत्तिः सर्वेषां नात्र संशयः । अनादिनिधना जीवाः कर्मबीजसमुद्भवाः
All beings arise solely through karma; there is no doubt of this. Living beings, without beginning or end, are born from the seed of karma.
नानायोनिषु जायन्ते म्रियन्ते च पुनः पुनः । कर्मणा रहितो देहसंयोगो न कदाचन
They are born in various wombs and die again and again; never does embodiment occur without karma.
शुभाशुभैस्तथा मिश्रैः कर्मभिर्वेष्टितं त्विदम् । त्रिविधानि हि तान्याहुर्बुधास्तत्त्वविदश्च ये
Indeed, this is enveloped by auspicious, inauspicious, and mixed actions; those who know reality, the wise, declare these threefold kinds.
सञ्चितानि भविष्यन्ति प्रारब्धानि तथा पुनः । वर्तमानानि देहेऽस्मिंस्त्रैविध्यं कर्मणां किल
There are accumulated, future, and operative karmas; this threefold nature of actions exists in the body.
ब्रह्मादीनां च सर्वेषां तद्वशत्वं नराधिप । सुखं दुःखं जरामृत्युहर्षशोकादयस्तथा
O King, for Brahma and all beings, everything is subject to that power: happiness and sorrow, old age and death, delight and grief, and so on.
कामक्रोधौ च लोभश्च सर्वे देहगता गुणाः । दैवाधीनाश्च सर्वेषां प्रभवन्ति नराधिप
Desire and anger, greed—all qualities residing in the body—O King, arise in all beings under the dominion of fate.
रागद्वेषादयो भावाः स्वर्गेऽपि प्रभवन्ति हि । देवानां मानवानाञ्च तिरश्चां च तथा पुनः
Emotions such as attachment and aversion arise even in heaven, indeed, among gods, humans, and animals alike.
विकाराः सर्व एवैते देहेन सह सङ्गताः । पूर्ववैरानुयोगेन स्नेहयोगेन वै पुनः
All these modifications are joined with the body, due to the continuation of former enmities and the bonds of affection.
उत्पत्तिः सर्वजन्तूनां विना कर्म न विद्यते । कर्मणा भ्रमते सूर्यः शशाङ्कः क्षयरोगवान्
The birth of all beings does not occur without karma; by karma the sun moves, the moon wanes, afflicted by wasting disease.