ये तु शिष्टाः सुनियताः श्रुतित्यागपरायणाः
धर्मपन्थानमारूढाः सत्यधर्मपरायणाः॥
A person with exceptional goodness leads a disciplined life, indulges in the study of vedas and gives importance to sacrifice. He always goes in the path of righteousness and takes refuge in the truth and virtuous practice. – Quality of a venerable Person: From The Mahabharata
ये तु धर्मानसूयन्ते बुद्धिमोहान्विता नराः।
अपथा गच्छतां तेषामनुयाता च पीड्यते॥
He who finds fault with the righteousness because of perplexity of mind is the goer in the wrong path and the one who follows him also suffers.- Quality of a venerable Person: From The Mahabharata
नियच्छन्ति परां बुद्धिं शिष्टाचारान्विता जनाः।
उपाध्यायमते युक्ताः स्थित्या धर्मार्थदर्शिनः॥
A person with the exceptional goodness is able to control his great mind. By following the principles of his teacher, he remains to have seen the meaning of righteousness. – Quality of a venerable Person: From The Mahabharata
न तेषां विद्यतेऽवृत्तं यज्ञस्वाध्यायशीलिनाम्।
आचारपालनं चैव द्वितीयं शिष्टलक्षणम्॥
A person with the exceptional goodness is always involved in the vedic sacrifice and study of vedas. He does not indulge in the bad behavior. Good conduct is the second characteristic feature of a venerable person. – Quality of a venerable Person: From The Mahabharata
गुरुशुश्रूषणं सत्यमक्रोधो दानमेव च।
एतच्चतुष्टयं ब्रह्मन् शिष्टाचारेषु नित्यदा॥
O brahmin! service to teachers, speaking truth, absence of anger and charity are the four good qualities found in a venerable person.- Quality of a venerable Person: From The Mahabharata
शिष्टाचारे मनः कृत्वा प्रतिष्ठाप्य च सर्वशः।
यामयं लभते वृत्तिं सा न शक्या ह्यतोन्यथा॥
A person should involve himself in the aforesaid qualities of a venerable person and thereby will attain a good state, which is not possible in any other way.- Quality of a venerable Person: From The Mahabharata
वेदस्योपनिषत् सत्यं सत्यस्योपनिषद् दमः।
दमस्योपनिषत् त्यागः शिष्टाचारेषु नित्यदा॥
The essence of veda is truth, the essence of truth is control of senses and the essence of control of senses is sacrifice and this quality of sacrifice is always found in a venerable person.- Quality of a venerable Person: From The Mahabharata
यथाऽऽदित्यः समुद्यन् वै तमः पूर्वं व्यपोहति।
एवं कल्याणमातिष्ठन् सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते॥
The Sun destroys the darkness. Just like that, the doer of good deed without any desire gets liberation from all sins. – On the Liberation from Sins: From The Mahabharata
पापानां विद्ध्यधिष्ठानं लोभमेव द्विजोत्तम।
लुब्धाः पापं व्यवस्यन्ति नरा नातिबहुश्रुताः॥
O great brahmin! greed is the house of sins. He who has not heard any holy scriptures, that greedy person only thinks about committing sin.- On the Liberation from Sins: From The Mahabharata
अधर्मा धर्मरूपेण तृणैः कूपा इवावृताः।
तेषां दमः पवित्राणि प्रलापा धर्मसंश्रिताः।
सर्वं हि विद्यते तेषु शिष्टाचारः सुदुर्लभः॥
A bad person trying to be good is just like a well is covered with grass. His sinful deeds may be temporarily covered with the righteousness. Control of senses, purity, discussion regarding righteousness etc., may also be present in the sinners. But exceptional goodness is very rare in them.- On the Liberation from Sins: From The Mahabharata
चिकीर्षेदेव कल्याणं श्रद्दधानोऽनसूयकः।
वसनस्येव छिद्राणि साधूनां विवृणोति यः॥
(अपश्यन्नात्मनो दोषान् स पापः प्रेत्य नश्यति॥)
A devoted and faithful person should wish good of others without finding fault. A sinner who is blind towards his own defects and elaborates the defects of noble persons like the holes in the cloth gets destroyed after death and will not get happiness in the heavenly abode. – On the Liberation from Sins: From The Mahabharata
विकर्मणा तप्यमानः पापाद् विपरिमुच्यते ।
न तत् कुर्यां पुनरिति द्वितीयात् परिमुच्यते ॥
He who repents gets rid of the sin committed and if he strongly determines that he won’t repeat the sin again gets rid of another sin the future.- On the Liberation from Sins: From The Mahabharata
कर्मणा येन तेनेह पापाद् द्विजवरोत्तम ।
एवं श्रुतिरियं ब्रह्मन् धर्मेषु प्रतिदृश्यते ॥
O great brahmin! one can get rid of the sin by doing the duties laid by the holy scriptures such as muttering of prayers, penance, vedic sacrifice, charity etc., without desire. Vedas convey this with regard to the righteousness.- On the Liberation from Sins: From The Mahabharata
पापान्यबुद्ध्वेह पुरा कृतानि
प्राग् धर्मशीलोऽपि विहन्ति पश्चात् ।
धर्मो राजन् नुदते पूरुषाणां
यत् कुर्वते पापमिह प्रमादात् ॥
Even a righteous person destroys the sin committed long before through the good deed done later without desire. O king! righteousness of the human-beings only destroys the sins committed due to carelessness.- On the Liberation from Sins: From The Mahabharata
पापं कृत्वा हि मन्येत नाहमस्मीति पूरुषः ।
तं तु देवाः प्रपश्यन्ति स्वस्यैवान्तरपूरुषः ॥
Having committed sin, he who thinks that he is not a sinner commits a blunder. Because, the God watches him and his sin and the supreme being inside him also watches. – On the Liberation from Sins: From The Mahabharata
पापं चेत् पुरुषः कृत्वा कल्याणमभिपद्यते।
मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यो महाभ्रेणेव चन्द्रमाः॥
If a person even after having committed sin involves himself in the good deed gets liberation from sin like the moon from the big clouds. – On the Liberation from Sins: From The Mahabharata
यज्ञो दानो तपो वेदाः सत्यं च द्विजसत्त्म।
पञ्चैतानि पवित्राणि शिष्टाचारेषु सर्वदा॥ O great brahmin! rite connected with worship, charity, penance, knowledge of vedas and truth are the five qualities which are seen in the person with the exceptional goodness. – Quality of a venerable Person: From The Mahabharata
कामक्रोधौ वशे कृत्वा दम्भं लोभमनार्जवम्।
धर्ममित्येव संतुष्टास्ते शिष्टाः शिष्टसम्मताः॥
He who gains control over lust, anger, deceit, greed and pride, feels happy by embracing righteousness is considered as venerable and is honoured by the nobles.- Quality of a venerable Person: From The Mahabharata
श्रीश्च राज्यं च दण्डश्च क्षत्रियाणां द्विजोत्तम ।
Accumulation of wealth, protection of the kingdom and punishing the criminals are the duties of a kshatriya (king).- Quote from The Mahabharata
राजानो हि स्वधर्मेण श्रियमिच्छन्ति भूयसीम् ।
सर्वेषामेव वर्णानां त्राता राजा भवत्युत ॥
Following his own duties, a king is interested in amassing wealth and he is the protector of all people.- Quote from The Mahabharata
अशीलश्चापि पुरुषो भूत्वा भवति शीलवान् ।
प्राणिहिंसारतश्चापि भवते धार्मिकः पुनः ॥
A person devoid of good conduct could also be of good behavior. Just like that, a person involved in the violence of living creatures could also be righteous-minded.- Quote from The Mahabharata
व्यभिचारान्नरेन्द्राणां धर्मः संकीर्यते महान् ।
अधर्मो वर्धते चापि संकीर्यते ततः प्रजाः ॥
Due to the sin of unchastity by the kings, righteousness shrinks and calamity increases. Because of this, intermixture of races arise.- Quote from The Mahabharata
भेरुण्डा वामनाः कुब्जाः स्थूलशीर्षास्तथैव च ।
क्लीबाश्चान्धाश्च बधिरा जायन्तेऽत्युच्चलोचनाः ॥
Because of the intermixture of races, physically fearful, dwarf, hunch-backed, stout-headed, impotent, blind, deaf and tall-eyed human-beings are born.- Quote from The Mahabharata
अज्ञानतिमिरान्धस्य लोकस्य तु विचेष्टतः
ज्ञानाञ्जनशलाकाभिर्नेत्रोन्मीलनकारकम्
In this world, everybody is blind due to the darkness of ignorance. Mahabharata opens the eyes by imparting wisdom. -Greatness of Mahabharata
वसुन्धरां तु यो दद्दाद् द्विजाय विदुरात्मने ।
दातारं ह्यनुगच्छन्ति सर्वे कामाभिवाञ्छिताः ॥
A person who donates land to a scholarly brahmin gets all his wishes fulfilled automatically.- Quote from The Mahabharata
पृच्छन्ति चात्र दातारं वदन्ति पुरुषा भुवि ।
अध्वनि क्षीणगात्राश्च पांसुपादावगुण्ठिताः ॥
तेषामेव श्रमार्तानां यो ह्यन्नं कथयेद् बुधः ।
अन्नदातृसमः सोऽपि कीर्त्यते नात्र संशयः ॥
A person, who on being asked by a tired, very lean, thirsty, hunger-striken person with the feet filled with the dust, gives the address where the latter can get the food, is equal to the provider of food. There is no doubt about it.- Quote from The Mahabharata
यथाशक्ति च यो दद्यादन्नं विप्रेषु संस्कृतम् ।
स तेन कर्मणाऽऽप्नोति प्रजापतिसलोकताम् ॥
A person who, according to his ability, provides food prepared in a good manner to the brahmins attains the world of prajapati (Brahma).- Quote from The Mahabharata
अन्नमेव विशिष्टं हि तस्मात् परतरं न च ।
So, there is no greater thing than the morsel in this world.- Quote from The Mahabharata
येषां तटाकानि महोदकानि
वाप्यश्च कूपाश्च प्रतिश्रयाश्च ।
अन्नस्य दानं मधुरा च वाणी
यमस्य ते निर्वचना भवन्ति ॥
A person who digs ponds, wells etc., filled with abundant water, constructs choultries, provides food to others, speaks sweetly need not hear even the words of Yama, which means that Yama cannot punish such a person even with the words. – Quote from The Mahabharata
धान्यं श्रमेणार्जितवित्तसंचितं
विप्रे सुशीले च प्रयच्छते यः ।
वसुन्धरा तस्य भवेत् सुतुष्टा
धारां वसूनां प्रतिमुञ्चतीव ॥
A person who donates money and provides food attained through his hard work to a noble brahmin makes the Mother Earth happy, who showers the wealth on him.- Quote from The Mahabharata
कपिलायां तु दत्तायां यत् फलं ज्येष्ठपुष्करे ।
तत् फलं भरतश्रेष्ठ विप्राणां पादधावने ॥
A person gets the fruit of donating the milch cow on the banks of the holy Pushkar by watering the foot of brahmins.- Quote from The Mahabharata
द्विजपादोदकक्लिन्ना यावत् तिष्ठति मेदिनी ।
तावत् पुष्करपर्णेन पिबन्ति पितरो जलम् ॥
Till the Earth is wet with the water used for cleaning the foot of brahmins, the ancestors drink water with the leaf of lotus.- Quote from The Mahabharata
स्वागतेनाग्नयस्तृप्ता आसनेन शतक्रतुः ।
पितरः पादशौचेन अन्नदानेन प्रजापतिः ॥
By giving warm welcome, offering place to sit, watering the foot, and providing food to a brahmin, Agni (God of fire), Indra, ancestors and Brahma (God of creation) are pleased respectively.- Quote from The Mahabharata
क्रूरः कौरव्य मृदवे
मृदुः क्रूरे च कौरव ।
साधुश्चासाधवे साधुः
साधवे नाप्नुयात् कथम् ॥
A rude person behaves softly with a person who behaves softly with the former. The same rude person behaves rudely with a person who behaves rudely with him. But a noble person behaves softly even with a rude person. If so, won’t he behave softly with another noble person?- Quote from The Mahabharata
जयेत् कदर्यं दानेन
सत्येनानृतवादिनम् ।
क्षमया क्रूरकर्माण
मसाधुं साधुना जयेत् ॥
Ill-natured person can be attracted by giving something to him (either cash or in kind), a person who speaks lies can be won by the truth, rude can won by forgiveness and a bad person can be won by good behavior.- Quote from The Mahabharata
नास्य वर्षं वर्षति वर्षकाले
नास्य बीजं रोहति काल उप्तम् ।
भीतं प्रपन्नं यो हि ददाति शत्रवे
न त्राणं लभेत् त्राणमिच्छन् स काले ॥
If a king hands over a fear-striken refugee to the latter’s enemy, there will be no timely rain in that king’s country, seeds will not germinate in time, and above all, when he needs protection in distress, he will not get any saviour. – Quote from The Mahabharata
जाता ह्रस्वा प्रजा प्रमीयते
सदा न वासं पितरोऽस्य कुर्वते ।
भीतं प्रपन्नं यो हि ददाति शत्रवे
नास्य देवाः प्रतिगृह्णन्ति हव्यम् ॥
If a king hands over a fear-striken refugee to the latter’s enemy, the child of that king dies at a very young age, his ancestors don’t get place in the heavenly abode, Gods don’t accept the offerings made by him.- Quote from The Mahabharata
वृथा जन्मानि चत्वारि वृथा दानानि षोडश ।
वृथा जन्म ह्यपुत्रस्य ये च धर्मबहिष्कृताः ॥
परपाकेषु येऽश्नन्ति आत्मार्थं च पचेत् तु यः ।
पर्यश्नन्ति वृथा ये च तदसत्यं प्रकीर्त्यते ॥
Four types of life and sixteen types of charity are waste for one who is childless, who violates the rule of dharma, who always eats in other’s kitchen, who makes food only for himself, who eats without offering the food to the God and the guests, and his food is not considered as good.- Quote from The Mahabharata
आरूढपतिते दत्तमन्यायोपहृतं च यत् ।
व्यर्थं तु पतिते दानं ब्राह्मणे तस्करे तथा ॥
Giving charity to a person who has returned to the Grihasthashrama from vanaprasta or sanyasa is waste. Giving charity from the money accumalated in the wrong way is waste. Giving charity to a brahmin who has fallen from dharma and to a thief is waste.- Quote from The Mahabharata
गुरौ चानृतिके पापे कृतघ्ने ग्रामयाजके ।
वेदविक्रयिणे दत्तं तथा वृषलयाजके ॥
ब्रह्मबन्धुषु यद् दत्तं यद् दत्तं वृषलीपतौ ।
स्त्रीजनेषु च यद् दत्तं व्यालग्राहे तथैव च ॥
परिचारकेषु यद् दत्तं वृथा दानानि षोडश ।
Giving charity to teacher(as he is always to be respected), fraud person, bad-tempered person, thankless person, person who performs sacrificial rites in the village, person who deals with the vedas in a commercial way, person who performs sacrificial rites for Vrushala, person who is a brahmin for the name sake, a brahmin who is an husband of a Vrushala lady, a person who earns his livelihood by catching snakes, group of ladies and to the servants is of no use.- Quote from The Mahabharata
अन्नदाः प्रथमं यान्ति सत्यवाक् तदनन्तरम् ।
अयाचितप्रदाता च समं यान्ति त्रयो जनाः ॥
A person who provides food to others enters the heaven first, then he, who speaks the truth, and he, who gives charity without being asked. Thus, these three persons get the same fruit.- Quote from The Mahabharata
एकस्यैका प्रदातव्या न बहूनां कदाचन ।
सा गौर्विक्रयमापन्ना हन्यात् त्रिपुरुषं कुलम् ॥
न तारयति दातारं ब्राह्मण्ं नैव नैव तु ।
One cow should be donated to one brahmin only and not to many. If the donated cow is sold, it will affect the three generations of the donor. Neither the donor nor the brahmin attains the deliverance.- Quote from The Mahabharata
कपिलायाः प्रदानात् तु मुच्यते नात्र संशयः ।
तस्मादलंकृतां दद्दात् कपिलां तु द्विजातये ॥ By donating a milch cow a man is freed from all sins. So, by decorating a cow it should be donated to a brahmin. – Quote from The Mahabharata
श्रोत्रियाय दरिद्राय गृहस्थायाग्निहोत्रिणे ।
पुत्रदाराभिभूताय तथा ह्यनुपकारिणे ॥
The receiver of the above said charity should be a brahmin who has the knowledge of vedas, who is poor, who is a grihastha, who is neglected by his wife and children due to poverty, who performs the ritual of agnihotra daily, from whom the donor does not expect anything in return.- Quote from The Mahabharata
एवंविधेषु दातव्या न समृद्धेषु भारत ।
को गुणो भरतश्रेष्ठ समृद्धेष्वभिवर्जितम् ॥
O Bharata! a cow should be donated only to the above said persons and not to wealthy people. There is no use to give charity to rich people.- Quote from The Mahabharata
दुर्वेदा वा सुवेदा वा प्राकृताः संस्कृतास्तथा ।
ब्राह्मणा नावमन्तव्या भस्मच्छन्ना इवाग्नयः ॥
A brahmin, whether he has read Vedas or not, has been moulded by the ethics or not should not be disregarded. Because he is like a spark hidden in the ashes. – Quote from The Mahabharata
तमोवृतस्तु यो दद्याद् भयाद् क्रोधात् तथैव च ॥
भुङ्ते च दानं तत् सर्वं गर्भस्थस्तु नरः सदा ।
ददद् दानं द्विजातिभ्यो वृद्धभावेन मानवः ॥
If a person with the quality of tamas, gives charity with fear and anger, he reaps the negative fruit in his next birth in the womb. A person who gives charity to the brahmins reaps the good fruit when he becomes old (according to his wish).- Quote from The Mahabharata
तस्मात् सर्वास्ववस्थासु सर्वदानानि पार्थिव ।
दातव्यानि द्विजातिभ्यः स्वर्गमार्गजिगीषया ॥
So, O king! with the desire to attain the heavenly abode, a person should give all kinds of charity in the best possible ways to the brahmins. – Quote from The Mahabharata
जपैर्मन्त्रैश्च होमैश्च स्वाध्यायाध्ययनेन च ।
नावं वेदमयीं कृत्वा तारयन्ति तरन्ति च ॥
A brahmin through the chanting of vedic hymns, performance of yagnas, learning of respective vedas gets crossed and helps the others to cross the ocean of the worldly desires with the help of vedic boat. – Quote from The Mahabharata
ब्राह्मणांस्तोषयेद् यस्तु तुष्यन्ते तस्य देवताः ।
वचनाच्चापि विप्राणां स्वर्गलोकमवाप्नुयात् ॥
A person who pleases the brahmins makes the Gods happy. He can attain the heavenly abode with the blessings of the brahmins.- Quote from The Mahabharata
पितृदैवतपूजाभिर्ब्राह्मणाभ्यर्चनेन च ।
अनन्तं पुण्यलोकं तु गन्तासि त्वं न संशयः ॥
O king! by worshipping your ancestors and the Gods, by honouring the brahmins, you will surely get the heavenly abode. There is no doubt in this. – Quote from The Mahabharata
धर्मार्थकाममोक्षार्थैः समासव्यासकीर्तनैः
तथा भारतसूर्येण नृणां विनिहतं तमः
Through the brief and elaborate description of Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha, the great epic not only removes the blindness due to ignorance but also eradicates the darkness completely bebore the eyes like the Sun.-Greatness of Mahabharata
पुराणपूर्णचन्द्रेण श्रुतिज्योत्स्नाः प्रकाशिताः
नृबुद्धिकैरवाणां च कृतमेतत् प्रकाशनम्
The epic is like the full Moon because of which radiance of the Vedas gets brightened and just like lily, the knowledge of a person gets widened.-Greatness of Mahabharata
भारताध्ययनं पुण्यमपि पादमधीयतः ।
श्रद्दधानस्य पूयन्ते सर्वपापान्यशेषतः ॥
One who reads Mahabharata becomes pure by heart. He who reads a single line of a shloka with the great dedication gets rid of all sins immediately.-Greatness of Mahabharata
भगवान् वासुदेवश्च कीर्त्यतेऽत्र सनातनः ।
स हि सत्यमृतं चैव पवित्रं पुण्यमेव च ॥
The main subject of this great epic is the eternal entity Lord Krishna. He is being sung in this epic. He is the pure, true and holy entity.-Greatness of Mahabharata
अनुक्रमणिकाध्यायं भारतस्येममादितः ।
आस्तिकः सततं शृण्वन् न कृच्छ्रेष्ववसीदति ॥
A religiously inclined person who hears the Anukramanika part of Mahabharata from the beginning to end daily, gets rid of all sorrows during his bad time. -Greatness of Mahabharata
अश्वमेधामृतरसस्त्वाश्रमस्थानसंश्रयः।
मौसलः श्रुतिसंक्षेपः शिष्टद्विजनिषेवितः॥
Ashwamedha parva is it’s essence of nectar. Ashramavaasika parva is the place to take refuge. If vedas are considered as big branches, Mausala parva is their ultimate and pivotal point. Scholars with the pure character worship this great epic.-Greatness of Mahabharata
दुर्योधनो मन्युमयो महाद्रुमः
स्कन्धः कर्णः शकुनिस्तस्य शाखाः।
दुःशासनः पुष्पफले समृद्धे
मूलं राजा धृतराष्ट्रोऽमनीषी॥
Duryodhana is like a tree full of wickedness. Karna is it’s stem, Shakuni is it’s branch and Dushshaasana is like the fruits and flowers of that tree. Ignorant Dritarashtra is it’s root.- Mahabharata
युधिष्ठिरो धर्ममयो महाद्रुमः
स्कन्धोऽर्जुनो भीमसेनोऽस्य शाखाः।
माद्रीसुतौ पुष्पफले समृद्धे
मूलं कृष्णो ब्रह्म च ब्राह्मणाश्च॥
Yudhishtra is like a tree of benevolence. Arjuna is it’s stem, Bheemasena is it’s branch and the sons of Madri, Nakula and Sahadeva are it’s fruits and flowers . Krishna, vedas and brahmins are it’s roots. -Mahabharata
संग्रहाध्यायबीजो वै लोमास्तीकमूलवान्।
सम्भवस्कन्धविस्तारः सभारण्यविटङ्कवान्॥
Mahabharata is like a tree. Sangrahaadhyaaya is it’s seed. Pauloma parva and Aasthika parva are it’s roots. Sambhava parva is the extension of it’s stem. Sabha parva and aranya parva are like the holes in the tree where the birds get shelter.-Greatness of Mahabharata
अरणीपर्वरूपाढ्यो विराटोद्योगसारवान्।
भीष्मपर्वमहाशाखो द्रोणपर्वपलाशवान्॥
Aranee parva is the part with knots. Viraata parva and Udhyaga parva are the parts of essence. Bheeshma parva is it’s big branch. Drona parva is like the leaves.-Greatness of Mahabharata
कर्णपर्वसितैः पुष्पैः शल्यपर्वसुगन्धिभिः।
स्त्रीपर्वैषीकविश्रामः शान्तिपर्वमहाफलः॥
Karna parva is like pure and white flowers. Shalya parva is their fragrance. Stree parva and Aisheeka parva become it’s shadow. Shanti parva is it’s sweet fruit. -Greatness of Mahabharata
यादृशः पुरुषस्य आत्मा, तादृशं सम्प्रभाषते।
A person who is good at heart speaks good.-Mahabharata
सन्ति वै पुरुषाः शूराः सन्ति कापुरुषास्तथा।
उभौ एतौ दृढौ पक्षौ दृश्येते पुरुषान् प्रति॥
In the world live both cowards and brave. The universe is composed of both good and bad people.-Mahabharata
एकस्मिन्नेव जायेते कुले क्लीबमहाबलौ।
फलाफलवती शाखे यथैकस्मिन् वनस्पतौ॥
In the same tree some branches bear fruits and some branches don’t. Just like that in the same family and society, there will be people with good qualities and without good qualities.-Mahabharata
नाधर्मो विद्यते कश्चित् शत्रून् हत्वा आततायिनः।
अधर्म्यमयशस्यम् च शात्रवाणां प्रयाचनम्॥ For a warrior it is not a sin to kill an enemy. But pleading before the enemy is both sin and dishonor.-Mahabharata
मृदुं वै मन्यते पापो भाषाणामशक्तिकम्।।
Sinners and fools consider a person, who speaks soft and good, as a person without strength.- Mahabharata
प्रध्वंसिनी क्रूरसमाहिता श्री ।
र्मृदुप्रौढा गच्छति पुत्रपौत्रान् ॥
Wealth accumalated through the cruel actions is of ruining nature. The same attained through soft nature and straight forwardness lasts for generations.-Mahabharata
नाधर्मेण जितः कश्चित् व्यथते वै पराजये ।
A person defeated by deceit does not repent for the failure.-Mahabharata
तस्मात् प्राणभृतः सर्वान् न हिंस्याद् ब्राह्मणः क्वचित् ।
ब्राह्मणः सौम्य एवेह भवतीति परा श्रुतिः ॥
A brahmin should not practice violence on any living being. It is said in the holy vedas that in the world, brahmin is always of soft nature. – Mahabharata
यश्चाधर्मेण वै ब्रूयाद् यश्चाधर्मेण पृच्छति ।
तयोरन्यतरः प्रैति विद्वेषं चाधिगच्छति ॥
One who teaches or gives advice against the rule of Dharma or one who learns or asks question against the rule of Dharma, between the two, one attains death and hatred.-Mahabharata
नवनीतं हृदयं ब्राह्मणस्य
वाचि क्षुरो निहितस्तीक्ष्णधारः ।
तदुभयमेतद् विपरीतं क्षत्रियस्य
वाङ्नवनीतं हृदयं तीक्ष्णधारम् ॥
The heart of a brahmin is as soft as butter and his tongue is as sharp as a sword. As far as kshatriya is concerned, his tongue is as soft as butter and his heart is as sharp as a sword.- Mahabharata
अनाश्रित्यैतदाख्यानं कथा भुवि न विद्यते ।
आहारमनपाश्रित्य शरीरस्येव धारणम् ॥
Nobody can live without food. Just like that, there is no story on the earth which does not take the refuge of Mahabharata. – Importance of Mahabharata
यो गोशतं कनकश्रुङ्गमयं ददाति
विप्राय वेदविदुषे च बहुश्रुताय ।
पुण्यां च भारतकथां श्रुणुयाच्च नित्यं
तुल्यं फलं भवति तस्य च तस्य चैव॥
One who donates hundred cows with the horns decorated with the gold to brahmins and vedic scholars and one who hears the story of Mahabharata get the same fruit.- Importance of Mahabharata
यो विद्याच्चतुरो वेदान् साङ्गोपनिषदो द्विजः ।
न चाख्यानमिदं विद्यान्नैव स स्याद् विचक्षण्ः ॥
A brahmin, who knows four vedas having six disciplines and Upanishads but does not know the great epic Mahabharata is not at all considered as a scholar.- Importance of Mahabharata
अर्थशास्त्रमिदं प्रोक्तं धर्मशास्त्रमिदं महत् ।
कामशास्त्रमिदं प्रोक्तं व्यासेनामितबुद्धिना ॥
Extremely knowledgeable Vyasa described Mahabharata as arthashastra (Science of econmics), dharmashastra ( Science which deals with individual’s and society’s duty, conduct & righteousness), and kamashastra ( Science which teaches about the right way to deal with worldly objectives).- Importance of Mahabharata
श्रुत्वा त्विदमुपाख्यानं श्राव्यमन्यन्न रोचते ।
पुंस्कोकिलरुतं श्रुत्वा रूक्षा ध्वाङ्क्षस्य वागिव ॥
It will not be pleasing to hear anything after hearing Mahabharata. Who likes to hear the coarse voice of a crow after hearing the sweet voice of a cuckoo.- Importance of Mahabharata
स्त्रियः पन्था भारवाहस्य पन्थाः ।
राज्ञः पन्था ब्राह्मणेनासमेत्य
समेत्य तु ब्राह्मणस्यैव पन्थाः ॥
Give way to a blind, a deaf, women, a weight-bearer and a king. If they are accompanied by a brahmin, he goes first.-Mahabharata
नान्यद् दुःखतरं किञ्चिल्लोकेषु प्रतिभाति मे ।
अर्थैर्विहीनः पुरुषः परैः सम्परिभूयते ॥
There is nothing more sorrowful in the world than the poor being overpowered by the rich.- Mahabharata
शूद्रं तु मोचयेद् राजा शरणार्थिनमागताम् ।
प्राप्नोतीह कुले जन्म सद्द्रव्ये राजपूजिते ॥
A king who protects a refugee from death gets birth in the good community which has abundant wealth and is honoured by all emperors.- Mahabharata
कामं नैतत् प्रशंसन्ति सन्तः स्वबलसंस्तवम् ।
गुणसंकीर्तनं चापि स्वयमेव शतक्रतो ॥
Garuda tells Indra, “Holy person does not make self-appreciation of his power and does not glorify his own qualities.-Mahabharata
न बाल इत्यवमन्तव्यमाहु
र्बालोऽप्यग्निर्दहति स्मृश्यमानः ।
Just because he is young in age, a brahmin should not be disregarded. Even a small spark of fire burns the one who touches it. – Mahabharata
वृद्धेभ्य एवेह मतिं स्म बाला ।
गृह्णन्ति कालेन भवन्ति वृद्धाः ॥
Youngsters get knowledge from the elderly persons and become elderly ones (wise) with the passage of time.- Mahabharata
न तेन स्थविरो भवति येनास्य पलितं शिरः ।
बालोऽपि यः प्रजानाति तं देवाः स्थविरं विदुः ॥
A person whose hair has turned grey is not considered as elderly person (in terms of intelligence). A boy who posseses the knowledge of vedas with six branches is considered as an elderly person by the Gods, despite his young age.- Mahabharata
यो ब्राह्मणस्य साहाय्यं कुर्यादर्थेषु कर्हिचित् ।
क्षत्रियः स शुभाँल्लोकानाप्नुयादिति मे मतिः ॥
A kshatriya who provides timely help in any manner to a brahmin attains heavenly abode.- Mahabharata
क्षत्रियस्यैव कुर्वाणः क्षत्रियो वधमोक्षणम् ।
विपुलां कीर्तिमाप्नोति लोकेऽस्मिंश्च परत्र च ॥
A kshatriya who protects another kshatriya from death gets fame in this world and in the heavenly abode.- Mahabharata
वैश्यस्यार्थे च साहाय्यं कुर्वाणः क्षत्रियो भुवि ।
स सर्वेष्वपि लोकेषु प्रजा रञ्जयते ध्रुवम् ॥
A kshatriya who provides help to a vyshya becomes a pleasor of all subjects in the entire world.-Mahabharata
ब्राह्मणार्थं विसृजेदात्मानमपि चात्मजम् ।
It is better to sacrifice oneself and his progeny for the sake of a brahmin.-Mahabharata
एतावानेव पुरुषः कृतं यस्मिन् न नश्यति ।
A good human being is one who does not forget the good done to him.-Mahabharata
यावच्च कुर्यादन्योऽस्य कुर्याद् बहुगणं ततः ।
If a person has done good to another person, the latter has to do more good to the former.- Mahabharata
न ह्यात्मस्तवसंयुक्तं वक्तव्यमनिमित्ततः ।
It is not wise to make self appreciation without reason.-Mahabharata
न हि ज्ञानमल्पकालेन शक्यम् ।
It is impossible to attain knowledge within a short period of time. -Mahabharata
