The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose: Sabha Parva
Religion
The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose: Sabha Parva
Epic literature, Sanskrit
"Krishna said,--'O king, know us for Snataka Brahmanas. Brahmanas and
Kshatriyas and Vaishyas are all, O monarch, competent to observe the
vow of Snataka. This vow, besides, hath (many) especial and general
rules. A Kshatriya observing this vow with especial rules always
achieve prosperity. Therefore, have we decked ourselves with flowers.
Kshatriyas again, O king, exhibit their energy by their arms and not in
speech. It is, therefore, O son of Vrihadratha, that the speeches
uttered by a Kshatriya are never audacious. O monarch, the creator hath
planted his own energy in the aim of the Kshatriya. If thou wishest to
behold it, thou shalt certainly behold it today. These are the rules of
the ordinance, viz., that an enemy's abode should be entered through a
wrong gate and a friend's abode through the right one. And know, O
monarch, that this also is our eternal vow that having entered the
foe's abode for the accomplishment of our purpose, we accept not the
worship offered to us!'
SECTION XXII
"Jarasandha said,--'I do not recollect if I ever acted injuriously
towards ye! Even upon a careful mental scrutiny I fail to see the
injury I did unto ye. When I have never done ye an injury, why, ye
Brahmanas do ye regard me, who am innocent, as your foe? O, answer me
truly, for this, indeed, is the rule followed by the honest. The mind
is pained at the injury to one's pleasure and morality. That Kshatriya
who injures an innocent man's (sources of) pleasure and morality even
if he be otherwise a great warrior and well-versed in all rules of
morality, obtains, without any doubt the fate of sinners (hereafter)
and falls off from prosperity. The practices of the Kshatriyas are the
best of those that are honest in the three worlds. Indeed, those that
are acquainted with morality applaud the Kshatriya practices. Adhering
to those practices of my order with steady soul, I never injure those
that are under me. In bringing this charge, therefore, against me, it
appears that ye speak erroneously!'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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