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आपद्धर्मपर्वन् (Apaddharmaparvan)

 
Mahabharata
English
[Āpaddharmaparvan]
(“the section relating to the duties in cases of need, ” the 89th of the minor parvans of Mhbhr.
cf. Āpaddharma). § 642: Yudhishṭhira enquired of Bhīshma what should be done by a weak and timid king, as also by one that is in great distress. Bhīshma's answer recommending peace and even the surrender of territory. The king should never surrender his person as long as he can avoid doing so. If the invading enemy be righteous, the assailed king should make peace
if otherwise, the assailed should fight bravely and fall (XII, 131). How a brahman should subsist in times of calamity. Bhīshma began his exposition of the moral standard of unlucky times
in times of calamity the king may take from the wicked and give it to the good
at such times censurable acts do not become censurable
the king should never oppress brahmans, even at such times. Slander should be avoided. The tests of righteousness
difficulty in finding the course of duty. “Some regard ancient usage as the highest test of righteousness
they that are in favour of the conduct of Caṅkha towards Likhita do not hold this opinion” (XII, 132). How a king should fill his treasury. The king should establish laws which he should never transgress (XII, 133). The two duties of a kshattriya are the acquisition of religious merit and of wealth. The advantages of Power (XII, 134).--§ 643: The old story of a robber who having in this world been observant of restraint did not meet with destruction in the next: Kāyavya-carita (b) (XII, 135).--§ 644: What wealth should not be taken by the king (XII, 136).--§ 645: Who enjoy happiness: Śākulopākhyāna (b) (XII, 137).--§ 646. How a king should behave who is weak and threatened on all sides by powerful foes: the old story of the mouse, the cat, the owl, the mongoose, and the hunter, i.e. Mārjāra-mūshikasaṃvāda (b). The moral of the story (XII, 138).--§ 647: Bhīshma related the conversation between the bird Pūjanī and king Brahmadatta, i.e. Brahmadatta-Pūjanī-saṃvāda (b) (XII, 139).--§ 648: How a king should behave when there is a general decadence of righteousness: the old story of the discourse between Bhāradvāja and king Śatruñjaya, i.e. Kaṇikopadeśa (b) (XII, 140).--§ 649: How a brahman should live when there is terrible distress around. Bhīshma said that the Kṛta, etc. (), are all dependent on the king's conduct, citing the old story of the discourse between Viśvāmitra and the Cāṇḍāla in a hamlet inhabited by Cāṇḍālas. Towards the end of Tretā and the beginning of Dvāpara a frightful drought occurred extending over twelve years
the planet Bṛhaspati began to move in a retrograde course, and Soma receded towards the south, etc. (description)
the brahmans abstained from sacrifices and recitations of the Vedas, and no longer uttered vashaṭs, etc.
the very Ṛshis, giving up their vows, began to wander hither and thither. M.-ṛ. Viśvāmitra, leaving his wife and son, wandered fireless and homeless, and regardless of food, clean and unclean. One day he came upon a hamlet, in the midst of a forest, inhabited by cruel hunters, etc. (description of a Cāṇḍāla hamlet). Viśvāmitra, in rage of hunger, wanted to steal a dog's haunch (“theft is allowable in a season of distress even for an eminent person
…in the first place one should steal from a low person…”). He was discovered and harshly addressed by the owner
but when the Cāṇḍāla learned who he was he addressed him respectfully, and dissuaded him from eating dog's meat, as the dog is less clean than a jackal, and the haunch of a dog is much worse than other parts of his body
“only the five kinds of five-clawed animals are clean food for brahmans and kshattriyas and vaiśyas, as laid down in the scriptures” (yathāśāstraṃ). Viśvāmitra said that it is the duty of the brahmans to behave like Agni (as it is the duty of the kshattriyas to behave like Indra), that the Vedas are fire, and that fire at times becomes a consumer of everything
“life is better than death
if living one may acquire virtue”
he mentioned that Agastya, when hungry, ate up the Asura Vātāpi (“a man who is a Ṛshi cannot do what is sinful”). Notwithstanding the warnings of the Cāṇḍāla, Viśvamitra took away that haunch of dog's meat into the woods and wished to eat it with his wife, having gratified the gods and the Pitṛs
igniting a fire according to the Brāhma rites and cooking a caru according to the Aindrāgneya rites, dividing the caru into due portions, he invoked the gods, including Indra. Meanwhile Indra began to pour rain copiously. Viśvāmitra, having completed the rites, himself ate that meat. Afterwards he destroyed all his sins by his penances and acquired the most wonderful success (XII, 141).--§ 650: Yudhishṭhira was distressed at the possibility of such acts of impiety being mentioned as a duty. Bhīshma said that kings should gather wisdom from various sources, and not from the Vedas alone. Those who blame the injunctions of the scriptures, etc., are hucksters in learning and Rākshasas among men
it has been heard by us that the texts of morality cannot be understood solely by discussion or by one's own intellect
Indra has said that this is the opinion of Bṛhaspati
… in days of old Uśanas told the Daiteyas this truth, that scriptures are no scriptures if they cannot stand the test of reason
…the sin of killing a person is equal to the sin of not killing one that deserves to be killed. Indra has said that in times of distress the great duty of a king is chastising the wicked and protecting the good (XII, 142).--§ 651: Yudhishṭhira enquired after the merits of protecting suppliants. Bhīshma, reminded of Śibi, etc., told the story (that purifies the heart from every sin) that Bhārgava (i.e. Rāma, PCR.) had recited to king Mucukunda, how a pigeon won success (siddhi), i.e. Kapota-lubdhaka-saṃvāda (b) (XII, 143149).--§ 652: Requested by Yudhishṭhira about how a person can be purified after having committed sin from want of judgment, Bhīshma related the old tale, applauded by Ṛ., of what the brahman Indrota Śaunaka said to Janamejaya, i.e. Indrota-Pārīkshitīya (b) (XII, 150152).--§ 653: Asked by Yudhishṭhira if he had ever seen or heard of any mortal restored to life after having succumbed to death, Bhīshma related the story of the discourse between a vulture and a jackal as it had happened of old in the forest of Naimisha, i.e. Gṛdhra-gomāyu-saṃvāda (b) (XII, 153).-§ 654: Yudhishṭhira asked Bhīshma as to how a weak king who incurs the wrath of a powerful one should behave in the hour of danger. Bhīshma told the story of the discourse between Pavana and the śālmali, who, having dared the Wind-god, saved himself by causing his branches to be lopped off: Pavana-śālmali-saṃvāda (b). “One should overlook the wrongs inflicted by a person of superior strength, and even consider them like the acts of a child, an idiot, or one that is blind or deaf. The eighteen akshauhiṇīs were not equal in might to Arjuna” (XII, 154--157).--§ 655: Covetousness is the cause of sin
it is not known in its real nature by D., G., As., M.-U., etc. (XII, 158). Discourse on ignorance
it has its origin in covetousness
Janaka, etc. (), acquired heaven in consequence of their having repressed covetousness (XII, 159). The moral laws laid down by M.-ṛ. are many
the highest among them all is self-restraint
it surpasses charity and sacrifice and study of the Vedas (XII, 160). Penance (tapas) is the root of everything
by penance Prajāpati created the universe, etc., and Ṛ. acquired the Vedas and acquired their sixfold divine attributes (aiśvaryaṃ)
renunciation (saṃnyāsaḥ) constitutes the highest penance (XII, 161). Discourse on Truth and its indications
it is applauded by brahmans, Ṛ., and P.
it is yoga, it is Brahmán, sacrifice, etc.
it has been found to weigh heavier than 1, 000 horsesacrifices (XII, 162). Discourse on the thirteen vices that are powerful foes of all
all these thirteen faults stained the sons of Dhṛtarāshṭra (XII, 163). The characteristics of malevolent persons (XII, 164). How brahmans should be provided for. At the end of every year one should perform the Vaiśvānara sacrifice (ishtiṃ Vaiśvānarīṃ). The practice of an act laid down in an alternative is not destructive of virtue
fearing death, V.-D., Sā., the brahmans, and M.-ṛ. make use of the alternative instead of the principal rule in seasons of distress. The five kinds of falsehood that are not sinful. The three sins that cannot be expiated. Acts that are never sinful (“amṛta, if extracted from poison, can be quaffed”). Different kinds of expiation for different kinds of sin (XII, 165).--§ 656: Questioned by Nakula, Bhīshma related Khaḍgotpattikathana (q.v.) (XII, 166).--§ 657: When Bhīshma became silent Yudhishṭhira returned home. Yudhishṭhira's question to Vidura and his own brothers about the three things (trivarga, i.e. virtue, wealth, and desire). Vidura assigned precedence to virtue. Arjuna assigned precedence to wealth (or profit). Nakula and Sahadeva assigned the precedence to both wealth and virtue. Bhīmasena assigns precedence to desire (“it is from desire that Ṛ. devote themselves to penances”). Yudhishṭhira applauded withdrawal from the three things, recommending emancipation (moksha) (“we do not know, however, what emancipation is”) or extinction (nirvāṇa), and quoted Brahmán.--All of them were filled with delight and applauded Yudhishṭhira, who once more addressed Bhīshma (XII, 167).--§ 658: Asked by Yudhishṭhira with whom friendship is delightful, Bhīshma, having also stated with whom friendship should be avoided, related an old story that had occurred in the country of the Mlecchas, that lies to the north, about an ungrateful person, i.e. Kṛtaghnopākhyāna (b). Bhīshma's observations on ingratitude (XII, 168--173).