Anushasana Parva

Chapter 14: Four truth-vows fill the pitcher

इति श्रीमन्महाभारते अनुशासनपर्वणि दानधर्मपर्वणि चतुर्दशोऽध्यायः ॥

6 verses · 14 of 274

What happens in this chapter

Four truth-vows fill the pitcher

Another very short adhyaya. Bhishma relates an old dialogue in which Indra, Agni, Surya and Shachi each speak a solemn truth, asking that by its power a quarter of a pitcher be filled. Indra declares that in his realm he sees brahmanas free of desire and anger. Agni says he does not eat where brahmanas do not eat. Surya says that for the sake of cows and brahmanas he does not burn with his full strength. Shachi says that in deed, thought and word she never slights her husband Purandara. With four truths the vessel is full. The lesson set before the king is the power of brahmanas and of a wife faithful to her husband.

भीष्म उवाच

14.1

भूयस्तु शृणु राजेन्द्र धर्मान्धर्मभृतांवर

bhūyastu śṛṇu rājendra dharmāndharmabhṛtāṃvara

14.2

अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् ।
इन्द्राग्न्योः सूर्यशच्योश्च तन्मे निगदतः शृणु

atrāpyudāharantīmamitihāsaṃ purātanam |
indrāgnyoḥ sūryaśacyośca tanme nigadataḥ śṛṇu

इन्द्र उवाच

14.3

राज्ये विप्रान्प्रपश्यामि कामक्रोधविवर्जितान् ।
एतेन सत्यवाक्येन पादः कुम्भस्य पूर्यताम्

rājye viprānprapaśyāmi kāmakrodhavivarjitān |
etena satyavākyena pādaḥ kumbhasya pūryatām

अग्निरुवाच

14.4

यथाऽहं तत्र नाश्नामि यत्र नाश्नन्ति वै द्विजाः
एतेन सत्यवाक्येन पादः कुम्भस्य पूर्यताम्

yathā'haṃ tatra nāśnāmi yatra nāśnanti vai dvijāḥ
etena satyavākyena pādaḥ kumbhasya pūryatām

सूर्य उवाच

14.5

यथा गोब्राह्मणस्यार्थे न तपामि यथाबलम् ।
एतेन सत्यवाक्येन पादः कुम्भस्य पूर्यताम्

yathā gobrāhmaṇasyārthe na tapāmi yathābalam |
etena satyavākyena pādaḥ kumbhasya pūryatām

शच्युवाच

14.6

कर्मणा मनसा वाचा नावमन्ये पुरन्दरम् ।
एतेन सत्यवाक्येन पादः कुम्भस्य पूर्यताम्

karmaṇā manasā vācā nāvamanye purandaram |
etena satyavākyena pādaḥ kumbhasya pūryatām

Text source: Wikisource · CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikisource transcription of a public-domain text)