srimahabharat - (Book 12) Santi Parva - chapters 216 to 230

The Sacred  Scripture of

 great Epic Sree Mahabharatam:

The Mahabharata

                                      Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa
                                                        translated by
                                  Sreemaan Brahmasri  Kisari Mohan Ganguli

 Santi Parva
Bookk 12

Book 12
Chapter 216

1 [y]
      yayā buddhyā mahīpālo bhraṣṭa śrīr vicaren mahīm
      kāladaṇḍa viniṣpiṣṭas tan me brūhi pitāmaha
  2 [bhī]
      atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam
      vāsavasya ca saṃvādaṃ baler vairocanasya ca
  3 pitāmaham upāgatya pranipatya kṛtāñjaliḥ
      sarvān evāsurāñ jitvā baliṃ papraccha vāsavaḥ
  4 yasya sma dadato vittaṃ na kadā cana hīyate
      taṃ baliṃ nādhigacchāmi brahmann ācakṣva me balim
  5 sa eva hy astam ayate sa sma vidyotate diśaḥ
      sa varṣati sma varṣāṇi yathākālam atandritaḥ
      taṃ baliṃ nādhigacchāmi brahmann ācakṣva me balim
  6 sa vāyur varuṇaś caiva sa raviḥ sa ca candramāḥ
      so 'gnis tapati bhūtāni pṛthivī ca bhavaty uta
      taṃ baliṃ nādhigacchāmi brahmann ācakṣva me balim
  7 [brahmā]
      naitat te sādhu maghavan yad etad anupṛcchasi
      pṛṣṭas tu nānṛtaṃ brūyāt tasmād vakṣyāmi te balim
  8 uṣṭreṣu yadi vā goṣu khareṣv aśveṣu vā punaḥ
      variṣṭho bhavitā jantuḥ śūnyāgāre śacīpate
  9 [ṣakra]
      yadi sma balinā brahmañ śūnyāgāre sameyivān
      hanyām enaṃ na vā hanyāṃ tad brahmann anuśādhi mām
  10 [brahmā]
     mā sma śakra baliṃ hiṃsīr na balir vadham arhati
     nyāyāṃs tu śakra prastavyas tvayā vāsava kāmyayā
 11 [bhī]
     evam ukto bhagavatā mahendraḥ pṛthivīṃ tadā
     cacārairāvata skandham adhiruhya śriyā vṛtaḥ
 12 tato dadarśa sabaliṃ kharaveṣeṇa saṃvṛtam
     yathā khyātaṃ bhagavatā śūnyāgāra kṛtālayam
 13 [ṣakra]
     kharayonim anuprāptas tuṣabhakṣo 'si dānava
     iyaṃ te yonir adhamā śoṣasy āho na śocasi
 14 adṛṣṭaṃ bata paśyāmi dviṣatāṃ vaśam āgatam
     śriyā vihīnaṃ mitraiś ca bhraṣṭa vīryaparākramam
 15 yad yad yānasahasreṇa jñātibhiḥ parivāritaḥ
     lokān pratāpayan sarvān yāsy asmān avitarkayan
 16 tvan mukhāś caiva daiteyā vyatiṣṭhaṃs tava śāsane
     akṛṣṭapacyā pṛthivī tavaiśvarye babhūva ha
     idaṃ ca te 'dya vyasanaṃ śocasy āho na śocasi
 17 yadātiṣṭhaḥ samudrasya pūrvakūle vilelihan
     jñātibhyo vibhajan vittaṃ tadāsīt te manaḥ katham
 18 yat te sahasrasamitā nanṛtur deva yoṣitaḥ
     bahūni varṣapūgāni vihāre dīpyataḥ śriyā
 19 sarvāḥ puṣkara mālinyaḥ sarvāḥ kāñcanasaprabhāḥ
     katham adya tadā caiva manas te dānaveśvara
 20 chattraṃ tavāsīt sumahat sauvarṇaṃ mani bhūṣitam
     nanṛtur yatra gandharvāḥ saḥ sahasrāṇi saptadhā
 21 yūpas tavāsīt sumahāñ jayataḥ sarvakāñcanaḥ
     yatrādadaḥ sahasrāṇām ayutāni gavāṃ daśa
 22 yadā tu pṛthivīṃ sarvāṃ yajamāno 'nuparyayāḥ
     śamyākṣepeṇa vidhinā tadāsīt kiṃ nu te hṛdi
 23 na te paśyāmi bhṛṅgāraṃ na chattraṃ vyajanaṃ na ca
     brahmadattāṃ ca te mālāṃ na paśyāmy asurādhipa
 24 [bali]
     na tvaṃ paśyasi bhṛṅgāraṃ na chattraṃ vyajanaṃ na ca
     brahmadattāṃ ca me mālāṃ na tvaṃ drakṣyasi vāsava
 25 guhāyāṃ nihitāni tvaṃ mama ratnāni pṛcchasi
     yadā me bhavitā kālas tadā tvaṃ tāni drakṣyasi
 26 na tv etad anurūpaṃ te yaśaso vā kulasya vā
     samṛddhārtho 'samṛddhārthaṃ yan māṃ katthitum icchasi
 27 na hi duḥkheṣu śocanti na prahṛṣyanti carddhiṣu
     kṛtaprajñā jñānatṛptāḥ kṣāntāḥ santo manīsinaḥ
 28 tvaṃ tuprākṛtayā buddhyā purandara vikatthase
     yadāham iva bhāvī tvaṃ tadā naivaṃ vadiṣyasi

 

SECTION CCXVI

"Bhishma said, 'The yogin who wishes to always practise sinless Brahmacharya and who is impressed with the faults attaching to dreams should, with his whole heart, seek to abandon sleep. In dreams, the embodied soul, affected by the attributes of Passion and Darkness, seems to become possessed of another body and move and act influenced by desire. 2 In consequence of application for the acquisition of knowledge and of continued reflection and recapitulation, the yogin remains always awake. Indeed, the yogin can keep himself continually awake by devoting himself to knowledge. On this topic it has been asked what is this state in which the embodied creature thinks himself surrounded by and engaged in objects and acts? True it is that the embodied being, with its senses really suspended, still thinks itself to be possessed of body with all the senses of knowledge and of action. As regards the question started, it is said that that master of yoga, named Hari, comprehends truly how it happens. The great Rishis say that the explanation offered by Hari is correct and consistent with reason. The learned say that it is in consequence of the senses being worn out with fatigue, dreams are experienced by all creatures. (Though the senses are suspended) the mind, however, never disappears (or becomes inactive) and hence arise dreams. This is said by all to be their noted cause. As the imaginings of a person that is awake and
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engaged in acts, are due only to the creative power of the mind, after the same manner the impressions in a dream appertain only to the mind. A person with desire and attachment obtains those imaginings (in dreams) based upon the impressions of countless lives in the past. Nothing that impresses the mind once is ever lost, and the Soul being cognisant of all those impressions causes them to come forth from obscurity. 1 Whichever among the three attributes of Goodness, Passion, and Darkness is brought about by the influence of past acts and by whichever amongst them the mind is affected for the time being in whatever way, the elements (in their subtile forms) display or indicate accordingly (in the way of images). 2 After images have thus been produced, the particular attribute of Goodness or Passion or Darkness that may have been brought by past act rises in the mind and conduces to its last result, viz., happiness or misery. Those images having wind, bile, and phlegm for their chief causes, which men apprehend through ignorance and in consequence of propensities fraught with Passion and Darkness, cannot, it has been said, be easily discarded. 3 Whatever objects again a person perceives in the mind (while wakeful) through the senses in a state of perspicuity are apprehended by the mind in dreams while the senses are obscured in respect of their functions. 4 The Mind exists unobstructedly in all things. This is due to the nature of the Soul. The Soul should be comprehended. All the elements and the objects they compose exist in the Soul. 5 In the state called dreamless slumber (sushupti), the manifest human body which, of course, is the door of dreams, disappears in the mind. Occupying the body the mind enters the soul which is manifest and upon which all existent and non-existent things depend, and becomes transformed into a wakeful witness with certainty of apprehension. Thus dwelling in pure Consciousness which is the soul of all things; it is regarded by the learned as
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transcending both Consciousness and all things in the universe. 1 That yogin who in consequence of desire covets any of the divine attributes (of Knowledge or Renunciation, etc.) should regard a pure mind to be identical with the object of his desire. All things rest in a pure mind or soul. 2 This is the result attained to by one who is engaged in penances. That yogin, however, who has crossed Darkness or ignorance, becomes possessed of transcending effulgence. When darkness or ignorance has been transcended, the embodied Soul becomes Supreme Brahma, the cause of the universe. 3 The deities have penances and Vedic rites. Darkness (or pride and cruelty), which is destructive of the former, has been adopted by the Asuras. This, viz., Brahma, which has been said to have Knowledge only for its attribute, is difficult of attainment by either the deities or the Asuras. It should be known that the qualities of Goodness, Passion and Darkness belong to the deities and the Asuras. Goodness is the attribute of the deities; while the two others belong to the Asuras. Brahma transcends all those attributes. It is pure Knowledge. It is Deathlessness. It is pure effulgence. It is undeteriorating. Those persons of cleansed souls who know Brahma attain to the highest end. One having knowledge for one's eye can say this much with the aid of reason and analogy. Brahma which is indestructible can be comprehended by only withdrawing the senses and the mind (from external objects into the soul itself).'" 4

Footnotes

105:2 The correct reading, I apprehend, is upagatasprihah and not apagatasprihah. Nilakantha is silent. All that he says is that the first verse has reference to 'yogins,' the second to yogins and 'non-yogins' alike. Both the vernacular translators adhere to apagatasprihah.
106:1 I expand verse 8 a little for giving its meaning more clearly than a literal version would yield. All the impressions, it is said here, in dreams, are due either to the impressions of this life or those received by, the mind in the countless lives through which it has passed. All those impressions, again, are well-known to the Soul though memory may not retain them. Their reappearance in dreams is due to the action of the Soul which calls them up from the obscurity in which they are concealed. Avisena's theory of nothing being ever lost that is once acquired by the mind and the recollection of a past impression being, due to a sudden irradiation of the divine light, was, it seems, borrowed from Hindu philosophy.
106:2 The sense is this: a particular attribute among the three, viz., Goodness or Passion or Darkness, is brought to the mind by the influence of past acts of either this or any previous life. That attribute immediately affects the mind in a definite way. The result of this is that the elements in their subtile forms actually produce the images that correspond with or appertain to the affecting attribute and the manner in which it affects the mind.
106:3 Nothing less than yoga can discard or destroy them, for they really spring from desires generated by past acts.
106:4 The Bombay reading Manohrishyan is better.
106:5 Both the external and the internal worlds are due to Consciousness, which, in its turn, arises from delusion affecting the Soul. That which is called the Mind is only a product of the Soul. The world both external and internal, is only the result of Mind as explained in previous sections. Hence the Mind exists in all things. What is meant by all things existing in the Soul is that the Soul is omniscient and he who succeeds in knowing the Soul wins omniscience.
107:1 The body is called the door of dreams because the body is the result of past acts, and dreams cannot take place till the Soul, through past acts, becomes encased in a body. What is meant by the body disappearing in the mind is that in dreamless slumber the mind Mo longer retains any apprehension of the body. The body being thus lost in the mind, the mind (with the body lost in it) enters the Soul, or becomes withdrawn into it. Nidarsanam is explained as Nischitadarsanam Sakshirupam. The sense of the verse is that in dreamless slumber the senses are withdrawn into the mind; the mind becomes withdrawn into the Soul. It is the Soul alone that then lives in its state of original purity, consciousness and all things which proceed from it disappearing at the time.
107:2 i.e., the mind becoming pure, he gains omniscience and omnipotence.
107:3 The Burdwan translator, using the very words of Nilakantha, jumbles them wrongly together and makes utter nonsense of both the original and the gloss.
107:4 Brahma cannot, as the commentator properly explains, be seized like a creature by the horns. All that one can do is to explain its nature by reason and analogy. It can be comprehended only in the way indicated, i.e., by Pratyahara.

 

Book 12
Chapter 217

 

 

 

1 [bhī]
      punar eva tu taṃ śakraḥ prahasann idam abravīt
      niḥśvasantaṃ yathā nāgaṃ pravyāhārāya bhārata
  2 yat tad yānasahasreṇa jñātibhiḥ parivāritaḥ
      lokān pratāpayan sarvān yāsy asmān avitarkayan
  3 dṛṣṭvā sukṛpaṇāṃ cemām avasthām ātmano bale
      jñātimitra parityaktaḥ śocasy āho na śocasi
  4 prītiṃ prātyātulāṃ pūrvaṃ lokāṃś cātmavaśe sthitām
      vinipātam imaṃ cādya śocasy āho na śocasi
  5 [bali]
      anityam upalakṣyedaṃ kālaparyāyam ātmanaḥ
      tasmāc chakra na śocāmi sarvaṃ hy evedam antavat
  6 antavanta ime dehā bhūtānām amarādhipa
      tena śakra na śocāmi nāparādhād idaṃ mama
  7 jīvitaṃ ca śarīraṃ ca pretya vai saha jāyate
      ubhe saha vivardhete ubhe saha vinaśyataḥ
  8 tad īdṛśam idaṃ bhāvam avaśaḥ prāpya kevalam
      yady evam abhijānāmi kā vyathā me vijānataḥ
  9 bhūtānāṃ nidhanaṃ niṣṭhā srotasām iva sāgaraḥ
      naitat samyag vijānanto narā muhyanti vajrabhṛt
  10 ye tv evaṃ nābhijānanti rajo mohaparāyanāḥ
     te kṛcchraṃ prāpya sīdanti buddhir yeṣāṃ pranaśyati
 11 buddhilābhe hi puruṣaḥ sarvaṃ nudati kilbiṣam
     vipāpmā labhate sattvaṃ sattvasthaḥ saṃprasīdati
 12 tatas tu ye nivartante jāyante vā punaḥ punaḥ
     kṛpaṇāḥ paritapyante te 'narthair paricoditāḥ
 13 arthasiddhim anarthaṃ ca jīvitaṃ maraṇaṃ tathā
     sukhaduḥkhaphalaṃ caiva na dveṣmi na ca kāmaye
 14 hataṃ hanti hato hy eva yo naro hanti kaṃ cana
     ubhau tau na vijānīto yaś ca hanti hataś ca yaḥ
 15 hatvā jitvā ca maghavan yaḥ kaś cit puruṣāyate
     akartā hy eva bhavati kartā tv eva karoti tat
 16 ho hi lokasya kurute vināśaprabhavāv ubhau
     kṛtaṃ hi tat kṛtenaiva kartā tasyāpi cāparaḥ
 17 pṛthivī vāyur ākāśam āpo jyotiś ca pañcamam
     etadyonīni bhūtāni tatra kā paridevanā
 18 mahāvidyo 'lpavidyaś ca balavān durbalaś ca yaḥ
     darśanīyaś virūpaś ca subhago durbhagaś ca yaḥ
 19 sarvaṃ kālaḥ samādatte gambhīraḥ svena tejasā
     tasmin kālavaśaṃ prāpte kā vyathā me vijānataḥ
 20 dagdham evānudahati hatam evānuhanti ca
     naśyate naṣṭam evāgre labdhavyaṃ labhate naraḥ
 21 nāsya dvīpaḥ kutaḥ pāraṃ nāvāraḥ saṃpradṛśyate
     nāntam asya prapaśyāmi vidher divyasya cintayam
 22 yadi me paśyataḥ kālo bhūtāni na vināśayet
     syān me harśaś ca darpaś ca krodhaś caiva śacīpate
 23 tuṣabhakṣaṃ tu māṃ jñātvā pravivikta jane gṛhe
     bibhrataṃ gārdabhaṃ rūpam ādiśya parigarhase
 24 icchann ahaṃ vikuryāṃ hi rūpāṇi bahudhātmanaḥ
     vibhīsanāni yānīkṣya palāyethās tvam eva me
 25 kālaḥ sarvaṃ samādatte kālaḥ sarvaṃ prayacchati
     kālena vidhṛtaṃ sarvaṃ mā kṛthāḥ śakra pauruṣam
 26 purā sarvaṃ pravyathate mayi kruddhe puraṃdara
     avaimi tv asya lokasya dharmaṃ śakra sanātanam
 27 tvam apy evam apekṣasva mātmanā vismayaṃ gamaḥ
     prabhavaś ca prabhāvaś ca nātma saṃsthaḥ kadā cana
 28 kaumāram eva te cittaṃ tathaivādya yathā purā
     samavekṣasva maghavan buddhiṃ vindasva naiṣṭhikīm
 29 devā manuṣyāḥ pitaro gandharvoragarākṣasāḥ
     āsan sarve mama vaśe tat sarvaṃ vettha vāsava
 30 namas tasyai diśe 'py astu yasyāṃ vairocano baliḥ
     iti mām abhyapadyanta buddhimātsaya mohitāḥ
 31 nāhaṃ tad anuśocāmi nātma bhraṃśaṃ śacīpate
     evaṃ me niścitā buddhiḥ śāstus tiṣṭhāmy ahaṃ vaśe
 32 dṛśyate hi kule jāto darśanīyaḥ pratāpavān
     duḥkhaṃ jīvan sahāmātyo bhavitavyaṃ hi tat tathā
 33 dauṣkulelyas tathā mūḍho durjātaḥ śakra dṛśyate
     sukhaṃ jīvan sahāmātya bhavitavyaṃ hi tat tathā
 34 kalyānī rūpasaṃpannā durbhagā śakra dṛśyate
     alakṣaṇā virūpā ca subhagā śakra dṛśyate
 35 naitad asmat kṛtaṃ śakra naitac chakra tvayā kṛtam
     yat tvam evaṃgato vajrin yad vāpy evaṃgatā vayam
 36 na karma tava nānyeṣāṃ kuto mama śatakrato
     ṛddhir vāpy atha vā narddhiḥ paryāya kṛtam eva tat
 37 paśyāmi tvā virājantaṃ devarājam avasthitam
     śrīmantaṃ dyutimantaṃ ca garjantaṃ ca mamopari
 38 etac caivaṃ na cet kālo mām ākramya sthito bhavet
     pātayeyam ahaṃ tvādya savarjam api muṣṭinā
 39 na tu vikramakālo 'yaṃ kṣamā kālo 'yam āgataḥ
     kālaḥ sthāpayate sarvaṃ kālaḥ pacati vai tathā
 40 māṃ ced abhyāgataḥ kālo dānaveśvaram ūrjitam
     garjantaṃ pratapantaṃ ca kam anyaṃ nāgamiṣyati
 41 dvādaśānāṃ hi bhavatām ādityānāṃ mahātmanām
     tejāṃsy ekena sarveṣāṃ devarājahṛtāni me
 42 aham evodvahāmy āpo visṛjāmi ca vāsava
     tapāmi caiva trailokyaṃ vidyotāmy aham eva ca
 43 saṃrakṣāmi vilumpāmi dadāmy aham athādade
     saṃyacchāmi niyacchāmi lokeṣu prabhur īśvaraḥ
 44 tad adya vinivṛttaṃ me prabhutvam amarādhipa
     kālasainyāvagādhasya sarvaṃ na pratibhāti me
 45 nāhaṃ kartā na caiva tvaṃ nānyak kartā śacīpate
     paryāyena hi bhujyante lokāḥ śakra yadṛcchayā
 46 māsārdha māsaveśmānam ahorātrābhisaṃvṛtam
     ṛtudvāraṃ varṣamukham āhur vedavido janāḥ
 47 āhuḥ sarvam idaṃ cintyaṃ janāḥ ke cin manīsayā
     asyāḥ pañcaiva cintāyāḥ paryeṣyāmi ca pañcadhā
 48 ganbhīraṃ gahanaṃ brahma mahat toyārṇavaṃ yathā
     anādi nidhanaṃ cāhur akṣaraṃ param eva ca
 49 sattveṣu liṅgam āveśya naliṅgam api tat svayam
     manyante dhruvam evainaṃ ye narās tattvadarśinaḥ
 50 bhūtānāṃ tu viparyāsaṃ manyate gatavān iti
     na hy etāvad bhaved gamyaṃ nayasmāt prakṛteḥ paraḥ
 51 gatiṃ hi sarvabhūtānām agatvā kva gamiṣyasi
     yo dhāvatā na hātavyas tiṣṭhann api na hīyate
     tam indriyāṇi sarvāṇi nānupaśyanti pañcadhā
 52 āhuś cainaṃ ke cid agniṃ ke cid āhuḥ prajāpatim
     ṛtumāsārdha māmāṃś ca divasāṃs tu kṣaṇāṃs tathā
 53 pūrvāhnam aparāhnaṃ ca madhyāhnam api cāpare
     muhūrtam api caivāhur ekaṃ santam anekadhā
     taṃ kālam avajānīhi yasya sarvam idaṃ vaśe
 54 bahunīndra sahasrāṇi samatītāni vāsava
     balavīryopapannāni yathaiva tvaṃ śacīpate
 55 tvām apy atibalaṃ śakraṃ devarājaṃ balotkatam
     prāpte kāle mahāvīryaḥ kālaḥ saṃśamayiṣyati
 56 ya idaṃ sarvam ādatte tasmāc chakra sthiro bhava
     mayā tvayā ca pūrvaiś ca na sa śakyo 'tivartitum
 57 yām etāṃ prāpya jānīse rājaśriyam anuttamām
     sthitā mayīti tan mithyā naiṣā hy ekatra tiṣṭhati
 58 sthitā hīndra sahasreṣu tvad viśiṣṭatameṣv iyam
     māṃ ca lolā parityajya tvām agād vibudhādhipa
 59 maivaṃ śakra punaḥ kārṣīḥ śānto bhavitum arhasi
     tvām apy evaṃgataṃ tyaktvā kṣipram anyaṃ gamiṣyati

 

SECTION CCXVII

"Bhishma said, 'He cannot be said to know Brahma who does not know the four topics (viz., dreams, dreamless slumber, Brahma as indicated by attributes, and Brahma as transcending all attributes), as also what is Manifest (viz., the body), and what is Unmanifest (the chit-soul), which the great Rishi 
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[paragraph continues] (Narayana) has described as Tattwam. 1 That which is manifest should be known as liable to death. That which is unmanifest (viz., the chit-soul), should be known as transcending death. The Rishi Narayana has described the religion of Pravritti. Upon that rests the whole universe with its mobile and immobile creatures. The religion of Nivritti again leads to the unmanifest and eternal Brahma. 2 The Creator (Brahma) has described the religion of Pravritti. Pravritti implies rebirth or return. Nivritti, on the other hand, implies the highest end. The ascetic who desires to discriminate with exactitude between good and evil, who is always bent on understanding the nature of the Soul, and who devotes himself to the religion of Nivritti, attains to that high end. 3 One desirous of accomplishing this, should know both the Unmanifest and Purusha of which I shall speak presently. That, again, which is different from both the Unmanifest and Purusha, and which transcends them both, and which is distinguished from all beings, should be particularly viewed by one possessed of intelligence. 4 Both Prakriti and Purusha are without beginning and without end. Both are incapable of being known by their like. Both are eternal and indestructible. Both are greater than the greatest (of being). In these they are similar. They are points of dissimilarity again between them. (Of these I shall speak presently). Prakriti is fraught with the three attributes (of Goodness, Passion, and Darkness). It is also engaged in creation. The true attributes of Kshetrajna (Purusha or the Soul) should be known to be different. 5 Purusha is the apprehender of all the transformations of Prakriti (but cannot be apprehended himself). He transcends (in respect of his original nature) all attributes. As regards Purusha and the Supreme Soul again, both of them are in-comprehensible. In consequence again of both of them being without attributes by which they can be distinguished, both are highly distinguished from all else. 6 A turbaned person has his head circled with three folds of a piece of cloth. (The person, however, is not identical with the turban he wears). After the same manner the embodied Soul is invested with the three attributes of Goodness, Passion, and Darkness. But though thus invested, the Soul is not
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identical with those attributes. Hence these four topics, which are covered by these fourfold considerations, should be understood. 1 One who understands all this is never stupefied when one has to draw conclusions (in respect of all subjects of enquiry). He that is desirous of attaining to high prosperity should become pure in mind, and betaking himself to austere practices in respect of the body and the senses, should devote himself to yoga without desire of fruits. The universe is pervaded by yoga power secretly circulating through every part of it and illumining it brightly. The sun and the moon shine with effulgence in the firmament of the heart in consequence of yoga power. The result of yoga is Knowledge. Yoga is talked of very highly in the world. 2 Whatever acts are destructive of Passion and Darkness constitute yoga in respect of its real character. Brahmacharya and abstention from injury are said to constitute yoga of the body; while restraining mind and speech properly are said to constitute yoga of the mind. The food that is obtained in alms from regenerate persons conversant with the ritual is distinguished from all other food. By taking that food abstemiously, one's sins born of Passion begin to fade. A yogin subsisting upon such food finds his senses gradually withdrawn from their objects. Hence, he should take only that measure of food which is strictly necessary for the support of his body. (Another advice that may be offered is that) that knowledge which one obtains gradually by mind devoted to yoga should cheerfully be made one's own during one's last moments by a forcible stretch of power. 3 The embodied Soul, when divested of Rajas (does not immediately attain to Emancipation but) assumes a subtile form with all the senses of perception and moves about in space. When his mind becomes unaffected by acts, he, in consequence of such renunciation (loses that subtile form and) becomes merged in Prakriti (without however, yet attaining to Brahma or Emancipation which transcends Prakriti). 4 After the destruction of this gross body, one who through absence of heedlessness escapes from all the three bodies (viz., the gross, the subtile and the karana) succeeds in attaining to Emancipation. 5 The birth and death of creatures always depend upon the cause constituted by original Ignorance
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[paragraph continues] (or Avidya). When knowledge of Brahma arises, necessity no longer pursues the person. Those, however, that accept what is the reverse of truth (by believing that to be Self which is really not-Self) are men whose understandings are always taken up with the birth and death of all existent things. (Such people never dream even of Emancipation). 1 Supporting their bodies by aid of patience, withdrawing their hearts from all external objects by the aid of their understanding, and withdrawing themselves from the world of senses, some yogins adore the senses in consequence of their subtility. 2 Some amongst them, with mind cleansed by yoga, proceeding according to (the stages indicated in) the scriptures and reaching the highest, succeed in knowing it by the aid of the understanding and dwell in that which is the highest and which without resting on any other thing rests on itself. 3 Some worship Brahma in images. Some worship Him as existing with attributes. Some repeatedly realise the highest Divinity which has been described to be like a flash of lightning and which is again indestructible. 4 Others who have burnt their sins by penances, attain to Brahma in the end. All those high-souled persons attain to the highest end. With the eye of scripture one should observe the subtile attributes of these several forms, as distinguished by attributes, of Brahma that are (thus) worshipped by men. The yogin who has transcended the necessity of depending on the body, who has cast off all attachments, and whose mind is devoted to yoga abstraction, should be known as another instance of Infinity, as the Supreme Divinity, or as that which it Unmanifest. 5 They whose hearts are devoted to the acquisition of knowledge succeed first in freeing themselves from the world of mortals. Subsequently, by casting off attachments they partake of the nature of Brahma and at last attain to the highest end.
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"Thus have persons conversant with the Vedas spoken of the religion that leads to the attainment of Brahma. They who follow that religion according to the measure of their knowledge all succeed in obtaining the highest end. Even those persons who succeed in acquiring knowledge that is incapable of being shaken (by the assaults of scepticism) and that makes its possessors free from attachments of every kind, attain to various high regions after death and become emancipated according to the measure of their knowledge. Those persons of pure hearts who have imbibed contentment from knowledge, and who have cast off all desires and attachments, gradually approach in respect of their nature, nearer and nearer to Brahma which has the unmanifest for his attribute, which is divine, and without birth and death. Realising that Brahma dwells in their Souls, they become themselves immutable and have never to return (to the earth). Attaining to that supreme state which is indestructible and eternal, they exist in felicity. The knowledge with respect to this world is even this: it exists (in the case of erring persons). It does not exist (in the case of those who have not been stupefied by error). The whole universe, bound up in desire, is revolving like a wheel. As the fibres of a lotus-stalk overspread themselves into every part of the stalk, after the same manner the fibres of desire, which have neither beginning nor end, spread themselves over every part of the body. As a weaver drives his threads into a cloth by means of his shuttle, after the same manner the threads that constitute the fabric of the universe are woven by the shuttle of Desire. He who properly knows transformations of Prakriti, Prakriti herself and Purusha, becomes freed from Desire and attains to Emancipation. 1 The divine Rishi Narayana, that refuge of the universe, for the sake of compassion towards all creatures, clearly promulgated these means for the acquisition of immortality.'"

Footnotes

108:1 The commentator thinks that the Rishi alluded to in this verse is Narayana, the companion and friend of Nara, both of whom had their retreat on the heights of Vadari where Vyasa afterwards settled himself. Tattwa here does not, the commentator thinks, mean a topic of discourse but that which exists in original purity and does not take its colour or form from the mind. Anaropitam rupam yasya tat.
108:2 The religion of Pravritti consists of acts. It cannot liberate one from rebirth. The whole chain of existences, being the result of acts, rests upon the religion of Pravritti. The religion of Nivritti, on the other hand, or abstention from acts, leads to Emancipation or Brahma.
108:3 Nidarsarkah is explained by the commentator as equivalent to drashtum ichcchan.
108:4 Avyakta or Unmanifest is Prakriti or primordial matter both gross and subtile. That which transcends both Prakriti and Purusha is, of course the Supreme Soul or Brahma. Visesham, is explained by the commentator as 'distinguished from everything else by its attributes.'
108:5 i.e., as the commentator explains, Purusha is non-creating and transcends the three attributes.
108:6 Asamhatau is explained by the commentator as atyantaviviktau. Purushau implies the two Purushas, i.e., the 'Chit-Soul' and the Supreme Soul.
109:1 The four topics are these: the points of resemblance between Prakriti and Purusha, the points of difference between them: the points of resemblance between Purusha and Iswara; and the points of difference between them. The four considerations that cover these topics are absence of beginning and end, existence as chit and in animation, distinction from all other things, and the notion of activity.
109:2 Yoginastam prapasyanti bhagavantam santanam--even this is what people always say to yoga and yogins.
109:3 The commentator in a long note explains that what is really implied by this verse is that one should betake oneself to some sacred spot such as Kasi for casting off one's life there. Death at Kasi is sure to lead to Emancipation, for the theory is that Siva himself becomes the instructor and leads one to that high end.
109:4 When divested of Rajas', i.e., freed from the senses and the propensities derived from their indulgence.
109:5 Adehat is explained by the commentator as Dehapatat. Dehantat applies to the destruction of all the three bodies. By the destruction (after death) of the gross body is meant escape from the obligation of rebirth. The karana body is a subtiler form of existence than the Linga-sarira: it is, of course, existence it; Prakriti as mentioned in verso 21.
110:1 Paropratyasarge means on the rise of a knowledge of Brahma. Niyati is Necessity, in consequence of which jiva goes through an endless wheel of existences; Bhavantaprabhavaprajna is bhavanamanta-prabhavayorevaprajna yesham. The object of the verse is to show that such mistaken persons as take the body, the senses, etc., and all which are not-Self, to be Self, are always taken up with the idea that things die and are born, but that there is nothing like emancipation or a complete escape from rebirth.
110:2 'By the aid of patience' is explained by the commentator as without leaving their seats and changing the yoga attitude, etc. 'Withdrawing themselves from the world of senses' means attaining to a state that is perfectly independent of the senses and, therefore, of all external objects. 'Adore the senses in consequence of their subtility,' as explained by the commentator, is thinking of Prana and the Indriyas as Self or Soul. I do not understand how this amounts to the statement that such yogins attain to Brahma.
110:3 'Proceeding according to (the stages indicated in) the scriptures'. alludes to the well-known verses in the Gita, beginning with Indriyebhyah parahyartha, etc. The several stages, as mentioned in those verses, are as follows: Superior to the senses are their objects. Superior to the objects is the mind. Superior to the mind is the understanding. Superior to the understanding is the Soul. Superior to the Soul is the Unmanifest. Superior to the Unmanifest is Purusha (Brahma). There is nothing above Purusha. Dehantam is explained as that which is superior to Avyakta or Unmanifest, hence Brahma or Purusha.
110:4 A flash of lightning repeatedly realised becomes a mass of blazing light. Perhaps this is intended by the speaker.
110:5 In the Bengal texts, verse 28 is a triplet. In the second line the correct reading is Dehantam.

 

 

Book 12
Chapter 218

 

 

 

1 [bhī]
      śatakratur athāpaśyad baler dīptāṃ mahātmanaḥ
      svarūpiṇīṃ śarīrād dhi tadā niṣkrāmatīṃ śriyam
  2 tāṃ dīptāṃ prabhayā dṛṣṭvā bhagavān pākaśāsanaḥ
      vismayotphullanayano baliṃ papraccha vāsavaḥ
  3 bale keyam apakrāntā rocamānā śikhandinī
      tvattaḥ sthitā sakeyūrā dīpyamānā svatejasā
  4 [bali]
      na hīmām āsurīṃ vedmi na daivīṃ na ca mānuṣīm
      tvam evaināṃ pṛccha mā vā yatheṣṭaṃ kuru vāsava
  5 [ṣakra]
      kā tvaṃ baler apakrāntā rocamānā śikhandinī
      ajānato mamācakṣva nāmadheyaṃ śucismite
  6 kā tvaṃ tiṣṭhasi māyeva dīpyamānā svatejasā
      hitvā daityeśvaraṃ subhru tan mamācakṣva tattvataḥ
  7 [ṣrī]
      na mā virocano veda na mā vairocano baliḥ
      āhur māṃ duḥsahety evaṃ vidhitseti ca māṃ viduḥ
  8 bhūtir lakṣmīti mām āhuḥ śrīr ity evaṃ ca vāsava
      tvaṃ māṃ śakra na jānīse sarve devā na māṃ viduḥ
  9 [ṣakra]
      kim idaṃ tvaṃ mama kṛte utāho balinaḥ kṛte
      duḥsahe vijahāsy enaṃ cirasaṃvāsinī satī
  10 [ṣrī]
     na dhātā na vidhātā māṃ vidadhāti kathaṃ cana
     kālas tu śakra paryāyān mainaṃ śakrāvamanyathāḥ
 11 [ṣakra]
     kathaṃ tvayā balis tyaktaḥ kimarthaṃ vā śikhandini
     kathaṃ ca māṃ na jahyās tvaṃ tan me brūhi śucismite
 12 [ṣrī]
     satye sthitāsmi dāne ca vrate tapasi caiva hi
     parākrame ca dharme ca parācīnas tato baliḥ
 13 brahmaṇyo 'yaṃ sadā bhūtvā satyavādī jitendriyaḥ
     abhyasūyad brāhmaṇān vai ucchiṣṭaś cāspṛśad ghṛtam
 14 yajñaśīlaḥ purā bhūtvā mām eva yajatety ayam
     provāca lokān mūḍhātmā kālenopanipīditaḥ
 15 apākṛtā tataḥ śakra tvayi vatsyāmi vāsava
     apramattena dhāryāsmi tapasā vikrameṇa ca
 16 [ṣakra]
     asti devamanuṣyeṣu sarvabhūteṣu vā pumān
     yas tvām eko viṣahituṃ śaknuyāt kamalālaye
 17 [ṣrī]
     naiva devo na gandharvo nāsuro na ca rākṣasaḥ
     yo mām eko viṣahituṃ śaktaḥ kaś cit puraṃdara
 18 [ṣakra]
     tiṣṭhethā mayi nityaṃ tvaṃ yathā tad brūhi me śubhe
     tat kariṣyāmi te vākyam ṛtaṃ tvaṃ vaktum arhasi
 19 [ṣrī]
     sthāsyāmi nityaṃ devendra yathā tvayi nibodha tat
     vidhinā veda dṛṣṭena caturdhā vibhajasva mām
 20 [ṣakra]
     ahaṃ vai tvā nidhāsyāmi yathāśakti yathābalam
     na tu me 'tikramaḥ syād vai sadā lakṣmitavāntike
 21 bhūmir eva manuṣyeṣu dhāraṇī bhūtabhāvinī
     sā te pādaṃ titikṣeta samahā hīti me matiḥ
 22 [ṣrī]
     eṣa me nihitaḥ pādo yo 'yaṃ bhūmau pratiṣṭhitaḥ
     dvitīyaṃ śakra pādaṃ me tasmāt sunihitaṃ kuru
 23 [ṣakra]
     āpa eva manuṣyeṣu dravantyaḥ paricārikāḥ
     tās te pādaṃ titikṣantām alam āpas titikṣitum
 24 [ṣrī]
     eṣa me nihitaḥ pādo yo 'yam apsu pratiṣṭhitaḥ
     tṛtīyaṃ śakra pādaṃ me tasmāt sunihitaṃ kuru
 25 [ṣakra]
     yasmin devāś ca yajñāś ca yasmin vedāḥ pratiṣṭhitāḥ
     tṛtīyaṃ pādam agnis te sudhṛtaṃ dhārayiṣyati
 26 [ṣrī]
     eṣa me nihitaṃ pādo yo 'yam agnau pratiṣṭhitaḥ
     caturthaṃ śakra pādaṃ me tasmāt sunihitaṃ kuru
 27 [ṣakra]
     ye vai santo manuṣyeṣu brahmaṇyāḥ satyavādinaḥ
     te te pādaṃ titikṣantām alaṃ santas titikṣitum
 28 [ṣrī]
     eṣa me nihitaḥ pādo yo 'yaṃ satsu pratiṣṭhitam
     evaṃ vinihitāṃ śakra bhūteṣu paridhatsva mām
 29 [ṣakra]
     bhūtānām iha vai yas tvā mayā vinihitāṃ satīm
     upahanyāt sa me dviṣyāt tathā śṛṇvantu me vacaḥ
 30 [bhī]
     tatas tyaktaḥ śriyā rājā daityānāṃ balir abravīt
     yāvat purastāt pratapet tāvad vai dakṣiṇāṃ diśam
 31 paścimāṃ tāvad evāpi tathodīcīṃ divākaraḥ
     tathā madhyaṃdine sūryo astam eti yadā tadā
     punar devāsuraṃ yuddhaṃ bhāvi jetāsmi vas tadā
 32 sarvāṁl lokān yadāditya ekasthas tāpayiṣyati
     tadā devāsure yuddhe jetāhaṃ tvāṃ śatakrato
 33 [ṣakra]
     brahmaṇāsmi samādiṣṭo na hantavyo bhavān iti
     tena te 'haṃ bale vajraṃ na vimuñcāmi mūrdhani
 34 yatheṣṭaṃ gaccha daityendra svasti te 'stu mahāsura
     ādityo nāvatapitā kadā cin madhyataḥ sthitaḥ
 35 sthāpito hy asya samayaḥ pūrvam eva svayambhuvā
     ajasraṃ pariyāty eṣa satyenāvatapan prajāḥ
 36 ayanaṃ tasya ṣaṇ māsā uttaraṃ dakṣiṇaṃ tathā
     yena saṃyāti lokeṣu śītoṣṇe visṛjan raviḥ
 37 [bhī]
     evam uktas tu daityendro balir indreṇa bhārata
     jagām adakṣiṇām āśām udīcīṃ tu puraṃdaraḥ
 38 ity etad balinā gītam anahaṃkāra saṃjñitam
     vākyaṃ śrutvā sahasrākṣaḥ kham evāruruhe tadā

 

SECTION CCXVIII

"Yudhishthira said, 'By following what conduct, O thou that art conversant with all courses of conduct, did Janaka, the ruler of Mithila versed in the religion of Emancipation, succeed in attaining to Emancipation, after casting off all worldly enjoyments?'
"Bhishma said, 'In this connection is cited the following old narrative of the particular conduct by which that ruler, thoroughly conversant with all courses of conduct, succeeded in achieving the highest felicity. There was a ruler in Mithila of the name of Janadeva of Janaka's race. He was ever engaged in reflecting upon the courses of conduct that might lead to the attainment of Brahma. A century of preceptors always used to live in his palace, lecturing him upon the diverse courses of duty followed by people who had betaken
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themselves to diverse modes of life. 1 Given to the study of the Vedas, he was not very well satisfied with the speculations of his instructors on the character of the Soul, and in their doctrines of extinction upon the dissolution of the body or of rebirth after death. Once upon a time a great ascetic of the name of Panchasikha, the son of Kapila, having roamed over the whole world, arrived at Mithila. Endued with correct conclusions in respect of all speculations about the diverse duties connected with renunciation, he was above all pairs of opposites (such as heat and cold, happiness and misery), and of doubts he had none. He was regarded as the foremost of Rishis. Dwelling wherever he pleased, he desired to place before the reach of all men eternal felicity that is so difficult of attainment. It seemed that he went about, amazing the world, having assumed the form of none else than that great Rishi, that lord of creatures, whom the followers of the Sankhya doctrine knew by the name of Kapila. He was the foremost of all the disciples of Asuri and was called the undying. He had performed a mental Sacrifice that had lasted for thousand years. 2 He was firm in mind, and had completed all the rites and sacrifices that are enjoined in the scriptures and that lead to the attainment of Brahma. He was fully conversant with the five sheaths that cover the soul. 3 He was devoted to the five acts connected with the adoration of Brahma, and had the five qualities (of tranquillity, self-restraint, etc.). Known (as already said) by the name of Panchasikha, he had approached one day a large concourse of Rishis following the Sankhya doctrines and enquired of them about the highest object of human acquisition, viz., the Unmanifest or that upon which the five Purushas or sheaths (already named) rest. 4 For the sake of obtaining a knowledge of the Soul, Asuri had enquired of his preceptor. In consequence of the latter's instructions and of his own penances, Asuri understood the distinction between the body and the Soul and had acquired celestial vision. 5 In that concourse of ascetics, Asuri made his exposition of the Immutable One, and Indestructible Brahma which is seen in diverse forms. Panchasikha became a disciple of Asuri. He lived on human milk. There was a certain Brahmani of the name of Kapila. She was the wife of Asuri. 6 Panchasikha was accepted by her as a son and he used to suck her breasts. In consequence of this, he came to be known as the son of Kapila and his understanding became fixed on Brahma. All this, about the circumstances of his birth and
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those that led to his becoming the son of Kapila, was said unto me by the divine Rishi. 1 The latter also told me about the omniscience of Panchasikha. Conversant with all courses of duty, Panchasikha, after having himself acquired high knowledge, (came to Janaka) and knowing that that king had equal reverence for all his preceptors, began to amaze that century of preceptors (by an exposition of his doctrine fraught), with abundant reasons. Observing the talent of Kapileya, Janaka became exceedingly attached to him, and abandoning his hundred preceptors, began to follow him in particular. Then Kapileya began to discourse unto Janaka, who had according to the ordinance bent his head unto him (as a disciple should) and who was fully competent to apprehend the sage's instructions, upon that high religion of Emancipation which is explained in Sankhya treatises. Setting forth in the first place the sorrows of birth, he spoke next of the sorrows of (religious) acts. Having finished that topic he explained the sorrows of all states of life ending even with that in the high region of the Creator. 2 He also discoursed upon that Delusion for whose sake is the practice of religion, and acts, and their fruits, and which is highly untrustworthy, destructible, unsteady, and uncertain. 3 Sceptics say that when death (of the body) is seen and is a matter of direct evidence witnessed by all, they who maintain, in consequence of their faith in the scriptures, that something distinct from the body, called the Soul, exists are necessarily vanquished in argument. They also urge that one's death means the extinction of one's Soul, and that sorrow, decrepitude, and disease imply (partial) death of the Soul. He that maintains, owing to error, that the Soul is distinct from the body and exists after the loss of body, cherishes an opinion that is unreasonable. 4 If that be regarded as existent which does not really exist in the world, then it may be mentioned that the king, being regarded so, is really never liable to decrepitude or death. But is he, on that account, to be really believed to be above decrepitude and death? 5 When the question is whether an object exists or does not exist, and when that whose existence is asserted presents all the indications of non-existence, what is that upon which ordinary people rely in settling the affairs of life? Direct evidence is the root of both inference and the scriptures. The scriptures are capable of being contradicted by direct evidence. As to inference, its evidentiary effect is not much. Whatever be the topic, cease to reason on inference alone. There is nothing else called jiva than this body. In a banian seed is contained the capacity to produce leaves and flowers and fruits and roots and
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bark. From the grass and water that is taken by a cow are produced milk and butter, substances whose nature is different from that of the producing causes. Substances of different kinds when allowed to decompose in water for some time produce spirituous liquors whose nature is quite different from that of those substances that produce them. After the same manner, from the vital seed is produced the body and its attributes, with the understanding, consciousness, mind, and other possessions. Two pieces of wood, rubbed together, produce fire. The stone called Suryakanta, coming in contact with the rays of the Sun, produces fire. Any solid metallic substance, heated in fire, dries up water when coming in contact with it. Similarly, the material body produces the mind and its attributes of perception, memory, imagination, etc. As the loadstone moves iron, similarly, the senses are controlled by the mind. 1 Thus reason the sceptics. The sceptics, however, are in error. For the disappearance (of only the animating force) upon the body becoming lifeless (and not the simultaneous extinction of the body upon the occurrence of that event) is the proof (of the truth that the body is not the Soul but that the Soul is something separate from the body and outlives it certainly. If, indeed, body and Soul had been the same thing, both would have disappeared at the same instant of time. Instead of this, the dead body may be seen for some time after the occurrence of death. Death, therefore, means the flight from the body of something that is different from the body). The supplication of the deities by the very men who deny the separate existence of the Soul is another good argument for the proposition that the Soul is separate from the body or has existence that may be independent of a gross material case. The deities to whom these men pray are incapable of being seen or touched. They are believed to exist in subtile forms. (Really, if a belief in deities divested of gross material forms does no violence to their reason, why should the existence of an immaterial Soul alone do their reason such violence)? Another argument against the sceptic is that his proposition implies a destruction of acts (for if body and Soul die together, the acts also of this life would perish,--a conclusion which no man can possibly come to if he is to explain the inequalities or condition witnessed in the universe). 2 These that have been mentioned, and that have material forms, cannot possibly be the causes (of the immaterial Soul and its immaterial accompaniments of perception, memory, and the like). The identity of immaterial existences with objects that are material cannot be comprehended. (Hence objects that are themselves material cannot by any means be causes for the production of things
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immaterial).--Some are of opinion that there is rebirth and that it is caused by Ignorance, the desire for acts, cupidity, heedlessness, and adherence to other faults. They say that Ignorance (Avidya) is the soul. Acts constitute the seed that is placed in that soil. Desire is the water that causes that seed to grow, in this way they explain rebirth. They maintain that that ignorance being ingrained in an imperceptible way, one mortal body being destroyed, another starts I up immediately from it; and that when it is burnt by the aid of knowledge, the destruction of existence itself follows or the person attains to what is called Nirvana. This opinion also is erroneous. [This is the doctrine of Buddhists]. It may be asked that when the being that is thus reborn is a different one in respect of its nature, birth, and purposes connected with virtue and vice why should I then be regarded to have any identity with the being that was? Indeed, the only inference that can be drawn is that the entire chain of existences of a particular being is not really a chain of connected links (but that existences in succession are unconnected with one another). 1 Then, again if the being that is the result of a rebirth be really different from what it was in a previous phase of existence, it may be asked what satisfaction can arise to a person from the exercise of the virtue of charity, or from the acquisition of knowledge or of ascetic power, since the acts performed by one are to concentrate upon another person in another phase of existence (without the performer himself being existent to enjoy them?) Another result of the doctrine under refutation would be that one in this life may be rendered miserable by the acts of another in a previous life, or having become miserable may again be rendered happy. By seeing, however, what actually takes place in the world, a proper conclusion may be drawn with respect to the unseen. 2 The separate Consciousness that is the result of rebirth is (according to what may be inferred from the Buddhistic theory of life) different from the Consciousness that had preceded it in a previous life. The manner, however, in which the rise or appearance of that separate Consciousness is explained by that theory does not seem to be consistent or reasonable. The Consciousness (as it existed in the previous life) was the very reverse of eternal, being only
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transitory, extending as it did till dissolution of the body. That which had an end cannot be taken as the cause for the production of a second Consciousness appearing after the occurrence of the end. If, again, the very loss of the previous Consciousness be regarded as the cause of the production of the second Consciousness, then upon the death of a human body being brought about by a heavy bludgeon, a second body would arise from the body that is thus deprived of animation. 1 Once more, their doctrine of extinction of life (or Nirvana or Sattwasankshaya) is exposed to the objection that that extinction will become a recurring phenomenon like that of the seasons, or the year, or the yuga, or heat, or cold, or objects that are agreeable or disagreeable. 2 If for the purpose of avoiding these objections, the followers of this doctrine assert the existence of a Soul that is permanent and unto which each new Consciousness attaches, they expose themselves to the new objection that that permanent substance, by being overcome with decrepitude, and with death that brings about destruction, may in time be itself weakened and destroyed. If the supports of a mansion are weakened by time, the mansion itself is sure to fall down at last. 3 The senses, the mind, wind, blood, flesh, bones (and all the constituents of the body), one after another, meet with destruction and enter each into its own productive cause. 4 If again the existence of an eternal Soul be asserted that is immutable, that is the refuge of the understanding, consciousness, and other attributes of the usual kind, and that is dissociated from all these, such an assertion would be exposed to a serious objection,
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for then all that is usually done in the world would be unmeaning, especially with reference to the attainment of the fruits of the charity and other religious acts. All the declarations in the Srutis inciting to those acts, and all acts connected with the conduct of men in the world, would be equally unmeaning, for the Soul being dissociated from the understanding and the mind, there is no one to enjoy the fruits of good acts and Vedic rites. 1 Thus diverse kinds of speculations arise in the mind. Whether this opinion is right or that is right, there is no means of settling. Engaged in reflecting on those opinions, particular persons follow particular lines of speculation. The understandings of these, directed to particular theories, become wholly taken up with them and are at last entirely lost in them. Thus all men are rendered miserable by pursuits, good or bad. The Vedas along, bringing them back to the right path, guide them along it, like grooms conducting their elephants. 2 Many men, with weakened minds, covet objects that are fraught with great happiness. These, however, have soon to meet with a much larger measure of sorrow, and then, forcibly torn from their coveted meat, they have to own the sway of death. What use has one, who is destined to destruction and whose life is unstable, with kinsmen and friends and wives and other possessions of this kind? He who encounters death after having cast off all these, passes easily out of the world and has never to return. Earth, space, water, heat and wind, always support and nourish the body. Reflecting upon this, how can one feel any affection for one's body? Indeed, the body, which is subject to destruction, has no joy in it. Having heard these words of Panchasikha that were free from deception, unconnected with delusion (because discouraging sacrifices and other Vedic acts), highly salutary, and treating of the Soul, king Janadeva became filled with wonder, and prepared himself to address the Rishi once more.'"

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Footnotes

111:1 Mara, Prakriti, and Purusha, or Effects, their material Cause, and the Supreme Soul.
112:1 Nanapashandavashinah is another reading which is noticed by the commentator. It is explained as 'censurers of diverse sects of Lokayatikas.'
112:2 Panchasrotas implies the mind which is said to have five currents.
112:3 These are the annamaya, the pranamaya, the manomaya, the vijnanamaya, and the anandamaya. For particulars, vide Wilson's Dict.
112:4 The verb used is nyavedayat, literally, 'represented,' i.e., 'started' for discourse, or enquired into. The Burdwan translator renders it 'exposed' or 'promulgated,' which, I think, is incorrect.
112:5 The Burdwan translator makes a ridiculous blunder by supposing that Asuri obtained this knowledge in consequence of the questions of his disciple. The fact is, samprishtah, as correctly explained the commentator, means samyak prishta prasno yasya. K.P. Singha avoids the error.
112:6 Kutumvini means at matron or the wife of a house-holder.
113:1 Either Markandeya or Sanatkumara, according to the commentator.
113:2 I slightly expand Sarvanirvedam according to the explanation given by Nilakantha. The Sankhya doctrine proceeds upon the hypothesis that all states of life imply sorrow. To find a remedy for this, i.e., to permanently escape all sorrow, is the end of that philosophy.
113:3 These are the characteristics of that Delusion under which man takes birth in this world and goes on living till he can permanently conquer all sorrow.
113:4 The construction of the first foot is Atmano mrityuh Anatma, meaning the Soul's death (or that which is called death) is the Soul's extinction. Verse 24 recites the opinion of the Sceptics, not that of the speaker. K.P. Singha mistranslates the verse. The Burdwan translator renders it correctly.
113:5 This and all the following verses are statements of the sceptic's arguments.
114:1 Verse 29 is highly terse. The words are grammatically unconnected with one another. Only a few substantives have been used. These represent the heads of the different arguments urged by sceptics for showing the non-existence of anything besides the body which is seen and felt. I have, of course, followed the commentator in his elaboration of the sense of the verse. There can be no doubt that the commentator is right.
114:2 Some idea may be formed by the English reader of the extreme terseness of these verses by attending to the elaborations contained within the parentheses above. The exigencies of English grammar as also of perspicuity have obliged me to use, even in the portions unenclosed, more words than what occur in the original Sanskrit. All these verses are cruces intended to stagger Ganesa.
115:1 Both the vernacular translators have rendered this verse wrongly. This fact is, without clearly understanding either the text or the gloss, they have used bits of the gloss without being able to convey any intelligible idea. The gloss sometimes requires gloss to make it intelligible. The commentator says that the theory of rebirth mentioned in verse 34 is that Of the Sugatas or Buddhists. That theory is refuted inverse 35. The objection to the Buddhistic theory is that mere ignorance and karma cannot explain rebirth. There must be an indestructible Soul. This the Buddhists do not allow, for they believe that Nirvana or annihilation is possible. The argument, as sketched, proceeds in this way: the being that is the result of the rebirth is apparently a different being. What right have we to assert its identity with the being that existed before? Ignorance and karma cannot create a Soul though they may affect the surroundings of the Soul in its new birth. The objections to the Buddhistic theory became clear in the verses that follow.
115:2 The sense is this: it is never seen in the world that the acts of one person affect for good or for evil another person. If Chaitra exposes himself to the night air, Maitra never catches cold for it. This direct evidence should settle the controversy about the unseen, viz., whether the acts of one in a previous life can affect another in a subsequent life if there be no identity between the two beings in two lives.
116:1 It is needless to say that I have considerably elaborated the second line of the verse, as a literal rendering would have been entirely unintelligible. For example's sake I give that rendering; "That which is separate Consciousness is also different. That from which it is, does not recommend self."
116:2 If (as has already been said) the second Consciousness be the resulting effect of the loss or destruction itself of the previous Consciousness, then destruction is not annihilation, and, necessarily, after Nirvana has been once attained, there may be a new Consciousness or new birth, and, thus, after having again attained to Nirvana the same result may follow. The Buddhistic Nirvana, therefore, cannot lead to that final Emancipation which is indicated into the Brahmanical scriptures.
116:3 The Buddhists then, according to this argument, are not at all benefited by asserting the existence of a permanent Soul unto which each repeated Consciousness may inhere. The Soul, according to the Brahmanical scriptures, has no attributes or possessions. It is eternal, immutable, and independent of all attributes. The affirmance of attributes with respect to the Soul directly leads to the inference of its destructibility, and hence the assertion of its permanency or indestructibility under such conditions is a contradiction in terms, according to what is urged in this verse.
116:4 The commentator explains that the object of this verse is to point out that the senses, when destroyed, merge into their productive causes or the substances of which they are attributes. Of course, those causes or substances are the elements or primordial matter. This leads to the inference that though attributes may meet with destruction, yet the substances (of which they are attributes) may remain intact. This may save the Buddhist doctrine, for the Soul, being permanent and owing consciousness, etc., for its attributes, may outlive, like primordial matter, the destruction of its attributes. But the speaker urges that this doctrine is not philosophical and the analogy will not hold. Substance is conjunction of attributes. The attributes being destroyed, the substance also is destroyed. In European philosophy too, matter, as an unknown essence to which extension, divisibility, etc., inhere, is no longer believed in or considered as scientific.
117:1 Here the speaker attacks the orthodox Brahmanical doctrine of the character of the Soul.
117:2 Possibly because they art based on Revelation.

 

 

 

Book 12
Chapter 219

 

 

 

  1 [bhī]
      atraivodāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam
      śatakratoś ca saṃvādaṃ namuceś ca yudhiṣṭhira
  2 śriyā vihīnam āsīnam akṣobhyam iva sāgaram
      bhavābhavajñaṃ bhūtānām ity uvāca purandaraḥ
  3 baddhaḥ pāśaiś cyutaḥ sthānād dviṣatāṃ vaśam āgataḥ
      śriyā vihīno namuce śocasy āho na śocasi
  4 [namuci]
      anavāpyaṃ ca śokena śarīraṃ copatapyate
      amitrāś ca prahṛṣyanti nāsti śoke sahāyatā
  5 tasmāc chakra na śocāmi sarvaṃ hy evedam antavat
      saṃtāpād bhraśyate rūpaṃ dharmaś caiva sureśvara
  6 vinīya khalu tadduḥkham āgatāṃ vaimanasyajam
      dhyātavyaṃ manasā hṛdyaṃ kalyānaṃ saṃvijānatā
  7 yathā yathā hi puruṣaḥ kalyāne kurute manaḥ
      tadaivāsya prasīdanti sarvārthā nātra saṃśayaḥ
  8 ekaḥ śāstā na dvitīyo 'sti śāstā; garbhe śayānaṃ puruṣaṃ śāsti śāstā
      tenānuśiṣṭaḥ pravanād ivodakaṃ; yathā niyukto 'smi tathā vahāmi
  9 bhāvābhāvāv abhijānan garīyo; jānāmi śreyo na tu tat karomi
      āśāsu dharmyāḥ suhṛdāṃ sukurvan; yathā niyukto 'smi tathā vahāmi
  10 yathā yathāsya prāptavyaṃ prāpnoty eva tathā tathā
     bhavitavyaṃ yathā yac ca bhavaty eva tathā tathā
 11 yatra yatraiva saṃyukte dhātā garbhaṃ punaḥ punaḥ
     tatra tatraiva vasati na yatra svayam icchati
 12 bhāvo yo 'yam anuprāpto bhavitavyam idaṃ mama
     iti yasya sadā bhāvo na sa muhyet kadā cana
 13 paryāyair hanyamānānām abhiyoktā na vidyate
     duḥkham etat tu yad dveṣṭā kartāham iti manyate
 14 ṛṣīṃś ca devāṃś ca mahāsurāṃś ca; traividya vṛddhāṃś ca vane munīṃś ca
     kān nāpado nopanamanti loke; parāvarajñās tu na saṃbhramanti
 15 na paṇḍitaḥ krudhyati nāpi sajjate; na cāpi saṃsīdati na hṛṣyati
     na cārthakṛcchravyasaneṣu śocati; sthitaḥ prakṛtyā himavān ivācalaḥ
 16 yam arthasiddhiḥ paramā na harṣayet; tathaiva kāle vyasanaṃ na mohayet
     sukhaṃ ca duḥkhaṃ ca tathaiva madhyamaṃ; niṣevate yaḥ sa dhuraṃdharo naraḥ
 17 yāṃ yām avasthāṃ puruṣo 'dhigacchet; tasyāṃ rametāparitapyamānaḥ
     evaṃ pravṛddhaṃ pranuden manojaṃ; saṃtāpam āyāsa karaṃ śarīrāt
 18 tat sadaḥ sa pariṣat sabhāsadaḥ; prāpya yo na kurute sabhā bhayam
     dharmatattvam avagahya buddhimān; yo 'bhyupaiti sa pumān dhuraṃdharaḥ
 19 prājñasya karmāṇi duranvayāni; na vai prājño muhyati mohakāle
     sthanāc cyutaś cen na mumoha gautamas; tāvat kṛcchrām āpadaṃ prāpya vṛddhaḥ
 20 na mantrabalavīryeṇa prajñayā pauruṣeṇa vā
     alabhyaṃ labhate martyas tatra kā paridevanā
 21 yad evam anujātasya dhātāro vidadhuḥ purā
     tad evānubhaviṣyāmi kiṃ me mṛtyuḥ kariṣyati
 22 labdhavyāny eva labhate gantavyāny eva gacchati
     prāptavyāny eva prāpnoti duḥkhāni ca sukhāni ca
 23 etad viditvā kārtsnyena yo na muhyati mānavaḥ
     kuśalaḥ sukhaduḥkheṣu sa vai sarvadhaneśvaraḥ

 

SECTION CCXIX

"Bhishma said, 'Janadeva of the race of Janaka, thus instructed by the great Rishi Panchasikha, once more asked him about the topic of existence or nonexistence after death.'
"Janadeva said, 'O illustrious one, if no person retains any knowledge after departing from this state of being, if, indeed, this is true, where then is the difference between Ignorance and Knowledge? What do we gain then by knowledge and what do we lose by ignorance? Behold, O foremost of regenerate persons, that if Emancipation be: such, then all religious acts and vows end only in annihilation. Of what avail would then the distinction be between heedfulness and heedlessness? If Emancipation means dissociation
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from all objects of pleasurable enjoyment or an association with objects that are not lasting, for what then would men cherish a desire for action, or, having set themselves to action, continue to devise the necessary means for the accomplishment of desired ends? What then is the truth (in connection with this topic)?'
"Bhishma continued, 'Beholding the king enveloped in thick darkness, stupefied by error, and become helpless, the learned Panchasikha tranquillised him by once more addressing him in the following words, 'In this (Emancipation) the consummation is not Extinction. Nor is that consummation any kind of Existence (that one can readily conceive). This that we see is a union of body, senses, and mind. Existing independently as also controlling one another, these go on acting. The materials that constitute the body are water, space, wind, heat, and earth. These exist together (forming the body) according to their own nature. They disunite again according to their own nature. Space and wind and heat and water and earth,--these five objects in a state of union constitute the body. The body is not one element. Intelligence, stomachic heat, and the vital breaths, called Prana, etc., that are all wind,--these three are said to be organs of action. The senses, the objects of the senses (viz., sound, form, etc.), the power (dwelling in those objects) in consequence of which they become capable of being perceived, the faculties (dwelling in the senses) in consequence of which they succeed in perceiving them, the mind, the vital breaths called Prana, Apana and the rest, and the various juices and humours that are the results of the digestive organs, flow from the three organs already named. 1 Hearing, touch, taste, vision, and scent,--these are the five senses. They have derived their attributes from the mind which, indeed, is their cause. The mind, existing as an attribute of Chit has three states, viz., pleasure, pain, and absence of both pleasure and pain. Sound, touch, form, taste, scent, and the objects to which they inhere,--these till the moment of one's death are causes for the production of one's knowledge. Upon the senses rest all acts (that lead to heaven), as also renunciation (leading to the attainment of Brahma), and also the ascertainment of truth in respect of all topics of enquiry. The learned say that ascertainment (of truth) is the highest object of existence, and that it is the seed or root of Emancipation; and with respect to Intelligence, they say that leads to Emancipation and Brahma. 2 That person who regards this union of perishable attributes (called the body and the objects of the senses) as the Soul, feels, in consequence of such imperfection of knowledge, much misery that proves again to be unending. Those persons, on the other hand, who regard all worldly objects as not-Soul, and who on that account cease to have any affection or attachment for them, have never to suffer any sorrow for sorrow, in their case stands in need of some foundation upon which to rest. In this connection there
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exists the unrivalled branch of knowledge which treats of Renunciation. It is called Samyagradha. I shall discourse to thee upon it. Listen to it for the sake of thy Emancipation. Renunciation of acts is (laid down) for all persons who strive earnestly for Emancipation. They, however, who have not been taught correctly (and who on that account think that tranquillity may be attained without renunciation) have to bear a heavy burthen of sorrow. Vedic sacrifices and other rites exist for renunciation of wealth and other possessions. For renunciation of all enjoyments exist vows and fasts of diverse kinds. For renunciation of pleasure and happiness, exist penances and yoga. Renunciation, however, of everything, is the highest kind of renunciation. This that I shall presently tell thee is the one path pointed out by the learned for that renunciation of everything. They that betake themselves to that path succeed in driving off all sorrow. They, however, that deviate from it reap distress and misery. 1 First speaking of the five organs of knowledge having the mind for the sixth, and all of which dwell in the understanding, I shall tell thee of the five organs of action having strength for their sixth. The two hands constitute two organs ok action. The two legs are the two organs for moving from one place to another. The sexual organ exists for both pleasure and the continuation of the species. The lower duct, leading from the stomach downwards, is the organ for expulsion of all used-up matter. The organs of utterance exist for the expression of sounds. Know that these five organs of action appertain or belong to the mind. These are the eleven organs of knowledge and of action (counting the mind). One should quickly cast off the mind with the understanding. 2 In the act of hearing, three causes must exist together, viz., two ears, sound, and the mind. The same is the case with the perception of touch; the same with that of form; the same with that of taste and smell. 3 These fifteen accidents or attributes are needed for the several kinds of perception indicated. Every man, in consequence of them, becomes conscious of three separate things in respect of those perceptions (viz., a material organ, its particular function, and the mind upon which that function acts). There are again (in respect of all perceptions of the mind) three classes, viz., those that appertain to Goodness, those that appertain to Passion, and those that appertain to Darkness. Into them run, three kinds of consciousness, including all feelings and emotions. Raptures, satisfaction, joy, happiness, and tranquillity, arising in the mind from any Perceptible cause or in the absence of any apparent cause, belong to the attribute of Goodness. Discontent, regret, grief, cupidity, and vindictiveness, causeless or occasioned by any perceptible cause, are the indications of the attribute known as Passion. Wrong judgment, stupefaction, heedlessness, dreams, and sleepiness, however caused, belong to the attribute of Darkness. Whatever state of consciousness exists, with respect to either the body or the mind, united with joy or satisfaction, should be regarded as due to the quality
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of Goodness. Whatever state of consciousness exists united with any feeling of discontent or cheerlessness should be regarded as occasioned by an accession of the attribute of Passion into the mind. Whatever state, as regards either the body or the mind, exists with error or heedlessness, should be known as indicative of Darkness which is incomprehensible and inexplicable. The organ of hearing rests on space; it is space itself (under limitations); (Sound has that organ for its refuge). (Sound, therefore, is a modification of space). In perceiving sound, one may not immediately acquire a knowledge of the organ of hearing and of space. But when sound is perceived, the organ of hearing and space do not long remain unknown. (By destroying the ear, sound and space, may be destroyed; and, lastly, by destroying the mind all may be destroyed). The same is the case with the skin, the eyes, the tongue, and the nose constituting the fifth. They exist in touch, form, taste, and smell. They constitute the faculty of perception and they are the mind. 1 Each employed in its own particular function, all the five organs of action and five others of knowledge exist together, and upon the union, of the ten dwells the mind as the eleventh and upon the mind the understanding as the twelfth. If it be said that these twelve do not exist together, then the consequence that would result would be death in dreamless slumber. But as there is no death in dreamless slumber, it must be conceded that these twelve exist together as regards themselves but separately from the Soul. The co-existence of those twelve with the Soul that is referred to in common speech is only a common form of speech with the vulgar for ordinary purposes of the world. The dreamer, in consequence of the appearance of past sensual impressions, becomes conscious of his senses in their subtile forms, and endued as he already is with the three attributes (of goodness, passion, and darkness), he regards his senses as existing with their respective objects and, therefore, acts and moves about with an imaginary body after the manner of his own self while awake. 2 That dissociation of the Soul from the understanding and i the mind with the senses, which quickly disappears, which has no stability, and which the mind causes to arise only when influenced by darkness, is felicity that partakes, as the learned say, of the nature of darkness and is experienced in this gross body only. (The felicity of Emancipation certainly differs from it). 3 Over the felicity of Emancipation also, the felicity, viz., which is awakened by the inspired teaching of the Vedas and in which no one
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sees the slightest tincture of sorrow,--the same indescribable and truth concealing darkness seems to spread itself (but in reality the felicity of Emancipation is unstained by darkness). 1 Like again to what occurs in dreamless slumber, in Emancipation also, subjective and objective existences (from Consciousness to objects of the senses, all included), which have their origin in one's acts, are all discarded. In some, that are overwhelmed by Avidya, these exist, firmly grafted with them. Unto others who have transcended Avidya and have won knowledge, they never come at any time. 2 They that are conversant with speculations about the character of Soul and not-Soul, say that this sum total (of the senses, etc.) is body (kshetra). That existent thing which rests upon the mind is called Soul (kshetrajna). When such is the case, and when all creatures, in consequence of the well-known cause (which consists of ignorance, desire, and acts whose beginning cannot be conceived), exist, due also to their primary nature (which is a state of union between Soul and body), (of these two) which then is destructible, and how can that (viz., the Soul), which is said to be eternal, suffer destruction? 3 As small rivers falling into larger ones lose their forms and names, and the larger ones (thus enlarged) rolling into the ocean, lose their forms and names too, after the same manner occurs that form of extinction of life called Emancipation. 4 This being the case, when jiva which is characterised by attributes, is received into the Universal Soul, and when all its attributes disappear, how can it be the object of mention by differentiation? One who is conversant with that understanding which is directed towards the accomplishment of Emancipation and who heedfully seeks to know the Soul, is never soiled by the evil fruits of
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his acts even as a lotus leaf though dipped in water is never soaked by it. When one becomes freed from the very strong bonds, many in number, occasioned by affection for children and spouses and love for sacrifices and other rites, when one casts off both joy and sorrow and transcends all attachments, one then attains to the highest end and entering into the Universal Soul becomes incapable of differentiation. When one has understood the declarations of the Srutis that lead to correct inferences (about Brahma) and has practised those auspicious virtues which the same and other scriptures inculcate, one may lie down at ease, setting at nought the fears of decrepitude and death. When both merits and sins disappear, and the fruits, in the form of joy and sorrow, arising therefrom, are destroyed, men, unattached to everything, take refuge at first on Brahma invested with personality, and then behold impersonal Brahma in their understandings. 1 Jiva in course of its downward descent under the influence of Avidya lives here (within its cell formed by acts) after the manner of a silk-worm residing within its cell made of threads woven by itself. Like the freed silk-worm again that abandons its cell, jiva also abandons its house generated by its acts. The final result that takes place is that its sorrows are then destroyed like a clump of earth falling with violence upon a rocky mass. 2 As the Ruru casting off its old horns or the snake casting off its slough goes on without attracting any notice, after the same manner a person that is unattached casts off all his sorrows. As a bird deserts a tree that is about to fall down upon a piece of water and thus severing itself from it alights on a (new) resting place, after the same manner the person freed from attachments casts off both joy and sorrow and dissociated even from his subtile and subtiler forms attains to that end which is fraught with the highest prosperity. 3 Their own ancestor Janaka, the chief of Mithila, beholding his city burning in a conflagration, himself proclaimed, 'In this conflagration nothing of mine is burning.' King Janadeva, having listened to these words capable of yielding immortality and uttered by Panchasikha, and arriving at the truth after carefully reflecting upon everything that the latter had said, cast off his sorrows and lived on in the enjoyment of great felicity. He who reads this discourse, O king, that treat of emancipation and who always reflects upon it, is never pained by any calamity, and freed from sorrow, attains to emancipation like Janadeva, the ruler of Mithila after his meeting with Panchasikha.'"

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Footnotes

118:1 The first five are the effects of intelligence; the vital breaths, of wind; and the juices and humours, of stomachic heat.
118:2 Intelligence is called avyaya because it leads to Emancipation which is such. It is also called mahat because of its power to lead to Brahma which is mahat. Tattwanischaya is called the seed of Emancipation because it leads to Emancipation.
119:1 That path consists of yoga.
119:2 By casting off the mind one casts off the five organs of action. By casting off the understanding, one casts off the organs of knowledge with the mind.
119:3 i.e., in each of these operations three causes must exist together.
120:1 The inference is that the functions being destroyed, the organs are destroyed, and the mind also is destroyed, or, the mind being destroyed, all are destroyed.
120:2 The commentator correctly explains that na in nanuparyeta is the nom. sing. of nri (man), meaning here, of course, the dreamer. Nilakantha's ingenuity is certainly highly commendable.
120:3 Uparamam is yugapadbhavasya uchcchedam or extinction of the state of association of the Soul with the understanding, the mind, and the senses. This dissociation of the Soul from the understanding, etc., is, of course, Emancipation. Emancipation, however, being eternal, the temporary dissociation of the soul from the understanding, etc., which is the consequence of dreamless sleep, is the result of Tamas or Darkness. That dissociation is certainly a kind of felicity, but then it differs from the felicity of Emancipation, which is everlasting, and which I is not experienced in the gross body.
121:1 In this verse the speaker points out that the felicity of Emancipation may at first sight seem to be like the felicity of dreamless sleep, but that is only an error. In reality, the former is untouched or unstained by darkness. Na krichechramanupasyati is the reading I take, meaning "in which no one sees the slightest tincture of sorrow." The kind of sorrow referred to is the sorrow of duality or consciousness of knower and known. In Emancipation, of course, there cannot be any consciousness of duality. Both the vernacular versions are thoroughly unmeaning.
121:2 In this verse the speaker again points out the similarity between dreamless sleep and Emancipation. In both swakarmapratyayah Gunah is discarded. Gunah, as explained by Nilakantha, means here the whole range of subjective and objective existences from Consciousness to gross material objects, swakarmapratyayah means karmahetu kavirbhava, i.e., having acts for the cause of their manifestation; this refers to the theory of rebirth on account of past acts.
121:3 The sense of the verse is this: all creatures are perceived to exist. That existence is due to the well-known cause constituted by Avidya and desire and acts. They exist also in such a way as to display a union between the body and Soul. For all common purposes of life We treat creatures that we perceive to be really existing. The question then that arises is--which (the body or the Soul) is destructible?--We cannot answer this question in any way we like, like for swaswato va katham uchcchedavan, bhavet (i.e., how can the Soul, Which is said by the learned to be Eternal, be regarded as destructible?) Vartamaneshu should be treated as, Laukikavyavareshu. Uchcchedah is, of course, equivalent to Uchcchedavan.
121:4 i.e., the gross body disappears in the subtile; the subtile into the karana (potential) form of existence; and this last into the Supreme Soul.
122:1 Merit and sin, and with them their effects in the form of happiness and misery both here and hereafter, are said to be destroyed when men become unattached to everything and practise the religion of abstention or nivritti. The paraphrase of the second line is asaktah alepamakasam asthaya mahati alingameva pacyanti. Alepamakasam asthaya is explained by the commentator as Sagunam Brahma asthaya.
122:2 Urnanabha is generic term for all worms that weave threads from within their bellies. It does not always mean the spider. Here, it implies a silk-worm. The analogy then becomes complete.
122:3 Nipatatyasaktah is wrongly rendered by the Burdwan translator. K.P. Singha gives the sense correctly but takes nipatali for utpatati.

 

 

Book 12
Chapter 220

 

 

 

 1 [y]
      magnasya vyasane kṛcchre kiṃ śreyaḥ puruṣasya hi
      bandhunāśe mahīpāla rājyanāne 'pi vā punaḥ
  2 tvaṃ hi naḥ paramo vaktā loke 'smin bharatarṣabha
      etad bhavantaṃ pṛcchāmi tan me vaktum ihārhasi
  3 [bhī]
      putradāraiḥ sukhaiś caiva viyuktasya dhanena ca
      magnasya vyasane kṛcchre dhṛtiḥ śreyaḥ karī nṛpa
  4 dhairyeṇa yuktasya sataḥ śarīraṃ na viśīryate
      ārogyāc ca śarīrasya sa punar vindate śriyam
  5 yasya rājño narās tāta sāttvikīṃ vṛttim āsthitāḥ
      tasya sthairyaṃ ca dharyaṃ ca vyavasāyaś ca karmasu
  6 atraivodāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam
      balivāsava saṃvādaṃ punar eva yudhiṣṭhira
  7 vṛtte devāsure yuddhe daityadānava saṃkṣaye
      viṣṇukrānteṣu lokeṣu devarāje śatakratau
  8 ijyamāneṣu deveṣu cāturvarṇye vyavasthite
      samṛdhyamāne trailokye prītiyukte svayambhuvi
  9 rudrair vasubhir ādityair aśvibhyām api carṣibhiḥ
      gandharvair bhujagendraiś ca siddhairś cānyair vṛtaḥ prabhuḥ
  10 caturdantaṃ sudāntaṃ ca vāraṇendraṃ śriyā vṛtam
     āruhyairāvataṃ śakras trailokyam anusaṃyayau
 11 sa kadā cit samudrānte kasmiṃś cid girigahvare
     baliṃ vairocaniṃ vajñī dadarśopasasarpa ca
 12 tam airāvata mūrdhasthaṃ prekṣya devagaṇair vṛtam
     surendram indraṃ daityendro na śuśoca na vivyathe
 13 dṛṣṭvā tam avikārasthaṃ tiṣṭhantaṃ nirbhayaṃ balim
     adhirūḍho dvipaśreṣṭham ity uvāca śatakratuḥ
 14 daitya na vyathase śairyād atha vā vṛddhasevayā
     tapasā bhāvitatvād vā sarvathaitat suduṣkaram
 15 śatrubhir vaśam ānīto hīnaḥ sthānād anuttamāt
     vairocane kim āśritya śocitavye na śocasi
 16 śraiṣṭhyaṃ prāpya svajātīnāṃ bhuktvā bhogān anuttamān
     hṛtasvabalarājyas tvaṃ brūhi tasmān na śocasi
 17 īśvaro hi purā bhūtvā pitṛpaitamahe pade
     tattvam adya hṛtaṃ dṛṣṭvā sapatnaiḥ kiṃ na śocasi
 18 baddhaś ca vāruṇaiḥ pāśair vajreṇa ca samāhataḥ
     hṛtadāro hṛtadhano brūhi kasmān na śocasi
 19 bhraṣṭa śrīr vibhava bhraṣṭo yan na śocasi duṣkaram
     trailokyarājyanāśe hi ko 'nyo jīvitum utsahet
 20 etac cānyac ca paruṣaṃ bruvantaṃ paribhūya tam
     śrutvā sukham asaṃbhrānto balir vairocano 'bravīt
 21 nigṛhīte mayi bhṛśaṃ śakra kiṃ katthitena te
     vajram udyamya tiṣṭhantaṃ paśyāmi tvāṃ puraṃdara
 22 aśaktaḥ pūrvam āsīs tvaṃ kathaṃ cic chaktatāṃ gataḥ
     kas tvadanya imā vācaḥ sukrūrā vaktum arhati
 23 yas tu śatror vaśasthasya śakto 'pi kurute dayām
     hastaprāptasya vīrasya taṃ caiva puruṣaṃ viduḥ
 24 aniścayo hi yuddheṣu dvayor vivadamānayoḥ
     ekaḥ prāpnoti vijayam ekaś caiva parābhavam
 25 mā ca te bhūt svabhāvo 'yaṃ mayā daivatapuṃgava
     īśvaraḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ vikrameṇa jito balāt
 26 naitad asmat kṛtaṃ śakra naitac chakra tvayā kṛtam
     yat tvam evaṃgato vajrin yad vāpy evaṃgatā vayam
 27 aham āsaṃ yathādya tvaṃ bhavitā tvaṃ yathā vayam
     māvamansthā mayā karma duṣkṛtaṃ kṛtam ity uta
 28 sukhaduḥkhe hi puruṣaḥ paryāyenādhigacchati
     paryāyenāsi śakratvaṃ prāptaḥ śakra na karmaṇā
 29 kālaḥ kāle nayati māṃ tvāṃ ca kālo nayaty ayam
     tenāhaṃ tvaṃ yathā nādya tvaṃ cāpi na yathā vayam
 30 na mātṛpitṛśuśrūsā na ca daivatapūjanam
     nānyo guṇasamācāraḥ puruṣasya sukhāvahaḥ
 31 na vidyā na tapo dānaṃ na mitrāṇi na bandhavāḥ
     śaknuvanti paritrātuṃ naraṃ kālena pīḍitam
 32 nāgāminam anarthaṃ hi pratighāta śatair api
     śaknuvanti prativyodhum ṛte buddhibalān naraḥ
 33 paryāyair hanyamānānāṃ paritrātā na vidyate
     idaṃ tu duḥkhaṃ yacc chakra kartāham iti manyate
 34 yadi kartā bhavet kartā na kriyeta kadā cana
     yasmāt tu kriyate kartā tasmāt kartāpy anīśvaraḥ
 35 kālena tvāham ajayaṃ kālenāhaṃ jitas tvayā
     gantā gatimatāṃ kālaḥ kālaḥ kalayati prajāḥ
 36 indra prākṛtayā buddhyā pralapan nāvabudhyase
     ke cit tvāṃ bahu manyante śraiṣṭhyaṃ prāptaṃ svakarmaṇā
 37 katham asmadvidho nāma jānaṁl lokapravṛttayaḥ
     kālenābhyāhataḥ śocen muhyed vāpy arthasaṃbhrame
 38 nityaṃ kālaparītasya mama vā madvidhasya vā
     buddhir vyasanam āsādya bhinnā naur iva sīdati
 39 ahaṃ ca tvaṃ ca ye cānye bhaviṣyanti surādhipāḥ
     te sarve śakra yāsyanti mārgam indra śatair gatam
 40 tvām apy evaṃ sudurdharṣaṃ jvalantaṃ parayā śriyā
     kāle parinate kālaḥ kālayiṣyati mām iva
 41 bahūnīndra sahasrāṇi daiteyānāṃ yuge yuge
     abhyatītāni kālena kālo hi duratikramaḥ
 42 idaṃ tu labdhvā tvaṃ sthānam ātmānaṃ bahu manyase
     sarvabhūtabhavaṃ devaṃ brahmāṇam iva śāśvatam
 43 na cedam acalaṃ sthānam anantaṃ vāpi kasya cit
     tvaṃ tu bāliśayā buddhyā mamedam iti manyase
 44 aviśvāsye viśvasiṣi manyase cādhruvaṃ dhruvam
     mameyam iti mohāt tvaṃ rājaśriyam abhīpsasi
 45 neyaṃ tava na cāsmākaṃ na cānyeṣāṃ sthirā matā
     atikramya bahūn anyāṃs tvayi tāvad iyaṃ sthitā
 46 kaṃ cit kālam iyaṃ sthitvā tvayi vāsava cañcalā
     gaur nipānam ivotsṛjya punar anyaṃ gamiṣyati
 47 rājalokā hy atikrāntā yān na saṃkhyātum utsahe
     tvatto bahutarāś cānye bhaviṣyanti puraṃdara
 48 savṛkṣauṣadhi ratreyaṃ sasarit parvatākarā
     tān idānīṃ na paśyāmi yair bhukteyaṃ purā mahī
 49 pṛthur ailo mayo bhaumo narakaḥ śambaras tathā
     aśvagrīvaḥ pulomā ca svarbhānur amitadhvajaḥ
 50 prahrādo namucir dakṣo vipracittir virocanaḥ
     hrīniṣedhaḥ suhotraś ca bhūrihā puṣpavān vṛṣaḥ
 51 satyeṣur ṛṣabho rāhuḥ kapilāśvo virūpakaḥ
     bānaḥ kārtasvaro vahnir viśvadaṃstro 'tha nairṛtaḥ
 52 ritthāhutthau vīra tāmrau varāhāśvo ruciḥ prabhuḥ
     viśvajit pratiśauriś ca vṛṣāṇḍo viṣkaro madhuḥ
 53 hiraṇyakaśipuś caiva kaitabhaś caiva dānavaḥ
     daityāś ca kālakhañjāś ca sarve te nairṛtaiḥ saha
 54 ete cānye ca bahavaḥ pūrve pūrvatarāś ca ye
     daityendrā dānavendrāś ca yāṃś cānyān anuśuśruma
 55 bahavaḥ pūrvadaityendrāḥ saṃtyajya pṛthivīṃ gatāḥ
     kālenābhyāhatāḥ sarve kālo hi balavattaraḥ
 56 sarvaiḥ kratuśatair iṣṭaṃ na tvam ekaḥ śatakratuḥ
     sarve dharmaparāś cāsan sarve satatasattriṇaḥ
 57 antarikṣacarāḥ sarve sarve 'bhimukhayodhinaḥ
     sarve saṃhananopetāḥ sarve parighabāhavaḥ
 58 sarve māyā śatadharāḥ sarve te kāmacāriṇaḥ
     sarve samaram āsādya na śrūyante parājitāḥ
 59 sarve satyavrataparāḥ sarve kāmavihāriṇaḥ
     sarve veda vrataparāḥ sarve cāsan bahuśrutāḥ
 60 sarve saṃhatam aiśvaryam īśvarāḥ pratipedire
     na caiśvaryaṃ madas teṣāṃ bhūtapūrvo mahātmanām
 61 sarve yathārthadātāraḥ sarve vigatamatsarāḥ
     sarve sarveṣu bhūteṣu yathāvat pratipedire
 62 sarve dākṣāyaṇī putrāḥ prājāpatyā mahābalāḥ
     jvalantaḥ pratapantaś ca kālena pratisaṃhṛtāḥ
 63 tvaṃ caivemā yadā bhuktvā pṛthivīṃ tyakṣyase punaḥ
     na śakṣyasi tadā śakra niyantuṃ śokam ātmanaḥ
 64 muñcecchāṃ kāmabhogeṣu muñcemaṃ śrībhavaṃ madam
     evaṃ svarājyanāśe tvaṃ śokaṃ saṃprasahiṣyasi
 65 śokakāle śuco mā tvaṃ harṣakāle ca mā hṛṣaḥ
     atītānāgate hitvā pratyutpannena vartaya
 66 māṃ ced abhyāgataḥ kālaḥ sadā yuktam atandritam
     kṣamasva nacirād indra tvām apy upagamiṣyati
 67 trāsayann iva devendra vāgbhir takṣasi mām iha
     saṃyate mayi nūnaṃ tvam ātmānaṃ bahu manyase
 68 kālaḥ prathamam āyān māṃ paścāt tvam anudhāvati
     tena garjasi devendra pūrvaṃ kālahate mayi
 69 ko hi sthātum alaṃ loke kruddhasya mama saṃyuge
     kālas tu balavān prāptas tena tiṣṭhasi vāsava
 70 yat tad varṣasahasrāntaṃ pūrṇaṃ bhavitum arhati
     yathā me sarvagātrāṇi na svasthāni hataujasaḥ
 71 aham aindrac cyutaḥ sthānāt tvam indraḥ prakṛto divi
     sucitre jīvaloke 'sminn upāsyaḥ kālaparyayāt
 72 kiṃ hi kṛtvā tvam indrādya kiṃ hi kṛtvā cyutā vayam
     kālaḥ kartā vikartā ca sarvam anyad akāraṇam
 73 nāśaṃ vināśam aiśvaryaṃ sukhaduḥkhe bhavābhavau
     viprān prāpyaivam atyarthaṃ na prahṛṣyen na ca vyathet
 74 tvam eva hīndra vetthāsmān vedāhaṃ tvāṃ ca vāsava
     vikatthase māṃ kiṃ baddhaṃ kālena nirapatrapa
 75 tvam eva hi purā vettha yat tadā pauruṣaṃ mama
     samareṣu ca vikrāntaṃ paryāptaṃ tannidarśanam
 76 ādityāś caiva rudrāś ca sādhyāś ca vasubhiḥ saha
     mayā vinirjitāḥ sarve marutaś ca śacīpate
 77 tvam eva śakra jānāsi devāsurasamāgame
     sametā vibudhā bhagnās tarasā samare mayā
 78 parvatāś cāsakṛt kṣiptāḥ savanāḥ savanaukasaḥ
     sataṅka śikharā ghorāḥ samare mūrdhni te mayā
 79 kiṃ nu śakyaṃ mayā kartuṃ yat kālo duratikramaḥ
     na hi tvāṃ notsahe hantuṃ savajram api muṣṭinā
 80 na tu vikramakālo 'yaṃ kṣamā kālo 'yam āgataḥ
     tena tvā marṣaye śakra durmarṣaṇataras tvayā
 81 tvaṃ mā parinate kāle parītaṃ kālavahninā
     niyataṃ kālapāśena baddhaṃ śakra vikatthase
 82 ayaṃ sa puruṣaḥ śyāmo lokasya duratikramaḥ
     baddhvā tiṣṭhati māṃ raudraḥ paśuṃ raśanayā yathā
 83 lābhālābhau sukhaṃ duḥkhaṃ kāmakrodhau bhavābhavau
     vadho bandhaḥ pramokṣaś ca sarvaṃ kālena labhyate
 84 nāhaṃ kartā na kartā tvaṃ kartā yas tu sadā prabhuḥ
     so 'yaṃ pacati kālo māṃ vṛkṣe phalam ivāgatam
 85 yāny eva puruṣaḥ kurvan sukhaiḥ kālena yujyate
     punas tāny eva kurvāṇo duḥkhaiḥ kālena yujyate
 86 na ca kālena kālajñaḥ spṛṣṭaḥ śocitum arhati
     tena śakra na śocāmi nāsti śoke sahāyatā
 87 yadā hi śocatāṃ śoko vyasanaṃ nāpakarṣati
     sāmarthyaṃ śocato nāsti nādya śocāmy ahaṃ tataḥ
 88 evam uktaḥ sahasrākṣo bhagavān pākaśāsanaḥ
     pratisaṃhṛtya saṃrambham ity uvāca śatakratuḥ
 89 savajram udyataṃ bāhuṃ dṛṣṭvā pāśāṃś ca vāruṇān
     kasyeha na vyathed buddhir mṛtyor api jighāṃsataḥ
 90 sā te na vyathate buddhir acalā tattvadarśinī
     bruvan na vyathase sa tvaṃ vākyaṃ satyaparākrama
 91 ho hi viśvāsam artheṣu śarīre vā śarīrabhṛt
     kartum utsahate loke dṛṣṭvā saṃprasthitaṃ jagat
 92 aham apy evam evainaṃ lokaṃ jānāmi śāśvatam
     kālāgnāv āhitaṃ ghore guhye satatage 'kṣare
 93 na cātra parihāro 'sti kālaspṛṣṭasya kasya cit
     sūkṣmāṇāṃ mahatāṃ caiva bhūtānāṃ paripacyatām
 94 anīśasyāpramattasya bhūtāni pacataḥ sadā
     anivṛttasya kālasya kṣayaṃ prāpto na mucyate
 95 apramattaḥ pramatteṣu kālo jāgarti dehiṣu
     prayatnenāpy atikrānto dṛṣṭapūrvo na kena cit
 96 purāṇaḥ śāśvato dharmaḥ sarvaprāṇabhṛtāṃ samaḥ
     kālo na parihāryaś ca na cāsyāsti vyatikramaḥ
 97 ahorātrāṃś ca māsāṃś ca kṣaṇān kāṣṭhāḥ kalā lavān
     saṃpindayati naḥ kālo buddhiṃ vārdhuṣiko yathā
 98 idam adya kariṣyāmi śvaḥ kartāsmīti vādinam
     kālo harati saṃprāpto nadīvega ivodupam
 99 idānīṃ tāvad evāsau mayā dṛṣṭaḥ kathaṃ mṛtaḥ
     iti kālena hriyatāṃ pralāpaḥ śrūyate nṛṇām
 100 naśyanty arthās tathā bhogāḥ sthānam aiśvaryam eva ca
    anityam adhruvaṃ sarvaṃ vyavasāyo hi duṣkaraḥ
    ucchrāyā vinipātāntā bhāvābhāvastha eva ca
101 sā te na vyathate buddhir acalā tattvadarśinī
    aham āsaṃ purā ceti manasāpi na budhyase
102 kālenākramya loke 'smin pacyamāne balīyasā
    ajyeṣṭham akaniṣṭhaṃ ca kṣipyamāṇo na budhyase
103 īrṣyābhimāna lobheṣu kāmakrodhabhayeṣu ca
    spṛhā mohābhimāneṣu lokaḥ sakto vimuhyati
104 bhavāṃs tu bhāvatattvajño vidvāñ jñānatapo 'nvitaḥ
    kālaṃ paśyati suvyaktaṃ pānāv āmalakaṃ yathā
105 kālacāritratattvajñaḥ sarvaśāstraviśāradaḥ
    vairocane kṛtātmāsi spṛhaṇīyo vijānatām
106 sarvaloko hy ayaṃ manye buddhyā parigatas tvayā
    viharan sarvato mukto na kva cit pariṣajjase
107 rajaś ca hi tamaś ca tvā spṛśato na jitendriyam
    niṣprītiṃ naṣṭa saṃtāpaṃ tvam ātmānam upāsase
108 suhṛdaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ nirvairaṃ śāntamānasam
    dṛṣṭvā tvāṃ mama saṃjātā tvayy anukrośanī matiḥ
109 nāham etādṛśaṃ buddhiṃ hantum icchāmi bandhane
    ānṛśaṃsyaṃ paro dharmo anukrośas tathā tvayi
110 mokṣyante vāruṇāḥ pāśās taveme kālaparyayāt
    prajānām apacāreṇa svasti te 'stu mahāsura
111 yadā śvaśrūṃ snuṣā vṛddhāṃ paricāreṇa yokṣyate
    putraś ca pitaraṃ mohāt preṣayiṣyati karmasu
112 brāhmaṇaiḥ kārayiṣyanti vṛṣalāḥ pādadhāvanam
    śūdrāś ca brāhmaṇīṃ bharyām upayāsyanti nirbhayāḥ
113 viyoniṣu ca bījāni mokṣyante puruṣā yadā
    saṃkaraṃ kāṃsyabhāndaiś ca baliṃ cāpi kupātrakaiḥ
114 cāturvarṇyaṃ yadā kṛtsnam unmaryādaṃ bhaviṣyati
    ekaikas te tadā pāśaḥ kramaśaḥ pratimokṣyate
115 asmattas te bhayaṃ nāsti samayaṃ pratipālaya
    sukhī bhava nirābādhaḥ svasthacetā nirāmayaḥ
116 tam evam uktvā bhagavāñ śatakratuḥ; pratiprayāto gajarājavāhanaḥ
    vijitya sarvān asurān surādhipo; nananda harṣeṇa babhūva caikarāṭ
117 maharṣayas tuṣṭuvur añjasā ca taṃ; vṛṣākapiṃ sarvacarācareśvaram
    himāpaho havyam udāvahaṃs tvaraṃs; tathāmṛtaṃ cārpitam īśvarāya ha
118 dvijottamaiḥ sarvagatair abhiṣṭuto; vidīpta tejā gatamanyur īśvaraḥ
    praśāntacetā muditaḥ svam ālayaṃ; triviṣṭapaṃ prāpya mumoda vāsavaḥ

 

SECTION CCXX

"Yudhishthira said, 'By doing what does one acquire happiness, and what is that by doing which one meets with woe? What also is that, O Bharata, by doing which one becomes freed from fear and sojourns here crowned with success (in respect of the objects of life)?'
"Bhishma said, 'The ancients who had their understandings directed to the Srutis, highly applauded the duty of self-restraint for all the orders generally but for the. Brahmanas in especial. Success in respect of religious rites never occurs in the case of one that is not self-restrained. Religious rites, penances, truth,--all these are established upon self-restraint. Self-restraint enhances one's energy. Self-restraint is said to be sacred. The man of self-restraint becomes sinless and fearless and wins great results. One that is self-restrained sleeps happily and wakes happily. He sojourns happily in the world and his mind always remains cheerful. Every kind of excitement is quietly controlled by self-restraint. One that is not self-restrained fails in a similar endeavour. The man of self-restraint beholds his innumerable foes (in the form of lust, desire, and wrath, etc.), as if these dwell in a separate body. Like tigers and other carnivorous beasts, persons destitute of self-restraint always inspire all creatures with dread. For controlling these men, the Self-born (Brahman) created kings. In all the (four) modes of life, the practice or self-restraint is distinguished above all other virtues. The fruits of self-restraint are much greater than those obtainable in all the modes of life. I shall now mention to thee the indications of those persons who prize self-restraint highly. 1 They are nobility, calmness of disposition, contentment, faith, forgiveness, invariable simplicity, the absence of garrulity, humility, reverence for superiors, benevolence, compassion for all creatures, frankness, abstention from talk upon kings and men in authority, from all false and useless discourses, and from applause and censure of others. The self-restrained man becomes desirous of emancipation and, quietly bearing present joys and griefs, is never exhilarated or depressed by prospective ones. Destitute of vindictiveness and all kinds of guile, and unmoved by praise and blame, such a man is well-behaved, has good manners, is pure of soul, has firmness or fortitude, and is a complete master of his passions. Receiving honours in this world, such a man in afterlife goes to heaven. Causing all creatures to acquire what they cannot acquire without his aid, such a man rejoices and becomes happy. 2 Devoted to universal benevolence, such a man never cherishes animosity for any one. Tranquil like the ocean at a dead calm, wisdom fills his soul and he is never cheerful. Possessed of intelligence, and deserving of universal reverence, the man of self-restraint never cherishes fear of any creature and is feared by no creature in return. That man who never rejoices even at large acquisitions and never feels sorrow when overtaken by calamity, is said to be possessed of contented wisdom. Such a man is said to be self-restrained. Indeed, such a
p. 124
man is said to be a regenerate being. Versed with the scriptures and endued with a pure soul, the man of self-restraint, accomplishing all those acts that are done by the good, enjoys their high fruits. They, however, that are of wicked soul never betake themselves to the path represented by benevolence, forgiveness, tranquillity, contentment, sweetness of speech, truth, liberality and comfort. Their path consists of lust and wrath and cupidity and envy of others and boastfulness. Subjugating lust and wrath, practising the vow of Brahmacharya and becoming a complete master of his senses, the Brahmana, exerting himself with endurance in the austerest of penances, and observing the most rigid restraints, should live in this world, calmly waiting for his time like one seeming to have a body though fully knowing that he is not subject to destruction.'"

 

 

 

Book 12
Chapter 221

 

 

 

 1 [y]
      pūrvarūpāṇi me rājan puruṣasya bhaviṣyataḥ
      parābhaviṣyataś caiva tvaṃ me brūhi pitāmaha
  2 [bhī]
      mana eva manuṣyasya pūrvarūpāṇi śaṃsati
      bhaviṣyataś ca bhadraṃ te tathaiva na bhaviṣyataḥ
  3 atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam
      śriyā śakrasya saṃvādaṃ tan nibodha yudhiṣṭhira
  4 mahatas tapaso vyuṣṭyā paśyaṁl lokau parāvarau
      sāmānyam ṛṣibhir gatvā brahmalokanivāsibhiḥ
  5 brahmaivāmita dīptaujāḥ śāntapāpmā mahātapāḥ
      vicacāra yathākāmaṃ triṣu lokeṣu nāradaḥ
  6 kadā cit prātar utthāya pispṛkṣuḥ salilaṃ śuci
      dhruvadvāra bhavāṃ gaṅgāṃ jagāmāvatatāra ca
  7 sahasranayanaś cāpi vajrī śambara pākahā
      tasyā devarṣijuṣṭāyās tīram abhyājagāma ha
  8 tāv āplutya yatātmānau kṛtajapyau samāsatuḥ
      nadyāḥ pulinam āsādya sūkṣmakāñcanavālikam
  9 puṇyakarmabhir ākhyātā devarṣikathitāḥ kathāḥ
      cakratus tau kathāśīlau śuci saṃhṛṣṭamānasau
      pūrvavṛttavyapetāni kathayantau samāhitau
  10 atha bhāskaram udyantaṃ raśmijālapuraskṛtam
     pūrṇamandalam ālokya tāv utthāyopatasthatuḥ
 11 abhitas tūdayantaṃ tam arkam arkam ivāparam
     ākāśe dadṛśe jyotir udyatārciḥ samaprabham
 12 tayoḥ samīpaṃ saṃprāptaṃ pratyadṛśyata bhārata
     tat suparṇārka caritam āsthitaṃ vaiṣnavaṃ padam
     bhābhir apratimaṃ bhāti trailokyam avabhāsayat
 13 divyābhirūpa śobhābhir apsarobhiḥ puraskṛtām
     bṛhatīm aṃśumat prakhyāṃ bṛhad bhānor ivārciṣam
 14 nakṣatrakalpābharaṇāṃ tārā bhaktisamasrajam
     śriyaṃ dadṛśatuḥ padmāṃ sākṣāt padmatalasthitām
 15 sāvaruhya vimānāgrād aṅganānām anuttamā
     abhyagacchat trilokeśaṃ śakraṃ carṣiṃ ca nāradam
 16 nāradānugataḥ sākṣān maghavāṃs tām upāgamat
     kṛtāñjaliputo devīṃ nivedyātmānam ātmanā
 17 cakre cānupamāṃ pūjāṃ tasyāś cāpi sa sarvavit
     devarājaḥ śriyaṃ rājan vākyaṃ cedam uvāca ha
 18 kā tvaṃ kena ca kāryeṇa saṃprāptā cāruhāsini
     kutaś cāgamyate subhru gantavyaṃ kva ca te śubhe
 19 [ṣrī]
     puṇyeṣu triṣu lokeṣu sarve sthāvarajaṅgamaḥ
     mamātmabhāvam icchanto yatante paramātmanā
 20 sāhaṃ vai paṅkaje jātā sūryaraśmi vibodhite
     bhūtyarthaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ padmā śrīḥ padmamālinī
 21 ahaṃ lakṣmīr ahaṃ bhūtiḥ śrīś cāhaṃ balasūdana
     ahaṃ śraddhā ca medhā ca sannatir vijitiḥ sthitiḥ
 22 ahaṃ dhṛtir ahaṃ siddhir ahaṃ tviḍ bhūtir eva ca
     ahaṃ svāhā svadhā caiva saṃstutir niyatiḥ kṛtiḥ
 23 rājñāṃ vijayamānānāṃ senāgreṣu dhvajeṣu ca
     nivāse dharmaśīlānāṃ viṣayeṣu pureṣu ca
 24 jitakāśini śūre ca saṃgrāmeṣv anivartini
     nivasāmi manuṣyendre sadaiva balasūdalan
 25 dharmanitye mahābuddhau brahmaṇye satyavādini
     praśrite dānaśīle ca sadaiva nivasāmy aham
 26 asureṣv avasaṃs pūrvaṃ satyadharmanibandhanā
     vipārītāṃs tu tān buddhvā tvayi vāsam arocayam
 27 [ṣakra]
     kathaṃ vṛtteṣu daityeṣu tvam avātsīr varānane
     dṛṣṭvā ca kim ihāgās tvaṃ hitvā daiteya dānavān
 28 [ṣrī]
     svadharmam anutiṣṭhatsu dhairyād acaliteṣu ca
     svargamārgābhirāmeṣu sattveṣu niratā hy aham
 29 dānādhyayanayajñejyā guru daivatapūjanam
     viprāṇām atithīnāṃ ca teṣāṃ nityam avartata
 30 susaṃmṛṣṭa gṛhāś cāsañ jitastrīkā hutāgnayaḥ
     guru śuśrūsavo dāntā brahmaṇyāḥ satyavādinaḥ
 31 śraddadhānā jitakrodhā dānaśīlānasūyakāḥ
     bhṛtaputrā bhṛtāmātyā bhṛtadārā hy anīrṣavaḥ
 32 amarṣaṇā na cānyonyaṃ spṛhayanti kadā cana
     na ca jātūpatapyante dhīrāḥ parasamṛddhibhiḥ
 33 dātāraḥ saṃgṛhītāra āryāḥ karuṇavedinaḥ
     mahāprasādā ṛjavo dṛdha bhaktā jitendriyāḥ
 34 saṃtuṣṭabhṛtyasacivāḥ kṛtajñāḥ priyavādinaḥ
     yathārthamānārtha karā hrīniṣedhā yatavratāḥ
 35 nityaṃ parvasu susnātāḥ svanuliptāḥ svalaṃkṛtāḥ
     upavāsatapaḥ śīlāḥ pratītā brahmavādinaḥ
 36 nainān abhyudiyāt sūryo na cāpy āsan prageniśāḥ
     rātrau dadhi ca saktūṃś ca nityam eva vyavarjayan
 37 kālyaṃ ghṛtaṃ cānvavekṣan prayatā brahmacāriṇaḥ
     maṅgalān api cāpaśyan brāhmaṇāṃś cāpy apūjayan
 38 sadā hi dadatāṃ dharmaḥ sadā cāpratigṛhṇatām
     ardhaṃ ca rātryāḥ svapatāṃ divā cāsvapatāṃ tathā
 39 kṛpaṇānātha vṛddhānāṃ durbalātura yoṣitām
     dāyaṃ ca saṃvibhāgaṃ ca nityam evānumodatām
 40 viṣaṇṇaṃ trastam udvignaṃ bhayārtaṃ vyādhipīḍitam
     hṛtasvaṃ vyasanārtaṃ ca nityam āśvāsayanti te
 41 dharmam evānvavartanta na hiṃsanti parasparam
     anukūlāṃś ca kāryeṣu guru vṛddhopasevinaḥ
 42 pitṛdevātithīṃś caiva yathāvat te 'bhyapūjayan
     avaśeṣāṇi cāśnanti nityaṃ satyatapo ratāḥ
 43 naike 'śnanti susaṃpannaṃ na gacchanti parastriyam
     sarvabhūteṣv avartanta yathātmani dayāṃ prati
 44 naivākāśe na paśuṣu nāyonau na ca parvasu
     indriyasya visargaṃ te 'rocayanta kadā cana
 45 nityaṃ dānaṃ tathā dākṣyam ārjavaṃ caiva nityadā
     utsāhaś cānahaṃkāraḥ paramaṃ sauhṛdaṃ kṣamā
 46 satyaṃ dānaṃ tapaḥ śaucaṃ kāruṇyaṃ vāg aniṣṭhurā
     mitreṣu cānabhidrohaḥ sarvaṃ teṣv abhavat prabho
 47 nidrā tandrī rasaṃ prītir asūyā cānavekṣitā
     aratiś ca viṣādaś ca na spṛhā cāviśanta tā
 48 sāham evaṃguṇeṣv eva dānaveṣv avasaṃ purā
     prajā sargam upādāya naikaṃ yugaviparyamam
 49 tataḥ kālaviparyāse teṣāṃ guṇaviparyayāt
     apaśyaṃ vigataṃ dharmaṃ kāmakrodhavaśātmanām
 50 sabhā sadāṃ te vṛddhānāṃ satyāḥ kathayatāṃ kathāḥ
     prāhasann abhyasūyaṃś ca sarvavṛddhān guṇāvarāḥ
 51 yūnaḥ saha samāsīnān vṛddhān abhigatān sataḥ
     nābhyutthānābhivādābhyāṃ yathāpūrvam apūjayan
 52 vartayanty eva pitari putrāḥ prabhavatātmanaḥ
     amitrabhṛtyatāṃ prāpya khyāpayanto 'napatrapāḥ
 53 tathā dharmād apetena karmaṇā garhitena ye
     mahataḥ prāpnuvanty arthāṃs teṣv eṣām abhavat spṛhā
 54 ucchaiś cāpy avadan rātrau nīcais tatrāgnir ajvalat
     putrāḥ pitṝn abhyavadan bhāryāś cābhyavadan patīn
 55 mātaraṃ pitaraṃ vṛddham ācāryam atithiṃ gurum
     guruvan nābhyanandanta kumārān nānvapālayan
 56 bhikṣāṃ balim adattvā ca svayam annāni bhuñjate
     aniṣṭvā saṃvibhajyātha pitṛdevātithīn gurūn
 57 na śaucam anurudhyanta teṣāṃ sūdajanās tathā
     manasā karmaṇā vācā bhakam āsīd anāvṛtam
 58 viprakīrṇāni dhānyāni kākamūṣaka bhojanam
     apāvṛtaṃ payo 'tiṣṭhad ucchiṣṭāś cāspṛśan ghṛtam
 59 kuddāla pātī patakaṃ prakīrṇaṃ kāṃsyabhājanam
     dravyopakaraṇaṃ sarvaṃ nānvavaikṣat kutumbinī
 60 prākārāgāra vidhvaṃsān na sma te pratikurvate
     nādriyante paśūn baddhvā yavasenodakena ca
 61 bālānāṃ prekṣamāṇānāṃ svayaṃ bhakṣān abhakṣayan
     tathā bhṛtyajanaṃ sarvaṃ paryaśnanti ca dānavāḥ
 62 pāyasaṃ kṛsaraṃ māṃsam apūpān atha śaskulīḥ
     apācayann ātmano 'rthe vṛthā māṃsāny abhakṣayan
 63 utsūrya śāyinaś cāsan sarve cāsan prageniśāḥ
     avartan kalahāś cātra divārātraṃ gṛhe gṛhe
 64 anāryāś cāryam āsīnaṃ paryupāsan na tatra ha
     āśramasthān vikarmasthāḥ pradviṣanti parasparam
     saṃkarāś cāpy avartanta na ca śaucam avartata
 65 ye ca veda vido viprā vispaṣṭam anṛcaś ca ye
     nirantaraviśeṣās te bahumānāvamānayoḥ
 66 hāvam ābharaṇaṃ veṣaṃ gatiṃ sthitim avekṣitum
     asevanta bhujiṣyā vai durjanācaritaṃ vidhim
 67 striyaḥ puruṣaveṣeṇa puṃsaḥ strī veṣadhāriṇaḥ
     krīdā rativihāreṣu parāṃ mudam avāpnuvan
 68 prabhavadbhiḥ purā dāyān arhebhyaḥ pratipāditān
     nābhyavartanta nāstikyād vartantaḥ saṃbhaveṣv api
 69 mitreṇābhyarthitaṃ mitram arthe saṃśayite kva cit
     bāla koty agramātreṇa svārthenāghnata tad vasu
 70 parasvādāna rucayo vipanya vyavahāriṇaḥ
     adṛśyantārya varṇeṣu śūdrāś cāpi tapodhanāḥ
 71 adhīyante 'vratāḥ ke cid vṛthā vratam athāpare
     aśuśrūsur guroḥ śiṣyaḥ kaś cic chiṣya sakho guruḥ
 72 pitā caiva janitrī ca śrāntau vṛttotsavāv iva
     aprabhutve sthitau vṛtthāv annaṃ prārthayataḥ sutān
 73 tatra veda vidaḥ prājñā gāmbhīrye sagaropamāḥ
     kṛṣyādiṣv abhavan saktā mūrkhāḥ śrāddhāny abhuñjata
 74 prātaḥ prātar ca supraśnaṃ kalpanaṃ preṣaṇa kriyāḥ
     śiṣyānuprahitās tasminn akurvan guravaś ca ha
 75 śvaśrū śvaśurayor agre vadhūḥ preṣyān aśāsata
     anvaśāsac ca bhartāraṃ samāhūyābhijalpatī
 76 prayatnenāpi cārakṣac cittaṃ putrasya vai pitā
     vyabhajaṃś cāpi saṃrambhād duḥkhavāsaṃ tathāvasan
 77 agnidāhena corair vā rājabhir vā hṛtaṃ dhanam
     dṛṣṭvā dveṣāt prāhasanta suhṛt saṃbhāvitā hy api
 78 kṛtaghnā nāstikāḥ pāpā guru dārābhimarśinaḥ
     abhakṣya bhakṣaṇa ratā nirmaryādā hatatviṣaḥ
 79 teṣv evamādīn ācārān ācaratsu viparyaye
     nāhaṃ devendra vatsyāmi dānaveṣv iti me matiḥ
 80 tāṃ māṃ svayam anuprāptām abhinanda śacīpate
     tvayārcitāṃ māṃ deveśa purodhāsyanti devatāḥ
 81 yatrāhaṃ tatra mat kāntā madviśiṣṭā madarpaṇāḥ
     sapta devyo mayāstamyo vasaṃ ceṣyanti me 'stadhā
 82 āśā śraddhā dhṛtiḥ kāntir vijitiḥ sannatiḥ kṣamā
     astamī vṛttir etāsāṃ purogā pākaśāsana
 83 tāś cāhaṃ cāsurāṃs tyaktvā yuṣmad viṣayam āgatā
     tridaśeṣu nivatsyāmo dharmaniṣṭhāntar ātmasu
 84 [bhī]
     ity uktavacanāṃ devīm atyarthaṃ tau nanandatuḥ
     nāradaś ca trilokarṣir vṛtra hantā ca vāsavaḥ
 85 tato 'nala sakho vāyuḥ pravavau deva veśmasu
     iṣṭagandhaḥ sukhasparśaḥ sarvendriyasukhāvahaḥ
 86 śucau cābhyarcite deśe tridaśāḥ prāyaśaḥ sthitāḥ
     lakṣmyā sahitam āsīnaṃ maghavantaṃ didṛkṣavaḥ
 87 tato divaṃ prāpya sahasralocanaḥ; śriyopapannaḥ suhṛdā surarṣiṇā
     rathena haryaśvayujā surarṣabhaḥ; sadaḥ surāṇām abhisatkṛto yayau
 88 atheṅgitaṃ vajradharasya nāradaḥ; śriyāś ca devyā manasā vicārayan
     śriyai śaśaṃsāmara dṛṣṭapauruṣaḥ; śivena tatrāgamanaṃ maharddhimat
 89 tato 'mṛtaṃ dyauḥ pravavarṣa bhāsvatī; pitāmahasyāyatane svayambhuvaḥ
     anāhata dundubhayaś ca nedire; tathā prasannāś ca diśaś cakāśire
 90 yathartu sasyeṣu vavarṣa vāsavo; na dharmamārgād vicacāla kaś cana
     anekaratrākara bhūsanā ca bhūḥ; sughoṣaghoṣā bhuvanaukasāṃ jaye
 91 kriyābhirāmā manujā yaśasvino; babhuḥ śubhe puṇyakṛtāṃ pathi sthitāḥ
     narāmarāḥ kiṃnarayakṣarākṣasāḥ; samṛddhimantaḥ sukhino yaśasvinaḥ
 92 na jātv akāle kusumaṃ kutaḥ phalaṃ; papāta vṛkṣāt pavaneritād api
     rasapradāḥ kāmadughāś ca dhenavo; na dāruṇā vāg vicacāra kasya cit
 93 imāṃ saparyāṃ saha sarvakāmadaiḥ; śriyāṃ ca śakra pramukhaiś ca daivataiḥ
     pathanti ye viprasadaḥ samāgame; samṛddhakāmāḥ śriyam āpnuvanti te
 94 tvayā kurūṇāṃ varayat pracoditaṃ; bhavābhavasyeha paraṃ nidarśanam
     tad adya sarvaṃ parikīrtitaṃ mayā; parīkṣya tattvaṃ parigantum arhasi

SECTION CCXXI

"Yudhishthira said, 'The three regenerate classes, who are given to sacrifices and other rites, sometimes eat the remnants, consisting of meat and wine, of sacrifices in honour of the deities, from motives of obtaining children and heaven. What, O grandsire, is the character of this act?'
"Bhishma said, 'Those who eat forbidden food without being observant of the sacrifices and vows ordained in the Vedas are regarded as wilful men. (They are regarded as fallen even here). Those, on the other hand, who eat such food in the observance of Vedic sacrifices and vows and induced by the desire of fruits in the shape of heaven and children, ascend to heaven but fall down on the exhaustion of their merits.' 1
"Yudhishthira said, 'Common people say that fasting is tapas (penances). Is fasting, however, really so, or is penance something different?'
"Bhishma said, 'People do regard fast, measured by months or fortnights or days, as penance. In the opinion, however of the good, such is not penance. On the other hand, fast is an impediment to the acquisition of the knowledge of the Soul. 2 The renunciation of acts (that is so difficult for all) and humility (consisting in the worship of all creatures and consideration for them all) constitute the highest penance. That is distinguished above all kinds of penance. He who betakes himself to such penance is regarded as one that is always fasting and that is always leading a life of Brahmacharya. Such a Brahmana will become a Muni always, a deity evermore, and sleepless forever,
p. 125
and one engaged in the pursuit of virtue only, even if he lives in the bosom of a family. He will become a vegetarian always, and pure for ever. He will become an eater always of ambrosia, and an adorer always of gods and guests. Indeed, he will be regarded as one always subsisting on sacrificial remnants, as one ever devoted to the duty of hospitality, as one always full of faith, and as one ever worshipping gods and guests.'
"Yudhishthira said, 'How can one practising such penance come to be regarded as one that is always fasting or as one that is ever devoted to the vow of Brahmacharya, or as one that is always subsisting upon sacrificial remnants or as one that is ever regardful of guests?'
"Bhishma said, 'He will be regarded as one that is always fasting if he eats once during the day and once during the night at the fixed hours without eating anything during the interval. Such a Brahmana, by always speaking the truth and by adhering always to wisdom, and by going to his wife only in her season and never at other times, becomes a Brahmacharin (celibate). By never eating meat of animals not killed for sacrifice, he will become a strict vegetarian. By always becoming charitable he will become ever pure, and by abstaining from sleep during the day he will become one that is always wakeful. Know, O Yudhishthira, that that man who eats only after having fed his servants and guests becomes an eater always of ambrosia. That Brahmana who never eats till gods and guests are fed, wins, by such abstention, heaven itself. He is said to subsist upon sacrificial remnants, who eats only what remains after feeding the gods, the Pitris, servants, and guests. Such men win numberless regions of felicity in next life. To their homes come, with Brahman himself, the gods and the Apsaras. They who share their food with the deities and the Pitris pass th

 

 

 

Book 12
Chapter 222

 

 

 

1 [y]
      kiṃ śīlaḥ kiṃ samācāraḥ kiṃ vidyaḥ kiṃ parāyanaḥ
      prāpnoti brahmaṇaḥ sthānaṃ yat paraṃ prakṛter dhruvam
  2 [bhī]
      mokṣadharmeṣu niyato laghv āhāro jitendriyaḥ
      prāpnoti brahmaṇaḥ sthānaṃ yat paraṃ prakṛter dhruvam
  3 atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam
      jaigīsavyasya saṃvādam asitasya ca bhārata
  4 jaigīsavyaṃ mahāprājñaṃ dharmāṇām āgatāgamam
      akrudhyantam ahṛṣyantam asito devalo 'bravīt
  5 na prīyase vandyamāno nindyamāno na kupyasi
      kā te prajñā kutaś caiṣā kiṃ caitasyāḥ parāyanam
  6 iti tenānuyuktaḥ sa tam uvāca mahātapāḥ
      mahad vākyam asaṃdigdhaṃ puṣkarārtha padaṃ śuci
  7 yā gatir yā parā niṣṭhā yā śāntiḥ puṇyakarmaṇām
      tāṃ te 'haṃ saṃpravakṣyāmi yan māṃ pṛcchasi vai dvija
  8 nindatsu ca samo nityaṃ praśaṃsatsu ca devala
      nihnuvanti ca ye teṣāṃ samayaṃ sukṛtaṃ ca ye
  9 uktāś ca na vivakṣanti vaktāram ahite ratam
      pratihantuṃ na cecchanti hantāraṃ vai manīṣiṇaḥ
  10 nāprāptam anuśocanti prāptakālāni kurvate
     na cātītāni śocanti na cainān pratijānate
 11 saṃprāptānāṃ ca pūjyānāṃ kāmād artheṣu devala
     yathopapattiṃ kurvanti śaktimantaḥ kṛtavratāḥ
 12 pakvavidyā mahāprājñā jitakrodhā jitendriyāḥ
     manasā karmaṇā vācā nāparādhyanti kasya cit
 13 anīrṣavo na cānyonyaṃ vihiṃsanti kadā cana
     na ca jātūpatapyante dhīrāḥ parasamṛddhibhiḥ
 14 nindā praśaṃse cārtyarthaṃ na vadanti parasya ye
     na ca nindā praśaṃsābhyāṃ vikriyante kadā cana
 15 sarvataś ca praśāntā ye sarvabhūtahite ratāḥ
     na krudhyanti na hṛṣyanti nāparādhyanti kasya cit
     vimucya hṛdayagranthīṃś caṅkamyante yathāsukham
 16 na yeṣāṃ bāndhavāḥ santi ye cānyeṣāṃ na bāndhavāḥ
     amitrāś ca na santy eṣāṃ ye cāmitrā na kasya cit
 17 ya evaṃ kurvate martyāḥ sukhaṃ jīvanti sarvadā
     dharmam evānuvartante dharmajñā dvijasattama
     ye hy ato vicyutā mārgāt te hṛṣyanty udvijanti ca
 18 āsthitas tam ahaṃ mārgam asūyiṣyāmi kaṃ katham
     nindyamānaḥ praśansto vā hṛṣyeyaṃ kena hetunā
 19 yad yad icchanti tan mārgam abhigacchanti mānavāḥ
     na me nindā praśaṃsābhyāṃ hrāsa vṛddhī bhaviṣyataḥ
 20 amṛtasyeva saṃtṛpyed avamānasya tattvavit
     viṣasyevodvijen nityaṃ saṃmānasya vicakṣaṇaḥ
 21 avajñātaḥ sukhaṃ śete iha cāmutra cobhayoḥ
     vimuktaḥ sarvapāpebhyo yo 'vamantā sa badhyate
 22 parāṃ gatiṃ ca ye ke cit prārthayanti manīṣiṇaḥ
     etad vrataṃ samāśritya sukham edhanti te janāḥ
 23 sarvataś ca samāhṛtya kratūn sarvāñ jitendriyaḥ
     prāpnoti brahmaṇaḥ sthānaṃ yat paraṃ prakṛter dhruvam
 24 nāsya devā na gandharvā na piśācā na rākṣasāḥ
     padam anvavarohanti prāptasya paramāṃ gatim

 

SECTION CCXXII

"Yudhishthira said, 'In this world, O Bharata, acts good and bad attach themselves to man for the purpose of producing fruits for enjoyment or endurance. Is man, however, to be regarded as their doer or is he not to be regarded so? Doubt fills my mind with respect to this question. I desire to hear this in detail from thee, O grandsire!'
"Bhishma said, 'In this connection, O Yudhishthira, is cited the old narrative of a discourse between Prahlada and Indra. The chief of the Daityas, viz., Prahlada, was unattached to all worldly objects. His sins had been washed away. Of respectable parentage, he was possessed of great learning. Free from stupefaction and pride, ever observant of the quality of goodness, and devoted to various vows, he took praise and censure equally. Possessed of self-restraint, he was then passing his time in an empty chamber. Conversant with
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the origin and the destruction of all created objects, mobile and immobile, he was never angry with things that displeased him and never rejoiced at the accession of objects that were agreeable. He cast an equal eye upon gold and a clump of earth. Steadily engaged in study of the Soul and in acquiring Emancipation, and firm in knowledge, he had arrived at fixed conclusions in respect of truth. Acquainted with what is supreme and what is not so among all things, omniscient and of universal sight, as he was seated one day in a solitary chamber with his senses under complete control, Sakra approached him, and desirous of awakening him, said these words, 'O king, I behold all those qualities permanently residing in thee by which a person wins the esteem of all. Thy understanding seems to be like that of a child, free from attachment and aversion. Thou knowest of the Soul. What, thinkest thou, is the best means by which a knowledge of the Soul may be attained? Thou art now bound in cords, fallen off from thy former position, brought under the sway of thy foes, and divested of prosperity. Thy present circumstances are such as may well inspire grief. Yet how is it, O Prahlada, that thou dost not indulge in grief? Is this due, O son of Diti, to the acquisition of wisdom or is it on account of thy fortitude? Behold thy calamities, O Prahlada, and yet thou seemest like one that is happy and tranquil.' Thus urged by Indra, the chief of the Daityas, endued with determinate conclusions in respect of truth, replied unto the former in these sweet words indicative of great wisdom.'
"Prahlada said, 'He who is unacquainted with the origin and the destruction of all created objects, is, in consequence of such ignorance, stupefied. He, however, who is conversant with these two things, is never stupefied. All kinds of entities and non-entities come into being or cease in consequence of their own nature. No kind of personal exertion is needed (for the production of such phenomena). 1 In the absence, therefore, of personal exertion, it is evident that no personal agent exists for the production of all this that we perceive. But though (in reality) the person (or the chit) never does anything, yet (through the influence of Ignorance) a consciousness in respect of angry overspreads itself on it. He who regards himself as the doer of acts good or bad, possesses a wisdom that is vitiated. Such a person is, according to my judgment, unacquainted with the truth. 2 If, O Sakra, the being called person were really the actor, then all acts undertaken for his own benefit would certainly be crowned with success. None of those acts would be defeated. Among even persons struggling their utmost the suspension of what is not desired and the occurrence of what is desired are not to be seen. What becomes then of personal exertion? In the case of some, we see that without
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any exertion on their part, what is not desired is suspended and what is desired is accomplished. This then must be the result of Nature. Some persons again are seen to present extraordinary aspects, for though possessed of superior intelligence they have to solicit wealth from others that are vulgar in features and endued with little intelligence. Indeed, when all qualities, good or bad, enter a person, urged by Nature, what ground is there for one to boast (of one's superior possessions)? All these flow from Nature. This is my settled conclusion. Even Emancipation and knowledge of self, according to me, flow from the same source.
"In this world all fruits, good or bad, that attach themselves to persons, are regarded as the result of acts. I shall now discourse to thee in full on the subject of acts. Listen to me. As a crow, while eating some food, proclaims the presence of that food (to the members of its species) by its repeated cawing, after the same manner all our acts only proclaim the indications of Nature. He who is acquainted with only the transformations of Nature but not with Nature that is supreme and exists by herself, feels stupefaction in consequence of his ignorance. He, however, who understands the difference between Nature and her transformations is never stupefied. All existent things have their origin in Nature. In consequence of one's certainty of conviction in this respect, one would never be affected by pride or arrogance. When I know what the origin is of all the ordinances of morality and when I am acquainted with the unstability of all objects, I am incapable, O Sakra, of indulging in grief. All this is endued with an end. Without attachments, without pride, without desire and hope, freed from all bonds, and dissociated from everything, I am passing my time in great happiness, engaged in beholding the appearance and disappearance of all created objects. For one that is possessed of wisdom, that is self-restrained, that is contented, that is without desire and hope, and that beholds all things with the light of self-knowledge, no trouble or anxiety exists, O Sakra! I have no affection or aversion for either Nature or her transformations. I do not behold any one now who is my foe nor any one who is mine own. I do not O, Sakra, at any time covet either heaven, or this world, or the nether regions. It is not the case that there is no happiness in understanding the Soul. But the Soul, being dissociated from everything, cannot enjoy felicity. Hence I desire nothing.'
"Sakra said, 'Tell me the means, O Prahlada, by which this kind of wisdom may be attained and by which this kind of tranquillity may be made one's own. I solicit thee.'
"Prahlada said, 'By simplicity, by heedfulness, by cleansing the Soul, by mastering the passions, and by waiting upon aged seniors, O Sakra, a person succeeds in attaining to Emancipation. Know this, however, that one acquires wisdom from Nature, and that the acquisition of tranquillity also is due to the same cause. Indeed, everything else that thou perceivest is due to Nature.
"Thus addressed by the lord of the Daityas, Sakra became filled with wonder, and commended those words, O king, with a cheerful heart. The lord of the three worlds then, having worshipped the lord of the Daityas, took his leave and proceeded to his own abode.'"

 

Book 12
Chapter 223

1 [y]
      priyaḥ sarvasya lokasya sarvasattvābhinanditā
      guṇaiḥ sarvair upetaś ca ko nv asti bhuvi mānavaḥ
  2 [bhī]
      atra te vartayiṣyāmi pṛcchato bharatarṣabha
      ugrasenasya saṃvādaṃ nārade keśavasya ca
  3 [ugrasena]
      paśya saṃkalpate loko nāradasya prakīrtane
      manye sa guṇasaṃpanno brūhi tan mama pṛcchataḥ
  4 [vāsudeva]
      kukurādhipa yān manye śṛṇu tān me vivakṣataḥ
      nāradasya guṇān sādhūn saṃkṣepeṇa narādhipa
  5 na cāritranimitto 'syāhaṃkāro dehapātanaḥ
      abhinna śrutacāritras tasmāt sarvatra pūjitaḥ
  6 tapasvī nārado bādhaṃ vāci nāsya vyatikramaḥ
      kāmad vā yadi vā lobhāt tasmāt sarvatra pūjitaḥ
  7 adhyātmavidhitattvajñaḥ kṣāntaḥ śakto jitendriyaḥ
      ṛjuś ca satyavādī ca tasmāt sarvatra pūjitaḥ
  8 tejasā yaśasā buddhyā nayena vinayena ca
      janmanā tapasā vṛddhas tasmāt sarvatra pūjitaḥ
  9 sukhaśīlaḥ susaṃbhogaḥ subhojyaḥ svādaraḥ śuciḥ
      suvākyaś cāpy anīrṣyaś ca tasmāt sarvatra pūjitaḥ
  10 kalyānaṃ kurute bādhaṃ pāpam asmin na vidyate
     na prīyate parān arthais tasmāt sarvatra pūjitaḥ
 11 vedaśrutibhir ākhyānair arthān abhijigīsate
     titikṣur anavajñaś ca tasmāt sarvatra pūjitaḥ
 12 samatvād dhi priyo nāsti nāpriyaś ca kathaṃ cana
     mano 'nukūla vādī ca tasmāt sarvatra pūjitaḥ
 13 bahuśrutaś caitrakathaḥ paṇḍito 'nalaso 'śathaḥ
     adīno 'krodhano 'lubdhas tasmāt sarvatra pūjitaḥ
 14 nārthe na dharme kāme vā bhūtapūrvo 'sya vigrahaḥ
     doṣāś cāsya samucchinnās tasmāt sarvatra pūjitaḥ
 15 dṛdha bhaktir anindyātmā śrutavān anṛśaṃsavān
     vītasaṃmoha doṣaś ca tasmāt sarvatra pūjitaḥ
 16 asaktaḥ sarvasaṅgeṣu saktātmeva ca lakṣyate
     adīrghasaṃśayo vāgmī tasmāt sarvatra pūjitaḥ
 17 samādhir nāsya mānārthe nātmānaṃ stauti karhi cit
     anīrṣyur dṛdha saṃbhāsas tasmāt sarvatra pūjitaḥ
 18 lokasya vividhaṃ vṛttaṃ prakṛteś cāpy akutsayan
     saṃsargavidyā kuśalas tasmāt sarvatra pūjitaḥ
 19 nāsūyaty āgamaṃ kaṃ cit svaṃ tapo nopajīvati
     avandhya kālo vaśyātmā tasmāt sarvatra pūjitaḥ
 20 kṛtaśramaḥ kṛtaprajño na ca tṛptaḥ samādhitaḥ
     niyamastho 'pramattaś ca tasmāt sarvatra pūjitaḥ
 21 sāpatrapaś ca yuktaś ca suneyaḥ śreyase paraiḥ
     abhettā paraguhyānāṃ tasmāt sarvatra pūjitaḥ
 22 na hṛṣyaty arthalābheṣu nālābheṣu vyathaty api
     sthirabuddhir asaktātmā tasmāt sarvatra pūjitaḥ
 23 taṃ sarvaguṇa saṃpannaṃ dakṣaṃ śucim akātaram
     kālajñaṃ ca nayajñaṃ ca kaḥ priyaṃ na kariṣyati

 

SECTION CCXXIII

"Yudhishthira said, 'Tell me, O grandsire, by adopting what sort of intelligence may a monarch, who has been divested of prosperity and crushed by Time's heavy bludgeon, still live on this earth.'
"Bhishma said, 'In this connection is cited the old narrative of the discourse between Vasava and Virochana's son, Vali. One day Vasava, after having subjugated all the Asuras, repaired to the Grandsire and joining his hands bowed to him and enquired after the whereabouts of Vali. Tell me, O Brahman, where I may now find that Vali whose wealth continued undiminished even though he used to give it away as lavishly as he wished. He was the god of wind. He was Varuna. He was Surya. He was Soma. He was Agni that used to warm all creatures. He became water (for the use of all). I do not find where he now is. Indeed, O Brahman, tell me where I may find Vali now. Formerly, it was he who used to illumine all the points of the compass (as Surya) and to set (when evening came). Casting off idleness, it was he who used to pour rain upon all creatures at the proper season. I do not now see that Vali. Indeed, tell me, O Brahmana, where I may find that chief of the Asuras now.'
"Brahman said, 'It is not becoming in thee, O Maghavat, to thus enquire after Vali now. One should not, however, speak an untruth when one is questioned by another. For this reason, I shall tell thee the whereabouts of Vali. O lord of Sachi, Vali may now have taken his birth among camels or bulls or asses or horses, and having become the foremost of his species may now be staying in an empty apartment.'
"Sakra said, 'If, O Brahman, I happen to meet with Vali in an empty apartment, shall I slay him or spare him? Tell me how I shall act.'
"Brahman said, 'Do not, O Sakra, injure Vali, Vali does not deserve death. Thou shouldst, on the other hand, O Vasava, solicit instruction from him about morality, O Sakra, as thou pleasest.'
"Bhishma continued, 'Thus addressed by the divine Creator, Indra roamed over the earth, seated on the back of Airavata and attended by circumstances of great splendour. He succeeded in meeting with Vali, who, as the Creator had said, was living in an empty apartment clothed in the form of an ass.'
"Sakra said, 'Thou art now, O Danava, born as an ass subsisting on chaff as thy food. This thy order of birth is certainly a low one. Dost thou or dost thou not grieve for it? I see what I had never seen before, viz., thyself brought under the sway of thy enemies, divested of prosperity and friends, and shorn of energy and prowess. Formerly, thou used to make progress through the worlds with thy train consisting of thousands of vehicles and thousands of kinsmen, and to move along, scorching everybody with thy splendour and counting us as nought. The Daityas, looking up to thee as their protector, lived under thy sway. Through thy power, the earth used to yield crops without waiting for tillage. Today, however, I behold thee overtaken by this dire calamity. Dost thou or dost thou not indulge in grief for this? When formerly
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thou usedst, with pride reflected in thy face, to divide on the eastern shores of the ocean thy vast wealth among thy kinsmen, what was the state of thy mind then? Formerly, for many years, when blazing with splendour, thou usedst to sport, thousands of celestial damsels used to dance before thee. All of them were adorned with garlands of lotuses and all had companions bright as gold. What, O lord of Danavas, was the state of thy mind then and what is it now? Thou hadst a very large umbrella made of gold and adorned with jewels and gems. Full two and forty thousand Gandharvas used in those days to dance before thee. 1 In thy sacrifices thou hadst a stake that was very large and made entirely of gold. On such occasions thou wert to give away millions upon millions of kine. What, O Daitya, was the state of thy mind then? Formerly, engaged in sacrifice, thou hadst gone round the whole earth, following the rule of the hurling of the Samya: What was the state of thy mind then? 2 I do not now behold that golden jar of thine, nor that umbrella of thine, nor those fans. I behold not also, O king of the Asuras, that garland of thine which was given to thee by the Grandsire.'
"Vali said, 'Thou seest not now, O Vasava, my jar and umbrella and fans. Thou seest not also my garland, that gift of the Grandsire. Those precious possessions of mine about which thou askest are now buried in the darkness of a cave. When my time comes again, thou wilt surely behold them again. This conduct of thine, however, does not become thy fame or birth. Thyself in prosperity, thou desirest to mock me that am sunk in adversity. They that have acquired wisdom, and have won contentment therefrom, they that are of tranquil souls, that are virtuous and good among creatures, never grieve in misery nor rejoice in happiness. Led, however, by a vulgar intelligence, thou indulgest in brag, O Purandara! When thou shalt become like me thou shalt not then indulge in speeches like these.'"

Footnotes

 

 

 

Book 12
Chapter 224

[y]
      ādyantaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ śrotum icchāmi kaurava
      dhyānaṃ karma ca kālaṃ ca tathaivāyur yuge yuge
  2 lokatattvaṃ ca kārtsnyena bhūtānām āgatiṃ gatim
      sargaś ca nidhanaṃ caiva kuta etat pravartate
  3 yadi te 'nugrahe buddhir asmāsv iha satāṃ vara
      etad bhavantaṃ pṛcchāmi tad bhavān prabravītu me
  4 pūrvaṃ hi kathitaṃ śrutvā bhṛgubhāsitam uttamam
      bharadvājasya viprarṣes tato me buddhir uttamā
  5 jātā paramadharmiṣṭhā divyasaṃsthāna saṃsthitā
      tato bhūyas tu pṛcchāmi tad bhavān vaktum arhati
  6 [bhī]
      atra te vartayiṣye 'ham itihāsaṃ purātanam
      jagau yad bhagavān vyāsaḥ putrāya paripṛcchate
  7 adhītya vedān akhilān sāṅgopaniṣadas tathā
      anvicchan naiṣṭhikaṃ karma dharmanaipuna darśanāt
  8 kṛṣṇadvaipāyanaṃ vyāsaṃ putro vaiyāsakiḥ śukaḥ
      papraccha saṃdeham imaṃ chinnadharmārthasaṃśayam
  9 bhūtagrāmasya kartāraṃ kālajñāne ca niścayam
      brāhmaṇasya ca yatkṛtyaṃ tad bhavān vaktum arhati
  10 tasmai provāca tat sarvaṃ pitā putrāya pṛcchate
     atītānāgate vidvān sarvajñaḥ sarvadharmavit
 11 anādy antam ajaṃ divyam ajaraṃ dhruvam avyayam
     apratarkyam avijñeyaṃ brahmāgre samavartata
 12 kāsthā nimeṣā daśa pañca caiva; triśat tu kāsthā gaṇayet kalāṃ tām
     triṃśat kalāś cāpi bhaven muhūrto; bhāgaḥ kalāyā daśamaś ca yaḥ syāt
 13 triṃśan muhūrtaś ca bhaved ahaś ca; rātriś ca saṃkhyā munibhiḥ pranītā
     māsaḥ smṛto rātryahanī ca triṃśat; saṃvatsaro dvādaśamāsa uktaḥ
     saṃvatsaraṃ dve ayane vadanti; saṃkhyāvido dakṣiṇam uttaraṃ ca
 14 ahorātre vibhajate sūryo mānuṣalaukike
     rātriḥ svapnāya bhūtānāṃ ceṣṭāyai karmaṇām ahar
 15 pitrye rātryahanī māsaḥ pravibhāgas tayoḥ punaḥ
     kṛṣṇo 'haḥ karma ceṣṭāyāṃ śuklaḥ svapnāya śarvarī
 16 daive rātryahanī varṣaṃ pravibhāgas tayoḥ punaḥ
     ahas tatrodag ayanaṃ rātriḥ syād dakṣiṇāyanam
 17 ye te rātryahanī pūrve kīrtite daivalaukike
     tayoḥ saṃkhyāya varṣāgraṃ brāhme vakṣyāmy ahaḥ kṣape
 18 teṣāṃ saṃvatsarāgrāṇi pravakṣyāmy anupūrvaśaḥ
     kṛte tretāyuge caiva dvāpare ca kalau tathā
 19 catvāry āhuḥ sahasrāṇi varṣāṇāṃ tat kṛtaṃ yugam
     tasya tāvac chatī saṃdhyā saṃdhyāṃśaś ca tathāvidhaḥ
 20 itareṣu sasaṃdhyeṣu sasaṃdhyāṃśeṣu ca triṣu
     ekāpāyena saṃyānti sahasrāṇi śatāni ca
 21 etāni śāśvatāṁl lokān dhārayanti sanātanān
     etad brahmavidāṃ tāta viditaṃ brahma śāśvatam
 22 caturpāt sakalo dharmaḥ satyaṃ caiva kṛte yuge
     nādharmeṇāgamaḥ kaś cit paras tasya pravartate
 23 itareṣv āgamād dharmaḥ padaśas tv avaropyate
     caurikānṛta māyābhir adharmaś copacīyate
 24 arogāḥ sarvasiddhārthāś caturvarṣa śatāyuṣaḥ
     kṛte tretādiṣv eteṣāṃ pādaśo hrasate vayaḥ
 25 vedavādāś cānuyugaṃ hrasantīti ca naḥ śrutam
     āyūṃsi cāśiṣaś caiva vedasyaiva ca yat phalam
 26 anye kṛtayuge dharmās tretāyāṃ dvāpare 'pare
     anye kaliyuge dharmā yathāśakti kṛtā iva
 27 tapaḥ paraṃ kṛtayuge tretāyāṃ jñānam uttamam
     dvāpare yajñam evāhur dānam eva kalau yuge
 28 etāṃ dvādaśa sāhasrīṃ yugākhyāṃ kavayo viduḥ
     sahasraṃ parivṛttaṃ tad brāhmaṃ divasam ucyate
 29 rātris tāvat tithī brāhmī tad ādau viśvam īśvaraḥ
     pralaye 'dhyātmam āviśya suptvā so 'nte vibudhyate
 30 sahasrayugaparyantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ
     rātriṃ yugasahasrāntāṃ te 'horātravido janāḥ
 31 pratibuddho vikurute brahmākṣayyaṃ kṣapākṣaye
     sṛjate ca mahad bhūtaṃ tasmād vyaktātmakaṃ manaḥ
 32 brahmatejomayaṃ śukraṃ yasya sarvam idaṃ jagat
     ekasya bhūtaṃ bhūtasya dvayaṃ sthāvarajaṅgamam
 33 ahar mukhe vibuddhaḥ san sṛjate vidyayā jagat
     agra eva mahābhūtam āśu vyaktātmakaṃ manaḥ
 34 abhibhūyeha cārciṣmad vyasṛjat sapta mānasān
     dūragaṃ bahudhāgāmi prārthanā saṃśayātmakam
 35 manaḥ sṛṣṭiṃ vikurute codyamānaṃ sisṛkṣayā
     ākāśaṃ jāyate tasmāt tasya śabdo guṇo mataḥ
 36 ākāśāt tu vikurvāṇāt sarvagandhavahaḥ śuciḥ
     balavāñ jāyate vāyus tasya sparśo guṇo mataḥ
 37 vāyor api vikurvāṇāj jyotir bhūtaṃ tamonudam
     rociṣṇu jāyate tatra tad rūpaguṇam ucyate
 38 jyotiṣo 'pi vikurvāṇād bhavanty āpo rasātmikāḥ
     adbhyo gandhaguṇā bhūmiḥ pūrvaiṣā sṛṣṭir ucyate
 39 guṇāḥ pūrvasya pūrvasya prāpnuvanty uttarottaram
     teṣāṃ yāvat tithaṃ yad yat tat tat tāvad guṇaṃ smṛtam
 40 upalabhyāpsu ced gandhaṃ ke cid brūyur anaipuṇāt
     pṛthivyām eva taṃ vidyād āpo vāyuṃ ca saṃśritam
 41 ete tu sapta puruṣā nānā viryāḥ pṛthak pṛthak
     nāśaknuvan prajāḥ sraṣṭum asamāgamya sarvataḥ
 42 te sametya mahātmānam anyonyam abhisaṃśritāḥ
     śarīrāśrayaṇaṃ prāptās tataḥ puruṣa ucyate
 43 śrayaṇāc charīraṃ bhavati mūrtimat sodaśātmakam
     tad āviśanti bhūtāni mahānti saha karmaṇā
 44 sarvabhūtāni cādāya tapasaś caraṇāya ca
     ādikartā mahābhūtaṃ tam evāhuḥ prajāpatim
 45 sa vai sṛjati bhūtāni sa eva puruṣaḥ paraḥ
     ajo janayate brahmā devarṣipitṛmānavān
 46 lokān nadīḥ samudrāṃś ca diśaḥ śailān vanaspatīn
     narakiṃnara rakṣāṃsi vayaḥ paśumṛgoragān
     avyayaṃ ca vyayaṃ caiva dvayaṃ sthāvarajaṅgamam
 47 teṣāṃ ye yāni karmāṇi prāk sṛṣṭyāṃ pratipedire
     tāny eva pratipadyante sṛjyamānāḥ punaḥ punaḥ
 48 hiṃsrāhiṃsre mṛdu krūre dharmādharme ṛtānṛte
     ato yan manyate dhātā tasmāt tat tasya rocate
 49 mahābhūteṣu nānātvam indriyārtheṣu mūrtiṣu
     viniyogaṃ ca bhūtānāṃ dhātaiva vidadhāty uta
 50 ke cit puruṣakāraṃ tu prāhuḥ karmavido janāḥ
     daivam ity apare viprāḥ svabhāvaṃ bhūtacintakāḥ
 51 pauruṣaṃ karma daivaṃ ca phalavṛtti svabhāvataḥ
     traya ete 'pṛthag būtā navivekaṃ tu ke cana
 52 evam etac ca naivaṃ ca yad bhūtaṃ sṛjate jagat
     karmasthā viṣamaṃ brūyuḥ sattvasthāḥ samadarśinaḥ
 53 tapo niḥśreyasaṃ jantos tasya mūlaṃ damaḥ śamaḥ
     tena sarvān avāpnoti yān kāmān manasecchati
 54 tapasā tad avāpnoti yad bhūtaṃ sṛjate jagat
     sa tad bhūtaś ca sarveṣāṃ bhūtānāṃ bhavati prabhuḥ
 55 ṛṣayas tapasā vedān adhyaiṣanta divāniśam
     anādi nidhanā nityā vāg utsṛṣṭā svayambhuvā
 56 ṛṣīṇāṃ nāmadheyāni yāś ca vedeṣu sṛṣṭayaḥ
     śarvary anteṣu jātānāṃ tāny evaibhyo dadāti saḥ
 57 nāma bhedas tapaḥ karma yajñākhyā lokasiddhayaḥ
     ātmasiddhis tu vedeṣu procyate daśabhiḥ kramaiḥ
 58 yad uktaṃ vedavādeṣu gahanaṃ veda dṛṣṭibhiḥ
     tad anteṣu yathā yuktaṃ kramayogena lakṣyate
 59 karmajo 'yaṃ pṛthagbhāvo dvandvayukto viyoginaḥ
     ātmasiddhis tu vijñātā jahāti prāyaśo balam
 60 dve brahmaṇī veditavye śabdabrahma paraṃ ca yat
     śabdabrahmaṇi niṣṇātaḥ paraṃ brahmādhigacchati
 61 ārambha yajñāḥ kṣatrasya havir yajñā viśas tathā
     paricārayajñāḥ śūdrās tu tapoyajñā dvijātayaḥ
 62 tretāyuge vidhis tv eṣāṃ yajñānāṃ na kṛte yuge
     dvāpare viplavaṃ yānti yajñāḥ kaliyuge tathā
 63 apṛthag dharmiṇo martyā ṛk sāmāni yajūṃsi ca
     kāmyāṃ puṣṭiṃ pṛthag dṛṣṭvā tapobhis tapa eva ca
 64 tretāyāṃ tu samastās te prādurāsan mahābalāḥ
     saṃyantāraḥ sthāvarāṇāṃ jaṅgamānāṃ ca sarvaśaḥ
 65 tretāyāṃ saṃhatā hy ete yajñā varṇās tathaiva ca
     saṃrodhād āyuṣas tv ete vyasyante dvāpare yuge
 66 dṛśyante nāpi dṛśyante vedāḥ kaliyuge 'khilāḥ
     utsīdante sayajñāś ca kevalā dharmasetavaḥ
 67 kṛte yuge yas tu dharmo brāhmaṇeṣu pradṛśyate
     ātmavatsu tapovatsu śrutavatsu pratiṣṭhitaḥ
 68 adharmavratasaṃyogaṃ yathā dharmaṃ yuge yuge
     vikriyante svadharmasthā vedavādā yathā yugam
 69 yathā viśvāni bhūtāni vṛṣṭyā bhūyāṃsi prāvṛṣi
     sṛjyante jaṅgamasthāni tathā dharmā yuge yuge
 70 yathartuṣv ṛtuliṅgāni nānārūpāṇi paryaye
     dṛśyante tāni tāny eva tathā brahmāha rātriṣu
 71 vihitaṃ kālanānātvam anādi nidhanaṃ tathā
     kīrtitaṃ yat purastāt te tat sūte cātti ca prajāḥ
 72 dadhāti prabhave sthānaṃ bhūtānāṃ saṃyamo yamaḥ
     svabhāvenaiva vartante dvandvayuktāni bhūriśaḥ
 73 sargaḥ kālaḥ kriyā vedāḥ kartā kāryaṃ kriyāphalam
     proktaṃ te putra sarvaṃ vai yan māṃ tvaṃ paripṛcchasi
 74 pratyāhāraṃ tu vakṣyāmi śarvary ādau gate 'hani
     yathedaṃ kurute 'dhyātmaṃ susūkṣmaṃ viśvam īśvaraḥ
 75 divi sūryās tathā sapta dahanti śikhino 'rciṣā
     sarvam etat tadārcirbhiḥ pūrṇaṃ jājvalyate jagat

 

SECTION CCXXIV

"Bhishma said, 'Once more, laughing at Vali who was sighing like a snake, Sakra addressed him for saying something more pointed than what had said before. 3
p. 130
"Sakra said, 'Formerly, attended by a train consisting of thousands of vehicles and kinsmen, thou usedst to make thy progresses, scorching all the worlds with thy splendour and regarding us as nought. Thou art now, however, deserted by both kinsmen and friends. Beholding this miserable plight that has overtaken thee, dost thou or dost thou not indulge in grief? Formerly, all the worlds were under thy sway and great was thy joy. I ask, dost thou or dost thou not indulge in grief now, for this fall of thine in respect of external splendour?'
"Vali said, 'Considering all this to be transitory,--due, indeed, to the course of time,--I do not, O Sakra, indulge in grief. These things have an end. These bodies that creatures have, O chief of celestials, are all transitory. For that reason, O Sakra, I do not grieve (for this asinine form of mine). Nor is this form due to any fault of mine. The animating principle and the body come into existence together, in consequence of their own nature. They grow together, and meet with destruction together. Having obtained this form of existence I have not been permanently enslaved by it. Since I know this, I have no cause for sorrow in consequence of that knowledge. As the final resting-place of all rivers is the ocean, even so the end of all embodied creatures is death. Those persons that know this well are never stupefied, O wielder of the thunderbolt! They, however, who are overwhelmed with Passion and loss of judgment, do not know this, they whose understanding is lost, sink under the weight of misfortune. A person who acquires a keen understanding succeeds in destroying all his sins. A sinless person acquires the attribute of Goodness, and having acquired it becomes cheerful. They, however, that deviate from the attribute of Goodness, and obtain repeated rebirths, are obliged to indulge in sorrow and grief, led on by desire and the objects of the senses. Success or the reverse, in respect of the attainment of all objects of desire, life or death, the fruits of action that are represented by pleasure or pain, I neither dislike nor like. When one slays another, one slays only that other's body. That man, who thinks that it is he who slays another, is himself slain. Indeed, both of them are ignorant of the truth, viz., he who slays and he who is slain. 1 That person, O Maghavat, who having killed or vanquished any one brags of his manliness, should know that he is not the actor but the act (of which he boasts) has been accomplished by a real agent (who is different). When the question comes as to who is it that causes the creation and the destruction of things in the world, it is generally regarded that some person (who has himself been caused or created) has caused the act (of creation or destruction). Know, however, that the person who is so regarded
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has (as already said) a creator. Earth, light or heat, space, water, and wind constituting the fifth--from these do all creatures spring. (When this is known to me) what sorrow can I feel (for this change in my condition)? one that is possessed of great learning, one that has not much of learning, one that is possessed of strength, one that is destitute of strength, one that is possessed of personal beauty, and one that is very ugly, one that is fortunate and one that is not blessed by fortune, are all swept away by Time, which is too deep to be fathomed, by its own energy. When I know that I have been vanquished by Time, what sorrow can I feel (for this alteration in my circumstances)? One that burns anything burns a thing that has been already burnt. One that slays, only slays a victim already slain. One that is destroyed has been before destroyed. A thing that is acquired by a person is that which is already arrived and intended for his acquisition. This Time is like an ocean. There is no island in it. Where, indeed, is its other shore? Its boundary cannot be seen. Reflecting even deeply, I do not behold the end of this continuous stream that is the great ordainer of all things and that is certainly celestial. If I did not understand that it is Time that destroys all creatures, then, perhaps, I would have felt the emotions of joy and pride and wrath, O lord of Sachi! Hast thou come here to condemn me, having ascertained that I am now bearing the form of an ass that subsists upon chaff and that is now passing his days in a lonely spot remote from the habitations of men? If I wish, even now I can assume various awful forms beholding any one of which thou wouldst beat a hasty retreat from my presence. It is Time that gives everything and again takes away everything. It is Time that ordains all things. Do not, O Sakra, brag of thy manliness. Formerly, O Purandara, on occasions of my wrath everything used to become agitated. I am acquainted, however, O Sakra, with the eternal attributes of all things in the world. Do thou also know the truth. Do not suffer thyself to be filled with wonder. Affluence and its origin are not under one's control. Thy mind seems to be like that of a child. It is the same as it was before. Open thy eyes, O Maghavat, and adopt an understanding established on certitude and truth. The gods, men, the Pitris, the Gandharvas, the snakes, and the Rakshasas, were all under my sway in days gone by. Thou knowest this, O Vasava! Their understandings stupefied by ignorance, all creatures used to flatter me, saying, 'Salutations to that point of the compass whither Virochana's son Vali may now be staying!' O lord of Sachi, I do not at all grieve when I think of that honour (which is no longer paid to me). I feel no sorrow for this fall of mine. My understanding is firm in this respect, viz., that I will live obedient to the sway of the Ordainer. It is seen that some one of noble birth, possessed of handsome features, and endued with great prowess, lives in misery, with all his counsellors and friends. This happens because of its having been ordained. 1 Similarly, some one born in an ignoble race, devoid of knowledge, and with even a stain on his birth, is seen, O Sakra, to live in happiness with all his counsellors and friends.
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This also happens because of its having been ordained. An auspicious and beautiful woman, O Sakra, is seen to pass her life in misery. Similarly, an ugly woman with every inauspicious mark is seen to pass her days in great happiness. That we have now become so is not due to any act of ours, O Sakra! That thou art now so is not due, O wielder of the thunderbolt, to any act of thine. Thou hast not done anything, O thou of hundred sacrifices, in consequence of which thou art now enjoying this affluence. Nor have I done anything in consequence of which I have now been divested of affluence, Affluence and its reverse come one after another. I now behold thee blazing with splendour, endued with prosperity, possessed of beauty, placed at the head of all the deities, and thus roaring at me. This would never be but for the fact of Time standing near after having assailed me. Indeed, if Time had not assailed me I would have today killed thee with only a blow of my fists notwithstanding the fact of thy being armed with the thunder. This, however, is not the time for putting forth my prowess. On the other hand, the time that has come is for adopting a behaviour of peace and tranquillity. It is Time that establishes all things. Time works upon all things and leads them to their final consummation. 1 I was the worshipped lord of the Danavas. Burning all with my energy, I used to roar in strength and pride. When Time hath assailed even myself, who is there whom he will not assail? Formerly, O chief of the deities, singly I bore the energy of all the twelve illustrious Adityas with thyself amongst them. It was I that used to bear up water and then to shower it as rain, O Vasava! It was I that used to give both light and heat unto the three worlds. It was I that used to protect and it was I that used to destroy. It was I that gave and it was I that took. It was I that used to bind and it was I that used to unbind. In all the worlds I was the one puissant master. That sovereign sway which I had, O chief of the celestials, is no more. I am now assailed by the forces of Time. Those things, therefore, are no longer seen to shine in me. I am not the doer (of acts that are apparently done by me). Thou art not the doer (of acts done by thee). None else, O lord of Sachi, is the doer (of those acts). It is Time, O Sakra, that protects or destroys all things. 2 Persons conversant with the Vedas say that Time (Eternity) is Brahma. The fortnights and months are his body. That body is invested with days and nights as its robes. The seasons are his senses. The year is his mouth. Some people, in consequence of their superior intelligence, say that all this (the entire universe) should be conceived as Brahma. The Vedas, however, teach, that the five sheaths that invest the Soul should be regarded as Brahma. Brahma is deep and inaccessible like a vast ocean of waters. It hath been said that it hath neither beginning nor end, and that it is both indestructible and destructible. 3 Though it is without attributes by itself, yet it enters all existent objects and as such assumes attributes. Those
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persons that are conversant with truth regard Brahma as eternal. Through the action of Ignorance, Brahma causes the attributes of materiality to invest the Chit or Soul which is immaterial spirit (having knowledge only for its attribute). That materiality, however, is not the essential attribute of the Soul, for upon the appearance of a knowledge of the true cause of everything, that materiality ceases to invest the Soul. 1 Brahma in the form of Time is the refuge of all creatures. Where wouldst thou go transcending that Time? Time or Brahma, indeed, cannot be avoided by running nor by staying still. All the five senses are incapable of perceiving Brahma. Some have said that Brahma is Fire; some that he is Prajapati; some that he is the Seasons; some that he is the Month; some that he is the Fortnight; some that he is the Days; some that he is the Hours; some that he is the Morning; some that he is the Noon; some that he is the Evening; and some that he is the Moment. Thus diverse people speak diversely of him who is single. Know that he is Eternity, under whose sway are all things. Many thousands of Indras have passed away, O Vasava, each of whom was possessed of great strength and prowess. Thou also, O lord of Sachi, shalt have to pass away after the same manner. Thee, too, O Sakra, that art possessed of swelling might and that art the chief of the deities, when thy hour comes, all-powerful Time will extinguish! Time sweeps away all things. For this reason, O Indra, do not brag. Time is incapable of being quieted by either thee or me or by those gone before us. This regal prosperity that thou hast attained and that thou thinkest to be beyond comparison, had formerly been possessed by me. It is unsubstantial and unreal. She does not dwell long in one place. Indeed, she had dwelt in thousands of Indras before thee, all of whom, again, were very much superior to thee. Unstable as she is, deserting me she hath now approached thee, O chief of the deities! Do not, O Sakra, indulge in such brag again. It behoveth thee to become tranquil. Knowing thee to be full of vanity, she will very soon desert thee.'"

 

 

Book 12
Chapter 225

 

 

1 [vyāsa]
      pṛthivyāṃ yāni bhūtāni jaṅgamāni dhruvāṇi ca
      tāny evāgre pralīyante bhūmitvam upayānti ca
  2 tataḥ pralīne sarvasmin sthāvare jaṅgame tathā
      akāṣṭhā nistṛṇā bhūmir dṛśyate kūrmapṛṣṭhavat
  3 bhūmer api guṇaṃ gandham āpa ādadate yadā
      āttagandhā tadā bhūmiḥ pralayatvāya kalpate
  4 āpas tataḥ pratiṣṭhanti ūrmimatyo mahāsvanāḥ
      sarvam evedam āpūrya tiṣṭhanti ca caranti ca
  5 apām api guṇāṃs tāta jyotir ādadate yadā
      āpas tadā āttaguṇā jyotiṣy uparamanti ca
  6 yadādityaṃ sthitaṃ madhye gūhanti śikhino 'rciṣaḥ
      sarvam evedam arcirbhiḥ pūrṇaṃ jājvalyate nabhaḥ
  7 jyotiṣo 'pi guṇaṃ rūpaṃ vāyur ādadate yadā
      praśāmyati tadā jyotir vāyur dodhūyate mahān
  8 tatas tu mūlam āsādya vāyuḥ saṃbhavam ātmanaḥ
      adhaś cordhvaṃ ca tiryak ca dodhavīti diśo daśa
  9 vāyyor api guṇaṃ sparśam ākāśaṃ grasate yadā
      praśāmyati tadā vāyuḥ khaṃ tu tiṣṭhati nānadat
  10 ākāśasya guṇaṃ śabdam abhivyaktātmakaṃ manaḥ
     manaso vyaktam avyaktaṃ brāhmaḥ sa pratisaṃcaraḥ
 11 tad ātmaguṇam āviśya mano grasati candramaḥ
     manasy uparate 'dhyātmā candramasy avatiṣṭhate
 12 taṃ tu kālena mahatā saṃkalpaḥ kurute vaśe
     cittaṃ grasati saṃkalpas tac ca jñānam anuttamam
 13 kālo girati vijñānaṃ kālo balam iti śrutiḥ
     balaṃ kālo grasati tu taṃ vidvān kurute vaśe
 14 ākāśasya tadā ghoṣaṃ taṃ vidvān kuruta ātmani
     tad avyaktaṃ paraṃ brahma tac chāśvatam anuttamam
     evaṃ sarvāṇi bhūtāni brahmaiva pratisaṃcaraḥ
 15 yathāvat kīrtitaṃ samyag evam etad asaṃśayam
     bodhyaṃ vidyāmayaṃ dṛṣṭvā yogibhiḥ paramātmabhiḥ
 16 evaṃ vistāra saṃkṣepau brahmāvyakte punaḥ punaḥ
     yugasāhasrayor ādāv ahno rātryās tathaiva ca

 

SECTION CCXXV

"Bhishma said, 'After this, he of hundred sacrifices beheld the goddess of Prosperity, in her own embodied form that blazed splendour, issue out of the form of the high-souled Vali. The illustrious chastiser of Paka, beholding the goddess blazing with radiance, addressed Vali in these words, with eyes expanded in wonder.'
"Sakra said, 'O Vali, who is this one, thus shining with splendour, thus decked with head plumes, thus adorned with golden bracelets on her upper
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arms, and thus emitting a halo of glory on all sides in consequence of her energy that is issuing out of thy body.'
"Vali said, 'I do not know whether she is an Asura damsel or a celestial one or a human one. Thou mayst not ask her thyself. Do what pleases thee.'
"Sakra said, 'O thou of sweet smiles, who art thou that art possessed of such radiance and adorned with plumes that thus issuest from the body of Vali. I do not know thee. Kindly tell me thy name. Who, indeed, art thou that thus standest here as Maya herself, blazing with thy own splendour, after having deserted the lord of the Daityas? O, tell me this as I question thee.'
"Sree said, 'Virochana did not know me. This Vali also that is the son of Virochana knows me not. The learned called me by the name of Duhshaha. 1 Some knew me by the name of Vidhitsa. 2 I have other names also, O Vasava! They are Bhuti, Lakshmi, and Sree. 3 Thou knowest me not, O Sakra, nor doth any one among the deities know me.'
"Sakra said, 'O lady that is difficult of being borne, why do you desert Vali now after having lived in him for a long time? Is it due to any act of mine or is it due to any act that Vali has done?'
"Sree said, 'Neither the Creator nor the Ordainer rules me. It is Time that moves me from one place to another. Do not, O Sakra, disregard Vali.'
"Sakra said, 'For what reason, O goddess adorned with plumes, do you desert Vali? Why also do you approach me (for living in me)? Tell me this, O thou of sweet smiles!'
'Sree said, 'I live in truth, in gifts, in good vows, in penances, in prowess, and in virtue. Vali hath fallen off from all these. Formerly, he was devoted to the Brahmanas. He was truthful and had controlled his passions. Latterly, however, he began to cherish feelings of animosity towards the Brahmanas and touched clarified butter with soiled hands. 4 Formerly, he was always engaged in the performance of sacrifices. At last, blinded by ignorance and afflicted by Time he began to boast before all persons, saying that his adorations towards me were ceaseless. Deserting him (for these faults) I shall henceforth, O Sakra, dwell in thee. Thou shouldst bear me without heedlessness, and with penances and prowess.'
"Sakra said, 'O thou that dwellest amid lotuses, there is not a single person among gods, men, and all creatures, that can bear thee for ever.'
"Sree said, 'Truly, O Purandara, there is none among gods, Gandharvas, Asuras, or Rakshasas, that can bear me for ever.'
"Sakra said, 'O auspicious lady, tell me how I should conduct myself so that thou mayst dwell in me always. I shall certainly obey thy behests. It behoveth thee to answer me truly.'
"Sree said, 'O chief of the deities, I shall tell thee as to how I may be
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enabled to dwell in thee always. Divide me into four parts according to the ordinance laid down in the Vedas.'
"Sakra said, 'I shall assign the habitations according to their strength and power in bearing thee. As regards myself, I shall always take care, O Lakshmi, that I may not offend thee in any way. Amongst men, the earth, that progenitrix of all things, bear them all. She shall bear a fourth part of thyself. I think she hath the strength to do it.'
"Sree said, 'Here, I yield up a quarter of myself. Let it be established on the earth. Do thou, after this, make a proper disposition, O Sakra, for my second quarter.'
"Sakra said, 'The waters, among men, in their liquid form, do various services to human beings. Let the waters bear a fourth part of thy person. They have the strength to bear a portion of thine.'
"Sree said, 'I yield up another quarter of mine that is to be established in the waters. Do thou, after this, O Sakra, assign a proper place for my third quarter.'
"Sakra said, 'The Vedas, the sacrifices, and the deities are all established in Fire. Fire will bear thy third quarter, when it is placed therein.'
"Sree said, 'Here I yield up my third quarter which is to be placed in Fire. Do thou, O Sakra, after this, assign a proper place for my last quarter.'
"Sakra said, 'They that are good among men, devoted to Brahmanas, and truthful in speech, may bear thy fourth quarter. The good have the power to bear it.'
"Sree said, 'Here I yield up my fourth quarter that is to be placed among the good. My portions thus assigned to different creatures, do thou continue to protect me, O Sakra.'
"Sakra said, 'Listen to these words of mine. I have thus distributed thee among different creatures. Those among creatures that will offend against thee shall be chastised by me. The chief of the Daityas, viz., Vali, thus deserted by Sree, then said these words.'
"Vali said, 'At present the Sun shines as much in the east as in the west, and as much in the north as in the south. When, however, the Sun, withdrawing himself from all sides, will shine only upon the region of Brahman situated in the middle of Sumeru, then will again occur a great battle between the gods and the Asuras, and in that fight I shall certainly vanquish all of you. When the Sun, withdrawing himself from all sides, will shine fixedly upon only the region of Brahman, then will again occur a great battle between the gods and the Asuras, and in that fight I shall surely conquer all of you.' 1
"Sakra said, 'Brahman hath commanded me saying that I should never
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kill thee. It is for this reason, O Vali, that I do not hurl my thunderbolt upon thy head. Go whithersoever thou wishest, O chief of the Daityas! O great Asura, peace to thee! No time will come when the Sun will shine from only the meridian. The Self-born (Brahman) hath before this ordained the laws that regulate the Sun's motions. Giving light and heat to all creatures, he goes on ceaselessly. For six months he travels in a northward course and then for the other six in a southward course. The sun travels by these courses (one after another), creating winter and summer for all creatures.'
"Bhishma continued, 'Thus addressed by Indra, O Bharata, Vali, the chief of the Daityas, proceeded towards the south. Purandara proceeded towards the north. The thousand-eyed Indra, after having listened to this speech of Vali which was characterised by an entire absence of pride, then ascended the skies.'

---

Footnotes

 

Book 12
Chapter 226

 

 

 

1 [vyāsa]
      bhūtagrāme niyuktaṃ yat tad etat kīrtitaṃ mayā
      brāhmaṇasya tu yatkṛtyaṃ tat te vakṣyāmi pṛcchate
  2 jātakarmaprabhṛty asya karmaṇāṃ dakṣiṇāvatām
      kriyā syād ā samāvṛtter ācārye vedapārage
  3 adhītya vedān akhilān guru śuśrūsane rataḥ
      gurūṇām anṛṇo bhūtvā samāvarteta yajñavit
  4 ācāryeṇābhyanujñātaś caturṇām ekam āśramam
      ā vimokṣāc charīrasya so 'nutiṣṭhed yathāvidhi
  5 prajā sargeṇa dāraiś ca brahmacaryeṇa vā punaḥ
      vane guru sakāśe vā yati dharmeṇa vā punaḥ
  6 gṛhasthas tv eva sarveṣāṃ caturṇāṃ mūlam ucyate
      tatra pakvakasāyo hi dantaḥ sarvatra sidhyati
  7 prajāvāñ śrotriyo yajvā mukto divyais tribhir ṛṇaiḥ
      athānyān āśramān paścāt pūto gacchati karmabhiḥ
  8 yat pṛthivyāṃ puṇyatamaṃ vidyā sthānaṃ tadāvaset
      yateta tasmin prāmānyaṃ gantuṃ yaśasi cottame
  9 tapasā vā sumahatā vidyānāṃ pāraṇena vā
      ijyayā vā pradānair vā viprāṇāṃ vardhate yaśaḥ
  10 yāvad asya bhavaty asmiṁl loke kīrtir yaśaskarī
     tāvat puṇyakṛtāṁl lokān anantān puruṣāśnute
 11 adhyāpayed adhīyīta yājayeta yajeta ca
     na vṛthā pratigṛhṇīyān na ca dadyāt kathaṃcanan
 12 yājyataḥ śiṣyato vāpi kanyayā vā dhanaṃ mahat
     yady āgacched yajed dadyān naiko 'śnīyāt kathaṃ cana
 13 gṛham āvasato hy asya nānyat tīrthaṃ pratigrahāt
     devarṣipitṛgurv arthaṃ vṛddhātula bubhukṣatām
 14 antarhitābhiptaptānāṃ yathāśakti bubhūsatām
     dravyāṇām atiśaktyāpi deyam eṣāṃ kṛtād api
 15 arhatām anurūpāṇāṃ nādeyaṃ hy asti kiṃ cana
     uccaiḥśravasam apy aśvaṃ prāpanīyaṃ satāṃ viduḥ
 16 anunīya tathā kāvyaḥ satyasaṃdho mahāvrataḥ
     svaiḥ prāṇair brāhmaṇa prānān paritrāya divaṃ gataḥ
 17 ranti devaś ca sāṃkṛtyo vasiṣṭhāya mahātmane
     apaḥ pradāya śītoṣṇā nākapṛṣṭhe mahīyate
 18 ātreyaś candra damayor arhator vividhaṃ dhanam
     dattvā lokān yayau dhīmān anantān sa mahīpatiḥ
 19 śibirauśīnaro 'ṅgāni sutaṃ ca priyam aurasam
     brāhmaṇārtham upākṛtya nākapṛṣṭham ito gataḥ
 20 pratardanaḥ kāśipatiḥ pradāya nayane svake
     brāhmaṇāyātulāṃ kīrtim iha cāmutra cāśnute
 21 divyaṃ mṛṣṭaśalākaṃ tu sauvarṇaṃ paramarddhimat
     chatraṃ devāvṛdho dattvā sarāstro 'bhyapatad divam
 22 sāṃkṛtiś ca tathātreyaḥ śiṣyebhyo brahma nirguṇam
     upadiśya mahātejā gato lokān anuttamān
 23 ambarīso gavāṃ dattvā brāhmaṇebhyaḥ pratāpavān
     arbudāni daśaikaṃ ca sarāstro 'bhyapatad divam
 24 sāvitrī kundale divye śarīraṃ janamejayaḥ
     brāhmaṇārthe parityajya jagmatur lokam uttamam
 25 sarvaratnaṃ vṛṣādarbho yuvanāśvaḥ priyāḥ striyaḥ
     ramyam āvasathaṃ caiva dattvāmuṃ lokam āsthitaḥ
 26 nimī rāsthaṃ ca vaideho jāmadagnyo vasuṃdharām
     brāhmaṇebhyo dadau cāpi gayaś corvīṃ sapattanām
 27 avarṣati ca parjanye sarvabhūtāni cāsakṛt
     vasiṣṭho jīvayām āsa prajāpatir iva prajāḥ
 28 karaṃdhamasya putras tu marutto nṛpatis tathā
     kanyām aṅgirase dattvā divam āśu jagāma ha
 29 brahmadattaś ca pāñcālyo rājā buddhimatāṃ varaḥ
     nidhiṃ śaṅkhaṃ dvijāgryebhyo dattvā lokān avāptavān
 30 rājā mitrasahaś cāpi vasiṣṭhāya mahātmane
     madayantīṃ priyāṃ dattvā tayā saha divaṃ gataḥ
 31 sahasrajic ca rājarṣiḥ prānān iṣṭān mahāyaśaḥ
     brāhmaṇārthe parityajya gato lokān anuttamān
 32 sarvakāmaiś ca saṃpūrṇaṃ dattvā veśma hiran mayam
     mudgalāya gataḥ svargaṃ śatadyumno mahīpatiḥ
 33 nāmnā ca dyutimān nāma śālvarājaḥ pratāpavān
     dattvā rājyam ṛcīkāya gato lokān anuttamān
 34 madirāśvaś ca rājarṣir dattvā kanyāṃ sumadhyamām
     hiraṇyahastāya gato lokān devair abhiṣṭutān
 35 lomapādaś ca rājarṣiḥ śāntāṃ dattvā sutāṃ prabhuḥ
     ṛśyaśṛṅgāya vipulaiḥ sarvakāmair ayujyata
 36 dattvā śatasahasraṃ tu gavāṃ rājā prasenajit
     savatsānāṃ mahātejā gato lokān anuttamān
 37 ete cānye ca bahavo dānena tapasā ca ha
     mahātmāno gatāḥ svargaṃ śiṣṭātmāno jitendriyāḥ
 38 teṣāṃ pratiṣṭhitā kīrtir yāvat sthāsyati medinī
     dānayajñaprajā sargair ete hi divam āpnuvan

 

 

 

SECTION CCXXVI

"Bhishma said, 'In this connection is also cited the old narrative of the discourse between him of a hundred sacrifices and the Asura Namuchi, O Yudhishthira. When the Asura Namuchi, who was conversant with the birth and the death of all creatures, was sitting, divested of prosperity but untroubled at heart like the vast ocean in perfect stillness, Purandara addressed him these: words, 'Fallen off from thy place, bound with cords, brought under the sway of thy foes, and divested of prosperity, dost thou, O Namuchi, indulge in grief or passest thou thy days cheerfully?'
"Namuchi answered, 'By indulging in such sorrow as cannot be warded off one only wastes one's body and gladdens one's foes. Then, again, no one can lighten another's sorrow by taking any portion of it upon oneself. For these reasons, O Sakra, I do not indulge in sorrow. All this that thou seest hath one end. 1 Indulgence in sorrow destroys personal comeliness, prosperity, life, and virtue itself, O chief of the deities! Without doubt, suppressing that sorrow which comes upon oneself and which is born of an improper disposition of the mind, one possessed of true knowledge should reflect in one's mind of that which is productive of the highest good and which dwells in the heart itself. 2 When one sets one's mind upon what is for one's highest good, without doubt, the result that takes place is that one's objects are all accomplished. 3 There is One Ordainer, and no second. His control extends over the
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being that lies within the womb. Controlled by the great Ordainer I go on as He sets me on, like water running along a downward path. Knowing what is existence and what is emancipation, and understanding also that the latter is superior to the former, I do not, however, strive for attaining to it. Doing acts that tend towards the direction of virtue and also those that tend towards the opposite direction, I go on as He sets me on. One gets those things that are ordained to be got. That which is to happen actually happens. One has repeatedly to reside in such wombs in which one is placed by the Ordainer. One has no choice in the matter. That person is never stupefied, who when placed in any particular condition, accepts it as that which he was ordained to be placed in. Men are affected by pleasure and pain that come by turns in course of Time. There is no personal agency (in the matter of pleasure or pain to any one). In this lies sorrow, viz., that he that dislikes sorrow regards himself as the actor. 1 Amongst Rishis, gods, great Asuras, persons fully conversant with the three Vedas, and ascetics in the forest, who is there whom calamities do not approach? Those, however, that are conversant with the Soul and that which is not-Soul never fear calamities. The person of wisdom, naturally standing immovable like Himavat, never gives way to wrath; never suffers himself to be attached to the objects of the senses; never languishes in sorrow or rejoices in happiness. When overwhelmed with even great afflictions, such a person never gives way to grief. That person is a very superior one whom even great success cannot gladden and even dire calamities cannot afflict, and who bears pleasure and pain, and that which is between them both, with an unmoved heart. Into whatever condition a person may fall, he should summon cheerfulness without yielding to sorrow. Indeed, even thus should one drive off from one's self one's swelling grief that is born in one's mind and that is (if not dispelled) sure to give pain. That assembly of learned persons engaged in the discussion of duties based upon both the Srutis and the Smritis is not a good assembly,--indeed, that does not deserve to be called by the name of assembly,--entering which a wicked man does not become penetrated with fear (born of his wicked deeds). That man is the foremost of his species who having dived into and enquired after righteousness succeeds in acting according to the conclusions to which he arrives. 2 The acts of a wise man are not easily comprehensible. He that is wise, is never Stupefied when afflictions come upon him. Even if he falls away from his position like Gautama in his old age, in consequence of the direct calamity, he does not suffer himself to be stupefied. 3 By any of these, viz., mantras,
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strength, energy, wisdom, prowess, behaviour, conduct, or the affluence of wealth, can a person acquire that which has not been ordained to be acquired by him? What sorrow then is there for the non-acquisition of that upon which one has set one's heart? Before I was born, they that have the matter in their hands had ordained what I am to do and suffer. I am fulfilling what was thus ordained for me. What then can death do to me? One obtains only that which has been ordained to be obtained. One goes thither whither it was ordained that one is to go. Those sorrows and joys are obtained that are ordained to be obtained. That man who knowing this fully, does not suffer himself to be stupefied, and who is contented under both happiness and sorrow, is regarded as the foremost of his species.'"

Footnotes

136:1 i.e., all things are destructible instead of being eternal.
136:2 The commentator explains that Hridyam means Hritstham swarupam. By Kalyanam, of course, Moksha or Emancipation is intended.
136:3 As explained in previous verses, one striving to attain Emancipation must set himself to yoga. As a consequence of yoga, one acquires (without wishing for them) many wonderful powers. The accomplishment of one's objects then follows as a matter of course.
137:1 The sense is this: a wise man never regards himself as the actor; and hence never feels sorrow. Whatever sorrow overtakes him he views unmoved and takes it as the result of what had been ordained. Not so the foolish man. He deems himself to be the actor and looks upon sorrow as the result of his own acts. Hence, he cannot view it unmoved. Sorrow, therefore, lies in one's regarding oneself as the actor; the true view being that one instead of being an actor is only an instrument in the hands of the great Ordainer.
137:2 The object of this verse is to show that right conclusions in respect of duties are very rare.
137:3 This is a hard hit, The listener, viz., Indra, had violated, under circumstances of the most wicked deception, the chastity of Gautama's spouse Ahalya. Gautama had to punish his p. 138 wife by converting her into a stone. This punishment, however, reacted upon Gautama inasmuch as it put a stop to his loading any longer a life of domesticity. In spite of such a dire affliction Gautama did not suffer his cheerfulness to depart from his heart. The effect of the allusion is to tell Indra that the speaker is not like him but like Gautama, i.e., that Namuchi was not the slave of his passions but that he was the master of his senses and the how.

 

Book 12
Chapter 227

1 [vyāsa]
      trayī vidyām avekṣeta vedeṣūktām athāṅgataḥ
      ṛk sāma varṇākṣarato yajuṣo 'tharvaṇas tathā
  2 vedavādeṣu kuśalā hy adhyātmakuśalāś ca ye
      sattvavanto mahābhāgāḥ paśyanti prabhavāpyayau
  3 evaṃ dharmeṇa varteta kriyāḥ śiṣṭavad ācaret
      asaṃrodhena bhūtānāṃ vṛttiṃ lipseta vai dvijaḥ
  4 sadbhya āgatavijñānaḥ śiṣṭaḥ śāstravicakṣaṇaḥ
      svadharmeṇa kriyā loke kurvāṇaḥ satyasaṃgaraḥ
  5 tiṣṭhaty eteṣu gṛhavān saḥ sukarmasu sa dvijaḥ
      pañcabhiḥ satataṃ yajñaiḥ śraddadhāno yajeta ca
  6 dhṛtimān apramattaś ca dānto dharmavid ātmavān
      vītaharṣabhayakrodho brāhmaṇo nāvasīdati
  7 dānam adhyayanaṃ yajñas tapo hrīr ārjavaṃ damaḥ
      etair vardhayate tejaḥ pāpmānaṃ cāpakarṣati
  8 dhūtapāpmā tu medhāvī laghv āhāro jitendriyaḥ
      kāmakrodhau vaśe kṛtvā ninīsed brahmaṇaḥ padam
  9 agnīṃś ca brāhmaṇāṃś cārced devatāḥ pranameta ca
      varjayed ruṣatīṃ vācaṃ hiṃsāṃ cādharmasaṃhitām
  10 eṣā pūrvatarā vṛttir brāhmaṇasya vidhīyate
     jñānāgamena karmāṇi kurvan karmasu sidhyati
 11 pañcendriya jalāṃ ghorāṃ lobhakūlāṃ sudustarām
     manyupaṅkām anādhṛṣyāṃ nadīṃ tarati buddhimān
 12 māka manyūddhataṃ yat syān nityam atyantamohitam
     mahatā vidhidṛṣṭena balenāpratighātinā
     svabhāvasrotasā vṛttam uhyate satataṃ jagat
 13 kālodakena mahatā varṣāvartena saṃtatam
     māsormiṇartu vegena pakṣolapa tṛṇena ca
 14 nimeṣonmeṣa phenena ahorātra javena ca
     kāmagrāheṇa ghoreṇa veda yajñaplavena ca
 15 dharmadvīpena bhūtānāṃ cārthakāmaraveṇa ca
     ṛtasopānatīreṇa vihiṃsā taruvāhinā
 16 yugahradaughamadhyena brahma prāyabhavena ca
     dhātrā sṛṣṭāni bhūtāni kṛṣyante yamasādanam
 17 etat prajñāmayair dhīrā nistaranti manīṣiṇaḥ
     plavair aplavavanto hi kiṃ kariṣyanty acetasaḥ
 18 upapannaṃ hi yat prājño nistaren netaro janaḥ
     dūrato guṇadoṣau hi prājñaḥ sarvatra paśyati
 19 saṃśayātmā sa kāmātmā calacitto 'lpacetanaḥ
     aprājño na taraty eva yo hy āste na sa gacchati
 20 aplavo hi mahādoṣam uhyamāno 'dhigacchati
     kāmagrāhagṛhītasya jñānam apy asya na plavaḥ
 21 tasmād unmajjanasyārthe prayateta vicakṣaṇaḥ
     etad unmajjanaṃ tasya yad ayaṃ brāhmaṇo bhavet
 22 tryavadāte kule jātas trisaṃdehas trikarmakṛt
     tasmād unmajjanas tiṣṭhen nistaret prajñayā yathā
 23 saṃskṛtasya hi dāntasya niyatasya kṛtātmanaḥ
     prājyasyānantarā siddhir iha loke paratra ca
 24 vartate teṣu gṛhavān akrudhyann anasūyakaḥ
     pañcabhiḥ satataṃ yajñair vighasāśī yajeta ca
 25 satāṃ vṛttena varteta kriyāḥ śiṣṭavad ācaret
     asaṃrodhena dharmasya vṛttiṃ lipsed agarhitām
 26 śrutivijñānatattvajñaḥ śiṣṭācāro vicakṣaṇaḥ
     svadharmeṇa kriyāvāṃś ca karmaṇā so 'py asaṃkaraḥ
 27 kriyāvāñ śraddadhānaś ca dātā prājño 'nasūyakaḥ
     dharmādharmaviśeṣajñaḥ sarvaṃ tarati dustaram
 28 dhṛtimān apramattaś ca dānto dharmavid ātmavān
     vītaharṣabhayakrodho brāhmaṇo nāvasīdati
 29 eṣā pūrvatarā vṛttir brāhmaṇasya vidhīyate
     jñānavittvena karmāṇi kurvan sarvatra sidhyati
 30 adharmaṃ dharmakāmo hi karotīhāvicakṣaṇaḥ
     dharmaṃ cādharmasaṃkāśaṃ śocann iva karoti saḥ
 31 dharmaṃ karomīti karoty adharmam; adharmakāmaś ca karoti dharmam
     ubhe bālaḥ karmaṇī na prajānan; sa jāyate mriyate cāpi dehī

 

 

SECTION CCXXVII

"Yudhishthira said, 'What, indeed, is good for a man that is sunk in dire distress, when loss of friends or loss of kingdom, O monarch has occurred? In this world, O bull of Bharata's race, thou art the foremost of our instructors. I ask thee this. It behoveth thee to tell me what I ask.'
"Bhishma said, 'For one that has been deprived of sons and wives and pleasures of every kind and wealth, and that has been plunged into dire distress, fortitude is of the highest good, O king! The body is never emaciated of one that is always possessed of fortitude. Grieflessness bears happiness within it, and also health that is a superior possession. In consequence again of this health of body, once may again acquire prosperity. That wise man, O sire, who adheres to a course of righteous conduct (while afflicted by distress) succeeds in acquiring prosperity, patience, and perseverance in the accomplishment of all his objects. In this connection is once more cited the old narrative of the discourse between Vali and Vasava, O Yudhishthira! After the battle between the gods and the Asuras, in which a large number of Daityas and Danavas fell, had come to an end. Vali became king. He was deceived by Vishnu who once more established his sway over all the worlds. He, of a hundred sacrifices was once more invested with the sovereignty of the deities. After the rule of the deities had thus been re-established, and the four orders of men had been re-established in the practice of their respective courses of duty, the three worlds once more swelled with prosperity, and the Self-born became glad at heart. At that time, accompanied by the Rudras, the Vasus,
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the Adityas, the Aswins, the celestial Rishis, the Gandharvas, the Siddhas, and other superior orders of beings, the puissant Sakra, seated in splendour on his four-tusked prince of elephants, called Airavata, made a progress through all the worlds. One day, while thus engaged, the wielder of the thunderbolt beheld Virochana's son Vali within a certain mountain cave on the sea-shore. Seeing the prince of Danavas, he approached him. Beholding the chief of the deities, viz., Indra, thus seated on the back of Airavata and surrounded by the several orders of the celestials, the prince of the Daityas showed no signs of sorrow or agitation. Indra also, seeing Vali staying unmoved and fearless, addressed him from the back of his foremost of elephants, saying, 'How is it, O Daitya, that thou art so unmoved? Is it due to thy heroism or thy having waited with reverence upon aged persons? Is it due to thy mind having been cleansed by penances? To whatever cause it may be due, this frame of mind is certainly very difficult of attainment. Hurled from a position that was certainly the highest, thou art now divested of all thy possessions, and thou hast been brought under the sway of thy foes. O son of Virochana, what is that by having recourse to which thou dost not grieve although the occasion is for grief? Formerly, when thou wert invested with the sovereignty of thy own order, unrivalled pleasures were thine. Now, however, thou art divested of thy wealth and jewels and sovereignty. Tell us why thou art so unmoved. Thou wert before this a god, seated on the throne of thy sire and grandsires. Beholding thyself stripped today by thy foes, why dost thou not grieve? Thou art bound in Varuna's noose and hast been struck with my thunderbolt. Thy wives have been taken away and thy wealth also. Tell us why thou dost not indulge in grief. Divested of prosperity and fallen away from affluence, thou indulgest not in grief. This, indeed, is something that is very remarkable. Who else, O Vali, than one like thee, could venture to bear the burthen of existence after being shorn of the sovereignty of the three worlds?' Hearing without any pain these and other cutting speeches that Indra addressed to him, asserting the while his own superiority over him, Vali, the son of Virochana, fearlessly answered his interrogator, saying the following words.'
"Vali said, 'When calamities have oppressed me, O Sakra, what dost thou gain by such brag now? Today I behold thee, O Purandara, stand before me with the thunderbolt upraised in thy hand! Formerly, however, thou couldst not bear thyself so. Now thou hast by some means gained that power. Indeed, who else than thou could utter such cruel speeches? That person who, though able to punish, shows compassion towards a heroic foe vanquished and brought under his sway, is truly a very superior individual. When two persons fight, victory in the battle is certainly dubious. One of the two certainly becomes victorious, and the other becomes vanquished. O chief of the deities, let not thy disposition be such! Do not imagine that thou hast become the sovereign of all creatures after having conquered all with thy might and prowess! That we have become so is not, O Sakra, the result of any act of ours. 1 That thou hast become so, O wielder of the thunderbolt,
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is not the result of any act of thine. What I am now thou wilt be in the future. Do not disregard me, thinking that thou hast done an exceedingly difficult feat. A person obtains happiness and misery one after another in course of Time. Thou hast, O Sakra, obtained the sovereignty of the universe in course of Time but not in consequence of any especial merit in thee. It is Time that leads me on in his course. That same Time leads thee also onward. It is for this that I am not what thou art today, and thou also art not what we are! Dutiful services done to parents, reverential worship of deities, due practice of any good quality,--none of these can bestow happiness on any one. Neither knowledge, nor penances, nor gifts, nor friends, nor kinsmen can rescue one that is afflicted by Time. Men are incapable of averting, by even a thousand means, an impending calamity. Intelligence and strength go for nothing in such cases. There is no rescuer of men that are afflicted by Time's course. That thou, O Sakra, regarded thyself as the actor lies at the root of all sorrow. If the ostensible doer of an act is the real actor thereof, that doer then would not himself be the work of some one else (viz., the Supreme Being). Hence, because the ostensible doer is himself the product of another, that another is the Supreme Being above whom there is nothing higher. Aided by Time I had vanquished thee. Aided by Time thou hast vanquished me. It is Time that is the mover of all beings that move. It is Time that destroys all beings. O Indra, in consequence of thy intelligence being of the vulgar species thou seest not that destruction awaits all things. Some, indeed, regard thee highly as one that has acquired by his own acts the sovereignty of the universe. For all that, how can one like us that know the course of the world, indulge in grief in consequence of having been afflicted by Time, or suffer our understanding to be stupefied, or yield to the influence of error? Shall my understanding or that of one like me, even when we are overwhelmed by Time, coming in contact with a calamity, suffer itself to be destroyed like a wrecked vessel at sea? 1 Myself, thyself, and all those who will in future become the chiefs of the deities, shall have, O Sakra, to go the way along which hundreds of Indras have gone before thee. When thy hour matures itself, Time will surely destroy thee like me,--thee that art now so invincible and that now blazest with unrivalled splendour. In Time's course many thousands of Indras and of deities have been swept off yuga after yuga. Time, indeed, is irresistible. Having attained to thy present position, thou regardest thyself very highly, even as the Creator of all beings, the divine and eternal Brahman. This position of thine had been attained by many before thee. With none did it prove stable or unending. In consequence, however, of a foolish understanding, thou alone regardest it to be immutable and eternal. Thou trustest in that which is not deserving of trust. Thou deemest that to be eternal which is not eternal. O chief of the deities, one that is overwhelmed and stupefied by Time really regards oneself after this manner. Led by folly thou regardest thy present regal prosperity to be thine. Know, however, that it is never
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stable in respect of either thee or me or others. It had belonged to innumerable persons before thee. Passing over them, it has now become thine. It will stay with thee, O Vasava, for some time and then prove its instability. Like a cow abandoning one drinking ditch for another, it will surely desert thee for somebody else. So many sovereigns have gone before thee that I venture not to make an enumeration. In the future also, O Purandara, innumerable sovereigns will rise after thee. I do not behold those rulers now that had formerly enjoyed this earth with her trees and plants and gems and living creatures and waters and mines. Prithu, Aila, Maya, Bhima, Naraka, Samvara, Aswagriva, Puloman, Swarbhanu, whose standard was of immeasurable height, Prahlada, Namuchi, Daksha, Vipprachitti, Virochana, Hrinisheva, Suhotra, Bhurihan, Pushavat, Vrisha, Satyepsu, Rishava, Vahu, Kapilaswa, Virupaka, Vana, Kartaswara, Vahni, Viswadanshtra, Nairiti, Sankocha, Varitaksha, Varaha, Aswa, Ruchiprabha, Viswajit, Pratirupa, Vrishanda, Vishkara, Madhu, Hiranyakasipu, the Danava Kaitabha, and many others that were Daityas and Danavas and Rakshasas, these and many more unnamed, belonging to remote and remoter ages, great Daityas and foremost of Danavas, whose names we have heard,--indeed, many foremost of Daityas of former times,--having gone away, leaving the Earth. All of them were afflicted by Time. Time proved stronger than all of them. All of them had worshipped the Creator in hundreds of sacrifices. Thou art not the one person that hast done so. All of them were devoted to righteousness and all of them always performed great sacrifices. All of them were capable of roaming through the skies, and all were heroes that never showed their backs in battle. All of them had very strong frames and all had arms that resembled heavy bludgeons. All of them were masters of hundreds of illusions, and all could assume any form they wished. We have never heard that having engaged themselves in battle any of them had ever sustained a defeat. All were firm observers of the vow of truth, and all of them sported as they wished. Devoted to the Vedas and Vedic rites, all of them were possessors of great learning. Possessed of great might, all of them had acquired the highest prosperity and affluence. But none of those high-souled sovereigns had the least tincture of pride in consequence of sovereignty. All of them were liberal, giving unto each what each deserved. All of them behaved properly and duly towards all creatures. All of them were the offspring of Daksha's daughters. Endued with great strength, all were lords of the creation. Scorching all things with the energy all of them blazed with splendour. Yet all of them were swept off by time. As regards thee, O Sakra, it is evident that when thou shalt have, after enjoying the earth, to leave her, thou wilt not be able to control thy grief. Cast off this desire that thou cherishest for objects of affection and enjoyment. Cast off this pride that is born of prosperity. If thou actest in this manner, thou wilt then be able to bear the grief that attends the loss of sovereignty. When the hour of sorrow comes, do not yield to sorrow. Similarly, when the hour of joy comes, do not rejoice. Disregarding both the past and the future, live contentedly with the present. When Time that never sleeps came upon me that had always been heedful of my duties,
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turn thy heart to the ways of peace, O Indra, for that same Time will very soon come over thee! Thou piercest me with thy words, and thou seemest to be bent upon inspiring dread in me. Indeed, finding me collected, thou regardest thy own self very highly. Time had first assailed me. It is even now behind thee. I was at first vanquished by Time. It was for that reason that thou didst afterwards succeed in vanquishing me for which thou roarest in pride thus. Formerly, when I happened to become angry, what person was there on earth that could stand before me in battle? Time, however, is stronger. He has overwhelmed me. It is for this reason, O Vasava, that thou art able to stand before me! Those thousand (celestial years), that are the measure of thy sway, will surely come to an end. Thou shalt then fall and thy limbs will become as miserable as mine now even though I am possessed of mighty energy. I have fallen away from the high place that is occupied by the sovereign of the three worlds. Thou art now the actual Indra in heaven. In this delightful world of living beings, thou art now, in consequence of Time's course, an object of universal adoration. Canst thou say what is that by having done which thou hast become Indra today and what also is that by having done which we have fallen off from the position we had? Time is the one creator and destroyer. Nothing else is cause (in the universe for the production of any effect). Decline, fall, sovereignty, happiness, misery, birth and death,--a learned person by encountering any of these neither rejoices nor indulges in sorrow. Thou, O Indra, knowest us. We also, O Vasava, know thee. Why then dost thou brag in this fashion before me, forgetting, O shameless one, that it is Time that hath made thee what thou art? Thou didst thyself witness what my prowess was in those days. The energy and might I used to display in all my battles, furnish sufficient evidence. The Adityas, the Rudras, the Sadhyas, the Vasus, and the Maruts, O lord of Sachi, were all vanquished by me. Thou knowest it well thyself, O Sakra, that in the great encounter between the gods and the Asuras, the assembled deities were quickly routed by me by the fury of my attack. Mountains with their forests and the denizens that lived in those forests, were repeatedly hurled by us. Many were the mountain summits with craggy edges that I broke on thy head. What, however, can I do now? Time is incapable of being resisted. If it were not so, do not think that I would not have ventured to kill thee with that thunderbolt of thine with even a blow of my fist. The present, however, is not the hour with me for the display of prowess. The hour that hath come is such that I should adopt tranquillity now and tolerate everything. It is for this reason, O Sakra, that I put up with all this insolence of thine. Know, however, that I am less able to bear insolence than even thou. Thou braggest before one who, upon his time having matured, is surrounded on all sides by Time's conflagration and bound strongly in Time's cords. Yonder stands that dark individual who is incapable of being resisted by the world. Of fierce form, he stands there, having bound me like an inferior animal bound with cords. Gain and loss, happiness and misery, lust and wrath, birth and death, captivity and release,--these all one encounters in Time's course. I am not the actor. Thou art not the actor. He is the actor who, indeed, is omnipotent. That Time ripens
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me (for throwing me down) like a fruit that has appeared on a tree. There are certain acts by doing which one person obtains happiness in Time's course. By doing those very acts another obtains misery in the course of Time. Versed as I am with the virtues of Time, it behoves me not to indulge in grief when it is Time that has assailed me. It is for this reason, O Sakra, that I do not grieve. Grief cannot do us any good. The grief of one that indulges in grief never dispels one's calamity. On the other hand, grief destroys one's power. It is for this that I do not indulge in grief.'
"Thus addressed by the chief of the Daityas, he of a hundred sacrifices, viz., the puissant and thousand-eyed chastiser of Paka, restrained his wrath and said these words.'
"Sakra said, 'Beholding this upraised arm of mine, equipped with the thunderbolt, and those nooses of Varuna, who is there whose understanding would not be agitated, including the very Destroyer himself that compasses the death of all beings? Thy understanding, however, so firm and so endued with vision of the truth, hath not been agitated. O thou of invincible prowess, verily, thou art unmoved today in consequence of thy fortitude. Beholding all things in this universe to be fleeting, who is there in it, endued with body, that would venture to repose confidence on either his body or all the objects of his desire? Like thyself I also know that this universe is not eternal, and that it has been thrown into Time's conflagration that is dreadful though hidden from the view, that is continuously burning, and that is truly endless. Every one is assailed here by Time. Nothing among beings that are subtile or gross enjoys an immunity from Time's sway. All things are being cooked in Time's cauldron. Time has no master. Time is ever heedful. Time is always cooking all things within itself. No one who has once entered the domain of Time which is ceaselessly going on, can escape therefrom. All embodied beings may be heedless of Time, but Time is heedful and is broad awake behind them. No one has ever been seen to have driven off Time from him. Ancient and eternal, and the embodiment of justice, Time is uniform in respect of all living creatures. Time cannot be avoided, and there is no retrogression in its course. Like a usurer adding up his interest, Time adds up its subtile portions represented by kalas, and lavas, and kashthas, and kshanas, and months, and days and nights. Like the current of a river washing away a tree whose roots are reached by it, Time, getting at him who says, 'This I will do today but this other act I will do tomorrow' sweeps him away. Time sweeps away one and men exclaim, 'I saw him a little while ago. How has he died?' Wealth, comforts, rank, prosperity, all fall a prey to Time. Approaching every living creature, Time snatches away his life. All things that proudly raise their heads high are destined to fall down. That which is existent is only another form of the non-existent. Everything is transitory and unstable. Such a conviction is, however, difficult to come at. Thy understanding, so firm and endued with true vision, is unmoved. Thou dost not, even mentally, realise what thou wert some time ago. Time that is strong, assailing the universe, cooks it within itself and sweeps away everything without consideration of seniority of years or the reverse. For all that, one that is
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being dragged by Time is unconscious of the noose thrown round one's neck. People, given to jealousy and vanity and cupidity to lust, wrath, and fear, to desire, heedlessness, and pride, suffer themselves to be stupefied. Thou, however, art acquainted with the truth of existence. Thou art possessed of learning and endued with wisdom and penance. Thou beholdest Time as clearly as if it were an emblic myrobalan on the palm of thy hand. O son of Virochana, fully conversant art thou with the topic of Time's conduct. Thou art well-versed in all branches of knowledge. Thou art of cleansed Soul and a thorough master of thy persons. Thou art, for this, an object of affection with all persons endued with wisdom. Thou hast, with thy understanding, fully comprehended the whole universe. Though thou hast enjoyed every kind of happiness, thou art never attached to anything, and hence thou hast not been stained by anything. The qualities of Passion and Darkness do not soil thee for thou hast conquered thy senses. Thou waitest only upon thy Soul which is divested of both joy and sorrow. The friend of all creatures, without animosity, with thy heart set upon tranquillity, beholding thee thus, my heart is inclined to compassion towards thee. I do not desire to afflict an enlightened person like thee by keeping him in an enchained condition. Abstention from injury is the highest religion. I feel compassion towards thee. These nooses of Varuna, with which thou hast been bound, will loosen Time's course in consequence of the misconduct of men. Blessed be thou, O great Asura! When the daughter-in-law will set the aged mother-in-law to work, when the son, through delusion, will command the sire to work for him, when Sudras will have their feet washed by Brahmanas and have sexual congress fearlessly with women of regenerate families, when men will discharge the vital seed into forbidden wombs, when the refuse of houses will begin to be carried upon plates and vessels made of white brass, and when sacrificial offerings intended for the deities will begin to be borne upon forbidden vessels, when all the four orders will transgress all restraints, then these bonds of thine will begin one by one, to loosen. From us thou hast no fear. Wait quietly. Be happy. Be divested of all sorrow. Let thy heart be cheerful. Let no illness be thine.' Having said these words unto him, the divine Indra, having the prince of elephants for his vehicle, left that spot. Having vanquished all the Asuras, the chief of the deities rejoiced in gladness and became the one sole lord of all the worlds. The great Rishis hymned the praises of that lord of all mobile and immobile creatures. The deity of fire once more began to bear the libations of clarified butter that were poured (by all) into his visible form, and the great god took charge of the nectar that was committed to his care. His praises hymned by the foremost of Brahmanas engaged in sacrifices, the lord Indra, blazing with splendour, his wrath pacified, and his heart tranquillised, became gladdened, and returning to his own abode in heaven, began to pass his days in great happiness.'" 1

 

 

The Mahabharata

Book 12
Chapter 228

 

 

Santi Parva

Book 12

1 [vyāsa]
      atha ced rocayed etad druhyeta manasā tathā
      unmajjaṃś ca nimajjaṃś ca jñānavān plavavān bhavet
  2 prajñayā nirmitair dhīrās tārayanty abudhān plavaiḥ
      nābudhās tārayanty anyān ātmānaṃ vā kathaṃ cana
  3 chinnadoṣo munir yogān yukto yuñjīta dvādaśa
      daśa karma sukhān arthān upāyāpāya nirbhayaḥ
  4 cakrur ācāravit prājño manasā darśanena ca
      yacched vān manasī buddhyā ya icchej jñānam uttamam
      jñānena yacched ātmānaṃ ya icchec chāntim ātmanaḥ
  5 eteṣāṃ ced anudrastā puruṣāpi sudāruṇaḥ
      yadi vā sarvavedajño yadi vāpy anṛco 'japaḥ
  6 yadi vā dhārmiko yajvā yadi vā pāpakṛttamaḥ
      yadi vā puruṣavyāghro yadi vā klaivya dhāritā
  7 taraty eva mahādurgaṃ jarāmaraṇasāgaram
      evaṃ hy etena yogena yuñjāno 'py ekam antataḥ
      api jijñāsamāno hi śabdabrahmātivartate
  8 dharmopastho hrīvarūtha upāyāpāya kūvaraḥ
      apānākṣaḥ prāṇa yugaḥ prajñāyur jīva bandhanaḥ
  9 cetanā bandhuraś cārur ācāra grahanemivān
      darśanasparśana vaho ghrāṇaśravaṇa vāhanaḥ
  10 prajñā nābhiḥ sarvatantra pratodo jñānasārathiḥ
     kṣetrajñādhiṣṭhito dhīraḥ śraddhā damapuraḥsaraḥ
 11 tyāgavartmānugaḥ kṣemyaḥ śaucago dhyānagocaraḥ
     jīva yukto ratho divyo brahmaloke virājate
 12 atha saṃtvaramāṇasya ratham etaṃ yuyukṣataḥ
     akṣaraṃ gantumanaso vidhiṃ vakṣyāmi śīghragam
 13 sapta yo dhāraṇāḥ kṛtsnā vāgyataḥ pratipadyate
     pṛṣṭhataḥ pārśvataś cānyā yāvatyas tāḥ pradhāraṇāḥ
 14 kramaśaḥ pārthivaṃ yac ca vāyavyaṃ khaṃ tathā payaḥ
     jyotiṣo yat tad aiśvaryam ahaṃkārasya buddhitaḥ
 15 avyaktasya tathaiśvaryaṃ kramaśaḥ pratipadyate
     vikramāś cāpi yasyaita tathā yuṅkte sa yogataḥ
 16 athāsya yogayuktasya siddhim ātmani paśyataḥ
     nirmathyamānaḥ sūkṣmatvād rūpāṇīmāni darśayet
 17 śaiśiras tu yathā dhūmaḥ sūkṣmaḥ saṃśrayate nabhaḥ
     tathā dehād vimuktasya pūrvarūpaṃ bhavaty uta
 18 atha dhūmasya virame dvitīyaṃ rūpadarśanam
     jalarūpam ivākāśe tatraivātmani paśyati
 19 apāṃ vyatikrame cāpi vahni rūpaṃ prakāśate
     tasminn uparate cāsya pītavastravad iṣyate
     ūrṇā rūpasavarṇaṃ ca tasya rūpaṃ prakāśate
 20 atha śvetāṃ gatiṃ gatvā vāyavyaṃ sūkṣmam apy ajaḥ
     aśuklaṃ cetasaḥ saukṣmyam avyaktaṃ brahmaṇo 'sya vai
 21 eteṣv api hi jāteṣu phalajātāni me śṛṇu
     jātasya pārthivaiśvarye sṛṣṭir iṣṭā vidhīyate
 22 prajāpatir ivākṣobhyaḥ śarīrāt sṛjati prajāḥ
     aṅguly aṅguṣṭha mātreṇa hastapādena vā tathā
 23 pṛthivīṃ kampayaty eko guṇo vāyor iti smṛtaḥ
     ākāśabhūtaś cākāśe savarṇatvāt pranaśyati
 24 varṇato gṛhyate cāpi kāmāt pibati cāśayān
     na cāsya tejasā rūpaṃ dṛśyate śāmyate tathā
 25 ahaṃkārasya vijiter pañcaite syur vaśānugāḥ
     sannām ātmani buddhau ca jitāyāṃ prabhavaty atha
 26 nirdoṣā pratibhā hy enaṃ kṛtsnā samabhivartate
     tathaiva vyaktam ātmānam avyaktaṃ pratipadyate
 27 yato niḥsarate loko bhavati vyaktasaṃjñakaḥ
     tatrāvyaktamayīṃ vyākhyāṃ śṛṇu tvaṃ vistareṇa me
     tathā vyaktamayīṃ caiva saṃkhyāṃ pūrvaṃ nibodha me
 28 pañcaviṃśati tattvāni tulyāny ubhayataḥ samam
     yoge sāṃkhye 'pi ca tathā viśeṣāṃs tatra me śṛṇu
 29 proktaṃ tad vyaktam ity eva jāyate vardhate ca yat
     jīryate mriyate caiva caturbhir lakṣaṇair yutam
 30 viparītam ato yat tu tad abvyaktam udāhṛtam
     dvāv ātmānau ca vedeṣu sidhānteṣv apy udāhṛtau
 31 caturlakṣaṇajaṃ tv anyaṃ catu vargaṃ pracakṣate
     vyaktam avyaktajaṃ caiva tathā buddham athetarat
     sattvaṃ kṣetrajña ity etad dvayam apy anudarśitam
 32 dvāv ātmanau ca vedeṣu viṣayeṣu ca rajyataḥ
     viṣayāt pratisaṃhāraḥ sāṃkhyānāṃ siddhilakṣaṇam
 33 nirmamaś cānahaṃkāro nirdvandvaś chinnasaṃśayaḥ
     naiva krudhyati na dveṣṭi nānṛtā bhāsate giraḥ
 34 ākruṣṭas tāditaś caiva mitreṇa dhyāti nāśubham
     vāg danda karma manasāṃ trayāṇāṃ ca nivartakaḥ
 35 samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu brahmāṇam abhivartate
     naivecchati na cāniccho yātrā mātravyavasthitaḥ
 36 alolupo 'vyatho dānto na kṛtī na nirākṛtiḥ
     nāsyendriyam anekāgraṃ nātikṣipta manorathaḥ
     ahiṃsraḥ sarvabhūtānām īdṛk sāṃkhyo vimucyate
 37 atha yogād vimucyante kāraṇair yair nibodha me
     yogaiśvaryam atikrānto yo 'tikrāmati mucyate
 38 ity eṣā bhāvajā buddhiḥ kathitā te na saṃśayaḥ
     evaṃ bhavati nirdvandvo brahmāṇaṃ cādhigacchati

 

SECTION CCXXVIII

"Yudhishthira said, 'Tell me, O grandsire, the indications of future greatness and future fall in respect of a person.'
"Bhishma said, 'The mind itself, blessed be thou, indicates the premonitory symptoms of one's future prosperity and future fall. In this connection is cited the old story of the discourse between Sree and Sakra. Listen to it, O Yudhishthira! The great ascetic Narada, of energy whose effulgence is as immeasurable as Brahma itself, with sins all destroyed, capable of beholding through the prosperity of his penances both this and the other world at once, and the equal of the celestial Rishis in the region of the Creator, roved according to his pleasure through the triple world. One day, rising up at dawn, he wished to perform his ablutions, and for that purpose went to the river Ganga as she issued out of the pass known by the name of Dhruva and plunged into the stream. 1 At that time the thousand-eyed Indra also, the wielder of the thunderbolt, and the slayer of Samvara and Paka, came to the very bank where Narada was. The Rishi and the deity, both of souls under perfect command, finished their ablutions, and having completed their silent recitations, sat together. They employed the hour in reciting and listening to the excellent narratives told by the great celestial Rishis descriptive of many good and high deeds. Indeed, with concentrated attention the two were engaged in such pleasant discourse on ancient history. 2 While sitting there they beheld the rising Sun casting his thousand rays right before him. Seeing the full orb, both of them stood up and hymned his praises. Just at that time they beheld in the sky, in a direction opposite to that of the rising star of day, some luminous object, resplendent as blazing fire and that seemed to be a second star of day. And they saw, O Bharata, that that luminous object was gradually approaching towards them both. Riding upon Vishnu's vehicle adorned with Garuda and Surya himself, that object blazed forth with unrivalled splendour, and seemed to illumine the three worlds. The object they saw was none other than Sree herself, attended by many Apsaras endued with splendid beauty. Indeed, she looked like a large solar disc herself, possessed of effulgence resembling that of fire. Adorned with ornaments that looked like veritable stars, she wore a wreath that resembled a garland of pearls. Indra saw that goddess called Padma having her habitation in the midst of lotuses. Descending from her foremost of cars, that unrivalled lady began to approach
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towards the lord of the three worlds and the celestial Rishi Narada. Followed by Narada, Maghavat also proceeded towards that lady. With joined hands, he offered himself up to her, and versed as he was with all things, he worshipped her with reverence and sincerity never surpassed. The adorations over, the lord of celestials, O king, addressed Sree in the following words.'
"Sakra said, 'O thou of sweet smiles, who, indeed, art thou and for what business hast thou come here? O thou of fair brows, whence dost thou come and whither wilt thou proceed, O auspicious lady?'
"Sree said, 'In the three worlds full of the seeds of auspiciousness, all creatures, mobile and immobile, strive with their whole hearts to win an association with me. I am that Padma, that Sree decked with lotuses, who sprang from the lotus that blooms at the touch of the rays of Surya, for the prosperity of all creatures. I am called Lakshmi, Bhuti, and Sree, O slayer of Vala! I am Faith, I am Intelligence, I am Affluence, I am Victory, and I am Immutability. I am Patience, I am Success, I am Prosperity. I am Swaha, I am Swadha, I am Reverence, I am Fate, and I am Memory. I dwell at the van and on the standards of victorious and virtuous sovereigns, as also in their homes and cities and dominions. I always reside, O slayer of Vala, with those foremost of men, viz., heroes panting after victory and unretreating from battle. I also reside for ever with persons that are firmly attached to virtue, that are endued with great intelligence, that are devoted to Brahma, that are truthful in speech, that are possessed of humility, and that are liberal. Formerly, I dwelt with the Asuras in consequence of my disposition of being bound by truth and merit Seeing, however, that the Asuras have assumed adverse natures, I have left then and wish to reside in thee.'
"Sakra said, 'O thou of fair face, in consequence of what behaviour of the Asuras didst thou dwell with them? What didst thou see there for which thou hast come hither, having deserted the Daityas and the Danavas?'
"Sree said, I attach myself steadfastly to those that are devoted to the duties of their own order, to those that never fall away from patience, to those that take a pleasure in walking along the path which leads to heaven. I always reside with those that are distinguished for liberality, for study of the scriptures, for sacrifices, for other scriptural rites, and for worship of Pitris, deities, preceptors, seniors, and guests. Formerly, the Danavas used to keep their abodes clean, to keep their women under control, to pour libations on the sacrificial fire, to wait dutifully on their preceptors, to restrain their passions, to be obedient to the Brahmanas, and to be truthful in speech. They were full of faith; they kept their wrath under control; they practised the virtue of charity; they never envied others; they used to maintain their friends and advisers, and their spouses; they were never jealous. Formerly, they never assailed one another, filled with wrath. They were all contented and never felt pain at the sight of other people's affluence and prosperity. They were all charitable and economical; of respectable conduct, and endued with compassion. They were excessively inclined to grace, possessed of simplicity of conduct, steadfast in faith, and had their passions under complete control. They used to keep their servants and
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counsellors contented, and were grateful and endued with sweet speech. They used to serve every one as each deserved in consequence of his position and honour. They were endued with shame. They were of rigid vows. They used to perform their ablutions on every sacred day. They used to smear themselves properly with perfumes and suspicious unguents. They were also to adorn their persons duly. They were observant of fasts and penances, were trustful, and utterers of Vedic hymns. The Sun never rose upon them while they lay asleep. They never outslept the moon. They always abstained from curds and pounded barley. They used every morning to look at clarified butter and other auspicious articles, and with senses withdrawn they used to recite the Vedas and worship Brahmanas with gifts. Their discourse was always virtuous, and they never accepted gifts. They always went to sleep at midnight and never slept during the day. They always used to take pleasure in showing compassion for the distressed, the helpless, the aged, the weak, the sick, and women, and enjoyed all their possessions by sharing these with them. They always used to assume and comfort the agitated, the cheerless, the anxious, the terrified, the diseased, the weak and emaciated, the robbed, and the afflicted. They followed the dictates of virtue and never injured one another. They were ready and well-disposed for action of every kind (that deserved to be accomplished). They used to serve and wait with reverence upon seniors and aged individuals. They duly worshipped Pitris, deities, and guests, and ate every day what was left after gratifying these. They were firmly devoted to truth and penances. None amongst them ate singly any food that was good, and none had congress with other people's wives. As regards compassion, they behaved towards all creatures as towards their own selves. They never allowed the emission of the vital seed into empty space, into inferior animals, into forbidden wombs, or on sacred days. They were always distinguished for gifts, for cleverness, for simplicity, for hopeful exertion, for humility, for friendliness, and for forgiveness. And, O puissant one, truth, charity, penance, purity, compassion, soft speeches and absence of animosity towards friends,--all these were always in them. Slumber, procrastination, fretfulness, envy, and want of foresight, discontent, melancholy, cupidity never assailed them. In consequence of the Danavas having been distinguished for these good qualities, I dwelt with them from the beginning of the creation for many yugas together. Times were altered, and that alteration brought about an alteration in the character of the Danavas. I saw that virtue and morality deserted them and they began to own the sway of lust and wrath. Persons, though themselves inferior in attainments, began to cherish animosities towards seniors in age possessed of superior qualifications, and while the latter, possessed of virtue and merit, used to speak upon proper topics in the midst of assemblies, the former began to ridicule or laugh at them. When reverend seniors in age came, the younger individuals, seated at their ease, refused to adore the former by rising up and saluting them with respect. In the presence of sires, sons began to exercise power (in matters that concerned sires alone). They that were not in receipt of wages accepted service and shamelessly proclaimed the fact, Those
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amongst them that succeeded in amassing great wealth by doing unrighteous and censurable deeds came to be held in esteem. 1 During the night they began to indulge in loud screams and shrieks. Their homa fires ceased to send bright and upward flames. Sons began to lord it over sires, and wives dominated over husbands. Mothers, fathers, aged seniors, preceptors, guests, and guides ceased to command respect for their superior status. People ceased to bring up with affection their own offspring but began to desert them. Without giving away the defined portion in alms and reserving the fixed portion for offering it unto the gods, every one ate what he had. Indeed, without offering their goods to the deities in sacrifices and without sharing them with the Pitris, the gods, guests, and reverend seniors, they appropriated them to their own use shamelessly. Their cooks no longer professed any consideration for purity of mind, deed, and word. They ate what had been left uncovered. Their corn lay scattered in yards, exposed to devastation by crows and rats. Their milk remained exposed, and they began to touch clarified butter with hands unwashed after eating. 2 Their spades, domestic knives, baskets, and dishes and cups of white brass, and other utensils began to lie scattered in their houses. Their housewives abstained from looking after these. They no longer attained to the repairs of their houses and walls. Tethering their animals they abstained from giving them food and drink. 3 Disregarding children that only looked on, and without having fed their dependants, the Danavas ate what they had. They began to prepare payasa and krisara and dishes of meat and cakes and sashkuli (not for gods and guests) but for their own slaves, and commenced to eat the flesh of animals not killed in sacrifices. 4 They used to sleep even after the sun had risen. They made night of their morns. Day and night disputes and quarrels waxed in every house of theirs. They that were not respectable amongst them no longer showed any respect for those that deserve respect while the latter were seated in any place. Fallen off from their defined duties, they ceased to reverence those that had betaken themselves to the woods for leading a life of peace and divine contemplation. Intermixture of castes freely commenced among them. They ceased to attend to purity of person or mind. Brahmanas learned in the Vedas ceased to command respect among them. Those again that were ignorant of Richs were not condemned or punished. Both were treated on a footing of equality, those, that is, that deserved respect and those that deserved no respect. Their servant girls became wicked in behaviour, and began to wear necklaces of
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gold and other ornaments and fine robes, and used to remain in their houses or go away before their very eyes. They began to derive great pleasure from sports and diversions in which their women were dressed as men and their men as women. Those amongst their ancestors that were affluent had made gifts of wealth unto deserving persons. The descendants of the donors, even when in prosperous conditions, began to resume, for their unbelief, those gifts. When difficulties threatened the accomplishment of any purpose and friend sought the counsel of friend, that purpose was frustrated by the latter even if he had any interest of the slightest value to subserve by frustrating it. Amongst even their better classes have appeared traders and dealers in goods, intent upon taking the wealth of others. The Sudras amongst them have taken to the practice of penances. Some amongst them have begun to study, without making any rules for regulating their hours and food. Others have begun to study, making rules that are useless. Disciples have abstained from rendering obedience and service to preceptors. Preceptors again have come to treat disciples as friendly companions. Fathers and mothers are worn out with work, and have abstained from indulging in festivities. Parents in old age, divested of power over sons, have been forced to beg their food of the latter. Amongst them, even persons of wisdom, conversant with the Vedas, and resembling the ocean itself in gravity of deportment, have begun to betake themselves to agriculture and such other pursuits. Persons who are illiterate and ignorant have begun to be fed at Sraddhas. 1 Every morning, disciples, instead of approaching preceptors for making dutiful enquiries for ascertaining what acts awaited accomplishment and for seeking commissions which they are to discharge, are themselves waited upon by preceptors who discharge those functions. Daughters-in-law, in the presence of their husbands' mothers and fathers, rebuke and chastise servants and maids, and summoning their husband's lecture and rebuke them. Sires, with great care, seek to keep sons in good humour, or dividing through fear their wealth among children, live in woe and affliction. 2 Even persons enjoying the friendship of the victims, beholding the latter deprived of wealth in conflagrations or by robbers or by the king, have begun to indulge in laughter from feelings of mockery. They have become ungrateful and unbelieving and sinful and addicted to adulterous congress with even the spouses of their preceptors. They have betaken themselves to eating forbidden food. They have transgressed all bounds and restraints. They have become divested of that splendour which had distinguished them before. In consequence of these and other indications of wicked conduct and the reversal of their former nature, I shall not, O chief of the gods, dwell among them any longer. I have, therefore, come to thee of my own accord. Receive me with respect, O lord of Sachi! Honoured by thee, O chief of the celestials, I shall receive honour from all other deities. There, where
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[paragraph continues] I reside, the seven other goddesses with Jaya for their eighth, who love me, who are inseparably associated with me, and who depend upon me, desire to live. They are Hope, Faith, Intelligence, Contentment, Victory, Advancement, and Forgiveness. She who forms the eighth, viz., Jaya, occupies the foremost place amongst them, O chastiser of Paka. All of them and myself, having deserted the Asuras, have come to thy domains. We shall henceforth reside among the deities who are devoted to righteousness and faith.
"After the goddess had said so, the celestial Rishi Narada, and Vasava, the slayer of Vritra, for gladdening her, offered her a joyful welcome. The god of wind,--that friend of Agni, then began to blow gently through heaven, bearing delicious odours, refreshing all creatures with whom he came into contact, and contributing to the felicity of every one of the senses. All the deities (hearing the news) assembled together in a pure and desirable spot and waited there in expectation of beholding Maghavat seated with Lakshmi beside him. Then the thousand-eyed chief of the gods, accompanied by Sree and his friend the great Rishi, and riding upon a splendid car drawn by green horses, came into that assembly of the celestials, receiving honour from all. Then the great Rishi Narada, whose prowess was known to all the celestials, observing a sign that the wielder of the thunderbolt made and which Sree herself approved of, welcomed the advent of the goddess there and proclaimed it as exceedingly auspicious. Heaven's firmament became clear and bright and began to shower nectar upon the region of the self-born Grandsire. The celestial kettle-drums, though struck by none, began to beat, and all the points of the horizon, becoming clear, seemed ablaze with splendour. Indra began to pour rain upon crops that commenced to appear each at its proper season. No one then deviated from the path of righteousness. The earth became adorned with many mines filled with jewels and gems, and the chant of Vedic recitations and other melodious sounds swelled up on the occasion of that triumph of the celestials. Human beings, endued with firm minds, and all adhering to the auspicious path that is trod by the righteous, began to take pleasure in Vedic and other religious rites and acts. Men and gods and Kinnaras and Yakshas and Rakshasas all became endued with prosperity and cheerfulness. Not a flower,--what need then be said of fruits,--dropped untimely from a tree even if the god of wind shook it with force. All the kine began to yield sweet milk whenever milked by men, and cruel and harsh words ceased to be uttered by any one. They who, from desire of advancement, approach before assemblies of Brahmanas, and read this narrative of the glorification of Sree by all the deities with Indra at their head, deities that are competent to grant every wish,--succeed in winning great prosperity. These then O chief of the Kurus, are the foremost indications of prosperity and adversity. Urged on by thee, I have told thee all. It behoves thee to bear thyself according to the instructions conveyed herein, understanding them after careful reflection!'

 

 

 

Book 12
Chapter 229

 

 

 

1 [vyāsa]
      atha jñānaplavaṃ dhīro gṛhītvā śāntim āsthitaḥ
      unmajjaṃś ca nimajjaṃś ca jñānam evābhisaṃśrayet
  2 [ṣukra]
      kiṃ taj jñānam atho vidyā yayā nistarati dvayam
      pravṛtti lakṣaṇo dharmo nivṛttir iti caiva hi
  3 [vyāsa]
      yas tu paśyet svabhāvena vinābhavam acetanaḥ
      puṣyate ca punaḥ sarvān prajñayā muktahetukaḥ
  4 yeṣāṃ caikānta bhāvena svabhavaḥ kāraṇaṃ matam
      pūtvā tṛṇabusīkāṃ vai te labhante na kiṃ cana
  5 ye cainaṃ pakṣam āśritya vartayanty alpacetasaḥ
      svabhāvaṃ kāraṇaṃ jñātvā na śreyaḥ prāpnuvanti te
  6 svabhāvo hi vināśāya mohakarma mano bhavaḥ
      niruktam etayor etat svabhāvaparabhāvayoḥ
  7 kṛṣyādīni hi karmāṇi sasyasaṃharaṇāni ca
      prajñāvadbhiḥ prakḷptāni yānāsanagṛhāṇi ca
  8 ākrīdānāṃ gṛhāṇāṃ ca gadānām agadasya ca
      prajñāvantaḥ pravaktāro jñānavadbhir anuṣṭhitāḥ
  9 prajñā saṃyojayaty arthaiḥ prajñā śreyo 'dhigacchati
      rājāno bhuñjate rājyaṃ prajñayā tulyalakṣaṇāḥ
  10 pārāvaryaṃ tu bhūtānāṃ jñānenaivopalabhyate
     vidyayā tāta sṛṣṭānāṃ vidyaiva paramā gatiḥ
 11 bhūtānāṃ janma sarveṣāṃ vividhānāṃ caturvidham
     jarayv andam athodbhedaṃ svedaṃ cāpy upalakṣayet
 12 sthāvarebhyo viśiṣṭāni jaṅgamāny upalakṣayet
     upapannaṃ hi yac ceṣṭā viśiṣyeta viśeṣyayoḥ
 13 āhur dvibahu pādāni jaṅgamāni dvayāni ca
     bahu pādbhyo viśiṣṭāni dvipādāni bahūny api
 14 dvipadāni dvayāny āhuḥ pārthivānītarāṇi ca
     pārthivāni viśiṣṭāni tāni hy annāni bhuñjate
 15 pārthivāni dvayāny āhur madhyamāny uttamāni ca
     madhyamāni viśiṣṭāni jātidharmopadhāraṇāt
 16 madhyamāni dvayāny āhur dharmajñānītarāṇi ca
     dharmajñāni viśiṣṭāni kāryākāryopadhāraṇāt
 17 dharmajñāni dvayāny āhur vedajñānītarāṇi ca
     vedajñāni viśiṣṭāni vedo hy eṣu pratiṣṭhitaḥ
 18 vedajñāni dvayāny āhuḥ pravaktṝṇītarāṇi ca
     pravaktṝṇi viśiṣṭāni sarvadharmopadhāraṇāt
 19 vijñāyante hi yair vedāḥ sarvadharmakriyā phalāḥ
     sayajñāḥ sakhilā vedāḥ pravaktṛbhyo viniḥsṛtāḥ
 20 pravaktṝṇi dvayāny āhur ātmajñānītarāṇi ca
     ātmajñāni viśiṣṭāni janmājanmopadhāraṇāt
 21 dharmadvayaṃ hi yo veda sa sarvaḥ sarvadharmavid
     sa tyāgī satyasaṃkalpaḥ sa tu kṣāntaḥ sa īśvaraḥ
 22 dharmajñānapratiṣṭhaṃ hi taṃ devā brāhmaṇaṃ viduḥ
     śabdabrahmaṇi niṣṇātaṃ pare ca kṛtaniścayam
 23 antaḥsthaṃ ca bahiṣṭhaṃ ca ye 'dhiyajñādhivaivatam
     jānanti tān namasyāmas te devās tāta te dvijāḥ
 24 teṣu viśvam idaṃ bhūtaṃ sāgraṃ ca jagad āhitam
     teṣāṃ māhātmyabhāvasya sadṛśaṃ nāsti kiṃ cana
 25 ādiṃ te nidhanaṃ caiva karma cātītya sarvaśaḥ
     caturvidhasya bhūtasya sarvasyeśāḥ svayambhuvaḥ

 

SECTION CCXXIX

"Yudhishthira said, 'By what disposition, what course of duties, what knowledge, and what energy, does one succeed in attaining to Brahma which is immutable and which is beyond the reach of primordial nature.' 1
"Bhishma said, 'One that is engaged in the practice of the religion of nivritti, that eats abstemiously, and that has his senses under complete control, can attain to Brahma which is immutable and which is above primordial nature. In this connection is cited the old narrative, O Bharata, of the discourse between Jaigishavya and Asita. Once on a time Asita-Devala addressed Jaigishavya who was possessed of great wisdom and fully acquainted with the truths of duty and morality.'
"Devala said, 'Thou art not gladdened when praised. Thou dost not give way to wrath when blamed or censured. What, indeed, is thy wisdom? Whence hast thou got it? And what, indeed, is the refuge of that wisdom?'
"Bhishma said, 'Thus questioned by Devala, the pure Jaigishavya of austere penances, said those words of high import, fraught with full faith and profound sense.'
"Jaigishavya said, 'O foremost of Rishis, I shall tell thee of that which is the highest end, that which is the supreme goal, that which is tranquillity, in the estimation of all persons of righteous acts. They, O Devala, who behave uniformly towards those that praise them and those that blame them, they who conceal their own vows and good acts, they who never indulge in recriminations, they who never say even what is good when it is calculated to injure (instead of producing any benefit), they who do not desire to return injury for injury received, are said to be men possessed of wisdom. 2 They never grieve for what is yet to come. They are concerned with only what is before them and acts as they should. They never indulge in sorrow for what is past or even call it to their minds. Possessed of power and regulated minds, they do at their pleasure, according to the way in which it should be done, what waits for them to do in respect of all objects, O Devala, if solicited regardfully thereto. 3 Of mature knowledge, of great wisdom, with wrath under complete control, and with their passions kept under sway, they never do an injury to any one in thought, word, or deed. Destitute of envy, they never injure others, and possessed of self-control, they are never pained at the sight of other people's prosperity. Such men never indulge in exaggerated speeches, or set themselves in praising others, or in speaking ill of them. They are
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again never affected by praise and blame uttered by others in respect of them. They are tranquil in respect of all their desires, and are engaged in the good of all creatures. They never give way to wrath, or indulge in transports of joy, or injure any creature. Untying all the knots of their hearts, they pass on very happily. They have no friends nor are they the friends of others. They have no foes nor are they the foes of other creatures. Indeed, men that can live in this way can pass their days for ever in happiness. O best of regenerate ones, they who acquire a knowledge of the rules of morality and righteousness, and who observe those rules in practice, succeed in winning joy, while they who fall off from the path of righteousness are afflicted by anxieties and sorrow. I have now betaken myself to the path of righteousness. Decried by others, why shall I get annoyed with them, or praised by others, why shall I be pleased? Let men obtain whatsoever objects they please from whatsoever pursuits in which they engage themselves. (I am indifferent to acquisitions and losses). Praise and blame are unable to contribute to my advancement or the reverse. He that has understood the truths of things becomes gratified with even disregard as if it were ambrosia. The man of wisdom is truly annoyed with regard as if it were poison. He who is freed from all faults sleeps fearlessly both here and hereafter even if insulted by others. On the other hand, he who insults him, suffers destruction. Those men of wisdom who seek to attain to the highest end, succeed in obtaining it by observing conduct such as this. The man who has vanquished all his senses is regarded to have performed all the sacrifices. Such a person attains to the highest rung, viz., that of Brahma, which is eternal and which transcends the reach of primordial nature. The very gods, the Gandharvas, the Pisachas, and the Rakshasas, cannot reach the rung which is his who has attained to the highest end.'"

Book 12
Chapter 230

 

 

 

1 [vyāsa]
      eṣā pūrvatarā vṛttir brāhmaṇasya vidhīyate
      jñānavān eva karmāṇi kurvan sarvatra sidhyati
  2 tatra cen na bhaved evaṃ saṃśayaḥ karma niścaye
      kiṃ nu karma svabhāvo 'yaṃ jñānaṃ karmeti vā punaḥ
  3 tatra ceha vivitsā syāj jñānaṃ cet puruṣaṃ prati
      upapattyupalabdhibhyāṃ varṇayiṣyāmi tac chṛṇu
  4 pauruṣaṃ kāraṇaṃ ke cid āhuḥ karmasu mānavāḥ
      daivam eke praśaṃsanti svabhāvaṃ cāpare janāḥ
  5 pauruṣaṃ karma daivaṃ ca phalavṛtti svabhāvataḥ
      trayam etat pṛthag bhūtam avivekaṃ tu ke cana
  6 evam etan na cāpy evam ubhe cāpi na cāpy ubhe
      karmasthāṃ viṣamaṃ brūyuḥ sattvasthāḥ samadarśinaḥ
  7 tretāyāṃ dvāpare caiva kalijāś ca sasaṃśayāḥ
      tapasvinaḥ praśāntāś ca sattvasthāś ca kṛte yuge
  8 apṛthag darśinaḥ sarve ṛk sāmasu yajuḥsuca
      kāmadveṣau pṛthag dṛṣṭvā tapaḥ kṛta upāsate
  9 tapo dharmeṇa saṃyuktas taponityaḥ susaṃśitaḥ
      tena sarvān avāpnoti kāmān yān manasecchati
  10 tapasā tad avāpnoti yad bhūtvā sṛjate jagat
     tad bhūtaś ca tataḥ sarvo bhūtānāṃ bhavati prabhuḥ
 11 tad uktaṃ vedavādeṣu gahanaṃ veda darśibhiḥ
     vedānteṣu punar vyaktaṃ kramayogena lakṣyate
 12 ārambha yajñāḥ kṣatrasya havir yajñā viśaḥ smṛtāḥ
     paricārayajñāḥ śūdrāś ca japayajñā dvijātayaḥ
 13 pariniṣṭhita kāryo hi svādhyāyena dvijo bhavet
     kuryād anyan na vā kuryān maitro brāhmaṇa ucyate
 14 tretādau sakalā vedā yajñā varṇāśramās tathā
     saṃrodhād āyuṣas tv ete vyasyante dvāpare yuge
 15 dvāpare viplavaṃ yānti vedāḥ kaliyuge tathā
     dṛśyante nāpi dṛśyante kaler ante punaḥ punaḥ
 16 utsīdanti svadharmāś ca tatrādharmeṇa pīḍitāḥ
     gavāṃ bhūmeś ca ye cāpām oṣadhīnāṃ ca ye rasāḥ
 17 adharmāntarhitā vedā veda dharmās tathāśramāḥ
     vikriyante svadharmasthā sthāvarāṇi carāṇi ca
 18 yathā sarvāṇi bhūtāni vṛṣṭir bhaumāni varṣati
     sṛjate sarvato 'ṅgāni tathā vedā yuge yuge
 19 visṛtaṃ kālanānātvam anādi nidhanaṃ ca yat
     kīrtitaṃ tat purastān me yataḥ saṃyānti yānti ca
 20 dhātedaṃ prabhava sthānaṃ bhūtānāṃ saṃyamo yamaḥ
     svabhāvena pravartante dvandvasṛṣṭāni bhūriśaḥ
 21 sargaḥ kālo dhṛtir vedāḥ kartā kāryaṃ kriyāphalam
     etat te kathitaṃ tāta yan māṃ tvaṃ paripṛcchasi

 

SECTION CCXXX

"Yudhishthira said, 'What man is there who is dear to all, who gladdens all persons, and who is endued with every merit and every accomplishment?'
"Bhishma said, 'In this connection I shall recite to thee the words that Kesava, asked by Ugrasena, said unto him on a former occasion.'
"Ugrasena said, 'All persons seem to be very solicitous of speaking of the merits of Narada. I think that celestial Rishi, must really be possessed of every kind of merit. I ask thee, tell me this, O Kesava!'
"Vasudeva said, 'O chief of the Kukkuras, listen to me as I mention in brief those good qualities of Narada with which I am acquainted, O king! Narada is as learned in the scriptures as he is good and pious in his conduct. And yet, on account of his conduct, he never cherishes pride that makes one's blood so hot. It is for this reason that he is worshipped everywhere. Discontent, wrath, levity, and fear, these do not exist in Narada. He is free
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from procrastination, and possessed of courage. For this he is worshipped everywhere. Narada deserves the respectful worship of all. He never falls back from his words through desire or cupidity. For this he is worshipped everywhere. He is fully conversant with the principles that lead to the knowledge of the soul, disposed to peace, possessed of great energy, and a master of his senses. He is free from guile, and truthful in speech. For this he is worshipped with respect everywhere. He is distinguished by energy, by fame, by intelligence, by knowledge, by humility, by birth, by penances, and by years. For these he is everywhere worshipped with respect. He is of good behaviour. He dresses and houses himself well. He eats pure food. He loves all. He is pure in body and mind. He is sweet-speeched. He is free from envy and malice. For this he is everywhere worshipped with respect. He is certainly always employed in doing good to all people. No sin dwells in him. He never rejoices at other people's misfortunes. For this he is everywhere worshipped with respect. He always seeks to conquer all earthly desires by listening to Vedic recitations and attending to the Puranas. He is a great renouncer and he never disregards any one. 1 For this he is everywhere worshipped with respect. He casts an equal eye on all; and, therefore, he has no one whom he loves and none whom he hates. He always speaks what is agreeable to the hearer. For this he is everywhere worshipped with respect. He is possessed of great learning in the scriptures. His conversation is varied and delightful. His knowledge and wisdom are great. He is free from cupidity. He is free also from deception. He is large-hearted. He has, conquered wrath and cupidity. For this he is everywhere worshipped with respect. He has never quarrelled with any one for any subject connected with profit or pleasure. All faults have been torn away by him. For this he is everywhere worshipped with respect. His devotion (to Brahma) is firm. His soul is blameless. He is well-versed in the Srutis. He is free from cruelty. He is beyond the influence of delusion or faults. For this he is worshipped everywhere with respect. He is unattached to all such things as are objects of attachment (for others). For all that he seems to be attached to all things. 2 He is never long subject to the influence of any doubt. For this he is everywhere worshipped with respect. He has no yearning for objects connected with profit and pleasure. He never glorifies his own self. He is free from malice. He is mild in speech. For this he is everywhere worshipped with respect. He observes the hearts, different from one another, of all men, without blaming any of them. He is well-versed in all matters
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connected with the origin of things. He never disregards or shows hatred for any kind of science. He lives according to his own standard of morality. He never suffers his time to pass away fruitlessly. His soul is under his control For this he is everywhere worshipped with respect. He has toiled in subjects that deserve the application of toil. He has earned knowledge and wisdom. He is never satiated with yoga. He is always attentive and ready for exertion. He is ever heedful. For this he is everywhere worshipped with respect. He has never to feel shame for any deficiency of his. He is very attentive. He is always engaged by others in accomplishing what is for their good. He never divulges the secrets of others. For this he is everywhere worshipped with respect. He never yields to transports of joy on occasions of making even valuable acquisitions. He is never pained at losses. His understanding is firm and stable. His soul is unattached to all things. For this he is everywhere worshipped with respect. Who, indeed, is there that will not love him who is thus possessed of every merit and accomplishment, who is clever in all things, who is pure in body and mind, who is entirely auspicious, who is well-versed with the course of time and its opportuneness for particular acts, and who is well-acquainted with all agreeable things?'"

 

 (My humble salutations to the lotus feet of Sreeman Brahmasri K M Ganguli ji for the collection)