11.007
Pancharatra-Ext: Allegory of chariot and how one can attain Brahman!
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच॥
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca॥
[धृतराष्ट्र (dhṛtarāṣṭra) - Dhritarashtra; उवाच (uvāca) - said;]
(Dhritarashtra said:)
Dhritarashtra said:
अहोऽभिहितमाख्यानं भवता तत्त्वदर्शिना। भूय एव तु मे हर्षः श्रोतुं वागमृतं तव ॥११-७-१॥
aho'bhihitamākhyānaṃ bhavatā tattvadarśinā। bhūya eva tu me harṣaḥ śrotuṃ vāgamṛtaṃ tava ॥11-7-1॥
[अहो (aho) - oh; अभिहितम् (abhihitam) - spoken; आख्यानम् (ākhyānam) - narrative; भवता (bhavatā) - by you; तत्त्वदर्शिना (tattvadarśinā) - by the seer of truth; भूयः (bhūyaḥ) - again; एव (eva) - indeed; तु (tu) - but; मे (me) - my; हर्षः (harṣaḥ) - joy; श्रोतुम् (śrotum) - to hear; वागमृतम् (vāgamṛtam) - nectar of speech; तव (tava) - your;]
(Oh, the narrative spoken by you, the seer of truth. Again indeed, but my joy is to hear your nectar of speech.)
Oh, the story you have spoken, O seer of truth! My joy increases again and again to hear the nectar of your words.
विदुर उवाच॥
vidura uvāca॥
[विदुर (vidura) - Vidura; उवाच (uvāca) - said;]
(Vidura said:)
Vidura said:
शृणु भूयः प्रवक्ष्यामि मार्गस्यैतस्य विस्तरम्। यच्छ्रुत्वा विप्रमुच्यन्ते संसारेभ्यो विचक्षणाः ॥११-७-२॥
śṛṇu bhūyaḥ pravakṣyāmi mārgasyaitasya vistaram। yacchrutvā vipramucyante saṃsārebhyo vicakṣaṇāḥ ॥11-7-2॥
[शृणु (śṛṇu) - listen; भूयः (bhūyaḥ) - again; प्रवक्ष्यामि (pravakṣyāmi) - I shall explain; मार्गस्य (mārgasya) - of the path; एतस्य (etasya) - of this; विस्तरम् (vistaram) - in detail; यत् (yat) - which; श्रुत्वा (śrutvā) - having heard; विप्रमुच्यन्ते (vipramucyante) - are completely liberated; संसारेभ्यः (saṃsārebhyaḥ) - from worldly existence; विचक्षणाः (vicakṣaṇāḥ) - the wise;]
(Listen again, I shall explain in detail the path of this; which, having heard, the wise are completely liberated from worldly existence.)
Listen once more as I explain in detail this path, which, when heard, frees the wise from the bonds of worldly existence.
यथा तु पुरुषो राजन्दीर्घमध्वानमास्थितः। क्वचित्क्वचिच्छ्रमात्स्थाता कुरुते वासमेव वा ॥११-७-३॥
yathā tu puruṣo rājan dīrgham adhvānam āsthitaḥ। kvacit kvacit śramāt sthātā kurute vāsam eva vā॥11-7-3॥
[यथा (yathā) - just as; तु (tu) - but; पुरुषः (puruṣaḥ) - a man; राजन् (rājan) - O king; दीर्घम् (dīrgham) - long; अध्वानम् (adhvānam) - journey; आस्थितः (āsthitaḥ) - having undertaken; क्वचित् (kvacit) - at some place; क्वचित् (kvacit) - at another place; श्रमात् (śramāt) - from fatigue; स्थाता (sthātā) - one who stands; कुरुते (kurute) - does; वासम् (vāsam) - rest; एव (eva) - indeed; वा (vā) - or;]
(Just as, but, a man, O king, having undertaken a long journey, at some place, at another place, from fatigue, one who stands, does, rest, indeed, or.)
O king, just as a man who has undertaken a long journey, at some places or at others, due to fatigue, either stands or takes rest.
एवं संसारपर्याये गर्भवासेषु भारत। कुर्वन्ति दुर्बुधा वासं मुच्यन्ते तत्र पण्डिताः ॥११-७-४॥
evaṃ saṃsāraparyāye garbhavāseṣu bhārata। kurvanti durbudhā vāsaṃ mucyante tatra paṇḍitāḥ ॥11-7-4॥
[एवं (evaṃ) - thus; संसारपर्याये (saṃsāraparyāye) - in the cycle of transmigration; गर्भवासेषु (garbhavāseṣu) - in wombs; भारत (bhārata) - O Bhārata; कुर्वन्ति (kurvanti) - do (they) make; दुर्बुधा (durbudhā) - the ignorant; वासं (vāsaṃ) - residence; मुच्यन्ते (mucyante) - are released; तत्र (tatra) - there; पण्डिताः (paṇḍitāḥ) - the wise;]
(Thus, in the cycle of transmigration, in wombs, O Bhārata, the ignorant make residence; there, the wise are released.)
O Bhārata, thus, in the cycle of rebirth, the ignorant take residence in wombs, but the wise are liberated from there.
तस्मादध्वानमेवैतमाहुः शास्त्रविदो जनाः। यत्तु संसारगहनं वनमाहुर्मनीषिणः ॥११-७-५॥
tasmād adhvānam eva etam āhuḥ śāstra-vido janāḥ। yat tu saṃsāra-gahanaṃ vanam āhur manīṣiṇaḥ॥11-7-5॥
[तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore; अध्वानम् (adhvānam) - path; एव (eva) - indeed; एतम् (etam) - this; आहुः (āhuḥ) - they call; शास्त्रविदः (śāstra-vidaḥ) - knowers of scripture; जनाः (janāḥ) - people; यत् (yat) - which; तु (tu) - but; संसारगहनम् (saṃsāra-gahanam) - dense forest of worldly existence; वनम् (vanam) - forest; आहुः (āhuḥ) - they call; मनीषिणः (manīṣiṇaḥ) - the wise;]
(Therefore, the knowers of scripture call this indeed the path, but the wise call the dense forest of worldly existence a forest.)
Therefore, those who know the scriptures call this the path, but the wise call the dense forest of worldly existence a forest.
सोऽयं लोकसमावर्तो मर्त्यानां भरतर्षभ। चराणां स्थावराणां च गृध्येत्तत्र न पण्डितः ॥११-७-६॥
so'yaṃ lokasamāvarto martyānāṃ bharatarṣabha. carāṇāṃ sthāvarāṇāṃ ca gṛdhyet tatra na paṇḍitaḥ ॥11-7-6॥
[सः (saḥ) - he; अयम् (ayam) - this; लोकसमावर्तः (lokasamāvartaḥ) - worldly cycle; मर्त्यानाम् (martyānām) - of mortals; भरतर्षभ (bharatarṣabha) - O best of Bharatas; चराणाम् (carāṇām) - of moving beings; स्थावराणाम् (sthāvarāṇām) - of stationary beings; च (ca) - and; गृध्येत् (gṛdhyet) - should covet; तत्र (tatra) - there; न (na) - not; पण्डितः (paṇḍitaḥ) - the wise one;]
(He, this worldly cycle of mortals, O best of Bharatas, of moving and stationary beings, should not be coveted there by the wise one.)
O best of Bharatas, this worldly cycle of mortals, of moving and stationary beings, should not be coveted by the wise.
शारीरा मानसाश्चैव मर्त्यानां ये तु व्याधयः। प्रत्यक्षाश्च परोक्षाश्च ते व्यालाः कथिता बुधैः ॥११-७-७॥
śārīrā mānasāścaiva martyānāṃ ye tu vyādhayaḥ। pratyakṣāśca parokṣāśca te vyālāḥ kathitā budhaiḥ॥11-7-7॥
[शारीरा (śārīrā) - bodily; मानसाः (mānasāḥ) - mental; च (ca) - and; एव (eva) - indeed; मर्त्यानाम् (martyānām) - of mortals; ये (ye) - which; तु (tu) - but; व्याधयः (vyādhayaḥ) - diseases; प्रत्यक्षाः (pratyakṣāḥ) - manifest; च (ca) - and; परोक्षाः (parokṣāḥ) - hidden; च (ca) - and; ते (te) - they; व्यालाः (vyālāḥ) - serpents; कथिताः (kathitāḥ) - are called; बुधैः (budhaiḥ) - by the wise;]
(Bodily and mental diseases of mortals, which are manifest and hidden, they are called serpents by the wise.)
The wise say that the bodily and mental diseases of mortals, whether manifest or hidden, are like serpents.
क्लिश्यमानाश्च तैर्नित्यं हन्यमानाश्च भारत। स्वकर्मभिर्महाव्यालैर्नोद्विजन्त्यल्पबुद्धयः ॥११-७-८॥
kliśyamānāś ca tair nityaṃ hanyamānāś ca bhārata। svakarmabhir mahāvyālair nodvijanty alpabuddhayaḥ ॥11-7-8॥
[क्लिश्यमानाः (kliśyamānāḥ) - being afflicted; च (ca) - and; तैः (taiḥ) - by them; नित्यं (nityaṃ) - constantly; हन्यमानाः (hanyamānāḥ) - being struck; च (ca) - and; भारत (bhārata) - O Bhārata; स्वकर्मभिः (svakarmabhiḥ) - by their own actions; महाव्यालैः (mahāvyālaiḥ) - by great serpents; न (na) - not; उद्विजन्ति (udvijanti) - do they fear; अल्पबुद्धयः (alpabuddhayaḥ) - those of little intelligence;]
(Being afflicted and constantly struck by them, O Bhārata, by their own actions and by great serpents, those of little intelligence do not fear.)
O Bhārata, those of little intelligence, though constantly afflicted and struck by their own actions and by great serpents, do not feel any fear.
अथापि तैर्विमुच्येत व्याधिभिः पुरुषो नृप। आवृणोत्येव तं पश्चाज्जरा रूपविनाशिनी ॥११-७-९॥
athāpi tair vimucyeta vyādhibhiḥ puruṣo nṛpa। āvṛṇotyeva taṃ paścāj jarā rūpavināśinī ॥11-7-9॥
[अथ (atha) - now; अपि (api) - even; तैः (taiḥ) - by them; विमुच्येत (vimucyeta) - might be freed; व्याधिभिः (vyādhibhiḥ) - from diseases; पुरुषः (puruṣaḥ) - a man; नृप (nṛpa) - O king; आवृणोति (āvṛṇoti) - covers; एव (eva) - indeed; तं (taṃ) - him; पश्चात् (paścāt) - afterwards; जरा (jarā) - old age; रूपविनाशिनी (rūpavināśinī) - destroyer of beauty;]
(Now, even if a man, O king, might be freed from those diseases, afterwards old age, the destroyer of beauty, indeed covers him.)
O king, even if a man is freed from those diseases, afterwards old age, which destroys beauty, inevitably overtakes him.
शब्दरूपरसस्पर्शैर्गन्धैश्च विविधैरपि। मज्जमानं महापङ्के निरालम्बे समन्ततः ॥११-७-१०॥
śabda-rūpa-rasa-sparśair gandhaiś ca vividhair api। majjamānaṃ mahā-paṅke nirālambhe samantataḥ ॥11-7-10॥
[शब्द (śabda) - sound; रूप (rūpa) - form; रस (rasa) - taste; स्पर्शैः (sparśaiḥ) - by touches; गन्धैः (gandhaiḥ) - by smells; च (ca) - and; विविधैः (vividhaiḥ) - by various; अपि (api) - even; मज्जमानं (majjamānam) - sinking; महापङ्के (mahā-paṅke) - in great mud; निरालम्बे (nirālambhe) - unsupported; समन्ततः (samantataḥ) - on all sides;]
(By sound, form, taste, touches, and even by various smells, (one is) sinking in great mud, unsupported on all sides.)
Surrounded on all sides, unsupported, one sinks into the great mire by sound, form, taste, touch, and various smells.
संवत्सरर्तवो मासाः पक्षाहोरात्रसन्धयः। क्रमेणास्य प्रलुम्पन्ति रूपमायुस्तथैव च ॥११-७-११॥
saṃvatsarartavo māsāḥ pakṣāhorātrasandhayaḥ। krameṇāsya pralumpanti rūpam āyus tathaiva ca ॥11-7-11॥
[संवत्सर (saṃvatsara) - year; ऋतवः (ṛtavaḥ) - seasons; मासाः (māsāḥ) - months; पक्षाः (pakṣāḥ) - fortnights; अहोरात्र (ahorātra) - days and nights; सन्धयः (sandhayaḥ) - junctions; क्रमेण (krameṇa) - in order; अस्य (asya) - of him; प्रलुम्पन्ति (pralumpanti) - destroy; रूपम् (rūpam) - form; आयुः (āyuḥ) - life; तथैव (tathaiva) - in the same way; च (ca) - and;]
(Year, seasons, months, fortnights, days and nights, junctions, in order, of him, destroy, form, life, in the same way, and.)
The year, seasons, months, fortnights, days and nights, and their junctions, in order, gradually destroy his form and life in the same way.
एते कालस्य निधयो नैताञ्जानन्ति दुर्बुधाः। अत्राभिलिखितान्याहुः सर्वभूतानि कर्मणा ॥११-७-१२॥
ete kālasya nidhayo naitāñjānanti durbudhāḥ। atrābhilikhitānyāhuḥ sarvabhūtāni karmaṇā ॥11-7-12॥
[एते (ete) - these; कालस्य (kālasya) - of time; निधयः (nidhayaḥ) - treasures; न (na) - not; एतान् (etān) - these; जानन्ति (jānanti) - know; दुर्बुधाः (durbudhāḥ) - foolish people; अत्र (atra) - here; अभिलिखितानि (abhilikhitāni) - recorded; आहुः (āhuḥ) - they say; सर्वभूतानि (sarvabhūtāni) - all beings; कर्मणा (karmaṇā) - by action;]
(These are the treasures of time; the foolish do not know these. Here, it is said that all beings are recorded by action.)
These are the treasures of time, but the foolish do not understand them. Here, it is said that all beings are recorded by their actions.
रथं शरीरं भूतानां सत्त्वमाहुस्तु सारथिम्। इन्द्रियाणि हयानाहुः कर्म बुद्धिश्च रश्मयः ॥११-७-१३॥
rathaṃ śarīraṃ bhūtānāṃ sattvam āhus tu sārathim | indriyāṇi hayān āhuḥ karma buddhiś ca raśmayaḥ ||11-7-13||
[रथम् (ratham) - chariot; शरीरम् (śarīram) - body; भूतानाम् (bhūtānām) - of beings; सत्त्वम् (sattvam) - mind; आहुः (āhuḥ) - they say; तु (tu) - but; सारथिम् (sārathim) - charioteer; इन्द्रियाणि (indriyāṇi) - senses; हयान् (hayān) - horses; आहुः (āhuḥ) - they say; कर्म (karma) - action; बुद्धिः (buddhiḥ) - intellect; च (ca) - and; रश्मयः (raśmayaḥ) - reins;]
(They say the body of beings is the chariot, the mind is the charioteer, the senses are said to be the horses, action is the reins, and intellect.)
They say that the body is the chariot for beings, the mind is the charioteer, the senses are the horses, action is the reins, and intellect guides all.
तेषां हयानां यो वेगं धावतामनुधावति। स तु संसारचक्रेऽस्मिंश्चक्रवत्परिवर्तते ॥११-७-१४॥
teṣāṃ hayānāṃ yo vegaṃ dhāvatām anudhāvati। sa tu saṃsāracakre'smiṃś cakravat parivartate ॥11-7-14॥
[तेषाम् (teṣām) - of those; हयानाम् (hayānām) - of the horses; यः (yaḥ) - who; वेगम् (vegam) - speed; धावताम् (dhāvatām) - of the running; अनुधावति (anudhāvati) - chases after; सः (saḥ) - he; तु (tu) - but; संसारचक्रे (saṃsāracakre) - in the wheel of worldly existence; अस्मिन् (asmin) - in this; चक्रवत् (cakravat) - like a wheel; परिवर्तते (parivartate) - revolves;]
(He who chases after the speed of those running horses, he indeed revolves in this wheel of worldly existence like a wheel.)
He who pursues the speed of those running horses keeps revolving in the cycle of worldly existence, just like a wheel.
यस्तान्यमयते बुद्ध्या स यन्ता न निवर्तते। याम्यमाहू रथं ह्येनं मुह्यन्ते येन दुर्बुधाः ॥११-७-१५॥
yastānyamayate buddhyā sa yantā na nivartate। yāmyamāhū rathaṃ hyenaṃ muhyante yena durbudhāḥ ॥11-7-15॥
[यः (yaḥ) - who; तानि (tāni) - those; अयते (ayate) - restrains; बुद्ध्या (buddhyā) - with intellect; सः (saḥ) - he; यन्ता (yantā) - controller; न (na) - not; निवर्तते (nivartate) - turns back; याम्यम् (yāmyam) - the chariot; आहुः (āhuḥ) - they call; रथम् (ratham) - chariot; हि (hi) - indeed; एनम् (enam) - this; मुह्यन्ते (muhyante) - are deluded; येन (yena) - by whom; दुर्बुधाः (durbudhāḥ) - the unintelligent;]
(Who restrains those (senses) with intellect, he is the controller, does not turn back. The chariot, indeed, they call this; by whom the unintelligent are deluded.)
He who restrains those (senses) with his intellect is called the true charioteer and does not fall back. This body is called the chariot, and those who lack understanding are deluded by it.
स चैतत्प्राप्नुते राजन्यत्त्वं प्राप्तो नराधिप। राज्यनाशं सुहृन्नाशं सुतनाशं च भारत ॥११-७-१६॥
sa caitatprāpnute rājanyatvaṃ prāpto narādhipa। rājyanāśaṃ suhṛnnāśaṃ sutanāśaṃ ca bhārata ॥11-7-16॥
[स (sa) - he; च (ca) - and; एतत् (etat) - this; प्राप्नुते (prāpnute) - obtains; राजन्यत्त्वं (rājanyatvaṃ) - royal status; प्राप्तः (prāptaḥ) - having attained; नराधिप (narādhipa) - king; राज्यनाशं (rājyanāśaṃ) - loss of kingdom; सुहृत्-नाशं (suhṛt-nāśaṃ) - loss of friends; सुत-नाशं (suta-nāśaṃ) - loss of sons; च (ca) - and; भारत (bhārata) - O Bhārata;]
(He and this obtains royal status, having attained kingship; loss of kingdom, loss of friends, loss of sons and, O Bhārata.)
He who attains royal status, O Bhārata, also faces the loss of his kingdom, friends, and sons.
अनुतर्षुलमेवैतद्दुःखं भवति भारत। साधुः परमदुःखानां दुःखभैषज्यमाचरेत् ॥११-७-१७॥
anutarṣulam evaitad duḥkhaṃ bhavati bhārata. sādhuḥ paramaduḥkhānāṃ duḥkhabhaiṣajyam ācaret ॥11-7-17॥
[अनुतर्षुलम् (anutarṣulam) - without envy; एव (eva) - indeed; एतत् (etat) - this; दुःखम् (duḥkham) - suffering; भवति (bhavati) - arises; भारत (bhārata) - O Bhārata; साधुः (sādhuḥ) - the virtuous one; परमदुःखानाम् (paramaduḥkhānām) - of those with great suffering; दुःखभैषज्यम् (duḥkhabhaiṣajyam) - remedy for suffering; आचरेत् (ācaret) - should practice;]
(Indeed, O Bhārata, this suffering arises only from lack of envy. The virtuous one should practice the remedy for suffering of those with great suffering.)
O Bhārata, suffering arises only when there is no envy. The virtuous person should practice the remedy for the suffering of those who are greatly afflicted.
न विक्रमो न चाप्यर्थो न मित्रं न सुहृज्जनः। तथोन्मोचयते दुःखाद्यथात्मा स्थिरसंयमः ॥११-७-१८॥
na vikramo na cāpyartho na mitraṃ na suhṛj-janaḥ। tathonmocayate duḥkhād yathātmā sthirasaṃyamaḥ ॥11-7-18॥
[न (na) - not; विक्रमः (vikramaḥ) - valor; न (na) - not; च (ca) - and; अपि (api) - also; अर्थः (arthaḥ) - wealth; न (na) - not; मित्रम् (mitram) - friend; न (na) - not; सुहृत्-जनः (suhṛt-janaḥ) - well-wishing person; तथा (tathā) - thus; उन्मोचयते (unmocayate) - releases; दुःखात् (duḥkhāt) - from sorrow; यथा (yathā) - as; आत्मा (ātmā) - self; स्थिर-संयमः (sthira-saṃyamaḥ) - firm self-control;]
(Neither valor, nor even wealth, nor friend, nor well-wishing person thus releases from sorrow as does the self with firm self-control.)
Neither valor, nor wealth, nor friends, nor even well-wishers can free one from sorrow as effectively as one's own steadfast self-control.
तस्मान्मैत्रं समास्थाय शीलमापद्य भारत। दमस्त्यागोऽप्रमादश्च ते त्रयो ब्रह्मणो हयाः ॥११-७-१९॥
tasmān maitraṃ samāsthāya śīlam āpadya bhārata। damaḥ tyāgaḥ apramādaḥ ca te trayaḥ brahmaṇaḥ hayāḥ॥11-7-19॥
[तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore; मैत्रम् (maitram) - friendliness; समास्थाय (samāsthāya) - having adopted; शीलम् (śīlam) - conduct; आपद्य (āpadya) - having attained; भारत (bhārata) - O Bhārata; दमः (damaḥ) - self-control; त्यागः (tyāgaḥ) - renunciation; अप्रमादः (apramādaḥ) - vigilance; च (ca) - and; ते (te) - these; त्रयः (trayaḥ) - three; ब्रह्मणः (brahmaṇaḥ) - of Brahman; हयाः (hayāḥ) - horses;]
(Therefore, having adopted friendliness as conduct, O Bhārata, self-control, renunciation, and vigilance—these three are the horses of Brahman.)
Therefore, O Bhārata, adopt friendliness as your conduct. Self-control, renunciation, and vigilance—these three are considered the horses of Brahman.
शीलरश्मिसमायुक्ते स्थितो यो मानसे रथे। त्यक्त्वा मृत्युभयं राजन्ब्रह्मलोकं स गच्छति ॥११-७-२०॥
śīlaraśmisamāyukte sthito yo mānase rathe। tyaktvā mṛtyubhayam rājan brahmalokaṃ sa gacchati ॥11-7-20॥
[शील (śīla) - virtue; रश्मि (raśmi) - rays; समायुक्ते (samāyukte) - endowed with; स्थितः (sthitaḥ) - situated; यः (yaḥ) - who; मानसे (mānase) - in the mind; रथे (rathe) - in the chariot; त्यक्त्वा (tyaktvā) - having abandoned; मृत्यु (mṛtyu) - death; भयम् (bhayam) - fear; राजन् (rājan) - O king; ब्रह्मलोकम् (brahmalokam) - the world of Brahma; सः (saḥ) - he; गच्छति (gacchati) - goes;]
(He who, endowed with the rays of virtue, is situated in the chariot of the mind, having abandoned the fear of death, O king, he goes to the world of Brahma.)
O king, he who is established in the chariot of the mind, endowed with the rays of virtue, and who has given up the fear of death, attains the world of Brahma.
