12.009
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhishthira said:
मुहूर्तं तावदेकाग्रो मनःश्रोत्रेऽन्तरात्मनि। धारयित्वापि ते श्रुत्वा रोचतां वचनं मम ॥१२-९-१॥
For a moment, focus your mind and ear, hold your attention within, and after listening, may my words be pleasing to you.
सार्थगम्यमहं मार्गं न जातु त्वत्कृते पुनः। गच्छेयं तद्गमिष्यामि हित्वा ग्राम्यसुखान्युत ॥१२-९-२॥
I will never again take the well-traveled road for your sake; I will go that way, having left behind all worldly pleasures.
क्षेम्यश्चैकाकिना गम्यः पन्थाः कोऽस्तीति पृच्छ माम्। अथ वा नेच्छसि प्रष्टुमपृच्छन्नपि मे शृणु ॥१२-९-३॥
Ask me which is the safe path that can be traversed alone. Or, if you do not wish to ask, then even without asking, listen to me.
हित्वा ग्राम्यसुखाचारं तप्यमानो महत्तपः। अरण्ये फलमूलाशी चरिष्यामि मृगैः सह ॥१२-९-४॥
Having given up the ways of worldly pleasure, I will practice great austerity in the forest, living on fruits and roots, together with the deer.
जुह्वानोऽग्निं यथाकालमुभौ कालावुपस्पृशन्। कृशः परिमिताहारश्चर्मचीरजटाधरः ॥१२-९-५॥
He offered oblations to fire at the proper times, purified himself at both periods, was thin due to measured food, and wore skin, bark garments, and matted hair.
शीतवातातपसहः क्षुत्पिपासाश्रमक्षमः। तपसा विधिदृष्टेन शरीरमुपशोषयन् ॥१२-९-६॥
He endured cold, wind, and heat, was capable of bearing hunger, thirst, and fatigue, and by performing austerities as prescribed, he dried up his body.
मनःकर्णसुखा नित्यं शृण्वन्नुच्चावचा गिरः। मुदितानामरण्येषु वसतां मृगपक्षिणाम् ॥१२-९-७॥
He always delighted in hearing the various calls of joyful animals and birds living in the forests, which were pleasing to his mind and ears.
आजिघ्रन्पेशलान्गन्धान्फुल्लानां वृक्षवीरुधाम्। नानारूपान्वने पश्यन्रमणीयान्वनौकसः ॥१२-९-८॥
He smelled the pleasant scents of the blooming trees and creepers, and saw the various beautiful forms of the forest-dwellers in the forest.
वानप्रस्थजनस्यापि दर्शनं कुलवासिनः। नाप्रियाण्याचरिष्यामि किं पुनर्ग्रामवासिनाम् ॥१२-९-९॥
Even householders should not do anything unpleasant to the forest-dwellers; how much more so to the village-dwellers.
एकान्तशीली विमृशन्पक्वापक्वेन वर्तयन्। पितॄन्देवांश्च वन्येन वाग्भिरद्भिश्च तर्पयन् ॥१२-९-१०॥
He, being solitary and reflective, lived on both ripe and unripe food, and satisfied the ancestors and gods with offerings of forest produce, words, and water.
एवमारण्यशास्त्राणामुग्रमुग्रतरं विधिम्। सेवमानः प्रतीक्षिष्ये देहस्यास्य समापनम् ॥१२-९-११॥
Thus, by observing the most severe rules of the forest scriptures, I shall wait for the end of this body.
अथ वैकोऽहमेकाहमेकैकस्मिन्वनस्पतौ। चरन्भैक्ष्यं मुनिर्मुण्डः क्षपयिष्ये कलेवरम् ॥१२-९-१२॥
Now, indeed, I shall live alone, spending each day in a different tree, wandering for alms, and as a shaven-headed sage, I shall gradually wear away my body.
पांसुभिः समवच्छन्नः शून्यागारप्रतिश्रयः। वृक्षमूलनिकेतो वा त्यक्तसर्वप्रियाप्रियः ॥१२-९-१३॥
Covered with dust, residing in an empty house or at the root of a tree, having renounced all attachments and aversions.
न शोचन्न प्रहृष्यंश्च तुल्यनिन्दात्मसंस्तुतिः। निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा निर्द्वंद्वो निष्परिग्रहः ॥१२-९-१४॥
One who neither grieves nor rejoices, who is equal in blame and self-praise, who is free from expectation and possessiveness, who is established in freedom from dualities and acquisition.
आत्मारामः प्रसन्नात्मा जडान्धबधिराकृतिः। अकुर्वाणः परैः काञ्चित्संविदं जातु केनचित् ॥१२-९-१५॥
He delights in his own Self, his mind is serene, and he appears as if dull, blind, and deaf. He never engages in any communication with anyone at any time.
जङ्गमाजङ्गमान्सर्वान्नविहिंसंश्चतुर्विधान्। प्रजाः सर्वाः स्वधर्मस्थाः समः प्राणभृतः प्रति ॥१२-९-१६॥
One should not harm any moving or non-moving beings of all four kinds; all creatures, established in their own duties, should be equal towards all living beings.
न चाप्यवहसन्कञ्चिन्न कुर्वन्भ्रुकुटीं क्वचित्। प्रसन्नवदनो नित्यं सर्वेन्द्रियसुसंयतः ॥१२-९-१७॥
He never laughed at anyone, nor did he ever frown; he was always cheerful and had complete control over all his senses.
अपृच्छन्कस्यचिन्मार्गं व्रजन्येनैव केनचित्। न देशं न दिशं काञ्चिद्गन्तुमिच्छन्विशेषतः ॥१२-९-१८॥
He did not ask anyone about the path, and as he went, he did not particularly wish to go to any country or direction.
गमने निरपेक्षश्च पश्चादनवलोकयन्। ऋजुः प्रणिहितो गच्छंस्त्रसस्थावरवर्जकः ॥१२-९-१९॥
While going, he is indifferent, does not look back, proceeds straight and intent, avoiding both moving and unmoving beings.
स्वभावस्तु प्रयात्यग्रे प्रभवन्त्यशनान्यपि। द्वंद्वानि च विरुद्धानि तानि सर्वाण्यचिन्तयन् ॥१२-९-२०॥
But one's own nature proceeds forward; even foods arise; and all those pairs of opposites, disregarding them.
अल्पं वास्वादु वा भोज्यं पूर्वालाभेन जातु चित्। अन्येष्वपि चरँल्लाभमलाभे सप्त पूरयन् ॥१२-९-२१॥
Whether the food is little or pleasant, or whatever is obtained previously, at any time; even while moving among others, in gain and loss, fulfilling the seven (obligations).
विधूमे न्यस्तमुसले व्यङ्गारे भुक्तवज्जने। अतीतपात्रसञ्चारे काले विगतभिक्षुके ॥१२-९-२२॥
When there is no smoke, the pestle is set aside, the fire is out, people have eaten, the bowl is put away, and the mendicant has left.
एककालं चरन्भैक्ष्यं गृहे द्वे चैव पञ्च च। स्पृहापाशान्विमुच्याहं चरिष्यामि महीमिमाम् ॥१२-९-२३॥
I will wander this earth, seeking alms at one time in two or five houses, having freed myself from the bonds of desire.
न जिजीविषुवत्किञ्चिन्न मुमूर्षुवदाचरन्। जीवितं मरणं चैव नाभिनन्दन्न च द्विषन् ॥१२-९-२४॥
He acted neither with the desire to live nor the wish to die; he neither rejoiced in life nor hated death.
वास्यैकं तक्षतो बाहुं चन्दनेनैकमुक्षतः। नाकल्याणं न कल्याणं चिन्तयन्नुभयोस्तयोः ॥१२-९-२५॥
He carved one arm for the fragrance, anointed the other with sandalwood, thinking neither of the inauspicious nor the auspicious in either case.
याः काश्चिज्जीवता शक्याः कर्तुमभ्युदयक्रियाः। सर्वास्ताः समभित्यज्य निमेषादिव्यवस्थितः ॥१२-९-२६॥
He abandoned all actions of prosperity that could be accomplished by living, and remained motionless even for the time of a wink.
तेषु नित्यमसक्तश्च त्यक्तसर्वेन्द्रियक्रियः। सुपरित्यक्तसङ्कल्पः सुनिर्णिक्तात्मकल्मषः ॥१२-९-२७॥
Among them, always unattached, having renounced all actions of the senses, with all resolves well abandoned, and with the impurities of the self thoroughly cleansed.
विमुक्तः सर्वसङ्गेभ्यो व्यतीतः सर्ववागुराः। न वशे कस्यचित्तिष्ठन्सधर्मा मातरिश्वनः ॥१२-९-२८॥
Freed from all attachments and beyond all snares, not under anyone's control, he abides with the same nature as Mātariśvan, the Wind.
वीतरागश्चरन्नेवं तुष्टिं प्राप्स्यामि शाश्वतीम्। तृष्णया हि महत्पापमज्ञानादस्मि कारितः ॥१२-९-२९॥
Living in this way, free from passion, I will attain everlasting contentment. Truly, it is because of desire that I have been made to commit great sin out of ignorance.
कुशलाकुशलान्येके कृत्वा कर्माणि मानवाः। कार्यकारणसंश्लिष्टं स्वजनं नाम बिभ्रति ॥१२-९-३०॥
Some people, after performing good and bad deeds, carry those called their own relatives, who are bound together by cause and effect.
आयुषोऽन्ते प्रहायेदं क्षीणप्रायं कलेवरम्। प्रतिगृह्णाति तत्पापं कर्तुः कर्मफलं हि तत् ॥१२-९-३१॥
At the end of life, when this body is almost exhausted and abandoned, the doer receives the result of his actions, which is indeed his own sin.
एवं संसारचक्रेऽस्मिन्व्याविद्धे रथचक्रवत्। समेति भूतग्रामोऽयं भूतग्रामेण कार्यवान् ॥१२-९-३२॥
Thus, in this wheel of saṃsāra, scattered like a chariot wheel, this group of beings comes together with other beings, driven by their actions.
जन्ममृत्युजराव्याधिवेदनाभिरुपद्रुतम्। असारमिममस्वन्तं संसारं त्यजतः सुखम् ॥१२-९-३३॥
Happiness comes to one who abandons this restless, unsubstantial worldly existence, which is afflicted by birth, death, old age, disease, and suffering.
दिवः पतत्सु देवेषु स्थानेभ्यश्च महर्षिषु। को हि नाम भवेनार्थी भवेत्कारणतत्त्ववित् ॥१२-९-३४॥
Among those who fall from heaven, among the gods, from their places, and among the great sages, who indeed would truly be a seeker, a knower of the principle of cause?
कृत्वा हि विविधं कर्म तत्तद्विविधलक्षणम्। पार्थिवैर्नृपतिः स्वल्पैः कारणैरेव बध्यते ॥१२-९-३५॥
Indeed, after performing various actions of different kinds, the king is bound by other kings even for small reasons.
तस्मात्प्रज्ञामृतमिदं चिरान्मां प्रत्युपस्थितम्। तत्प्राप्य प्रार्थये स्थानमव्ययं शाश्वतं ध्रुवम् ॥१२-९-३६॥
Therefore, after a long time, this nectar of wisdom has come to me. Having attained that, I request the imperishable, eternal, and fixed abode.
एतया सततं वृत्त्या चरन्नेवम्प्रकारया। देहं संस्थापयिष्यामि निर्भयं मार्गमास्थितः ॥१२-९-३७॥
By always following this way of conduct, behaving thus, I will establish my body without fear, having taken up the path.
