12.017
Library: Yudhishthira advises his brothers and Draupadi on truth.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhishthira said:
असन्तोषः प्रमादश्च मदो रागोऽप्रशान्तता। बलं मोहोऽभिमानश्च उद्वेगश्चापि सर्वशः ॥१२-१७-१॥
Non-contentment, negligence, arrogance, attachment, restlessness, strength, delusion, pride, and agitation—all these are found entirely.
एभिः पाप्मभिराविष्टो राज्यं त्वमभिकाङ्क्षसि। निरामिषो विनिर्मुक्तः प्रशान्तः सुसुखी भव ॥१२-१७-२॥
You are overcome by these sins and desire the kingdom. Be free from desire, completely liberated, peaceful, and truly happy.
य इमामखिलां भूमिं शिष्यादेको महीपतिः। तस्याप्युदरमेवैकं किमिदं त्वं प्रशंससि ॥१२-१७-३॥
Even if a single king were to conquer this entire earth, he still has only one belly to fill; so what is it that you praise so much?
नाह्ना पूरयितुं शक्या न मासेन नरर्षभ। अपूर्यां पूरयन्निच्छामायुषापि न शक्नुयात् ॥१२-१७-४॥
O best of men, it is not possible to fill (it) in a day or even in a month; even if one desires to fill the unfillable with a lifetime, one could not accomplish it.
यथेद्धः प्रज्वलत्यग्निरसमिद्धः प्रशाम्यति। अल्पाहारतया त्वग्निं शमयौदर्यमुत्थितम् ॥ जयोदरं पृथिव्या ते श्रेयो निर्जितया जितम् ॥१२-१७-५॥
Just as a fire, though kindled, is extinguished if not fed, so by eating little, subdue the hunger that arises in the belly. Conquering your belly is better for you than conquering the whole earth.
मानुषान्कामभोगांस्त्वमैश्वर्यं च प्रशंससि। अभोगिनोऽबलाश्चैव यान्ति स्थानमनुत्तमम् ॥१२-१७-६॥
You praise humans, sensual enjoyments, and sovereignty; but those who abstain from enjoyment and the powerless indeed attain the highest state.
योगक्षेमौ च राष्ट्रस्य धर्माधर्मौ त्वयि स्थितौ। मुच्यस्व महतो भारात्त्यागमेवाभिसंश्रय ॥१२-१७-७॥
Both acquisition and preservation, as well as the kingdom's righteousness and unrighteousness, rest upon you. Free yourself from this great burden; truly, seek refuge in renunciation.
एकोदरकृते व्याघ्रः करोति विघसं बहु। तमन्येऽप्युपजीवन्ति मन्दवेगञ्चरा मृगाः ॥१२-१७-८॥
The tiger, hunting only to fill its own belly, leaves much leftover food; other slow-moving deer also survive on those remains.
विषयान्प्रतिसंहृत्य संन्यासं कुरुते यतिः। न च तुष्यन्ति राजानः पश्य बुद्ध्यन्तरं यथा ॥१२-१७-९॥
When the ascetic withdraws from sense objects and practices renunciation, the kings are still not satisfied—see how the difference in understanding works.
पत्राहारैरश्मकुट्टैर्दन्तोलूखलिकैस्तथा। अब्भक्षैर्वायुभक्षैश्च तैरयं नरको जितः ॥१२-१७-१०॥
This hell is conquered by those who live on leaves, grind with stones, use their teeth as mortars, and by those who subsist on water and air.
यश्चेमां वसुधां कृत्स्नां प्रशासेदखिलां नृपः। तुल्याश्मकाञ्चनो यश्च स कृतार्थो न पार्थिवः ॥१२-१७-११॥
Even if a king rules the whole earth, only he who regards stone and gold as equal is truly fulfilled, not merely a king.
सङ्कल्पेषु निरारम्भो निराशो निर्ममो भव। विशोकं स्थानमातिष्ठ इह चामुत्र चाव्ययम् ॥१२-१७-१२॥
Be without undertaking, hope, or possessiveness in your intentions. Remain in a state free from sorrow, both here and in the hereafter, and in the imperishable.
निरामिषा न शोचन्ति शोचसि त्वं किमामिषम्। परित्यज्यामिषं सर्वं मृषावादात्प्रमोक्ष्यसे ॥१२-१७-१३॥
Those who are free from desire do not grieve; why do you grieve for the object of desire? If you abandon all desire, you will be freed from falsehood.
पन्थानौ पितृयानश्च देवयानश्च विश्रुतौ। ईजानाः पितृयानेन देवयानेन मोक्षिणः ॥१२-१७-१४॥
The two well-known paths, the path of the ancestors and the path of the gods, are followed by those who perform sacrifices; by these paths, they attain liberation.
तपसा ब्रह्मचर्येण स्वाध्यायेन च पाविताः। विमुच्य देहान्वै भान्ति मृत्योरविषयं गताः ॥१२-१७-१५॥
Purified by austerity, celibacy, and self-study, having been freed from their bodies, they shine, having reached a state beyond the domain of death.
आमिषं बन्धनं लोके कर्मेहोक्तं तथामिषम्। ताभ्यां विमुक्तः पाशाभ्यां पदमाप्नोति तत्परम् ॥१२-१७-१६॥
In this world, meat is considered bondage, and desire for action is also regarded as such. One who is freed from both these fetters attains that supreme state.
अपि गाथामिमां गीतां जनकेन वदन्त्युत। निर्द्वंद्वेन विमुक्तेन मोक्षं समनुपश्यता ॥१२-१७-१७॥
Indeed, they say that this verse, sung by Janaka, is spoken by one who is free from dualities, liberated, and who thoroughly perceives liberation.
अनन्तं बत मे वित्तं यस्य मे नास्ति किञ्चन। मिथिलायां प्रदीप्तायां न मे दह्यति किञ्चन ॥१२-१७-१८॥
Truly, my wealth is infinite, for I possess nothing. Even if Mithilā is ablaze, nothing of mine is consumed.
प्रज्ञाप्रासादमारुह्य नशोच्याञ्शोचतो जनान्। जगतीस्थानिवाद्रिस्थो मन्दबुद्धीनवेक्षते ॥१२-१७-१९॥
Having ascended the palace of wisdom, he looks upon the people grieving for those not to be grieved, just as one standing on a mountain looks at those of dull intellect on the earth.
दृश्यं पश्यति यः पश्यन्स चक्षुष्मान्स बुद्धिमान्। अज्ञातानां च विज्ञानात्सम्बोधाद्बुद्धिरुच्यते ॥१२-१७-२०॥
He who, seeing the visible, is endowed with eyes and wisdom, is called wise. Intellect is said to arise from knowledge and from the complete understanding of the unknown.
यस्तु वाचं विजानाति बहुमानमियात्स वै। ब्रह्मभावप्रसूतानां वैद्यानां भावितात्मनाम् ॥१२-१७-२१॥
But one who understands speech should truly show great respect to those physicians who are born from the state of Brahman and whose souls are purified.
यदा भूतपृथग्भावमेकस्थमनुपश्यति। तत एव च विस्तारं ब्रह्म सम्पद्यते तदा ॥१२-१७-२२॥
When one sees the separate existences of beings as rooted in the One and their expansion from That alone, then one attains Brahman.
ते जनास्तां गतिं यान्ति नाविद्वांसोऽल्पचेतसः। नाबुद्धयो नातपसः सर्वं बुद्धौ प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥१२-१७-२३॥
Those people reach that state; the ignorant, those of little intelligence, the unwise, and those without austerity do not. Everything is established in the intellect.
