12.026
Library: Sage Vyasa, taking an example of King Senajit, highlights the importance of time.
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
द्वैपायनवचः श्रुत्वा कुपिते च धनञ्जये। व्यासमामन्त्र्य कौन्तेयः प्रत्युवाच युधिष्ठिरः ॥१२-२६-१॥
Hearing the words of Dvaipāyana and seeing Arjuna angry, Yudhiṣṭhira, the son of Kunti, addressed Vyāsa and replied.
न पार्थिवमिदं राज्यं न च भोगाः पृथग्विधाः। प्रीणयन्ति मनो मेऽद्य शोको मां नर्दयत्ययम् ॥१२-२६-२॥
Neither this earthly kingdom nor the various enjoyments please my mind today; this grief is tormenting me.
श्रुत्वा च वीरहीनानामपुत्राणां च योषिताम्। परिदेवयमानानां शान्तिं नोपलभे मुने ॥१२-२६-३॥
O sage, having heard the lamentations of women bereft of heroes and sons, I do not find peace.
इत्युक्तः प्रत्युवाचेदं व्यासो योगविदां वरः। युधिष्ठिरं महाप्राज्ञं धर्मज्ञो वेदपारगः ॥१२-२६-४॥
Thus addressed, Vyāsa, the foremost among those who know Yoga, replied to Yudhiṣṭhira, who was greatly wise, a knower of Dharma, and one who had mastered the Vedas.
न कर्मणा लभ्यते चिन्तया वा; नाप्यस्य दाता पुरुषस्य कश्चित्। पर्याययोगाद्विहितं विधात्रा; कालेन सर्वं लभते मनुष्यः ॥१२-२६-५॥
This is not attained by action or by thought, nor is there any person who can give it. Whatever is ordained by the Creator, a human being obtains everything in due time through the conjunction of circumstances.
न बुद्धिशास्त्राध्ययनेन शक्यं; प्राप्तुं विशेषैर्मनुजैरकाले। मूर्खोऽपि प्राप्नोति कदाचिदर्था; न्कालो हि कार्यं प्रति निर्विशेषः ॥१२-२६-६॥
It is not possible to achieve results at the wrong time even by the study of intellect or treatises by special men. Even a fool sometimes attains his objectives; for time, with regard to action, makes no distinction.
नाभूतिकाले च फलं ददाति; शिल्पं न मन्त्राश्च तथौषधानि। तान्येव कालेन समाहितानि; सिध्यन्ति चेध्यन्ति च भूतिकाले ॥१२-२६-७॥
In times of misfortune, neither fruits, nor arts, nor mantras, nor medicines yield results; only when the proper time arrives and they are rightly applied do they succeed and flourish in times of prosperity.
कालेन शीघ्राः प्रविवान्ति वाताः; कालेन वृष्टिर्जलदानुपैति। कालेन पद्मोत्पलवज्जलं च; कालेन पुष्यन्ति नगा वनेषु ॥१२-२६-८॥
With time, swift winds arise; with time, rain comes from the clouds. With time, water becomes like lotuses and water-lilies; with time, trees flourish in the forests.
कालेन कृष्णाश्च सिताश्च रात्र्यः; कालेन चन्द्रः परिपूर्णबिम्बः। नाकालतः पुष्पफलं नगानां; नाकालवेगाः सरितो वहन्ति ॥१२-२६-९॥
With time, nights become dark and bright; with time, the moon becomes full. Flowers and fruits on trees do not appear out of season, nor do rivers flow out of season.
नाकालमत्ताः खगपन्नगाश्च; मृगद्विपाः शैलमहाग्रहाश्च। नाकालतः स्त्रीषु भवन्ति गर्भा; नायान्त्यकाले शिशिरोष्णवर्षाः ॥१२-२६-१०॥
Birds and serpents, beasts and elephants, mountains and great crocodiles do not become intoxicated out of season; pregnancies do not arise in women at the wrong time; cold, heat, and rains do not come out of season.
नाकालतो म्रियते जायते वा; नाकालतो व्याहरते च बालः। नाकालतो यौवनमभ्युपैति; नाकालतो रोहति बीजमुप्तम् ॥१२-२६-११॥
No one dies or is born before their destined time; a child does not speak before the right time. Youth does not arrive before its time; a sown seed does not sprout before its destined time.
नाकालतो भानुरुपैति योगं; नाकालतोऽस्तं गिरिमभ्युपैति। नाकालतो वर्धते हीयते च; चन्द्रः समुद्रश्च महोर्मिमाली ॥१२-२६-१२॥
The sun never reaches conjunction or sets behind the mountain at the wrong time; nor do the moon and the ocean with great waves ever increase or decrease at the wrong time.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। गीतं राज्ञा सेनजिता दुःखार्तेन युधिष्ठिर ॥१२-२६-१३॥
Here too, O Yudhiṣṭhira, an ancient story is cited, which was spoken by King Senajit when he was afflicted with sorrow.
सर्वानेवैष पर्यायो मर्त्यान्स्पृशति दुस्तरः। कालेन परिपक्वा हि म्रियन्ते सर्वमानवाः ॥१२-२६-१४॥
This inevitable cycle, difficult to overcome, affects all mortals; in time, all humans, once matured, surely perish.
घ्नन्ति चान्यान्नरा राजंस्तानप्यन्ये नरास्तथा। सञ्ज्ञैषा लौकिकी राजन्न हिनस्ति न हन्यते ॥१२-२६-१५॥
O king, men kill other men, and likewise, other men kill them as well. This is merely a worldly designation, O king; it neither injures nor is injured.
हन्तीति मन्यते कश्चिन्न हन्तीत्यपि चापरे। स्वभावतस्तु नियतौ भूतानां प्रभवाप्ययौ ॥१२-२६-१६॥
Some think, "He kills"; others say, "He does not kill." But in reality, the origin and dissolution of beings are determined by their own nature.
नष्टे धने वा दारे वा पुत्रे पितरि वा मृते। अहो कष्टमिति ध्यायञ्शोकस्यापचितिं चरेत् ॥१२-२६-१७॥
When one loses wealth, wife, son, or when the father dies, if one keeps thinking 'Alas, how distressing!' in this way, one only increases sorrow.
स किं शोचसि मूढः सञ्शोच्यः किमनुशोचसि। पश्य दुःखेषु दुःखानि भयेषु च भयान्यपि ॥१२-२६-१८॥
O deluded one, why do you grieve? Why do you lament for one who is worthy of grief? See, there are sufferings in sufferings, and fears even in fears.
आत्मापि चायं न मम सर्वापि पृथिवी मम। यथा मम तथान्येषामिति पश्यन्न मुह्यति ॥१२-२६-१९॥
Even this self is not mine, nor is all this earth mine. Just as it is mine, so it is for others—seeing thus, one is not deluded.
शोकस्थानसहस्राणि हर्षस्थानशतानि च। दिवसे दिवसे मूढमाविशन्ति न पण्डितम् ॥१२-२६-२०॥
Every day, thousands of reasons for sorrow and hundreds of reasons for joy affect the foolish, but not the wise.
एवमेतानि कालेन प्रियद्वेष्याणि भागशः। जीवेषु परिवर्तन्ते दुःखानि च सुखानि च ॥१२-२६-२१॥
Thus, over time, the things that are liked and disliked change in portions among living beings; both sorrows and pleasures keep alternating.
दुःखमेवास्ति न सुखं तस्मात्तदुपलभ्यते। तृष्णार्तिप्रभवं दुःखं दुःखार्तिप्रभवं सुखम् ॥१२-२६-२२॥
Only suffering truly exists, not happiness; therefore, that alone is found. Suffering is born from the affliction of craving, and happiness is born from the affliction of suffering.
सुखस्यानन्तरं दुःखं दुःखस्यानन्तरं सुखम्। न नित्यं लभते दुःखं न नित्यं लभते सुखम् ॥१२-२६-२३॥
Sorrow follows happiness, and happiness follows sorrow. One does not always experience sorrow, nor does one always experience happiness.
सुखमन्ते हि दुःखानां दुःखमन्ते सुखस्य च। तस्मादेतद्द्वयं जह्याद्य इच्छेच्छाश्वतं सुखम् ॥१२-२६-२४॥
Happiness follows sorrow, and sorrow follows happiness. Therefore, whoever seeks lasting happiness should give up both joy and sorrow.
यन्निमित्तं भवेच्छोकस्तापो वा दुःखमूर्छितः। आयासो वापि यन्मूलस्तदेकाङ्गमपि त्यजेत् ॥१२-२६-२५॥
Whatever is the cause of sorrow, affliction, pain, or exertion, even if it is only one part, that root should be abandoned.
सुखं वा यदि वा दुःखं प्रियं वा यदि वाप्रियम्। प्राप्तं प्राप्तमुपासीत हृदयेनापराजितः ॥१२-२६-२६॥
Whether happiness or sorrow, whether something dear or not dear is attained, one should accept whatever comes with an unconquered heart.
ईषदप्यङ्ग दाराणां पुत्राणां वा चराप्रियम्। ततो ज्ञास्यसि कः कस्य केन वा कथमेव वा ॥१२-२६-२७॥
O dear, even a little displeasure from wives, sons, or a servant—then you will know who belongs to whom, by whom, or how indeed, or in what way.
ये च मूढतमा लोके ये च बुद्धेः परं गताः। त एव सुखमेधन्ते मध्यः क्लेशेन युज्यते ॥१२-२६-२८॥
Those who are the most deluded in the world and those who have transcended intellect—only they attain happiness. The one in the middle is afflicted with suffering.
इत्यब्रवीन्महाप्राज्ञो युधिष्ठिर स सेनजित्। परावरज्ञो लोकस्य धर्मवित्सुखदुःखवित् ॥१२-२६-२९॥
Thus the greatly wise Yudhishthira, also called Senajit, who knows the higher and lower, the ways of the world, dharma, and both happiness and sorrow, spoke.
सुखी परस्य यो दुःखे न जातु स सुखी भवेत्। दुःखानां हि क्षयो नास्ति जायते ह्यपरात्परम् ॥१२-२६-३०॥
One who does not rejoice in another's suffering can never truly be happy. For, indeed, there is no end to suffering; from one, a greater suffering arises.
सुखं च दुःखं च भवाभवौ च; लाभालाभौ मरणं जीवितं च। पर्यायशः सर्वमिह स्पृशन्ति; तस्माद्धीरो नैव हृष्येन्न कुप्येत् ॥१२-२६-३१॥
Happiness and sorrow, existence and non-existence, gain and loss, death and life — all these touch everyone here in turn; therefore, the wise person should neither rejoice nor become angry.
दीक्षां यज्ञे पालनं युद्धमाहु; र्योगं राष्ट्रे दण्डनीत्या च सम्यक्। वित्तत्यागं दक्षिणानां च यज्ञे; सम्यग्ज्ञानं पावनानीति विद्यात् ॥१२-२६-३२॥
One should know that initiation is for sacrifice, protection is for battle, discipline is for the kingdom through the policy of punishment, proper abandonment of wealth and gifts is for sacrifice, and true knowledge is purifying.
रक्षन्राष्ट्रं बुद्धिपूर्वं नयेन; सन्त्यक्तात्मा यज्ञशीलो महात्मा। सर्वाँल्लोकान्धर्ममूर्त्या चरंश्चा; प्यूर्ध्वं देहान्मोदते देवलोके ॥१२-२६-३३॥
He who protects the kingdom with foresight and policy, who has renounced self-interest, is devoted to sacrifice, and is great-souled, moves among all worlds as the embodiment of dharma, and after leaving the body, rejoices in the world of the gods.
जित्वा सङ्ग्रामान्पालयित्वा च राष्ट्रं; सोमं पीत्वा वर्धयित्वा प्रजाश्च। युक्त्या दण्डं धारयित्वा प्रजानां; युद्धे क्षीणो मोदते देवलोके ॥१२-२६-३४॥
After conquering battles and protecting the kingdom, drinking Soma and increasing his subjects, and upholding justice with strategy, one who is exhausted in battle rejoices in the world of the gods.
सम्यग्वेदान्प्राप्य शास्त्राण्यधीत्य; सम्यग्राष्ट्रं पालयित्वा च राजा। चातुर्वर्ण्यं स्थापयित्वा स्वधर्मे; पूतात्मा वै मोदते देवलोके ॥१२-२६-३५॥
Having properly acquired the Vedas and studied the śāstras, and having properly protected his kingdom, the king who establishes the fourfold order in accordance with his own duty, being pure-souled, indeed rejoices in the world of the gods.
यस्य वृत्तं नमस्यन्ति स्वर्गस्थस्यापि मानवाः। पौरजानपदामात्याः स राजा राजसत्तमः ॥१२-२६-३६॥
He whose conduct is revered by men even after he has gone to heaven—by citizens, countrymen, and ministers—he is truly the king, the best among kings.
