12.026
Library: Sage Vyasa, taking an example of King Senajit, highlights the importance of time.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
dvaipāyanavacaḥ śrutvā kupite ca dhanañjaye। vyāsamāmantrya kaunteyaḥ pratyuvāca yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ॥12-26-1॥
Hearing the words of Dvaipāyana and seeing Arjuna angry, Yudhiṣṭhira, the son of Kunti, addressed Vyāsa and replied.
na pārthivam idaṃ rājyaṃ na ca bhogāḥ pṛthag-vidhāḥ। prīṇayanti mano me'dya śoko māṃ nardayatya-yam ॥12-26-2॥
Neither this earthly kingdom nor the various enjoyments please my mind today; this grief is tormenting me.
śrutvā ca vīrahīnānām aputrāṇāṃ ca yoṣitām। paridevayamānānāṃ śāntiṃ nopalabhe mune ॥12-26-3॥
O sage, having heard the lamentations of women bereft of heroes and sons, I do not find peace.
ityuktaḥ pratyuvācedaṃ vyāso yogavidāṃ varaḥ। yudhiṣṭhiraṃ mahāprājñaṃ dharmajño vedapāragaḥ ॥12-26-4॥
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.
na karmaṇā labhyate cintayā vā; nāpyasya dātā puruṣasya kaścit. paryāyayogād vihitaṃ vidhātrā; kālena sarvaṃ labhate manuṣyaḥ ॥12-26-5॥
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.
na buddhiśāstrādhyayanena śakyaṃ; prāptuṃ viśeṣairmanujairakāle. mūrkho'pi prāpnoti kadācidarthā; nākālo hi kāryaṃ prati nirviśeṣaḥ ॥12-26-6॥
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.
nābhūtikāle ca phalaṃ dadāti; śilpaṃ na mantrāś ca tathauṣadhāni. tān yeva kālena samāhitāni; sidhyanti cedhyanti ca bhūtikāle ॥12-26-7॥
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.
kālena śīghrāḥ pravivānti vātāḥ; kālena vṛṣṭir jaladān upaiti। kālena padmotpalavaj jalaṃ ca; kālena puṣyanti nagā vaneṣu॥12-26-8॥
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.
kālena kṛṣṇāś ca sitāś ca rātryaḥ; kālena candraḥ paripūrṇabimbaḥ. nākālataḥ puṣpaphalaṃ nagānāṃ; nākālavēgāḥ saritō vahanti ॥12-26-9॥
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.
nākālamattāḥ khagapannagāś ca; mṛgadvipāḥ śailamahāgrahāś ca. nākālataḥ strīṣu bhavanti garbhā; nāyānty akāle śiśiroṣṇavarṣāḥ ॥12-26-10॥
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.
nākālato mriyate jāyate vā; nākālato vyāharate ca bālaḥ। nākālato yauvanam abhyupaiti; nākālato rohati bījam uptam ॥12-26-11॥
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.
nākālato bhānurupaiti yogaṃ; nākālato'staṃ girimabhyupaiti। nākālato vardhate hīyate ca; candraḥ samudraśca mahormimālī ॥12-26-12॥
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.
atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam। gītaṃ rājñā senajitā duḥkhārtena yudhiṣṭhira ॥12-26-13॥
Here too, O Yudhiṣṭhira, an ancient story is cited, which was spoken by King Senajit when he was afflicted with sorrow.
sarvāneva eṣa paryāyaḥ martyān spṛśati dustaraḥ। kālena paripakvā hi mriyante sarva-mānavāḥ ॥12-26-14॥
This inevitable cycle, difficult to overcome, affects all mortals; in time, all humans, once matured, surely perish.
ghnanti cānyān narā rājan tān apy anye narās tathā। sañjñaiṣā laukikī rājan na hinasti na hanyate ॥12-26-15॥
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.
hantīti manyate kaścin na hantītyapi cāpare। svabhāvatastu niyatau bhūtānāṃ prabhavāpyayau ॥12-26-16॥
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.
naṣṭe dhane vā dāre vā putre pitari vā mṛte। aho kaṣṭamiti dhyāyañśokasyāpacitiṃ caret ॥12-26-17॥
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.
sa kiṃ śocasi mūḍhaḥ sañśocyaḥ kimanuśocasi। paśya duḥkheṣu duḥkhāni bhayeṣu ca bhayānyapi ॥12-26-18॥
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.
ātmāpi cāyaṃ na mama sarvāpi pṛthivī mama। yathā mama tathānyeṣāmiti paśyanna muhyati ॥12-26-19॥
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.
śokasthānasahasrāṇi harṣasthānaśatāni ca। divase divase mūḍham āviśanti na paṇḍitam॥12-26-20॥
Every day, thousands of reasons for sorrow and hundreds of reasons for joy affect the foolish, but not the wise.
evametāni kālena priyadveṣyāṇi bhāgaśaḥ। jīveṣu parivartante duḥkhāni ca sukhāni ca ॥12-26-21॥
Thus, over time, the things that are liked and disliked change in portions among living beings; both sorrows and pleasures keep alternating.
duḥkhamevāsti na sukhaṃ tasmāttadupalabhyate। tṛṣṇārtiprabhavaṃ duḥkhaṃ duḥkhārtiprabhavaṃ sukham ॥12-26-22॥
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.
sukhasyānantaraṃ duḥkhaṃ duḥkhasyānantaraṃ sukham। na nityaṃ labhate duḥkhaṃ na nityaṃ labhate sukham ॥12-26-23॥
Sorrow follows happiness, and happiness follows sorrow. One does not always experience sorrow, nor does one always experience happiness.
sukham-ante hi duḥkhānāṃ duḥkham-ante sukhasya ca। tasmād etad dvayaṃ jahyād ya icchet śāśvatam sukham ॥12-26-24॥
Happiness follows sorrow, and sorrow follows happiness. Therefore, whoever seeks lasting happiness should give up both joy and sorrow.
yannimittaṃ bhavecchokastāpo vā duḥkhamūrcchitaḥ। āyāso vāpi yanmūlastadekāṅgamapi tyajet ॥12-26-25॥
Whatever is the cause of sorrow, affliction, pain, or exertion, even if it is only one part, that root should be abandoned.
sukhaṃ vā yadi vā duḥkhaṃ priyaṃ vā yadi vāpriyam। prāptaṃ prāptamupāsīta hṛdayenāparājitaḥ ॥12-26-26॥
Whether happiness or sorrow, whether something dear or not dear is attained, one should accept whatever comes with an unconquered heart.
īṣad apy aṅga dārāṇāṃ putrāṇāṃ vā carāpriyam। tato jñāsyasi kaḥ kasya kena vā katham eva vā ॥12-26-27॥
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.
ye ca mūḍhatamā loke ye ca buddheḥ paraṃ gatāḥ। ta eva sukhame dhante madhyaḥ kleśena yujyate ॥12-26-28॥
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.
ity abravīn mahāprājño yudhiṣṭhira sa senajit। parāvarajño lokasya dharmavit sukhaduḥkhavit ॥12-26-29॥
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.
sukhī parasya yo duḥkhe na jātu sa sukhī bhavet। duḥkhānāṃ hi kṣayo nāsti jāyate hyaparātparam ॥12-26-30॥
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.
sukhaṃ ca duḥkhaṃ ca bhavābhavau ca; lābhālābhau maraṇaṃ jīvitaṃ ca. paryāyaśaḥ sarvam iha spṛśanti; tasmād dhīro naiva hṛṣyenn kupyeta ॥12-26-31॥
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.
dīkṣāṃ yajñe pālanaṃ yuddham āhuḥ; yogaṃ rāṣṭre daṇḍanityā ca samyak। vittatyāgaṃ dakṣiṇānāṃ ca yajñe; samyagjñānaṃ pāvanānīti vidyāt ॥12-26-32॥
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.
rakṣan rāṣṭraṃ buddhipūrvaṃ nayena; santyaktātmā yajñaśīlo mahātmā. sarvāṃl lokān dharmamūrtyā caraṃś ca; pūrdhvaṃ dehān modate devaloke ॥12-26-33॥
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.
jitvā saṅgrāmān pālayitvā ca rāṣṭraṃ; somaṃ pītvā vardhayitvā prajāś ca. yuktyā daṇḍaṃ dhārayitvā prajānāṃ; yuddhe kṣīṇo modate devaloke ॥12-26-34॥
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.
samyagvedān prāpya śāstrāṇy adhītya; samyagrāṣṭraṃ pālayitvā ca rājā। cāturvarṇyaṃ sthāpayitvā svadharme; pūtātmā vai modate devaloke ॥12-26-35॥
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.
yasya vṛttaṃ namasyanti svargasthasyāpi mānavāḥ। paurajānapadāmātyāḥ sa rājā rājasattamaḥ ॥12-26-36॥
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.
