12.111
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
kliśyamāneṣu bhūteṣu taistairbhāvaistatastataḥ। durgāṇyatitaredyena tanme brūhi pitāmaha ॥12-111-1॥
O grandsire, tell me that means by which one may overcome the various difficulties that arise among beings afflicted by different conditions.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
āśrameṣu yathokteṣu yathoktaṃ ye dvijātayaḥ। vartante saṃyatātmāno durgāṇyatitaraṇti te ॥12-111-2॥
Those twice-born who live in the prescribed āśramas as instructed, with self-control, overcome difficulties.
ye dambhānna japanti sma yeṣāṃ vṛttiśca saṃvṛtā। viṣayāṃśca nigṛhṇanti durgāṇyatitaraṇti te ॥12-111-3॥
Those who do not recite out of hypocrisy, whose conduct is restrained, and who restrain sense-objects, they cross over difficulties.
vāsayantyatithīnnityaṃ nityaṃ ye cānasūyakāḥ। nityaṃ svādhyāyaśīlāśca durgāṇyatitaranti te ॥12-111-4॥
Those who always welcome guests, are ever free from envy, and are always devoted to self-study, they overcome all difficulties.
mātāpitirośca ye vṛttiṃ vartante dharmakovidāḥ। varjayanti divāsvapnaṃ durgāṇyatitaraṇti te ॥12-111-5॥
Those who are well-versed in dharma, who follow the conduct of their mother and father and avoid sleeping during the day, overcome all difficulties.
sveṣu dāreṣu vartante nyāyavṛtteṣvṛtāvṛtau। agnihotraparāḥ santo durgāṇyatitaranti te ॥12-111-6॥
Those who conduct themselves with their own wives, in righteousness and truth, devoted to Agnihotra, such good people overcome difficulties.
ye na lobhān nayanty arthān rājānaḥ rajasā āvṛtāḥ। viṣayān parirakṣantaḥ durgāṇi atitaranti te ॥12-111-7॥
Kings who, not driven by greed, protect their domains while enveloped by passion, are able to overcome great difficulties.
āhaveṣu ca ye śūrās tyaktvā maraṇajaṃ bhayam | dharmeṇa jayam icchanto durgāṇy atitaranti te ॥12-111-8॥
Those heroes who, in battle, abandon the fear that comes from death and seek victory through righteousness, are the ones who overcome even the greatest obstacles.
ye pāpāni na kurvanti karmaṇā manasā girā। nikṣiptadaṇḍā bhūteṣu durgāṇy-atitaranti te ॥12-111-9॥
Those who neither commit sins by action, mind, or speech, and who have renounced inflicting punishment on beings, cross over all difficulties.
ye vadantīha satyāni prāṇatyāge'pyupasthite। pramāṇabhūtā bhūtānāṃ durgāṇyatitaraṇti te ॥12-111-10॥
Those who speak the truth even at the risk of their lives, and who become an authority for others, overcome all difficulties.
anadhyāyeṣu ye viprāḥ svādhyāyaṃ naiva kurvate। taponityāḥ sutapaso durgāṇy-atitaranti te ॥12-111-11॥
Brāhmaṇas who refrain from self-study during prohibited times, but are always devoted to great austerity, overcome all difficulties.
karmāṇyakuhakārthāni yeṣāṃ vācaśca sūnṛtāḥ। yeṣāmarthāśca sādhvarthā durgāṇyatitaranti te ॥12-111-12॥
Those whose actions are free from deceit, whose words are truthful, and whose purposes are righteous, they overcome difficulties.
ye tapaś ca tapasyanti kaumāra-brahmacāriṇaḥ। vidyā-veda-vrata-snātā durgāṇy atitaranti te ॥12-111-13॥
Those who practice austerity and celibacy from youth, and who are initiated in the vow of knowledge and the Veda, overcome all difficulties.
ye ca saṃśāntarajasaḥ saṃśāntatamasaśca ye। satye sthitā mahātmāno durgāṇyatitaranti te ॥12-111-14॥
Those whose passion and darkness are completely calmed, who are established in truth, those great souls cross over all difficulties.
yeṣāṃ na kaścit trasati trasanti na ca kasyacit। yeṣām ātmasamo loko durgāṇy atitaranti te ॥12-111-15॥
Those from whom no one is afraid, and who themselves do not fear anyone; for whom the world is like themselves, they overcome all difficulties.
paraśriyā na tapyante ye santaḥ puruṣarṣabhāḥ। grāmyādannān nivṛttāś ca durgāṇy atitaranti te ॥12-111-16॥
The best of men, who are not troubled by another's wife, who are virtuous, and who abstain from coarse food, overcome all difficulties.
sarvāndevānnamasyanti sarvān dharmāṁś ca śṛṇvate. ye śraddadhānā dāntāś ca durgāṇy atitaranti te ॥12-111-17॥
Those who have faith and self-restraint, who bow to all gods and listen to all dharmas, they cross over all difficulties.
ye na mānitam icchanti mānayanti ca ye param। mānyamānā na manyante durgāṇi atitaranti te ॥12-111-18॥
Those who do not seek honour for themselves, who honour others, and who, even when honoured, do not become proud, they overcome all difficulties.
ye śrāddhāni ca kurvanti tithyāṃ tithyāṃ prajārthinaḥ। suviśuddhena manasā durgāṇyatitaraṇti te ॥12-111-19॥
Those who, desiring progeny, perform śrāddha rites on the proper lunar days with a very pure mind, overcome all difficulties.
ye krodhaṃ naiva kurvanti kruddhān saṃśamayanti ca। na ca kupyanti bhṛtyebhyo durgāṇy atitaranti te ॥12-111-20॥
Those who never give rise to anger, who pacify those who are angry, and who do not get angry with their servants, overcome all difficulties.
madhu māṁsaṁ ca ye nityaṁ varjayantīha mānavāḥ। janmaprabhṛti madyaṁ ca durgāṇyatitaraṇti te ॥12-111-21॥
Those humans who always avoid honey, meat, and liquor from birth cross over difficulties.
yātrārthaṃ bhojanaṃ yeṣāṃ santānārthaṃ ca maithunam। vāksatyavacanārthāya durgāṇyatitaraṇti te ॥12-111-22॥
Those whose food is for travel, whose sexual union is for progeny, and whose speech is for truthfulness, they overcome all difficulties.
īśvaraṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ jagataḥ prabhavāpyayam। bhaktā nārāyaṇaṃ ye ca durgāṇy-atitaranti te ॥12-111-23॥
Nārāyaṇa is the lord, the origin and dissolution of all beings in the world; the devotees who worship Nārāyaṇa cross over all difficulties.
ya eṣa raktapadmākṣaḥ pītavāsā mahābhujaḥ। suhṛdbhrātā ca mitraṃ ca sambandhī ca tavācyutaḥ ॥12-111-24॥
This one, who has eyes like red lotuses, wears yellow garments, is mighty-armed, is your friend, brother, companion, and relative—Acyuta (Krishna).
ya imān sakalān lokān carmavat pariveṣṭayet | icchan prabhuḥ acintya-ātmā govindaḥ puruṣottamaḥ ॥12-111-25॥
Govinda, the Supreme Person, whose nature is inconceivable, is the Lord who, if He so desires, could wrap all these worlds as easily as one would wrap them in leather.
sthitaḥ priyahite jiṣṇoḥ sa eṣa puruṣarṣabha। rājaṃstava ca durdharṣo vaikuṇṭhaḥ puruṣottamaḥ ॥12-111-26॥
O king, this Vaikuṇṭha, the supreme person, who is unassailable, stands established in what is dear and beneficial to the victorious one, and is your own.
ya enaṃ saṃśrayantīha bhaktyā nārāyaṇaṃ harim। te tarantīha durgāṇi na me'trāsti vicāraṇā ॥12-111-27॥
Those who take refuge in Nārāyaṇa Hari here with devotion, they cross over all difficulties here; I have no doubt about this.
durgātitaraṇaṃ ye ca paṭhanti śrāvayanti ca। pāṭhayanti ca viprebhyo durgāṇyatitaraṇti te ॥12-111-28॥
Those who recite, make others hear, and teach the means of overcoming difficulties to the Brāhmaṇas, themselves overcome difficulties.
iti kṛtyasamuddeśaḥ kīrtitaste mayānagha। santaredyena durgāṇi paratreha ca mānavaḥ॥12-111-29॥
Thus, O sinless one, I have declared to you the enumeration of duties, by which a man may overcome difficulties both here and in the next world.
