12.145
भीष्म उवाच॥
bhīṣma uvāca॥
[भीष्म (bhīṣma) - Bhīṣma; (name of the speaker); उवाच (uvāca) - said; (he spoke);]
(Bhīṣma said;)
Bhīṣma said.
विमानस्थौ तु तौ राजँल्लुब्धको वै ददर्श ह। दृष्ट्वा तौ दम्पती दुःखादचिन्तयत सद्गतिम् ॥१२-१४५-१॥
vimānasthau tu tau rājanlubdhako vai dadarśa ha। dṛṣṭvā tau dampatī duḥkhādacintayata sadgatim ॥12-145-1॥
[विमानस्थौ (vimānasthau) - being in the aerial car; तु (tu) - but; तौ (tau) - those two; राजन् (rājan) - O king; लुब्धकः (lubdhakaḥ) - the hunter; वै (vai) - indeed; ददर्श (dadarśa) - saw; ह (ha) - verily; दृष्ट्वा (dṛṣṭvā) - having seen; तौ (tau) - those two; दम्पती (dampatī) - the couple; दुःखात् (duḥkhāt) - from sorrow; अचिन्तयत् (acintayat) - thought; सद्गतिम् (sadgatim) - good state (liberation);]
(Being in the aerial car, but those two, O king, the hunter indeed saw, verily. Having seen those two, the couple, from sorrow, thought (about) the good state (liberation).)
O king, the hunter saw those two in the aerial car. Seeing them, the couple, out of sorrow, thought about their good state (liberation).
कीदृशेनेह तपसा गच्छेयं परमां गतिम्। इति बुद्ध्या विनिश्चित्य गमनायोपचक्रमे ॥१२-१४५-२॥
kīdṛśeneha tapasā gaccheyaṃ paramāṃ gatim। iti buddhyā viniścitya gamanāyopacakrame ॥12-145-2॥
[कीदृशेन (kīdṛśena) - by what kind; by what sort; इह (iha) - here; in this world; तपसा (tapasā) - by austerity; by penance; गच्छेयं (gaccheyaṃ) - might I attain; might I go; परमां (paramāṃ) - supreme; highest; गतिम् (gatim) - state; goal; path; इति (iti) - thus; so; बुद्ध्या (buddhyā) - by intellect; by understanding; विनिश्चित्य (viniścitya) - having ascertained; having determined; गमनाय (gamanāya) - for going; for proceeding; उपचक्रमे (upacakrame) - I undertook; I commenced;]
(By what kind of austerity here might I attain the supreme goal? Thus, having determined with intellect, I commenced for proceeding.)
Having determined with my intellect, "By what kind of austerity here might I attain the supreme goal?", I began my journey.
महाप्रस्थानमाश्रित्य लुब्धकः पक्षिजीवनः। निश्चेष्टो मारुताहारो निर्ममः स्वर्गकाङ्क्षया ॥१२-१४५-३॥
mahāprasthānam āśritya lubdhakaḥ pakṣijīvanaḥ। niśceṣṭo mārutāhāro nirmamaḥ svargakāṅkṣayā ॥12-145-3॥
[महाप्रस्थानम् (mahāprasthānam) - great departure; आश्रित्य (āśritya) - having resorted to; लुब्धकः (lubdhakaḥ) - the hunter; पक्षिजीवनः (pakṣijīvanaḥ) - living by birds; निश्चेष्टः (niśceṣṭaḥ) - motionless; मारुताहारः (mārutāhāraḥ) - subsisting on air; निर्ममः (nirmamaḥ) - free from possessiveness; स्वर्गकाङ्क्षया (svargakāṅkṣayā) - with desire for heaven;]
(Having resorted to the great departure, the hunter who lived by birds, motionless, subsisting on air, free from possessiveness, with desire for heaven.)
Having undertaken the great departure, the hunter who lived on birds remained motionless, subsisting only on air, free from all possessiveness, desiring heaven.
ततोऽपश्यत्सुविस्तीर्णं हृद्यं पद्मविभूषितम्। नानाद्विजगणाकीर्णं सरः शीतजलं शुभम् ॥ पिपासार्तोऽपि तद्दृष्ट्वा तृप्तः स्यान्नात्र संशयः ॥१२-१४५-४॥
tato'paśyat suvistīrṇaṃ hṛdyaṃ padmavibhūṣitam। nānā-dvija-gaṇa-ākīrṇaṃ saraḥ śītajalaṃ śubham॥ pipāsārto'pi tad dṛṣṭvā tṛptaḥ syān nātra saṃśayaḥ॥12-145-4॥
[ततः (tataḥ) - then; अपश्यत् (apaśyat) - he saw; सुविस्तीर्णम् (suvistīrṇam) - very wide; हृद्यं (hṛdyam) - pleasing; पद्मविभूषितम् (padmavibhūṣitam) - adorned with lotuses; नाना (nānā) - various; द्विजगण (dvija-gaṇa) - groups of birds; आकीर्णम् (ākīrṇam) - filled; सरः (saraḥ) - lake; शीतजलं (śītajalam) - with cool water; शुभम् (śubham) - auspicious; पिपासार्तः (pipāsārtaḥ) - afflicted by thirst; अपि (api) - even; तत् (tat) - that; दृष्ट्वा (dṛṣṭvā) - having seen; तृप्तः (tṛptaḥ) - satisfied; स्यात् (syāt) - would be; न (na) - not; अत्र (atra) - here; संशयः (saṃśayaḥ) - doubt;]
(Then he saw a very wide, pleasing lake adorned with lotuses, filled with various groups of birds, with cool, auspicious water. Even one afflicted by thirst, having seen that, would be satisfied; there is no doubt here.)
Then he saw a vast and delightful lake adorned with lotuses, teeming with many kinds of birds, its water cool and auspicious. Even someone tormented by thirst would be satisfied just by seeing it; there is no doubt about this.
उपवासकृशोऽत्यर्थं स तु पार्थिव लुब्धकः। उपसर्पत संहृष्टः श्वापदाध्युषितं वनम् ॥१२-१४५-५॥
upavāsakṛśo'tyarthaṃ sa tu pārthiva lubdhakaḥ। upasarpata saṃhṛṣṭaḥ śvāpadādhyuṣitaṃ vanam ॥12-145-5॥
[उपवास (upavāsa) - fasting; कृशः (kṛśaḥ) - emaciated; अत्यर्थं (atyartham) - excessively; सः (saḥ) - he; तु (tu) - but; पार्थिव (pārthiva) - king; लुब्धकः (lubdhakaḥ) - hunter; उपसर्पत् (upasarpata) - approached; संहृष्टः (saṃhṛṣṭaḥ) - gladdened; श्वापद (śvāpada) - wild animal; अध्युषितं (adhyuṣitam) - inhabited; वनम् (vanam) - forest;]
(Fasting, emaciated, excessively, he, but, king, hunter, approached, gladdened, wild animal, inhabited, forest.)
But the hunter, emaciated from excessive fasting, gladdened, approached the forest inhabited by wild animals, O king.
महान्तं निश्चयं कृत्वा लुब्धकः प्रविवेश ह। प्रविशन्नेव च वनं निगृहीतः स कण्टकैः ॥१२-१४५-६॥
mahāntaṃ niścayaṃ kṛtvā lubdhakaḥ praviveśa ha। praviśanneva ca vanaṃ nigṛhītaḥ sa kaṇṭakaiḥ ॥12-145-6॥
[महान्तम् (mahāntam) - great; (accusative singular, neuter) निश्चयम् (niścayam) - resolve; (accusative singular, masculine) कृत्वा (kṛtvā) - having made; लुब्धकः (lubdhakaḥ) - the hunter; (nominative singular, masculine) प्रविवेश (praviveśa) - entered; (3rd person singular, perfect) ह (ha) - indeed; प्रविशन् (praviśan) - entering; (present participle, nominative singular, masculine) एव (eva) - just; indeed; च (ca) - and; वनम् (vanam) - forest; (accusative singular, neuter) निगृहीतः (nigṛhītaḥ) - was seized; (nominative singular, masculine, past participle) स (sa) - he; कण्टकैः (kaṇṭakaiḥ) - by thorns; (instrumental plural, masculine);]
(Having made a great resolve, the hunter indeed entered. Just as he was entering the forest, he was seized by thorns.)
The hunter, having firmly resolved, entered; and as he was entering the forest, he was caught by thorns.
स कण्टकविभुग्नाङ्गो लोहितार्द्रीकृतच्छविः। बभ्राम तस्मिन्विजने नानामृगसमाकुले ॥१२-१४५-७॥
sa kaṇṭaka-vibhugna-aṅgaḥ lohita-ārdra-īkṛta-cchaviḥ। babhrāma tasmin vijane nānā-mṛga-samākule ॥12-145-7॥
[स (sa) - he; कण्टक (kaṇṭaka) - thorn; विभुग्न (vibhugna) - bent; broken; अङ्गः (aṅgaḥ) - limbed; body; लोहित (lohita) - red; आर्द्रीकृत (ārdra-īkṛta) - made wet; च्छविः (cchaviḥ) - appearance; complexion; बभ्राम (babhrāma) - wandered; तस्मिन् (tasmin) - in that; विजने (vijane) - solitary; deserted; नाना (nānā) - various; मृग (mṛga) - animal; deer; समाकुले (samākule) - filled; crowded;]
(He, with limbs bent by thorns, with a complexion made wet and red, wandered in that solitary place filled with various animals.)
He, his body bent and wounded by thorns, his appearance reddened and wet, wandered in that lonely wilderness teeming with many kinds of animals.
ततो द्रुमाणां महतां पवनेन वने तदा। उदतिष्ठत सङ्घर्षात्सुमहान्हव्यवाहनः ॥१२-१४५-८॥
tato drumāṇāṃ mahatāṃ pavanena vane tadā। udatiṣṭhata saṅgharṣātsumahānhavyavāhanaḥ ॥12-145-8॥
[ततः (tataḥ) - then; द्रुमाणां (drumāṇām) - of trees; महताम् (mahatām) - great; पवनेन (pavanena) - by wind; वने (vane) - in the forest; तदा (tadā) - at that time; उदतिष्ठत् (udatiṣṭhat) - arose; सङ्घर्षात् (saṅgharṣāt) - from friction; सुमहान् (sumahān) - very great; हव्यवाहनः (havyavāhanaḥ) - Agni (fire);]
(Then, of the great trees, by the wind, in the forest, at that time, arose from friction, a very great Agni (fire).)
Then, at that time in the forest, a very great fire (Agni) arose from the friction of the great trees due to the wind.
तद्वनं वृक्षसङ्कीर्णं लताविटपसङ्कुलम्। ददाह पावकः क्रुद्धो युगान्ताग्निसमप्रभः ॥१२-१४५-९॥
tad vanaṃ vṛkṣasaṅkīrṇaṃ latāviṭapasaṅkulam। dadāha pāvakaḥ kruddho yugāntāgnisamaprabhaḥ ॥12-145-9॥
[तत् (tat) - that; वनम् (vanam) - forest; वृक्षसङ्कीर्णम् (vṛkṣasaṅkīrṇam) - filled with trees; लता-विटप-सङ्कुलम् (latā-viṭapa-saṅkulam) - dense with creepers and branches; ददाह (dadāha) - burned; पावकः (pāvakaḥ) - fire; क्रुद्धः (kruddhaḥ) - angry; युग-अन्त-अग्नि-सम-प्रभः (yuga-anta-agni-sama-prabhaḥ) - having brilliance equal to the fire at the end of an age;]
(That forest, filled with trees, dense with creepers and branches, the angry fire burned, having brilliance equal to the fire at the end of an age.)
The angry fire, blazing like the fire at the end of an age, burned that forest, which was filled with trees and thick with creepers and branches.
सज्वालैः पवनोद्धूतैर्विस्फुलिङ्गैः समन्वितः। ददाह तद्वनं घोरं मृगपक्षिसमाकुलम् ॥१२-१४५-१०॥
sajvālaiḥ pavanoddhūtairvisphuliṅgaiḥ samanvitaḥ। dadāha tadvanaṃ ghoraṃ mṛgapakṣisamākulam ॥12-145-10॥
[सज्वालैः (sajvālaiḥ) - with blazing flames; पवनोद्धूतैः (pavanoddhūtaiḥ) - driven by wind; विस्फुलिङ्गैः (visphuliṅgaiḥ) - with sparks; समन्वितः (samanvitaḥ) - endowed; ददाह (dadāha) - burned; तत् (tat) - that; वनम् (vanam) - forest; घोरम् (ghoram) - terrible; मृगपक्षिसमाकुलम् (mṛgapakṣisamākulam) - filled with beasts and birds;]
(Endowed with blazing flames, driven by wind, with sparks, it burned that terrible forest filled with beasts and birds.)
The fire, blazing and wind-driven, with sparks, consumed that dreadful forest teeming with animals and birds.
ततः स देहमोक्षार्थं सम्प्रहृष्टेन चेतसा। अभ्यधावत संवृद्धं पावकं लुब्धकस्तदा ॥१२-१४५-११॥
tataḥ sa dehamokṣārthaṃ samprahṛṣṭena cetasā। abhyadhāvata saṃvṛddhaṃ pāvakaṃ lubdhakastadā ॥12-145-11॥
[ततः (tataḥ) - then; स (sa) - he; देहमोक्षार्थं (dehamokṣārtham) - for the sake of liberation from the body; सम्प्रहृष्टेन (samprahṛṣṭena) - with delighted; चेतसा (cetasā) - mind; अभ्यधावत (abhyadhāvata) - ran towards; संवृद्धं (saṃvṛddham) - blazing; पावकं (pāvakam) - fire; लुब्धकः (lubdhakaḥ) - the hunter; तदा (tadā) - then;]
(Then he, the hunter, for the sake of liberation from the body, with delighted mind, ran towards the blazing fire at that time.)
Then, the hunter, seeking liberation from his body, joyfully ran towards the blazing fire.
ततस्तेनाग्निना दग्धो लुब्धको नष्टकिल्बिषः। जगाम परमां सिद्धिं तदा भरतसत्तम ॥१२-१४५-१२॥
tatastenāgninā dagdho lubdhako naṣṭakilbiṣaḥ। jagāma paramāṃ siddhiṃ tadā bharatasattama ॥12-145-12॥
[ततः (tataḥ) - then; तेन (tena) - by that; अग्निना (agninā) - by fire; दग्धः (dagdhaḥ) - burnt; लुब्धकः (lubdhakaḥ) - the hunter; नष्ट (naṣṭa) - destroyed; किल्बिषः (kilbiṣaḥ) - sin; जगाम (jagāma) - attained; परमाम् (paramām) - supreme; सिद्धिम् (siddhim) - perfection; तदा (tadā) - then; भरतसत्तम (bharatasattama) - O best of the Bharatas;]
(Then, by that fire, the hunter, his sin destroyed, attained supreme perfection then, O best of the Bharatas.)
Then, O best of the Bharatas, by that fire, the hunter, with his sins destroyed, attained the highest perfection.
ततः स्वर्गस्थमात्मानं सोऽपश्यद्विगतज्वरः। यक्षगन्धर्वसिद्धानां मध्ये भ्राजन्तमिन्द्रवत् ॥१२-१४५-१३॥
tataḥ svargastham ātmānaṃ saḥ apaśyat vigata-jvaraḥ। yakṣa-gandharva-siddhānām madhye bhrājantam indra-vat ॥12-145-13॥
[ततः (tataḥ) - then; स्वर्गस्थम् (svargastham) - situated in heaven; आत्मानम् (ātmānam) - self; सः (saḥ) - he; अपश्यत् (apaśyat) - saw; विगतज्वरः (vigata-jvaraḥ) - free from fever; यक्षगन्धर्वसिद्धानाम् (yakṣa-gandharva-siddhānām) - of Yakṣas, Gandharvas, and Siddhas; मध्ये (madhye) - among; भ्राजन्तम् (bhrājantam) - shining; इन्द्रवत् (indra-vat) - like Indra;]
(Then he, free from fever, saw his self situated in heaven, shining among the Yakṣas, Gandharvas, and Siddhas, like Indra.)
Then, freed from his fever, he saw himself in heaven, shining among the Yakṣas, Gandharvas, and Siddhas, like Indra.
एवं खलु कपोतश्च कपोती च पतिव्रता। लुब्धकेन सह स्वर्गं गताः पुण्येन कर्मणा ॥१२-१४५-१४॥
evaṃ khalu kapotaś ca kapotī ca pativratā। lubdhakena saha svargaṃ gatāḥ puṇyena karmaṇā ॥12-145-14॥
[एवं (evaṃ) - thus; खलु (khalu) - indeed; कपोतः (kapotaḥ) - the male dove; च (ca) - and; कपोती (kapotī) - the female dove; च (ca) - and; पतिव्रता (pativratā) - devoted to her husband; लुब्धकेन (lubdhakena) - by the hunter; सह (saha) - together with; स्वर्गम् (svargam) - heaven; गताः (gatāḥ) - have gone; पुण्येन (puṇyena) - by virtue; कर्मणा (karmaṇā) - by action;]
(Thus indeed the male dove and the female dove, devoted to her husband, together with the hunter, have gone to heaven by virtuous action.)
Thus, the male dove and the devoted female dove, along with the hunter, attained heaven through virtuous deeds.
यापि चैवंविधा नारी भर्तारमनुवर्तते। विराजते हि सा क्षिप्रं कपोतीव दिवि स्थिता ॥१२-१४५-१५॥
yāpi caivaṃvidhā nārī bhartāramanuvartate। virājate hi sā kṣipraṃ kapotīva divi sthitā ॥12-145-15॥
[या (yā) - who; (feminine singular nominative); अपि (api) - also; च (ca) - and; एवंविधा (evaṃvidhā) - of such kind; नारी (nārī) - woman; भर्तारम् (bhartāram) - husband; (accusative singular); अनुवर्तते (anuvartate) - follows; विराजते (virājate) - shines; हि (hi) - indeed; सा (sā) - she; (nominative singular); क्षिप्रं (kṣipraṃ) - quickly; कपोटीव (kapotīva) - like a female pigeon; दिवि (divi) - in the sky; स्थिताः (sthitā) - situated;]
(Who also, and of such kind, woman, husband, follows, shines indeed she quickly, like a female pigeon in the sky, situated.)
A woman who is of such a kind and follows her husband, she indeed quickly shines, like a female pigeon situated in the sky.
एवमेतत्पुरा वृत्तं लुब्धकस्य महात्मनः। कपोतस्य च धर्मिष्ठा गतिः पुण्येन कर्मणा ॥१२-१४५-१६॥
evam etat purā vṛttaṃ lubdhakasya mahātmanaḥ। kapotasya ca dharmiṣṭhā gatiḥ puṇyena karmaṇā ॥12-145-16॥
[एवम् (evam) - thus; एतत् (etat) - this; पुरा (purā) - formerly; वृत्तम् (vṛttam) - happened; लुब्धकस्य (lubdhakasya) - of the hunter; महात्मनः (mahātmanaḥ) - of the great-souled; कपोतस्य (kapotasya) - of the pigeon; च (ca) - and; धर्मिष्ठा (dharmiṣṭhā) - most righteous; गतिः (gatiḥ) - course; पुण्येन (puṇyena) - by virtue; कर्मणा (karmaṇā) - by action;]
(Thus this formerly happened: the course of the great-souled hunter and the most righteous pigeon, by virtue of action.)
Thus, this is what happened in the past: the story of the great-souled hunter and the most righteous pigeon, whose course was determined by virtuous action.
यश्चेदं शृणुयान्नित्यं यश्चेदं परिकीर्तयेत्। नाशुभं विद्यते तस्य मनसापि प्रमाद्यतः ॥१२-१४५-१७॥
yaś cedaṃ śṛṇuyān nityaṃ yaś cedaṃ parikīrtayet। nāśubhaṃ vidyate tasya manasāpi pramādyataḥ ॥12-145-17॥
[यः (yaḥ) - who; च (ca) - and; इदं (idaṃ) - this; शृणुयात् (śṛṇuyāt) - might hear; नित्यं (nityaṃ) - always; यः (yaḥ) - who; च (ca) - and; इदं (idaṃ) - this; परिकीर्तयेत् (parikīrtayet) - might recite; न (na) - not; अशुभं (aśubhaṃ) - inauspicious; विद्यते (vidyate) - exists; तस्य (tasya) - for him; मनसा (manasā) - by mind; अपि (api) - even; प्रमाद्यतः (pramādyataḥ) - of one who is negligent;]
(Whoever always might hear this and whoever might recite this, for him, not even by mind does inauspiciousness exist, even if negligent.)
Whoever always listens to this and whoever recites this, for him, even if negligent, there is no inauspiciousness, not even in thought.
युधिष्ठिर महानेष धर्मो धर्मभृतां वर। गोघ्नेष्वपि भवेदस्मिन्निष्कृतिः पापकर्मणः ॥ निष्कृतिर्न भवेत्तस्मिन्यो हन्याच्छरणागतम् ॥१२-१४५-१८॥
yudhiṣṭhira mahāneṣa dharmo dharmabhṛtāṃ vara। goghṇeṣvapi bhavedasminniṣkṛtiḥ pāpakarmaṇaḥ ॥ niṣkṛtirna bhavettasminyo hanyāccharaṇāgatam ॥12-145-18॥
[युधिष्ठिर (yudhiṣṭhira) - O Yudhishthira; महान् (mahān) - great; एषः (eṣaḥ) - this; धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - dharma; righteousness; धर्मभृताम् (dharmabhṛtām) - of the upholders of dharma; वर (vara) - best; chief; गोघ्नेषु (goghṇeṣu) - among killers of cows; अपि (api) - even; भवेत् (bhavet) - there is; may be; अस्मिन् (asmin) - in this; निष्कृतिः (niṣkṛtiḥ) - atonement; पापकर्मणः (pāpakarmaṇaḥ) - of the evil-doer; निष्कृतिः (niṣkṛtiḥ) - atonement; न (na) - not; भवेत् (bhavet) - there is; may be; तस्मिन् (tasmin) - in that case; यः (yaḥ) - who; हन्यात् (hanyāt) - would kill; शरणागतम् (śaraṇāgatam) - one who has taken refuge;]
(O Yudhishthira, this is a great dharma, O best of the upholders of dharma. Even among killers of cows, in this (case), there may be atonement for the evil-doer. But there is no atonement in that case for one who would kill one who has taken refuge.)
O Yudhishthira, this is the supreme righteousness, O best among the upholders of dharma. Even for those who kill cows, atonement is possible for their sinful acts. But there is no atonement for one who kills someone who has sought refuge.
