12.152
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
पापस्य यदधिष्ठानं यतः पापं प्रवर्तते। एतदिच्छाम्यहं ज्ञातुं तत्त्वेन भरतर्षभ ॥१२-१५२-१॥
O best of the Bharatas, I wish to know truly the basis of sin, from which sin arises.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
पापस्य यदधिष्ठानं तच्छृणुष्व नराधिप। एको लोभो महाग्राहो लोभात्पापं प्रवर्तते ॥१२-१५२-२॥
O king, hear what is the basis of sin. Greed alone is a great crocodile; from greed, sin arises.
अतः पापमधर्मश्च तथा दुःखमनुत्तमम्। निकृत्या मूलमेतद्धि येन पापकृतो जनाः ॥१२-१५२-३॥
Therefore, sin, unrighteousness, and the greatest suffering arise—this indeed is the root, by deceit, by which people become evildoers.
लोभात्क्रोधः प्रभवति लोभात्कामः प्रवर्तते। लोभान्मोहश्च माया च मानस्तम्भः परासुता ॥१२-१५२-४॥
Anger arises from greed; desire proceeds from greed; from greed also come delusion, illusion, and prideful arrogance, all of which are alien to one's true nature.
अक्षमा ह्रीपरित्यागः श्रीनाशो धर्मसङ्क्षयः। अभिध्याप्रज्ञता चैव सर्वं लोभात्प्रवर्तते ॥१२-१५२-५॥
Absence of forgiveness, loss of modesty, loss of prosperity, decline of righteousness, envy, and even wisdom—all these arise from greed.
अन्यायश्चावितर्कश्च विकर्मसु च याः क्रियाः। कूटविद्यादयश्चैव रूपैश्वर्यमदस्तथा ॥१२-१५२-६॥
Injustice, lack of reasoning, wrongful actions, deceptive knowledge and similar things, as well as pride in one's appearance, wealth, and arrogance—these are described here.
सर्वभूतेष्वविश्वासः सर्वभूतेष्वनार्जवम्। सर्वभूतेष्वभिद्रोहः सर्वभूतेष्वयुक्तता ॥ हरणं परवित्तानां परदाराभिमर्शनम् ॥१२-१५२-७॥
Distrust, dishonesty, hostility, and impropriety towards all beings, as well as stealing others' wealth and touching others' wives.
वाग्वेगो मानसो वेगो निन्दावेगस्तथैव च। उपस्थोदरयोर्वेगो मृत्युवेगश्च दारुणः ॥१२-१५२-८॥
The impulses of speech, mind, blame, as well as those of the genitals, belly, and death, are all terrible.
ईर्ष्यावेगश्च बलवान्मिथ्यावेगश्च दुस्त्यजः। रसवेगश्च दुर्वारः श्रोत्रवेगश्च दुःसहः ॥१२-१५२-९॥
The force of envy is strong, the urge for falsehood is hard to give up, the craving for taste is difficult to control, and the impulse to hear is hard to bear.
कुत्सा विकत्था मात्सर्यं पापं दुष्करकारिता। साहसानां च सर्वेषामकार्याणां क्रियास्तथा ॥१२-१५२-१०॥
Reproach, boasting, envy, sin, undertaking difficult deeds, and all actions of rash and improper acts are described here.
जातौ बाल्येऽथ कौमारे यौवने चापि मानवः। न सन्त्यजत्यात्मकर्म यन्न जीर्यति जीर्यतः ॥१२-१५२-११॥
From birth, through childhood, boyhood, and youth, a person does not give up their inherent actions, which do not age even as the person ages.
यो न पूरयितुं शक्यो लोभः प्राप्त्या कुरूद्वह। नित्यं गम्भीरतोयाभिरापगाभिरिवोदधिः ॥ न प्रहृष्यति लाभैर्यो यश्च कामैर्न तृप्यति ॥१२-१५२-१२॥
O best of Kurus, greed is never possible to be filled by attainment, just as the ocean, always with deep waters, is not filled by rivers; one does not rejoice by gains, nor is one satisfied by desires.
यो न देवैर्न गन्धर्वैर्नासुरैर्न महोरगैः। ज्ञायते नृप तत्त्वेन सर्वैर्भूतगणैस्तथा ॥ स लोभः सह मोहेन विजेतव्यो जितात्मना ॥१२-१५२-१३॥
O king, that greed, which even gods, gandharvas, asuras, great serpents, and all beings cannot truly know, must be conquered along with delusion by one who has mastered himself.
दम्भो द्रोहश्च निन्दा च पैशुन्यं मत्सरस्तथा। भवन्त्येतानि कौरव्य लुब्धानामकृतात्मनाम् ॥१२-१५२-१४॥
O Kauravya, hypocrisy, deceit, slander, malicious gossip, and envy—these qualities arise in the greedy and those who lack self-mastery.
सुमहान्त्यपि शास्त्राणि धारयन्ति बहुश्रुताः। छेत्तारः संशयानां च क्लिश्यन्तीहाल्पबुद्धयः ॥१२-१५२-१५॥
Even those well-versed in the scriptures bear the burden of vast knowledge; here, those of little understanding and those who resolve doubts are troubled.
द्वेषक्रोधप्रसक्ताश्च शिष्टाचारबहिष्कृताः। अन्तःक्षुरा वाङ्मधुराः कूपाश्छन्नास्तृणैरिव ॥ धर्मवैतंसिकाः क्षुद्रा मुष्णन्ति ध्वजिनो जगत् ॥१२-१५२-१६॥
Those attached to hatred and anger, excluded from noble conduct, inwardly sharp as razors but sweet in speech, like wells covered with grass; deceivers of righteousness, petty, these warriors plunder the world.
कुर्वते च बहून्मार्गांस्तांस्तान्हेतुबलाश्रिताः। सर्वं मार्गं विलुम्पन्ति लोभाज्ञानेषु निष्ठिताः ॥१२-१५२-१७॥
They follow many different paths, relying on the strength of their own reasoning; established in greed and ignorance, they destroy all paths.
धर्मस्याह्रियमाणस्य लोभग्रस्तैर्दुरात्मभिः। या या विक्रियते संस्था ततः साभिप्रपद्यते ॥१२-१५२-१८॥
Whenever the order of dharma is seized and altered by evil-minded people overcome by greed, that order inevitably meets its consequence.
दर्पः क्रोधो मदः स्वप्नो हर्षः शोकोऽतिमानिता। तत एव हि कौरव्य दृश्यन्ते लुब्धबुद्धिषु ॥ एतानशिष्टान्बुध्यस्व नित्यं लोभसमन्वितान् ॥१२-१५२-१९॥
O descendant of Kuru, pride, anger, arrogance, sleep, excessive joy, sorrow, and excessive pride are always seen in those with greedy minds. Know these unrestrained ones as always associated with greed.
शिष्टांस्तु परिपृच्छेथा यान्वक्ष्यामि शुचिव्रतान्। येषु वृत्तिभयं नास्ति परलोकभयं न च ॥१२-१५२-२०॥
But you should approach and ask those virtuous persons of pure vows whom I shall indicate, in whom there is neither fear for livelihood nor fear of the next world.
नामिषेषु प्रसङ्गोऽस्ति न प्रियेष्वप्रियेषु च। शिष्टाचारः प्रियो येषु दमो येषु प्रतिष्ठितः ॥१२-१५२-२१॥
There is no attachment towards those who are not dear, nor towards those who are dear or not dear; those in whom the conduct of the virtuous is dear, in whom self-restraint is established.
सुखं दुःखं परं येषां सत्यं येषां परायणम्। दातारो न गृहीतारो दयावन्तस्तथैव च ॥१२-१५२-२२॥
Those for whom happiness and sorrow are the same, for whom truth is the supreme goal; who are givers, not receivers, and are compassionate as well.
पितृदेवातिथेयाश्च नित्योद्युक्तास्तथैव च। सर्वोपकारिणो धीराः सर्वधर्मानुपालकाः ॥१२-१५२-२३॥
They are always engaged in serving father, deity, and guests; likewise, they are beneficent to all, steadfast, and observers of all duties.
सर्वभूतहिताश्चैव सर्वदेयाश्च भारत। न ते चालयितुं शक्या धर्मव्यापारपारगाः ॥१२-१५२-२४॥
O Bhārata, those who are devoted to the welfare of all beings and are ever-giving cannot be shaken, for they have mastered the practice of dharma.
न तेषां भिद्यते वृत्तं यत्पुरा साधुभिः कृतम्। न त्रासिनो न चपला न रौद्राः सत्पथे स्थिताः ॥१२-१५२-२५॥
Their conduct, established by the virtuous in the past, is never broken. They are not fearful, not fickle, not cruel, and remain steadfast on the path of righteousness.
ते सेव्याः साधुभिर्नित्यं येष्वहिंसा प्रतिष्ठिता। कामक्रोधव्यपेता ये निर्ममा निरहङ्कृताः ॥ सुव्रताः स्थिरमर्यादास्तानुपास्स्व च पृच्छ च ॥१२-१५२-२६॥
Those in whom non-violence is firmly established, who are free from desire and anger, without possessiveness and ego, steadfast in good vows and conduct—such people should always be served by the virtuous. Approach them with reverence and seek their guidance.
न गवार्थं यशोर्थं वा धर्मस्तेषां युधिष्ठिर। अवश्यकार्य इत्येव शरीरस्य क्रियास्तथा ॥१२-१५२-२७॥
O Yudhiṣṭhira, duty is not for the sake of cows or fame for them; bodily actions are to be necessarily performed as such.
न भयं क्रोधचापल्यं न शोकस्तेषु विद्यते। न धर्मध्वजिनश्चैव न गुह्यं किञ्चिदास्थिताः ॥१२-१५२-२८॥
There is no fear, impulsiveness of anger, or sorrow in them. They are not pretenders of righteousness, nor have they adopted any secret.
येष्वलोभस्तथामोहो ये च सत्यार्जवे रताः। तेषु कौन्तेय रज्येथा येष्वतन्द्रीकृतं मनः ॥१२-१५२-२९॥
O son of Kunti, you should associate with those in whom there is no greed or delusion, who delight in truth and straightforwardness, and whose minds are free from negligence.
ये न हृष्यन्ति लाभेषु नालाभेषु व्यथन्ति च। निर्ममा निरहङ्काराः सत्त्वस्थाः समदर्शिनः ॥१२-१५२-३०॥
Those who neither rejoice in gain nor are distressed by loss, who are free from possessiveness and ego, established in purity, and see with equanimity.
लाभालाभौ सुखदुःखे च तात; प्रियाप्रिये मरणं जीवितं च। समानि येषां स्थिरविक्रमाणां; बुद्धात्मनां सत्त्वमवस्थितानाम् ॥१२-१५२-३१॥
O dear one, gain and loss, pleasure and pain, the pleasant and unpleasant, death and life—all these are the same to those of firm courage, whose intellect is established in the self, and whose steadfastness is unwavering.
सुखप्रियैस्तान्सुमहाप्रतापा; न्यत्तोऽप्रमत्तश्च समर्थयेथाः। दैवात्सर्वे गुणवन्तो भवन्ति; शुभाशुभा वाक्प्रलापा यथैव ॥१२-१५२-३२॥
You should support those who are fond of happiness and of great valor, being subdued and not careless; by fate, all become virtuous, and auspicious or inauspicious words arise as they will.
