12.152
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
pāpasya yadadhiṣṭhānaṃ yataḥ pāpaṃ pravartate। etadicchāmyahaṃ jñātuṃ tattvena bharatarṣabha ॥12-152-1॥
O best of the Bharatas, I wish to know truly the basis of sin, from which sin arises.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
pāpasya yadadhiṣṭhānaṃ tacchṛṇuṣva narādhipa। eko lobho mahāgrāho lobhātpāpaṃ pravartate ॥12-152-2॥
O king, hear what is the basis of sin. Greed alone is a great crocodile; from greed, sin arises.
ataḥ pāpam-adharmaś-ca tathā duḥkham-anuttamam। nikṛtyā mūlam-etad-dhi yena pāpakṛto janāḥ ॥12-152-3॥
Therefore, sin, unrighteousness, and the greatest suffering arise—this indeed is the root, by deceit, by which people become evildoers.
lobhātkrodhaḥ prabhavati lobhātkāmaḥ pravartate। lobhānmohashca māyā ca mānastambhaḥ parāsutā ॥12-152-4॥
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.
akṣamā hrī-parityāgaḥ śrī-nāśo dharma-saṅkṣayaḥ। abhidyā-prajñatā caiva sarvaṃ lobhāt pravartate॥12-152-5॥
Absence of forgiveness, loss of modesty, loss of prosperity, decline of righteousness, envy, and even wisdom—all these arise from greed.
anyāyaś cāvitarkaś ca vikarmasu ca yāḥ kriyāḥ। kūṭavidyādayaś caiva rūpaiśvaryamadaś tathā ॥12-152-6॥
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.
sarvabhūteṣvaviśvāsaḥ sarvabhūteṣvanārjavam। sarvabhūteṣvabhidrohaḥ sarvabhūteṣvayuktatā ॥ haraṇaṃ paravittānāṃ paradārābhimarśanam ॥12-152-7॥
Distrust, dishonesty, hostility, and impropriety towards all beings, as well as stealing others' wealth and touching others' wives.
vāg-vego mānaso vego nindā-vegas tathaiva ca। upastho-darayor vego mṛtyu-vegaś ca dāruṇaḥ ॥12-152-8॥
The impulses of speech, mind, blame, as well as those of the genitals, belly, and death, are all terrible.
īrṣyā-vegaś ca balavān mithyā-vegaś ca dustyajaḥ। rasa-vegaś ca durvāraḥ śrotra-vegaś ca duḥsahaḥ ॥12-152-9॥
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.
kutsā vikatthā mātsaryaṃ pāpaṃ duṣkarakāritā। sāhasānāṃ ca sarveṣāmakāryāṇāṃ kriyāstathā ॥12-152-10॥
Reproach, boasting, envy, sin, undertaking difficult deeds, and all actions of rash and improper acts are described here.
jātau bālye'tha kaumāre yauvane cāpi mānavaḥ। na santyajatyātmakarma yanna jīryati jīryataḥ ॥12-152-11॥
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.
yo na pūrayituṃ śakyo lobhaḥ prāptyā kurūdvaha। nityaṃ gambhīratoyābhirāpagābhirivodadhiḥ ॥ na prahṛṣyati lābhairyo yaś ca kāmair na tṛpyati ॥12-152-12॥
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.
yo na devair na gandharvair nāsurair na mahoragaiḥ। jñāyate nṛpa tattvena sarvair bhūtaganaiḥ tathā ॥ sa lobhaḥ saha mohena vijetavyo jitātmanā ॥12-152-13॥
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.
dambho drohaś ca nindā ca paiśunyaṃ matsaras tathā। bhavanty etāni kauravya lubdhānām akṛtātmanām ॥12-152-14॥
O Kauravya, hypocrisy, deceit, slander, malicious gossip, and envy—these qualities arise in the greedy and those who lack self-mastery.
sumahānty api śāstrāṇi dhārayanti bahuśrutāḥ। chettāraḥ saṃśayānāṃ ca kliśyantīhālpabuddhayaḥ॥12-152-15॥
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.
dveṣakrodhaprasaktāś ca śiṣṭācārabahiṣkṛtāḥ। antaḥkṣurā vāṅmadhurāḥ kūpāś channās tṛṇair iva॥ dharmavaitansikāḥ kṣudrā muṣṇanti dhvajino jagat॥12-152-16॥
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.
kurvate ca bahūnmārgāṃstāṃstāṃhetubalāśritāḥ। sarvaṃ mārgaṃ vilumpanti lobhājñāneṣu niṣṭhitāḥ ॥12-152-17॥
They follow many different paths, relying on the strength of their own reasoning; established in greed and ignorance, they destroy all paths.
dharmasyāhriyamāṇasya lobhagrastair durātmabhiḥ। yā yā vikriyate sansthā tataḥ sā abhiprapadyate ॥12-152-18॥
Whenever the order of dharma is seized and altered by evil-minded people overcome by greed, that order inevitably meets its consequence.
darpaḥ krodho madaḥ svapno harṣaḥ śoko'timānitā। tata eva hi kauravya dṛśyante lubdhabuddhiṣu ॥ etānaśiṣṭānbudhyasva nityaṃ lobhasamanvitān ॥12-152-19॥
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.
śiṣṭāṃstu paripṛcchetā yānvakṣyāmi śucivratān। yeṣu vṛttibhayaṃ nāsti paralokabhayaṃ na ca ॥12-152-20॥
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.
nāmiṣeṣu prasaṅgo'sti na priyeṣvapriyeṣu ca। śiṣṭācāraḥ priyo yeṣu damo yeṣu pratiṣṭhitaḥ ॥12-152-21॥
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.
sukhaṃ duḥkhaṃ paraṃ yeṣāṃ satyaṃ yeṣāṃ parāyaṇam। dātāro na gṛhītāro dayāvantastathaiva ca ॥12-152-22॥
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.
pitṛdevātitheyāś ca nityodyuktās tathaiva ca। sarvopakāriṇo dhīrāḥ sarvadharmānupālakāḥ ॥12-152-23॥
They are always engaged in serving father, deity, and guests; likewise, they are beneficent to all, steadfast, and observers of all duties.
sarvabhūtahitāś caiva sarvadeyāś ca bhārata। na te cālayituṃ śakyā dharmavyāpārapāragāḥ ॥12-152-24॥
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.
na teṣāṃ bhidyate vṛttaṃ yat purā sādhu-bhiḥ kṛtam। na trāsino na capalā na raudrāḥ sat-pathe sthitāḥ ॥12-152-25॥
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.
te sevyāḥ sādhubhirnityaṃ yeṣvahiṃsā pratiṣṭhitā। kāmakrodhavyapetā ye nirmamā nirahaṅkṛtāḥ ॥ suvratāḥ sthiramaryādāstānupāssva ca pṛccha ca ॥12-152-26॥
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.
na gavārthaṃ yaśortham vā dharmasteṣāṃ yudhiṣṭhira। avaśyakārya ityeva śarīrasya kriyāstathā ॥12-152-27॥
O Yudhiṣṭhira, duty is not for the sake of cows or fame for them; bodily actions are to be necessarily performed as such.
na bhayaṃ krodhacāpalyaṃ na śokasteṣu vidyate। na dharmadhvajinaścaiva na guhyaṃ kiñcidāsthitāḥ ॥12-152-28॥
There is no fear, impulsiveness of anger, or sorrow in them. They are not pretenders of righteousness, nor have they adopted any secret.
yeṣvalobhastathāmoho ye ca satyārjave ratāḥ। teṣu kaunteya rajyethā yeṣvatandrīkṛtaṃ manaḥ॥12-152-29॥
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.
ye na hṛṣyanti lābheṣu nālābheṣu vyathanti ca। nirmamā nirahaṅkārāḥ sattvasthāḥ samadarśinaḥ ॥12-152-30॥
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.
lābhālābhau sukhaduḥkhe ca tāta; priyāpriye maraṇaṃ jīvitaṃ ca. samāni yeṣāṃ sthiravikramāṇāṃ; buddhātmanāṃ sattvamavasthitānām ॥12-152-31॥
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.
sukhapriyaistānsumahāpratāpā; nyatto'pramattaśca samarthayethāḥ। daivātsarve guṇavanto bhavanti; śubhāśubhā vākpralāpā yathaiva ॥12-152-32॥
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.
