12.153
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
अनर्थानामधिष्ठानमुक्तो लोभः पितामह। अज्ञानमपि वै तात श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वतः ॥१२-१५३-१॥
O grandsire, greed is described as the root of calamities. O father, I also wish to hear in detail about ignorance.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
करोति पापं योऽज्ञानान्नात्मनो वेत्ति च क्षमम्। प्रद्वेष्टि साधुवृत्तांश्च स लोकस्यैति वाच्यताम् ॥१२-१५३-२॥
He who, out of ignorance, commits sin, does not understand forgiveness for himself, and despises those of virtuous conduct, is to be regarded as such by the world.
अज्ञानान्निरयं याति तथाज्ञानेन दुर्गतिम्। अज्ञानात्क्लेशमाप्नोति तथापत्सु निमज्जति ॥१२-१५३-३॥
Due to ignorance, one goes to hell; similarly, through ignorance, one falls into a bad state. Ignorance leads to suffering, and likewise, one is submerged in calamities.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
अज्ञानस्य प्रवृत्तिं च स्थानं वृद्धिं क्षयोदयौ। मूलं योगं गतिं कालं कारणं हेतुमेव च ॥१२-१५३-४॥
The activity, place, growth, decline, rise, root, union, movement, time, cause, and reason of ignorance.
श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वेन यथावदिह पार्थिव। अज्ञानप्रभवं हीदं यद्दुःखमुपलभ्यते ॥१२-१५३-५॥
O king, I wish to hear, in truth and as it is, here, about the suffering that is indeed experienced, which arises from ignorance.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
रागो द्वेषस्तथा मोहो हर्षः शोकोऽभिमानिता। कामः क्रोधश्च दर्पश्च तन्द्रीरालस्यमेव च ॥१२-१५३-६॥
Attachment, aversion, delusion, joy, sorrow, pride, desire, anger, arrogance, sloth, and laziness are enumerated here.
इच्छा द्वेषस्तथा तापः परवृद्ध्युपतापिता। अज्ञानमेतन्निर्दिष्टं पापानां चैव याः क्रियाः ॥१२-१५३-७॥
Desire, hatred, affliction, envy at others' prosperity, and ignorance—these are described as the actions of the sinful.
एतया या प्रवृत्तिश्च वृद्ध्यादीन्यांश्च पृच्छसि। विस्तरेण महाबाहो शृणु तच्च विशां पते ॥१२-१५३-८॥
O mighty-armed one, you ask about this activity, its increase, and its parts; listen to that in detail, O lord of men.
उभावेतौ समफलौ समदोषौ च भारत। अज्ञानं चातिलोभश्चाप्येकं जानीहि पार्थिव ॥१२-१५३-९॥
O Bhārata, both these have equal results and equal faults. Know ignorance and excessive greed to be one and the same, O king.
लोभप्रभवमज्ञानं वृद्धं भूयः प्रवर्धते। स्थाने स्थानं क्षये क्षैण्यमुपैति विविधां गतिम् ॥१२-१५३-१०॥
Ignorance that arises from greed, once grown, continues to increase further. In each place, as decline occurs, diminishment attains various states.
मूलं लोभस्य महतः कालात्मगतिरेव च। छिन्नेऽच्छिन्ने तथा लोभे कारणं काल एव हि ॥१२-१५३-११॥
The root of great greed is the movement whose essence is time; whether greed is ended or not, time alone is truly the cause.
तस्याज्ञानात्तु लोभो हि लोभादज्ञानमेव च। सर्वे दोषास्तथा लोभात्तस्माल्लोभं विवर्जयेत् ॥१२-१५३-१२॥
Greed arises from ignorance, and ignorance also arises from greed. All faults likewise arise from greed; therefore, one should avoid greed.
जनको युवनाश्वश्च वृषादर्भिः प्रसेनजित्। लोभक्षयाद्दिवं प्राप्तास्तथैवान्ये जनाधिपाः ॥१२-१५३-१३॥
Janaka, Yuvanāśva, Vṛṣādarbhi, and Prasenajit attained heaven by destroying greed; likewise, other kings also reached heaven.
प्रत्यक्षं तु कुरुश्रेष्ठ त्यज लोभमिहात्मना। त्यक्त्वा लोभं सुखं लोके प्रेत्य चानुचरिष्यसि ॥१२-१५३-१४॥
O best of the Kurus, abandon greed here and now by your own effort. By giving up greed, you will attain happiness both in this world and after death.
