12.155

भीष्म उवाच॥

bhīṣma uvāca॥

[भीष्म (bhīṣma) - Bhīṣma; (name of a person); उवाच (uvāca) - said; (from the root 'vac' - to speak);]

(Bhīṣma said;)

Bhīṣma said.

सर्वमेतत्तपोमूलं कवयः परिचक्षते। न ह्यतप्ततपा मूढः क्रियाफलमवाप्यते ॥१२-१५५-१॥

sarvam etat tapo-mūlaṃ kavayaḥ paricakṣate। na hy atapta-tapā mūḍhaḥ kriyā-phalam avāpyate॥12-155-1॥

[सर्वम् (sarvam) - all; everything; एतत् (etat) - this; तपः (tapaḥ) - austerity; penance; मूलम् (mūlam) - root; basis; कवयः (kavayaḥ) - the wise; sages; परिचक्षते (paricakṣate) - declare; state; न (na) - not; हि (hi) - indeed; अतप्ततपा (atapta-tapā) - one who has not performed austerity; मूढः (mūḍhaḥ) - deluded; foolish; क्रिया (kriyā) - action; ritual; फलम् (phalam) - fruit; result; अवाप्यते (avāpyate) - is obtained; is achieved;]

(All this, the wise declare, has austerity as its root. Indeed, the deluded one who has not performed austerity does not obtain the fruit of action.)

The wise say that austerity is the foundation of everything. One who is deluded and has not practiced austerity does not attain the results of actions.

प्रजापतिरिदं सर्वं तपसैवासृजत्प्रभुः। तथैव वेदानृषयस्तपसा प्रतिपेदिरे ॥१२-१५५-२॥

prajāpatir idaṃ sarvaṃ tapasaivāsṛjat prabhuḥ। tathaiva vedān ṛṣayas tapasā pratipedire ॥12-155-2॥

[प्रजापति (prajāpati) - lord of creatures; इदं (idaṃ) - this; सर्वं (sarvam) - all; तपसा (tapasā) - by austerity; एव (eva) - indeed; असृजत् (asṛjat) - created; प्रभुः (prabhuḥ) - the master; तथा (tathā) - in the same way; एव (eva) - indeed; वेदान् (vedān) - the Vedas; ऋषयः (ṛṣayaḥ) - the sages; तपसा (tapasā) - by austerity; प्रतिपेदिरे (pratipedire) - attained;]

(The lord of creatures indeed created all this by austerity. In the same way, the sages attained the Vedas by austerity.)

The Lord of creatures created all this through austerity; likewise, the sages attained the Vedas through austerity.

तपसो ह्यानुपूर्व्येण फलमूलानिलाशनाः। त्रीँल्लोकांस्तपसा सिद्धाः पश्यन्ति सुसमाहिताः ॥१२-१५५-३॥

tapasō hy anupūrvyeṇa phalamūlānilāśanāḥ। trīṁl lokāṁs tapasā siddhāḥ paśyanti susamāhitāḥ ॥12-155-3॥

[तपसः (tapasaḥ) - of austerity; हि (hi) - indeed; अनुपूर्व्येण (anupūrvyeṇa) - in succession; फलमूल (phala-mūla) - fruits and roots; अनिल (anila) - air; आशनाः (āśanāḥ) - eaters; त्रीन् (trīn) - three; लोकान् (lokān) - worlds; तपसा (tapasā) - by austerity; सिद्धाः (siddhāḥ) - perfected beings; पश्यन्ति (paśyanti) - see; सुसमाहिताः (susamāhitāḥ) - well-concentrated;]

(Indeed, by the succession of austerity, eating fruits, roots, and air, the perfected beings, well-concentrated, see the three worlds by austerity.)

By practicing austerity in succession, subsisting on fruits, roots, and air, the perfected beings, with well-concentrated minds, behold the three worlds through their austerity.

औषधान्यगदादीनि तिस्रो विद्याश्च संस्कृताः। तपसैव हि सिध्यन्ति तपोमूलं हि साधनम् ॥१२-१५५-४॥

auṣadhānyagadādīni tisro vidyāś ca saṃskṛtāḥ। tapasaiva hi sidhyanti tapomūlaṃ hi sādhanam ॥12-155-4॥

[औषध (auṣadha) - medicine; अन्य (anya) - other; गद (gada) - disease; आदीनि (ādīni) - and the like; तिस्रः (tisraḥ) - three (feminine); विद्याः (vidyāḥ) - knowledges; च (ca) - and; संस्कृताः (saṃskṛtāḥ) - refined; तपसा (tapasā) - by austerity; एव (eva) - indeed; हि (hi) - for; सिध्यन्ति (sidhyanti) - are accomplished; तपः (tapaḥ) - austerity; मूलं (mūlaṃ) - root; हि (hi) - indeed; साधनम् (sādhanam) - means;]

(Medicines, others, diseases and the like, three knowledges also refined, by austerity indeed for are accomplished; austerity root indeed means.)

Medicines, other things, diseases and the like, and the three refined knowledges are accomplished only through austerity; austerity is indeed the root means.

यद्दुरापं दुराम्नायं दुराधर्षं दुरुत्सहम्। सर्वं तत्तपसा शक्यं तपो हि दुरतिक्रमम् ॥१२-१५५-५॥

yad durāpaṃ durāmnāyaṃ durādharṣaṃ durutsaham। sarvaṃ tat tapasā śakyaṃ tapo hi duratikramam ॥12-155-5॥

[यत् (yat) - which; दुरापम् (durāpam) - difficult to obtain; दुराम्नायम् (durāmnāyam) - difficult to expound; दुराधर्षम् (durādharṣam) - difficult to overcome; दुरुत्सहम् (durutsaham) - difficult to endure; सर्वम् (sarvam) - all; तत् (tat) - that; तपसा (tapasā) - by austerity; शक्यम् (śakyam) - possible; तपः (tapaḥ) - austerity; हि (hi) - indeed; दुरतिक्रमम् (duratikramam) - difficult to transgress;]

(Which is difficult to obtain, difficult to expound, difficult to overcome, difficult to endure—all that is possible by austerity; for austerity is indeed difficult to transgress.)

Whatever is difficult to obtain, explain, overcome, or endure—all of it can be accomplished through austerity, for austerity is truly insurmountable.

सुरापोऽसंमतादायी भ्रूणहा गुरुतल्पगः। तपसैव सुतप्तेन नरः पापाद्विमुच्यते ॥१२-१५५-६॥

surāpo'saṃmatādāyī bhrūṇahā gurutalpagah। tapasaiva sutaptena naraḥ pāpādvimucyate ॥12-155-6॥

[सुरापः (surāpaḥ) - liquor-drinker; असंमत (asaṃmata) - not approved; आदायी (ādāyī) - one who takes; भ्रूणहा (bhrūṇahā) - killer of embryo; गुरुतल्पगः (gurutalpagah) - one who approaches teacher's bed; तपसा (tapasā) - by austerity; एव (eva) - indeed; सुतप्तेन (sutaptena) - well-performed (austerity); नरः (naraḥ) - man; पापात् (pāpāt) - from sin; विमुच्यते (vimucyate) - is released;]

(A liquor-drinker, one who takes what is not approved, killer of embryo, one who approaches teacher's bed—by austerity indeed, by well-performed austerity, a man is released from sin.)

A person who drinks liquor, takes what is not approved, kills an embryo, or approaches the teacher's bed is freed from sin by performing proper austerity.

तपसो बहुरूपस्य तैस्तैर्द्वारैः प्रवर्ततः। निवृत्त्या वर्तमानस्य तपो नानशनात्परम् ॥१२-१५५-७॥

tapasō bahurūpasya taistairdvāraiḥ pravartataḥ। nivṛttyā vartamānasya tapō nānaśanātparam ॥12-155-7॥

[तपसः (tapasaḥ) - of austerity; बहुरूपस्य (bahurūpasya) - of many forms; तैः तैः (taiḥ taiḥ) - by those various; द्वारैः (dvāraiḥ) - means; gates; प्रवर्ततः (pravartataḥ) - proceeding; निवृत्त्या (nivṛttyā) - by cessation; वर्तमानस्य (vartamānasya) - of the present; तपः (tapaḥ) - austerity; न (na) - not; अनशनात् (anaśanāt) - from fasting; परम् (param) - higher; supreme;]

(Of austerity of many forms, by those various means proceeding; by cessation of the present, austerity is not higher than fasting.)

Austerity takes many forms and proceeds by various means; however, the austerity of ceasing from present actions is not superior to that of fasting.

अहिंसा सत्यवचनं दानमिन्द्रियनिग्रहः। एतेभ्यो हि महाराज तपो नानशनात्परम् ॥१२-१५५-८॥

ahiṃsā satyavacanaṃ dānam indriyanigrahaḥ। etebhyo hi mahārāja tapo nānaśanāt param ॥12-155-8॥

[अहिंसा (ahiṃsā) - non-injury; सत्यवचनं (satyavacanam) - truthful speech; दानम् (dānam) - charity; इन्द्रियनिग्रहः (indriyanigrahaḥ) - control of the senses; एतेभ्यः (etebhyaḥ) - than these; हि (hi) - indeed; महाराज (mahārāja) - O great king; तपः (tapaḥ) - austerity; न (na) - not; अनशनात् (anaśanāt) - from fasting; परम् (param) - higher;]

(Non-injury, truthful speech, charity, control of the senses—indeed, O great king, austerity is not higher than these from fasting.)

O great king, non-injury, truthfulness, charity, and control of the senses—these are superior to austerity obtained by fasting.

न दुष्करतरं दानान्नातिमातरमाश्रमः। त्रैविद्येभ्यः परं नास्ति संन्यासः परमं तपः ॥१२-१५५-९॥

na duṣkarataraṃ dānān nātimātaram āśramaḥ। traividyebhyaḥ paraṃ nāsti saṃnyāsaḥ paramaṃ tapaḥ ॥12-155-9॥

[न (na) - not; दुष्करतरं (duṣkarataraṃ) - more difficult; दानात् (dānāt) - than giving; न (na) - not; अतिमातरम् (atimātaram) - greater mother; आश्रमः (āśramaḥ) - hermitage; त्रैविद्येभ्यः (traividyebhyaḥ) - than the knowers of the three Vedas; परं (paraṃ) - higher; नास्ति (nāsti) - there is not; संन्यासः (saṃnyāsaḥ) - renunciation; परमं (paramaṃ) - supreme; तपः (tapaḥ) - austerity;]

(Not more difficult than giving, not a greater mother than the hermitage; higher than the knowers of the three Vedas there is not, renunciation is the supreme austerity.)

There is nothing more difficult than giving, no greater mother than the hermitage; nothing higher than the knowers of the three Vedas, and renunciation is the highest austerity.

इन्द्रियाणीह रक्षन्ति धनधान्याभिगुप्तये। तस्मादर्थे च धर्मे च तपो नानशनात्परम् ॥१२-१५५-१०॥

indriyāṇīha rakṣanti dhanadhānyābhiguptaye। tasmādarthe ca dharme ca tapo nānaśanātparam ॥12-155-10॥

[इन्द्रियाणि (indriyāṇi) - senses; इह (iha) - here; रक्षन्ति (rakṣanti) - protect; धन (dhana) - wealth; धान्य (dhānya) - grain; अभिगुप्तये (abhiguptaye) - for the protection; तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore; अर्थे (arthe) - in wealth; च (ca) - and; धर्मे (dharme) - in righteousness; च (ca) - and; तपः (tapaḥ) - austerity; न (na) - not; अनशनात् (anaśanāt) - from fasting; परम् (param) - higher;]

(Here, the senses protect for the safeguarding of wealth and grain. Therefore, in wealth and in righteousness, austerity is not higher than abstaining from food.)

Here, the senses protect wealth and grain. Therefore, in matters of wealth and righteousness, austerity is not superior to abstaining from food.

ऋषयः पितरो देवा मनुष्या मृगसत्तमाः। यानि चान्यानि भूतानि स्थावराणि चराणि च ॥१२-१५५-११॥

ṛṣayaḥ pitaro devā manuṣyā mṛgasattamāḥ। yāni ca anyāni bhūtāni sthāvarāṇi carāṇi ca ॥12-155-11॥

[ऋषयः (ṛṣayaḥ) - seers; पितरः (pitarāḥ) - ancestors; देवाः (devāḥ) - gods; मनुष्याः (manuṣyāḥ) - humans; मृगसत्तमाः (mṛgasattamāḥ) - the best among animals; यानि (yāni) - which; च (ca) - and; अन्यानि (anyāni) - other; भूतानि (bhūtāni) - beings; स्थावराणि (sthāvarāṇi) - immobile; चराणि (carāṇi) - mobile; च (ca) - and;]

(Seers, ancestors, gods, humans, the best among animals, which and other beings, immobile and mobile and.)

Seers, ancestors, gods, humans, the noblest of animals, and all other beings, both immobile and mobile, are included.

तपःपरायणाः सर्वे सिध्यन्ति तपसा च ते। इत्येवं तपसा देवा महत्त्वं चाप्यवाप्नुवन् ॥१२-१५५-१२॥

tapaḥ-parāyaṇāḥ sarve sidhyanti tapasā ca te। ityevaṃ tapasā devā mahattvaṃ cāpyavāpnuvan ॥12-155-12॥

[तपःपरायणाः (tapaḥ-parāyaṇāḥ) - devoted to austerity; सर्वे (sarve) - all; सिध्यन्ति (sidhyanti) - attain success; तपसा (tapasā) - by austerity; च (ca) - and; ते (te) - they; इति (iti) - thus; एवम् (evam) - in this way; तपसा (tapasā) - by austerity; देवाः (devāḥ) - the gods; महत्त्वम् (mahattvam) - greatness; च (ca) - and; अपि (api) - also; अवाप्नुवन् (avāpnuvan) - attained;]

(All devoted to austerity attain success by austerity and they. Thus, in this way, by austerity, the gods also attained greatness.)

All those devoted to austerity attain success through austerity. In this way, the gods too attained greatness by austerity.

इमानीष्टविभागानि फलानि तपसा सदा। तपसा शक्यते प्राप्तुं देवत्वमपि निश्चयात् ॥१२-१५५-१३॥

imānīṣṭavibhāgāni phalāni tapasā sadā। tapasā śakyate prāptuṃ devatvam api niścayāt ॥12-155-13॥

[इमानि (imāni) - these; (neuter plural nominative of idam) इष्टविभागानि (iṣṭavibhāgāni) - portions of offerings; (neuter plural nominative of iṣṭavibhāga) फलानि (phalāni) - fruits; (neuter plural nominative of phala) तपसा (tapasā) - by austerity; (instrumental singular of tapas) सदा (sadā) - always; तपसा (tapasā) - by austerity; (instrumental singular of tapas) शक्यते (śakyate) - is possible; (3rd person singular passive of śak) प्राप्तुं (prāptuṃ) - to obtain; (infinitive of prāp) देवत्वम् (devatvam) - divinity; (neuter singular accusative of devatva) अपि (api) - even; निश्चयात् (niścayāt) - by determination; (ablative singular of niścaya);]

(These portions of offerings, the fruits, are always (attainable) by austerity. By austerity, it is possible to obtain even divinity by determination.)

These portions of offerings and their fruits are always attainable through austerity. Through austerity and determination, even divinity can certainly be attained.