12.156
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
सत्यं धर्मे प्रशंसन्ति विप्रर्षिपितृदेवताः। सत्यमिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥१२-१५६-१॥
Brāhmaṇas, sages, ancestors, and deities praise truth in righteousness. I wish to hear about truth; tell that to me, O grandsire.
सत्यं किंलक्षणं राजन्कथं वा तदवाप्यते। सत्यं प्राप्य भवेत्किं च कथं चैव तदुच्यते ॥१२-१५६-२॥
O king, what is the characteristic of truth, how is it attained, and what happens when truth is attained? How, indeed, is that described?
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य धर्माणां सङ्करो न प्रशस्यते। अविकारितमं सत्यं सर्ववर्णेषु भारत ॥१२-१५६-३॥
O Bhārata, the intermingling of the duties of the four varṇas is not approved. The unaltered truth should be upheld among all varṇas.
सत्यं सत्सु सदा धर्मः सत्यं धर्मः सनातनः। सत्यमेव नमस्येत सत्यं हि परमा गतिः ॥१२-१५६-४॥
Truth is always righteousness among the virtuous; truth is the eternal righteousness. One should indeed worship only truth, for truth is truly the highest goal.
सत्यं धर्मस्तपो योगः सत्यं ब्रह्म सनातनम्। सत्यं यज्ञः परः प्रोक्तः सत्ये सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥१२-१५६-५॥
Truth is righteousness, austerity, and union; truth is the eternal Brahman. Truth is declared as the supreme sacrifice; upon truth all is established.
आचारानिह सत्यस्य यथावदनुपूर्वशः। लक्षणं च प्रवक्ष्यामि सत्यस्येह यथाक्रमम् ॥१२-१५६-६॥
Here, I will explain the conducts of truth as they are, in proper sequence, and also the characteristics of truth in due order.
प्राप्यते हि यथा सत्यं तच्च श्रोतुं त्वमर्हसि। सत्यं त्रयोदशविधं सर्वलोकेषु भारत ॥१२-१५६-७॥
O Bhārata, as truth is attained, you are indeed worthy to hear about it. Truth is of thirteen kinds in all worlds.
सत्यं च समता चैव दमश्चैव न संशयः। अमात्सर्यं क्षमा चैव ह्रीस्तितिक्षानसूयता ॥१२-१५६-८॥
Truth, equanimity, self-restraint, absence of doubt, absence of envy, forgiveness, modesty, forbearance, and absence of fault-finding are virtues.
त्यागो ध्यानमथार्यत्वं धृतिश्च सततं स्थिरा। अहिंसा चैव राजेन्द्र सत्याकारास्त्रयोदश ॥१२-१५६-९॥
O King, renunciation, meditation, nobility, steadfastness, constant firmness, non-violence, and so on—these are the thirteen forms of truth.
सत्यं नामाव्ययं नित्यमविकारि तथैव च। सर्वधर्माविरुद्धं च योगेनैतदवाप्यते ॥१२-१५६-१०॥
Truth is indeed imperishable, eternal, and unchanging; it is not opposed to all dharmas, and this is attained by yoga.
आत्मनीष्टे तथानिष्टे रिपौ च समता तथा। इच्छाद्वेषक्षयं प्राप्य कामक्रोधक्षयं तथा ॥१२-१५६-११॥
One should maintain equanimity towards oneself, towards what is desired and undesired, and even towards an enemy; having achieved the destruction of desire and aversion, and likewise the destruction of desire and anger.
दमो नान्यस्पृहा नित्यं धैर्यं गाम्भीर्यमेव च। अभयं क्रोधशमनं ज्ञानेनैतदवाप्यते ॥१२-१५६-१२॥
Self-restraint, absence of desire for others' possessions, constant fortitude, and true gravity; fearlessness and pacification of anger—these are attained through knowledge.
अमात्सर्यं बुधाः प्राहुर्दानं धर्मे च संयमम्। अवस्थितेन नित्यं च सत्येनामत्सरी भवेत् ॥१२-१५६-१३॥
The wise declare that absence of envy is true generosity; in the practice of dharma and self-restraint, one who is steadfast and always truthful should remain free from envy.
अक्षमायाः क्षमायाश्च प्रियाणीहाप्रियाणि च। क्षमते सर्वतः साधुः साध्वाप्नोति च सत्यवान् ॥१२-१५६-१४॥
Both the unforgiving and the forgiving encounter pleasant and unpleasant things here; the virtuous person forgives everything, the good attains, and the truthful prevails.
कल्याणं कुरुते गाढं ह्रीमान्न श्लाघते क्वचित्। प्रशान्तवाङ्मना नित्यं ह्रीस्तु धर्मादवाप्यते ॥१२-१५६-१५॥
A truly modest person does good deeds steadfastly and never boasts. One whose words and mind are always calm—such modesty is attained only through dharma.
धर्मार्थहेतोः क्षमते तितिक्षा क्षान्तिरुच्यते। लोकसङ्ग्रहणार्थं तु सा तु धैर्येण लभ्यते ॥१२-१५६-१६॥
Forbearance is called that which endures for the sake of righteousness; but for the welfare of the world, such forbearance is attained through courage.
त्यागः स्नेहस्य यस्त्यागो विषयाणां तथैव च। रागद्वेषप्रहीणस्य त्यागो भवति नान्यथा ॥१२-१५६-१७॥
Only the renunciation of sense-objects and attachments by one who is free from both attachment and aversion is true renunciation; otherwise, it is not so.
आर्यता नाम भूतानां यः करोति प्रयत्नतः। शुभं कर्म निराकारो वीतरागत्वमेव च ॥१२-१५६-१८॥
Nobility is defined as that which one performs with effort: auspicious deeds, formlessness, and true dispassion.
धृतिर्नाम सुखे दुःखे यथा नाप्नोति विक्रियाम्। तां भजेत सदा प्राज्ञो य इच्छेद्भूतिमात्मनः ॥१२-१५६-१९॥
Steadfastness is that which does not undergo change in happiness or sorrow; the wise man who desires his own prosperity should always cultivate that.
सर्वथा क्षमिणा भाव्यं तथा सत्यपरेण च। वीतहर्षभयक्रोधो धृतिमाप्नोति पण्डितः ॥१२-१५६-२०॥
A wise person should always be forgiving and devoted to truth; being free from delight, fear, and anger, such a person attains steadfastness.
अद्रोहः सर्वभूतेषु कर्मणा मनसा गिरा। अनुग्रहश्च दानं च सतां धर्मः सनातनः ॥१२-१५६-२१॥
The eternal duty of the virtuous is to be free from hostility towards all beings in action, thought, and speech, and to practice kindness and charity.
एते त्रयोदशाकाराः पृथक्सत्यैकलक्षणाः। भजन्ते सत्यमेवेह बृंहयन्ति च भारत ॥१२-१५६-२२॥
O Bhārata, these thirteen forms, each with the single characteristic of truth, separately partake of truth alone here and also cause it to flourish.
नान्तः शक्यो गुणानां हि वक्तुं सत्यस्य भारत। अतः सत्यं प्रशंसन्ति विप्राः सपितृदेवताः ॥१२-१५६-२३॥
O Bhārata, the end of the qualities of truth cannot indeed be spoken; therefore, the sages, together with the ancestors and gods, praise truth.
नास्ति सत्यात्परो धर्मो नानृतात्पातकं परम्। स्थितिर्हि सत्यं धर्मस्य तस्मात्सत्यं न लोपयेत् ॥१२-१५६-२४॥
There is no dharma greater than truth, nor any sin greater than falsehood. Truth is indeed the foundation of dharma; therefore, one should never abandon the truth.
उपैति सत्याद्दानं हि तथा यज्ञाः सदक्षिणाः। व्रताग्निहोत्रं वेदाश्च ये चान्ये धर्मनिश्चयाः ॥१२-१५६-२५॥
Indeed, gifts that arise from truth, as well as sacrifices with proper gifts, vows, Agnihotra, the Vedas, and all other determinations of dharma, are attained.
अश्वमेधसहस्रं च सत्यं च तुलया धृतम्। अश्वमेधसहस्राद्धि सत्यमेवातिरिच्यते ॥१२-१५६-२६॥
When a thousand horse sacrifices and truth are weighed in a balance, truth alone is found to surpass even a thousand horse sacrifices.
