12.168
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
dharmāḥ pitāmahenoktā rājadharmāśritāḥ śubhāḥ। dharmamāśramiṇāṃ śreṣṭhaṃ vaktumarhasi pārthiva ॥12-168-1॥
O king, the auspicious duties spoken by the grandsire, which are based on royal conduct, you are worthy to speak of the highest duty of those in the āśramas.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
sarvatra vihito dharmaḥ svargyaḥ satyaphalaṃ tapaḥ। bahudvārasya dharmasya nehāsti viphalaā kriyā ॥12-168-2॥
Duty is enjoined everywhere; it leads to heaven, and austerity bears the fruit of truth. For duty, which has many avenues, no action here is fruitless.
yasminyasmiṃstu vinaye yo yo yāti viniścayam। sa tamevābhijānāti nānyaṃ bharatasattama ॥12-168-3॥
O best of the Bharatas, in whichever discipline a person attains certainty, he recognizes only that person, not another.
yathā yathā ca paryeti lokatantramasāravat। tathā tathā virāgo'tra jāyate nātra saṃśayaḥ ॥12-168-4॥
Just as one moves about in the unsubstantial worldly system, so too does dispassion arise here; there is no doubt about this.
evaṃ vyavasite loke bahudoṣe yudhiṣṭhira। ātma-mokṣa-nimittaṃ vai yateta matimān naraḥ ॥12-168-5॥
O Yudhishthira, since this world is full of many faults, a wise person should strive for self-liberation.
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
naṣṭe dhane vā dāre vā putre pitari vā mṛte। yayā buddhyā nudeccokaṃ tanme brūhi pitāmaha ॥12-168-6॥
O grandsire, tell me what understanding should be used to dispel grief when wealth, wife, son, or father is lost or dead.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
naṣṭe dhane vā dāre vā putre pitari vā mṛte। aho duḥkhamiti dhyāyañśokasyāpacitiṃ caret ॥12-168-7॥
If wealth, wife, son, or father is lost or dead, and one keeps thinking 'Alas, sorrow,' one only increases grief.
atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam। yathā senajitaṃ vipraḥ kaścid ity abravīd vacaḥ ॥12-168-8॥
Here too, an ancient story is told: as a certain brāhmaṇa named Senajit once spoke these words.
putraśokābhisantaptaṃ rājānaṃ śokavihvalam। viṣaṇṇavadanaṃ dṛṣṭvā vipro vacanamabravīt ॥12-168-9॥
Seeing the king, overwhelmed and tormented by grief for his son, his face dejected, the brāhmaṇa spoke these words.
kiṁ nu khalv asi mūḍhas tvaṁ śocyaḥ kim anuśocasi। yadā tvām api śocantaḥ śocyā yāsyanti tāṁ gatim ॥12-168-10॥
Why, truly, are you deluded and pitiable? Why do you grieve? When even those who grieve for you, themselves pitiable, will also reach that same state.
tvaṃ caivāhaṃ ca ye cānye tvāṃ rājan paryupāsate। sarve tatra gamiṣyāmo yata evāgatā vayam ॥12-168-11॥
You, I, and all others who serve you, O king, all of us shall go there from where we have indeed come.
senajiduvāca॥
Senajit said.
kā buddhiḥ kiṃ tapo vipra kaḥ samādhis tapodhana। kiṃ jñānaṃ kiṃ śrutaṃ vā te yat prāpya na viṣīdasi ॥12-168-12॥
What is intellect? What is austerity, O Brāhmaṇa? What is concentration, O ascetic? What is knowledge? What is scripture, or what is it that, having attained, you do not grieve?
brāhmaṇa uvāca॥
The brāhmaṇa said.
paśya bhūtāni duḥkhena vyatiṣaktāni sarvaśaḥ। ātmāpi cāyaṃ na mama sarvā vā pṛthivī mama॥12-168-13॥
See how all beings are afflicted by suffering. Even this self is not mine, nor is all the earth mine.
yathā mama tathānyeṣām iti buddhyā na me vyathā। etāṃ buddhim ahaṃ prāpya na prahṛṣye na ca vyathe ॥12-168-14॥
With the understanding that others are just like me, I do not feel pain. Having gained this insight, I neither rejoice nor grieve.
yathā kāṣṭhaṃ ca kāṣṭhaṃ ca sameyātāṃ mahodadhau। sametya ca vyapeyātāṃ tadvad bhūtasamāgamaḥ ॥12-168-15॥
Just as two logs of wood may come together in the vast ocean and, after meeting, drift apart, so too is the meeting of living beings.
evaṃ putrāś ca pautrāś ca jñātayo bāndhavās tathā। teṣu sneho na kartavyo viprayogo hi tair dhruvam ॥12-168-16॥
Thus, one should not become attached to sons, grandsons, kinsmen, or relatives, for separation from them is inevitable.
adarśanād āpatitaḥ punaś cādarśanaṃ gataḥ। na tv āsau veda na tvaṃ taṃ kaḥ san kam anuśocasi॥12-168-17॥
He has fallen from the unseen and again has gone to the unseen. Neither does he know you, nor do you know him. So, being who, for whom do you grieve?
tṛṣṇārti-prabhavaṃ duḥkhaṃ duḥkhārti-prabhavaṃ sukham। sukhāt sañjāyate duḥkham evam etat punaḥ punaḥ ॥ sukhasyānantaraṃ duḥkhaṃ duḥkhasyānantaraṃ sukham ॥12-168-18॥
Suffering is born from the pain of desire, and happiness is born from the pain of suffering. From happiness, suffering arises; thus, this cycle repeats again and again. After happiness comes suffering, and after suffering comes happiness.
sukhāttvaṃ duḥkhamāpannaḥ punarāpatsyase sukham। na nityaṃ labhate duḥkhaṃ na nityaṃ labhate sukham ॥12-168-19॥
From happiness, you have come to suffering, and you will again attain happiness. Suffering is not always obtained, nor is happiness always obtained.
nālaṃ sukhāya suhṛdo nālaṃ duḥkhāya śatravaḥ। na ca prajñālamarthānāṃ na sukhānāmalaṃ dhanam ॥12-168-20॥
Friends alone are not enough for happiness, nor are enemies alone enough for sorrow. Wisdom alone does not guarantee wealth, nor does wealth alone guarantee happiness.
na buddhirdhanalābhāya na jāḍyamasamṛddhaye। lokaparyāyavṛttāntaṃ prājño jānāti netaraḥ ॥12-168-21॥
Intellect is not meant for gaining wealth, nor is dullness meant for lack of prosperity. It is the wise who understands the affairs and changes of the world, not others.
buddhimantaṃ ca mūḍhaṃ ca śūraṃ bhīruṃ jaḍaṃ kavim। durbalaṃ balavantaṃ ca bhāginaṃ bhajate sukham ॥12-168-22॥
Happiness comes to the intelligent, the foolish, the brave, the timid, the dull, the wise, the weak, the strong, and the fortunate alike.
dhenur vatsasya gopasya svāminas taskarasya ca। payaḥ pibati yas tasyā dhenus tasyeti niścayaḥ ॥12-168-23॥
A cow may be claimed by the calf, the cowherd, the owner, or even a thief; but whoever actually drinks her milk, to him the cow truly belongs—such is the established rule.
ye ca mūḍhatamā loke ye ca buddheḥ paraṃ gatāḥ। te narāḥ sukhamedhante kliśyatyantarito janaḥ ॥12-168-24॥
Those who are the most deluded in the world and those who have transcended wisdom—these people are happy; but the person who is in between suffers.
antyeṣu remire dhīrā na te madhyeṣu remire। antyaprāptiṃ sukhām āhur duḥkham antaram antayoḥ ॥12-168-25॥
The wise delighted in the final moments, not in the middle periods. They say the attainment of the end is happiness; the interval between the ends is sorrow.
ye tu buddhisukhaṃ prāptā dvaṃdvātītā vimatsarāḥ। tānnai vārthā na cānarthā vyathayanti kadācana॥12-168-26॥
But those who have attained the happiness of wisdom, who have gone beyond dualities and are free from envy, are never disturbed by either gain or loss at any time.
atha ye buddhimaprāptā vyatikrāntāśca mūḍhatām। te'tivelaṃ prahṛṣyanti santāpamupayānti ca ॥12-168-27॥
Now, those who have not attained understanding and have fallen into delusion, they rejoice excessively and also fall into distress.
nityapramuditā mūḍhā divi devagaṇā iva। avalepena mahatā paridr̥bdhā vicetasaḥ ॥12-168-28॥
Always delighted and deluded, like the hosts of gods in heaven, overpowered by great arrogance, they are devoid of understanding.
sukhaṃ duḥkhāntamālasyaṃ duḥkhaṃ dākṣyaṃ sukhodayam। bhūtiścaiva śriyā sārdhaṃ dakṣe vasati nālase ॥12-168-29॥
Happiness comes at the end of suffering; laziness brings suffering; skillfulness leads to happiness. Prosperity and fortune reside with the diligent, not with the lazy.
sukhaṃ vā yadi vā duḥkhaṃ dveṣyaṃ vā yadi vā priyam। prāptaṃ prāptamupāsīta hṛdayenāparājitaḥ ॥12-168-30॥
Whether happiness or sorrow, whether something hateful or dear is attained, one should accept whatever comes with an unconquered heart.
śokasthānasahasrāṇi harṣasthānaśatāni ca। divase divase mūḍham āviśanti na paṇḍitam॥12-168-31॥
Every day, thousands of causes for sorrow and hundreds of causes for joy affect the deluded, but not the wise.
buddhimantaṃ kṛtaprajñaṃ śuśrūṣumanasūyakam। dāntaṃ jitendriyaṃ cāpi śoko na spṛśate naram ॥12-168-32॥
Sorrow does not affect a man who is intelligent, wise, eager to serve without envy, self-controlled, and master of his senses.
etāṃ buddhiṃ samāsthāya guptacittaś cared budhaḥ। udayāstamayajñaṃ hi na śokaḥ spraṣṭum arhati ॥12-168-33॥
With this understanding, the wise person, keeping his mind guarded, should act; for truly, sorrow cannot touch one who knows the nature of rise and fall.
yannimittaṃ bhavecchokastrāso vā duḥkhameva vā। āyāso vā yatomūlastadekāṅgamapi tyajet ॥12-168-34॥
Whatever is the cause of sorrow, fear, pain, or exertion, one should abandon even the slightest part of that root cause.
yadyat tyajati kāmānāṃ tat sukhasya abhipūryate। kāmānusārī puruṣaḥ kāmān anu vinaśyati ॥12-168-35॥
Whatever desires a person gives up, that much happiness is attained. But a person who pursues desires is destroyed by them.
yacca kāmasukhaṃ loke yacca divyaṃ mahatsukham। tṛṣṇākṣayasukhasyaite nārhataḥ ṣoḍaśīṃ kalām॥12-168-36॥
All the pleasures of desire in this world and even the greatest divine happiness are not equal to even a sixteenth part of the happiness that comes from the cessation of craving.
pūrvadehakṛtaṃ karma śubhaṃ vā yadi vāśubham। prājñaṃ mūḍhaṃ tathā śūraṃ bhajate yādṛśaṃ kṛtam ॥12-168-37॥
Whatever actions, good or bad, were performed in a previous body, a person—whether wise, foolish, or brave—experiences the results according to what was done.
evameva kilaitāni priyāṇyevāpriyāṇi ca। jīveṣu parivartante duḥkhāni ca sukhāni ca ॥12-168-38॥
In this way, both pleasant and unpleasant experiences, as well as sorrows and joys, continually revolve among living beings.
tadevaṃ buddhimāsthāya sukhaṃ jīved guṇānvitaḥ। sarvān kāmāñ jugupseta saṅgān kurvīta pṛṣṭhataḥ॥ vṛtta eṣa hṛdi prauḍho mṛtyur eṣa manomayaḥ॥12-168-39॥
Thus, having established oneself in intellect, one endowed with virtues should live happily; one should shun all desires and keep attachments behind. This conduct, firmly rooted in the heart, is the death that is born of the mind.
yadā saṁharate kāmān kūrmo'ṅgānīva sarvaśaḥ। tadātmajyotirātmā ca ātmanyeva prasīdati ॥12-168-40॥
When one withdraws all desires like a tortoise withdraws its limbs, then the self, whose light is its own, becomes peaceful in itself.
kiñcideva mamatvena yadā bhavati kalpitam। tadeva paritāpārthaṃ sarvaṃ sampadyate tadā ॥12-168-41॥
Whenever even a little is imagined as 'mine', then all of it turns into a cause of suffering.
na bibheti yadā cāyaṃ yadā cāsmānna bibhyati। yadā neccati na dveṣṭi brahma sampadyate tadā ॥12-168-42॥
When this person does not fear, and when others do not fear him; when he neither desires nor hates, then he attains Brahman.
ubhe satyānṛte tyaktvā śokānandau bhayābhaye। priyāpriye parityajya praśāntātmā bhaviṣyasi ॥12-168-43॥
When you have abandoned both truth and untruth, sorrow and joy, fear and fearlessness, and have completely let go of what is pleasant and unpleasant, you will become one whose mind is tranquil.
yadā na kurute dhīraḥ sarvabhūteṣu pāpakam। karmaṇā manasā vācā brahma sampadyate tadā ॥12-168-44॥
When a steadfast person refrains from evil towards all beings in action, thought, and speech, then he attains Brahman.
yā dustyajā durmatibhir yā na jīryati jīryataḥ। yo'sau prāṇāntiko rogas tāṃ tṛṣṇāṃ tyajataḥ sukham ॥12-168-45॥
That craving, which is hard to abandon by the wicked-minded and does not decay even as the body decays, is a life-ending disease. Happiness belongs to the one who abandons that craving.
atra piṅgalayā gītā gāthāḥ śrūyanti pārthiva। yathā sā kṛcchrakāle'pi lebhe dharmaṃ sanātanam ॥12-168-46॥
O king, here the verses sung by Piṅgalā are heard; as she, even in a time of distress, attained the eternal dharma.
saṅkete piṅgalā veśyā kāntenāsīd vinākṛtā। atha kṛcchragatā śāntāṃ buddhim āsthāpayat tadā ॥12-168-47॥
At the rendezvous, Piṅgalā the courtesan was left by her beloved. Then, in her distress, she composed her mind and became calm.
piṅgala uvāca॥
Piṅgala said.
unmattāham anunmattaṃ kāntam anvavasaṃ ciram। antike ramaṇaṃ santaṃ nainam adhyagamaṃ purā॥12-168-48॥
I, though mad, lived for a long time with my sane beloved; though my lover was near and present, I did not approach him in the past.
ekasthūṇaṃ navadvāram apidhāsyāmy agārakam। kā hi kāntam ihāyāntam ayaṃ kānteti maṃsyate ॥12-168-49॥
I will close the one-pillar, nine-gated house; for which woman, indeed, would consider this as her beloved when he comes here, calling him 'beloved'?
akāmāḥ kāmarūpeṇa dhūrtā narakarūpiṇaḥ। na punarvañcayiṣyanti pratibuddhāsmi jāgrimi ॥12-168-50॥
Those deceivers, though appearing in the form of men and desire, will not deceive me again, for I am awakened and alert.
anartho'pi bhavatyartho daivātpūrvakṛtena vā। sambuddhāhaṃ nirākārā nāhamadyājitendriyā ॥12-168-51॥
Even what is meaningless may become meaningful by fate or by previous actions. Awakened, I am formless; today, I am not one whose senses are unconquered.
sukhaṃ nirāśaḥ svapiti nairāśyaṃ paramaṃ sukham। āśāmanāśāṃ kṛtvā hi sukhaṃ svapiti piṅgalā ॥12-168-52॥
One who is without hope sleeps happily; hopelessness is the greatest happiness. Indeed, having destroyed hope, Piṅgalā sleeps happily.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
etaiś cānyaiś ca viprasya hetumadbhiḥ prabhāṣitaiḥ। paryavasthāpito rājā senajin mumude sukham ॥12-168-53॥
With these and other reasoned words of the brāhmaṇa, King Senajit was restored and rejoiced in happiness.
