12.169
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhishthira said.
अतिक्रामति कालेऽस्मिन्सर्वभूतक्षयावहे। किं श्रेयः प्रतिपद्येत तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥१२-१६९-१॥
O grandsire, in this time that brings destruction to all beings, what is the highest good that one should pursue? Please tell me that.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। पितुः पुत्रेण संवादं तन्निबोध युधिष्ठिर ॥१२-१६९-२॥
Here too, an ancient story is told: listen, Yudhishthira, to the conversation between a father and his son.
द्विजातेः कस्यचित्पार्थ स्वाध्यायनिरतस्य वै। बभूव पुत्रो मेधावी मेधावी नाम नामतः ॥१२-१६९-३॥
O Pārtha, there was a wise son named Medhāvī, born to a certain Brāhmaṇa who was devoted to self-study.
सोऽब्रवीत्पितरं पुत्रः स्वाध्यायकरणे रतम्। मोक्षधर्मार्थकुशलो लोकतत्त्वविचक्षणः ॥१२-१६९-४॥
The son, devoted to self-study, skilled in the knowledge of liberation, dharma, and artha, and discerning in the principles of the world, spoke to his father.
धीरः किं स्वित्तात कुर्यात्प्रजान; न्क्षिप्रं ह्यायुर्भ्रश्यते मानवानाम्। पितस्तदाचक्ष्व यथार्थयोगं; ममानुपूर्व्या येन धर्मं चरेयम् ॥१२-१६९-५॥
O wise one, what should a person do with wealth for his children? For the life of men is quickly lost. Father, please tell me, in proper order, the true method by which I may practice righteousness.
पितोवाच॥
The father said.
वेदानधीत्य ब्रह्मचर्येण पुत्र; पुत्रानिच्छेत्पावनार्थं पितॄणाम्। अग्नीनाधाय विधिवच्चेष्टयज्ञो; वनं प्रविश्याथ मुनिर्बुभूषेत् ॥१२-१६९-६॥
After studying the Vedas with celibacy and having a son, one should desire sons for the purification of the ancestors. Having established the sacred fires according to prescribed rules and performed the required rituals, then the sage should enter the forest and desire to live there.
पुत्र उवाच॥
The son said.
एवमभ्याहते लोके समन्तात्परिवारिते। अमोघासु पतन्तीषु किं धीर इव भाषसे ॥१२-१६९-७॥
When the world is thus attacked and surrounded from all sides, and unfailing arrows are falling, why do you speak as if you are steadfast?
पितोवाच॥
The father said.
कथमभ्याहतो लोकः केन वा परिवारितः। अमोघाः काः पतन्तीह किं नु भीषयसीव माम् ॥१२-१६९-८॥
How has the world been attacked, or by whom has it been surrounded? Which unfailing things are falling here, and what is it that seems to frighten me?
पुत्र उवाच॥
The son said.
मृत्युनाभ्याहतो लोको जरया परिवारितः। अहोरात्राः पतन्त्येते ननु कस्मान्न बुध्यसे ॥१२-१६९-९॥
The world is struck by death and surrounded by old age; these days and nights are passing away—why do you not realize this?
यदाहमेतज्जानामि न मृत्युस्तिष्ठतीति ह। सोऽहं कथं प्रतीक्षिष्ये जालेनापिहितश्चरन् ॥१२-१६९-१०॥
When I know that death does not stand still, how can I wait, moving about covered by a net?
रात्र्यां रात्र्यां व्यतीतायामायुरल्पतरं यदा। गाधोदके मत्स्य इव सुखं विन्देत कस्तदा ॥ तदेव वन्ध्यं दिवसमिति विद्याद्विचक्षणः ॥१२-१६९-११॥
When the night after night has passed and life is lessened, who then, like a fish in deep water, would find happiness? The wise should know that such a day is indeed fruitless.
अनवाप्तेषु कामेषु मृत्युरभ्येति मानवम्। शष्पाणीव विचिन्वन्तमन्यत्रगतमानसम् ॥ वृकीवोरणमासाद्य मृत्युरादाय गच्छति ॥१२-१६९-१२॥
Death comes to a man who has not fulfilled his desires, just as a she-wolf approaches a sheep; death takes away the one whose mind is elsewhere, searching for other things, and departs.
अद्यैव कुरु यच्छ्रेयो मा त्वा कालोऽत्यगादयम्। अकृतेष्वेव कार्येषु मृत्युर्वै सम्प्रकर्षति ॥१२-१६९-१३॥
Do what is good today itself; do not let time pass you by. If actions remain unaccomplished, death indeed draws near.
श्वःकार्यमद्य कुर्वीत पूर्वाह्णे चापराह्णिकम्। न हि प्रतीक्षते मृत्युः कृतं वास्य न वा कृतम् ॥ को हि जानाति कस्याद्य मृत्युसेना निवेक्ष्यते ॥१२-१६९-१४॥
One should do tomorrow's work today, and the afternoon's work in the forenoon, for death does not wait to see whether a task is done or not. Who can know for whom death's army will be stationed today?
युवैव धर्मशीलः स्यादनिमित्तं हि जीवितम्। कृते धर्मे भवेत्कीर्तिरिह प्रेत्य च वै सुखम् ॥१२-१६९-१५॥
One should cultivate righteousness from youth, for life is uncertain. By performing righteous deeds, one attains fame in this world and true happiness after death.
मोहेन हि समाविष्टः पुत्रदारार्थमुद्यतः। कृत्वा कार्यमकार्यं वा पुष्टिमेषां प्रयच्छति ॥१२-१६९-१६॥
Overcome by delusion, a person, engaged for the sake of sons and wives, does what should or should not be done and grants them prosperity.
तं पुत्रपशुसंमत्तं व्यासक्तमनसं नरम्। सुप्तं व्याघ्रं महौघो वा मृत्युरादाय गच्छति ॥१२-१६९-१७॥
Death carries away the man whose mind is deluded and attached to sons and cattle, just as a great flood sweeps away a sleeping tiger.
सञ्चिन्वानकमेवैकं कामानामवितृप्तकम्। व्याघ्रः पशुमिवादाय मृत्युरादाय गच्छति ॥१२-१६९-१८॥
The one who is always accumulating and never satisfied with desires is taken away by death, just as a tiger carries off an animal.
इदं कृतमिदं कार्यमिदमन्यत्कृताकृतम्। एवमीहासुखासक्तं कृतान्तः कुरुते वशे ॥१२-१६९-१९॥
One thinks, "This is done, this is to be done, this other is done or not done." In this way, while one is attached to pleasure in this world, Death brings him under his control.
कृतानां फलमप्राप्तं कर्मणां फलसङ्गिनम्। क्षेत्रापणगृहासक्तं मृत्युरादाय गच्छति ॥१२-१६९-२०॥
Death takes away those who are attached to the results of actions not yet obtained and to their fields, markets, and houses.
मृत्युर्जरा च व्याधिश्च दुःखं चानेककारणम्। अनुषक्तं यदा देहे किं स्वस्थ इव तिष्ठसि ॥१२-१६९-२१॥
When death, old age, disease, and manifold suffering are attached to the body, why do you behave as if you are healthy?
जातमेवान्तकोऽन्ताय जरा चान्वेति देहिनम्। अनुषक्ता द्वयेनैते भावाः स्थावरजङ्गमाः ॥१२-१६९-२२॥
Whatever is born, death comes for its end, and old age follows the embodied being; by these two, all states, both immobile and mobile, are bound.
मृत्योर्वा गृहमेवैतद्या ग्रामे वसतो रतिः। देवानामेष वै गोष्ठो यदरण्यमिति श्रुतिः ॥१२-१६९-२३॥
Either the house is the abode of death, that which is the pleasure of one living in the village. The forest, as the scripture says, is truly the assembly of the gods.
निबन्धनी रज्जुरेषा या ग्रामे वसतो रतिः। छित्त्वैनां सुकृतो यान्ति नैनां छिन्दन्ति दुष्कृतः ॥१२-१६९-२४॥
This binding rope, which is the attachment to village life—those who are virtuous cut it and depart, but the wicked do not cut it.
न हिंसयति यः प्राणान्मनोवाक्कायहेतुभिः। जीवितार्थापनयनैः कर्मभिर्न स बध्यते ॥१२-१६९-२५॥
He who does not injure living beings by mind, speech, or body, nor by actions that deprive them of life or possessions, is not bound (by karma).
न मृत्युसेनामायान्तीं जातु कश्चित्प्रबाधते। ऋते सत्यमसन्त्याज्यं सत्ये ह्यमृतमाश्रितम् ॥१२-१६९-२६॥
No one can ever overcome the advancing army of death. Except for truth, no offering exists; for in truth alone is immortality established.
तस्मात्सत्यव्रताचारः सत्ययोगपरायणः। सत्यारामः समो दान्तः सत्येनैवान्तकं जयेत् ॥१२-१६९-२७॥
Therefore, one should be truth-vowed in conduct, devoted to the practice of truth, delight in truth, remain equanimous and self-restrained, and by truth alone should conquer death.
अमृतं चैव मृत्युश्च द्वयं देहे प्रतिष्ठितम्। मृत्युमापद्यते मोहात्सत्येनापद्यतेऽमृतम् ॥१२-१६९-२८॥
Both immortality and death are established in the body. Through delusion, one attains death; through truth, one attains immortality.
सोऽहं ह्यहिंस्रः सत्यार्थी कामक्रोधबहिष्कृतः। समदुःखसुखः क्षेमी मृत्युं हास्याम्यमर्त्यवत् ॥१२-१६९-२९॥
Therefore, I am non-violent, a seeker of truth, having expelled desire and anger, equal in sorrow and happiness, secure; I shall laugh at death like an immortal.
शान्तियज्ञरतो दान्तो ब्रह्मयज्ञे स्थितो मुनिः। वाङ्मनःकर्मयज्ञश्च भविष्याम्युदगायने ॥१२-१६९-३०॥
The sage, engaged in the sacrifice of peace, self-restrained, established in the Brahman-sacrifice; and I shall become the sacrifice of speech, mind, and action during the northern course (of the sun).
पशुयज्ञैः कथं हिंस्रैर्मादृशो यष्टुमर्हति। अन्तवद्भिरुत प्राज्ञः क्षत्रयज्ञैः पिशाचवत् ॥१२-१६९-३१॥
How can someone like me be fit to perform sacrifices with violent animal offerings? The wise man, using perishable and warrior sacrifices, is like a demon.
यस्य वाङ्मनसी स्यातां सम्यक्प्रणिहिते सदा। तपस्त्यागश्च योगश्च स वै सर्वमवाप्नुयात् ॥१२-१६९-३२॥
He whose speech and mind are always properly directed, and who possesses austerity, renunciation, and yoga, indeed attains everything.
नास्ति विद्यासमं चक्षुर्नास्ति विद्यासमं बलम्। नास्ति रागसमं दुःखं नास्ति त्यागसमं सुखम् ॥१२-१६९-३३॥
There is no eye like knowledge, no strength like knowledge. There is no sorrow like attachment, and no happiness like renunciation.
आत्मन्येवात्मना जात आत्मनिष्ठोऽप्रजोऽपि वा। आत्मन्येव भविष्यामि न मां तारयति प्रजा ॥१२-१६९-३४॥
Born of oneself and established in the self, whether one has offspring or not; I shall remain in the self alone, for offspring do not liberate me.
नैतादृशं ब्राह्मणस्यास्ति वित्तं; यथैकता समता सत्यता च। शीले स्थितिर्दण्डनिधानमार्जवं; ततस्ततश्चोपरमः क्रियाभ्यः ॥१२-१६९-३५॥
A brāhmaṇa's true wealth is not material, but rather unity, equanimity, and truthfulness; steadfastness in character, restraint, and straightforwardness; and from these, withdrawal from actions.
किं ते धनैर्बान्धवैर्वापि किं ते; किं ते दारैर्ब्राह्मण यो मरिष्यसि। आत्मानमन्विच्छ गुहां प्रविष्टं; पितामहस्ते क्व गतः पिता च ॥१२-१६९-३६॥
What use are riches or relatives to you, or even wives, O brāhmaṇa, since you will die? Seek the self that has entered the cave; where have your grandfather and father gone?
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
पुत्रस्यैतद्वचः श्रुत्वा तथाकार्षीत्पिता नृप। तथा त्वमपि वर्तस्व सत्यधर्मपरायणः ॥१२-१६९-३७॥
Having heard these words of his son, the king, his father, acted accordingly. Likewise, you too should conduct yourself, devoted to truth and righteousness.
