12.169
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhishthira said.
atikrāmati kāle'smin sarvabhūtakṣayāvahe। kiṃ śreyaḥ pratipadyeta tan me brūhi pitāmaha ॥12-169-1॥
O grandsire, in this time that brings destruction to all beings, what is the highest good that one should pursue? Please tell me that.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam। pituḥ putreṇa saṃvādaṃ tan nibodha yudhiṣṭhira ॥12-169-2॥
Here too, an ancient story is told: listen, Yudhishthira, to the conversation between a father and his son.
dvijāteḥ kasyacit pārtha svādhyāyaniratasya vai। babhūva putro medhāvī medhāvī nāma nāmataḥ॥12-169-3॥
O Pārtha, there was a wise son named Medhāvī, born to a certain Brāhmaṇa who was devoted to self-study.
so'bravītpitaraṃ putraḥ svādhyāyakaraṇe ratam। mokṣadharmārthakuśalo lokatattvavicakṣaṇaḥ ॥12-169-4॥
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.
dhīraḥ kiṃ svittāt kuryāt prajāna; kṣipraṃ hy āyur bhraśyate mānavānām। pitas tad ācakṣva yathārthayogaṃ; mamānupūrvyā yena dharmaṃ careyam ॥12-169-5॥
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.
pitovāca॥
The father said.
vedān adhītya brahmacaryeṇa putra; putrān icchet pāvanārthaṃ pitṝṇām। agnīn ādhāya vidhivac ceṣṭayajño; vanaṃ praviśyātha munir bubhūṣet ॥12-169-6॥
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.
putra uvāca॥
The son said.
evam abhyāhate loke samantāt parivārite। amoghāsu patantīṣu kiṃ dhīra iva bhāṣase ॥12-169-7॥
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?
pitovāca॥
The father said.
katham abhyāhataḥ lokaḥ kena vā parivāritaḥ। amoghāḥ kāḥ patantī iha kiṃ nu bhīṣayasīva mām ॥12-169-8॥
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?
putra uvāca॥
The son said.
mṛtyunābhyāhato loko jarayā parivāritaḥ। ahorātrāḥ patantyete nanu kasmānna budhyase ॥12-169-9॥
The world is struck by death and surrounded by old age; these days and nights are passing away—why do you not realize this?
yadāham etaj jānāmi na mṛtyuḥ tiṣṭhati iti ha। saḥ aham kathaṃ pratīkṣiṣye jālena āpihitaḥ caran ॥12-169-10॥
When I know that death does not stand still, how can I wait, moving about covered by a net?
rātryāṃ rātryāṃ vyatītāyām āyur alpataraṃ yadā। gādhodake matsya iva sukhaṃ vindeta kas tadā॥ tadeva vandhyaṃ divasam iti vidyād vicakṣaṇaḥ॥ 12-169-11॥
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.
anavāpteṣu kāmeṣu mṛtyur abhyeti mānavam। śaṣpāṇīva vicinvantam anyatragatamānasam ॥ vṛkīvor aṇam āsādya mṛtyur ādāya gacchati ॥12-169-12॥
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.
adyaiva kuru yacchreyo mā tvā kālo’tyagādayam। akṛteṣveva kāryeṣu mṛtyurvai samprakarṣati ॥12-169-13॥
Do what is good today itself; do not let time pass you by. If actions remain unaccomplished, death indeed draws near.
śvaḥkāryam adya kurvīta pūrvāhṇe cāparāhṇikam। na hi pratīkṣate mṛtyuḥ kṛtaṃ vā asya na vā kṛtam॥ ko hi jānāti kasya adya mṛtyusenā nivekṣyate॥12-169-14॥
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?
yuvaiva dharmaśīlaḥ syādanimittaṃ hi jīvitam। kṛte dharme bhavetkīrtiriha pretya ca vai sukham ॥12-169-15॥
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.
mohena hi samāviṣṭaḥ putradārārthamudyataḥ। kṛtvā kāryamakāryaṃ vā puṣṭimeṣāṃ prayacchati ॥12-169-16॥
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.
taṃ putrapaśusaṃmattaṃ vyāsaktamanasaṃ naram। suptaṃ vyāghraṃ mahaugho vā mṛtyurādāya gacchati ॥12-169-17॥
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.
sañcinvānakamevaikaṃ kāmānāmavitṛptakam। vyāghraḥ paśumivādāya mṛtyurādāya gacchati ॥12-169-18॥
The one who is always accumulating and never satisfied with desires is taken away by death, just as a tiger carries off an animal.
idaṃ kṛtam idaṃ kāryam idam anyat kṛtākṛtam। evam īhā-sukha-āsaktaṃ kṛtāntaḥ kurute vaśe ॥12-169-19॥
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.
kṛtānāṃ phalamaprāptaṃ karmaṇāṃ phalasaṅginam। kṣetrāpaṇagṛhāsaktaṃ mṛtyur ādāya gacchati ॥12-169-20॥
Death takes away those who are attached to the results of actions not yet obtained and to their fields, markets, and houses.
mṛtyurjarā ca vyādhiśca duḥkhaṃ cānekakāraṇam। anuṣaktaṃ yadā dehe kiṃ svastha iva tiṣṭhasi ॥12-169-21॥
When death, old age, disease, and manifold suffering are attached to the body, why do you behave as if you are healthy?
jātamevāntako'ntāya jarā cānveti dehinam। anuṣaktā dvayenaite bhāvāḥ sthāvarajaṅgamāḥ ॥12-169-22॥
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.
mṛtyor vā gṛham evaitad yā grāme vasato ratiḥ। devānām eṣa vai goṣṭho yad araṇyam iti śrutiḥ ॥12-169-23॥
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.
nibandhanī rajjureṣā yā grāme vasato ratiḥ। chittvaināṃ sukṛto yānti naināṃ chindanti duṣkṛtaḥ ॥12-169-24॥
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.
na hiṁsayati yaḥ prāṇān manovākkāyahetubhiḥ। jīvitārthāpanayanaiḥ karmabhir na sa badhyate ॥12-169-25॥
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).
na mṛtyusenām āyāntīṃ jātu kaścit prabādhate। ṛte satyam asanty ājyaṃ satye hy amṛtam āśritam ॥12-169-26॥
No one can ever overcome the advancing army of death. Except for truth, no offering exists; for in truth alone is immortality established.
tasmātsatyavratācāraḥ satyayogaparāyaṇaḥ। satyārāmaḥ samo dāntaḥ satyenaivāntakaṃ jayet ॥12-169-27॥
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.
amṛtaṃ caiva mṛtyuśca dvayaṃ dehe pratiṣṭhitam। mṛtyumāpadyate mohātsatyenāpadyate'mṛtam ॥12-169-28॥
Both immortality and death are established in the body. Through delusion, one attains death; through truth, one attains immortality.
so'ham hy ahiṃsraḥ satyārthī kāmakrodhabahiṣkṛtaḥ| samaduḥkhasukhaḥ kṣemī mṛtyuṃ hāsyāmy amartyavat ||12-169-29||
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.
śāntiyajñarato dānto brahmayajñe sthito muniḥ। vāṅmanaḥkarmayajñaśca bhaviṣyāmyudāyane ॥12-169-30॥
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).
paśuyajñaiḥ kathaṁ hiṁsrairmādṛśo yaṣṭumarhati। antavadbhiruta prājñaḥ kṣatrayajñaiḥ piśācavat ॥12-169-31॥
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.
yasya vāṅmanasī syātāṃ samyak-praṇihite sadā। tapastyāgaś ca yogaś ca sa vai sarvam avāpnuyāt ॥12-169-32॥
He whose speech and mind are always properly directed, and who possesses austerity, renunciation, and yoga, indeed attains everything.
nāsti vidyāsamaṃ cakṣur nāsti vidyāsamaṃ balam। nāsti rāgasamaṃ duḥkhaṃ nāsti tyāgasamaṃ sukham ॥12-169-33॥
There is no eye like knowledge, no strength like knowledge. There is no sorrow like attachment, and no happiness like renunciation.
ātmanyevātmanā jāta ātmaniṣṭho'prajo'pi vā। ātmanyeva bhaviṣyāmi na māṃ tārayati prajā ॥12-169-34॥
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.
naitādṛśaṃ brāhmaṇasyāsti vittaṃ; yathaikatā samatā satyatā ca| śīle sthitirdanḍanidhānamārjavaṃ; tatastataścoparamaḥ kriyābhyaḥ ॥12-169-35॥
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.
kiṁ te dhanair bāndhavair vāpi kiṁ te; kiṁ te dārair brāhmaṇa yo mariṣyasi. ātmānam anviccha guhāṁ praviṣṭaṁ; pitāmahaste kva gataḥ pitā ca ॥12-169-36॥
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?
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
putrasyaitadvacaḥ śrutvā tathākārṣītpitā nṛpa। tathā tvamapi vartasva satyadharmaparāyaṇaḥ ॥12-169-37॥
Having heard these words of his son, the king, his father, acted accordingly. Likewise, you too should conduct yourself, devoted to truth and righteousness.
