12.172
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
kena vṛttena vṛttajña vītaśokaś caren mahīm। kiṃ ca kurvan naro loke prāpnoti paramāṃ gatim ॥12-172-1॥
By what conduct should a wise and sorrowless person live in the world? And by doing what does a man attain the highest goal?
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam। prahrādasya ca saṃvādaṃ muner ājagarasya ca ॥12-172-2॥
Here too, they recount this ancient story, the dialogue between Prahlāda, the sage, and the python.
carantaṃ brāhmaṇaṃ kañcit kalyacittam anāmayam। papraccha rājan prahrādo buddhimān prājñasaṃmataḥ ॥12-172-3॥
O king, Prahlāda, wise and esteemed by the learned, asked a certain brāhmaṇa who was wandering, of auspicious mind and free from illness.
svasthaḥ śakto mṛdurdānto nirvivitso'nasūyakaḥ। suvāgbahumato loke prājñaścarasi bālavat ॥12-172-4॥
You are self-possessed, capable, gentle, self-restrained, free from desire to harm or envy, well-spoken, highly esteemed in the world, and wise, yet you conduct yourself with the innocence of a child.
naiva prārthayase lābhaṃ nālābheṣvanuśocasi। nityatṛpta iva brahmann kiñcidavamanya se ॥12-172-5॥
O Brāhmaṇa, you neither seek gain nor grieve over loss; always content, you seem not to despise anything.
srotasā hriyamāṇāsu prajāsu avimanā iva। dharmakāmārthakāryeṣu kūṭastha iva lakṣyase ॥12-172-6॥
Though people are being swept away by the current, you appear as if undisturbed; in matters of righteousness, desire, wealth, and action, you seem steadfast and unshaken.
nānutiṣṭhasi dharmārthau na kāme cāpi vartase। indriyārthānanādṛtya muktaścarasi sākṣivat ॥12-172-7॥
You neither follow dharma and artha nor pursue desires; disregarding sense-objects, you move about liberated, like a witness.
kā nu prajñā śrutaṃ vā kiṃ vṛttirvā kā nu te mune। kṣipramācakṣva me brahmañśreyo yadiha manyase ॥12-172-8॥
O sage, what truly is wisdom, what is learning, or what is conduct, and what do you consider to be yours? O Brāhmaṇa, quickly tell me what you consider here to be the highest good.
anuyuktaḥ sa medhāvī lokadharmavidhānavit। uvāca ślakṣṇayā vācā prahrādam anapārthayā ॥12-172-9॥
Thus addressed, the wise one, knower of the ordinances of worldly conduct, spoke to Prahlāda with gentle and unharsh words.
paśyan prahrāda bhūtānām utpattim animittataḥ। hrāsaṃ vṛddhiṃ vināśaṃ ca na prahṛṣye na ca vyathe ॥12-172-10॥
O Prahrada, seeing the origin, decline, growth, and destruction of beings as causeless, I neither rejoice nor am I disturbed.
svabhāvādeva sandṛśya vartamānāḥ pravṛttayaḥ। svabhāvaniratāḥ sarvāḥ paritapye na kenacit ॥12-172-11॥
Indeed, seeing that all activities arise from inherent nature and everyone acts according to their own nature, I am not troubled by anyone.
paśyan prahrāda saṃyogān viprayoga-parāyaṇān। sañcayāṃś ca vināśāntān na kvacid vidadhe manaḥ ॥12-172-12॥
O Prahlada, seeing that all unions end in separation and all accumulations end in destruction, I never set my mind on any of them.
antavanti ca bhūtāni guṇayuktāni paśyataḥ। utpattinidhanajñasya kiṃ kāryam avaśiṣyate ॥12-172-13॥
All beings that are seen to be endowed with qualities are perishable; for one who knows the origin and destruction, what duty remains to be done?
jalajānām api hy antaṃ paryāyeṇopalakṣaye। mahatām api kāyānāṃ sūkṣmāṇāṃ ca mahodadhau ॥12-172-14॥
I observe, in turn, the end of even the water-born beings. In the great ocean, I see the end of even the bodies of the great and the subtle ones.
jaṅgamasthāvarāṇāṃ ca bhūtānāmasurādhipa। pārthivānāmapi vyaktaṃ mṛtyuṃ paśyāmi sarvaśaḥ ॥12-172-15॥
O lord of the Asuras, I see manifest death everywhere among moving and unmoving beings, and also among kings.
antarikṣacaraṇāṃ ca dānavottama pakṣiṇām। uttiṣṭhati yathākālaṃ mṛtyur balavatām api ॥12-172-16॥
O best of Dānavas, even among birds and those who move in the sky, death arises for the strong at the proper time.
divi sañcaramāṇāni hrasvāni ca mahānti ca। jyotīṃṣi ca yathākālaṃ patamānāni lakṣaye ॥12-172-17॥
I observe in the sky both small and great lights moving about, and also lights falling according to time.
iti bhūtāni sampaśyann anuṣaktāni mṛtyunā। sarvasāmānyato vidvān kṛtakṛtyaḥ sukhaṃ svape ॥12-172-18॥
Thus, seeing all beings bound by death, the wise person who has fulfilled his duties sleeps happily.
sumahāntam api grāsaṃ grase labdhaṃ yadṛcchayā। śaye punar abhuñjāno divasāni bahūny api ॥12-172-19॥
Even if I obtain a very large morsel by chance and swallow it, I may lie down again for many days without eating.
āsravatya'pi mām annaṃ punar bahuguṇaṃ bahu। punar alpaguṇaṃ stokaṃ punar naiva upapadyate ॥12-172-20॥
Even if my food is abundant and of many qualities, or little and of few qualities, again, none of these are suitable for me.
kaṇān kadācit khādāmi piṇyākam api ca grase | bhakṣaye śāli-māṃsāni bhakṣāṃś ca uccāvacān punaḥ ॥12-172-21॥
Sometimes I eat grains, and I also swallow oil-cake; I consume rice, meat, and various other foods again.
śaye kadācit paryaṅke bhūmāv api punaḥ śaye। prāsāde'pi ca me śayyā kadācid upapadyate ॥12-172-22॥
Sometimes I sleep on a couch, sometimes again on the ground. Occasionally, my bed is found even in a palace.
dhārayāmi ca cīrāṇi śāṇīṃ kṣaumājināni ca। mahārhāṇi ca vāsāṃsi dhārayāmy aham ekadā ॥12-172-23॥
At one time, I wear bark garments, hemp cloth, linen and deer skins, and also very costly garments.
na saṃnipatitaṃ dharmyamuapabhogaṃ yadṛcchayā। pratyācakṣe na cāpyenamanurudhye sudurlabham ॥12-172-24॥
I do not refuse righteous enjoyment that has not been accumulated by chance, nor do I desire this, which is very difficult to obtain.
acalamanidhanaṃ śivaṃ viśokaṃ; śucimatulaṃ viduṣāṃ mate niviṣṭam। anabhimatamasevitaṃ ca mūḍhai; vratamidamājagaraṃ śuciścarāmi ॥12-172-25॥
I practice this pure, python-like vow, which is immovable, imperishable, auspicious, and free from sorrow; it is pure, incomparable, and established in the opinion of the wise. It is not desired or practiced by the deluded.
acalitamatiḥ acyutaḥ svadharmāt parimita-saṃsaraṇaḥ parāvara-jñaḥ vigata-bhaya-kaṣāya-lobha-mohaḥ vratam idam ājagaraṃ śuciḥ carāmi ॥12-172-26॥
With a steady mind, unwavering and firm in my own duty, moving little, knowing the higher and lower, free from fear, impurity, greed, and delusion, I practice this pure vow of the python.
aniyata-phala-bhakṣya-bhojya-peyaṃ; vidhi-pariṇāma-vibhakta-deśa-kālam। hṛdaya-sukham-asevitaṃ kadaryair; vratam-idam-ājagaraṃ śuciḥ carāmi ॥12-172-27॥
I practice this pure python-like vow, in which the food and drink are not fixed, divided by rule, result, place, and time, and happiness of heart is not enjoyed by the miserly.
idam idam iti tṛṣṇayā abhibhūtam; janam anavāpta-dhanam viṣīdamānam। nipuṇam anuniśāmya tattva-buddhyā; vratam idam ājagaraṃ śuciḥ carāmi॥12-172-28॥
Seeing people overpowered by thirst, despairing for wealth they have not obtained, I, having observed this with true understanding, purely practice this python-like vow.
bahuvidham-anudṛśya cārthahetoḥ; kṛpaṇam-iha āryam-anāryam-āśrayantam. upaśama-rucir-ātmavān-praśāntaḥ; vratam-idam-ājagaraṃ śuciś-carāmi ॥12-172-29॥
Having seen the many kinds of conduct here, both noble and ignoble, resorted to for the sake of gain and found to be miserable, I, being self-controlled, calm, and inclined to tranquility, purely practice this vow of the python.
sukhamasukham-anartham-arthalābhaṃ; ratim-aratiṃ maraṇaṃ ca jīvitaṃ ca. vidhiniyatam-avekṣya tattvato'ham; vratam-idam-ājagaraṃ śuciś-carāmi ॥12-172-30॥
Recognizing happiness and unhappiness, misfortune and gain, pleasure and displeasure, death and life as truly ordained by fate, I, remaining pure, observe this python vow.
apagata-bhaya-rāga-moha-darpo; dhṛti-mati-buddhi-samanvitaḥ praśāntaḥ। upagata-phala-bhogino niśāmya; vratam idam ājagaraṃ śuciś carāmi॥12-172-31॥
Having given up fear, attachment, delusion, and pride, and being endowed with steadfastness, intellect, and wisdom, calm, having observed those who enjoy whatever comes to them, I, pure, practice this vow of the python.
aniyataśayanāsanaḥ prakṛtyā; damaniyamavratasatyashaucayuktaḥ। apagata-phalasañcayaḥ prahṛṣṭaḥ; vratam idam ājagaraṃ śuciś ca rāmi ॥12-172-32॥
By nature, I do not have fixed places for sleeping or sitting; I am endowed with restraint, discipline, vows, truthfulness, and purity. I have abandoned the accumulation of fruits, and am delighted; I practice this pure, python-like vow.
abhigatamasukhārthamīhanārthai; rupagatabuddhiravekṣya cātmasaṃsthaḥ. tṛṣitamaniyataṃ mano niyantuṃ; vratamidamājagaraṃ śuciścarāmi ॥12-172-33॥
Having come here not for pleasure or objects, with my mind fixed and established in the self, having observed, I undertake this pure vow of the python to restrain my thirsty and uncontrolled mind.
na hṛdayam anurudhyate mano vā; priya-sukha-durlabhatām anityatāṃ ca। tad-ubhayam upalakṣayan nivāhaṃ; vratam idam ājagaraṃ śuciś carāmi ॥12-172-34॥
Neither my heart nor my mind is attached; recognizing both the difficulty of attaining dear happiness and its impermanence, I, remaining pure, practice this vow of the python (i.e., a life of inactivity) as my way of life.
bahu kathitam idaṃ hi buddhimatbhiḥ; kavibhir abhiprathayadbhiḥ ātmakīrtim. idam idam iti tatra tatra tat; tat svaparamatair gahanaṃ pratarkayadbhiḥ ॥12-172-35॥
Much of this has already been spoken by the wise, by poets proclaiming their own fame. "This, this," thus here and there, that, with their own and others' views, the profound subject is discussed.
tad aham anuniśāmya viprayātaṃ; pṛthag abhipannam ihābudhair manuṣyaiḥ। anavasitam anantadoṣapāraṃ; nṛṣu viharāmi vinītarōṣatṛṣṇaḥ ॥12-172-36॥
Therefore, having carefully observed those who have departed and the various ways attained here by ignorant men, seeing that the end is not ascertained and that the limit is endless faults, I dwell among men with anger and desire subdued.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
ajagara-caritaṃ vrataṃ mahātmā; ya iha naro'nucared-vinīta-rāgaḥ। apagata-bhaya-manyu-lobha-mohaḥ; sa khalu sukhī vihared-imaṃ vihāram ॥12-172-37॥
A great soul who, here, follows the vow of the python's conduct, with passions subdued and free from fear, anger, greed, and delusion, truly lives happily in this world.
