12.173
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
bāndhavāḥ karma vittaṃ vā prajñā veha pitāmaha। narasya kā pratiṣṭhā syādetatpṛṣṭo vadasva me ॥12-173-1॥
O grandsire, among relatives, action, wealth, or wisdom, which is the true foundation of a man? Please tell me, as I ask this.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
prajñā pratiṣṭhā bhūtānāṃ prajñā lābhaḥ paro mataḥ। prajñā naiḥśreyasī loke prajñā svargo mataḥ satām ॥12-173-2॥
Wisdom is the foundation of all beings; wisdom is considered the highest gain; in the world, wisdom leads to the highest good; for the virtuous, wisdom is regarded as heaven.
prajñayā prāpitārtho hi baliraiśvaryasaṅkṣaye। prahrādo namucirmaṅkistasyāḥ kiṃ vidyate param ॥12-173-3॥
By wisdom, one attains the goal: Bali at the loss of his wealth, Prahlada, Namuci, and Manki—what is higher than that wisdom?
atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam। indra-kāśyapa-saṃvādaṃ tan nibodha yudhiṣṭhira ॥12-173-4॥
Here too, an ancient story is cited: the conversation between Indra and Kāśyapa. Listen to that, O Yudhiṣṭhira.
vaiśyaḥ kaścid ṛṣiṃ tāta kāśyapaṃ saṃśitavratam। rathena pātayāmāsa śrīmān dṛptaḥ tapasvinam ॥12-173-5॥
O dear, a certain prosperous and arrogant merchant struck down the ascetic sage Kashyapa, who was firm in his vows, with his chariot.
ārtaḥ sa patitaḥ kruddhas tyaktvātmānam athābravīt। mariṣyāmy adhanasyēha jīvitārtho na vidyatē ॥12-173-6॥
Afflicted and fallen, in anger, he abandoned himself and then said: "I shall die; for one who is poor here, there is no purpose in living."
tathā mumūrṣum āsīnam akūjantam acetasaṃ। indraḥ sṛgālarūpeṇa babhāṣe kruddhamānasam ॥12-173-7॥
Thus, as he sat there, wishing for death, silent and unconscious, Indra, taking the form of a jackal, spoke to him with anger in his heart.
manuṣyayōnimicchanti sarvabhūtāni sarvaśaḥ। manuṣyatvē ca vipratvaṃ sarva evābhinandati ॥12-173-8॥
All beings desire to be born as humans in every way; and among humans, everyone rejoices in being a Brāhmaṇa.
manuṣyo brāhmaṇaś cāsi śrotriyaś cāsi kāśyapa। sudurlabham avāpya etad adoṣān martum icchasi ॥12-173-9॥
O Kāśyapa, you are a human, a brāhmaṇa, and a Vedic scholar. Having attained this rare and faultless state, do you wish to die?
sarve lābhāḥ sābhimānā iti satyā bata śrutiḥ। santoṣaṇīyarūpo'si lobhādyadabhimanyase ॥12-173-10॥
It is truly said that all gains come with pride. You are content by nature, but whatever you desire comes from greed.
aho siddhārthatā teṣāṃ yeṣāṃ santīha pāṇayaḥ। pāṇimadbhyaḥ spṛhāsmākaṃ yathā tava dhanasya vai ॥12-173-11॥
How fortunate are those who have hands! For those with hands, our longing is just like your longing for wealth.
na pāṇilābhād adhiko lābhaḥ kaścana vidyate। apāṇitvād vayaṃ brahman kaṇṭakān noddharāmahe ॥12-173-12॥
There is no gain greater than the gain of hands; O Brahman, because we are without hands, we cannot remove the thorns.
atha yeṣāṃ punaḥ pāṇī devadattau daśāṅgulī। uddharanti kṛmīnaṅgāddaśamānāṅkaṣanti ca ॥12-173-13॥
Now, again, those whose hands called Devadatta, with ten fingers, lift worms from the body and scrape tenfold.
himavarṣātapānāṃ ca paritrāṇāni kurvate। celamannaṃ sukhaṃ śayyāṃ nivātaṃ copabhuñjate ॥12-173-14॥
They create protections against snow, rain, and heat, and enjoy clothing, food, comfort, a bed, and shelter from the wind.
adhiṣṭhāya ca gāṃ loke bhuñjate vāhayanti ca| upāyair bahubhiś caiva vaśyān ātmani kurvate ||12-173-15||
Having established the cow in the world, they enjoy her and have her driven; by many means, they make those under control subject to themselves.
ye khalvajihvāḥ kṛpaṇā alpaprāṇā apāṇayaḥ। sahante tāni duḥkhāni diṣṭyā tvaṃ na tathā mune ॥12-173-16॥
Those who are truly tongueless, miserable, short-lived, and without hands endure such sufferings; by good fortune, you do not suffer in that way, O sage.
diṣṭyā tvaṃ na sṛgālo vai na kṛmirna ca mūṣakaḥ। na sarpo na ca maṇḍūko na cānyaḥ pāpayonijaḥ ॥12-173-17॥
Fortunately, you are not a jackal, nor a worm, nor a mouse; you are not a serpent, nor a frog, nor any other creature born from a sinful womb.
etāvatāpi lābhena toṣṭum arhasi kāśyapa। kiṃ punar yo'si sattvānāṃ sarveṣāṃ brāhmaṇottamaḥ ॥12-173-18॥
O Kāśyapa, you ought to be satisfied even with this much gain. What then, when you are the best among all Brāhmaṇas and all beings?
ime māṃ kṛmayo'danti teṣāmuddharaṇāya me। nāsti śaktirapāṇitvātpaśyāvasthāmimāṃ mama ॥12-173-19॥
These worms are eating me; I have no power to save them because I have no hands; see my condition.
akāryam iti ca eva imam na ātmānam santyajāmi aham। na itaḥ pāpīyasīm yonim pateyam aparām iti ॥12-173-20॥
I do not abandon myself thinking 'this is not to be done.' Nor would I fall from here into another, more sinful birth.
madhye vai pāpayōnīnāṃ sārgālī yāmahaṃ gataḥ। pāpīyasyō bahutarā itō'nyāḥ pāpayōnayaḥ ॥12-173-21॥
I have entered the night among the sinful wombs of jackals; there are many other wombs, even more sinful than this.
jātyaivaike sukha-tarāḥ santyanye bhṛśa-duḥkhitāḥ। naikānta-sukhameveha kvacit paśyāmi kasyacit ॥12-173-22॥
Some people are happier by birth, while others are greatly afflicted with sorrow; I do not see absolute happiness anywhere here for anyone.
manuṣyā hy āḍhyatāṃ prāpya rājyam icchanti anantaram। rājyāt devatvam icchanti devatvāt indratām api ॥12-173-23॥
Humans, upon gaining wealth, next desire a kingdom; after attaining a kingdom, they wish for divinity; and from divinity, they even aspire to the status of Indra.
bhaves tvaṃ yady api tv āḍhyo na rājā na ca daivatam। devatvaṃ prāpya cendratvaṃ naiva tuṣyeṣ tathā sati ॥12-173-24॥
Even if you become wealthy, though you are not a king nor a divinity, even after attaining divinity and the status of Indra, you would still not be satisfied in such a condition.
na tṛptiḥ priyalābhe'sti tṛṣṇā nādbhiḥ praśāmyati। samprajvalati sā bhūyaḥ samidbhiriva pāvakaḥ ॥12-173-25॥
There is no satisfaction in gaining what is dear; desire is not quenched by water; it flares up again like fire with fuel-sticks.
astyeva tvayi śoko vai harṣaścāsti tathā tvayi। sukhaduḥkhe tathā cobhe tatra kā paridevanā॥12-173-26॥
Indeed, in you exist both sorrow and joy, as well as pleasure and pain; so what is the use of lamentation there?
paricchidyaiva kāmānāṃ sarveṣāṃ caiva karmaṇām। mūlaṃ rundhīndriyagrāmaṃ śakuntāniva pañjare ॥12-173-27॥
Having cut off desires and the root of all actions, restrain the group of senses just as birds are confined in a cage.
na khalv apy arasajñasya kāmaḥ kvacana jāyate। saṃsparśād darśanād vāpi śravaṇād vāpi jāyate ॥12-173-28॥
Desire does not arise anywhere, even for one who knows rasa. It arises from contact, from seeing, or even from hearing.
na tvaṃ smarasi vāruṇyā laṭvākānāṃ ca pakṣiṇām। tābhyāṃ cābhyadhiko bhakṣyo na kaścid vidyate kvacit॥12-173-29॥
You do not remember Varuṇī, the Laṭvāka birds, or the other birds; there is nothing more edible or superior to those two anywhere.
yāni cānyāni dūreṣu bhakṣyabhojyāni kāśyapa। yeṣāmabhuktapūrvaṃ te teṣāmasmṛtireva ca ॥12-173-30॥
O Kāśyapa, as for those other edibles and foods in distant places, which have not been previously eaten by them, for them, only the memory (remains).
aprāśanam asaṃsparśam asaṃdarśanam eva ca। puruṣasya eṣa niyamaḥ manye śreyaḥ na saṃśayaḥ॥12-173-31॥
I believe that for a man, the rule of not eating, not touching, and not seeing is indeed best; there is no doubt about it.
pāṇimanto dhanair yuktā balavanto na saṃśayaḥ। manuṣyā mānuṣaireva dāsatvamupapāditāḥ ॥12-173-32॥
There is no doubt that even those who have hands, are endowed with wealth, and are strong, humans are made into servants by other humans.
vadha-bandha-parikleśaiḥ kliśyante ca punaḥ punaḥ। te khalvapi ramante ca modante ca hasanti ca ॥12-173-33॥
Though they are repeatedly tormented by the sufferings of killing and binding, yet they still find pleasure, rejoice, and laugh.
apare bāhubalinaḥ kṛtavidyā manasvinaḥ। jugupsitāṃ sukṛpaṇāṃ pāpāṃ vṛttimupāsate ॥12-173-34॥
Some others, though strong, learned, and noble-minded, pursue a despicable, pitiable, and sinful way of life.
utsahante ca te vṛttim anyām api upasevitum। svakarmaṇā tu niyataṃ bhavitavyaṃ tu tat tathā ॥12-173-35॥
They may be able to pursue another livelihood, but one must perform one's own prescribed duty; that is the proper way.
na pulkaso na caṇḍāla ātmānaṃ tyaktumicchati। asantuṣṭaḥ svayā yonyā māyāṃ paśyasva yādṛśīm ॥12-173-36॥
Even a Pulkasa or a Caṇḍāla does not wish to abandon himself. Dissatisfied with one's own origin, behold the illusion of such a condition.
dṛṣṭvā kuṇīn pakṣahatān manuṣyānām ayāvinah। susampūrṇaḥ svayā yonyā labdhalābho'si kāśyapa ॥12-173-37॥
O Kāśyapa, having seen the deformed and wing-broken, unmoving among men, you are now well fulfilled by your own origin and have attained your gain.
yadi brāhmaṇa dehaste nirātaṅko nirāmayaḥ। aṅgāni ca samagrāṇi na ca lokeṣu dhikkṛtaḥ ॥12-173-38॥
If, O brāhmaṇa, your body is healthy, your limbs are whole, and you are not condemned by people in the world.
na kenacit pravādena satyenaiva apahāriṇā। dharmāya uttisṭha viprarṣe na ātmānam tyaktum arhasi ॥12-173-39॥
Do not abandon yourself for any rumor, even if it is true, or because of a thief; arise for the sake of dharma, O best of Brāhmaṇas.
yadi brahmañ śṛṇoṣy etac chraddadhāsi ca me vacaḥ। vedoktāsya ca dharmasya phalaṃ mukhyam avāpsyasi ॥12-173-40॥
If, O Brāhmaṇa, you listen to this and have faith in my words, you will attain the chief fruit of the dharma as prescribed in the Veda.
svādhyāyam agni-saṃskāram apramatto'nupālaya। satyaṃ damaṃ ca dānaṃ ca spardhiṣṭhā mā ca kenacit ॥12-173-41॥
Be vigilant in observing self-study and fire-rituals. Practice truth, self-restraint, and charity, and do not compete with anyone.
ye kecana svādhyayanāḥ prāptā yajanayājanam। kathaṃ te jātu śoceyur dhyāyeyur vā apyaśobhanam ॥12-173-42॥
How could those who have attained self-study and the performance and officiating of sacrifices ever grieve or even contemplate anything unworthy?
icchantas te vihārāya sukhaṃ mahad avāpnuyuḥ। uta jātāḥ sunakṣatre sutīrthāḥ sumuhūrtajāḥ ॥12-173-43॥
May they, desiring enjoyment, obtain great happiness. And may those born under an auspicious star, at a good pilgrimage, and at an auspicious moment, be blessed.
nakṣatreṣv āsureṣv anye dustīrthā durmuhūrtajāḥ| sampatanty āsurīṃ yoniṃ yajñaprasavavarjitām ॥12-173-44॥
Others, born in evil fords and inauspicious times among the stars and demons, fall into a demonic womb, bereft of sacrificial origin.
aham āsaṃ paṇḍitako haituko vedanindakāḥ। ānvīkṣikīṃ tarkavidyām anurakto nirarthikām ॥12-173-45॥
I was a scholar and logician, a critic of the Vedas, devoted to philosophy and logic, which are ultimately useless.
hetuvādān pravaditā vaktā saṃsatsu hetumat। ākroṣṭā cābhivaktā ca brahmayajñeṣu vai dvijān ॥12-173-46॥
He who declares those who speak with reasoning, who is a speaker with reason in assemblies, who rebukes and speaks out, is indeed the twice-born in the Brahma-yajñas.
nāstikaḥ sarvaśaṅkī ca mūrkhaḥ paṇḍitamānikaḥ। tasyeyaṃ phalanirvṛttiḥ sṛgālatvaṃ mama dvija ॥12-173-47॥
O twice-born, the atheist, the one who doubts everything, the fool, and the one who pretends to be a scholar—this is his result: becoming a jackal, O my dear.
api jātu tathā tat syād ahorātraśatair api। yad ahaṃ mānuṣīṃ yoniṃ sṛgālaḥ prāpnuyāṃ punaḥ ॥12-173-48॥
Even if it takes hundreds of days and nights, may it be so, that I, a jackal, might again obtain a human birth.
santuṣṭaś cāpramattaś ca yajñadānataporatiḥ। jñeyajñātā bhaveyaṃ vai varjyavarjayitā tathā ॥12-173-49॥
May I be content, vigilant, and devoted to sacrifice, charity, and austerity; may I be both the knower and the known, and may I always avoid what is to be avoided.
tataḥ sa munirutthāya kāśyapastamuvāca ha। aho batāsi kuśalo buddhimāniti vismitaḥ ॥12-173-50॥
Then the sage Kāśyapa rose and, astonished, said to him: "Oh! Indeed, you are skilled and intelligent."
samavaikṣata taṃ vipro jñānadīrghēṇa cakṣuṣā। dadarśa cainaṃ dēvānāmindraṃ dēvaṃ śacīpatim ॥12-173-51॥
The sage, with his far-reaching knowledge, observed and recognized him as Indra, the lord of the gods and husband of Śacī.
tataḥ sampūjayāmāsa kāśyapo harivāhanam। anujñātaś ca tenātha praviveśa svam āśramam ॥12-173-52॥
Then Kashyapa worshipped Hari-vāhana. After receiving permission from him, he entered his own hermitage.
