12.174
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
यद्यस्ति दत्तमिष्टं वा तपस्तप्तं तथैव च। गुरूणां चापि शुश्रूषा तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥१२-१७४-१॥
O grandsire, if there is any gift given, any desired act performed, any austerity undertaken, or any service rendered to the teachers, please tell me about that.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
आत्मनानर्थयुक्तेन पापे निविशते मनः। स कर्म कलुषं कृत्वा क्लेशे महति धीयते ॥१२-१७४-२॥
When one, through their own misfortune, allows the mind to enter into sin, that impure action leads to great suffering.
दुर्भिक्षादेव दुर्भिक्षं क्लेशात्क्लेशं भयाद्भयम्। मृतेभ्यः प्रमृतं यान्ति दरिद्राः पापकारिणः ॥१२-१७४-३॥
Indeed, famine begets famine, suffering begets suffering, and fear begets fear. From the dead, the utterly dead arise—these are the poor and the evil-doers.
उत्सवादुत्सवं यान्ति स्वर्गात्स्वर्गं सुखात्सुखम्। श्रद्दधानाश्च दान्ताश्च धनाढ्याः शुभकारिणः ॥१२-१७४-४॥
Those who have faith, self-restraint, wealth, and do good deeds go from one festival to another, from one heaven to another, and from one happiness to another.
व्यालयुञ्जरदुर्गेषु सर्पचोरभयेषु च। हस्तावापेन गच्छन्ति नास्तिकाः किमतः परम् ॥१२-१७४-५॥
Atheists pass through the dangers of wild beasts, snakes, and thieves simply by raising their hand; what could be more than this?
प्रियदेवातिथेयाश्च वदान्याः प्रियसाधवः। क्षेम्यमात्मवतां मार्गमास्थिता हस्तदक्षिणम् ॥१२-१७४-६॥
They are dear to gods and guests, generous, beloved and virtuous, having taken the safe and righteous path of the self-controlled, keeping to the right-hand side.
पुलाका इव धान्येषु पुत्तिका इव पक्षिषु। तद्विधास्ते मनुष्येषु येषां धर्मो न कारणम् ॥१२-१७४-७॥
Just as chaff is found among grains and eggs among birds, so too are those among men for whom dharma is not the cause.
सुशीघ्रमपि धावन्तं विधानमनुधावति। शेते सह शयानेन येन येन यथा कृतम् ॥१२-१७४-८॥
No matter how swiftly one runs, destiny follows. Destiny stays with the one who lies down, and it acts according to whatever is done, by whomever.
उपतिष्ठति तिष्ठन्तं गच्छन्तमनुगच्छति। करोति कुर्वतः कर्म छायेवानुविधीयते ॥१२-१७४-९॥
It approaches one who stands, follows one who goes. Action is performed by the doer and, like a shadow, always accompanies him.
येन येन यथा यद्यत्पुरा कर्म समाचितम्। तत्तदेव नरो भुङ्क्ते नित्यं विहितमात्मना ॥१२-१७४-१०॥
Whatever actions a person has performed in the past, by whatever means and in whatever manner, he constantly experiences exactly those results, as ordained by his own self.
स्वकर्मफलविक्षिप्तं विधानपरिरक्षितम्। भूतग्राममिमं कालः समन्तात्परिकर्षति ॥१२-१७४-११॥
Time, from all sides, draws along this group of beings, scattered by the results of their own actions and protected by cosmic order.
अचोद्यमानानि यथा पुष्पाणि च फलानि च। स्वकालं नातिवर्तन्ते तथा कर्म पुराकृतम् ॥१२-१७४-१२॥
Just as flowers and fruits, without being impelled, do not go beyond their proper time, so too, actions performed in the past yield results in their due time.
संमानश्चावमानश्च लाभालाभौ क्षयोदयौ। प्रवृत्ता विनिवर्तन्ते विधानान्ते पुनः पुनः ॥१२-१७४-१३॥
Honor and dishonor, gain and loss, decline and rise repeatedly arise and cease at the end of every arrangement.
आत्मना विहितं दुःखमात्मना विहितं सुखम्। गर्भशय्यामुपादाय भुज्यते पौर्वदेहिकम् ॥१२-१७४-१४॥
Suffering and happiness are ordained by oneself; after entering the womb, one experiences what is carried over from the previous body.
बालो युवा च वृद्धश्च यत्करोति शुभाशुभम्। तस्यां तस्यामवस्थायां भुङ्क्ते जन्मनि जन्मनि ॥१२-१७४-१५॥
Whatever a person does, whether as a child, youth, or old person—be it auspicious or inauspicious—he experiences the results of those actions in every state, in every birth.
यथा धेनुसहस्रेषु वत्सो विन्दति मातरम्। तथा पूर्वकृतं कर्म कर्तारमनुगच्छति ॥१२-१७४-१६॥
Just as a calf finds its mother among thousands of cows, so too, the actions performed in the past follow the doer.
समुन्नमग्रतो वस्त्रं पश्चाच्छुध्यति कर्मणा। उपवासैः प्रतप्तानां दीर्घं सुखमनन्तकम् ॥१२-१७४-१७॥
A cloth held up in front is later purified by action; for those who have endured austerities, there is long-lasting and endless happiness.
दीर्घकालेन तपसा सेवितेन तपोवने। धर्मनिर्धूतपापानां संसिध्यन्ते मनोरथाः ॥१२-१७४-१८॥
In the forest of austerities, by practicing austerity for a long time, the desires of those whose sins are washed away by dharma are fulfilled.
शकुनीनामिवाकाशे मत्स्यानामिव चोदके। पदं यथा न दृश्येत तथा ज्ञानविदां गतिः ॥१२-१७४-१९॥
Just as the path of birds in the sky and of fishes in water cannot be seen, so too the path of the wise is not visible.
अलमन्यैरुपालम्भैः कीर्तितैश्च व्यतिक्रमैः। पेशलं चानुरूपं च कर्तव्यं हितमात्मनः ॥१२-१७४-२०॥
Let there be no more reproaches by others or reports of transgressions; one should act in a gentle and appropriate manner, doing what is beneficial for oneself.
