12.174
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
[युधिष्ठिर (yudhiṣṭhira) - Yudhiṣṭhira; (proper noun, name of a person); उवाच (uvāca) - said; (from the root 'vac', to speak);]
(Yudhiṣṭhira said;)
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
यद्यस्ति दत्तमिष्टं वा तपस्तप्तं तथैव च। गुरूणां चापि शुश्रूषा तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥१२-१७४-१॥
yady asti dattam iṣṭaṃ vā tapas taptaṃ tathaiva ca। gurūṇāṃ cāpi śuśrūṣā tan me brūhi pitāmaha ॥12-174-1॥
[यदि (yadi) - if; अस्ति (asti) - there is; दत्तम् (dattam) - given; इष्टम् (iṣṭam) - desired; वा (vā) - or; तपः (tapas) - austerity; तप्तम् (taptam) - performed; तथैव (tathaiva) - likewise; च (ca) - and; गुरूणाम् (gurūṇām) - of the teachers; च (ca) - and; अपि (api) - also; शुश्रूषा (śuśrūṣā) - service; तत् (tat) - that; मे (me) - to me; ब्रूहि (brūhi) - tell; पितामह (pitāmaha) - O grandsire;]
(If there is anything given, desired, or any austerity performed, likewise, and also service to the teachers, that, tell me, O grandsire.)
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 uvāca॥
[भीष्म (bhīṣma) - Bhīṣma; (name of the speaker); उवाच (uvāca) - said; (he spoke);]
(Bhīṣma said;)
Bhīṣma said.
आत्मनानर्थयुक्तेन पापे निविशते मनः। स कर्म कलुषं कृत्वा क्लेशे महति धीयते ॥१२-१७४-२॥
ātmanānarthayuktena pāpe niviśate manaḥ। sa karma kaluṣaṃ kṛtvā kleśe mahati dhīyate ॥12-174-2॥
[आत्मना (ātmanā) - by oneself; अनर्थयुक्तेन (anarthayuktena) - with that which is associated with misfortune; पापे (pāpe) - in sin; निविशते (niviśate) - enters; मनः (manaḥ) - the mind; स (sa) - that; कर्म (karma) - action; कलुषं (kaluṣam) - impure; कृत्वा (kṛtvā) - having done; क्लेशे (kleśe) - in suffering; महति (mahati) - great; धीयते (dhīyate) - is placed;]
(By oneself, with that which is associated with misfortune, the mind enters into sin; that action, having been done impurely, is placed in great suffering.)
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॥
durbhikṣādeva durbhikṣaṃ kleśātkleśaṃ bhayādbhayam। mṛtebhyaḥ pramṛtaṃ yānti daridrāḥ pāpakāriṇaḥ ॥12-174-3॥
[दुर्भिक्षात् (durbhikṣāt) - from famine; एव (eva) - indeed; दुर्भिक्षं (durbhikṣam) - famine; क्लेशात् (kleśāt) - from suffering; क्लेशं (kleśam) - suffering; भयात् (bhayāt) - from fear; भयम् (bhayam) - fear; मृतेभ्यः (mṛtebhyaḥ) - from the dead; प्रमृतम् (pramṛtam) - utterly dead; यान्ति (yānti) - go; दरिद्राः (daridrāḥ) - the poor; पापकारिणः (pāpakāriṇaḥ) - evil-doers;]
(From famine indeed comes famine; from suffering, suffering; from fear, fear. From the dead, the utterly dead go forth—the poor, the evil-doers.)
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॥
utsavād utsavaṃ yānti svargāt svargaṃ sukhāt sukham। śraddadhānāś ca dāntāś ca dhanāḍhyāḥ śubhakāriṇaḥ ॥12-174-4॥
[उत्सवात् (utsavāt) - from festival; उत्सवम् (utsavam) - festival; यान्ति (yānti) - go; स्वर्गात् (svargāt) - from heaven; स्वर्गम् (svargam) - heaven; सुखात् (sukhāt) - from happiness; सुखम् (sukham) - happiness; श्रद्दधानाः (śraddadhānāḥ) - those who have faith; च (ca) - and; दान्ताः (dāntāḥ) - self-restrained; च (ca) - and; धनाढ्याः (dhanāḍhyāḥ) - wealthy; शुभकारिणः (śubhakāriṇaḥ) - doers of good;]
(From festival to festival they go, from heaven to heaven, from happiness to happiness; those who have faith, are self-restrained, wealthy, and doers of good.)
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॥
vyālakuñjaradurgeṣu sarpacorabhayeṣu ca। hastāvāpena gacchanti nāstikāḥ kimataḥ param ॥12-174-5॥
[व्यालयुञ्जरदुर्गेषु (vyālakuñjaradurgeṣu) - in the strongholds of serpents and elephants; सर्पचोरभयेषु (sarpacorabhayeṣu) - in the fears of snakes and thieves; च (ca) - and; हस्तावापेन (hastāvāpena) - by the raising of the hand; गच्छन्ति (gacchanti) - they go; नास्तिकाः (nāstikāḥ) - atheists; किमतः (kimataḥ) - what (is) from this; परम् (param) - further;]
(In the strongholds of serpents and elephants, in the fears of snakes and thieves, and by the raising of the hand, atheists go; what (is) further from this?)
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॥
priyadevāthiyeyāś ca vadānyāḥ priyasādhavaḥ। kṣemyam ātmavatāṃ mārgam āsthitā hastadakṣiṇam ॥12-174-6॥
[प्रिय (priya) - dear; देवातिथेयाः (devātitheyāḥ) - those who honor gods and guests; च (ca) - and; वदान्याः (vadānyāḥ) - generous; प्रिय (priya) - dear; साधवः (sādhavaḥ) - virtuous; क्षेम्यम् (kṣemyam) - safe; आत्मवताम् (ātmavatām) - of the self-possessed; मार्गम् (mārgam) - path; आस्थिता (āsthitā) - have taken; हस्तदक्षिणम् (hastadakṣiṇam) - right-hand side;]
(Dear to gods and guests, generous, dear and virtuous, having taken the safe path of the self-possessed to the right-hand side.)
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॥
pulākā iva dhānyeṣu puttikā iva pakṣiṣu। tadvidhāste manuṣyeṣu yeṣāṃ dharmo na kāraṇam ॥12-174-7॥
[पुलाका (pulākā) - chaff; इव (iva) - like; धान्येषु (dhānyeṣu) - among grains; पुत्तिका (puttikā) - egg; इव (iva) - like; पक्षिषु (pakṣiṣu) - among birds; तद्विधाः (tadvidhāḥ) - such ones; ते (te) - they; मनुष्येषु (manuṣyeṣu) - among men; येषाम् (yeṣām) - of whom; धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - dharma; न (na) - not; कारणम् (kāraṇam) - cause;]
(Chaff like among grains, egg like among birds; such ones are they among men, of whom dharma is not the cause.)
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॥
suśīghram api dhāvantaṃ vidhānam anudhāvati। śete saha śayānena yena yena yathā kṛtam ॥12-174-8॥
[सुशीघ्रम् (suśīghram) - very swiftly; अपि (api) - even; धावन्तम् (dhāvantam) - running; विधानम् (vidhānam) - destiny; अनुधावति (anudhāvati) - follows; शेते (śete) - lies; सह (saha) - with; शयानेन (śayānena) - with the one lying; येन येन (yena yena) - by whomsoever; यथा (yathā) - as; कृतम् (kṛtam) - done;]
(Even running very swiftly, destiny follows. It lies with the one lying, by whomsoever, as it is done.)
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॥
upatiṣṭhati tiṣṭhantaṃ gacchantamanugacchati। karoti kurvataḥ karma chāyevānuvidhīyate ॥12-174-9॥
[उपतिष्ठति (upatiṣṭhati) - approaches; तिष्ठन्तं (tiṣṭhantam) - standing; गच्छन्तम् (gacchantam) - going; अनुगच्छति (anugacchati) - follows; करोति (karoti) - does; कुर्वतः (kurvataḥ) - of the doer; कर्म (karma) - action; छायेव (chāyeva) - like a shadow; अनुविधीयते (anuvidhīyate) - is accompanied;]
(Approaches the standing, follows the going. Action is done by the doer, like a shadow it is accompanied.)
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॥
yena yena yathā yadyat purā karma samācitam। tattadeva naro bhuṅkte nityaṃ vihitam ātmanā ॥12-174-10॥
[येन (yena) - by which; (instrumental singular of yat) येन (yena) - by which; (instrumental singular of yat) यथा (yathā) - as; in whatever manner; यद्यत् (yadyat) - whatever; (relative pronoun, neuter singular) पुरा (purā) - formerly; in the past; कर्म (karma) - action; deed; समाचितम् (samācitam) - accumulated; performed; (past participle of sam-ā-chi) तत्तदेव (tattadeva) - that very; exactly that; नरः (naraḥ) - man; person; भुङ्क्ते (bhuṅkte) - enjoys; experiences; (from root bhuj) नित्यं (nityaṃ) - always; constantly; विहितम् (vihitam) - ordained; prescribed; (past participle of vi-dhā) आत्मना (ātmanā) - by oneself; by his own self; (instrumental singular of ātman);]
(By whatever means, in whatever manner, whatever actions were formerly accumulated, that very thing indeed a man experiences always, ordained by himself.)
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॥
svakarmaphalavikṣiptaṃ vidhānaparirakṣitam। bhūtagrāmamimaṃ kālaḥ samantātparikarṣati ॥12-174-11॥
[स्व (sva) - own; कर्म (karma) - action; फल (phala) - fruit; विक्षिप्तं (vikṣiptam) - scattered; विधान (vidhāna) - order; परि (pari) - around; रक्षितम् (rakṣitam) - protected; भूत (bhūta) - being; ग्रामम् (grāmam) - group; इमं (imaṃ) - this; कालः (kālaḥ) - time; समन्तात् (samantāt) - from all sides; परि (pari) - completely; कर्षति (karṣati) - drags;]
(Time drags this group of beings, scattered by the fruits of their own actions and protected by order, from all sides.)
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॥
acodyamānāni yathā puṣpāṇi ca phalāni ca। svakālaṃ nātivartante tathā karma purākṛtam ॥12-174-12॥
[अचोद्यमानानि (acodyamānāni) - not impelled; not urged; not forced; यथा (yathā) - just as; पुष्पाणि (puṣpāṇi) - flowers; च (ca) - and; फलानि (phalāni) - fruits; च (ca) - and; स्वकालम् (svakālam) - their own time; proper time; न (na) - not; अतिवर्तन्ते (ativartante) - transgress; go beyond; तथा (tathā) - so; in the same way; कर्म (karma) - action; deed; पुराकृतम् (purākṛtam) - done formerly; previously performed;]
(Not impelled, just as flowers and fruits do not transgress their own time, so too action previously performed.)
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॥
saṁmānaś cāvamānaś ca lābhālābhau kṣayodayau। pravṛttā vinivartante vidhānānte punaḥ punaḥ ॥12-174-13॥
[संमानः (saṁmānaḥ) - honor; च (ca) - and; अवमानः (avamānaḥ) - dishonor; च (ca) - and; लाभः (lābhaḥ) - gain; अलाभः (alābhaḥ) - loss; क्षयः (kṣayaḥ) - decline; उदयः (udayaḥ) - rise; प्रवृत्ताः (pravṛttāḥ) - manifested; विनिवर्तन्ते (vinivartante) - turn back; विधान-अन्ते (vidhāna-ante) - at the end of arrangement; पुनः (punaḥ) - again; पुनः (punaḥ) - again;]
(Honor and dishonor, gain and loss, decline and rise, having manifested, turn back at the end of arrangement again and again.)
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॥
ātmanā vihitaṃ duḥkham ātmanā vihitaṃ sukham। garbhaśayyām upādāya bhujyate paurvadehikam॥12-174-14॥
[आत्मना (ātmanā) - by oneself; विहितं (vihitam) - ordained; दुःखम् (duḥkham) - suffering; आत्मना (ātmanā) - by oneself; विहितं (vihitam) - ordained; सुखम् (sukham) - happiness; गर्भशय्याम् (garbhaśayyām) - the womb-bed; उपादाय (upādāya) - having taken; भुज्यते (bhujyate) - is experienced; पौर्वदेहिकम् (paurvadehikam) - from previous body;]
(By oneself ordained suffering, by oneself ordained happiness. Having taken the womb-bed, is experienced that which is from the previous body.)
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॥
bālo yuvā ca vṛddhaśca yatkaroti śubhāśubham। tasyāṃ tasyāmavasthāyāṃ bhuṅkte janmani janmani ॥12-174-15॥
[बालः (bālaḥ) - child; युवा (yuvā) - youth; च (ca) - and; वृद्धः (vṛddhaḥ) - old person; च (ca) - and; यत् (yat) - whatever; करोति (karoti) - does; शुभ (śubha) - auspicious; अशुभम् (aśubham) - inauspicious; तस्याम् (tasyām) - in that; तस्याम् (tasyām) - in that; अवस्थायाम् (avasthāyām) - state; भुङ्क्ते (bhuṅkte) - enjoys; experiences; जन्मनि (janmani) - in birth; जन्मनि (janmani) - in birth;]
(Child, youth, and old person, whatever does auspicious or inauspicious, in that state, enjoys (the result) in birth after birth.)
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॥
yathā dhenusahasreṣu vatso vindati mātaram। tathā pūrvakṛtaṃ karma kartāramanugacchati ॥12-174-16॥
[यथा (yathā) - just as; in the manner that; धेनु-सहस्रेषु (dhenu-sahasreṣu) - among thousands of cows; वत्सः (vatsaḥ) - calf; विन्दति (vindati) - finds; discovers; मातरम् (mātaram) - mother; तथा (tathā) - so; in the same way; पूर्व-कृतम् (pūrva-kṛtam) - previously done; कर्म (karma) - action; deed; कर्तारम् (kartāram) - doer; performer; अनुगच्छति (anugacchati) - follows; pursues;]
(Just as among thousands of cows, the calf finds its mother, so previously done action follows the doer.)
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॥
samunnamagrato vastraṃ paścācchudhyati karmaṇā। upavāsaiḥ prataptānāṃ dīrghaṃ sukham anantakam ॥12-174-17॥
[समुन्नम (samunnama) - raised; अग्रतः (agrataḥ) - in front; वस्त्रं (vastraṃ) - cloth; पश्चात् (paścāt) - afterwards; शुध्यति (śudhyati) - is purified; कर्मणा (karmaṇā) - by action; उपवासैः (upavāsaiḥ) - by fastings; प्रतप्तानाम् (prataptānām) - of those who are tormented; दीर्घं (dīrghaṃ) - long; सुखम् (sukham) - happiness; अनन्तकम् (anantakam) - endless;]
(A cloth raised in front is purified afterwards by action; for those who are tormented by fastings, long happiness is endless.)
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॥
dīrghakālena tapasā sevitena tapovane। dharmanirdhūtapāpānāṃ saṃsidhyante manorathāḥ ॥12-174-18॥
[दीर्घकालेन (dīrghakālena) - by a long period; तपसा (tapasā) - by austerity; सेवितेन (sevitena) - practiced; तपोवने (tapovane) - in the forest of austerities; धर्मनिर्धूतपापानां (dharmanirdhūtapāpānāṃ) - of those whose sins are washed away by dharma; संसिध्यन्ते (saṃsidhyante) - are fulfilled; मनोरथाः (manorathāḥ) - desires;]
(By a long period, by austerity, practiced, in the forest of austerities, of those whose sins are washed away by dharma, desires are fulfilled.)
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॥
śakunīnām iv ākāśe matsyānām iva ca udake | padaṃ yathā na dṛśyeta tathā jñānavidāṃ gatiḥ ॥12-174-19॥
[शकुनीनाम् (śakunīnām) - of birds; इव (iva) - like; आकाशे (ākāśe) - in the sky; मत्स्यानाम् (matsyānām) - of fishes; इव (iva) - like; च (ca) - and; उदके (udake) - in water; पदं (padaṃ) - footprint; यथा (yathā) - as; न (na) - not; दृश्येत (dṛśyeta) - is seen; तथा (tathā) - so; ज्ञानविदाम् (jñānavidām) - of the knowers of knowledge; गतिः (gatiḥ) - path;]
(Just as the footprint of birds in the sky and of fishes in water is not seen, so is the path of the knowers of knowledge.)
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॥
alaman-yair-upālambhaiḥ kīrtitaiś-ca vyatikramaiḥ। peśalaṃ cānurūpaṃ ca kartavyaṃ hitam-ātmanaḥ ॥12-174-20॥
[अलम् (alam) - enough; sufficient; अन्यैः (anyaiḥ) - by others; उपालम्भैः (upālambhaiḥ) - by reproaches; by censures; कीर्तितैः (kīrtitaiḥ) - by what is spoken; by what is reported; च (ca) - and; व्यतिक्रमैः (vyatikramaiḥ) - by transgressions; by violations; पेशलं (peśalam) - gentle; pleasant; च (ca) - and; अनुरूपं (anurūpam) - suitable; appropriate; च (ca) - and; कर्तव्यम् (kartavyam) - to be done; ought to be done; हितम् (hitam) - beneficial; good; आत्मनः (ātmanaḥ) - for oneself;]
(Enough of reproaches by others and of reported transgressions; what is gentle and suitable, that which is beneficial for oneself, ought to be done.)
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.
