12.183

भृगुरुवाच॥

Bhṛgu said.

सत्यं ब्रह्म तपः सत्यं सत्यं सृजति च प्रजाः। सत्येन धार्यते लोकः स्वर्गं सत्येन गच्छति ॥१२-१८३-१॥

Truth is Brahman, austerity is truth; truth creates all beings. By truth the world is upheld; by truth one attains heaven. (12-183-1)

अनृतं तमसो रूपं तमसा नीयते ह्यधः। तमोग्रस्ता न पश्यन्ति प्रकाशं तमसावृतम् ॥१२-१८३-२॥

Falsehood is the very form of darkness; by darkness, one is surely led downward. Those who are overcome by darkness do not perceive the light, as it is veiled by darkness.

स्वर्गः प्रकाश इत्याहुर्नरकं तम एव च। सत्यानृतात्तदुभयं प्राप्यते जगतीचरैः ॥१२-१८३-३॥

They say, "Heaven is light; hell is indeed darkness." Both are attained by those who dwell in the world, according to truth and untruth.

तत्र त्वेवंविधा वृत्तिर्लोके सत्यानृता भवेत्। धर्माधर्मौ प्रकाशश्च तमो दुःखं सुखं तथा ॥१२-१८३-४॥

There, however, such conduct in the world may be of both truth and falsehood, righteousness and unrighteousness, light and darkness, suffering and happiness alike.

तत्र यत्सत्यं स धर्मो यो धर्मः स प्रकाशो यः प्रकाशस्तत्सुखमिति। तत्र यदनृतं सोऽधर्मो योऽधर्मस्तत्तमो यत्तमस्तद्दुःखमिति ॥१२-१८३-५॥

There, whatever is truth is dharma; whatever is dharma is light; whatever is light is happiness. There, whatever is falsehood is adharma; whatever is adharma is darkness; whatever is darkness is suffering. (12-183-5)

अत्रोच्यते शारीरैर्मानसैर्दुःखैः सुखैश्चाप्यसुखोदयैः। लोकसृष्टिं प्रपश्यन्तो न मुह्यन्ति विचक्षणाः ॥१२-१८३-६॥

Here it is said: The wise, perceiving the creation of the world through bodily and mental sufferings, pleasures, and the arising of non-pleasures, are not deluded.

तत्र दुःखविमोक्षार्थं प्रयतेत विचक्षणः। सुखं ह्यनित्यं भूतानामिह लोके परत्र च ॥१२-१८३-७॥

Therefore, the wise should strive for liberation from suffering. For happiness is fleeting for all beings, both in this world and the next.

राहुग्रस्तस्य सोमस्य यथा ज्योत्स्ना न भासते। तथा तमोभिभूतानां भूतानां भ्रश्यते सुखम् ॥१२-१८३-८॥

Just as the moonlight of the moon eclipsed by Rāhu does not shine, so too, the happiness of beings overwhelmed by darkness is lost.

तत्खलु द्विविधं सुखमुच्यते शारीरं मानसं च इह खल्वमुष्मिंश्च लोके सर्वारम्भप्रवृत्तयः सुखार्था अभिधीयन्ते। न ह्यतस्त्रिवर्गफलं विशिष्टतरमस्ति स एष काम्यो गुणविशेषो धर्मार्थयोरारम्भस्तद्धेतुरस्योत्पत्तिः सुखप्रयोजना भरद्वाज उवाच ॥१२-१८३-९॥

Happiness is indeed said to be of two kinds: bodily and mental. In this world and the next, all human activities are undertaken for the sake of happiness. There is nothing more distinguished than the fruit of the three aims of life (dharma, artha, kāma). The pursuit of dharma and artha, motivated by this special quality of desirability, has happiness as its purpose and origin. Thus spoke Bharadvāja.

यदेतद्भवताभिहितं सुखानां परमाः स्त्रिय इति तन्न गृह्णीमः

We do not accept that women are the supreme among pleasures, as you have said.

न ह्येषामृषीणां महति स्थितानामप्राप्य एष गुणविशेषो न चैनमभिलषन्ति श्रूयते च भगवांस्त्रिलोककृद्ब्रह्मा प्रभुरेकाकी तिष्ठति ब्रह्मचारी न कामसुखेष्वात्मानमवदधाति अपि च भगवान्विश्वेश्वर उमापतिः काममभिवर्तमानमनङ्गत्वेन शममनयत् तस्माद्ब्रूमो न महात्मभिरयं प्रतिगृहीतो न त्वेष तावद्विशिष्टो गुण इति नैतद्भगवतः प्रत्येमि भगवता तूक्तं सुखानां परमाः स्त्रिय इति लोकप्रवादोऽपि च भवति द्विविधः फलोदयः सुकृतात्सुखमवाप्यते दुष्कृताद्दुःखमिति अत्रोच्यताम् भृगुरुवाच ॥१२-१८३-१०॥

Indeed, among these sages established in greatness, this special quality is neither attained nor desired. It is heard that the Lord, the creator of the three worlds, Brahmā, remains alone, celibate, not indulging himself in pleasures of desire. Likewise, Lord Viśveśvara, Umāpati, subdued desire by becoming bodiless. Therefore, we say that this is not accepted by the great souls, nor is this quality particularly special. Thus, I do not accept this as belonging to the Lord. But it is said by the Lord: 'Of pleasures, women are the highest.' This is also a popular saying. There is a twofold result: happiness is obtained from good deeds, and sorrow from bad deeds. Let this be stated here. Bhrigu said.

अनृतात्खलु तमः प्रादुर्भूतं तमोग्रस्ता अधर्ममेवानुवर्तन्ते न धर्मम् क्रोधलोभमोहमानानृतादिभिरवच्छन्ना न खल्वस्मिँल्लोके न चामुत्र सुखमाप्नुवन्ति विविधव्याधिगणोपतापैरवकीर्यन्ते वधबन्धरोगपरिक्लेशादिभिश्च क्षुत्पिपासाश्रमकृतैरुपतापैरुपतप्यन्ते। चण्डवातात्युष्णातिशीतकृतैश्च प्रतिभयैः शारीरैर्दुःखैरुपतप्यन्ते बन्धुधनविनाशविप्रयोगकृतैश्च मानसैः शोकैरभिभूयन्ते जरामृत्युकृतैश्चान्यैरिति ॥१२-१८३-११॥

Indeed, from untruth arises darkness; those enveloped in darkness follow only unrighteousness, not righteousness. Shrouded by anger, greed, delusion, pride, untruth, and similar faults, they find no happiness in this world or the next. They are afflicted by various diseases and torments, suffering from violence, bondage, illness, and distress, as well as from hunger, thirst, and exhaustion. They are further tormented by bodily pains from violent winds, extreme heat and cold, and dangers, and are overwhelmed by mental grief from the loss and separation of loved ones and wealth, and by the effects of old age and death. Thus.

यस्त्वेतैः शारीरैर्मानसैर्दुःखैर्न स्पृश्यते स सुखं वेद। न चैते दोषाः स्वर्गे प्रादुर्भवन्ति तत्र भवति खलु ॥१२-१८३-१२॥

He who is not affected by these bodily and mental sufferings knows true happiness. These faults do not arise in heaven; indeed, it is so there.

सुसुखः पवनः स्वर्गे गन्धश्च सुरभिस्तथा। क्षुत्पिपासाश्रमो नास्ति न जरा न च पापकम् ॥१२-१८३-१३॥

In heaven, the wind is very pleasant and the fragrance is sweet; there is no hunger, thirst, or fatigue, nor is there old age or any evil.

नित्यमेव सुखं स्वर्गे सुखं दुःखमिहोभयम्। नरके दुःखमेवाहुः समं तु परमं पदम् ॥१२-१८३-१४॥

It is said that there is always happiness in heaven, both happiness and suffering here on earth, and only suffering in hell; but the supreme state is equal to all.

पृथिवी सर्वभूतानां जनित्री तद्विधाः स्त्रियः। पुमान्प्रजापतिस्तत्र शुक्रं तेजोमयं विदुः ॥१२-१८३-१५॥

The earth is the mother of all beings, and women are of that nature. The man there is Prajāpati; semen is understood to be of the nature of brilliance.

इत्येतल्लोकनिर्माणं ब्रह्मणा विहितं पुरा। प्रजा विपरिवर्तन्ते स्वैः स्वैः कर्मभिरावृताः ॥१२-१८३-१६॥

Thus, this creation of the world was formerly ordained by Brahmā. Creatures revolve, each enveloped by their own actions.