12.183

bhṛguruvāca॥

Bhṛgu said.

satyaṃ brahma tapaḥ satyaṃ satyaṃ sṛjati ca prajāḥ। satyena dhāryate lokaḥ svargaṃ satyena gacchati ॥12-183-1॥

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

anṛtaṃ tamaso rūpaṃ tamasā nīyate hyadhaḥ। tamograstā na paśyanti prakāśaṃ tamasāvṛtam ॥12-183-2॥

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.

svargaḥ prakāśa ity āhur narakaṃ tama eva ca। satyānṛtāt tad ubhayaṃ prāpyate jagatīcaraiḥ ॥12-183-3॥

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

tatra tvevaṃvidhā vṛttir loke satyānṛtā bhavet। dharmādharmau prakāśaś ca tamo duḥkhaṃ sukhaṃ tathā॥12-183-4॥

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

tatra yat satyaṃ sa dharmo yo dharmaḥ sa prakāśo yaḥ prakāśas tat sukham iti। tatra yad anṛtaṃ so 'dharmo yo 'dharmas tat tamo yat tamas tad duḥkham iti ॥12-183-5॥

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)

atrocyate śārīrairmānasairduḥkhaiḥ sukhaizcāpyasukhodayaiḥ। lokasṛṣṭiṃ prapaśyanto na muhyanti vicakṣaṇāḥ ॥12-183-6॥

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.

tatra duḥkha-vimokṣārthaṃ prayateta vicakṣaṇaḥ। sukhaṃ hy anityaṃ bhūtānām iha loke paratra ca ॥12-183-7॥

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

rāhugrastasya somasya yathā jyotsnā na bhāsate। tathā tamobhibhūtānāṃ bhūtānāṃ bhraśyate sukham ॥12-183-8॥

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

tatkhalu dvividhaṃ sukham ucyate śārīraṃ mānasaṃ ca iha khalv amuṣmiṃś ca loke sarvārambha-pravṛttayaḥ sukhārthā abhidhīyante. na hy atas trivarga-phalaṃ viśiṣṭataram asti sa eṣa kāmyaḥ guṇa-viśeṣo dharmārthayor ārambhas tad-dhetur asya utpattiḥ sukha-prayojanā bharadvāja uvāca ॥12-183-9॥

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.

yadetadbhavatābhihitaṃ sukhānāṃ paramāḥ striya iti tan na gṛhṇīmaḥ

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

na hyeṣām ṛṣīṇāṃ mahati sthitānām aprāpya eṣa guṇaviśeṣo na ca enam abhilāṣanti śrūyate ca bhagavāṃs trilokakṛd brahmā prabhuḥ ekākī tiṣṭhati brahmacārī na kāmasukheṣv ātmānam avadadhāti api ca bhagavān viśveśvara umāpatiḥ kāmam abhivartamānam anaṅgatvena śamam anayata tasmād brūmo na mahātmabhir ayaṃ pratigṛhīto na tveṣa tāvad viśiṣṭo guṇa iti naitad bhagavataḥ pratyemi bhagavatā tūktaṃ sukhānāṃ paramāḥ striya iti lokapravādo'pi ca bhavati dvividhaḥ phalodayaḥ sukṛtāt sukham avāpyate duṣkṛtād duḥkham iti atrocyatām bhṛgur uvāca ॥12-183-10॥

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.

anṛtātkhalu tamaḥ prādurbhūtaṃ tamograstā adharma-mevānuvartante na dharmam krodha-lobha-moha-māna-anṛta-ādibhir avacchannā na khalvasmiṃlloke na cāmutra sukham āpnuvanti vividhavyādhigaṇopatāpaiḥ avakīryante vadhabandharogaparikleśādibhiś ca kṣutpipāsāśramakṛtair upatāpaiḥ upatapyyante caṇḍavātātyuṣṇātiśītakṛtaiś ca pratibhayaiḥ śārīrair duḥkhair upatapyyante bandhu-dhana-vināśa-viprayoga-kṛtaiś ca mānasaiḥ śokair abhibhūyante jarāmṛtyukṛtaiś cānyair iti ॥12-183-11॥

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.

yastvetaiḥ śārīrairmānasairduḥkhairna spṛśyate sa sukhaṃ veda। na caite doṣāḥ svarge prādurbhavanti tatra bhavati khalu ॥12-183-12॥

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.

susukhaḥ pavanaḥ svarge gandhaś ca surabhis tathā। kṣutpipāsāśramo nāsti na jarā na ca pāpakam ॥12-183-13॥

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.

nityam eva sukhaṃ svarge sukhaṃ duḥkham iha ubhayam। narake duḥkham eva āhuḥ samaṃ tu paramaṃ padam ॥12-183-14॥

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.

pṛthivī sarvabhūtānāṃ janitrī tadvidhāḥ striyaḥ। pumān prajāpatis tatra śukraṃ tejomayaṃ viduḥ॥12-183-15॥

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.

ity etal loka-nirmāṇaṃ brahmaṇā vihitaṃ purā। prajā viparivartante svaiḥ svaiḥ karmabhir āvṛtāḥ ॥12-183-16॥

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