12.213
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.
किं कुर्वन्सुखमाप्नोति किं कुर्वन्दुःखमाप्नुते। किं कुर्वन्निर्भयो लोके सिद्धश्चरति भारत ॥१२-२१३-१॥
kiṃ kurvan sukham āpnoti kiṃ kurvan duḥkham āpnute। kiṃ kurvan nirbhayaḥ loke siddhaḥ carati bhārata ॥12-213-1॥
[किं (kiṃ) - what; कुर्वन् (kurvan) - doing; सुखम् (sukham) - happiness; आप्नोति (āpnoti) - attains; किं (kiṃ) - what; कुर्वन् (kurvan) - doing; दुःखम् (duḥkham) - sorrow; आप्नुते (āpnute) - obtains; किं (kiṃ) - what; कुर्वन् (kurvan) - doing; निर्भयः (nirbhayaḥ) - fearless; लोके (loke) - in the world; सिद्धः (siddhaḥ) - perfected one; चरति (carati) - moves; भारत (bhārata) - O Bhārata;]
(What doing does one attain happiness? What doing does one obtain sorrow? What doing does the fearless perfected one move in the world, O Bhārata?)
O Bhārata, by doing what does one attain happiness, and by doing what does one obtain sorrow? By doing what does the perfected, fearless one move about in the world?
भीष्म उवाच॥
bhīṣma uvāca॥
[भीष्म (bhīṣma) - Bhīṣma; उवाच (uvāca) - said;]
(Bhīṣma said;)
Bhīṣma said.
दममेव प्रशंसन्ति वृद्धाः श्रुतिसमाधयः। सर्वेषामेव वर्णानां ब्राह्मणस्य विशेषतः ॥१२-२१३-२॥
damam eva praśaṁsanti vṛddhāḥ śruti-samādhayaḥ। sarveṣām eva varṇānāṁ brāhmaṇasya viśeṣataḥ ॥12-213-2॥
[दमम् (damam) - self-restraint; एव (eva) - indeed; प्रशंसन्ति (praśaṁsanti) - praise; वृद्धाः (vṛddhāḥ) - elders; श्रुतिसमाधयः (śruti-samādhayaḥ) - those established in the Vedas; सर्वेषाम् (sarveṣām) - of all; एव (eva) - indeed; वर्णानाम् (varṇānām) - of classes; ब्राह्मणस्य (brāhmaṇasya) - of the Brāhmaṇa; विशेषतः (viśeṣataḥ) - especially;]
(Self-restraint indeed elders and those established in the Vedas praise; of all classes indeed, especially of the Brāhmaṇa.)
Elders and those established in the Vedas praise self-restraint above all, especially in the Brāhmaṇa among all classes.
नादान्तस्य क्रियासिद्धिर्यथावदुपलभ्यते। क्रिया तपश्च वेदाश्च दमे सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥१२-२१३-३॥
nādāntasya kriyāsiddhiryathāvadupalabhyate। kriyā tapaśca vedāśca dame sarvaṃ pratiṣṭhitam ॥12-213-3॥
[नादान्तस्य (nādāntasya) - of the one whose end is sound; क्रिया (kriyā) - action; सिद्धिः (siddhiḥ) - accomplishment; यथावत् (yathāvat) - as it is; उपलभ्यते (upalabhyate) - is obtained; क्रिया (kriyā) - action; तपः (tapaḥ) - austerity; च (ca) - and; वेदाः (vedāḥ) - Vedas; च (ca) - and; दमे (dame) - in self-restraint; सर्वम् (sarvam) - all; प्रतिष्ठितम् (pratiṣṭhitam) - is established;]
(Of the one whose end is sound, accomplishment of action is obtained as it is. Action, austerity, and the Vedas—all are established in self-restraint.)
For the one whose culmination is in sound, the accomplishment of action is truly attained. Action, austerity, and the Vedas—all are founded upon self-restraint.
दमस्तेजो वर्धयति पवित्रं दम उच्यते। विपाप्मा निर्भयो दान्तः पुरुषो विन्दते महत् ॥१२-२१३-४॥
damastejo vardhayati pavitraṃ dama ucyate। vipāpmā nirbhayo dāntaḥ puruṣo vindate mahat ॥12-213-4॥
[दमः (damaḥ) - self-restraint; तेजः (tejaḥ) - brilliance; वर्धयति (vardhayati) - increases; पवित्रम् (pavitram) - purity; दमः (damaḥ) - self-restraint; उच्यते (ucyate) - is said; विपाप्मा (vipāpmā) - free from sin; निर्भयः (nirbhayaḥ) - fearless; दान्तः (dāntaḥ) - self-controlled; पुरुषः (puruṣaḥ) - person; विन्दते (vindate) - attains; महत् (mahat) - greatness;]
(Self-restraint increases brilliance, purity is said to be self-restraint. The person who is free from sin, fearless, and self-controlled attains greatness.)
Self-restraint enhances brilliance; purity is defined as self-restraint. A person who is free from sin, fearless, and self-controlled attains greatness.
सुखं दान्तः प्रस्वपिति सुखं च प्रतिबुध्यते। सुखं लोके विपर्येति मनश्चास्य प्रसीदति ॥१२-२१३-५॥
sukhaṃ dāntaḥ prasvapiti sukhaṃ ca pratibudhyate। sukhaṃ loke viparyeti manaścāsya prasīdati ॥12-213-5॥
[सुखं (sukhaṃ) - happiness; दान्तः (dāntaḥ) - one who is self-controlled; प्रस्वपिति (prasvapiti) - sleeps; सुखं (sukhaṃ) - happily; च (ca) - and; प्रतिबुध्यते (pratibudhyate) - awakens; सुखं (sukhaṃ) - happily; लोके (loke) - in the world; विपर्येति (viparyeti) - moves about; मनः (manaḥ) - mind; च (ca) - and; अस्य (asya) - his; प्रसीदति (prasīdati) - becomes tranquil;]
(Happily, the self-controlled one sleeps; happily and he awakens; happily he moves about in the world; and his mind becomes tranquil.)
The self-controlled person sleeps happily, awakens happily, moves about the world happily, and his mind becomes tranquil.
तेजो दमेन ध्रियते न तत्तीक्ष्णोऽधिगच्छति। अमित्रांश्च बहून्नित्यं पृथगात्मनि पश्यति ॥१२-२१३-६॥
tejo damena dhriyate na tat tīkṣṇo'dhigacchati। amitrāṃś ca bahūn nityaṃ pṛthag-ātmani paśyati ॥12-213-6॥
[तेजः (tejaḥ) - energy; दमेन (damena) - by self-restraint; ध्रियते (dhriyate) - is sustained; न (na) - not; तत् (tat) - that; तीक्ष्णः (tīkṣṇaḥ) - the sharp (one); अधिगच्छति (adhigacchati) - attains; अमित्रान् (amitrān) - enemies; च (ca) - and; बहून् (bahūn) - many; नित्यं (nityam) - always; पृथक् (pṛthak) - separately; आत्मनि (ātmani) - in oneself; पश्यति (paśyati) - sees;]
(Energy is sustained by self-restraint; the sharp (one) does not attain that. And always sees many enemies separately in oneself.)
Energy is maintained by self-control; the harsh person does not achieve this. He always perceives many enemies as separate within himself.
क्रव्याद्भ्य इव भूतानामदान्तेभ्यः सदा भयम्। तेषां विप्रतिषेधार्थं राजा सृष्टः स्वयम्भुवा ॥१२-२१३-७॥
kravyādbhya iva bhūtānām-adāntebhyaḥ sadā bhayam। teṣāṃ vipratiṣedhārthaṃ rājā sṛṣṭaḥ svayambhuvā ॥12-213-7॥
[क्रव्याद्भ्यः (kravyādbhyaḥ) - from flesh-eaters; इव (iva) - like; भूतानाम् (bhūtānām) - of beings; अदान्तेभ्यः (adāntebhyaḥ) - from the undisciplined; सदा (sadā) - always; भयम् (bhayam) - fear; तेषाम् (teṣām) - for them; विप्रतिषेधार्थम् (vipratiṣedhārtham) - for the purpose of restraint; राजा (rājā) - king; सृष्टः (sṛṣṭaḥ) - was created; स्वयम्भुवा (svayambhuvā) - by the Self-existent;]
(From flesh-eaters, like from the undisciplined beings, there is always fear. For their restraint, the king was created by the Self-existent.)
Just as there is always fear of flesh-eaters among beings from the undisciplined, so for their restraint, the king was created by the Self-existent.
आश्रमेषु च सर्वेषु दम एव विशिष्यते। यच्च तेषु फलं धर्मे भूयो दान्ते तदुच्यते ॥१२-२१३-८॥
āśrameṣu ca sarveṣu dama eva viśiṣyate। yac ca teṣu phalaṃ dharme bhūyo dānte tad ucyate ॥12-213-8॥
[आश्रमेषु (āśrameṣu) - in the āśramas; च (ca) - and; सर्वेषु (sarveṣu) - in all; दमः (damaḥ) - self-restraint; एव (eva) - indeed; विशिष्यते (viśiṣyate) - is distinguished; यत् (yat) - which; च (ca) - and; तेषु (teṣu) - among them; फलम् (phalam) - fruit; धर्मे (dharme) - in dharma; भूयः (bhūyaḥ) - more; दान्ते (dānte) - in the self-restrained; तत् (tat) - that; उच्यते (ucyate) - is said;]
(In the āśramas and in all, self-restraint indeed is distinguished. And whatever fruit in dharma is more among them, that is said to be in the self-restrained.)
Among all the āśramas, self-restraint is especially praised. And whatever greater fruit of dharma exists among them, it is said to be found in the self-restrained.
तेषां लिङ्गानि वक्ष्यामि येषां समुदयो दमः। अकार्पण्यमसंरम्भः सन्तोषः श्रद्दधानता ॥१२-२१३-९॥
teṣāṃ liṅgāni vakṣyāmi yeṣāṃ samudayo damaḥ। akārapaṇyam asaṃrambhaḥ santoṣaḥ śraddadhānatā ॥12-213-9॥
[तेषां (teṣāṃ) - of those; of them; लिङ्गानि (liṅgāni) - characteristics; signs; वक्ष्यामि (vakṣyāmi) - I shall state; I will declare; येषां (yeṣāṃ) - of whom; whose; समुदयः (samudayaḥ) - collection; aggregate; दमः (damaḥ) - self-restraint; control; अकार्पण्यम् (akārpaṇyam) - absence of miserliness; non-meanness; असंरम्भः (asaṃrambhaḥ) - absence of agitation; calmness; सन्तोषः (santoṣaḥ) - contentment; श्रद्दधानता (śraddadhānatā) - faithfulness; having faith;]
(Of those, the characteristics I shall state, whose collection is self-restraint: absence of miserliness, absence of agitation, contentment, faithfulness.)
I will now describe the characteristics of those whose nature is self-restraint: absence of miserliness, calmness, contentment, and faithfulness.
अक्रोध आर्जवं नित्यं नातिवादो न मानिता। गुरुपूजानसूया च दया भूतेष्वपैशुनम् ॥१२-२१३-१०॥
akrodha ārjavaṃ nityaṃ nātivādo na mānitā। gurupūjān asūyā ca dayā bhūteṣv apaiśunam ॥12-213-10॥
[अक्रोध (akrodha) - absence of anger; आर्जवम् (ārjavam) - straightforwardness; नित्यं (nityam) - always; न (na) - not; अतिवादः (ativādaḥ) - excessive speech; न (na) - not; मानिता (mānitā) - arrogance; गुरुपूजा (gurupūjā) - reverence to the teacher; अनसूया (anasūyā) - absence of envy; च (ca) - and; दया (dayā) - compassion; भूतेषु (bhūteṣu) - towards beings; अपैशुनम् (apaiśunam) - absence of slander;]
(Absence of anger, straightforwardness, always, not excessive speech, not arrogance, reverence to the teacher, absence of envy, and compassion towards beings, absence of slander.)
Absence of anger, straightforwardness, constancy, refraining from excessive speech, humility, reverence for the teacher, freedom from envy, compassion towards all beings, and abstaining from slander.
जनवादमृषावादस्तुतिनिन्दाविवर्जनम्। साधुकामश्चास्पृहयन्नायाति प्रत्ययं नृषु ॥१२-२१३-११॥
janavāda-mṛṣāvāda-stuti-nindā-vivarjanam। sādhu-kāmaś cāspṛhayan nāyāti pratyayaṃ nṛṣu ॥12-213-11॥
[जनवाद (janavāda) - public opinion; मृषावाद (mṛṣāvāda) - false speech; स्तुति (stuti) - praise; निन्दा (nindā) - blame; विवर्जनम् (vivarjanam) - abandonment; साधु (sādhu) - good; कामः (kāmaḥ) - desire; च (ca) - and; अस्पृहयन् (aspṛhayan) - not desiring; न (na) - not; आयाति (āyāti) - comes; प्रत्ययम् (pratyayam) - confidence; नृषु (nṛṣu) - among men;]
(Abandonment of public opinion, false speech, praise, and blame; the good person, not desiring, does not gain confidence among men.)
One who abandons public opinion, falsehood, praise, and blame, and who is good and free from desire, does not gain the trust of people.
अवैरकृत्सूपचारः समो निन्दाप्रशंसयोः। सुवृत्तः शीलसम्पन्नः प्रसन्नात्मात्मवान्बुधः ॥ प्राप्य लोके च सत्कारं स्वर्गं वै प्रेत्य गच्छति ॥१२-२१३-१२॥
avairakṛtsūpacāraḥ samo nindāpraśaṃsayoḥ। suvṛttaḥ śīlasampannaḥ prasannātmātmavānbudhaḥ॥ prāpya loke ca satkāraṃ svargaṃ vai pretya gacchati॥12-213-12॥
[अवैरकृत् (avairakṛt) - one who does not act with enmity; सूपचारः (sūpacāraḥ) - with good conduct; समः (samaḥ) - equal; निन्दा (nindā) - blame; प्रशंसयोः (praśaṃsayoḥ) - and praise; सुवृत्तः (suvṛttaḥ) - well-behaved; शीलसम्पन्नः (śīlasampannaḥ) - endowed with character; प्रसन्नात्मा (prasannātmā) - of clear mind; आत्मवान् (ātmavān) - self-controlled; बुधः (budhaḥ) - wise person; प्राप्य (prāpya) - having obtained; लोके (loke) - in the world; च (ca) - and; सत्कारम् (satkāram) - honor; स्वर्गम् (svargam) - heaven; वै (vai) - indeed; प्रेत्य (pretya) - after death; गच्छति (gacchati) - goes;]
(One who does not act with enmity, with good conduct, equal in blame and praise, well-behaved, endowed with character, of clear mind, self-controlled, wise person, having obtained honor in the world and indeed goes to heaven after death.)
A wise person who is free from enmity, conducts himself well, remains equal in blame and praise, is well-behaved, endowed with good character, clear-minded, and self-controlled, attains honor in this world and, after death, truly reaches heaven.
सर्वभूतहिते युक्तो न स्मयाद्द्वेष्टि वै जनम्। महाह्रद इवाक्षोभ्य प्रज्ञातृप्तः प्रसीदति ॥१२-२१३-१३॥
sarvabhūtahite yukto na smayāddveṣṭi vai janam। mahāhrada ivākṣobhya prajñātṛptaḥ prasīdati ॥12-213-13॥
[सर्वभूतहिते (sarvabhūtahite) - in the welfare of all beings; युक्तः (yuktaḥ) - engaged; न (na) - not; स्मयात् (smayāt) - from pride; द्वेष्टि (dveṣṭi) - hates; वै (vai) - indeed; जनम् (janam) - people; महाह्रद (mahāhrada) - great lake; इव (iva) - like; अक्षोभ्यः (akṣobhyaḥ) - unshakable; प्रज्ञातृप्तः (prajñātṛptaḥ) - satisfied in wisdom; प्रसीदति (prasīdati) - becomes calm;]
(Engaged in the welfare of all beings, not hating people out of pride, indeed; like a great unshakable lake, satisfied in wisdom, he becomes calm.)
One who is engaged in the welfare of all beings, who does not hate anyone out of pride, is like a great, unshakable lake; satisfied in wisdom, he becomes serene.
अभयं सर्वभूतेभ्यः सर्वेषामभयं यतः। नमस्यः सर्वभूतानां दान्तो भवति ज्ञानवान् ॥१२-२१३-१४॥
abhayaṃ sarvabhūtebhyaḥ sarveṣām abhayaṃ yataḥ। namasyaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ dānto bhavati jñānavān ॥12-213-14॥
[अभयम् (abhayam) - fearlessness; सर्वभूतेभ्यः (sarvabhūtebhyaḥ) - from all beings; सर्वेषाम् (sarveṣām) - of all; अभयम् (abhayam) - fearlessness; यतः (yataḥ) - from whom; नमस्यः (namasyaḥ) - worthy of reverence; सर्वभूतानाम् (sarvabhūtānām) - of all beings; दान्तः (dāntaḥ) - self-restrained; भवति (bhavati) - becomes; ज्ञानवान् (jñānavān) - possessed of knowledge;]
(Fearlessness from all beings, fearlessness of all from whom; worthy of reverence of all beings, self-restrained becomes, possessed of knowledge.)
He from whom all beings have no fear, and who gives fearlessness to all, who is worthy of reverence by all beings, who is self-restrained and possessed of knowledge.
न हृष्यति महत्यर्थे व्यसने च न शोचति। स वै परिमितप्रज्ञः स दान्तो द्विज उच्यते ॥१२-२१३-१५॥
na hṛṣyati mahatyarthe vyasane ca na śocati। sa vai parimitaprajñaḥ sa dānto dvija ucyate॥12-213-15॥
[न (na) - not; हृष्यति (hṛṣyati) - rejoices; महति (mahati) - in great; अर्थे (arthe) - in matter; व्यासने (vyasane) - in adversity; च (ca) - and; न (na) - not; शोचति (śocati) - grieves; स (sa) - he; वै (vai) - indeed; परिमितप्रज्ञः (parimitaprajñaḥ) - of limited (controlled) intellect; स (sa) - he; दान्तः (dāntaḥ) - self-restrained; द्विजः (dvijaḥ) - twice-born; उच्यते (ucyate) - is called;]
(Not rejoices in great matter, in adversity and not grieves; he indeed of limited intellect, he self-restrained twice-born is called.)
He who neither rejoices in great gain nor grieves in adversity, who is of controlled intellect and self-restrained, is indeed called a twice-born (dvija).
कर्मभिः श्रुतसम्पन्नः सद्भिराचरितैः शुभैः। सदैव दमसंयुक्तस्तस्य भुङ्क्ते महत्फलम् ॥१२-२१३-१६॥
karmabhiḥ śrutasampannaḥ sadbhir ācaritaiḥ śubhaiḥ। sadaiva damasaṃyuktas tasya bhuṅkte mahatphalam ॥12-213-16॥
[कर्मभिः (karmabhiḥ) - by actions; श्रुतसम्पन्नः (śrutasampannaḥ) - endowed with learning; सद्भिः (sadbhih) - by the virtuous; आचरितैः (ācaritaiḥ) - practiced; शुभैः (śubhaiḥ) - auspicious; सदैव (sadaiva) - always; दमसंयुक्तः (damasaṃyuktaḥ) - endowed with self-restraint; तस्य (tasya) - his; भुङ्क्ते (bhuṅkte) - enjoys; महत्फलम् (mahatphalam) - great fruit;]
(By actions, endowed with learning, by the virtuous, practiced, auspicious, always endowed with self-restraint, his enjoys great fruit.)
He who is always endowed with self-restraint, whose actions are auspicious and practiced by the virtuous, and who is endowed with learning, enjoys great rewards.
अनसूया क्षमा शान्तिः सन्तोषः प्रियवादिता। सत्यं दानमनायासो नैष मार्गो दुरात्मनाम् ॥१२-२१३-१७॥
anasūyā kṣamā śāntiḥ santoṣaḥ priyavāditā। satyaṃ dānamanāyāso naiṣa mārgo durātmanām ॥12-213-17॥
[अनसूया (anasūyā) - absence of envy; क्षमा (kṣamā) - forbearance; शान्तिः (śāntiḥ) - peace; सन्तोषः (santoṣaḥ) - contentment; प्रियवादिता (priyavāditā) - speaking pleasantly; सत्यं (satyaṃ) - truth; दानम् (dānam) - charity; अनायासः (anāyāsaḥ) - effortlessness; न (na) - not; एषः (eṣaḥ) - this; मार्गः (mārgaḥ) - path; दुरात्मनाम् (durātmanām) - of the wicked;]
(Absence of envy, forbearance, peace, contentment, speaking pleasantly, truth, charity, effortlessness — not this path of the wicked.)
Absence of envy, forbearance, peace, contentment, pleasant speech, truthfulness, charity, and effortlessness — this is not the path of the wicked.
कामक्रोधौ वशे कृत्वा ब्रह्मचारी जितेन्द्रियः। विक्रम्य घोरे तपसि ब्राह्मणः संशितव्रतः ॥ कालाकाङ्क्षी चरेल्लोकान्निरपाय इवात्मवान् ॥१२-२१३-१८॥
kāmakrodhau vaśe kṛtvā brahmacārī jitendriyaḥ। vikramya ghore tapasi brāhmaṇaḥ saṃśitavrataḥ ॥ kālākāṅkṣī carellokānnirapāya ivātmavān ॥12-213-18॥
[काम (kāma) - desire; क्रोधौ (krodhau) - anger; वशे (vaśe) - under control; कृत्वा (kṛtvā) - having made; ब्रह्मचारी (brahmacārī) - celibate; जितेन्द्रियः (jitendriyaḥ) - one who has conquered the senses; विक्रम्य (vikramya) - having undertaken; घोरे (ghore) - terrible; तपसि (tapasi) - austerity; ब्राह्मणः (brāhmaṇaḥ) - brāhmaṇa; संशितव्रतः (saṃśitavrataḥ) - firm in vow; कालाकाङ्क्षी (kālākāṅkṣī) - one who desires the proper time; चरेत् (caret) - should live; लोकान् (lokān) - among people; निरपाय (nirapāya) - without harm; इव (iva) - like; आत्मवान् (ātmavān) - self-possessed;]
(Having brought desire and anger under control, the celibate, one who has conquered the senses, having undertaken terrible austerity, the brāhmaṇa, firm in vow, desiring the proper time, should live among people without harm, like one who is self-possessed.)
The brāhmaṇa, firm in his vows, having subdued desire and anger, and having conquered his senses, should, after undertaking severe austerities, live among people without causing harm, waiting for the right time, like one who is self-controlled.
