12.213
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
kiṃ kurvan sukham āpnoti kiṃ kurvan duḥkham āpnute। kiṃ kurvan nirbhayaḥ loke siddhaḥ carati bhārata ॥12-213-1॥
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?
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
damam eva praśaṁsanti vṛddhāḥ śruti-samādhayaḥ। sarveṣām eva varṇānāṁ brāhmaṇasya viśeṣataḥ ॥12-213-2॥
Elders and those established in the Vedas praise self-restraint above all, especially in the Brāhmaṇa among all classes.
nādāntasya kriyāsiddhiryathāvadupalabhyate। kriyā tapaśca vedāśca dame sarvaṃ pratiṣṭhitam ॥12-213-3॥
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.
damastejo vardhayati pavitraṃ dama ucyate। vipāpmā nirbhayo dāntaḥ puruṣo vindate mahat ॥12-213-4॥
Self-restraint enhances brilliance; purity is defined as self-restraint. A person who is free from sin, fearless, and self-controlled attains greatness.
sukhaṃ dāntaḥ prasvapiti sukhaṃ ca pratibudhyate। sukhaṃ loke viparyeti manaścāsya prasīdati ॥12-213-5॥
The self-controlled person sleeps happily, awakens happily, moves about the world happily, and his mind becomes tranquil.
tejo damena dhriyate na tat tīkṣṇo'dhigacchati। amitrāṃś ca bahūn nityaṃ pṛthag-ātmani paśyati ॥12-213-6॥
Energy is maintained by self-control; the harsh person does not achieve this. He always perceives many enemies as separate within himself.
kravyādbhya iva bhūtānām-adāntebhyaḥ sadā bhayam। teṣāṃ vipratiṣedhārthaṃ rājā sṛṣṭaḥ svayambhuvā ॥12-213-7॥
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.
āśrameṣu ca sarveṣu dama eva viśiṣyate। yac ca teṣu phalaṃ dharme bhūyo dānte tad ucyate ॥12-213-8॥
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.
teṣāṃ liṅgāni vakṣyāmi yeṣāṃ samudayo damaḥ। akārapaṇyam asaṃrambhaḥ santoṣaḥ śraddadhānatā ॥12-213-9॥
I will now describe the characteristics of those whose nature is self-restraint: absence of miserliness, calmness, contentment, and faithfulness.
akrodha ārjavaṃ nityaṃ nātivādo na mānitā। gurupūjān asūyā ca dayā bhūteṣv apaiśunam ॥12-213-10॥
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.
janavāda-mṛṣāvāda-stuti-nindā-vivarjanam। sādhu-kāmaś cāspṛhayan nāyāti pratyayaṃ nṛṣu ॥12-213-11॥
One who abandons public opinion, falsehood, praise, and blame, and who is good and free from desire, does not gain the trust of people.
avairakṛtsūpacāraḥ samo nindāpraśaṃsayoḥ। suvṛttaḥ śīlasampannaḥ prasannātmātmavānbudhaḥ॥ prāpya loke ca satkāraṃ svargaṃ vai pretya gacchati॥12-213-12॥
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.
sarvabhūtahite yukto na smayāddveṣṭi vai janam। mahāhrada ivākṣobhya prajñātṛptaḥ prasīdati ॥12-213-13॥
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.
abhayaṃ sarvabhūtebhyaḥ sarveṣām abhayaṃ yataḥ। namasyaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ dānto bhavati jñānavān ॥12-213-14॥
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.
na hṛṣyati mahatyarthe vyasane ca na śocati। sa vai parimitaprajñaḥ sa dānto dvija ucyate॥12-213-15॥
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).
karmabhiḥ śrutasampannaḥ sadbhir ācaritaiḥ śubhaiḥ। sadaiva damasaṃyuktas tasya bhuṅkte mahatphalam ॥12-213-16॥
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.
anasūyā kṣamā śāntiḥ santoṣaḥ priyavāditā। satyaṃ dānamanāyāso naiṣa mārgo durātmanām ॥12-213-17॥
Absence of envy, forbearance, peace, contentment, pleasant speech, truthfulness, charity, and effortlessness — this is not the path of the wicked.
kāmakrodhau vaśe kṛtvā brahmacārī jitendriyaḥ। vikramya ghore tapasi brāhmaṇaḥ saṃśitavrataḥ ॥ kālākāṅkṣī carellokānnirapāya ivātmavān ॥12-213-18॥
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.
