12.215
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
yad idaṃ karma loke'smiñ śubhaṃ vā yadi vā aśubham | puruṣaṃ yojayati eva phalayogena bhārata ॥12-215-1॥
O Bhārata, whatever action in this world, whether auspicious or inauspicious, a person is certainly bound to it by the connection with its result.
kartā svittasya puruṣa utāho neti saṃśayaḥ। etadicchāmi tattvena tvattaḥ śrotuṃ pitāmaha ॥12-215-2॥
O grandsire, I am in doubt whether the person is the doer of the self or not. I wish to hear the truth of this from you.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam। prahrādasya ca saṃvādam indrasya ca yudhiṣṭhira ॥12-215-3॥
Here too, O Yudhiṣṭhira, an ancient story is told—the conversation between Prahlāda and Indra.
asaktaṃ dhūtapāpmānaṃ kule jātaṃ bahuśrutam। astambhamanahaṅkāraṃ sattvasthaṃ samaye ratam ॥12-215-4॥
One who is unattached, whose sins have been cleansed, born in a noble family, learned, free from pride and ego, established in purity, and engaged in appropriate times.
tulyanindāstutiṃ dāntaṃ śūnyāgāraniveśanam| carācarāṇāṃ bhūtānāṃ viditaprabhavāpyayam ॥12-215-5॥
He is equal in blame and praise, self-controlled, residing in an empty house, and knows the origin and dissolution of all moving and non-moving beings.
akrudhyan tam ahṛṣyantam apriyeṣu priyeṣu ca। kāñcane vā atha loṣṭe vā ubhayoḥ samadarśanam ॥12-215-6॥
One who neither becomes angry nor rejoices among the unpleasant or the pleasant, who sees gold and a clod of earth with equal vision, is truly impartial.
ātmaniḥśreyasajñāne dhīraṃ niścitaniścayam। parāvarajñaṃ bhūtānāṃ sarvajñaṃ samadarśanam ॥12-215-7॥
One who is steadfast in the knowledge of the supreme good in the self, with determined resolve, who knows the higher and lower, who knows all beings, who is all-knowing and sees with equal vision.
śakraḥ prahrādam āsīnam ekānte saṃyatendriyam। bubhutsamānas tatprajñām abhigamya idam abravīt ॥12-215-8॥
Indra approached Prahlāda, who was sitting alone with his senses controlled, wishing to learn his wisdom, and spoke these words:
yaiḥ kaiścit saṁmato loke guṇaiḥ syāt puruṣo nṛṣu। bhavaty anapagān sarvān tān guṇān lakṣayāmahe ॥12-215-9॥
We observe all those qualities by which a person is approved among men in the world as never lost.
atha te lakṣyate buddhiḥ samā bālajanair iha। ātmānaṃ manyamānaḥ sañśreyaḥ kim iha manyase ॥12-215-10॥
Now, your intellect is regarded as equal to that of childish people here. Thinking yourself superior, what do you consider here?
baddhaḥ pāśaiś cyutaḥ sthānād dviṣatāṃ vaśam āgataḥ। śriyā vihīnaḥ prahrāda śocitavye na śocasi॥12-215-11॥
O Prahlāda, though I am bound by fetters, fallen from my position, under the control of enemies, deprived of prosperity, and worthy of lamentation, you do not grieve.
prajñālābhāttu daiteya utāho dhṛtimattayā। prahrāda svastharūpo'si paśyanvyasanamātmanaḥ ॥12-215-12॥
But, O Daiteya, is it due to attainment of wisdom or by firmness? Prahlada, you remain composed even while perceiving your own misfortune.
iti sañcoditastena dhīro niścitaniścayaḥ। uvāca ślakṣṇayā vācā svāṃ prajñāmanuvarṇayan ॥12-215-13॥
Thus, being urged by him, the steadfast one, firmly resolved, spoke gently, expressing his own wisdom.
pravṛttiṃ ca nivṛttiṃ ca bhūtānāṃ yo na budhyate। tasya stambho bhavedbālyānnāsti stambho'nupaśyataḥ ॥12-215-14॥
He who does not understand the activity and cessation of beings, for him, due to childishness, there is an obstacle; there is no obstacle for one who perceives.
svabhāvātsampravartante nivartante tathaiva ca। sarve bhāvāstathābhāvāḥ puruṣārtho na vidyate ॥12-215-15॥
All things arise and cease according to their inherent nature; all states and their absences occur thus; there is no personal purpose or agency.
puruṣārthasya cābhāve nāsti kaścit svakārakaḥ। svayaṃ tu kurvatas tasya jātu māno bhaved iha ॥12-215-16॥
When there is no personal effort, there is no agent of one's own; but for one who acts by himself, respect may arise here.
yastu kartāram ātmānaṃ manyate sādhvasādhunoḥ। tasya doṣavatī prajñā svamūrtyajñeti me matiḥ॥12-215-17॥
But my opinion is that whoever thinks the self to be the doer of good and bad actions, his understanding is faulty and ignorant of his own true nature.
yadi syāt puruṣaḥ kartā śakrātmaśreyase dhruvam। ārambhās tasya sidhyeran na ca jātu parābhavet ॥12-215-18॥
If a person were truly an agent for the welfare of Indra's soul, all his undertakings would surely succeed and he would never be defeated.
aniṣṭasya hi nirvṛttir anivṛttiḥ priyasya ca। lakṣyate yatamānānāṃ puruṣārthas tataḥ kutaḥ॥12-215-19॥
Indeed, the cessation of the undesirable and the non-cessation of the desirable are observed among those who strive; so, from that, what is the purpose of human effort?
aniṣṭasyābhinirvṛttimiṣṭasaṃvṛttimeva ca। aprayatnena paśyāmaḥ keṣāñcittatsvabhāvataḥ ॥12-215-20॥
We see that in some people, the manifestation of misfortune and the occurrence of fortune happen naturally, without any effort.
pratirūpadharāḥ keciddṛśyante buddhisattamāḥ। virūpebhyo'lpabuddhibhyo lipsamānā dhanāgamam ॥12-215-21॥
Some of the most intelligent people, assuming false appearances, are seen seeking to acquire wealth from the deformed and those of little intelligence.
svabhāvapreritāḥ sarve niviśante guṇā yadā। śubhāśubhāstadā tatra tasya kiṃ mānakāraṇam ॥12-215-22॥
When all qualities, driven by their own nature, manifest in a person—whether auspicious or inauspicious—what reason is there for his pride?
svabhāvādeva tatsarvamiti me niścitā matiḥ। ātmapratiṣṭhitā prajñā mama nāsti tato'nyathā ॥12-215-23॥
My conviction is firmly ascertained that all this is by inherent nature. Therefore, I do not have any wisdom established in self otherwise.
karmajaṃ tv iha manye'ham phalayogaṃ śubhāśubham। karmaṇāṃ viṣayaṃ kṛtsnam ahaṃ vakṣyāmi tac chṛṇu ॥12-215-24॥
But here, I consider the connection with the results—both auspicious and inauspicious—as born of action. I shall declare to you the entire subject of actions; listen to that.
yathā vedayate kaścid odanaṃ vāyaso vadan। evaṃ sarvāṇi karmāṇi svabhāvasyaiva lakṣaṇam ॥12-215-25॥
Just as one infers the presence of rice when a crow caws, so too all actions are simply the manifestation of one's inherent nature.
vikārān eva yo veda na veda prakṛtiṃ parām। tasya stambho bhaved bālyān nāsti stambho'nupaśyataḥ ॥12-215-26॥
He who knows only the modifications and not the supreme primal nature, his steadfastness is born of childishness; for one who truly perceives, there is no such steadfastness.
svabhāvabhāvino bhāvānsarvāneveha niścaye। budhyamānasya darpo vā māno vā kiṃ kariṣyati ॥12-215-27॥
What can pride or arrogance do to one who, in certainty, knows all states as arising from their own nature?
veda dharmavidhiṃ kṛtsnaṃ bhūtānāṃ cāpyanityatām। tasmācchakra na śocāmi sarvaṃ hyevedamantavat ॥12-215-28॥
I know the complete ordinance of dharma and the impermanence of all beings; therefore, O Śakra, I do not grieve, for all this is indeed perishable.
nirmamo nirahaṅkāro nirīho muktabandhanaḥ। svastho'vyapetaḥ paśyāmi bhūtānāṃ prabhavāpyayau ॥12-215-29॥
Free from possessiveness, ego, and desire, released from bondage, established in oneself and undisturbed, I perceive the arising and passing away of beings.
kṛtaprajñasya dāntasya vitṛṣṇasya nirāśiṣaḥ। nāyāso vidyate śakra paśyato lokavidyayā ॥12-215-30॥
O Śakra, a person whose wisdom is accomplished, who is self-restrained, free from desire, and without expectation, does not experience fatigue when perceiving the world through knowledge.
prakṛtau ca vikāre ca na me prītir na ca dviṣe। dveṣṭāraṃ na ca paśyāmi yo mamādya mamāyate ॥12-215-31॥
I have neither affection for the original nor the transformed state, nor do I bear enmity towards the enemy; I do not see any hater who today acts as mine.
nordhvaṃ nāvāṅna tiryakca na kvacicchakra kāmaye। na vijñāne na vijñeye nājñāne śarma vidyate ॥12-215-32॥
O Śakra, I do not desire anything upward, downward, or across, nor anywhere. Happiness does not exist in knowledge, in the knowable, or in ignorance.
śakra uvāca॥
Indra said.
yenaiṣā labhyate prajñā yena śāntir avāpyate। prabrūhi tam upāyaṃ me samyak prahrāda pṛcchate ॥12-215-33॥
Prahlāda asks: "Please tell me properly the means by which this wisdom is obtained and by which peace is attained."
prahṛāda uvāca॥
Prahāda said.
ārjavena-apramādena prasādena-ātmavattayā। vṛddhaśuśrūṣayā śakra puruṣo labhate mahat ॥12-215-34॥
O Śakra, a person attains greatness through straightforwardness, vigilance, clarity, self-possession, and service to elders.
svabhāvāllabhate prajñāṃ śāntimeti svabhāvataḥ। svabhāvādeva tatsarvaṃ yatkiñcidanupaśyasi ॥12-215-35॥
One attains wisdom and peace by their own nature. Truly, everything you perceive arises from your own nature.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
ityukto daityapatinā śakro vismayamāgamat। prītimāṁś ca tadā rājaṁs tad vākyaṁ pratyapūjayat ॥12-215-36॥
O king, when Śakra was thus addressed by the lord of the Daityas, he became astonished and, filled with delight, honored those words.
sa tadābhyarcya daityendraṃ trailokyapatirīśvaraḥ। asurendramupāmantrya jagāma svaṃ niveśanam ॥12-215-37॥
He then worshipped the lord of the Daityas, the ruler of the three worlds, and after taking leave of the lord of the Asuras, went to his own residence.
