12.217
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
punar eva tu taṃ śakraḥ prahasann idam abravīt। niḥśvasantaṃ yathā nāgaṃ pravyāhārāya bhārata ॥12-217-1॥
But again, Śakra, smiling, said this to him: "Speak, O Bhārata, who was sighing like a serpent."
yattadyānasahasreṇa jñātibhiḥ parivāritaḥ। lokānpratāpayan sarvānyāsyasmānavitarkayan ॥12-217-2॥
He, surrounded by a thousand vehicles and kinsmen, shining upon all the worlds, was considering us all.
dṛṣṭvā sukṛpaṇāṃ cemāmavasthām ātmano bale। jñātimitraparityaktaḥ śocasyāho na śocasi ॥12-217-3॥
Having seen this pitiable state of your own strength, abandoned by relatives and friends, you grieve—indeed, do you not grieve?
prītiṃ prāpyātulāṃ pūrvaṃ lokāṃścātmavaśe sthitān। vinipātamimaṃ cādya śocasyāho na śocasi ॥12-217-4॥
Having once obtained incomparable delight and having had the worlds under your own control, you now grieve for this downfall; alas, you do not grieve (as you should).
baliruvāca॥
Bali said.
anityamupalakṣyedaṃ kālaparyāyamātmanaḥ। tasmācchakra na śocāmi sarvaṃ hyevedamantavat ॥12-217-5॥
O Śakra, having observed that this succession of time related to the self is impermanent, therefore I do not grieve; for indeed, all this certainly has an end.
antavanta ime dehā bhūtānām amarādhipa। tena śakra na śocāmi nāparādhād idaṃ mama ॥12-217-6॥
O Indra, these bodies of beings are perishable. Therefore, O Śakra, I do not grieve, nor is this due to any fault of mine.
jīvitaṃ ca śarīraṃ ca pretya vai saha jāyate। ubhe saha vivardhete ubhe saha vinaśyataḥ ॥12-217-7॥
Life and the body are born together after death; both grow together and both perish together.
tad-īdṛśam-idaṃ bhāvam-avaśaḥ prāpya kevalam। yad-evam-abhijānāmi kā vyathā me vijānataḥ॥12-217-8॥
Having helplessly attained this very state, since I know it thus, what pain is there for me, who understands?
bhūtānāṃ nidhanaṃ niṣṭhā srotasām iva sāgaraḥ। naitat samyag vijānanto narā muhyanti vajrabhṛt ॥12-217-9॥
The destruction is the final state of all beings, just as the ocean is the ultimate destination of all streams. Those who do not understand this properly, O wielder of the thunderbolt, are deluded.
ye tvevaṃ nābhijānanti rajomohaparāyaṇāḥ। te kṛcchraṃ prāpya sīdanti buddhiryeṣāṃ praṇaśyati ॥12-217-10॥
But those who do not understand in this way, being attached to passion and delusion, when faced with hardship, they falter, as their intellect is lost.
buddhilābhe hi puruṣaḥ sarvaṃ nudati kilbiṣam। vipāpmā labhate sattvaṃ sattvasthaḥ samprasīdati ॥12-217-11॥
When a man attains wisdom, he dispels all sin. Being free from evil, he gains purity, and established in that purity, he attains serenity.
tatastu ye nivartante jāyante vā punaḥ punaḥ। kṛpaṇāḥ paritapyante te'narthaiḥ paricoditāḥ ॥12-217-12॥
Then, those who repeatedly turn back or are reborn, the pitiable ones are tormented, being driven by misfortunes.
arthasiddhimanarthaṃ ca jīvitaṃ maraṇaṃ tathā। sukhaduḥkhaphalaṃ caiva na dveṣmi na ca kāmaye ॥12-217-13॥
I neither hate nor desire the attainment of wealth, misfortune, life, death, or the results of pleasure and pain.
hataṃ hanti hato hyeva yo naro hanti kañcana। ubhau tau na vijānīto yaśca hanti hataśca yaḥ॥12-217-14॥
He who thinks he kills or is killed does not truly understand; neither the slayer nor the slain truly knows the reality.
hatvā jitvā ca maghavanyaḥ kaścitpuruṣāyate। akartā hyeva bhavati kartā tveva karoti tat ॥12-217-15॥
Having killed and conquered, even the mighty sometimes act as mere men. One who is not a doer indeed only becomes so, but it is only the doer who actually performs that action.
ko hi lokasya kurute vināśaprabhavāvubhau। kṛtaṃ hi tatkṛtenaiva kartā tasyāpi cāparaḥ ॥12-217-16॥
Who indeed acts for the world, causing both things that originate in destruction? Indeed, what is done is only by what has been done before; the doer of that is also another.
pṛthivī vāyur ākāśam āpo jyotiś ca pañcamam। etad-yonīni bhūtāni tatra kā paridevanā ॥12-217-17॥
Earth, air, space, water, and light are the five elements; these are the sources of all beings. So, what cause is there for lamentation there?
mahāvidyo'lpavidyaśca balavāndurbalaśca yaḥ। darśanīyo virūpaśca subhago durbhagaśca yaḥ ॥12-217-18॥
Whether one is greatly learned or little learned, strong or weak, handsome or ugly, fortunate or unfortunate—
sarvaṃ kālaḥ samādatte gambhīraḥ svena tejasā। tasmin kālavaśaṃ prāpte kā vyathā me vijānataḥ॥12-217-19॥
Time, profound in its own brilliance, takes away everything. When one comes under the sway of time, what suffering can there be for me, who understands this?
dagdhamevānudahati hatamevānu hanti ca। naśyate naṣṭamevāgre labdhavyaṃ labhate naraḥ ॥12-217-20॥
A man only suffers what is already destined—he burns what is already burnt, kills what is already killed, and is destroyed. Ultimately, a person attains only what is meant to be attained, even if it seems lost.
nāsya dvīpaḥ kutaḥ pāraṃ nāvāraḥ sampradṛśyate। nāntamasya prapaśyāmi vidherdivyasya cintayan ॥12-217-21॥
I do not see from where the far shore of this island or any means of crossing by boat can be found. Nor do I perceive the end of this, as I ponder the divine fate.
yadi me paśyataḥ kālo bhūtāni na vināśayet। syānme harṣaśca darpaśca krodhaścaiva śacīpate ॥12-217-22॥
O Indra, lord of Śacī, if time did not destroy beings before my eyes, then I would feel joy, pride, and even anger.
tuṣabhakṣaṃ tu māṃ jñātvā praviviktajane gṛhe। bibhrataṃ gārdabhaṃ rūpamādiśya parigarhase ॥12-217-23॥
But, knowing me to be a bran-eater, and seeing me bearing the form of a donkey in the house among secluded people, you reproach me for this.
icchannahaṃ vikuryāṃ hi rūpāṇi bahudhātmanaḥ। vibhīṣaṇāni yānīkṣya palāyethāstvameva me ॥12-217-24॥
If I wished, I could transform myself into many terrifying forms; seeing them, you would surely flee from me.
kālaḥ sarvaṃ samādatte kālaḥ sarvaṃ prayacchati। kālena vidhṛtaṃ sarvaṃ mā kṛthāḥ śakra pauruṣam ॥12-217-25॥
Time takes away everything and gives everything. All is supported by time; do not exert effort, O Śakra.
purā sarvaṃ pravyathate mayi kruddhe puraṃdara। avaimi tvasya lokasya dharmaṃ śakra sanātanam ॥12-217-26॥
O Indra, in the past, whenever I was angry, everything would be greatly disturbed. I know the eternal dharma of your world, O Śakra.
tvam apy evam avekṣasva mātmanā vismayaṃ gamaḥ। prabhavaś ca prabhāvaś ca nātmasaṃsthaḥ kadācana ॥12-217-27॥
You too should observe in this way; do not let yourself be astonished. Origin and manifestation are never inherent in the self.
kaumārameva te cittaṃ tathaivādya yathā purā। samavekṣasva maghavan buddhiṃ vindasva naiṣṭhikīm ॥12-217-28॥
Your mind remains as youthful as it was before; even today it is unchanged. O Maghavan, reflect and attain a resolute understanding.
devā manuṣyāḥ pitaro gandharvoragarākṣasāḥ। āsansarve mama vaśe tatsarvaṃ vettha vāsava ॥12-217-29॥
O Vāsava, you know that all the gods, humans, ancestors, gandharvas, serpents, and rākṣasas were under my control.
namastasyai diśe'pyastu yasyāṃ vairocano baliḥ। iti māmabhyapadyanta buddhimātsaryamohitāḥ ॥12-217-30॥
Salutations to that direction as well, where Vairocana Bali was present; thus, all the wise, deluded by envy, approached me.
nāhaṃ tadanuśocāmi nātmabhraṃśaṃ śacīpate। evaṃ me niścitā buddhiḥ śāstustiṣṭhāmyahaṃ vaśe ॥12-217-31॥
O lord of Śacī, I do not lament that, nor do I grieve for the loss of myself. Thus, my mind is firmly resolved; I remain under the guidance of my teacher.
dṛśyate hi kule jāto darśanīyaḥ pratāpavān। duḥkhaṃ jīvan-sahāmātyo bhavitavyaṃ hi tat-tathā ॥12-217-32॥
Indeed, one born in a noble family, who is admirable and possesses splendour, is seen. But living with ministers in suffering must indeed be so.
dauṣkuleyastathā mūḍho durjātaḥ śakra dṛśyate। sukhaṃ jīvansahāmātyo bhavitavyaṃ hi tattathā ॥12-217-33॥
O Indra, even one born in a bad family, deluded and ill-born, is seen to live happily if he has a minister; thus, it ought to be so.
kalyāṇī rūpasampannā durbhagā śakra dṛśyate। alakṣaṇā virūpā ca subhagā śakra dṛśyate ॥12-217-34॥
O Indra, it is seen that a beautiful and auspicious woman is unfortunate, while a woman who is deformed and lacks auspicious marks is seen as fortunate.
naitadasmatkṛtaṃ śakra naitacchakra tvayā kṛtam। yattvamevaṅgato vajrinyadvāpyevaṅgatā vayam ॥12-217-35॥
O Śakra, this was not done by us, nor was this done by you. Whether you have gone thus, O wielder of the thunderbolt, or we have gone thus.
na karma tava nānyeṣāṃ kuto mama śatakrato। ṛddhirvāpyatha vā narddhiḥ paryāyakṛtameva tat ॥12-217-36॥
O Indra, neither your actions nor those of others, nor mine—prosperity or decline, all that is indeed caused by circumstances.
paśyāmi tvā virājantaṃ devarājam avasthitam। śrīmantaṃ dyutimantaṃ ca garjantaṃ ca mamopari ॥12-217-37॥
I see you, the king of the gods, standing before me, shining with prosperity and radiance, and thundering above me.
etaccaivaṃ na cet kālo mām ākrāmya sthito bhavet। pātayeyam ahaṃ tvā adya sa-vajram api muṣṭinā ॥12-217-38॥
If time had not overpowered me and stood thus, I would have felled you today with my fist, even if you were armed with the thunderbolt.
na tu vikramakālo'yaṃ kṣamākālo'yamāgataḥ। kālaḥ sthāpayate sarvaṃ kālaḥ pacati vai tathā ॥12-217-39॥
This is not the time for valor, but for patience. Time establishes everything; in the same way, time ripens all things.
māṃ ced abhyāgataḥ kālo dānaveśvaram ūrjitam। garjantaṃ pratapantaṃ ca kam anyaṃ na agamiṣyati ॥12-217-40॥
If indeed the destined time has come for me, and the powerful lord of the Dānavas is roaring and blazing, who else will come against me?
dvādaśānāṃ hi bhavatām ādityānāṃ mahātmanām। tejāṃsy ekena sarveṣāṃ devarāja hṛtāni me॥12-217-41॥
O king of the gods, indeed, the powers of all you twelve great-souled Ādityas have been taken by me.
ahamevodvahāmyāpo visṛjāmi ca vāsava| tapāmi caiva trailokyaṃ vidyotāmyahameva ca ॥12-217-42॥
O Vāsava, I alone carry up the waters, release them, heat and illumine the three worlds.
saṁrakṣāmi vilumpāmi dadāmy aham athādade। saṁyacchāmi niyacchāmi lokeṣu prabhur īśvaraḥ ॥12-217-43॥
I am the master and Lord in the worlds: I protect, plunder, give, take, restrain, and control.
tad adya vinivṛttaṃ me prabhutvam amarādhipa। kālasainyāvagāḍhasya sarvaṃ na pratibhāti me ॥12-217-44॥
O lord of immortals, today my sovereignty has ended; for one overwhelmed by the army of Time, nothing at all appears clear to me.
nāhaṃ kartā na caiva tvaṃ nānyaḥ kartā śacīpate| paryāyeṇa hi bhujyante lokāḥ śakra yadṛcchayā ॥12-217-45॥
O lord of Śacī, neither I am the doer, nor you, nor anyone else is the doer. O Śakra, the worlds are enjoyed in turn, merely by chance.
māsārdhamāsaveśmānamahorātrābhisaṃvṛtam। ṛtudvāraṃ varṣamukhamāhurvedavido janāḥ ॥12-217-46॥
People who know the Vedas say that the half-month, the month as a mansion, enclosed by day and night, is the gateway to the seasons and the face of the year.
āhuḥ sarvam idaṃ cintyaṃ janāḥ kecin manīṣayā। asyāḥ pañcaiva cintāyāḥ paryeṣyāmi ca pañcadhā॥12-217-47॥
It is said that all this is to be considered; some people, through wisdom, say so. Of this consideration, there are indeed five aspects; I will examine them in five ways.
gambhīraṃ gahanaṃ brahma mahattoyārṇavaṃ yathā। anādinidhanaṃ cāhurakṣaraṃ parameva ca ॥12-217-48॥
They say that Brahman is deep and profound, like a vast ocean; it is without beginning or end, imperishable, and truly supreme.
sattveṣu liṅgam āveśya naliṅgam api tat svayam। manyante dhruvam eva enaṃ ye narās tattvadarśinaḥ ॥12-217-49॥
Those who are knowers of reality think that, having entered the mark in beings and itself being without mark, it is indeed eternal.
bhūtānāṃ tu viparyāsaṃ manyate gatavāniti। na hyetāvadbhavedgamyaṃ na yasmātprakṛteḥ paraḥ ॥12-217-50॥
But one thinks that the beings have departed due to confusion. In fact, it cannot be known to this extent, for there is nothing beyond the original nature.
gatiṃ hi sarvabhūtānāmagatvā kva gamiṣyasi। yo dhāvatā na hātavyastiṣṭhannapi na hīyate ॥ tamindriyāṇi sarvāṇi nānupaśyanti pañcadhā ॥12-217-51॥
Indeed, without attaining the movement of all beings, where will you go? That which, even by running, cannot be abandoned, and even while standing, is not diminished—him, all the senses do not perceive in their fivefold forms.
āhuś cainaṃ kecid agniṃ kecid āhuḥ prajāpatim। ṛtumāsārdhamāsāṃś ca divasāṃs tu kṣaṇāṃs tathā ॥12-217-52॥
Some call him Agni, some call him Prajāpati; he is also called the seasons, months, fortnights, days, and likewise the moments.
pūrvāhṇam aparāhṇam ca madhyāhṇam api ca apare। muhūrtam api ca eva āhuḥ ekam santam anekadhā ॥ taṃ kālam avajānīhi yasya sarvam idam vaśe ॥12-217-53॥
Forenoon, afternoon, midday, and even a moment are all considered as one time, though appearing in many forms. Recognize that time, by whose power all this is governed.
bahūnīndrasahasrāṇi samatītāni vāsava। balavīryopapannāni yathaiva tvaṃ śacīpate ॥12-217-54॥
O Vāsava, countless Indras endowed with strength and heroism have passed away before, just as you, O lord of Śacī.
tvām apy atibalaṃ śakraṃ devarājaṃ balotkaṭam। prāpte kāle mahāvīryaḥ kālaḥ saṃśamayiṣyati ॥12-217-55॥
Even you, Śakra, the very strong king of the gods, though exceedingly powerful, when the destined time arrives, mighty Time will subdue.
ya idaṃ sarvam ādatte tasmāc chakra sthiro bhava। mayā tvayā ca pūrvaiś ca na sa śakyo 'tivartitum ॥12-217-56॥
He who takes all this, therefore, O Śakra, be steadfast. Neither by me, by you, nor by those before can he be surpassed.
yāmetāṃ prāpya jānīṣe rājaśriyam anuttamām। sthitā mayīti tan mithyā naiṣā hy ekatra tiṣṭhati॥12-217-57॥
The unsurpassed royal prosperity which you think you have attained and that it abides in me— that is a misconception; for such prosperity does not remain in one place.
sthitā hīndrasahasreṣu tvadviśiṣṭatameṣviyam। māṃ ca lolā parityajya tvāmagādvibudhādhipa ॥12-217-58॥
O lord of the gods, this woman, who was established among thousands of Indras and among those most distinguished than you, abandoned me, the fickle one, and came to you.
maivaṃ śakra punaḥ kārṣīḥ śānto bhavitum arhasi। tvām api evaṃ gataṃ tyaktvā kṣipram anyaṃ gamiṣyati ॥12-217-59॥
Do not act thus again, O Śakra; you should remain calm. Even you, once you have gone this way, she will quickly abandon and go to another.
