12.219
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
अत्रैवोदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। शतक्रतोश्च संवादं नमुचेश्च युधिष्ठिर ॥१२-२१९-१॥
Right here, O Yudhiṣṭhira, they recount this ancient story: the conversation between Śatakratu (Indra) and Namuci.
श्रियाविहीनमासीनमक्षोभ्यमिवसागरम्। भवाभवज्ञंभूतानामित्युवाचपुरंदरः॥१२-२१९-२॥
Purandara (Indra) spoke thus to the one who, though bereft of fortune, sat unshaken like the ocean and was the knower of the existence and non-existence of beings.
बद्धः पाशैश्च्युतः स्थानाद्द्विषतां वशमागतः। श्रिया विहीनो नमुचे शोचस्याहो न शोचसि ॥१२-२१९-३॥
O Namuci, you are bound by fetters, fallen from your position, under the control of enemies, and deprived of prosperity. Alas, you grieve, yet you do not grieve.
नमुचिरुवाच॥
Namuci said.
अनवाप्यं च शोकेन शरीरं चोपतप्यते। अमित्राश्च प्रहृष्यन्ति नास्ति शोके सहायता ॥१२-२१९-४॥
When something is not attained and the body is tormented by grief, enemies rejoice; there is no help in grief.
तस्माच्छक्र न शोचामि सर्वं ह्येवेदमन्तवत्। सन्तापाद्भ्रश्यते रूपं धर्मश्चैव सुरेश्वर ॥१२-२१९-५॥
Therefore, O Śakra, I do not grieve; for all this is perishable. By affliction, beauty is lost and even righteousness, O lord of the gods.
विनीय खलु तद्दुःखमागतं वैमनस्यजम्। ध्यातव्यं मनसा हृद्यं कल्याणं संविजानता ॥१२-२१९-६॥
After dispelling the suffering that has arisen from dejection, a wise person should contemplate with their mind on what is wholesome and pleasing to the heart.
यथा यथा हि पुरुषः कल्याणे कुरुते मनः। तदैवास्य प्रसीदन्ति सर्वार्था नात्र संशयः ॥१२-२१९-७॥
As a man directs his mind towards auspiciousness, so do all his aims become favorable; there is no doubt about this.
एकः शास्ता न द्वितीयोऽस्ति शास्ता; गर्भे शयानं पुरुषं शास्ति शास्ता। तेनानुशिष्टः प्रवणादिवोदकं; यथा नियुक्तोऽस्मि तथा वहामि ॥१२-२१९-८॥
There is only one teacher, there is no second teacher; the teacher instructs even the person lying in the womb. Instructed by him, I flow like water from a slope; as I am appointed, so do I act. (12-219-8)
भावाभावावभिजानन्गरीयो; जानामि श्रेयो न तु तत्करोमि। आशाः सुशर्म्याः सुहृदां सुकुर्व; न्यथा नियुक्तोऽस्मि तथा वहामि ॥१२-२१९-९॥
I understand what is real and unreal and am superior; I know what is better, but I do not act accordingly. I fulfill the hopes of Suśarmā's friends as I have been appointed, and thus I carry out my duty.
यथा यथास्य प्राप्तव्यं प्राप्नोत्येव तथा तथा। भवितव्यं यथा यच्च भवत्येव तथा तथा ॥१२-२१९-१०॥
Whatever is destined for a person, he certainly attains in that very way. Whatever is destined to happen, happens exactly in that way.
यत्र यत्रैव संयुङ्क्ते धाता गर्भं पुनः पुनः। तत्र तत्रैव वसति न यत्र स्वयमिच्छति ॥१२-२१९-११॥
Wherever the creator unites the womb again and again, there alone the soul dwells, not where it wishes by itself.
भावो योऽयमनुप्राप्तो भवितव्यमिदं मम। इति यस्य सदा भावो न स मुह्येत्कदाचन ॥१२-२१९-१२॥
He whose disposition is always, 'This is destined for me,' is never deluded at any time.
पर्यायैर्हन्यमानानामभियोक्ता न विद्यते। दुःखमेतत्तु यद्द्वेष्टा कर्ताहमिति मन्यते ॥१२-२१९-१३॥
There is no accuser for those who are being killed by various means. The real suffering is when the one who hates thinks, 'I am the doer.'
ऋषींश्च देवांश्च महासुरांश्च; त्रैविद्यवृद्धांश्च वने मुनींश्च। कान्नापदो नोपनमन्ति लोके; परावरज्ञास्तु न सम्भ्रमन्ति ॥१२-२१९-१४॥
Sages, gods, great asuras, elders learned in the three Vedas, and forest sages—those who are unlearned do not approach them in the world; but those who know both the higher and lower truths are never confused.
न पण्डितः क्रुध्यति नापि सज्जते; न चापि संसीदति न प्रहृष्यति। न चार्थकृच्छ्रव्यसनेषु शोचति; स्थितः प्रकृत्या हिमवानिवाचलः ॥१२-२१९-१५॥
The wise person neither becomes angry nor gets attached; he neither despairs nor rejoices. He does not grieve even in financial calamities; by nature, he remains steady like the Himalaya mountain.
यमर्थसिद्धिः परमा न हर्षये; त्तथैव काले व्यसनं न मोहयेत्। सुखं च दुःखं च तथैव मध्यमं; निषेवते यः स धुरन्धरो नरः ॥१२-२१९-१६॥
He whom the attainment of the highest objectives does not elate, nor does misfortune at any time delude; who engages equally with happiness, sorrow, and the neutral, he is a steadfast man.
यां यामवस्थां पुरुषोऽधिगच्छे; त्तस्यां रमेतापरितप्यमानः। एवं प्रवृद्धं प्रणुदेन्मनोजं; सन्तापमायासकरं शरीरात् ॥१२-२१९-१७॥
Whatever state a person attains, he should find contentment in it without distress. In this way, one should dispel the mental suffering and toil from the body.
तत्सदः स परिषत्सभासदः; प्राप्य यो न कुरुते सभाभयम्। धर्मतत्त्वमवगाह्य बुद्धिमा; न्योऽभ्युपैति स पुमान्धुरन्धरः ॥१२-२१९-१८॥
He who, having attained the status of an assembly-member, does not fear the assembly, and who, having plunged into the essence of dharma, approaches with wisdom, he is truly a man capable of bearing burdens.
प्राज्ञस्य कर्माणि दुरन्वयानि; न वै प्राज्ञो मुह्यति मोहकाले। स्थानाच्च्युतश्चेन्न मुमोह गौतम; स्तावत्कृच्छ्रामापदं प्राप्य वृद्धः ॥१२-२१९-१९॥
The actions of the wise are hard to understand; truly, the wise do not lose their composure even in times of confusion. O Gautama, if the old man did not become deluded after falling from his position, it was only because he had already endured great hardship.
न मन्त्रबलवीर्येण प्रज्ञया पौरुषेण वा। अलभ्यं लभते मर्त्यस्तत्र का परिदेवना ॥१२-२१९-२०॥
A mortal cannot attain what is unattainable by mantra, strength, wisdom, or manliness; so what is the use of lamenting over it?
यदेवमनुजातस्य धातारो विदधुः पुरा। तदेवानुभविष्यामि किं मे मृत्युः करिष्यति ॥१२-२१९-२१॥
Whatever the creators have destined for one born as a human, I will experience exactly that. What can death do to me?
लब्धव्यान्येव लभते गन्तव्यान्येव गच्छति। प्राप्तव्यान्येव प्राप्नोति दुःखानि च सुखानि च ॥१२-२१९-२२॥
One attains only what is destined to be attained, goes only where one is destined to go, and experiences both sorrow and happiness as destined.
एतद्विदित्वा कार्त्स्न्येन यो न मुह्यति मानवः। कुशलः सुखदुःखेषु स वै सर्वधनेश्वरः ॥१२-२१९-२३॥
He who, having fully understood this, is not deluded, and who is skilled in both pleasure and pain, is truly the master of all riches.
