12.219
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
atraivodāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam। śatakratoś ca saṃvādaṃ namuceś ca yudhiṣṭhira ॥12-219-1॥
Right here, O Yudhiṣṭhira, they recount this ancient story: the conversation between Śatakratu (Indra) and Namuci.
śriyā vihīnam āsīnam akṣobhyam iva sāgaram। bhavābhava-jñam bhūtānām iti uvāca puraṃdaraḥ॥12-219-2॥
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.
baddhaḥ pāśaiś cyutaḥ sthānād dviṣatāṃ vaśam āgataḥ। śriyā vihīno namuce śocasy āho na śocasi॥12-219-3॥
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.
namuciruvāca॥
Namuci said.
anavāpyaṃ ca śokena śarīraṃ copatapyate। amitrāś ca prahṛṣyanti nāsti śoke sahāyatā ॥12-219-4॥
When something is not attained and the body is tormented by grief, enemies rejoice; there is no help in grief.
tasmācchakra na śocāmi sarvaṃ hyevedamantavat। santāpādbhraśyate rūpaṃ dharmaścaiva sureśvara ॥12-219-5॥
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.
vinīya khalu tadd duḥkham āgataṃ vaimanasya-jam। dhyātavyaṃ manasā hṛdyaṃ kalyāṇaṃ saṃvijānata ॥12-219-6॥
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.
yathā yathā hi puruṣaḥ kalyāṇe kurute manaḥ। tadaivāsya prasīdanti sarvārthā nātra saṃśayaḥ॥12-219-7॥
As a man directs his mind towards auspiciousness, so do all his aims become favorable; there is no doubt about this.
ekaḥ śāstā na dvitīyo'sti śāstā; garbhe śayānaṃ puruṣaṃ śāsti śāstā. tenānuśiṣṭaḥ pravaṇādivodakaṃ; yathā niyukto'smi tathā vahāmi ॥12-219-8॥
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)
bhāvābhāvāvabhijānan garīyo; jānāmi śreyo na tu tat karomi. āśāḥ suśarmyāḥ suhṛdāṃ sukurva; nyathā niyukto'smi tathā vahāmi ॥12-219-9॥
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.
yathā yathāsya prāptavyaṃ prāpnotyeva tathā tathā। bhavitavyaṃ yathā yacca bhavatyeva tathā tathā ॥12-219-10॥
Whatever is destined for a person, he certainly attains in that very way. Whatever is destined to happen, happens exactly in that way.
yatra yatraiva saṃyuṅkte dhātā garbhaṃ punaḥ punaḥ। tatra tatraiva vasati na yatra svayamicchati ॥12-219-11॥
Wherever the creator unites the womb again and again, there alone the soul dwells, not where it wishes by itself.
bhāvo yo'ayam anuprāpto bhavitavyam idaṃ mama | iti yasya sadā bhāvo na sa muhyet kadācana ||12-219-12||
He whose disposition is always, 'This is destined for me,' is never deluded at any time.
paryāyair hanyamānānām abhiyoktā na vidyate। duḥkham etat tu yad dveṣṭā kartāham iti manyate ॥12-219-13॥
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.'
ṛṣīṃś ca devāṃś ca mahāsurāṃś ca; traividyavṛddhāṃś ca vane munīṃś ca. kānnāpadō nōpanamanti lōkē; parāvarajñās tu na sambhramanti ॥12-219-14॥
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.
na paṇḍitaḥ krudhyati nāpi sajjate; na cāpi saṃsīdati na prahṛṣyati. na cārthakṛcchravyasaneṣu śocati; sthitaḥ prakṛtyā himavānivācalaḥ ॥12-219-15॥
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.
yamarthasiddhiḥ paramā na harṣaye; tathaiva kāle vyasanaṃ na mohayet. sukhaṃ ca duḥkhaṃ ca tathaiva madhyamaṃ; niṣevate yaḥ sa dhurandharo naraḥ ॥12-219-16॥
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.
yāṃ yām avasthāṃ puruṣo'dhigacche; tasyāṃ rametāparitapyamānaḥ। evaṃ pravṛddhaṃ praṇuden manojaṃ; santāpam āyāsakaraṃ śarīrāt ॥12-219-17॥
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.
tatsadaḥ sa pariṣatsabhāsadaḥ; prāpya yo na kurute sabhābhayam. dharmatattvamavagāhya buddhimā; nyo'bhyupaiti sa pumāndhurandharaḥ ॥12-219-18॥
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.
prājñasya karmāṇi duranvayāni; na vai prājño muhyati mohakāle. sthānāccyutaścenn mumoha gautama; stāvatkṛcchrāmāpadaṃ prāpya vṛddhaḥ ॥12-219-19॥
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.
na mantrabalavīryeṇa prajñayā pauruṣeṇa vā। alabhyam labhate martyas tatra kā paridevanā ॥12-219-20॥
A mortal cannot attain what is unattainable by mantra, strength, wisdom, or manliness; so what is the use of lamenting over it?
yadeva manujātasya dhātāro vidadhuḥ purā। tadeva anubhaviṣyāmi kiṃ me mṛtyuḥ kariṣyati ॥12-219-21॥
Whatever the creators have destined for one born as a human, I will experience exactly that. What can death do to me?
labdhavyānyeva labhate gantavyānyeva gacchati। prāptavyānyeva prāpnoti duḥkhāni ca sukhāni ca ॥12-219-22॥
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.
etadviditvā kārtsnyena yo na muhyati mānavaḥ। kuśalaḥ sukhaduḥkheṣu sa vai sarvadhaneśvaraḥ ॥12-219-23॥
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.
