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युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
किंशीलः किंसमाचारः किंविद्यः किम्परायणः। प्राप्नोति ब्रह्मणः स्थानं यत्परं प्रकृतेर्ध्रुवम् ॥१२-२२२-१॥
What kind of character, conduct, knowledge, and ultimate goal enables one to attain the supreme and eternal state of Brahman beyond nature?
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
मोक्षधर्मेषु नियतो लघ्वाहारो जितेन्द्रियः। प्राप्नोति ब्रह्मणः स्थानं यत्परं प्रकृतेर्ध्रुवम् ॥१२-२२२-२॥
One who is disciplined in the duties of liberation, eats lightly, and has mastered the senses attains the supreme and eternal state of Brahman, which is beyond nature.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। जैगीषव्यस्य संवादमसितस्य च भारत ॥१२-२२२-३॥
Here too, O Bhārata, an ancient story is told: the conversation between Jaigīṣavya and Asita.
जैगीषव्यं महाप्राज्ञं धर्माणामागतागमम्। अक्रुध्यन्तमहृष्यन्तमसितो देवलोऽब्रवीत् ॥१२-२२२-४॥
Asita Devala spoke to the descendant of Jīgīṣu, who was greatly wise, versed in dharma and tradition, and who neither became angry nor elated.
न प्रीयसे वन्द्यमानो निन्द्यमानो न कुप्यसि। का ते प्रज्ञा कुतश्चैषा किं चैतस्याः परायणम् ॥१२-२२२-५॥
You are neither pleased by honor nor angered by censure. What is this wisdom of yours, where does it come from, and what is its ultimate purpose?
इति तेनानुयुक्तः स तमुवाच महातपाः। महद्वाक्यमसंदिग्धं पुष्कलार्थपदं शुचि ॥१२-२२२-६॥
Thus addressed by him, the great ascetic spoke to him a pure and unambiguous speech filled with meaningful words.
या गतिर्या परा निष्ठा या शान्तिः पुण्यकर्मणाम्। तां तेऽहं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि यन्मां पृच्छसि वै द्विज ॥१२-२२२-७॥
O Brahmin, I shall now fully explain to you that supreme state, the highest goal, and the peace attained by those who perform meritorious deeds, about which you have indeed inquired.
निन्दत्सु च समो नित्यं प्रशंसत्सु च देवल। निह्नुवन्ति च ये तेषां समयं सुकृतं च ये ॥१२-२२२-८॥
O Devala, one should always remain equal towards those who blame and those who praise. Those who conceal and those who act rightly, one should treat their agreement and good deeds equally.
उक्ताश्च न विवक्षन्ति वक्तारमहिते रतम्। प्रतिहन्तुं न चेच्छन्ति हन्तारं वै मनीषिणः ॥१२-२२२-९॥
The wise do not wish to speak words to a speaker who is attached to hostility, nor do they wish to retaliate against a killer.
नाप्राप्तमनुशोचन्ति प्राप्तकालानि कुर्वते। न चातीतानि शोचन्ति न चैनान्प्रतिजानते ॥१२-२२२-१०॥
They do not lament over what has not been attained; they act according to what is timely. They do not grieve for what is past, nor do they concern themselves with those things.
सम्प्राप्तानां च पूज्यानां कामादर्थेषु देवल। यथोपपत्तिं कुर्वन्ति शक्तिमन्तः कृतव्रताः ॥१२-२२२-११॥
O Devala, those who are powerful and have undertaken vows act as appropriate for those who have arrived and for the venerable, in matters of desire.
पक्वविद्या महाप्राज्ञा जितक्रोधा जितेन्द्रियाः। मनसा कर्मणा वाचा नापराध्यन्ति कस्यचित् ॥१२-२२२-१२॥
Those matured in knowledge, greatly wise, who have conquered anger and their senses, do not offend anyone by mind, action, or speech.
अनीर्षवो न चान्योन्यं विहिंसन्ति कदाचन। न च जातूपतप्यन्ते धीराः परसमृद्धिभिः ॥१२-२२२-१३॥
Those who are free from envy never harm one another, nor are the steadfast ever troubled by the prosperity of others.
निन्दाप्रशंसे चात्यर्थं न वदन्ति परस्य ये। न च निन्दाप्रशंसाभ्यां विक्रियन्ते कदाचन ॥१२-२२२-१४॥
Those who never excessively speak blame or praise of others, and who are never disturbed by either blame or praise at any time.
सर्वतश्च प्रशान्ता ये सर्वभूतहिते रताः। न क्रुध्यन्ति न हृष्यन्ति नापराध्यन्ति कस्यचित् ॥ विमुच्य हृदयग्रन्थींश्चङ्कम्यन्ते यथासुखम् ॥१२-२२२-१५॥
Those who are completely tranquil from all sides and engaged in the welfare of all beings neither become angry nor elated, nor do they commit any wrong towards anyone. Having freed themselves from the knots of the heart, they move about as they please, in comfort.
न येषां बान्धवाः सन्ति ये चान्येषां न बान्धवाः। अमित्राश्च न सन्त्येषां ये चामित्रा न कस्यचित् ॥१२-२२२-१६॥
Those who have no relatives, and who are not relatives of others, and who have no enemies, and who are not enemies of anyone.
य एवं कुर्वते मर्त्याः सुखं जीवन्ति सर्वदा। धर्ममेवानुवर्तन्ते धर्मज्ञा द्विजसत्तम ॥ ये ह्यतो विच्युता मार्गात्ते हृष्यन्त्युद्विजन्ति च ॥१२-२२२-१७॥
O best of twice-born, those mortals who act thus always live happily, for the knowers of dharma follow only dharma. But those who deviate from this path, they both rejoice and are troubled.
आस्थितस्तमहं मार्गमसूयिष्यामि कं कथम्। निन्द्यमानः प्रशस्तो वा हृष्येयं केन हेतुना ॥१२-२२२-१८॥
Having taken to that path, how could I feel envy towards anyone? Whether I am blamed or praised, for what reason would I rejoice?
यद्यदिच्छन्ति तन्मार्गमभिगच्छन्ति मानवाः। न मे निन्दाप्रशंसाभ्यां ह्रासवृद्धी भविष्यतः ॥१२-२२२-१९॥
Humans pursue whatever path they desire. For me, there will be neither decline nor growth due to blame or praise.
अमृतस्येव सन्तृप्येदवमानस्य तत्त्ववित्। विषस्येवोद्विजेन्नित्यं संमानस्य विचक्षणः ॥१२-२२२-२०॥
A wise person who knows the truth should accept insult as if it were nectar, and should always avoid honor as if it were poison.
अवज्ञातः सुखं शेते इह चामुत्र चोभयोः। विमुक्तः सर्वपापेभ्यो योऽवमन्ता स बध्यते ॥१२-२२२-२१॥
The unrecognized person sleeps happily both here and in the next world; but the one who despises others, though freed from all sins, is bound.
परां गतिं च ये केचित्प्रार्थयन्ति मनीषिणः। एतद्व्रतं समाश्रित्य सुखमेधन्ति ते जनाः ॥१२-२२२-२२॥
Those wise people who seek the highest goal, by following this vow, attain happiness and prosperity.
सर्वतश्च समाहृत्य क्रतून्सर्वाञ्जितेन्द्रियः। प्राप्नोति ब्रह्मणः स्थानं यत्परं प्रकृतेर्ध्रुवम् ॥१२-२२२-२३॥
He who has conquered his senses, having gathered all sacrifices from everywhere, attains the supreme and eternal state of Brahman, which is beyond nature.
नास्य देवा न गन्धर्वा न पिशाचा न राक्षसाः। पदमन्ववरोहन्ति प्राप्तस्य परमां गतिम् ॥१२-२२२-२४॥
Neither gods, nor gandharvas, nor piśācas, nor rākṣasas can follow the path of one who has attained the supreme goal.
