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शुक उवाच॥
Śuka said.
यदिदं वेदवचनं कुरु कर्म त्यजेति च। कां दिशं विद्यया यान्ति कां च गच्छन्ति कर्मणा ॥१२-२३३-१॥
What is the direction attained by those who follow the Vedic statement 'do action, abandon (action)'? Which direction do they go by knowledge, and which by action?
एतद्वै श्रोतुमिच्छामि तद्भवान्प्रब्रवीतु मे। एतत्त्वन्योन्यवैरूप्ये वर्तते प्रतिकूलतः ॥१२-२३३-२॥
I wish to hear this indeed; may you, sir, tell me. But this exists adversely in mutual difference.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
इत्युक्तः प्रत्युवाचेदं पराशरसुतः सुतम्। कर्मविद्यामयावेतौ व्याख्यास्यामि क्षराक्षरौ ॥१२-२३३-३॥
Thus addressed, the son of Parāśara replied to his son: "I will explain these two, consisting of karma and knowledge—the perishable and the imperishable."
यां दिशं विद्यया यान्ति यां च गच्छन्ति कर्मणा। शृणुष्वैकमनाः पुत्र गह्वरं ह्येतदन्तरम् ॥१२-२३३-४॥
O son, listen attentively: the direction attained by knowledge and that attained by action—this is truly the profound difference between them.
अस्ति धर्म इति प्रोक्तं नास्तीत्यत्रैव यो वदेत्। तस्य पक्षस्य सदृशमिदं मम भवेदथ ॥१२-२३३-५॥
If someone says here, 'Dharma exists' or 'Dharma does not exist,' then my view would be similar to his.
द्वाविमावथ पन्थानौ यत्र वेदाः प्रतिष्ठिताः। प्रवृत्तिलक्षणो धर्मो निवृत्तौ च सुभाषितः ॥१२-२३३-६॥
There are two paths, where the Vedas are established: the dharma characterized by activity, and the well-spoken (dharma) in withdrawal.
कर्मणा बध्यते जन्तुर्विद्यया तु प्रमुच्यते। तस्मात्कर्म न कुर्वन्ति यतयः पारदर्शिनः ॥१२-२३३-७॥
A creature is bound by action, but is liberated by knowledge. Therefore, ascetics who have clear insight do not perform actions.
कर्मणा जायते प्रेत्य मूर्तिमान्षोडशात्मकः। विद्यया जायते नित्यमव्ययो ह्यव्ययात्मकः ॥१२-२३३-८॥
Through action, after death, the embodied being with sixteen parts is born again. Through knowledge, one is born as the eternal, imperishable, and of imperishable nature.
कर्म त्वेके प्रशंसन्ति स्वल्पबुद्धितरा नराः। तेन ते देहजालानि रमयन्त उपासते ॥१२-२३३-९॥
But some men of lesser intellect praise action; thus, they engage in and delight in bodily pursuits.
ये तु बुद्धिं परां प्राप्ता धर्मनैपुण्यदर्शिनः। न ते कर्म प्रशंसन्ति कूपं नद्यां पिबन्निव ॥१२-२३३-१०॥
But those who have attained supreme wisdom and discern the true skill in dharma do not praise mere action, just as one does not drink from a well when standing in a river.
कर्मणः फलमाप्नोति सुखदुःखे भवाभवौ। विद्यया तदवाप्नोति यत्र गत्वा न शोचति ॥१२-२३३-११॥
One receives the results of actions as pleasure and pain, and as existence and non-existence. But through knowledge, one attains that state where, having reached, one never grieves.
यत्र गत्वा न म्रियते यत्र गत्वा न जायते। न जीर्यते यत्र गत्वा यत्र गत्वा न वर्धते ॥१२-२३३-१२॥
That is the place where, upon reaching, one neither dies nor is born, does not decay, and does not grow.
यत्र तद्ब्रह्म परममव्यक्तमजरं ध्रुवम्। अव्याहतमनायासममृतं चावियोगि च ॥१२-२३३-१३॥
Where that supreme Brahman exists, which is unmanifest, ageless, eternal, unobstructed, effortless, immortal, and inseparable.
द्वंद्वैर्यत्र न बाध्यन्ते मानसेन च कर्मणा। समाः सर्वत्र मैत्राश्च सर्वभूतहिते रताः ॥१२-२३३-१४॥
Where people are not disturbed by dualities, either mentally or through actions; who are equal everywhere, friendly, and devoted to the welfare of all beings.
विद्यामयोऽन्यः पुरुषस्तात कर्ममयोऽपरः। विद्धि चन्द्रमसं दर्शे सूक्ष्मया कलया स्थितम् ॥१२-२३३-१५॥
O dear one, there is another person consisting of knowledge, and the other consisting of action; know that the moon exists at new moon by a subtle portion.
तदेतदृषिणा प्रोक्तं विस्तरेणानुमीयते। नवजं शशिनं दृष्ट्वा वक्रं तन्तुमिवाम्बरे ॥१२-२३३-१६॥
This, as spoken by the sage, is inferred in detail; seeing the new moon like a curved thread in the sky.
एकादशविकारात्मा कलासम्भारसम्भृतः। मूर्तिमानिति तं विद्धि तात कर्मगुणात्मकम् ॥१२-२३३-१७॥
O dear one, know him who is embodied, composed of an assemblage of parts and the self of eleven modifications, as having the nature of action and qualities.
देवो यः संश्रितस्तस्मिन्नब्बिन्दुरिव पुष्करे। क्षेत्रज्ञं तं विजानीयान्नित्यं त्यागजितात्मकम् ॥१२-२३३-१८॥
One should always know that knower of the field, whose nature is ever conquered by renunciation, as the god who is resorted to in that (self), just as a water-drop in a lotus.
तमो रजश्च सत्त्वं च विद्धि जीवगुणानिमान्। जीवमात्मगुणं विद्यादात्मानं परमात्मनः ॥१२-२३३-१९॥
Know that darkness, activity, and purity are the qualities of the individual soul. The individual soul should recognize the quality of the self, and the self as belonging to the Supreme Self.
सचेतनं जीवगुणं वदन्ति; स चेष्टते चेष्टयते च सर्वम्। ततः परं क्षेत्रविदो वदन्ति; प्रावर्तयद्यो भुवनानि सप्त ॥१२-२३३-२०॥
They say that the quality of life is conscious; it acts and causes all to act. Beyond that, the knowers of the field declare: He who set the seven worlds in motion.
