12.233
शुक उवाच॥
śuka uvāca॥
[शुक (śuka) - Śuka; (name of the sage); उवाच (uvāca) - said; spoke;]
(Śuka said;)
Śuka said.
यदिदं वेदवचनं कुरु कर्म त्यजेति च। कां दिशं विद्यया यान्ति कां च गच्छन्ति कर्मणा ॥१२-२३३-१॥
yad idaṃ vedavacanaṃ kuru karma tyajeti ca। kāṃ diśaṃ vidyayā yānti kāṃ ca gacchanti karmaṇā ॥12-233-1॥
[यत् (yat) - which; इदं (idaṃ) - this; वेदवचनम् (vedavacanam) - Vedic statement; कुरु (kuru) - do; कर्म (karma) - action; त्यज (tyaja) - abandon; इति (iti) - thus; च (ca) - and; कां (kāṃ) - which; दिशम् (diśam) - direction; विद्यया (vidyayā) - by knowledge; यान्ति (yānti) - go; कां (kāṃ) - which; च (ca) - and; गच्छन्ति (gacchanti) - go; कर्मणा (karmaṇā) - by action;]
(Which this Vedic statement 'do action, abandon (action)' and; which direction by knowledge go, which and go by action.)
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॥
etad vai śrotum icchāmi tad bhavān prabravītu me। etat tv anyonya-vairūpye vartate pratikūlataḥ ॥12-233-2॥
[एतत् (etat) - this; वै (vai) - indeed; श्रोतुम् (śrotum) - to hear; इच्छामि (icchāmi) - I wish; तत् (tat) - that; भवान् (bhavān) - you (honorific); प्रब्रवीतु (prabravītu) - may speak; मे (me) - to me; एतत् (etat) - this; तु (tu) - but; अन्योन्यवैरूप्ये (anyonyavairūpye) - in mutual difference; वर्तते (vartate) - exists; प्रतिकूलतः (pratikūlataḥ) - adversely;]
(This indeed to hear I wish; that you may speak to me. This but in mutual difference exists adversely.)
I wish to hear this indeed; may you, sir, tell me. But this exists adversely in mutual difference.
भीष्म उवाच॥
bhīṣma uvāca॥
[भीष्म (bhīṣma) - Bhīṣma; उवाच (uvāca) - said;]
(Bhīṣma said;)
Bhīṣma said.
इत्युक्तः प्रत्युवाचेदं पराशरसुतः सुतम्। कर्मविद्यामयावेतौ व्याख्यास्यामि क्षराक्षरौ ॥१२-२३३-३॥
ityuktaḥ pratyuvācedaṃ parāśarasutaḥ sutam। karmavidyāmayāvetau vyākhyāsyāmi kṣarākṣarau ॥12-233-3॥
[इति (iti) - thus; उक्तः (uktaḥ) - having been spoken; प्रत्युवाच (pratyuvāca) - replied; इदं (idaṃ) - this; पराशरसुतः (parāśarasutaḥ) - son of Parāśara; सुतम् (sutam) - to the son; कर्मविद्यामया (karmavidyāmayā) - consisting of karma and knowledge; एतौ (etau) - these two; व्याख्यास्यामि (vyākhyāsyāmi) - I shall explain; क्षराक्षरौ (kṣarākṣarau) - the perishable and the imperishable;]
(Thus having been spoken, the son of Parāśara replied this to the son: I shall explain these two, consisting of karma and knowledge, the perishable and the imperishable.)
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॥
yāṃ diśaṃ vidyayā yānti yāṃ ca gacchanti karmaṇā। śṛṇuṣvaikamanāḥ putra gahvaraṃ hyetadantaram ॥12-233-4॥
[याम् (yām) - which; (accusative singular, feminine) दिशम् (diśam) - direction; (accusative singular, feminine) विद्यया (vidyayā) - by knowledge; (instrumental singular, feminine) यान्ति (yānti) - go; (they go, third person plural, present) याम् (yām) - which; (accusative singular, feminine) च (ca) - and; गच्छन्ति (gacchanti) - go; (they go, third person plural, present) कर्मणा (karmaṇā) - by action; (instrumental singular, neuter) शृणुष्व (śṛṇuṣva) - listen; (imperative, second person singular) एकमनाः (ekamanāḥ) - with one mind; (nominative singular, masculine) पुत्र (putra) - son; गह्वरम् (gahvaram) - depth; (accusative singular, neuter) हि (hi) - indeed; एतत् (etat) - this; अन्तरम् (antaram) - difference; (accusative singular, neuter);]
(Which direction they go by knowledge, and which they go by action, listen with one mind, O son; indeed, this is the depth of the difference.)
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॥
asti dharma iti proktaṃ nāstītyatraiva yo vadet। tasya pakṣasya sadṛśamidaṃ mama bhavedatha ॥12-233-5॥
[अस्ति (asti) - is; exists; धर्म (dharma) - dharma; righteousness; law; इति (iti) - thus; so; प्रोक्तं (proktaṃ) - spoken; said; नास्ति (nāsti) - is not; does not exist; इति (iti) - thus; so; अत्र (atra) - here; in this context; एव (eva) - only; just; यः (yaḥ) - who; वदेत् (vadet) - would say; might say; तस्य (tasya) - of him; his; पक्षस्य (pakṣasya) - of the side; of the view; सदृशम् (sadṛśam) - similar; like; इदं (idaṃ) - this; मम (mama) - my; of me; भवेत् (bhavet) - would be; might be; अथ (atha) - then; thus;]
(Is dharma thus spoken, is not thus here only who would say; of his side similar this my would be then.)
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॥
dvāvimāvatha panthānau yatra vedāḥ pratiṣṭhitāḥ। pravṛttilakṣaṇo dharmo nivṛttau ca subhāṣitaḥ ॥12-233-6॥
[द्वौ (dvau) - two; इमौ (imau) - these; अथ (atha) - now; पन्थानौ (panthānau) - paths; यत्र (yatra) - where; वेदाः (vedāḥ) - Vedas; प्रतिष्ठिताः (pratiṣṭhitāḥ) - are established; प्रवृत्ति-लक्षणः (pravṛtti-lakṣaṇaḥ) - characterized by activity; धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - dharma; निवृत्तौ (nivṛttau) - in withdrawal; च (ca) - and; सुभाषितः (subhāṣitaḥ) - well spoken;]
(Two these now paths where Vedas are established; characterized by activity dharma in withdrawal and well spoken.)
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॥
karmaṇā badhyate janturvidyayā tu pramucyate। tasmātkarma na kurvanti yatayaḥ pāradarśinaḥ ॥12-233-7॥
[कर्मणा (karmaṇā) - by action; बध्यते (badhyate) - is bound; जन्तुः (jantuḥ) - creature; विद्यया (vidyayā) - by knowledge; तु (tu) - but; प्रमुच्यते (pramucyate) - is liberated; तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore; कर्म (karma) - action; न (na) - not; कुर्वन्ति (kurvanti) - do; यतयः (yatayaḥ) - ascetics; पारदर्शिनः (pāradarśinaḥ) - those who see clearly;]
(By action, the creature is bound; by knowledge, indeed, is liberated. Therefore, action is not performed by ascetics who see clearly.)
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॥
karmaṇā jāyate pretya mūrtimān ṣoḍaśātmakaḥ। vidyayā jāyate nityam avyayo hy avyayātmakaḥ॥12-233-8॥
[कर्मणा (karmaṇā) - by action; जायते (jāyate) - is born; प्रेत्य (pretya) - having died; मूर्तिमान् (mūrtimān) - embodied; षोडशात्मकः (ṣoḍaśātmakaḥ) - having sixteen parts; विद्यया (vidyayā) - by knowledge; जायते (jāyate) - is born; नित्यम् (nityam) - eternal; अव्ययः (avyayaḥ) - imperishable; हि (hi) - indeed; अव्ययात्मकः (avyayātmakaḥ) - of imperishable nature;]
(By action, having died, the embodied one with sixteen parts is born. By knowledge, the eternal, imperishable, indeed of imperishable nature, is born.)
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॥
karma tveke praśaṁsanti svalpabuddhitarā narāḥ। tena te dehajālāni ramayanta upāsate ॥12-233-9॥
[कर्म (karma) - action; त्व (tva) - but; एके (eke) - some; प्रशंसन्ति (praśaṁsanti) - praise; स्वल्पबुद्धितराः (svalpabuddhitarāḥ) - those of lesser intellect; नराः (narāḥ) - men; तेन (tena) - by that; ते (te) - they; देहजालानि (dehajālāni) - bodies (nets of bodies); रमयन्त (ramayanta) - delight; उपासते (upāsate) - worship;]
(But some men of lesser intellect praise action; by that, they delight and worship nets of bodies.)
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॥
ye tu buddhiṃ parāṃ prāptā dharmanaipuṇyadarśinaḥ। na te karma praśaṃsanti kūpaṃ nadyāṃ pibanniva ॥12-233-10॥
[ये (ye) - those who; तु (tu) - but; बुद्धिं (buddhiṃ) - intellect; परां (parām) - supreme; प्राप्ता (prāptā) - attained; धर्मनैपुण्यदर्शिनः (dharmanaipuṇyadarśinaḥ) - those who see the skill in dharma; न (na) - not; ते (te) - they; कर्म (karma) - action; प्रशंसन्ति (praśaṃsanti) - praise; कूपं (kūpaṃ) - well; नद्यां (nadyāṃ) - in the river; पिबन् (piban) - drinking; इव (iva) - like;]
(But those who have attained supreme intellect, who see the skill in dharma, they do not praise action, just as one does not drink from a well when in a river.)
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॥
karmaṇaḥ phalam āpnoti sukhaduḥkhe bhavābhavau। vidyayā tad avāpnoti yatra gatvā na śocati ॥12-233-11॥
[कर्मणः (karmaṇaḥ) - of action; फलम् (phalam) - fruit; आप्नोति (āpnoti) - obtains; सुखदुःखे (sukhaduḥkhe) - pleasure and pain; भवाभवौ (bhavābhavau) - existence and non-existence; विद्यया (vidyayā) - by knowledge; तत् (tat) - that; अवाप्नोति (avāpnoti) - attains; यत्र (yatra) - where; गत्वा (gatvā) - having gone; न (na) - not; शोचति (śocati) - grieves;]
(One obtains the fruit of action—pleasure and pain, existence and non-existence. By knowledge, one attains that where, having gone, one does not grieve.)
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॥
yatra gatvā na mriyate yatra gatvā na jāyate। na jīryate yatra gatvā yatra gatvā na vardhate ॥12-233-12॥
[यत्र (yatra) - where; गत्वा (gatvā) - having gone; न (na) - not; म्रियते (mriyate) - dies; यत्र (yatra) - where; गत्वा (gatvā) - having gone; न (na) - not; जायते (jāyate) - is born; न (na) - not; जीर्यते (jīryate) - decays; यत्र (yatra) - where; गत्वा (gatvā) - having gone; यत्र (yatra) - where; गत्वा (gatvā) - having gone; न (na) - not; वर्धते (vardhate) - grows; ॥१२-२३३-१२॥ (॥12-233-12॥) - ;]
(Where, having gone, one does not die; where, having gone, one is not born; does not decay; where, having gone, where, having gone, one does not grow.)
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॥
yatra tadbrahma paramamavyaktamajaraṃ dhruvam। avyāhatamanāyāsamamṛtaṃ cāviyogi ca ॥12-233-13॥
[यत्र (yatra) - where; तत् (tat) - that; ब्रह्म (brahma) - Brahman; परमम् (paramam) - supreme; अव्यक्तम् (avyaktam) - unmanifest; अजरम् (ajaram) - unaging; ध्रुवम् (dhruvam) - eternal; अव्याहतम् (avyāhatam) - unobstructed; अनायासम् (anāyāsam) - effortless; अमृतम् (amṛtam) - immortal; च (ca) - and; अवियोगि (aviyogi) - inseparable; च (ca) - and;]
(Where that Brahman, supreme, unmanifest, unaging, eternal, unobstructed, effortless, immortal, and inseparable is.)
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॥
dvandvair yatra na bādhyante mānasena ca karmaṇā। samāḥ sarvatra maitrāś ca sarvabhūtahite ratāḥ ॥12-233-14॥
[द्वंद्वैः (dvandvaiḥ) - by dualities; यत्र (yatra) - where; न (na) - not; बाध्यन्ते (bādhyante) - are afflicted; मानसेन (mānasena) - by the mind; च (ca) - and; कर्मणा (karmaṇā) - by action; समाः (samāḥ) - equal; सर्वत्र (sarvatra) - everywhere; मैत्राः (maitrāḥ) - friendly; च (ca) - and; सर्वभूतहिते (sarvabhūtahite) - in the welfare of all beings; रताः (ratāḥ) - engaged;]
(Where, by dualities, they are not afflicted, by the mind and by action; equal everywhere, friendly and engaged in the welfare of all beings.)
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॥
vidyā-mayo'nyaḥ puruṣaḥ tāta karma-mayo'paraḥ। viddhi candramasaṃ darśe sūkṣmayā kalayā sthitam ॥12-233-15॥
[विद्या (vidyā) - knowledge; मयः (mayaḥ) - consisting of; अन्यः (anyaḥ) - another; पुरुषः (puruṣaḥ) - person; तात (tāta) - O dear one; कर्म (karma) - action; मयः (mayaḥ) - consisting of; अपरः (aparaḥ) - the other; विद्धि (viddhi) - know; चन्द्रमसं (candramasaṃ) - the moon; दर्शे (darśe) - at new moon; सूक्ष्मया (sūkṣmayā) - by the subtle; कलया (kalayā) - portion; स्थितम् (sthitam) - existing;]
(Knowledge-consisting another person, O dear one, action-consisting the other; know the moon at new moon as existing by the subtle portion.)
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॥
tadetad ṛṣiṇā proktaṃ vistareṇānumīyate। navajaṃ śaśinaṃ dṛṣṭvā vakraṃ tantum ivāmbare ॥12-233-16॥
[तत् (tat) - that; एतत् (etat) - this; ऋषिणा (ṛṣiṇā) - by the sage; प्रोक्तं (proktam) - spoken; विस्तरेण (vistareṇa) - in detail; अनुमीयते (anumīyate) - is inferred; नवजम् (navajam) - newly-born; शशिनम् (śaśinam) - moon; दृष्ट्वा (dṛṣṭvā) - having seen; वक्रम् (vakram) - curved; तन्तुम् (tantum) - thread; इव (iva) - like; अम्बरे (ambare) - in the sky;]
(That this, spoken by the sage, is inferred in detail; having seen the newly-born moon, (like) a curved thread in the sky.)
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॥
ekādaśa-vikāra-ātmā kalā-sambhāra-sambhṛtaḥ। mūrtimān iti taṃ viddhi tāta karma-guṇa-ātmakam॥12-233-17॥
[एकादश (ekādaśa) - eleven; विकार (vikāra) - modifications; आत्मा (ātmā) - self; कला (kalā) - parts; सम्भार (sambhāra) - assemblage; सम्भृतः (sambhṛtaḥ) - endowed with; मूर्तिमान् (mūrtimān) - embodied; इति (iti) - thus; तम् (tam) - him; विद्धि (viddhi) - know; तात (tāta) - dear one; कर्म (karma) - action; गुण (guṇa) - qualities; आत्मकम् (ātmakam) - having the nature of;]
(The self of eleven modifications, endowed with an assemblage of parts, embodied—thus know him, dear one, as having the nature of action and qualities.)
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॥
devo yaḥ saṃśritas tasminn abbindur iva puṣkare। kṣetrajñaṃ taṃ vijānīyān nityaṃ tyāgajitātmakam ॥12-233-18॥
[देवः (devaḥ) - god; यः (yaḥ) - who; संश्रितः (saṃśritaḥ) - resorted to; तस्मिन् (tasmin) - in that; अप्-बिन्दुः (ap-binduḥ) - water-drop; इव (iva) - like; पुष्करे (puṣkare) - in a lotus; क्षेत्रज्ञम् (kṣetrajñam) - knower of the field; तम् (tam) - him; विजानीयात् (vijānīyāt) - one should know; नित्यम् (nityam) - always; त्याग-जित-आत्मकम् (tyāga-jita-ātmakam) - whose nature is conquered by renunciation;]
(God who is resorted to in that (self), like a water-drop in a lotus; one should know that knower of the field, whose nature is always conquered by renunciation.)
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॥
tamo rajaś ca sattvaṃ ca viddhi jīvaguṇānimān। jīvam ātmaguṇaṃ vidyād ātmānaṃ paramātmanaḥ ॥12-233-19॥
[तमः (tamaḥ) - darkness; रजः (rajaḥ) - activity; च (ca) - and; सत्त्वम् (sattvam) - purity; च (ca) - and; विद्धि (viddhi) - know; जीवगुणान् (jīvaguṇān) - qualities of the jīva; इमान् (imān) - these; जीवम् (jīvam) - the jīva; आत्मगुणम् (ātmaguṇam) - quality of the self; विद्यात् (vidyāt) - should know; आत्मानम् (ātmānam) - the self; परमात्मनः (paramātmanaḥ) - of the Supreme Self;]
(Darkness, activity, and purity—know these as the qualities of the jīva. The jīva should know the quality of the self, and the self as belonging to the Supreme Self.)
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॥
sacetanaṃ jīvaguṇaṃ vadanti; sa ceṣṭate ceṣṭayate ca sarvam। tataḥ paraṃ kṣetravido vadanti; prāvartayadyo bhuvanāni sapta ॥12-233-20॥
[सचेतनम् (sacetanam) - with consciousness; जीवगुणम् (jīvaguṇam) - the quality of life; वदन्ति (vadanti) - they say; सः (saḥ) - he; चेष्टते (ceṣṭate) - acts; चेष्टयते (ceṣṭayate) - causes to act; च (ca) - and; सर्वम् (sarvam) - all; ततः (tataḥ) - thereafter; परम् (param) - beyond; क्षेत्रविदः (kṣetravidaḥ) - knowers of the field; वदन्ति (vadanti) - they say; प्रावर्तयत् (prāvartayat) - set in motion; यः (yaḥ) - who; भुवनानि (bhuvanāni) - worlds; सप्त (sapta) - seven;]
(They say the quality of life is endowed with consciousness; he acts and causes all to act. Thereafter, those who know the field say: He who set in motion the seven worlds beyond that.)
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.
