12.233
śuka uvāca॥
Śuka said.
yad idaṃ vedavacanaṃ kuru karma tyajeti ca। kāṃ diśaṃ vidyayā yānti kāṃ ca gacchanti karmaṇā ॥12-233-1॥
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?
etad vai śrotum icchāmi tad bhavān prabravītu me। etat tv anyonya-vairūpye vartate pratikūlataḥ ॥12-233-2॥
I wish to hear this indeed; may you, sir, tell me. But this exists adversely in mutual difference.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
ityuktaḥ pratyuvācedaṃ parāśarasutaḥ sutam। karmavidyāmayāvetau vyākhyāsyāmi kṣarākṣarau ॥12-233-3॥
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."
yāṃ diśaṃ vidyayā yānti yāṃ ca gacchanti karmaṇā। śṛṇuṣvaikamanāḥ putra gahvaraṃ hyetadantaram ॥12-233-4॥
O son, listen attentively: the direction attained by knowledge and that attained by action—this is truly the profound difference between them.
asti dharma iti proktaṃ nāstītyatraiva yo vadet। tasya pakṣasya sadṛśamidaṃ mama bhavedatha ॥12-233-5॥
If someone says here, 'Dharma exists' or 'Dharma does not exist,' then my view would be similar to his.
dvāvimāvatha panthānau yatra vedāḥ pratiṣṭhitāḥ। pravṛttilakṣaṇo dharmo nivṛttau ca subhāṣitaḥ ॥12-233-6॥
There are two paths, where the Vedas are established: the dharma characterized by activity, and the well-spoken (dharma) in withdrawal.
karmaṇā badhyate janturvidyayā tu pramucyate। tasmātkarma na kurvanti yatayaḥ pāradarśinaḥ ॥12-233-7॥
A creature is bound by action, but is liberated by knowledge. Therefore, ascetics who have clear insight do not perform actions.
karmaṇā jāyate pretya mūrtimān ṣoḍaśātmakaḥ। vidyayā jāyate nityam avyayo hy avyayātmakaḥ॥12-233-8॥
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.
karma tveke praśaṁsanti svalpabuddhitarā narāḥ। tena te dehajālāni ramayanta upāsate ॥12-233-9॥
But some men of lesser intellect praise action; thus, they engage in and delight in bodily pursuits.
ye tu buddhiṃ parāṃ prāptā dharmanaipuṇyadarśinaḥ। na te karma praśaṃsanti kūpaṃ nadyāṃ pibanniva ॥12-233-10॥
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.
karmaṇaḥ phalam āpnoti sukhaduḥkhe bhavābhavau। vidyayā tad avāpnoti yatra gatvā na śocati ॥12-233-11॥
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.
yatra gatvā na mriyate yatra gatvā na jāyate। na jīryate yatra gatvā yatra gatvā na vardhate ॥12-233-12॥
That is the place where, upon reaching, one neither dies nor is born, does not decay, and does not grow.
yatra tadbrahma paramamavyaktamajaraṃ dhruvam। avyāhatamanāyāsamamṛtaṃ cāviyogi ca ॥12-233-13॥
Where that supreme Brahman exists, which is unmanifest, ageless, eternal, unobstructed, effortless, immortal, and inseparable.
dvandvair yatra na bādhyante mānasena ca karmaṇā। samāḥ sarvatra maitrāś ca sarvabhūtahite ratāḥ ॥12-233-14॥
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.
vidyā-mayo'nyaḥ puruṣaḥ tāta karma-mayo'paraḥ। viddhi candramasaṃ darśe sūkṣmayā kalayā sthitam ॥12-233-15॥
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.
tadetad ṛṣiṇā proktaṃ vistareṇānumīyate। navajaṃ śaśinaṃ dṛṣṭvā vakraṃ tantum ivāmbare ॥12-233-16॥
This, as spoken by the sage, is inferred in detail; seeing the new moon like a curved thread in the sky.
ekādaśa-vikāra-ātmā kalā-sambhāra-sambhṛtaḥ। mūrtimān iti taṃ viddhi tāta karma-guṇa-ātmakam॥12-233-17॥
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.
devo yaḥ saṃśritas tasminn abbindur iva puṣkare। kṣetrajñaṃ taṃ vijānīyān nityaṃ tyāgajitātmakam ॥12-233-18॥
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.
tamo rajaś ca sattvaṃ ca viddhi jīvaguṇānimān। jīvam ātmaguṇaṃ vidyād ātmānaṃ paramātmanaḥ ॥12-233-19॥
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.
sacetanaṃ jīvaguṇaṃ vadanti; sa ceṣṭate ceṣṭayate ca sarvam। tataḥ paraṃ kṣetravido vadanti; prāvartayadyo bhuvanāni sapta ॥12-233-20॥
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.
