12.237
śuka uvāca॥
Shuka said.
vartamānastathaivātra vānaprasthāśrame yathā। yoktavyo''tmā yathā śaktyā paraṃ vai kāṅkṣatā padam ॥12-237-1॥
Here, as one lives in the hermitage of forest-dwellers, the self should be yoked to the best of one's ability, always desiring the supreme goal.
vyāsa uvāca॥
Vyāsa said.
prāpya saṁskāram etābhyām āśramābhyām tataḥ param | yat kāryaṁ paramārthārthaṁ tad ihaika-manāḥ śṛṇu ॥12-237-2॥
Having attained purification through these two āśramas, then comes the higher stage. Now, with single-minded attention, listen here to that action which is for the highest purpose.
kaṣāyaṃ pācayitvā tu śreṇisthāneṣu ca triṣu। pravrajecca paraṃ sthānaṃ parivrajyāmanuttamām ॥12-237-3॥
After preparing the dye for robes, in the three ranks, one should renounce and attain the supreme state of unsurpassed wandering life.
tadbhavānevamabhyasya vartatāṃ śrūyatāṃ tathā। eka eva carennityaṃ siddhyarthamasahāyavān ॥12-237-4॥
Therefore, you should practice in this manner and conduct yourself accordingly; listen to this as well: one should always act alone, without assistance, for the sake of accomplishment.
ekaś carati yaḥ paśyan na jahāti na hīyate। anagnir aniketaḥ syād grāmam annārtham āśrayet ॥12-237-5॥
One who wanders alone, ever watchful, does not abandon nor is diminished. He should be without fire and without a fixed abode, and should go to the village for food.
aśvastanavidhānaḥ syān munir bhāvasamanvitaḥ। laghvāśī niyatāhāraḥ sakṛdannaniṣevitā ॥12-237-6॥
A sage should maintain an orderly dwelling like a horse's stable, be endowed with inner feeling, eat lightly, regulate his food, and partake of food only once a day.
kapālaṃ vṛkṣamūlāni kucelamasahāyatā। upekṣā sarvabhūtānāmetāvadbhikṣulakṣaṇam ॥12-237-7॥
The use of a skull, subsisting on tree roots, wearing tattered clothes, being without help, and showing indifference to all beings—these are the characteristics of a mendicant.
yasmin vācaḥ praviśanti kūpe prāptāḥ śilā iva। na vaktāraṃ punaryānti sa kaivalyāśrame vaset ॥12-237-8॥
One should reside in the hermitage of liberation where, like stones dropped into a well, words once spoken do not return to the speaker.
naiva paśyen na śṛṇuyād avācyaṃ jātu kasyacit। brāhmaṇānāṃ viśeṣeṇa naiva brūyāt kathaṃcana ॥12-237-9॥
One should never see or hear anything improper about anyone; especially, one should never speak anything improper about Brāhmaṇas in any way.
yadbrāhmaṇasya kuśalaṃ tadeva satataṃ vadet। tūṣṇīmāsīta nindāyāṃ kurvanbheṣajamātmanaḥ ॥12-237-10॥
One should always speak only what is for the welfare of a brāhmaṇa; in the face of blame, one should remain silent, applying a remedy for oneself.
yena pūrṇam ivākāśaṃ bhavaty ekena sarvadā| śūnyaṃ yena janākīrṇaṃ taṃ devā brāhmaṇaṃ viduḥ ||12-237-11||
The gods know that brāhmaṇa by whom, even when alone, the sky seems full, and even when crowded with people, it seems empty.
yena kenacidācchanno yena kenacidāśitaḥ। yatrakvacanaśāyī ca taṃ devā brāhmaṇaṃ viduḥ॥12-237-12॥
The gods recognize as a brāhmaṇa the one who, no matter by whom he is covered, by whom he is fed, or where he lies.
aheriva gaṇādbhītaḥ sauhityānnarakādiva। kuṇapādiva ca strībhyastaṃ devā brāhmaṇaṃ viduḥ ॥12-237-13॥
The gods know the brāhmaṇa to be one to be avoided, just as one is afraid of a snake from a group, from close association as from hell, and from women as from a corpse.
na krudhyyenna prahṛṣyecca mānito'mānitaśca yaḥ। sarvabhūteṣvabhayadastaṃ devā brāhmaṇaṃ viduḥ॥12-237-14॥
The gods recognize as a brāhmaṇa that person who neither becomes angry nor rejoices, whether honored or dishonored, and who grants fearlessness to all beings.
nābhinandeta maraṇaṃ nābhinandeta jīvitam। kālam-eva pratīkṣeta nideśaṃ bhṛtako yathā ॥12-237-15॥
One should neither rejoice in death nor in life; one should simply wait for the appointed time, just as a hired servant awaits his employer's command.
anabhyāhata-cittaḥ syād anabhyāhata-vāk tathā। nirmuktaḥ sarva-pāpebhyo niramitrasya kiṃ bhayam ॥12-237-16॥
One whose mind and speech are untroubled, who is freed from all sins—what fear can there be for one who has no enemies?
abhayaṃ sarvabhūtebhyo bhūtānāmabhayaṃ yataḥ। tasya dehādvimuktasya bhayaṃ nāsti kutaścana ॥12-237-17॥
He who gives fearlessness to all beings, from whom beings have no fear; for him, who is liberated from the body, there is no fear from anywhere.
yathā nāgapade'nyāni padāni padagāminām। sarvāṇyevāpidhīyante padajātāni kauñjare ॥12-237-18॥
Just as all the footprints of other creatures that walk on foot are indeed placed within the footprint of the elephant, so too...
evaṃ sarvamahiṃsāyāṃ dharmārtham apidhīyate। amṛtaḥ sa nityaṃ vasati yo'hiṃsāṃ pratipadyate ॥12-237-19॥
Thus, in all forms of non-violence, dharma is also established. The immortal one always dwells who adopts non-violence.
ahiṁsakaḥ samaḥ satyo dhṛtimānniyatendriyaḥ। śaraṇyaḥ sarvabhūtānāṁ gatimāpnotyanuttamām ॥12-237-20॥
One who is non-violent, even-minded, truthful, steadfast, with controlled senses, and who is a refuge to all beings, attains the highest goal.
evaṃ prajñāna-tṛptasya nirbhayasya manīṣiṇaḥ। na mṛtyu-ratigo bhāvaḥ sa mṛtyum adhigacchati॥12-237-21॥
Thus, one who is satisfied with wisdom, fearless, and wise does not attain the state of transcending death; he attains death.
vimuktaṃ sarvasaṅgebhyo munim ākāśavat sthitam। asvamekacaraṃ śāntaṃ taṃ devā brāhmaṇaṃ viduḥ ॥12-237-22॥
The gods recognized as a knower of Brahman that sage who, liberated from all attachments, dwells like space, belongs to no one, moves alone, and is peaceful.
jīvitaṃ yasya dharmārthaṃ dharmo'ratyarthameva ca। ahorātrāśca puṇyārthaṃ taṃ devā brāhmaṇaṃ viduḥ ॥12-237-23॥
The gods recognize as a brāhmaṇa that person whose life is for the sake of dharma, whose dharma is for the sake of non-attachment, and whose days and nights are for the sake of merit.
nirāśiṣam-anārambhaṃ nirnamaskāram-astutim। akṣīṇaṃ kṣīṇakarmāṇaṃ taṃ devā brāhmaṇaṃ viduḥ ॥12-237-24॥
The gods recognize as a true brāhmaṇa the one who is without desire for blessings, does not undertake actions, offers no salutations or praise, is undiminished, and whose actions are exhausted.
sarvāṇi bhūtāni sukhe ramante; sarvāṇi duḥkhasya bhṛśaṃ trasanti. teṣāṃ bhayotpādana-jāta-khedaḥ; kuryān na karmāṇi hi śraddadhānaḥ ॥12-237-25॥
All beings take delight in happiness and are greatly distressed by suffering. Therefore, a person of faith should not perform actions that cause fear and distress among them. (12-237-25)
dānaṃ hi bhūtābhayadakṣiṇāyāḥ; sarvāṇi dānānyadhitiṣṭhatīha. tīkṣṇāṃ tanuṃ yaḥ prathamaṃ jahāti; so'nantamāpnotyabhayaṃ prajābhyaḥ ॥12-237-26॥
Indeed, the gift given to remove fear from living beings surpasses all other gifts in this world. Whoever first abandons the fierce body attains infinite fearlessness for all beings.
uttāna āsyena havir juhoti; lokasya nābhir jagataḥ pratiṣṭhā. tasyāṅgamaṅgāni kṛtākṛtaṃ ca; vaiśvānaraḥ sarvam eva prapede ॥12-237-27॥
With his face turned upward, he offers the oblation; the navel of the world is the foundation of the universe. All his limbs, both accomplished and unaccomplished, Vaiśvānara attained entirely.
prādeśamātre hṛdi niśritaṃ ya; ttasminprāṇānātmayājī juhoti। tasyāgnihotraṃ hutamātmasaṃsthaṃ; sarveṣu lokeṣu sadaivatyeṣu ॥12-237-28॥
Whoever, having established the self in the heart of the size of a span, offers the vital breaths as a sacrifice—his Agnihotra, the offering established in the self, is present in all worlds and among all the gods.
daivaṃ tridhātuṃ trivṛtaṃ suparṇaṃ; ye vidyuragryaṃ paramārthatāṃ ca. te sarvalokeṣu mahīyamānā; devāḥ samarthāḥ sukṛtaṃ vrajanti ॥12-237-29॥
Those who know the divine, threefold, triple, and beautiful-winged nature, and the highest reality, are honored in all worlds; the capable gods proceed to virtuous deeds.
vedāṁś ca vedyaṁ ca vidhiṁ ca kṛtsna; matho niruktaṁ paramārthatāṁ ca. sarvaṁ śarīrātmani yaḥ praved; tasmai sma devāḥ spṛhayanti nityam ॥12-237-30॥
The gods always desire him who knows thoroughly the Vedas, that which is to be known, the entire procedure, the etymology, and the highest reality, all in the embodied self.
bhūmāvasaktaṃ divi cāprameyaṃ; hiraṇmayaṃ yo'ṇḍajamaṇḍamadhye. patatriṇaṃ pakṣiṇamantarikṣe; yo veda bhogyātmani dīptaraśmiḥ ॥12-237-31॥
He who is attached to the earth, immeasurable in the sky, golden in the midst of the cosmic egg; who is the bird, the winged one in the atmosphere, who knows the enjoyer-self with blazing rays.
āvartamānam ajaraṃ vivartanam; ṣaṇṇemikaṃ dvādaśāraṃ suparva. yasyedam āsye pariyāti viśvaṃ; tat kālacakraṃ nihitaṃ guhāyām ॥12-237-32॥
The ever-revolving, ageless, and turning wheel, with six spokes and twelve rims, well-jointed, in whose mouth the entire universe moves; that wheel of time is established in the cave.
yaḥ samprasādaṃ jagataḥ śarīraṃ; sarvān sa lokān adhigacchatīha। tasmin hutaṃ tarpayatīha devāṃs; te vai tṛptās tarpayanty asya masya ॥12-237-33॥
He who attains the pure consciousness that is the body of the universe, here reaches all those worlds. In him, the offering satisfies the gods here; and those gods, being satisfied, in turn satisfy his offering.
tejomayo nityatanuḥ purāṇo; lokānanantānabhayānupaiti. bhūtāni yasmānna trasante kadā ci; sa bhūtebhyo na trasate kadācit ॥12-237-34॥
He is made of light, has an eternal body, and is ancient; he enters endless, fearless worlds. No beings ever fear him, nor does he ever fear any beings.
agarhaṇīyo na ca garhate'nyāṃs vai vipraḥ paramātmānamīkṣet vinītamoho vyapanītakalmaṣo na ceha nāmutra ca yo'rthamṛcchati ॥12-237-35॥
He who is not to be censured and does not censure others, who is a sage, should indeed contemplate the supreme self; whose delusion is subdued, whose sins are removed, and who does not desire objects either in this world or the next.
aroṣamohaḥ samaloṣṭakāñcanaḥ; prahīṇaśoko gatasandhivigrahaḥ। apetanindāstutirapriyāpriyaḥ; carannudāsīnavadeṣa bhikṣukaḥ ॥12-237-36॥
This mendicant, free from anger and delusion, viewing clod and gold with equal regard, having abandoned sorrow, transcending alliance and conflict, unaffected by blame and praise, treating the pleasant and unpleasant alike, wanders about like one indifferent.
