12.265
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
kathaṁ bhavati pāpātmā kathaṁ dharmaṁ karoti vā। kena nirvedamādattē mōkṣaṁ vā kēna gacchati ॥12-265-1॥
How does a person become wicked-souled? How does one perform dharma? By what does one attain dispassion, and by what does one reach liberation?
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
viditāḥ sarvadharmās te sthityartham anupṛcchasi। śṛṇu mokṣaṃ sanirvedaṃ pāpaṃ dharmaṃ ca mūlataḥ ॥12-265-2॥
All dharmas are known to you; you ask for the sake of their maintenance. Now hear about liberation with dispassion, sin, and dharma from the root.
vijñānārthaṃ hi pañcānāmicchā pūrvaṃ pravartate। prāpya tāñjāyate kāmo dveṣo vā bharatarṣabha ॥12-265-3॥
Desire for the five senses first arises for the sake of knowledge. Upon obtaining them, either desire or aversion is born, O best of the Bharatas.
tatas tad-arthaṃ yatate karma cārabhate punaḥ। iṣṭānāṃ rūpa-gandhānām abhyāsaṃ ca cikīrṣati॥12-265-4॥
Then, for that purpose, he strives and again undertakes actions, wishing to practice the enjoyment of desired forms and scents.
tato rāgaḥ prabhavati dveṣaś ca tadanantaram। tato lobhaḥ prabhavati mohaś ca tadanantaram ॥12-265-5॥
From that, attachment arises, then aversion follows. From that, greed arises, then delusion follows.
lobhamohābhibhūtasya rāgadveṣānvitasya ca। na dharme jāyate buddhirvyājāddharmaṃ karoti ca॥12-265-6॥
For one who is overpowered by greed and delusion, and is possessed by attachment and aversion, understanding of dharma does not arise; by deceit, he even performs dharma.
vyājena carato dharmam arthavyājo'pi rocate। vyājena sidhyamāneṣu dhaneṣu kurunandana ॥12-265-7॥
O Kurunandana, for one who acts righteously by pretext, even the pretext of wealth becomes agreeable; by pretext, when wealth is being acquired.
tatraiva kurute buddhiṃ tataḥ pāpaṃ cikīrṣati. suhṛdbhir vāryamāṇo'pi paṇḍitaiś cāpi bhārata ॥12-265-8॥
There, having resolved, he then seeks to commit evil, O Bhārata, even when restrained by friends and wise men.
uttaraṃ nyāyasambaddhaṃ bravīti vidhiyojitam। adharmastrividhastasya vardhate rāgamohajaḥ ॥12-265-9॥
He gives an answer connected with logic and joined with rule. For him, unrighteousness, which is threefold and born of passion and delusion, increases.
pāpaṃ cintayate caiva prabravīti karoti ca। tasyādharmapravṛttasya doṣān paśyanti sādhavaḥ ॥12-265-10॥
He who thinks, speaks, and does evil—his faults are seen by the virtuous, for he is engaged in unrighteousness.
ekaśīlāś ca mitratvaṃ bhajante pāpakarmiṇaḥ। sa neha sukham āpnoti kuta eva paratra vai ॥12-265-11॥
Those of one nature form friendships with evil-doers; such a person does not attain happiness here, so how indeed in the next world?
evaṃ bhavati pāpātmā dharmātmānaṃ tu me śṛṇu। yathā kuśaladharmā sa kuśalaṃ pratipadyate ॥12-265-12॥
Thus is the case with the wicked-souled; but listen to me about the righteous-souled. Just as one whose nature is virtuous attains virtue.
ya etān prajñayā doṣān pūrvam eva anupaśyati। kuśalaḥ sukha-duḥkhānāṃ sādhūṃś ca api upasevate ॥12-265-13॥
He who, by wisdom, foresees these faults in advance, the wise one associates with the virtuous, whether in happiness or in sorrow.
tasya sādhu-samācārād abhyāsāc caiva vardhate। prajñā dharme ca ramate dharmaṃ caivopajīvati॥12-265-14॥
His wisdom increases through good conduct and practice; he delights in dharma and lives by dharma.
so’tha dharmādavāpteṣu dhaneṣu kurute manaḥ। tasyaiva siñcate mūlaṃ guṇānpaśyati yatra vai ॥12-265-15॥
Then, when wealth is obtained through righteousness, he directs his mind to it; he nourishes only its root and perceives the qualities where they truly are.
dharmātmā bhavati hyevaṃ mitraṃ ca labhate śubham। sa mitradhanalābhāttu pretya ceha ca nandati ॥12-265-16॥
A person of righteous soul thus becomes and gains a good friend; from the gain of friends and wealth, he rejoices both here and after death.
śabde sparśe tathā rūpe rase gandhe ca bhārata। prabhutvaṃ labhate jantur dharmasyaitatphalaṃ viduḥ ॥12-265-17॥
O Bhārata, it is known that the fruit of dharma is that a creature attains mastery over sound, touch, form, taste, and smell.
sa dharmasya phalaṃ labdhvā na tṛpyati yudhiṣṭhira। atṛpyamāṇo nirvedamādatte jñānacakṣuṣā ॥12-265-18॥
O Yudhiṣṭhira, even after attaining the fruit of dharma, one is not satisfied. Not being satisfied, one develops dispassion through the eye of knowledge.
prajñācakṣuryadā kāme doṣamevānupaśyati। virajyate tadā kāmānna ca dharmaṃ vimuñcati ॥12-265-19॥
When a person, with the eye of wisdom, sees only fault in desires, then he withdraws from desires but does not abandon righteousness.
sarvatyāge ca yatate dṛṣṭvā lokaṃ kṣayātmakam। tato mokṣāya yatate nānupāyādupāyataḥ ॥12-265-20॥
When one, having renounced everything, sees the world as perishable, he then strives for liberation, not by improper means, but by proper means.
śanair nirvedam ādattē pāpaṃ karma jahāti ca। dharmātmā caiva bhavati mokṣaṃ ca labhatē param ॥12-265-21॥
Gradually, one attains dispassion, abandons sinful actions, becomes righteous, and attains the highest liberation.
etat te kathitaṃ tāta yan māṃ tvaṃ paripṛcchasi। pāpaṃ dharmaṃ tathā mokṣaṃ nirvedaṃ caiva bhārata ॥12-265-22॥
O Bhārata, I have explained to you, dear one, what you asked me about: evil, righteousness, liberation, and also dispassion.
tasmāddharme pravartethāḥ sarvāvasthaṃ yudhiṣṭhira। dharme sthitānāṃ kaunteya siddhirbhavati śāśvatī ॥12-265-23॥
Therefore, Yudhiṣṭhira, you should always act according to dharma in every situation. O son of Kunti, for those who are established in dharma, eternal success is attained.
