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युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
भ्रातरः पितरः पुत्रा ज्ञातयः सुहृदस्तथा। अर्थहेतोर्हताः क्रूरैरस्माभिः पापबुद्धिभिः ॥१२-२६८-१॥
Brothers, fathers, sons, kinsmen, and friends alike have been killed for the sake of wealth by us, the cruel ones with sinful minds.
येयमर्थोद्भवा तृष्णा कथमेतां पितामह। निवर्तयेम पापं हि तृष्णया कारिता वयम् ॥१२-२६८-२॥
O grandsire, how can we turn away from this desire that arises from wealth? Indeed, we have been caused to sin by desire.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। गीतं विदेहराजेन माण्डव्यायानुपृच्छते ॥१२-२६८-३॥
Here too, they recount this ancient story, told by the king of Videha to Māṇḍavya when he was questioned.
सुसुखं बत जीवामि यस्य मे नास्ति किञ्चन। मिथिलायां प्रदीप्तायां न मे दह्यति किञ्चन ॥१२-२६८-४॥
"I live very happily indeed, for I possess nothing. Even when Mithilā is ablaze, nothing of mine is burned."
अर्थाः खलु समृद्धा हि बाढं दुःखं विजानताम्। असमृद्धास्त्वपि सदा मोहयन्त्यविचक्षणान् ॥१२-२६८-५॥
Abundant wealth indeed causes great suffering for the wise; but even lack of wealth always deludes the unwise.
यच्च कामसुखं लोके यच्च दिव्यं महत्सुखम्। तृष्णाक्षयसुखस्यैते नार्हतः षोडशीं कलाम् ॥१२-२६८-६॥
All the pleasures of desire in this world and even the greatest divine happiness are not equal to even a sixteenth part of the happiness that comes from the cessation of craving.
यथैव शृङ्गं गोः काले वर्धमानस्य वर्धते। तथैव तृष्णा वित्तेन वर्धमानेन वर्धते ॥१२-२६८-७॥
Just as the horn of a cow grows with time, so too does desire increase as wealth increases.
किञ्चिदेव ममत्वेन यदा भवति कल्पितम्। तदेव परितापाय नाशे सम्पद्यते पुनः ॥१२-२६८-८॥
Whenever even a little is conceived with a sense of 'mineness', that very thing, upon its loss, brings sorrow once more.
न कामाननुरुध्येत दुःखं कामेषु वै रतिः। प्राप्यार्थमुपयुञ्जीत धर्मे कामं विवर्जयेत् ॥१२-२६८-९॥
One should not pursue desires; suffering is indeed the result of attachment to desires. For the sake of attainment, one may employ desire, but in matters of dharma, desire should be avoided.
विद्वान्सर्वेषु भूतेषु व्याघ्रमांसोपमो भवेत्। कृतकृत्यो विशुद्धात्मा सर्वं त्यजति वै सह ॥१२-२६८-१०॥
Among all beings, the learned person is like tiger's flesh; having fulfilled his purpose and with a pure mind, he indeed abandons everything together.
उभे सत्यानृते त्यक्त्वा शोकानन्दौ प्रियाप्रिये। भयाभये च सन्त्यज्य सम्प्रशान्तो निरामयः ॥१२-२६८-११॥
Having abandoned both truth and untruth, sorrow and joy, the pleasant and the unpleasant, and fear and absence of fear, one who is completely tranquil becomes free from affliction.
या दुस्त्यजा दुर्मतिभिर्या न जीर्यति जीर्यतः। योऽसौ प्राणान्तिको रोगस्तां तृष्णां त्यजतः सुखम् ॥१२-२६८-१२॥
That craving which is hard to give up by those of evil mind, which does not age even as the person ages, which is the fatal disease—for one who abandons that craving, there is happiness.
चारित्रमात्मनः पश्यंश्चन्द्रशुद्धमनामयम्। धर्मात्मा लभते कीर्तिं प्रेत्य चेह यथासुखम् ॥१२-२६८-१३॥
One who observes his own character, which is as pure and flawless as the moon, attains fame and happiness both in this world and after death.
राज्ञस्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रीतिमानभवद्द्विजः। पूजयित्वा च तद्वाक्यं माण्डव्यो मोक्षमाश्रितः ॥१२-२६८-१४॥
Hearing the king's words, the Brahmin was delighted; after honoring those words, Māṇḍavya sought liberation.
