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युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
धन्या धन्या इति जनाः सर्वेऽस्मान्प्रवदन्त्युत। न दुःखिततरः कश्चित्पुमानस्माभिरस्ति ह ॥१२-२७०-१॥
All people say, "Fortunate, fortunate are they," about us, but truly, there is no man more sorrowful than us.
लोकसम्भावितैर्दुःखं यत्प्राप्तं कुरुसत्तम। प्राप्य जातिं मनुष्येषु देवैरपि पितामह ॥१२-२७०-२॥
O best of the Kurus, O grandsire, even the gods, having obtained birth among men, experience the suffering which is encountered by those honored in the world.
कदा वयं करिष्यामः संन्यासं दुःखसञ्ज्ञकम्। दुःखमेतच्छरीराणां धारणं कुरुसत्तम ॥१२-२७०-३॥
O best of Kurus, when shall we renounce? Bearing these bodies is suffering.
विमुक्ताः सप्तदशभिर्हेतुभूतैश्च पञ्चभिः। इन्द्रियार्थैर्गुणैश्चैव अष्टाभिः प्रपितामह ॥१२-२७०-४॥
O great-grandfather, one is liberated by seventeen causes, five (senses), the objects of the senses, qualities, and eight (other factors).
न गच्छन्ति पुनर्भावं मुनयः संशितव्रताः। कदा वयं भविष्यामो राज्यं हित्वा परन्तप ॥१२-२७०-५॥
The sages of firm vows do not undergo rebirth. O scorcher of foes, when shall we, having abandoned the kingdom, become like them?
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
नास्त्यनन्तं महाराज सर्वं सङ्ख्यानगोचरम्। पुनर्भावोऽपि सङ्ख्यातो नास्ति किञ्चिदिहाचलम् ॥१२-२७०-६॥
O great king, nothing is endless; everything can be counted. Even rebirth, being enumerated, does not exist as anything permanent here.
न चापि गम्यते राजन्नैष दोषः प्रसङ्गतः। उद्योगादेव धर्मज्ञ कालेनैव गमिष्यथ ॥१२-२७०-७॥
O king, this fault is not incurred by association. Through effort alone, O knower of dharma, in due time, you will attain your goal.
ईशोऽयं सततं देही नृपते पुण्यपापयोः। तत एव समुत्थेन तमसा रुध्यतेऽपि च ॥१२-२७०-८॥
O king, this embodied soul is always the lord of merit and demerit; yet, indeed, he is also obstructed by the darkness that arises from them.
यथाञ्जनमयो वायुः पुनर्मानःशिलं रजः। अनुप्रविश्य तद्वर्णो दृश्यते रञ्जयन्दिशः ॥१२-२७०-९॥
Just as wind carrying collyrium or dust of realgar, when it enters, its color is seen as it colors the directions.
तथा कर्मफलैर्देही रञ्जितस्तमसावृतः। विवर्णो वर्णमाश्रित्य देहेषु परिवर्तते ॥१२-२७०-१०॥
Thus, the embodied soul, influenced by the results of actions and enveloped in darkness, assumes different colors and takes on various bodies.
ज्ञानेन हि यदा जन्तुरज्ञानप्रभवं तमः। व्यपोहति तदा ब्रह्म प्रकाशेत सनातनम् ॥१२-२७०-११॥
When, by knowledge, a living being dispels the darkness born of ignorance, then the eternal Brahman shines forth.
अयत्नसाध्यं मुनयो वदन्ति; ये चापि मुक्तास्त उपासितव्याः। त्वया च लोकेन च सामरेण; तस्मान्न शाम्यन्ति महर्षिसङ्घाः ॥१२-२७०-१२॥
Sages declare that which is attainable without effort; and those who are liberated are also to be worshipped. By you and by the world with effort; therefore, the assemblies of great sages never cease.
अस्मिन्नर्थे पुरा गीतं शृणुष्वैकमना नृप। यथा दैत्येन वृत्रेण भ्रष्टैश्वर्येण चेष्टितम् ॥१२-२७०-१३॥
O king, in this matter, listen attentively to the song that was sung long ago, describing how the Daitya Vṛtra acted after losing his sovereignty.
निर्जितेनासहायेन हृतराज्येन भारत। अशोचता शत्रुमध्ये बुद्धिमास्थाय केवलाम् ॥१२-२७०-१४॥
O Bhārata, though conquered, without allies, and deprived of his kingdom, he did not grieve; in the midst of enemies, he relied solely on his intellect.
भ्रष्टैश्वर्यं पुरा वृत्रमुशना वाक्यमब्रवीत्। कच्चित्पराजितस्याद्य न व्यथा तेऽस्ति दानव ॥१२-२७०-१५॥
Once, when Vṛtra had lost his sovereignty, Uśanā addressed him: "O Dānava, now that you are defeated, do you not feel any pain today?"
वृत्र उवाच॥
Vṛtra said.
सत्येन तपसा चैव विदित्वा सङ्क्षयं ह्यहम्। न शोचामि न हृष्यामि भूतानामागतिं गतिम् ॥१२-२७०-१६॥
By truth and austerity, having realized the destruction, I neither grieve nor rejoice at the coming or going of beings.
कालसञ्चोदिता जीवा मज्जन्ति नरकेऽवशाः। परिदृष्टानि सर्वाणि दिव्यान्याहुर्मनीषिणः ॥१२-२७०-१७॥
Driven by time, living beings helplessly sink into hell. The wise say that all the divine things have been seen.
क्षपयित्वा तु तं कालं गणितं कालचोदिताः। सावशेषेण कालेन सम्भवन्ति पुनः पुनः ॥१२-२७०-१८॥
But after spending that measured time, impelled by time, with the remaining time, they come into being again and again.
तिर्यग्योनिसहस्राणि गत्वा नरकमेव च। निर्गच्छन्त्यवशा जीवाः कालबन्धनबन्धनाः ॥१२-२७०-१९॥
Powerless living beings, bound by the bondage of time, depart after passing through thousands of animal wombs and hell.
एवं संसरमाणानि जीवान्यहमदृष्टवान्। यथा कर्म तथा लाभ इति शास्त्रनिदर्शनम् ॥१२-२७०-२०॥
In this way, I have observed living beings wandering according to their actions; as one acts, so one attains results—this is the teaching illustrated in the scriptures.
तिर्यग्गच्छन्ति नरकं मानुष्यं दैवमेव च। सुखदुःखे प्रियद्वेष्ये चरित्वा पूर्वमेव च ॥१२-२७०-२१॥
They pass into hell, human, or divine states, according to their previous actions in happiness and sorrow, in what is dear and hateful.
कृतान्तविधिसंयुक्तं सर्वलोकः प्रपद्यते। गतं गच्छन्ति चाध्वानं सर्वभूतानि सर्वदा ॥१२-२७०-२२॥
All worlds are subject to the decree of death. All beings always follow the path that has been traversed.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
कालसङ्ख्यानसङ्ख्यातं सृष्टिस्थितिपरायणम्। तं भाषमाणं भगवानुशना प्रत्यभाषत ॥ भीमान्दुष्टप्रलापांस्त्वं तात कस्मात्प्रभाषसे ॥१२-२७०-२३॥
The revered Uśanas (Śukra) replied to him, who was speaking of the enumeration of time, creation, and maintenance. "Dear one, why do you utter such terrible and evil ravings?"
वृत्र उवाच॥
Vṛtra said.
प्रत्यक्षमेतद्भवतस्तथान्येषां मनीषिणाम्। मया यज्जयलुब्धेन पुरा तप्तं महत्तपः ॥१२-२७०-२४॥
This is evident to you and to other wise men; formerly, I, desirous of victory, practiced great austerity.
गन्धानादाय भूतानां रसांश्च विविधानपि। अवर्धं त्रीन्समाक्रम्य लोकान्वै स्वेन तेजसा ॥१२-२७०-२५॥
Having seized the scents and various essences of beings, I grew, having conquered the three worlds by my own splendor.
ज्वालामालापरिक्षिप्तो वैहायसचरस्तथा। अजेयः सर्वभूतानामासं नित्यमपेतभीः ॥१२-२७०-२६॥
He was always surrounded by a garland of flames, moving through the sky, invincible among all beings, and ever free from fear.
ऐश्वर्यं तपसा प्राप्तं भ्रष्टं तच्च स्वकर्मभिः। धृतिमास्थाय भगवन्न शोचामि ततस्त्वहम् ॥१२-२७०-२७॥
O Lord, the sovereignty I obtained through austerity was lost due to my own actions; having resorted to steadfastness, therefore, I do not grieve, O Lord.
युयुत्सता महेन्द्रेण पुरा सार्धं महात्मना। ततो मे भगवान्दृष्टो हरिर्नारायणः प्रभुः ॥१२-२७०-२८॥
Long ago, when I wished to fight with Mahendra (Indra) together with the great-souled one, then the Lord Hari Nārāyaṇa, the master, appeared to me.
वैकुण्ठः पुरुषो विष्णुः शुक्लोऽनन्तः सनातनः। मुञ्जकेशो हरिश्मश्रुः सर्वभूतपितामहः ॥१२-२७०-२९॥
Vaikuṇṭha, the person Viṣṇu, who is white, infinite, eternal, with muñja grass-like hair and tawny beard, is the grandfather of all beings.
नूनं तु तस्य तपसः सावशेषं ममास्ति वै। यदहं प्रष्टुमिच्छामि भवन्तं कर्मणः फलम् ॥१२-२७०-३०॥
Certainly, however, I believe some portion of his austerity remains for me; therefore, I wish to ask you about the fruit of the action.
ऐश्वर्यं वै महद्ब्रह्मन्कस्मिन्वर्णे प्रतिष्ठितम्। निवर्तते चापि पुनः कथमैश्वर्यमुत्तमम् ॥१२-२७०-३१॥
O Brāhmaṇa, in which class is sovereignty established? And how does supreme sovereignty cease and arise again?
कस्माद्भूतानि जीवन्ति प्रवर्तन्तेऽथ वा पुनः। किं वा फलं परं प्राप्य जीवस्तिष्ठति शाश्वतः ॥१२-२७०-३२॥
From what do beings live and move again? Or, having attained the supreme fruit, does the living being remain eternal?
केन वा कर्मणा शक्यमथ ज्ञानेन केन वा। ब्रह्मर्षे तत्फलं प्राप्तुं तन्मे व्याख्यातुमर्हसि ॥१२-२७०-३३॥
O Brahmarshi, by what or by what action, or by what knowledge, is it possible to obtain that fruit? Please explain that to me.
इतीदमुक्तः स मुनिस्तदानीं; प्रत्याह यत्तच्छृणु राजसिंह। मयोच्यमानं पुरुषर्षभ त्व; मनन्यचित्तः सह सोदरीयैः ॥१२-२७०-३४॥
After this was said, the sage then replied: "Hear what it is, O king among lions. What I am about to say, O best of men, listen with an undistracted mind together with your brothers."
