12.275
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
śokādduḥkhācca mṛtyośca trasyanti prāṇinaḥ sadā। ubhayaṃ me yathā na syāttanme brūhi pitāmaha ॥12-275-1॥
O grandsire, tell me that by which neither sorrow nor pain nor death may affect me, so that I may not be subject to either.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
atraivodāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam। nāradasya ca saṃvādaṃ samaṅgasya ca bhārata ॥12-275-2॥
O Bhārata, right here is cited this ancient history, the dialogue between Nārada and Samaṅga.
nārada uvāca॥
Nārada said.
uraseva praṇamase bāhubhyāṃ tarasīva ca। samprahṛṣṭamanā nityaṃ viśoka iva lakṣyase ॥12-275-3॥
You seem to bow with your chest, and with your arms as if with force; you always appear with a delighted mind, as if without sorrow.
udvegaṃ neha te kiñcit susūkṣmam api lakṣaye। nityatṛpta iva svastho bālavac ca viceṣṭase ॥12-275-4॥
I do not perceive even the slightest subtle agitation in you here. You act as if ever-content, self-possessed, and like a child.
samaṅga uvāca॥
Samaṅga said.
bhūtaṃ bhavyaṃ bhaviṣyacca sarvaṃ sattveṣu mānada। teṣāṃ tattvāni jānāmi tato na vimanā hyaham ॥12-275-5॥
O bestower of honor, I know the principles of all beings — past, future, and what is to come; therefore, I am indeed not distressed.
upakramānahaṃ veda punareva phalodayān। loke phalāni citrāṇi tato na vimanā hyaham ॥12-275-6॥
I know the beginnings and also the arising of fruits again; in this world, the fruits are varied; therefore, I am not at all disheartened.
agādhāś cāpratiṣṭhāś ca gatimantaś ca nārada| andhā jaḍāś ca jīvanti paśyāsmān api jīvataḥ ॥12-275-7॥
O Nārada, even those who are bottomless, unstable, moving, blind, and dull live; look at us, we too are living.
vihitenaiva jīvanti arogāṅgā divaukasaḥ। balavanto'balāścaiva tadvadasmān sabhājaya ॥12-275-8॥
Even the gods with healthy bodies live only by what is ordained; both the strong and the weak, honor us in the same way.
sahasriṇaś ca jīvanti jīvanti śatinaś tathā। śākena cānye jīvanti paśyāsmān api jīvataḥ ॥12-275-9॥
Those who possess thousands live, those with hundreds also live; others live on vegetables—see, we too are living.
yadā na śocemahi kiṃ nu na syā; dharmeṇa vā nārada karmaṇā vā। kṛtāntavaśyāni yadā sukhāni; duḥkhāni vā yan na vidharṣayanti ॥12-275-10॥
O Nārada, when we do not grieve, what could not be accomplished by dharma or by action? When pleasures or sorrows, which are subject to death, do not oppress us.
yasmai prajñāṃ kathayante manuṣyāḥ; prajñāmūlo hīndriyāṇāṃ prasādaḥ। muhyanti śocanti yadindriyāṇi; prajñālābho nāsti mūḍhendriyasya ॥12-275-11॥
Men speak of wisdom to one who is receptive; for clarity of the senses is indeed rooted in wisdom. When the senses are confused and distressed, there can be no attainment of wisdom for one whose senses are deluded.
mūḍhasya darpaḥ sa punarmoha eva; mūḍhasya nāyaṃ na paro'sti lokaḥ। na hyeva duḥkhāni sadā bhavanti; sukhasya vā nityaśo lābha eva ॥12-275-12॥
For the deluded, arrogance is nothing but delusion again; for the deluded, neither this world nor the next exists. Sorrows do not always persist, nor is happiness always gained.
bhāvātmakaṃ samparivartamānaṃ; na mādṛśaḥ sañjvaraṃ jātu kuryāt. iṣṭānbhogānnānurudhyetsukhaṃ vā; na cintayedduḥkhamabhyāgataṃ vā ॥12-275-13॥
One such as I, knowing the emotional and ever-changing nature of things, should never succumb to affliction. One should not pursue desired enjoyments or happiness, nor dwell on sorrow that has come.
samāhito na spṛhayed pareṣām; nānāgataṃ nābhinandeta lābham। na cāpi hṛṣyed vipule'rthalābhe; tathārthanāśe ca na vai viṣīdet ॥12-275-14॥
A self-possessed person should not covet what belongs to others, nor delight in gains that are yet to come. He should not be elated by abundant wealth, nor should he be dejected by its loss.
na bāndhavā na ca vittaṃ na kaulī; na ca śrutaṃ na ca mantrā na vīryam. duḥkhāttrātuṃ sarva evotsahante; paratra śīle na tu yānti śāntim ॥12-275-15॥
Neither relatives, nor wealth, nor family lineage, nor learning, nor mantras, nor strength—though all strive to protect one from suffering, in the next world, only virtue leads to peace, not these others.
nāsti buddhirayuktasya nāyogādvidyate sukham। dhṛtiśca duḥkhatyāgaścāpyubhayaṃ naḥ sukhodayam ॥12-275-16॥
For one who is unrestrained, there is no intellect; nor is there happiness without discipline. Steadfastness and the abandonment of suffering—both, for us, are the source of happiness.
priyaṃ hi harṣajananaṃ harṣa utsekavardhanaḥ। utseko narakāyaiva tasmāttaṃ santyajāmyaham ॥12-275-17॥
What is dear is indeed a source of joy, but joy increases arrogance. Arrogance leads only to hell; therefore, I abandon it.
etāñśokabhayotsekānmohanānsukhaduḥkhayoḥ। paśyāmi sākṣivalloke dehasyāsya viceṣṭanāt ॥12-275-18॥
I observe all these sorrows, fears, arrogances, delusions, and the states of pleasure and pain, as a witness in the world, arising from the activity of this body.
arthakāmau parityajya viśoko vigatajvaraḥ। tṛṣṇāmohau tu santyajya carāmi pṛthivīmimām ॥12-275-19॥
Having given up wealth and desire, and being free from sorrow and affliction, but having also completely abandoned craving and delusion, I wander this earth.
na mṛtyuto na cādharmānna lobhānna kutaścana। pītāmṛtasyevātyantamiha cāmutra vā bhayam ॥12-275-20॥
There is no fear here or hereafter, not from death, unrighteousness, greed, or from anywhere, just as for one who has drunk nectar.
etad brahman vijānāmi mahat kṛtvā tapo'vyayam। tena nārada samprāpto na māṃ śokaḥ prabādhate ॥12-275-21॥
O Brahman, I know this: Having performed great and imperishable austerity, by that, O Nārada, I have attained (the state), and thus sorrow does not afflict me.
