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युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
अतः परं महाबाहो यच्छ्रेयस्तद्वदस्व मे। न तृप्याम्यमृतस्येव वचसस्ते पितामह ॥१२-२७९-१॥
Therefore, O mighty-armed one, please tell me further what is best; I am not satisfied with your words, O grandsire, just as one is never satisfied with nectar.
किं कर्म पुरुषः कृत्वा शुभं पुरुषसत्तम। श्रेयः परमवाप्नोति प्रेत्य चेह च तद्वद ॥१२-२७९-२॥
O best of men, what is the action that, when performed, enables a man to attain the highest good both in this world and after death? Please tell me that.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
अत्र ते वर्तयिष्यामि यथा पूर्वं महायशाः। पराशरं महात्मानं पप्रच्छ जनको नृपः ॥१२-२७९-३॥
Here I will tell you as it was formerly told by the greatly renowned one. King Janaka asked the great-souled Parāśara.
किं श्रेयः सर्वभूतानामस्मिँल्लोके परत्र च। यद्भवेत्प्रतिपत्तव्यं तद्भवान्प्रब्रवीतु मे ॥१२-२७९-४॥
Please tell me what is the highest good for all beings in this world and the next, which should be practiced.
ततः स तपसा युक्तः सर्वधर्मविधानवित्। नृपायानुग्रहमना मुनिर्वाक्यमथाब्रवीत् ॥१२-२७९-५॥
Then the sage, who was engaged in austerity and knew all ordinances of dharma, with a mind favoring the king, spoke these words.
धर्म एव कृतः श्रेयानिह लोके परत्र च। तस्माद्धि परमं नास्ति यथा प्राहुर्मनीषिणः ॥१२-२७९-६॥
The wise have said that performing righteousness is the highest both in this world and the next; therefore, nothing surpasses it.
प्रतिपद्य नरो धर्मं स्वर्गलोके महीयते। धर्मात्मकः कर्मविधिर्देहिनां नृपसत्तम ॥ तस्मिन्नाश्रमिणः सन्तः स्वकर्माणीह कुर्वते ॥१२-२७९-७॥
When a man undertakes righteousness, he is honored in heaven. O best of kings, the prescription of actions rooted in righteousness is for embodied beings. There, the virtuous who dwell in āśramas perform their own duties here.
चतुर्विधा हि लोकस्य यात्रा तात विधीयते। मर्त्या यत्रावतिष्ठन्ते सा च कामात्प्रवर्तते ॥१२-२७९-८॥
O dear one, the journey of the world is of four kinds. Wherever mortals stand, that too is driven by desire.
सुकृतासुकृतं कर्म निषेव्य विविधैः क्रमैः। दशार्धप्रविभक्तानां भूतानां बहुधा गतिः ॥१२-२७९-९॥
Beings, divided into ten and a half categories, follow many courses as a result of performing good and bad actions by various methods.
सौवर्णं राजतं वापि यथा भाण्डं निषिच्यते। तथा निषिच्यते जन्तुः पूर्वकर्मवशानुगः ॥१२-२७९-१०॥
Just as a vessel of gold or silver is filled, so too is a creature embodied according to the influence of previous actions.
नाबीजाज्जायते किञ्चिन्नाकृत्वा सुखमेधते। सुकृती विन्दति सुखं प्राप्य देहक्षयं नरः ॥१२-२७९-११॥
Nothing is born from a non-seed; happiness does not increase without effort. The virtuous person attains happiness, and after the destruction of the body, the man achieves it.
दैवं तात न पश्यामि नास्ति दैवस्य साधनम्। स्वभावतो हि संसिद्धा देवगन्धर्वदानवाः ॥१२-२७९-१२॥
O dear one, I do not see fate; there is no means to attain fate. The gods, gandharvas, and dānavas are perfected by their very nature.
प्रेत्य जातिकृतं कर्म न स्मरन्ति सदा जनाः। ते वै तस्य फलप्राप्तौ कर्म चापि चतुर्विधम् ॥१२-२७९-१३॥
After death, people do not always remember the actions performed in their previous birth. Only when the results of those actions are attained do they recall the fourfold nature of karma.
लोकयात्राश्रयश्चैव शब्दो वेदाश्रयः कृतः। शान्त्यर्थं मनसस्तात नैतद्वृद्धानुशासनम् ॥१२-२७९-१४॥
Dear one, the word is established as the basis for worldly conduct, relying on the Veda; this is intended for the peace of mind, not merely as the instruction of the elders.
चक्षुषा मनसा वाचा कर्मणा च चतुर्विधम्। कुरुते यादृशं कर्म तादृशं प्रतिपद्यते ॥१२-२७९-१५॥
Whatever actions a person performs in four ways—by the eye, mind, speech, and action—of that very kind are the results they receive.
निरन्तरं च मिश्रं च फलते कर्म पार्थिव। कल्याणं यदि वा पापं न तु नाशोऽस्य विद्यते ॥१२-२७९-१६॥
O king, actions continuously and in mixed forms bear fruit; whether auspicious or sinful, their destruction does not occur.
कदाचित्सुकृतं तात कूटस्थमिव तिष्ठति। मज्जमानस्य संसारे यावद्दुःखाद्विमुच्यते ॥१२-२७९-१७॥
Sometimes, O dear one, a good deed remains steadfast like an anvil; for one who is sinking in saṃsāra, it endures until he is freed from suffering.
ततो दुःखक्षयं कृत्वा सुकृतं कर्म सेवते। सुकृतक्षयाद्दुष्कृतं च तद्विद्धि मनुजाधिप ॥१२-२७९-१८॥
After removing suffering, a person engages in good actions; but when the merit of good deeds is exhausted, he turns to bad deeds—know this, O king of men.
दमः क्षमा धृतिस्तेजः सन्तोषः सत्यवादिता। ह्रीरहिंसाव्यसनिता दाक्ष्यं चेति सुखावहाः ॥१२-२७९-१९॥
Self-restraint, forbearance, steadfastness, energy, contentment, truthfulness, modesty, non-violence, freedom from vice, and dexterity are qualities that bring happiness.
दुष्कृते सुकृते वापि न जन्तुरयतो भवेत्। नित्यं मनःसमाधाने प्रयतेत विचक्षणः ॥१२-२७९-२०॥
A creature does not become (what he is) from evil or good deeds alone. The wise should always strive for concentration of mind.
नायं परस्य सुकृतं दुष्कृतं वापि सेवते। करोति यादृशं कर्म तादृशं प्रतिपद्यते ॥१२-२७९-२१॥
A person does not experience the good or bad deeds of another; whatever kind of action one does, that kind one obtains.
सुखदुःखे समाधाय पुमानन्येन गच्छति। अन्येनैव जनः सर्वः सङ्गतो यश्च पार्थिव ॥१२-२७९-२२॥
When a man composes his mind in both happiness and sorrow, he proceeds differently. Likewise, every person, all who are associated, and even the king, each go their own way.
परेषां यदसूयेत न तत्कुर्यात्स्वयं नरः। यो ह्यसूयुस्तथायुक्तः सोऽवहासं नियच्छति ॥१२-२७९-२३॥
One should not act in a way toward others that one would criticize in them. For a person who is envious in this way restrains ridicule.
भीरू राजन्यो ब्राह्मणः सर्वभक्षो; वैश्योऽनीहावान्हीनवर्णोऽलसश्च। विद्वांश्चाशीलो वृत्तहीनः कुलीनः; सत्याद्भ्रष्टो ब्राह्मणः स्त्री च दुष्टा ॥१२-२७९-२४॥
A kṣatriya who is cowardly, a brāhmaṇa who eats anything, a vaiśya who is lazy, of low caste, and without effort, a learned person without character or conduct though of noble family, a brāhmaṇa fallen from truth, and a wicked woman—these are all condemned.
रागी मुक्तः पचमानोऽऽत्महेतो; र्मूर्खो वक्ता नृपहीनं च राष्ट्रम्। एते सर्वे शोच्यतां यान्ति राज; न्यश्चायुक्तः स्नेहहीनः प्रजासु ॥१२-२७९-२५॥
Those who are attached, those who are liberated, those who cook for themselves, fools, speakers, and a kingdom without a king—all these are to be pitied; as is a king who is improper and devoid of affection for his subjects.
