12.279
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
[युधिष्ठिर (yudhiṣṭhira) - Yudhiṣṭhira; (proper noun, name of a person); उवाच (uvāca) - said; (from the root 'vac', to speak);]
(Yudhiṣṭhira said;)
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
अतः परं महाबाहो यच्छ्रेयस्तद्वदस्व मे। न तृप्याम्यमृतस्येव वचसस्ते पितामह ॥१२-२७९-१॥
ataḥ paraṃ mahābāho yacchreyastadvadasva me। na tṛpyāmyamṛtasyeva vacasaste pitāmaha ॥12-279-1॥
[अतः (ataḥ) - therefore; परम् (param) - further; beyond; महाबाहो (mahābāho) - O mighty-armed; यत् (yat) - what; श्रेयः (śreyas) - the best; auspicious; तत् (tat) - that; वद (vada) - speak; अस्व (asva) - to me; मे (me) - to me; न (na) - not; तृप्यामि (tṛpyāmi) - I am satisfied; अमृतस्य (amṛtasya) - of nectar; इव (iva) - like; वचसः (vacasah) - of speech; ते (te) - your; पितामह (pitāmaha) - O grandsire;]
(Therefore, O mighty-armed, tell me further what is best; I am not satisfied with your speech, O grandsire, just as (one is not satisfied) with nectar.)
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॥
kiṁ karma puruṣaḥ kṛtvā śubhaṁ puruṣasattama। śreyaḥ paramavāpnoti pretya ceha ca tadvad ॥12-279-2॥
[किं (kiṁ) - what; कर्म (karma) - action; पुरुषः (puruṣaḥ) - man; कृत्वा (kṛtvā) - having done; शुभं (śubham) - auspicious; पुरुषसत्तम (puruṣasattama) - O best of men; श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - highest good; परमवाप्नोति (paramavāpnoti) - attains the supreme; प्रेत्य (pretya) - after death; च (ca) - and; इह (iha) - here; च (ca) - and; तद्वद् (tadvad) - tell (me);]
(What action, having done, O best of men, does a man attain the highest good, both after death and here? Tell (me) that.)
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 uvāca॥
[भीष्म (bhīṣma) - Bhīṣma; (name of the speaker); उवाच (uvāca) - said; (he spoke);]
(Bhīṣma said;)
Bhīṣma said.
अत्र ते वर्तयिष्यामि यथा पूर्वं महायशाः। पराशरं महात्मानं पप्रच्छ जनको नृपः ॥१२-२७९-३॥
atra te vartayiṣyāmi yathā pūrvaṃ mahāyaśāḥ। parāśaraṃ mahātmānaṃ papraccha janako nṛpaḥ ॥12-279-3॥
[अत्र (atra) - here; ते (te) - to you; वर्तयिष्यामि (vartayiṣyāmi) - I shall relate; यथा (yathā) - as; पूर्वं (pūrvaṃ) - formerly; महायशाः (mahāyaśāḥ) - the greatly renowned one; पराशरं (parāśaram) - Parāśara; महात्मानं (mahātmānam) - the great-souled one; पप्रच्छ (papraccha) - asked; जनकः (janakaḥ) - Janaka; नृपः (nṛpaḥ) - the king;]
(Here to you I shall relate as formerly (did) the greatly renowned one. Parāśara, the great-souled one, Janaka the king asked.)
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॥
kiṃ śreyaḥ sarvabhūtānāmasmiṃlloke paratra ca। yadbhavetpratipattavyaṃ tadbhavānprabravītu me ॥12-279-4॥
[किं (kiṃ) - what; श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - highest good; सर्वभूतानाम् (sarvabhūtānām) - of all beings; अस्मिँल्लोके (asmiṃlloke) - in this world; परत्र (paratra) - in the next (world); च (ca) - and; यत् (yat) - which; भवेत् (bhavet) - may be; प्रतिपत्तव्यम् (pratipattavyam) - to be practiced; तत् (tat) - that; भवान् (bhavān) - you (honorific); प्रब्रवीतु (prabravītu) - may speak; मे (me) - to me;]
(What is the highest good of all beings in this world and the next, which may be to be practiced, that you may speak to me.)
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॥
tataḥ sa tapasā yuktaḥ sarvadharmavidhānavit। nṛpāyānugrahamanā munirvākyamathābravīt ॥12-279-5॥
[ततः (tataḥ) - then; स (sa) - he; तपसा (tapasā) - with austerity; युक्तः (yuktaḥ) - engaged; सर्वधर्मविधानवित् (sarvadharmavidhānavit) - knower of all dharma ordinances; नृपाय (nṛpāya) - to the king; अनुग्रहमना (anugrahamanā) - with a mind of favor; मुनिः (muniḥ) - the sage; वाक्यम् (vākyam) - speech; अथ (atha) - then; अब्रवीत् (abravīt) - spoke;]
(Then he, engaged in austerity, knower of all dharma ordinances, with a mind of favor to the king, the sage then spoke speech.)
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॥
dharma eva kṛtaḥ śreyān iha loke paratra ca। tasmād dhi paramaṃ nāsti yathā prāhur manīṣiṇaḥ ॥12-279-6॥
[धर्म (dharma) - righteousness; law; duty; एव (eva) - indeed; only; कृतः (kṛtaḥ) - performed; done; श्रेयान् (śreyān) - superior; better; इह (iha) - here; in this world; लोके (loke) - in the world; परत्र (paratra) - in the next world; hereafter; च (ca) - and; तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore; हि (hi) - indeed; परमम् (paramam) - supreme; highest; नास्ति (nāsti) - there is not; यथा (yathā) - as; just as; प्राहुः (prāhuḥ) - have said; मनीषिणः (manīṣiṇaḥ) - the wise; sages;]
(Righteousness indeed performed is superior here in this world and in the next; therefore indeed there is nothing supreme as the wise have said.)
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॥
pratipadya naro dharmaṃ svargaloke mahīyate। dharmātmakaḥ karmavidhirdehināṃ nṛpasattama ॥ tasminnāśramiṇaḥ santaḥ svakarmāṇīha kurvate ॥12-279-7॥
[प्रतिपद्य (pratipadya) - having undertaken; नरः (naraḥ) - man; धर्मम् (dharmaṃ) - righteousness; स्वर्गलोके (svargaloke) - in the heavenly world; महीयते (mahīyate) - is honored; धर्मात्मकः (dharmātmakaḥ) - whose essence is righteousness; कर्मविधिः (karmavidhiḥ) - prescription of actions; देहिनाम् (dehinām) - of embodied beings; नृपसत्तम (nṛpasattama) - O best of kings; तस्मिन् (tasmin) - in that; आश्रमिणः (āśramiṇaḥ) - those dwelling in āśrama; सन्तः (santaḥ) - the virtuous; स्वकर्माणि (svakarmāṇi) - their own actions; इह (iha) - here; कुर्वते (kurvate) - perform;]
(Having undertaken righteousness, a man is honored in the heavenly world. O best of kings, the prescription of actions whose essence is righteousness is for embodied beings. In that, those dwelling in āśrama, the virtuous, perform their own actions here.)
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॥
caturvidhā hi lokasya yātrā tāta vidhīyate। martyā yatrāvatiṣṭhante sā ca kāmātpravartate ॥12-279-8॥
[चतुर्विधा (caturvidhā) - of four kinds; हि (hi) - indeed; लोकस्य (lokasya) - of the world; यात्रा (yātrā) - journey; तात (tāta) - O dear one; विधीयते (vidhīyate) - is arranged; मर्त्याः (martyāḥ) - mortals; यत्र (yatra) - where; अवतिष्ठन्ते (avatiṣṭhante) - stand; सा (sā) - that; च (ca) - and; कामात् (kāmāt) - from desire; प्रवर्तते (pravartate) - proceeds;]
(Of four kinds indeed the journey of the world, O dear one, is arranged. Where mortals stand, that also proceeds from desire.)
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॥
sukṛtāsukṛtaṃ karma niṣevya vividhaiḥ kramaiḥ। daśārdhapravibhaktānāṃ bhūtānāṃ bahudhā gatiḥ॥12-279-9॥
[सुकृत (sukṛta) - good deed; असुकृतं (asukṛtaṃ) - bad deed; कर्म (karma) - action; निषेव्य (niṣevya) - having been performed; विविधैः (vividhaiḥ) - by various; क्रमैः (kramaiḥ) - methods; दशार्ध (daśārdha) - ten and half (i.e., ten parts and a half); प्रविभक्तानां (pravibhaktānāṃ) - of those divided; भूतानां (bhūtānāṃ) - of beings; बहुधा (bahudhā) - in many ways; गतिः (gatiḥ) - course;]
(Good and bad actions, having been performed by various methods, for beings divided into ten and a half (parts), the course (is) manifold.)
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॥
sauvarṇaṃ rājataṃ vāpi yathā bhāṇḍaṃ niṣicyate। tathā niṣicyate jantuḥ pūrvakarmavaśānugaḥ ॥12-279-10॥
[सौवर्णं (sauvarṇam) - golden; राजतं (rājatam) - silver; वा (vā) - or; अपि (api) - also; यथा (yathā) - just as; भाण्डं (bhāṇḍam) - vessel; निषिच्यते (niṣicyate) - is poured; तथा (tathā) - so; निषिच्यते (niṣicyate) - is poured; जन्तुः (jantuḥ) - creature; पूर्वकर्म (pūrvakarma) - previous action; वशानुगः (vaśānugaḥ) - following the influence;]
(Golden, silver, or also, just as a vessel is poured, so is poured a creature, following the influence of previous action.)
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॥
nābījājjāyate kiñcinnākṛtvā sukhamedhate. sukṛtī vindati sukhaṃ prāpya dehakṣayaṃ naraḥ ॥12-279-11॥
[न (na) - not; अबीजात् (abījāt) - from a non-seed; जायते (jāyate) - is born; किञ्चित् (kiñcit) - anything; न (na) - not; अकृत्वा (akṛtvā) - without doing; सुखम् (sukham) - happiness; एधते (edhate) - increases; सुकृती (sukṛtī) - the virtuous one; विन्दति (vindati) - obtains; सुखम् (sukham) - happiness; प्राप्य (prāpya) - having attained; देहक्षयम् (dehakṣayam) - body's destruction; नरः (naraḥ) - man;]
(Not from a non-seed is anything born; not without doing does happiness increase. The virtuous one obtains happiness, having attained the destruction of the body, the man.)
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॥
daivaṃ tāta na paśyāmi nāsti daivasya sādhanam। svabhāvato hi saṃsiddhā devagandharvadānavāḥ ॥12-279-12॥
[दैवं (daivam) - fate; divine influence; तात (tāta) - O dear one; father; न (na) - not; पश्यामि (paśyāmi) - I see; नास्ति (nāsti) - there is not; दैवस्य (daivasya) - of fate; of the divine; साधनम् (sādhanam) - means; instrument; स्वभावतः (svabhāvataḥ) - by nature; हि (hi) - indeed; संसिद्धाः (saṃsiddhāḥ) - perfected; accomplished; देवगन्धर्वदानवाः (devagandharvadānavāḥ) - gods, gandharvas, and dānavas;]
(Fate, O dear one, I do not see; there is no means of fate. By nature indeed perfected are the gods, gandharvas, and dānavas.)
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॥
pretya jātikṛtaṃ karma na smaranti sadā janāḥ। te vai tasya phalaprāptau karma cāpi caturvidham ॥12-279-13॥
[प्रेत्य (pretya) - having died; जाति (jāti) - birth; कृतं (kṛtaṃ) - done; कर्म (karma) - action; न (na) - not; स्मरन्ति (smaranti) - remember; सदा (sadā) - always; जनाः (janāḥ) - people; ते (te) - they; वै (vai) - indeed; तस्य (tasya) - of him; फलप्राप्तौ (phalaprāptau) - in the attainment of the result; कर्म (karma) - action; च (ca) - and; अपि (api) - also; चतुर्विधम् (caturvidham) - fourfold; १२-२७९-१३ (12-279-13) - 12-279-13;]
(Having died, people do not always remember the actions done in birth. They indeed, at the attainment of its result, also (remember) the fourfold action.)
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॥
lokayātrāśrayaś caiva śabdo vedāśrayaḥ kṛtaḥ। śāntyarthaṃ manasas tāta naitad vṛddhānuśāsanam ॥12-279-14॥
[लोकयात्रा (lokayātrā) - worldly conduct; आश्रयः (āśrayaḥ) - support; च (ca) - and; एव (eva) - indeed; शब्दः (śabdaḥ) - word; वेदाश्रयः (vedāśrayaḥ) - having the Veda as support; कृतः (kṛtaḥ) - made; शान्त्यर्थम् (śāntyartham) - for the sake of peace; मनसः (manasaḥ) - of the mind; तात (tāta) - dear one; न (na) - not; एतत् (etat) - this; वृद्ध (vṛddha) - of the elders; अनुशासनम् (anuśāsanam) - instruction;]
(The word, indeed, is made as the support of worldly conduct, having the Veda as its support; for the sake of peace of mind, dear one, this is not the instruction of the elders.)
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॥
cakṣuṣā manasā vācā karmaṇā ca caturvidham। kurute yādṛśaṃ karma tādṛśaṃ pratipadyate ॥12-279-15॥
[चक्षुषा (cakṣuṣā) - by the eye; मनसा (manasā) - by the mind; वाचा (vācā) - by speech; कर्मणा (karmaṇā) - by action; च (ca) - and; चतुर्विधम् (caturvidham) - fourfold; कुरुते (kurute) - does; यादृशं (yādṛśaṃ) - of whatever kind; कर्म (karma) - action; तादृशं (tādṛśaṃ) - of that kind; प्रतिपद्यते (pratipadyate) - obtains;]
(By the eye, by the mind, by speech, and by action, fourfold, whatever kind of action one does, of that kind one obtains.)
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॥
nirantaraṃ ca miśraṃ ca phalate karma pārthiva। kalyāṇaṃ yadi vā pāpaṃ na tu nāśo'sya vidyate ॥12-279-16॥
[निरन्तरं (nirantaram) - without interruption; च (ca) - and; मिश्रं (miśram) - mixed; च (ca) - and; फलते (phalate) - bears fruit; कर्म (karma) - action; पार्थिव (pārthiva) - O king; कल्याणं (kalyāṇam) - auspicious; यदि (yadi) - if; वा (vā) - or; पापं (pāpam) - sinful; न (na) - not; तु (tu) - but; नाशः (nāśaḥ) - destruction; अस्य (asya) - of this; विद्यते (vidyate) - exists;]
(Without interruption and mixed, action bears fruit, O king; whether auspicious or sinful, but destruction of this does not exist.)
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॥
kadācitsukṛtaṃ tāta kūṭasthamiva tiṣṭhati। majjamānasya saṃsāre yāvadduḥkhādvimucyate ॥12-279-17॥
[कदाचित् (kadācit) - at some time; सुकृतम् (sukṛtam) - good deed; तात (tāta) - dear one; कूटस्थम् (kūṭastham) - unchanging; इव (iva) - like; तिष्ठति (tiṣṭhati) - remains; मज्जमानस्य (majjamānasya) - of one who is sinking; संसारे (saṃsāre) - in saṃsāra; यावत् (yāvat) - until; दुःखात् (duḥkhāt) - from suffering; विमुच्यते (vimucyate) - is released;]
(At some time, a good deed, dear one, remains like the unchanging (anvil); of one who is sinking in saṃsāra, until he is released from suffering.)
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॥
tato duḥkha-kṣayaṃ kṛtvā sukṛtaṃ karma sevate। sukṛta-kṣayād duṣkṛtaṃ ca tad viddhi manujādhipa ॥12-279-18॥
[ततः (tataḥ) - then; दुःखक्षयम् (duḥkha-kṣayam) - destruction of suffering; कृत्वा (kṛtvā) - having done; सुकृतम् (sukṛtam) - good deed; कर्म (karma) - action; सेवते (sevate) - serves; सुकृतक्षयात् (sukṛta-kṣayāt) - from the exhaustion of good deeds; दुष्कृतम् (duṣkṛtam) - bad deed; च (ca) - and; तत् (tat) - that; विद्धि (viddhi) - know; मनुजाधिप (manujādhipa) - O king of men;]
(Then, having destroyed suffering, he performs good deeds; from the exhaustion of good deeds, he performs bad deeds also—know that, O king of men.)
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॥
damaḥ kṣamā dhṛtis tejaḥ santoṣaḥ satyavāditā। hrīr ahiṃsāvyasanitā dākṣyaṃ ceti sukhāvahāḥ ॥12-279-19॥
[दमः (damaḥ) - self-restraint; क्षमा (kṣamā) - forbearance; धृतिः (dhṛtiḥ) - steadfastness; तेजः (tejaḥ) - vital energy; सन्तोषः (santoṣaḥ) - contentment; सत्यवादिता (satyavāditā) - truthfulness; ह्रीः (hrīḥ) - modesty; अहिंसा (ahiṃsā) - non-violence; अव्यसनिता (avyasanitā) - freedom from vice; दाक्ष्यम् (dākṣyam) - dexterity; च (ca) - and; इति (iti) - thus; सुखावहाः (sukhāvahāḥ) - bringers of happiness;]
(Self-restraint, forbearance, steadfastness, vital energy, contentment, truthfulness, modesty, non-violence, freedom from vice, dexterity, and thus, bringers of happiness.)
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॥
duṣkṛte sukṛte vāpi na janturayato bhavet। nityaṃ manaḥsamādhāne prayateta vicakṣaṇaḥ ॥12-279-20॥
[दुष्कृते (duṣkṛte) - in evil deed; सुकृते (sukṛte) - in good deed; वा (vā) - or; अपि (api) - even; न (na) - not; जन्तुः (jantuḥ) - creature; अयतः (ayataḥ) - from (these); भवेत् (bhavet) - becomes; नित्यं (nityaṃ) - always; मनःसमाधाने (manaḥ-samādhāne) - in concentration of mind; प्रयतेत (prayateta) - should strive; विचक्षणः (vicakṣaṇaḥ) - the wise;]
(In evil deed, in good deed, or even, not a creature from (these) becomes. Always, in concentration of mind, should strive, the wise.)
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॥
nāyaṃ parasya sukṛtaṃ duṣkṛtaṃ vāpi sevate। karoti yādṛśaṃ karma tādṛśaṃ pratipadyate ॥12-279-21॥
[न (na) - not; अयम् (ayam) - this (person); परस्य (parasya) - of another; सुकृतम् (sukṛtam) - good deed; दुष्कृतम् (duṣkṛtam) - bad deed; वा (vā) - or; अपि (api) - even; सेवते (sevate) - experiences; करोति (karoti) - does; यादृशम् (yādṛśam) - of what kind; कर्म (karma) - action; तादृशम् (tādṛśam) - of that kind; प्रतिपद्यते (pratipadyate) - obtains;]
(Not this (person) of another good deed bad deed or even experiences. Does of what kind action of that kind obtains.)
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॥
sukhaduḥkhe samādhāya pumān anyena gacchati। anyenaiva janaḥ sarvaḥ saṅgato yaś ca pārthiva ॥12-279-22॥
[सुख (sukha) - happiness; दुःखे (duḥkhe) - in sorrow; समाधाय (samādhāya) - having composed (the mind); पुमान् (pumān) - a man; अन्येन (anyena) - by another (way/state); गच्छति (gacchati) - goes; अन्येनैव (anyenaiva) - by another indeed; जनः (janaḥ) - person; सर्वः (sarvaḥ) - all; सङ्गतः (saṅgataḥ) - associated (with); यः (yaḥ) - who; च (ca) - and; पार्थिव (pārthiva) - king;]
(Having composed (the mind) in happiness and sorrow, a man goes by another (way/state). Indeed, every person, all who are associated, and the king (go) by another (way/state).)
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॥
pareṣāṃ yadasūyeta na tatkuryātsvayaṃ naraḥ। yo hyasūyustathāyuktaḥ so'vahāsaṃ niyacchati ॥12-279-23॥
[परेषाम् (pareṣām) - of others; यत् (yat) - which; असूयेत् (asūyeta) - should envy; न (na) - not; तत् (tat) - that; कुर्यात् (kuryāt) - should do; स्वयम् (svayam) - oneself; नरः (naraḥ) - a man; यः (yaḥ) - who; हि (hi) - indeed; असूयुः (asūyuḥ) - envious person; तथा (tathā) - thus; युक्तः (yuktaḥ) - engaged; सः (saḥ) - he; अवहासम् (avahāsam) - ridicule; नियच्छति (niyacchati) - restrains;]
(A man should not do himself that which he would find fault with in others. For he who is thus engaged in envy indeed restrains ridicule.)
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॥
bhīrū rājanyo brāhmaṇaḥ sarvabhakṣo; vaiśyo'nīhāvānhīnavarṇo'lasashca. vidvāṁścāśīlo vṛttahīnaḥ kulīnaḥ; satyādbhraṣṭo brāhmaṇaḥ strī ca duṣṭā ॥12-279-24॥
[भीरू (bhīrū) - cowardly; राजन्यः (rājanyaḥ) - kṣatriya; ब्राह्मणः (brāhmaṇaḥ) - brāhmaṇa; सर्वभक्षः (sarvabhakṣaḥ) - omnivorous; वैश्यः (vaiśyaḥ) - vaiśya; अनीहावान् (anīhāvān) - without effort; हीनवर्णः (hīnavarṇaḥ) - of low caste; अलसः (alasaḥ) - lazy; च (ca) - and; विद्वान् (vidvān) - learned; च (ca) - and; अशीलः (aśīlaḥ) - without character; वृत्तहीनः (vṛttahīnaḥ) - devoid of conduct; कुलीनः (kulīnaḥ) - of noble family; सत्यात् (satyāt) - from truth; भ्रष्टः (bhraṣṭaḥ) - fallen; ब्राह्मणः (brāhmaṇaḥ) - brāhmaṇa; स्त्री (strī) - woman; च (ca) - and; दुष्टा (duṣṭā) - wicked;]
(Cowardly is the kṣatriya; the brāhmaṇa is omnivorous; the vaiśya is without effort, of low caste, and lazy; the learned one is without character, devoid of conduct, of noble family; fallen from truth is the brāhmaṇa, and the woman is wicked.)
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॥
rāgī muktaḥ pacamāno''tmaheto; rmūrkho vaktā nṛpahīnaṃ ca rāṣṭram। ete sarve śocyatāṃ yānti rāj; nyaścāyuktaḥ snehahīnaḥ prajāsu ॥12-279-25॥
[रागी (rāgī) - one who is attached; मुक्तः (muktaḥ) - liberated; पचमानः (pacamānaḥ) - one who is cooking; आत्महेतोः (ātmahetoḥ) - for one's own sake; मूर्खः (mūrkhaḥ) - fool; वक्ता (vaktā) - speaker; नृपहीनम् (nṛpahīnam) - without a king; च (ca) - and; राष्ट्रम् (rāṣṭram) - kingdom; एते (ete) - these; सर्वे (sarve) - all; शोच्यताम् (śocyatām) - to be pitied; यान्ति (yānti) - go; राज्ञः (rājñaḥ) - of the king; च (ca) - and; अयुक्तः (ayuktaḥ) - improper; स्नेहहीनः (snehahīnaḥ) - devoid of affection; प्रजासु (prajāsu) - towards the subjects;]
(One who is attached, liberated, one who is cooking for his own sake, a fool, a speaker, a kingdom without a king; all these go to be pitied; and a king who is improper, devoid of affection towards the subjects.)
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.
