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भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
मृगयां विचरन्कश्चिद्विजने जनकात्मजः। वने ददर्श विप्रेन्द्रमृषिं वंशधरं भृगोः ॥१२-२९७-१॥
While hunting in the forest, the son of Janaka, wandering alone, saw the foremost Brāhmaṇa sage, a descendant of Bhṛgu's lineage.
तमासीनमुपासीनः प्रणम्य शिरसा मुनिम्। पश्चादनुमतस्तेन पप्रच्छ वसुमानिदम् ॥१२-२९७-२॥
Vasumān, after approaching and bowing with his head to the seated sage, and having received his permission, asked him this.
भगवन्किमिदं श्रेयः प्रेत्य वापीह वा भवेत्। पुरुषस्याध्रुवे देहे कामस्य वशवर्तिनः ॥१२-२९७-३॥
O revered one, what is truly the highest good—after death or even here—for a person whose body is impermanent and who is subject to the sway of desire?
सत्कृत्य परिपृष्टः सन्सुमहात्मा महातपाः। निजगाद ततस्तस्मै श्रेयस्करमिदं वचः ॥१२-२९७-४॥
After duly honouring and being questioned, the great-souled ascetic then spoke these beneficial words to him.
मनसोऽप्रतिकूलानि प्रेत्य चेह च वाञ्छसि। भूतानां प्रतिकूलेभ्यो निवर्तस्व यतेन्द्रियः ॥१२-२९७-५॥
If you wish for what is agreeable to the mind, both in this world and after death, O self-controlled one, desist from hostility towards living beings.
धर्मः सतां हितः पुंसां धर्मश्चैवाश्रयः सताम्। धर्माल्लोकास्त्रयस्तात प्रवृत्ताः सचराचराः ॥१२-२९७-६॥
Righteousness benefits the virtuous and all people; it is also the refuge of the good. O dear one, from righteousness, the three worlds, with all their moving and unmoving beings, have come into existence.
स्वादुकामुक कामानां वैतृष्ण्यं किं न गच्छसि। मधु पश्यसि दुर्बुद्धे प्रपातं नानुपश्यसि ॥१२-२९७-७॥
O dull-minded one, desiring the sweetness of desires, why do you not seek freedom from craving? You see the honey, but you do not see the precipice.
यथा ज्ञाने परिचयः कर्तव्यस्तत्फलार्थिना। तथा धर्मे परिचयः कर्तव्यस्तत्फलार्थिना ॥१२-२९७-८॥
Just as one who desires the fruit should become acquainted with knowledge, so too, one who desires the fruit should become acquainted with dharma.
असता धर्मकामेन विशुद्धं कर्म दुष्करम्। सता तु धर्मकामेन सुकरं कर्म दुष्करम् ॥१२-२९७-९॥
For one who is not virtuous, even pure actions performed with a desire for righteousness are difficult; but for the virtuous who desire righteousness, even difficult actions become easy.
वने ग्राम्यसुखाचारो यथा ग्राम्यस्तथैव सः। ग्रामे वनसुखाचारो यथा वनचरस्तथा ॥१२-२९७-१०॥
A person who seeks village comforts while living in the forest is no different from a villager; similarly, one who seeks forest comforts while living in the village is just like a forest-dweller.
मनोवाक्कर्मके धर्मे कुरु श्रद्धां समाहितः। निवृत्तौ वा प्रवृत्तौ वा सम्प्रधार्य गुणागुणान् ॥१२-२९७-११॥
Be steadfast in faith in the righteousness of mind, speech, and actions. Whether withdrawing or engaging, act after thoroughly considering both qualities and faults.
नित्यं च बहु दातव्यं साधुभ्यश्चानसूयता। प्रार्थितं व्रतशौचाभ्यां सत्कृतं देशकालयोः ॥१२-२९७-१२॥
One should always give generously to the virtuous without envy; what is requested should be given with purity and observance of vows, and honored according to place and time.
शुभेन विधिना लब्धमर्हाय प्रतिपादयेत्। क्रोधमुत्सृज्य दत्त्वा च नानुतप्येन्न कीर्तयेत् ॥१२-२९७-१३॥
One should give what is obtained by virtuous means to the deserving, abandoning anger; having given, one should neither regret nor boast about it.
अनृशंसः शुचिर्दान्तः सत्यवागार्जवे स्थितः। योनिकर्मविशुद्धश्च पात्रं स्याद्वेदविद्द्विजः ॥१२-२९७-१४॥
A twice-born who knows the Veda should be compassionate, pure, self-controlled, truthful, established in honesty, purified in birth and actions, and worthy.
सत्कृता चैकपत्नी च जात्या योनिरिहेष्यते। ऋग्यजुःसामगो विद्वान्षट्कर्मा पात्रमुच्यते ॥१२-२९७-१५॥
One who is respected, has only one wife, is of good birth, whose origin is considered here, who knows the Ṛg, Yajur, and Sāma Vedas, is learned, and performs the six duties, is called worthy.
स एव धर्मः सोऽधर्मस्तं तं प्रतिनरं भवेत्। पात्रकर्मविशेषेण देशकालाववेक्ष्य च ॥१२-२९७-१६॥
What is righteous or unrighteous depends on the individual, determined by the specific recipient and act, and by considering place and time.
लीलयाल्पं यथा गात्रात्प्रमृज्याद्रजसः पुमान्। बहुयत्नेन महता पापनिर्हरणं तथा ॥१२-२९७-१७॥
Just as a man easily wipes a little dust from his body, but the removal of great sin requires much effort, so too is the effort needed to remove great sin.
विरिक्तस्य यथा सम्यग्घृतं भवति भेषजम्। तथा निर्हृतदोषस्य प्रेत्यधर्मः सुखावहः ॥१२-२९७-१८॥
Just as ghee, when properly administered, becomes medicine for one who has been cleansed, so too the law of the hereafter brings happiness to one whose faults have been removed.
मानसं सर्वभूतेषु वर्तते वै शुभाशुभे। अशुभेभ्यः समाक्षिप्य शुभेष्वेवावतारयेत् ॥१२-२९७-१९॥
The mind dwells in all beings, engaging with both good and evil. Withdrawing it from evil, one should direct it solely towards the good.
सर्वं सर्वेण सर्वत्र क्रियमाणं च पूजय। स्वधर्मे यत्र रागस्ते कामं धर्मो विधीयताम् ॥१२-२९७-२०॥
Honor everything done by everyone everywhere. In your own dharma, wherever you have attachment, let dharma be established as you desire.
अधृतात्मन्धृतौ तिष्ठ दुर्बुद्धे बुद्धिमान्भव। अप्रशान्त प्रशाम्य त्वमप्राज्ञ प्राज्ञवच्चर ॥१२-२९७-२१॥
O unsteady one, stand firm; O dull-minded, become wise. If you are restless, become calm; though unwise, act as the wise do.
तेजसा शक्यते प्राप्तुमुपायसहचारिणा। इह च प्रेत्य च श्रेयस्तस्य मूलं धृतिः परा ॥१२-२९७-२२॥
With brilliance and the right means, one can attain the highest good both here and after death; the root of this is supreme steadfastness.
राजर्षिरधृतिः स्वर्गात्पतितो हि महाभिषः। ययातिः क्षीणपुण्यश्च धृत्या लोकानवाप्तवान् ॥१२-२९७-२३॥
The royal sage Adhṛti and Mahābhiṣa fell from heaven; but Yayāti, whose merit was exhausted, attained the worlds by his steadfastness.
तपस्विनां धर्मवतां विदुषां चोपसेवनात्। प्राप्स्यसे विपुलां बुद्धिं तथा श्रेयोऽभिपत्स्यसे ॥१२-२९७-२४॥
By associating with ascetics, the righteous, and the learned, you will gain great intellect and thereby attain excellence.
स तु स्वभावसम्पन्नस्तच्छ्रुत्वा मुनिभाषितम्। विनिवर्त्य मनः कामाद्धर्मे बुद्धिं चकार ह ॥१२-२९७-२५॥
But he, endowed with his natural disposition, having heard the words spoken by the sage, withdrew his mind from desire and fixed his intellect on dharma.
