12.297
भीष्म उवाच॥
bhīṣma uvāca॥
[भीष्म (bhīṣma) - Bhīṣma; उवाच (uvāca) - said;]
(Bhīṣma said;)
Bhīṣma said.
मृगयां विचरन्कश्चिद्विजने जनकात्मजः। वने ददर्श विप्रेन्द्रमृषिं वंशधरं भृगोः ॥१२-२९७-१॥
mṛgayāṃ vicaran kaścid vijane janakātmajaḥ। vane dadarśa viprendraṃ ṛṣiṃ vaṃśadharaṃ bhṛgoḥ॥12-297-1॥
[मृगयाम् (mṛgayām) - hunting; विचरन् (vicaran) - wandering; कश्चित् (kaścit) - someone; विजने (vijane) - in a lonely place; जनकात्मजः (janakātmajaḥ) - the son of Janaka; वने (vane) - in the forest; ददर्श (dadarśa) - saw; विप्रेन्द्रम् (viprendram) - the best of Brāhmaṇas; ऋषिम् (ṛṣim) - sage; वंशधरम् (vaṃśadharam) - descendant of the lineage; भृगोः (bhṛgoḥ) - of Bhṛgu;]
(While wandering for hunting, someone, the son of Janaka, in a lonely place in the forest saw the best of Brāhmaṇas, the sage, the descendant of the lineage of Bhṛgu.)
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॥
tamāsīnam upāsīnaḥ praṇamya śirasā munim। paścād anumataḥ tena papraccha vasumān idam ॥12-297-2॥
[तम् (tam) - him; (accusative singular of 'tad') आसीनम् (āsīnam) - seated; (accusative singular of 'āsīna') उपासीनः (upāsīnaḥ) - having approached; (nominative singular masculine of 'upāsīna') प्रणम्य (praṇamya) - having bowed; (absolutive of 'praṇam') शिरसा (śirasā) - with the head; (instrumental singular of 'śiras') मुनिम् (munim) - sage; (accusative singular of 'muni') पश्चात् (paścāt) - afterwards; (indeclinable) अनुमतः (anumataḥ) - having been permitted; (nominative singular masculine of 'anumata') तेन (tena) - by him; (instrumental singular of 'tad') पप्रच्छ (papraccha) - asked; (3rd person singular perfect of 'prach') वसुमान् (vasumān) - Vasumān; (nominative singular masculine proper noun) इदम् (idam) - this; (accusative singular neuter of 'idam');]
(Having approached him who was seated, having bowed with the head to the sage, afterwards, having been permitted by him, Vasumān asked this.)
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॥
bhagavan kim idaṃ śreyaḥ pretya vā api iha vā bhavet। puruṣasya adhruve dehe kāmasya vaśavartinaḥ ॥12-297-3॥
[भगवन् (bhagavan) - O revered one; किम् (kim) - what; इदं (idaṃ) - this; श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - highest good; प्रेत्य (pretya) - after death; वा (vā) - or; अपि (api) - even; इह (iha) - here (in this world); वा (vā) - or; भवेत् (bhavet) - may be; पुरुषस्य (puruṣasya) - of a person; अध्रुवे (adhruve) - impermanent; देहे (dehe) - in the body; कामस्य (kāmasya) - of desire; वशवर्तिनः (vaśavartinaḥ) - subject to the control;]
(O revered one, what is this highest good, whether after death or even here, may be for a person in the impermanent body, subject to the control of desire?)
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॥
satkṛtya paripṛṣṭaḥ san sumahātmā mahātapāḥ। nijagāda tatastasmai śreyaskaramidaṃ vacaḥ ॥12-297-4॥
[सत्कृत्य (satkṛtya) - having duly honoured; परिपृष्टः (paripṛṣṭaḥ) - having been asked; सन् (san) - being; सुमहात्मा (sumahātmā) - the very great-souled one; महातपाः (mahātapāḥ) - of great austerity; निजगाद (nijagāda) - spoke; ततः (tataḥ) - then; तस्मै (tasmai) - to him; श्रेयस्करम् (śreyaskaram) - beneficial; इदं (idaṃ) - this; वचः (vacaḥ) - speech;]
(Having duly honoured (him) and having been asked, the very great-souled one of great austerity then spoke this beneficial speech to him.)
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॥
manaso'pratikūlāni pretya ceha ca vāñchasi। bhūtānāṃ pratikūlebhyo nivartasva yatendriyaḥ ॥12-297-5॥
[मनसः (manasaḥ) - of the mind; अप्रतिकूलानि (apratikūlāni) - not disagreeable; not adverse; प्रेत्य (pretya) - having departed; after death; च (ca) - and; इह (iha) - here; in this world; च (ca) - and; वाञ्छसि (vāñchasi) - you desire; भूतानाम् (bhūtānām) - of beings; प्रतिकूलेभ्यः (pratikūlebhyaḥ) - from adverse; from hostility; निवर्तस्व (nivartasva) - turn away; desist; यतेन्द्रियः (yatendriyaḥ) - one who has controlled senses;]
(If you desire things not adverse to the mind, both after death and here, O controller of the senses, turn away from hostility towards beings.)
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॥
dharmaḥ satāṃ hitaḥ puṃsāṃ dharmaścaivāśrayaḥ satām। dharmāllokāstrayastāta pravṛttāḥ sacarācarāḥ ॥12-297-6॥
[धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - righteousness; सताम् (satām) - of the good; हितः (hitaḥ) - benefit; पुंसाम् (puṃsām) - of men; धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - righteousness; च (ca) - and; एव (eva) - indeed; आश्रयः (āśrayaḥ) - refuge; सताम् (satām) - of the good; धर्मात् (dharmāt) - from righteousness; लोकाः (lokāḥ) - worlds; त्रयः (trayaḥ) - three; तात (tāta) - O dear one; प्रवृत्ताः (pravṛttāḥ) - have arisen; सचराचराः (sacarācarāḥ) - with moving and unmoving beings;]
(Righteousness is the benefit of the good, of men; and righteousness indeed is the refuge of the good. From righteousness, O dear one, the three worlds with moving and unmoving beings have arisen.)
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॥
svādukāmuka kāmānāṃ vaitṛṣṇyaṃ kiṃ na gacchasi। madhu paśyasi durbuddhe prapātaṃ nānupaśyasi ॥12-297-7॥
[स्वादुकामुक (svādukāmuka) - desiring-sweetness; कामानां (kāmānāṃ) - of desires; वैतृष्ण्यं (vaitṛṣṇyaṃ) - absence-of-thirst; किं (kiṃ) - why; न (na) - not; गच्छसि (gacchasi) - you go; मधु (madhu) - honey; पश्यसि (paśyasi) - you see; दुर्बुद्धे (durbuddhe) - O dull-minded; प्रपातं (prapātaṃ) - precipice; न (na) - not; अनुपश्यसि (anupaśyasi) - you observe;]
(Desiring sweetness, of desires, absence of thirst, why do you not go? Honey you see, O dull-minded, the precipice you do not observe.)
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॥
yathā jñāne paricayaḥ kartavyas tatphalārthinā। tathā dharme paricayaḥ kartavyas tatphalārthinā ॥12-297-8॥
[यथा (yathā) - just as; ज्ञाने (jñāne) - in knowledge; परिचयः (paricayaḥ) - acquaintance; कर्तव्यः (kartavyaḥ) - should be done; तत्-फल-अर्थिना (tat-phala-arthinā) - by one desiring that result; तथा (tathā) - so; धर्मे (dharme) - in dharma; परिचयः (paricayaḥ) - acquaintance; कर्तव्यः (kartavyaḥ) - should be done; तत्-फल-अर्थिना (tat-phala-arthinā) - by one desiring that result;]
(Just as acquaintance in knowledge should be done by one desiring that result, so acquaintance in dharma should be done by one desiring that result.)
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॥
asatā dharmakāmena viśuddhaṃ karma duṣkaram। satā tu dharmakāmena sukaraṃ karma duṣkaram ॥12-297-9॥
[असता (asatā) - by a non-virtuous person; धर्मकामेन (dharmakāmena) - by one desiring righteousness; विशुद्धं (viśuddham) - pure; कर्म (karma) - action; दुष्करम् (duṣkaram) - difficult; सता (satā) - by a virtuous person; तु (tu) - but; धर्मकामेन (dharmakāmena) - by one desiring righteousness; सुकरं (sukaram) - easy; कर्म (karma) - action; दुष्करम् (duṣkaram) - difficult;]
(By a non-virtuous person desiring righteousness, pure action is difficult; but by a virtuous person desiring righteousness, even difficult action is easy.)
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॥
vane grāmyasukhācāro yathā grāmyastathaiva saḥ। grāme vanasukhācāro yathā vanacarastathā ॥12-297-10॥
[वने (vane) - in the forest; ग्राम्यसुखाचारः (grāmyasukhācāraḥ) - one who practices village pleasures; यथा (yathā) - just as; ग्राम्यः (grāmyaḥ) - villager; तथैव (tathaiva) - in the same way; सः (saḥ) - he; ग्रामे (grāme) - in the village; वनसुखाचारः (vanasukhācāraḥ) - one who practices forest pleasures; यथा (yathā) - just as; वनचरः (vanacaraḥ) - forest-dweller; तथा (tathā) - so; ॥१२-२९७-१०॥ (॥12-297-10॥) - (verse number; not translated);]
(In the forest, one who practices village pleasures is just like a villager; in the village, one who practices forest pleasures is just like a forest-dweller.)
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॥
manovākkarmake dharme kuru śraddhāṃ samāhitaḥ। nivṛttau vā pravṛttau vā sampradhārya guṇāguṇān ॥12-297-11॥
[मनो (mano) - mind; वाक् (vāk) - speech; कर्मके (karmake) - in actions; धर्मे (dharme) - in righteousness; कुरु (kuru) - do; श्रद्धां (śraddhāṃ) - faith; समाहितः (samāhitaḥ) - concentrated; निवृत्तौ (nivṛttau) - in withdrawal; वा (vā) - or; प्रवृत्तौ (pravṛttau) - in engagement; वा (vā) - or; सम्प्रधार्य (sampradhārya) - having thoroughly considered; गुण (guṇa) - qualities; अगुणान् (aguṇān) - faults;]
(In the righteousness of mind, speech, and actions, do faith concentrated. In withdrawal or in engagement, or having thoroughly considered qualities and faults.)
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॥
nityaṃ ca bahu dātavyaṃ sādhubhyaścānasūyatā। prārthitaṃ vrataśaucābhyāṃ satkṛtaṃ deśakālayoḥ ॥12-297-12॥
[नित्यं (nityaṃ) - always; च (ca) - and; बहु (bahu) - much; दातव्यं (dātavyam) - should be given; साधुभ्यः (sādhubhyaḥ) - to the virtuous; च (ca) - and; अनसूयता (anasūyatā) - without envy; प्रार्थितं (prārthitam) - requested; व्रतशौचाभ्यां (vrataśaucābhyām) - by vow and purity; सत्कृतं (satkṛtam) - honored; देशकालयोः (deśakālayoḥ) - in place and time;]
(Always and much should be given to the virtuous and without envy; what is requested, by vow and purity, honored in place and time.)
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॥
śubhena vidhinā labdham arhāya pratipādayet। krodham utsṛjya dattvā ca nānutapyen na kīrtayet ॥12-297-13॥
[शुभेन (śubhena) - by auspicious; by good; by virtuous; by auspicious means; विधिना (vidhinā) - by method; by procedure; by rule; लब्धम् (labdham) - obtained; acquired; अर्हाय (arhāya) - to the worthy; to the deserving; प्रतिपादयेत् (pratipādayet) - should deliver; should give; क्रोधम् (krodham) - anger; उत्सृज्य (utsṛjya) - having abandoned; having given up; दत्त्वा (dattvā) - having given; च (ca) - and; न (na) - not; अनुतप्येत् (anutapyet) - should regret; should repent; न (na) - not; कीर्तयेत् (kīrtayet) - should proclaim; should announce;]
(By auspicious method, what is obtained should be given to the worthy; having abandoned anger and having given, one should not regret nor proclaim.)
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॥
anṛśaṁsaḥ śucirdāntaḥ satyavāgārjave sthitaḥ। yonikarmaviśuddhaśca pātraṁ syādvedaviddvijaḥ ॥12-297-14॥
[अनृशंसः (anṛśaṁsaḥ) - not-cruel; compassionate; शुचिः (śuciḥ) - pure; दान्तः (dāntaḥ) - self-controlled; सत्यवाक् (satyavāk) - truth-speaking; आर्जवे (ārjave) - in honesty; स्थितः (sthitaḥ) - established; योनिकर्मविशुद्धः (yonikarmaviśuddhaḥ) - purified in birth and actions; च (ca) - and; पात्रम् (pātram) - worthy; स्यात् (syāt) - should be; वेदविद् (vedavid) - knower of the Veda; द्विजः (dvijaḥ) - twice-born;]
(Not-cruel; pure; self-controlled; truth-speaking; established in honesty; purified in birth and actions; and worthy should be the knower of the Veda, the twice-born.)
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॥
satkṛtā caikapatnī ca jātyā yoniriheṣyate। ṛg-yajuḥ-sāmago vidvān ṣaṭkarmā pātram ucyate ॥12-297-15॥
[सत्कृता (satkṛtā) - respected; च (ca) - and; एकपत्नी (ekapatnī) - having one wife; च (ca) - and; जात्या (jātyā) - by birth; योनिः (yoniḥ) - origin; इह (iha) - here; इष्यते (iṣyate) - is considered; ऋग्यजुःसामगः (ṛg-yajuḥ-sāmagaḥ) - knower of Ṛg, Yajur, and Sāma Vedas; विद्वान् (vidvān) - learned; षट्कर्मा (ṣaṭkarmā) - performer of six duties; पात्रम् (pātram) - worthy; उच्यते (ucyate) - is called;]
(Respected, and having one wife, and by birth, origin here is considered. Knower of Ṛg, Yajur, and Sāma Vedas, learned, performer of six duties is called worthy.)
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॥
sa eva dharmaḥ so'dharmastaṃ taṃ pratinaraṃ bhavet। pātrakarmaviśeṣeṇa deśakālāvavekṣya ca ॥12-297-16॥
[स (sa) - he; एव (eva) - indeed; धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - righteousness; सः (saḥ) - he; अधर्मः (adharmaḥ) - unrighteousness; तम् (tam) - him; तम् (tam) - him; प्रतिनरम् (pratinaram) - towards each man; भवेत् (bhavet) - should be; पात्रकर्मविशेषेण (pātrakarmaviśeṣeṇa) - by the particularity of recipient and act; देशकालाववेक्ष्य (deśakālāvavekṣya) - considering place and time; च (ca) - and;]
(He indeed is righteousness, he is unrighteousness; that should be towards each man, by the particularity of recipient and act, considering place and time, and.)
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॥
līlayālpaṃ yathā gātrāt pramṛjyād rajasaḥ pumān। bahuyatnena mahatā pāpanirharaṇaṃ tathā ॥12-297-17॥
[लीलया (līlayā) - by play; by ease; अल्पं (alpaṃ) - a little; small; यथा (yathā) - just as; as; गात्रात् (gātrāt) - from the body; प्रमृज्यात् (pramṛjyāt) - should wipe off; should cleanse; रजसः (rajasaḥ) - of dust; पुमान् (pumān) - a man; बहुयत्नेन (bahuyatnena) - with much effort; महता (mahatā) - great; with greatness; पाप (pāpa) - sin; निर्हरणं (nirharaṇam) - removal; taking away; तथा (tathā) - so; in that way;]
(By play, a man should wipe off a little dust from the body just as, with much effort and greatness, so is the removal of sin.)
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॥
viriktasya yathā samyag-ghṛtaṃ bhavati bheṣajam। tathā nirhṛta-doṣasya pretya-dharmaḥ sukhāvahaḥ ॥12-297-18॥
[विरिक्तस्य (viriktasya) - of one who has been cleansed (by purgation); यथा (yathā) - just as; सम्यक् (samyak) - properly; घृतम् (ghṛtam) - ghee; भवति (bhavati) - becomes; भेषजम् (bheṣajam) - medicine; तथा (tathā) - so; निर्हृतदोषस्य (nirhṛta-doṣasya) - of one whose faults (doṣas) have been removed; प्रेत्यधर्मः (pretya-dharmaḥ) - the law of the hereafter; सुखावहः (sukhāvahaḥ) - bringer of happiness;]
(Of one who has been cleansed (by purgation), just as properly ghee becomes medicine, so for one whose faults have been removed, the law of the hereafter is bringer of happiness.)
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॥
mānasaṃ sarvabhūteṣu vartate vai śubhāśubhe। aśubhebhyaḥ samākṣipya śubheṣvevāvatārayet ॥12-297-19॥
[मानसं (mānasaṃ) - mind; spirit; सर्वभूतेषु (sarvabhūteṣu) - in all beings; वर्तते (vartate) - exists; abides; वै (vai) - indeed; truly; शुभाशुभे (śubhāśubhe) - in good and evil; auspicious and inauspicious; अशुभेभ्यः (aśubhebhyaḥ) - from the inauspicious; from evil; समाक्षिप्य (samākṣipya) - having withdrawn; having drawn away; शुभेषु (śubheṣu) - in the auspicious; in the good; एव (eva) - only; indeed; अवतारयेत् (avatārayet) - should cause to descend; should direct;]
(The mind exists indeed in all beings in good and evil. Having withdrawn from the inauspicious, one should direct it only towards the auspicious.)
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॥
sarvaṃ sarveṇa sarvatra kriyamāṇaṃ ca pūjaya। svadharme yatra rāgas te kāmaṃ dharmo vidhīyatām ॥12-297-20॥
[सर्वं (sarvam) - all; everything; सर्वेण (sarveṇa) - by all; by everyone; सर्वत्र (sarvatra) - everywhere; क्रियमाणं (kriyamāṇam) - being done; being performed; च (ca) - and; पूजय (pūjaya) - honor; worship; स्वधर्मे (svadharme) - in one's own dharma; in one's own duty; यत्र (yatra) - where; रागः (rāgaḥ) - attachment; passion; ते (te) - your; of you; कामं (kāmam) - as desired; as wished; धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - dharma; righteousness; विधीयताम् (vidhīyatām) - let it be established; let it be prescribed;]
(All, by everyone, everywhere, being done, and, honor. In one's own dharma, where attachment is yours, as desired, let dharma be established.)
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॥
adhṛtātmandhṛtau tiṣṭha durbuddhe buddhimānbhava। apraśānta praśāmya tvamaprajña prājñavaccara ॥12-297-21॥
[अधृतात्मन् (adhṛtātman) - one whose self is unsteady; धृतौ (dhṛtau) - in firmness; तिष्ठ (tiṣṭha) - stand; दुर्बुद्धे (durbuddhe) - O one of weak intellect; बुद्धिमान् (buddhimān) - wise; भव (bhava) - be; अप्रशान्त (apraśānta) - not peaceful; प्रशाम्य (praśāmya) - become calm; त्वम् (tvam) - you; अप्राज्ञ (aprajña) - unwise; प्राज्ञवत् (prājñavat) - like the wise; चर (cara) - act; ॥१२-२९७-२१॥ (॥12-297-21॥) -;]
(O one whose self is unsteady, stand firm; O one of weak intellect, become wise. Not peaceful, become calm; you, unwise, act like the wise.)
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॥
tejasā śakyate prāptum upāya-sahacāriṇā। iha ca pretya ca śreyas tasya mūlaṃ dhṛtiḥ parā ॥12-297-22॥
[तेजसा (tejasā) - by brilliance; शक्यते (śakyate) - is possible; प्राप्तुम् (prāptum) - to attain; उपायसहचारिणा (upāya-sahacāriṇā) - with the companion of means; इह (iha) - here; च (ca) - and; प्रेत्य (pretya) - after death; च (ca) - and; श्रेयः (śreyas) - the highest good; तस्य (tasya) - of that; मूलम् (mūlam) - root; धृतिः (dhṛtiḥ) - steadfastness; परा (parā) - supreme;]
(By brilliance, it is possible to attain (the goal) with the companion of means; here and after death, the highest good—its root is supreme steadfastness.)
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॥
rājarṣir adhṛtiḥ svargāt patito hi mahābhiṣaḥ। yayātiḥ kṣīṇapuṇyaś ca dhṛtyā lokān avāptavān ॥12-297-23॥
[राजर्षि (rājarṣi) - royal sage; अधृतिः (adhṛtiḥ) - Adhṛti (name); स्वर्गात् (svargāt) - from heaven; पतितः (patitaḥ) - fallen; हि (hi) - indeed; महाभिषः (mahābhiṣaḥ) - Mahābhiṣa (name); ययातिः (yayātiḥ) - Yayāti (name); क्षीणपुण्यः (kṣīṇapuṇyaḥ) - whose merit was exhausted; च (ca) - and; धृत्या (dhṛtyā) - by steadfastness; लोकान् (lokān) - worlds; अवाप्तवान् (avāptavān) - attained;]
(The royal sage Adhṛti, indeed Mahābhiṣa, fell from heaven; and Yayāti, whose merit was exhausted, by steadfastness attained the worlds.)
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॥
tapasvināṃ dharmavatāṃ viduṣāṃ copasevanāt। prāpsyase vipulāṃ buddhiṃ tathā śreyo'bhipatsyase ॥12-297-24॥
[तपस्विनाम् (tapasvinām) - of ascetics; धर्मवताम् (dharmavatām) - of the righteous; विदुषाम् (viduṣām) - of the learned; च (ca) - and; उपसेवनात् (upasevanāt) - from association; प्राप्स्यसे (prāpsyase) - you will obtain; विपुलाम् (vipulām) - great; बुद्धिम् (buddhim) - intellect; तथा (tathā) - thus; श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - excellence; अभिपत्स्यसे (abhipatsyase) - you will attain;]
(From association with ascetics, the righteous, and the learned, you will obtain great intellect; thus, you will attain excellence.)
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॥
sa tu svabhāvasampannastacchrutvā munibhāṣitam। vinivartya manaḥ kāmāddharme buddhiṃ cakāra ha ॥12-297-25॥
[स (sa) - he; तु (tu) - but; स्वभावसम्पन्नः (svabhāvasampannaḥ) - endowed with natural disposition; तत् (tat) - that; श्रुत्वा (śrutvā) - having heard; मुनि (muni) - sage; भाषितम् (bhāṣitam) - spoken; विनिवर्त्य (vinivartya) - having withdrawn; मनः (manaḥ) - mind; कामात् (kāmāt) - from desire; धर्मे (dharme) - in dharma; बुद्धिम् (buddhim) - intellect; चकार (cakāra) - he made; ह (ha) - indeed;]
(He but endowed with natural disposition, having heard that spoken by the sage, having withdrawn the mind from desire, in dharma the intellect he made indeed.)
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.
