12.307
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
[युधिष्ठिर (yudhiṣṭhira) - Yudhiṣṭhira; (proper name); उवाच (uvāca) - said; spoke;]
(Yudhiṣṭhira said;)
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
ऐश्वर्यं वा महत्प्राप्य धनं वा भरतर्षभ। दीर्घमायुरवाप्याथ कथं मृत्युमतिक्रमेत् ॥१२-३०७-१॥
aiśvaryaṃ vā mahatprāpya dhanaṃ vā bharatarṣabha। dīrghamāyuravāpyātha kathaṃ mṛtyumatikramet ॥12-307-1॥
[ऐश्वर्यं (aiśvaryaṃ) - sovereignty; वा (vā) - or; महत् (mahat) - great; प्राप्य (prāpya) - having obtained; धनं (dhanaṃ) - wealth; वा (vā) - or; भरतर्षभ (bharatarṣabha) - bull among the Bharatas; दीर्घम् (dīrgham) - long; आयुः (āyuḥ) - life; अवाप्य (avāpya) - having obtained; अथ (atha) - then; कथम् (katham) - how; मृत्युम् (mṛtyum) - death; अतिक्रमेत् (atikramet) - could one cross over;]
(Sovereignty or, having obtained great wealth or, O bull among the Bharatas, having obtained long life then, how could one cross over death?)
O best of the Bharatas, even if one attains sovereignty, great wealth, or a long life, how could one overcome death? (12-307-1)
तपसा वा सुमहता कर्मणा वा श्रुतेन वा। रसायनप्रयोगैर्वा कैर्नोपैति जरान्तकौ ॥१२-३०७-२॥
tapasā vā sumahatā karmaṇā vā śrutena vā। rasāyanaprayogairvā kairnopaiti jarāntakau ॥12-307-2॥
[तपसा (tapasā) - by austerity; वा (vā) - or; सुमहता (sumahatā) - by very great; कर्मणा (karmaṇā) - by action; वा (vā) - or; श्रुतेन (śrutena) - by learning; वा (vā) - or; रसायनप्रयोगैः (rasāyanaprayogaiḥ) - by applications of elixirs; वा (vā) - or; कैः (kaiḥ) - by which; न (na) - not; उपैति (upaiti) - attains; जरान्तकौ (jarāntakau) - old age and death;]
(By austerity or by very great action or by learning or by applications of elixirs or by which not attains old age and death.)
Neither by austerity, nor by great deeds, nor by learning, nor by the use of elixirs, can one avoid old age and death. (12-307-2)
भीष्म उवाच॥
bhīṣma uvāca॥
[भीष्म (bhīṣma) - Bhishma; उवाच (uvāca) - said;]
(Bhishma said;)
Bhishma said.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। भिक्षोः पञ्चशिखस्येह संवादं जनकस्य च ॥१२-३०७-३॥
atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam। bhikṣoḥ pañcaśikhasya iha saṃvādaṃ janakasya ca ॥12-307-3॥
[अत्र (atra) - here; अपि (api) - also; उदाहरन्ति (udāharanti) - they cite; इमम् (imam) - this; इतिहासम् (itihāsam) - history; पुरातनम् (purātanam) - ancient; भिक्षोः (bhikṣoḥ) - of the mendicant; पञ्चशिखस्य (pañcaśikhasya) - of Pañcaśikha; इह (iha) - here; संवादम् (saṃvādam) - dialogue; जनकस्य (janakasya) - of Janaka; च (ca) - and;]
(Here also they cite this ancient history: the dialogue here of the mendicant Pañcaśikha and Janaka.)
Here too, they recount this ancient story: the conversation between the mendicant Pañcaśikha and Janaka that took place here. (12-307-3)
वैदेहो जनको राजा महर्षिं वेदवित्तमम्। पर्यपृच्छत्पञ्चशिखं छिन्नधर्मार्थसंशयम् ॥१२-३०७-४॥
vaideho janako rājā maharṣiṃ vedavittamam। paryapṛcchat pañcaśikhaṃ chinnadharmārthasaṃśayam ॥12-307-4॥
[वैदेहः (vaidehaḥ) - of Videha; जनकः (janakaḥ) - Janaka; राजा (rājā) - king; महर्षिम् (maharṣim) - great sage (accusative); वेदवित्तमम् (vedavittamam) - most learned in the Vedas; पर्यपृच्छत् (paryapṛcchat) - asked; पञ्चशिखम् (pañcaśikham) - Pañcaśikha (name, accusative); छिन्नधर्मार्थसंशयम् (chinnadharmārthasaṃśayam) - one whose doubts about dharma and artha are cut off;]
(The king of Videha, Janaka, asked the great sage, the most learned in the Vedas, Pañcaśikha, whose doubts about dharma and artha were cut off.)
King Janaka of Videha questioned the great sage Pañcaśikha, who was most learned in the Vedas and whose doubts regarding dharma and artha had been dispelled. (12-307-4)
केन वृत्तेन भगवन्नतिक्रामेज्जरान्तकौ। तपसा वाथ बुद्ध्या वा कर्मणा वा श्रुतेन वा ॥१२-३०७-५॥
kena vṛttena bhagavann atikrāmej jarāntakau। tapasā vātha buddhyā vā karmaṇā vā śrutena vā ॥12-307-5॥
[केन (kena) - by which; वृत्तेन (vṛttena) - by conduct; भगवन् (bhagavan) - O revered one; अतिक्रामेत् (atikrāmet) - might transcend; जरान्तकौ (jarāntakau) - old age and death; तपसा (tapasā) - by austerity; वा (vā) - or; अथ (atha) - or; बुद्ध्या (buddhyā) - by intellect; वा (vā) - or; कर्मणा (karmaṇā) - by action; वा (vā) - or; श्रुतेन (śrutena) - by learning; वा (vā) - or;]
(By which conduct, O revered one, might (one) transcend old age and death? By austerity or or by intellect or by action or by learning or?)
O revered one, by what conduct may one transcend old age and death—by austerity, or by intellect, or by action, or by learning? (12-307-5)
एवमुक्तः स वैदेहं प्रत्युवाच परोक्षवित्। निवृत्तिर्नैतयोरस्ति नानिवृत्तिः कथञ्चन ॥१२-३०७-६॥
evam-uktaḥ sa vaidehaṃ pratyuvāca parokṣavit। nivṛttir naitayor asti nānivṛttiḥ kathaṃcana ॥12-307-6॥
[एवम् (evam) - thus; उक्तः (uktaḥ) - having been spoken (to); स (sa) - he; वैदेहं (vaideham) - to Vaideha; प्रत्युवाच (pratyuvāca) - replied; परोक्षवित् (parokṣavit) - knower of the unseen; निवृत्तिः (nivṛttiḥ) - cessation; न (na) - not; एतयोः (etayoḥ) - of these two; अस्ति (asti) - there is; न (na) - not; अनिवृत्तिः (anivṛttiḥ) - non-cessation; कथञ्चन (kathaṃcana) - in any way;]
(Thus having been spoken (to), he replied to Vaideha, the knower of the unseen. Cessation of these two does not exist, nor does non-cessation in any way. (12-307-6))
Thus addressed, he, the knower of the unseen, replied to Vaideha: 'For these two, there is neither cessation nor non-cessation in any way.' (12-307-6)
न ह्यहानि निवर्तन्ते न मासा न पुनः क्षपाः। सोऽयं प्रपद्यतेऽध्वानं चिराय ध्रुवमध्रुवः ॥१२-३०७-७॥
na hy ahāni nivartante na māsā na punaḥ kṣapāḥ। so'yaṃ prapadyate'dhvānaṃ cirāya dhruvam adhruvaḥ ॥12-307-7॥
[न (na) - not; हि (hi) - indeed; अहानि (ahāni) - days; निवर्तन्ते (nivartante) - return; न (na) - not; मासा (māsā) - months; न (na) - not; पुनः (punaḥ) - again; क्षपाः (kṣapāḥ) - nights; सः (saḥ) - he; अयम् (ayam) - this; प्रपद्यते (prapadyate) - attains; अध्वानम् (adhvānam) - path; चिराय (cirāya) - for a long time; ध्रुवम् (dhruvam) - certain; अध्रुवः (adhruvaḥ) - uncertain;]
(Not indeed do the days return, nor the months, nor again the nights. He, this uncertain one, attains the path for a long time, certain.)
Indeed, the days, months, and nights do not return. This uncertain being inevitably sets out on the path for a long time. (12-307-7)
सर्वभूतसमुच्छेदः स्रोतसेवोह्यते सदा। उह्यमानं निमज्जन्तमप्लवे कालसागरे ॥ जरामृत्युमहाग्राहे न कश्चिदभिपद्यते ॥१२-३०७-८॥
sarvabhūtasamucchedaḥ srotasevohyate sadā। uhyamānaṃ nimajjantamaplave kālasāgare ॥ jarāmṛtyumahāgrāhe na kaścidabhipadyate ॥12-307-8॥
[सर्व (sarva) - all; भूत (bhūta) - beings; समुच्छेदः (samucchedaḥ) - complete destruction; स्रोतसा (srotasā) - by the current; इव (iva) - like; उह्यते (uhyate) - is carried; सदा (sadā) - always; उह्यमानं (uhyamānaṃ) - being carried; निमज्जन्तम् (nimajjantam) - sinking; अप्लवे (aplave) - without a raft; कालसागरे (kālasāgare) - in the ocean of time; जरामृत्युमहाग्राहे (jarāmṛtyumahāgrāhe) - with the great alligator of old age and death; न (na) - not; कश्चित् (kaścit) - anyone; अभिपद्यते (abhipadyate) - attains;]
(All beings' complete destruction is always carried by the current like (something) being carried, sinking, without a raft, in the ocean of time; with the great alligator of old age and death, not anyone attains.)
The complete destruction of all beings is always carried along by the current, like something being swept away, sinking without a raft in the ocean of time; with the great alligator of old age and death, no one reaches the other shore. (12-307-8)
नैवास्य भविता कश्चिन्नासौ भवति कस्यचित्। पथि सङ्गतमेवेदं दारैरन्यैश्च बन्धुभिः ॥ नायमत्यन्तसंवासो लब्धपूर्वो हि केनचित् ॥१२-३०७-९॥
naivāsya bhavitā kaścin nāsau bhavati kasyacit। pathi saṅgatam evedaṃ dārair anyaiś ca bandhubhiḥ ॥ nāyam atyantasaṃvāso labdhapūrvo hi kenacit ॥12-307-9॥
[न (na) - not; एव (eva) - indeed; अस्य (asya) - of him; भविता (bhavitā) - will be; कश्चित् (kaścit) - anyone; न (na) - not; असौ (asau) - he; भवति (bhavati) - is; कस्यचित् (kasyacit) - of anyone; पथि (pathi) - on the path; सङ्गतम् (saṅgatam) - joined; एव (eva) - indeed; इदं (idaṃ) - this; दारैः (dāraiḥ) - with wives; अन्यैः (anyaiḥ) - with others; च (ca) - and; बन्धुभिः (bandhubhiḥ) - with relatives; न (na) - not; अयम् (ayam) - this; अत्यन्त (atyanta) - eternal; संवासः (saṃvāsaḥ) - association; लब्धपूर्वः (labdhapūrvaḥ) - obtained before; हि (hi) - indeed; केनचित् (kenacit) - by anyone;]
(Not indeed of him will be anyone, nor he is of anyone. On the path, joined indeed is this with wives and with others and with relatives. Not this eternal association obtained before indeed by anyone. (12-307-9))
No one will belong to him, nor does he belong to anyone. On the path, this association with wives, others, and relatives is only a temporary coming together. This is not an eternal association that has ever been obtained by anyone. (12-307-9)
क्षिप्यन्ते तेन तेनैव निष्टनन्तः पुनः पुनः। कालेन जाता जाता हि वायुनेवाभ्रसञ्चयाः ॥१२-३०७-१०॥
kṣipyante tena tenaiva niṣṭanantaḥ punaḥ punaḥ। kālena jātā jātā hi vāyunevābhrasañcayāḥ ॥12-307-10॥
[क्षिप्यन्ते (kṣipyante) - are thrown; तेन (tena) - by that; तेनैव (tenaiva) - by that very; निष्टनन्तः (niṣṭanantaḥ) - groaning; पुनः (punaḥ) - again; पुनः (punaḥ) - again; कालेन (kālena) - by time; जाता (jātā) - born; जाता (jātā) - born; हि (hi) - indeed; वायुन (vāyuna) - by wind; इव (iva) - like; अभ्रसञ्चयाः (abhrasañcayāḥ) - cloud-masses;]
(are thrown by that, by that very, groaning, again and again; by time, born, born, indeed, like by wind, cloud-masses.)
Cloud-masses, indeed, born again and again by time, are thrown about by that very (wind), groaning repeatedly, just like (this). (12-307-10)
जरामृत्यू हि भूतानां खादितारौ वृकाविव। बलिनां दुर्बलानां च ह्रस्वानां महतामपि ॥१२-३०७-११॥
jarāmṛtyū hi bhūtānāṃ khāditārau vṛkāviva। balināṃ durbalānāṃ ca hrasvānāṃ mahatāmapi ॥12-307-11॥
[जरा (jarā) - old age; मृत्यू (mṛtyu) - death; हि (hi) - indeed; भूतानाम् (bhūtānām) - of beings; खादितारौ (khāditārau) - the two devourers; वृकौ (vṛkau) - wolves; इव (iva) - like; बलिनाम् (balinām) - of the strong; दुर्बलानाम् (durbalānām) - of the weak; च (ca) - and; ह्रस्वानाम् (hrasvānām) - of the small; महताम् (mahatām) - of the great; अपि (api) - even;]
(Old age, death indeed, of beings, the two devourers, like wolves, of the strong, of the weak and, of the small, of the great, even.)
Old age and death are indeed the two devourers of beings, like wolves, devouring both the strong and the weak, the small and even the great. (12-307-11)
एवम्भूतेषु भूतेषु नित्यभूताध्रुवेषु च। कथं हृष्येत जातेषु मृतेषु च कथं ज्वरेत् ॥१२-३०७-१२॥
evambhūteṣu bhūteṣu nityabhūtādhruveṣu ca। kathaṃ hṛṣyeta jāteṣu mṛteṣu ca kathaṃ jvaret ॥12-307-12॥
[एवम् (evam) - thus; in this way; भूतेषु (bhūteṣu) - among beings; भूतेषु (bhūteṣu) - among beings; नित्यभूताध्रुवेषु (nityabhūtādhruveṣu) - in those who are always impermanent; च (ca) - and; कथम् (katham) - how; हृष्येत (hṛṣyeta) - should rejoice; जातेषु (jāteṣu) - in those who are born; मृतेषु (mṛteṣu) - in those who are dead; च (ca) - and; कथम् (katham) - how; ज्वरेत् (jvaret) - should grieve;]
(Thus among beings, in those who are always impermanent and; how should (one) rejoice in those who are born, in those who are dead and how should (one) grieve.)
In beings who are by nature impermanent, how can one rejoice at births or grieve at deaths? (12-307-12)
कुतोऽहमागतः कोऽस्मि क्व गमिष्यामि कस्य वा। कस्मिन्स्थितः क्व भविता कस्मात्किमनुशोचसि ॥१२-३०७-१३॥
kuto'ham āgataḥ ko'smi kva gamiṣyāmi kasya vā। kasmin sthitaḥ kva bhavitā kasmāt kim anuśocasi ॥12-307-13॥
[कुतः (kutaḥ) - from where; अहम् (aham) - I; आगतः (āgataḥ) - have come; कः (kaḥ) - who; अस्मि (asmi) - am; क्व (kva) - where; गमिष्यामि (gamiṣyāmi) - shall go; कस्य (kasya) - of whom; वा (vā) - or; कस्मिन् (kasmin) - in what; स्थितः (sthitaḥ) - situated; क्व (kva) - where; भविता (bhavitā) - will be; कस्मात् (kasmāt) - from what; किम् (kim) - what; अनुशोचसि (anuśocasi) - do you grieve;]
(From where have I come? Who am I? Where shall I go? Of whom (am I)? In what am I situated? Where will (I) be? From what do you grieve for what?)
From where have I come? Who am I? Where will I go? Whose am I? In what am I established? Where will I be? Why do you grieve for what? (12-307-13)
द्रष्टा स्वर्गस्य न ह्यस्ति तथैव नरकस्य च। आगमांस्त्वनतिक्रम्य दद्याच्चैव यजेत च ॥१२-३०७-१४॥
draṣṭā svargasya na hyasti tathaiva narakasya ca। āgamāṃstvanatikramya dadyāccaiva yajeta ca ॥12-307-14॥
[द्रष्टा (draṣṭā) - observer; स्वर्गस्य (svargasya) - of heaven; न (na) - not; हि (hi) - indeed; अस्ति (asti) - is; तथैव (tathaiva) - in the same way; नरकस्य (narakasya) - of hell; च (ca) - and; आगमांश् (āgamāṃs) - scriptures; तु (tu) - but; अनतिक्रम्य (anatikramya) - not transgressing; दद्यात् (dadyāt) - should give; च (ca) - and; एव (eva) - indeed; यजेत (yajeta) - should sacrifice; च (ca) - and;]
(observer of heaven not indeed is; in the same way of hell and; scriptures but not transgressing should give and indeed should sacrifice and;)
There is no observer of heaven, nor likewise of hell; but, without transgressing the scriptures, one should give and indeed should perform sacrifices. (12-307-14)
