12.315
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhishma said.
etacchrutvā gurorvākyaṃ vyāsaśiṣyā mahaujasaḥ। anyonyaṃ hṛṣṭamanasaḥ pariṣasvajire tadā ॥12-315-1॥
When they heard these words of their teacher, Vyāsa's powerful disciples, their hearts filled with joy, embraced one another at that moment. (12-315-1)
uktāḥ smo yad bhagavatā tadātvāyati-saṁhitam। tan no manasi saṁrūḍhaṁ kariṣyāmas tathā ca tat ॥12-315-2॥
We are those to whom the venerable one spoke that future compilation at that time; we shall firmly establish that in our minds, and so it shall be. (12-315-2)
anyonyaṃ ca sabhājyaivaṃ suprītamanasaḥ punaḥ। vijñāpayanti sma guruṃ punarvākyaviśāradāḥ ॥12-315-3॥
Honoring each other in this way, with very pleased minds, those skilled in speech again informed the teacher. (12-315-3)
śailād asmān mahīṃ gantuṃ kāṅkṣitaṃ no mahāmune. vedān anekadhā kartuṃ yadi te rucitaṃ vibho ॥12-315-4॥
O great sage, it is our desire to go from the mountain to the earth. If it is pleasing to you, O lord, to arrange the Vedas in many ways, then let it be so. (12-315-4)
śiṣyāṇāṃ vacanaṃ śrutvā parāśarasutaḥ prabhuḥ। pratyuvāca tato vākyaṃ dharmārthasahitaṃ hitam ॥12-315-5॥
After hearing the words of the disciples, the son of Parāśara, the lord, then replied with a statement that was beneficial and in accordance with dharma and artha. (12-315-5)
kṣitiṁ vā devalokaṁ vā gamyatāṁ yadi rocate। apramādaś ca vaḥ kāryo brahma hi pracuracchalam ॥12-315-6॥
Whether you go to earth or to the world of the gods, if it pleases you, still you must be vigilant; for Brahman is indeed full of much deceit. (12-315-6)
te'anujñātās tataḥ sarve guruṇā satyavādinā। jagmuḥ pradakṣiṇaṃ kṛtvā vyāsaṃ mūrdhnābhivādya ca ॥12-315-7॥
Then, having been permitted by their truth-speaking teacher, all of them circumambulated Vyāsa, saluted him with their heads, and departed. (12-315-7)
avatīrya mahīṁ te’tha cāturhotram akalpayan। saṁyājayanto viprāṁś ca rājanyāṁś ca viśas tathā ॥12-315-8॥
Having descended to the earth, they then established the fourfold sacrificial rites, engaging the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, and the people in performing sacrifices. (12-315-8)
pūjyamānā dvijair nityaṃ modamānā gṛhe ratāḥ। yājanādhyāpanaratāḥ śrīmanto lokaviśrutāḥ ॥12-315-9॥
They are always worshipped by the twice-born, ever rejoicing, devoted to their homes, engaged in performing sacrifices and teaching, prosperous, and renowned throughout the world. (12-315-9)
avatīrṇeṣu śiṣyeṣu vyāsaḥ putrasahāyavān। tūṣṇīṃ dhyānaparo dhīmānekānte samupāviśat ॥12-315-10॥
When the disciples had assembled, Vyāsa, accompanied by his son, silently and wisely sat down in solitude, intent on meditation. (12-315-10)
taṃ dadarśāśramapade nāradaḥ sumahātapāḥ। athainamabravītkāle madhurākṣarayā girā ॥12-315-11॥
Nārada, of great austerity, saw him in the hermitage. Then, at the proper time, he addressed him with sweet words. (12-315-11)
bho bho maharṣe vāsiṣṭha brahmaghoṣo na vartate। eko dhyānaparastūṣṇīṃ kimāsse cintayanniva ॥12-315-12॥
O great sage Vasiṣṭha, the sound of Vedic chanting is absent. Why do you sit alone, silent and absorbed in meditation, as if lost in thought? (12-315-12)
brahmaghoṣair virahitaḥ parvato'yaṃ na śobhate। rajasā tamasā caiva somaḥ sopaplavo yathā ॥12-315-13॥
This mountain, devoid of the sounds of Vedic chants, does not appear splendid, just as the moon, when covered by dust and darkness and disturbed, does not shine. (12-315-13)
na bhrājate yathā-pūrvaṃ niṣādānām iva ālayaḥ। devarṣigaṇajuṣṭaḥ api vedadhvani-nirākṛtaḥ ॥12-315-14॥
It does not shine as before, like the abode of the Niṣādas; even though it was favored by the group of divine sages, it has been dispelled by the sound of the Veda. (12-315-14)
ṛṣayaś ca hi devāś ca gandharvāś ca mahaujasaḥ। vimuktā brahmaghoṣeṇa na bhrājante yathā purā ॥12-315-15॥
The seers, gods, and gandharvas of great energy, though liberated by the sound of Brahman, do not shine as they once did. (12-315-15)
nāradasya vacaḥ śrutvā kṛṣṇadvaipāyano'bravīt। maharṣe yattvayā proktaṃ vedavādavicakṣaṇa ॥12-315-16॥
After hearing Nārada's words, Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana (Vyāsa) said: "O great sage, what you have spoken, O expert in Vedic teachings..." (12-315-16)
etanmanonukūlaṃ me bhavānarhati bhāṣitum। sarvajñaḥ sarvadarśī ca sarvatra ca kutūhalī ॥12-315-17॥
You, who are all-knowing, all-seeing, present everywhere and curious, deserve to speak that which is pleasing to my mind. (12-315-17)
triṣu lokeṣu yad vṛttaṃ sarvaṃ tava mate sthitam। tad ājñāpaya viprarṣe brūhi kiṃ karavāṇi te ॥12-315-18॥
Whatever has happened in all the three worlds is established in your opinion. O sage among Brāhmaṇas, command me—tell me, what shall I do for you? (12-315-18)
yanmayā samanuṣṭheyaṃ brahmarṣe tadudāhara। viyuktasyeha śiṣyairme nātihṛṣṭamidaṃ manaḥ ॥12-315-19॥
O Brahmarṣi, please declare what should be performed by me. My mind, being separated here from my disciples, is not very pleased. (12-315-19)
nārada uvāca॥
Nārada said.
anāmnāyamalā vedā brāhmaṇasyāvrataṃ malam। malaṃ pṛthivyā vāhīkāḥ strīṇāṃ kautūhalaṃ malam ॥12-315-20॥
The Vedas are considered impure if not from the proper recensions; for a Brāhmaṇa, lack of observance of vows is impurity; the Vāhīkas are the impurity of the earth; curiosity is the impurity of women. (12-315-20)
adhīyatāṃ bhavān vedān sārdhaṃ putreṇa dhīmatā। vidhunvan brahma-ghoṣeṇa rakṣo-bhaya-kṛtaṃ tamaḥ ॥12-315-21॥
Study the Vedas together with your wise son, dispelling the darkness caused by fear of demons through the sound of the Veda. (12-315-21)
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhishma said.
nāradasya vacaḥ śrutvā vyāsaḥ paramadharmavit। tathetyuvāca saṃhṛṣṭo vedābhyāse dṛḍhavrataḥ ॥12-315-22॥
Hearing Nārada's words, Vyāsa, who was steadfast in his vow and a knower of the highest dharma, joyfully replied, being firm in his practice of the Vedas. (12-315-22)
śukena saha putreṇa vedābhyāsam athākarot। svareṇoccaiḥ sa śaikṣeṇa lokān āpūrayann iva ॥12-315-23॥
Śuka, together with his son, then practiced the Veda. With a loud voice, he, with the voice of a student, seemed as if filling the worlds. (12-315-23)
tayor abhyasator evaṃ nānā-dharma-pravādinoḥ। vātaḥ atimātraṃ pravavau samudra-anila-vejitaḥ ॥12-315-24॥
While those two, engaged in such practice and speaking of various natures, the wind blew excessively, stirred by the ocean breeze. (12-315-24)
tato'adhyāya iti taṃ vyāsaḥ putram avārayat। śuko vāritamātras tu kautūhalasamanvitaḥ ॥12-315-25॥
Then, saying 'non-study', Vyāsa prevented his son. But Śuka, though just restrained, was filled with curiosity. (12-315-25)
apṛcchat pitaraṃ brahman kuto vāyur abhūd ayam। ākhyātum arhati bhavān vāyoḥ sarvaṃ viceṣṭitam ॥12-315-26॥
He asked his father, "O Brahman, from where did this Vāyu arise? You are worthy to tell all the activities of Vāyu." (12-315-26)
śukasyaitad vacaḥ śrutvā vyāsaḥ paramavismitaḥ। anadhyāyanimitte'sminnidaṃ vacanamabravīt ॥12-315-27॥
Hearing these words of Śuka, Vyāsa was greatly astonished. On this occasion of non-study, he spoke these words. (12-315-27)
divyaṃ te cakṣurutpannaṃ svasthaṃ te nirmalaṃ manaḥ। tamasā rajasā cāpi tyaktaḥ sattve vyavasthitaḥ ॥12-315-28॥
Your divine eye has arisen, and your mind is healthy and pure; freed from darkness and passion, you are established in purity. (12-315-28)
ādarśe svāmiva chāyāṃ paśyasyātmānamātmanā. nyasyātmani svayaṃ vedānbuddhyā samanucintaya ॥12-315-29॥
Just as you see your own shadow in a mirror by yourself, so place the Vedas within yourself and deeply reflect upon them with your intellect. (12-315-29)
devayānacaro viṣṇoḥ pitṛyānaś ca tāmasaḥ। dvāvetau pretya panthānau divaṃ cādhaś ca gacchataḥ ॥12-315-30॥
The one who follows the path of the gods, that of Viṣṇu, and the one who follows the path of the ancestors, which is dark—these two paths, after death, lead respectively to heaven and to the lower realms. (12-315-30)
pṛthivyām antarikṣe ca yatra saṃvānti vāyavaḥ। saptaite vāyumārgā vai tān nibodha anupūrvaśaḥ ॥12-315-31॥
On the earth, in the atmosphere, and wherever the winds move together, these are the seven paths of the wind; know them in their proper order. (12-315-31)
tatra devagaṇāḥ sādhyāḥ samabhūvanmahābalāḥ। teṣāmapyabhavatputraḥ samāno nāma durjayaḥ ॥12-315-32॥
There, the groups of gods known as the Sādhyas, who were of great strength, were born together. Among them, there was also a son named Samāna, called Durjaya. (12-315-32)
udānas tasya putro'bhūd vyānas tasyābhavat sutaḥ। apānaś ca tato jñeyaḥ prāṇaś cāpi tataḥ param ॥12-315-33॥
Udāna became his son, and Vyāna became his son; Apāna is to be known from that, and Prāṇa also, the supreme, from that. (12-315-33)
anapatyo'bhavat prāṇo durdharṣaḥ śatrutāpanaḥ। pṛthak karmāṇi teṣāṃ tu pravakṣyāmi yathā tatham ॥12-315-34॥
Prāṇa, who was without offspring, became difficult to overcome and a tormentor of enemies. But I shall now declare their actions separately, just as they were. (12-315-34)
prāṇināṃ sarvato vāyuśceṣṭā vartayate pṛthak। prāṇanāccaiva bhūtānāṃ prāṇa ityabhidhīyate ॥12-315-35॥
The wind, which causes the activity of living beings on all sides separately, is called 'prāṇa' because of breathing, and thus it is named prāṇa among beings. (12-315-35)
prerayaty-abhrasaṅghātān dhūmajāṃś ca uṣmajāṃś ca yaḥ। prathamaḥ prathame mārge pravaho nāma so'nilaḥ॥12-315-36॥
The wind named Pravaha, who is the first in the first path, sets in motion the masses of clouds, as well as smoke-born and heat-born objects. (12-315-36)
ambare sneham abhrebhyaḥ taḍidbhyaś ca uttama-dyutiḥ। āvahaḥ nāma saṃvāti dvitīyaḥ śvasanaḥ nadan ॥12-315-37॥
In the sky, the moisture from the clouds and the lightnings, and of excellent brightness; the second wind, called Āvaha, blows together, roaring. (12-315-37)
udayaṃ jyotiṣāṃ śaśvatsomādīnāṃ karoti yaḥ। antardeheṣu codānaṃ yaṃ vadanti maharṣayaḥ ॥12-315-38॥
He who causes the rising of the luminaries, including the eternal Soma and others, and whom the great sages call udāna within the bodies; (12-315-38)
yaś caturbhyaḥ samudrebhyo vāyur dhārayate jalam। uddhṛtya ādadate ca āpaḥ jīmūtebhyaḥ ambare anilaḥ ॥12-315-39॥
The wind, having drawn up water from the four oceans, holds it; and having lifted it, the waters are taken from the clouds in the sky by the wind. (12-315-39)
yo' dbhiḥ saṃyojya jīmūtān parjanyāya prayacchati। udvaho nāma varṣiṣṭhastritīyaḥ sa sadāgatiḥ ॥12-315-40॥
He who, having united the clouds with waters, gives them to Parjanya; he is called Udvaha, the most rainy, the third, and he always moves on his course. (12-315-40)
samuhyamānā bahudhā yena nīlāḥ pṛthagghanāḥ। varṣamokṣakṛtārambhās te bhavanti ghanāghanāḥ॥12-315-41॥
Those dark-blue, separate clouds, gathered together in many ways by him, whose activity is to release rain, become masses of clouds. (12-315-41)
saṃhatā yena cāviddhā bhavanti nadatāṃ nadāḥ। rakṣaṇārthāya sambhūtā meghatvamupayānti ca ॥12-315-42॥
The rivers, which are joined together and pierced by someone, become noisy; for the purpose of protection, they arise and attain the state of being clouds. (12-315-42)
yo'sau vahati devānāṃ vimānāni vihāyasā। caturthaḥ saṃvaho nāma vāyuḥ sa girimardanaḥ ॥12-315-43॥
He who carries the chariots of the gods through the sky, the fourth wind named Saṃvaha, is the crusher of mountains. (12-315-43)
yena vegavatā rugṇā rūkṣeṇārujatā rasān। vāyunā vihatā meghā na bhavanti balāhakāḥ ॥12-315-44॥
The clouds, broken by the swift, dry, non-hurting wind, having their juices driven away, do not become rain clouds. (12-315-44)
dāruṇotpātasañcāro nabhasaḥ stanayitnumān। pañcamaḥ sa mahāvegō vivahō nāma mārutaḥ ॥12-315-45॥
The fifth wind, named Vivaha, of great speed, is a terrible portentous movement in the sky, thunderous in nature. (12-315-45)
yasmin pāriplave divyā vahanty āpo vihāyasā। puṇyaṃ cākāśagaṅgāyās toyaṃ viṣṭabhya tiṣṭhati ॥12-315-46॥
In that deluge, the divine waters are carried through the sky, and the sacred water of the celestial Ganga, having supported all, remains. (12-315-46)
dūrāt pratihato yasmin nekaraśmir divākaraḥ। yonir aḿśusahasrasya yena bhāti vasundharā ॥12-315-47॥
That in which the sun, whose single ray is repelled from afar, is the source of a thousand rays, by which the earth shines. (12-315-47)
yasmād āpyāyate somo nidhir divyo 'mṛtasya ca। ṣaṣṭhaḥ parivaho nāma sa vāyur javatāṃ varaḥ ॥12-315-48॥
From which Soma, the divine treasure of nectar, is filled; the sixth conduit is called Parivaha, and it is the wind, the best among the swift. (12-315-48)
sarvaprāṇabhṛtāṃ prāṇānyo'ntakāle nirasya ti। yasya vartmānuvar tete mṛtyuvaivasvatāvubhau ॥12-315-49॥
He who removes the life-breaths of all living beings at the final moment, whose path both Death and Vaivasvata follow. (12-315-49)
samyaganvīkṣatāṃ buddhyā śāntayādhyātmanityayā। dhyānābhyāsābhirāmāṇāṃ yo'mṛtatvāya kalpate ॥12-315-50॥
He who, properly examining with a tranquil intellect that is constantly devoted to the self, and who delights in the practice of meditation, becomes fit for immortality. (12-315-50)
yaṃ samāsādya vegena diśām antaṃ prapedire। dakṣasya daśa putrāṇāṃ sahasrāṇi prajāpateḥ ॥12-315-51॥
Having swiftly approached him, the thousands of the ten sons of Dakṣa, the lord of creatures, reached the ends of the directions. (12-315-51)
yena sṛṣṭaḥ parābhūto yātyeva na nivartate। parāvaho nāma paro vāyuḥ sa duratikramaḥ ॥12-315-52॥
That by which one is created and overpowered, and goes forth never to return—Parāvaha is the name of that supreme wind, which is difficult to overcome. (12-315-52)
evam ete 'diteḥ putrā mārutāḥ paramādbhutāḥ। anāramantaḥ saṃvānti sarvagāḥ sarvadhāriṇaḥ ॥12-315-53॥
In this way, these Maruts, sons of Aditi, are supremely wondrous; they are tireless, move together, pervade all, and sustain everything. (12-315-53)
etattu mahadāścaryaṃ yadayaṃ parvatottamaḥ। kampitaḥ sahasā tena vāyunābhipravāyatā ॥12-315-54॥
But this is truly a great wonder: that this best of mountains was suddenly shaken by that wind blowing upon it. (12-315-54)
viṣṇor-niḥśvāsa-vāto'yaṃ yadā vega-samīritaḥ। sahasodīryate tāta jagat-pravyathate tadā ॥12-315-55॥
O dear one, when this wind, which is the exhalation of Viṣṇu, is suddenly set in motion with speed, then the whole world trembles. (12-315-55)
tasmādbrahmavido brahma nādhīyante'tivāyati। vāyorvāyubhayaṃ hyuktaṃ brahma tatpīḍitaṃ bhavet ॥12-315-56॥
Therefore, knowers of Brahman do not study Brahman; for it is said that if one exceeds the wind, there would be fear of the wind; that Brahman would become afflicted. (12-315-56)
etāvad uktvā vacanaṃ parāśarasutaḥ prabhuḥ। uktvā putram adhīṣva iti vyomagaṅgām ayāt tadā ॥12-315-57॥
Having spoken thus, the son of Parāśara, the lord, after telling his son "Study", then went to the celestial Gaṅgā. (12-315-57)
