12.321
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
gṛhastho brahmacārī vā vānaprastho'tha bhikṣukaḥ। ya icchetsiddhimāsthātuṃ devatāṃ kāṃ yajeta saḥ ॥3-321-1॥
Whether a householder, celibate student, forest-dweller, or mendicant—whoever wishes to attain perfection, he should worship whichever deity he desires. (3-321-1)
kuto hy asya dhruvaḥ svargaḥ kuto niḥśreyasaṃ param। vidhinā kena juhuyād daivaṃ pitryaṃ tathaiva ca ॥3-321-2॥
How can there be certain heaven for him? How can there be the highest supreme good? By what ordinance and by whom should one perform the divine and ancestral offerings likewise? (3-321-2)
muktaś ca kāṃ gatiṃ gacchen mokṣaś caiva kim ātmakaḥ। svargataś caiva kiṃ kuryād yena na cyavate divaḥ ॥3-321-3॥
What state does a liberated person attain, and what is the nature of liberation? What should one who has reached heaven do so that he does not fall from heaven? (3-321-3)
devatānāṃ ca ko devaḥ pitṝṇāṃ ca tathā pitā। tasmāt parataraṃ yat ca tan me brūhi pitāmaha ॥3-321-4॥
O grandsire, tell me who is the god of the gods and likewise the father of the ancestors, and what is higher than that. (3-321-4)
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhishma said.
gūḍhaṃ māṃ praśnavitpraśnaṃ pṛcchase tvamihānagha। na hyeṣa tarkayā śakyo vaktuṃ varṣaśatairapi ॥3-321-5॥
O sinless one, here you ask me a hidden question, a question for the question-knower. Indeed, this cannot be explained by reasoning, even in hundreds of years. (3-321-5)
ṛte devaprasādād vā rājan jñānāgamena vā। gahanaṃ hy etad ākhyānaṃ vyākhyātavyaṃ tavārihan॥3-321-6॥
O king, without divine grace or the acquisition of knowledge, this profound narrative is indeed to be explained to you, O destroyer of enemies. (3-321-6)
atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam। nāradasya ca saṃvādam ṛṣer nārāyaṇasya ca ॥3-321-7॥
Here too, they recount this ancient story, the conversation between Nārada and the sage Nārāyaṇa. (3-321-7)
nārāyaṇo hi viśvātmā caturmūrtiḥ sanātanaḥ। dharmātmajaḥ sambabhūva pitaivaṃ me'bhyabhāṣata ॥3-321-8॥
Nārāyaṇa, indeed the eternal soul of the universe with four forms, was born as the son of Dharma; my father thus spoke to me. (3-321-8)
kṛte yuge mahārāja purā svāyambhuve'ntare। naro nārāyaṇaścaiva hariḥ kṛṣṇastathaiva ca ॥3-321-9॥
O great king, in the Kṛta age, during the interval of Svāyambhuva Manu, Nara and Nārāyaṇa, as well as Hari and Kṛṣṇa, indeed appeared. (3-321-9)
tebhyo nārāyaṇanarau tapastepaturavyayau। badaryāśramam āsādya śakaṭe kanakāmaye ॥3-321-10॥
Nārāyaṇa and Nara, the imperishable ones, performed austerities for them, having reached the Badarī hermitage in a golden cart. (3-321-10)
aṣṭacakraṃ hi tadyānaṃ bhūtayuktaṃ manoramam। tatrādyau lokanāthau tau kṛśau dhamanisantatau ॥3-321-11॥
That vehicle, indeed, was eight-wheeled, endowed with beings and pleasing. There, the first two, the lords of the world, those two thin ones, were continuous with arteries. (3-321-11)
tapasā tejasā caiva durnirīkṣau surair api। yasya prasādaṃ kurvāte sa devau draṣṭum arhati ॥3-321-12॥
By austerity and brilliance, the two are difficult to behold even for the gods; only he whom they favor is worthy to see the two gods. (3-321-12)
nūnaṃ tayoranumate hṛdi hṛcchayacoditaḥ। mahāmerorgireḥ śṛṅgāt pracyuto gandhamādanam ॥3-321-13॥
Indeed, with the consent of those two, impelled in the heart by desire, Gandhamādana has fallen from the peak of the mountain Mahāmeru. (3-321-13)
nāradaḥ sumahadbhūtaṃ lokānsarvānacīcarat। taṃ deśamagamadrājanbadaryāśramamāśugaḥ ॥3-321-14॥
Nārada, having wandered through all the worlds as a very great wonder, swiftly went to that region, O king, to the hermitage of Badarī. (3-321-14)
tayor āhnikavelāyāṃ tasya kautūhalaṃ tv abhūt। idaṃ tad āspadaṃ kṛtsnaṃ yasmin lokāḥ pratiṣṭhitāḥ ॥3-321-15॥
During the daily time, one of the two became curious. This is the very abode in which all the worlds are established. (3-321-15)
sadevāsuragandharvāḥ sarṣikiṁnaralelihāḥ। ekā mūrtiriyaṁ pūrvaṁ jātā bhūyaścaturvidhā ॥3-321-16॥
Together with the gods, demons, gandharvas, sages, kinnaras, and serpents, this one form that arose formerly has now become fourfold. (3-321-16)
dharmasya kulasantāno mahānebhirvivardhitaḥ। aho hyanugṛhīto'dya dharma ebhiḥ surairiha ॥ naranārāyaṇābhyāṃ ca kṛṣṇena hariṇā tathā ॥3-321-17॥
The lineage of dharma has been increased by great ones. Indeed, today dharma has surely been favored here by these gods—by Nara and Nārāyaṇa, and also by Kṛṣṇa and Hari. (3-321-17)
tatra kṛṣṇo hariścaiva kasmiṃścit kāraṇāntare। sthitau dharmottarau hyetau tathā tapasi dhiṣṭhitau ॥3-321-18॥
There, Kṛṣṇa and Hari, for some other reason, remained; these two, superior in dharma, likewise engaged in austerity. (3-321-18)
etau hi paramaṃ dhāma kānayorāhnikakriyā। pitarau sarvabhūtānāṃ daivataṃ ca yaśasvinau ॥ kāṃ devatāṃ nu yajataḥ pitṝnvā kānmahāmatī ॥3-321-19॥
These two are truly the supreme abode, whose daily rites are performed; they are the fathers of all beings, divine and glorious. O great-minded one, which deity does one worship, or which ancestors? (3-321-19)
iti sañcintya manasā bhaktyā nārāyaṇasya ha। sahasā prādurabhavatsamīpe devayostadā ॥3-321-20॥
Having thus contemplated with devotion on Nārāyaṇa in his mind, suddenly he appeared near the two gods at that moment. (3-321-20)
kṛte daive ca pitrye ca tatas tābhyāṃ nirīkṣitaḥ। pūjitaś caiva vidhinā yathāproktena śāstrataḥ॥3-321-21॥
After the divine and ancestral rites have been performed, and after being examined by both, he is honored according to the procedure as stated in the śāstra. (3-321-21)
taṃ dṛṣṭvā mahad-āścaryam-apūrvaṃ vidhi-vistaram। upopaviṣṭaḥ suprīto nārado bhagavān ṛṣiḥ ॥3-321-22॥
Having seen him and the great, unprecedented wonder and the detailed procedure, the venerable sage Nārada, being well-pleased, sat nearby. (3-321-22)
nārāyaṇaṃ saṃnirīkṣya prasannenāntarātmanā। namaskṛtvā mahādevam idaṃ vacanam abravīt ॥3-321-23॥
After gazing at Nārāyaṇa with a joyful heart and bowing to Mahādeva, he spoke these words. (3-321-23)
vedeṣu sapurāṇeṣu sāṅgopāṅgeṣu gīyase। tvam ajaḥ śāśvato dhātā mato'mṛtamanuttamam ॥ pratiṣṭhitaṃ bhūtabhavyaṃ tvayi sarvam idaṃ jagat ॥3-321-24॥
You are sung in the Vedas, the Purāṇas, and their limbs and sub-limbs. You are the unborn, the eternal, the supporter, regarded as immortal and unsurpassed. All this world, established in you, consists of the past and the future. (3-321-24)
catvāro hy āśramā deva sarve gārhasthyamūlakāḥ। yajante tvām ahar ahar nānā-mūrti-samāsthitam ॥3-321-25॥
O divine one, all four āśramas, which are rooted in householdership, worship you every day in your various forms. (3-321-25)
pitā mātā ca sarvasya jagataḥ śāśvato guruḥ। kaṃ tvadya yajase devaṃ pitaraṃ kaṃ na vidmahe ॥3-321-26॥
The father, mother, and the eternal teacher of all the world; whom do you worship today as god, as father, whom we do not know. (3-321-26)
śrībhagavānuvāca॥
The holy Lord said:
avācyam etad vaktavyam ātmaguhyaṃ sanātanam। tava bhaktimato brahman vakṣyāmi tu yathātatham ॥3-321-27॥
O Brahman, this eternal self-secret is not to be spoken, but I shall tell it to you, the devoted one, just as it is. (3-321-27)
yattat sūkṣmam avijñeyam avyaktam acalaṃ dhruvam। indriyair indriyārthaiś ca sarvabhūtaiś ca varjitam ॥3-321-28॥
That which is subtle, unknowable, unmanifest, immovable, and constant, is devoid of the senses, sense objects, and all beings. (3-321-28)
sa hy antarātmā bhūtānāṃ kṣetrajñaś ceti kathyate। triguṇavyatirikto'sau puruṣaś ceti kalpitaḥ ॥ tasmād avyaktam utpannaṃ triguṇaṃ dvijasattama ॥3-321-29॥
He, the inner self of beings, is called the knower of the field; he is conceived as the person distinct from the three guṇas. Therefore, O best of the twice-born, the unmanifest has arisen as the threefold guṇa. (3-321-29)
avyaktā vyaktabhāvasthā yā sā prakṛtiravyayā। tāṃ yonimāvayorviddhi yo'sau sadasadātmakaḥ ॥ āvābhyāṃ pūjyate'sau hi daive pitrye ca kalpite ॥3-321-30॥
That imperishable nature, which is unmanifest and yet assumes the state of manifestation, know her as the source of both of us; he who is of the nature of both existence and non-existence is indeed worshipped by us two in the rites established for the gods and the ancestors. (3-321-30)
nāsti tasmāt paro'nyo hi pitā devo'tha vā dvijaḥ। ātmā hi nau sa vijñeyas tatastaṃ pūjayāvahe ॥3-321-31॥
There is no one superior to him, not even the father, god, or Brahmin; the self alone is to be known by us, therefore let us worship him. (3-321-31)
tenaiṣā prathitā brahmanmaryādā lokabhāvinī। daivaṃ pitryaṃ ca kartavyamiti tasyānuśāsanam ॥3-321-32॥
O Brāhmaṇa, by him this boundary, which sustains the world, has been established. The performance of both divine and ancestral rites is to be done—such is his instruction. (3-321-32)
brahmā sthāṇur manur dakṣo bhṛgur dharmas tapo damaḥ। marīcir aṅgirātriś ca pulastyaḥ pulahaḥ kratuḥ ॥3-321-33॥
Brahmā, Sthāṇu (Śiva), Manu, Dakṣa, Bhṛgu, Dharma, austerity, self-control, Marīci, Aṅgirāḥ, Atri, Pulastya, Pulaha, and Kratu. (3-321-33)
vasiṣṭhaḥ parameṣṭhī ca vivasvān soma eva ca। kardamaś cāpi yaḥ proktaḥ krodho vikrīta eva ca ॥3-321-34॥
Vasiṣṭha, Parameṣṭhī, Vivasvān, Soma, and also Kardama, who is mentioned, as well as Krodha and Vikrīta, are indeed (included). (3-321-34)
ekaviṃśatirutpannāste prajāpatayaḥ smṛtāḥ। tasya devasya maryādāṃ pūjayanti sanātanīm ॥3-321-35॥
The twenty-one lords of creatures who have arisen are remembered. They honor the eternal boundary of that god. (3-321-35)
daivaṃ pitryaṃ ca satataṃ tasya vijñāya tattvataḥ। ātmaprāptāni ca tato jānanti dvijasattamāḥ ॥3-321-36॥
The best of the twice-born, having truly understood what is divine, ancestral, and always pertaining to him, also know what is self-acquired from that. (3-321-36)
svargasthā api ye kecittaṃ namasyanti dehinaḥ। te tatprasādādgacchanti tenādiṣṭaphalāṃ gatim ॥3-321-37॥
Even those who dwell in heaven, among the embodied beings who bow to him, by his grace, attain the state of the fruit ordained by him. (3-321-37)
ye hīnāḥ saptadaśabhir guṇaiḥ karmabhir eva ca। kalāḥ pañcadaśa tyaktvā te muktā iti niścayaḥ ॥3-321-38॥
Those who are deprived of the seventeen qualities and actions, having abandoned the fifteen parts, are certainly liberated. (3-321-38)
muktānāṃ tu gatir brahman kṣetrajña iti kalpitaḥ। sa hi sarvagataś caiva nirguṇaś caiva kathyate ॥3-321-39॥
But, O Brahman, the goal of the liberated is considered to be the knower of the field. He is indeed described as all-pervading and certainly without qualities. (3-321-39)
dṛśyate jñānayogena āvāṃ ca prasṛtau tataḥ। evaṃ jñātvā tam ātmānaṃ pūjayāvaḥ sanātanam ॥3-321-40॥
He is perceived through the path of knowledge; we two have also arisen from that. Thus, knowing that self, we both should worship the eternal. (3-321-40)
taṃ vedāś cāśramāś caiva nānā-tanu-samāsthitāḥ। bhaktyā sampūjayanty ādyaṃ gatiṃ caiṣāṃ dadāti saḥ॥3-321-41॥
The Vedas and the āśramas, established in various forms, worship him with devotion as the original goal, and he grants them their objective. (3-321-41)
ye tu tadbhāvitā loke ekāntitvaṃ samāsthitāḥ। etadabhyadhikaṃ teṣāṃ yatte taṃ praviśantyuta ॥3-321-42॥
But those who are devoted to that, who have established themselves in solitude in the world, they enter that which is superior among these, indeed. (3-321-42)
iti guhya-samuddeśas tava nārada kīrtitaḥ। bhaktyā premṇā ca viprarṣe asmad-bhaktyā ca te śrutaḥ ॥3-321-43॥
Thus, O Nārada, your secret instruction has been declared. Through devotion, through love, and also through my own devotion, O best of Brāhmaṇas, it has been revealed to you. (3-321-43)
