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Mahābhārata • Parva 12 (Śāntiparva) • Adhyāya 173

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 173

शान्तिपर्व • अध्यायः 173

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 173 of the classical Mahābhārata with 53 verses.

Total: 53 Verses • Citations: MBh 12.173.1–53 • 250 Lexicon Terms • Page 1 of 2 (Verses 30 shown)
बान्धवाः कर्म वित्तं वा प्रज्ञा वेह पितामह । नरस्य का प्रतिष्ठा स्यादेतत्पृष्टो वदस्व मे ॥
English Translation
Yudhishthira said When of these, O grandfather, viz., relatives, or acts or riches, or wisdom, should be the refuge of a person? Accosted by men, answer me this!
प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठा भूतानां प्रज्ञा लाभः परो मतः । प्रज्ञा नैःश्रेयसी लोके प्रज्ञा स्वर्गो मतः सताम् ॥
English Translation
Bhishma said 'Wisdom is the refuge of creatures. Wisdom is considered as the greatest of acquisitions. Wisdom is the greatest happiness in the world. Wisdom is regarded by the good and virtuous as heaven.
प्रज्ञया प्रापितार्थो हि बलिरैश्वर्यसंक्षये । प्रह्रादो नमुचिर्मङ्किस्तस्याः किं विद्यते परम् ॥
English Translation
It was through wisdom that Vali, Prahlada, Namuchi, and Manki, when they lost their prosperity, succeeded in gaining happiness, What is there that is superior to wisdom.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । इन्द्रकाश्यपसंवादं तन्निबोध युधिष्ठिर ॥
English Translation
Bhishma said Regarding it is cited the old discourse between father and son. Listen to it, 0 Yudhishthira.
वैश्यः कश्चिदृषिं तात काश्यपं संशितव्रतम् । रथेन पातयामास श्रीमान्दृप्तस्तपस्विनम् ॥
English Translation
Once on a time a rich Vaishya, enjoying the highest state of prosperity and elated with his affluence, threw down, by rashly driving his car, a Rishi's son of rigid vows, named Kashyapa, given to penances.
आर्तः स पतितः क्रुद्धस्त्यक्त्वात्मानमथाब्रवीत् । मरिष्याम्यधनस्येह जीवितार्थो न विद्यते ॥
तथा मुमूर्षुमासीनमकूजन्तमचेतसम् । इन्द्रः सृगालरूपेण बभाषे क्रुद्धमानसम् ॥
मनुष्ययोनिमिच्छन्ति सर्वभूतानि सर्वशः । मनुष्यत्वे च विप्रत्वं सर्व एवाभिनन्दति ॥
मनुष्यो ब्राह्मणश्चासि श्रोत्रियश्चासि काश्यप । सुदुर्लभमवाप्यैतददोषान्मर्तुमिच्छसि ॥
English Translation
You, O Kashyapa, are a human being! Amongst men you are again a Brahmana. Among Brahmanas, you are again well-read in the Vedas. Having acquired that which is difficult to get, you should not give up life from folly.
सर्वे लाभाः साभिमाना इति सत्या बत श्रुतिः । संतोषणीयरूपोऽसि लोभाद्यदभिमन्यसे ॥
English Translation
All sorts of earthly) acquisitions are fraught with pride. What the Shrutis hold about it is perfectly true. You appear as the embodiment. In forming such a resolution about renouncing your life, you act from cupidity.
अहो सिद्धार्थता तेषां येषां सन्तीह पाणयः । पाणिमद्भ्यः स्पृहास्माकं यथा तव धनस्य वै ॥
English Translation
Those who have hands become successful. I eagerly wish to be like those creatures who have hands.
न पाणिलाभादधिको लाभः कश्चन विद्यते । अपाणित्वाद्वयं ब्रह्मन्कण्टकान्नोद्धरामहे ॥
अथ येषां पुनः पाणी देवदत्तौ दशाङ्गुली । उद्धरन्ति कृमीनङ्गाद्दशमानान्कषन्ति च ॥
English Translation
Those who have got two hands with ten fingers, can throw away or crush the worms that bite their limbs.
हिमवर्षातपानां च परित्राणानि कुर्वते । चेलमन्नं सुखं शय्यां निवातं चोपभुञ्जते ॥
English Translation
They can make shelters for themselves against rain, cold and heat. They can also enjoy excellent clothes for themselves, good food, comfortable beds, and excellent houses.
अधिष्ठाय च गां लोके भुञ्जते वाहयन्ति च । उपायैर्बहुभिश्चैव वश्यानात्मनि कुर्वते ॥
English Translation
Living on this Earth, those who have hands enjoy kine and other animals and cause them to carry loads or draw their cars, and by the help of various means make those animals obey them.
ये खल्वजिह्वाः कृपणा अल्पप्राणा अपाणयः । सहन्ते तानि दुःखानि दिष्ट्या त्वं न तथा मुने ॥
English Translation
Those living creatures that are without tongues, that are helpless, that have little strength, and that have no hands, suffer all kinds of misery. By good luck, O ascetic, you are not like them.
दिष्ट्या त्वं न सृगालो वै न कृमिर्न च मूषकः । न सर्पो न च मण्डूको न चान्यः पापयोनिजः ॥
English Translation
By good luck, you are not a jackal, nor a worm, nor a mouse, nor a snake, nor a frog, or nor any other wretched animal.
एतावतापि लाभेन तोष्टुमर्हसि काश्यप । किं पुनर्योऽसि सत्त्वानां सर्वेषां ब्राह्मणोत्तमः ॥
English Translation
With this gain, you should O Kashyapa, be contented. How happy, again, should you feel yourself, as you think that amongst living creatures you are a superior Brahmana.
इमे मां कृमयोऽदन्ति तेषामुद्धरणाय मे । नास्ति शक्तिरपाणित्वात्पश्यावस्थामिमां मम ॥
English Translation
These worms are biting me. For want of hands I cannot drive them off. Look at this my miserable condition.
अकार्यमिति चैवेमं नात्मानं संत्यजाम्यहम् । नेतः पापीयसीं योनिं पतेयमपरामिति ॥
English Translation
I do not renounce life because it is a very sinful act, and lest, indeed, I may have a more miserable birth.
मध्ये वै पापयोनीनां सार्गाली यामहं गतः । पापीयस्यो बहुतरा इतोऽन्याः पापयोनयः ॥
English Translation
This birth, to which I now belong, is rather tolerable. Miserable as it is, there are many more orders below it which miserable.
जात्यैवैके सुखतराः सन्त्यन्ये भृशदुःखिताः । नैकान्तसुखमेवेह क्वचित्पश्यामि कस्यचित् ॥
English Translation
By birth certain classes of creatures become happier than other who suffer great miseries. But I never see that there is any order of being which can enjoy consummate happiness.
मनुष्या ह्याढ्यतां प्राप्य राज्यमिच्छन्त्यनन्तरम् । राज्याद्देवत्वमिच्छन्ति देवत्वादिन्द्रतामपि ॥
English Translation
more come Having acquired riches men next wish for sovereignty. Having acquired riches men next wish for sovereignty. Having acquired sovereignty they next wish to be gods. Having acquired that status they then wish to be the king of the gods.
भवेस्त्वं यद्यपि त्वाढ्यो न राजा न च दैवतम् । देवत्वं प्राप्य चेन्द्रत्वं नैव तुष्येस्तथा सति ॥
English Translation
If you become affluent, you will never become a king, nor a god. If by any means you become a god, you will then wish for the kingship of the gods. In no state you will be contented.
न तृप्तिः प्रियलाभेऽस्ति तृष्णा नाद्भिः प्रशाम्यति । संप्रज्वलति सा भूयः समिद्भिरिव पावकः ॥
English Translation
Contentment does not from acquisition of objects of desire. Thirst is never satiated although there is sufficient water. The thirst for acquisition is only increased by each fresh acquisition like a fire with new fuels thrown into it.
अस्त्येव त्वयि शोको वै हर्षश्चास्ति तथा त्वयि । सुखदुःखे तथा चोभे तत्र का परिदेवना ॥
English Translation
You have grief for your associate. But joy, at the same time, lives in you. Both happiness and misery live in you. Why should you then yield to grief?
परिच्छिद्यैव कामानां सर्वेषां चैव कर्मणाम् । मूलं रुन्धीन्द्रियग्रामं शकुन्तानिव पञ्जरे ॥
English Translation
One should shut up, like birds in a cage, the very springs, viz., the understanding and the senses, of his desires and acts.
न खल्वप्यरसज्ञस्य कामः क्वचन जायते । संस्पर्शाद्दर्शनाद्वापि श्रवणाद्वापि जायते ॥
English Translation
One who has not experienced the enjoyment of a certain object, never feels a desire for that object. Desires originate from the actual experience of the pleasures that touch, or sight, or hearing gives.
न त्वं स्मरसि वारुण्या लट्वाकानां च पक्षिणाम् । ताभ्यां चाभ्यधिको भक्ष्यो न कश्चिद्विद्यते क्वचित् ॥
English Translation
You have no idea of the taste of the wine called Varuni or of the meat of the birds called Ladvaka. There is no drink and no so food sweeter than these.
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