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Mahābhārata • Parva 12 (Śāntiparva) • Adhyāya 19

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 19

शान्तिपर्व • अध्यायः 19

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 19 of the classical Mahābhārata with 27 verses.

Total: 27 Verses • Citations: MBh 12.19.1–27 • 250 Lexicon Terms
वेदाहं तात शास्त्राणि अपराणि पराणि च । उभयं वेदवचनं कुरु कर्म त्यजेति च ॥
English Translation
Yudhishthira said I know both the Vedas and the scriptures that lead to the attainment of Brahma. In the Vedas there are both kinds of precepts, viz., those that preach action and those that preach the renouncement of action,
आकुलानि च शास्त्राणि हेतुभिश्चित्रितानि च । निश्चयश्चैव यन्मात्रो वेदाहं तं यथाविधि ॥
English Translation
The scriptures are conflicting and their conclusions are based upon reasons. The truth of the mantras is duly known to me.
त्वं तु केवलमस्त्रज्ञो वीरव्रतमनुष्ठितः । शास्त्रार्थं तत्त्वतो गन्तुं न समर्थः कथंचन ॥
English Translation
You are conversant only with weapons and the practices of heroes. You are unable to understand correctly the meaning of the scriptures.
शास्त्रार्थसूक्ष्मदर्शी यो धर्मनिश्चयकोविदः । तेनाप्येवं न वाच्योऽहं यदि धर्मं प्रपश्यसि ॥
English Translation
If you were really acquainted with duty, then you could have understood that words like these ought not to have been addressed to me by one possessing the true knowledge of the scriptures and acquainted with the truths of religion.
भ्रातृसौहृदमास्थाय यदुक्तं वचनं त्वया । न्याय्यं युक्तं च कौन्तेय प्रीतोऽहं तेन तेऽर्जुन ॥
English Translation
What, however, you have said to me out of fraternal affection, has been fit and proper, O son of Kunti. I am, therefore, gratified with thee, O Arjuna.
युद्धधर्मेषु सर्वेषु क्रियाणां नैपुणेषु च । न त्वया सदृशः कश्चित्त्रिषु लोकेषु विद्यते ॥
English Translation
There is no one equal to you in the three worlds in all duties connected with battle and in skill in various kinds of acts,
धर्मसूक्ष्मं तु यद्वाक्यं तत्र दुष्प्रतरं त्वया । धनंजय न मे बुद्धिमभिशङ्कितुमर्हसि ॥
English Translation
You are, therefore, competent to speak of the niceties of those subjects, that are not understood by others. You should not, however, O Dhananjaya, doubt my intelligence.
युद्धशास्त्रविदेव त्वं न वृद्धाः सेवितास्त्वया । समासविस्तरविदां न तेषां वेत्सि निश्चयम् ॥
English Translation
You are, a master of the science of battle, but you have never waited upon the aged. You know not the conclusions arrived at by those that have studied the subject briefly and fully. The conclusion of intelligent men who want salvation, is that of ascetic penances, renunciation, and knowledge of Brahma, the second is superior to the first, and the third is superior to the second.
तपस्त्यागो विधिरिति निश्चयस्तात धीमताम् । परं परं ज्याय एषां सैषा नैःश्रेयसी गतिः ॥
न त्वेतन्मन्यसे पार्थ न ज्यायोऽस्ति धनादिति । अत्र ते वर्तयिष्यामि यथा नैतत्प्रधानतः ॥
English Translation
Your conclusion, that there is nothing superior to wealth, is a mistake. I will convince you of it, so that you may not again regard wealth in that light.
तपःस्वाध्यायशीला हि दृश्यन्ते धार्मिका जनाः । ऋषयस्तपसा युक्ता येषां लोकाः सनातनाः ॥
English Translation
All righteous men are seen to be devoted to ascetic penances and the study of the Vedas, The Rishis also, that have many eternal regions for them, enjoy the merit of penances.
अजातश्मश्रवो धीरास्तथान्ये वनवासिनः । अनन्ता अधना एव स्वाध्यायेन दिवं गताः ॥
English Translation
Others possessed equanimity of soul, having no enemies, and dwelling in the forest have, through penances and study of the Vedas, proceeded to heaven.
उत्तरेण तु पन्थानमार्या विषयनिग्रहात् । अबुद्धिजं तमस्त्यक्त्वा लोकांस्त्यागवतां गताः ॥
English Translation
By controlling desire for worldly objects and casting off the darkness of sin, pious men proceed northward to the regions reserved for those who practise Renunciation.
दक्षिणेन तु पन्थानं यं भास्वन्तं प्रपश्यसि । एते क्रियावतां लोका ये श्मशानानि भेजिरे ॥
English Translation
The path that lies to the south and leads to regions of light is reserved for men devoted to action. These are acquired by persons subject to birth and death.
अनिर्देश्या गतिः सा तु यां प्रपश्यन्ति मोक्षिणः । तस्मात्त्यागः प्रधानेष्टः स तु दुःखः प्रवेदितुम् ॥
English Translation
That end, however, which persons who wishing to have salvation cannot be described. Yoga is the best means for attaining to it. It is not easy to explain it.
अनुसृत्य तु शास्त्राणि कवयः समवस्थिताः । अपीह स्यादपीह स्यात्सारासारदिदृक्षया ॥
English Translation
Those that are learned live, meditating on the scriptures for finding out what is unreal. They, however, jump at this and that in the belief that the object of their search exists in this and that.
वेदवादानतिक्रम्य शास्त्राण्यारण्यकानि च । विपाट्य कदलीस्कन्धं सारं ददृशिरे न ते ॥
English Translation
Having studied, however, the Vedas the Aranyakas, and the other scriptures, they miss the real like men failing to find solid timber in an uprooted Banana plant.
अथैकान्तव्युदासेन शरीरे पञ्चभौतिके । इच्छाद्वेषसमायुक्तमात्मानं प्राहुरिङ्गितैः ॥
English Translation
There are some who, disbelieving in its oneness, consider the Soul, dwelling in the physical body consisting of the five elements, possessing the attributes of desire and hatred.
अग्राह्यश्चक्षुषा सोऽपि अनिर्देश्यं च तद्गिरा । कर्महेतुपुरस्कारं भूतेषु परिवर्तते ॥
English Translation
Unseen by the eye, highly subtile, and indescribable by words, it goes on in a round (of rebirths) among the creatures of the Earth, keeping before it that which is the root of action.
कल्याणगोचरं कृत्वा मनस्तृष्णां निगृह्य च । कर्मसंततिमुत्सृज्य स्यान्निरालम्बनः सुखी ॥
English Translation
Having made the Soul gradually come towards itself which is the root of all bliss, having controlled all mental desires, and having cast off all kinds of action, one may become perfectly independent and happy.
अस्मिन्नेवं सूक्ष्मगम्ये मार्गे सद्भिर्निषेविते । कथमर्थमनर्थाढ्यमर्जुन त्वं प्रशंससि ॥
English Translation
When there is such a path that is followed by the righteous and that is attainable by Knowledge, why, O Arjuna, do you speak highly of wealth which is full of all sorts of dangers?
पूर्वशास्त्रविदो ह्येवं जनाः पश्यन्ति भारत । क्रियासु निरता नित्यं दाने यज्ञे च कर्मणि ॥
English Translation
Men of olden times who were conversant with the scriptures, O Bharata,-men who were always engaged in gifts and sacrifices and action, held this view, O Bharata.
भवन्ति सुदुरावर्ता हेतुमन्तोऽपि पण्डिताः । दृढपूर्वश्रुता मूढा नैतदस्तीति वादिनः ॥
English Translation
There are some fools who, accomplished in the science of logic, deny the existence of the Soul, for the strength of their convictions of a pristine life. It is very difficult to make them accept this truth about final liberation.
अमृतस्यावमन्तारो वक्तारो जनसंसदि । चरन्ति वसुधां कृत्स्नां वावदूका बहुश्रुताः ॥
English Translation
Those wicked men, though highly learned, travel all over the Earth, delivering lectures in assemblies, and deprecating the true doctrine about liberation.
यान्वयं नाभिजानीमः कस्ताञ्ज्ञातुमिहार्हति । एवं प्राज्ञान्सतश्चापि महतः शास्त्रवित्तमान् ॥
English Translation
O Partha, who else can understand what we do not understand? Similarly they do not succeed in knowing those wise and pious persons who are truly great and who are wellread in the scriptures.
तपसा महदाप्नोति बुद्ध्या वै विन्दते महत् । त्यागेन सुखमाप्नोति सदा कौन्तेय धर्मवित् ॥
English Translation
O son of Kunti, men acquainted with truth attain to Brahma by asceticism and intelligence, and great happiness by Renunciation.
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