Special Call Prof. Jay L. Garfield Commemorative Volume · Submissions Open
Announcements Newsletters About Us Contact
Search
MBh
Mahābhārata • Parva 12 (Śāntiparva) • Adhyāya 199

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 199

शान्तिपर्व • अध्यायः 199

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 199 of the classical Mahābhārata with 33 verses.

Total: 33 Verses • Citations: MBh 12.199.1–33 • 250 Lexicon Terms
यदा ते पञ्चभिः पञ्च विमुक्ता मनसा सह । अथ तद्द्रक्ष्यसे ब्रह्म मणौ सूत्रमिवार्पितम् ॥
English Translation
Manu said When the five attributes are united with the five senses and the mind, then is Brahma seen by the individual like a thread passing through a gem.
तदेव च यथा सूत्रं सुवर्णे वर्तते पुनः । मुक्तास्वथ प्रवालेषु मृन्मये राजते तथा ॥
English Translation
As a thread may lie within gold or a pearl or a coral or any earthen object, so one's soul, for his own acts, may live within a cow, a horse, a man, an elephant or any other animal, or with a worm or an insect.
तद्वद्गोषु मनुष्येषु तद्वद्धस्तिमृगादिषु । तद्वत्कीटपतंगेषु प्रसक्तात्मा स्वकर्मभिः ॥
English Translation
As a thread may lie within gold or a pearl or a coral or any earthen object, so one's soul, for his own acts, may live within a cow, a horse, a man, an elephant or any other animal, or with a worm or an insect.
येन येन शरीरेण यद्यत्कर्म करोत्ययम् । तेन तेन शरीरेण तत्तत्फलमुपाश्नुते ॥
English Translation
The good deeds with a person performs in a particular body yield rewards that the individual enjoys in that particular body.
यथा ह्येकरसा भूमिरोषध्यात्मानुसारिणी । तथा कर्मानुगा बुद्धिरन्तरात्मानुदर्शिनी ॥
English Translation
A soil, seemingly drenched with one particular kind of liquid, supplies to each different sort of Herb or plant that grows on it the sort of juice it requires for itself. Similarly, the Understanding, whose course is witnessed by the Soul, is obliged to follow the path marked out by pristine deeds.
ज्ञानपूर्वोद्भवा लिप्सा लिप्सापूर्वाभिसंधिता । अभिसंधिपूर्वकं कर्म कर्ममूलं ततः फलम् ॥
English Translation
From knowledge originates desire. From desire originates resolution. From resolution proceeds action. From action proceed fruits.
फलं कर्मात्मकं विद्यात्कर्म ज्ञेयात्मकं तथा । ज्ञेयं ज्ञानात्मकं विद्याज्ज्ञानं सदसदात्मकम् ॥
English Translation
Fruits, therefore, have actions as their cause. Actions have the understanding for their root. The understanding has knowledge for its ot, and knowledge has the Soul for its cause.
ज्ञानानां च फलानां च ज्ञेयानां कर्मणां तथा । क्षयान्ते तत्फलं दिव्यं ज्ञानं ज्ञेयप्रतिष्ठितम् ॥
English Translation
That excellent outcome which is gained by the destruction of knowledge, of fruits, of the understanding, and of acts is called knowledge of Brahma.
महद्धि परमं भूतं युक्ताः पश्यन्ति योगिनः । अबुधास्तं न पश्यन्ति ह्यात्मस्था गुणबुद्धयः ॥
English Translation
High indeed is that self-existent Essence which Yogins witness. They who are devoid of wisdom, and whose understandings are addicted to worldly objects never see that which exists in the soul itself.
पृथिवीरूपतो रूपमपामिह महत्तरम् । अद्भ्यो महत्तरं तेजस्तेजसः पवनो महान् ॥
English Translation
Water is superior to the Earth; Light is superior to Water; Wind is superior to Light.
पवनाच्च महद्व्योम तस्मात्परतरं मनः । मनसो महती बुद्धिर्बुद्धेः कालो महान्स्मृतः ॥
English Translation
Space is superior to Wind; Mind is superior 10 Space; Understanding is superior to Mind; Time is superior to Understanding.
कालात्स भगवान्विष्णुर्यस्य सर्वमिदं जगत् । नादिर्न मध्यं नैवान्तस्तस्य देवस्य विद्यते ॥
English Translation
The Divine Vishnu, who is identical with this universe, is superior to Time. That god is without beginning, middle, and end.
अनादित्वादमध्यत्वादनन्तत्वाच्च सोऽव्ययः । अत्येति सर्वदुःखानि दुःखं ह्यन्तवदुच्यते ॥
English Translation
For his being without beginning, iniddle, and cnd, he is Unchangeable. He is above all Sorrow, for Sorrow has limits.
तद्ब्रह्म परमं प्रोक्तं तद्धाम परमं स्मृतम् । तद्गत्वा कालविषयाद्विमुक्ता मोक्षमाश्रिताः ॥
English Translation
That Vishnu is called the Supreme Brahma. He is the refuge or object of what is called the Highest. Knowing Him, they who are wise, freed from everything which is under the influence of Time, acquire liberation.
गुणैस्त्वेतैः प्रकाशन्ते निर्गुणत्वात्ततः परम् । निवृत्तिलक्षणो धर्मस्तथानन्त्याय कल्पते ॥
English Translation
What we perceive is displayed in attributes. That which is called Brahma, being without attributes, is superior to these. Abstention from acts constitutes the greatest religion. That religion is sure to bring on deathlessness.
ऋचो यजूंषि सामानि शरीराणि व्यपाश्रिताः । जिह्वाग्रेषु प्रवर्तन्ते यत्नसाध्या विनाशिनः ॥
English Translation
The Richs, the yajuses and the Samans depend on the body. They flow from the end of the tongue. They cannot be acquired without exertion and are subject to destruction.
न चैवमिष्यते ब्रह्म शरीराश्रयसंभवम् । न यत्नसाध्यं तद्ब्रह्म नादिमध्यं न चान्तवत् ॥
English Translation
Brahma, however, cannot be acquired in this way, for it depends upon that (Soul) which has the body for its refuge. Without beginning, middle, or end, Brahma cannot be acquired by effort.
ऋचामादिस्तथा साम्नां यजुषामादिरुच्यते । अन्तश्चादिमतां दृष्टो न चादिर्ब्रह्मणः स्मृतः ॥
English Translation
The Richs, the Samans, the Yajuses, have each a beginning. Those that have a beginning have also an end. But Brahma is said to be without beginning.
अनादित्वादनन्तत्वात्तदनन्तमथाव्ययम् । अव्ययत्वाच्च निर्द्वंद्वं द्वंद्वाभावात्ततः परम् ॥
English Translation
And because Brahma has neither beginning nor end, it is said to be infinite and unchangeable. On account of unchangeableness, Brahma transcends all sorrow as also pairs of opposites.
अदृष्टतोऽनुपायाच्चाप्यभिसंधेश्च कर्मणः । न तेन मर्त्याः पश्यन्ति येन गच्छन्ति तत्परम् ॥
English Translation
Through unfavourable destiny, through inability to find out the proper expedient, and through the obstacles put in by acts, men cannot see the path by which Brahına may be reached.
विषयेषु च संसर्गाच्छाश्वतस्य च दर्शनात् । मनसा चान्यदाकाङ्क्षन्परं न प्रतिपद्यते ॥
English Translation
On account of attachment to earthly objects, which has a tendency, to multiply itself, one wishes for things other than those for which one should wish, and accordingly fails to attain to the Supreme.
गुणान्यदिह पश्यन्ति तदिच्छन्त्यपरे जनाः । परं नैवाभिकाङ्क्षन्ति निर्गुणत्वाद्गुणार्थिनः ॥
English Translation
Others seeing worldly objects seek their possession. When they hanker after such objects, they do not see Brahma inasmuch as it is shorn of all attributes.
गुणैर्यस्त्ववरैर्युक्तः कथं विद्याद्गुणानिमान् । अनुमानाद्धि गन्तव्यं गुणैरवयवैः सह ॥
English Translation
How can one who is endued with inferior qualities, acquire a knowledge of him who is possessed of superior qualities? It is by inference that one can arrive at a knowledge of Him who transcends all things in attributes and form.
सूक्ष्मेण मनसा विद्मो वाचा वक्तुं न शक्नुमः । मनो हि मनसा ग्राह्यं दर्शनेन च दर्शनम् ॥
English Translation
We can know him only. By subtile intelligence, we cannot describe Him in words. The mind is caught by the mind, the eye by the eye.
ज्ञानेन निर्मलीकृत्य बुद्धिं बुद्ध्या तथा मनः । मनसा चेन्द्रियग्राममनन्तं प्रतिपद्यते ॥
English Translation
By knowledge the understanding can be purged off of its impurities The understanding may be engaged for purifying the mind. The senses should be restrained by the mind. Performing all this, one may attain to the Unchangeable.
बुद्धिप्रहीणो मनसासमृद्ध;स्तथा निराशीर्गुणतामुपैति । परं त्यजन्तीह विलोभ्यमाना; हुताशनं वायुरिवेन्धनस्थम् ॥
English Translation
One who has, by contemplation, become freed from attachments, and who has the wealth of a discerning mind, succeeds in attaining to Brahma which is without desire and above all attributes. As the wind does not touch the fire that lies within a piece of wood, so persons, who are moved (by desire for worldly objects stand aloof from that which is Supreme).
गुणादाने विप्रयोगे च तेषां; मनः सदा बुद्धिपरावराभ्याम् । अनेनैव विधिना संप्रवृत्तो; गुणादाने ब्रह्मशरीरमेति ॥
English Translation
When all earthly objects are destroyed, the mind always attains to That which is higher than the Understanding; while upon their separation the mind always acquires that which is below the Understanding. Therefore, a person, who, according to the method already described, becomes engaged in destroying carthly objects, becomes immersed in Brahma.
अव्यक्तात्मा पुरुषोऽव्यक्तकर्मा; सोऽव्यक्तत्वं गच्छति ह्यन्तकाले । तैरेवायं चेन्द्रियैर्वर्धमानै;र्ग्लायद्भिर्वा वर्तते कर्मरूपः ॥
English Translation
Though the Soul is unmanifest, yet when endued with qualities, its acts become manifest. When dissolution sets in it once more becomes unmanifest. The Soul is really inactive. Its exists, endued with the senses which create either happiness or misery.
सर्वैरयं चेन्द्रियैः संप्रयुक्तो; देहः प्राप्तः पञ्चभूताश्रयः स्यात् । नासामर्थ्याद्गच्छति कर्मणेह; हीनस्तेन परमेणाव्ययेन ॥
English Translation
United with all the senses and body, it takes refuge in the five primal elements. It cannot, however, act through want of power, however, when it is deprived of force by the Supreme and Unchangeable.
पृथ्व्या नरः पश्यति नान्तमस्या; ह्यन्तश्चास्या भविता चेति विद्धि । परं नयन्तीह विलोभ्यमानं; यथा प्लवं वायुरिवार्णवस्थम् ॥
English Translation
No man sees the end of this earth, but know this, viz., that the Earth's end will surely come. Man moved here (by attachments) is surely led to his last resort like the wind leading a vessel, tossed on the sea to a safe harbour at last.
दिवाकरो गुणमुपलभ्य निर्गुणो; यथा भवेद्व्यपगतरश्मिमण्डलः । तथा ह्यसौ मुनिरिह निर्विशेषवा;न्स निर्गुणं प्रविशति ब्रह्म चाव्ययम् ॥
English Translation
Diffusing his rays the sun becomes the possessor of an attribute, withdrawing his rays he once more becomes an object shorn of attributes, Similarly a person casting off all distinctions and practising penances, at last enters the indestructible Brahma which is shorn of all attributes.
अनागतिं सुकृतिमतां परां गतिं; स्वयंभुवं प्रभवनिधानमव्ययम् । सनातनं यदमृतमव्ययं पदं; विचार्य तं शमममृतत्वमश्नुते ॥
English Translation
By knowing Him who is without birth, who is the highest refuge of all pious men, who is self-create, from whom everything originates and whom everything returns, who is unchangeable, who is without beginning, middle, and end, and who is self and supreme, a person attains to immortality.'
← Previous (Ch. 1526) Full Table of Contents Next (Ch. 1528) →