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Mahābhārata • Parva 12 (Śāntiparva) • Adhyāya 204

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 204

शान्तिपर्व • अध्यायः 204

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 204 of the classical Mahābhārata with 17 verses.

Total: 17 Verses • Citations: MBh 12.204.1–17 • 250 Lexicon Terms
चतुर्विधानि भूतानि स्थावराणि चराणि च । अव्यक्तप्रभवान्याहुरव्यक्तनिधनानि च । अव्यक्तनिधनं विद्यादव्यक्तात्मात्मकं मनः ॥
English Translation
Bhishma said 'All immobile and mobile beings, divided into four classes, have been described to be of unmanifest birth and unmanifest death. Existing only in the unmanifest Soul, the Mind is said to possess the attributes of the unmanifest.
यथाश्वत्थकणीकायामन्तर्भूतो महाद्रुमः । निष्पन्नो दृश्यते व्यक्तमव्यक्तात्संभवस्तथा ॥
English Translation
As a vast tree lies within a small unblown Ashvatha flower and is seen only when it comes out, so birth takes place from what is unmanifest.
अभिद्रवत्ययस्कान्तमयो निश्चेतनावुभौ । स्वभावहेतुजा भावा यद्वदन्यदपीदृशम् ॥
English Translation
A piece of iron, which is inanimate runs towards a piece of loadstone. Likewise, inclinations and propensities due to natural instincts, and all else, run towards the Soul in a 11cw lifc.
तद्वदव्यक्तजा भावाः कर्तुः कारणलक्षणाः । अचेतनाश्चेतयितुः कारणादभिसंहिताः ॥
English Translation
Indeed, as those propensities bom of Darkness and Ignorance, and inactive in their nature, are united with the Soul when re-born, similarly, those other inclinations and aspirations of the Soul that have their look directed towards Brahma become united with it, coming to it directly from Brahima itself.
न भूः खं द्यौर्न भूतानि नर्षयो न सुरासुराः । नान्यदासीदृते जीवमासेदुर्न तु संहितम् ॥
English Translation
Neither earth, nor sky, nor heaven, nor things, nor the vital airs, nor virtue and vice, nor anything else, existed before, except the Intelligence-Soul. Nor have they any necessary connection with even the Intelligence-Soul corrupted by Darkness.
सर्वनीत्या सर्वगतं मनोहेतु सलक्षणम् । अज्ञानकर्म निर्दिष्टमेतत्कारणलक्षणम् ॥
English Translation
The Soul is eternal. It is indestructible. It is in every creature. It is the cause of the Mind. It is without qualities. This universe before us is due to Darkness or Ignorance. The Soul's apprehensions of form, etc., are due to past desires.
तत्कारणैर्हि संयुक्तं कार्यसंग्रहकारकम् । येनैतद्वर्तते चक्रमनादिनिधनं महत् ॥
English Translation
The Soul, when it becomes endued with desires, engages in acts. On account of that condition, this vast wheel of existence revolves with beginning and without end.
अव्यक्तनाभं व्यक्तारं विकारपरिमण्डलम् । क्षेत्रज्ञाधिष्ठितं चक्रं स्निग्धाक्षं वर्तते ध्रुवम् ॥
English Translation
The Understanding, is the nave of that wheel. The body with the senses, forms its spokes. The perceptions and acts are its circumference. Urged by on the quality of Darkness, the Soul presides over it.
स्निग्धत्वात्तिलवत्सर्वं चक्रेऽस्मिन्पीड्यते जगत् । तिलपीडैरिवाक्रम्य भोगैरज्ञानसंभवैः ॥
English Translation
Like oilmen pressing oilseeds pressing oilseeds in their machine, the consequences born of Darkness, assailing the universe which is moistened by Darkness, press or grind it in that wheel.
कर्म तत्कुरुते तर्षादहंकारपरिग्रहम् । कार्यकारणसंयोगे स हेतुरुपपादितः ॥
English Translation
In that succession of births, the individual Soul, seized by the idea of Ego in consequence of desire, performs acts. In the union of cause and effect, those acts again become fresh causes.
नात्येति कारणं कार्यं न कार्यं कारणं तथा । कार्याणां तूपकरणे कालो भवति हेतुमान् ॥
English Translation
Effects do not enter into causes. Nor do causes enter into effects. Time is the instrumental in the production of effects.
हेतुयुक्ताः प्रकृतयो विकाराश्च परस्परम् । अन्योन्यमभिवर्तन्ते पुरुषाधिष्ठिताः सदा ॥
English Translation
The primordial essences, and their changes endued with causes, exist unitedly, on account of their being always presided over by the Soul.
सरजस्तामसैर्भावैश्च्युतो हेतुबलान्वितः । क्षेत्रज्ञमेवानुयाति पांसुर्वातेरितो यथा । न च तैः स्पृश्यते भावो न ते तेन महात्मना ॥
English Translation
Like dust following the wind that moves it, the individual Soul, shorn of body, but endued still with inclinations born of Darkness and Ignorance with principles of causes formed by pristine deeds, moves on, following the direction of the Supreme Soul.
सरजस्कोऽरजस्कश्च स वै वायुर्यथा भवेत् । तथैतदन्तरं विद्यात्क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञयोर्बुधः । अभ्यासात्स तथा युक्तो न गच्छेत्प्रकृतिं पुनः ॥
English Translation
As the wind is separate from the dust it carries away, so, the wise man should know, is the connection between life and the Soul. No one should think that the Soul, on account of its seeming union with the body and the senses and the other inclinations and beliefs and unbeliefs, is really endued therewith as its necessary and absolute qualities. On the other hand, the Soul should be considered as existing in its own nature.
संदेहमेतमुत्पन्नमच्छिनद्भगवानृषिः । तथा वार्तां समीक्षेत कृतलक्षणसंमिताम् ॥
English Translation
Thus did the divine Rishi remove the doubt that had taken possession of his disciple's mind. Inspite of all this, people depend upon means consisting of acts and scriptural rites for removing misery and acquiring happiness.
बीजान्यग्न्युपदग्धानि न रोहन्ति यथा पुनः । ज्ञानदग्धैस्तथा क्लेशैर्नात्मा संबध्यते पुनः ॥
English Translation
Seeds that are burnt by fire do not put forth sprouts. Likewise, if everything that produces misery be consumed by the fire of true knowledge, the Soul is freed from the obligation of re-birth in the world.
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