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Mahābhārata • Parva 12 (Śāntiparva) • Adhyāya 229

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 229

शान्तिपर्व • अध्यायः 229

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 229 of the classical Mahābhārata with 26 verses.

Total: 26 Verses • Citations: MBh 12.229.1–26 • 250 Lexicon Terms
अथ ज्ञानप्लवं धीरो गृहीत्वा शान्तिमास्थितः । उन्मज्जंश्च निमज्जंश्च ज्ञानमेवाभिसंश्रयेत् ॥
English Translation
Vyasa said Carried up and down in life's ocean, he that is capable of meditation catches the raft of Knowledge, and for achieving his Liberation adheres to Knowledge itself.
किं तज्ज्ञानमथो विद्या यया निस्तरति द्वयम् । प्रवृत्तिलक्षणो धर्मो निवृत्तिरिति चैव हि ॥
English Translation
Shuka said What is that Knowledge? Is it that learning by which, when error is gone, the truth reveals itselt? Or, is it those duties consisting of acts to be done or achieved, by the help of which the object sought for, may be understood or attained? Or, is it those duties, called absention from acts by which an extinction of the Soul is to be sought? Do tell me what it is, so that by its help the two, viz., birth and death, may be avoided.
यस्तु पश्येत्स्वभावेन विना भावमचेतनः । पुष्यते च पुनः सर्वान्प्रज्ञया मुक्तहेतुकः ॥
English Translation
Vyasa said That fool who, believing that all this exists by its own Nature without, in sooth, an eternal foundation, satisfies by such instruction the aspirations of disciples, defeating by his dialectical ingenuity the reasons the latter might urge to the contrary, succeeds not in acquiring any truth.
येषां चैकान्तभावेन स्वभावः कारणं मतम् । पूत्वा तृणबुसीकां वै ते लभन्ते न किंचन ॥
English Translation
They again, who firinly believe that all Cause is due to the Nature of things, cannot acquire any truth by even listening to learned 17en or the Rishis.
ये चैनं पक्षमाश्रित्य वर्तयन्त्यल्पचेतसः । स्वभावं कारणं ज्ञात्वा न श्रेयः प्राप्नुवन्ति ते ॥
English Translation
Those little-witted men who stop (in their speculations), having adopted either of these doctrines, those men who regard Nature as the Cause never succeed in acquiring any benefit for themselves.
स्वभावो हि विनाशाय मोहकर्ममनोभवः । निरुक्तमेतयोरेतत्स्वभावपरभावयोः ॥
English Translation
This belief in Nature (as the producing and the sustaining Cause), originating as it does from a mind labouring under the influence of error, causes the destruction of the person who cherishes it. Hear of the truth regarding these two doctrines which hold (1) that things exist by their own Nature and (2) that they flow accordingly from others that are different form, and that precede, them.
कृष्यादीनि हि कर्माणि सस्यसंहरणानि च । प्रज्ञावद्भिः प्रकॢप्तानि यानासनगृहाणि च ॥
English Translation
Wise men take to agriculture and tillage, and the acquisition of crops and of vehicles, seats, carpets and houses.
आक्रीडानां गृहाणां च गदानामगदस्य च । प्रज्ञावन्तः प्रवक्तारो ज्ञानवद्भिरनुष्ठिताः ॥
English Translation
They also look to the laying of pleasuregardens, the construction of spacious palaces and the preparation of medicines for all sorts of diseases.
प्रज्ञा संयोजयत्यर्थैः प्रज्ञा श्रेयोऽधिगच्छति । राजानो भुञ्जते राज्यं प्रज्ञया तुल्यलक्षणाः ॥
English Translation
It is wisdom (which consists in the application of means) which brings about the fruition of objects. It is wisdom which gains beneficial results. It is wisdom which enables kings to exercise and enjoy sovereignty although they are endued with attributes equal to those of persons over whom they rule.
पारावर्यं तु भूतानां ज्ञानेनैवोपलभ्यते । विद्यया तात सृष्टानां विद्यैव परमा गतिः ॥
English Translation
It is by wisdom that the difference is made between the high and the low among beings. It is by wisdom that the superior and the inferior ones among created objects are made out. It is wisdom or knowledge which is greatest refuge of all things.
भूतानां जन्म सर्वेषां विविधानां चतुर्विधम् । जराय्वण्डमथोद्भेदं स्वेदं चाप्युपलक्षयेत् ॥
English Translation
All the sorts of created things have four kinds of birth. They are viviparous, oviparous, vegetables, and those born of filth.
स्थावरेभ्यो विशिष्टानि जङ्गमान्युपलक्षयेत् । उपपन्नं हि यच्चेष्टा विशिष्येत विशेष्ययोः ॥
English Translation
Mobile creatures should be regarded superior to the immobile. It is reasonable that intelligence which differentiates (all nonintelligent matter), should be considered superior to (non-intelligent) matter.
आहुर्द्विबहुपादानि जङ्गमानि द्वयानि च । बहुपाद्भ्यो विशिष्टानि द्विपादानि बहून्यपि ॥
English Translation
Mobile creatures, whose number is legion, are of two sorts, viz., those that are many legs and those that have two. The latter, however, are superior to the former.
द्विपदानि द्वयान्याहुः पार्थिवानीतराणि च । पार्थिवानि विशिष्टानि तानि ह्यन्नानि भुञ्जते ॥
English Translation
Bipeds, again, are of two sorts, viz., those that live on land and those that are otherwise. Of these, the former are superior to the latter. The superior ones eat various sorts of cooked food.
पार्थिवानि द्वयान्याहुर्मध्यमान्युत्तमानि च । मध्यमानि विशिष्टानि जातिधर्मोपधारणात् ॥
English Translation
Bipeds moving on land are of two sorts, viz., middling or intermediate, and those that are foremost. Of these, the middling or intermediate are considered as superior (to the foriner) for their observing the duties of caste.
मध्यमानि द्वयान्याहुर्धर्मज्ञानीतराणि च । धर्मज्ञानि विशिष्टानि कार्याकार्योपधारणात् ॥
English Translation
Bipeds moving on land are of two sorts, viz., middling or intermediate, and those that are foremost. Of these, the middling or intermediate are considered as superior (to the foriner) for their observing the duties of caste.
धर्मज्ञानि द्वयान्याहुर्वेदज्ञानीतराणि च । वेदज्ञानि विशिष्टानि वेदो ह्येषु प्रतिष्ठितः ॥
English Translation
The middling or intermediate ones are said to be of two sorts, viz., those who are conversant with duties, and those who are otherwise. Of those, the former are superior for they can discriminate between what should be done and what should not.
वेदज्ञानि द्वयान्याहुः प्रवक्तॄणीतराणि च । प्रवक्तॄणि विशिष्टानि सर्वधर्मोपधारणात् ॥
English Translation
Bipeds, again, are of two sorts, viz., those that live on land and those that are otherwise. Of these, the former are superior to the latter. The superior ones eat various sorts of cooked food.
विज्ञायन्ते हि यैर्वेदाः सर्वधर्मक्रियाफलाः । सयज्ञाः सखिला वेदाः प्रवक्तृभ्यो विनिःसृताः ॥
प्रवक्तॄणि द्वयान्याहुरात्मज्ञानीतराणि च । आत्मज्ञानि विशिष्टानि जन्माजन्मोपधारणात् ॥
English Translation
Bipeds moving on land are of two sorts, viz., middling or intermediate, and those that are foremost. Of these, the middling or intermediate are considered as superior (to the foriner) for their observing the duties of caste.
धर्मद्वयं हि यो वेद स सर्वः सर्वधर्मविद् । स त्यागी सत्यसंकल्पः स तु क्षान्तः स ईश्वरः ॥
English Translation
Duties, again, are of two kinds (viz., Pravritti and Nivritti). He who is conversant with duties is said to be omniscient or endued with universal knowledge. Such a man is a Renouncer. Such a man is firin in the fulfilment of his objects. Such a man is truthful, pure and endued with prowess.
धर्मज्ञानप्रतिष्ठं हि तं देवा ब्राह्मणं विदुः । शब्दब्रह्मणि निष्णातं परे च कृतनिश्चयम् ॥
English Translation
The gods know him as a Brahmana who is devoted to knowledge of Brahma. Such a man is versed also in the Vedas are earnestly given to the study of the Self.
अन्तःस्थं च बहिष्ठं च येऽऽधियज्ञाधिदैवतम् । जानन्ति तान्नमस्यामस्ते देवास्तात ते द्विजाः ॥
English Translation
They who have true knowledge see their own self as existing both in and out. Such men, O child, are truly twice-born and such men are gods.
तेषु विश्वमिदं भूतं साग्रं च जगदाहितम् । तेषां माहात्म्यभावस्य सदृशं नास्ति किंचन ॥
English Translation
This world of beings depends upon these, and in them exist this whole universe. There is nothing equal to their greatness.
आदिं ते निधनं चैव कर्म चातीत्य सर्वशः । चतुर्विधस्य भूतस्य सर्वस्येशाः स्वयंभुवः ॥
English Translation
Transcending birth, and death, and distinctions and all acts, they are the lords of the four kinds of creatures, and are the equals of Self-create himself.
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