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Mahābhārata • Parva 12 (Śāntiparva) • Adhyāya 338

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 338

शान्तिपर्व • अध्यायः 338

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 338 of the classical Mahābhārata with 26 verses.

Total: 26 Verses • Citations: MBh 12.338.1–26 • 250 Lexicon Terms
बहवः पुरुषा ब्रह्मन्नुताहो एक एव तु । को ह्यत्र पुरुषः श्रेष्ठः को वा योनिरिहोच्यते ॥
English Translation
Janamejaya said O twice-born one, are there many souls or is there only one? Who, in the universe, is the foremost of Souls? What, again, is said to be the source of all things?
बहवः पुरुषा लोके सांख्ययोगविचारिणाम् । नैतदिच्छन्ति पुरुषमेकं कुरुकुलोद्वह ॥
English Translation
Vaishampayana said, In the Sankhya and the Yoga Systems many are the Souls spoken of. O preceptor of Kuru's race, those who follow these systems do not wish to assert that there is but one Purusha in the universe.
बहूनां पुरुषाणां च यथैका योनिरुच्यते । तथा तं पुरुषं विश्वं व्याख्यास्यामि गुणाधिकम् ॥
English Translation
Similarly in scriptures in which the many Souls are said to have one origin in the Supreme Soul, it may be said that this entire universe is at one with that one Soul of superior attributes. I shall explain this now, after bowing to my preceptor Vyasa, that foremost of Rishis, who is conversant with the soul, endued with penances, self-controlled, and worthy of respectful adoration.
नमस्कृत्वा तु गुरवे व्यासायामिततेजसे । तपोयुक्ताय दान्ताय वन्द्याय परमर्षये ॥
इदं पुरुषसूक्तं हि सर्ववेदेषु पार्थिव । ऋतं सत्यं च विख्यातमृषिसिंहेन चिन्तितम् ॥
English Translation
This speculation on Purusha, O king, occurs in all the Vedas. It is well-known to be at one with Rita and Truth. The foremost of Rishis, viz., Vyasa, has thought upon it.
उत्सर्गेणापवादेन ऋषिभिः कपिलादिभिः । अध्यात्मचिन्तामाश्रित्य शास्त्राण्युक्तानि भारत ॥
English Translation
Having occupied themselves with reflection on what is called the spiritual science, various Rishis, O king, having Kapila for their first, have declared their opinions on this subject both generally and particularly.
समासतस्तु यद्व्यासः पुरुषैकत्वमुक्तवान् । तत्तेऽहं संप्रवक्ष्यामि प्रसादादमितौजसः ॥
English Translation
Through the favour of Vyasa of great energy, I shall explain to you what Vyasa has said in brief on this question of the Oneness of Soul.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । ब्रह्मणा सह संवादं त्र्यम्बकस्य विशां पते ॥
English Translation
Regarding it is cited the old discourse between Brahman, O king, and the Three-eyed Mahadeva.
क्षीरोदस्य समुद्रस्य मध्ये हाटकसप्रभः । वैजयन्त इति ख्यातः पर्वतप्रवरो नृप ॥
English Translation
In the midst of the Ocean of milk, there is a very huge mountain of great effulgence like that of gold, known, O king, by the name of Vaijayanta.
तत्राध्यात्मगतिं देव एकाकी प्रविचिन्तयन् । वैराजसदने नित्यं वैजयन्तं निषेवते ॥
English Translation
Going there all alone, from his own abode of great splendour and happiness, the illustrious god Brahman used very often to pass his time, engaged in thinking on the course of spiritual science.
अथ तत्रासतस्तस्य चतुर्वक्त्रस्य धीमतः । ललाटप्रभवः पुत्रः शिव आगाद्यदृच्छया । आकाशेनैव योगीशः पुरा त्रिनयनः प्रभुः ॥
English Translation
While the four-headed Brahman of great intelligence, as seated there, his son Mahadeva, who had originated from his forehead, met him one day in course of his travel through the universe.
ततः खान्निपपाताशु धरणीधरमूर्धनि । अग्रतश्चाभवत्प्रीतो ववन्दे चापि पादयोः ॥
तं पादयोर्निपतितं दृष्ट्वा सव्येन पाणिना । उत्थापयामास तदा प्रभुरेकः प्रजापतिः ॥
उवाच चैनं भगवांश्चिरस्यागतमात्मजम् । स्वागतं ते महाबाहो दिष्ट्या प्राप्तोऽसि मेऽन्तिकम् ॥
कच्चित्ते कुशलं पुत्र स्वाध्यायतपसोः सदा । नित्यमुग्रतपास्त्वं हि ततः पृच्छामि ते पुनः ॥
English Translation
The Grandfather said Welcome are you, O you of mighty arms! By good luck I see you after such a long time before me. I hope, O son, that everything is right with your penances, and your Vedic studies and recitations. You always observe the austerest penances. hence I ask you about the progress and well-being of those penances of yours.
त्वत्प्रसादेन भगवन्स्वाध्यायतपसोर्मम । कुशलं चाव्ययं चैव सर्वस्य जगतस्तथा ॥
English Translation
Rudra said O Illustrious One, through your grace, all is well with my penances and Vedic studies. It is all right, again, with universe.
चिरदृष्टो हि भगवान्वैराजसदने मया । ततोऽहं पर्वतं प्राप्तस्त्विमं त्वत्पादसेवितम् ॥
English Translation
I saw your illustrious self a long while ago in your own home of happiness and effulgence! I am coming thence to this mountain that is not the habitation of your feet.
कौतूहलं चापि हि मे एकान्तगमनेन ते । नैतत्कारणमल्पं हि भविष्यति पितामह ॥
English Translation
My mind is filled up with great curiosity for your thus coming into such a secluded mind from your usual religion of happiness and splendour. There must be great reason, O Grandfather, for such an act.
किं नु तत्सदनं श्रेष्ठं क्षुत्पिपासाविवर्जितम् । सुरासुरैरध्युषितमृषिभिश्चामितप्रभैः ॥
English Translation
Your own foremost of abodes is free from the pains of hunger and thirst and inhabited by both gods and Asuras, by Rishis of great splendour, as also by Gandharvas and Apsaras. Leaving such a spot of happiness, you live alone in this foremost of mountains. The cause of this cannot but be weighty.
गन्धर्वैरप्सरोभिश्च सततं संनिषेवितम् । उत्सृज्येमं गिरिवरमेकाकी प्राप्तवानसि ॥
English Translation
Your own foremost of abodes is free from the pains of hunger and thirst and inhabited by both gods and Asuras, by Rishis of great splendour, as also by Gandharvas and Apsaras. Leaving such a spot of happiness, you live alone in this foremost of mountains. The cause of this cannot but be weighty.
वैजयन्तो गिरिवरः सततं सेव्यते मया । अत्रैकाग्रेण मनसा पुरुषश्चिन्त्यते विराट् ॥
English Translation
This foremost of mountains, called Vaijayanta, is always my abode. Here, with concentrated mind, I meditate on the one universal Soul of infinite proportions.
बहवः पुरुषा ब्रह्मंस्त्वया सृष्टाः स्वयंभुवा । सृज्यन्ते चापरे ब्रह्मन्स चैकः पुरुषो विराट् ॥
English Translation
Rudra said Self-create you are. Many are the Souls that haven been created by you. Others again, O Brahman, are being created by you. The Infinite Soul, however, of whom you speak, is one and single.
को ह्यसौ चिन्त्यते ब्रह्मंस्त्वया वै पुरुषोत्तमः । एतन्मे संशयं ब्रूहि महत्कौतूहलं हि मे ॥
English Translation
Who is that foremost of Souls, O Brahman, that is being meditated by you? Great is my curiosity about it. Do you kindly remove the doubt that has possessed my mind!
बहवः पुरुषाः पुत्र ये त्वया समुदाहृताः । एवमेतदतिक्रान्तं द्रष्टव्यं नैवमित्यपि । आधारं तु प्रवक्ष्यामि एकस्य पुरुषस्य ते ॥
English Translation
Brahman said O son, many are those Souls of whom you speak. The one Soul, however, of whom I am thinking, transcends all Souls and is invisible.
बहूनां पुरुषाणां स यथैका योनिरुच्यते । तथा तं पुरुषं विश्वं परमं सुमहत्तमम् । निर्गुणं निर्गुणा भूत्वा प्रविशन्ति सनातनम् ॥
English Translation
The many Souls that exist in the universe constitute the basis upon which that one Soul slands; and since that one Soul is said to be the source whence all the innumerable Purushas have originated, hence all the latter, if they succeed in divesting themselves of attributes, become competent to enter into that one Soul who is at one with the universe, who is supreme, who is the foremost of the foremost, who is eternal, and who is himself divested of and is above all qualities. 77977 Ryt fagd TH
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