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Mahābhārata • Parva 12 (Śāntiparva) • Adhyāya 154

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 154

शान्तिपर्व • अध्यायः 154

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 154 of the classical Mahābhārata with 39 verses.

Total: 39 Verses • Citations: MBh 12.154.1–39 • 250 Lexicon Terms
स्वाध्यायकृतयत्नस्य ब्राह्मणस्य पितामह । धर्मकामस्य धर्मात्मन्किं नु श्रेय इहोच्यते ॥
English Translation
Yudhishthira said O grandfather, O you of virtuous soul, what, indeed, yields great merit for a person assiduously engaged in the study of the Vedas and desirous of gaining virtue.
बहुधादर्शने लोके श्रेयो यदिह मन्यसे । अस्मिँल्लोके परे चैव तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥
English Translation
That which yields in this world high merit is of various kinds as described in the scriptures. Tell me, O grandfather, about what is regarded as such both in this world and in the next.
महानयं धर्मपथो बहुशाखश्च भारत । किं स्विदेवेह धर्माणामनुष्ठेयतमं मतम् ॥
English Translation
The path of duty is long and has numberless branches, O Bharata. Amongst those duties what are those few which should, in your opinion, be observed in preference to all others?
धर्मस्य महतो राजन्बहुशाखस्य तत्त्वतः । यन्मूलं परमं तात तत्सर्वं ब्रूह्यतन्द्रितः ॥
English Translation
Tell me, O king, fully about that which is so vast and which has so many branches.
हन्त ते कथयिष्यामि येन श्रेयः प्रपत्स्यसे । पीत्वामृतमिव प्राज्ञो ज्ञानतृप्तो भविष्यसि ॥
English Translation
Bhishma said I shall describe to you that by which you may acquire high merit. Wise as you are, you will be satisfied with the knowledge I will impart to you, like a person gratified with having drunk ambrosia.
धर्मस्य विधयो नैके ते ते प्रोक्ता महर्षिभिः । स्वं स्वं विज्ञानमाश्रित्य दमस्तेषां परायणम् ॥
English Translation
The rules of duty described by the great Rishis, each depending upon his own wisdom, are many. The highest among them all is selfcontrol.
दमं निःश्रेयसं प्राहुर्वृद्धा निश्चयदर्शिनः । ब्राह्मणस्य विशेषेण दमो धर्मः सनातनः ॥
English Translation
Those amongst the ancient Rishis that were acquainted with truth said that self-control, leads to the highest merit. Self-control is the eternal duty of the Brahmanas especially.
नादान्तस्य क्रियासिद्धिर्यथावदुपलभ्यते । दमो दानं तथा यज्ञानधीतं चातिवर्तते ॥
English Translation
It is from self-control that he acquires the due fruition of his acts. Self-control of surpasses (in merit) charity and sacrifice and study of the Vedas.
दमस्तेजो वर्धयति पवित्रं च दमः परम् । विपाप्मा तेजसा युक्तः पुरुषो विन्दते महत् ॥
English Translation
Self-control increases (his) energy. Selfcontrol is highly sacred. Through self-control a man becomes purified of all his sins and gifted with energy, and therefore, acquires the highest blessedness.
दमेन सदृशं धर्मं नान्यं लोकेषु शुश्रुम । दमो हि परमो लोके प्रशस्तः सर्वधर्मिणाम् ॥
English Translation
We have not heard that there is any other duty in all the worlds equal to self-control. Self-control, according to all virtuous persons, is the highest virtues in this world.
प्रेत्य चापि मनुष्येन्द्र परमं विन्दते सुखम् । दमेन हि समायुक्तो महान्तं धर्ममश्नुते ॥
English Translation
Through self-control, O foremost of men, a person enjoys the highest happiness both in this world and in the next. Gifted with self-control, one wins great virtue.
सुखं दान्तः प्रस्वपिति सुखं च प्रतिबुध्यते । सुखं पर्येति लोकांश्च मनश्चास्य प्रसीदति ॥
English Translation
The self-controlled man sleeps in happiness and awakes in happiness, and moves through the world in happiness. His mind is always cheerful.
अदान्तः पुरुषः क्लेशमभीक्ष्णं प्रतिपद्यते । अनर्थांश्च बहूनन्यान्प्रसृजत्यात्मदोषजान् ॥
English Translation
The man who is without self-control always suffers misery. Such a man brings upon himself many calamities all begotten by his own faults.
आश्रमेषु चतुर्ष्वाहुर्दममेवोत्तमं व्रतम् । तस्य लिङ्गानि वक्ष्यामि येषां समुदयो दमः ॥
English Translation
It has been said that in all the four modes of life self-control is the best of vows. I shall now describe to you the characteristic marks the sum-total of which is called self-control.
क्षमा धृतिरहिंसा च समता सत्यमार्जवम् । इन्द्रियावजयो दाक्ष्यं मार्दवं ह्रीरचापलम् ॥
English Translation
Forgiveness, patience, abstention from injury, impartiality, truth, sincerity, control of the senses, cleverness, mildness, modesty, firmness, liberality, freedom from anger, contentment, sweetness of words, benevolence, freedom from malice, all these combined make up self-control.
अकार्पण्यमसंरम्भः संतोषः प्रियवादिता । अविवित्सानसूया चाप्येषां समुदयो दमः ॥
English Translation
Forgiveness, patience, abstention from injury, impartiality, truth, sincerity, control of the senses, cleverness, mildness, modesty, firmness, liberality, freedom from anger, contentment, sweetness of words, benevolence, freedom from malice, all these combined make up self-control.
गुरुपूजा च कौरव्य दया भूतेष्वपैशुनम् । जनवादोऽमृषावादः स्तुतिनिन्दाविवर्जनम् ॥
English Translation
It also consists, O son of Kuru, of respect for the preceptor and mercy for all. The selfcontrolled man avoids both adulation and slander. Depravity, infamy, falsehood, lust, covetousness, pride, arrogance, self-edification, fear, envy, and disrespect, are all shunned by the self-controlled man.
कामः क्रोधश्च लोभश्च दर्पः स्तम्भो विकत्थनम् । मोह ईर्ष्यावमानश्चेत्येतद्दान्तो न सेवते ॥
अनिन्दितो ह्यकामात्माथाल्पेच्छोऽथानसूयकः । समुद्रकल्पः स नरो न कदाचन पूर्यते ॥
English Translation
He never incurs obloquy. He is free from envy. He is never satisfied with trivial acquisitions. He is like the ocean which can never be filled.
अहं त्वयि मम त्वं च मयि ते तेषु चाप्यहम् । पूर्वसंबन्धिसंयोगान्नैतद्दान्तो निषेवते ॥
English Translation
The self-controlled man is never fettered by the attachments originating from earthly connections and sentiments like these,-'I am yours, You are yours. They are in me, and I am in them.
सर्वा ग्राम्यास्तथारण्या याश्च लोके प्रवृत्तयः । निन्दां चैव प्रशंसां च यो नाश्रयति मुच्यते ॥
English Translation
Such a man who follows the practices of either cities or the woods, and who never vilifies others nor indulges in adulation, acquires liberation.
मैत्रोऽथ शीलसंपन्नः सुसहायपरश्च यः । मुक्तश्च विविधैः सङ्गैस्तस्य प्रेत्य महत्फलम् ॥
English Translation
Practising universal friendliness, and virtuous conduct, and possessed of cheerful spirit and psychic knowledge, and freed from the various attachments of the Earth, a person acquires great reward in the next world.
सुवृत्तः शीलसंपन्नः प्रसन्नात्मात्मविद्बुधः । प्राप्येह लोके सत्कारं सुगतिं प्रतिपद्यते ॥
English Translation
Of excellent behaviour and observant of duties, cheerful and endued with learning and knowledge of self, such a man acquires esteem while in this world and attains to a high end hereafter.
कर्म यच्छुभमेवेह सद्भिराचरितं च यत् । तदेव ज्ञानयुक्तस्य मुनेर्धर्मो न हीयते ॥
English Translation
All acts that are considered as good on Earth,-all those acts that are practised by the righteous, form the path of the ascetic endued with knowledge. A person that is good never transgresses that path.
निष्क्रम्य वनमास्थाय ज्ञानयुक्तो जितेन्द्रियः । कालाकाङ्क्षी चरन्नेवं ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते ॥
English Translation
Retiring from the world, and living in the woods, that learned person, having a complete mastery over the senses who treads in that path, expecting his own demise, is sure to acquire the state of Brahma.
अभयं यस्य भूतेभ्यो भूतानामभयं यतः । तस्य देहाद्विमुक्तस्य भयं नास्ति कुतश्चन ॥
English Translation
He who has no fear of any creature, and whom no creature fears, has, after, the dissolution of his body, no fear to meet.
अवाचिनोति कर्माणि न च संप्रचिनोति ह । समः सर्वेषु भूतेषु मैत्रायणगतिश्चरेत् ॥
English Translation
He who exhausts his merits without trying to hoard them up, who considers all creatures equally and cherishes friendship for the entire universe, attains to Brahma.
शकुनीनामिवाकाशे जले वारिचरस्य वा । यथा गतिर्न दृश्येत तथा तस्य न संशयः ॥
English Translation
As the route of birds along the sky or of fowl over the surface of water cannot be made out, so the path of such a person (on Earth) does not attract notice.
गृहानुत्सृज्य यो राजन्मोक्षमेवाभिपद्यते । लोकास्तेजोमयास्तस्य कल्पन्ते शाश्वतीः समाः ॥
English Translation
O king, many bright worlds await him for eternal enjoyment, who renouncing his domestic life, adopts the religious course of emancipation. acts,
संन्यस्य सर्वकर्माणि संन्यस्य विधिवत्तपः । संन्यस्य विविधा विद्याः सर्वं संन्यस्य चैव ह ॥
English Translation
If abandoning all abandoning penances in due time, leaving off the various branches of study, in fact, leaving off all things, one becomes pure in his desires, freed from all restraints, of cheerful soul, conversant with self, and of pure heart, he then acquires esteem in this world and at last attains to heaven.
कामेषु चाप्यनावृत्तः प्रसन्नात्मात्मविच्छुचिः । प्राप्येह लोके सत्कारं स्वर्गं समभिपद्यते ॥
English Translation
Of excellent behaviour and observant of duties, cheerful and endued with learning and knowledge of self, such a man acquires esteem while in this world and attains to a high end hereafter.
यच्च पैतामहं स्थानं ब्रह्मराशिसमुद्भवम् । गुहायां पिहितं नित्यं तद्दमेनाभिपद्यते ॥
English Translation
That eternal region of the grandfather which originates from Vedic penances, and which is concealed in a cave, can only be acquired by self-control.
ज्ञानारामस्य बुद्धस्य सर्वभूताविरोधिनः । नावृत्तिभयमस्तीह परलोके भयं कुतः ॥
English Translation
He who finds pleasure in true knowledge, who has become enlightened, and who never injures any creature, has no fear of returning to this world, not to speak of any fear from the other.
एक एव दमे दोषो द्वितीयो नोपपद्यते । यदेनं क्षमया युक्तमशक्तं मन्यते जनः ॥
English Translation
There is only one fault in self-control. No second fault is seen in it. A person who has self-control is considered by men as weak and imbecile.
एतस्य तु महाप्राज्ञ दोषस्य सुमहान्गुणः । क्षमायां विपुला लोकाः सुलभा हि सहिष्णुना ॥
English Translation
you of great wisdom, this attribute has only one defect. Its merits are many. By forgiveness, the man of self-control may easily acquire numberless worlds.
दान्तस्य किमरण्येन तथादान्तस्य भारत । यत्रैव हि वसेद्दान्तस्तदरण्यं स आश्रमः ॥
English Translation
Of what use is forest to a man of selfcontrol. Likewise, O Bharata, of what use is the forest to him that has no self-control? That is a forest where the man of self-control lives, and that is even a sacred asylum.
एतद्भीष्मस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा राजा युधिष्ठिरः । अमृतेनेव संतृप्तः प्रहृष्टः समपद्यत ॥
English Translation
Hearing these words of Bhishina, Yudhishthira became highly pleased as if he had drunk nectar.
पुनश्च परिपप्रच्छ भीष्मं धर्मभृतां वरम् । तपः प्रति स चोवाच तस्मै सर्वं कुरूद्वह ॥
English Translation
Again the king asked that foremost of virtuous men. That perpetuator of Kuru's race once more began to discourse cheerfully on the subject.
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