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Mahābhārata • Parva 12 (Śāntiparva) • Adhyāya 308

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 308

शान्तिपर्व • अध्यायः 308

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 308 of the classical Mahābhārata with 192 verses.

Total: 192 Verses • Citations: MBh 12.308.1–192 • 250 Lexicon Terms • Page 1 of 7 (Verses 30 shown)
अपरित्यज्य गार्हस्थ्यं कुरुराजर्षिसत्तम । कः प्राप्तो विनयं बुद्ध्या मोक्षतत्त्वं वदस्व मे ॥
English Translation
Yudhishthira said. Without giving up the domestic mode of life, O royal sage of Kuru's race, who ever acquired Liberation which is the annihilation of the Understanding? Do tell me this.
संन्यस्यते यथात्मायं संन्यस्तात्मा यथा च यः । परं मोक्षस्य यच्चापि तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥
English Translation
How may the gross and the subtile form be renounced? Do you also, O grandfather, tell me what the supreme excellence of Liberation is.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । जनकस्य च संवादं सुलभायाश्च भारत ॥
English Translation
Bhishma said Regarding it is cited the old discourse between Janaka and Sulabha, O Bharata!
संन्यासफलिकः कश्चिद्बभूव नृपतिः पुरा । मैथिलो जनको नाम धर्मध्वज इति श्रुतः ॥
English Translation
Formerly there was a king of Mithila, of the name of Dharmadhyaja, of Janaka's race. He was given to the religion of Renunciation,
स वेदे मोक्षशास्त्रे च स्वे च शास्त्रे कृतागमः । इन्द्रियाणि समाधाय शशास वसुधामिमाम् ॥
English Translation
He was well conversant with the Veda, with the scriptures on Liberation, and with the scriptures dealing with royal duties. Governing his senses, he ruled this Earth.
तस्य वेदविदः प्राज्ञाः श्रुत्वा तां साधुवृत्तताम् । लोकेषु स्पृहयन्त्यन्ये पुरुषाः पुरुषेश्वर ॥
English Translation
Hearing of his good conduct in the world, many wise men, well-conversant with wisdom, O foremost of men, wished to imitate him.
अथ धर्मयुगे तस्मिन्योगधर्ममनुष्ठिता । महीमनुचचारैका सुलभा नाम भिक्षुकी ॥
English Translation
In the saine golden age, a woman by name sulabha, belonging to the mendicant order, practised the duties of Yoga and travelled over the entire Earth.
तया जगदिदं सर्वमटन्त्या मिथिलेश्वरः । तत्र तत्र श्रुतो मोक्षे कथ्यमानस्त्रिदण्डिभिः ॥
English Translation
In course of her wanderings over the Earth, Sulabha heard from many ascetics of different places that the king of Mithila was given to the religion of Liberation.
सा सुसूक्ष्मां कथां श्रुत्वा तथ्यं नेति ससंशया । दर्शने जातसंकल्पा जनकस्य बभूव ह ॥
English Translation
Hearing this report about king Janaka and desirous of learning whether it was true or not, Sulabha became desirous of seeing Janaka.
ततः सा विप्रहायाथ पूर्वरूपं हि योगतः । अबिभ्रदनवद्याङ्गी रूपमन्यदनुत्तमम् ॥
English Translation
Abandoning, by her Yoga powers, her former body and features, Sulabha assumed the most perfect features and peerless beauty.
चक्षुर्निमेषमात्रेण लघ्वस्त्रगतिगामिनी । विदेहानां पुरीं सुभ्रूर्जगाम कमलेक्षणा ॥
English Translation
In the twinkling of an eye and with the speed of the quickest arrow the fair browed lady having eyes like lotus-petals went to the capital of the Videhas.
सा प्राप्य मिथिलां रम्यां समृद्धजनसंकुलाम् । भैक्षचर्यापदेशेन ददर्श मिथिलेश्वरम् ॥
English Translation
Arrived at the metropolis of Mithila having a large population, she adopted the guise of a mendicant and appeared before the king.
राजा तस्याः परं दृष्ट्वा सौकुमार्यं वपुस्तथा । केयं कस्य कुतो वेति बभूवागतविस्मयः ॥
English Translation
The king, beholding her delicate form, became filed with wonder and enquired who she was, whose she was, and whence she came.
ततोऽस्याः स्वागतं कृत्वा व्यादिश्य च वरासनम् । पूजितां पादशौचेन वरान्नेनाप्यतर्पयत् ॥
English Translation
Welcoming her, he assigned her an excellent seat, honoured her by offering water to wash her feet, and pleased her with excellent refreshments.
अथ भुक्तवती प्रीता राजानं मन्त्रिभिर्वृतम् । सर्वभाष्यविदां मध्ये चोदयामास भिक्षुकी ॥
English Translation
Refreshed duly and pleased with the rites of hospitality offered to her, Sulabha, the female mendicant, urged the king, who was encircled by his ministers and seated in the midst of learned scholars, (to speak out his fidelity to the religion of Liberation).
सुलभा त्वस्य धर्मेषु मुक्तो नेति ससंशया । सत्त्वं सत्त्वेन योगज्ञा प्रविवेश महीपते ॥
English Translation
Doubting whether Janaka has succeeded in acquiring Liberation by following the religion of Renunciation, Sulabha, gifted with Yogapower, entered the understanding of the king by her own understanding.
नेत्राभ्यां नेत्रयोरस्य रश्मीन्संयोज्य रश्मिभिः । सा स्म संचोदयिष्यन्तं योगबन्धैर्बबन्ध ह ॥
English Translation
Controlling, by means of the rays of light that came out from her own eyes, the rays issuing from the eyes of the king, the lady, desirous of ascertaining the truth, bound up king Janaka with Yoga fetters,
जनकोऽप्युत्स्मयन्राजा भावमस्या विशेषयन् । प्रतिजग्राह भावेन भावमस्या नृपोत्तमः ॥
English Translation
Own Priding himself upon his invincibleness and defeating the intentions of Sulabha, that best of kings seized her resolution with his own resolution.
तदेकस्मिन्नधिष्ठाने संवादः श्रूयतामयम् । छत्रादिषु विमुक्तस्य मुक्तायाश्च त्रिदण्डके ॥
English Translation
The king, in his subtile form, had no royal umbrella and sceptre. The lady Sulabha, in hers, was without the threefold stick. Both staying then in the same form, thus conversed with each other. Listen to that conversation as it took place between the king and Sulabha.
भगवत्याः क्व चर्येयं कृता क्व च गमिष्यसि । कस्य च त्वं कुतो वेति पप्रच्छैनां महीपतिः ॥
English Translation
Janaka said O holy lady, to what course of conduct are you given? Whose are you? Whence have you come? After finishing your business here, where will you go?
श्रुते वयसि जातौ च सद्भावो नाधिगम्यते । एष्वर्थेषूत्तरं तस्मात्प्रवेद्यं सत्समागमे ॥
English Translation
No one can, without questioning, determine another's proficiency in the scriptures, or age, or order of birth. You should, therefore, answer these questions of mine, when you have come to me.
छत्रादिषु विशेषेषु मुक्तं मां विद्धि सर्वशः । स त्वां संमन्तुमिच्छामि मानार्हासि मता हि मे ॥
English Translation
Know that I am truly shorn of all vanity about my royal umbrella and sceptre. I wish to know you thoroughly. You are deserving, I think, of my respect.
यस्माच्चैतन्मया प्राप्तं ज्ञानं वैशेषिकं पुरा । यस्य नान्यः प्रवक्तास्ति मोक्षे तमपि मे शृणु ॥
English Translation
Do you hear me as I describe to you Liberation, for there is none else who describe to you that subject. Hear me also as I tell you who that person is from whom in days of yore I acquired this distinguishing knowledge.
पाराशर्यसगोत्रस्य वृद्धस्य सुमहात्मनः । भिक्षोः पञ्चशिखस्याहं शिष्यः परमसंमतः ॥
English Translation
I am the beloved disciple of the great and venerable Panchashikha, belonging to the mendicant order, or Parasara's family.
सांख्यज्ञाने तथा योगे महीपालविधौ तथा । त्रिविधे मोक्षधर्मेऽस्मिन्गताध्वा छिन्नसंशयः ॥
English Translation
My doubts have been removed and I am fully conversant with the Sankhya and the Yoga systems, and the ordinances about sacrifices and other rites, which form the three well known paths of Liberation.
स यथाशास्त्रदृष्टेन मार्गेणेह परिव्रजन् । वार्षिकांश्चतुरो मासान्पुरा मयि सुखोषितः ॥
English Translation
Wandering over the Earth and following path that is pointed out by the scriptures, the learned Panchashika formerly lived happily in my abode for four months during the rains.
तेनाहं सांख्यमुख्येन सुदृष्टार्थेन तत्त्वतः । श्रावितस्त्रिविधं मोक्षं न च राज्याद्विचालितः ॥
English Translation
That foremost of Sankhyas described to me, according to the truth, and in an intelligible manner suited to my understanding, the several kinds of means for acquiring Liberation. He did not, however, order me to give up my kingdom.
सोऽहं तामखिलां वृत्तिं त्रिविधां मोक्षसंहिताम् । मुक्तरागश्चराम्येकः पदे परमके स्थितः ॥
English Translation
Freed from attachments, and fixing my Soul on Supreme Brahma, and unaffected by companionship, I live, practising in all its minute details that threefold conduct which is laid down in treatises on Liberation.
वैराग्यं पुनरेतस्य मोक्षस्य परमो विधिः । ज्ञानादेव च वैराग्यं जायते येन मुच्यते ॥
English Translation
Renunciation in the highest prescribed for Liberation. Renunciation, by which one becomes freed, emanate from Knowledge.
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