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Mahābhārata • Parva 14 (Aśvamedhikaparva) • Adhyāya 36

Aśvamedhikaparva Adhyāya 36

अश्वमेधिकपर्व • अध्यायः 36

Aśvamedhikaparva Adhyāya 36 of the classical Mahābhārata with 37 verses.

Total: 37 Verses • Citations: MBh 14.36.1–37 • 250 Lexicon Terms
तदव्यक्तमनुद्रिक्तं सर्वव्यापि ध्रुवं स्थिरम् । नवद्वारं पुरं विद्यात्त्रिगुणं पञ्चधातुकम् ॥
English Translation
Brahman said That which is unmanifest, which is indistinct, all-pervading, everlasting, immutablc, should be known to become the city of nine portals, possessed of three qualities, and consisting of five ingredients.
एकादशपरिक्षेपं मनो व्याकरणात्मकम् । बुद्धिस्वामिकमित्येतत्परमेकादशं भवेत् ॥
English Translation
Encompassed by cleven including Mind which distinguishes (objects) and having Understanding for the ruler, this is an aggregate of cleven.
त्रीणि स्रोतांसि यान्यस्मिन्नाप्यायन्ते पुनः पुनः । प्रणाड्यस्तिस्र एवैताः प्रवर्तन्ते गुणात्मिकाः ॥
English Translation
The three ducts that are in it, support it always. These are ihe three Nadis. They run continually, and have the three qualities for their essence.
तमो रजस्तथा सत्त्वं गुणानेतान्प्रचक्षते । अन्योन्यमिथुनाः सर्वे तथान्योन्यानुजीविनः ॥
English Translation
Ignorance, Darkness, and Goodness, these are called the (three) qualities. These are connected with one another. They exist depending on one another.
अन्योन्यापाश्रयाश्चैव तथान्योन्यानुवर्तिनः । अन्योन्यव्यतिषक्ताश्च त्रिगुणाः पञ्च धातवः ॥
English Translation
They take refuge in one another, and follow one another. They are also joined with one another. The five (principal) elements are marked by (these) three qualities.
तमसो मिथुनं सत्त्वं सत्त्वस्य मिथुनं रजः । रजसश्चापि सत्त्वं स्यात्सत्त्वस्य मिथुनं तमः ॥
English Translation
Goodness is also the match of Ignorance. Of goodness the match of Darkness. Goodness is also the match of Darkness, and of Goodness the match is Ignorance.
नियम्यते तमो यत्र रजस्तत्र प्रवर्तते । नियम्यते रजो यत्र सत्त्वं तत्र प्रवर्तते ॥
English Translation
There where Ignorance is restrained, Darkness is seen to flow. There where Darkness is restrained, Goodness is scen to flow.
नैशात्मकं तमो विद्यात्त्रिगुणं मोहसंज्ञितम् । अधर्मलक्षणं चैव नियतं पापकर्मसु ॥
English Translation
Darkness should be known to have the night for its essence. It has three marks, and is (otherwise) called Delusion. It has sin also for its mark, and it is always present in all sinful deeds. This is the nature of Ignorance and it appears also as confined with others.
प्रवृत्त्यात्मकमेवाहू रजः पर्यायकारकम् । प्रवृत्तं सर्वभूतेषु दृश्यतोत्पत्तिलक्षणम् ॥
English Translation
Darkness is said to have activity for its essence. It is the cause of successive deeds. When it predominates, its mark, among all beings, is production,
प्रकाशं सर्वभूतेषु लाघवं श्रद्दधानता । सात्त्विकं रूपमेवं तु लाघवं साधुसंमितम् ॥
English Translation
Splendour, lightness, and faith-these are the form, that is light, of Goodness among all creatures, as considered by all good men.
एतेषां गुणतत्त्वं हि वक्ष्यते हेत्वहेतुभिः । समासव्यासयुक्तानि तत्त्वतस्तानि वित्त मे ॥
English Translation
The true nature of their marks will now be declared by me, with reasons. These shall be stated in aggregation and separation. Do you understand them.
संमोहोऽज्ञानमत्यागः कर्मणामविनिर्णयः । स्वप्नः स्तम्भो भयं लोभः शोकः सुकृतदूषणम् ॥
अस्मृतिश्चाविपाकश्च नास्तिक्यं भिन्नवृत्तिता । निर्विशेषत्वमन्धत्वं जघन्यगुणवृत्तिता ॥
अकृते कृतमानित्वमज्ञाने ज्ञानमानिता । अमैत्री विकृतो भावो अश्रद्धा मूढभावना ॥
अनार्जवमसंज्ञत्वं कर्म पापमचेतना । गुरुत्वं सन्नभावत्वमसितत्वमवाग्गतिः ॥
सर्व एते गुणा विप्रास्तामसाः संप्रकीर्तिताः । ये चान्ये नियता भावा लोकेऽस्मिन्मोहसंज्ञिताः ॥
तत्र तत्र नियम्यन्ते सर्वे ते तामसा गुणाः । परिवादकथा नित्यं देवब्राह्मणवैदिकाः ॥
अत्यागश्चाभिमानश्च मोहो मन्युस्तथाक्षमा । मत्सरश्चैव भूतेषु तामसं वृत्तमिष्यते ॥
वृथारम्भाश्च ये केचिद्वृथादानानि यानि च । वृथाभक्षणमित्येतत्तामसं वृत्तमिष्यते ॥
English Translation
Whatever undertakings exist which are unmeritorious, what gifts there are which are unmeritorious, vain cating, these also belong to Ignorance.
अतिवादोऽतितिक्षा च मात्सर्यमतिमानिता । अश्रद्दधानता चैव तामसं वृत्तमिष्यते ॥
English Translation
Indulgence in calumny, unforgiveness, animosity, vanity, and absence of faith are also said to be characteristic of Ignorance.
एवंविधास्तु ये केचिल्लोकेऽस्मिन्पापकर्मिणः । मनुष्या भिन्नमर्यादाः सर्वे ते तामसा जनाः ॥
English Translation
Whatever men there are in this world, who are characterised by these and other faults of a similar kind, and who break through the restraints are all considered as belonging is the quality of Ignorance.
तेषां योनिं प्रवक्ष्यामि नियतां पापकर्मणाम् । अवाङ्निरयभावाय तिर्यङ्निरयगामिनः ॥
English Translation
I shall now declare the wombs wherс these men, who are always of sinful deeds, have to take their birth. Ordained to go to hell, they sink in the order of being. Indeed, they sink into the hell of the brute creation.
स्थावराणि च भूतानि पशवो वाहनानि च । क्रव्यादा दन्दशूकाश्च कृमिकीटविहंगमाः ॥
English Translation
They become immobile entities, or animals, or beasts of burden; or carnivorous creatures, or snakes, or worms, insects, and birds; or creatures of the oviparous order, or quadrupeds of various species, or lunatics, or deal or bomb human beings, or men who are afflicted by dreadful maladies and considered as unclcan.
अण्डजा जन्तवो ये च सर्वे चापि चतुष्पदाः । उन्मत्ता बधिरा मूका ये चान्ये पापरोगिणः ॥
English Translation
They become immobile entities, or animals, or beasts of burden; or carnivorous creatures, or snakes, or worms, insects, and birds; or creatures of the oviparous order, or quadrupeds of various species, or lunatics, or deal or bomb human beings, or men who are afflicted by dreadful maladies and considered as unclcan.
मग्नास्तमसि दुर्वृत्ताः स्वकर्मकृतलक्षणाः । अवाक्स्रोतस इत्येते मग्नास्तमसि तामसाः ॥
English Translation
These men of evil conduct, always show the marks of their deeds, sink in Ignorance. Their course is always downwards. Belonging to the quality of Ignorance, they sink in Ignorance.
तेषामुत्कर्षमुद्रेकं वक्ष्याम्यहमतः परम् । यथा ते सुकृताँल्लोकाँल्लभन्ते पुण्यकर्मिणः ॥
English Translation
I shall, after this, declare what the means are of their improvement and ascent; indeed, by what means they succeed in acquiring the regions which exist for men of pious deeds.
अन्यथा प्रतिपन्नास्तु विवृद्धा ये च कर्मसु । स्वकर्मनिरतानां च ब्राह्मणानां शुभैषिणाम् ॥
English Translation
Those men who take birth in orders other than human beings, by growing up in view of the religions ceremonies of Brahmanas devoted to the duties of their own caste and desirous of doing good to all creatures, succeed through the help of such purificatory rites, in ascending upwards. Indeed, struggling, they at last attain the sam? regions with thcsc pious Brahmanas. Indeed, they go to the celestial region. This is the Vedic Shruti.
संस्कारेणोर्ध्वमायान्ति यतमानाः सलोकताम् । स्वर्गं गच्छन्ति देवानामित्येषा वैदिकी श्रुतिः ॥
English Translation
Those men who take birth in orders other than human beings, by growing up in view of the religions ceremonies of Brahmanas devoted to the duties of their own caste and desirous of doing good to all creatures, succeed through the help of such purificatory rites, in ascending upwards. Indeed, struggling, they at last attain the sam? regions with thcsc pious Brahmanas. Indeed, they go to the celestial region. This is the Vedic Shruti.
अन्यथा प्रतिपन्नास्तु विवृद्धाः स्वेषु कर्मसु । पुनरावृत्तिधर्माणस्ते भवन्तीह मानुषाः ॥
English Translation
Born in orders other then humanity and growing old in their respective deeds, cven thus they become human beings that are, of course, ordained to return.
पापयोनिं समापन्नाश्चण्डाला मूकचूचुकाः । वर्णान्पर्यायशश्चापि प्राप्नुवन्त्युत्तरोत्तरम् ॥
English Translation
Coming to sinful births and becoming Chandalas or human beings that are deaf or to who lisp indistinctly, they attain to higher and higher castes, one after another in proper turn, getting above the Shudra order, and other (consequences of) qualities which belong to Ignorance and who abide in it in course of migrations this world.
शूद्रयोनिमतिक्रम्य ये चान्ये तामसा गुणाः । स्रोतोमध्ये समागम्य वर्तन्ते तामसे गुणे ॥
English Translation
Coming to sinful births and becoming Chandalas or human beings that are deaf or to who lisp indistinctly, they attain to higher and higher castes, one after another in proper turn, getting above the Shudra order, and other (consequences of) qualities which belong to Ignorance and who abide in it in course of migrations this world.
अभिषङ्गस्तु कामेषु महामोह इति स्मृतः । ऋषयो मुनयो देवा मुह्यन्त्यत्र सुखेप्सवः ॥
English Translation
Attachment to objects of desire is considered as great delusion. Here Rishis and Munis and celestials become deluded, desirous of pleasure.
तमो मोहो महामोहस्तामिस्रः क्रोधसंज्ञितः । मरणं त्वन्धतामिस्रं तामिस्रं क्रोध उच्यते ॥
English Translation
Ignorance, delusion, the great delusion, the great obscurity called anger, and death, that blinding obscurity. As regards anger, that is the great obscurity.
भावतो गुणतश्चैव योनितश्चैव तत्त्वतः । सर्वमेतत्तमो विप्राः कीर्तितं वो यथाविधि ॥
English Translation
With respect then to its colour, its characteristics, and its source, I have, you learned Brahmanas, declared to you, accurately and in due order, everything, about Ignorance.
को न्वेतद्बुध्यते साधु को न्वेतत्साधु पश्यति । अतत्त्वे तत्त्वदर्शी यस्तमसस्तत्त्वलक्षणम् ॥
English Translation
Who is there what truly gets over it? Who is there who truly sees it? That indeed, is the characteristic of Ignorance, viz., the seeing of reality in what is not real.
तमोगुणा वो बहुधा प्रकीर्तिता; यथावदुक्तं च तमः परावरम् । नरो हि यो वेद गुणानिमान्सदा; स तामसैः सर्वगुणैः प्रमुच्यते ॥
English Translation
The qualities of Ignorance have been declared to you in various ways. Duly has Ignorance, in its higher and lower forms, been described to you. That man who always bears in mind the qualities mentioned here will surely succeed in becoming freed from all marks which belong to Ignorance.
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