Mahabharata, Book 12, Section XIIIशान्तिपर्व

Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s English prose (1883–96), beside the Sanskrit of adhyāya 12.13.

13Sanskrit adhyāya 12.13 · Sanskrit source · English source

Sanskrit

सहदेव उवाच।
न बाह्यं द्रव्यमुत्सृज्य सिद्धिर्भवति भारत।
शारीरं द्रव्यमुत्सृज्य सिद्धिर्भवति वा न वा।।
बाह्यद्रव्यविमुक्तस्य शारीरेष्वनुगृध्यतः।
यो धर्मो यत्सुखं वा स्याद्द्विषतां तत्तथाऽस्तु नः।।
शारीरंद्रव्यमुत्सृज्य पृथिवीमनुशासतः।
यो धर्मो यत्सुखं वा स्यात्सुहृदां तत्तथाऽस्तु नः।।
द्व्यक्षरस्तु भवेन्मृत्युरुयक्षरं ब्रह्म शाश्वतम्।
ममेति द्व्यक्षरो मृत्युर्न ममेति च शाश्वतम्।।
ब्रह्ममृत्यू ततो राजन्नात्मन्येव समाश्रितौ।
अदृश्यमानौ भूतानि योजयेतामसंशयम्।।
अविनाशोऽस्य सत्वस्य नियतो यदि भारत।
हित्वा शरीरं भूतानां न हिंसा प्रतिपत्स्यते।।
अथापि च सहोत्पत्तिः सत्वस्य प्रलयस्तथा।
नष्टे शरीरे नष्टः स्याद्वृथा च स्यात्क्रियापथः।।
तस्मादेकान्तमुत्सृज्य पूर्वैः पूर्वतरैश्च यः।
पन्था निषेवितः सद्भिः स निषेव्यो विजानता।।
`स्वायंभुवेन मनुना तथाऽन्यैश्तक्रवर्तिभिः।
यद्ययं ह्यधमः पन्थाः कस्मात्तैस्तैर्निषेवितः।।
कृतत्रेतादियुक्तानि गुणवन्ति च भारत।
युगानि बहुशस्तैश्च भुक्तेयमवनी नृप।।'
लब्ध्वाऽपि पृथिवीं कृत्स्नां सहस्थावरजङ्गमाम्।
न भुङ्क्ते यो नृपः सम्यक्किंफलं तस्य जीविते।।
अथवा वसतो राजन्वने वन्येन जीवतः।
द्रव्येषु यस्य ममता मृत्योरास्ये स वर्तते।।
बाह्यान्तराणां भूतानां स्वभावं पश्य भारत।
ये तु पश्यन्ति तद्भूतं मुच्यन्ते ते महाभयात्।।
भवान्पिता भवान्माता भवान्भ्राता भवान्गुरुः।
दुःखप्रलापानार्तस्य तन्मे त्वं क्षन्तुमर्हसि।।
तथ्यं वा यदि वाऽतथ्यं यन्मयैतत्प्रभाषितम्।
तद्विद्वि पृथिवीपाल भक्त्या भरतसत्तम।।
।। इति श्रीमन्महाभारते शान्तिपर्वणि
राजधर्मपर्वणि त्रयोदशोऽध्यायः।। 13।।

English Ganguli

"'Sahadeva said, "By casting off all external objects only, O Bharata, one does not attain to success. By casting off even mental attachments, the attainment of success is doubtful.[29] Let that religious merit and that happiness which are his who has cast off external objects but whose mind still internally covets them, be the portion of our foes! On the other hand, let that religious merit and that happiness which are his who governs the earth, having cast off all internal attachments also, be the portion of our friends. The word mama (mine), consisting of two letters, is Death's self; while the opposite word na-mama (not mine), consisting of three letters, is eternal Brahma.[30] Brahma and death, O king, entering invisibly into every soul, without doubt, cause all creatures to act. If this being, O Bharata, that is called Soul, be not ever subject to destruction, then by destroying the bodies of creatures one cannot be guilty of slaughter. If, on the other hand, the soul and the body of a being are born or destroyed together, so that when the body is destroyed the soul also is destroyed, then the way (prescribed in the scriptures) of rites and acts would be futile. Therefore, driving away all doubts about the immortality of the soul, the man of intelligence should adopt that path which has been trodden by the righteous of old and older times. The life of that king is certainly fruitless who having acquired the entire earth with her mobile and immobile creatures, does not enjoy her. As regards the man again who lives in the forest upon wild fruits and roots, but whose attachment to things of the earth has not ceased, such a one, O king, lives within the jaws of Death. Behold, O Bharata, the hearts and the outward forms of all creatures to be but manifestations of thy own. They that look upon all creatures as their own selves escape from the great fear (of destruction).[31] Thou art my sire, thou art my protector, thou art my brother, and thou art my senior and preceptor. It behoveth thee, therefore, to forgive these incoherent utterances in sorrow of a woe-stricken person. True or false, this that has been uttered by me, O lord of earth, has been uttered from a due regard for thee, O best of Bharatas, that I entertain!"'"