Mahabharata, Book 12, Section CCCXXशान्तिपर्व

Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s English prose (1883–96), beside the Sanskrit of adhyāya 12.320.

320Sanskrit adhyāya 12.320 · Sanskrit source · English source

Sanskrit

याज्ञवल्क्य उवाच।
न शक्यो निर्गुणस्तात गुणीकर्तुं विशांपते।
गुणवांश्चाप्यगुणवान्यथातत्त्वं निबोध मे।।
गुणैर्हि गुणवानेव निर्गुणश्चागुणस्तथा।
प्राहुरेवं महात्मानो मुनयस्तत्त्वदर्शिनः।।
गुणस्वभावस्त्वव्यक्तो गुणानेवाभिवर्तते।
उपयुङ्क्ते च तानेव स चैवाज्ञः स्वभावतः।।
अव्यक्तस्तु न जानीते पुरुषोऽज्ञः स्वभावतः।
न मत्तः परमोस्तीति नित्यमेवाभिमन्यते।।
अनेन कारणेनैतदव्यक्तं स्यादचेतनम्।
नित्यत्वाच्चाक्षरत्वाच्च क्षरत्वान्न तदन्यथा।।
यदाऽज्ञानेन कुर्वीत गुणसर्गं पुनःपुनः।
यदात्मानं न जानीते तदाऽऽत्मापि न मुच्यते।।
कर्तृत्वाच्चापि सर्गाणां सर्गधर्मा तथोच्यते।
कर्तृत्वाच्चापि योगानां योगधर्मा तथोच्यते।।
कर्तृत्वात्प्रकृतीनां च तथा प्रकृतिधर्मिता।।
कर्तृत्वाच्चापि वीजानां बीजधर्मा तथोच्यते।
गुणानां प्रसवत्वाच्च प्रलयत्वात्तथैव च।।
`कर्तृत्वात्प्रलयानां तु तथा प्रलयधर्मि च।
कर्तृत्वात्प्रभवाणां च तथा प्रभवधर्मि च।।
बीजत्वात्प्रकृतित्वाच्च प्रलयत्वात्तथैव च।'
उपेक्षत्वादनन्यत्वादभिमानाच्च केवलम्।।
मन्यन्ते यतयः सिद्धा अध्यात्मज्ञा गतज्वराः।
अनित्यं नित्यमव्यक्तं व्यक्तमेतद्धि शुश्रुम।।
अव्यक्तैकत्वमित्याहुर्नानात्वं पुरुषास्तथा।
सर्वभूतदयावन्तः केवलं ज्ञानमास्थिताः।।
अन्यः स पुरुषोऽव्यक्तस्त्वध्रुवो ध्रुवसंज्ञकः।
यथा मुञ्ज इषीकाणां तथैवैतद्धि जायते।
`न चैव मुञ्जसंयोगादिषीका तत्र बुध्यते।।'
अन्यच्च मशकं विद्यादन्यच्चोदुम्बरं तथा।
च चोदुम्बरसंयोगैर्मशकस्तत्र लिप्यते।।
अन्य एव तथा मत्स्यस्तदन्यदुदुकं स्मृतम्।
न चोदकस्य स्पर्शेन मत्स्यो लिप्यति सर्वशः।।
अन्यो ह्यग्निरुखाऽप्यन्या नित्यमेवमवेहि भोः।
न चोपलिप्यते सोऽग्निरुखासंस्पर्शनेन वै।।
पुष्करं त्वन्यदेवात्र तथाऽन्यदुदकं स्मृतम्।
न चोदकस्य स्पर्शेन लिप्यते तत्र पुष्करम्।।
एतेषां सहवासं च निवासं चैव नित्यशः।
याथातथ्येन पश्यन्ति न नित्यं प्राकृता जनाः।।
ये त्वन्यथैव पश्यन्ति न सम्यक्तेषु दर्शनम्।
ते व्यक्तं निरयं घोरं प्रविशन्ति पुनः पुनः।।
साङ्ख्यदर्शनमेतत्ते परिसङ्ख्यानमुत्तमम्।
एवं हि परिसंख्याय साङ्ख्याः केवलतां गताः।।
ये त्वन्ये तत्त्वकुशलास्तेषामेतन्निदर्शनम्।
अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि योगानामनुदर्शनम्।।
।। इति श्रीमन्महाभारते
शान्तिपर्वणि मोक्षधर्मपर्वणि
विंशत्यधिकत्रिशततमोऽध्यायः।। 320।।

English Ganguli

"'Yudhishthira said, "Having acquired great power and great wealth, and having obtained a long period of life, how may one succeed in avoiding death? By which of these means, viz., penances, or the accomplishment of the diverse acts (laid down in the Vedas), or by knowledge of the Srutis, or the application of medicines, can one succeed in avoiding decrepitude and death?"

"'Bhishma said, "In this connection is cited the old narrative of Panchasikha who was a Bhikshu in his practices and Janaka. Once on a time Janaka, the ruler of the Videhas, questioned the great Rishi Panchasikha, who was the foremost of all persons conversant with the Vedas and who had all his doubts removed in respect of the purpose and import of all duties. The King said,—'By what conduct, O holy one may one transcend decrepitude and death? Is it by penances, or by the understanding, or by religious acts (like sacrifices, and vows), or by study and knowledge of the scriptures?'—Thus addressed by the ruler of the Videhas the learned Panchasikha, conversant with all invisible things, answered, saying,—'There is no prevention of these two (viz., decrepitude and death); nor is it true that they cannot be prevented under any circumstances. Neither days, nor nights, nor months, cease to go on. Only that man, who, though transitory, betakes himself to the eternal path (of the religion of Nivritti or abstention from all acts) succeeds in avoiding birth and death. Destruction overtakes all creatures. All creatures seem to be ceaselessly borne along the infinite current of time. Those that are borne along the infinite current of time which is without a raft (to rescue) and which is infested by those two mighty alligators, viz., decrepitude and death, sink down without anybody coming to their assistance. As one is swept along that current, one fails to find any friend for help and one fails to be inspired with interest for any one else. One meets with spouses and other friends only on one's road. One had never before enjoyed this kind of companionship with any one for any length of time. Creatures, as they are borne along the current of time, become repeatedly attracted towards one another like masses of clouds moved by the wind meeting one another with loud sound. Decrepitude and death are devourers of all creatures, like wolves. Indeed, they devour the strong and the weak, the short and the tall. Among creatures, therefore, which are all so transitory, only the Soul exists eternally. Why should he, then, rejoice when creatures are born and why should he grieve when they die? Whence have I come. Who am I? Whither shall I go? Whose am I? Before what do I rest? What shall I be? For what reason then dost thou grieve for what? Who else then thou wilt behold heaven or hell (for what thou doest)? Hence, without throwing aside the scriptures, one should make gifts and perform sacrifices!'"'"