Mahabharata, Book 12, Section CCCLXIशान्तिपर्व

Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s English prose (1883–96), beside the Sanskrit of adhyāya 12.361.

361Sanskrit adhyāya 12.361 · Sanskrit source · English source

Sanskrit

ब्रह्मोवाच।
शृणु पुत्र यथाह्येष पुरुषः शाश्वतोऽव्ययः।
अक्षयश्चाप्रमेयश्च सर्वगश्च निरुच्यते।।
न स शक्यस्त्वया द्रष्टुं मयाऽन्यैर्वाऽपि सत्तम।
सगुणैर्निर्गुणैर्विश्वो ज्ञानदृश्यो ह्यसौ स्मृतः।।
अशरीरः शरीरेषु सर्वेषु निवसत्यसौ।
वसन्नपि शरीरेषु न स लिप्यति कर्मभिः।।
ममान्तरात्मा तव च ये चान्ये देहसंज्ञिताः।
सर्वेषां साक्षिभूतोऽसौ न ग्राह्यः केनचिक्वचित्।।
विश्वमूर्धा विश्वभुजो विश्वपादाक्षिनासिकः।
एकश्चरति क्षेत्रेषु स्वैरचारी यथासुखम्।।
क्षेत्राणि हि शरीराणि बीजं चापि शुभाशुभम्।
तानि वेत्ति स योगात्मा ततः क्षेत्रज्ञ उच्यते।।
नागतिर्न गतिस्तस्य ज्ञेया भूतेषु केनचित्।
साङ्ख्येन विधिना चैव योगेन च यथाक्रमम्।।
चिन्तयामि गतिं चास्य न गतिं वेद्मि चोत्तराम्।
यथाज्ञानं तु वक्ष्यामि पुरुषं तु सनातनम्।।
तस्यैकत्वं महत्त्वं च स चैकः पुरुषः स्मृतः।
महापुरुषशब्दं स बिभर्त्येकः सनातनः।।
स्तं निर्गुणं पुरुषं चाविशन्ति।।
हित्वा गुणमयं सर्वं कर्मं हित्वा शुभाशुभम्।
उभे सत्यानृते त्यक्त्वा एवं भवति निर्गुणः।।
अचिन्त्यं चापि तं ज्ञात्वा भावसूक्ष्मं चतुष्टयम्।
विचरेद्योऽसमुन्नद्धः स गच्छेत्पुरुषं शुभम्।।
एकं हि परमात्मानं केचिदिच्छन्ति पण्डिताः।
एकात्मानं तथाऽऽत्मानमपरेध्यात्मचिन्तकाः।।
तत्र यः परमात्मा हि स नित्यो निर्गुणः स्मृतः।
स हि नारायणो ज्ञेयः सर्वात्मा पुरुषो हि सः।।
न लिप्यते फलैश्चापि पद्मपत्रमिवाम्भसा।
कर्मात्मा त्वपरो योसौ मोक्षबन्धैः स युज्यते।।
ससप्तदशकेनापि राशिना युज्यते च सः।
एवं बहुविधः प्रोक्तः पुरुषस्ते यथाक्रमम्।।
यत्तत्कृत्स्नं लोकतन्त्रस्य धाम
वेद्यं परं बोधनीयं च वेदैः।
मन्ता मन्तव्यं प्राशिता प्राशनीयं
घ्राता घ्रेयं स्पर्शिता स्पर्शनीयम्।।
द्रष्टा द्रष्टव्यं श्राविता श्रावणीयं
ज्ञाता ज्ञेयं सगुणं निर्गुणं च।
यद्वै प्रोक्तं तात सम्यक्प्रधानं
नित्यं चैतच्छाश्वतं चाव्ययं च।।
यद्वै सूते धातुराद्यं विधानं
तद्वै विप्राः प्रवदन्तेऽनिरुद्धम्।
यद्वै लोके वैदिकं कर्म साधु
आशीर्युक्तं तद्धि तस्योपभोग्यम्।।
देवाः सर्वे मनुयः साधु दान्ता
स्तं प्राग्वंशे यज्ञभागं भजन्ते।
अहं ब्रह्मा आद्य ईशः प्रजानां
तस्माज्जातस्त्वं च मत्तः प्रसूतः।।
मत्तो जगज्जङ्गमं स्थावरं च
सर्वे वेदाः सरहस्या हि पुत्र।।
चतुर्विभक्तः पुरुषः स क्रीडति यथेच्छति।
एवं स भगवान्देवः स्वेन ज्ञानेन बोधयत्।।
एतत्ते कथितं पुत्र यथावदनुपृच्छतः।
साङ्ख्यज्ञाने तथा योगे यथावदनुवर्णितम्।।
।। इति श्रीमन्महाभारते शान्तिपर्वणि
मोक्षधर्मपर्वणि नारायणीये समाप्तौ
एकषष्ट्यधिकत्रिशततमोऽध्यायः।। 361।।

English Ganguli

"'Bhishma said, "Having said these words unto his dear spouse, the chief of the Nagas proceeded to that place where the Brahmana was sitting in expectation of an interview with him. As he proceeded, he thought of the Brahman and wondered as to what the business could be that had brought him to the Naga city. Arrived at his presence, O chief of men, that foremost of Nagas devoted by his nature to righteousness, addressed his guest in sweet words, saying, 'O Brahmana do not yield to wrath. I address thee in peace. Do not be angry. After whom hast thou come hither? What is thy object? Coming to thee, I ask thee in affection, O regenerate one whom dost thou adore in this retired spot on the banks of the Gomati!'

"'"The Brahmana said, 'Know that my name is Dharmaranya, and that I have come hither for obtaining a sight of the Naga Padmanabha, O foremost of all regenerate persons. With him I have some business. I have heard that he is not at home and that, therefore, I am not now near his present quarters. Like a Chataka waiting in expectation of the clouds, I am waiting for him whom I regard as dear to me. For dispelling all evil from him and bringing about what is beneficial to him, I am engaged in reciting the Vedas till he comes and am in Yoga and passing my time happily.'

"'"The Naga said, 'Verily, thy conduct is exceedingly good. Pious thou art and devoted to the good of all righteous persons. O highly blessed Brahmana, every praise is due to thee. Thou beholdest the Naga with eyes of affection. I am that Naga, O learned Rishi, whom thou seekest. Do thou command me, as thou wishest, in respect of what is agreeable to thee and what I should do for thee. Having heard from my spouse that thou art here, I have approached this spot, O regenerate one, for beholding thee. When thou hast come hither, thou art certain to return hence with thy object fulfilled. It behoveth thee, O foremost of regenerate persons, to employ me to any task with all confidence. All of us have certainly been purchased by thee with thy merits,[1939] since thou, disregarding what is for thy own good, hast employed thy time in seeking the good of ourselves.'

"'"The Brahmana said, 'O highly blessed Naga, I have come hither, moved by the desire of obtaining a sight of thee. I have come here, ignorant as I am with all things, for asking thee about something. O Naga, relying on the Jiva-soul, I desire to attain to the Supreme Soul which is the end of the Jiva-soul. I am neither attached to, nor dissociated from, the world.[1940] Thou shinest with the effulgence of thy own merits covered by pure fame,—with an effulgence that is as agreeable as that of the moon. O thou that livest on air alone, do thou first answer a question that I wish to put to thee. Afterwards I shall inform thee of the object that has brought me hither!'"'"