Mahabharata — Volume VI (Dutt edition) — Chapter 186

MBh 6 186.1

धृतराष्ट्र उवाच अहोऽभिहितमाख्यानं भवता तत्त्वदर्शिना। भूय एव तु मे हर्षः श्रुत्वा वागमृतं तव॥

dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca aho'bhihitamākhyānaṃ bhavatā tattvadarśinā| bhūya eva tu me harṣaḥ śrutvā vāgamṛtaṃ tava||

Dhritarashtra said “Excellent is this parable which you have described. Indeed, you are acquainted with Truth. Having listened to your nectar-like speech, I desire to hear more.'

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 6 186.2

विदुर उवाच शृणु भूयः प्रवक्ष्यामि मार्गस्यैतस्य विस्तरम्। यच्छ्रुत्वा विप्रमुच्यन्ते संसारेभ्यो विचक्षणाः॥

vidura uvāca śṛṇu bhūyaḥ pravakṣyāmi mārgasyaitasya vistaram| yacchrutvā vipramucyante saṃsārebhyo vicakṣaṇāḥ||

Vidura said “Listen to me, O king, I shall once more fully describe the means an acquaintances with which enables the wise to free themselves from the fetters of the world.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 6 186.3

यथा तु पुरुषो राजन् दीर्घमध्वानमास्थितः। क्वचित् क्वचिच्छ्रमाच्छ्रान्तः कुरुते वासमेव वा॥ एवं संसारपर्याये गर्भवासेषु भारत। कुर्वन्ति दुर्बुधा वासं मुच्यन्ते तत्र पण्डिताः॥

yathā tu puruṣo rājan dīrghamadhvānamāsthitaḥ| kvacit kvacicchramācchrāntaḥ kurute vāsameva vā|| evaṃ saṃsāraparyāye garbhavāseṣu bhārata| kurvanti durbudhā vāsaṃ mucyante tatra paṇḍitāḥ||

As a person, O king, who has to travel a long distance, is sometimes obliged to halt for being fatigued so, O Bharata, they that are of little understanding traveling along the long way of life, have to make frequent halts in the shape of repeated births. The wise are, however, freed from that obligation.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 6 186.4

तस्मादध्वानमेवैतमाहुः शास्त्रविदो जनाः। यत्तु संसारगहनं वनमाहुर्मनीषिणः॥

tasmādadhvānamevaitamāhuḥ śāstravido janāḥ| yattu saṃsāragahanaṃ vanamāhurmanīṣiṇaḥ||

Men well read in scriptures, describe for this life's course as a long way. The wise also describe life's way with all its difficulties as a forest.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 6 186.5

सोऽयं लोकसमावर्तो मानां भरतर्षभ। चराणां स्थावराणां च न गृध्येत् तत्र पण्डितः॥

so'yaṃ lokasamāvarto mānāṃ bharatarṣabha| carāṇāṃ sthāvarāṇāṃ ca na gṛdhyet tatra paṇḍitaḥ||

Creatures, O Bharata-chief, whether mobile or immobile, have to repeatedly return to the world. The wise alone escape. or

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 6 186.6

शारीरा मानसाश्चैव मानां ये तु व्याधयः। प्रत्यक्षाश्च परोक्षाश्च ते व्यालाः कथिता बुधैः॥

śārīrā mānasāścaiva mānāṃ ye tu vyādhayaḥ| pratyakṣāśca parokṣāśca te vyālāḥ kathitā budhaiḥ||

The diseases, mental and physical, to which mortals are subject, whether visible invisible, are described as beasts of prey by the wise.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 6 186.7

क्लिश्यमानाश्च तैर्नित्यं वार्यमाणाश्च भारत। स्वकर्मभिर्महाव्यालै!द्विजन्त्यल्पबुद्धयः॥

kliśyamānāśca tairnityaṃ vāryamāṇāśca bhārata| svakarmabhirmahāvyālai!dvijantyalpabuddhayaḥ||

Men are always assailed by them, O Bharata. Again, those dreadful beasts of prey, which are their own acts in life, never cause any, anxiety to the foolish.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 6 186.8

अथापि तैर्विमुच्येत व्याधिभिः पुरुषो नृप। आवृणोत्येव तं पश्चाजरा रूपविनाशिनी॥

athāpi tairvimucyeta vyādhibhiḥ puruṣo nṛpa| āvṛṇotyeva taṃ paścājarā rūpavināśinī||

If any person, O king, somehow escapes from diseases, Decrepitude, that destroyer of beauty, assails him after-wards.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 6 186.9

शब्दरूपरसस्पर्शेर्गन्धैश्च विविधैरपि। मज्जमांसमहापङ्के निरालम्बे समन्ततः॥

śabdarūparasasparśergandhaiśca vividhairapi| majjamāṃsamahāpaṅke nirālambe samantataḥ||

Plunged in a slough by the objects of senses, viz., sound, form, taste, touch and scent, man remains there without anything to save him from there.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 6 186.10

संवत्सराश्च मासाश्च पक्षाहोरात्रसंधयः। क्रमेणास्योपयुञ्जन्ति रूपमायुस्तथैव च॥

saṃvatsarāśca māsāśca pakṣāhorātrasaṃdhayaḥ| krameṇāsyopayuñjanti rūpamāyustathaiva ca||

Meanwhile, the years, the seasons, the mouths, the fortnights, the days and the nights, coming one after another, gradually deprive him of beauty and lessen the period of life.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 6 186.11

एते कालस्य निधयो नैताञ्जानन्ति दुर्बुधाः। धात्राभिलिखितान्याहुः सर्वभूतानि कर्मणा॥

ete kālasya nidhayo naitāñjānanti durbudhāḥ| dhātrābhilikhitānyāhuḥ sarvabhūtāni karmaṇā||

These all are harbingers of death. The foolish do not regard them as such. The wise say that all creatures are ruled by the Ordainer through their acts.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 6 186.12

रथः शरीरं भूतानां सत्त्वमाहुस्तु सारथिम्। इन्द्रियाणि हयानाहुः कर्मबुद्धिस्तु रश्मयः॥

rathaḥ śarīraṃ bhūtānāṃ sattvamāhustu sārathim| indriyāṇi hayānāhuḥ karmabuddhistu raśmayaḥ||

The body of a creature is called the car. The vital principle is the driver of that car. The senses are the horses. Our acts and the understanding are the traces.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 6 186.13

तेषां हयानां यो वेगं धावतामनुधावति। स तु संसारचक्रेऽस्मिश्चक्रवत् परिवर्तते॥

teṣāṃ hayānāṃ yo vegaṃ dhāvatāmanudhāvati| sa tu saṃsāracakre'smiścakravat parivartate||

He who follows after those running horses, has to come repeatedly by rebirths.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 6 186.14

यस्तान् संयमते बुद्ध्या संयतो न निवर्तते। ये तु संसारचक्रेऽस्मिंश्चक्रवत् परिवर्तिते॥

yastān saṃyamate buddhyā saṃyato na nivartate| ye tu saṃsāracakre'smiṃścakravat parivartite||

He, however, who, being self-restrained, restrains them by his understanding, has not to return.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 6 186.15

भ्रममाणा न मुह्यन्ति संसारे न भ्रमन्ति ते। संसारे भ्रमतां राजन् दुःखमेतद्धि जायते॥

bhramamāṇā na muhyanti saṃsāre na bhramanti te| saṃsāre bhramatāṃ rājan duḥkhametaddhi jāyate||

They, however, who are not stupefied while following this wheel of life that is revolving like a real wheel, do not come by re-births.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 6 186.16

तस्मादस्य निवृत्त्यर्थं यत्नमेवाचरेद् बुधः। उपेक्षा नात्र कर्तव्या शतशाखः प्रवर्धते॥

tasmādasya nivṛttyarthaṃ yatnamevācared budhaḥ| upekṣā nātra kartavyā śataśākhaḥ pravardhate||

He that is wise should certainly prevent the coming of re-birth. One should not neglect it, for indifference may subject us to it repeatedly.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 6 186.17

यतेन्द्रियो नरो राजन् क्रोधलोभनिराकृतः। संतुष्टः सत्यवादी यः स शान्तिमधिगच्छति॥

yatendriyo naro rājan krodhalobhanirākṛtaḥ| saṃtuṣṭaḥ satyavādī yaḥ sa śāntimadhigacchati||

The Man, O king, who has controlled his senses and subdued anger and covetousness, who is contented, and truthful in speech, obtains peace.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 6 186.18

याम्यमाहू रथं ह्येनं मुह्यन्ते येन दुर्बुधाः। स चैतत् प्राप्नुयाद् राजन् यत् त्वां प्राप्तो नराधिप।।१९

yāmyamāhū rathaṃ hyenaṃ muhyante yena durbudhāḥ| sa caitat prāpnuyād rājan yat tvāṃ prāpto narādhipa||19

This body is called the car of Yama. The foolish are stupefied by it. Such a person, O king, should obtain that which you have obtained.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 6 186.19

अनुतर्षुलमेवैतद् दुःखं भवति मारिष। राज्यनाशं सुहन्नाशं सुतनाशं च भारत॥

anutarṣulamevaitad duḥkhaṃ bhavati māriṣa| rājyanāśaṃ suhannāśaṃ sutanāśaṃ ca bhārata||

The loss of kingdom of friends, and of children, O Bharata, and such other things, visit him who is still under the influence of desire.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 6 186.20

साधुः परमदुःखानां दुःखभैषज्यमाचरेत्। ज्ञानौषधमवाप्येह दूरपारं महौषधम्। छिन्द्याद् दुःखमहाव्याधि नरः संयतमानसः॥

sādhuḥ paramaduḥkhānāṃ duḥkhabhaiṣajyamācaret| jñānauṣadhamavāpyeha dūrapāraṃ mahauṣadham| chindyād duḥkhamahāvyādhi naraḥ saṃyatamānasaḥ||

The wise should apply the medicine of intelligence to all great sorrows. Securing the medicine of wisdom, which is truly very efficacious and is almost unattainable the selfcontrolled man would kill that serious disease called sorrow.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 6 186.21

न विक्रमो न चाप्यर्थो न मित्रं न सुहृज्जनः। तथोन्मोचयते दुःखाद् यथाऽऽत्मा स्थिरसंयमः॥ तस्मान्मैत्रं समास्थाय शीलमापद्य भारत।

na vikramo na cāpyartho na mitraṃ na suhṛjjanaḥ| tathonmocayate duḥkhād yathā''tmā sthirasaṃyamaḥ|| tasmānmaitraṃ samāsthāya śīlamāpadya bhārata|

Neither power, nor riches, nor friends, nor well-wishers, can cure a man of his grief so successfully as the control of self. Therefore not injuring others and cherishing friendship for all creatures, be of pious behaviour, O Bharata!

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 6 186.22

दमस्त्यागोऽप्रमादश्च ते त्रयो ब्रह्मणो हयाः॥ शीलरश्मिसमायुक्तः स्थितो यो मानसे रथे। त्यक्त्वा मृत्युभयं राजन् ब्रह्मलोकं स गच्छति॥

damastyāgo'pramādaśca te trayo brahmaṇo hayāḥ|| śīlaraśmisamāyuktaḥ sthito yo mānase rathe| tyaktvā mṛtyubhayaṃ rājan brahmalokaṃ sa gacchati||

Self-restraint, renunciation, and carefulness, are the three horses of Brahman. He who rides on the car of his soul, to which are yoked these horses with the help of traces furnished by good conduct, and drives it, shaking off all fear of death, goes, O king, to the regions of Brahman.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 6 186.23

अभयं सर्वभूतेभ्यो यो ददाति महीपते। स गच्छति परं स्थानं विष्णोः पदमनामयम्॥

abhayaṃ sarvabhūtebhyo yo dadāti mahīpate| sa gacchati paraṃ sthānaṃ viṣṇoḥ padamanāmayam||

That person, O king, who gives to all creatures promise of his harmlessness goes to the best of regions, vilz., the blessed one of Vishnu.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 6 186.24

न तत् ऋतुसहस्रेण नोपवासैश्च नित्यशः। अभयस्य च दानेन यत् फलं प्राप्नुयान्नरः॥

na tat ṛtusahasreṇa nopavāsaiśca nityaśaḥ| abhayasya ca dānena yat phalaṃ prāpnuyānnaraḥ||

The fruit that one reaps by giving as assurance to all creatures of his harmlessness cannot be obtained by celebrating a thousand sacrifices or by daily fasts.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 6 186.25

न ह्यात्मनः प्रियतरं किंचिद् भूतेषु निश्चितम्। अनिष्टं सर्वभूतानां मरणं नाम भारत॥ तस्मात् सर्वेषु भूतेषु दया कार्या विपश्चिता।

na hyātmanaḥ priyataraṃ kiṃcid bhūteṣu niścitam| aniṣṭaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ maraṇaṃ nāma bhārata|| tasmāt sarveṣu bhūteṣu dayā kāryā vipaścitā|

Of all things there is certainly nothing dearer than self. Death is, forsooth, disliked by all creatures, O Bharata. Therefore, pity should certainly be shown to all.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 6 186.26

नानामोहसमायुक्ता बुद्धिजालेन संवृताः॥ असूक्ष्मदृष्ट्यो मन्दा भ्राम्यन्ते तत्र तत्र ह। सुसूक्ष्मदृष्ट्यो राजन् व्रजन्ति ब्रह्म शाश्वतम्॥

nānāmohasamāyuktā buddhijālena saṃvṛtāḥ|| asūkṣmadṛṣṭyo mandā bhrāmyante tatra tatra ha| susūkṣmadṛṣṭyo rājan vrajanti brahma śāśvatam||

Possessed by various kinds of mistakes, entangled by the net of their own intelligence, they that are wicked and are of good vision, visit repeatedly this Earth. The wise secure a union with Brahma."

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)