Mahabharata — Volume VIII (Dutt edition) — Chapter 23

MBh 8 23.1

युधिष्ठिर उवाच चातुराश्रम्यमुक्तं ते राजधर्मास्तथैव च। नानाश्रयाश्च बहव इतिहासाः पृथग्विधाः॥

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca cāturāśramyamuktaṃ te rājadharmāstathaiva ca| nānāśrayāśca bahava itihāsāḥ pṛthagvidhāḥ||

Yudhishthira said You have described the four modes of life and their duties. You have also spoken of the duties of kings. You have recounted many histories of various kinds and on various subjects.

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

MBh 8 23.2

श्रुतास्त्वत्तः कथाश्चैव धर्मयुक्ता महामते। संदेहोऽस्ति तु कश्चिन्मे तद् भवान् वक्तुमर्हति॥

śrutāstvattaḥ kathāścaiva dharmayuktā mahāmate| saṃdeho'sti tu kaścinme tad bhavān vaktumarhati||

I have also heard from you, O you of great intelligence, many discourses about morality. I have, however, one doubt. You should remove it.

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

MBh 8 23.3

जापकानां फलावाप्तिं श्रोतुमिच्छामि भारत। कं फलं जपतामुक्तं क्व वा तिष्ठन्ति जापकाः॥

jāpakānāṃ phalāvāptiṃ śrotumicchāmi bhārata| kaṃ phalaṃ japatāmuktaṃ kva vā tiṣṭhanti jāpakāḥ||

I wish, O Bharata, to hear of the fruits which silent Reciters of sacred Mantras acquire. what are the fruits that have been shorn for such men? What is that region to which they repair after death?

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

MBh 8 23.4

जप्यस्य च विधिं कृत्स्नं वक्तुमर्हसि मेऽनघ। जापका इति किञ्चैतत् सांख्ययोगक्रियाविधिः॥

japyasya ca vidhiṃ kṛtsnaṃ vaktumarhasi me'nagha| jāpakā iti kiñcaitat sāṃkhyayogakriyāvidhiḥ||

You should, also, O sinless one, tell me all the rules that have been laid down regarding such silent recitation? When the word Reciter is uttered, what shall I understand by it? Is such a man to be considered as following the ordinances of Vedanta or Yoga or Work.

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

MBh 8 23.5

किं यज्ञविधिरेवैष किमेतज्जप्यमुच्यते। एतन्मे सर्वमाचक्ष्व सर्वज्ञो ह्यसि मे मतः॥

kiṃ yajñavidhirevaiṣa kimetajjapyamucyate| etanme sarvamācakṣva sarvajño hyasi me mataḥ||

Or, it such a man to be considered as following the ordinances of (mental) sacrifices? How is the path of the Reciters to be called? You posses universal knowledge. Tell me all this.

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

MBh 8 23.6

भीष्म उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। यमस्य यत् पुरावृत्तं कालस्य ब्राह्मणस्य च॥

bhīṣma uvāca atrāpyudāharantīmamitihāsaṃ purātanam| yamasya yat purāvṛttaṃ kālasya brāhmaṇasya ca||

Bhishma said 'Regarding it is cited the old history of Yama, Time and a certain Brahmana.

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

MBh 8 23.7

सांख्ययोगौ तु यावुक्तौ मुनिभिर्मोक्षदर्शिभिः। संन्यास एव वेदान्ते वर्तते जपनं प्रति॥

sāṃkhyayogau tu yāvuktau munibhirmokṣadarśibhiḥ| saṃnyāsa eva vedānte vartate japanaṃ prati||

Sages who knows the means of attaining to Liberation have spoken of two methods, viz., the Vedanta and the Yoga. Amongst these, in the Vedanta System Renunciation has been described as the result of silent recitation. The declarations of the Vedas hold that absent of rites, yields tranquillity, and secures Brahma.

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

MBh 8 23.8

वेदवादाश्च निर्वृत्ताः शान्ता ब्रह्मण्यवस्थिताः। सांख्ययोगौ तु यावुक्तौ मुनिभिः समदर्शिभिः॥

vedavādāśca nirvṛttāḥ śāntā brahmaṇyavasthitāḥ| sāṃkhyayogau tu yāvuktau munibhiḥ samadarśibhiḥ||

Indeed, the two paths pointed out by sages bent on acquiring what is for their well-being viz., Vedanta and Yoga, are such that they are both concerned and again unconcerned (with silent recitations).

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

MBh 8 23.9

मार्गी तावप्युभावेतौ संश्रितौ न च संश्रितौ। यथा संश्रूयते राजन् कारणं चात्र वक्ष्यते॥ मन:समाधिरत्रापि तथेन्द्रियजयः स्मृतः। सत्यमग्निपरीचारो विविक्तानां च सेवनम्॥ ध्यानं तपो दमः क्षान्तिरनसूया मिताशनम्। विषयप्रतिसंहारो मितजल्पस्तथा शमः॥

mārgī tāvapyubhāvetau saṃśritau na ca saṃśritau| yathā saṃśrūyate rājan kāraṇaṃ cātra vakṣyate|| mana:samādhiratrāpi tathendriyajayaḥ smṛtaḥ| satyamagniparīcāro viviktānāṃ ca sevanam|| dhyānaṃ tapo damaḥ kṣāntiranasūyā mitāśanam| viṣayapratisaṃhāro mitajalpastathā śamaḥ||

I shall not explain the inanner in which silent recitation is connected (with cach of the two paths) and the cause. In both, as in the case of silent recitation, it is necessary to subdue the senses and fix the mind (after withdrawal from external objects; as also to have truth, keeping up of the (sacred) fire, residence in solitude, meditation, penance, self control, forgiveness, benevolence, self-restriction of food, withdrawal from worldly attachments, the absence of garrulousness, and tranquillity. These from a Sacrifice in acts. Listen now to the course which consists of abstention (froin acts).

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

MBh 8 23.10

एष प्रवर्तको यज्ञो निवर्तकमथो शृणु। यथा निवर्तते कर्म जपतो ब्रह्मचारिणः॥

eṣa pravartako yajño nivartakamatho śṛṇu| yathā nivartate karma japato brahmacāriṇaḥ||

I will presently describe the manner in which the acts of the reciter observing the vow of Brahmacharya may cease. Such a person should behave in every way according to what has been (already) said by me.

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

MBh 8 23.11

एतत् सर्वमशेषेण यथोक्तं परिवर्तयेत्। निवृत्तं मार्गमासाद्य व्यक्ताव्यक्तमनाश्रयम्॥

etat sarvamaśeṣeṇa yathoktaṃ parivartayet| nivṛttaṃ mārgamāsādya vyaktāvyaktamanāśrayam||

Follow the path of abstention, he should try to do away with his dependence on both the External and the Internal.

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

MBh 8 23.12

कुशोच्चयनिषण्णः सन् कुशहस्तः कुशैः शिखी। कुशैः परिवृतस्तस्मिन् मध्ये छन्नः कुशैस्तथा॥

kuśoccayaniṣaṇṇaḥ san kuśahastaḥ kuśaiḥ śikhī| kuśaiḥ parivṛtastasmin madhye channaḥ kuśaistathā||

Sitting on Kusha grass, with Kusha in hand, and binding his hairs with Kusha, he should surround himself with Kusha and have Kusha for robes.

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

MBh 8 23.13

विषयेभ्यो नमस्कुर्याद् विषयान्न च भावयेत्। साम्यमुत्पाद्य मनसा मनस्येव मनो दधत्॥

viṣayebhyo namaskuryād viṣayānna ca bhāvayet| sāmyamutpādya manasā manasyeva mano dadhat||

He should, bowing to all earthly matters, take leave of them and never think of them. He should, acquiring equanimity of, mind, fix his mind on the mind itself.

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

MBh 8 23.14

तद् धिया ध्यायति ब्रह्म जपन् वै संहिताम् हिताम्। संन्यस्यत्यथवा तां वै समाधौ पर्यवस्थितः।१६॥

tad dhiyā dhyāyati brahma japan vai saṃhitām hitām| saṃnyasyatyathavā tāṃ vai samādhau paryavasthitaḥ|16||

He should, reciting the highly beneficial verse (viz., the Gayatri), meditate with the help of his intellect on Brahma alone. Afterwards he should even leave off that, being then absolutely immersed in contemplation.

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

MBh 8 23.15

ध्यानमुत्पादयत्यत्र संहिताबलसंश्रयात्। शुद्धात्मा तपसा दान्तो निवृत्तद्वेषकामवान्॥

dhyānamutpādayatyatra saṃhitābalasaṃśrayāt| śuddhātmā tapasā dānto nivṛttadveṣakāmavān||

His dependence on the Gayatri which he recites, will give him this concentered contemplation. He attains by penances to purity of soul, and self-control, and cessation of hatred and desire.

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

MBh 8 23.16

अरागमोहो निर्द्वन्द्वो न शोचति न सज्जते। न कर्ता कारणानां च न कार्याणामिति स्थितिः॥

arāgamoho nirdvandvo na śocati na sajjate| na kartā kāraṇānāṃ ca na kāryāṇāmiti sthitiḥ||

Freed from attachment and delusion, being above the influence of all pairs of opposites, he ever grieves and never suffers himself to be attracted towards worldly objects. He does not consider himself as the actor nor as the enjoyer of sufferer of the fruits of his acts.

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

MBh 8 23.17

न चाहङ्कारयोगेन मनः प्रस्थापयेत् क्व चित्। न चार्थग्रहणे युक्तो नावमानी न चाक्रियः॥

na cāhaṅkārayogena manaḥ prasthāpayet kva cit| na cārthagrahaṇe yukto nāvamānī na cākriyaḥ||

He never, out of selfishness, fixes his mind on anything. Without being engaged in the acquisition of wealth, he abstains also from disregarding or insulting others, but not from work.

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

MBh 8 23.18

ध्यानक्रियापरो युक्तो ध्यानवान् ध्याननिश्चयः। ध्याने समाधिमुत्पाद्य तदपि त्यजति क्रमात्॥

dhyānakriyāparo yukto dhyānavān dhyānaniścayaḥ| dhyāne samādhimutpādya tadapi tyajati kramāt||

The work in which he is engaged is that of meditation; he is devoted to meditation, and seeks meditation. By meditation he acquires concentered contemplation, and then gradually leaves off meditation itself.

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

MBh 8 23.19

स वै तस्मावस्थायां सर्वत्यागकृतः सुखम्। निरिच्छस्त्यजति प्राणान् ब्राह्मीं संविशते तनुम्॥

sa vai tasmāvasthāyāṃ sarvatyāgakṛtaḥ sukham| niricchastyajati prāṇān brāhmīṃ saṃviśate tanum||

He enjoys, in that state, the happiness which follows Renunciation. Having thoroughly controlled his desires, he casts off his life-breaths and merges into the Brahmic body.

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

MBh 8 23.20

अथवा नेच्छते तत्र ब्रह्मकायनिषेवणम्। उत्क्रामति च मार्गस्थो नैव क्वचन जायते॥

athavā necchate tatra brahmakāyaniṣevaṇam| utkrāmati ca mārgastho naiva kvacana jāyate||

Or, if he does not desire to merge into the Brahmic body, he at once goes upwards into the region of Brahma and is never born again.

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

MBh 8 23.21

आत्मबुद्ध्या समास्थाय शान्तीभूतो निरामयः। अमृतं विरजः शुद्धमात्मानं प्रतिपद्यते॥

ātmabuddhyā samāsthāya śāntībhūto nirāmayaḥ| amṛtaṃ virajaḥ śuddhamātmānaṃ pratipadyate||

Having become tranquillity's self, and being freed from all sorts of calamity, such a person, by depending upon his own intelligence, attains to that Soul which is pure and immortal and which is without a stain.'

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