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महाभारतः       mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-233

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शुक उवाच ।
यदिदं वेदवचनं कुरु कर्म त्यजेति च ।
कां दिशं विद्यया यान्ति कां च गच्छन्ति कर्मणा ॥१॥
1. śuka uvāca ,
yadidaṁ vedavacanaṁ kuru karma tyajeti ca ,
kāṁ diśaṁ vidyayā yānti kāṁ ca gacchanti karmaṇā.
1. śukaḥ uvāca yat idam veda-vacanam kuru karma tyaja iti
ca kām diśam vidyayā yānti kām ca gacchanti karmaṇā
1. śukaḥ uvāca.
idam yat veda-vacanam 'karma kuru ca tyaja' iti (asti).
(tataḥ,
janāḥ) vidyayā kām diśam yānti? ca karmaṇā kām gacchanti?
1. Śuka said: "Regarding this Vedic instruction, which simultaneously states 'perform actions (karma)' and 'renounce them' - to which destination do individuals proceed by means of knowledge, and to which do they go by means of ritual action (karma)?"
एतद्वै श्रोतुमिच्छामि तद्भवान्प्रब्रवीतु मे ।
एतत्त्वन्योन्यवैरूप्ये वर्तते प्रतिकूलतः ॥२॥
2. etadvai śrotumicchāmi tadbhavānprabravītu me ,
etattvanyonyavairūpye vartate pratikūlataḥ.
2. etat vai śrotum icchāmi tat bhavān prabravītu
me etat tu anyonyavairūpye vartate pratikūlataḥ
2. vai etat śrotum icchāmi tat bhavān me prabravītu
tu etat anyonyavairūpye pratikūlataḥ vartate
2. Indeed, I wish to hear about this; therefore, please explain it to me. This subject, however, involves a mutual dissimilarity, as things operate in contradictory ways.
भीष्म उवाच ।
इत्युक्तः प्रत्युवाचेदं पराशरसुतः सुतम् ।
कर्मविद्यामयावेतौ व्याख्यास्यामि क्षराक्षरौ ॥३॥
3. bhīṣma uvāca ,
ityuktaḥ pratyuvācedaṁ parāśarasutaḥ sutam ,
karmavidyāmayāvetau vyākhyāsyāmi kṣarākṣarau.
3. bhīṣmaḥ uvāca iti uktaḥ pratyuvāca idam parāśarasutaḥ
sutam karmavidyāmayau etau vyākhyāsyāmi kṣarākṣarau
3. bhīṣmaḥ uvāca iti uktaḥ parāśarasutaḥ sutam idam
pratyuvāca etau karmavidyāmayau kṣarākṣarau vyākhyāsyāmi
3. Bhishma said: Being thus addressed, the son of Parashara replied to his son, 'I shall explain to you these two - the perishable and the imperishable - which are intrinsically linked to action (karma) and knowledge.'
यां दिशं विद्यया यान्ति यां च गच्छन्ति कर्मणा ।
शृणुष्वैकमनाः पुत्र गह्वरं ह्येतदन्तरम् ॥४॥
4. yāṁ diśaṁ vidyayā yānti yāṁ ca gacchanti karmaṇā ,
śṛṇuṣvaikamanāḥ putra gahvaraṁ hyetadantaram.
4. yām diśam vidyayā yānti yām ca gacchanti karmaṇā
śṛṇuṣva ekamanāḥ putra gahvaram hi etat antaram
4. putra,
ekamanāḥ śṛṇuṣva yām diśam vidyayā yānti ca yām karmaṇā gacchanti hi etat antaram gahvaram (asti)
4. Listen, O son, with a concentrated mind to the direction people go by means of knowledge, and the direction they go by means of action (karma); for this distinction is indeed profound.
अस्ति धर्म इति प्रोक्तं नास्तीत्यत्रैव यो वदेत् ।
तस्य पक्षस्य सदृशमिदं मम भवेदथ ॥५॥
5. asti dharma iti proktaṁ nāstītyatraiva yo vadet ,
tasya pakṣasya sadṛśamidaṁ mama bhavedatha.
5. asti dharmaḥ iti proktam na asti iti atra eva yaḥ
vadet tasya pakṣasya sadṛśam idam mama bhavet atha
5. dharmaḥ asti iti proktam ca yaḥ atra eva na asti iti vadet,
atha tasya pakṣasya sadṛśam idam mama bhavet
5. It is declared that there is natural law (dharma). And whoever, in this very context, would say 'there is not,' then my stance would be similar to his view.
द्वाविमावथ पन्थानौ यत्र वेदाः प्रतिष्ठिताः ।
प्रवृत्तिलक्षणो धर्मो निवृत्तौ च सुभाषितः ॥६॥
6. dvāvimāvatha panthānau yatra vedāḥ pratiṣṭhitāḥ ,
pravṛttilakṣaṇo dharmo nivṛttau ca subhāṣitaḥ.
6. dvau imau atha panthānau yatra vedāḥ pratiṣṭhitāḥ
pravṛttilakṣaṇaḥ dharmaḥ nivṛttau ca subhāṣitaḥ
6. atha dvau imau panthānau yatra vedāḥ pratiṣṭhitāḥ
pravṛttilakṣaṇaḥ dharmaḥ ca nivṛttau subhāṣitaḥ
6. Indeed, these are the two paths upon which the Vedas are founded: the natural law (dharma) characterized by active engagement (pravṛtti), and [the natural law (dharma)] that is well-declared in the context of renunciation (nivṛtti).
कर्मणा बध्यते जन्तुर्विद्यया तु प्रमुच्यते ।
तस्मात्कर्म न कुर्वन्ति यतयः पारदर्शिनः ॥७॥
7. karmaṇā badhyate janturvidyayā tu pramucyate ,
tasmātkarma na kurvanti yatayaḥ pāradarśinaḥ.
7. karmaṇā badhyate jantuḥ vidyayā tu pramucyate
tasmāt karma na kurvanti yatayaḥ pāradarśinaḥ
7. jantuḥ karmaṇā badhyate,
tu vidyayā pramucyate tasmāt pāradarśinaḥ yatayaḥ karma na kurvanti
7. A living being is bound by action (karma), but is liberated by knowledge. Therefore, renunciants (yatayaḥ) who perceive the ultimate truth (pāradarśinaḥ) do not perform actions (karma).
कर्मणा जायते प्रेत्य मूर्तिमान्षोडशात्मकः ।
विद्यया जायते नित्यमव्ययो ह्यव्ययात्मकः ॥८॥
8. karmaṇā jāyate pretya mūrtimānṣoḍaśātmakaḥ ,
vidyayā jāyate nityamavyayo hyavyayātmakaḥ.
8. karmaṇā jāyate pretya mūrtimān ṣoḍaśātmakaḥ
vidyayā jāyate nityam avyayaḥ hi avyayātmakaḥ
8. karmaṇā pretya mūrtimān ṣoḍaśātmakaḥ (jantuḥ) jāyate
hi vidyayā (saḥ) nityam avyayaḥ avyayātmakaḥ jāyate
8. Through action (karma), after death, an embodied being, composed of sixteen elements, is born. By knowledge, however, one is indeed born eternally as the imperishable, possessing an imperishable nature.
कर्म त्वेके प्रशंसन्ति स्वल्पबुद्धितरा नराः ।
तेन ते देहजालानि रमयन्त उपासते ॥९॥
9. karma tveke praśaṁsanti svalpabuddhitarā narāḥ ,
tena te dehajālāni ramayanta upāsate.
9. karma tu eke praśaṃsanti svalpabuddhitarāḥ
narāḥ tena te dehajālāni ramayantaḥ upāsate
9. tu eke svalpabuddhitarāḥ narāḥ karma praśaṃsanti
tena te dehajālāni ramayantaḥ upāsate
9. Indeed, some people, being of deficient intelligence, praise (karma) action. By that, they delight in and pursue the multitude of bodies.
ये तु बुद्धिं परां प्राप्ता धर्मनैपुण्यदर्शिनः ।
न ते कर्म प्रशंसन्ति कूपं नद्यां पिबन्निव ॥१०॥
10. ye tu buddhiṁ parāṁ prāptā dharmanaipuṇyadarśinaḥ ,
na te karma praśaṁsanti kūpaṁ nadyāṁ pibanniva.
10. ye tu buddhim parām prāptāḥ dharmanipuṇyadarśinaḥ
na te karma praśaṃsanti kūpam nadyām piban iva
10. Indeed, those who have attained supreme understanding and discern the skill in (natural) law (dharma) do not praise ritual action (karma), just as one drinking from a river would not praise a well.
कर्मणः फलमाप्नोति सुखदुःखे भवाभवौ ।
विद्यया तदवाप्नोति यत्र गत्वा न शोचति ॥११॥
11. karmaṇaḥ phalamāpnoti sukhaduḥkhe bhavābhavau ,
vidyayā tadavāpnoti yatra gatvā na śocati.
11. karmaṇaḥ phalam āpnoti sukhaduḥkhe bhavābhavau
vidyayā tat avāpnoti yatra gatvā na śocati
11. One obtains the fruits of action (karma) - pleasure and pain, as well as birth and death. But through knowledge, one attains that state where, having gone, one does not grieve.
यत्र गत्वा न म्रियते यत्र गत्वा न जायते ।
न जीर्यते यत्र गत्वा यत्र गत्वा न वर्धते ॥१२॥
12. yatra gatvā na mriyate yatra gatvā na jāyate ,
na jīryate yatra gatvā yatra gatvā na vardhate.
12. yatra gatvā na mriyate yatra gatvā na jāyate
na jīryate yatra gatvā yatra gatvā na vardhate
12. It is that state where, having arrived, one does not die; where, having arrived, one is not born; where, having arrived, one does not decay; and where, having arrived, one does not grow.
यत्र तद्ब्रह्म परममव्यक्तमजरं ध्रुवम् ।
अव्याहतमनायासममृतं चावियोगि च ॥१३॥
13. yatra tadbrahma paramamavyaktamajaraṁ dhruvam ,
avyāhatamanāyāsamamṛtaṁ cāviyogi ca.
13. yatra tat brahma paramam avyaktam ajaram
dhruvam avyāhatam anāyāsam amṛtam ca aviyogi ca
13. It is where that supreme reality (brahman) is, which is unmanifest, undecaying, constant, unwavering, unobstructed, effortless, immortal, and non-separate.
द्वंद्वैर्यत्र न बाध्यन्ते मानसेन च कर्मणा ।
समाः सर्वत्र मैत्राश्च सर्वभूतहिते रताः ॥१४॥
14. dvaṁdvairyatra na bādhyante mānasena ca karmaṇā ,
samāḥ sarvatra maitrāśca sarvabhūtahite ratāḥ.
14. dvandvaiḥ yatra na bādhyante mānasena ca karmaṇā
samāḥ sarvatra maitrāḥ ca sarvabhūtahite ratāḥ
14. yatra dvandvaiḥ ca mānasena karmaṇā na bādhyante
sarvatra samāḥ ca maitrāḥ sarvabhūtahite ratāḥ
14. They are not troubled by the pairs of opposites (dvandvaiḥ) or by mental action (karma); they are impartial everywhere, friendly, and dedicated to the well-being of all beings.
विद्यामयोऽन्यः पुरुषस्तात कर्ममयोऽपरः ।
विद्धि चन्द्रमसं दर्शे सूक्ष्मया कलया स्थितम् ॥१५॥
15. vidyāmayo'nyaḥ puruṣastāta karmamayo'paraḥ ,
viddhi candramasaṁ darśe sūkṣmayā kalayā sthitam.
15. vidyāmayaḥ anyaḥ puruṣaḥ tāta karmamayaḥ aparaḥ
viddhi candramasam darśe sūkṣmayā kalayā sthitam
15. tāta anyaḥ puruṣaḥ vidyāmayaḥ aparaḥ karmamayaḥ
viddhi candramasam darśe sūkṣmayā kalayā sthitam
15. Dear son (tāta), one cosmic person (puruṣa) is composed of knowledge, and another is composed of action (karma). Understand that on the new moon day (darśa), the moon is present with only a subtle fraction (kalā).
तदेतदृषिणा प्रोक्तं विस्तरेणानुमीयते ।
नवजं शशिनं दृष्ट्वा वक्रं तन्तुमिवाम्बरे ॥१६॥
16. tadetadṛṣiṇā proktaṁ vistareṇānumīyate ,
navajaṁ śaśinaṁ dṛṣṭvā vakraṁ tantumivāmbare.
16. tat etat ṛṣiṇā proktam vistareṇa anumīyate
navajam śaśinam dṛṣṭvā vakram tantum iva ambare
16. tat etat ṛṣiṇā proktam vistareṇa anumīyate
ambare navajam śaśinam vakram tantum iva dṛṣṭvā
16. This (principle), declared by the sage (ṛṣi), is understood by detailed inference (anumīyate), just as one perceives the new moon (śaśin) in the sky, curved like a thread.
एकादशविकारात्मा कलासंभारसंभृतः ।
मूर्तिमानिति तं विद्धि तात कर्मगुणात्मकम् ॥१७॥
17. ekādaśavikārātmā kalāsaṁbhārasaṁbhṛtaḥ ,
mūrtimāniti taṁ viddhi tāta karmaguṇātmakam.
17. ekādaśavikārātmā kalāsaṃbhārasaṃbhṛtaḥ
mūrtimān iti tam viddhi tāta karmaguṇātmakam
17. ekādaśavikārātmā kalāsaṃbhārasaṃbhṛtaḥ
mūrtimān tāta tam karmaguṇātmakam iti viddhi
17. Dear son (tāta), know that embodied one (mūrtimān), whose nature (ātman) consists of eleven modifications (vikāra) and who is endowed with the aggregate of subtle parts (kalā), to be characterized by actions (karma) and their qualities (guṇa).
देवो यः संश्रितस्तस्मिन्नब्बिन्दुरिव पुष्करे ।
क्षेत्रज्ञं तं विजानीयान्नित्यं त्यागजितात्मकम् ॥१८॥
18. devo yaḥ saṁśritastasminnabbinduriva puṣkare ,
kṣetrajñaṁ taṁ vijānīyānnityaṁ tyāgajitātmakam.
18. devaḥ yaḥ saṃśritaḥ tasmin ab-binduḥ iva puṣkare
kṣetrajñam tam vijānīyāt nityam tyāga-jita-ātmakam
18. yaḥ devaḥ tasmin saṃśritaḥ,
puṣkare ab-binduḥ iva,
tam kṣetrajñam nityam tyāga-jita-ātmakam vijānīyāt
18. One should understand that divine essence (deva) which resides in [the body], like a drop of water on a lotus leaf, as the knower of the field (kṣetrajña), eternally victorious over the individual self (ātman) through renunciation.
तमो रजश्च सत्त्वं च विद्धि जीवगुणानिमान् ।
जीवमात्मगुणं विद्यादात्मानं परमात्मनः ॥१९॥
19. tamo rajaśca sattvaṁ ca viddhi jīvaguṇānimān ,
jīvamātmaguṇaṁ vidyādātmānaṁ paramātmanaḥ.
19. tamaḥ rajaḥ ca sattvam ca viddhi jīva-guṇān imān
jīvam ātma-guṇam vidyāt ātmānam paramātmanaḥ
19. imān tamaḥ rajaḥ ca sattvam ca jīva-guṇān viddhi.
jīvam ātma-guṇam vidyāt,
ātmānam paramātmanaḥ (guṇam vidyāt)
19. Understand these qualities - inertia (tamas), passion (rajas), and goodness (sattva) - as attributes of the individual soul (jīva). One should know the individual soul (jīva) to be an attribute of the [higher] Self (ātman), and the Self (ātman) to be an attribute of the Supreme Self (paramātman).
सचेतनं जीवगुणं वदन्ति स चेष्टते चेष्टयते च सर्वम् ।
ततः परं क्षेत्रविदो वदन्ति प्रावर्तयद्यो भुवनानि सप्त ॥२०॥
20. sacetanaṁ jīvaguṇaṁ vadanti; sa ceṣṭate ceṣṭayate ca sarvam ,
tataḥ paraṁ kṣetravido vadanti; prāvartayadyo bhuvanāni sapta.
20. sa-cetanam jīva-guṇam vadanti sa
ceṣṭate ceṣṭayate ca sarvam
tataḥ param kṣetra-vidaḥ vadanti
prāvartayat yaḥ bhuvanāni sapta
20. sa-cetanam jīva-guṇam vadanti.
sa ceṣṭate ca sarvam ceṣṭayate.
tataḥ param kṣetra-vidaḥ vadanti yaḥ sapta bhuvanāni prāvartayat (sa eva paraḥ)
20. They declare the conscious aspect to be an attribute of the individual soul (jīva); it itself acts and causes everything to act. Beyond that, the knowers of the field (kṣetravid) assert Him to be the one who set in motion the seven worlds.