Mahābhārata · Adhyāya 12.174
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12.174.1
अतिक्रामति कालेऽस्मिन्सर्वभूतक्षयावहे ।
किं श्रेयः प्रतिपद्येत तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥ १२.१७४.१ ॥
As this time, which brings the destruction of all beings, passes on, what highest good should a man attain? Tell me that, grandsire.
12.174.2
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् ।
पितुः पुत्रेण संवादं तं निबोध युधिष्ठिर ॥ १२.१७४.२ ॥
On this matter they also recite this ancient story, the dialogue between a father and his son. Listen to it, Yudhiṣṭhira.
12.174.3
द्विजातेः कस्यचित्पार्थ स्वाध्यायनिरतस्य वै ।
बभूव पुत्रो मेधावी मेधावीनाम नामतः ॥ १२.१७४.३ ॥
Pārtha, a certain twice-born man, devoted to Vedic study, had an intelligent son named Medhāvin.
12.174.4
सोऽब्रवीत्पितरं पुत्रः स्वाध्यायकरणे रतम् ।
मोक्षधर्मार्थकुशलो लोकतन्त्रविचक्षणः ॥ १२.१७४.४ ॥
That son, skilled in liberation, dharma and worldly aims and expert in the ordering of the world, spoke to his father, who was intent on Vedic study.
12.174.5
धीरः किंस्वित्तात कुर्यात्प्रजानन् ।
क्षिप्रं ह्यायुर्भ्रश्यते मानवानाम्।
पितस्तदाचक्ष्व यथार्थयोगं ।
ममानुपूर्व्या येन धर्मं चरेयम् ॥ १२.१७४.५ ॥
Dear father, what should a steadfast man do, knowing this? Human life quickly slips away. Father, tell me in due order the true means, so that I may practise dharma.
12.174.6
वेदानधीत्य ब्रह्मचर्येण पुत्र ।
पुत्रानिच्छेत्पावनार्थं पितृणाम्।
अग्नीनाधाय विधिवच्चेष्टयज्ञो ।
वनं प्रविश्याथ मुनिर्बुभूषेत् ॥ १२.१७४.६ ॥
Having studied the Vedas in celibate studentship, one should desire sons for the purification of the ancestors. Having duly established the fires and performed sacrifices, one should then enter the forest and wish to become a sage.
12.174.7
एवमभ्याहते लोके समन्तात्परिवारिते ।
अमोघासु पतन्तीषु किं धीर इव भाषसे ॥ १२.१७४.७ ॥
Thus, while the world is struck and surrounded on every side, and the unfailing days are falling, why do you speak as if you were steady and wise, O son?
12.174.8
कथमभ्याहतो लोकः केन वा परिवारितः ।
अमोघाः काः पतन्तीह किंनु भीषयसीव माम् ॥ १२.१७४.८ ॥
How is the world struck, and by what is it surrounded? Which unfailing days are falling here? Why do you frighten me?
12.174.9
मृत्युनाभ्याहतो लोको जरया परिवारितः ।
अहोरात्राः पतन्त्येते ननु कस्मान्न बुध्यसे।
अमोघा रात्रयश्चापि नित्यमायान्ति यान्ति च ॥ १२.१७४.९ ॥
The world is struck by death and surrounded by old age. These days and nights are falling—why do you not understand? The unfailing nights too always come and go.
12.174.10
यथाऽहमेतज्जानामि न मृत्युस्तिष्ठतीति ह ।
सोऽहं कथं प्रतीक्षिष्ये जालेनेवावृतश्चरन् ॥ १२.१७४.१० ॥
Just as I know that death does not stay, how shall I wait, moving about as one enclosed in a net?
12.174.11
रात्र्यांरात्र्यां व्यतीतायामायुरल्पतरं यदा ।
तदैव बन्ध्यं दिवसमिति विन्द्याद्विचक्षणः ॥ १२.१७४.११ ॥
When each night has passed and one's life has become still shorter, then the discerning person should know that day to be barren.
12.174.12
गाधोदके मत्स्य इव सुखं विन्देत कस्तदा ।
अनवाप्तेषु कामेषु मृत्युरभ्योति मानवम् ॥ १२.१७४.१२ ॥
Like a fish in shallow water, who could then find happiness? While desires remain unfulfilled, death approaches a man.
12.174.13
पुष्पाणीव विचिन्वन्तमन्यत्र गतमानसम् ।
वृकीवोरणमासाद्य मृत्युरादाय गच्छति ॥ १२.१७४.१३ ॥
As death seizes a man who gathers flowers with his mind elsewhere, as a she-wolf, reaching a ram, carries it off.
12.174.14
अद्यैव कुरु यच्छ्रेयो मा त्वां कालोऽत्यगादयम् ।
अकृतेष्वेव कार्येषु मृत्युर्वै संप्रकर्षति ॥ १२.१७४.१४ ॥
Do today what is good for you; let time not pass you by. Death drags a man away while his tasks are still undone.
12.174.15
श्वः कार्यमद्य कुर्वीत पूर्वाह्णे चापराह्णिकम् ।
नहि प्रतीक्षते मृत्युः कृतमस्य न वा कृतम् ॥ १२.१७४.१५ ॥
One should do tomorrow's work today, and the afternoon's work in the forenoon. Death does not wait to see whether his work is done or not.
12.174.16
को हि जानाति कस्याद्य मृत्युकालो भविष्यति ।
युवैव धर्मशीलः स्यादनित्यं खलु जीवितम्।
कृते धर्मे भवेत्कीर्तिरिह प्रेत्य च वै सुखम् ॥ १२.१७४.१६ ॥
Who knows whose time of death will come today? Therefore one should be virtuous while young, for life is indeed impermanent. When dharma is done, there is fame here and happiness hereafter.
12.174.17
मोहेन हि समाविष्टः पुत्रदारार्थमुद्यतः ।
कृत्वा कार्यमकार्यं वा पुष्टिमेषां प्रयच्छति ॥ १२.१७४.१७ ॥
Seized by delusion and intent on sons and wife, a man does what ought to be done or what ought not, and gives nourishment to them.
12.174.18
तं पुत्रपशुसंपन्नं व्यासक्तमनसं नरम् ।
सुप्तं व्याघ्रो मृगमिव मृत्युरादाय गच्छति ॥ १२.१७४.१८ ॥
Death seizes and carries off that man, rich in sons and cattle, with his mind absorbed, as a tiger seizes a sleeping deer.
12.174.19
संचिन्वानकमेवैनं कामानामवितृप्तकम् ।
व्याघ्रः पशुमिवादाय मृत्युरादाय गच्छति ॥ १२.१७४.१९ ॥
Heaping up desires, never satisfied, this man is seized by death and carried away, as a tiger seizes a beast and carries it off.
12.174.20
इदं कृतमिदं कार्यमिदमन्यत्कृताकृतम् ।
एवमीहासुखासक्तं कृतान्तः कुरुते वशे ॥ १२.१७४.२० ॥
'This is done, this is to be done, this is another'—thus, attached to striving and to unhappiness, the end-maker Kṛtānta brings the man under his control.
12.174.21
कृतानां फलमप्राप्तं कर्मणां कर्मसंज्ञितम् ।
क्षेत्रापणगृहासक्तं मृत्युरादाय गच्छति ॥ १२.१७४.२१ ॥
The fruit of deeds done, not yet obtained, named by the name of action—death seizes and carries away the man attached to fields, markets and houses.
12.174.22
दुर्बलं बलवन्तं च शूरं भीरुं जडं कविम् ।
अप्राप्तं सर्वकामार्थान्मृत्युरादाय गच्छति ॥ १२.१७४.२२ ॥
The weak and the strong, the brave and the timid, the dull and the wise—those who have not attained all desired objects—death seizes and carries away.
12.174.23
नृत्युर्जरा च व्याधिश्च दुःखं चानेककारणम् ।
अनुषक्तं यदा देहे किं स्वस्थ इव तिष्ठसि ॥ १२.१७४.२३ ॥
Death, old age, disease, and suffering with its many causes—when these cling to the body, why do you stand as if you were at ease?
12.174.24
जातमेवान्तकोऽन्ताय जरा चान्वेति देहिनम् ।
अनुषक्ता द्वयेनैते भावाः स्थावरजङ्गमाः ॥ १२.१७४.२४ ॥
At birth the ender Death comes for the end, and old age follows the embodied one; bound to these two are all beings, the immovable and the movable.
12.174.25
अत्योर्वा मुखमेतद्वै या ग्रामे वसतो रतिः ।
वानामेष वै गोष्ठो यदरण्यमिति श्रुतिः ॥ १२.१७४.२५ ॥
The delight of one who dwells in the village is indeed the mouth of this (snare); the forest is the cattle-pen of the forest-beasts, so the scripture says.
12.174.26
तेबन्धनी रज्जुरेषा या ग्रामे वसतो रवि ।
छेत्त्वेता सुकृतो यान्ति नैनां छिन्दन्ति दुष्कृतः ॥ १२.१७४.२६ ॥
This is the binding rope of the attachment of one who dwells in the village; the righteous go, having cut it, but the wicked do not cut it.
12.174.27
हिंसयति यो जन्तून्मनोवाक्कायहेतुभिः ।
जीवितार्थापनयनैः प्राणिभिर्न स हिंस्यते ॥ १२.१७४.२७ ॥
He who harms living beings through the causes of mind, speech and body is not harmed by those living beings who take away life and wealth.
12.174.28
न मृत्युसेनामायान्तीं जातु कश्चित्प्रबाधते ।
ऋते सत्यमसत्त्याज्यं सत्ये ह्यमृतमाश्रितम् ॥ १२.१७४.२८ ॥
When the army of death comes, nothing ever repels it except truth; untruth is to be abandoned, for immortality rests in truth.
12.174.29
तस्मात्सत्यव्रताचारः सत्ययोगपरायणः ।
सत्यागमः सदा दान्तः सत्येनैवान्तकं जयेत् ॥ १२.१७४.२९ ॥
Therefore one whose conduct is a vow of truth, devoted to the discipline of truth, whose learning is truth, and who is always self-controlled, should conquer death by truth alone.
12.174.30
अमृतं चैव मृत्युश्च द्वयं देहे प्रतिष्ठितम् ।
मृत्युरापद्यते मोहात्सत्येनापद्यतेऽमृतम् ॥ १२.१७४.३० ॥
Immortality and death are both established in the body; through delusion one attains death, and through truth one attains immortality.
12.174.31
सोऽहं ह्यहिंस्रः सत्यार्थी कामक्रोधबहिष्कृतः ।
समदुःखसुखः क्षेमी मृत्युंहास्याम्यमर्त्यवत् ॥ १२.१७४.३१ ॥
I am non-violent, seeking truth, free from desire and anger, equal in pain and pleasure, seeking welfare; like one who is immortal, I will abandon death.
12.174.32
शान्तियज्ञरतो दान्तो ब्रह्मयज्ञे स्थितो मुनिः ।
वाङ्भनः कर्मयज्ञश्च भविष्याम्युदगायने ॥ १२.१७४.३२ ॥
Delighting in the sacrifice of peace, self-controlled, a sage established in the sacrifice of Brahman, performing the sacrifice of speech, mind and deed, I shall become one in the northern course of the sun.
12.174.33
पशुयज्ञैः कथं हिंस्रैर्मादृशो चष्टुमर्हति ।
अन्तवद्भिरिव प्राज्ञः क्षेत्रयज्ञैः पिशाचवत् ॥ १२.१७४.३३ ॥
How could one like me be worthy of praise through violent animal sacrifices? The wise man keeps away from perishable field-sacrifices as if from a demon.
12.174.34
यस्य वाङ्भनसी स्यातां सम्यक्प्रणिहिते सदा ।
तपस्त्यागश्च सत्यं च स वै सर्वमवाप्नुयात् ॥ १२.१७४.३४ ॥
He whose speech and mind are always well-directed, who has austerity, renunciation and truth, indeed obtains everything.
12.174.35
नास्ति विद्यासमं चक्षुर्नास्ति सत्यसमं तपः ।
नास्ति रागसमंदुःखं नास्ति त्यागसमं सुखम् ॥ १२.१७४.३५ ॥
There is no eye equal to knowledge, no austerity equal to truth; there is no suffering equal to attachment, no happiness equal to renunciation.
12.174.36
आत्मन्येवात्मना जात आत्मनिष्ठोऽप्रजोपि वा ।
आत्मन्येव भविष्यामि न मां तारयति प्रजा ॥ १२.१७४.३६ ॥
Born of the self, in the self, established in the self, even if without offspring, I shall dwell only in the self; offspring will not carry me across.
12.174.37
नैतादृशं ब्राह्मणस्यास्ति वित्तं ।
यथैकता समता सत्यता च।
शीलं स्थितिर्दण्डनिधानमार्जवं ।
ततस्ततश्चोपरभः क्रियाभ्यः ॥ १२.१७४.३७ ॥
A brahmin has no wealth like this: oneness, evenness, truthfulness, good conduct, steadfastness, laying down the rod, uprightness, and then cessation from actions.
12.174.38
किं ते धनैर्बान्धवैर्वापि किं ते ।
किं ते दारैर्ब्राह्मण यो मरिष्यसि।
आत्मानमन्विच्छ गुहां प्रविष्टं ।
पितामहास्ते क्व गताः पिता च ॥ १२.१७४.३८ ॥
What use to you is wealth, what use kinsmen, what use even wives? O brahmin, you are going to die. Seek the self that has entered the cave. Where have your forefathers gone, and your father?
12.174.39
पुत्रस्यैतद्वचः श्रुत्वा यथाऽकार्षीत्पिता नृप ।
तथा त्वमपि वर्तस्व सत्यधर्मपरायणः ॥ १२.१७४.३९ ॥
O king, as the father acted upon hearing this word of his son, so you too should conduct yourself, devoted to truth and dharma.