Mahābhārata · Adhyāya 12.177
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12.177.1
केन वृत्तेन वृत्तज्ञ वीतशोकश्चरेन्महीम् ।
किंच कुर्वन्नरो लोके प्राप्नोति गतिमुत्तमाम् ॥ १२.१७७.१ ॥
O knower of conduct, by what conduct should a man, free from grief, wander the earth? And what, doing what in the world, does a man attain the highest course?
12.177.2
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् ।
प्रह्लादस्य च संवादं मुनेराजगरस्य च ॥ १२.१७७.२ ॥
On this matter, too, they recount this ancient story: the dialogue between Prahlāda and a sage in the form of a python.
12.177.3
चरन्तं ब्राह्मणं कंचित्कल्यचित्तमनामयम् ।
पप्रच्छ राजा प्रह्लादो बुद्धिमान्प्राज्ञसत्तमः ॥ १२.१७७.३ ॥
A certain brahmin, wandering, calm in mind and free from illness, was questioned by King Prahlāda, the wise, best of the wise.
12.177.4
स्वस्थः शक्तो मृदुर्दान्तो निर्विधित्सोऽनसूयकः ।
सुवाग्बहुमतो लोके प्राज्ञश्चरसि बालवत् ॥ १२.१७७.४ ॥
You are self-composed, capable, gentle, self-controlled, free from doubt and envy; well-spoken and esteemed in the world. Though wise, you wander like a child.
12.177.5
नैव प्रार्थयसे लाभं नालाभेष्वनुशोचसि ।
नित्यतृप्त इव ब्रह्मन्न किंचिदिव मन्यसे ॥ १२.१७७.५ ॥
You neither desire gain nor grieve over loss. O brahmin, you seem always content, and you regard nothing as of consequence.
12.177.6
स्रोतसा ह्रियमाणासु प्रजासु विमना इव ।
धर्मकामार्थकार्येषु कूटस्थ इव लक्ष्यसे ॥ १२.१७७.६ ॥
While creatures are being swept away by the current, you do not appear troubled in mind; in the affairs of dharma, desire and wealth you seem unmoved and steadfast.
12.177.7
नानुतिष्ठसि धर्मार्थौ न कामे चापि वर्तसे ।
इन्द्रियार्थाननादृत्य मुक्तश्चरसि साक्षिवत् ॥ १२.१७७.७ ॥
You follow neither dharma nor wealth, nor do you engage in desire. Disregarding the objects of the senses, you move about liberated, like a witness.
12.177.8
का नु प्रज्ञा श्रुतं वा किं वृत्तिर्वा का नु ते मुने ।
क्षिप्रमाचक्ष्व मे ब्रह्मञ्श्रेयो यदिह मन्यसे ॥ १२.१७७.८ ॥
O sage, what is your wisdom? What have you learned, and what is your conduct? O brahmin, quickly tell me what you consider the good here.
12.177.9
अनुयुक्तः स मेधावी लोकधर्मविधानवित् ।
उवाच श्लक्ष्णया वाचा प्रह्लादमनपार्थया ॥ १२.१७७.९ ॥
Thus questioned, that intelligent one, knower of the ordinances of worldly dharma, spoke to Prahlāda in gentle and meaningful words.
12.177.10
पश्य प्रह्लाद भूतानामुत्पत्तिमनिमित्ततः ।
ह्रासं वृद्धिं विनाशं च न प्रहृष्ये न च व्यथे ॥ १२.१७७.१० ॥
Behold, Prahlāda: the arising of beings occurs without cause. Seeing their decline, growth, and destruction, I neither rejoice nor grieve.
12.177.11
स्वभावादेव संदृश्या वर्तमानाः प्रवृत्तयः ।
स्वभावनिरताः सर्वाः प्रतिपाद्या न केनचित् ॥ १२.१७७.११ ॥
Activities existing visibly arise from nature alone. All of them are devoted to their own nature, and none can be directed by anyone.
12.177.12
पश्य प्रह्लाद संयोगान्विप्रयोगपरायणान् ।
संचयांश्च विनाशान्तान्न क्वचिद्विदधे मनः ॥ १२.१७७.१२ ॥
Behold, Prahlāda: unions end in separation, and accumulations end in destruction. Therefore I place my mind nowhere.
12.177.13
अन्तवन्ति च भूतानि गुणयुक्तानि पश्यतः ।
उत्पत्तिनिधनज्ञस्य किं पर्यायेणोपलक्षये। ॥ १२.१७७.१३ ॥
Seeing that beings endowed with qualities have an end, and knowing their origin and destruction, why should I perceive (death) in succession?
12.177.14
जलजानामपि ह्यन्तं पर्यायेणोपलक्षये ।
महतामपि कायानां सूक्ष्माणां च महोदधौ ॥ १२.१७७.१४ ॥
Even of water-born creatures in the great ocean, and of great and subtle bodies, I perceive the end in turn.
12.177.15
जङ्गमस्थावराणां च भूतानामसुराधिप ।
पार्थिवानामपि व्यक्तं मृत्युं पश्यामि सर्वशः ॥ १२.१७७.१५ ॥
O lord of the asuras, death I clearly see everywhere among moving and unmoving beings, and among earthly creatures too.
12.177.16
अन्तरिक्षचराणां च दानवोत्तमपक्षिणाम् ।
उत्तिष्ठते यथाकालं मृत्युर्बलवतामपि ॥ १२.१७७.१६ ॥
Death arises in its season even for those who move in the sky, the best of Dānava birds, and the mighty.
12.177.17
दिवि संचरमाणानि ह्रस्वानि च महान्ति च ।
ज्योतींष्यपि यथाकालं पतमानानि लक्षये ॥ १२.१७७.१७ ॥
Even the lights moving in the sky, small and large, I perceive falling in due time.
12.177.18
इति भूतानि संपश्यन्ननुषक्तानि मृत्युना ।
सर्वं सामान्यतो विद्वान्कृतकृत्यः सुखं स्वपे ॥ १२.१७७.१८ ॥
Thus seeing beings bound to death, knowing all in general, I, having done what was to be done, sleep happily.
12.177.19
सुमहान्तमपि ग्रासं ग्रसे लब्धं यदृच्छया ।
शये पुनरभुञ्जानो दिवसानि बहून्यपि ॥ १२.१७७.१९ ॥
Whatever very large morsel comes to me by chance, I swallow; and again I lie still for many days without eating.
12.177.20
आशयन्त्यपि मामन्नं पुनर्बहुगुणं बहु ।
पुनरल्पं पुनस्तोकं पुनर्नैवोपपद्यते ॥ १२.१७७.२० ॥
They feed me food of many good qualities, abundant; again little, again scanty; and again it is not obtained at all.
12.177.21
कणं कदाचित्खादामि पिण्याकमपि च ग्रसे ।
भक्षये शालिमांसानि भक्षांश्चोच्चावचान्पुनः ॥ १२.१७७.२१ ॥
Sometimes I eat husk-grains, and I also swallow oil-cake; sometimes I eat the fine dishes of śāli rice, and again foods both high and low.
12.177.22
शये कदाचित्पर्यङ्के भूमावपि पुनः शये ।
प्रासादे चापि मे शय्या कदाचिदुपपद्यते ॥ १२.१७७.२२ ॥
Sometimes I lie on a couch, and again I lie on the bare ground; and sometimes a bed is obtained for me even in a mansion.
12.177.23
धारयामि च चीराणि शाणक्षौमाजिनानि च ।
महार्हाणि च वासांसि धारयाम्यहमेकदा ॥ १२.१७७.२३ ॥
I wear rags at times, and hempen cloth, silk, and deerskins; and at one time I wear very costly garments.
12.177.24
न सन्निपतितं धर्म्यमुपभोगं यदृच्छया ।
प्रत्याचक्षे न चाप्येनमनुरुध्ये सुदुर्लभम् ॥ १२.१७७.२४ ॥
I do not reject a lawful enjoyment that comes to me by chance, nor do I pursue what is exceedingly rare.
12.177.25
अचलमनिधनं शिवं विशोकं ।
शुचिमतुलं विदुषां मते प्रविष्टम्।
अनभिमतमसेवितं विमूढै ।
र्व्रतमिदमाजगरं शुचिश्चरामि ॥ १२.१७७.२५ ॥
Unmoving, deathless, auspicious, free from sorrow, pure and incomparable — this python vow, entered into by the wise, undesired and unpractised by the deluded: I practise it in purity.
12.177.26
अचलितमतिरच्युतः स्वधर्मा ।
त्परिमितसंसरणः परावरज्ञः।
विगतभयकषायलोभमोहो ।
व्रतमिदमाजगरं शुचिश्चरामि ॥ १२.१७७.२६ ॥
With an unwavering mind, steadfast and keeping to my own duty, wandering within limits, knowing the higher and the lower, free from fear, passion, greed and delusion: I practise this python vow in purity.
12.177.27
अनियतफलभक्ष्यभोज्यपेयं ।
विधिपरिणामविभक्तदेशकालम्।
हृदयसुखमसेवितं कदर्यै ।
र्व्रतमिदमाजगरं सुचिश्चरामि ॥ १२.१७७.२७ ॥
Its fruits, food, meals and drinks not fixed, its place and time divided by the course of fate, bringing delight to the heart and unpractised by the miserly: I practise this python vow in purity.
12.177.28
इदमिदमिति तृष्णयाऽभिभूतं ।
जनमनवाप्तधनं विषीदमानम्।
निपुणमनुनिशाम्य तत्त्वबुद्ध्या ।
व्रतमिदमाजगरं शुचिश्चरामि ॥ १२.१७७.२८ ॥
A man overcome by craving, saying "this and this," not having obtained wealth and sinking in despair — having carefully considered him with the understanding of reality: I practise this python vow in purity.
12.177.29
बहुविधमनुदृश्य चार्थहेतोः ।
कृपणमिहार्यमनार्यमाश्रयं तम्।
उपशमरुचिरात्मवान्प्रशान्तो ।
व्रतमिदमाजगरं शुचिश्चरामि ॥ १२.१७७.२९ ॥
Having observed in many ways, for the sake of wealth, the wretched and the ignoble, and the refuge of the noble — delighting in tranquillity, self-controlled and serene: I practise this python vow in purity.
12.177.30
सुखमसुखमलाभमर्थलाभं ।
रतिमरतिं मरणं च जीवितं च।
विधिनियतमवेक्ष्य तत्त्वतोऽहं ।
व्रतमिदमाजगरं शुचिश्चरामि ॥ १२.१७७.३० ॥
Knowing truly that pleasure and pain, gain and loss, delight and aversion, death and life are ordained by fate, I observe this vow of the python in purity.
12.177.31
अपगतभयरागमोहदर्पो ।
धृतिमतिबुद्धिसमन्वितः प्रशान्तः।
उपगतफलभोगिनो निशाम्य ।
व्रतमिदमाजगरं शुचिश्चरामि ॥ १२.१७७.३१ ॥
Free from fear, attachment, delusion and pride, endowed with steadfastness, understanding and intellect, tranquil, having observed those who have reaped the fruits of enjoyment, I observe this vow of the python in purity.
12.177.32
अनियतशयनासनः प्रकृत्या ।
दमनियमव्रतसत्यशौचयुक्तः।
अपगतफलसंचयः प्रहृष्टो ।
व्रतमिदमाजगरं शुचिश्चरामि ॥ १२.१७७.३२ ॥
Having by nature no fixed bed or seat, endowed with self-restraint, observances, vows, truthfulness and purity, free from the gathering of fruits, joyful, I observe this vow of the python in purity.
12.177.33
अपगतमसुखार्थमीहनार्थै ।
रुपगतबुद्धिरवेक्ष्य चात्मसंस्थम्।
तृपितमनियतं मनो नियन्तुं ।
व्रतमिदमाजगरं शुचिश्चरामि ॥ १२.१७७.३३ ॥
Free from the pursuits of wealth that bring unhappiness, my understanding settled, having considered the self abiding within, and though satisfied, to restrain the unrestrained mind, I observe this vow of the python in purity.
12.177.34
न हृदयमनुरुध्यते मनो वा ।
प्रियसुखदुर्लभतामनित्यतां च।
तदुभयमुपलक्षयन्निवाहं ।
व्रतमिदमाजगरं शुचिश्चरामि ॥ १२.१७७.३४ ॥
Neither heart nor mind is drawn toward what is dear and pleasant, which is rare and impermanent; perceiving both as it were, I observe this vow of the python in purity.
12.177.35
बहु कथितमिदं हि बुद्धिमद्भिः ।
कविभिरपि प्रथयद्भिरात्मकीर्तिम्।
इदमिदमिति तत्रतत्र हन्त ।
स्वपरमतैर्गहनं प्रतर्कयद्भिः ॥ १२.१७७.३५ ॥
The wise and the poets, to spread their own fame, have said much about this. Alas, here and there they reason at length, saying 'this is thus, this is thus,' using their own doctrines and those of others.
12.177.36
तदिदमनुनिशाम्य विप्रपातं ।
पृथगभिपन्नमिहाबुधैर्मनुष्यैः।
अनवसितमनन्तदोषपारं ।
नृपु विहरामि विनीतदोषतृष्णः ॥ १२.१७७.३६ ॥
Having heard and considered all this, that the fall of the twice-born has come about here in separate ways among ignorant men, and that its faults have no end or limit, I move among kings with faults and craving subdued.
12.177.37
अजगरचरितं व्रतं महात्मा ।
य इह नरोऽनुचरेद्विनीतरागः।
अपगतभयलोभमोहमन्युः ।
स खलु सुखी विचरेदिमं विहारम् ॥ १२.१७७.३७ ॥
The vow of the great-souled one, the conduct of a python: whatever man here follows it, with passion subdued and free from fear, greed, delusion and anger, he indeed will move about in this way of life in happiness.