Mahābhārata · Adhyāya 12.283
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12.283.1
अतिक्रामति कालेऽस्मिन्सर्वभूतभयावहे ।
किं श्रेयः प्रतिपद्येत तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥ १२.२८३.१ ॥
As this time passes, bringing fear to all beings, what good should a man attain? Tell me that, grandsire.
12.283.2
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् ।
पितुः पुत्रेण संवादं तं निबोध युधिष्ठिर ॥ १२.२८३.२ ॥
Here too they recite this ancient story, the dialogue of a father and son. Listen to it, Yudhiṣṭhira.
12.283.3
द्विजातेः कस्यजित्पार्थ स्वाध्यायनिरतस्य वै ।
पुत्रो बभूव मेधावी मेधावी नाम नामतः ॥ १२.२८३.३ ॥
Pārtha, to a certain twice-born man devoted to Vedic study a son was born, intelligent, named Medhāvin.
12.283.4
सोऽब्रवीत्पितरं पुत्रः स्वाध्यायकरणे रतम् ।
मोक्षधर्मेष्वकुशलं मोक्षधर्मविचक्षणः ॥ १२.२८३.४ ॥
That son, skilled in the dharma of liberation, spoke to his father, who was devoted to recitation and unskilled in the dharma of liberation.
12.283.5
धीरः किंस्वित्तात कुर्यात्प्रजानन् ।
क्षिप्रं ह्यायुर्भ्रश्यते मानवानाम्।
पितस्तथाऽऽख्याहि यथार्थयोगं ।
ममानुपूर्व्या येन धर्मं चरेयम् ॥ १२.२८३.५ ॥
Father, knowing that the life of men slips away swiftly, what should a wise man do? Tell me, father, the true discipline in due order, so that I may practise dharma.
12.283.6
अधीत्य वेदान्ब्रह्मचर्येषु पुत्र ।
पुत्रानिच्छेत्पावनार्थं पितृणाम्।
अग्नीनाधाय विधिवच्चेष्टयज्ञो ।
वनं प्रविश्याथ मुनिर्बुभूषेत् ॥ १२.२८३.६ ॥
Having studied the Vedas in the stages of student life, one should desire sons for the purification of the ancestors; having duly established the sacred fires and performed sacrifice, then having entered the forest, one should wish to become a sage.
12.283.7
एवमभ्याहते लोके सर्वतः परिवारिते ।
अमोधासु पतन्तीषु किं धीर इव भाषसे ॥ १२.२८३.७ ॥
Thus, while the world is struck and surrounded on every side, and the unfailing days are passing, why do you speak like a steady man?
12.283.8
कथमभ्याहतो लोकः केन वा परिवारितः ।
अमोघाः काः पतन्तीह किंनु भीषयसीव माम् ॥ १२.२८३.८ ॥
How is the world struck, and by what is it surrounded? Which unfailing days are passing here? Why do you frighten me so?
12.283.9
मृत्युनाऽऽभ्याहतो लोको जस्या परिवारितः ।
अहोरात्राः पतन्तीमे तच्च कस्मान्न बुध्यसे ॥ १२.२८३.९ ॥
The world is struck by death and surrounded by old age. These days and nights are passing — why do you not perceive it?
12.283.10
यदाहमेव जानामि न मृत्युस्तिष्ठतीति ह ।
सोहं कथं प्रतीक्षिप्ये ज्ञानेनापिहितश्चरन् ॥ १२.२८३.१० ॥
Since I know that death does not stay, how then, moving about covered by knowledge, shall I wait for it?
12.283.11
रात्र्यांरात्र्यां व्यतीतायामायुरल्पतरं यदा ।
गाधोदके मत्स्य इव सुखं विन्देत कस्तदा ॥ १२.२८३.११ ॥
When night after night has passed and life has grown far shorter, who could find happiness, like a fish in deep water?
12.283.12
यामेकरात्रिं प्रथमां गर्भो विशति मातरम् ।
तामेव रात्रिं प्रस्वाप्य मरणाय विवर्तकः ॥ १२.२८३.१२ ॥
On the very first night that the embryo enters the mother, one is put to sleep that same night and turned toward death.
12.283.13
पुष्पाणीव विचिन्वन्तमन्यत्र गतमानसम् ।
अनवाप्तेषु कामेषु मृत्युरभ्येति गानवम् ॥ १२.२८३.१३ ॥
Death comes upon a man gathering flowers whose mind has gone elsewhere, while his desires remain unfulfilled.
12.283.14
श्वः कार्यमद्य कुर्वीत पूर्वाङ्गे चापराहिकम् ।
न हि प्रतीक्षते मृत्युः कृतं वाऽस्य न वा कृतम् ॥ १२.२८३.१४ ॥
Let him do tomorrow's task today, and the afternoon's task in the forenoon; death does not wait to see whether his work is done or not.
12.283.15
अद्यैव कुरु यच्छ्रेयो मा त्वां कालोऽत्यगान्महान् ।
को हि जानाति कस्याद्य मृत्युकालो मविष्यति ॥ १२.२८३.१५ ॥
Do today what is good, lest the great time pass you by. Who knows whose time of death will come today?
12.283.16
अकृतेष्वेव कार्येषु मृत्युर्वै संप्रकर्षति ।
युवैव धर्मशीलः स्यादनिमित्तं हि जीवितम् ॥ १२.२८३.१६ ॥
While tasks remain undone, death surely drags a man away. Therefore even the young should be virtuous, for life has no fixed sign.
12.283.17
कृते धर्म भवेत्प्रीतिरिह प्रेत्य च शाश्वती ।
मोहेन हि समाविष्टः पुत्रदारार्तमुद्यतः ॥ १२.२८३.१७ ॥
When dharma is practiced, delight is lasting here and after death. But a man seized by delusion, afflicted for sons and wife, is intent only on them.
12.283.18
कृत्वा कार्यमकार्यं वा तुष्टिमेषां प्रयच्छति ।
तं पुत्रपशुसंपन्नं व्याभक्तमनसं नरम् ॥ १२.२८३.१८ ॥
Having done a task or a non-task, he gives them satisfaction. That man, rich in sons and cattle, with a divided mind, (death carries away).
12.283.19
सप्तं व्यायं महौघो वा मृत्युरादाय गच्छति ।
संविन्वानकमेवैनं कामानामवितृप्तकम् ॥ १२.२८३.१९ ॥
As a great flood carries off one who is sunk and weary, so death seizes and carries away this one, engrossed in busy pursuits and never sated with desires.
12.283.20
वृकीवोरपमासाद्य मुत्युरादाय गच्छति ।
इदं कृतमिदं कार्यमिदमन्यत्कृताकृतम् ॥ १२.२८३.२० ॥
As a she-wolf, approaching a sheep, seizes it and carries it off, so death takes this one away: 'This is done, this is yet to be done, this is something else, done and undone.'
12.283.21
एवमीहासमायुक्तं मृत्युरादाय गच्छति ।
कृतानां फलमप्राप्तं कार्याणां कर्मसङ्गिनाम् ॥ १२.२८३.२१ ॥
Thus death seizes and carries away one engrossed in striving, who has not received the fruit of deeds done, attached to the pursuit of tasks.
12.283.22
क्षेत्रापणगृहासक्तं मृत्युरादाय गच्छति ।
दुर्बलं बलवन्तं च प्राज्ञं शूरं जडं कविम् ॥ १२.२८३.२२ ॥
Death seizes and carries away one attached to field, market and house; the weak and the strong, the wise and the brave, the dull and the poet alike.
12.283.23
अप्राप्तसर्वकामार्थं मृत्युरादाय गच्छति ।
मृत्युर्जरा च व्याधिश्चदुःखं चानेककारणम् ॥ १२.२८३.२३ ॥
Death seizes and carries away one who has attained none of his desires or aims. Death, old age, disease, and suffering arising from many causes.
12.283.24
असंत्याज्यं यदा मर्त्यैः किं स्वस्थ इव तिष्ठति ।
जातमेवान्तकोऽन्ताय जरा चाभ्येति देहिनम् ॥ १२.२८३.२४ ॥
When what cannot be abandoned by mortals is at hand, why do they remain as if at ease? From the moment of birth the Ender comes for destruction, and old age also approaches the embodied one.
12.283.25
अनुषक्ता द्वयेनैते भावाः स्थावरजङ्गमाः ।
न मृत्युसेनामायान्तीं जातु कश्चित्प्रबाधते ॥ १२.२८३.२५ ॥
These beings, both the immobile and the mobile, are bound by the pair of opposites. No one ever holds back the army of death as it approaches.
12.283.26
बलात्सत्यमृते त्वेकं सत्ये ह्यमृतमाश्रितम् ।
मृत्योर्वा गृहमेतद्वै या ग्रामे वसतो रतिः ॥ १२.२८३.२६ ॥
Truth and order, which come from strength, are one. Immortality rests in truth. Or else, this is the house of death: the delight of dwelling in a village.
12.283.27
देवानामेषु वै गोष्ठो यदरण्यमिति श्रुतिः ।
निबन्धनी रज्जुरेषा या ग्रामे वसतो रतिः ॥ १२.२८३.२७ ॥
Among these things of the gods, the forest is the cowpen, so the Veda says. The delight of dwelling in a village is the binding rope.
12.283.28
छित्त्वैनां सुकृतो यान्ति नैनां छिन्दन्ति दुष्कृतः ।
यो न हिंसति सत्वानि मनोवाक्कर्महेतुभिः ॥ १२.२८३.२८ ॥
Having cut this, the righteous go on; the wicked cannot cut it. He who harms no living being by thought, speech and deed.
12.283.29
जीवितार्थापनयनैः प्राणिभिर्न स बध्यते ।
तस्मात्सत्यव्रताचारः सत्यव्रतपरायणः ॥ १२.२८३.२९ ॥
He is not bound by taking away the life and livelihood of living beings. Therefore, one whose conduct is a vow of truth, intent on the vow of truth.
12.283.30
सत्यकामः समो दान्ताः सत्येनैवान्तकं जयेत् ।
अमृतं चैव मृत्युश्च द्वयं देहे प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥ १२.२८३.३० ॥
One who desires truth, is even-minded and self-controlled, may conquer Death itself by truth. Immortality and death both are established in the body.
12.283.31
मृत्युरापद्यते मोहात्सत्येनापद्यतेऽमृतम् ।
सोहं सत्यमहिंसाथीं कामक्रोधबहिष्कृतः ॥ १२.२८३.३१ ॥
Death is reached through delusion; immortality is reached through truth. I, who seek truth and non-violence, am cast out from desire and anger.
12.283.32
समाश्रित्य सुखं क्षेमी मृत्युं हास्याम्यमृत्युवत् ।
शान्तियज्ञरतो दान्तो ब्रह्मयज्ञे स्थितो मुनिः ॥ १२.२८३.३२ ॥
Having resorted to happiness and security, I shall abandon death as one free from death, a sage delighting in the sacrifice of peace, self-controlled and established in the sacrifice of Brahman.
12.283.33
वाङ्भनः कर्मयज्ञश्च भविष्याम्युदगायने ।
पशुयज्ञैः कथं हिंस्रैर्मादृशो यष्टुमर्हति ॥ १२.२८३.३३ ॥
I shall become the sacrifice of speech, mind and deed in the northern course of the sun. How can one like me sacrifice with cruel animal sacrifices?
12.283.34
अन्तवद्भिरुत प्राज्ञः क्षत्रयज्ञैः पिशाचवत् ।
आत्मन्येवात्मना जात आत्मनिष्ठोऽप्रजः पितः ॥ १२.२८३.३४ ॥
By perishable warrior sacrifices, O father, even the wise become like demons. I, born of the self through the self, established in the self, without offspring.
12.283.35
आत्मयज्ञो भविष्यामि न मां तारयति प्रजा ।
यस्य वाङ्भनसी स्यातां सम्यक्प्रणिहिते सदा ॥ १२.२८३.३५ ॥
I shall become the sacrifice of the self; offspring will not carry me across. For one whose speech and mind are always rightly directed.
12.283.36
तपस्त्यागश्च योगश्च स तैः सर्वमवाप्नुयात् ।
नास्ति विद्यासमं चक्षुर्नास्ति विद्यासमं फलम् ॥ १२.२८३.३६ ॥
By austerity, renunciation and yoga he should attain all of that. There is no eye equal to knowledge, and there is no fruit equal to knowledge.
12.283.37
नास्ति रागसमं दुःखं नास्ति त्यागसमं सुखम् ॥ १२.२८३.३७ ॥
There is no suffering equal to attachment, and no happiness equal to renunciation.
12.283.38
नैतादृशं ब्राह्मणस्यास्ति वित्तं ।
यथैकता समता सत्यता च।
शीले स्थितिर्दण्डविधानमार्जवं ।
ततस्ततश्चोपरमः क्रियाभ्यः ॥ १२.२८३.३८ ॥
For a brahmin there is no wealth like unity, equanimity and truthfulness; steadfastness in good conduct, the discipline of restraint, uprightness, and then cessation from actions.
12.283.39
किं ते धनैर्बान्धवैर्वाऽपि किं ते ।
किं ते दारैब्राह्मण यो मरिष्यसि।
आत्मानमन्विच्छ गृहा प्रविष्टं ।
पितामहास्ते क्व गताः पिता च ॥ १२.२८३.३९ ॥
O brahmin, what use is wealth to you, or kinsmen, or wives, since you will die? Seek your self, which has entered the house. Where have your forefathers and your father gone?
12.283.40
पुत्रस्यैतद्वचः श्रुत्वा तथाकार्षीत्पिता नृप ।
तथा त्वमपि राजेन्द्र सत्यधर्मपरो भव ॥ १२.२८३.४० ॥
Having heard his son's words, the father did just so. So too, O king, O lord of kings, may you be intent on truth and dharma.