Mahābhārata · Adhyāya 12.303

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12.303.1

पिता सखायो गुरवः स्त्रियश्च ।
न निर्गुणानां प्रभवन्ति लोके।
अनन्यभक्ताः प्रियवादिनश्च ।
हिताश्च वश्याश्च तथैव राजन् ॥ १२.३०३.१ ॥

Father, friends, teachers and wives hold no sway over the worthless in this world. Only those who are wholly devoted, speak pleasantly, are beneficial and are self-controlled, O king, hold such sway in the same way.

12.303.2

पिता परं दैवतं मानवानां ।
मातुर्विशिष्टं पितरं वदन्ति।
ज्ञानस्य लाभं परमं वदन्ति ।
जितेन्द्रियार्थाः परमाप्नुवन्ति ॥ १२.३०३.२ ॥

For men the father is the supreme deity; the father is called more eminent than the mother. Gain of knowledge is called the highest; those who have conquered their senses and fixed their aims attain the highest.

12.303.3

रणाजिरे यत्र शराग्निसंस्तरे ।
नृपात्मजो घातमवाप्य दह्यते।
प्रयाति लोकानमरैः सुदुर्लभा ।
न्निषेवते स्वर्गफलं यथासुखम् ॥ १२.३०३.३ ॥

On the battlefield, where the king's son, having met death on a bed of arrow-fire, is burned, he goes to worlds very hard for even the immortals to attain, and enjoys the fruit of heaven at ease.

12.303.4

श्रान्तं भीतं भ्रष्टशस्त्रं रुदन्तं ।
पराङ्भुखं पारिवर्हैश्च हीनम्।
अनुद्यन्तं रोगिणं याचमानं ।
न वै हिंस्याद्बालवृद्धौ च राजन् ॥ १२.३०३.४ ॥

One should never harm the weary, the frightened, one whose weapon has fallen, the weeping, the one turned away, the one deprived of his equipment, the one not raising arms, the sick, or the suppliant — nor the child or the old, O king.

12.303.5

पारिबर्हैः सुसंयुक्तमुद्यतं तुल्यतां गतम् ।
अतिक्रमेत्तं नृपतिः संग्रामे क्षत्रियात्मजम् ॥ १२.३०३.५ ॥

In battle, a king should pass over the kṣatriya's son who is well-equipped, has raised his arms, and has attained equal footing with him.

12.303.6

तुल्यादिह वधः श्रेयान्विशिष्टाच्चेति निश्चयः ।
निहीनात्कातराच्चैव कृपणाद्गर्हितो वधः ॥ १२.३०३.६ ॥

Here, the slaying of an equal is better, and of a superior too—this is certain. The slaying of an inferior, a coward, or a wretch is reprehensible.

12.303.7

पापात्पापसमाचारान्निहीनाच्च नराधिप ।
पाप एष वधः प्रोक्तो नरकायेति निश्चयः ॥ १२.३०३.७ ॥

O lord of men, the slaying of a sinner, one of sinful conduct, or an inferior is a sin. This killing is declared to lead to hell—this is certain.

12.303.8

न कश्चित्राति वै राजन्दिष्टान्तवशमागतम् ।
सावशेषायुषं चापि कश्चिन्नैवापकर्षति ॥ १२.३०३.८ ॥

O king, no one protects one who has come under the power of fate's end; nor does anyone shorten the life of one who still has life remaining.

12.303.9

स्निग्धैश्च क्रियमाणानि कर्माणीह निवर्तयेत् ।
हिंसात्मकानि सर्वाणि नायुरिच्छेत्परायुषा ॥ १२.३०३.९ ॥

Here one should turn away even actions performed with kindness; all actions of a violent nature one should abandon. One should not desire life for oneself at the cost of another's life.

12.303.10

गृहस्थानां तु सर्वेषां विनाशमभिकाङ्क्षताम् ।
निधनं शोभनं तात पुलिनेषु क्रियावताम् ॥ १२.३०३.१० ॥

Dear son, for all householders who desire destruction, death is auspicious; so too for those who perform rites on the river banks.

12.303.11

आयुषि क्षयमापन्ने पञ्चत्वमुपगच्छति ।
तथा ह्यकारणाद्भवति कारणैरुपपादितम् ॥ १२.३०३.११ ॥

When life has come to its decline, a being attains dissolution into the five elements; thus death comes about without cause, and also is brought about by causes.

12.303.12

तथा शरीरं भवति देहाद्येनोपपादितम् ।
अध्वानं गतकश्चायं प्राप्तश्चायं गृहाद्गृहम् ॥ १२.३०३.१२ ॥

Thus the body comes to be, brought about by the body and the rest. This one is like a traveller on the road, who goes from one house to another.

12.303.13

द्वितीयं कारणं तत्र नान्यत्किंचन विद्यते ।
तद्देहं देहिनां युक्तं मोक्षभूतेषु वर्तते ॥ १२.३०३.१३ ॥

There no other second cause is found at all. That body is fitting for embodied beings, and it remains even in those who have become free.

12.303.14

शिरास्नाय्वस्थिसंघातं बीभत्सामेध्यसंकुलम् ।
भूतानामिन्द्रियाणां च गुणानां च समागमम् ॥ १२.३०३.१४ ॥

A mass of veins, sinews and bones, full of loathsome impurities; a union of the elements, the senses and the qualities.

12.303.15

त्वगन्तं देहमित्याहुर्विद्वांसोऽध्यात्मचिन्तकाः ।
गुणैरपि परिक्षीणं शरीरं मर्त्यतां गतम् ॥ १२.३०३.१५ ॥

The learned who reflect on the self call this body one that ends with the skin. Even worn away by the qualities, the body comes to mortality.

12.303.16

शरीरिणा परित्यक्तं निश्चेष्टं गतचेतनम् ।
भूतैः प्रकृतिमापन्नैस्ततो भूमौ निमज्जति ॥ १२.३०३.१६ ॥

That body, abandoned by the embodied self, becomes motionless and without consciousness. Then the elements return to their natural state, and it sinks into the earth.

12.303.17

भावितं कर्मयोगेन जायते तत्रतत्र ह ।
इदं शरीरं वैदेह म्रियते यत्रयत्र ह।
तत्प्रपाते परो दृष्टो विसर्गः कर्मणस्तथा ॥ १२.३०३.१७ ॥

Shaped by the yoke of action, he is born here and there. O Videha, wherever this body dies, at its fall the supreme outcome of action is seen.

12.303.18

न जायते तु नृपते कंचित्कालमयं पुनः ।
परिभ्रमति भूतात्मा द्यामिवाम्बुधरो महान् ॥ १२.३०३.१८ ॥

O king, this one is not born again for some time; the soul of beings wanders about like a great cloud across the sky.

12.303.19

स पुनर्जायते राजन्प्राप्येहायतनं नृपः ।
मनसः परमो ह्यात्मा इन्द्रियेभ्यः परं मनः ॥ १२.३०३.१९ ॥

O king, he is born again, having found a dwelling here. The self is higher than the mind, and the mind is higher than the senses.

12.303.20

विविधानां च भूतानां जङ्गमाः परमा नृप ।
जङ्गमानामपि तथा द्विपदाः परमा मताः।
द्विपदानामपि तथा द्विजा वै परमाः स्मृताः ॥ १२.३०३.२० ॥

O king, among the various beings the mobile ones are the highest; among the mobile ones the two-footed are held to be highest; and among the two-footed, the twice-born are indeed remembered as highest.

12.303.21

द्विजानामपि राजेन्द्र प्रज्ञावन्तः परा मताः ।
प्राज्ञानामात्मसंबुद्धाः संबुद्धानाममानिनः ॥ १२.३०३.२१ ॥

O lord of kings, among the twice-born the wise are considered highest; among the wise, those awakened to the self; and among the awakened, those free from pride.

12.303.22

जातमन्वेति मरणं नृणामिति विनिश्चयः ।
अन्तवन्ति हि कर्माणि सेवन्ते गुणतः प्रजाः ॥ १२.३०३.२२ ॥

Death follows the one who is born — this is the certainty for men. Deeds are finite, and creatures attend upon them according to their qualities.

12.303.23

आपन्ने तूत्तरां काष्ठां सूर्ये यो निधनं व्रजेत् ।
नक्षत्रे च मुहूर्ते च पुण्ये राजन्स पुण्यकृत् ॥ १२.३०३.२३ ॥

O king, he who dies when the sun has reached the northern quarter, under an auspicious lunar mansion and in an auspicious moment, is one who has done meritorious deeds.

12.303.24

अयोजयित्वा क्लेशेन जनं प्लाप्य च दुष्कृतम् ।
मृत्युनाऽऽत्मकृतेनेह कर्म कृत्वाऽऽत्मशक्तितः ॥ १२.३०३.२४ ॥

The one who does not discipline himself with effort, who brings suffering upon others and does evil, meets death here by his own deeds, according to his own strength.

12.303.25

विषमुद्बन्धनं दाहो दस्युहस्तात्तथ वधः ।
दंष्ट्रिभ्यश्च पशुभ्यश्च प्राकृतो वध उच्यते ॥ १२.३०३.२५ ॥

Poison, hanging, burning, killing by the hands of robbers, and by fanged beasts — this is called an ordinary death.

12.303.26

न चैभिः पुण्यकर्माणो युज्यन्ते चाभिसंधिजैः ।
एवंविधैश्च बहुभिरपरैः प्राकृतैरपि ॥ १२.३०३.२६ ॥

Those of meritorious deeds are not joined to these, nor to deaths born of intention; nor to the many other ordinary deaths of such kind.

12.303.27

ऊर्ध्वं भित्त्वा प्रतिष्ठन्ते प्राणाः पुण्यवतां नृप ।
मध्यतो मध्यपुण्यानामधो दुष्कृतकर्मणाम् ॥ १२.३०३.२७ ॥

O king, the life-breaths of the meritorious stand, having pierced upward; those of the middling meritorious from the middle; and those whose deeds are evil, downward.

12.303.28

एकः शत्रुर्न द्वितीयोस्ति शत्रु ।
रज्ञानतुल्यः पुरुषस्य राजन्।
येनावृतः कुरुते संप्रयुक्तो ।
घोराणि कर्माणि सुदारुणानि ॥ १२.३०३.२८ ॥

There is one enemy, not a second — O king, for a man it is like ignorance. Covered by it and impelled, he performs terrible, most dreadful deeds.

12.303.29

प्रबोधनार्थं श्रुतिधर्मयुक्तं ।
वृद्धानुपास्य प्रभवेत यस्य।
प्रयत्नसाध्यो हि स राजपुत्र ।
प्रज्ञाशरेणोन्मथितः परैति ॥ १२.३०३.२९ ॥

For the sake of awakening, knowledge joined with the dharma of scripture, which may be attained by serving the elders — that is attainable through effort, O prince. Struck by the arrow of wisdom, the enemy departs.

12.303.30

अधीत्य वेदं तपसा ब्रह्मचारी ।
यज्ञाञ्शक्त्या सन्निसृज्येह पञ्च।
वनं गच्छेत्पुरुषो धर्मकामः ।
श्रेयः कृत्वा स्थापयित्वा स्ववंशम् ॥ १२.३०३.३० ॥

Having studied the Veda, remaining a celibate student through austerity, and having performed the five sacrifices here according to his strength, a man who desires dharma should go to the forest; having established his own lineage, he should attain the highest good.

12.303.31

उपभोगैरपि त्यक्तं नात्मानं सादयेन्नरः ।
चण्डालत्वेऽपि मानुष्यं सर्वथा तात शोभनम् ॥ १२.३०३.३१ ॥

Even when he has abandoned the enjoyments, a man should not ruin himself; dear son, even in the state of an outcaste, human birth is in every way excellent.

12.303.32

इयं हि योनिः प्रथमा यां प्राप्य जगतीयते ।
आत्मा वै शक्यते त्रातुं कर्मभिः शुभलक्षणैः ॥ १२.३०३.३२ ॥

This is the first birth, having obtained which one moves through the world; the self can indeed be saved only by deeds marked by auspicious signs.

12.303.33

कथं न विप्रणश्येम योनितोस्या इति प्रभो ।
कुर्वन्ति धर्मं मनुजाः श्रुतिप्रामाण्यदर्शनात् ॥ १२.३०३.३३ ॥

"How may we not perish from this birth?" Thinking thus, O lord, men practise dharma, seeing the authority of the Śruti.

12.303.34

यो दुर्लभतरं प्राप्य मानुष्यं द्विषते नरः ।
धर्मावमन्ता कामात्मा भवेत्स खलु वञ्च्यते ॥ १२.३०३.३४ ॥

The man who, having obtained the most difficult-to-obtain human birth, hates it, who despises dharma and is self-given to desire, he indeed is deceived.

12.303.35

यस्तु प्रीतिपुराणेन चक्षुषा तात पश्यति ।
दीपोपमानि भूतानि यावदर्थान्न पश्यति ॥ १२.३०३.३५ ॥

But he who sees with the ancient eye of affection, dear son, sees beings as lamps; he does not see until he sees his purpose.

12.303.36

सान्त्वेनानुप्रदानेन प्रियवादेन चाप्युत ।
समदुःखसुखो भूत्वा स परत्र महीयते ॥ १२.३०३.३६ ॥

By consolation, by giving in turn, and by pleasant speech; having become equal in pain and pleasure, he is honoured in the next world.

12.303.37

दानं त्यागः शोभना मुर्तिमद्भ्यो ।
भूयः प्लाव्यं तपसा वै शरीरम्।
सरस्वतीनैमिषपुष्करेषु ।
ये चाप्यन्ये पुण्यदेशाः पृथिव्याम् ॥ १२.३०३.३७ ॥

Giving and renunciation are auspicious for embodied beings; through austerity the body should again be bathed in holy waters, at Sarasvatī, Naimiṣa and Puṣkara, and at the other holy places upon the earth.

12.303.38

गृहेषु येषामसवः पतन्ति ।
तेषामथो निर्हरणं प्रशस्तम्।
यानेन वै प्रापणं च श्मशाने ।
शुचौ देशे विधिना चैव दाहः ॥ १२.३०३.३८ ॥

For those in whose houses the breaths depart, carrying the body out is praiseworthy; conveying it by vehicle to the cremation ground, and cremation in a clean place according to rule.

12.303.39

इष्टिः पुष्टिर्यजनं याजनं च ।
दार्ग पुण्यानां कर्मणां च प्रयोगः।
शक्त्या पित्र्यं यच्च किंचित्प्रशस्तं ।
सर्वाण्यात्मार्थे मानवोऽयं करोति ॥ १२.३०३.३९ ॥

Sacrificial offering and nourishment, performing sacrifice and officiating for others, the giving and practice of meritorious deeds; whatever is praiseworthy concerning the ancestors, according to one's capacity, a man does all of this for his own sake.