ANUGITA PARVA: Chapter 45

The Whecl of Life

बुद्धिसारं मनःस्तम्भमिन्द्रियग्रामबन्धनम्। महाभूतपरिस्कन्धं निवेशपरिवेशनम्॥
Brahman said The wheel of life moves on. It has the understanding for its strength; the mind for the pole; the group of senses for its fetters, the (five) great elements for its have, and home for its circumference.

जराशोकसमाविष्टं व्याधिव्यसनसम्भवम्। देशकालविचारीदं श्रमव्यायामनिःस्वनम्॥
It is possessed by decrepitude and sorrow and it has diseases and calamities for its progeny. That wheel relates in time and place. It has toil and exercise for its noise.

अहोरात्रपरिक्षेपं शीतोष्णपरिमण्डलम्। सुखदुःखान्तसंश्लेषं क्षुत्पिपासावकीलकम्॥
Day and Night are the rotations of that wheel. It is encircled by heat and cold. Pleasure and pain are its joints, are hunger and thirst are the nails fixed into it.

छायातपविलेखं च निमेषोन्मेषविह्वलम्। घोरमोहजलाकीर्णं वर्तमानमचेतनम्॥
Sun-shine and shade are the ruts. It is capable of being moved during even such a short space of time as is taken up by the opening and the closing of the eyelid. It is covered with the dreadful waters of delusion. It is ever revolving and void of consciousness.

मासार्धमासगणितं विषमं लोकसंचरम्। तमोनियमपङ्कं च रजोवेगप्रवर्तकम्॥
It is measured by months and half-months. It is not uniform (being ever changing), and moves through all the worlds. Penance and vows are its mud, Passions' force is its mover.

महाहंकारदीप्तं च गुणसंजातवर्तनम्। अरतिग्रहणानीकं शोकसंहारवर्तनम्॥
It is lighted up by the great egoism, and is sustained by the qualities. Vexations are the fastenings that bind it around. It revolves in the midst of grief and destruction.

क्रियाकारणसंयुक्तं रागविस्तारमायतम्। लोभेप्सापरिविक्षोभं विचित्राज्ञानसम्भवम्॥
It has actions and the instruments of action. It is large and is extended by attachments. It is rendered unsteady by cupidity and desire. It is produced by varicgated Ignorance.

भयमोहपरीवारं भूतसम्मोहकारकम्। आनन्दप्रीतिचारं च कामक्रोधपरिग्रहम्॥
It is full of fear and delusion, and is the cause of the delusion of all beings. It moves towards joy and pleasure, and has desire and anger for its possession.

महदादिविशेषान्तमसक्तं प्रभवाव्ययम्। मनोजवं मनःकान्तं कालचक्र प्रवर्तते॥
It is made up of principles beginning with greatness and ending with the gross elements. It is marked by production and destruction going on ceaselessly. Its speed is like that of the mind, and it has the mind for its limit.

एतद् द्वन्द्वसमायुक्तं कालचक्रमचेतनम्। विसृजेत् संक्षिपेच्चापि बोधयेत् सामरं जगत्॥
This wheel of life which is connected with pairs of opposites and devoid of consciousness, the universe with the very immortals should cast away, abridge, and chcek.

कालचक्रप्रवत्तिं च निवृत्तिं चैव तत्त्वतः। यस्तु वेद नरो नित्यं न स भूतेषु मुह्यति॥
That man who ever understands correctly the motion and stoppage of this whcel of life, is never seen to be deluded, among all creatures.

विमुक्तः सर्वसंस्कारैः सर्वद्वन्द्वविवर्जितः। विमुक्तः सर्वपापेभ्यः प्राप्नोति परमां गतिम्॥
Freed from all impressions, divested of all Pairs of opposites, freed froin all sins, he। attains to the highest goal.

गृहस्थो ब्रह्मचारी च वानप्रस्थोऽथ भिक्षुकः। चत्वार आश्रमाः प्रोक्ताः सर्वे गार्हस्थ्यमूलकाः॥
The householder, the Brahmacharin the hermit and the mendicant, these are modes of life have all been said to the householder's mode for their root.

यः कश्चिदिह लोकेऽस्मिन्नागमः परिकीर्तितः। तस्यान्तगमनं श्रेयः कीर्तिरेषा सनातनी॥
The observance of every system of rules is prescribed in this world. Such observance has always been highly spoken of.

संस्कारैः संस्कृतः पूर्वं यथावच्चरितव्रतः। जातौ गुणविशिष्टायां समावर्तेत तत्त्ववित्॥
He who has been first purified by ceremonies, who has duly observed vows, who belongs by birth to a family of high qualifications, and who understands the Vedas, should return (from his preceptor's house).

स्वदारनिरतो नित्यं शिष्टाचारो जितेन्द्रियः। पञ्चभिश्च महायज्ञैः श्रद्दधानो यजेदिह॥
Always devoted to his married wife, acting like a good man, with his senses under control, and full of faith, one should in this world perform the five sacrifice.

देवतातिथिशिष्टाशी निरतो वेदकर्मसु। इज्याप्रदानयुक्तश्च यथाशक्ति यथासुखम्॥ न पाणिपादचपलो न नेत्रचपलो मुनिः। न च वागङ्गचपल इति शिष्टस्य गोचरः॥
He who cats the residue after fecding celestials and guests, who is given to the observance of Vedic rites, who duly celebrates, according to his means, sacrifices and gifts, who is unduly active with his hands and feet, who is unduly active with his eye, who is devoted to penances, who is not unduly active with his words and limits, comes under the category of Shishta or the good.

नित्यं यज्ञोपवीती स्याच्छुक्लवासाः शुचिव्रतः। नियतो यमदानाभ्यां सदा शिष्टैश्च संविशेत्॥
One should always bear the sacred thread, wear white (clean) cloths, observe pure vows, and should always mix with good men, making gifts and practising self-control.

जितशिश्नोदरो मैत्रः शिष्टाचारसमन्वितः। वैणवीं धारयेद् यष्टिं सोदकं च कमण्डलुम्॥
One should govern his lust and stomach, practise universal compassion, and be characterised by good conduct. One should bear a bamboo-stick, and a water-pot filled with water.

अधीत्याध्यापनं कुर्यात् तथा यजनयाजने। दानं प्रतिग्रहं वापि षड्गुणां वृत्तिमाचरेत्॥
Having studied, one should teach likewise should celebrate sacrifices himself and officiate at the sacrifices of others. One should also make gifts made to oneself. Indeed, one's conduct should be marked by these six deeds.

त्रीणि कर्माणि जानीत ब्राह्मणानां तु जीविका। याजनाध्यापने चोभे शुद्धाच्चापि प्रतिग्रहः॥
Know that three of these acts should form the livelihood of the Brahmanas, viz., teaching (pupils), officiating at the sacrifices of others, and the acceptance of gifts from a person who is pure.

अथ शेषाणि चान्यानि त्रीणि कर्माणि यानि तु। दानमध्ययनं यज्ञो धर्मयुक्तानि तानि तु॥
As to the other duties which remain, numberir:g three viz., making of gifts, study, and sacrifice, these are accompanied by merit.

तेष्वप्रमादं कुर्वीत त्रिषु कर्मसु धर्मवित्। दान्तो मैत्रः क्षमायुक्तः सर्वभूतसमो मुनिः॥
Observant of penances, self-controlled, practising universal mercy and forgiveness, and loO king upon all creatures impartially, the man who is conversant with duties should never be careless about those three acts.

सर्वमेतद् यथाशक्ति विप्रो निर्वर्तयशुचिः। एवं युक्तो जयेत् स्वर्ग गृहस्थः संशितव्रतः॥
The learned Brahmana of pure hear, who leads the domestic mode of life and practise rigid vows, thus devoted and thus performing all duties to the best of his power, succeeds in conquering the celestial region.