APADDHARMANUSHASANA PARVA: Chapter 163

The marks of truth

युधिष्ठिर उवाच यतः प्रभवति क्रोधः कामो वा भरतर्षभ। शोकमोहौ विधित्सा च परासुत्वं तथा मदः॥ लोभो मात्सयमीp च कुत्सासूया कृपा तथा। एतत् सर्वं महाप्राज्ञ याथातथ्येन मे वद॥
Yudhishthira said Tell me, O you of great wisdom, everything about that from which originate anger and lust. O foremost of Bharata's race, and sorrow, loss of judgement, inclination to injure others, jealousy, malice, pride envy, slander. incapacity to see the good of others, unkindness, and fear. Tell me everything truly and fully about all these.

भीष्म उवाच त्रयोदशैतेऽतिबलाः शत्रवः प्राणिनां स्मृताः। उपासन्ते महाराज समन्तात् पुरुषानिह॥
Bhishma said These thirteen vices are known as very powerful enemies of all creatures. These, O king, approach men and tempt them from all sides.

एते प्रमत्तं पुरुषमप्रमत्तास्तुदन्ति च। वृका इव विलुम्पन्ति दृष्ट्वैव पुरुषं बलात्॥
They goad and afflict a careless or a foolish man. Indeed, as soon as they see a person, they attack him powerfully like wolves jumping upon their pray.

एभ्यः प्रवर्तते दुःखमेभ्यः पापं प्रवर्तते। इति मयो विजानीयात् सततं पुरुषर्षभ॥
From these originate all sorts of grief. From these originate all sorts of sin. Every man, O foremost of men, should always know this.

एतेषामुदयं स्थानं क्षयं च पृथिवीपते। हन्त ते कथयिष्यामि क्रोधस्योत्पत्तिमादितः॥
I shall now describe to you their origin, the objects upon which they rest, and the means of their destruction, O king. Listen, first, О king, with rapt attention, to the origin of anger truly and fully.

यथातत्त्वं क्षितिपते तदिहैकमनाः शृणु। लोभात् क्रोधः प्रभवति परदोषैरुदीर्यते॥
Anger originates from covetousness. It is strengthened by the shortcomings of others. Through forgiveness it lies dormant, and through forgiveness it disappears.

क्षमया तिष्ठते राजन् क्षमया विनिवर्तते। संकल्पाज्जायते कामः सेव्यमानो विवर्धते॥
Regarding lust, it originates from resolution. Indulgence strengthens it. When a wise man resolutely turns away from it, it disappears and dies.

यदा प्राज्ञो विरमते तदा सद्यः प्रणश्यति। परासुता क्रोधलोभादभ्यासाच्च प्रवर्तते॥ दयया सर्वभूतानां निर्वेदात् सा निवर्तते। अवद्यदर्शनादेति तत्त्वज्ञानाच्च धीमताम्॥
Envy of others originates from between anger and covetousness. It disappears by mercy and knowledge of self. For mercy for all creatures, and for disregard for all worldly objects, it disappears. It also springs from seeing the weakness of other people. But in intelligent men it quickly disappears by virtue of true knowledge.

अज्ञानप्रभवो मोहः पापाभ्यासात् प्रवर्तते। यदा प्राज्ञेषु रमते तदा सद्यः प्रणश्यति॥
Loss of judgement originates from ignorance and sinfulness of habit. When the man whom this fault attacks begins to find pleasure in wise men, the vice at once and immediately disappears.

विरुद्धानीह शास्त्राणि ये पश्यन्ति कुरूद्वह। विधित्सा जायते तेषां तत्त्वज्ञानान्निवर्तते॥
Men, O you of Kuru's race find divergent scriptures. Therefrom originates the desire for various kinds of action. When true knowledge has been acquired, that desire is satisfied.

प्रीत्या शोकः प्रभवति वियोगात् तस्य देहिनः। यदा निरर्थकं वेत्ति तदा सद्यः प्रणश्यति॥
The sorrow of an embodied creature originates from affection which is created by separation. When, however, one learns that the dead do not come back, it disappears.

परासुता क्रोधलोभादभ्यासाच्च प्रवर्तते। दयया सर्वभूतानां निर्वेदात् सा निवर्तते।॥
Incapacity to bear other people's good originates from anger and covetousness. Though mercy for every creature and by virtue of indifference to all worldly objects, it is put out.

सत्यत्यागात् तु मात्सर्यमहितानां च सेवया। एतत् तु क्षीयते तात साधूनामुपसेवनात्॥
Malice springs from the casting off of truth and indulgence in wickedness. This vice, O child, disappears when one waits upon the wise and good.

कुलाज्ज्ञानात् तथैश्वर्यान्मदो भवति देहिनाम्। एभिरेव तु विज्ञातैः स च सद्यः प्रणश्यति॥
Pride, in men, originates from birth, learning and prosperity. When those three, are truly known, that vice immediately disappears.

ईर्ष्या कामात् प्रभवति संहर्षाच्चैव जायते। इतरेषां तु सत्त्वानां प्रज्ञया सा प्रणश्यति॥
Jealousy originates from lust and delight in low and mean people. It is destroyed by wisdom.

विभ्रमाल्लोकबाह्यानां द्वेष्यैर्वाक्यैरसम्मतैः। कुत्सा संजायते राजंल्लोकान् प्रेक्ष्याभिशाम्यति॥
Slander originates from errors of men's daily conduct and through disagreeable speeches expressing aversion. It disappears, O King, when the whole world is seen.

प्रतिकर्तुं न शक्ता ये बलस्थायापकारिणे। असूया जायते तीव्रा कारुण्याद् विनिवर्तते॥
When the person that injures is powerful and the one injured is unable to avenge the injury, hate appears. It disappears, however, through kindless.

कृपणान् सततं दृष्ट्वा ततः संजायते कृपा। धर्मनिष्ठां यदा वेत्ति तदा शाम्यति सा कृपा॥
Mercy proceeds from seeing the helpless and miserable persons with whom the world abounds. It disappears when one understands the strength of virtue.

अज्ञानप्रभवो लोभो भूतानां दृश्यते सदा। अस्थिरत्वं च भोगानां दृष्ट्वा ज्ञात्वा निवर्तते॥
Covetousness originates from ignorance. It disappears when one sees the instability of all objects of enjoyment.

एतान्येव जितान्याहुः प्रशमाच्च त्रयोदश। एते हि धार्तराष्ट्राणां सर्वे दोषास्त्रयोदश॥ त्वया सत्यार्थिना नित्यं विजिता ज्येष्ठसेवनात्॥
It has been said that tranquility of soul, can alone conquer all these thirteen faults. All these thirteen faults visited the sons of Dhritarashtra. Yourself, always desirous of truth, have conquered all the those vices of virtue of your respect for your elders,