None: Chapter 276

How the thirst for riches can be removed. The discourse between Janaka and Mandavya

येयमर्थोद्भवा तृष्णा युधिष्ठिर उवाच भ्रातरः पितरः पौत्रा ज्ञातयः सुहृदः सुताः। अर्थहेतोर्हताः क्रूरैरस्माभिः पापकर्मभिः॥
Yudhishthira said Cruel and sinful as we are, alas, we have killed brothers and fathers and grandsons and relatives and friends and sons.

कथमेतां पितामह। निवर्तयेयं पापानि तृष्णया कारिता वयम्॥
How, O grandfather, shall we remove this thirst for riches. Alas, through that thirst we have committed many sinful deeds.

भीष्म उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। गीतं विदेहराजेन माण्डव्यायानुपृच्छते॥
Bhishma said Regarding it is cited the old narrative of what was said by the king of the Videhas to the enquiring Mandavya.

सुसुखं बत जीवामि यस्य मे नास्ति किंचन। मिथिलायां प्रदीप्तायां न मे दह्यति किंचन॥
The king of the Videhas said, I have nothing, yet I live in great happiness. If the whole of Mithila be reduced to ashes nothing of mine will be burnt down.

अर्थाः खलु समृद्धा हि बाढं दुःखं विजानताम्। असमृद्धास्त्वपि सदा मोहयन्त्यविचक्षणान्॥
Tangible possessions of what value they may be, are a source of sorrow to men of knowledge; while properties of cven little value attract the foolish. one

यच्च कामसुखं लोके यच्च दिव्यं महत्सुखम्। तृष्णाक्षयसुखस्यैते नार्हतः षोडशी कलाम्॥
Whatever happiness is in this world, owing to the gratification of desire, and whatever celestial happiness exists of high value, do not form even a sixteenth part of the felicity that accrues from the disappearance of desire.

यथैव शृङ्गं गोः काले वर्धमानस्य वर्धते। तथैव तृष्णा वित्तेन वर्धमानेन वर्धते॥
As the horns of a cow grow with the growth of the cow itself, similarly the thirst for riches multiplies with increasing acquisitions of wealth.

किंचिदेव ममत्वेन यदा भवति कल्पितम्। तदेव परितापाय नाशे सम्पद्यते पुनः॥
The object for which feels an attachment, becomes a source of pain to him when it is lost.

न कामाननुरुद्धयेत दुःखं कामेषु वै रतिः। प्राप्यार्थमुपयुञ्जीत धर्मं कामान् विसर्जयेत्॥
One should not entertain desire. Attachment to desire brings on sorrow. When riches have been acquired one should devote it to virtuous purposes. One should even then relinquish desire.

विद्वान् सर्वेषु भूतेषु आत्मना सोपमो भवेत्। कृतकृत्यो विशुद्धात्मा सर्वं त्यजति चैव ह॥
The man of knowledge always considers other creatures like unto himself. Having purified his soul and gained success, he casts off everything here.

उभे सत्यानृते त्यक्त्वा शोकानन्दौ प्रियाप्रिये। भयाभयं च संत्यज्य स प्रशान्तो निरामयः॥
By shaking off both truth and falsehood, grief and joy, the agreeable and disagreeable, fearlessness and fear, one acquires tranquillity, and becomes free from anxiety.

या दुस्त्यजा दुर्मतिभिर्या न जीर्यति जीर्यतः। योऽसौ प्राणान्तिको रोगस्तां तृष्णां त्यजतः सुखम्॥१२।
That thirst which cannot be shaken off by men of foolish understanding, which does not decrease with the decline of the body, and which is considered as dreadful disease, one who succeeds in shaking off is sure to find happiress.

चारित्रमात्मनः पश्यंश्चन्द्रशुद्धमनामयम्। धर्मात्मा लभते कीर्तिं प्रेत्य चेह यथासुखम्॥
The virtuous man by seeing his own conduct has become bright as the moon and free from every sort of evil, succeeds in happily acquiring great fame both here and hereafter.

राज्ञस्तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रीतिमानभवद् द्विजः। पूजयित्वा च तद् वाक्यं माण्डव्यो मोक्षमाश्रितः॥
Hearing these words of the king, the Brahmana became filled with joy, and speaking highly of what he heard, Mandavya followed the path of Liberation.