भीम उवाच पुनरेव तु पप्रच्छ जनको मिथिलाधिपः। पराशरं महात्मानं धर्मे परमनिश्चयम्॥
Daksha said Once again Janaka, the king of Mithila, asked the great Parashara gifted with certain knowledge regarding all duties.
जनक उवाच किं श्रेयः का गतिर्ब्रह्मन् किं कृतं न विनश्यति। क्व गतो न निवर्तेत तन्मे ब्रूहि महामते॥
Janaka said What yields good? What is the best path (for living creatures)? What is that which being done is never destroyed? What is that spot going where one has not to return? Tell me all this, O you of great intelligence.
पराशर उवाच असङ्ग श्रेयसो मूलं ज्ञानं चैव परा गतिः। चीर्णं तपो न प्रणश्येद्वापः क्षेत्रे न नश्यति॥
Parashara said Dissociation is the root of what is good. Knowledge is the greatest path. Penances practised are never destroyed. Gifts also, made to worthy persons, are not lost.
छित्त्वाधर्ममयं पाशं यदा धर्मेऽभिरज्यते। दत्त्वाभयकृतं दानं तदा सिद्धिमवाप्नुते॥
When one, snapping the fetters of sin, begins to take pleasure in virtue, and when one makes that highest of all gifts, viz., the promise of all harmlessness to all creatures, then does one acquire success.
यो ददाति सहस्राणि गवामश्वशतानि च। अभयं सर्वभूतेभ्यः सदा तमभिवर्तते॥
He who gives away thousands of kine and hundreds of horses, and who promises harmlessness to all creatures receives in return the promise of harmlessness from all.
वसन् विषयमध्येऽपि न वसत्येव बुद्धिमान्। संवसत्येव दुर्बुदिरसत्सु विषयेष्वपि॥
One may live in the midst of all sorts or riches and cnjoyment, yet, if blessed with intelligence, one does not live in them; while he who is shorn of intelligence lives wholly in objects of enjoyment which unsubstantial.
नाधर्मः श्लिष्यते प्राज्ञं पयः पुष्करपर्णवत्। अप्राज्ञमधिकं पापं श्लिष्यते जतुकाष्ठवत्॥
Sin cannot attach to a wise man as water cannot drench the leaves of the lotus. Sin sticks more firmly to him who is without attachment as lac and wood stick firmly to each other.
नाधर्मः कारणापेक्षी कर्तारमभिमुञ्चति। कर्ता खलु यथाकालं ततः समभिपद्यते॥ न भिद्यन्ते कृतात्मान आत्मप्रत्ययदर्शिनः।
Sin, which cannot be dissipated except by endurance of its fruits, never leaves the doer. The doer, when the time comes, has to suffer the consequences thereof. They, however, who are of purified souls and who realise the cxistence of Brahma, are never afflicted by the fruits of their deeds. are even
बुद्धिकर्मेन्द्रियाणां हि प्रमत्तो यो न बुद्ध्यते। शुभाशुभे प्रसक्तात्मा प्राप्नोति सुमहद् भयम्॥
Careless in about one's senses of knowledge and of action, one who is not conscious of his wicked deeds, and whose heart is attached to both good and bad, becomes afflicted with great fear.
वीतरागो जितक्रोधः सम्यग् भवति यः सदा। विषये वर्तमानोऽपि न स पापेन युज्यते॥
One who at all times becomes entirely freed from attachments and who completely subdues the passion of anger, is never sullied by sin even if he lives in the enjoyment of worldly objects.
मर्यादायां धर्मसेतुर्निबद्धो नैव सीदति। पुष्टस्रोत इवासक्तः स्फीतो भवति संचयः॥
As a dyke set across a river, if not washed away, makes the waters thereof to swell up, so the man who, without being attached to objects of pleasure, creates the dyke of virtue whose materials consist of the limitations set down in the scriptures, has never to wane away. On the other hand, his merits and penances, increase.
यथा भानुगतं तेजो मणिः शुद्धः समाधिना। आदत्ते राजशार्दूल तथा योगः प्रवर्तते।॥
As the pure gem absorbs and attracts to itself, according to the natural law, the rays of the Sun, so, O foremost of kings, does Yoga proceed by help of rapt attention.
यथा तिलानामिह पुष्पसंश्रयात् पृथक्पृथग्याति गुणोऽतिसौम्यताम्। तथा नराणां भुवि भावितात्मनां यथाऽऽश्रयं सत्त्वगुणः प्रवर्तते॥
As sesame seeds, for being always with sweet-scented flowers, become in respect of quality very sweet, so the quality of Goodness arises in men proportionate to the extent of their association with persons of purified souls.
जहाति दारांश्च जहाति सम्पदः पदं च यानं विविधाश्च याः क्रिया:। स्तदास्य बुद्धिर्विषयेषु भिद्यते॥
When one becomes desirous of living in heaven, he abandons his wives and riches and rank and vehicles and various sorts of good deeds. indeed, when one gets such a bent of mind, his understanding is said to be dissociated from the objects of the senses.
प्रसक्तबुद्धिर्विषयेषु यो नरो न बुध्यते ह्यात्महितं कथंचन। स सर्वभावानुगतेन चेतसा नृपाभिषेणेव झषो विकृष्यते॥
That man who, with understanding attached to the objects of the senses, becomes blind to what is for his real well-beings, is dragged by his heart which runs after all earthly objects, like a fish by the bait of meat.
संघातवन्मर्त्यलोकः परस्परमपाश्रितः। कदलीगर्भनि:सारो नौरिवाप्सु निमज्जति॥
Like the body that is made up of different limbs and organs, all mortal creatures exist depending upon one another. They are weak like the pith of the banana plant. They sink in the world's ocean like a boat.
निश्चितो न चापि मृत्युः पुरुषं प्रतीक्षते। सदा हि धर्मस्य क्रियैव शोभना यदा नरो मृत्युमुखेऽभिवर्तते॥
There is no fixed time for the acquisition of virtue. Death waits for no man. When man is constantly running towards the jaws of Death, the doing of pious deeds is proper at all times.
यथान्धः स्वगृहे युक्तो ह्यभ्यासादेव गच्छति। तथा युक्तेन मनसा प्राज्ञो गच्छति तां गतिम्॥
Like a blind man who, with attention, can move about his own house, the wise man, with mind fixed on Yoga, can proceed along the road.
मरणं जन्मनि प्रोक्तं जन्म वै मरणाश्रितम्। अविद्वान् मोक्षधर्मेषु बद्धो भ्रमति चक्रवत्। न धर्मकाल: पुरुषस्य
It has been said that death originates from birth. Birth is subject to the control of death. One unacquainted with the course of the duties of Liberation revolves like a wheel between birth and death, unable to free himself from that fate.
बुद्धिमार्गप्रयातस्य सुखं त्विह परत्र च॥ विस्तराः क्लेशसंयुक्ताः संक्षेपास्तु सुखावहाः। परार्थं विस्तराः सर्वे त्यागमात्महितं विदुः॥
One who walks along the road recommended by the understanding acquires happiness both in this world and the next. Many of them are fraught with misery; while the Few yield happiness. Fruits represented by Nescience form the Many. Renunciation yields the soul's happiness.
यथा मृणालानुगतमाशु मुञ्चति कर्दमम्। तथाऽऽत्मा पुरुषस्येह मनसा परिमुच्यते॥
As the lotus stalk quickly leaves the mire attached to it, so the Soul can quickly renounce the mind.
मनः प्रणयतेऽऽत्मानं स एनमभियुञ्जति। युक्तो यदा स भवति तदा तं पश्यते परम्॥
It is the mind that at first inclines the Soul to Yoga. The latter then merges the former into itself. When the Soul gains success in Yoga, it then sees itself invested with qualities.
परार्थे वर्तमानस्तु स्वं कार्यं योऽभिमन्यते। इन्द्रियार्थेषु संयुक्तः स्वकार्यात् परिमुच्यते॥
Engaged amid the objects of the senses, one who considers such engagement to be his employment falls away from his true employment on account of such devotion to those objects.
अधस्तिर्यग्गतिं चैव स्वर्गे चैव परां गतिम्। प्राप्नोति स्वकृतैरात्मा प्राज्ञस्येहेतरस्य च॥
The soul of the wise man acquires, through its pious deeds, a state of great happiness in heaven, while that of the man who is not endued with wisdom sinks very low or is born among intermediate creatures.
मृण्मये भाजने पक्वे यथा वै नश्यति द्रवः। तथा शरीरं तपसा तप्तं विषयमश्नुते॥
As a liquid substance, if kept in a baked earthen pot, does not escape therefrom but remains undiminished similarly, one's body with which one had practised penances enjoys (without rejecting) all objects of pleasure.
विषयानुश्नुते यस्तु न स भोक्ष्यत्यसंशयम्। यस्तु भोगांस्त्यजेदात्मा स वै भोक्तुं व्यवस्यति॥
Verily, that man who enjoys earthly objects can never be liberated. That man, however, who renounces such objects, succeeds in enjoying great happiness hereafter.
नीहारेण हि संवीतः शिश्नोदरपरायणः। जात्यन्ध इव पन्थानमावृतात्मा न बुद्ध्यते॥
Like one suffering from blindness and, therefore, incapable of seeing his way, the sensualist, with soul confined in an opaque case, seems to be surrounded by a mist and cannot see (the true object).
वणिग् यथा समुद्राद् वै यथार्थं लभते धनम्। तथा मार्णवे जन्तोः कर्मविज्ञानतो गतिः॥
As merchants, going across the sea, make profits according to their capital, so creatures, in this world of men, attain to ends proportionate to their respective deeds.
अहोरात्रमये लोके जरारूपेण संसरन्। मृत्युर॑सति भूतानि पवनं पन्नगो यथा॥
Like a snake devouring air, Death walks in this world made up of days and nights in the form of Decrepitude and devours all ceatures.
स्वयंकृतानि कर्माणि जातो जन्तुः प्रपद्यते। नाकृत्वा लभते कश्चित् किंचिदत्र प्रियाप्रियम्॥
A creature, when born, enjoys or suffers the fruits of deeds done by him in his pristine lives. There is nothing agreeable or disagreeable which one enjoys or suffers without its being the result of the deeds one has done in his previous lives.
शयानं यान्तमासीनं प्रवृत्तं विषयेषु च। शुभाशुभानि कर्माणि प्रपद्यन्ते नरं सदा॥
Whether lying or proceeding, whether sitting idly or engaged in his business, in whatever state a man may be, his pristine deeds good or bad, always approach him.
न ह्यन्यत् तीरमासाद्य पुन स्तर्तुं व्यवस्यति। दुर्लभो दृश्यते ह्यस्य विनिपातो महार्णवे॥
One who has gone to the other end of the ocean, wishes not to cross the sea for returning to the bank whence he had sailed.
यथा भावावसन्ना हि नौमहाम्भसि तन्तुना। तथा मनोभियोगाद् वै शरीरं प्रचिकीर्षति॥
As the fisherman, when he wishes, raises with the help of his chord his boat sunk in the waters, similarly the mind by the help of Yoga contemplation, raises individual Soul sunk in the world's ocean and unliberated from consciousness of body.
यथा समुद्रमभितः संश्रिताः सरितोऽपराः। तथाद्या प्रकृतिर्योगादभिसंश्रियते सदा॥
As all rivers running towards the ocean, join it, so the mind, when engaged in Yoga, becomes united with primal Nature.
स्नेहपाशैर्बहुविधैरासक्तमनसो नराः। प्रकृतिस्था विषीदन्ति जले सैकतवेभवत्॥
Men whose minds become fettered by various bonds of affection, and who are sunk in ignorance, meet with destruction like houses of sand in water.
शरीरगृहसंज्ञस्य शौचतीर्थस्य देहिनः। बुद्धिमार्गप्रयातस्य सुखं त्विह परत्र च॥
That embodied creature who considers his body as only a house and purity as its sacred water, and who walks along the road of the understanding, acquires happiness both in this world and the next.
विस्तराः क्लेशसंयुक्ताः संक्षेपास्तु सुखावहाः। परार्थं विस्तराः सर्वे त्यागमात्महितं विदुः॥
The Many yield misery; while the Few yield happiness. The Many are the fruits represented by the Nescience. Renunciation produces the soul's benefit.
संकल्पजो मित्रवर्गो ज्ञातयः कारणात्मकाः। भार्या पुत्रश्च दासश्च स्वमर्थमनुयुज्यते॥
One's friends who originate from his determination, and one's kinsmen whose attachment is due to selfish reasons, one's wives and sons and servants only devour his riches.
न माता न पिता किंचित् कस्यचित् प्रतिपद्यते। दानपथ्यौदनो जन्तुः स्वकर्मफलमश्नुते॥
Neither the mother, nor the father, can confer the slightest benefit upon him in the next world. Gifts form the diet upon which he can live. Indeed, one is compelled to enjoy the fruits of his own deeds.
माता पुत्रः पिता भ्राता भार्या मित्रजनस्तथा। अष्टापदपदस्थाने लक्षमुद्रेव लक्ष्यते॥
The mother, the son, the father, the brother, the wife, and friends, are like lines drawn with gold by the side of gold itself.
सर्वाणि कर्माणि पुरा कृतानि शुभाशुभान्यात्मनो यान्ति जन्तोः। उपस्थितं कर्मफलं विदित्वा बुद्धिं तथा चोदयतेऽन्तरात्मा॥
All acts, good and bad, done in pristine lives, visit the doer. Knowing that everything enjoys or suffers at present is the outcome of his pristine deeds, the soul makes the understanding move on different directions.
व्यवसायं समाश्रित्य सहायान् योऽधिगच्छति। न तस्य कश्चिदारम्भः कदाचिदवसीदति॥
Depending on earnest endeavour and equipped with proper aids, he who undertakes to accomplish his tasks never meets with failure.
अद्वैधमनसं युक्तं शूरं धीरं विपश्चितम्। न श्रीः संत्यजते नित्यमादित्यमिव रश्मयः॥
As the rays of light never abandon the Sun, so prosperity never leaves him who has firm faith.
आस्तिक्यव्यवसायाभ्यामुपायाद् विस्मयाद् धिया। समारभेदनिन्द्यात्मा न सोऽर्थः परिषीदति॥
That act which a man of pure soul does with faith and earnestness, with the help of proper means, without pride, and with intelligence, becomes never lost.
सर्वः स्वानि शुभाशुभानि नियतं कर्माणि जन्तुः स्वयं गर्भात् सम्प्रतिपद्यते तदुभयं यत् तेन पूर्वं कृतम्। मृत्युश्चापरिहारवान् समगति: कालेन विच्छेदिना दारोश्शूर्णमिवाश्मसारविहितं कर्मान्तिकं प्रापयेत्॥
A creature obtains from the very time of his residence in the mother's womb all his own acts good and bad that were acquired by him in his pristine lives. Death, which is irresistible, helped by Time which encompasses the destruction of life, takes all creatures to their end like wind scattering the dust of sawed timber.
स्वरूपतामात्मकृतं च विस्तरं कुलान्वयं द्रव्यसमृद्धिसंचयम्। नरो हि सर्वो लभते यथाकृतं शुभाशुभेनात्मकृतेन कर्मणा॥
Through acts good and bad done by himself in his pristine lives, man acquires gold and animals, and wives, and children, and honour of birth, and costly possessions, and his entire affluence.
भीष्म उवाच इत्युक्तो जनको राजन् याथातथ्यं मनीषिणा। श्रुत्वा धर्मविदां श्रेष्ठः परां मुदमवाप ह॥
Bhishma continued Thus addressed agreeably to the truth by the sage, Janaka, that foremost of pious men, O king, heard everything the Rishi said and acquired great happiness from it.