युधिष्ठिर उवाच ऐश्वर्यं वा महत् प्राप्य धनं वा भरतर्षभ। दीर्घमायुरवाप्याथ कथं मृत्युमतिक्रमेत्॥
Yudhishthira said Having acquired great power and great riches, and having obtained a long period of life, how many one succeed in shunning death?
तपसा वा सुमहता कर्मणा वा श्रुतेन वा। रसायनप्रयोगैर्वा कैर्नाप्नोति जरान्तकौ॥
By which of these means viz., penances, or the performance of the various acts, or by knowledge of the Shrutis, or the application of medicines, can one succeed in avoiding decrepitude and death.
भीष्म उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। भिक्षोः पञ्चशिखस्येह संवादं जनकस्य च॥
Bhishma said Regarding it is cited the old narrative of Panchashikha who was a Bhikshu in his practices and Janaka.
वैदेहो जनको राजा महर्षि वेदवित्तमम्। पर्यपृच्छत् पञ्चशिखं छिन्नधर्मार्थसंशयम्॥
Once on a time, Janaka, the king of Videhas, questioned the great Rishi Panchashikha, who was the foremost of all persons conversant with the Vedas and who had all his doubts removed about the object and meaning of all duties.
केन वृत्तेन भगवन्नतिकामेज्जरन्तकौ। तपसा वाथ बुद्ध्या वा कर्मणा वा श्रुतेन वा॥
The King said By what conduct, O holy one, may one get over Decrepitude and Death? Is it by penances, or by the understanding, or by religious practices, or by study and knowledge of the scriptures.
एवमुक्तः स वैदेहं प्रत्युवाचापरोक्षवित्। निवृत्तिर्न तयोरस्ति नानिवृत्तिः कथञ्चन॥
Thus addressed by the king of the Videhas the learned Panchashikha, conversant with all invisible things, answered saying, Nothing can prevent two (viz., decrepitude and death); nor is it true that these cannot be prevented under any circumstances.
न हहानि निवर्तन्ते न मासा न पुनः क्षपाः। सोऽहं प्रपद्यतेऽध्वानं चिराय ध्रुवमध्रुवः॥
Neither days, nor nights, nor months, cease to go on. Only that man who, though transitory, follows the eternal path succeeds in avoiding birth and death.
सर्वभूतसमुच्छेदः स्रोतसेवोह्यते सदा। ऊह्यमानं निमज्जन्तमप्लवे कालसागरे॥
Destruction overtakes all creatures. All creatures seem to be ceaselessly borne along the endless current of time. Those that are borne along the endless current of time which is without a vessel and which in infested by those two powerful alligators, viz., decrepitude and death, sink down without anybody coming to their help.
जरामृत्युमहाग्राहे न कश्चिदभिपद्यते। नैवास्य कश्चिद् भवति नासौ भवति कस्यचित्॥
As one is swept along that current, one does not find any friend for help and one does not feel any interest for any one else.
पथि सङ्गतमेवेदं दारैरन्यैश्च बन्धुभिः। नायमत्यन्तसंवासो लब्धपूर्वो हि केनचित्॥
One meets with wives and other friends only on his road. One had never before enjoyed this sort of companionship with any one for any length of time.
क्षिप्यन्ते तेन तेनैव निष्टनन्तः पुनः पुनः। कालेन जाता याता हि वायुनेवाभ्रसंचयाः॥
Creatures, as they are carried along the current to time, become again and again are drawn towards one another like clouds moved by the wind meeting one another with loud noise.
जरामृत्यू हि भूतानां खादितारौ वृकाविव। बलिनां दुर्बलानां च हस्वानां महतामपि॥
Like wolves, descrepitude and death are devourers of all creatures. Indeed, they devour the strong and the weak, the short and the tall.
एवंभूतेषु भूतात्मा नित्यभूतोऽध्रुवेषु च। कथं हि हृष्येज्जातेषु मृतेषु च कथं ज्वरेत्॥
Among creatures, therefore, which are all so fickle only the Soul exists eternally. Why should he, then, rejoice when creatures are born and why should he grieve when the die.
कुतोऽहमागतः कोऽस्मि क्व गमिष्यामि कस्य वा। कस्मिन् स्थितः क्व भविता कस्मात्किमनुशोचसि।।१४।
Whence have I come? Who am I? Where shall I go? Whose am I? Before what do I rest? What shall I be? Why then do you grieve for what?
द्रष्टा स्वर्गस्य कोऽन्योऽस्ति तथैव नरकस्य च। आगमांस्त्वनतिक्रम्य दद्याच्चैव यजेत च॥
Who else than you will see heaven or hell? Hence, without throwing aside the scriptures, one should make gifts and celebrate sacrifices.