Mahabharata 12.111: ekādaśādhika śatatamo'dhyāyaḥ

12.111.1

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |
kliśyamāneṣu bhūteṣu taistairbhāvaistatastataḥ |
durgāṇyatitaredyena tanme brūhi pitāmaha || 1 ||

"Yudhishthira said, 'Creatures are seen to be afflicted by diverse means and almost continually. Tell me, O grandsire, in what way can one overcome all those difficulties.'

12.111.2

bhīṣma uvāca |
āśrameṣu yathokteṣu yathoktaṃ ye dvijātayaḥ |
vartante saṃyatātmāno durgāṇyatitaranti te || 2 ||

"Bhishma said, 'Those members of the regenerate class that duly practise, with restrained souls, the duties that have been laid down in the scriptures for the several modes of life, succeed in overcoming all these difficulties. They that never practise deceit, they whose behaviour is restrained by salutary restrictions, and they that control all worldly desires, succeed in overcoming all difficulties. They that do not speak when, addressed in evil language, they that do not injure others when themselves injured, they that give but do not take, succeed in overcoming all difficulties. They that always give hospitable shelter to guests, they that do not indulge in malice, they that are constantly engaged in the study of the Vedas, succeed in overcoming all difficulties. Those persons who, being conversant with duties, adopt that behaviour towards parents which they should, they that abstain from sleeping during the day, succeed in overcoming all difficulties. They that do not commit any kind of sin in thought, word, and deed, they that never injure any creature, succeed in overcoming all difficulties. Those kings that do not, under the influence of passion and covetousness, levy oppressive taxes, and those that protect their own dominions, succeed in overcoming all difficulties. They that go to their own wedded wives in season without seeking the companionship of other women, they that are honest and attentive to their Agni-hotras, succeed in overcoming all difficulties.

12.111.3

ye dambhānna japanti sma yeṣāṃ vṛttiśca saṃvṛtā |
viṣayāṃśca nigṛhṇanti durgāṇyatitaranti te || 3 ||

12.111.4

vāsayantyatithīnnityaṃ nityaṃ ye cānasūyakāḥ |
nityaṃ svādhyāyaśīlāśca durgāṇyatitaranti te || 4 ||

12.111.5

mātāpitrośca ye vṛttiṃ vartante dharmakovidāḥ |
varjayanti divāsvapnaṃ durgāṇyatitaranti te || 5 ||

12.111.6

sveṣu dāreṣu vartante nyāyavṛtteṣvṛtāvṛtau |
agnihotraparāḥ santo durgāṇyatitaranti te || 6 ||

12.111.7

ye na lobhānnayantyarthānrājāno rajasāvṛtāḥ |
viṣayānparirakṣanto durgāṇyatitaranti te || 7 ||

12.111.8

āhaveṣu ca ye śūrāstyaktvā maraṇajaṃ bhayam |
dharmeṇa jayamicchanto durgāṇyatitaranti te || 8 ||

They that are possessed of courage and that, casting away all fear of death, engage in battle, desirous of victory by fair means, succeed in overcoming all difficulties. They that always speak truth in this world even when life is at stake, and that are exemplars for all creatures to imitate succeed in overcoming all difficulties. They whose acts never deceive, whose words are always agreeable, and whose wealth is always well spent, succeed in, overcoming all difficulties. Those Brahmanas that never study the Vedas at hours not intended for study, and that practise penances with devotion, succeed in overcoming all difficulties. Those Brahmanas that betake themselves to a life of celibacy and Brahmacharya, that perform penances, and that are cleansed by learning, Vedic knowledge, and proper vows, succeed in overcoming all difficulties. They that have checked all the qualities that appertain to Passion and Darkness, that are possessed of high souls, and that practise the qualities that are called Good, succeed in overcoming all difficulties. They of whom no creature stands in fear and those that do not fear any creature themselves, they that look upon all creatures as their own selves, succeed in overcoming all difficulties. Those bulls among men that are good, that are never inspired with grief at the sight of other people's prosperity, and that abstain from all kinds of ignoble behaviour, succeed in overcoming all difficulties.

12.111.9

ye pāpāni na kurvanti karmaṇā manasā girā |
nikṣiptadaṇḍā bhūteṣu durgāṇyatitaranti te || 9 ||

12.111.10

ye vadantīha satyāni prāṇatyāge'pyupasthite |
pramāṇabhūtā bhūtānāṃ durgāṇyatitaranti te || 10 ||

12.111.11

anadhyāyeṣu ye viprāḥ svādhyāyaṃ naiva kurvate |
taponityāḥ sutapaso durgāṇyatitaranti te || 11 ||

12.111.12

karmāṇyakuhakārthāni yeṣāṃ vācaśca sūnṛtāḥ |
yeṣāmarthāśca sādhvarthā durgāṇyatitaranti te || 12 ||

12.111.13

ye tapaśca tapasyanti kaumārabrahmacāriṇaḥ |
vidyāvedavratasnātā durgāṇyatitaranti te || 13 ||

12.111.14

ye ca saṃśāntarajasaḥ saṃśāntatamasaśca ye |
satye sthitā mahātmāno durgāṇyatitaranti te || 14 ||

12.111.15

yeṣāṃ na kaścittrasati trasanti na ca kasyacit |
yeṣāmātmasamo loko durgāṇyatitaranti te || 15 ||

12.111.16

paraśriyā na tapyante ye santaḥ puruṣarṣabhāḥ |
grāmyādannānnivṛttāśca durgāṇyatitaranti te || 16 ||

12.111.17

sarvāndevānnamasyanti sarvāndharmāṃśca śṛṇvate |
ye śraddadhānā dāntāśca durgāṇyatitaranti te || 17 ||

They that bow to all the gods, that listen to the doctrines of all creeds, that have faith, and that are endued with tranquil souls, succeed in overcoming all difficulties. They that do not desire honour for themselves, that give honours unto others, that bow down unto those that deserve their worship, succeed in overcoming all difficulties. They that perform Sraddhas on the proper lunar days, with pure minds, from desire of offspring, succeed in overcoming all difficulties. They that restrain their own wrath and pacify the wrath of others, and that never get angry with any creature, succeed in overcoming all difficulties. They that abstain, from their birth, from honey and meat and intoxicating drinks, succeed in overcoming all difficulties. They that eat for only supporting life, that seek the companionship of women for the sake only of offspring and that open their lips for only speaking what is true, succeed in overcoming all difficulties. They that worship with devotion the god Narayana, that Supreme Lord of all creatures, that origin and destruction of the universe, succeed in overcoming all difficulties. This Krishna here, of eyes red as the lotus, clad in yellow robes, endued with mighty arms,--this Krishna who is our well-wisher, brother, friend, and relative,--is Narayana of unfading glory. He covers all the worlds like a leathern case, at his own pleasure. He is the puissant Lord, of inconceivable soul. He is Govinda, the foremost of all beings.

12.111.18

ye na mānitamicchanti mānayanti ca ye param |
mānyamānā na manyante durgāṇyatitaranti te || 18 ||

12.111.19

ye śrāddhāni ca kurvanti tithyāṃ tithyāṃ prajārthinaḥ |
suviśuddhena manasā durgāṇyatitaranti te || 19 ||

12.111.20

ye krodhaṃ naiva kurvanti kruddhānsaṃśamayanti ca |
na ca kupyanti bhṛtyebhyo durgāṇyatitaranti te || 20 ||

12.111.21

madhu māṃsaṃ ca ye nityaṃ varjayantīha mānavāḥ |
janmaprabhṛti madyaṃ ca durgāṇyatitaranti te || 21 ||

12.111.22

yātrārthaṃ bhojanaṃ yeṣāṃ saṃtānārthaṃ ca maithunam |
vāksatyavacanārthāya durgāṇyatitaranti te || 22 ||

12.111.23

īśvaraṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ jagataḥ prabhavāpyayam |
bhaktā nārāyaṇaṃ ye ca durgāṇyatitaranti te || 23 ||

12.111.24

ya eṣa raktapadmākṣaḥ pītavāsā mahābhujaḥ |
suhṛdbhrātā ca mitraṃ ca saṃbandhī ca tavācyutaḥ || 24 ||

12.111.25

ya imānsakalām̐llokāṃścarmavatpariveṣṭayet |
icchanprabhuracintyātmā govindaḥ puruṣottamaḥ || 25 ||

12.111.26

sthitaḥ priyahite jiṣṇoḥ sa eṣa puruṣarṣabha |
rājaṃstava ca durdharṣo vaikuṇṭhaḥ puruṣottamaḥ || 26 ||

This Krishna who is ever engaged in doing what is agreeable and beneficial to Jishnu, as also to thee, O king, is that foremost of all beings, that irresistible one, that abode of eternal felicity. They that with devotion seek the refuge of this Narayana, called also Hari, succeed in overcoming all difficulties. They that read these verses about the overcoming of difficulties, that recite them to others, and that speak of them unto Brahmanas, succeed in overcoming all difficulties. I have now, O sinless one, told thee all those acts by which men may overcome all difficulties both here and hereafter.'"

12.111.27

ya enaṃ saṃśrayantīha bhaktyā nārāyaṇaṃ harim |
te tarantīha durgāṇi na me'trāsti vicāraṇā || 27 ||

12.111.28

durgātitaraṇaṃ ye ca paṭhanti śrāvayanti ca |
pāṭhayanti ca viprebhyo durgāṇyatitaranti te || 28 ||

12.111.29

iti kṛtyasamuddeśaḥ kīrtitaste mayānagha |
saṃtaredyena durgāṇi paratreha ca mānavaḥ || 29 ||