The Great Epic of the Bhārata dynasty 3.181: ekāśītyadhika śatatamo'dhyāyaḥ

3.181.1

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca |
taṃ vivakṣantamālakṣya kururājo mahāmunim |
kathāsaṃjananārthāya codayāmāsa pāṇḍavaḥ || 1 ||

Vaisampayana continued, "Pandu's son, the king of the Kuru tribe, having observed that the great saint as willing to speak, questioned him with a view to suggesting topics to speak upon, saying, 'You who are ancient (in years), know the deeds of gods and demons, and illustrious saints, and of all the royal ones. We consider you as worthy of being worshipped and honoured; and we have long yearned after your company. And here is this son of Devaki, Krishna, who has come to us on a visit. Verily, when I look at myself, fallen away from happiness, and when I contemplate the sons of Dhritarashtra, of evil life, flourishing in every way, the idea arises in me that it is man who does all acts, good or bad, and that it is he that enjoys the fruit the acts bring forth. How then is god the agent? And, O best of those that are proficient in the knowledge of God, how is it that men's actions follow them? Is it in this world? Or is it in some subsequent existence? And, O best of righteous men among the twice-born, in what way is an embodied animated being joined by his good and evil deeds that seek him out? Is it after death? Or is it in this world? And, O descendant of Bhrigu, is what we experience in this world the result of the acts of this very life? Or will the acts of this life bear fruit in the world to come? And where do the actions of an animated being who is dead find their resting place?"

3.181.2

bhavāndaivatadaityānāmṛṣīṇāṃ ca mahātmanām |
rājarṣīṇāṃ ca sarveṣāṃ caritajñaḥ sanātanaḥ || 2 ||

3.181.3

sevyaścopāsitavyaśca mato naḥ kāṅkṣitaściram |
ayaṃ ca devakīputraḥ prāpto'smānavalokakaḥ || 3 ||

3.181.4

bhavatyeva hi me buddhirdṛṣṭvātmānaṃ sukhāccyutam |
dhārtarāṣṭrāṃśca durvṛttānṛdhyataḥ prekṣya sarvaśaḥ || 4 ||

3.181.5

karmaṇaḥ puruṣaḥ kartā śubhasyāpyaśubhasya ca |
svaphalaṃ tadupāśnāti kathaṃ kartā svidīśvaraḥ || 5 ||

3.181.6

atha vā sukhaduḥkheṣu nṛṇāṃ brahmavidāṃ vara |
iha vā kṛtamanveti paradehe'tha vā punaḥ || 6 ||

3.181.7

dehī ca dehaṃ saṃtyajya mṛgyamāṇaḥ śubhāśubhaiḥ |
kathaṃ saṃyujyate pretya iha vā dvijasattama || 7 ||

3.181.8

aihalaukikamevaitadutāho pāralaukikam |
kva ca karmāṇi tiṣṭhanti jantoḥ pretasya bhārgava || 8 ||

3.181.9

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca |
tvadyukto'yamanupraśno yathāvadvadatāṃ vara |
viditaṃ veditavyaṃ te sthityarthamanupṛcchasi || 9 ||

"Markandeya said, 'O best of those that can speak, this question befits thee, and is just what it should be? Thou knowest all that there is to know. But thou art asking this question, simply for the sake of form. Here I shall answer thee: listen to me with an attentive mind, as to how in this world and in that to come, a man experienceth happiness and misery. The lord of born beings, himself sprung first of all, created, for all embodied beings, bodies which were stainless, pure, and obedient to virtuous impulses, O wisest of the descendants of Kuru! The ancient men had all their desires fulfilled, were given to praiseworthy courses of life, were speakers of truth, godly and pure. All were equal to the gods, could ascend to the sky at their pleasure, and could come back again; and all went about at their pleasure. And they had their death and their life also under their own control; and they had few sufferings; had no fear; and had their wishes fulfilled; and they were free from trouble; could visit the gods and the magnanimous saints; knew by heart all righteous rules; were self-controlled and free from envy. And they lived many thousand years; and had many thousand sons. Then in course of time they came to be restricted to walking solely on the surface of the earth, overpowered by lust and wrath, dependent for subsistence upon falsehood and trick, overwhelmed by greed and senselessness.

3.181.10

atra te vartayiṣyāmi tadihaikamanāḥ śṛṇu |
yathehāmutra ca naraḥ sukhaduḥkhamupāśnute || 10 ||

3.181.11

nirmalāni śarīrāṇi viśuddhāni śarīriṇām |
sasarja dharmatantrāṇi pūrvotpannaḥ prajāpatiḥ || 11 ||

3.181.12

amoghabalasaṃkalpāḥ suvratāḥ satyavādinaḥ |
brahmabhūtā narāḥ puṇyāḥ purāṇāḥ kurunandana || 12 ||

3.181.13

sarve devaiḥ samāyānti svacchandena nabhastalam |
tataśca punarāyānti sarve svacchandacāriṇaḥ || 13 ||

3.181.14

svacchandamaraṇāścāsannarāḥ svacchandajīvinaḥ |
alpabādhā nirātaṅkā siddhārthā nirupadravāḥ || 14 ||

3.181.15

draṣṭāro devasaṃghānāmṛṣīṇāṃ ca mahātmanām |
pratyakṣāḥ sarvadharmāṇāṃ dāntā vigatamatsarāḥ || 15 ||

3.181.16

āsanvarṣasahasrāṇi tathā putrasahasriṇaḥ |
tataḥ kālāntare'nyasminpṛthivītalacāriṇaḥ || 16 ||

3.181.17

kāmakrodhābhibhūtāste māyāvyājopajīvinaḥ |
lobhamohābhibhūtāśca tyaktā devaistato narāḥ || 17 ||

3.181.18

aśubhaiḥ karmabhiḥ pāpāstiryaṅnarakagāminaḥ |
saṃsāreṣu vicitreṣu pacyamānāḥ punaḥ punaḥ || 18 ||

Then those wicked men, when disembodied, on account of their unrighteous and unblessed deeds, went to hell in a crooked way. Again and again, they were grilled, and, again and again they began to drag their miserable existence in this wonderful world. And their desires were unfulfilled, the objects unaccomplished, and their knowledge became unavailing. And their senses were paralysed and they became apprehensive of everything and the cause of other people's sufferings. And they were generally marked by wicked deeds, and born in low families; they became wicked and afflicted with diseases, and the terror of others. And they became short-lived and sinful and they reaped the fruit of their terrible deeds. And coveting everything, they became godless and indifferent in mind, O son of Kunti! The destiny of every creature after death is determined by his acts in this world. Thou hast asked me where this treasure of acts of the sage and the ignorant remain, and where they enjoy the fruit of their good and evil deeds! Do thou listen to the regulations on this subject! Man with his subtle original body created by God lays up a great store of virtue and vice. After death he quits his frail (outer) body and is immediately born again in another order of beings. He never remains non-existent for a single moment. In his new life his actions follow him invariably as shadow and, fructifying, makes his destiny happy or miserable.

3.181.19

mogheṣṭā moghasaṃkalpā moghajñānā vicetasaḥ |
sarvātiśaṅkinaścaiva saṃvṛttāḥ kleśabhāginaḥ |
aśubhaiḥ karmabhiścāpi prāyaśaḥ paricihnitāḥ || 19 ||

3.181.20

dauṣkulyā vyādhibahulā durātmāno'pratāpinaḥ |
bhavantyalpāyuṣaḥ pāpā raudrakarmaphalodayāḥ |
nāthantaḥ sarvakāmānāṃ nāstikā bhinnasetavaḥ || 20 ||

3.181.21

jantoḥ pretasya kaunteya gatiḥ svairiha karmabhiḥ |
prājñasya hīnabuddheśca karmakośaḥ kva tiṣṭhati || 21 ||

3.181.22

kvasthastatsamupāśnāti sukṛtaṃ yadi vetarat |
iti te darśanaṃ yacca tatrāpyanunayaṃ śṛṇu || 22 ||

3.181.23

ayamādiśarīreṇa devasṛṣṭena mānavaḥ |
śubhānāmaśubhānāṃ ca kurute saṃcayaṃ mahat || 23 ||

3.181.24

āyuṣo'nte prahāyedaṃ kṣīṇaprāyaṃ kalevaram |
saṃbhavatyeva yugapadyonau nāstyantarābhavaḥ || 24 ||

3.181.25

tatrāsya svakṛtaṃ karma chāyevānugataṃ sadā |
phalatyatha sukhārho vā duḥkhārho vāpi jāyate || 25 ||

3.181.26

kṛtāntavidhisaṃyuktaḥ sa janturlakṣaṇaiḥ śubhaiḥ |
aśubhairvā nirādāno lakṣyate jñānadṛṣṭibhiḥ || 26 ||

The wise man, by his spiritual insight, knows all creatures to be bound to an immutable destiny by the destroyer and incapable of resisting the fruition of his actions in good or evil fortune. This, O Yudhishthira, is the doom of all creatures steeped in spiritual ignorance. Do thou now hear of the perfect way attained by men of high spiritual perception! Such men are of high ascetic virtue and are versed in all profane and holy writ, diligent in performing their religious obligations and devoted to truth. And they pay due homage to their preceptors and superiors and practise Yoga, are forgiving, continent and energetic and pious and are generally endowed with every virtue. By the conquest of the passions, they are subdued in mind; by practising yoga they become free from disease, fear and sorrow; they are not troubled (in mind). In course of birth, mature or immature, or while ensconced in the womb, in every condition, they with spiritual eyes recognize the relation of their soul to the supreme Spirit. Those great-minded Rishis of positive and intuitive knowledge passing through this arena of actions, return again to the abode of the celestials. Men, O king, attain what they have in consequence of the grace of the gods of Destiny or of their own actions. Do thou not think otherwise. O Yudhishthira, I regard that as the highest good which is regarded so in this world. Some attain happiness in this world, but not in the next; others do so in the next, but not in this.

3.181.27

eṣā tāvadabuddhīnāṃ gatiruktā yudhiṣṭhira |
ataḥ paraṃ jñānavatāṃ nibodha gatimuttamām || 27 ||

3.181.28

manuṣyāstaptatapasaḥ sarvāgamaparāyaṇāḥ |
sthiravratāḥ satyaparā guruśuśrūṣaṇe ratāḥ || 28 ||

3.181.29

suśīlāḥ śuklajātīyāḥ kṣāntā dāntāḥ sutejasaḥ |
śubhayonyantaragatāḥ prāyaśaḥ śubhalakṣaṇāḥ || 29 ||

3.181.30

jitendriyatvādvaśinaḥ śuklatvānmandarogiṇaḥ |
alpabādhaparitrāsādbhavanti nirupadravāḥ || 30 ||

3.181.31

cyavantaṃ jāyamānaṃ ca garbhasthaṃ caiva sarvaśaḥ |
svamātmānaṃ paraṃ caiva budhyante jñānacakṣuṣaḥ |
karmabhūmimimāṃ prāpya punaryānti surālayam || 31 ||

3.181.32

kiṃciddaivāddhaṭhātkiṃcitkiṃcideva svakarmabhiḥ |
prāpnuvanti narā rājanmā te'stvanyā vicāraṇā || 32 ||

3.181.33

imāmatropamāṃ cāpi nibodha vadatāṃ vara |
manuṣyaloke yacchreyaḥ paraṃ manye yudhiṣṭhira || 33 ||

3.181.34

iha vaikasya nāmutra amutraikasya no iha |
iha cāmutra caikasya nāmutraikasya no iha || 34 ||

Some, again, attain happiness in this as well as in the next world; and others neither here nor in the next world. Those that have immense wealth, shine every day with well-decorated persons. O slayer of mighty foes, being addicted to carnal pleasures, they enjoy happiness only in this world, but not in the next. But those who are engaged in spiritual meditations and the study of the Vedas, who are diligent in asceticism, and who impair the vigour of their bodies by performing their duties, who have subdued their passions, and who refrain from killing any animated being, those men, O slayer of thy enemies, attain happiness in the next world, but not in this! Those who first live a pious life, and virtuously acquire wealth in due time and then marry and perform sacrifices, attain bliss both in this and the next world. Those foolish men again who do not acquire knowledge, nor are engaged in asceticism or charity or increasing their species; or in encompassing the pleasures and enjoyments of this world, attain bliss neither in this nor in the next world. But all of you are proficient in knowledge and possessed of great power and strength and celestial vigour. For the extermination (of the wicked) and for serving the purposes of the gods, ye have come from the other world and have taken your birth in this!

3.181.35

dhanāni yeṣāṃ vipulāni santi nityaṃ ramante suvibhūṣitāṅgāḥ |
teṣāmayaṃ śatruvaraghna loko nāsau sadā dehasukhe ratānām || 35 ||

3.181.36

ye yogayuktāstapasi prasaktāḥ svādhyāyaśīlā jarayanti dehān |
jitendriyā bhūtahite niviṣṭāsteṣāmasau nāyamarighna lokaḥ || 36 ||

3.181.37

ye dharmameva prathamaṃ caranti dharmeṇa labdhvā ca dhanāni kāle |
dārānavāpya kratubhiryajante teṣāmayaṃ caiva paraśca lokaḥ || 37 ||

3.181.38

ye naiva vidyāṃ na tapo na dānaṃ na cāpi mūḍhāḥ prajane yatante |
na cādhigacchanti sukhānyabhāgyāsteṣāmayaṃ caiva paraśca nāsti || 38 ||

3.181.39

sarve bhavantastvativīryasattvā divyaujasaḥ saṃhananopapannāḥ |
lokādamuṣmādavaniṃ prapannāḥ svadhītavidyāḥ surakāryahetoḥ || 39 ||

3.181.40

kṛtvaiva karmāṇi mahānti śūrāstapodamācāravihāraśīlāḥ |
devānṛṣīnpretagaṇāṃśca sarvānsaṃtarpayitvā vidhinā pareṇa || 40 ||

Ye, who are so valiant, and engaged in asceticism, self-restraining exercises, and religious ordinances, and fond of exertion, after having performed great deeds and gratified the gods and Rishis and the Pitris, ye will at last in due course attain by your own acts the supreme region--the abode of all virtuous men! O ornament of Kuru's race, may no doubts cross thy mind on account of these thy sufferings, for this affliction is for thy good!"

3.181.41

svargaṃ paraṃ puṇyakṛtāṃ nivāsaṃ krameṇa saṃprāpsyatha karmabhiḥ svaiḥ |
mā bhūdviśaṅkā tava kauravendra dṛṣṭvātmanaḥ kleśamimaṃ sukhārha || 41 ||