जनमेजय उवाच सभायां वसतोस्तत्र निहत्यारीन् महात्मनोः। केशवार्जुनयोः का नु कथा समभवद् द्विज॥
Janamejaya said When the great Keshava and Arjuna after killing their enemies went to the assembly rooms what conversation, O twice-born one, took place between them?
कृष्णेन सहितः पार्थ:स्वं राज्यं प्राप्य केवलम्। तस्यां सभायां दिव्यायां विजहार मुदा युतः॥
The son of Pritha (Arjuna), having recovered his own kingdom, spent his time gladly, without doing anything clse, in the company of Krishna, his heart filled with joy, in that palace of celestial beauty.
तत्र कंचित् सभोद्देशं स्वर्णोद्देशसमं नृप। यदृच्छया तौ मुदितौ जग्मतुः स्वजनावृतौ॥
One day, those two listlessly went to a particular part of the palace that looked, O king, like a veritable portion of the celestial region. Themselves filled with joy, they were then surrounded by their relatives and attendants.
ततः प्रतीतः कृष्णेन सहितः पाण्डवोऽर्जुनः। निरीक्ष्य तां सभां रम्यामिदं वचनमब्रवीत्॥ विदितं मे महाबाहो संग्रामे समुपस्थिते। माहात्म्यं देवकीमातस्तच ते रूपमैश्वरम्॥
Pandu's son Arjuna, filled with joy in the company of Krishna, saw that delightful palace, and then addressed his companion, saying, 'O mighty-armed one, your greatness became known to me upon the approach of the battle. O son of Devaki, your form also, as the Lord of the universe, then became known to me.
यत् तद् भगवता प्रोक्तं पुरा केशव सौहृदात्। तत् सर्वं पुरुषव्याघ्र नष्टं मे भ्रष्टचेतसः॥
What your holy self said to me at that time, O Keshava, through love, has all been forgotten by me, O chief of men, on account of the fickleness of my mind.
मम कौतूहलं त्वस्ति तेष्वर्थेषु पुनः पुनः। भवांस्तु द्वारकां गन्ता नचिरादिव माधव॥
However, I have been curious again and again on the subject of those truths. You, too, O Madhava, will go to Dwraka soon.
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्तस्तु तं कृष्ण: फाल्गुनं प्रत्यभाषत। परिष्वज्य महातेजा वचनं वदतां वरः॥
Vaishampayana said, Thus addressed by him, Krishna of great energy, that foremost of speakers, embraced Phalguna and replied to him as follows.
वासुदेव उवाच श्रावितस्त्वं मया गुह्यं ज्ञापितश्च सनातनम्। धर्मं स्वरूपिणं पार्थ सर्वलोकांश्च शाश्वतान्॥
Vasudeva said I made you listen to truths that are considered as mysteries. I conferred on you eternal truths. Indeed, I described to you Religion in its true form and on all the eternal regions.
अबुद्ध्या नाग्रहीर्यस्त्वं तन्मे सुमहदप्रियम्। न च साद्य पुनर्भूयः स्मृति सम्भविष्यति॥
It is greatly disagreeable to me to learn that you did not, from folly, receive what I gave. The recollection of all that I told you on that occasion will not come to me now.
नूनमश्रद्दधानोऽसि दुर्मेधा ह्यसि पाण्डव। न च शक्यं पुनर्वक्तुमशेषेण धनंजय॥
Forsooth, O son of Pandu, you are destitute of faith and your unde tanding is not good. It is impossible for me, U Dhananjaya, to repeat, in full, all that I said on that occasion.
स हि धर्मः सुपर्याप्तो ब्रह्मणः पदवेदने। न शक्यं तन्मया भूयस्तथा वक्तुमशेषतः॥
That religion is more than sufficient for understanding Brahma. I cannot describe it again in detail.
परं हि ब्रह्म कथितं योगयुक्तेन तन्मया। इतिहासं तु वक्ष्यामि तस्मिन्नर्थे पुरातनम्॥
I described to you, O Supreme Brahina having concentrated myself in Yoga. I shall now, however, recite to you an old history upon the same subject.
यथा तां बुद्धिमास्थाय गतिमय्यां गमिष्यसि। शृणु धर्मभृतां श्रेष्ठ गदितं सर्वमेव मे॥
O foremost of all persons knowing duty, listen to everything I now say, so that, with an understanding adapted to my teaching, you may succeed in attaining to the highest end.
आगच्छद् ब्राह्मणः कश्चित् स्वर्गलोकादरिंदम ब्रह्मलोकाच्च दुर्धर्षः सोऽस्माभिः पूजितोऽभवत्।।१५
O chastiser of enemies, on one occasion, a Brahmana came to us from the celestial regions. Of irresistible energy, he came from the regions of the grandfather. He was duly respected by us.
अस्माभिः परिपृष्टश्च यदाह भरतर्षभ। दिव्येन विधिना पार्थ नच्छृणुष्वाविचारयन्॥
Listen, O son of Pritha, unhesitatingly to what he, O chief of Bharata's race, said, in answer to our enquiries, according to heavenly forms.
ब्राह्मण उवाच मोक्षधर्मं समाश्रित्य कृष्ण यन्मामपृच्छथाः। भूतानामनुकम्पार्थं यत्मोहच्छेदनं विभो॥ तत् नेऽहं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि यथावन्मधुसूदन। शृणुष्वावहितो भूत्वा गदतो मम माधव॥
Brahmana said That which you ask me, O Krishna, about the religion of Moksha (Emancipation), led by your compassion for all creatures, that, indeed, which destroys all delusion, O you gifted with Supreme power, I shall now tell you duly, O destroyer of Madhu. Do you listen with rapt attention as I discourse to you, O Madhava.
कश्चिद् विप्रस्तपोयुक्तः काश्यपो धर्मवित्तमः। आससाद द्विजं कंचिद् धर्माणामागतागमम्॥
A Brahmana named Kashyapa, possessed of penances and the foremost of all persons knowing duties, came to a certain other Brahmana who had become conversant with all the mysteries of religion.
गतागते सुबहुशो ज्ञानविज्ञानपारगम्। लोकतत्त्वार्थकुशलं ज्ञातार्थं सुखदुःखयोः॥
Indeed, the latter had mastered all the knowledge which the scriptures teach about the departure and reappearance of beings and possessed that direct knowledge of all things which Yoga gives. He was well-skilled in the truths of all subjects relating to the world. He has mastered the truth about pleasure and pain.
जातीमरणतत्त्वज्ञं कोविदं पापपुण्ययौः। द्रष्टारमुच्चनीचानां कर्मभिर्देहिनां गतिम्॥
He knew the truth about birth and death, and understood the distinctions between merit and demerit. He had seen the ends attained to by embodied creatures high and low on account of their deeds.
चरन्तं मुक्तवत्सिद्धं प्रशान्तं संयतेन्द्रियम्। दीप्यमानं श्रिया ब्राह्मया क्रममाणं च सर्वशः॥ अन्तर्धानगतिज्ञं च श्रुत्वा तत्त्वेन काश्यपः। तथैवान्तर्हितैः सिद्धैर्यान्तं चक्रधरैः सह॥ सम्भाषमाणमेकान्ते समासीनं च तैः सह। यदृच्छया च गच्छन्तमसक्तं पवनं यथा॥
He lived like one freed from the world. Crowned with ascetic success and gifted with perfect tranquillity of soul, he had all his senses under complete control. He seemed to shine with the resplendence of Brahma and capable of going everywhere at will. He knew the science of disappearing at will from before the eyes of all. He used to move about in the company of invisible Siddhas and celestial musicians. He used to sit and talk with them on some spot retired from the bustle of humanity. He was as unattached to all things as the wind Kashyapa having heard of him truly, wished to see him. Gifted with intelligence, that foremost of all Brahmanas approached the sage.
तं समासाद्य मेधावी स तदा द्विजसत्तमः। चरणौ धर्मकामोऽस्य तपस्वी सुसमाहितः। प्रतिपेदे यथान्यायं दृष्ट्वा तन्महदद्भुतम्॥
Himself possessed of penances, Kashyapa, moved by the wish of acquiring merit, fell, with a rapt heart, at the feet of the sage when he had seen all those wonderful attributes.
विस्मितश्चाद्भुतं दृष्ट्वा काश्यपस्तद् द्विजोत्तमम्। परिचारेण महत्ता गुरुं तं पर्यतोषयत्॥
Stricken with wonder at the sight of those extraordinary qualities, Kashyapa began to wait upon that foremost of all Brahmanas, with the dutiful respect of a disciple waiting upon his preceptor and succeeded in pleasing him.
उपपन्नं च तत्सर्वं श्रुतचारित्रसंयुतम्। भावेनातोषयच्चैनं गुरुवृत्त्या परंतपः॥
By his devotion, O scorcher of enemies, rendering to him the obedience due from a disciplc to a preceptor, Kashyapa pleased that Brahmana who possessed all these qualities and was gifted besides with scriptural learning and excellent conduct.
तस्मै तुष्टः स शिष्याय प्रसन्नो वाक्यमब्रवीत्। सिद्धिं परामभिप्रेक्ष्य शृणु मत्तो जनार्दन॥
Pleased with Kashyapa, the Brahmana one day addressed him cheerfully and spoke as follows, having the highest success in view. Listen to those words, O Janardana, as I repeat them.
सिद्ध उवाच विविधैः कर्मभिस्तात पुण्ययोगैश्च केवलैः। गच्छन्तीह गतिं मर्त्या देवलोके च संस्थितिम्॥
By various deeds, O son as also by the help of merit, mortal, creatures attain to diverse ends here and residence in Heaven.
न क्वचित् सुखमत्यन्तं न क्वचिच्छाश्वती स्थितिः। स्थानाच्च महतो भ्रंशो दुःखलब्धात् पुनः पुनः॥
Nowhere one can enjoy the highest happiness; nowhere one can live for good. There are repeated falls from the highest regions acquired with such sorrow.
अशुभा गतयः प्राप्ताः कष्टा मे पापसेवनात्। काममन्युपरीतेन तृष्णया मोहितेन च॥
On account of my indulgence in sin. I had to come by various miserable and inauspicious ends, filled as I was with lust and anger, and deluded by cupidity.
पुनः पुनश्च मरणं जन्म चैव पुनः पुनः। आहारा विविधा भुक्ताः पीता नानाविधाः स्तनाः।।३२
I have repeatedly undergone death and rebirth. I have eaten various kinds of food, I have sucked at various breasts.
मातरो विविधा दृष्टाः पितरश्च पृथग्विधाः। सुखानि च विचित्राणि दुःखानि च मयानघ।॥
I have seen various kinds of mothers, and various fathers dissimilar to one another. I have come by various kinds of happiness and misery, O sinless one.
प्रियैर्विवासो बहुशः संवासश्चाप्रियैः सह। धननाशश्च सम्प्राप्तो लध्वा दुःखेन तद् धनम्॥
On various occasions have I been separated from what was agrecable and united with what was disagreeable. Having acquired wealth with great labour I have had to put up with its loss.
अवमानाः सुकष्टाश्च राजतः स्वजनात् तथा। शारीरा मानसा वापि वेदना भृशदारुणाः॥
I have received from king and relatives insults and excessive misery. I have suffered from serve mental and physical pain.
प्राप्ता विमाननाशोग्रा वधवन्धाश्च दारुणाः। पतनं निरये चैव यातनाश्च यमक्षये॥
I have undergone humiliations and death and imprisonment under circumstances of great severity. I have had falls into Hell and have suffered great lortures in the domains of Yama.
जरा रोगाश्च सततं व्यसनानि च भूरिशः। लोकेऽस्मिन्ननुभूतानि द्वन्द्वजानि भृशं मया॥
I have, again and again, suffered from decrepitude and diseases, and from frequent and great calamities. In this world I have repeatedly suffered from all those afflictions which arise from a perception of all pairs of opposites.
ततः कदाचिन्निर्वेदान्निराकाराश्रितेन य। लोकतन्त्रं परित्यक्तं दुःखार्तेन भृशं मया॥
After all this one day, laden with sorrow, despair came upon me. I took refuge in the Formless. Suffering from great distress, I gave up the world with all its joys and sorrows.
लोकेऽस्मिन्ननुभूयाहमिमं मार्गमनुष्ठितः। ततः सिद्धिरियं प्राप्ता प्रसादादात्मनो मया।॥
Finding out then this path. I exercised myself in it in this world. Afterwards, through tranquillity of soul, I acquired the success you see.
नाहं पुनरिहागन्ता लोकानालोकयाम्यहम्। आसिद्धेराप्रजासर्गादात्मनोऽपि गताः शुभाः॥
I shall not have to come to this world again. Indeed, till I attain to absorption into eternal Brahma, till, in fact, the final dissolution of the universe, I shall look on those happy ends that will be mine and on those beings and that form this universe.
उपलब्धा द्विजश्रेष्ठ तथेयं सिद्धिरुत्तमाः इतः परं गमिष्यामि ततः परतरं पुनः॥
Having acquired this excellent success, I shall, after departing from this world, proceed to what is above it and thence to what is higher.
ब्रह्मणः पदमव्यक्तं मा तेऽभूदत्र संशयः। नाहं पुनरिहागन्ता मर्त्यलोकं परंतप॥
Indeed, I shall come by the condition, which is unmanifest, of Brahma. Do not doubt this. O scorcher of enemies. I shall not return to this world of mortal creatures.
प्रीतोऽस्मि ते महाप्राज्ञ ब्रूहि किं करवाणि ते। यदीप्सुरुपपन्नस्त्वं तस्य कालोऽयमागतः॥
O you of great wisdom. I have become pleased with you. Tell me what I shall do for you. The time has come for the accomplishment of that purpose for which you have come here..
अभिजाने च तदहं यदर्थं मामुपागतः। अचिरात् तु गमिष्यामि तेनाहं त्वामचूचुदम्॥
I know that object for which you have sought me. I shall soon depart from this world. Hence it is that I have given you this hint.
भृशं प्रीतोऽस्मि भवतश्चारित्रेण विचक्षण। परिपृच्छस्व कुशलं भाषेयं यत् तवेप्सितम्॥
O you of great wisdom and experience, I have been highly pleased with you for your behaviour. Do you question me! I shall discourse on what is beneficial to you as desired by you.
बहु मन्ये च ते बुद्धिं भृशं सम्पूजयामि च। येनाहं भवता बुद्धो मेधावी ह्यसि काश्यप॥
I think your intelligence is great, Indeed I speak highly of it, for it was with the help of that intelligence that you were able to recognise me. Surely, O Kashyapa, you are endued with great intelligence.