युधिष्ठिर उवाच अनर्थानामधिष्ठानमुक्तो लोभः पितामह। अज्ञानमपि वै तात श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वतः॥
Yudhishthira said You have said, O grandfather, that the root of all evils is covetousness. I wish, O sire, to licar fully of ignorance.
भीष्म उवाच करोति पापं योऽज्ञानानात्मनो वेत्ति च क्षयम्। प्रद्वेष्टि साधुवृत्तांश्च स लोकस्यैति वाच्यताम्॥
Bhishma said The person who commits sin out of ignorance, who does not know that his end is near, and who always hates persons of good conduct, soon incurs infamy in the world.
अज्ञानान्निरयं याति तथाज्ञानेन दुर्गतिम्। अज्ञानात् क्लेशमाप्नोति तथापत्सु निमज्जति॥
In consequence of ignorance one goes to hell. Ignorance one suffers miseries and incurs great danger.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच अज्ञानस्य प्रवृत्तिं च स्थानं वृद्धिक्षयोदयौ। मूलं योगं गतिं कालं कारणं हेतुमेव च॥ श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वेन यथावदिह पार्थिव। अज्ञानप्रसवं हीदं यद् दुःखमुपलभ्यते॥
Yudhishthira said I wish, O king, to hear fully the origin, the place, the growth, the decay, the rise, the root, the attribute, the course, the time, the cause, and the result of ignorance. The misery that is felt here is the outcome of ignorance.
रागो द्वेषस्तथा मोहो हर्षः शोकोऽभिमानिता। कामः क्रोधश्च दर्पश्च तन्द्री चालस्यमेव च॥ इच्छा द्वेषस्तथा तापः परवृद्ध्युपतापिता। अज्ञानमेतन्निर्दिष्टं पापानां चैव याः क्रियाः॥
Bhishma said Attachment, hate, loss of judgement, joy, sorrow, vanity, lust, anger, pride, procrastination, idleness, desire, aversion, jealousy, envy, and all other sinful habits pass by the common name of ignorance.
एतस्य वा प्रवृत्तेश्च वृद्ध्यादीन्यांश्च पृच्छसि। विस्तरेण महाराज शृणु तच्च विशेषतः॥
Hear fully now, O king, about its nature, growth and other characteristics after which you enquire.
उभावेतौ समफलौ समदोषौ च भारत। अज्ञानं चातिलोभश्चाप्येकं जानीहि पार्थिव॥
These two, viz., ignorance and covetousness, know, O king, are the same. Both produce the same fruits and same faults, O Bharata.
लोभप्रभवमज्ञानं वृद्धं भूयः प्रवर्धते। स्थाने स्थानं क्षये क्षैण्यमुपैति विविधां गतिम्॥
Ignorance originates from covetousness. Ignorance grows along with coveteousness. Ignorance exists simultaneously with covetousness. Ignorance decreases with covetousness. It rises with the rise of covetousness. Manifold again is its course.
मूलं लोभस्य मोहो वै कालात्मगतिरेव च। छिन्ने भिन्ने तथा लोभे कारणं काल एव च॥ तस्याज्ञानाद्धि लोभो हि लोभादज्ञानमेव च। सर्वदोषास्तथा लोभात् तस्माल्लोभंविवर्जयेत्॥
The root of covetousness is loss of judgement. Loss of judgement, again, is its inseparable quality. Eternity is ignorance's course. The time when ignorance occurs is when the objects of covetousness are not gained.
जनको युवनाश्वच वृषादर्भिः प्रसेनजित्। लोभक्षयाद् दिवं प्राप्तास्तथैवान्ये नराधिपाः॥
From ignorance proceeds covetousness, and from the latter proceeds ignorance. Covetousness produces all faults. For these reasons every one should avoid covetousness. Janaka, Yuvanashva, Vrishadarbhi, Prasenajit, and other kings acquired heaven for their having conquered covetousness.
प्रत्यक्षं तु कुरुश्रेष्ठ त्यज लोभमिहात्मना। त्यक्त्वा लोभं सुखं लोके प्रेत्य चानुचरिष्यसि॥
Do you before all persons, avoid covetousness by a strong determination, O Kuru chief. Avoiding covetousness you will acquire happiness both here and in the next world.