युधिष्ठिर उवाच अपरित्यज्य गार्हस्थ्यं कुरुराजर्षिसत्तम। कः प्राप्तो विनयं बुद्ध्या मोक्षतत्त्वं वदस्व मे॥
Yudhishthira said. Without giving up the domestic mode of life, O royal sage of Kuru's race, who ever acquired Liberation which is the annihilation of the Understanding? Do tell me this.
संन्यस्यते यथाऽऽत्मायं व्यक्तस्यात्मा यथा च यत्। परं मोक्षस्य यच्चापि तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह॥
How may the gross and the subtile form be renounced? Do you also, O grandfather, tell me what the supreme excellence of Liberation is.
भीष्म उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। जनकस्य च संवाद सुलभायाश्च भारत॥
Bhishma said Regarding it is cited the old discourse between Janaka and Sulabha, O Bharata!
संन्यासफलिकः कश्चिद् बभूव नृपतिः पुरा। मैथिलो जनको नाम धर्मध्वज इति श्रुतः॥
Formerly there was a king of Mithila, of the name of Dharmadhyaja, of Janaka's race. He was given to the religion of Renunciation,
स वेदे मोक्षशास्त्रे च स्वे च शास्त्रे कृतश्रमः। इन्द्रियाणि समाधाय शशास वसुधामिमाम्॥
He was well conversant with the Veda, with the scriptures on Liberation, and with the scriptures dealing with royal duties. Governing his senses, he ruled this Earth.
तस्य वेदविदः प्राज्ञाः श्रुत्वा तां साधुवृत्तताम्। लोकेषु स्पृहयन्त्यन्ये पुरुषाः पुरुषेश्वर॥
Hearing of his good conduct in the world, many wise men, well-conversant with wisdom, O foremost of men, wished to imitate him.
अथ धर्मयुगे तस्मिन् योगधर्ममनुष्ठिता। महीमनुचचारैका सुलभा नाम भिक्षुकी॥
In the saine golden age, a woman by name sulabha, belonging to the mendicant order, practised the duties of Yoga and travelled over the entire Earth.
तया जगदिदं कृत्स्नमटन्त्या मिथिलेश्वरः। तत्र तत्र श्रुतो मोक्षे कथ्यमानस्त्रिदण्डिभिः॥
In course of her wanderings over the Earth, Sulabha heard from many ascetics of different places that the king of Mithila was given to the religion of Liberation.
सातिसूक्ष्मां कथा श्रुत्वा तथ्यं नेति ससंशया। दर्शने जातसंकल्पा जनकस्य बभूव ह॥
Hearing this report about king Janaka and desirous of learning whether it was true or not, Sulabha became desirous of seeing Janaka.
तत्र सा विप्रहायाथ पूर्वरूपं हि योगतः। अबिभ्रदनवद्याङ्गी रूपमन्यदनुत्तमम्॥
Abandoning, by her Yoga powers, her former body and features, Sulabha assumed the most perfect features and peerless beauty.
चक्षुर्निमेषमात्रेण लघ्वस्त्रगतिगामिनी। विदेहानां पुरी सुभूर्जगाम कमलेक्षणा॥
In the twinkling of an eye and with the speed of the quickest arrow the fair browed lady having eyes like lotus-petals went to the capital of the Videhas.
सा प्राप्य मिथिलां रम्यां प्रभूतजनसंकुलाम्। भैक्ष्यचर्यापदेशेन ददर्श मिथिलेश्वरम्॥
Arrived at the metropolis of Mithila having a large population, she adopted the guise of a mendicant and appeared before the king.
राजा तस्याः परं दृष्ट्वा सौकुमार्यं वपुस्तदा। केयं कस्य कुतो वेति बभूवागतविस्मयः॥
The king, beholding her delicate form, became filed with wonder and enquired who she was, whose she was, and whence she came.
ततोऽस्याः स्वागतं कृत्वा व्यादिश्य च वरासनम्। पूजितां पादशौचेन वरान्नेनाप्यतर्पयत्॥
Welcoming her, he assigned her an excellent seat, honoured her by offering water to wash her feet, and pleased her with excellent refreshments.
अथ भुक्तवती प्रीता राजानं मन्त्रिभिर्वृतम्। सर्वभाष्यविदां मध्ये चोदयामास भिक्षुकी॥
Refreshed duly and pleased with the rites of hospitality offered to her, Sulabha, the female mendicant, urged the king, who was encircled by his ministers and seated in the midst of learned scholars, (to speak out his fidelity to the religion of Liberation).
सुलभा त्वस्य धर्मेषु मुत्तो नेति ससंशया। सत्त्वं सत्त्वेन योगज्ञा प्रविवेश महीपतेः॥
Doubting whether Janaka has succeeded in acquiring Liberation by following the religion of Renunciation, Sulabha, gifted with Yogapower, entered the understanding of the king by her own understanding.
नेत्राभ्यां नेत्रयोरस्य रश्मीन् संयम्य रश्मिभिः। सा स्म तं चोदयिष्यन्ती योगबन्धैर्बबन्ध ह॥
Controlling, by means of the rays of light that came out from her own eyes, the rays issuing from the eyes of the king, the lady, desirous of ascertaining the truth, bound up king Janaka with Yoga fetters,
जनकोऽप्युत्स्मयन् राजा भावमस्या विशेषयन्। प्रतिजग्राह भावेन भावमस्या नृपोत्तम॥
Own Priding himself upon his invincibleness and defeating the intentions of Sulabha, that best of kings seized her resolution with his own resolution.
तदेकस्मिन्नधिष्ठाने संवादः श्रूयतामयम्। छत्रादिषु विमुक्तस्य मुक्तायाश्च त्रिदण्डके॥
The king, in his subtile form, had no royal umbrella and sceptre. The lady Sulabha, in hers, was without the threefold stick. Both staying then in the same form, thus conversed with each other. Listen to that conversation as it took place between the king and Sulabha.
जनक उवाच भगवत्याः क्व चर्येयं कृता क्व च गमिष्यसि। कस्य च त्वं कुतो वेति पप्रच्छैनां महीपतिः॥
Janaka said O holy lady, to what course of conduct are you given? Whose are you? Whence have you come? After finishing your business here, where will you go?
श्रुते वयसि जातौ च सद्भावो नाधिगम्यते। एष्वर्थेषूत्तरं तस्मात् प्रवेद्यं मत्समागमे॥
No one can, without questioning, determine another's proficiency in the scriptures, or age, or order of birth. You should, therefore, answer these questions of mine, when you have come to me.
छत्रादिषु विशेषेषु मुक्तं मां विद्धि तत्त्वतः। स त्वां सम्मन्तुमिच्छामि मानार्हा हि मतासि मे॥
Know that I am truly shorn of all vanity about my royal umbrella and sceptre. I wish to know you thoroughly. You are deserving, I think, of my respect.
यस्माच्चैतन्मया प्राप्तं ज्ञानं वैशेषिकं पुरा। यस्य नान्यः प्रवक्तास्ति मोक्षं तमपि मे शृणु॥
Do you hear me as I describe to you Liberation, for there is none else who describe to you that subject. Hear me also as I tell you who that person is from whom in days of yore I acquired this distinguishing knowledge.
पराशरसगोत्रस्य वृद्धस्य सुमहात्मनः। भिक्षोः पञ्चशिखंस्याहं शिष्यः परमसम्मतः॥
I am the beloved disciple of the great and venerable Panchashikha, belonging to the mendicant order, or Parasara's family.
सांख्यज्ञाने च योगे च महीपालविधौ तथा। त्रिविधे मोक्षधर्मेऽस्मिन् गताध्वा छिन्नसंशयः॥
My doubts have been removed and I am fully conversant with the Sankhya and the Yoga systems, and the ordinances about sacrifices and other rites, which form the three well known paths of Liberation.
स यथाशास्त्रदृष्टेन मार्गेणेह परिभ्रमन्। वार्षिकांश्चतुरो मासान् पुरा मयि सुखोषितः॥
Wandering over the Earth and following path that is pointed out by the scriptures, the learned Panchashika formerly lived happily in my abode for four months during the rains.
तेनाहं सांख्यमुख्येन सुदृष्टार्थेन तत्त्वतः। श्रावितस्त्रिविधं मोक्षं न च राज्याद्धि चालितः॥
That foremost of Sankhyas described to me, according to the truth, and in an intelligible manner suited to my understanding, the several kinds of means for acquiring Liberation. He did not, however, order me to give up my kingdom.
सोऽहतामखिलां वृत्तिं त्रिविधां मोक्षसंहिताम्। मुक्तरागश्चराम्येकः पदे परमके स्थितः॥
Freed from attachments, and fixing my Soul on Supreme Brahma, and unaffected by companionship, I live, practising in all its minute details that threefold conduct which is laid down in treatises on Liberation.
वैश्राग्यं पुनरेतस्य मोक्षस्य परमो विधिः। ज्ञानादेव च वैराग्यं जायते येन मुच्यते॥
Renunciation in the highest prescribed for Liberation. Renunciation, by which one becomes freed, emanate from Knowledge.
ज्ञानेन कुरुते यत्तं यत्नेन प्राप्यते महत्। महद् द्वन्द्वप्रमोक्षाय सा सिद्धिर्या वयोऽतिगा।॥
From Knowledge originates the endeavour after Yoga, and through that exertion one acquires knowledge of Self. Through means knowledge of Self one gets over joy and grief. That enables one to transcend death and acquire great success.
सेयं परमिका बुद्धेः प्राप्ता निर्द्वन्द्वता मया। इहैव गतमोहेन चरता मुक्तसङ्गिना।॥
That high intelligence has been acquired by me, and accordingly I have not over all pairs of opposites. Even in this life I have been freed from stupefaction and have got over all attachments.
यथा क्षेत्रं मृदूभूतमद्भिराप्लावितं तथा। जनयत्यङ्कुरं कर्म नृणां तद्वत् पुनर्भवम्॥
As a soil, saturated with water and softened thereby, causes the seed to sprout forth, similarly, the acts of men cause rebirth.
यथा चोत्तापितं बीजं कपाले यत्र तत्र वा। प्राप्याप्यकुरहेतुत्वमबीजत्वान्न जायते॥ तद्वद् भगवतानेन शिखा प्रोक्तेन भिक्षुणा। ज्ञानं कृतमबीजं मे विषयेषु न जायते॥
As a seed, fried on a pan or otherwise, becomes unfit to sprout forth although the power for sprouting lies there, similarly my understanding having been freed from the productive principle formed by desire, by the instructions of the holy Panchashikha of the mendicant order, it no longer gives its fruit in the form of attachment to the objects of the senses.
नाभिरज्यति कस्मिश्चिन्नानर्थे न परिग्रहे। नाभिरज्यति चैतेषु व्यर्थत्वाद् रागरोषयोः॥
I never experience love for my wife or hate for my enemies. Indeed, I keep aloof from both, making the fruitlessness of attachment and anger.
यश्च मे दक्षिणं बाहुं चन्दनेन समुक्षयेत्। सव्यं वास्यापि यस्तक्षेत् समावेतावुभौ मम॥
I regard both person impartially, viz., him who smears my right hand with sandal-paste and him who wounds my left.
सुखी सोऽहमवाप्तार्थः समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः। मुक्तसङ्गः स्थितो राज्ये विशिष्टोऽन्यैस्त्रिदण्डिभिः॥
Having attained my object, I am happy, and consider in the same light a clod of earth, a piece of stone, and a lump of gold. I am shorn of all attachments, though am engaged in ruling a kingdom. On account of all this I am better known over all bearers of triple sticks.
मोक्षे हि त्रिविधा निष्ठा दृष्टान्यैर्मोक्षवित्तमैः। ज्ञानं लोकोत्तरं यच्च सर्वत्यागश्च कर्मणाम्॥
Some foremost of men who are conversant with the Liberation say that Liberation has a triple path. Some consider Knowledge having all things of the world for its object as the means of Liberation. Some hold that the total renunciation of acts is the means thereof.
ज्ञाननिष्ठां वदन्त्येके मोक्षशास्त्रविदो जनाः। कर्मनिष्ठां तथैवान्ये यतयः सूक्ष्मदर्शिनः॥
Another class of persons conversant with the scriptures Liberation say that Knowledge is the only means. Others, viz., Yatis, gifted with subtile vision; hold that acts form the means.
प्रहायोभयमप्येव ज्ञानं कर्म च केवलम्। तृतीयेयं समाख्याता निष्ठा तेन महात्मना॥
The great Panchashikha, discarding both the opinion about knowledge and acts, considered the third as the only means or path of Liberation.
यमे च नियमे चैव कामे द्वेषे परिग्रहे। माने दम्भे तथा स्नेहे सदृशास्ते कुटुम्बिभिः॥
If house-holders be endued with selfrestraint, and control over the senses, they become the equals of Sannyasins. If, on the other hand, Sannyasins be endued with desire and aversion and wives and honour and pride and affection, they become like householders.
त्रिदण्डादिषु यद्यस्ति मोक्षो ज्ञानेन कस्यचित्। छत्रादिषु कथं न स्यात् तुल्यहेतौ परिग्रहे॥
If one can acquire Liberation by means of knowledge, then may Liberation exist in triple sticks. Why then may Liberation not exist in the umbrella and the sceptre as well, especially when the reason in taking up the triple stick and the scepture is the same.
येन येन हि यस्यार्थः कारणेनेह कर्मणि। तत्तदालम्बते सर्वः स्वे स्वे स्वार्थपरिग्रहे॥
One becomes attached to all those things and acts which are necessary for him for the sake of his own self for particular reasons.
दोषदर्शी तु गार्हस्थ्ये यो व्रजत्याश्रमान्तरे। उत्सृजन् परिगृहंश्च सोऽपि सङ्गान्न मुच्यते॥
If a person, seeing the faults of the domestic mode of life, renounce it for adopting another mode, he cannot, for such rejection and adoption, he considered as one who is at once freed from all attachments.
आधिपत्ये तथा तुल्ये निग्रहानुग्रहात्मके। राजभिर्भिक्षुकास्तुल्या मुच्यन्ते केन हेतुना॥
Sovereignty is fraught with the rewarding and the punishing of others. The life of a mendicant is equally fraught with the same. When, therefore, mendicants are like kings in this respect, why would mendicants only acquire Liberation, and not kings?
अथ सत्याधिपत्येऽपि ज्ञानेनैवेह केवलम्। मुच्यन्ते सर्वपापेभ्यो देहे परमके स्थिताः॥
Not withstanding the possession of sovereignty, therefore, one becomes purged of all sins by means of knowledge alone, living in Supreme Brahma.
काषायधारणं मौण्ड्यं त्रिविष्टब्यं कमण्डलुम्। लिङ्गान्युत्पथभूतानि न मोक्षायेति मे मतिः॥
The putting on of brown cloths shaving of the head, bearing of the triple stick, and the water-pitcher, these are the external signs of one's mode of life. These are useless in helping one to acquire Liberation.
यदि सत्यपि लिङ्गेऽस्मिन् ज्ञानमेवात्र कारणम्। निर्मोक्षायेह दुःखस्य लिङ्गमानं निरर्थकम्॥
When, despite the adoption of these emblems of a particular mode of life, Knowledge along becomes the cause of one's Liberation from sorrow, it would appear that the adoption of mere emblems is absolutely useless.
अथवा दुःखशैथिल्यं वीक्ष्य लिङ्गे कृता मतिः। किं तदेवार्थसामान्यं छत्रादिषु न लक्ष्यते॥
Or, if, seeing the mitigation of sorrow in it, you have adopted these emblems of Sanyasa, why then should not the mitigation of sorrow be seen in the umbrella and the sceptre which I use.
आकिंचन्ये न मोक्षोऽस्ति किंचन्ये नास्ति बन्धनम्। किंचन्ये चेतरे चैव जन्तुर्ज्ञानेन मुच्यते॥
Liberation does not exist in poverty; nor is bondage to be seen in riches. One acquires Liberation through Knowledge only, whether one is poor or rich.
तस्माद् धर्मार्थकामेषु तथा राज्यपरिग्रहे। बन्धनायतनेष्वेषु विद्ध्यबन्धे पदे स्थितम्॥
For these reasons, know that I am living in a state of freedom, though outwardly engaged in the enjoyment of religion, wealth, and pleasure, in the form of kingdom and wives, which form a field of bondage.
राज्यैश्वर्यमयः पाशः स्नेहायतनबन्धनः। मोक्षाश्मनिशिते नेह च्छिन्नस्त्यागासिना मया॥
I have cut off the fetters formed by kingdom and riches, and the bondage of attachments, which the sword of Renunciation whetted on the the stone of the of the scriptures describing Liberation.
सोऽहमेवंगतो मुक्तो जातास्थस्त्वयि भिक्षुकि। अयथार्थं हि ते वर्णं वक्ष्यामि शृणु तन्मम॥
As regard myself then, I tell you that I have become freed in this way. O mendicant lady, I entertain an affection for you. But that should not prevent me from telling you that your conduct does not tally with the practices of the mode of life, which you have adopted.
सौकुमार्यं तथा रूपं वपुरग्र्यं तथा वयः। तवैतानि समस्तानि नियमश्चेति संशयः॥
Under formation of the body is highly delicate. You have beauty. You have an exceedingly shapely form. You are young. You have all these, and you have also subjugation of the senses. I doubt it verily. ine as
यच्चाप्यननुरूपं ते लिङ्गस्यास्य विचेष्टितम्। मुक्तोऽयं स्यान्न वेति स्याद् धर्षितो मत्परिग्रहः॥
You have stopped up my body for ascertaining as to whether I am really liberated or not. This åct of yours does not tally with that mode of life whose emblems you carry.
न च कामसमायुक्ते युक्तेऽप्यस्ति त्रिदण्डके। न रक्ष्यते त्वया चेदं न मुक्तस्यास्ति गोपना॥
The triple stick is unfit for a Yogin who has desire. As regards yourself, you do not adhere to your stick. As regards those who are freed, they should protect themselves from fall.
मत्पक्षसंश्रयाच्चायं शृणु यस्ते व्यतिक्रमः। आश्रयन्त्याः स्वभावेन मम पूर्वपरिग्रहम्॥
Listen now to to what your transgression has been on account of your contact with me and your having entered into my gross body with the help of your understanding.
प्रवेशस्ते कृतः केन मम राष्ट्रे पुरेऽपि वा। कस्य वा संनिकर्षात् त्वं प्रविष्टा हृदयं मम॥
Why have you entered into my kingdom or my palace? At whose sign have you entered heart.
वर्णप्रवरमुख्यासि ब्राह्मणी क्षत्रियस्त्वहम्। नावयोरेकयोगोऽस्मि मा कृथा वर्णसंकरम्॥
You belong to the foremost of all the orders, being, as you are, a Brahmana woman. As regards myself whoever, I am a Kshatriya. There is no union for us two. Do not help to cause an intermixture of races.
वर्तसे मोक्षधर्मेण त्वं गार्हस्थ्येऽहमाश्रमे। अयं चापि सुष्टस्ते द्वितीयोऽऽश्रमसंकरः॥
You follow the duties that lead to Liberation. I am a householder. This act of yours, therefore, is another evil you have committed, for it produces an unnatural union of two opposite modes of life.
सगोत्रां वासगोत्रां वा न वेद त्वां न वेत्थ माम्। सगोत्रमाविशन्त्यास्ते तृतीयो गोत्रसंकरः॥
into my I do not know whether you belong to my own family or do not belong to it. As regards yourself also, you do not know who I am. If you are of my own Gotra, you have by entering into my body, produced another evil,-viz., or unnatural union.
अथ जीवति ते भर्ता प्रोषितोऽप्यथवा क्वचित्। अगम्या परभार्येति चतुर्थो धर्मसंकरः॥
If, again, your husband be alive and living in an distant place, your union with me has produced the fourth evil of sinfulness, for you are not one whom I may lawfully marry.
सा त्वमेतान्यकार्याणि कार्यापेक्षा व्यवस्यसि। अविज्ञानेन वा युक्ता मिथ्याज्ञानेन वा पुनः॥
Do you commit all these sinful deeds, actuated by the motive of performing a particular object? Do you do these from ignorance or from perverted intelligence.
अथवापि स्वतन्त्रासि स्वदोषेणेह कर्हिचित्। यदि किंचिच्छ्रुतं तेऽस्ति सर्वं कृतमनर्थकम्॥
If, again, on account of your evil nature you have thus become thoroughly independent or unrestrained in your conduct, I tell you that if you have any knowledge of the scriptures, you will understand that everything you have done has been productive of evil.
इदमन्यच्चतुर्थं ते भावस्पर्शविघातकम्। दुष्टाया लक्ष्यते लिङ्गं विवृण्वत्याप्रकाशितम्॥
A third fault touches you on account of these acts of yours, a fault that is destructive of peace of mind. By trying to show your superiority, the indication of a wicked woman is seen in you.
न मय्येवाभिसंधिस्ते जयैषिण्या जये कृतः। येयं मत्परिषत् कृत्स्ना जेतुमिच्छसि तामपि॥
Desirous of asserting your victory as you are, it is not myself alone whom you wish to defeat, for it is plain that you wish to win a victory over even the whole of my court.
तथाहतस्ततश्च त्वं दृष्टिं स्वां प्रतिमुञ्चसि। मत्पक्षप्रतिघाताय स्वपक्षोद्भावनाय च॥
By loO king thus towards all these meritorious Brahmanas, it is clear that you wish to humiliate them all the glorify yourself.
साम स्वेनामर्षजेन त्वमृद्धिमोहेन मोहिता। भूयः सृजसि योगांस्त्वं विषामृतमिवैकताम्॥
Stupefied by your pride of Yoga power that has been born of your jealousy, you have caused a union of your understanding with mine and thereby have really mingled together nectar with poision.
इच्छतोरत्र यो लाभः स्त्रीसोरमृतोपमः। अलाभश्चापि रक्तस्य सोऽपि दोषो विषोपमः॥
The union, again, of man and woman, when each seek the other, is sweet as nectar. That association, however, of man and woman when the latter, herself coveting, cannot get an individual of the opposite sex that does not seek her, is, instead of being a merit, only a fault that is as noxious as poison.
मा स्पाक्षीः साधु जानीष्व स्वशास्त्रमनुपालय। कृतेयं हि विजिज्ञासा मुक्तो नेति त्वया मम।
Do not continue to touch me. Know that I am righteous. Do you act according to your own scriptures. Your enquiry, viz., whether I am or I am not liberated, has been finished.
एतत सर्वं प्रतिच्छन्नं मयि नार्हसि गुहितुम्॥७० सा यदि त्वं स्वकार्येण यद्यन्यस्य महीपतेः। तत् त्वं सत्रप्रतिच्छन्ना मयि नार्हसि गुहितुम्॥
You should not conceal from me all your secret motives. You should not who thus disguise yourself, conceal from me what your object is, that is, whether this call of yours has been prompted by the desire of accomplishing some object of your own or whether you have come for accomplishing the object of some other king.
न राजानं मृषा गच्छेन्न द्विजातिं कथंचन। न स्त्रियं स्त्रीगुणोपेतां हन्युह्येते मृषा गताः॥
One should never appear deceitfully before a king; nor before a Brahmana; nor before his wife when that wife is possessed of every wifely virtue. Those who appear in deceitful guise before these three very soon meet with destruction.
राज्ञां हि बलमैश्वर्यं ब्रह्म ब्रह्मविदां बलम्। रूपयौवनसौभाग्यं स्त्रीणां बलमनुत्तमम्॥
The power of kings consists in their sovereignty. The power of Brahmanas wellversed in the Vedas is in the Vedas. Women hold a high power on account of their beauty and youth and blessedness.
अत एतैर्बलैरेव बलिनः स्वार्थमिच्छता। आर्जवेनाभिगन्तव्या विनाशाय ह्यनार्जवम्॥
These are powerful in the possession of these powers. He, therefore, who seeks to accomplish his own object should always approach these three with sincerity and openmindedness, Insincerity and deceit cannot yield success.
सा त्वं जातिं श्रुतं वृत्तं भावं प्रकृतिमात्मनः। कृत्यमागमने चैव वक्तुमर्हसि तत्त्वतः॥
You should, therefore, inform me of the order to which you belong by birth, of your learning and conduct and disposition and nature, as also of the object with which you have come here.
भीष्म उवाच इत्येतैरसुखैर्वाक्यैरयुक्तैरसमञ्जसैः। प्रत्यादिष्टा नरेन्द्रेण सुलभा न व्यकम्पत॥
Bhishma said Though chastised by the king in these unpleasant, improper, and ill-applied words, the lady Sulabha was not at all abashed.
उक्तवाक्ये तु नृपतौ सुलभा चारुदर्शना। ततश्चारुतरं वाक्यं प्रचक्रामाथ भाषितुम्॥
After the king had said these words, the beautiful Sulabha then gave vent to the following words in reply which were more handsome than her person.
सुलभोवाच नवभिनवभिश्चैव दोषैर्वाग्बुद्धिदूषणैः। अपेतमुपपन्नार्थमष्टादशगुणान्वितम्॥
O king, speech should always be free from the nine verbal faults and the nine faults of judgement. It should also, while setting forth the meaning with clearness, be possessed of the eighteen well-known merits.
सौक्षम्यं सांख्यक्रमौ चोभौ निर्णयः सप्रयोजनः। पञ्झैतान्यर्थजातानि वाक्यमित्युच्यते नृप।॥
Ambiguity, determination of the faults and merits of premises and conclusions, weighing the respective strength or weakness of those faults and merits, establishment of the conclusion, and the element of persuasiveness or otherwise that belongs to the conclusion thus arrived at,-these five characteristics belonging to the sense-form the authoritativeness of what is said.
एषामेकैकेशोऽर्थानां सौम्यादीनां स्वलक्षणम्। शृणु संसार्यमाणानां पदार्थपदवाक्यतः॥
Listen now to the characteristics of these requirements beginning with ambiguity, one after another, as I explain them according to the combinations.
ज्ञानं ज्ञेयेषु भिन्नेषु यदा भेदेन वर्तते। तत्रातिशायिनी बुद्धिस्तत् सौक्ष्म्यमिति वर्तते॥
When knowledge rests on difference from one another, and when the understanding rests upon many points one after another, the combination of words is said to be sullied by ambiguity.
दोषाणां च गुणानां च प्रमाणं प्रविभागतः। कंचिदर्थमभिप्रेत्य सा संख्येत्युपधार्यताम्॥
By ascertainment called Sankhya, is meant the determination, by elimination, of faults or merits, adopting tentative meanings.
इदं पूर्वमिदं पश्चाद् वक्तव्यं यद् विवक्षितम्। क्रमयोगं तमप्याहुर्वाक्यं वाक्यविदो जनाः॥
Krama, or weighing the relative strength or weakness of the faults or merits, consists in settling the propriety of the priority or subsequence of the words used in sentence. This is the meaning of the word Krama as held by person who can explain sentences or texts.
धर्मकामार्थमोक्षेषु प्रतिज्ञाय विशेषतः। इदं तदिति वाक्यान्ते प्रोच्यते स विनिर्णयः॥
Conclusion is the final determination after this examination of what has been said on the subject of religion, pleasure, profit, and Liberation, in respect of what it particularly is that has been said in the text.
इच्छाद्वेषाभवैर्दुःखैः प्रकर्षो यत्र जायते। तत्र या नृपते वृत्तिस्तत् प्रयोजनमिष्यते॥
The sorrow begotten by wish or hatred multiplies itself greatly. The conduct, O king, that one follows in such a matter is called Prayojanam.
तान्येतानि यथोक्तानि सौक्ष्यादीनि जनाधिप। एकार्थसमवेतानि वाक्यं मम निशामय॥
Take it for granted, O king, at my word, that these marks of Ambiguity and the others, vhen occurring together, make a complete and intelligible sentence.
उपेतार्थमभिन्नार्थं न्यायवृत्तं न चाधिकम्। नाश्लक्ष्णं न च संदिग्धं वक्ष्यामि परमं ततः॥ न गुर्वक्षरसंयुक्तं पराङ्मुखसुखं न च। नानृतं न त्रिवर्गेण विरुद्धं नाप्यसंस्कृतम्॥ न न्यूनं कष्टशब्दं वा विक्रमाभिहितं न च। न शेषमनु कल्पेन निष्कारणमहेतुकम्॥
The words I shall utter will have senses, be free from ambiguity, logical, free from tautology, smooth, certain, free from bombast, agreeable, or sweet truthful, not inconsistent with the three-1 old objects of life, refined not elliptical or imperfect, shorn of harshness or difficulty of comprehension, characterised by due order, not far-fetched in sense, corrected with one another as cause and effect, and each having a specific object.
कामात् क्रोधाद् भयाल्लोभाद् दैन्याच्यानार्यकात् तथा। ह्रीतोऽनुक्रोशतो मानान्न वक्ष्यामि कथंचन॥
I shall not tell you anything, actuated by desire or anger or fear or cupidity or abjectness or deceipt or shame or mercy or pride.
वक्ता श्रोता च वाक्यं च सदा त्वविकलं नृप। सममेति विवक्षायां तदा सोऽर्थः प्रकाशते॥
When the speaker, the hearer, and the words said, perfectly agree with one another in course of a speech, then does the sense or meaning come out very clearly.
वक्तव्ये तु यदा वक्ता श्रोतारमवमन्य वै। स्वार्थमाह परार्थं तत् तदा वाक्यं न रोहति॥
When about what is to be said, the speaker does not care for the understanding of the hearer by uttering words whose meaning is understood by himself, then, however good those words may be, they cannot be comprehended by the hearer.
अथ यः स्वार्थमुत्सृज्य परार्थं प्राह मानवः। विशङ्का जायते तस्मिन् वाक्यं तदपि दोषवत्॥
That speaker, again, who, without caring for his own meaning, uses words that are of excellent sound and sense, creates only erroneous impressions in the mind of the hearer. Such words in such matters are certainly faulty.
यस्तु वक्ता द्वयोरर्थमविरुद्धं प्रभाषते। श्रोतुश्चैवात्मनश्चैव स वक्ता नेतरो नृप॥
That speaker, however, who uses words that are, while expressing his own meaning, intelligible to the hearer as well, is a true speaker. No other man deserves the name.
तदर्थवदिदं वाक्यमुपेतं वाक्यसम्पदा। अविक्षिप्तमना राजन्नेकाग्रः श्रोतुमर्हसि॥
You should, therefore, O king, hear with rapt attention these words of mine, fraught with meaning and endued with wealth of sound.
कासि कस्य कुतश्चेति त्वयाहमभिचोदिता। तत्रोत्तरमिदं वाक्यं राजन्नेकमनाः शृणु॥
You have asked me who I am, whose I am, whence I am coming, etc. Listen now to me, O king, with full mind, as I answer these questions of yours.
यथा जतु च काष्ठं च पांसवश्चोदबिन्दवः। संश्लिष्टानि तथा राजन् प्राणिनामिह सम्भवः॥
As lac and wood, as grains of dust and drops of water, exist mixed up when brought together, so are the existence of all creatures.
शब्दः स्पर्शो रसो रूपं गन्थः पञ्चेन्द्रियाणि च। पृथगात्मान आत्मानं संश्लिष्टा जतुकाष्ठवत्॥
Sound, touch, taste, form, and scent, these, and the senses, though different in their essences, exist yet in a state of unison like lac and wood.
न चैषां चोदना काचिदस्तीत्येष विनिश्चयः। एकैकस्येह विज्ञानं नास्त्यात्मनि तथा परे॥
It is again well known that nobody asks any of these, saying, who are you? Each of them also has no knowledge either of itself or of the others.
न वेद चक्षुश्चक्षुष्टुं श्रोत्रं नात्मनि वर्तते। तथैव व्यभिचारेण न वर्तन्ते परस्परम्॥
The eye cannot see itself. The ear cannot hear itself. The eye, again, cannot satisfy the functions of any of the other senses, or can any of the senses satisfy the functions of any sense except its own.
प्रश्लिष्टं च न जानन्ति यथाऽऽप इव पांसवः। बाह्यानन्यानपेक्षन्ते गुणांस्तानपि मे शृणु॥
If all of them even combine together, even then they can not know their own-selves as dust and water mingled together can not know each other though existing together. In order to perform their respective functions, they await the contact of external objects.
रूपं चक्षुः प्रकाशश्च दर्शने हेतवस्त्रयः। यथैवात्र तथान्येषु ज्ञानज्ञेयेषु हेतवः॥
The eye, form, and light, form the three requisites of the action called Seeing. The same holds good about the action of the other senses and the ideas which is their result.
ज्ञानज्ञेयान्तरे तस्मिन् मनो नामापरो गुणः। विचारयति येनायं निश्चये साध्वसाधुनि॥
Then, again, between the functions of the senses and the ideas which are their result, the mind is an entity quite separate from the senses and is considered to have an action of its own. With its aid one distinguishes what is existent from what is non-existent for arriving at certainty.
द्वादशस्त्वपरस्तत्र बुद्धिर्नाम गुणः स्मृतः। येन संशयपूर्वेषु बोद्धव्येषु व्यवस्यति॥
With the five senses of knowledge and five senses of action, the mind makes a total of eleven. The twelfth is the Understanding. When doubt originates about what is to be known, the Understanding comes forward and sets at rest all doubts,
अथ द्वादशके तस्मिन् सत्त्वं नामापरो गुणः। महासत्त्वोऽल्पसत्त्वो वा जन्तुर्येनानुमीयते॥
After the twelfth, Sattva is another principle numbering the thirteenth. With its aid creatures are distinguished as possess more of it or less of it in their constitutions,
अहं कर्तेति चाप्यन्यो गुणस्तत्र चतुर्दशः। ममायमिति येनायं मन्यते न ममेति च॥
After this, Consciousness (of self is an other principle.) It helps one to apprehend self as distinguished from what is not self.
अथ पञ्चदशो राजन् गुणस्तत्रापरः स्मृतः। पृथक्कलासमूहस्य सामग्र्यं तदिहोच्यते॥ गुणस्त्वेवापरस्तत्र संघात इव षोडशः। प्रकृतिर्व्यक्तिरित्येतौ गुणौ यस्मिन् समाश्रितौ॥
Desire is the fifteenth principle, O king, the whole universe. The sixteenth principle is Avidya or nescience. To it are attached the seventeenth and the eighteenth principles called Nature and Manifestation.
सुखासुखे जरामृत्यू लाभालाभौ प्रियाप्रिये। इति चैकोनविंशोऽयं द्वन्द्वयोग इति स्मृतः॥
Happiness and sorrow, decrepitude and death, gain and loss, the agreeable and the disagreeable,-these form the nineteenth principle and are called pairs of opposites.
ऊर्ध्वं चैकोनविंशत्या कालो नामापरो गुणः। इतीमं विद्धि विंशत्या भूतानां प्रभवाप्ययम्॥
Beyond the nineteenth principle is another, viz., Time, called the twentieth. Know that the births and deaths of all creatures are owing to the action of this twentieth principle.
विशश्वैष संघातो महाभूतानि पञ्च च। सदसद्भावयोगौ तु गुणावन्यौ प्रकाशकौ॥ इत्येवं विंशकश्चैव गुणाः सप्त च ये स्मृताः। विधिः शुक्रं बलं चेति त्रय एते गुणाः परे॥ विंशतिर्दश चैवं हि गुणाः संख्यानतः स्मृताः। समग्रा यत्र वर्तन्ते तच्छरीरमिति स्मृतम्॥
These twenty exist together, Besides these,. the five Great primary elements, and existence and non-existence, bring up the number to twenty-seven. Beyond these, there are three others, named Vidhi, Shukra, and Bala, that make the number thirty. That is which these thirteen principles occur is said to be body.
अव्यक्तं प्रकृतिं त्वासां कलानां कश्चिदिच्छति। व्यक्तं चासां तथा चान्यः स्थूलदर्शी प्रपश्यति॥ अव्यक्तं यदि वा व्यक्तं द्वयीमथ चतुष्टयीम्। प्रकृतिं सर्वभूतानां पश्यन्त्यध्यात्मचिन्तकाः॥
Whether the Unmanifest or the Manifest be their cause, or whether the two be considered as their cause, or, fourthly, whether the four together be the cause, they that are conversant with spiritual science behold Nature as the cause of all creatures.
येयं प्रकृतिरव्यक्ता कलाभिर्व्यक्ततां गता। अहं च त्वं च राजेन्द्र ये चाप्यन्ये शरीरिणः॥
That Nature which is Unmanifest, becomes manifest in the form of these principles. Myself, yourself, O king, and all others that are gifted with body, are the result of that Nature.
बिन्दुन्यासादयोऽवस्थाः शुक्रशोणितसम्भवाः। यासामेव निपातेन कललं नाम जायते॥
Embryonic conditions are due to the mixture of the vital seed and blood. On account of insemination the result which first appears is called by the name of 'Kalala.
कललाद् बुद्बुदोत्पत्तिः पेशी च बुबुदात् स्मृता। पेश्यास्त्वङ्गाभिनिर्वृत्तिर्नखरोमाणि चाङ्गतः॥
From 'Kalala' originates bubble. From 'Budbuda' originates what is called 'Peshi.' From 'Peshi' that stage originates in which the various limbs are seen. From this last stage appear nails and hair.
सम्पूर्णे नवमे मासि जन्तोर्जातस्य मैथिल। जायते नामरूपत्वं स्त्री पुमान् वेति लिङ्गतः॥
When the ninth months is gone, O king of Mithila, the creature takes its birth so that, its sex being known, it is called a boy or girl.
जातमात्रं तु तद्रूपं दृष्ट्वा ताम्रनखाङ्गुलि। कौमारं रूपमापन्नं रूपतो नोपलभ्यते॥
When the creature comes out of the womb, the form it presents is such that its nails and fingers seem to be of the colour of burnished copper. The next stage is called infancy, when the forin that was seen at the time of birth becomes metamorphosed.
कौमाराद् यौवनं चापि स्थावीर्यं चापि यौवनात्। अनेन क्रमयोगेन पूर्वं पूर्वं न लभ्यते॥
From infancy youth is reached, and from youth, old age. As the creature advances from one stage into another, the from shown in the previous stage becomes changed.
कलानां पृथगर्थानां प्रतिभेदः क्षणे क्षणे। वर्तते सर्वभूतेषु सौक्ष्म्यात् तु न विभाव्यते॥
The constituent elements of the body, which serve various functions in the general economy, undergo change every moment in every creature. Those changes, however, are so minute that they cannot be marked.
न चैषामत्ययो राजल्लँक्ष्यते प्रभवो न च। अवस्थायामवस्थायां दीपस्येवार्चिषो गतिः॥
The birth of particles, and their death, in each successive stage, cannot be marked, O king, even as one cannot mark the changes in the flame of a burning lamp.
तस्याप्येवंप्रभावस्य सदश्वस्येव धावतः। अजस्रं सर्वलोकस्य कः कुतो वा न वा कुतः॥ कस्येदं कस्य वा नेदं कुतो वेदं न वा कुतः। सम्बन्धः कोऽस्ति भूतानां स्वैरप्यवयवैरिह॥
When such is the state of the bodies of all creatures,-i.e., when what is called the body is changing continually like the rapid motion of a house of good mettle,-who then has come whence or not whence, or whose is it or whose is it not, or whence does it not arise? What connection does there exist between creatures and their own bodies?
यथाऽऽदित्यान्मणेश्चापि वीरुद्भ्यश्चैव पावकः। जायन्त्येवं समुदयात् कलानामिव जन्तवः॥
As fire is generated from the contact of flint with iron, or from two sticks of wood when rubbed against each other, so are creatures created from combination of the (thirty) principles already named.
आत्मन्येवात्मनाऽऽत्मानं यथा त्वमनुपश्यसि। एवमेवात्मनाऽऽत्मानमन्यस्मिन् किं न पश्यसि॥
Indeed, as you yourself see your own body in your body and as you yourself see your soul in your own soul, why is it that you do not see your own body and your own soul in the bodies and souls of others.
यद्यात्मनि परस्मिश्च समतामध्यवस्यसि। अथ मां कासि कस्येति किमर्थमनुपृच्छसि॥
If it is true that you see an identity with yourself and others, why then did you ask me who I am and whose?
इदं मे स्यादिदं नेति द्वन्द्वैर्मुक्तस्य मैथिल। कासि कस्य कुतो वेति वचनैः किं प्रयोजनम्॥
If it is true that you have, O King, been freed from the knowledge of duality which says-this is mine and this other is not mine, then what use is there with such questions as Who are you, whose are you, and whence do you come?
रिपौ मित्रेऽथ मध्यस्थे विजये संधिविग्रहे। कृतवान् यो महीपालः किं तस्मिन् मुक्तलक्षणम्।।१३०
What marks of Liberation can be said to take place in that king who acts as others act towards enemies and allies and neutrals and in victory and trace and war?
त्रिवर्ग सप्तधा व्यक्तं यो न वेदेह कर्मसु। सङ्गवान् यस्त्रिवर्गेण किं तस्मिन् मुक्तलक्षणम्॥
What inarks of Liberation are in him who do not know the true nature of the three-fold objects of life as shown in seven ways in all acts and who, on that account, is attached to that three-fold objects?
प्रिये वाप्यप्रिये वापि दुर्बले बलवत्यपि। यस्य नास्ति समं चक्षुः किं तस्मिन् मुक्तलक्षणम्॥१३२
What marks of Liberation exist in him who cannot look impartially on the agreeable, on the weak, and the strong? Unworthy as you are of it, your pretence to Liberation should be suppressed by your counsellors.
तदयुक्तस्य ते मोक्षे योऽभिमानो भवेन्नृप। सुहृद्धिः संनिवार्यस्तेऽविरक्तस्येव भेषजम्॥
This your attempt to acquire Liberation is like the use of medicine by a patient who indulges in all sorts of forbidden food and practices.
तानि तानि तु संचिन्त्य सङ्गस्थानान्यरिंदम। आत्मनाऽऽत्मनि सम्पश्येत् किमन्यन्मुक्तलक्षणम्॥
O chastiser of enemies, thinking of wives and other sources of attachment, one should see these in his own soul. What else can be considered as the indication of Liberation.
इमान्यन्यानि सूक्ष्माणि मोक्षमाश्रित्य कानिचित्। चतुरङ्गप्रवृत्तानि सङ्गस्थानानि मे शृणु॥
Listen now to me as I speak fully of these and certain other minute sources of attachment belonging to the four-well-known acts to which you are still fettered though you profess yourself to have adopted the religion of Liberation.
य इमां पृथिवीं कृत्स्नामेकच्छत्रां प्रशास्ति ह। एक एव स वै राजा पुरमध्यावसत्युत॥
That man who has to rule the entire world must, indeed, be a single king without a second. He is obliged to live in only a single palace.
तत्पुरे चैकमेवास्य गृहं यदधितिष्ठति। गृहे शयनमप्येकं निशायां यत्र लीयते॥
In that palace he has again only one sleeping 'room. In that room he has, again, only one bed on which at night he is to lie down.
शय्यार्धं तस्य चाप्यत्र स्त्रीपूर्वमधितिष्ठति। तदनेन प्रसङ्गेन फलेनैवेह युज्यते॥
Half that bed again he is obliged to give to his Queen. This may serve as an example of how little the king's share is of all he is said to possess.
एवमेवोपभोगेषु भोजनाच्छादनेषु च। गुणेषु परिमेयेषु निग्रहानुग्रहं प्रति॥
This is the case with his objects of enjoyment, with the food he eats, and with the dresses he puts on. He is thus attached to a very limited share of all things. He is, again, attached to the duties of rewarding and punishing.
परतन्त्रः सदा राजा स्वल्पेष्वपि प्रसज्जते। संधिविग्रहयोगे च कुतो राज्ञः स्वतन्त्रता॥
The king always depends on others. He enjoys a very small share of all he is supposed to possess, and to that small share he is compelled to be attached. In the matter also of peace and war, the king is not independent?
स्त्रीषु क्रीडाविहारेषु नित्यमस्यास्वतन्त्रता। मन्त्रे चामात्यसमितौ कुतस्तस्य स्वतन्त्रता॥
In the matter of women, of sports and other sports of enjoyment, the king's inclinations are greatly limited. In the matter of taking advice and in the assembly of his councellors what independence can the king be said to have.
यदा ह्याज्ञापयत्यन्यांस्तत्रास्योक्ता स्वतन्त्रता। अवशः कार्य ते तत्र तस्मिंस्तस्मिन् क्षणे स्थितः।।१४२
When, indeed, he passes orders on other men, he is said to be perfectly independent. But the moment after, in the several matters of his orders, his independence is limited by the very men whom he has ordered.
स्वप्नकामो न लभते स्वप्तुं कार्यार्थिभिर्जनैः। शयने चाप्यनुज्ञातः सुप्त उत्थाप्यतेऽवशः॥
If the king wishes to sleep, he cannot satisfy his desire, resisted by those who have something to do with him. He must sleep when allowed, and while sleeping he is compelled to wake up for attending to those who have urgent business with him.
स्नाह्यालभ पिब प्राश जुहुध्यग्नीन् यजेत्यपि। ब्रवीहि शृणु चापीति विवश: कार्यते परैः॥
Bathe, touch, drink, eat, pour libations on the fire, celebrate sacrifices, speak, hear,these are the words which kings have to hear from others and hearing them have to serve those that utter them.
अभिगम्याभिगम्यैवं याचन्ते सततं नराः। न चाप्युत्सहते दातुं वित्तरक्षी महाजनान्॥
Men come in numbers to the king and pray to him for gifts. Being, however, the protector of the general treasury, he cannot make gifts even to the most worthy.
दाने कोषक्षयोऽप्यस्य वैरं चास्याप्रयच्छतः। क्षणेनास्योपवर्तन्ते दोषा वैराग्यकारकाः॥
If he makes gifts, the treasury becomes exhausted. If he does not, disappointed solicitors regard him inimically. He becomes vexed and as the outcome of this, misanthropy possesses his mind.
प्राज्ञाशूरांस्तथैवाढ्यानेकस्थानपि शङ्कते। भयमप्यभये राज्ञो यैश्च नित्यमुपास्यते॥
If many wise and heroic and rich men live together, the king's mind begins to be filled with distrust. Even when there is no cause of fear, the king fears those who always wait upon and adore him.
तथा चैते प्रदुष्यन्ति राजन् ये कीर्तिता मया। तथैवास्य भयं तेभ्यां जायते पश्य यादृशम्॥
Those I have mentioned, O king, also find fault with him. See, how the king's fears may originate from even them.
सर्वः स्वे स्वे गृहे राजा सर्वः स्वे स्वे गृहे गृही। निग्रहानुग्रहान् कुर्वंस्तुल्यो जनक राजभिः॥
Then again all men are kings in their own houses. All men, again, in their own houses are householders. Like kings, O Janaka, all men in their own houses punish and reward.
पुत्रा दारास्तथैवात्मा कोशो मित्राणि संचयाः। परैः साधारणा ह्येते तैस्तैरेवास्य हेतुभिः॥१५०॥
Like kings others also have sons and wives and their own selves and treasuries and friends and stores. In these respects the king does not differ from other men.
हतो देशः पुरं दग्धं प्रधानः कुञ्जरो मृतः। लोकसाधारणेष्वेषु मिथ्याज्ञानेन तप्यते॥
The country is ruined, the city is burnt by fire,-the foremost of elephants is dead, at all this the king grieves like others, little thinking that these impressions are all owing to ignorance and mistake.
अमुक्तो मानसैर्दुःखैरिच्छाद्वेषभयोद्भवैः। शिरोरोगादिभी रोगैस्तथैवाभिनियन्तृभिः॥
The king is seldom freed from mental sorrows caused by desire and aversion and fear. He is generally afflicted also by headaches and various other diseases.
द्वन्द्वैस्तैस्तैस्त्वपहतः सर्वतः परिशङ्कितः। बहुप्रत्यर्थिकं राज्यमुपास्ते गणयन्निशाः॥
The king is afflicted by all pairs of opposites. He is alarmed at everything. Indeed, beset with enemies and obstacles as kingdom is, the king, while he enjoys it, passes sleepless nights.
तदल्पसुखमत्यर्थं बहुदुःखमसारवत्। तृणाग्निज्वलनप्रख्यं फेनबुबुदसंनिभम्॥
Sovereignty, therefore, is blessed with a small share of happiness. The misery with which it is full is very great. It is as unreal as burning flames fed by straw or the bubbles of froth seen on the surface of water.
को राज्यमभिपद्येत प्राप्य चोपशमं लभेत्। ममेदमिति यच्चेदं पुरं राष्ट्रं च मन्यसे।१५५॥
Who is there that would like to obtain sovereignty, or having acquired sovereignty can hope to acquire tranquillity? You know this kingdom and this palace as yours.
बलं कोशममात्यांश्च कस्यैतानि न वा नृप। मित्रामात्यपुरं राष्ट्रं दण्डः कोशो महीपतिः॥ सप्ताङ्गस्यास्य राज्यस्य त्रिदण्ड्यस्येव तिष्ठतः। अन्योन्यगुणयुक्तस्य कः केन गुणतोऽधिकः॥
You think also this army, this treasury, and these counsellors as yours. Whose, however, in sooth are they, and whose are they not? Allies, ministers, capital, provinces, punishment, treasury, and the king,—these seven which form the limbs of a kingdom exist, depending upon one another, like three sticks standing with one another's help. The merits of each are shown by the merits of the others. Which of them can be said to be superior to the rest?
तेषु तेषु हि कालेषु तत्तदङ्गं विशिष्यते। येन यत् सिध्यते कार्यं तत् प्राधान्याय कल्पते॥
Some particular ones are regarded as superior to the rest when some important purpose is served through their agency. Superiority, for the time being, is said to belong to that one whose efficacy is thus seen.
सप्ताङ्गश्चैव संघातस्त्रयश्चान्ये नृपोत्तम। सम्भूय दशवर्गोऽयं भुङ्क्ते राज्यं हि राजवत्॥
The seven limbs already mentioned, O best of kings, and the three others, forming ten, supporting one another, are said to enjoy the kingdom like the king himself.
यश्च राजा महोत्साहः क्षत्रधर्मे रतो भवेत्। स तुष्येद् दशभागेन ततस्त्वन्यो दशावरैः॥
That king who is gifted with great energy and who is firmly attached to Kshatriya duties, should be satisfied with only a tenth part of the produce of the subject's field.Other kings are seen to be satisfied with less than a tenth part of such produce.
नास्त्यसाधारणो राजा नास्ति राज्यमराजकम्। राज्येऽसति कुतो धर्मो धर्मेऽसति कुतः परम्॥
There is no one who possessed the kingly office without some one else possessing it in the world, and there is no kingdom without a king. If there be no kingdom, there can be no virtue and if there be no virtue, whence can Liberation arise.
योऽप्यत्र परमो धर्मः पवित्रं राजराज्ययोः। पृथिवी दक्षिणा यस्य सोऽश्वमेधेन युज्यते॥
Merit of the most sacred and the highest order is associated with kings and kingdoms. By ruling a kingdom well, a king acquires the merit of a Horse-sacrifice with the whole Earth given away as sacrificial gift.
साहमेतानि कर्माणि राजदुःखानि मैथिल। समर्था शतशो वक्तुमथवापि सहस्रशः॥
O king of Mithila, I can mention hundreds and thousands of faults like these that belong to kings and kingdoms.
स्वदेहेनाभिषङ्गो मे कुतः परपरिग्रहे। न मामेवंविधां युक्तामीदृशं वक्तुमर्हसि॥
Then, again, when I have no real connection with even my body, how then can I be said to have any connection with the bodies of others? You cannot charge me with having tried to engender an inter-mixture of castes.
ननु नाम त्वया मोक्षः कृत्स्नः पञ्चशिखाच्छ्रुतः। सोपाय: सोपनिषदः सोपासङ्गः सनिश्चयः॥
Have you heard the religion of Liberation in all its bearings from the lips of Panchashikha, together with its means, it methods, its practises, and its conclusion?
तस्य ते मुक्तसङ्गस्य पाशानाक्रम्य तिष्ठतः। छत्रादिषु विशेषेषु पुनः सङ्गः कथं नृप॥
If you have prevailed over all your bonds and freed yourself from all attachments, may I ask you, O king, why you preserve your connections still with this umbrella and those other appendages of royalty.
श्रुतं ते न श्रुत मन्ये मृषा वापि श्रुतं श्रुतम्। अथवा श्रुतसंकाशं श्रुतमन्यच्छ्रुतं त्वया॥
I think that you have not listened to the scriptures, or, you have listened to them without any advantage, or, perhaps, you have listened to some other books loO king like the scriptures.
अथापीमासु संज्ञासु लौकिकीषु प्रतिष्ठसे। अभिषङ्गावरोधाभ्यां बद्धस्त्वं प्राकृतो यथा॥
It appears that you are endued with only worldly knowledge, and that like an ordinary man of the world, you are bound by the fetters of touch and wives and mansions and the like.
सत्त्वेनानुप्रवेशो हि योऽयं त्वयि कृतो मया। किं तवापकृतं यत्र यदि मुक्तोऽसि सर्वशः॥
If be true that you have been freed from all fetters, what harm then have I done you by entering your body with only my Intellect?
नियमो ह्येषु वर्णेषु यतीनां शून्यवासिता। शून्यमावेशयन्त्या च मया किं कस्य दूषितम्॥
The practice with Yatis is to live in uninhabited or deserted adodes. What harm them have I done to whom by entering your understanding which is indeed shorn of true knowledge?
न पाणिभ्यां न बाहुभ्यां पादोरुभ्यां च चानघ। न गात्रावयवैरन्यैः स्पृशामि त्वां नराधिप॥
I have not touched you, O king, with my hands, or arms, or feet, or thighs, O sinless One, or with any other part of the body.
कुले महति जातेन ह्रीमता दीर्घदर्शिना। नैतत्सदसि वक्तव्यं सद्वासद्वा मिथः कृतम्॥
You are born in a great family. You have modesty. You have foresight. Whether the act has been good or bad, my entrance into your person has been a private one, concerning us two only. Was it not unfair for you to proclaim that private act before all your ministers.
ब्राह्मणा गुरवश्चेमे तथा मान्या गुरूत्तमाः। त्वं चाथ गुरुरप्येषामेवमन्योन्यगौरवम्॥
All these Brahmanas deserve respect. They are foremost of preceptors. You also are worthy of their respect, being their king. Doing them respect, you are entitled to receive reverence from them.
तदेवमनुसंदृश्य वाच्यावाच्यं परीक्षता। स्त्रीपुंसोः समवायोऽयं त्वया वाच्यो न संसदि॥
Thinking on all this, it was not proper for you to proclaim before these foremost of men the fact of this union between two persons of opposite sexes, if indeed, you are really acquainted with the rules of propriety about speech.
यथा पुष्करपर्णस्थं जलं तत्पर्णमस्पृशत्। तिष्ठत्यस्पृशती तद्वत् त्वयि वत्स्यामि मैथिल॥
O king of Mithila, I am living in you without touching you at all even like a drop of water on a lotus leaf that rests on it without drenching it in the least.
यदि वाप्यस्पृशन्त्या मे स्पर्श जानासि कञ्चन। ज्ञानं कृतमबीजं ते कथं तेनेह भिक्षुणा॥
If, despite this, you still feel my touch, how can it be believed that through the instructions of the mendicant Panchashika, your knowledge has become disassociated from the sensual objects.
स गार्हस्थ्याच्च्युतश्च त्वं मोक्षं चानाप्य दुर्विदम्। उभयोरन्तराले वै वर्तसे मोक्षवार्तिकः॥
You have, it is evident, deviated from the domestic mode of life, but you have not yet acquired Liberation that is so difficult to acquire. You live between the two, pretending that you have reach the goal of Liberation.
न हि मुक्तस्य मुक्तेन ज्ञस्यैकत्वपृथक्त्वयोः। भावाभावसमायोगे जायते वर्णसंकरः॥
The contact of one that is liberated with another that has been so, or of Soul with Nature, cannot lead to an intermingling which you fear.
वर्णाश्रमाः पृथक्त्वेन दृष्टार्थस्यापृथक्त्विनः। नान्यदन्यदिति ज्ञात्वा नान्यदन्यत्र वर्तते॥
Only those who consider the Soul to be at one with the body, and who think the several orders and modes of life to be really different from one another, commit the inistake of supposing an intermingling to be possible. My body is different from yours. But my soul is not different from your soul. When I am able to realise this, I have not the least doubt that my understanding is really not living in yours, though I have entered into you by Yoga.
पाणौ कुण्डं तथा कुण्डे पयः पयसि मक्षिका। आश्रिताश्रययोगेन पृथक्त्वेनाश्रिताः पुनः॥
A pot is carried in the hand. In the pot there is milk. On the milk is a fly. Though the hand and pot, the pot and milk, and the milk and the fly, cxist together, yet they are all different from each other.
न तु कुण्डे पयोभावः पयश्चापि न मक्षिका। स्वयमेवाप्नुवन्त्येते भावा ननु पराश्रयम्॥
The pot does not assume the nature of the milk. Nor does the milk partake the nature of the fly. The condition of each is in dependent of itself, and can never be changed by the condition of that other with which it may for the time being exist.
पृथक्त्वादाश्रमाणां च वर्णान्यत्वे तथैव च। परस्परपृथक्त्वाच्च कथं ते वर्णसंकरः॥
Simnilarly, colour and practices, though they may exist together with and in a person that is liberated, do not really belong to him. How then can an intermingly of orders be possible on account of this union of myself with you.
नास्मि वर्णोत्तमा जात्या न वैश्या नावरा तथा। तव राजन् सवर्णास्मि शुद्धयोनिरविप्लुता॥
Then, again, I am not superior to you in colour. Nor am I a Vaishya, nor a Shudra, I am, O king, of the same caste with you, born of a pure family.
प्रधानो नाम राजर्षिर्व्यक्तं ते श्रोत्रमागतः। कुले तस्य समुत्पन्नां सुलभा नाम विद्धि माम्॥
There was a royal sage named Pradhana. It is clear that you have heard of him. I am born in his family, and my name is Sulabha.
द्रोणश्च शत्शृङ्गश्च चक्रद्वारश्च पर्वतः। मम सत्रेषु पूर्वेषां चिता मघवता सह॥
In the sacrifices performed by my ancestors, the foremost of the gods, viz., Indra, used come, accompanied by Drona, Shatashringa, and Chakradvara.
साहं तस्मिन् कुले जाता भर्तर्यसति मविधे। विनीता मोक्षधर्मेषु चराम्येका मुनिव्रतम्।।१८६।
Born in such a family, it was found that no fitting husband could be found for me. Instructed then in the religion of Liberation, I wander over the Earth alone, practising asceticism. to
नास्मि सत्रप्रतिच्छन्ना न परस्वापहारिणी। न धर्मसंकरकरी स्वधर्मेऽसि धृतव्रता॥
I am not a hypocrite with regard to the life of Renunciation I follow; I am not a thief that appropriates others properties. I am not a confuser of the practices of the different castes. I am firm in the practices of the mode of life I follow.
नास्थिरा स्वप्रतिज्ञायां नासमीक्ष्य प्रवादिनी। नासमीक्ष्यागता चेह त्वत्सकाशं जनाधिप॥
I am firm and steady in my vows. I never utter any word without thinking of its fitness. I did not come to you, without having thought properly, O king!
मोक्षे ते भावितां बुद्धिं श्रुत्वाहं कुशलैषिणी। तव मोक्षस्य चाप्यस्य जिज्ञासार्थमिहागता॥
Having heard that your understanding has been purified by the religion of Liberation, I came here from desire of some good. Indeed, it was for enquiring of you about Liberation that I had come.
न वर्गस्था ब्रवीम्येतत् स्वपक्षपरपक्षयोः। मुक्तो व्यायच्छते यश्च शान्तौ यश्च न शाम्यति॥
I do not say so for glorifying myself and humiliating my opponents. But I say it, out of sincerity only. What I say is that he who is liberated never vaunts that intellectual superiority which one shows by logical discussions for the sake of victory. He, on the other hand, is really liberated who devotes himself to Brahima, that sole seat of peace.
यथा शून्ये पुरागारे भिक्षुरेकां निशां वसेत्। तथाहं त्वच्छरीरेऽस्मिन्निमां वत्स्यामि शर्वरीम्॥
As a person of the mendicant order lives for only one night in an emphy house, similarly, I shall live for this one night in your body.
साहं मानप्रदानेन वागातिथ्येन चार्चिता। सुप्ता सुशरणं प्रीता श्वो गमिष्यामि मैथिल॥
You have honoured me with both words and other offers that are due from a host to a guest. Having slept this one night in your body, O king of Mithila, which is as it were my own chamber now, tomorrow I shall go.
भीष्म उवाच इत्येतानि स वाक्यानि हेतुमन्त्यर्थवन्ति च। श्रुत्वा नाधिजगौ राजा किञ्चिउदन्यदतः परम्॥
Bhishma said Hearing these words fraught with excellent sense and with reason, king Janaka could not replay thereto.
भीष्म उवाच इत्येतानि स वाक्यानि हेतुमन्त्यर्थवन्ति च। श्रुत्वा नाधिजगौ राजा किञ्चिउदन्यदतः परम्॥
Bhishma said Hearing these words fraught with excellent sense and with reason, king Janaka could not replay thereto.