MOKSHADHARMA PARVA: Chapter 197

The end of the recitors

युधिष्ठिर उवाच गतीनामुत्तमा प्राप्तिः कथितां जापकेष्विह। एकैवैषा गतिस्तेषामुत यान्त्यपरामपि।॥
Yudhishthira said You have described the very high end to which the Reciters attain. I beg to enquire whether this is their only end or there any other to which they attain.

भीष्म उवाच शृणुष्वावहितो राजन् जापकानां गतिं विभो। यथा गच्छन्ति निरयाननेकान् पुरुषर्षभ॥
Bhishma said-Listen with rapt attention, O powerful king, to the end that silent Reciters attain, and to the various kinds of hell into which they sink, O foremost of men.

यथोक्तपूर्वं पूर्वं यो नानुतिष्ठति जापकः। एकदेशक्रियश्चात्र निरयं स च गच्छति॥
That Reciter who does not. at first act according to the rules which have been laid down, and who cannot complete the ritual or course of discipline laid down, has to go to hell.

अवमानेन कुरुते न प्रीयति न हृष्यति। ईदृशो जापको याति निरयं नात्र संशयः॥
That Reciter who work without faith, who is not contented with his work, and who takes no pleasure in it, forsooth, goes to hell.

अहङ्कारकृतश्चैव सर्वे निरयगामिनः। परावमानी पुरुषो भविता निरयोपगः॥
They who follow the ritual with pride in their hearts, all go to hell. That Reciter who insults and disregards others has to go to hell.

अभिध्यापूर्वकं जप्यं कुरुते यश्च मोहितः। यत्राभिध्यां स कुरुते तं वै निरयमृच्छति॥
That man who makes silent recitation under the influence of stupefaction and from desire of fruit, acquires all those things which he seeks at heart.

अथैश्वर्यप्रवृत्तेषु जापकस्तत्र रज्यते। स एव निरयस्तस्य नासौ तस्मात् प्रमुच्यते॥
That Reciter who seeks at heart the supreme power of Yoga, has to go to hell and never becomes freed from it.

रागेण जापको जष्यं कुरुते तत्र मोहितः। यत्रास्य रागः पतति तत्र तत्रोपपद्यते॥
That Reciter who makes recitation under the influence of attachments, obtain those objects which he seeks for.

दुर्बुद्धिरकृतप्रज्ञश्चले मनसि तिष्ठति। चलामेव गतिं याति निरयं वा नियच्छति॥
That Reciter of wicked understanding and uncleaned soul who engages in work with an unstable mind, obtains an unstable end or goes into hell.

अकृतप्रज्ञको बालो मोहं गच्छति जापकः। स मोहान्निरयं याति तत्र गत्वानुशोचति॥
The Reciter who is not gifted with wisdom and who is foolish, becomes stupefied or deluded; and for such delusion has to go to hell where he is obliged to grieve.

दृढग्राही करोमीति जाप्यं जति जापकः। न सम्पूर्णो न संयुक्तो निरयं सोऽनुगच्छति॥
If a person even of fixed heart, determining in to complete the discipline, makes, recitation, but fails to come to the end, for his having freed himself from attachments by a violent stretch without genuine conviction of their worthlessness of harmful character, he also has to go to hell.

युधिष्ठिर उवाच अनिवृत्तं परं यत्तदव्यक्तं ब्रह्मणि स्थितम्। तद्भूतो जापकः कस्मात् स शरीरमिहाविशेत्॥
Yudhishthira said When the Reciter attains to the essence of that which exists in its own nature, which is Supreme, which is beyond description and comprehension, and which dwells in the syllable. OM forming the subject of both recitation and meditation, why is it that they have a gain to take birth in embodied forms?

भीष्म उवाच दुष्प्रज्ञानेन निरया बहवः समुदाहृताः। प्रशस्तं जापकत्वं च दोषाश्चैते तदात्मकाः॥
Reciters, for want of true knowledge and wisdom, go to various descriptions of hell. The discipline followed by Reciters is surely very superior. These, however, that I have spoken o! are their weak points.