युधिष्ठिर उवाच धनिनश्चाधना ये च वर्तयन्ते स्वतन्त्रणः। सुखदुःखागमस्तेषां कः कथं वा पितामह॥
Yudhishthira said Tell me, O grandfather, whence and how happiness and misery approach the rich, and the poor, but who follow different practices and rites.
भीष्म उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। शम्पाकेनेह मुक्तेन गीतं शान्तिगतेन च॥
Bhishma said Regarding it is cited the old history of what was sung by Champaka who had acquired tranquility and liberation for himself.
अब्रवीन्मां पुरा कश्चिद् ब्राह्मणस्त्यागमाश्रितः। क्लिश्यमानः कुदारेण कुचैलेन बुभुक्षया।॥
In days of yore a certain Brahmana made iniserable by a bad wife, bad dress, and hunger, and practising the vow of renunciation, sang me these verses.
उत्पन्नमिह लोके वै जन्मप्रभृति मानवम्। विविधामन्युपवर्तन्ते दुःखानि च सुखानि च।॥
Various sorts of sorrow and happiness overtake, from the day of birth, the person who is born on the Earth.
तयोरेकतरे मार्गे यदेनमभिसन्नयेत्। न सुखं प्राप्य संहष्येन्नासुखं प्राप्य संज्वरेत्॥
If he could ascribe either of them to the work of Destiny, he would then be indifferent w either happiness or misery as they fall to his share,
न वै चरसि यच्छ्रेय आत्मनो वा यदीशिषे। अकामात्मापि हि सदा धुरमुद्यम्य चैव ह॥
Though your mind is freed of desire, yet you bear a heavy burden. You do not strive to accomplish your own good. Are you not successful in subduing your mind?
अकिंचनः परिपतन् सुखमास्वादयिष्यसि। अकिंचनः सुखं शेते समुत्तिष्ठति चैव ह॥
Having renounced home and coveted wealth, if you go about, you shall then know what is real happiness. One who is shorn of everything, sleeps soundly and rises happily.
आकिंचन्यं सुखं लोके पथ्यं शिवमनामयम्। अनमित्रपथो ह्येष दुर्लभः सुलभो मतः॥
Abject poverty, in this world, is the road to happiness. It is the safest way, it leads to the source of all blessings, and the path is not beset with any peril. Persons cherishing desire, cannot reach this goal (but those who have ridden over their desire, can easily do so.
अकिंचनस्य शुद्धस्य उपपन्नस्य सर्वतः। अवेक्षमाणस्त्रील्लोकान् न तुल्यमिह लक्षये॥
Stretching my eyes on every part of the three worlds, I do not find the person who can be equal to a poor man of unblemished character and who is indifferent to worldly things.
आकिंचन्यं च राज्यं च तुलया समतोलयम्। अत्यरिच्यत दारियं राज्यादपि गुणाधिकम्॥
I weighed poverty and sovereignty in the balance, and found sovereignty wanting, and poverty to all appearances possessed greater merits then sovereignty.
आकिंचन्ये च राज्ये च विशेषः सुमहानयम्। नित्योद्विग्नो हि धनवान् मृत्योरास्यगतो यथा॥
Between poverty and sovereignty there is this great difference, viz., that the sovereign of vast possessions is always troubled with painful anxiety and seems to be an easy prey of death.
नैवस्याग्निर्न चारिष्टो न मृत्युनं च दस्यवः। प्रभवन्ति धनत्यागाद् विमुक्तस्य निराशिषः॥
Regarding, however, the poor man who has no wealth to call his own, nor any hopes to entertain, and as such has emancipated himself, neither fire, nor foe, nor death, nor thieves, can override him.
तं वै सदा कामचरमनुपस्तीर्णशायिनम्। बाहूपधानं शाम्यन्तं प्रशंसन्ति दिवौकसः॥
The very gods praise such a man who wnders about according to his will who lies down on the naked Earth with his arm for a pillow, and who possesses a tranquil soul.
धनवान् क्रोधलोभाभ्यामाविष्टो नष्टचेतनः। तिर्यगीक्षः शुष्कमुखः पापको भृकुटीमुखः॥
The man of wealth, affected by anger and lust, stains himself with his sinful heart. He casts sidelong glances and makes dry specches. He becomes sinful and his countenance loses its luster with his wry face.
निर्दशनधरोष्ठं च क्रुद्धो दारुणभाषिता। कस्तमिच्छेत् परिद्रष्टुं दातुमिच्छति चेन्महीम्॥
Biting his lips, and worked up with passion, he gives vent to harsh and cruel words. If such a man desires to make even a gift of the whole world, who is there that would like to look at him even.
श्रिया ह्यभीक्ष्णं संवासो मोहयत्यविचक्षणम्। सा तस्य चित्तं हरति शारदाभ्रमिवानिलः॥ अथैनं रूपमानश्च धनमानश्च विन्दति।
Continuous Prosperity stupefies a person of weak intellect. Like the wind driving off the autumnal clouds, it drives off his judgement. Association with Prosperity induces him to think,-~-I am beautiful. I am wealthy.
अभिजातोऽस्मि सिद्धोऽस्मि नास्मि केवलमानुषः॥ इत्येभिः कारणैस्तस्य त्रिभिश्चित्तं प्रमाद्यति।
I am high-born! I am successful in my undertakings! I am no ordinary individual!...For these three reasons, his heart becomes intoxicated.
सम्प्रसक्तमना भोगान् विसृज्य पितृसंचितान्। परिक्षीणः परस्वानामादानं साधु मन्यते॥
He makes a waste of the possessions left by his ancestors by following the bent of his heart cager for worldly enjoyments. And then when reduced to want he does not regard the appropriation of other's wealth as sinful.
तमतिक्रान्तमर्यादमाददानं ततस्ततः। प्रतिषेधन्ति राजानो लुब्धा मृगामिवेषुभिः॥
At this stage when he outstrips all barriers and becomes reckless of conduct as regards his appropriation of other's possessions from every side the rulers of men checks and afflict him like sportsmen afflicting a deer with their sharp arrows which they espied in the woods.
एवमेतानि दुःखानि तानि तानीह मानवम्। विविधान्युपपद्यन्ते गात्रसंस्पर्शजान्यपि॥
Such a man is then overwhelmed with many other afflictions of a like nature that originate in fire and weapons.
तेषां परमदुः :खानां बुद्ध्या भैषज्यमाचरेत्। लोकधर्ममवज्ञाय ध्रुणावामध्रुवैः सह॥
Therefore, becoming indifferent to all worldly attachments i.e., for children and wives) together with all fleeting phantons (as the physical body, etc.,) one should , helped by his intelligence, treat himself with proper medicine for the cure of those painful afflictions.
नात्यक्त्वा सुखमाप्नोति नात्यक्त्वा विन्दते परम्। नात्यक्त्वा चाभयः शेते त्यक्त्वा सर्वं सुखी भव॥
Without Renunciation one can never be happiness. Without Renunciation one never be successful in gaining what is his highest good. Without Renunciation one can never be at his ease even in sleep. Therefore, renouncing every thing, makc happiness your can Own.
इत्येद्धास्तिनपुरे ब्राह्मणेनोपवर्णितम्। शम्पाकेन पुरा मह्यं तस्मात् त्यागः परो मतः॥
A Brahmana, told me all this, at Hastinapur, in times gone by, about what Champaka had sung. I hold Renunciation, therefore, as the foremost of things.