Crossing the Hard Places

Verse 1 (12.110.1)

क्लिश्यमानेषु भूतेषु तैस्तैर्भावैः पृथक्पृथक् । दुर्गाण्यतितरेद्येन तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥

kliśyamāneṣu bhūteṣu taistairbhāvaiḥ pṛthakpṛthak | durgāṇyatitaredyena tanme brūhi pitāmaha

When beings are being tormented, each in its own way, by one condition and another, tell me, grandsire, by what means a person may cross over the hard places.

Verse 2 (12.110.2)

आश्रमेषु यथोक्तेषु यथोक्तं ये द्विजातयः । वर्तन्ते संयतात्मानो दुर्गाण्यतितरन्ति ते ॥

āśrameṣu yathokteṣu yathoktaṃ ye dvijātayaḥ | vartante saṃyatātmāno durgāṇyatitaranti te

Twice-born men who, with self-controlled hearts, live in the stages of life according to what has been laid down for each, cross over the hard places.

Verse 3 (12.110.3)

ये दम्भान्नाचरन्ति स्म येषां वृत्तिश्च संयता । विषयांश्च निगृह्णन्ति दुर्गाण्यतितरन्ति ते ॥

ye dambhānnācaranti sma yeṣāṃ vṛttiśca saṃyatā | viṣayāṃśca nigṛhṇanti durgāṇyatitaranti te

Those who practise no hypocrisy, whose livelihood is kept within bounds, and who hold the objects of the senses in check cross over the hard places.

Verse 4 (12.110.4)

प्रत्याहुर्नोच्यमाना ये न हिंसन्ति च हिंसिताः । प्रयच्छन्ति न याचन्ते दुर्गाण्यतितरन्ति ते ॥

pratyāhurnocyamānā ye na hiṃsanti ca hiṃsitāḥ | prayacchanti na yācante durgāṇyatitaranti te

Those who do not answer back when abused, who do not strike when struck, who give and do not ask cross over the hard places.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE has these lines only as the star passage 12.111.003d*0258_01-02 (apparatus), pratyāhur nocyamānā ye na hiṃsanti ca hiṃsitāḥ / prayacchanti na yācante durgāṇy atitaranti te, after 12.111.3, with the same wording.

Verse 5 (12.110.5)

वासयन्त्यतिथीन्नित्यं नित्यं ये चानसूयकाः । नित्यं स्वाध्यायशीलाश्च दुर्गाण्यतितरन्ति ते ॥

vāsayantyatithīnnityaṃ nityaṃ ye cānasūyakāḥ | nityaṃ svādhyāyaśīlāśca durgāṇyatitaranti te

Those who always give lodging to guests, who are always free of envy, and who are ever given to the study of the Veda cross over the hard places.

Verse 6 (12.110.6)

मातापित्रोश्च ये वृत्तिं वर्तन्ते धर्मकोविदाः । वर्जयन्ति दिवास्वप्नं दुर्गाण्यतितरन्ति ते ॥

mātāpitrośca ye vṛttiṃ vartante dharmakovidāḥ | varjayanti divāsvapnaṃ durgāṇyatitaranti te

Those who, knowing dharma, live in service to their mother and father, and who give up sleeping by day cross over the hard places.

Verse 7 (12.110.7)

ये वा पापं न कुर्वन्ति कर्मणा मनसा गिरा । निक्षिप्तदण्डा भूतेषु दुर्गाण्यतितरन्ति ते ॥

ye vā pāpaṃ na kurvanti karmaṇā manasā girā | nikṣiptadaṇḍā bhūteṣu durgāṇyatitaranti te

Those who do no wrong in deed, thought or word, having laid down the rod against all beings, cross over the hard places.

Verse 8 (12.110.8)

ये न लोभान्नयन्त्यर्थान्राजानो रजसाऽन्विताः । विषयान्परिरक्षन्ति दुर्गाण्यतितरन्ति ते ॥

ye na lobhānnayantyarthānrājāno rajasā'nvitāḥ | viṣayānparirakṣanti durgāṇyatitaranti te

Kings who, though stirred by passion, do not out of greed seize what is not theirs, and who guard their realms, cross over the hard places.

Verse 9 (12.110.9)

स्वेषु दारेषु वर्तन्ते न्यायलब्धेष्वृतावृतौ । अग्निहोत्रपराः सन्तो दुर्गाण्यतितरन्ति ते ॥

sveṣu dāreṣu vartante nyāyalabdheṣvṛtāvṛtau | agnihotraparāḥ santo durgāṇyatitaranti te

Good men who keep to their own wives, lawfully won, and approach them at the proper season each month, and who are devoted to the fire-offering, cross over the hard places.

Verse 10 (12.110.10)

आहवेषु च ये शूरास्त्यक्त्वा मृत्युकृतं भयम् । धर्मेण जयमिच्छन्ति दुर्गाण्यतितरन्ति ते ॥

āhaveṣu ca ye śūrāstyaktvā mṛtyukṛtaṃ bhayam | dharmeṇa jayamicchanti durgāṇyatitaranti te

Heroes in battle who cast off the fear of death and seek victory by righteous means cross over the hard places.

Verse 11 (12.110.11)

ये वदन्तीह सत्यानि प्राणत्यागेऽप्युपस्थिते । प्रमाणभूता भूतानां दुर्गाण्यतितरन्ति ते ॥

ye vadantīha satyāni prāṇatyāge'pyupasthite | pramāṇabhūtā bhūtānāṃ durgāṇyatitaranti te

Those who speak the truth here even when the loss of life is at hand, and who are a standard of trust for all beings, cross over the hard places.

Verse 12 (12.110.12)

कर्माण्यकुत्सनार्थानि येषां वाचश्च सूनृताः । येषामर्थाश्च साध्वर्था दुर्गाण्यतितरन्ति ते ॥

karmāṇyakutsanārthāni yeṣāṃ vācaśca sūnṛtāḥ | yeṣāmarthāśca sādhvarthā durgāṇyatitaranti te

Those whose deeds are free of anything blameworthy, whose words are kind and true, and whose wealth is put to good ends cross over the hard places.

Verse 13 (12.110.13)

अनध्यायेषु ये विप्राः स्वाध्यायं नैव कुर्वते । तपोनिष्ठाः सुतपसो दुर्गाण्यतितरन्ति ते ॥

anadhyāyeṣu ye viprāḥ svādhyāyaṃ naiva kurvate | taponiṣṭhāḥ sutapaso durgāṇyatitaranti te

Brahmins who do not recite the Veda on the days when study is forbidden, who are set firm in austerity and rich in penance, cross over the hard places.

Verse 14 (12.110.14)

ये तपश्च तपस्यन्ति कौमारब्रह्मचारिणः । विद्या वेदव्रतस्नाता दुर्गाण्यतितरन्ति ते ॥

ye tapaśca tapasyanti kaumārabrahmacāriṇaḥ | vidyā vedavratasnātā durgāṇyatitaranti te

Those who practise austerity as celibate students from their boyhood, learned, and bathed at the close of their Vedic vows, cross over the hard places.

Verse 15 (12.110.15)

ये च संशान्तरजसः संशान्ततमसश्च ये । सत्वे स्थिता महाभागा दुर्गाण्यतितरन्ति ते ॥

ye ca saṃśāntarajasaḥ saṃśāntatamasaśca ye | satve sthitā mahābhāgā durgāṇyatitaranti te

The greatly fortunate who have stilled passion and stilled darkness within, and who stand fast in sattva, cross over the hard places.

Verse 16 (12.110.16)

येषां न कश्चित्रसति न त्रसन्ति हि कस्यचित् । येषामात्मसमो लोको दुर्गाण्यतितरन्ति ते ॥

yeṣāṃ na kaścitrasati na trasanti hi kasyacit | yeṣāmātmasamo loko durgāṇyatitaranti te

Those who frighten no one and whom no one frightens, and for whom the world is as dear as themselves, cross over the hard places.

Verse 17 (12.110.17)

परश्रिया न तप्यन्ति ये सन्तः पुरुषर्षभाः । ग्राम्यादन्नान्निवृत्ताश्च दुर्गाण्यतितरन्ति ते ॥

paraśriyā na tapyanti ye santaḥ puruṣarṣabhāḥ | grāmyādannānnivṛttāśca durgāṇyatitaranti te

Good men, bulls among men, who do not burn at another's prosperity and who have turned back from coarse village food, cross over the hard places.

Verse 18 (12.110.18)

सर्वान्देवान्नमस्यन्ति सर्वधर्मांश्च शृण्वते । ये श्रद्दधानाः शान्ताश्च दुर्गाण्यतितरन्ति ते ॥

sarvāndevānnamasyanti sarvadharmāṃśca śṛṇvate | ye śraddadhānāḥ śāntāśca durgāṇyatitaranti te

Those who bow to all the gods and listen to every dharma, who are full of faith and calm, cross over the hard places.

Verse 19 (12.110.19)

ये न मानित्वमिच्छन्ति मानयन्ति च ये परान् । मान्यमानान्नमस्यन्ति दुर्गाण्यतितरन्ति ते ॥

ye na mānitvamicchanti mānayanti ca ye parān | mānyamānānnamasyanti durgāṇyatitaranti te

Those who do not seek honour for themselves yet honour others, and who bow to those who are honoured, cross over the hard places.

Verse 20 (12.110.20)

ये च श्राद्धानि कुर्वन्ति तिथ्यांतिथ्यां प्रजार्थिनः । सुविशुद्धेन मनसा दुर्गाण्यतितरन्ति ते ॥

ye ca śrāddhāni kurvanti tithyāṃtithyāṃ prajārthinaḥ | suviśuddhena manasā durgāṇyatitaranti te

Those who, wishing for offspring, perform the shraddha rites on the proper lunar day each time, with a wholly pure mind, cross over the hard places.

Verse 21 (12.110.21)

ये क्रोधं संनियच्छन्ति क्रुद्धान्संशमयन्ति च । न च रुष्यन्ति भृत्यानां दुर्गाण्यतितरन्ति ते ॥

ye krodhaṃ saṃniyacchanti kruddhānsaṃśamayanti ca | na ca ruṣyanti bhṛtyānāṃ durgāṇyatitaranti te

Those who restrain their anger, calm those who are angry, and are never wrathful with their servants, cross over the hard places.

Verse 22 (12.110.22)

मधु मांसं स्त्रियो नित्यं वर्जयन्तीह मानवाः । जन्मप्रभृति मद्यं च दुर्गाण्यतितरन्ति ते ॥

madhu māṃsaṃ striyo nityaṃ varjayantīha mānavāḥ | janmaprabhṛti madyaṃ ca durgāṇyatitaranti te

Men who always shun honey, meat and women, and who have shunned wine from the day they were born, cross over the hard places.

Verse 23 (12.110.23)

यात्रार्थं भोजनं येषां संतानार्थं च मैथुनम् । वाक् सत्यवचनार्थं च दुर्गाण्यतितरन्ति ते ॥

yātrārthaṃ bhojanaṃ yeṣāṃ saṃtānārthaṃ ca maithunam | vāk satyavacanārthaṃ ca durgāṇyatitaranti te

Those who eat only to keep life going, who join with their wives only to have children, and whose speech serves only to speak the truth, cross over the hard places.

Verse 24 (12.110.24)

ईश्वरं सर्वभूतानां जगतः प्रभवाप्ययम् । भक्ता नारायणं देवं दुर्गाण्यतितरन्ति ते ॥

īśvaraṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ jagataḥ prabhavāpyayam | bhaktā nārāyaṇaṃ devaṃ durgāṇyatitaranti te

Devotees of the lord of all beings, the source and the dissolution of the world, the god Narayana, cross over the hard places.

Verse 25 (12.110.25)

य एष पद्मरक्ताक्षः पीतवासा महाभुजः । सुहृद्धाता च मित्रं च संबन्धी च तवाच्युतः ॥

ya eṣa padmaraktākṣaḥ pītavāsā mahābhujaḥ | suhṛddhātā ca mitraṃ ca saṃbandhī ca tavācyutaḥ

He who is here, with eyes red as lotuses, clad in yellow, long of arm, is Achyuta, your friend, your supporter, your ally and your kinsman.

Note on the text: Corrected पझरक्ताक्षः → पद्मरक्ताक्षः (misprint in Wikisource; झ for द्म, the reading is CE raktapadmākṣaḥ with the words in another order) and तवाच्युत → तवाच्युतः (misprint in Wikisource; the visarga is dropped, without it the verse has no subject; CE tavācyutaḥ). Wikisource सुहृद्धाता (CE suhṛd bhrātā) is kept as a recension variant. The page's label for the line is 12-110-25.

Verse 26 (12.110.26)

य इमान्सकलाँल्लोकांश्चर्मवत्परिवेष्टयेत् । इच्छन्प्रभुरचिन्त्यात्मा गोविन्दः पुरुषोत्तमः ॥

ya imānsakalām̐llokāṃścarmavatpariveṣṭayet | icchanprabhuracintyātmā govindaḥ puruṣottamaḥ

He who, if he so wished, could wrap all these worlds up like a hide, the lord of inconceivable nature, Govinda, Purushottama,

Verse 27 (12.110.27)

स्थितः प्रियहिते नित्यं स एष पुरुषोत्तमः । राजंस्तव यदुश्रेष्ठो वैकुण्ठः पुरुषर्षभः ॥

sthitaḥ priyahite nityaṃ sa eṣa puruṣottamaḥ | rājaṃstava yaduśreṣṭho vaikuṇṭhaḥ puruṣarṣabhaḥ

ever intent on what is dear and beneficial, is that same Purushottama; O king, to you he is the best of the Yadus, Vaikuntha, the bull among men.

Verse 28 (12.110.28)

य एनं संश्रयन्तीह भक्त्या नारायणं हरिम् । ते तरन्तीह दुर्गाणि न चात्रास्ति विचारणा ॥

ya enaṃ saṃśrayantīha bhaktyā nārāyaṇaṃ harim | te tarantīha durgāṇi na cātrāsti vicāraṇā

Those who here take refuge in him, Narayana Hari, with devotion, cross over the hard places; of this there is no doubt.

Verse 29 (12.110.29)

अस्मिन्नर्पितकर्माणः सर्वभावेन भारत । कृष्णे कमलपत्राक्षे दुर्गाण्यतितरन्ति ते ॥

asminnarpitakarmāṇaḥ sarvabhāvena bhārata | kṛṣṇe kamalapatrākṣe durgāṇyatitaranti te

Those who, O Bharata, have offered their deeds to him, to Krishna, the lotus-eyed, with their whole being, cross over the hard places.

Note on the text: Removed a stray backtick opening this passage in Wikisource. Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE has these lines only as the star passage 12.111.027d*0259_01-02 (apparatus), asminn arpitakarmāṇaḥ sarvabhāvena bhārata / kṛṣṇe kamalapatrākṣe durgāṇy atitaranti te.

Verse 30 (12.110.30)

लोकरक्षार्थमुत्पन्नमदित्यां कश्यपात्मजम् । देवमिन्द्रं नमस्यन्ति दुर्गाण्यतितरन्ति ते ॥

lokarakṣārthamutpannamadityāṃ kaśyapātmajam | devamindraṃ namasyanti durgāṇyatitaranti te

Those who bow to the god Indra, born of Aditi to Kashyapa for the protection of the worlds, cross over the hard places.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE has these lines only as the star passage 12.111.027d*0259_03-04 (apparatus), lokarakṣārtham utpannam adityāṃ kaśyapātmajam / devam indraṃ namasyanti durgāṇy atitaranti te.

Verse 31 (12.110.31)

ब्रह्माणं लोककर्तारं ये नमस्यन्ति सत्पतिम् । यष्टव्यं क्रतुभिर्देवं दुर्गाण्यतितरन्ति ते ॥

brahmāṇaṃ lokakartāraṃ ye namasyanti satpatim | yaṣṭavyaṃ kratubhirdevaṃ durgāṇyatitaranti te

Those who bow to Brahma, maker of the worlds and lord of the good, the god to be worshipped with sacrifices, cross over the hard places.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE has these lines only as the star passage 12.111.027d*0259_05-06 (apparatus), brahmāṇaṃ lokakartāraṃ ye namasyanti satpatim / yaṣṭavyaṃ kratubhir devaṃ durgāṇy atitaranti te.

Verse 32 (12.110.32)

यं विष्णुरिन्द्रः शंभुश्च ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः । स्तुवन्ति विविधैः स्तोत्रैर्देवदेवं महेश्वरम् । समर्चयन्ति ये शश्वद्दुर्गाण्यतितरन्ति ते ॥

yaṃ viṣṇurindraḥ śaṃbhuśca brahmā lokapitāmahaḥ | stuvanti vividhaiḥ stotrairdevadevaṃ maheśvaram | samarcayanti ye śaśvaddurgāṇyatitaranti te

Those who ever worship Maheshvara, the god of gods, whom Vishnu, Indra, Shambhu and Brahma, grandsire of the worlds, praise with hymns of many kinds, cross over the hard places.

Note on the text: Removed the stray doubled daṇḍa and the closing quote mark that Wikisource prints after this three-line verse (they close the passage opened by the backtick at verse 29), and kept one ॥. Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE has these lines only as the star passage 12.111.027d*0259_07-09 (apparatus), yaṃ viṣṇur indraḥ śaṃbhuś ca brahmā lokapitāmahaḥ / stuvanti vividhaiḥ stotrair devadevaṃ maheśvaram / tam arcayanti ye śaśvad durgāṇy atitaranti te; Wikisource समर्चयन्ति for CE tam arcayanti is a variant, and the verse has three lines on the page (12-110-32a,b,c).

Verse 33 (12.110.33)

दुर्गातितरणं ये च पठन्ति श्रावयन्ति च । कथयन्ति च विप्रेभ्यो दुर्गाण्यतितरन्ति ते ॥

durgātitaraṇaṃ ye ca paṭhanti śrāvayanti ca | kathayanti ca viprebhyo durgāṇyatitaranti te

Those who recite this teaching on crossing the hard places, who have others hear it, and who tell it to brahmins, cross over the hard places.

Verse 34 (12.110.34)

इति कृत्यसमुद्देशः कीर्तितस्ते मयाऽनघ । तरते येन दुर्गाणि परत्रेह च मानवः ॥

iti kṛtyasamuddeśaḥ kīrtitaste mayā'nagha | tarate yena durgāṇi paratreha ca mānavaḥ

Thus, sinless one, I have told you this summary of what is to be done, by which a man crosses over the hard places, both here and in the world beyond.