Bhishma Praises Self-Control

Verse 1 (12.158.1)

स्वाध्यायकृतयत्नस्य ब्राह्मणस्य विशेषतः । धर्मकामस्य धर्मात्मन्किंनु श्रेय इहोच्यते ॥

svādhyāyakṛtayatnasya brāhmaṇasya viśeṣataḥ | dharmakāmasya dharmātmankiṃnu śreya ihocyate

For a brahmin especially, one who has devoted himself to the study of the Veda and longs for dharma, O righteous one, what is said here to be the highest good?

Verse 2 (12.158.2)

बहुधा दर्शने लोके श्रेयो यदिह मन्यसे । अस्मिँल्लोके परे चैव तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥

bahudhā darśane loke śreyo yadiha manyase | asmim̐lloke pare caiva tanme brūhi pitāmaha

There are many ways of seeing what is good in the world. Whatever you consider the highest good, in this world and in the next, tell me that, grandsire.

Verse 3 (12.158.3)

महानयं धर्मपथो बहुशाखश्च भारत । किंस्विदेवेह धर्माणामनुष्ठेयतमं मतम् ॥

mahānayaṃ dharmapatho bahuśākhaśca bhārata | kiṃsvideveha dharmāṇāmanuṣṭheyatamaṃ matam

Great is this path of dharma, O Bharata, and many-branched. Among all duties, which is held to be the one most worth practising here?

Verse 4 (12.158.4)

धर्मस्य महतो राजन्बहुशाखस्य तत्त्वतः । यन्मूलं परमं तात तत्सर्वं ब्रूह्यतन्द्रितः ॥

dharmasya mahato rājanbahuśākhasya tattvataḥ | yanmūlaṃ paramaṃ tāta tatsarvaṃ brūhyatandritaḥ

Of this great, many-branched dharma, O king, whatever is its supreme root in truth, dear father, tell me all of it without slackness.

Verse 5 (12.158.5)

हन्त ते कथयिष्यामि येन श्रेयो ह्यवाप्स्यसि । पीत्वाऽमृतमिव प्राज्ञो येन तृप्तो भविष्यसि ॥

hanta te kathayiṣyāmi yena śreyo hyavāpsyasi | pītvā'mṛtamiva prājño yena tṛpto bhaviṣyasi

Listen, I shall tell you that by which you will reach the highest good, and with which you, being wise, will be as content as if you had drunk nectar.

Verse 6 (12.158.6)

धर्मस्य विधयो नैके तेते प्रोक्ता महर्षिभिः । स्वंस्वं विज्ञानमाश्रित्य दमस्तेषां परायणम् ॥

dharmasya vidhayo naike tete proktā maharṣibhiḥ | svaṃsvaṃ vijñānamāśritya damasteṣāṃ parāyaṇam

The ways of dharma are not one; the great seers have taught each of them, relying on their own understanding. Of all of them, self-restraint is the final resort.

Verse 7 (12.158.7)

दमं निःश्रेयसं प्राहुर्वृद्धा निश्चितदर्शिनः । ब्राह्मणस्य विशेषेण दमो धर्मः सनातनः ॥

damaṃ niḥśreyasaṃ prāhurvṛddhā niścitadarśinaḥ | brāhmaṇasya viśeṣeṇa damo dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ

The elders, who see with certainty, call self-restraint the way to the highest good. For a brahmin especially, self-restraint is the eternal dharma.

Verse 8 (12.158.8)

नादान्तस्य क्रियासिद्धिर्यथावदुपलभ्यते । दमो दानं तथा यज्ञानधीतं चातिवर्तते ॥

nādāntasya kriyāsiddhiryathāvadupalabhyate | damo dānaṃ tathā yajñānadhītaṃ cātivartate

For one who is not self-restrained, success in rites is not properly attained. Self-restraint surpasses giving, sacrifices and study.

Verse 9 (12.158.9)

दमस्तेजो वर्धयति पवित्रं च दमः परम् । विपाप्मा तेजसा युक्तः पुरुषो विन्दते महत् ॥

damastejo vardhayati pavitraṃ ca damaḥ param | vipāpmā tejasā yuktaḥ puruṣo vindate mahat

Self-restraint increases radiance, and self-restraint is the supreme purifier. A man free from sin and joined to that radiance obtains greatness.

Verse 10 (12.158.10)

दमेन सदृशं धर्मं नान्यं लोकेषु शुश्रुम । दमो हि परमो लोके प्रशस्तः सर्वधर्मिणाम् ॥

damena sadṛśaṃ dharmaṃ nānyaṃ lokeṣu śuśruma | damo hi paramo loke praśastaḥ sarvadharmiṇām

We have heard of no dharma equal to self-restraint. Self-restraint is supreme in the world, praised by all who follow dharma.

Note on the text: Corrected शुश्रुम् → शुश्रुम (misprint in Wikisource; the final अ is dropped, giving a form that is not a word; CE 12.154.10 reads śuśruma).

Verse 11 (12.158.11)

प्रेत्य चात्र मनुष्येन्द्र परमं विन्दते सुखम् । दमेन हि सदा युक्तो महान्तं धर्ममश्नुते ॥

pretya cātra manuṣyendra paramaṃ vindate sukham | damena hi sadā yukto mahāntaṃ dharmamaśnute

After death, and here as well, O lord of men, he finds the highest happiness; one who is always joined to self-restraint attains great dharma.

Verse 12 (12.158.12)

सुखं दान्तः प्रस्वपिति सुखं च प्रतिबुध्यते । सुखं पर्येति लोकांश्च मनश्चास्य प्रसीदति ॥

sukhaṃ dāntaḥ prasvapiti sukhaṃ ca pratibudhyate | sukhaṃ paryeti lokāṃśca manaścāsya prasīdati

The self-restrained man sleeps in comfort and wakes in comfort; he moves through the worlds in comfort, and his mind is serene.

Verse 13 (12.158.13)

अदान्तः पुरुषः क्लेशमभीक्ष्णं प्रतिपद्यते । अनर्थांश्च बहूनन्यान्प्रसृजत्यात्मदोषजान् ॥

adāntaḥ puruṣaḥ kleśamabhīkṣṇaṃ pratipadyate | anarthāṃśca bahūnanyānprasṛjatyātmadoṣajān

The man who lacks self-restraint suffers distress again and again, and brings forth many other misfortunes born of his own faults.

Verse 14 (12.158.14)

आश्रमेषु चतुर्ष्वाहुर्दममेवोत्तमं व्रतम् । दमलिङ्गानि वक्ष्यामि येषां समुदयो दमः ॥

āśrameṣu caturṣvāhurdamamevottamaṃ vratam | damaliṅgāni vakṣyāmi yeṣāṃ samudayo damaḥ

In all four stages of life they call self-restraint the best of vows. I shall tell you its marks, whose sum together is self-restraint.

Verse 15 (12.158.15)

क्षमा धृतिरहिंसा च समता सत्यमार्जवम् । इन्द्रियाभिजयो दाक्ष्यं मार्दवं ह्रीरचापलम् ॥

kṣamā dhṛtirahiṃsā ca samatā satyamārjavam | indriyābhijayo dākṣyaṃ mārdavaṃ hrīracāpalam

Forbearance, steadfastness, non-violence, evenness of mind, truth, uprightness, mastery of the senses, skill, gentleness, modesty, freedom from restlessness,

Note on the text: Corrected धृतिरार्हेसा → धृतिरहिंसा (misprint in Wikisource; garbled for अहिंसा, "non-violence"; CE 12.154.15 reads dhṛtir ahiṃsā). The variant इन्द्रियाभिजयो (CE indriyāvajayo) in line 2 is kept.

Verse 16 (12.158.16)

अकार्पण्यमसंरम्भः संतोषः प्रियवादिता । अविवित्सानसूया चाप्येषां समुदयो दमः ॥

akārpaṇyamasaṃrambhaḥ saṃtoṣaḥ priyavāditā | avivitsānasūyā cāpyeṣāṃ samudayo damaḥ

freedom from meanness, from violent agitation, contentment, kind speech, freedom from restless curiosity, and freedom from fault-finding: the sum of these is self-restraint.

Note on the text: Corrected अविहसाऽनसूया → अविवित्सानसूया (misprint in Wikisource; अविहसा is not a word and the avagraha is wrong; CE 12.154.16 reads avivitsānasūyā).

Verse 17 (12.158.17)

गुरुपूजा च कौरव्य दया भूतेष्वपैशुनम् । जनवादमृषावादस्तुतिनिन्दाविसर्जनम् ॥

gurupūjā ca kauravya dayā bhūteṣvapaiśunam | janavādamṛṣāvādastutinindāvisarjanam

Reverence for the teacher, O Kaurava, compassion for beings, freedom from backbiting, giving up gossip, falsehood, praise and blame,

Verse 18 (12.158.18)

कामं क्रोधं च लोभं च दर्पं स्तम्भं विकत्थनम् । रोषमीर्ष्यावमानं च नैव दान्तो निषेवते ॥

kāmaṃ krodhaṃ ca lobhaṃ ca darpaṃ stambhaṃ vikatthanam | roṣamīrṣyāvamānaṃ ca naiva dānto niṣevate

desire, anger, greed, arrogance, rigid pride, boasting, wrath, envy and contempt: the self-restrained man never indulges in these.

Note on the text: Corrected क्राधं → क्रोधं (misprint in Wikisource; CE 12.154.18 reads krodha).

Verse 19 (12.158.19)

अनिन्दितो ह्यकामात्मा नाल्पेष्वर्थ्यनसूयकः । समुद्रकल्पः स नरो न कथंचन पूर्यते ॥

anindito hyakāmātmā nālpeṣvarthyanasūyakaḥ | samudrakalpaḥ sa naro na kathaṃcana pūryate

Blameless, with a self free of craving, asking for nothing petty and finding no fault in others, such a man is like the ocean, which is never filled however much flows into it.

Verse 20 (12.158.20)

अहं त्वयि मम त्वं च मयि ते तेषु चाप्यहम् । पूर्वसंबन्धिसंयोगं नैतद्दान्तो निषेवते ॥

ahaṃ tvayi mama tvaṃ ca mayi te teṣu cāpyaham | pūrvasaṃbandhisaṃyogaṃ naitaddānto niṣevate

“I am yours, you are mine, they are mine and I am theirs”: this tying of oneself to former connections the self-restrained man does not cultivate.

Verse 21 (12.158.21)

सर्वा ग्राम्यास्तथाऽऽरण्या याश्च लोके प्रवृत्तयः । निन्दां चैव प्रशंसां च यो नाश्रयति मुच्यते ॥

sarvā grāmyāstathā''raṇyā yāśca loke pravṛttayaḥ | nindāṃ caiva praśaṃsāṃ ca yo nāśrayati mucyate

Of all the activities of the world, whether of village or of forest, he who rests on neither blame nor praise is set free.

Verse 22 (12.158.22)

मैत्रोऽथ शीलसंपन्नः प्रसन्नात्मात्मविच्च यः । मुक्तस्य विविधैः सङ्गैस्तस्य प्रेत्य फलं महत् ॥

maitro'tha śīlasaṃpannaḥ prasannātmātmavicca yaḥ | muktasya vividhaiḥ saṅgaistasya pretya phalaṃ mahat

He who is friendly, endowed with good conduct, serene of mind and a knower of the Self, and who is freed from manifold attachments, gains a great reward after death.

Verse 23 (12.158.23)

सुवृत्तः शीलसंपन्नः प्रसन्नात्माऽऽत्मविद्बुधः । प्राप्येह लोके सत्कारं सुगतिं प्रतिपद्यते ॥

suvṛttaḥ śīlasaṃpannaḥ prasannātmā''tmavidbudhaḥ | prāpyeha loke satkāraṃ sugatiṃ pratipadyate

Of good conduct, virtuous, serene, a knower of the Self and wise, having won honour in this world he reaches a good destination.

Note on the text: Corrected आत्मविद्वुधः → आत्मविद्बुधः (misprint in Wikisource; व for ब, giving a non-word; CE 12.154.23 reads ātmavid budhaḥ).

Verse 24 (12.158.24)

कर्म यच्छुभमेवेह सद्भिराचरितं च यत् । तदेव ज्ञानयुक्तस्य मुनेर्वर्त्म न हीयते ॥

karma yacchubhameveha sadbhirācaritaṃ ca yat | tadeva jñānayuktasya munervartma na hīyate

Whatever action is good and has been practised by the righteous, that same course never fails the sage who is joined to knowledge.

Verse 25 (12.158.25)

निष्क्रम्य वनमास्थाय ज्ञानयुक्तो जितेन्द्रियः । कालाकाङ्क्षी चरन्नेवं ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते ॥

niṣkramya vanamāsthāya jñānayukto jitendriyaḥ | kālākāṅkṣī carannevaṃ brahmabhūyāya kalpate

Having left home and gone to the forest, joined to knowledge and master of his senses, he waits for his time and, moving thus, becomes fit for union with Brahman.

Note on the text: Corrected कालाकाङ्गी → कालाकाङ्क्षी (misprint in Wikisource; ग for क्ष, giving a non-word; CE 12.154.25 reads kālākāṅkṣī).

Verse 26 (12.158.26)

अभयं यस्य भूतेभ्यो भूतानामभयं यतः । तस्य देहाद्विमुक्तस्य भयं नास्ति कुतश्चन ॥

abhayaṃ yasya bhūtebhyo bhūtānāmabhayaṃ yataḥ | tasya dehādvimuktasya bhayaṃ nāsti kutaścana

He from whom beings have no fear, and through whom beings are fearless, once released from the body has fear from nowhere.

Verse 27 (12.158.27)

अवाचिनोति कर्माणि न च संप्रचिनोति ह । समः सर्वेषु भूतेषु मैत्रायणगतिं चरेत् ॥

avācinoti karmāṇi na ca saṃpracinoti ha | samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu maitrāyaṇagatiṃ caret

He wears away his actions and does not heap up new ones. Even-minded toward all beings, let him follow the Maitrayana way, the way of friendliness to all.

Verse 28 (12.158.28)

शकुनीनामिवाकाशे मत्स्यानांमिव चोदके । यथा गतिर्न दृश्येत तथा तस्य न संशयः ॥

śakunīnāmivākāśe matsyānāṃmiva codake | yathā gatirna dṛśyeta tathā tasya na saṃśayaḥ

As the track of birds in the sky, or of fish in the water, cannot be seen, so is his course; of this there is no doubt.

Note on the text: Corrected तथा तस्य स संशयः → तथा तस्य न संशयः (misprint in Wikisource; स for न, which leaves the simile without sense; CE 12.154.28 reads tathā tasya na saṃśayaḥ). Line 1 differs from the CE (मत्स्यानामिव चोदके against jale vāricarasya vā), a recension variant that is kept.

Verse 29 (12.158.29)

गृहानुत्सृज्य यो राजन्मोक्षमेवाभिपद्यते । लोकास्तेजोमयास्तस्य कल्पन्ते शाश्वतीः समाः ॥

gṛhānutsṛjya yo rājanmokṣamevābhipadyate | lokāstejomayāstasya kalpante śāśvatīḥ samāḥ

Whoever, O king, leaves his home and turns to liberation alone, for him luminous worlds are made ready, lasting for endless years.

Note on the text: Corrected राज्मोक्षम् → राजन्मोक्षम् (misprint in Wikisource; the न् of राजन् is dropped; CE 12.154.29 reads rājan mokṣam).

Verse 30 (12.158.30)

संन्यस्य सर्वकर्माणि संन्यस्य विधिवत्तपः । संन्यस्य विविधा विद्याः सर्वं संन्यस्य चैव ह ॥

saṃnyasya sarvakarmāṇi saṃnyasya vidhivattapaḥ | saṃnyasya vividhā vidyāḥ sarvaṃ saṃnyasya caiva ha

Having renounced all actions, having renounced austerity in due form, having renounced the many kinds of learning, and having renounced everything,

Verse 31 (12.158.31)

कामे शुचिरनावृत्तः प्रसन्नात्माऽऽत्मविच्छुचिः । प्राप्येह लोके सत्कारं स्वर्गं समभिपद्यते ॥

kāme śuciranāvṛttaḥ prasannātmā''tmavicchuciḥ | prāpyeha loke satkāraṃ svargaṃ samabhipadyate

pure in his desires and never turning back, serene of mind, a pure knower of the Self, having won honour in this world, he attains heaven.

Verse 32 (12.158.32)

यच्च पैतामहं स्थानं ब्रह्मराशिसमुद्भवम् । गुहायां निहितं नित्यं तद्दमेनाभिगम्यते ॥

yacca paitāmahaṃ sthānaṃ brahmarāśisamudbhavam | guhāyāṃ nihitaṃ nityaṃ taddamenābhigamyate

That abode of the Grandsire which arises from the mass of Brahman and lies ever hidden in the cave of the heart is reached through self-restraint.

Verse 33 (12.158.33)

ज्ञानारामस्य बुद्धस्य सर्वभूतानुरोधिनः । नावृत्तिभयमस्तीह परलोकभयं कुतः ॥

jñānārāmasya buddhasya sarvabhūtānurodhinaḥ | nāvṛttibhayamastīha paralokabhayaṃ kutaḥ

For one who delights in knowledge, who is awake, and who accords with all beings, there is no fear of returning here; how then could there be fear of the other world?

Verse 34 (12.158.34)

एक एव दमे दोषो द्वितीयो नोपपद्यते । यदेनं दमसंयुक्तमशक्तं मन्यते जनः ॥

eka eva dame doṣo dvitīyo nopapadyate | yadenaṃ damasaṃyuktamaśaktaṃ manyate janaḥ

In self-restraint there is only one fault, and a second is not to be found: that people take the self-restrained man to be powerless.

Verse 35 (12.158.35)

एकोऽस्य सुमहाप्राज्ञ दोषः स्यात्सुमहान्गुणः । क्षमया विपुला लोका दुर्लभा हि सहिष्णुता ॥

eko'sya sumahāprājña doṣaḥ syātsumahānguṇaḥ | kṣamayā vipulā lokā durlabhā hi sahiṣṇutā

O man of great wisdom, this has one fault, but a very great merit: through forbearance one wins vast worlds, for endurance is hard to find.

Verse 36 (12.158.36)

दान्तस्य किमरण्येन तथाऽदान्तस्य भारत । यत्रैव निवसेद्दान्तस्तदरण्यं स चाश्रमः ॥

dāntasya kimaraṇyena tathā'dāntasya bhārata | yatraiva nivaseddāntastadaraṇyaṃ sa cāśramaḥ

What use is the forest to the self-restrained man, and what use to the one who is not, O Bharata? Wherever the self-restrained man lives, that is the forest, that is the hermitage.

Verse 37 (12.158.37)

एतद्भीष्मस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा राजा युधिष्ठिरः । अमृतेनेव संतृप्तः प्रहृष्टः समपद्यत ॥

etadbhīṣmasya vacanaṃ śrutvā rājā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | amṛteneva saṃtṛptaḥ prahṛṣṭaḥ samapadyata

Having heard these words of Bhishma, King Yudhishthira was filled with joy, as if he had been satisfied with nectar.

Note on the text: The page heads this speech वैशंपायन उवाच; the standard spelling वैशम्पायन is used for the speaker.

Verse 38 (12.158.38)

पुनश्च परिपप्रच्छ भीष्मं धर्मभृतां वरम् । ततः प्रीतः स चोवाच तस्मै सर्वं कुरूद्वहः ॥

punaśca paripapraccha bhīṣmaṃ dharmabhṛtāṃ varam | tataḥ prītaḥ sa covāca tasmai sarvaṃ kurūdvahaḥ

He questioned Bhishma again, the best of those who uphold dharma; and then Bhishma, that chief of the Kurus, pleased, told him everything.

Note on the text: Speaker as headed on the page at 12-158-37 (वैशंपायन, standard spelling वैशम्पायन).