The Hermit, the Wanderer and the Northern World

Verse 1 (12.190.1)

वानप्रस्थाः खलु ऋषिधर्ममनुसरन्तः पुण्यानि तीर्थानि नदीप्रस्रवणानि सुविविक्तेष्वरण्येषु मृगमहिषवराहसृमरगजाकीर्णेषु तपस्यन्तोऽनुसंचरन्ति । त्यक्तग्राम्यवस्त्राहारोपभोगा वन्यौषधिमूलफलपर्णपरिमितविचित्रनियताहाराः स्थानासनिनो भूमिपाषाणसिकताशर्करावालुकाभस्मशायिनः काशकुशचर्मवल्कलसंवृताङ्गाः केशश्मश्रुनखरोमधारिणो नियतकालोपस्पर्शना अस्कन्नहोमबलिकालानुष्ठायिनः समित्कुशकुसुमोपहारहोमार्जनलब्धविश्रामाः शीतोष्णपवननिष्टप्तविभिन्नसर्वत्वचो विविधनियमयोगचर्याविहितधर्मानुष्ठानहृतमांसशोणितास्त्वगस्थिभूता धृतिपराः सत्त्वयोगाच्छरीराण्युद्वहन्ति ॥

vānaprasthāḥ khalu ṛṣidharmamanusarantaḥ puṇyāni tīrthāni nadīprasravaṇāni suvivikteṣvaraṇyeṣu mṛgamahiṣavarāhasṛmaragajākīrṇeṣu tapasyanto'nusaṃcaranti | tyaktagrāmyavastrāhāropabhogā vanyauṣadhimūlaphalaparṇaparimitavicitraniyatāhārāḥ sthānāsanino bhūmipāṣāṇasikatāśarkarāvālukābhasmaśāyinaḥ kāśakuśacarmavalkalasaṃvṛtāṅgāḥ keśaśmaśrunakharomadhāriṇo niyatakālopasparśanā askannahomabalikālānuṣṭhāyinaḥ samitkuśakusumopahārahomārjanalabdhaviśrāmāḥ śītoṣṇapavananiṣṭaptavibhinnasarvatvaco vividhaniyamayogacaryāvihitadharmānuṣṭhānahṛtamāṃsaśoṇitāstvagasthibhūtā dhṛtiparāḥ sattvayogāccharīrāṇyudvahanti

Forest-dwellers, following the dharma of the sages, wander about practising austerities among holy bathing places, rivers and springs, in very secluded forests crowded with deer, buffalo, boar, srmara deer and elephants. They have given up the clothes, food and comforts of the village. Their food is of wild herbs, roots, fruits and leaves, measured, varied and regulated. They keep to standing and sitting postures, and they sleep on the ground, on stones, sand, gravel, pebbles or ashes. Their bodies are covered with kasha grass, kusha grass, hides and bark; they keep their hair, beards, nails and body hair uncut. They bathe at fixed times, and unfailingly perform the homa and the offerings at their proper times. They find rest only in gathering fuel, kusha grass and flowers for offering and in cleansing for the homa. The skin of their whole bodies is baked and cracked by cold, heat and wind; the flesh and blood wasted away by the many observances, yoga and disciplines they follow, they have become mere skin and bone. Devoted to fortitude, they carry their bodies on through the power of inner purity.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (12.185.1): Wikisource has no page for this adhyaya (190), so the real adhyaya 190, which falls between the end of adhyaya 189 (critical edition 12.184.18) and the start of Wikisource 191 (critical edition 12.186.1), is supplied from the critical edition (adhyaya 12.185, verses 1 to 27) and written in Devanagari with the critical edition's words unchanged. The critical edition prints this verse as prose sentences (1A, 1B); each is kept as its own line. The critical edition's heading "bhṛgur uvāca" stands before this verse. The critical edition has no star passage or Appendix I passage in this adhyaya.

Verse 2 (12.190.2)

यस्त्वेतां नियतश्चर्यां ब्रह्मर्षिविहितां चरेत् । स दहेदग्निवद्दोषाञ्जयेल्लोकांश्च दुर्जयान् ॥

yastvetāṃ niyataścaryāṃ brahmarṣivihitāṃ caret | sa dahedagnivaddoṣāñjayellokāṃśca durjayān

He who, self-controlled, follows this way of life ordained by the Brahmana sages burns away his faults like fire and wins even worlds that are hard to conquer.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (12.185.2): Wikisource has no page for this adhyaya (190), so the real adhyaya 190, which falls between the end of adhyaya 189 (critical edition 12.184.18) and the start of Wikisource 191 (critical edition 12.186.1), is supplied from the critical edition (adhyaya 12.185, verses 1 to 27) and written in Devanagari with the critical edition's words unchanged. The critical edition's two lines (2a, 2c) are kept as two lines.

Verse 3 (12.190.3)

परिव्राजकानां पुनराचारस्तद्यथा । विमुच्याग्निधनकलत्रपरिबर्हसङ्गानात्मनः स्नेहपाशानवधूय परिव्रजन्ति समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनास्त्रिवर्गप्रवृत्तेष्वारम्भेष्वसक्तबुद्धयोऽरिमित्रोदासीनेषु तुल्यवृत्तयः स्थावरजरायुजाण्डजस्वेदजोद्भिज्जानां भूतानां वाङ्मनःकर्मभिरनभिद्रोहिणोऽनिकेताः पर्वतपुलिनवृक्षमूलदेवतायतनान्यनुचरन्तो वासार्थमुपेयुर्नगरं ग्रामं वा नगरे पञ्चरात्रिका ग्रामैकरात्रिकाः । प्रविश्य च प्राणधारणमात्रार्थं द्विजातीनां भवनान्यसंकीर्णकर्मणामुपतिष्ठेयुः पात्रपतितायाचितभैक्षाः कामक्रोधदर्पमोहलोभकार्पण्यदम्भपरिवादाभिमानहिंसानिवृत्ता इति ॥

parivrājakānāṃ punarācārastadyathā | vimucyāgnidhanakalatraparibarhasaṅgānātmanaḥ snehapāśānavadhūya parivrajanti samaloṣṭāśmakāñcanāstrivargapravṛtteṣvārambheṣvasaktabuddhayo'rimitrodāsīneṣu tulyavṛttayaḥ sthāvarajarāyujāṇḍajasvedajodbhijjānāṃ bhūtānāṃ vāṅmanaḥkarmabhiranabhidrohiṇo'niketāḥ parvatapulinavṛkṣamūladevatāyatanānyanucaranto vāsārthamupeyurnagaraṃ grāmaṃ vā nagare pañcarātrikā grāmaikarātrikāḥ | praviśya ca prāṇadhāraṇamātrārthaṃ dvijātīnāṃ bhavanānyasaṃkīrṇakarmaṇāmupatiṣṭheyuḥ pātrapatitāyācitabhaikṣāḥ kāmakrodhadarpamohalobhakārpaṇyadambhaparivādābhimānahiṃsānivṛttā iti

Now the conduct of wandering mendicants is as follows. Freeing themselves from attachment to fire, wealth, wife and household goods, and shaking off the snares of affection for themselves, they go forth wandering. Clod, stone and gold are alike to them; their minds are unattached to undertakings concerned with the three aims; they behave alike toward enemy, friend and stranger; by speech, mind and deed they do no harm to any beings, whether stationary ones or those born from the womb, from the egg, from sweat or from the sprout. Homeless, they range among mountains, river-banks, tree roots and temples; for shelter they may go to a town or a village, staying five nights in a town and one night in a village. Entering, they should approach the houses of twice-born men of unmixed conduct, only to sustain life, taking such alms as fall into the bowl unasked, and holding aloof from desire, anger, arrogance, delusion, greed, meanness, hypocrisy, slander, conceit and violence.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (12.185.3): Wikisource has no page for this adhyaya (190), so the real adhyaya 190, which falls between the end of adhyaya 189 (critical edition 12.184.18) and the start of Wikisource 191 (critical edition 12.186.1), is supplied from the critical edition (adhyaya 12.185, verses 1 to 27) and written in Devanagari with the critical edition's words unchanged. The critical edition prints this verse as prose sentences (3A, 3B, 3C); each is kept as its own line.

Verse 4 (12.190.4)

अभयं सर्वभूतेभ्यो दत्त्वा चरति यो मुनिः । भवति चात्र श्लोकः । न तस्य सर्वभूतेभ्यो भयमुत्पद्यते क्व चित् ॥

abhayaṃ sarvabhūtebhyo dattvā carati yo muniḥ | bhavati cātra ślokaḥ | na tasya sarvabhūtebhyo bhayamutpadyate kva cit

The sage who goes about having given fearlessness to all beings (on this there is a verse): from no being whatever does fear arise for him.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (12.185.4): Wikisource has no page for this adhyaya (190), so the real adhyaya 190, which falls between the end of adhyaya 189 (critical edition 12.184.18) and the start of Wikisource 191 (critical edition 12.186.1), is supplied from the critical edition (adhyaya 12.185, verses 1 to 27) and written in Devanagari with the critical edition's words unchanged. The critical edition's prose line 4A ("bhavati cātra ślokaḥ", "there is a verse on this") stands between 4a and 4c and is kept in that place as the second of three lines.

Verse 5 (12.190.5)

कृत्वाग्निहोत्रं स्वशरीरसंस्थं । शारीरमग्निं स्वमुखे जुहोति । यो भैक्षचर्योपगतैर्हविर्भि- । श्चिताग्निनां स व्यतियाति लोकान् ॥

kṛtvāgnihotraṃ svaśarīrasaṃsthaṃ | śārīramagniṃ svamukhe juhoti | yo bhaikṣacaryopagatairhavirbhi- | ścitāgnināṃ sa vyatiyāti lokān

Having made the fire-offering abide within his own body, he pours the bodily fire into his own mouth; with oblations gained on his round of alms, he passes beyond the worlds of those who have piled the sacrificial fires.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (12.185.5): Wikisource has no page for this adhyaya (190), so the real adhyaya 190, which falls between the end of adhyaya 189 (critical edition 12.184.18) and the start of Wikisource 191 (critical edition 12.186.1), is supplied from the critical edition (adhyaya 12.185, verses 1 to 27) and written in Devanagari with the critical edition's words unchanged. The critical edition's two lines (5a, 5c) are given as four quarters, divided at the critical edition's semicolons. A sandhi crosses the quarter-break after "havirbhiś" (visarga before c), so the word is split there with a hyphen (हविर्भि- / श्चिताग्निनां), as Wikisource does where a sandhi crosses a line.

Verse 6 (12.190.6)

मोक्षाश्रमं यः कुरुते यथोक्तं । शुचिः सुसंकल्पितबुद्धियुक्तः । अनिन्धनं ज्योतिरिव प्रशान्तं । स ब्रह्मलोकं श्रयते द्विजातिः ॥

mokṣāśramaṃ yaḥ kurute yathoktaṃ | śuciḥ susaṃkalpitabuddhiyuktaḥ | anindhanaṃ jyotiriva praśāntaṃ | sa brahmalokaṃ śrayate dvijātiḥ

The twice-born man who, pure, with well-formed resolve and a steady mind, follows the stage of liberation as it has been described becomes quiet like a flame without fuel, and reaches the world of Brahman.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (12.185.6): Wikisource has no page for this adhyaya (190), so the real adhyaya 190, which falls between the end of adhyaya 189 (critical edition 12.184.18) and the start of Wikisource 191 (critical edition 12.186.1), is supplied from the critical edition (adhyaya 12.185, verses 1 to 27) and written in Devanagari with the critical edition's words unchanged. The critical edition's two lines (6a, 6c) are given as four quarters, divided at the critical edition's semicolons.

Verse 7 (12.190.7)

अस्माल्लोकात्परो लोकः श्रूयते नोपलभ्यते । तमहं ज्ञातुमिच्छामि तद्भवान्वक्तुमर्हति ॥

asmāllokātparo lokaḥ śrūyate nopalabhyate | tamahaṃ jñātumicchāmi tadbhavānvaktumarhati

We hear of a world beyond this world, yet it is not perceived. I wish to know it; you should tell me.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (12.185.7): Wikisource has no page for this adhyaya (190), so the real adhyaya 190, which falls between the end of adhyaya 189 (critical edition 12.184.18) and the start of Wikisource 191 (critical edition 12.186.1), is supplied from the critical edition (adhyaya 12.185, verses 1 to 27) and written in Devanagari with the critical edition's words unchanged. The critical edition's two lines (7a, 7c) are kept as two lines. The critical edition's heading "bharadvāja uvāca" stands before this verse.

Verse 8 (12.190.8)

उत्तरे हिमवत्पार्श्वे पुण्ये सर्वगुणान्विते । पुण्यः क्षेम्यश्च काम्यश्च स वरो लोक उच्यते ॥

uttare himavatpārśve puṇye sarvaguṇānvite | puṇyaḥ kṣemyaśca kāmyaśca sa varo loka ucyate

On the northern flank of the Himalaya, a holy region endowed with every excellence, lies that world which is called the best, holy, secure and desirable.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (12.185.8): Wikisource has no page for this adhyaya (190), so the real adhyaya 190, which falls between the end of adhyaya 189 (critical edition 12.184.18) and the start of Wikisource 191 (critical edition 12.186.1), is supplied from the critical edition (adhyaya 12.185, verses 1 to 27) and written in Devanagari with the critical edition's words unchanged. The critical edition's two lines (8a, 8c) are kept as two lines. The critical edition's heading "bhṛgur uvāca" stands before this verse.

Verse 9 (12.190.9)

तत्र ह्यपापकर्माणः शुचयोऽत्यन्तनिर्मलाः । लोभमोहपरित्यक्ता मानवा निरुपद्रवाः ॥

tatra hyapāpakarmāṇaḥ śucayo'tyantanirmalāḥ | lobhamohaparityaktā mānavā nirupadravāḥ

There live men of sinless deeds, pure and utterly spotless, free of greed and delusion, and untroubled by calamity.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (12.185.9): Wikisource has no page for this adhyaya (190), so the real adhyaya 190, which falls between the end of adhyaya 189 (critical edition 12.184.18) and the start of Wikisource 191 (critical edition 12.186.1), is supplied from the critical edition (adhyaya 12.185, verses 1 to 27) and written in Devanagari with the critical edition's words unchanged. The critical edition's two lines (9a, 9c) are kept as two lines.

Verse 10 (12.190.10)

स स्वर्गसदृशो देशस्तत्र ह्युक्ताः शुभा गुणाः । काले मृत्युः प्रभवति स्पृशन्ति व्याधयो न च ॥

sa svargasadṛśo deśastatra hyuktāḥ śubhā guṇāḥ | kāle mṛtyuḥ prabhavati spṛśanti vyādhayo na ca

That region is like heaven, for good qualities are said to be found there. Death comes only in its time, and diseases do not touch them.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (12.185.10): Wikisource has no page for this adhyaya (190), so the real adhyaya 190, which falls between the end of adhyaya 189 (critical edition 12.184.18) and the start of Wikisource 191 (critical edition 12.186.1), is supplied from the critical edition (adhyaya 12.185, verses 1 to 27) and written in Devanagari with the critical edition's words unchanged. The critical edition's two lines (10a, 10c) are kept as two lines.

Verse 11 (12.190.11)

न लोभः परदारेषु स्वदारनिरतो जनः । न चान्योन्यवधस्तत्र द्रव्येषु न च विस्मयः । परोक्षधर्मो नैवास्ति संदेहो नापि जायते ॥

na lobhaḥ paradāreṣu svadāranirato janaḥ | na cānyonyavadhastatra dravyeṣu na ca vismayaḥ | parokṣadharmo naivāsti saṃdeho nāpi jāyate

The people there are content with their own wives and have no greed for the wives of others. There is no killing of one another over possessions, and no conceit. There is no dharma whose fruit is out of sight, and no doubt arises.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (12.185.11): Wikisource has no page for this adhyaya (190), so the real adhyaya 190, which falls between the end of adhyaya 189 (critical edition 12.184.18) and the start of Wikisource 191 (critical edition 12.186.1), is supplied from the critical edition (adhyaya 12.185, verses 1 to 27) and written in Devanagari with the critical edition's words unchanged. The critical edition's three lines (11a, 11c, 11e) are kept as three lines.

Verse 12 (12.190.12)

कृतस्य तु फलं तत्र प्रत्यक्षमुपलभ्यते । शय्यायानासनोपेताः प्रासादभवनाश्रयाः । सर्वकामैर्वृताः के चिद्धेमाभरणभूषिताः ॥

kṛtasya tu phalaṃ tatra pratyakṣamupalabhyate | śayyāyānāsanopetāḥ prāsādabhavanāśrayāḥ | sarvakāmairvṛtāḥ ke ciddhemābharaṇabhūṣitāḥ

There the fruit of what has been done is seen before one's eyes: some are supplied with beds, vehicles and seats and live in palaces and mansions; some are surrounded by everything they desire, adorned with gold ornaments.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (12.185.12): Wikisource has no page for this adhyaya (190), so the real adhyaya 190, which falls between the end of adhyaya 189 (critical edition 12.184.18) and the start of Wikisource 191 (critical edition 12.186.1), is supplied from the critical edition (adhyaya 12.185, verses 1 to 27) and written in Devanagari with the critical edition's words unchanged. The critical edition's three lines (12a, 12c, 12e) are kept as three lines.

Verse 13 (12.190.13)

प्राणधारणमात्रं तु केषां चिदुपपद्यते । श्रमेण महता के चित्कुर्वन्ति प्राणधारणम् ॥

prāṇadhāraṇamātraṃ tu keṣāṃ cidupapadyate | śrameṇa mahatā ke citkurvanti prāṇadhāraṇam

To some there comes only enough to sustain life; some keep themselves alive only by great toil.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (12.185.13): Wikisource has no page for this adhyaya (190), so the real adhyaya 190, which falls between the end of adhyaya 189 (critical edition 12.184.18) and the start of Wikisource 191 (critical edition 12.186.1), is supplied from the critical edition (adhyaya 12.185, verses 1 to 27) and written in Devanagari with the critical edition's words unchanged. The critical edition's two lines (13a, 13c) are kept as two lines.

Verse 14 (12.190.14)

इह धर्मपराः के चित्के चिन्नैकृतिका नराः । सुखिता दुःखिताः के चिन्निर्धना धनिनोऽपरे ॥

iha dharmaparāḥ ke citke cinnaikṛtikā narāḥ | sukhitā duḥkhitāḥ ke cinnirdhanā dhanino'pare

Here some are devoted to dharma and some are cheats; some are happy and some unhappy; some are poor and others rich.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (12.185.14): Wikisource has no page for this adhyaya (190), so the real adhyaya 190, which falls between the end of adhyaya 189 (critical edition 12.184.18) and the start of Wikisource 191 (critical edition 12.186.1), is supplied from the critical edition (adhyaya 12.185, verses 1 to 27) and written in Devanagari with the critical edition's words unchanged. The critical edition's two lines (14a, 14c) are kept as two lines.

Verse 15 (12.190.15)

इह श्रमो भयं मोहः क्षुधा तीव्रा च जायते । लोभश्चार्थकृतो नॄणां येन मुह्यन्ति पण्डिताः ॥

iha śramo bhayaṃ mohaḥ kṣudhā tīvrā ca jāyate | lobhaścārthakṛto nṝṇāṃ yena muhyanti paṇḍitāḥ

Here arise toil, fear, delusion and fierce hunger, and men's greed for wealth, by which even the learned are bewildered.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (12.185.15): Wikisource has no page for this adhyaya (190), so the real adhyaya 190, which falls between the end of adhyaya 189 (critical edition 12.184.18) and the start of Wikisource 191 (critical edition 12.186.1), is supplied from the critical edition (adhyaya 12.185, verses 1 to 27) and written in Devanagari with the critical edition's words unchanged. The critical edition's two lines (15a, 15c) are kept as two lines.

Verse 16 (12.190.16)

इह चिन्ता बहुविधा धर्माधर्मस्य कर्मणः । यस्तद्वेदोभयं प्राज्ञः पाप्मना न स लिप्यते ॥

iha cintā bahuvidhā dharmādharmasya karmaṇaḥ | yastadvedobhayaṃ prājñaḥ pāpmanā na sa lipyate

Here there is much deliberation of many kinds about whether an act is dharma or adharma. The wise man who understands both is not stained by sin.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (12.185.16): Wikisource has no page for this adhyaya (190), so the real adhyaya 190, which falls between the end of adhyaya 189 (critical edition 12.184.18) and the start of Wikisource 191 (critical edition 12.186.1), is supplied from the critical edition (adhyaya 12.185, verses 1 to 27) and written in Devanagari with the critical edition's words unchanged. The critical edition's two lines (16a, 16c) are kept as two lines.

Verse 17 (12.190.17)

सोपधं निकृतिः स्तेयं परिवादोऽभ्यसूयता । परोपघातो हिंसा च पैशुन्यमनृतं तथा ॥

sopadhaṃ nikṛtiḥ steyaṃ parivādo'bhyasūyatā | paropaghāto hiṃsā ca paiśunyamanṛtaṃ tathā

Trickery, cheating, theft, slander, resentment, harming others, violence, backbiting and falsehood:

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (12.185.17): Wikisource has no page for this adhyaya (190), so the real adhyaya 190, which falls between the end of adhyaya 189 (critical edition 12.184.18) and the start of Wikisource 191 (critical edition 12.186.1), is supplied from the critical edition (adhyaya 12.185, verses 1 to 27) and written in Devanagari with the critical edition's words unchanged. The critical edition's two lines (17a, 17c) are kept as two lines.

Verse 18 (12.190.18)

एतानासेवते यस्तु तपस्तस्य प्रहीयते । यस्त्वेतान्नाचरेद्विद्वांस्तपस्तस्याभिवर्धते ॥

etānāsevate yastu tapastasya prahīyate | yastvetānnācaredvidvāṃstapastasyābhivardhate

whoever practises these loses his austerity; but the wise man who does not practise them finds his austerity grows.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (12.185.18): Wikisource has no page for this adhyaya (190), so the real adhyaya 190, which falls between the end of adhyaya 189 (critical edition 12.184.18) and the start of Wikisource 191 (critical edition 12.186.1), is supplied from the critical edition (adhyaya 12.185, verses 1 to 27) and written in Devanagari with the critical edition's words unchanged. The critical edition's two lines (18a, 18c) are kept as two lines.

Verse 19 (12.190.19)

कर्मभूमिरियं लोक इह कृत्वा शुभाशुभम् । शुभैः शुभमवाप्नोति कृत्वाशुभमतोऽन्यथा ॥

karmabhūmiriyaṃ loka iha kṛtvā śubhāśubham | śubhaiḥ śubhamavāpnoti kṛtvāśubhamato'nyathā

This world is the field of action. Here, having done good and evil, one gains good through good deeds; having done evil, one gains the opposite.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (12.185.19): Wikisource has no page for this adhyaya (190), so the real adhyaya 190, which falls between the end of adhyaya 189 (critical edition 12.184.18) and the start of Wikisource 191 (critical edition 12.186.1), is supplied from the critical edition (adhyaya 12.185, verses 1 to 27) and written in Devanagari with the critical edition's words unchanged. The critical edition's two lines (19a, 19c) are kept as two lines.

Verse 20 (12.190.20)

इह प्रजापतिः पूर्वं देवाः सर्षिगणास्तथा । इष्ट्वेष्टतपसः पूता ब्रह्मलोकमुपाश्रिताः ॥

iha prajāpatiḥ pūrvaṃ devāḥ sarṣigaṇāstathā | iṣṭveṣṭatapasaḥ pūtā brahmalokamupāśritāḥ

Here, in the beginning, Prajapati, the gods and the hosts of seers too, having performed the sacrifices and austerities they desired, became purified and went to the world of Brahma.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (12.185.20): Wikisource has no page for this adhyaya (190), so the real adhyaya 190, which falls between the end of adhyaya 189 (critical edition 12.184.18) and the start of Wikisource 191 (critical edition 12.186.1), is supplied from the critical edition (adhyaya 12.185, verses 1 to 27) and written in Devanagari with the critical edition's words unchanged. The critical edition's two lines (20a, 20c) are kept as two lines.

Verse 21 (12.190.21)

उत्तरः पृथिवीभागः सर्वपुण्यतमः शुभः । इहत्यास्तत्र जायन्ते ये वै पुण्यकृतो जनाः ॥

uttaraḥ pṛthivībhāgaḥ sarvapuṇyatamaḥ śubhaḥ | ihatyāstatra jāyante ye vai puṇyakṛto janāḥ

The northern part of the earth is the holiest of all, and auspicious. Those people of this world who have done meritorious deeds are born there.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (12.185.21): Wikisource has no page for this adhyaya (190), so the real adhyaya 190, which falls between the end of adhyaya 189 (critical edition 12.184.18) and the start of Wikisource 191 (critical edition 12.186.1), is supplied from the critical edition (adhyaya 12.185, verses 1 to 27) and written in Devanagari with the critical edition's words unchanged. The critical edition's two lines (21a, 21c) are kept as two lines.

Verse 22 (12.190.22)

असत्कर्माणि कुर्वन्तस्तिर्यग्योनिषु चापरे । क्षीणायुषस्तथैवान्ये नश्यन्ति पृथिवीतले ॥

asatkarmāṇi kurvantastiryagyoniṣu cāpare | kṣīṇāyuṣastathaivānye naśyanti pṛthivītale

Others, doing evil deeds, are born in animal wombs; and others, their lives exhausted, perish on the face of the earth.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (12.185.22): Wikisource has no page for this adhyaya (190), so the real adhyaya 190, which falls between the end of adhyaya 189 (critical edition 12.184.18) and the start of Wikisource 191 (critical edition 12.186.1), is supplied from the critical edition (adhyaya 12.185, verses 1 to 27) and written in Devanagari with the critical edition's words unchanged. The critical edition's two lines (22a, 22c) are kept as two lines.

Verse 23 (12.190.23)

अन्योन्यभक्षणे सक्ता लोभमोहसमन्विताः । इहैव परिवर्तन्ते न ते यान्त्युत्तरां दिशम् ॥

anyonyabhakṣaṇe saktā lobhamohasamanvitāḥ | ihaiva parivartante na te yāntyuttarāṃ diśam

Those who are given to devouring one another, full of greed and delusion, keep turning round here itself; they do not go to the northern region.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (12.185.23): Wikisource has no page for this adhyaya (190), so the real adhyaya 190, which falls between the end of adhyaya 189 (critical edition 12.184.18) and the start of Wikisource 191 (critical edition 12.186.1), is supplied from the critical edition (adhyaya 12.185, verses 1 to 27) and written in Devanagari with the critical edition's words unchanged. The critical edition's two lines (23a, 23c) are kept as two lines.

Verse 24 (12.190.24)

ये गुरूनुपसेवन्ते नियता ब्रह्मचारिणः । पन्थानं सर्वलोकानां ते जानन्ति मनीषिणः ॥

ye gurūnupasevante niyatā brahmacāriṇaḥ | panthānaṃ sarvalokānāṃ te jānanti manīṣiṇaḥ

Those wise men who, self-controlled, serve their teachers as students of sacred knowledge know the road to all the worlds.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (12.185.24): Wikisource has no page for this adhyaya (190), so the real adhyaya 190, which falls between the end of adhyaya 189 (critical edition 12.184.18) and the start of Wikisource 191 (critical edition 12.186.1), is supplied from the critical edition (adhyaya 12.185, verses 1 to 27) and written in Devanagari with the critical edition's words unchanged. The critical edition's two lines (24a, 24c) are kept as two lines.

Verse 25 (12.190.25)

इत्युक्तोऽयं मया धर्मः संक्षेपाद्ब्रह्मनिर्मितः । धर्माधर्मौ हि लोकस्य यो वै वेत्ति स बुद्धिमान् ॥

ityukto'yaṃ mayā dharmaḥ saṃkṣepādbrahmanirmitaḥ | dharmādharmau hi lokasya yo vai vetti sa buddhimān

Thus I have told you in brief this dharma fashioned by Brahma. He who truly knows dharma and adharma in the world is a man of understanding.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (12.185.25): Wikisource has no page for this adhyaya (190), so the real adhyaya 190, which falls between the end of adhyaya 189 (critical edition 12.184.18) and the start of Wikisource 191 (critical edition 12.186.1), is supplied from the critical edition (adhyaya 12.185, verses 1 to 27) and written in Devanagari with the critical edition's words unchanged. The critical edition's two lines (25a, 25c) are kept as two lines.

Verse 26 (12.190.26)

इत्युक्तो भृगुणा राजन्भरद्वाजः प्रतापवान् । भृगुं परमधर्मात्मा विस्मितः प्रत्यपूजयत् ॥

ityukto bhṛguṇā rājanbharadvājaḥ pratāpavān | bhṛguṃ paramadharmātmā vismitaḥ pratyapūjayat

Thus addressed by Bhrigu, O king, the glorious Bharadvaja, of supremely righteous soul, was filled with wonder and honoured Bhrigu in return.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (12.185.26): Wikisource has no page for this adhyaya (190), so the real adhyaya 190, which falls between the end of adhyaya 189 (critical edition 12.184.18) and the start of Wikisource 191 (critical edition 12.186.1), is supplied from the critical edition (adhyaya 12.185, verses 1 to 27) and written in Devanagari with the critical edition's words unchanged. The critical edition's two lines (26a, 26c) are kept as two lines. The critical edition's heading "bhīṣma uvāca" stands before this verse.

Verse 27 (12.190.27)

एष ते प्रभवो राजञ्जगतः संप्रकीर्तितः । निखिलेन महाप्राज्ञ किं भूयः श्रोतुमिच्छसि ॥

eṣa te prabhavo rājañjagataḥ saṃprakīrtitaḥ | nikhilena mahāprājña kiṃ bhūyaḥ śrotumicchasi

This, O king, is the origin of the world as I have fully recounted it to you. What more do you wish to hear, O man of great wisdom?

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (12.185.27): Wikisource has no page for this adhyaya (190), so the real adhyaya 190, which falls between the end of adhyaya 189 (critical edition 12.184.18) and the start of Wikisource 191 (critical edition 12.186.1), is supplied from the critical edition (adhyaya 12.185, verses 1 to 27) and written in Devanagari with the critical edition's words unchanged. The critical edition's two lines (27a, 27c) are kept as two lines.