Time Governs All: Senajit's Song of Sorrow

Verse 1 (12.25.1)

द्वैपायनवचः श्रुत्वा कुपिते च धनञ्जये । व्यासमामन्त्र्य कौन्तेयः प्रत्युवाच युधिष्ठिरः ॥

dvaipāyanavacaḥ śrutvā kupite ca dhanañjaye | vyāsamāmantrya kaunteyaḥ pratyuvāca yudhiṣṭhiraḥ

Having heard Dvaipayana's words, while Dhananjaya was angry, Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, addressed Vyasa and replied.

Note on the text: Wikisource's 12-25 is the critical edition's 12.26; the page is the right adhyaya.

Verse 2 (12.25.2)

न पार्थिवमिदं राज्यं न भोगाश्च पृथग्विधाः । प्रीणयन्ति मनो मेऽद्य शोको मां दारयत्ययम् ॥

na pārthivamidaṃ rājyaṃ na bhogāśca pṛthagvidhāḥ | prīṇayanti mano me'dya śoko māṃ dārayatyayam

This earthly kingdom and the many kinds of pleasures do not delight my mind today. This grief tears me apart.

Verse 3 (12.25.3)

श्रुत्वा वीरविहीनानामपुत्राणां च योषिताम् । परिदेवयमानानां न शान्तिं मनसा लभे ॥

śrutvā vīravihīnānāmaputrāṇāṃ ca yoṣitām | paridevayamānānāṃ na śāntiṃ manasā labhe

Hearing the wailing of the women bereft of heroes and of sons, I find no peace of mind.

Verse 4 (12.25.4)

इत्युक्तः प्रत्युवाचेदं व्यासो योगविदांवरः । युधिष्ठिरं महाप्राज्ञो धर्मज्ञो वेदपारगः ॥

ityuktaḥ pratyuvācedaṃ vyāso yogavidāṃvaraḥ | yudhiṣṭhiraṃ mahāprājño dharmajño vedapāragaḥ

Thus addressed, Vyasa, best of those who know yoga, wise, a knower of dharma and master of the Veda, replied to Yudhishthira.

Note on the text: Speaker: Vaishampayana (narration; the page's next heading is Vyasa's at verse 5; the input had Yudhishthira carried over).

Verse 5 (12.25.5)

न कर्मणा लभ्यते चेज्यया वा । नाप्यस्ति दाता पुरुषस्य कश्चित् । पर्याययोगाद्विहितं विधात्रा । कालेन सर्वं लभते मनुष्यः ॥

na karmaṇā labhyate cejyayā vā | nāpyasti dātā puruṣasya kaścit | paryāyayogādvihitaṃ vidhātrā | kālena sarvaṃ labhate manuṣyaḥ

Not by action, nor by sacrifice, is it obtained, and there is no one who gives it to a man. By the turn of events ordained by the Creator, a man obtains everything in time.

Verse 6 (12.25.6)

न बुद्धिशक्त्याऽऽध्ययनेन शक्यं । प्राप्तुं विशेषं मनुजैरकाले । मूर्खोऽपि चाप्नोति कदाचिदर्था । न्कालो हि सर्वं पुरुषस्य दाता ॥

na buddhiśaktyā''dhyayanena śakyaṃ | prāptuṃ viśeṣaṃ manujairakāle | mūrkho'pi cāpnoti kadācidarthā | nkālo hi sarvaṃ puruṣasya dātā

Neither by intelligence, nor by strength, nor by study can men gain a special success out of season; even a fool sometimes obtains riches. Time alone is the giver of everything to a man.

Verse 7 (12.25.7)

न भूरकालेषु फलं ददाति । शिल्पानि मन्त्राश्च तथौषधानि । तान्येव कालेन समाहितानि । सिद्ध्यन्ति वर्धन्ति च भूतिकाले ॥

na bhūrakāleṣu phalaṃ dadāti | śilpāni mantrāśca tathauṣadhāni | tānyeva kālena samāhitāni | siddhyanti vardhanti ca bhūtikāle

The earth gives no fruit out of season, nor do crafts, mantras and medicines. These very things, applied in due time, succeed and flourish in the season of prosperity.

Verse 8 (12.25.8)

कालेन शीघ्राः प्रवहन्ति वाताः । कालेन वृष्टिर्जलदानुपैति । कालेन पद्मोत्पलवज्जलं च । कालेन पुष्यन्ति वनेषु वृक्षाः ॥

kālena śīghrāḥ pravahanti vātāḥ | kālena vṛṣṭirjaladānupaiti | kālena padmotpalavajjalaṃ ca | kālena puṣyanti vaneṣu vṛkṣāḥ

In time the swift winds blow; in time the rain comes from the clouds; in time the water is full of lotuses and water lilies; in time the trees in the forests blossom.

Note on the text: Corrected पझोत्पलवञ्जलं → पद्मोत्पलवज्जलं (misprint in Wikisource; झ for द्म and ञ्ज for ज्ज; the critical edition reads padmotpalavaj jalaṃ).

Verse 9 (12.25.9)

कालेन कृष्णाश्च सिताश्च रात्र्यः । कालेन चन्द्रः परिपूर्णबिम्बः । नाकालतः पुष्पफलं द्रुमाणां । नाकालवेगाः सरितो वहन्ति ॥

kālena kṛṣṇāśca sitāśca rātryaḥ | kālena candraḥ paripūrṇabimbaḥ | nākālataḥ puṣpaphalaṃ drumāṇāṃ | nākālavegāḥ sarito vahanti

In time come the dark nights and the bright; in time the moon is full-orbed. Not out of season do trees bear flowers and fruit; not out of season do rivers run in flood.

Verse 10 (12.25.10)

नाकालमत्ताः खगपन्नगाश्च । मृगद्विपाः शैलमृगाश्च लोके । नाकालतः स्त्रीषु भवन्ति गर्भा । नायन्त्यकाले शिशिरोष्णवर्षाः ॥

nākālamattāḥ khagapannagāśca | mṛgadvipāḥ śailamṛgāśca loke | nākālataḥ strīṣu bhavanti garbhā | nāyantyakāle śiśiroṣṇavarṣāḥ

Not out of season are birds and serpents, beasts, elephants and mountain deer in the world driven wild with passion; not out of season do women conceive; not out of season do cold, heat and rain come.

Verse 11 (12.25.11)

नाकालतो म्रियते जायते वा । नाकालतो व्याहरते च बालः । नाकालतो यौवनमभ्युपैति । नाकालतो रोहति बीजमुप्तम् ॥

nākālato mriyate jāyate vā | nākālato vyāharate ca bālaḥ | nākālato yauvanamabhyupaiti | nākālato rohati bījamuptam

Not out of season does a child die or get born; not out of season does it speak; not out of season does youth arrive; not out of season does a sown seed sprout.

Verse 12 (12.25.12)

नाकालतो भानुरुपैति योगं । नाकालतोऽस्तं गिरिमभ्युपैति । नाकालतो वर्धते हीयते च । चन्द्रः समुद्रोऽपि महोर्मिमाली ॥

nākālato bhānurupaiti yogaṃ | nākālato'staṃ girimabhyupaiti | nākālato vardhate hīyate ca | candraḥ samudro'pi mahormimālī

Not out of season does the sun come to its conjunction; not out of season does it go to the setting mountain; not out of season does the moon wax and wane, nor the ocean with its garlands of great waves.

Verse 13 (12.25.13)

अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । गीतं राज्ञा सेनजिता दुःखार्तेन युधिष्ठिर ॥

atrāpyudāharantīmamitihāsaṃ purātanam | gītaṃ rājñā senajitā duḥkhārtena yudhiṣṭhira

On this they also tell an ancient account, a song sung by King Senajit, afflicted with sorrow, Yudhishthira.

Verse 14 (12.25.14)

सर्वानेवैष पर्यायो मर्त्यान्स्पृशति दुःसहः । कालेन परिपक्वा हि म्रियन्ते सर्वपार्थिवाः ॥

sarvānevaiṣa paryāyo martyānspṛśati duḥsahaḥ | kālena paripakvā hi mriyante sarvapārthivāḥ

This unbearable turn of fortune touches all mortals alike. Ripened by time, all kings die.

Note on the text: Speaker: Senajit — the gāthā he sang, running through verse 28 (verse 13 introduces it; verse 29 closes it with 'so spoke Senajit'; the page prints no heading; the input had Vyasa).

Verse 15 (12.25.15)

घ्नन्ति चान्यान्नरान्राजंस्तानप्यन्ये तथा नराः । संज्ञैषा लौकिकी राजन्न हिनस्ति न हन्यते ॥

ghnanti cānyānnarānrājaṃstānapyanye tathā narāḥ | saṃjñaiṣā laukikī rājanna hinasti na hanyate

Men kill other men, O king, and others in turn kill them. This is only a worldly manner of speaking, O king: the self neither kills nor is killed.

Verse 16 (12.25.16)

हन्तीति मन्यते कश्चिन्न हन्तीत्यपि चापरः । स्वभावतस्तु नियतौ भूतानां प्रभवाप्ययौ ॥

hantīti manyate kaścinna hantītyapi cāparaḥ | svabhāvatastu niyatau bhūtānāṃ prabhavāpyayau

One thinks, “He kills”; another thinks, “He does not kill.” But the coming into being and passing away of creatures is fixed by their own nature.

Verse 17 (12.25.17)

नष्टे धने वा दारे वा पुत्रे पितरि वा मृते । अहो दुःखमिति ध्यायन्दुःखस्यापचितिं चरेत् ॥

naṣṭe dhane vā dāre vā putre pitari vā mṛte | aho duḥkhamiti dhyāyanduḥkhasyāpacitiṃ caret

When wealth is lost, or a wife, or when a son or a father has died, one who dwells on the thought, “Ah, the sorrow!” should seek the remedy for sorrow.

Verse 18 (12.25.18)

स किं शोचसि मूढः सञ्शोच्यान्किमनुशोचसि । पश्य दुःखेषु दुःखानि भयेषु च भयान्यपि ॥

sa kiṃ śocasi mūḍhaḥ sañśocyānkimanuśocasi | paśya duḥkheṣu duḥkhāni bhayeṣu ca bhayānyapi

So why do you grieve, deluded as you are? Why do you mourn those who are to be pitied? See sorrows within sorrows and fears within fears.

Verse 19 (12.25.19)

आत्माऽपि चायं न मम सर्वाऽपि पृथिवी मम । यथा मम तथाऽन्येषामिति पश्यन्न मुह्यति ॥

ātmā'pi cāyaṃ na mama sarvā'pi pṛthivī mama | yathā mama tathā'nyeṣāmiti paśyanna muhyati

Even this self is not mine; the whole earth is not mine. As it is mine, so it is for others. One who sees this is not deluded.

Note on the text: Corrected पथिवी → पृथिवी (misprint in Wikisource; dropped vowel sign ृ; the critical edition reads pṛthivī).

Verse 20 (12.25.20)

शोकस्थानसहस्राणि हर्षस्थानशतानि च । दिवसेदिवसे मूढमाविशन्ति न पण्डितम् ॥

śokasthānasahasrāṇi harṣasthānaśatāni ca | divasedivase mūḍhamāviśanti na paṇḍitam

Thousands of occasions for grief and hundreds for joy come upon the fool day after day, but not upon the wise man.

Verse 21 (12.25.21)

एवमेतानि कालेन प्रियद्वेष्याणि भागशः । जीवेषु परिवर्तन्ते दुःखानि च सुखानि च ॥

evametāni kālena priyadveṣyāṇi bhāgaśaḥ | jīveṣu parivartante duḥkhāni ca sukhāni ca

Thus, in time, among living beings these things come round in turn, the dear and the hated, sorrows and pleasures.

Verse 22 (12.25.22)

दुःखमेवास्ति न सुखं तस्मात्तदुपलभ्यते । तृष्णार्तिप्रभवं दुःखं दुःखार्तिप्रभवं सुखम् ॥

duḥkhamevāsti na sukhaṃ tasmāttadupalabhyate | tṛṣṇārtiprabhavaṃ duḥkhaṃ duḥkhārtiprabhavaṃ sukham

Only sorrow exists, not happiness; that is why happiness is perceived at all. Sorrow springs from the torment of craving, and happiness springs from the ending of the torment of sorrow.

Verse 23 (12.25.23)

सुखस्यानन्तरं दुःखं दुःखस्यानन्तरं सुखम् । न नित्यं लभते दुःखं न नित्यं लभते सुखम् ॥

sukhasyānantaraṃ duḥkhaṃ duḥkhasyānantaraṃ sukham | na nityaṃ labhate duḥkhaṃ na nityaṃ labhate sukham

Sorrow comes after happiness, and happiness after sorrow. Sorrow is not one's lot for ever, nor is happiness.

Verse 24 (12.25.24)

सुखमेव हि दुःखान्तं कदाचिद्दुःखतः सुखम् । तस्मादेतद्द्वयं जह्याद्य इच्छेच्छाश्वतं सुखम् ॥

sukhameva hi duḥkhāntaṃ kadācidduḥkhataḥ sukham | tasmādetaddvayaṃ jahyādya icchecchāśvataṃ sukham

Happiness is the end of sorrow, and sometimes happiness comes out of sorrow. Therefore one who desires lasting happiness should give up both.

Note on the text: Line 1 is the star line 12.26.24b*0033_01 (not in the critical edition's constituted text; the critical edition's own lines 24a, sukham ante hi duḥkhānāṃ duḥkham ante sukhasya ca, are not in Wikisource); line 2 is 12.26.24c, as printed.

Verse 25 (12.25.25)

सुखान्तप्रभवं दुःखं दुःखान्तप्रभवं सुखम् । यन्निमित्तो भवेच्छोकस्तापो वा दुःखमूर्च्छितः । आयासो वाऽपि यन्मूलस्तदेकाङ्गमपि त्यजेत् ॥

sukhāntaprabhavaṃ duḥkhaṃ duḥkhāntaprabhavaṃ sukham | yannimitto bhavecchokastāpo vā duḥkhamūrcchitaḥ | āyāso vā'pi yanmūlastadekāṅgamapi tyajet

Sorrow arises at the end of happiness, and happiness at the end of sorrow. Whatever is the cause of grief, or of anguish steeped in sorrow, or of toil, one should give it up, even if it is a limb of one's own body.

Note on the text: Three lines, as printed. Line 1 is the star line 12.26.24d*0034_01 (not in the critical edition's constituted text); lines 2–3 are 12.26.25a, 25c (the unmatched passage in the input).

Verse 26 (12.25.26)

सुखं वा यदि वा दुःखं प्रियं वा यदि वाऽप्रियम् । प्राप्तं प्राप्तमुपासीत हृदयेनापराजितः ॥

sukhaṃ vā yadi vā duḥkhaṃ priyaṃ vā yadi vā'priyam | prāptaṃ prāptamupāsīta hṛdayenāparājitaḥ

Whether pleasure or pain, the dear or the unwelcome, whatever comes, one should accept it with an unconquered heart.

Verse 27 (12.25.27)

ईषदप्यङ्ग दाराणां पुत्राणामाचरन्प्रियम् । ततो ज्ञास्यसि कः कस्य केन वा कथमेव च ॥

īṣadapyaṅga dārāṇāṃ putrāṇāmācaranpriyam | tato jñāsyasi kaḥ kasya kena vā kathameva ca

My friend, if you do even a little of what is dear to your wives and sons, then you will know who belongs to whom, and by what means, and how.

Verse 28 (12.25.28)

ये च मूढतमा लोके ये च बुद्धेः परं गताः । त एव सुखमेधन्ते मध्यमः क्लिश्यते जनः ॥

ye ca mūḍhatamā loke ye ca buddheḥ paraṃ gatāḥ | ta eva sukhamedhante madhyamaḥ kliśyate janaḥ

Those who are the most foolish in the world, and those who have gone beyond understanding: they alone prosper in happiness. The man in the middle suffers.

Verse 29 (12.25.29)

इत्यब्रवीन्महाप्राज्ञो युधिष्ठिर स सेनजित् । परावरज्ञो लोकस्य धर्मवित्सुखदुःखवित् ॥

ityabravīnmahāprājño yudhiṣṭhira sa senajit | parāvarajño lokasya dharmavitsukhaduḥkhavit

So spoke Senajit, Yudhishthira, great in wisdom, who knew the high and the low of the world, who knew dharma, who knew happiness and sorrow.

Note on the text: Corrected इत्यन्नवीन् → इत्यब्रवीन् (misprint in Wikisource; ब्र misprinted as न्न; the critical edition reads ity abravīn). Speaker: Vyasa (narration closing Senajit's song).

Verse 30 (12.25.30)

परदुःखेन दुःखी यो न स जातु सुखी भवेत् । दुःखानां हि क्षयो नास्ति जायते ह्यपरात्परम् ॥

paraduḥkhena duḥkhī yo na sa jātu sukhī bhavet | duḥkhānāṃ hi kṣayo nāsti jāyate hyaparātparam

One who is pained by another's pain can never be happy; for there is no end to sorrows, and one springs up after another.

Note on the text: A recension variant of 12.26.30a (the critical edition has sukhī parasya yo duḥkhe na jātu sa sukhī bhavet); kept as printed.

Verse 31 (12.25.31)

सुखं च दुःखं च भवाभवौ च । लाभालाभौ मरणं जीवितं च । पर्यायतः सर्वमवाप्तुवन्ति । तस्मान्न मुह्येन्न च संप्रहृष्येत् ॥

sukhaṃ ca duḥkhaṃ ca bhavābhavau ca | lābhālābhau maraṇaṃ jīvitaṃ ca | paryāyataḥ sarvamavāptuvanti | tasmānna muhyenna ca saṃprahṛṣyet

Pleasure and pain, prosperity and ruin, gain and loss, death and life: men obtain all of these in turn. Therefore one should neither be bewildered nor greatly elated.

Note on the text: Line 3 and line 4 are recension variants of 12.26.31c (the critical edition has paryāyaśaḥ sarvam iha spṛśanti; tasmād dhīro naiva hṛṣyen na kupyet); kept as printed.

Verse 32 (12.25.32)

दीक्षां राज्ञां संयुगे धर्ममाहु । र्योगं राज्ये दण्डनीतिं च सम्यक् । वित्तत्यागं दक्षिणां चैव यज्ञे । सम्यग्दानं पावनानीति विद्यात् ॥

dīkṣāṃ rājñāṃ saṃyuge dharmamāhu | ryogaṃ rājye daṇḍanītiṃ ca samyak | vittatyāgaṃ dakṣiṇāṃ caiva yajñe | samyagdānaṃ pāvanānīti vidyāt

For kings, they say, consecration is a duty in battle; so too disciplined exertion in government and sound administration of punishment, giving up wealth and the sacrificial fee at a sacrifice, and proper giving. Let a king know these to be purifying.

Note on the text: A recension variant of 12.26.32 (the lines differ in wording from the critical edition's dīkṣāṃ yajñe pālanaṃ yuddham āhur…); kept as printed. Cross-line sandhi (धर्ममाहु / र्योगं) as printed.

Verse 33 (12.25.33)

रक्षन्राज्यं बुद्धिपूर्वं नयेन । संत्यक्तात्मा यज्ञशीलो महात्मा । सर्वाल्लोकान्धर्मदृष्ट्यावलोक । न्नूर्ध्वं देहान्मोदते देवलोके ॥

rakṣanrājyaṃ buddhipūrvaṃ nayena | saṃtyaktātmā yajñaśīlo mahātmā | sarvāllokāndharmadṛṣṭyāvaloka | nnūrdhvaṃ dehānmodate devaloke

Protecting the realm with forethought and sound policy, giving up his very self, devoted to sacrifice, great of soul, looking upon all the worlds with the eye of dharma, he rejoices in the world of the gods after leaving the body.

Note on the text: Corrected न्नूध्वं → न्नूर्ध्वं (misprint in Wikisource; dropped र; the critical edition reads ūrdhvaṃ). Cross-line sandhi (सर्वाल्लोकान्धर्मदृष्ट्यावलोक / न्नूर्ध्वं) as printed.

Verse 34 (12.25.34)

जित्वा संग्रामान्पालयित्वा च राष्ट्रं । सोमं पीत्वा वर्धयित्वा प्रजाश्च । युक्त्या दण्डं धारयित्वा प्रजानां । पश्चात्क्षीणायुर्मोदते देवलोके ॥

jitvā saṃgrāmānpālayitvā ca rāṣṭraṃ | somaṃ pītvā vardhayitvā prajāśca | yuktyā daṇḍaṃ dhārayitvā prajānāṃ | paścātkṣīṇāyurmodate devaloke

Having won battles and protected the kingdom, drunk soma and made his subjects prosper, and applied punishment among his people with judgement, he afterwards, when his life is spent, rejoices in the world of the gods.

Note on the text: The critical edition's 12.26.34 also has a star couplet (34d*0035) that Wikisource lacks.

Verse 35 (12.25.35)

सम्यग्वेदान्प्राप्य शास्त्राण्यधीत्य । सम्यग्राष्ट्रं पालयित्वा च राजा । चातुर्वर्ण्यं स्थापयित्वा स्वधर्मे । पूतात्मा वै मोदते देवलोके ॥

samyagvedānprāpya śāstrāṇyadhītya | samyagrāṣṭraṃ pālayitvā ca rājā | cāturvarṇyaṃ sthāpayitvā svadharme | pūtātmā vai modate devaloke

Having properly obtained the Vedas and studied the sciences, as a king having properly protected the realm, and having established the four classes in their own duties, a man of purified self rejoices in the world of the gods.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (12.26.35): Wikisource prints only the last line of the verse (labelled 12-25-35f, पूतात्मा वै मोदते देवलोके); lines 1–3 are restored from 12.26.35a and 35c — samyag vedān prāpya śāstrāṇy adhītya / samyag rāṣṭraṃ pālayitvā ca rājā / cāturvarṇyaṃ sthāpayitvā svadharme — with the critical edition's words exactly, and line 4 is kept as printed.

Verse 36 (12.25.36)

यस्य वृत्तं नमस्यन्ति स्वर्गस्थस्यापि मानवाः । पौरजानपदामात्याः स राजा राजसत्तमः ॥

yasya vṛttaṃ namasyanti svargasthasyāpi mānavāḥ | paurajānapadāmātyāḥ sa rājā rājasattamaḥ

The king whose conduct men still revere even after he has gone to heaven (the townsfolk, the country-folk and the ministers) is the best of kings.

Note on the text: Matches 12.26.36 exactly (the input had no alignment). The critical edition continues with a long Appendix I passage (12.26.36d@004, 64 lines) that this page does not carry.