Tarkshya Teaches King Sagara the Way to Liberation

Verse 1 (12.294.1)

कथं नु युक्तः पृथिवीं चरेदस्मद्विधो नृपः । नित्यं कैश्च गुणैर्युक्तः सङ्गपाशाद्विमुच्यते ॥

kathaṃ nu yuktaḥ pṛthivīṃ caredasmadvidho nṛpaḥ | nityaṃ kaiśca guṇairyuktaḥ saṅgapāśādvimucyate

How should a king such as we are, properly disciplined, move about the earth, and endowed with what qualities is he forever freed from the noose of attachment?

Note on the text: Adhyaya note: the page is the right adhyaya (rows labelled 12-294-1 to 12-294-47; the colophon reads चतुर्नवत्यधिकद्विशततमोऽध्यायः । 294); no stray copy of another adhyaya. Its text is the critical edition's 12.277.1-47 (the CE numbers this adhyaya 277), verse for verse. The footnote block after the colophon (पाठान्तर glosses and commentary) is not part of the text and is not added. No star passage or Appendix I passage occurs here. Wikisource's युक्तः in line 1 is a recension variant of CE muktaḥ (the page's footnote gives विमुक्तः).

Verse 2 (12.294.2)

अत्र ते वर्तयिष्येऽहमितिहासं पुरातनम् । अरिष्टनेमिना प्रोक्तं सगरायानुपृच्छते ॥

atra te vartayiṣye'hamitihāsaṃ purātanam | ariṣṭaneminā proktaṃ sagarāyānupṛcchate

On this point I shall tell you an ancient account: what Arishtanemi said to Sagara when he asked.

Verse 3 (12.294.3)

किं श्रेयः परमं ब्रह्मन्कृत्वेह सुखमश्नुते । कथं न शोचेन्न क्षुभ्येदेतदिच्छामि वेदितुम् ॥

kiṃ śreyaḥ paramaṃ brahmankṛtveha sukhamaśnute | kathaṃ na śocenna kṣubhyedetadicchāmi veditum

Revered brahmin, what is the highest good, by doing which a man finds happiness here? How may one avoid grief and avoid being shaken? This I wish to learn.

Verse 4 (12.294.4)

एवमुक्तस्तदा तार्क्ष्यः सर्वशास्त्रविदां वरः । विबुध्य संपदं चाग्र्यां सद्वाक्यमिदमब्रवीत् ॥

evamuktastadā tārkṣyaḥ sarvaśāstravidāṃ varaḥ | vibudhya saṃpadaṃ cāgryāṃ sadvākyamidamabravīt

Thus addressed, Tarkshya, foremost among those versed in every scripture, perceiving the excellent fortune of the king, spoke these good words.

Verse 5 (12.294.5)

सुखं मोक्षसुखं लोके न च मूढोऽवगच्छति । प्रसक्तः पुत्रपशुषु धनधान्यसमाकुलः ॥

sukhaṃ mokṣasukhaṃ loke na ca mūḍho'vagacchati | prasaktaḥ putrapaśuṣu dhanadhānyasamākulaḥ

There is happiness in liberation, but the deluded do not recognise it in this world, attached as they are to sons and cattle and crowded round with wealth and grain.

Note on the text: No speaker heading is printed after verse 4 (भीष्म उवाच); verses 5-46 are the teaching of Tarkshya (Arishtanemi) to Sagara, so the carried-over Bhishma is corrected to Tarkshya. Verse 47 returns to Bhishma's narration.

Verse 6 (12.294.6)

सक्तबुद्धिरशान्तात्मा स न शक्यश्चिकित्सितुम् । स्नेहपाशसितो मूढो न स मोक्षाय कल्पते ॥

saktabuddhiraśāntātmā sa na śakyaścikitsitum | snehapāśasito mūḍho na sa mokṣāya kalpate

One whose mind is attached and whose self is restless cannot be cured. Bound by the snare of affection, the deluded one is not fit for liberation.

Verse 7 (12.294.7)

स्नेहजानिह ते पाशान्वक्ष्यामि शृणु तान्मम । सकर्णकेन शिरसा शक्याश्छेत्तुं विजानता ॥

snehajāniha te pāśānvakṣyāmi śṛṇu tānmama | sakarṇakena śirasā śakyāśchettuṃ vijānatā

I shall tell you of the snares of affection here; listen to them from me. One who understands can cut them with an attentive mind.

Verse 8 (12.294.8)

संभाव्य पुत्रान्कालेन यौवनस्थान्निवेश्य च । समर्थाज्जीवने ज्ञात्वा मुक्तश्चर यथासुखम् ॥

saṃbhāvya putrānkālena yauvanasthānniveśya ca | samarthājjīvane jñātvā muktaścara yathāsukham

Once you have brought up your sons in due time, seen them settled in their youth and married, and know them able to earn a living, go about liberated, at your ease.

Verse 9 (12.294.9)

भार्यां पुत्रवतीं वृद्धां लालितां पुत्रवत्सलाम् । ज्ञात्वा प्रजहि कालेन परार्थमनुदृश्य च ॥

bhāryāṃ putravatīṃ vṛddhāṃ lālitāṃ putravatsalām | jñātvā prajahi kālena parārthamanudṛśya ca

Your wife, mother of sons, now old, cherished and devoted to her children: knowing this, and keeping the highest end in view, give her up in due time.

Verse 10 (12.294.10)

सापत्यो निरपत्यो वा मुक्तश्चर यथासुखम् । इन्द्रियैरिन्द्रियार्थांस्त्वमनुभूय यथाविधि ॥

sāpatyo nirapatyo vā muktaścara yathāsukham | indriyairindriyārthāṃstvamanubhūya yathāvidhi

With children or without, go about liberated, at your ease, having experienced the objects of the senses through the senses, as is proper.

Verse 11 (12.294.11)

कृतकौतूहलस्तेषु मुक्तश्चर यथासुखम् । उपपत्त्योपलब्धेषु लोकेषु च समो भव ॥

kṛtakautūhalasteṣu muktaścara yathāsukham | upapattyopalabdheṣu lokeṣu ca samo bhava

Having satisfied your curiosity about them, go about liberated, at your ease, and be even-minded toward whatever comes to you in the world by right means.

Note on the text: Corrected कृतकौन्तूहलस्तेषु → कृतकौतूहलस्तेषु (misprint in Wikisource; कौन्तूहल is not a word; CE kautūhala).

Verse 12 (12.294.12)

एष तावत्समासेन तव संकीर्तितो मया । मोक्षार्थो विस्तरेणाथ भूयो वक्ष्यामि तच्छृणु ॥

eṣa tāvatsamāsena tava saṃkīrtito mayā | mokṣārtho vistareṇātha bhūyo vakṣyāmi tacchṛṇu

This much I have told you in brief. Now listen, and I shall speak again, at length, of the purpose of liberation.

Verse 13 (12.294.13)

मुक्ता वीतभया लोके चरन्ति सुखिनो नराः । सक्तभावा विनश्यन्ति नरास्तत्र न संशयः ॥

muktā vītabhayā loke caranti sukhino narāḥ | saktabhāvā vinaśyanti narāstatra na saṃśayaḥ

The liberated go about the world without fear and happy; those whose feelings are attached perish, no doubt of it.

Verse 14 (12.294.14)

आहारसंचये सक्ता यथा कीटपिपीलिकाः । असक्ताः सुखिनो लोके सक्ताश्चैव विनाशिनः ॥

āhārasaṃcaye saktā yathā kīṭapipīlikāḥ | asaktāḥ sukhino loke saktāścaiva vināśinaḥ

Those attached to hoarding food are like worms and ants. The unattached are happy in the world, and the attached are bound to perish.

Verse 15 (12.294.15)

स्वजने न च ते चिन्ता कर्तव्या मोक्षबुद्धिना । इमे मया विनाभूता भविष्यन्ति कथं त्विति ॥

svajane na ca te cintā kartavyā mokṣabuddhinā | ime mayā vinābhūtā bhaviṣyanti kathaṃ tviti

One who seeks liberation should not worry about his own people, thinking: How will these fare without me?

Verse 16 (12.294.16)

स्वयमुत्पद्यते जन्तुः स्वयमेव विवर्धते । सुखदुःखे तथा मृत्युं स्वयमेवाधिगच्छति ॥

svayamutpadyate jantuḥ svayameva vivardhate | sukhaduḥkhe tathā mṛtyuṃ svayamevādhigacchati

A creature is born of itself, grows of itself, and of itself meets pleasure and pain and death.

Verse 17 (12.294.17)

भोजनाच्छादने चैव मात्रा पित्रा च संग्रहम् । स्वकृतेनाधिगच्छन्ति लोके नास्त्यकृतं पुरा ॥

bhojanācchādane caiva mātrā pitrā ca saṃgraham | svakṛtenādhigacchanti loke nāstyakṛtaṃ purā

Food and clothing, and the support of mother and father: people obtain these by their own past deeds; in this world nothing is without a prior deed.

Note on the text: Corrected स्वकृते नाधिगच्छन्ति → स्वकृतेनाधिगच्छन्ति (misprint in Wikisource; a spurious space splits स्वकृतेन 'by one's own deed' from अधिगच्छन्ति, and reads as a negative against the sense of the next line; CE svakṛtenādhigacchanti).

Verse 18 (12.294.18)

धात्रा विहितभक्ष्याणि सर्वभूतानि मेदिनीम् । लोके विपरिधावन्ति रक्षितानि स्वकर्मभिः ॥

dhātrā vihitabhakṣyāṇi sarvabhūtāni medinīm | loke viparidhāvanti rakṣitāni svakarmabhiḥ

With their food laid out for them by the Creator, all beings run about over the earth, each protected by his own deeds.

Verse 19 (12.294.19)

स्वयं मृत्पिण्डभूतस्य परतन्त्रस्य सर्वदा । को हेतुः स्वजनं द्वेष्टुं रक्षितं वाऽदृढात्मनः ॥

svayaṃ mṛtpiṇḍabhūtasya paratantrasya sarvadā | ko hetuḥ svajanaṃ dveṣṭuṃ rakṣitaṃ vā'dṛḍhātmanaḥ

He is himself a lump of clay, always dependent on another. What reason has he to hate his kinsman, or to protect him, with so unsteady a spirit?

Note on the text: Wikisource's द्वेष्टुं 'to hate' reads against CE poṣṭum 'to nourish'; it is a valid word and is kept.

Verse 20 (12.294.20)

स्वजनं हि यदा मृत्युर्हन्त्येव भुवि पश्यतः । कृतेऽपि यत्ने महति तत्र बोद्धव्यमात्मना ॥

svajanaṃ hi yadā mṛtyurhantyeva bhuvi paśyataḥ | kṛte'pi yatne mahati tatra boddhavyamātmanā

When death strikes down your own kinsman before your eyes on earth, in spite of great effort, you should understand it for yourself.

Verse 21 (12.294.21)

जीवन्तमपि चैवैनं भरणे रक्षणे तथा । असमाप्ते परित्यज्य पश्चादपि मरिष्यसि ॥

jīvantamapi caivainaṃ bharaṇe rakṣaṇe tathā | asamāpte parityajya paścādapi mariṣyasi

Even while he lives, when the work of supporting and protecting him is still unfinished, you will have to leave him, and you yourself will die afterwards too.

Verse 22 (12.294.22)

यदा मृतं च स्वजनं न ज्ञास्यसि कथंचन । सुखितं दुःखितं वाऽपि ननु बोद्धव्यमात्मना ॥

yadā mṛtaṃ ca svajanaṃ na jñāsyasi kathaṃcana | sukhitaṃ duḥkhitaṃ vā'pi nanu boddhavyamātmanā

When your kinsman is dead you will not know in any way whether he is happy or unhappy; surely this too you must understand for yourself.

Verse 23 (12.294.23)

मृते वा त्वयि जीवे वा यदा भोक्ष्यति वै जनः । स्वकृतं ननु बुद्ध्वैवं कर्तव्यं हितमात्मनः ॥

mṛte vā tvayi jīve vā yadā bhokṣyati vai janaḥ | svakṛtaṃ nanu buddhvaivaṃ kartavyaṃ hitamātmanaḥ

Whether you are dead or alive, when people will eat what they have themselves done, understanding this, one should do what is good for oneself.

Verse 24 (12.294.24)

एवं विजानँल्लोकेऽस्मिन्कः कस्येत्यभिनिश्चितः । मोक्षे निवेशय मनो भूयश्चाप्युपधारय ॥

evaṃ vijānam̐lloke'sminkaḥ kasyetyabhiniścitaḥ | mokṣe niveśaya mano bhūyaścāpyupadhāraya

Knowing this, and settled in the thought, In this world who belongs to whom?, fix your mind on liberation and reflect on it again.

Verse 25 (12.294.25)

क्षुत्पिपासादयो भावा जिता यस्येह देहिनः । क्रोधो लोभस्तथा मोहः सत्ववान्मुक्त एव सः ॥

kṣutpipāsādayo bhāvā jitā yasyeha dehinaḥ | krodho lobhastathā mohaḥ satvavānmukta eva saḥ

The man who has conquered hunger, thirst and the like, and anger, greed and delusion, and is full of sattva, is liberated indeed.

Verse 26 (12.294.26)

द्यूते पाने तथा स्त्रीषु मृगयायां च यो नरः । न प्रमाद्यति संमोहात्सततं मुक्त एव सः ॥

dyūte pāne tathā strīṣu mṛgayāyāṃ ca yo naraḥ | na pramādyati saṃmohātsatataṃ mukta eva saḥ

The man who is never led astray by confusion in dice, drink, women or the hunt is liberated indeed.

Verse 27 (12.294.27)

दिवसेदिवसे नाम रात्रौरात्रौ पुमान्सदा । भोक्तव्यमिति यः स्विन्नो दोषबुद्धिः स उच्यते ॥

divasedivase nāma rātraurātrau pumānsadā | bhoktavyamiti yaḥ svinno doṣabuddhiḥ sa ucyate

A man who, day after day and night after night, is wearied by the thought, This must be enjoyed, is said to have an eye for the fault in enjoyment.

Note on the text: Wikisource's स्विन्नः (CE khinnaḥ 'wearied') is a valid word and is kept.

Verse 28 (12.294.28)

आत्मभावं तथा स्त्रीषु सक्तमेव पुनः पुनः । यः पश्यति सदा युक्तो यथावन्मुक्त एव सः ॥

ātmabhāvaṃ tathā strīṣu saktameva punaḥ punaḥ | yaḥ paśyati sadā yukto yathāvanmukta eva saḥ

One who, ever attentive, rightly sees how the sense of self clings to women again and again is liberated indeed.

Verse 29 (12.294.29)

संभवं च विनाशं च भूतानां चेष्टितं तथा । यस्तत्त्वतो विजानाति लोकेऽस्मिन्मुक्त एव सः ॥

saṃbhavaṃ ca vināśaṃ ca bhūtānāṃ ceṣṭitaṃ tathā | yastattvato vijānāti loke'sminmukta eva saḥ

One who knows in truth the origin and dissolution of beings and their activity in this world is liberated indeed.

Verse 30 (12.294.30)

प्रस्थं वाहसहस्रेषु यात्रार्थं चैव कोटिषु । प्रासादे मञ्चकं स्थानं यः पश्यति स मुच्यते ॥

prasthaṃ vāhasahasreṣu yātrārthaṃ caiva koṭiṣu | prāsāde mañcakaṃ sthānaṃ yaḥ paśyati sa mucyate

One who sees that a single prastha of grain is all one takes from thousands of cartloads, that livelihood is small amid crores, and that in a palace one holds only the space of a bed, is freed.

Verse 31 (12.294.31)

मृत्युनाऽभ्याहतं लोकं व्याधिभिश्चोपपीडितम् । अवृत्तिकर्शितं चैव यः पश्यति स मुच्यते ॥

mṛtyunā'bhyāhataṃ lokaṃ vyādhibhiścopapīḍitam | avṛttikarśitaṃ caiva yaḥ paśyati sa mucyate

One who sees the world struck by death, tormented by diseases and wasted by want of livelihood is freed.

Verse 32 (12.294.32)

यः पश्यति स संतुष्टो नपश्यंश्च विहन्यते । यश्चाप्यल्पेन संतुष्टो लोकेऽस्मिन्मुक्त एव सः ॥

yaḥ paśyati sa saṃtuṣṭo napaśyaṃśca vihanyate | yaścāpyalpena saṃtuṣṭo loke'sminmukta eva saḥ

One who sees this is content, while one who does not see it is struck down; and he who is satisfied with little in this world is liberated indeed.

Verse 33 (12.294.33)

अग्नीषोमाविदं सर्वमिति यश्चानुपश्यति । न च संस्पृश्यते भावैरद्भुतैर्मुक्त एव सः ॥

agnīṣomāvidaṃ sarvamiti yaścānupaśyati | na ca saṃspṛśyate bhāvairadbhutairmukta eva saḥ

One who sees all this as Agni and Soma, and is not touched by marvellous states of being, is liberated indeed.

Verse 34 (12.294.34)

पर्यङ्कशय्या भूमिश्च समाने यस्य देहिनः । शाल्यन्नं च कदन्नं च यस्य स्यान्मुक्त एव सः ॥

paryaṅkaśayyā bhūmiśca samāne yasya dehinaḥ | śālyannaṃ ca kadannaṃ ca yasya syānmukta eva saḥ

He for whom a couch for sleeping and the bare earth are the same, and rice and poor food are the same, is liberated indeed.

Note on the text: Corrected सामने → समाने (misprint in Wikisource; सामने is not the intended word; CE samāne, 'alike').

Verse 35 (12.294.35)

क्षौमं च कुशचीरं च कौशेयं वल्कलानि च । आविकं चर्म च समं यस्य स्यान्मुक्त एव सः ॥

kṣaumaṃ ca kuśacīraṃ ca kauśeyaṃ valkalāni ca | āvikaṃ carma ca samaṃ yasya syānmukta eva saḥ

He to whom linen, a garment of kusha grass, silk, bark garments and a sheepskin are all alike is liberated indeed.

Verse 36 (12.294.36)

पञ्चभूतसमुद्भूतं लोकं यश्चानुपश्यति । तथा च वर्तते दृष्ट्वा लोकेऽस्मिन्मुक्त एव सः ॥

pañcabhūtasamudbhūtaṃ lokaṃ yaścānupaśyati | tathā ca vartate dṛṣṭvā loke'sminmukta eva saḥ

One who sees the world as sprung from the five elements, and lives accordingly once he has seen it, is liberated indeed.

Note on the text: Corrected तथाच → तथा च (misprint in Wikisource; the words तथा च are run together).

Verse 37 (12.294.37)

सुखदुःखे समे यस्य लाभालाभौ जयाजयौ । इच्छाद्वेषौ भयोद्वेगौ सर्वथा मुक्त एव सः ॥

sukhaduḥkhe same yasya lābhālābhau jayājayau | icchādveṣau bhayodvegau sarvathā mukta eva saḥ

He to whom pleasure and pain are the same, gain and loss, victory and defeat, desire and aversion, fear and agitation, is in every way liberated.

Verse 38 (12.294.38)

रक्तमूत्रपुरीषाणां दोषाणां संचयांस्तथा । शरीरं दोषबहुलं दृष्ट्वा चैव विमुच्यते ॥

raktamūtrapurīṣāṇāṃ doṣāṇāṃ saṃcayāṃstathā | śarīraṃ doṣabahulaṃ dṛṣṭvā caiva vimucyate

Seeing the body, a heap of blood, urine and excrement and of the humours, so full of faults, one is freed.

Verse 39 (12.294.39)

वलीपलितसंयोगं कार्श्यं वैवर्ण्यमेव च । कुब्जभावं च जरया यः पश्यति स मुच्यते ॥

valīpalitasaṃyogaṃ kārśyaṃ vaivarṇyameva ca | kubjabhāvaṃ ca jarayā yaḥ paśyati sa mucyate

One who sees the coming of wrinkles and grey hair, of wasting and loss of colour, and of a bent back through old age, is freed.

Note on the text: Corrected कुजभावं → कुब्जभावं (misprint in Wikisource; कुज- is not the word; CE kubjabhāva, 'a stooped back'). Corrected जरयाः यः → जरया यः (misprint in Wikisource; a stray visarga on जरया (instrumental); CE jarayā). Corrected मुच्यतेत → मुच्यते (misprint in Wikisource; a doubled syllable; CE mucyate).

Verse 40 (12.294.40)

पुंस्त्वोपघातं कालेन दर्शनोपरमं तथा । बाधिर्यं प्राणमन्दत्वं यः पश्यति स मुच्यते ॥

puṃstvopaghātaṃ kālena darśanoparamaṃ tathā | bādhiryaṃ prāṇamandatvaṃ yaḥ paśyati sa mucyate

One who sees the loss of manhood in time, the failing of sight, deafness and the slackening of the vital breath is freed.

Verse 41 (12.294.41)

गतानृषींस्तथा देवानसुरांश्च तथा गतान् । लोकादस्मात्परं लोकं यः पश्यति स मुच्यते ॥

gatānṛṣīṃstathā devānasurāṃśca tathā gatān | lokādasmātparaṃ lokaṃ yaḥ paśyati sa mucyate

One who sees that seers and gods have gone, that the asuras too have gone, and that there is a world beyond this world, is freed.

Verse 42 (12.294.42)

प्रभावैरन्वितास्तैस्तैः पार्थिवेन्द्राः सहस्रशः । ये गताः पृथिवीं त्यक्त्वा इति ज्ञात्वा विमुच्यते ॥

prabhāvairanvitāstaistaiḥ pārthivendrāḥ sahasraśaḥ | ye gatāḥ pṛthivīṃ tyaktvā iti jñātvā vimucyate

Thousands of lords of the earth, each endowed with his own great powers, have gone leaving the earth behind: knowing this, one is freed.

Verse 43 (12.294.43)

अर्थांश्च दुर्लभाँल्लोके क्लेशांश्च सुलभांस्तथा । दुःखं चैव कुटुम्बार्थे यः पश्यति स मुच्यते ॥

arthāṃśca durlabhām̐lloke kleśāṃśca sulabhāṃstathā | duḥkhaṃ caiva kuṭumbārthe yaḥ paśyati sa mucyate

One who sees that wealth is hard to win in the world, that troubles are easy to come by, and that suffering attends the support of a family is freed.

Verse 44 (12.294.44)

अपत्यानां च वैगुण्यं जनं विगुणमेव च । पश्यन्भूयिष्ठशो लोके को मोक्षं नाभिपूजयेत् ॥

apatyānāṃ ca vaiguṇyaṃ janaṃ viguṇameva ca | paśyanbhūyiṣṭhaśo loke ko mokṣaṃ nābhipūjayet

Seeing again and again in the world the failings of children and the worthlessness of people, who would not honour liberation?

Verse 45 (12.294.45)

शास्त्राल्लोकाच्च यो बुद्धः सर्वं पश्यति मानवः । असारमिव मानुष्यं सर्वथा मुक्त एव सः ॥

śāstrāllokācca yo buddhaḥ sarvaṃ paśyati mānavaḥ | asāramiva mānuṣyaṃ sarvathā mukta eva saḥ

The man who, enlightened by scripture and by the world, sees everything, even human life, as without substance, is in every way liberated.

Note on the text: Corrected मुक्ता एव सः → मुक्त एव सः (misprint in Wikisource; मुक्ता does not agree with सः; CE mukta eva saḥ).

Verse 46 (12.294.46)

एतच्छ्रुत्वा मम वचो भवांश्चरतु मुक्तवत् । गार्हस्थ्याद्यदि ते मोक्षे कृता बुद्धिरविक्लवा ॥

etacchrutvā mama vaco bhavāṃścaratu muktavat | gārhasthyādyadi te mokṣe kṛtā buddhiraviklavā

Having heard these words of mine, live like one liberated, if your mind is set firm and steady on liberation while still in the household life.

Verse 47 (12.294.47)

तत्तस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा सम्यक्स पृथिवीपतिः । मोक्षजैश्च गुणैर्युक्तः पालयामास च प्रजाः ॥

tattasya vacanaṃ śrutvā samyaksa pṛthivīpatiḥ | mokṣajaiśca guṇairyuktaḥ pālayāmāsa ca prajāḥ

Having heard his words and taken them rightly, that lord of the earth, endowed with the qualities born of liberation, ruled his subjects.