Narada Teaches Shuka How to Overcome Sorrow

Verse 1 (12.338.1)

अशोकं शोकनाशार्थं शास्त्रं शान्तिकरं शिवम् । निशम्य लभते बुद्धिं तां लब्ध्वा सुखमेधते ॥

aśokaṃ śokanāśārthaṃ śāstraṃ śāntikaraṃ śivam | niśamya labhate buddhiṃ tāṃ labdhvā sukhamedhate

This teaching is free of sorrow, destroys sorrow, and brings peace and well-being. By hearing it a man gains understanding, and having gained it he flourishes in happiness.

Note on the text: Adhyaya note: the page is the right adhyaya (30 table rows; colophon अष्टत्रिंशदधिकत्रिशततमोऽध्यायः । 338), and the text is the critical edition's 12.317.1-30. The page prints the speaker heading नारद उवाच (labelled "12-388-1x", a typo for 338), which covers the whole adhyaya; the input carried no speaker, so all 30 verses are given to नारद. The heading line (नारदन शुकंप्रति मोक्षमार्गप्रदर्शकहितोपदेशः) and the variant-reading notes printed after the colophon are not added. No Appendix I passage occurs here and the page is not a stray copy of another adhyaya.

Verse 2 (12.338.2)

शोकस्थानसहस्राणि भयस्थानशतानि च । दिवसेदिवसे मूढमाविशन्ति न पण्डितम् ॥

śokasthānasahasrāṇi bhayasthānaśatāni ca | divasedivase mūḍhamāviśanti na paṇḍitam

Thousands of occasions for grief and hundreds of occasions for fear enter the fool day after day; they do not enter the wise man.

Verse 3 (12.338.3)

तस्मादनिष्टनाशार्थमितिहासं निबोध मे । तिष्ठते चेद्वशे बुद्धिर्लभते शोकनाशनम् ॥

tasmādaniṣṭanāśārthamitihāsaṃ nibodha me | tiṣṭhate cedvaśe buddhirlabhate śokanāśanam

Therefore, to be rid of what is unwelcome, listen to me as I tell you an old account. If the mind stays under one's control, it wins the destruction of sorrow.

Verse 4 (12.338.4)

अनिष्टसंप्रयोगाच्च विप्रयोगात्प्रियस्य च । मनुष्या मानसैर्दुःखैर्युज्यन्ते स्वल्पबुद्ध्यः ॥

aniṣṭasaṃprayogācca viprayogātpriyasya ca | manuṣyā mānasairduḥkhairyujyante svalpabuddhyaḥ

Through meeting with what is unwelcome and parting from what is dear, men of small understanding are bound up in sufferings of the mind.

Verse 5 (12.338.5)

द्रव्येषु समतीतेषु ये गुणास्तान्न चिन्तयेत् । न तानाद्रियमाणस्य स्नेहबन्धः प्रमुच्यते ॥

dravyeṣu samatīteṣu ye guṇāstānna cintayet | na tānādriyamāṇasya snehabandhaḥ pramucyate

One should not dwell on the good qualities of things that are past. For the man who does not cherish them, the bond of attachment is loosened.

Verse 6 (12.338.6)

दोषदर्शी भवेत्तत्र यत्र रागः प्रवर्तते । अनिष्टवद्धितं पश्येत्तथा क्षिप्रं विरज्यते ॥

doṣadarśī bhavettatra yatra rāgaḥ pravartate | aniṣṭavaddhitaṃ paśyettathā kṣipraṃ virajyate

Wherever attachment arises, one should look for the faults there. Seeing what he holds dear as though it were unwelcome, a man quickly grows free of desire.

Note on the text: Corrected अनिष्ट्वद्धितं → अनिष्टवद्धितं (misprint in Wikisource; अनिष्ट्वत् is not a word; CE 12.317.6 has aniṣṭavad dhitaṃ).

Verse 7 (12.338.7)

नार्थो न धर्मो न यशो योऽतीतमनुशोचति । अप्यभावेन युज्येत तच्चास्य न निवर्तते ॥

nārtho na dharmo na yaśo yo'tītamanuśocati | apyabhāvena yujyeta taccāsya na nivartate

He who grieves over what is past gains no wealth, no dharma and no fame. He may even meet with further loss, and what he mourns does not come back to him.

Verse 8 (12.338.8)

गुणैर्भूतानि युज्यन्ते वियुज्यन्ते तथैव च । सर्वाणि नैतदेकस्य शोकस्थानं हि युज्यते ॥

guṇairbhūtāni yujyante viyujyante tathaiva ca | sarvāṇi naitadekasya śokasthānaṃ hi yujyate

Beings are joined with their possessions and qualities and are parted from them in the same way; this is true of all, so there is no ground for grief in one person alone.

Verse 9 (12.338.9)

मृतं वा यदि वा नष्टं योऽतीतमनुशोचति । दुःखेन लभते दुःखं द्वावनर्थौ प्रपद्यते ॥

mṛtaṃ vā yadi vā naṣṭaṃ yo'tītamanuśocati | duḥkhena labhate duḥkhaṃ dvāvanarthau prapadyate

Whoever grieves over what is past, whether dead or lost, gains sorrow through sorrow and falls into two misfortunes.

Verse 10 (12.338.10)

नाश्रु कुर्वन्ति ये बुद्ध्या दृष्ट्वा लोकेषु संततिम् । सम्यक्प्रपश्यतः सर्वं नाश्रुकर्मोपपद्यते ॥

nāśru kurvanti ye buddhyā dṛṣṭvā lokeṣu saṃtatim | samyakprapaśyataḥ sarvaṃ nāśrukarmopapadyate

Those who, with understanding, see the continuous succession of beings in the worlds do not weep. For one who sees everything rightly, the act of weeping has no place.

Verse 11 (12.338.11)

दुःखोपघाते शारीरे मानसे चाप्युपस्थिते । यस्मिन्न शक्यते कर्तुं यत्नस्तन्नानुचिन्तयेत् ॥

duḥkhopaghāte śārīre mānase cāpyupasthite | yasminna śakyate kartuṃ yatnastannānucintayet

When pain of the body or of the mind has come upon one, one should not brood over a thing in which no effort can help.

Verse 12 (12.338.12)

भैषज्यमेतद्दुःखस्य यदेतन्नानुचिन्तयेत् । चिन्त्यमानं हि न व्येति भूयश्चापि प्रवर्धते ॥

bhaiṣajyametadduḥkhasya yadetannānucintayet | cintyamānaṃ hi na vyeti bhūyaścāpi pravardhate

This is the remedy for sorrow: not to brood on it. Brooded upon, it does not go away, and it only grows stronger.

Verse 13 (12.338.13)

प्रज्ञया मानसं दुःखं हन्याच्छारीरमौषधैः । एतद्विज्ञानमसामर्थ्यं न बालैः समतामियात् ॥

prajñayā mānasaṃ duḥkhaṃ hanyācchārīramauṣadhaiḥ | etadvijñānamasāmarthyaṃ na bālaiḥ samatāmiyāt

One should destroy pain of the mind with wisdom and pain of the body with medicines. This is true knowledge, and the lack of it is helplessness; let a man not put himself on a level with children.

Verse 14 (12.338.14)

अनित्यं यौवनं रूपं जीवितं द्रव्यसंचयः । आरोग्यं प्रियसंसर्गो गृध्येत्तत्र न पण्डितः ॥

anityaṃ yauvanaṃ rūpaṃ jīvitaṃ dravyasaṃcayaḥ | ārogyaṃ priyasaṃsargo gṛdhyettatra na paṇḍitaḥ

Youth, beauty, life, hoarded wealth, health and the company of loved ones are all impermanent; a wise man does not cling to them.

Verse 15 (12.338.15)

न जानपदिकं दुःखमेकः शोचितुमर्हति । अशोचन्प्रतिकुर्वीत यदि पश्येदुपक्रमम् ॥

na jānapadikaṃ duḥkhamekaḥ śocitumarhati | aśocanpratikurvīta yadi paśyedupakramam

A man should not grieve alone over a sorrow that belongs to the whole people. If he sees a remedy, he should act against it without grieving.

Verse 16 (12.338.16)

सुखाद्बहुतरं दुःखं जीविते नात्र संशयः । स्निग्धत्वं चेन्द्रियार्थेषु मोहान्मरणमप्रियम् ॥

sukhādbahutaraṃ duḥkhaṃ jīvite nātra saṃśayaḥ | snigdhatvaṃ cendriyārtheṣu mohānmaraṇamapriyam

There is far more pain than pleasure in life, no doubt of it. Fondness for the objects of the senses comes from delusion, and it is from delusion that death is unwelcome.

Verse 17 (12.338.17)

परित्यजति यो दुःखं सुखं वाऽप्युभयं नरः । अभ्येति ब्रह्म सोत्यन्तं न तं शोचन्ति पण्डिताः ॥

parityajati yo duḥkhaṃ sukhaṃ vā'pyubhayaṃ naraḥ | abhyeti brahma sotyantaṃ na taṃ śocanti paṇḍitāḥ

The man who gives up both pain and pleasure reaches Brahman in the end; the wise do not grieve for him.

Verse 18 (12.338.18)

त्यजन्ते दुःखमर्था हि पालनेन च ते सुखाः । दुःखेन चाधिगम्यन्ते नाशमेषां न चिन्तयेत् ॥

tyajante duḥkhamarthā hi pālanena ca te sukhāḥ | duḥkhena cādhigamyante nāśameṣāṃ na cintayet

Riches are given up with pain, they bring happiness only by being guarded, and they are won only with pain. One should not brood over their loss.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource reads त्यजन्ते दुःखमर्था हि पालनेन च ते सुखाः where the CE has duḥkham arthā hi tyajyante pālane na ca te sukhāḥ (the page's footnote cites a variant दुःखेन चापि त्यजते पालने न च ते सुखम्). Translated as Wikisource reads.

Verse 19 (12.338.19)

अन्यामन्यां धनावस्थां प्राप्य वैशेषिकीं नराः । अतृप्ता यान्ति विध्वंसं संतोषं यान्ति पण्डिताः ॥

anyāmanyāṃ dhanāvasthāṃ prāpya vaiśeṣikīṃ narāḥ | atṛptā yānti vidhvaṃsaṃ saṃtoṣaṃ yānti paṇḍitāḥ

Having gained one higher state of wealth after another, men who are never satisfied go to ruin; the wise find contentment.

Verse 20 (12.338.20)

सर्वे क्षयान्ता निचयाः पतनान्ताः समुच्छ्रयाः । संयोगा विप्रयोगान्ता मरणान्तं हि जीवितम् ॥

sarve kṣayāntā nicayāḥ patanāntāḥ samucchrayāḥ | saṃyogā viprayogāntā maraṇāntaṃ hi jīvitam

All accumulations end in exhaustion, all heights in a fall, all unions in separation, and life in death.

Verse 21 (12.338.21)

अन्तो नास्ति पिपासायास्तुष्टिस्तु परमं सुखम् । तस्मात्संतोषमेवेह धनं पश्यन्ति पण्डिताः ॥

anto nāsti pipāsāyāstuṣṭistu paramaṃ sukham | tasmātsaṃtoṣameveha dhanaṃ paśyanti paṇḍitāḥ

Thirst has no end, but contentment is the highest happiness. Therefore the wise regard contentment alone as wealth in this world.

Verse 22 (12.338.22)

निमेषमात्रमपि हि वयो गच्छन्न तिष्ठति । स्वशरीरेष्वनित्येषु नित्यं किमनुचिन्तयेत् ॥

nimeṣamātramapi hi vayo gacchanna tiṣṭhati | svaśarīreṣvanityeṣu nityaṃ kimanucintayet

Even for the length of a blink, life does not stand still as it goes by. Why should one keep brooding over his own bodies, which are impermanent?

Verse 23 (12.338.23)

भूतेषु भावं संचिन्त्य ये बुद्ध्वा मनसः परम् । न शोचन्ति गताध्वानः पश्यन्तः परमां गतिं ॥

bhūteṣu bhāvaṃ saṃcintya ye buddhvā manasaḥ param | na śocanti gatādhvānaḥ paśyantaḥ paramāṃ gatiṃ

Those who, having reflected on the nature of living beings, have understood what lies beyond the mind do not grieve. They have come to the end of the road and see the highest goal.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource reads भूतेषु भावं … मनसः परम् where the CE has bhūteṣv abhāvaṃ … tamasaḥ param (the page's footnote cites भूतेष्वभावं … तमसः परम्).

Verse 24 (12.338.24)

संचिन्वानकमेवैनं कामानामवितृप्तकम् । व्याघ्रः पशुमिवासाद्य मृत्युरादाय गच्छति ॥

saṃcinvānakamevainaṃ kāmānāmavitṛptakam | vyāghraḥ paśumivāsādya mṛtyurādāya gacchati

As a tiger seizes a beast, Death seizes and carries off the man who is still gathering, never sated in his desires.

Verse 25 (12.338.25)

तथाऽप्युपायं संपश्येद्दुःखस्य परिमोक्षणे । अशोचन्नारभेतैव युक्तश्चाव्यसनी भवेत् ॥

tathā'pyupāyaṃ saṃpaśyedduḥkhasya parimokṣaṇe | aśocannārabhetaiva yuktaścāvyasanī bhavet

Even so, one should look for a way of release from sorrow; without grieving he should set about it, and be disciplined and free from vice.

Verse 26 (12.338.26)

शब्दे स्पर्शे च रूपे च गन्धेषु च रसेषु च । नोपभोगात्परं किंचिद्धनिनो वाऽधनस्य च ॥

śabde sparśe ca rūpe ca gandheṣu ca raseṣu ca | nopabhogātparaṃ kiṃciddhanino vā'dhanasya ca

In sound, touch, form, smell and taste, rich and poor alike have nothing beyond enjoyment itself.

Verse 27 (12.338.27)

प्राक्संप्रयोगाद्भूतानां नास्ति दुःखं परायणम् । विप्रयोगात्तु सर्वस्य न शोचेत्प्रकृतिस्थितः ॥

prāksaṃprayogādbhūtānāṃ nāsti duḥkhaṃ parāyaṇam | viprayogāttu sarvasya na śocetprakṛtisthitaḥ

Before beings come into contact with things, sorrow is not their final refuge. So when parted from anything, one who stands in his natural state should not grieve.

Verse 28 (12.338.28)

धृत्या शिश्नोदरं रक्षेत्पाणिपादं च चक्षुषा । चक्षुःश्रोत्रे च मनसा मनो वाचं च विद्यया ॥

dhṛtyā śiśnodaraṃ rakṣetpāṇipādaṃ ca cakṣuṣā | cakṣuḥśrotre ca manasā mano vācaṃ ca vidyayā

With steadiness one should guard the genitals and the belly, the hands and feet with the eye, the eye and ear with the mind, and the mind and speech with knowledge.

Verse 29 (12.338.29)

प्रणयं प्रतिसंहृत्य सस्निग्धेष्वितरेषु च । विचरेदसमुन्नद्धः स सुखी स च पण्डितः ॥

praṇayaṃ pratisaṃhṛtya sasnigdheṣvitareṣu ca | vicaredasamunnaddhaḥ sa sukhī sa ca paṇḍitaḥ

Drawing back his affection from those who are dear and from all others, the man who moves about without arrogance is happy and wise.

Verse 30 (12.338.30)

अध्यात्मरतिरासीनो निरपेक्षो निरामिषः । आत्मनैव सहायेन यश्चरेत्स सुखी भवेत् ॥

adhyātmaratirāsīno nirapekṣo nirāmiṣaḥ | ātmanaiva sahāyena yaścaretsa sukhī bhavet

He who delights in the Self, sits calm, desires nothing and is free from greed, and walks with the Self alone as his companion, will be happy.