Vidura Consoles Dhritarashtra: Time, Death and the Fruit of Action

Verse 1 (11.2.1)

ततोऽमृतरसैर्वाक्यैर्ह्लादयन्पुरुषर्षभम् । वैचित्रवीर्यं विदुरो यदुवाच निबोध तत् ॥

tato'mṛtarasairvākyairhlādayanpuruṣarṣabham | vaicitravīryaṃ viduro yaduvāca nibodha tat

Then Vidura, gladdening that bull among men, the son of Vichitravirya, with words like nectar, spoke. Hear what he said.

Verse 2 (11.2.2)

उत्तिष्ठ राजन्किं शेषे धारयात्मानमात्मना । एषा वै सर्वसत्वानां लोकेश्वर परा गतिः ॥

uttiṣṭha rājankiṃ śeṣe dhārayātmānamātmanā | eṣā vai sarvasatvānāṃ lokeśvara parā gatiḥ

Rise up, O king. Why do you lie there? Steady yourself by your own strength. This, lord of the world, is the final course of all beings.

Note on the text: Line 1 is 11.2.2a; line 2 is the star line 11.2.2d*0006_01 (eṣā vai sarvasattvānāṃ lokeśvara parā gatiḥ), in place of the critical edition's 2c.

Verse 3 (11.2.3)

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

sarve kṣayāntā nicayāḥ patanāntāḥ samucchrayāḥ | saṃyogā viprayogāntā maraṇāntaṃ ca jīvitam

All accumulations end in loss, all risings in a fall; unions end in parting, and life ends in death.

Verse 4 (11.2.4)

यदा शूरं च भीरुं च यमः कर्षति भारत । तत्किं न योत्स्यन्ति हि ते क्षत्रियाः क्षत्रियर्षभ ॥

yadā śūraṃ ca bhīruṃ ca yamaḥ karṣati bhārata | tatkiṃ na yotsyanti hi te kṣatriyāḥ kṣatriyarṣabha

When Yama drags away the brave and the timid alike, O Bharata, why would those Kshatriyas not fight, O best of Kshatriyas?

Verse 5 (11.2.5)

अयुध्यमानो म्रियते युध्यमानश्च जीवति । कालं प्राप्य महाराज न कश्चिदतिवर्तते ॥

ayudhyamāno mriyate yudhyamānaśca jīvati | kālaṃ prāpya mahārāja na kaścidativartate

He who does not fight dies, and he who fights may live; once his time has come, O great king, no one passes beyond it.

Verse 6 (11.2.6)

अभावादीनि भूतानि भावमध्यानि भारत । अभावनिधनान्येव तत्र का परिदेवना ॥

abhāvādīni bhūtāni bhāvamadhyāni bhārata | abhāvanidhanānyeva tatra kā paridevanā

Beings begin in the unmanifest, are manifest in the middle, and end again in the unmanifest, O Bharata. What is there to lament in that?

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it as the star passage 11.2.5d*0007 (lines 01–02).

Verse 7 (11.2.7)

न शोचन्मृतमन्वेति न शोचन्म्रियते नरः । एवं सांसिद्धिके लोके किमर्थमनुशोचसि ॥

na śocanmṛtamanveti na śocanmriyate naraḥ | evaṃ sāṃsiddhike loke kimarthamanuśocasi

No one by grieving follows the dead, and no one dies by grieving. This being the way of the world, why do you grieve?

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it as the star passage 11.2.5d*0007 (lines 03–04).

Verse 8 (11.2.8)

कालः कर्षति भूतानि सर्वाणि विविधान्युत । न कालस्य प्रियः कश्चिन्न द्वेष्यः कुरुसत्तम ॥

kālaḥ karṣati bhūtāni sarvāṇi vividhānyuta | na kālasya priyaḥ kaścinna dveṣyaḥ kurusattama

Time draws along all beings of every kind. Nothing is dear to Time and nothing hateful to it, O best of the Kurus.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it as the star passage 11.2.5d*0007 (lines 05–06).

Verse 9 (11.2.9)

यथा वायुस्तृणाग्राणि संवर्तयति सर्वशः । तथा कालवशं यान्ति भूतानि भरतर्षभ ॥

yathā vāyustṛṇāgrāṇi saṃvartayati sarvaśaḥ | tathā kālavaśaṃ yānti bhūtāni bharatarṣabha

As the wind sweeps the tips of the grass in every direction, so do beings pass under the sway of Time, O best of the Bharatas.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it as the star passage 11.2.5d*0007 (lines 07–08).

Verse 10 (11.2.10)

एकसार्थप्रयातानां सर्वेषां तत्र गामिनाम् । यस्य कालः स यात्यग्रे तत्र का परिदेवना ॥

ekasārthaprayātānāṃ sarveṣāṃ tatra gāminām | yasya kālaḥ sa yātyagre tatra kā paridevanā

Among those who travel together on one road, bound for the same place, the one whose time has come goes ahead. What is there to lament in that?

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it as the star passage 11.2.5d*0007 (lines 09–10); line 2 reads यस्य कालः स यात्यग्रे for the critical edition's yasya kālaḥ prayāty agre.

Verse 11 (11.2.11)

न चाप्येतान्हतान्युद्धे राजञ्शोचितुमर्हसि । प्रमाणं यदि शास्त्राणि गतास्ते परमां गतिम् ॥

na cāpyetānhatānyuddhe rājañśocitumarhasi | pramāṇaṃ yadi śāstrāṇi gatāste paramāṃ gatim

Nor should you grieve, O king, for these men slain in battle. If the scriptures are authority, they have gone to the highest goal.

Verse 12 (11.2.12)

सर्वे स्वाध्यायवन्तो हि सर्वे च चरितव्रताः । सर्वे चाभिमुखाः क्षीणास्तत्र का परिदेवना ॥

sarve svādhyāyavanto hi sarve ca caritavratāḥ | sarve cābhimukhāḥ kṣīṇāstatra kā paridevanā

All were students of the Veda, all had kept their vows, and all fell facing the enemy. What is there to lament?

Verse 13 (11.2.13)

अदर्शनादापतिताः पुनश्चादर्शनं गताः । नैते तव न तेषां त्वं तत्र का परिदेवना ॥

adarśanādāpatitāḥ punaścādarśanaṃ gatāḥ | naite tava na teṣāṃ tvaṃ tatra kā paridevanā

They came from the unseen and have gone again into the unseen. They are not yours, nor are you theirs. What is there to lament?

Verse 14 (11.2.14)

हतो हि लभते स्वर्गं जित्वा च लभते यशः । उभयं नो बहुगुणं नास्ति निष्फलता रणे ॥

hato hi labhate svargaṃ jitvā ca labhate yaśaḥ | ubhayaṃ no bahuguṇaṃ nāsti niṣphalatā raṇe

One who is slain gains heaven; one who wins gains glory. Both are of great merit to us; there is no fruitlessness in battle.

Verse 15 (11.2.15)

तेषां कामदुघाँल्लोकानिन्द्रः सङ्कल्पयिष्यति । इन्द्रस्यातिथयो ह्येते भवन्ति भरतर्षभ ॥

teṣāṃ kāmadughām̐llokānindraḥ saṅkalpayiṣyati | indrasyātithayo hyete bhavanti bharatarṣabha

Indra will prepare for them the worlds that grant every wish. They have become Indra's guests, O best of the Bharatas.

Verse 16 (11.2.16)

न यज्ञैर्दक्षिणावद्भिर्न तपोभिर्न विद्यया । स्वर्गं यान्ति तथा मर्त्या यथा शूरा रणे हताः ॥

na yajñairdakṣiṇāvadbhirna tapobhirna vidyayā | svargaṃ yānti tathā martyā yathā śūrā raṇe hatāḥ

Mortals do not go to heaven by sacrifices rich in gifts, nor by austerities, nor by learning, as heroes slain in battle do.

Verse 17 (11.2.17)

शरीराग्निषु शूराणां जुहुवुस्ते शराहुतीः । हूयमानाञ्शरांश्चैव सेहुस्तेजस्विनो मिथः ॥

śarīrāgniṣu śūrāṇāṃ juhuvuste śarāhutīḥ | hūyamānāñśarāṃścaiva sehustejasvino mithaḥ

In the fires of their bodies the heroes poured offerings of arrows, and, full of energy, they bore the arrows that were poured upon them in turn.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it as the star passage 11.2.11d*0008 (lines 01–02).

Verse 18 (11.2.18)

एवं राजंस्तवाचक्षे स्वर्ग्यं पन्थानमुत्तमम् । न युद्धादधिकं किञ्चित्क्षत्रियस्येह विद्यते ॥

evaṃ rājaṃstavācakṣe svargyaṃ panthānamuttamam | na yuddhādadhikaṃ kiñcitkṣatriyasyeha vidyate

Thus, O king, I tell you of the road that leads to heaven, the best of all. For a Kshatriya there is nothing in this world higher than battle.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it as the star passage 11.2.11d*0008 (lines 03–04).

Verse 19 (11.2.19)

क्षत्रियास्ते महात्मानः शूराः समितिशोभनाः । आशिषः परमाः प्राप्ता न शोच्याः सर्व एव हि ॥

kṣatriyāste mahātmānaḥ śūrāḥ samitiśobhanāḥ | āśiṣaḥ paramāḥ prāptā na śocyāḥ sarva eva hi

Those great-souled Kshatriyas, heroes who adorned the assemblies, have won the highest blessings. None of them is to be mourned.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it as the star passage 11.2.11d*0008 (lines 05–06).

Verse 20 (11.2.20)

आत्मानमात्मनाऽऽश्वास्य मा शुचः पुरुषर्षभ । नाद्य शोकाभिभूतस्त्वं कायमुत्स्रष्टुमर्हसि ॥

ātmānamātmanā''śvāsya mā śucaḥ puruṣarṣabha | nādya śokābhibhūtastvaṃ kāyamutsraṣṭumarhasi

Console yourself by your own strength and do not grieve, best of men. Overcome by grief, you ought not to cast away your body today.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it as the star passage 11.2.11d*0008 (lines 07–08); line 2 reads कायम् for the critical edition's kāryam.

Verse 21 (11.2.21)

मातापितृसहस्राणि पुत्रदारशतानि च । संसारेष्वनुभूतानि कस्य ते कस्य वा वयम् ॥

mātāpitṛsahasrāṇi putradāraśatāni ca | saṃsāreṣvanubhūtāni kasya te kasya vā vayam

Thousands of mothers and fathers and hundreds of sons and wives have been known in the rounds of rebirth. Whose are they to you, or whose are we?

Verse 22 (11.2.22)

शोकस्थानसहस्राणि भयस्थानशतानि च । दिवसेदिवसे मूढमाविशन्ति न पण्डितम् ॥

śokasthānasahasrāṇi bhayasthānaśatāni ca | divasedivase mūḍhamāviśanti na paṇḍitam

Thousands of occasions for sorrow and hundreds for fear enter day after day upon the fool, but not upon the wise.

Note on the text: Corrected शोकस्थानसहसाणि → शोकस्थानसहस्राणि (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped akshara; the critical edition reads śokasthānasahasrāṇi). Corrected पण्‍डितम् → पण्डितम् (a stray zero-width joiner inside the conjunct ण्ड in Wikisource, removed).

Verse 23 (11.2.23)

न कालस्य प्रियः कश्चिन्न द्वेष्यः कुरुसत्तम । न मध्यस्थः क्वचित्कालः सर्वं कालः प्रकर्षति ॥

na kālasya priyaḥ kaścinna dveṣyaḥ kurusattama | na madhyasthaḥ kvacitkālaḥ sarvaṃ kālaḥ prakarṣati

Nothing is dear to Time and nothing hateful, O best of the Kurus; nor is Time ever neutral. Time draws everything along.

Verse 24 (11.2.24)

कालः पचति भूतानि कालः संहरते प्रजाः । कालः सुप्तेषु जागर्ति कालो हि दुरतिक्रमः ॥

kālaḥ pacati bhūtāni kālaḥ saṃharate prajāḥ | kālaḥ supteṣu jāgarti kālo hi duratikramaḥ

Time ripens beings; Time draws creatures back in; Time is awake while all sleep. Time is hard to overcome.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it as the star passage 11.2.14d*0009 (lines 01–02).

Verse 25 (11.2.25)

अनित्यं यौवनं रूपं जीवितं द्रव्यसञ्चयः । आरोग्यं प्रियसंवासो गृद्ध्येदेषु न पण्डितः ॥

anityaṃ yauvanaṃ rūpaṃ jīvitaṃ dravyasañcayaḥ | ārogyaṃ priyasaṃvāso gṛddhyedeṣu na paṇḍitaḥ

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

Note on the text: A recension variant of 11.2.15 (the same items in a different order).

Verse 26 (11.2.26)

न जानपदिकं दुःखमेकः शोचितुमर्हसि । अप्यभावेन युज्येत तच्चास्य न निवर्तते ॥

na jānapadikaṃ duḥkhamekaḥ śocitumarhasi | apyabhāvena yujyeta taccāsya na nivartate

You ought not to grieve alone over a sorrow that belongs to the whole country. A man might himself be brought to ruin by it, and still that sorrow does not leave him.

Verse 27 (11.2.27)

अशोचन्प्रतिकुर्वीत यदि पश्येत्पराक्रमम् । भैषज्यमेतद्दुःखस्य यदेतन्नानुचिन्तयेत् । चिन्त्यमानं हि न व्येति भूयश्चापि प्रवर्धते ॥

aśocanpratikurvīta yadi paśyetparākramam | bhaiṣajyametadduḥkhasya yadetannānucintayet | cintyamānaṃ hi na vyeti bhūyaścāpi pravardhate

Without grieving, one should set about a remedy, if one sees any effort that would serve. The medicine for sorrow is just this: not to dwell on it. Dwelt upon, it does not leave but grows still more.

Note on the text: Third line joined from the head of the next row: the input's verse 28 began with चिन्त्यमानं हि न व्येति भूयश्चापि प्रवर्धते, but that line is the third line of this verse (11.2.17e), and the page's verse-end mark (।।) falls after it. Verse division rebuilt from the raw page: Wikisource prints its verse-end marks (।।) after the first line of each row from row 28 on, so the input's row-by-row pairing split the verses wrongly; the verses here follow the page's own marks and the critical edition's division.

Verse 28 (11.2.28)

अनिष्टसम्प्रयोगाच्च विप्रयोगात्प्रियस्य च । मानुषा मानसैर्दुःखैर्युज्यन्ते येऽल्पबुद्धयः ॥

aniṣṭasamprayogācca viprayogātpriyasya ca | mānuṣā mānasairduḥkhairyujyante ye'lpabuddhayaḥ

Through contact with the unwelcome and parting from the dear, men of small understanding are afflicted by sorrows of the mind.

Note on the text: Lines match 11.2.18a, 18c (the critical edition has a star line between them, 18b*0010_01, that Wikisource lacks). Verse division rebuilt from the raw page: Wikisource prints its verse-end marks (।।) after the first line of each row from row 28 on, so the input's row-by-row pairing split the verses wrongly; the verses here follow the page's own marks and the critical edition's division.

Verse 29 (11.2.29)

नार्थो न धर्मो न सुखं यदेतदनुशोचति । तच्च नाप्नोति कार्यार्थं त्रिवर्गाच्चैव भ्रश्यते ॥

nārtho na dharmo na sukhaṃ yadetadanuśocati | tacca nāpnoti kāryārthaṃ trivargāccaiva bhraśyate

One who grieves over this gains neither wealth, nor dharma, nor pleasure; he does not achieve his purpose and falls away from the three aims of life.

Note on the text: Recension variants of 11.2.19a (anuśocati for anuśocasi) and 19c. Verse division rebuilt from the raw page: Wikisource prints its verse-end marks (।।) after the first line of each row from row 28 on, so the input's row-by-row pairing split the verses wrongly; the verses here follow the page's own marks and the critical edition's division.

Verse 30 (11.2.30)

अन्योन्यबाधनावस्थां प्राप्य वैषयिकीं नराः । असन्तुष्टाः प्रमुह्यन्ति सन्तोषं यान्ति पण्डिताः ॥

anyonyabādhanāvasthāṃ prāpya vaiṣayikīṃ narāḥ | asantuṣṭāḥ pramuhyanti santoṣaṃ yānti paṇḍitāḥ

Having come into the state of mutual hindrance that belongs to the objects of the senses, men who are discontented grow bewildered, while the wise reach contentment.

Note on the text: A recension variant of 11.2.20a (the critical edition has anyām anyāṃ dhanāvasthāṃ prāpya vaiśeṣikīṃ narāḥ). Verse division rebuilt from the raw page: Wikisource prints its verse-end marks (।।) after the first line of each row from row 28 on, so the input's row-by-row pairing split the verses wrongly; the verses here follow the page's own marks and the critical edition's division.

Verse 31 (11.2.31)

प्रज्ञया मानसं दुःखं हन्याच्छारीरमौषधैः । एतद्विज्ञानसामर्थ्यं न बालैः समतामियात् ॥

prajñayā mānasaṃ duḥkhaṃ hanyācchārīramauṣadhaiḥ | etadvijñānasāmarthyaṃ na bālaiḥ samatāmiyāt

Mental pain should be cured by understanding, bodily pain by medicines. In this lies the power of knowledge; let a man not be put on a level with children.

Note on the text: Verse division rebuilt from the raw page: Wikisource prints its verse-end marks (।।) after the first line of each row from row 28 on, so the input's row-by-row pairing split the verses wrongly; the verses here follow the page's own marks and the critical edition's division.

Verse 32 (11.2.32)

शयानं चानुशेते हि तिष्ठन्तं चानुतिष्ठति । अनुधावति धावन्तं कर्म पूर्वकृतं नरम् ॥

śayānaṃ cānuśete hi tiṣṭhantaṃ cānutiṣṭhati | anudhāvati dhāvantaṃ karma pūrvakṛtaṃ naram

The deed done before lies down with the man who lies down, stands when he stands, and runs after him when he runs.

Note on the text: Verse division rebuilt from the raw page: Wikisource prints its verse-end marks (।।) after the first line of each row from row 28 on, so the input's row-by-row pairing split the verses wrongly; the verses here follow the page's own marks and the critical edition's division.

Verse 33 (11.2.33)

यस्यांयस्यामवस्थायां यत्करोति शुभाशुभम् । तस्यांतस्यामवस्थायां तत्तत्फलमवाप्नुते ॥

yasyāṃyasyāmavasthāyāṃ yatkaroti śubhāśubham | tasyāṃtasyāmavasthāyāṃ tattatphalamavāpnute

In whatever condition a man does good or evil, in that very condition he reaps the fruit of it.

Note on the text: Verse division rebuilt from the raw page: Wikisource prints its verse-end marks (।।) after the first line of each row from row 28 on, so the input's row-by-row pairing split the verses wrongly; the verses here follow the page's own marks and the critical edition's division.

Verse 34 (11.2.34)

येनयेन शरीरेण यद्यत्कर्म करोति यः । तेनतेन शरीरेण तत्फलं समुपाश्नुते ॥

yenayena śarīreṇa yadyatkarma karoti yaḥ | tenatena śarīreṇa tatphalaṃ samupāśnute

With whatever body a man performs whatever deed, with that very body he enjoys its fruit.

Note on the text: Removed a stray wiki mark [ that opens a bracket the page closes at the end of the adhyaya's last verse. Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it as lines 01–02 of the star passage 11.2.23d*0011 (tat tat phalam upāśnute there; the page has तत्फलं समुपाश्नुते). Verse division rebuilt from the raw page: Wikisource prints its verse-end marks (।।) after the first line of each row from row 28 on, so the input's row-by-row pairing split the verses wrongly; the verses here follow the page's own marks and the critical edition's division.

Verse 35 (11.2.35)

आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो मित्रमात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः । आत्मैव ह्यात्मनः साक्षी कृतस्यापकृतस्य च ॥

ātmaiva hyātmano mitramātmaiva ripurātmanaḥ | ātmaiva hyātmanaḥ sākṣī kṛtasyāpakṛtasya ca

The self alone is a man's friend, and the self alone is his enemy; the self alone is the witness of what he has done and left undone.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (star passage 11.2.23d*0011_03): Wikisource prints only the second line of this verse (आत्मैव ह्यात्मनः साक्षी …, = 0011_04), cut to one line, so the first line (ātmaiva hy ātmano mitram ātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ) is restored in Devanagari with the critical edition's words. Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension). Verse division rebuilt from the raw page: Wikisource prints its verse-end marks (।।) after the first line of each row from row 28 on, so the input's row-by-row pairing split the verses wrongly; the verses here follow the page's own marks and the critical edition's division.

Verse 36 (11.2.36)

शुभेन कर्मणा सौख्यं दुःखं पापेन कर्मणा । कृतं भवति सर्वत्र नाकृतं विद्यते क्वचित् ॥

śubhena karmaṇā saukhyaṃ duḥkhaṃ pāpena karmaṇā | kṛtaṃ bhavati sarvatra nākṛtaṃ vidyate kvacit

By good action comes happiness, by evil action sorrow; what is done bears its result everywhere, and what is not done never does.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it as lines 05–06 of the star passage 11.2.23d*0011 (line 2 there reads nākṛtaṃ bhujyate kva cit). Verse division rebuilt from the raw page: Wikisource prints its verse-end marks (।।) after the first line of each row from row 28 on, so the input's row-by-row pairing split the verses wrongly; the verses here follow the page's own marks and the critical edition's division.

Verse 37 (11.2.37)

न हि ज्ञानविरुद्धेषु बह्वपायेषु कर्मसु । मूलघातिषु सज्जन्ते बुद्धिमन्तो भवद्विधाः ॥

na hi jñānaviruddheṣu bahvapāyeṣu karmasu | mūlaghātiṣu sajjante buddhimanto bhavadvidhāḥ

Wise men such as you do not become attached to actions that run against knowledge, that bring many evils, and that strike at the root.

Note on the text: Corrected भवद्विघाः → भवद्विधाः (misprint in Wikisource; घ for ध; the critical edition reads bhavadvidhāḥ). Removed the stray closing wiki mark ] (and a stray ।।) after it. Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it as lines 07–08 of the star passage 11.2.23d*0011. Verse division rebuilt from the raw page: Wikisource prints its verse-end marks (।।) after the first line of each row from row 28 on, so the input's row-by-row pairing split the verses wrongly; the verses here follow the page's own marks and the critical edition's division.