115. Chapter 115

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच । महाकर्ता महाभोक्ता महात्यागी भवानघ । सर्वाः शङ्काः परित्यज्य धैर्यमालम्ब्य शाश्वतम् ॥ १ ॥

śrīvasiṣṭha uvāca | mahākartā mahābhoktā mahātyāgī bhavānagha | sarvāḥ śaṅkāḥ parityajya dhairyamālambya śāśvatam || 1 ||

Vasishtha said:—Take my advise, Rama, and strive to be an example or the greatest man in thy deeds, enjoyments, and bounty; and rely in thy unshaken endurance, by bidding defiance to all thy cares and fears.

श्रीराम उवाच । किमुच्यते महाकर्ता महात्यागी किमुच्यते । किमुच्यते महाभोक्ता सम्यक्कथय मे प्रभो ॥ २ ॥

śrīrāma uvāca | kimucyate mahākartā mahātyāgī kimucyate | kimucyate mahābhoktā samyakkathaya me prabho || 2 ||

Rama asked said:—Tell me sir, what is the deed that makes the greatest actor, and what is that thing which constitutes the highest enjoyments; tell me also what is the great bounty, which you advise me to practice.

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच । एतद्व्रतत्रयं राम पुरा चन्द्रार्धमौलिना । भृङ्गीशाय तु संप्रोक्तं येनासौ विज्वरः स्थितः ॥ ३ ॥

śrīvasiṣṭha uvāca | etadvratatrayaṃ rāma purā candrārdhamaulinā | bhṛṅgīśāya tu saṃproktaṃ yenāsau vijvaraḥ sthitaḥ || 3 ||

These three virtues were explained long before by the God Siva, who holds the semi-circular disc of the crescent moon on his forehead; to the lord of the Bhringis, who was thereby released from all disease and disquiet.

सुमेरावुत्तरे श्रृङ्गे पूर्वं शशिकलाधरः । अतिष्ठदग्निसंकाशे समग्रपरिवारवान् ॥ ४ ॥

sumerāvuttare śrṛṅge pūrvaṃ śaśikalādharaḥ | atiṣṭhadagnisaṃkāśe samagraparivāravān || 4 ||

The God who has the horn of the moon as a crown on his head, used to hold his residence of yore, on a northern peak of the north polar mountain, together with all his family and attendants.

तमपृच्छन्महातेजास्तनुविज्ञानवान्स्थितः । भृङ्गीशः प्रणतो राम बद्धाञ्जलिरुमापतिम् ॥ ५ ॥

tamapṛcchanmahātejāstanuvijñānavānsthitaḥ | bhṛṅgīśaḥ praṇato rāma baddhāñjalirumāpatim || 5 ||

It happened that the mighty, but little knowing lord of the Bhringis, asked him one day, with his folded palms, and his body lowly bending down in suppliant mood before the godlike lord of Uma.

भृङ्गीश उवाच । भगवन्देवदेवेश सर्वज्ञ परमेश्वर । यदहं परिपृच्छामि कृपया तद्वदाशु मे ॥ ६ ॥

bhṛṅgīśa uvāca | bhagavandevadeveśa sarvajña parameśvara | yadahaṃ paripṛcchāmi kṛpayā tadvadāśu me || 6 ||

Bhringi said:—Deign to explain to me, my lord, what I ask thee to tell for my knowledge; for thou knowest all things, and art the God of Gods.

संसाररचनां नाथ तरङ्गतरलामिमाम् । अवलोक्य विमुह्यामि तत्त्वविश्रान्तिवर्जितः ॥ ७ ॥

saṃsāraracanāṃ nātha taraṅgataralāmimām | avalokya vimuhyāmi tattvaviśrāntivarjitaḥ || 7 ||

Lord! I am overwhelmed in sorrow, to see the boisterous waves of this deep and dark world in which we have been buffeting for ever, without finding the calm and quiet harbour of truth.

कमन्तर्निश्चयं कान्तमुररीकृत्य सुस्थितम् । अस्मिञ्जगज्जीर्णगृहे तिष्ठामि विगतज्वरम् ॥ ८ ॥

kamantarniścayaṃ kāntamurarīkṛtya susthitam | asmiñjagajjīrṇagṛhe tiṣṭhāmi vigatajvaram || 8 ||

Tell me, my lord, what is that certain truth and inward assurance, whereon we may rely with confidence, and whereby we may find our rest and repose in this our shattered mansion of this world.

ईश्वर उवाच । सर्वाः शङ्काः परित्यज्य धैर्यमालम्ब्य शाश्वतम् । महाभोक्ता महाकर्ता महात्यागी भवानघ ॥ ९ ॥

īśvara uvāca | sarvāḥ śaṅkāḥ parityajya dhairyamālambya śāśvatam | mahābhoktā mahākartā mahātyāgī bhavānagha || 9 ||

The lord replied:—Place always your reliance in your unshaken patience, and neither care nor fear for anything else, and ever strive to be foremost in your action and passion and in your relinquishment of everything.

भृङ्गीश उवाच । किमुच्यते महाकर्ता महाभोक्ता किमुच्यते । किमुच्यते महात्यागी सम्यक्कथय मे प्रभो ॥ १० ॥

bhṛṅgīśa uvāca | kimucyate mahākartā mahābhoktā kimucyate | kimucyate mahātyāgī samyakkathaya me prabho || 10 ||

Bhringi rejoined:—Explain to me fully, my lord, what is meant by being the greatest in action and passion; and what are we to understand from the greatest liberality or abandonment of every thing here.

ईश्वर उवाच । धर्माधर्मौ महाभाग शङ्काविरहिताक्षयः । यः करोति यथाप्राप्तौ महाकर्ता स उच्यते ॥ ११ ॥

īśvara uvāca | dharmādharmau mahābhāga śaṅkāvirahitākṣayaḥ | yaḥ karoti yathāprāptau mahākartā sa ucyate || 11 ||

The lord replied:—He is said to be the greatest actor, who does his deeds as they occur to him, whether of goodness or of evil, without any fear or desire of fruition.

रागद्वेषौ सुखं दुःखं धर्माधर्मौ फलाफले । यः करोत्यनपेक्षेण महाकर्ता स उच्यते ॥ १२ ॥

rāgadveṣau sukhaṃ duḥkhaṃ dharmādharmau phalāphale | yaḥ karotyanapekṣeṇa mahākartā sa ucyate || 12 ||

He who does his acts of goodness or otherwise, who gives vent to his hatred and affection and feels both pleasure and pain, without reference to any person or thing, and without the expectation of their consequences, is said to be the greatest actor in the theatre of this world.

मौनवान्निरहंभावो निर्मलो मुक्तमत्सरः । यः करोति गतोद्वेगं महाकर्ता स उच्यते ॥ १३ ॥

maunavānnirahaṃbhāvo nirmalo muktamatsaraḥ | yaḥ karoti gatodvegaṃ mahākartā sa ucyate || 13 ||

He is said to act his part well, who does his business without any ado or anxiety, and maintains his taciturnity and purity of heart without any taint of egoism or envy.

शुभाशुभेषु कार्येषु धर्माधर्मैः कुशङ्कया । मतिर्न लिप्यते यस्य महाकर्ता स उच्यते ॥ १४ ॥

śubhāśubheṣu kāryeṣu dharmādharmaiḥ kuśaṅkayā | matirna lipyate yasya mahākartā sa ucyate || 14 ||

He is said to act his part well, who does not trouble his mind with the thoughts of actions, that are accounted as auspicious or inauspicious, or deemed as righteous or unrighteous, according to common opinion.

सर्वत्र विगतस्नेहो यः साक्षिवदवस्थितः । निरिच्छं वर्तते कार्ये महाकर्ता स उच्यते ॥ १५ ॥

sarvatra vigatasneho yaḥ sākṣivadavasthitaḥ | niricchaṃ vartate kārye mahākartā sa ucyate || 15 ||

He is said to perform well his part, who is not affected towards any person or thing, but witnesses all objects as a mere witness; and goes on doing his business, without his desiring or deep engagement in it.

उद्वेगानन्दरहितः समया स्वच्छया धिया । न शोचते यो नोदेति महाकर्ता स उच्यते ॥ १६ ॥

udvegānandarahitaḥ samayā svacchayā dhiyā | na śocate yo nodeti mahākartā sa ucyate || 16 ||

He is the best actor of his part, who is devoid of care and delight, and continues in the same tone and tenor of his mind, and retains the clearness of his understanding at all times, without feeling any joy or sorrow at anything.

यथार्थकाले मतिमानसंसक्तमना मुनिः । कार्यानुरूपवृत्तस्थो महाकर्ता स उच्यते ॥ १७ ॥

yathārthakāle matimānasaṃsaktamanā muniḥ | kāryānurūpavṛttastho mahākartā sa ucyate || 17 ||

He does his duties best, who has the readiness of his wits at the fittest time of action;and sits unconcerned with it at other times, as a retired and silent sage or saint.

उदासीनः कर्तृतां च कर्माकर्माचरंश्च यः । समं यात्यन्तरत्यन्तं महाकर्ता स उच्यते ॥ १८ ॥

udāsīnaḥ kartṛtāṃ ca karmākarmācaraṃśca yaḥ | samaṃ yātyantaratyantaṃ mahākartā sa ucyate || 18 ||

He who does his works with unconcern and without assuming to himself the vanity of being the doer of it, is accounted as the best actor, that acts his part with his body, but keeps his mind quite unattached to it.

स्वभावेनैव यः शान्तः समतां न जहाति वै । शुभाशुभं ह्याचरन्यो महाकर्ता स उच्यते ॥ १९ ॥

svabhāvenaiva yaḥ śāntaḥ samatāṃ na jahāti vai | śubhāśubhaṃ hyācaranyo mahākartā sa ucyate || 19 ||

He is reckoned as the best actor, who is naturally quiet in his disposition and never loses the evenness of his temper;who does good to his friends and evil to his enemies;without taking them to his heart.

जन्मस्थितिविनाशेषु सोदयास्तमयेषु च । सममेव मनो यस्य महाकर्ता स उच्यते ॥ २० ॥

janmasthitivināśeṣu sodayāstamayeṣu ca | samameva mano yasya mahākartā sa ucyate || 20 ||

He is the greatest actor, who looks at his birth, life and death, and upon his rising and falling in the same light; and does not lose the equanimity of his mind under any circumstance whatever.

न किंचन द्वेष्टि तथा न किंचिदभिकाङ्क्षति । भुङ्क्ते च प्रकृतं सर्वं महाभोक्ता स उच्यते ॥ २१ ॥

na kiṃcana dveṣṭi tathā na kiṃcidabhikāṅkṣati | bhuṅkte ca prakṛtaṃ sarvaṃ mahābhoktā sa ucyate || 21 ||

Again he is said to enjoy himself and his life the best, who neither envies anybody nor pines for any thing; but enjoys and acquiesces to whatever is allotted to his lot, with cool composure and submission of his mind.

नादत्तेऽप्याददानश्च नाचरत्याचरन्नपि । भुञ्जानोऽपि न यो भुङ्क्ते महाभोक्ता स उच्यते ॥ २२ ॥

nādatte'pyādadānaśca nācaratyācarannapi | bhuñjāno'pi na yo bhuṅkte mahābhoktā sa ucyate || 22 ||

He also is said to enjoy every thing well, who receives with his hands what his mind does not perceive; and acts with his body without being conscious of it and enjoys everything without taking it to his heart.

साक्षिवत्सकलं लोकव्यवहारमखिन्नधीः । पश्यत्यपगतेच्छं यो महाभोक्ता स उच्यते ॥ २३ ॥

sākṣivatsakalaṃ lokavyavahāramakhinnadhīḥ | paśyatyapagatecchaṃ yo mahābhoktā sa ucyate || 23 ||

He is said to enjoy himself best, who looks on at the conduct and behaviour of mankind, as an unconcerned and indifferent spectator; and looks upon every thing without craving anything for himself.

सुखैर्दुःखैः क्रियायोगैर्भावाभावैर्भ्रमप्रदैः । यस्य नोत्क्रामति मतिर्महाभोक्ता स उच्यते ॥ २४ ॥

sukhairduḥkhaiḥ kriyāyogairbhāvābhāvairbhramapradaiḥ | yasya notkrāmati matirmahābhoktā sa ucyate || 24 ||

He whose mind is not moved with pleasure or pain, nor elated with success and gain, nor dejected by his failure and loss; and who remains firm in all his terrible tribulations, is the man who is said to be in the perfect enjoyment of himself.

जरा मरणमापच्च राज्ये दारिद्र्यमेव च । रम्यमित्येव यो वेत्ति महाभोक्ता स उच्यते ॥ २५ ॥

jarā maraṇamāpacca rājye dāridryameva ca | ramyamityeva yo vetti mahābhoktā sa ucyate || 25 ||

He is said to be in the best enjoyment of himself, who hails with an equal eye of complaisance his decay and demise, his danger and difficulty, his affluence and poverty, and looks on their returns and revolutions, with an eye of delight and cheerfulness.

महान्ति सुखदुःखानि यः पयांसीव सागरः । समं समुपगृह्णाति महाभोक्ता स उच्यते ॥ २६ ॥

mahānti sukhaduḥkhāni yaḥ payāṃsīva sāgaraḥ | samaṃ samupagṛhṇāti mahābhoktā sa ucyate || 26 ||

He is called the man of greatest gratification, who sustains all the ups and downs of fortune with equal fortitude, as deep sea contains its boisterous waves in its fathomless depth.

अहिंसा समता तुष्टिश्चन्द्रबिम्बादिवांशवः । नोप यस्माच्चोपयाता महाभोक्ता स उच्यते ॥ २७ ॥

ahiṃsā samatā tuṣṭiścandrabimbādivāṃśavaḥ | nopa yasmāccopayātā mahābhoktā sa ucyate || 27 ||

He is said to have the highest gratifications who is possest of the virtues of contentment, equanimity and benevolence (lit. want of malice); and which always accompany his person, as the cooling beams cling to the disk of the moon.

कट्वम्ललवणं तिक्तममृष्टं मृष्टमुत्तमम् । अधमं योऽत्ति साम्येन महाभोक्ता स उच्यते ॥ २८ ॥

kaṭvamlalavaṇaṃ tiktamamṛṣṭaṃ mṛṣṭamuttamam | adhamaṃ yo'tti sāmyena mahābhoktā sa ucyate || 28 ||

He too is greatly gratified in himself, who tastes the sour and sweet, the bitter and pungent with equal zest; and relishes a savoury and an unsavoury dish with the same taste.

सरसं नीरसं चैव सुरतं विरतं तथा । यः पश्यति समं सौम्यो महाभोक्ता स उच्यते ॥ २९ ॥

sarasaṃ nīrasaṃ caiva surataṃ virataṃ tathā | yaḥ paśyati samaṃ saumyo mahābhoktā sa ucyate || 29 ||

He who tastes the tasteful and juicy, as also the untasteful and dry food with equal zest, and beholds the pleasant as well as unpleasant things with equal delight, is the man that is ever gratified in himself.

क्षारे खण्डप्रकारे च शुभे वाप्यशुभे तथा । समता सुस्थिरा यस्य महाभोक्ता स उच्यते ॥ ३० ॥

kṣāre khaṇḍaprakāre ca śubhe vāpyaśubhe tathā | samatā susthirā yasya mahābhoktā sa ucyate || 30 ||

He to whom salt and sugar are both alike, and to whom both saline as well as saccharine victuals are equally palatable; and who remains unaltered both in his happy and adverse circumstances; is the man who enjoys the best bliss of his life in this world.

इदं भोज्यमभोज्यं चेत्येवं त्यक्त्वा विकल्पितम् । गताभिलाषं यो भुङ्क्ते महाभोक्ता स उच्यते ॥ ३१ ॥

idaṃ bhojyamabhojyaṃ cetyevaṃ tyaktvā vikalpitam | gatābhilāṣaṃ yo bhuṅkte mahābhoktā sa ucyate || 31 ||

He is in the enjoyment of his highest bliss, who makes no distinction of one kind of his food from another; and who yearns for nothing that he can hardly earn.

आपदं संपदं मोहमानन्दमपरं परम् । यो भुङ्क्ते समया बुद्ध्या महाभोक्ता स उच्यते ॥ ३२ ॥

āpadaṃ saṃpadaṃ mohamānandamaparaṃ param | yo bhuṅkte samayā buddhyā mahābhoktā sa ucyate || 32 ||

He enjoys his life best, who braves his misfortune with calmness, and brooks his good fortune, his joyous days and better circumstances with moderation and coolness.

धर्माधर्मौ सुखं दुःखं तथा मरणजन्मनी । धिया येनेति संत्यक्तं महात्यागी स उच्यते ॥ ३३ ॥

dharmādharmau sukhaṃ duḥkhaṃ tathā maraṇajanmanī | dhiyā yeneti saṃtyaktaṃ mahātyāgī sa ucyate || 33 ||

He is said to have abandoned his all, who has given up the thoughts of his life and death, of his pleasure and pain, and those of his merits and demerits at once from his mind.

सर्वेच्छाः सकलाः शङ्काः सर्वेहाः सर्वनिश्चयाः । धिया येन परित्यक्ता महात्यागी स उच्यते ॥ ३४ ॥

sarvecchāḥ sakalāḥ śaṅkāḥ sarvehāḥ sarvaniścayāḥ | dhiyā yena parityaktā mahātyāgī sa ucyate || 34 ||

He who has abandoned all his desires and exertions, and forsaken all his hopes and fears, and effaced all his determinations from the tablet of his mind, is said to have relinquished every thing in this world, and to have freed himself from all.

देहस्य मनसो दुःखैरिन्द्रियाणां मनःस्थितेः । नूनं येनोज्झिता सत्ता महात्यागी स उच्यते ॥ ३५ ॥

dehasya manaso duḥkhairindriyāṇāṃ manaḥsthiteḥ | nūnaṃ yenojjhitā sattā mahātyāgī sa ucyate || 35 ||

He who does not take to his mind the pains, which invade his body, mind and the senses, is said to have cast away from himself, all the troubles of his mortal state.

न मे देहो न जन्मापि युक्तायुक्ते न कर्मणी । इति निश्चयवानन्तर्महात्यागी स उच्यते ॥ ३६ ॥

na me deho na janmāpi yuktāyukte na karmaṇī | iti niścayavānantarmahātyāgī sa ucyate || 36 ||

He is accounted as the greatest giver (forsaker) of his all, who gives up the cares of his body and birth (life);and has abandoned the thoughts of acts, deemed to be proper or improper for himself.

येन धर्ममधर्मं च मनोमननमीहितम् । सर्वमन्तः परित्यक्तं महात्यागी स उच्यते ॥ ३७ ॥

yena dharmamadharmaṃ ca manomananamīhitam | sarvamantaḥ parityaktaṃ mahātyāgī sa ucyate || 37 ||

He is said to have made his greatest sacrifice, who has sacrificed his mind and all his mental functions and endeavours, before the shrine of his self-abnegation.

यावती दृश्यकलना सकलेयं विलोक्यते । सा येन सुष्ठु संत्यक्ता महात्यागी स उच्यते ॥ ३८ ॥

yāvatī dṛśyakalanā sakaleyaṃ vilokyate | sā yena suṣṭhu saṃtyaktā mahātyāgī sa ucyate || 38 ||

He who has given up the sight of the visibles from his view, and does not allow the sensibles to obtrude upon his senses, is said to have renounced all and every thing from himself.

इत्युक्तं देवदेवेन भृङ्गीशाय पुरानघ । एतां दृष्टिमवष्टभ्य तिष्ठ राम गतज्वरः ॥ ३९ ॥

ityuktaṃ devadevena bhṛṅgīśāya purānagha | etāṃ dṛṣṭimavaṣṭabhya tiṣṭha rāma gatajvaraḥ || 39 ||

It was in this manner that the lord of gods Mahadeva, gave his instructions to the lord of the Bhringis; and it is by your acting according to these precepts, that you must, O Rama! attain to the perfection of your self-abnegation.

नित्योदितं विमलरूपमनन्तमाद्यं ब्रह्मास्ति नेतरकलाकलनं हि किंचित् । इत्येव भावय निरञ्जनतामुपेतो निर्वाणमेहि सकलामलशान्तवृत्तिः ॥ ४० ॥

nityoditaṃ vimalarūpamanantamādyaṃ brahmāsti netarakalākalanaṃ hi kiṃcit | ityeva bhāvaya nirañjanatāmupeto nirvāṇamehi sakalāmalaśāntavṛttiḥ || 40 ||

Meditate always on the everlasting and immaculate spirit, that is without its beginning and end; which is wholly this entire immensity and has no part nor partner, nor representative nor representation of itself. By thinking in this way you become immaculate yourself, and come to be extinct in the self-same Brahma, where there is all peace and tranquillity.

अनामयं ब्रह्म समस्तकल्प कार्यैकबीजं परमात्मरूपम् । बृहच्च तद्ब्रंहितसर्वभावं खमस्ति भातीह यदङ्ग किंचित् ॥ ४१ ॥

anāmayaṃ brahma samastakalpa kāryaikabījaṃ paramātmarūpam | bṛhacca tadbraṃhitasarvabhāvaṃ khamasti bhātīha yadaṅga kiṃcit || 41 ||

Know one undecaying Brahma, as the soul and seed of all various works or productions that are proceeded from him. It is his immensity which spreads unopened throughout the whole existence; as it is the endless sky which comprehends and manifests all things in itself.

अन्यत्क्वचित्किंचिदिदं कदाचिन्न संभवत्येव सदप्यसच्च । इत्येव साधो दृढनिश्चयोऽन्तः स्थित्वा गताशङ्कविलासमास्स्व ॥ ४२ ॥

anyatkvacitkiṃcididaṃ kadācinna saṃbhavatyeva sadapyasacca | ityeva sādho dṛḍhaniścayo'ntaḥ sthitvā gatāśaṅkavilāsamāssva || 42 ||

It is not possible for anything at all, whether of positive or potential existence, to subsist without and apart from this universal essence of all, rely secure with this firm belief in your mind, and be free from all fears in the world.

अन्तर्मुखः सन्सततं समस्तं कुर्वन्बहिष्ठं खलु कार्यजातम् । न खेदमायासि कदाचिदेव निराकृताहंकृतितामुपैषि ॥ ४३ ॥

antarmukhaḥ sansatataṃ samastaṃ kurvanbahiṣṭhaṃ khalu kāryajātam | na khedamāyāsi kadācideva nirākṛtāhaṃkṛtitāmupaiṣi || 43 ||

O most righteous Rama, look always to the inner soul within thyself, and perform all thy outward actions with the outer members of thy body, by forsaking the sense of thy egoism and personality; and being thereby freed from all care and sorrow, thou shalt attain to thy supreme felicity.