महाभारतम् — ११.६

॥ अथ ११.६ ॥

धृतराष्ट्र उवाच ।

अहो खलु महद्दुःखं कृच्छ्रवासं वसत्यसौ ।
कथं तस्य रतिस्तत्र तुष्टिर्वा वदतां वर ॥

M N Dutt Dhritarashtra said “Alas great was the misery of that person and very painful his life. Tell me, O best of speakers, whence his attachment to life and whence his happiness was.

११.६.२

स देशः क्व नु यत्रासौ वसते धर्मसंकटे ।
कथं वा स विमुच्येत नरस्तस्मान्महाभयात् ॥

M N Dutt Where is that region, so inimical to the practice of virtue, where that person lives, Oh, tell me how that man will be freed from all those great dangers?

११.६.३

एतन्मे सर्वमाचक्ष्व साधु चेष्टामहे तथा ।
कृपा मे महती जाता तस्याभ्युद्धरणेन हि ॥

M N Dutt Tell me all this. We shall then try our best for him. I am stricken with pity on account of the difficulties that lie in the way of his release."

विदुर उवाच ।

११.६.४

उपमानमिदं राजन्मोक्षविद्भिरुदाहृतम् ।
सुगतिं विन्दते येन परलोकेषु मानवः ॥

M N Dutt Vidura said O king, they that are conversant with the religion of Moksha cite this as a simile. Understanding this properly, a person may attain to blissful regions hereafter.

११.६.५

यत्तदुच्यति कान्तारं महत्संसार एव सः ।
वनं दुर्गं हि यत्त्वेतत्संसारगहनं हि तत् ॥

M N Dutt That which is described as the forest is the great world. The inaccessible forest within it is the limited sphere of a man's life.

११.६.६

ये च ते कथिता व्याला व्याधयस्ते प्रकीर्तिताः ।
या सा नारी बृहत्काया अधितिष्ठति तत्र वै ।
तामाहुस्तु जरां प्राज्ञा वर्णरूपविनाशिनीम् ॥

M N Dutt Those described as beasts of prey are the diseases. The huge woman living in the forest, is identified by the wise with Decrepitude which destroys complexion and beauty. The pit is the body of embodied creatures.

११.६.७

यस्तत्र कूपो नृपते स तु देहः शरीरिणाम् ।
यस्तत्र वसतेऽधस्तान्महाहिः काल एव सः ।
अन्तकः सर्वभूतानां देहिनां सर्वहार्यसौ ॥

M N Dutt The huge snake living in the bottom of that pit is Time, the destroyer of all embodied beings. It is, indeed, the universal destroyer.

११.६.८

कूपमध्ये च या जाता वल्ली यत्र स मानवः ।
प्रताने लम्बते सा तु जीविताशा शरीरिणाम् ॥

M N Dutt The cluster of creepers growing in that pit and by whose spreading stems the man hangs down is the man hangs down is the desire for life which every creature entertains.

११.६.९

स यस्तु कूपवीनाहे तं वृक्षं परिसर्पति ।
षड्वक्त्रः कुञ्जरो राजन्स तु संवत्सरः स्मृतः ।
मुखानि ऋतवो मासाः पादा द्वादश कीर्तिताः ॥

M N Dutt The six-faxed elephant, O king, which runs towards the tree standing at the mouth of the pit is the year. Its six faces are the seasons and its twelve feet are the twelve months.

११.६.१०

ये तु वृक्षं निकृन्तन्ति मूषकाः सततोत्थिताः ।
रात्र्यहानि तु तान्याहुर्भूतानां परिचिन्तकाः ।
ये ते मधुकरास्तत्र कामास्ते परिकीर्तिताः ॥

M N Dutt The rats and the snakes that are eating up the tree are the days and nights that are continually lessening the periods of life of all creatures. The bees are our desires.

११.६.११

यास्तु ता बहुशो धाराः स्रवन्ति मधुनिस्रवम् ।
तांस्तु कामरसान्विद्याद्यत्र मज्जन्ति मानवाः ॥

M N Dutt The numerous jets that are pouring honey are the pleasures derived from the gratification of our desires and to which men and strongly addicted.

११.६.१२

एवं संसारचक्रस्य परिवृत्तिं स्म ये विदुः ।
ते वै संसारचक्रस्य पाशांश्छिन्दन्ति वै बुधाः ॥

M N Dutt The wise know life's course to be such. Through that knowledge they succeed in snapping its fetters.

॥ इति ११.६ ॥

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