महाभारतम् — १४.४४

ब्रह्मोवाच ।

यदादिमध्यपर्यन्तं ग्रहणोपायमेव च ।
नामलक्षणसंयुक्तं सर्वं वक्ष्यामि तत्त्वतः ॥

M N Dutt Brahmana said I shall now tell you truly about all that which has a beginning, middle, and end, and which has name and characteristics, together, the means of apprehension.

१४.४४.२

अहः पूर्वं ततो रात्रिर्मासाः शुक्लादयः स्मृताः ।
श्रविष्ठादीनि ऋक्षाणि ऋतवः शिशिरादयः ॥

M N Dutt It has been said that the Day came first. Then came Night. The Months are said to have the lighted fortnights first. The constellations have Shravana for their first; the Seasons have that of dews (viz., Winter) for their first.

१४.४४.३

भूमिरादिस्तु गन्धानां रसानामाप एव च ।
रूपाणां ज्योतिरादिस्तु स्पर्शादिर्वायुरुच्यते ।
शब्दस्यादिस्तथाकाशमेष भूतकृतो गुणः ॥

M N Dutt Earth is the source of all smells; and Water of all tastes. The Solar light is the source of all colours; the wind of all sensations of touch.

१४.४४.४

अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि भूतानामादिमुत्तमम् ।
आदित्यो ज्योतिषामादिरग्निर्भूतादिरिष्यते ॥

१४.४४.५

सावित्री सर्वविद्यानां देवतानां प्रजापतिः ।
ओंकारः सर्ववेदानां वचसां प्राण एव च ।
यद्यस्मिन्नियतं लोके सर्वं सावित्रमुच्यते ॥

M N Dutt The syllable Om is the first of all the Vedas, and the vital air Prana is the first of all winds. Savitri is the first of all religious observances.

१४.४४.६

गायत्री छन्दसामादिः पशूनामज उच्यते ।
गावश्चतुष्पदामादिर्मनुष्याणां द्विजातयः ॥

M N Dutt The Gayatri is the first of all metres, goat is the first of all (sacrificial) animals, Kin are the first of all quadrupeds. The twice-born ones are the first of all human beings.

१४.४४.७

श्येनः पतत्रिणामादिर्यज्ञानां हुतमुत्तमम् ।
परिसर्पिणां तु सर्वेषां ज्येष्ठः सर्पो द्विजोत्तमाः ॥

M N Dutt The hawk is the first of all birds. Of sacrifices the first is the pouring of clarified butter on the fire. Of all reptiles the first, O foremost of twice-born ones, is the snake.

१४.४४.८

कृतमादिर्युगानां च सर्वेषां नात्र संशयः ।
हिरण्यं सर्वरत्नानामोषधीनां यवास्तथा ॥

M N Dutt The Krita is the first of all the cycles; there is no doubt in this. Gold is the first of all precious things.

१४.४४.९

सर्वेषां भक्ष्यभोज्यानामन्नं परममुच्यते ।
द्रवाणां चैव सर्वेषां पेयानामाप उत्तमाः ॥

M N Dutt Barely is the first of all plants. Food is the first of all things to be eaten or swallowed. Water is the first of all liquid substances to be drunk.

१४.४४.१०

स्थावराणां च भूतानां सर्वेषामविशेषतः ।
ब्रह्मक्षेत्रं सदा पुण्यं प्लक्षः प्रथमजः स्मृतः ॥

M N Dutt Of all immobile objects without distinction, Plaksha is said to be the first, that ever holy field of Brahman.

१४.४४.११

अहं प्रजापतीनां च सर्वेषां नात्र संशयः ।
मम विष्णुरचिन्त्यात्मा स्वयंभूरिति स स्मृतः ॥

M N Dutt Of all the Prajapatis I am the first. There is no doubt in this, Of inconceivable soul, the self consistent Vishnu is said to be my superior.

१४.४४.१२

पर्वतानां महामेरुः सर्वेषामग्रजः स्मृतः ।
दिशां च प्रदिशां चोर्ध्वा दिग्जाता प्रथमं तथा ॥

M N Dutt Of all the mountains the great Meru is said to be the first-born. Of all the cardinal and subsidiary points of the horizon, the eastern is said to be the foremost and first-born.

१४.४४.१३

तथा त्रिपथगा गङ्गा नदीनामग्रजा स्मृता ।
तथा सरोदपानानां सर्वेषां सागरोऽग्रजः ॥

M N Dutt Ganga having three courses is said to be first-born of all rivers. Likewise, of all wells and reservoirs of waters, the ocean is said to be the first born.

१४.४४.१४

देवदानवभूतानां पिशाचोरगरक्षसाम् ।
नरकिंनरयक्षाणां सर्वेषामीश्वरः प्रभुः ॥

M N Dutt Ishvara is the Supreme Lord of all the celestials and Danavas and ghosts and Pishachas and snakes and Rakshasas, and human beings and Kinnaras and Yakshas.

१४.४४.१५

आदिर्विश्वस्य जगतो विष्णुर्ब्रह्ममयो महान् ।
भूतं परतरं तस्मात्त्रैलोक्ये नेह विद्यते ॥

M N Dutt The great Vishnu, who is full of Brahma, than whom there is no higher being in the three worlds is the first of all the universe.

१४.४४.१६

आश्रमाणां च गार्हस्थ्यं सर्वेषां नात्र संशयः ।
लोकानामादिरव्यक्तं सर्वस्यान्तस्तदेव च ॥

M N Dutt Of all the modes of life, that of the householder is the first. Of this there is not doubt. The Unmanifest is the source of all the worlds as well as is the end of every thing.

१४.४४.१७

अहान्यस्तमयान्तानि उदयान्ता च शर्वरी ।
सुखस्यान्तः सदा दुःखं दुःखस्यान्तः सदा सुखम् ॥

M N Dutt Days end with the sun's setting and Nights with the sun's rising. The end of pleasure is always sorrow, and the end of sorrow is always pleasure.

१४.४४.१८

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

M N Dutt All collections have expenditure for their end, ana all ascents have falls for their end. All associations have dissociations for their end, and life has death for its end.

१४.४४.१९

सर्वं कृतं विनाशान्तं जातस्य मरणं ध्रुवम् ।
अशाश्वतं हि लोकेऽस्मिन्सर्वं स्थावरजङ्गमम् ॥

M N Dutt All action ends in destruction, and all that is born is certain to meet with death. Every mobile and immobile thing in this world is fickle.

१४.४४.२०

इष्टं दत्तं तपोऽधीतं व्रतानि नियमाश्च ये ।
सर्वमेतद्विनाशान्तं ज्ञानस्यान्तो न विद्यते ॥

M N Dutt Sacrifice, gift, penances, study, vow, observances, all these have destruction to their end. Of knowledge, there is no end.

१४.४४.२१

तस्माज्ज्ञानेन शुद्धेन प्रसन्नात्मा समाहितः ।
निर्ममो निरहंकारो मुच्यते सर्वपाप्मभिः ॥

M N Dutt Hence, one who has a tranquil soul, who has subjugated his senses, who is freed from the sense of mineness, who is devoid of egoism, is freed from all sins by pure knowledge.

Other texts to read

किरातार्जुनीयम् भारविः

नैषधीयचरितम् श्रीहर्षः

About

Resources

Connect