महाभारतम् — ३.२०२

मार्कण्डेय उवाच ।

एवमुक्तः स विप्रस्तु धर्मव्याधेन भारत ।
कथामकथयद्भूयो मनसः प्रीतिवर्धनीम् ॥

M N Dutt Markandeya said : O descendant of Bharata, having been thus addressed by that Brahmana, the virtuous fowler again began to speak (on things) so pleasing to the mind.

ब्राह्मण ।

३.२०२.२

महाभूतानि यान्याहुः पञ्च धर्मविदां वर ।
एकैकस्य गुणान्सम्यक्पञ्चानामपि मे वद ॥

M N Dutt The Brahmana said : O foremost of all virtuous men, it is said that there are five great elements. Will you describe to me in detail the properties of those five (elements)?

व्याध उवाच ।

३.२०२.३

भूमिरापस्तथा ज्योतिर्वायुराकाशमेव च ।
गुणोत्तराणि सर्वाणि तेषां वक्ष्यामि ते गुणान् ॥

M N Dutt The Fowler said: The earth, water, fire, air and sky, all have properties enter-lapping each other. I shall describe them to you.

३.२०२.४

भूमिः पञ्चगुणा ब्रह्मन्नुदकं च चतुर्गुणम् ।
गुणास्त्रयस्तेजसि च त्रयश्चाकाशवातयोः ॥

M N Dutt O Brahmana, the earth has five qualities, water four, fire three and the air and the sky together three.

३.२०२.५

शब्दः स्पर्शश्च रूपं च रसो गन्धश्च पञ्चमः ।
एते गुणाः पञ्च भूमेः सर्वेभ्यो गुणवत्तराः ॥

M N Dutt Sound, touch, form, flavour and taste, these five qualities belong to earth.

३.२०२.६

शब्दः स्पर्शश्च रूपं च रसश्चापि द्विजोत्तम ।
अपामेते गुणा ब्रह्मन्कीर्तितास्तव सुव्रत ॥

M N Dutt Sound, touch, form, flavour and taste, these five qualities belong to earth.

३.२०२.७

शब्दः स्पर्शश्च रूपं च तेजसोऽथ गुणास्त्रयः ।
शब्दः स्पर्शश्च वायौ तु शब्द आकाश एव च ॥

M N Dutt Sound, touch and form are the three properties of fire; sound and touch are the two properties of the air; and sound is the property of the sky.

३.२०२.८

एते पञ्चदश ब्रह्मन्गुणा भूतेषु पञ्चसु ।
वर्तन्ते सर्वभूतेषु येषु लोकाः प्रतिष्ठिताः ।
अन्योन्यं नातिवर्तन्ते संपच्च भवति द्विज ॥

M N Dutt O Brahmana, these fifteen fifteen properties inherent in five elements, exist in all substances of which this universe is composed.

३.२०२.९

यदा तु विषमीभावमाचरन्ति चराचराः ।
तदा देही देहमन्यं व्यतिरोहति कालतः ॥

M N Dutt O Brahmana, they are not opposed to one another; they exist in proper combination. When this universe is thrown into a state of chaos then every corporeal being in proper time assumes another body. It perishes also in due order.

३.२०२.१०

आनुपूर्व्या विनश्यन्ति जायन्ते चानुपूर्वशः ।
तत्र तत्र हि दृश्यन्ते धातवः पाञ्चभौतिकाः ।
यैरावृतमिदं सर्वं जगत्स्थावरजङ्गमम् ॥

M N Dutt There (everlastingly) exist the five elementary substances of which all the mobile and immobile world is composed. Whatever is perceptible by the senses is called Vyakta (manifest) and whatever is not perceptible by the senses is called Avyakta (not manifest).

३.२०२.११

इन्द्रियैः सृज्यते यद्यत्तत्तद्व्यक्तमिति स्मृतम् ।
अव्यक्तमिति विज्ञेयं लिङ्गग्राह्यमतीन्द्रियम् ॥

M N Dutt There (everlastingly) exist the five elementary substances of which all the mobile and immobile world is composed. Whatever is perceptible by the senses is called Vyakta (manifest) and whatever is not perceptible by the senses is called Avyakta (not manifest).

३.२०२.१२

यथास्वं ग्राहकान्येषां शब्दादीनामिमानि तु ।
इन्द्रियाणि यदा देही धारयन्निह तप्यते ॥

M N Dutt When a person engages in Tapa after having duly subdued his senses which have their own proper objective play in the external conditions of sound, form, then he sees that his own spirit pervades the whole universe and the universe is also reflected in him.

३.२०२.१३

लोके विततमात्मानं लोकं चात्मनि पश्यति ।
परावरज्ञः सक्तः सन्सर्वभूतानि पश्यति ॥

M N Dutt When a person engages in Tapa after having duly subdued his senses which have their own proper objective play in the external conditions of sound, form, then he sees that his own spirit pervades the whole universe and the universe is also reflected in him.

३.२०२.१४

पश्यतः सर्वभूतानि सर्वावस्थासु सर्वदा ।
ब्रह्मभूतस्य संयोगो नाशुभेनोपपद्यते ॥

३.२०२.१५

ज्ञानमूलात्मकं क्लेशमतिवृत्तस्य मोहजम् ।
लोको बुद्धिप्रकाशेन ज्ञेयमार्गेण दृश्यते ॥

३.२०२.१६

अनादिनिधनं जन्तुमात्मयोनिं सदाव्ययम् ।
अनौपम्यममूर्तं च भगवानाह बुद्धिमान् ।
तपोमूलमिदं सर्वं यन्मां विप्रानुपृच्छसि ॥

३.२०२.१७

इन्द्रियाण्येव तत्सर्वं यत्स्वर्गनरकावुभौ ।
निगृहीतविसृष्टानि स्वर्गाय नरकाय च ॥

M N Dutt Heaven and hell both are dependent on our senses. When subdued, they lead us to heaven and when indulged in, they lead us to hell.

३.२०२.१८

एष योगविधिः कृत्स्नो यावदिन्द्रियधारणम् ।
एतन्मूलं हि तपसः कृत्स्नस्य नरकस्य च ॥

M N Dutt This subjugation of the senses is the highest means of attaining spiritual advancement; it is also at the root of all our spiritual degradation.

३.२०२.१९

इन्द्रियाणां प्रसङ्गेन दोषमृच्छत्यसंशयम् ।
संनियम्य तु तान्येव ततः सिद्धिमवाप्नुते ॥

M N Dutt By indulging in them, a person contracts vices and by bringing them under control, he attains salvation.

३.२०२.२०

षण्णामात्मनि नित्यानामैश्वर्यं योऽधिगच्छति ।
न स पापैः कुतोऽनर्थैर्युज्यते विजितेन्द्रियः ॥

M N Dutt The self-controlled man who acquires over his six senses is never tainted with win; and consequently evil has no power over him.

३.२०२.२१

रथः शरीरं पुरुषस्य दृष्ट
मात्मा नियन्तेन्द्रियाण्याहुरश्वान् ।
तैरप्रमत्तः कुशली सदश्वै
र्दान्तैः सुखं याति रथीव धीरः ॥

M N Dutt Man's body has been compared with a chariot, his soul with a charioteer and his senses with the horses. A skillful man drives about without confusion, like an able charioteer with well-broken horses.

३.२०२.२२

षण्णामात्मनि नित्यानामिन्द्रियाणां प्रमाथिनाम् ।
यो धीरो धारयेद्रश्मीन्स स्यात्परमसारथिः ॥

M N Dutt That man is an excellent driver who knows how to patiently wield the reins of these and horses, namely the six senses inherent in our nature.

३.२०२.२३

इन्द्रियाणां प्रसृष्टानां हयानामिव वर्त्मसु ।
धृतिं कुर्वीत सारथ्ये धृत्या तानि जयेद्ध्रुवम् ॥

M N Dutt When our senses become ungovernable like horses on the road, we must patiently rein them in, for with patience we are sure to get the better of them.

३.२०२.२४

इन्द्रियाणां हि चरतां यन्मनोऽनुविधीयते ।
तदस्य हरते बुद्धिं नावं वायुरिवाम्भसि ॥

M N Dutt When man's mind is overpowered by any one of these senses running wild, he loses his reason and becomes like a ship tossed by the tempest in the sea.

३.२०२.२५

येषु विप्रतिपद्यन्ते षट्सु मोहात्फलागमे ।
तेष्वध्यवसिताध्यायी विन्दते ध्यानजं फलम् ॥

M N Dutt Men are deceived by illusion in hoping to reap the fruit of those six things the effects of which are studied by persons of spiritual insight who thereby reap the fruits of their clear perception.

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