दुःखं महत्तरं प्राप्ताः पूर्वजन्मकृतेन वै । देवांशानां कथं तेषां संशयोऽयं महान्हि मे
They experienced even greater suffering, indeed, due to deeds from a previous birth. How could such things befall those who are portions of the gods? This is a great doubt for me.
सदाचारैस्तु कौन्तेयैर्भीष्मद्रोणादयो हताः । छलेन धनलाभार्थं जानानैर्नश्वरं जगत्
Though the sons of Kunti were of good conduct, they slew Bhishma, Drona, and others, by stratagem, for the sake of gaining wealth, knowing the world to be transient.
प्रेरिता वासुदेवेन पापे घोरे महात्मना । कुलं क्षयितवन्तस्ते हरिणा परमात्मना
Urged by the great-souled Vasudeva into that dreadful sin, they destroyed their own lineage, guided by Hari, the Supreme Self.
वरं भिक्षाटनं साधोर्नीवारैर्जीवनं वरम् । योधान्न हत्वा लोभेन शिल्पेन जीवनं वरम्
It is better for a sage to live by begging, subsisting on wild grains; better to live by craft than to kill warriors out of greed.
विच्छिन्नस्तु त्वया वंशो रक्षितो मुनिसत्तम । समुत्पाद्य सुतानाशु गोलकाच्छत्रुनाशनान्
Though the lineage was cut off by you, O best of sages, it was protected—having quickly produced sons to destroy the enemies of the race.
सोऽल्पेनैव तु कालेन विराटतनयासुतः । तापसस्य गले सर्पं न्यस्तवान्कथमद्भुतम्
Yet, in a short time, the son of Virata's daughter placed a serpent on the neck of the ascetic—how did this wondrous thing happen?
नकोऽपि ब्राह्मणं द्वेष्टि क्षत्रियस्य कुलोद्भवः । तापसं मौनसंयुक्तं पित्रा किं तत्कृतं मुने
No one born of a Kshatriya family hates a Brahmin or an ascetic devoted to silence. What was done by his father, O sage?
एतैरन्यैश्च सन्देहैर्विकलं मे मनोऽधुना । स्थिरं कुरु पितः साधो सर्वज्ञोऽसि दयानिधे
Because of these and other doubts, my mind is now unsettled. Make it firm, O father, O holy one—you are all-knowing, a treasure of compassion.
कर्मणो जन्मादिकारणत्वनिरूपणम् सूत उवाच एवं पृष्टः पुराणज्ञो व्यासः सत्यवतीसुतः । परीक्षितसुतं शान्तं ततो वै जनमेजयम्
The determination of karma as the cause of birth and other matters.
उवाच संशयच्छेत्तृ वाक्यं वाक्यविशारदः । व्यास उवाच राजन् किमेतद्वक्तव्यं कर्मणां गहना गतिः
Sūta said: Thus questioned, Vyasa, the knower of the Purāṇas and son of Satyavati, addressed the calm son of Parikshit, Janamejaya.
दुर्ज्ञेया किल देवानां मानवानां च का कथा । यदा समुत्थितं चैतद्ब्रह्माण्डं त्रिगुणात्मकम्
Indeed, the Divine is difficult to comprehend for the gods; what then of humans? When this universe, composed of the three gunas, arose—
कर्मणैव समुत्पत्तिः सर्वेषां नात्र संशयः । अनादिनिधना जीवाः कर्मबीजसमुद्भवाः
All beings arise solely through karma; there is no doubt of this. Living beings, without beginning or end, are born from the seed of karma.
नानायोनिषु जायन्ते म्रियन्ते च पुनः पुनः । कर्मणा रहितो देहसंयोगो न कदाचन
They are born in various wombs and die again and again; never does embodiment occur without karma.
शुभाशुभैस्तथा मिश्रैः कर्मभिर्वेष्टितं त्विदम् । त्रिविधानि हि तान्याहुर्बुधास्तत्त्वविदश्च ये
Indeed, this is enveloped by auspicious, inauspicious, and mixed actions; those who know reality, the wise, declare these threefold kinds.
सञ्चितानि भविष्यन्ति प्रारब्धानि तथा पुनः । वर्तमानानि देहेऽस्मिंस्त्रैविध्यं कर्मणां किल
There are accumulated, future, and operative karmas; this threefold nature of actions exists in the body.
ब्रह्मादीनां च सर्वेषां तद्वशत्वं नराधिप । सुखं दुःखं जरामृत्युहर्षशोकादयस्तथा
O King, for Brahma and all beings, everything is subject to that power: happiness and sorrow, old age and death, delight and grief, and so on.
कामक्रोधौ च लोभश्च सर्वे देहगता गुणाः । दैवाधीनाश्च सर्वेषां प्रभवन्ति नराधिप
Desire and anger, greed—all qualities residing in the body—O King, arise in all beings under the dominion of fate.
रागद्वेषादयो भावाः स्वर्गेऽपि प्रभवन्ति हि । देवानां मानवानाञ्च तिरश्चां च तथा पुनः
Emotions such as attachment and aversion arise even in heaven, indeed, among gods, humans, and animals alike.
विकाराः सर्व एवैते देहेन सह सङ्गताः । पूर्ववैरानुयोगेन स्नेहयोगेन वै पुनः
All these modifications are joined with the body, due to the continuation of former enmities and the bonds of affection.
उत्पत्तिः सर्वजन्तूनां विना कर्म न विद्यते । कर्मणा भ्रमते सूर्यः शशाङ्कः क्षयरोगवान्
The birth of all beings does not occur without karma; by karma the sun moves, the moon wanes, afflicted by wasting disease.
कपाली च तथा रुद्रः कर्मणैव न संशयः । अनादिनिधनं चैतत्कारणं कर्म विद्यते
And Rudra, the skull-bearer, likewise—by karma alone, without doubt. This cause, karma, is beginningless and endless.
तेनेह शाश्वतं सर्वं जगत्स्थावरजङ्गमम् । नित्यानित्यविचारेऽत्र निमग्ना मुनयः सदा
Therefore, all this world, moving and unmoving, is governed eternally by that; the sages are always immersed here in the discernment of the eternal and the non-eternal.
न जानन्ति किमेतद्वै नित्यं वानित्यमेव च । मायायां विद्यमानायां जगन्नित्यं प्रतीयते
They do not know whether this is eternal or truly non-eternal; while māyā exists, the world appears as eternal.
कार्याभावः कथं वाच्यः कारणे सति सर्वथा । माया नित्या कारणञ्च सर्वेषां सर्वदा किल
How can the absence of an effect be spoken of when the cause always exists? Māyā is eternal and ever the cause of all.
कर्मबीजं ततोऽनित्यं चिन्तनीयं सदा बुधैः । भ्रमत्येव जगत्सर्वं राजन्कर्मनियन्त्रितम्
Therefore, the seed of karma is impermanent and should always be contemplated by the wise; O King, the entire world wanders, governed by karma.
नानायोनिषु राजेन्द्र नानाधर्ममयेषु च । इच्छया च भवेञ्चन्म विष्णोरमिततेजसः
O King of kings, in various wombs and in various states filled with different dharmas, birth occurs by the will of the infinitely radiant Vishnu.
युगे युगेष्वनेकासु नीचयोनिषु तत्कथम् । त्यक्त्वा वैकुण्ठसंवासं सुखभोगाननेकशः
How, in the many ages and in many lowly births, after abandoning the residence in Vaikuntha and countless enjoyments of happiness—
विण्मूत्रमन्दिरे वासं संत्रस्तः कोऽभिवाञ्छति । पुष्पावचयलीलां च जलकेलिं सुखासनम्
Who, terrified, would desire to dwell in a house of urine and excrement, or to play at gathering flowers, to sport in water, or to sit comfortably?
त्यक्त्वा गर्भगृहे वासं कोऽभिवाच्छति बुद्धिमान् । तूलिकां मृदुसंयुक्तां दिव्यां शय्यां विनिर्मिताम्
Who, being wise, would desire after leaving the womb to dwell in a bed made of divine, soft cotton?
त्यक्त्वाधोमुखवासं च कोऽभिवाञ्छति पण्डितः । गीतं नृत्यञ्च वाद्यञ्च नानाभावसमन्वितम्
Who, being learned, would wish after leaving the downward-facing abode for songs, dances, and music of various kinds?