कामार्तानाञ्च मुनिभिर्धर्मज्ञैस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः । भाग्ययोगादिह प्राप्ताः स्वर्गात्प्रेमपरिप्लुताः
Those who are afflicted by desire, having attained fortune and union here through sages who know dharma and perceive truth, are filled with love even more than those in heaven.
त्यक्तुं नार्हसि देवेश समर्थोऽसि जगत्पते । नारायण उवाच पूर्णं वर्षसहस्रं तु तपस्तप्तं मयात्र वै
You should not abandon, O Lord of the gods, for you are capable, O Lord of the world. Narayana said: I have performed austerity here for a full thousand years.
जितेन्द्रियेण चार्वङ्ग्यः कथं भङ्गं करोम्यतः । नेच्छा कामे सुखे काचित्सुखधर्मविनाशके
With self-control and a beautiful body, how could I break this? I have no desire for pleasure, which destroys the happiness of dharma.
पशूनामपि साधर्म्ये रमेत मतिमान्कथम् । अप्सरस ऊचुः शब्दादीनां च पञ्चानां मध्ये स्पर्शसुखं वरम्
How could a wise person, even in similarity with animals, delight in this?
आनन्दरसमूलं वै नान्यदस्ति सुखं किल । अतोऽस्माकं महाराज वचनं कुरु सर्वथा
The Apsaras said: Among the five senses, the pleasure of touch is the best; it is the root of the essence of bliss, and truly there is no other happiness. Therefore, O great king, fulfill our request in every way.
निर्भरं सुखमासाद्य चरस्व गन्धमादने । यदि वाञ्छसि नाकत्वं नाधिको गन्धमादनात्
Having attained abundant happiness, enjoy yourself in Gandhamadana; if you desire heaven, there is nothing greater than Gandhamadana.
रमस्वात्र शुभे स्थाने प्राप्य सर्वाः सुराङ्गनाः
Enjoy here in this auspicious place, having obtained all the divine maidens.
अहङ्कारावर्तनवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तासां धर्मपुत्रः प्रतापवान् । विमर्शमकरोच्चित्ते किं कर्तव्यं मयाधुना
Description of the cycle of ego. Vyasa said: Hearing their words, the righteous and powerful son of Dharma reflected in his mind, 'What should I do now?'
हास्योऽहं मुनिवृन्देषु भविष्याम्यद्य सङ्गमात् । अहंकारादिदं प्राप्तं दुःखं नात्र विचारणा । मूलं धर्मविनाशस्य प्रथमं यदहङ्कृतिः
I will become a laughingstock among the sages today because of this union; this suffering has arisen from ego, there is no doubt. The root of the destruction of dharma is first this pride.
मूलं संसारवृक्षस्य यतः प्रोक्तो महात्मभिः । दृष्ट्वा मौनं समाधाय न स्थितोऽहं समागतम्
The root of the tree of worldly existence, as declared by the great souls, is this; seeing this, I did not remain silent and composed, but came together.
वाराङ्गनागणं जुष्टं तेनासं दुःखभाजनम् । उत्पादितास्तथा नार्यो मया धर्मव्ययेन वै
Because of this, I have become a recipient of suffering, surrounded by groups of celestial women; likewise, women have been produced by me through the loss of dharma.
तास्तु मां बाधितुं वृत्ताः कामार्ताः प्रमदोत्तमाः । ऊर्णनाभिरिवाद्याहं जालेन स्वकृतेन वै
Those excellent women, overwhelmed by desire, have turned against me to torment me; like a spider, I am caught in a web of my own making.
बद्धोऽस्मि सुदृढेनात्र किं कर्तव्यमतः परम् । यदि चिन्तां समुत्सृज्य सन्त्यजाम्यबला इमाः
I am bound here by a strong bond; what should I do next? If I abandon worry and renounce these powerless women—
शप्त्वा भ्रष्टा व्रजिष्यन्ति सर्वा भग्नमनोरथाः । मुक्तोऽहं सञ्चरिष्यामि विजने परमं तपः
Having cursed them, they will depart, all with broken desires; freed, I will wander in solitude and perform supreme austerity.
तस्मात्क्रोधं समुत्पाद्य त्यक्ष्यामि सुन्दरीगणम् । व्यास उवाच इति सञ्चिन्त्य मनसा मुनिर्नारायणस्तदा
Therefore, arousing anger, I will abandon the group of beautiful women. Vyasa said: Thus, having considered in his mind, the sage Narayana—
विमर्शमकरोच्चित्ते सुखोत्पादनसाधने । द्वितीयोऽयं महाशत्रुः क्रोधः सन्तापकारकः
He reflected in his mind on the means of producing happiness: this second great enemy, anger, is the cause of distress.
कामादप्यधिको लोके लोभादपि च दारुणः । क्रोधाभिभूतः कुरुते हिंसां प्राणविघातिनीम्
In the world, it is greater than desire and more terrible than greed; one overcome by anger commits violence that destroys life.
दुःखदां सर्वभूतानां नरकारामदीर्घिकाम् । यथाग्निर्घर्षणाज्जातः पादपं प्रदहेत्तथा
It brings suffering to all beings and creates a deep pit of hell; just as fire produced by friction burns a tree.
देहोत्पन्नस्तथा क्रोधो देहं दहति दारुणः । व्यास उवाच इति सञ्चिन्त्यमानं तं भ्रातरं दीनमानसम्
Anger arising from the body burns the body fiercely. Vyāsa said: Thus, reflecting upon his brother, whose mind was distressed—
उवाच वचनं तथ्यं नरो धर्मसुतोऽनुजः । नर उवाच नारायण महाभाग कोपं यच्छ महामते
He spoke truthful words; the son of Dharma addressed his younger brother. Nara said: O Nārāyaṇa, greatly fortunate one, restrain your anger, O wise one.
शान्तं भावं समाश्रित्य नाशयाहङ्कृतिं पराम् । पुराहङ्कारदोषेण तपो नष्टं किलावयोः
Adopt a peaceful disposition and destroy the supreme ego. Previously, due to the fault of ego, both of us lost our austerity.
संग्रामश्चाभवत्ताभ्यां भावाभ्यामसुरेण ह । दिव्यवर्षसहस्रं तु प्रह्लादेन महाद्भुतम्
A battle occurred between those two, with Prahlāda, the great asura, for a thousand divine years—an astonishing event.
दुःखं बहुतरं प्राप्तं तत्रावाभ्यां सुरोत्तम । तस्मात्क्रोधं परित्यज्य शान्तो भव मुनीश्वर
Much suffering was endured there by both of us, O best of gods. Therefore, abandoning anger, be peaceful, O lord of sages.
( शान्तत्वं तपसो मूलं मुनिभिः परिकीर्तितम् ।) ॥ व्यास उवाच इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा शान्तोऽभूद्धर्मनन्दनः । जनमेजय उवाच संशयोऽयं मुनिश्रेष्ठ प्रह्लादेन महात्मना
(Peacefulness is proclaimed by sages as the root of austerity.) Vyāsa said: Hearing his words, the son of Dharma became peaceful. Janamejaya said: O foremost sage, there is a doubt regarding Prahlāda, the great soul—
विष्णुभक्तेन शान्तेन कथं युद्धं कृतं पुरा । कृतवन्तौ कथं युद्धं नरनारायणावृषी
How did the peaceful, devoted to Viṣṇu, Prahlāda fight in ancient times? How did Nara and Nārāyaṇa, the sages, engage in battle?
तापसौ धर्मपुत्रौ द्वौ सुशान्तमानसावुभौ । समागमः कथं जातस्तयोर्दैत्यसुतस्य च
Those two ascetics, sons of Dharma, both with tranquil minds—how did they meet with the son of the demon?
संग्रामस्तु कथं ताभ्यां कृतस्तेन महात्मना । प्रह्लादोऽप्यतिधर्मात्मा ज्ञानवान्विष्णुतत्परः
How did those two engage in battle with that great soul? Prahlāda, too, is supremely righteous, wise, and devoted to Viṣṇu.
नरनारायणौ तद्वत्तापसौ सत्त्वसंस्थितौ । तेन ताभ्यां समुद्भूतं वैरं यदि परस्परम्
Nara and Nārāyaṇa, likewise, are ascetics established in virtue. If enmity arose between them, then—
तदा तपसि धर्मे च श्रम एव हि केवलम् । क्व जपः क्व तपश्चर्या पुरा सत्ययुगेऽपि च
Then, in austerity and righteousness, there would be only exhaustion. Where is recitation, where is ascetic practice, even in the Satya Yuga?
तादृशैर्न जितं चित्तं क्रोधाहङ्कारसंवृतम् । न क्रोधो न च मात्सर्यमहङ्कारांकुरं विना
By such ones, the mind is not conquered when enveloped by anger and ego. Without anger, envy, or the sprout of ego—