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—
अहङ्कारात्समुत्पन्नाः कामक्रोधादयः किल । वर्षकोटिसहस्रं तु तपः कृत्वातिदारुणम्
From ego arise desires, anger, and the like. Even after performing extremely severe austerity for a hundred million years—
अहङ्कारांकुरे जाते व्यर्थं भवति सर्वथा । यथा सूर्योदये जाते तमोरूपं न तिष्ठति
When the sprout of ego appears, everything becomes futile. Just as, when the sun rises, darkness does not remain—
अहङ्कारांकुरस्याग्रे तथा पुण्यं न तिष्ठति । प्रह्लादोऽपि महाभाग हरिणा समयुध्यत
So, before the sprout of ego, merit does not remain. Even Prahlāda, greatly fortunate, fought with Hari.
तदा व्यर्थं कृतं सर्वं सुकृतं किल भूतले । नरनारायणौ शान्तौ विहाय परमं तपः
Then, all virtuous deeds performed on earth became futile. Nara and Nārāyaṇa, peaceful, abandoned supreme austerity—
कृतवन्तौ यदा युद्धं क्व शमः सुकृतं पुनः । ईदृग्भ्यां सत्त्वयुक्ताभ्यामजेया यद्यहङ्कृतिः
When they engaged in battle, where was tranquility, where was virtue again? If even those endowed with virtue are overcome by ego—
मादृशानाञ्ज का वार्ता मुनेऽहङ्कारसंक्षये । अहङ्कारपरित्यक्तो न कोऽप्यस्ति जगत्त्रये
What can be said of people like me, O sage, regarding the destruction of ego? There is no one in the three worlds who has completely abandoned ego.
न भूतो भविता नैव यस्त्यक्तस्तेन सर्वथा । मुच्यते लोहनिगडैर्बद्धः काष्ठमयैस्तथा
Whoever has completely abandoned what neither existed before nor will exist in the future is freed, even if bound with iron chains or wooden fetters.
अहङ्कारनिबद्धस्तु न कदाचिद्विमुच्यते । अहङ्कारावृतं सर्वं जगत्स्थावरजङ्गमम्
But one who is bound by ego is never released; the entire world, both moving and unmoving, is enveloped by ego.
भ्रमत्येव हि संसारे विष्ठामूत्रप्रदूषिते । ब्रह्मज्ञानं कुतस्तावत्संसारे मोहसंवृते
Indeed, it wanders in this world, polluted by filth and urine; how can there be knowledge of Brahman as long as the world is covered by delusion?
मतं मीमांसकानां वै सम्मतं भाति सुव्रत । महान्तोऽपि सदा युक्ताः कामक्रोधादिभिर्मुने
O virtuous one, the view of the Mimamsakas is indeed widely accepted; even great souls are always engaged in desires, anger, and the like, O sage.
मादृशानां कलावस्मिन्का कथा मुनिसत्तम । व्यास उवाच कार्यं वै कारणाद्भिन्नं कथं भवति भारत
For people like me, what is there to say in this matter, O best of sages? Vyasa said: How can the effect ever be different from its cause, O Bharata?
कटकं कुण्डलञ्चैव सुवर्णसदृशं भवेत् । अहङ्कारोद्भवं सर्वं ब्रह्माण्डं सचराचरम्
A bracelet or an earring may appear like gold; all the universe, both moving and unmoving, arises from ego.
पटस्तन्तुवशः प्रोक्तस्तद्वियुक्तः कथं भवेत् । मायागुणैस्त्रिभिः सर्वं रचितं स्थिरजङ्गमम्
A cloth is said to depend on threads; how can it exist apart from them? All that is stable and moving is fashioned by the three qualities of Maya.
सतृणस्तम्बपर्यन्तं का तत्र परिदेवना । ब्रह्मा विष्णुस्तथा रुद्रस्ते चाहङ्कारमोहिताः
From a blade of grass up to a pillar, what is the use of lamenting there? Even Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra are deluded by ego.
भ्रमन्त्यस्मिन्महागाधे संसारे नृपसत्तम । वसिष्ठनारदाद्याश्च मुनयो ज्ञानिनः परम्
They wander in this vast and deep world, O best of kings; even sages like Vasistha, Narada, and others, who are supreme in knowledge.
तेऽभिभूताः संसरन्ति संसारेऽस्मिन्पुनः पुनः । न कोऽप्यस्ति नृपश्रेष्ठ त्रिषु लोकेषु देहभृत्
Overpowered, they continue to wander again and again in this world; O best of kings, there is no embodied being in the three worlds who is exempt.
एभिर्मायागुणैर्मुक्तः शान्त आत्मसुखे स्थितः । कामक्रोधौ तथा लोभो मोहोऽहङ्कारसम्भवः
Freed from these qualities of Maya, one who is peaceful and established in the happiness of the self—desire, anger, greed, and delusion all arise from ego.
न मुञ्चन्ति नरं सर्वं देहवन्तं नृपोत्तम । अधीत्य वेदशास्त्राणि पुराणानि विचिन्त्य च
They do not release any embodied person, O best of kings; even after studying the Vedas and scriptures, and reflecting on the Puranas.
कृत्वा तीर्थाटनं दानं ध्यानञ्चैव सुरार्चनम् । करोति विषयासक्तः सर्वं कर्म च चौरवत्
Even after making pilgrimages, giving gifts, meditating, and worshipping the gods, one attached to sense objects performs all actions like a thief.
विचारयति नो पूर्वं काममोहमदान्वितः । कृते युगेऽपि त्रेतायां द्वापरे कुरुनन्दन
He does not reflect beforehand, being filled with desire, delusion, and pride; even in the Krita, Treta, and Dvapara yugas, O descendant of Kuru.