by Bibek Debroy
Chapter 1541(213)
‘Yudhishthira asked, “What action enables one to obtain happiness? What action leads one to obtain unhappiness? What action frees one from fear in this world? O descendant of the Bharata lineage! What conduct ensures success?”
‘Bhishma replied, “The intelligence of the ancient ones was based on the sacred texts and they praised self-control for all the varnas, but especially for brahmanas. A person who is not self-controlled does not obtain success in his rites. Rites, austerities and the Vedas are all based on self-control. Self-control increases energy and that is the reason self-control is said to be sacred. A person who is self-controlled is free from fear, is cleansed of sins and attains greatness. A self-controlled person sleeps in happiness and awakes in happiness. He roams around happily in the world and is cheerful in his mind. Self-control leads to restraint and one is not overcome by fierceness of energy. Such a person always sees his many enemies152 as distinct from the atman. Those without self-control are like predatory beasts and always cause fear among beings. It was to control them that Svayambhu created kings. Among all the ashramas, self-control is special. The fruits of self-control are said to be greater than the dharma obtained through these. I will now tell you about the signs of those among whom self-control has arisen—lack of miserliness, lack of excitement, satisfaction, faithfulness, forgiveness, lack of anger, constant uprightness, lack of excessive speech, lack of pride, worship of seniors, lack of envy, compassion towards all beings, absence of slander, refraining from speaking too much in public, lack of false speech and abstention from praise and censure. Among men, such a person is convinced about being virtuous and does not wish to pursue desire. He is not driven by enmity and possesses no deceit. He regards praise and censure equally. He immerses himself in good conduct. He is cheerful in his atman and is learned. He obtains reverence in this world. After death, he goes to heaven. He is engaged in the welfare of all beings and does not hate people. He is like a giant and calm lake. He is cheerful and content in his wisdom. He has no fear of any being and they are also not frightened of him. He bows down before all beings. Such a self-controlled person is learned. He is not delighted if he obtains great prosperity. He does not sorrow during a hardship. If a brahmana is thus accomplished in his wisdom, he is said to be self-controlled. His deeds are informed by the sacred texts. He follows the auspicious conduct of virtuous people. He is always full of self-restraint and enjoys great fruits. He has lack of jealousy, forgiveness, tranquility, satisfaction, pleasantness in speech, truthfulness, generosity and ease. That path is not for an evil-souled person. A brahmachari conquers his senses, having subjugated his desire and anger. Rigid in his vows, such a brahmana performs valiant and terrible austerities. He roams around in this world, waiting for his time.153 He possesses no evil and is full of his atman.”’
Chapter 1542(214)
‘Yudhishthira asked, “Brahmanas who observe vows sometimes eat the food that is offered as an oblation. O grandfather! What happens if a brahmana possesses this desire?”
‘Bhishma replied, “O Yudhishthira! If one eats after following the Vedas, it is different. But if one commits the act of eating in violation of the three Vedas, then one’s vows are destroyed.”
‘Yudhishthira asked, “Ordinary people say that fasting is like austerities. O great king! Is this really austerity? What are austerities?” ‘Bhishma replied, “People think that fasting for months or fortnights are austerities. But the virtuous do not regard them as austerities. Instead, they are an impediment in getting to know about the atman. Renunciation and becoming the disciple of a virtuous person is the supreme austerity. Such a person is always fasting and such a person is always a brahmachari. Such a brahmana will always become a sage and will always worship the gods. O descendant of the Bharata lineage! Even if he lives in a family,154 he will always desire and dream of dharma. He will never eat flesh and will always meditate on the auspicious. He will always desire amrita and will never cause violence for food. He will always be devoted to guests and will always be like one who survives on leftovers.”
‘Yudhishthira asked, “How can one fast and be a brahmachari all the time? How can one always be devoted to guests and survive on leftovers?”
‘Bhishma replied, “If a person eats in the morning and eats again in the evening, without eating anything in between, he will be regarded as fasting all the time. If a brahmana goes to his wife only at the time of her season, he is a brahmachari, as long as that man always speaks the truth and is always devoted to wisdom. A person who does not pointlessly eat meat is said to be a vegetarian.155 He will always be generous and pure by not dreaming or sleeping during the day. O Yudhishthira! Know that if a person only eats what has been left after the servants and guests have eaten is like a person who subsists on amrita. If a brahmana never eats until they156 have eaten, through that act of not eating, he conquers heaven. If one survives on the leftovers after gods, ancestors, servants and guests have eaten, that is said to be like surviving on what is left at a sacrifice. They always obtain infinite worlds. With Brahma, the apsaras and the residents of heaven present themselves in their homes. They share their food with the gods and the ancestors.
They find delight with their sons and grandsons and obtain the supreme objective.”’
Chapter 1543(215)
‘Yudhishthira asked, “O descendant of the Bharata lineage! In this world, men are united with their good and bad deeds, for the sake of reaping the fruits. But is a man actually the doer or not? I have a doubt about this. O grandfather! I wish to hear the complete truth about this. I wish to hear the truth.”
‘Bhishma replied, “O Yudhishthira! In this connection, the ancient history of a conversation between Prahlada and Indra is recounted. Though he157 was born in an evil lineage, he was extremely learned and was unattached. His sins had been cleansed and he was bereft of confusion and insolence. He was virtuous and engaged in the observance of vows. Praise and censure were the same to him and he was self-controlled. It was as if he dwelt in an empty house. He knew about the creation and destruction of all beings, mobile and immobile. He was not enraged at objects that caused displeasure. Nor did he find delight in objects that caused pleasure. He looked upon gold and a lump of earth in the same way. He was patient and had resolved to fix his determination on the supreme knowledge about the atman. He knew everything, superior and inferior, about beings and looked upon them equally. He was in control of his senses. ‘“Once, when Prahlada was seated alone, Shakra approached him, wishing to dislodge him from his wisdom, and spoke these words. ‘In this world, there are qualities that are revered among men. All of those qualities are seen to be present in you. Your intelligence is seen to be like that of a child. You know about the atman. What do you think is the supreme? You are now tied down in bonds. You have been dislodged from your place and have come under the subjugation of your enemies. O Prahlada! You are devoid of prosperity. Though you should grieve, you are not sorrowing. O son of Diti!158 Is this because of the wisdom that you have obtained or is it because of your fortitude? O Prahlada! You seem to be well. But behold the state of your hardship.’ The patient one, who knew about what had to be determined, was thus urged. He used gentle words to describe his own state of wisdom. ‘He who does not understand the origin and destruction of all beings is confused because of that foolishness. But someone who sees this is not confused. Origin and destruction happen because of nature. In either existence or non-existence, no enterprise can be seen. There is no enterprise in non-existence and there is nothing that is the doer. Though the person never actually does anything in this world, there is a sense of vanity. If a person thinks himself to be the doer of good or bad deeds, he does not know his own self and his wisdom is tainted. That is my view. O Shakra! If a person is himself the doer, then it is certain that all the deeds he begins for the sake of his benefit will be successful. There will never be any defeat. It is seen that despite the best of efforts, there is no cessation of the unpleas
ant and no existence of the pleasant. Where is the scope for enterprise? It is seen that though some do not make any efforts, there is nothing unpleasant and they are covered by the pleasant. This must be because of nature. It is seen that some extremely intelligent people confront adversity and have to seek riches from those who are malformed and limited in intelligence. Indeed, all the qualities, good and bad, penetrate a person because of nature. Therefore, where is the scope for pride? Everything is because of nature. That is my determined view. Thus, my wisdom is based on the atman and there is nothing else. In this world, I think that the fruits of all good and bad deeds become attached. I will now tell you everything about action. Listen. When a crow eats, the presence of the food is known because of its cawing. In that way, all deeds are the manifestations of nature. A person who knows about the appearances of nature, but does not know about supreme nature, is confused because of his foolishness. He looks at everything through this foolishness. Everything flows from nature. A person who has comprehended all these manifestations has understood. What will he do with pride and insolence? I know everything about the rites of dharma and that all beings are not permanent. O Shakra! Therefore, I do not sorrow. I know that everything has an end. I have no sense of ownership. I am without insolence. I do not belong to this world. I am free of all bonds. I see that all beings have a beginning and an end and I am well. O Shakra! For a person who is accomplished in his wisdom, self-controlled, without thirst, without hope and without effort, everything in this world is looked at with the light of that knowledge. These are manifestations of nature and I do not love them or hate them. I do not see anyone who hates me. Nor do I see anyone who is my own. O Shakra! I do not desire anything above or below, or in the transverse directions.159 There is no delight to be obtained160 from knowledge, lack of knowledge, or the object of knowledge.’ Shakra asked, ‘O Prahlada! I am asking you. Tell me the means whereby one can obtain this kind of wisdom and this kind of tranquility.’ Prahlada said, ‘O Shakra! A man attains greatness through uprightness, lack of distraction, calmness, being immersed in the atman and serving the elders. One then obtains wisdom from nature and tranquility from nature. Everything that you see is obtained from nature.’ Thus addressed by the lord of the daityas, Shakra was astounded. O king! Delighted, he then honoured these words. The lord of the three worlds161 worshipped the Indra among the daityas. Having taken the permission of the Indra among the asuras, he returned to his own abode.”’
Chapter 1544(216)
‘Yudhishthira asked, “O grandfather! There may be a lord of the earth who has been dislodged from his prosperity and is roaming around the earth. He may have been crushed by the rod of destiny. What intelligence should he resort to? Tell me.”
‘Bhishma replied, “In this connection, the ancient history of a conversation between Vasava162 and Bali, Virochana’s son, is recounted. Having defeated all the asuras, Vasava went to the grandfather,163 joined his hands in salutation and bowing down before him, asked him about Bali. ‘O Brahma! I do not see Bali, whose wealth did not dimish, despite his giving it away liberally.164 Tell me where Bali is. He was the one who set and arose, lighting up the directions. He was the one who attentively showered down at the right time. I do not see Bali. O Brahma! Tell me where Bali is. He was Vayu, Varuna, Ravi,165 Chandrama166 and Agni, who heated beings and the earth. I do not see Bali. O Brahma! Tell me where Bali is.’
‘“Brahma replied, ‘O Maghavan!167 It is not proper that you should ask about him now.168 However, if one is asked, one should not utter a falsehood. I will tell you about Bali. O Shachi’s lord!169 He may be170 among camels, cows, asses or horses. He may be the best among those animals171 and may be alone in his apartment.’