Bhagavad Gita/Quotations from the Mahabharata
Quotations from the Mahabharata
From the Book of the Wives*
(11th book of the Mahabharata)
… Even if one grieves before death — (anyway) one cannot change anything. The medicine for grief is to forget about it. Grief arises from contact with the undesired, from parting with the pleasant.
Only unreasonable people suffer of grief.
Grief is destroyed by knowledge.
The one who has subjugated the indriyas, who is not agitated with sexual passion, greed, anger, content (with worldly possessions), who is truthful — comes to (steady) calm. The one who has mastered (among other things, the control over) the mind becomes free from the great circle of suffering.
From the Book of the Effort
(5th book of the Mahabharata)
Causing no harm by violence is the most important thing bringing one to happiness.
The one who seeks success has to abandon six vices: drowsiness, sloth, fear, anger, laziness, and putting off work to a later time.
The one who never looks arrogant, never speaks about others with disregard, never says rude words, even upon having lost self-control — such a person is always liked by everyone.
As stars are influenced by planets, even so the inner world (of man) is influenced by (his) indriyas, when they, uncontrolled, are directed to material objects.
Fools offend the wise one with unjust rebukes and slander. But those who slander incur sin on themselves. On the contrary, the wise one, by forgiving the offence, becomes liberated from sins.
Fools… are those trying to teach the one who cannot be taught (and)… those talking to the one who listens to them with mistrust…
Making evil by violence is the power of the wicked; forgiveness is the power of the virtuous.
Do not do to others what is disgusting to you. This is justice, in brief.
Conquer anger with forgiveness, win the wicked with kindness, educate the niggardly with generosity, overcome injustice with truth.
Never try to do good deeds under the influence of passion, fear, or greed…
Yearning for pleasures captivates man, but then causes passion and anger in him.
I regard as a brahman the one who is capable of knowing and explaining to others (the Truth), who, having solved one’s own problems, explains the problems of others.
… The one who abides in the Truth and has cognized Brahman is regarded as a brahman.
Brahman cannot be cognized in a hurry. I call the knowledge about the Unmanifest — eternal, this knowledge is achieved by the consciousnesses of those who keep the vow of apprenticeship… The body is created by two: father and mother… Yet the (true) birth… liberates one from old age and gives Immortality. The disciple… has to aspire to studying with diligence and never become angry or arrogant.
People with their deeds (in the material worlds) attain limited worlds. The one who cognizes Brahman attains everything through this. And there is no other way to ultimate salvation.
The main Celestial Haven is found not on the Earth, nor in the air space, nor in the ocean. It is neither in the stars, nor in the lightning. Its form cannot be seen in the clouds. One can behold It neither in the wind, nor among the gods, nor in the moon, nor in the sun. It cannot be found in hymns, sacrificial sayings, incantations, or chanting. It is neither in melodies, nor in great vows…
It is beyond darkness…
It is subtler than the subtlest and greater than mountains.
It is the Unshakable Foundation, Immortality…, the Primordial Essence (of the universe).
It is the Shining Light, the Highest Glory…
This Highest and Divine can be seen only by Yogis.
From It — originates Brahman, and thanks to It Brahman grows.
And no one can see It with the (physical) eyes. Yet the one who cognizes It with the aspiring heart and mind — becomes immortal.
I am the Father and Mother, and the Son!
I am the Essence of everything that was, is, and will be!…
Subtler than the subtlest, Benevolent — I am awake in all beings.
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