The Sacred
Scripture of
great Epic Sree
Mahabharatam:
The Mahabharata
Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasatranslated by
Sreemaan Brahmasri Kisari Mohan Ganguli
Santi Parva
Book 12
Book
12
Chapter 231
1 [bhī]
ity ukto 'bhipraśasyaitat paramarṣes tu śāsanam
mokṣadharmārthasaṃyuktam idaṃ prastuṃ pracakrame
2 [ṣuka]
prajāvāñ śrotriyo yajvā vṛddhaḥ prajño 'nasūyakaḥ
anāgatam anaitihyaṃ kathaṃ brahmādhigacchati
3 tapasā brahmacaryeṇa sarvatyāgena medhayā
sāṃkhye vā yadi vā yoge
etat pṛṣṭo 'bhidhatsva me
4 manasaś cendriyāṇāṃ cāpy aikāgryaṃ samavāpyate
yenopāyena puruṣais tac ca
vyākhyātum arhasi
5 [vyāsa]
nānyatra vidyā tapasor nānyatrendriya nigrahāt
nānyatra sarvasaṃtyāgāt siddhiṃ vindati kaś cana
6 mahābhūtāni sarvāṇi pūrvasṛṣṭiḥ svayambhuvaḥ
bhūyiṣṭhaṃ prāṇa bhṛd grāme niviṣṭāni śarīriṣu
7 bhūmer deho jalāt sāro jyotiṣaś cakṣuṣī smṛte
prāṇāpānāśrayo vāyuḥ kheṣv ākāśaṃ śarīriṇām
8 krānte viṣṇur bale śakraḥ koṣṭhe 'gnir bhuktam archati
karṇayoḥ pradiśaḥ śrotre jihvāyāṃ vāk sarasvatī
9 karṇau tvak cakṣuṣī jihvā nāsikā caiva pañcamī
darśanānīndriyoktāni dvārāṇy āhārasiddhaye
10 śabdaṃ sparśaṃ tathārūpaṃ rasaṃ gandhaṃ ca pañcamam
indriyāṇi pṛthak tv arthān manaso darśayanty uta
11 indriyāṇi mano yuṅkte vaśyān yanteva vājinaḥ
manaś cāpi sadā yuṅkte bhūtātmā hṛdayāśritaḥ
12 indriyāṇāṃ tathaivaiṣāṃ sarveṣām īśvaraṃ manaḥ
niyame ca visarge ca bhūtātmā manasas tathā
13 indriyāṇīndriyārthāś
ca svabhāvaś cetanā manaḥ
prāṇāpānau ca jīvaś ca nityaṃ deheṣu dehinām
14 āśrayo nāsti sattvasya guṇaśabdo na cetanā
sattvaṃ hi tejaḥ sṛjati na guṇān vai kadā cana
15 evaṃ sapta daśaṃ dehe vṛtaṃ sodaśabhir guṇaiḥ
manīsī manasā vipraḥ paśyaty ātmānam
ātmani
16 na hy ayaṃ cakṣuṣā dṛśyo na ca sarvair apīndriyaiḥ
manasā saṃpradīptena mahān
ātmā prakāśate
17 aśabda sparśarūpaṃ tad arasāgandham avyayam
aśarīraṃ śarīre sve nirīkṣeta nirindriyam
18 avyaktaṃ vyaktadeheṣu martyeṣv amaram āśritam
yo 'nupaśyati sa pretya kalpate brahmabhūyase
19 vidyābhijana saṃpanne brāhmaṇe gavi hastini
śuni caiva śvapāke ca paṇḍitāḥ samadarśinaḥ
20 sa hi sarveṣu bhūteṣu jaṅgameṣu dhruveṣu ca
vasaty eko mahān ātmā yena sarvam idaṃ tatam
21 sarvabhūteṣu cātmānaṃ sarvabhūtāni cātmani
yadā paśyati bhūtātmā brahma saṃpadyate tadā
22 yāvān ātmani vedātmā tāvān ātmā
parātmani
ya evaṃ satataṃ veda so 'mṛtatvāya kalpate
23 sarvabhūtātma bhūtasya sarvabhūtahitasya
ca
devāpi mārge muhyanti apadasya padaiṣiṇaḥ
24 śakunīnām ivākāśe jale vāri carasya
vā
yathāgatir na dṛśyeta tathaiva
sumahātmanaḥ
25 kālaḥ pacati
bhūtāni sarvāṇy evātmanātmani
yasmiṃs tu pacyate kālas taṃ na vedeha kaścanan
26 na tad ūrdhvaṃ na tiryak ca nādho na ca tiraḥ punaḥ
na madhye pratigṛhṇīte naiva kaś cit kutaś cana
27 sarve 'ntaḥsthā ime lokā bāhyam eṣāṃ na kiṃ cana
yaḥ sahasraṃ samāgacched yathā bāno guṇacyutaḥ
28 naivāntaṃ kāraṇasyeyād yady api styā manojavaḥ
tasmāt sūkṣmāt sūkṣmataraṃ nāsti sthūlataraṃ tataḥ
29 sarvataḥ pani pādāntaṃ sarvato 'kṣiśiromukham
sarvataḥ śrutimal loke
sarvam āvṛtya tiṣṭhati
30 tad evānor anutaraṃ tan mahad bhyo mahattaram
tad antaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ dhruvaṃ tiṣṭhan na dṛśyate
31 akṣaraṃ ca kṣaraṃ caiva dvaidhī bhāvo 'yam ātmanaḥ
kṣaraḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu divyaṃ hy amṛtam akṣaram
32 navadvāraṃ puraṃ gatva haṃso hi niyato vaśī
īśaḥ sarvasya bhūtasya sthāvarasya
carasya ca
33 hāni bhaṅgavikalpānāṃ navānāṃ saṃśrayeṇa ca
śarīrāṇām ajasyāhur haṃsatvaṃ pāradarśinaḥ
34 haṃsoktaṃ cākṣaraṃ caiva kūtasthaṃ yat tad akṣaram
tad vidvān akṣaraṃ prāpya jahāti prāṇa janmanī
SECTION CCXXXI
"Yudhishthira said, 'I desire, O thou of Kuru's race, to know what the origin and what the end is of all creatures; what is the nature of their meditation and what are their acts; what are the divisions of time, and what the allotted periods of life in the respective epochs. I desire also to know in full the truth about the genesis and the conduct of the world; the origin of creatures into the world and the manner of their going on. Indeed, whence their creation and destruction? O best of virtuous persons, if thou art minded to favour us, do tell us this about which I ask thee. Having heard before this excellent discourse of Bhrigu unto the regenerate sage Bharadwaja which thou didst recite, my understanding, purged of ignorance, has become exceedingly attached to yoga, and withdrawn from worldly objects rests upon heavenly purity. I ask thee about the subject, therefore, once more. It behoves thee to discourse to me (more elaborately).'"Bhishma said, 'In this connection I shall recite to thee an old narrative of what the divine Vyasa said unto his son Suka when the latter had questioned the former. Having studied the illimitable Vedas with all their branches and the Upanishads, and desirous of leading a life of Brahmacharya in consequence of his having earned excellence of religious merit, Suka addressed these very questions, about which his doubts had been solved, to his father the island-born Rishi who had removed (by study and contemplation) all doubts connected with the topic of the true import of duties.'
p. 155
"Suka said, 'It behoveth thee to tell me who the Creator is of all beings, as fixed by a knowledge of time, 1 and what the duties are that should be accomplished by a Brahmana.'
"Bhishma said, 'Unto his son who had questioned him, the sire, having a knowledge of both the past and future, conversant with all duties and endued with omniscience, thus discoursed on the subject.'
"Vyasa said, 'Only Brahma, which is without beginning and without end, unborn, blazing with effulgence, above decay, immutable, indestructible, inconceivable, and transcending knowledge, exists before the Creation. 2 The Rishis, measuring time, have named particular portions by particular names. Five and ten winks of the eye make what is called a Kashtha. Thirty Kashthas would make what is called a Kala. Thirty Kalas, with the tenth part of a Kala added, make what is known as a Muhurta. Thirty Muhurtas make up one day and night. Thirty days and nights are called a month, and twelve months are called a year. Persons conversant with mathematical science say that a year is made up of two ayanas (dependent on sun's motion), viz., the northern and the southern. The sun makes the day and the night for the world of man. The night is for the sleep of all living creatures, and the day is for the doing of action. A month of human beings is equal to a day and night of the Pitris. That division (as regards the Pitris) consists in this: the lighted fortnight (of men) is their day which is for the doing of acts; and the dark fortnight is their night for sleep. A year (of human beings) is equal to a day and night of the gods. The division (as regards the gods) consists in this: the half year for which the sun travels from the vernal to the autumnal equinox is the day of the deities, and the half year for which the sun travels from the latter to the former is their night. Computing by the days and nights of human beings about which I have told thee, I shall speak of the day and night of Brahman and his years also. I shall, in their order, tell thee the number of years, that are (thus) for different purposes computed differently in respect of the Krita, the Treta, the Dwapara, and the Kali yugas. Four thousand years (of the deities) is the duration of the first or Krita age. The morning of that epoch consists of four hundred years and its evening is of four hundred years. (The total duration, therefore, of the Krita yuga is four thousand and eight hundred years of the deities). As regards the other yugas, the duration of each gradually decreases by a quarter in respect of both the substantive period with the conjoining portion and the conjoining portion itself. (Thus the duration of the Treta is three thousand years and its morning extends for three hundred years and its evening for three hundred). The duration of the Dwapara also is two thousand years, and its morning extends for two hundred years and its evening also for two hundred. The duration of the Kali yuga is one thousand years,
p. 156
and its morning extends for one hundred years, and its evening for one hundred. 1 These periods always sustain the never-ending and eternal worlds. They who are conversant with Brahma, O child, regard this as Immutable Brahma. In the Krita age all the duties exists in their entirety, along with Truth. No knowledge or object came to men of that age through unrighteous or forbidden means. 2 In the other yugas, duty, ordained in the Vedas, is seen to gradually decline by a quarter in each. Sinfulness grows in consequence of theft, untruth, and deception. In the Krita age, all persons are free from disease and crowned with success in respect of all their objects, and all live for four hundred years. In the Treta, the period of life decreases by a quarter. It has also been heard by us that, in the succeeding yugas, the words of the Vedas, the periods of life, the blessings (uttered by Brahmanas), and the fruits of Vedic rites, all decrease gradually. The duties set down for the Krita yuga are of one kind. Those for the Treta are otherwise. Those for the Dwapara are different. And those for the Kali are otherwise. This is in accordance with that decline that marks every succeeding yuga. In the Krita, Penance occupies the foremost place. In the Treta, Knowledge is foremost. In the Dwapara, Sacrifice has been said to be the foremost, In the Kali yuga, only Gift is the one thing that has been laid down. The learned say that these twelve thousand years (of the deities) constitute what is called a yuga. A thousand such yugas compose a single day of Brahman. 3 The same is the duration of Brahman's night. With the commencement of Brahman's day the universe begins to start into life. During the period of universal dissolution the Creator sleeps, having recourse to yoga-meditation. When the period of slumber expires, He awakes. That then which is Brahman's day extends for a thousand such yugas. His nights also extends for a thousand similar yugas. They who know this are said to know the day and the night. On the expiry of His night, Brahman, waking up, modifies the indestructible chit by causing it to be overlaid with Avidya. He then causes Consciousness to spring up, whence proceeds Mind which is identical with the Manifest.'" 4
Footnotes
155:1 Kalajnanena nishthitam are the words of the original. Vyasa's answer is taken up with assigning limits to the successive periods of Creation and Non-existence, or the durations of Brahman's wakeful and sleeping periods.155:2 Agre is explained by the commentator as srishteh prak.
156:1 The Krita extends in all for 4,800 years. The Treta for 3,600; the Dwapara for 2,400; and the Kali for 1,200. These are, however, the years of the deities. Verses 15-17 and 20-21 occur in Manusmriti, Chapter I.
156:2 This verse occurs in Manusmriti, corresponding with 81 of Chapter 1. The reading, however, in Manusmriti, is slightly different, for the last clause is Manushyanpavartate. In rendering verse 23, I take this reading and follow Medhatithi's gloss. If Nilakantha's gloss and the reading in both the Bengal and the Bombay texts be followed, the passage would run thus,--"No instruction or precept of that age ran along unrighteous ways, since that was the foremost of all ages." Nilakantha explains parah as sa cha parah. K.P. Singha skips over the difficulty and the Burdwan translator, as usual, gives an incorrect version.
156:3 The total comes up to 12,000 years. These constitute a Devayuga. At thousand Devayugas compose a day of Brahman. Verse 28 occurs in Manusmriti, Chapter 1.
156:4 The reader who has gone through the previous Sections can have no difficulty in understanding: this. The external world is nothing but Mind transformed. Mind, therefore, is spoken of here as Vyaktatmaka or that which is the soul of the vyakta or that is manifest, or that which is the vyakta, or between which and the vyakta there is no difference whatever. Some of the Bengal texts do not conclude Section 231 with the 32nd verse but go on and p. 157 include the whole of the 232nd Section in it. This, however, is not to be seen in the Bombay texts as also in some of the texts of Bengal that I have seen.
Book
12
Chapter 232
1 [vyāsa]
pṛcchatas tava sat
putra yathāvad iha tattvataḥ
sāṃkhyanyāyena saṃyuktaṃ yad etat kīrtitaṃ mayā
2 yogakṛtyaṃ tu te kṛtsnaṃ vartayiṣyāmi tac chṛṇu
ekatvaṃ buddhimanasor
indriyāṇāṃ ca sarvaśaḥ
ātmano dhyāyinas tāta jñānam etad anuttamam
3 tad etad upaśāntena
dāntenādhyātma śīlinā
ātmārāmeṇa buddhena boddhavyaṃ śuci karmaṇā
4 yogadoṣān samucchidya pañca yān kavayo viduḥ
kāmaṃ krodhaṃ ca lobhaṃ ca bhayaṃ svapnaṃ ca pañcamam
5 krodhaṃ śamena jayati kāmaṃ saṃkalpavarjanāt
sattvasaṃsevanād dhīro nidrām
ucchettum arhati
6 dhṛtyā śiśnodaraṃ rakṣet pāṇi pādaṃ ca cakṣuṣā
cakṣuḥ śrotre ca manasā mano vācaṃ ca karmaṇā
7 apramādād bhayaṃ jahyāl lobhaṃ prājñopasevanāt
evam etān yogadoṣāñ jayen
nityam atandritaḥ
8 agnīṃś ca brāhmaṇāṃś cārced devatāḥ pranameta ca
varjayed ruṣitāṃ vācaṃ hiṃsā yuktāṃ mano'nugām
9 brahmatejomayaṃ śukraṃ yasya sarvam idaṃ rasaḥ
ekasya bhūtaṃ bhūtasya dvayaṃ sthāvarajaṅgamam
10 dhyānam adhyayanaṃ dānaṃ satyaṃ hrīr ārjavaṃ kṣamā
śaucam āhārasaṃśuddhir indriyāṇāṃ ca nigrahaḥ
11 etair vivardhate tejaḥ pāpmānaṃ cāpakarṣati
sidhyanti cāsya sarvārthā vijñānaṃ ca pravartate
12 samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu labdhālabdhena vartayan
dhūtapāpmā tu tejasvī laghv āhāro jitendriyaḥ
kāmakrodhau vaśe kṛtvā ninīsed brahmaṇaḥ padam
13 manasaś cendriyāṇāṃ ca kṛtvaikāgryaṃ samāhitaḥ
prāg rātrāpararātreṣu dhārayen mana
ātmanā
14 jantoḥ
pañcendriyasyāsya yad ekaṃ chidram indriyam
tato 'sya sravati prajñā dṛteḥ pādād ivodakam
15 manas tu pūrvam ādadyāt kumīnān iva
matsyahā
tataḥ śrotraṃ tataś cakṣur jihvāṃ ghrāṇaṃ ca yogavit
16 tata etāni saṃyamya manasi sthāpayed yatiḥ
tathaivāpohya saṃkalpān mano hy
ātmani dhārayet
17 pañca jñānena saṃdhāya manasi sthāpayed yatiḥ
yadaitāny avatiṣṭhante manaḥ sasthāni cātmani
prasīdanti ca saṃsthāya tadā brahma
prakāśate
18 vidhūma iva dīptārcir āditya iva
dīptimān
vaidyuto 'gnir ivākāśe paśyaty ātmānam ātmanā
sarvaṃ ca tatra sarvatra vyāpakatvāc
ca dṛśyate
19 taṃ paśyanti mahātmāno
brāhmaṇā ye manīṣiṇaḥ
dhṛtimanto mahāprājñāḥ sarvabhūtahite ratāḥ
20 evaṃ parimitaṃ kālam ācaran saṃśitavrataḥ
āsīno hi rahasy eko gacched akṣarasātmyatām
21 pramoho bhrama āvarto ghrāṇaśravaṇa darśane
adbhutāni rasasparśe śītoṣṇe mārutākṛtiḥ
22 pratibhām upasargāṃś cāpy upasaṃgṛhya yogataḥ
tāṃs tattvavid anādṛtya svātmanaiva nivartayet
23 kuryāt paricayaṃ yoge taikālyaṃ niyato muniḥ
giriśṛṅge tathā caitye vṛkṣāgreṣu ca yojajet
24 saṃniyamyendriyagrāhaṃ goṣṭhe bhānda manā iva
ekāgraś cintayen nityaṃ yogān
nodvejayen manaḥ
25 yenopāyena śakyeta saṃniyantuṃ calaṃ manaḥ
taṃ taṃ yukto niṣeveta na caiva vicalet tataḥ
26 śūnyā giriguhāś caiva devatāyatanāni
ca
śūnyāgārāṇi caikāgro
nivāsārtham upakramet
27 nābhiṣvajet paraṃ vācā karmaṇā manasāpi vā
upekṣako yatāhāro labdhālabdhe samo
bhavet
28 yaś cainam abhinandeta yaś cainam
apavādayet
samas tayoś cāpy ubhayor nābhidhyāyec chubhāśubham
29 na prahṛṣyeta lābheṣu nālābheṣu ca cintayet
samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu sadharmā mātariśvanaḥ
30 evaṃ sarvātmanaḥ sādhoḥ sarvatra samadarśinaḥ
so māsān nityayuktasya śabdavrahmātivartate
31 vedanārtāḥ prajā dṛṣṭvā samalokṣāśma kāñcanaḥ
etasmin nirato mārge viramen na vimohitaḥ
32 api varṇāv akṛṣṭas tu nārī vā dharmakāṅkṣiṇī
tāv apy etena mārgeṇa gacchetāṃ paramāṃ gatim
33 ajaṃ purāṇam ajaraṃ sanātanaṃ; yad indriyair
upalabhate naro 'calaḥ
anor anīyo mahato mahattaraṃ; tadātmanā paśyati yuktātmavān
34 idaṃ maharṣer vacanaṃ mahātmano; yathāvad uktaṃ manasānudṛśya ca
avekṣya ceyāt parameṣṭhi sātmyatāṃ; prayānti yāṃ bhūtagatiṃ manīṣiṇaḥ
SECTION CCXXXII
"Vyasa said, 'Brahma is the effulgent seed from which, existing as it does by itself, hath sprung the whole universe consisting of two kinds of being, viz., the mobile and the immobile. 1 At the dawn of His day, waking up. He creates with the help of Avidya this universe. At first springs up that which is called Mahat. That Mahat is speedily transformed into Mind which is the soul of the Manifest. 2 Overwhelming the Chit, which is effulgent, with Avidya, Mind creates seven great beings. 3 Urged by the desire of creating, Mind, which is far-reaching, which has many courses, and which has desire and doubt for its principal indications, begins to create diverse kinds of objects by modifications of itself. First springs from it Space. Know that its property is Sound. From Space, by modification, arises the bearer of all scents, viz., the pure and mighty Wind. It is said to possess the attribute of Touch. From Wind also, by modification, springs Light endued with effulgence. Displayed in beauty, and called also Sukram, it starts into existence, thus, possessing the attribute of Form. From Light, by modification, arises Water having Taste for its attribute. From Water springs Earth having Scent for its attribute. These are said to represent initial creation. 4 These, one after another, acquire the attributes of the immediately preceding ones from which they have sprung. Each has not only its own special attribute but each succeeding one has the attributes of all the preceding ones. (Thus Space has only Sound for its attribute. After Space comes Wind, which has, therefore, both Sound and Touch for its attributes. From Wind comes Light or Fire, which has Sound, Touch, and Form for its attributes. From Light is Water, which has Sound, Touch, Form, and Taste for its attributes. From Water is Earth, which has Sound, Touch, Form, Taste, and Scent for its attributes). If anybody, perceiving Scent in Water, were from ignorance to say that it belongs to Water, he would fall into an error, for Scent is the attribute of Earth though it may exist in a state of attachment with Water and also Wind. These seven kinds of entities, possessing diverse kinds of energy, at first existed separately from one another. They could not create objects without all of them coming together into a state of commingling. All these great entities coming together, and commingling with one another,p. 158
form the constituent parts of the body which are called limbs. 1 In consequence of the combination of those limbs, the sum total, invested with form and having six and ten constituent parts, becomes what is called the body. (When the gross body is thus formed), the subtile Mahat, with the unexhausted residue of acts, then enters that combination called the gross body. 2 Then the original Creator of all beings, having by his Maya divided Himself, enters that subtile form for surveying or overlooking everything. And inasmuch as he is the original Creator of all beings he is on that account called the Lord of all beings. 3 It is he who creates all beings mobile and immobile. After having thus assumed the form of Brahman he creates the worlds of the gods, the Rishis, the Pitris, and men; the rivers, the seas, and the oceans, the points of the horizon, countries and provinces, hills and mountains, and large trees, human beings, Kinnaras, Rakshasas, birds, animals domestic and wild, and snakes. Indeed, he creates both kinds of existent things, viz., those that are mobile and those that are immobile; and those that are destructible and those that are indestructible. Of these created objects each obtains those attributes which it had during the previous Creation; and each, indeed, obtains repeatedly the same attributes at every subsequent Creation. Determined in respect of character by either injuriousness or peacefulness, mildness or fierceness, righteousness or unrighteousness, truthfulness or untruthfulness, each creature, at every new creation, obtains
p. 159
that particular attribute which it had cherished before. It is in consequence of this that that particular attribute attaches to it. It is the Ordainer himself who attaches variety to the great entities (of Space, Earth, etc.), to the objects of the senses (such as form, etc.), and to size or bulk of existent matter, and appoints the relations of creatures with those multiform entities. Amongst men who have devoted themselves to the science of things, there are some who say that, in the production of effects, exertion is supreme. Some learned persons say that Destiny is supreme, and some that it is Nature which is the agent. Others say that Acts flowing from (personal) exertion, and Destiny, produce effects, aided by Nature. Instead of regarding any of these as singly competent for the production of effects, they say that it is the union of all three that produces all effects. As regards this subject, 1 some say that such is the case; some, that such is not the case; some, that both of these are not the case; and some, that it is not that the reverse of both are not. These, of course, are the contentions of those that depend on Acts, with reference to objects. They however, whose vision is directed to truth regard Brahma as the cause. 2 Penance is the highest good for living creatures. The roots of penance are tranquillity and self-restraint. By penance one obtains all things that one wishes for in one's mind. By penance one attains to that Being who creates the universe. He who (by penance) succeeds in attaining to that Being becomes the puissant master of all beings. It is by Penance that the Rishis are enabled to read the Vedas ceaselessly. At the outset the Self-born caused those excellent Vedic sounds, that are embodiments of knowledge and that have neither beginning nor end to (spring up and) flow on (from preceptor to disciple). From those sounds have sprung all kinds of actions. The names of the Rishis, all things that have been created, the varieties of form seen in existent things, and the course of actions, have their origin in the Vedas. 3 Indeed, the Supreme Master of all beings, in the beginning, created all things from the words of the Vedas. Truly, the names of the Rishis, and all else that has been created, occur in the Vedas. Upon the expiration of his night (i.e., at the dawn of his day), the uncreate Brahman creates, from prototypes that existed before, all things which are, of course,
p. 160
well-made by Him. 1 In the Vedas hath been indicated the topic of the Soul's Emancipation, along with the ten means constituted by study of the Vedas, adoption of the domestic mode of life, penances, observance of duties common to all the modes of life, sacrifices, performance of all such acts as lead to pure fame, meditation which is of three kinds, and that kind of emancipation which is called success (Siddhi) attainable in this life. 2 That incomprehensible Brahma which has been declared in the words of the Vedas, and which has been indicated more clearly in the Upanishads by those who have an insight into the Vedas, can be realised by gradually following the practices referred to above. 3 Unto a person who thinks he has a body, this consciousness of duality, fraught again with that of pairs of opposites, is born only of acts in which he is engaged. (That consciousness of duality ceases during dreamless slumber or when Emancipation has been attained). That person, however, who has attained to Emancipation, aided by his knowledge, forcibly drives off that consciousness of duality. Two Brahmas should be known, viz., the Brahma represented by sound (i.e., the Vedas), and secondly that which is beyond the Vedas and is supreme. One that is conversant with Brahma represented by sound succeeds in attaining to Brahma that is Supreme. The slaughter of animals is the sacrifice laid down for the Kshatriyas. The growing of corn is the sacrifice laid down for the Vaisyas. Serving the three other orders is the sacrifice laid down for the Sudras. Penances (or worship of Brahma) is the sacrifice laid down for the Brahmanas. In the Krita age the performance of sacrifices was not necessary. Such performance became necessary in the Treta age. In the Dwapara, sacrifices have begun to fall off. In the Kali, the same is the case with them. In Krita age, men, worshipping only one Brahma, looked upon the Richs, the Samans, the Yajuses and the rites and sacrifices that are performed from motives of advantage, as all different from the object of their worship, and practised only Yoga, by means of penances. In the Treta age, many mighty men appeared that swayed all mobile and immobile objects. (Though the generality of men in that age were not naturally inclined to the practice of righteousness, yet those great
p. 161
leaders forced them to such practice.) Accordingly, in that age, the Vedas, and sacrifices and the distinctions between the several orders, and the four modes of life, existed in a compact state. In consequence, however, of the decrease in the period of life in Dwapara, all these, in that age, fall off from that compact condition. In the Kali age, all the Vedas become so scarce that they may not be even seen by men. Afflicted by iniquity, they suffer extermination along with the rites and sacrifices laid down in them. The righteousness which is seen in the Krita age is now visible in such Brahmanas as are of cleansed souls and as are devoted to penances and the study of the scriptures. As regards the other yugas, it is seen that without at once giving up the duties and acts that are consistent with righteousness, men, observant of the practices of their respective orders, and conversant with the ordinance of the Vedas are led by the authority of the scriptures, to betake themselves from motives of advantage and interest to sacrifices and vows and pilgrimages to sacred waters and spots. 1 As in the season of rains a large variety of new objects of the immobile order are caused to come forth into life by the showers that fall from the clouds, even so many new kinds of duty or religious observances are brought about in each yuga. As the same phenomena reappear with the reappearance of the seasons, even so, at each new Creation the same attributes appear in each new Brahman and Hara. I have, before this, spoken to thee of Time which is without beginning and without end, and which ordains this variety in the universe. It is that Time which creates and swallows up all creatures. All the innumerable creatures that exist subject to pairs of opposites and according to their respective natures, have Time for their refuge. It is Time that assumes those shapes and it is Time that upholds them. 2 I have thus discoursed to thee, O son, on the topics about which thou hadst inquired, viz., Creation, Time, Sacrifices and other rites, the Vedas, the real actor in the universe, action, and the consequences of action.'"
Footnotes
157:1 Tejomayam is explained by the commentator as Vasanamayam or having the principle of desire or wish within it, otherwise Creation could not take place. Yasya is used for yatah.157:2 By Mahat is meant Pure or Subtile Intelligence. The Manifest starts into existence from Mind or has Mind for its soul. Hence, as explained in previous Sections, Mind is called Vyaktatmakam.
157:3 These seven great Beings or entities are Mahat, the same speedily transformed into Mind, and the five elemental entities of Space, etc.
157:4 Verses 4, 5, 6 and 7 occur in Manusmriti, corresponding with the latter's 75, 76, 77 and 78 of Chapter 1.
158:1 Chit or Jiva is called Purusha or resider in body, because when overlaid with Avidya by the Supreme Soul, it is not possible for it to exist in any other way than by being invested with a covering or case made of primordial matter determined by the power of acts. Here, however, it means limbs or avayavam.
158:2 What is stated in verse 10, 11 and 12 is this: the seven great entities, in their gross form, are unable, if separate, to produce anything. They, therefore, combine with one another. Thus uniting, they first form the asrayanam of sarira i.e., the constituent parts of the body. They, at this stage, must be known by the name of Purusha of avayava, i.e., mere limbs. When these limbs again unite, then murtimat shodasatmakam sartram bhavati, i.e., the full body, possessed of form and having the six and ten attributes, comes into existence. Then the subtile Mahat and the subtile bhutas, with the unexhausted residue of acts, enter it. The plural form 'mahanti' is used because, as the commentator explains, 'pratipurusham mahatadinam bhinnatwapratipadanertham,' i.e., the same 'mahat,' by entering each different form apparently becomes many. Thus there are two bodies, one gross, and the other subtile called 'linga-sarira.' The residue of acts is thus explained: all creatures enjoy or suffer the effects of their good and bad acts. If, however, the consequences of acts, good and bad, be all exhausted, there can be no rebirth. A residue, therefore, remains in consequence of which rebirth becomes possible. Creation and destruction, again, are endlessly going on. The beginning of the first Creation is inconceivable. The Creation here described is one of a series. This is further explained in the verses that follow.
158:3 The six and ten parts are the five gross bhutas, and the eleven senses of knowledge and action including mind. The great creatures are the tan-mantras of the gross elements, i.e., their subtile forms. At first the gross body (with the principle of growth) is formed, into it enters the subtile body or the linga-sarira. At first (as already said) the gross elements come together. Then the subtile ones with the residue of acts. Then enters the Soul which is Brahma itself. The Soul enters into the subtile form for witnessing, or surveying. All creatures are only manifestations of that Soul due to the accident of Avidya or Maya. Tapas means, as the commentator explains, alochana.
159:1 i.e., this variety of Being and this variety of relations.
159:2 Anubhe is explained as ubhayavyatiriktam. Sattwasthas are those that depend upon the really existent, i.e., those that regard Brahma as the sole cause competent for the production of all effects.
159:3 It is exceedingly difficult to understand the true meaning of these verses. A verbal translation is not calculated to bring out the sense. Apparently, the statement that all things are contained in the Vedas is nonsense. In reality, however, what is intended to be said is that as the Vedas are Speech or Words, the Creator had to utter words symbolizing his ideas before creating anything. It is remarkable that there is a close resemblance between the spirit of the first chapter of Genesis with what is contained in the Srutis on the subject of Creation. Let there be Earth, and there was Earth, says the inspired poet of Genesis. Nilakantha cites exactly similar words from the Srutis as those which Brahman uttered for creating the Earth, such as, Bhuriti vyaharau as Bhumimasrijat. Then the four modes of life with the duties of each, the modes of worship, etc., were also indicated, hence, all acts also are in the Vedas which represent the words of Brahma.
160:1 All things are Sujata or well-made by him. In Genesis it is said that God uttered particular words and particular objects sprang into existence, and He saw that they were good.
160:2 The first line contains only technical terms. Nama means Rigveda. Hence, it stands for study of all the Vedas. Bheda stands for half, i.e., for the wife, who must be associated with her husband in all religious acts. Tapah is penance; hence it stands for all kinds of observances like chandrayana, and modes of life, vanaprastha, etc. Karma means such acts as the saying of morning and evening prayers, etc. Yama is sacrifice like jyotishtoma etc. Akhya means such acts as lead to good fame, like the digging of tanks, the making of roads, etc. Aloka, meaning meditation, is of three kinds. Lastly, comes Siddhi, meaning that emancipation which is arrived at by one during this life. The instrumental plural kramaih should be construed as dasabhih karmaih namadibhi sahita Vedeshu prechate. K.P. Singha has correctly rendered the verse, omitting reference to Siddhi. The Burdwan translator has totally misunderstood it.
160:3 Gahanam is explained by the commentator as duravagaham Brahma; vedavadeshu means, according to him, the rites and observances laid down in the Vedas. It is better, however, to take it literally, i.e., for the words of the Vedas. Vedanteshu means 'in the Upanishads,' which come after the Vedas, Both the Vernacular translators have misunderstood this verse.
161:1 This verse is, no doubt, pleonastic. The commentator interprets it in the way I have rendered it. Yathadharmam, according to him, means 'without transgressing acts and duties consistent with virtue'; yathagamam means 'following the authority of the scriptures'; vikriyate implies 'do from motives of advantage and gain.' The sense seems to be that in the three other yugas, men, without absolutely abandoning virtue, perform good acts and Vedic sacrifices and rites and scriptural vows and observances, from motives of low gain and not as a Preparation for Emancipation. Thus even in the Kali age, Vedic rites are not absolutely unknown. The motive, however, from which these are undertaken is connected with some low or sordid gain.
161:2 Samayah sthanam matam; sa eva bhutani bhavati; sa eva tan dadhati. This is the construction, as explained by the commentator.
Book
12
Chapter 233
1 [ṣukra]
yad idaṃ veda vacanaṃ kuru karma tyajeti ca
kāṃ diśaṃ vidyayā yānti kāṃ ca gacchanti karmaṇā
2 etad vai śrotum icchāmi tad
bhavān prabravītu me
etat tv anyonyavairūpye vartate pratikūlataḥ
3 [bhī]
ity uktaḥ pratyuvācedaṃ parāśara sutaḥ sutam
karma vidyāmayāv etau vyākhyāsyāmi kṣarākṣarau
4 yāṃ diśaṃ vidyayā yānti yāṃ ca gacchanti karmaṇā
śṛṇuṣvaika manāḥ putra gahvaraṃ hy etad antaram
5 asti dharma iti proktaṃ nāstīty atraiva yo vadet
tasya pakṣasya sadṛśam idaṃ mama bhaved atha
6 dvāv imāv atha panthānau yatra
vedāḥ pratiṣṭhitāḥ
pravṛtti lakṣaṇo dharmo nivṛttau ca subhāsitaḥ
7 karmaṇā badhyate tantur vidyayā tu pramucyate
tasmāt karma na kurvanti yatayaḥ pāradarśinaḥ
8 karmaṇā jāyate pretya mūrtimān sodaśātmakaḥ
vidyayā jāyate nityam avyayo hy avyayātmakaḥ
9 karma tv eke praśaṃsanti svalpa buddhitarā narāḥ
tena te dehajālāni ramayanta upāsate
10 ye tu buddhiṃ parāṃ prāptā dharmanaipuṇya darśinaḥ
na te karma praśaṃsanti kūpaṃ nadyāṃ pibann iva
11 karmaṇaḥ phalam āpnoti sukhaduḥkhe bhavābhavau
vidyayā tad avāpnoti yatra gatvā na śocati
12 yatra gatvā na mriyate yatra gatvā na
jāyate
na jīryate yatra gatvā yatra gatvā na vardhate
13 yatra tad brahma paramam avyaktam
ajaraṃ dhruvam
avyāhatam anāyāsam amṛtaṃ cāviyogi ca
14 dvandvair yatra na bādhyante mānasena
ca karmaṇā
samāḥ sarvatra maitrāś ca
sarvabhūtahite ratāḥ
15 vidyāmayo 'nyaḥ puruṣas tāta karmamayo 'paraḥ
viddhi candramasaṃ darśe sūkṣmayā kalayā sthitam
16 tad etad ṛṣiṇā proktaṃ vistareṇānumīyate
navajaṃ śaśinaṃ dṛṣṭvā vakraṃ tantum ivāmbare
17 ekādaśa vikārātmā kalā saṃbhārasaṃbhṛtaḥ
mūrtimān iti taṃ viddhi tāta karma
guṇātmakam
18 devo yaḥ saṃśritas tasminn abbindur iva puṣkare
kṣetrajñaṃ taṃ vijānīyān nityaṃ tyāgajitātmakam
19 tamo rajaś ca sattvaṃ ca viddhi jīva guṇān imān
jīvam ātmaguṇaṃ vidyād ātmānaṃ paramātmanaḥ
20 sacetanaṃ jīva guṇaṃ vadanti; sa ceṣṭate ceṣṭayate ca sarvam
tataḥ paraṃ kṣetravido vadanti; prāvartayad yo bhuvanāni sapta
SECTION CCXXXIII
"Vyasa said, 'I shall now tell thee, how, when his day is gone and his nightp. 162
comes, he withdraws all things unto himself, or how the Supreme Lord, making this gross universe exceedingly subtile, merges everything into his Soul. When the time comes for universal dissolution, a dozen Suns, and Agni with his seven flames, begin to burn. The whole universe, wrapt by those flames, begins to blaze forth in a vast conflagration. All things mobile and immobile that are on the earth first disappear and merge into the substance of which this planet is composed. After all mobile and immobile objects have thus disappeared, the earth, shorn of trees and herbs, looks naked like a tortoise shell. Then water takes up the attribute of earth, viz., scent. When earth becomes shorn of its principal attribute, that element is on the eve of dissolution. Water then prevails. Surging into mighty billows and producing awful roars, only water fills this space and moves about or remains still. Then the attribute of water is taken by Heat, and losing its own attribute, water finds rest in that element. Dazzling flames of fire, ablaze all around, conceal the Sun that is in the centre of space. Indeed, then, space itself, full of those fiery flames, burns in a vast conflagration. Then Wind comes and takes the attribute, viz., form of Heat or Light, which thereupon becomes extinguished, yielding to Wind, which, possessed of great might, begins to be awfully agitated. The Wind, obtaining its own attribute, viz., sound, begins to traverse upwards and downwards and transversely along all the ten points. Then Space takes the attribute, viz., sound of Wind, upon which the latter becomes extinguished and enters into a phase of existence resembling that of unheard or unuttered sound. Then Space is all that remains, that element whose attribute, viz., sound dwells in all the other elements, divested of the attributes of form, and taste, and touch, and scent, and without shape of any kind, like sound in its unmanifest state of existence. Then sound, which is the attribute of space, is swallowed up by Mind which is the essence of all things that are manifest. Thus Mind which in itself is unmanifest withdraws all that is manifested by Mind. This withdrawal of Mind as displayed into Mind as undisplayed or subtile, is called the destruction of the vast external universe. 1 Then Chandrama's having made Mind (thus) withdraw its attribute into itself, swallows it up. When Mind, ceasing to exist, thus enters into Chandramas, the other attributes that are owned by Iswara are all that remain. This Chandramas, which is called also Sankalpa, is then, after a very long time, brought under Iswara's sway, then reason being that that Sankalpa has to perform a very difficult act, viz., the destruction of Chitta or the faculties that are employed in the process called judgment. When this has been effected, the condition reached is said to be of high Knowledge.
p. 163
[paragraph continues] Then Time swallows up this Knowledge, and as the Sruti declares, Time itself, in its turn, is swallowed up by Might, or Energy. Might or energy, however, is (again) swallowed up by Time, which last is then brought under her sway by Vidya. Possessed of Vidya, Iswara then swallows up non-existence itself into his Soul. That is Unmanifest and Supreme Brahma. That is Eternal, and that is the Highest of the High. Thus all existent creatures are withdrawn into Brahma. Truly hath this, which should be conceived (with the aid of the scriptures) and which is a topic of Science, been thus declared by Yogins possessed of Supreme Souls, after actual experience. Even thus doth the Unmanifest Brahma repeatedly undergo the processes of Elaboration and Withdrawal (i.e., Creation and Destruction), and even thus Brahman's Day and Night each consist of a thousand yugas.'" 1
Footnotes
162:1 From what has been said in the previous Sections, the reader will have no difficulty in understanding what is meant by abhivyaktatmakam manah. It is mind that is the essence of all that is abhivyakta or manifest. That mind swallows up the attribute of Space. Hence it is avyaktam, that swallows up the manaso vyaktam. This swallowing up is Brahmah sampratisancharah or destruction of the outward universe in its manifest vastness. The commentator gives the substance of the verse in these words: manahkalpito virat manasi eva liyate. From the verses that follow it would seem that the object of this section is to describe the yogin's pratyahara and not the actual dissolution of the universe.163:1 Verses 16 and 17 are exceedingly difficult. The commentator has shown great learning in expounding them. Unfortunately, the subject is a yoga mystery, and the explanation and illustrations of the commentator refer to things beyond the reach of ordinary experience and intelligence. The words Chandramas, Kala, and Valam, and Akasa also and Ghosa (in verse 17), are technical terms of yoga. I referred the passage to more than one learned Pundit. My referees are of opinion that a yoga mystery is here expounded, which yogins alone can understand. European scholars will probably smile at the statement that there is a hidden meaning in these words. Most readers will take the verses for nonsense. Reflection, however, has convinced me that yoga is not nonsense. One who has not studied the elements of Geometry or Algebra, cannot, however intelligent, hope to understand at once a Proposition of the Principia or the theorem of De Moivre. Failing to give the actual sense, I have contented myself with giving a verbal translation.
Book
12
Chapter 234
1 [ṣukra]
kṣarāt prabhṛti yaḥ sargaḥ saguṇānīndriyāṇi ca
buddhyaiśvaryābhisargārthaṃ yad dhyānaṃ cātmanaḥ śubham
2 bhūya eva tu loke 'smin sadvṛttiṃ vṛtti haitukīm
yayā santaḥ pravartante tad
icchāmy anuvarṇitam
3 vede vacanam uktaṃ tu kuru karma tyajeti ca
katham etad vijānīyāṃ tac ca vyākhyātum arhasi
4 lokavṛttāntatattvajñaḥ pūto 'haṃ guru śāsanāt
kṛtvā buddhiṃ viyuktātmā tyakṣyāmy ātmānam avyathaḥ
5 [vyāsa]
yaiṣā vai vihitā vṛttiḥ purastād brahmaṇā svayam
eṣā pūrvataraiḥ sadbhir ācīrṇā paramarṣibhiḥ
6 brahmacaryeṇa vai lokāñ jayanti paramarṣayaḥ
ātmanaś ca hṛdi śreyas tv
anviccha manasātmani
7 vane mūlaphalāśī ca tapyan
suvipulaṃ tapaḥ
puṇyāyatana cārī ca
bhūtānām avihiṃsakaḥ
8 vidhūme sannamusale
vānaprasthapratiśraye
kāle prāpte caran bhaikṣaṃ kalpate brahmabhūyase
9 niḥstutir
nirnamaskāraḥ parityajya śubhāśubhe
araṇye vicaraikākī yena
kena cid āśitaḥ
10 [ṣuka]
yad idaṃ veda vacanaṃ lokavāde virudhyate
pramāne cāpramāne ca viruddhe śāstratā kutaḥ
11 ity etac chrotum icchāmi bhagavān
prabravītu me
karmaṇām avirodhena katham etat
pravartate
12 [bhī]
ity uktaḥ pratyuvācedaṃ gandhavatyāḥ sutaḥ sutam
ṛṣis tat pūjayan vākyaṃ putrasyāmita
tejasaḥ
13 gṛhastho brahmacārī ca
vānaprastho 'tha bhikṣukaḥ
yathoktakāriṇaḥ sarve gacchanti paramāṃ gatim
14 eko ya āśramān etān anutiṣṭhed yathāvidhi
akāma dveṣasaṃyuktaḥ sa paratra mahīyate
15 caturpado hi niḥśreṇī brahmaṇy eṣā pratiṣṭhitā
etām āśritya niḥśreṇīṃ brahmaloke mahīyate
16 āyuṣas tu
caturbhāgaṃ brahmacāryanasūyakaḥ
gurau vā guruputre vā vased dharmārthakovidaḥ
17 karmātirekeṇa guror adhyetavyaṃ bubhūsatā
dakṣiṇo nāpavādī
syād āhūto gurum āśrayet
18 jaghanyaśāyī pūrvaṃ syād utthāyī guru veśmani
yac ca śiṣyeṇa kartavyaṃ kāryaṃ dāsena vā punaḥ
19 kṛtam ity eva tat
sarvaṃ kṛtvā tiṣṭheta pārśvataḥ
kiṃkaraḥ sarvakārī ca sarvakarmasu kovidaḥ
20 śucir dakṣo guṇopeto brūyād iṣur ivātvaraḥ
cakṣuṣā gurum
avyagro nirīkṣeta jitendriyaḥ
21 nābhuktavati cāśnīyād apītavati no
pibet
na tiṣṭhati tathāsīta nāsupte
prasvapeta ca
22 uttānābhyāṃ ca pānibhyāṃ pādāv asya mṛdu spṛcet
dakṣiṇaṃ dakṣiṇenaiva savyaṃ savyena pīḍayet
23 abhivādya guruṃ brūyād adhīsva bhagavann iti
idaṃ kariṣye bhagavann idaṃ cāpi kṛtaṃ mayā
24 iti sarvam anujñāpya nivedya gurave
dhanam
kuryāt kṛtvā ca tat sarvam
ākhyeyaṃ gurave punaḥ
25 yāṃs tu gandhān rasān
vāpi brahmacārī na sevate
seveta tān samāvṛtta iti dharmeṣu niścayaḥ
26 ye ke cid vistareṇoktā niyamā brahmacāriṇaḥ
tān sarvān anugṛhṇīyād bhavec cānapago guroḥ
27 sa evaṃ gurave
prītim upahṛtya yathābalam
āśrameṣv āśrameṣv evaṃ śiṣyo varteta karmaṇā
28 veda vratopavāsena caturthe cāyuṣo gate
gurave dakṣiṇāṃ dattvā samāvarted yathāvidhi
29 dharmalabdhair yuto dārair agnīn
utpādya dharmataḥ
dvitīyam āyuṣo bhāgaṃ gṛhamedhi vratī bhavet
SECTION CCXXXIV
"Vyasa said, 'Thou hadst asked me about the Creation of all beings; I have now narrated that to thee in full. Listen to me as I tell thee now what the duties are of a Brahmana. The rituals of all ceremonies for which sacrificial fees are enjoined, commencing with Jatakarma and ending with Samavartana, depend for their performance upon a preceptor competent in the Vedas. 2 Having studied all the Vedas and having displayed a submissive behaviour towards his preceptor during his residence with him, and having paid the preceptor's fee, the youth should return home with a thorough knowledge of all sacrifices. 3 Receiving the permission of his preceptor, he should adoptp. 164
one of the four modes of life and live in it in due observance of its duties till he casts off his body. He should either lead a life of domesticity with spouses and engaged in creating offspring, or live in the observance of Brahmacharya; or in the forest in the company of his preceptor, or in the practice of the duties laid down for a yati. A life of domesticity is said to be the root of all the other modes of life. A self-restrained householder who has conquered all his attachments to worldly objects always attains to success (in respect of the great object of life). A Brahmana, by begetting children, by acquiring a knowledge of the Vedas, and by performing sacrifices, pays off the three debts he owes. 1 He should then enter the other modes of life, having cleansed himself by his acts. He should settle in that place which he may ascertain to be the most sacred spot on earth, and he should strive in all matters that lead to fame, for attaining to a position of eminence. The fame of Brahmanas increases through penances that are very austere, through mastery of the various branches of knowledge, through sacrifices, and through gifts. Indeed, a person enjoys endless regions of the righteous (in the next world) as long as his deeds or the memory thereof lasts in this world. A Brahmana should teach, study, officiate at other people's sacrifices, and offer sacrifices himself. He should not give away in vain or accept other people's gifts in vain. Wealth, sufficient in quantity, that may come from one who is assisted in a sacrifice, from a pupil, or from kinsmen (by marriage) of a daughter, should be spent in the performance of sacrifice or in making gifts. Wealth coming from any of these sources should never be enjoyed by a Brahmana singly. 2 For a Brahmana leading a life of domesticity there is no means save the acceptance of gifts for the sake of the deities, or Rishis, or Pitris, or preceptor or the aged, or the diseased, or the hungry. 3 Unto those that are persecuted by unseen foes, or those that are striving to the best of their power to acquire knowledge, one should make gifts from one's own possessions, including even cooked food, more than one can fairly afford. 4 Unto a deserving person there is nothing that cannot be given. They that are good and wise deserve to have even the prince of steeds, called Uchchaisravas, belonging to Indra himself. 5 Of high vows (king) Satyasandha, having, with due humility, offered his own life-breaths for saving those of a Brahmana, ascended to heaven. Sankriti's son Rantideva, having given only lukewarm water to the high-souled Vasishtha, ascended to heaven and received high honours there.
p. 165
[paragraph continues] Atri's royal son Indradamana, possessed of great intelligence, having given diverse kinds of wealth to a deserving person, acquired diverse regions of felicity in the next world. Usinara's son Sivi, having given away his own limbs and the dear son of loins for the sake of a Brahmana, ascended to heaven from this world. Pratardana, the ruler of Kasi, having given away his very eyes to a Brahmana, obtained great fame both here and hereafter. King Devavridha, having given away a very beautiful and costly umbrella, with eight golden ribs, proceeded to heaven with all the people of his kingdom. Sankriti of Atri's race, possessed of great energy, having given instruction to his disciples on the subject of Impersonal Brahma, proceeded to regions of great felicity. Amvarisha of great prowess, heaving given unto the Brahmanas eleven Arvudas of kine, proceeded to heaven with all the people of his kingdom. Savitri, by giving away her ear-rings, and king Janamejaya, by giving away his own body, both proceeded to high regions of felicity. Yuvanaswa, the son of Vrishadarbha, by giving away diverse kinds of gems, a fine mansion, and many beautiful women, ascended to heaven. Nimi, the ruler of the Videhas, gave away his kingdom, Jamadagni's son (Rama) gave away the whole earth; and Gaya gave away the earth with all her towns and cities, unto the Brahmanas. Once when the clouds ceased to pour, Vasishtha, resembling Brahman himself, kept alive all creatures like Prajapati keeping them alive (by his energy and kindness). Karandhama's son Marutta of cleansed soul, by giving away his daughter to Angiras, speedily ascended to heaven. Brahmadatta, the ruler of the Panchalas, possessed of superior intelligence, by giving away two precious jewels called Nidhi and Sankha unto some of the foremost of the Brahmanas, obtained many regions of felicity. King Mitrasaha, having given his own dear wife Madayanti unto the high-souled Vasishtha, ascended to heaven with that wife of his. The royal sage Sahasrajit, possessed of great fame having cast off dear life itself for the sake of a Brahmana, ascended to regions of great felicity. King Satadyumna, having given to Mudgala a mansion made of gold and full of every object of comfort and use, ascended to heaven. The king of the Salwas, known by the name of Dyutimat, possessed of great prowess, gave unto Richika his entire kingdom and ascended to heaven. The Royal sage Madiraswa, by giving away his daughter of slender waist to Hiranyahasta, ascended to such regions as are held in esteem by the very gods. The royal sage Lomapada, of great prowess, by giving away his daughter Santa to Rishyasringa, obtained the fruition of all his wishes. King Prasenajit, of great energy, by giving away a hundred thousand kine with calves, ascended to excellent regions of felicity. These and many others, possessed of great and well-ordered souls and having their senses under control, ascended, by means Of gifts and penances, to heaven. Their fame will last as long as the earth herself will last. All of them have, by gifts, sacrifices and procreation of issue, proceeded to heaven.'"
Footnotes
163:2 Jatakarma is the ceremony that is performed with certain Vedic mantras immediately after a child's birth. There are many such ceremonies to be performed till Samavartana or return from the preceptor's home after completion of the period of pupilage. These ceremonies are necessarily such that they must be performed by the child's father or somebody else whom the latter might call in.163:3 In this country, no fees are charged for tuition. The pupil, however, after completing his studies, may give his preceptor a final fee which is determined by the choice of the preceptor himself and which varies according to the means of the pupil leaving the preceptor's home for his own.
164:1 By begetting children, one pays off one's debt to ancestors; by studying the Vedas, one pays off one's debt to the Rishis; and by performing sacrifices one pays off one's debt to the deities.
164:2 It is a deadly sin to take anything from the father-in-law or other relatives (by marriage) of a daughter. What is got from such sources is, to this day, spent freely. Those persons that sell their daughters in marriage are universally reckoned as fallen.
164:3 The fact is, the duty of the householder obliges him to worship the deities and the Pitris, and to become hospitable to the others named. The Brahmana, however, has no ostensible means for discharging this duty. The only means open to him is acceptance of gifts. In this case, acceptance, therefore, for such ends is not productive of demerit.
164:4 Kritadapi is explained by the commentator as pakvannadapi.
164:5 The sense is that there is no gift which is too valuable for such persons.
Book
12
Chapter 235
[vyāsa]
dvitīyam āyuṣo bhāgaṃ gṛhamedhī gṛhe vaset
dharmalabdhair yuto dārair agnīn utpādya suvrataḥ
2 gṛhastha vṛttayaś caiva catasraḥ kavibhiḥ smṛtāḥ
kusūla dhānyaḥ prathamaḥ kumbhī dhānyas tv anantaram
3 aśvastano 'tha kāpotīm āśrito vṛttim āharet
teṣāṃ paraḥ paro jyāyān dharmato lokajittamaḥ
4 saḥ kamā
vartayaty ekas tribhir anyaḥ pravartate
dvābhyām ekaś caturthas tu brahma sattre
vyavasthitaḥ
gṛhamedhi vratāny atra
mahāntīha pracakṣate
5 nātmārthaṃ pācayed annaṃ na vṛthā ghātayet paśūn
prānī vā yadi vāprānī saṃskāraṃ yajuṣārhati
6 na divā prasvapej jātu na
pūrvāpararātrayoḥ
na bhuñjītāntarākāle nānṛtāv āhvayet striyam
7 nāsyānaśnan vased vipro gṛhe kaś cid apūjitaḥ
tathāsyātithayaḥ pūjyā
havyakavya vahāḥ sadā
8 veda vidyāvratasnātāḥ śrotriyā vedapāragāḥ
svadharmajīvino dāntāḥ kriyāvantas tapasvinaḥ
teṣāṃ havyaṃ ca kavyaṃ cāpy arhaṇārthaṃ vidhīyate
9 na kharaiḥ saṃprayātasya svadharmājñānakasya ca
apaviddhāgnihotrasya guror vālīka kāriṇaḥ
10 saṃvihāgo 'tra bhūtānāṃ sarveṣām eva śiṣyate
tathaivāpacamānebhyaḥ pradeyaṃ gṛhamedhinā
11 vighasāśī bhaven nityaṃ nityaṃ cāmṛtabhojanaḥ
amṛtaṃ yajñaśeṣaṃ syād bhojanaṃ haviṣā samam
bhṛtyaśeṣaṃ tu yo 'śnāti tam āhur vighasāśinam
12 svadāranirato dānto hy anasūyur
jitendriyaḥ
ṛtvik purohitācāryair mātulātithi saṃśritaiḥ
13 vṛddhabālāturair
vaidyair jñātisaṃbandhibāndhavaiḥ
mātā pitṛbhyāṃ jāmībhir bhrātrā putreṇa bhāryayā
14 duhitrā dāsavargeṇa vivādaṃ na samācaret
etān vimucya saṃvādān sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate
15 etair jitais tu jayati sarvāṁl lokān na saṃśayaḥ
ācāryo brahmalokeśaḥ prājāpatye pitā
prabhuḥ
16 atithis tv indralokeśo devalokasya
cartvijaḥ
jāmayo 'psarasāṃ loke vaiśvadeve tu
jñātayaḥ
17 saṃbandhibāndhavā dikṣu pṛthivyāṃ mātṛmātulau
vṛddhabālātura kṛśās tvākāśe prabhaviṣṇayaḥ
18 bhrātā jyeṣṭhaḥ samaḥ pitrā bhāryā putraḥ svakā tanuḥ
chāyā svā dāśavargas tu duhitā kṛpaṇaṃ param
19 tasmād etair adhikṣiptaḥ sahen nityam asaṃjvaraḥ
gṛhadharmarato vidvān dharmanityo
jitaklamaḥ
20 na cārthabaddhaḥ karmāṇi dharmaṃ vā kaṃ cid ācaret
gṛhastha vṛttayas tisras tāsāṃ niḥśreyasaṃ param
21 parasparaṃ tathaivāhuś cāturāśramyam eva tat
ye coktā niyamās teṣāṃ sarvaṃ kāryaṃ bubhūsatā
22 kumbhī dhānyair uñchaśilaiḥ kāpotīṃ cāsthitais tathā
yasmiṃś caite vasanty arhās tad
rāstram abhivardhate
23 daśa pūrvān daśa parān punāti ca
pitāmahān
gṛhastha vṛttayas tv etā vartayed yo gatavyathaḥ
24 sacakracara lokānāṃ sadṛśīṃ prāpnuyād gatim
yatendriyāṇām atha vā gatir eṣā vidhīyate
25 svargaloko gṛhasthānām udāramanasāṃ hitaḥ
svargo vimānasaṃyukto veda dṛṣṭaḥ supuṣpitaḥ
26 svargaloke gṛhasthānāṃ pratiṣṭhā niyatātmanām
brahmaṇā vihitā śreṇir eṣā yasmāt pramucyate
dvitīyaṃ kramaśaḥ prāpya svargaloke mahīyate
27 ataḥ paraṃ paramam udāram āśramaṃ; tṛtīyam āhus tyajatāṃ kalevaram
vanaukasāṃ gṛhapatinām anuttamaṃ; śṛṇuṣvaitat kliṣṭaśarīrakāriṇām
SECTION CCXXXV
"Vyasa said, 'The knowledge called Trayi which occurs in the Vedas and their branches should be acquired. That knowledge is to be derived from the Richs, the Samans, and the sciences called Varna and Akshara. There are besides, the Yajuses and the Atharvans. In the six kinds of acts indicated in these, dwells the Divine Being. They that are well-versed in the declarations of the Vedas, that have knowledge of the Soul, that are attached to the quality of Goodness, and that are highly blessed, succeed in understanding the origin and the end of all things. A Brahmana should live in the observance of the duties laid down in the Vedas. He should do all his acts like a good man of restrained soul. He should earn his livelihood without injuring any creature. Having derived knowledge from the good and wise, he should control his passions and propensities. Well-versed in the scriptures, he should practise those duties that have been laid down for him, and do all acts in this world guided by the quality of goodness. Leading even the domestic mode of life., the Brahmana should be observant of the six acts already spoken of. 1 His heart full of faith, he should worship the deities in the five well-known sacrifices. Endued with patience, never heedless, having self-control, conversant with duties, with a cleansed soul, divested of joy, pride, and wrath, the Brahmana should never sink in languor. Gifts, study of the Vedas, sacrifices, penances, modesty, guilelessness, and self-restraint,--these enhance one's energy and destroy one's sins. One endued with intelligence should be abstemious in diet and should conquer one's senses. Indeed, having subdued both lust and wrath, and having washed away all his sins, he should strive for attaining to Brahma. He should worship the Fire and Brahmanas, and bow to the deities. He should avoid all kinds of inauspicious discourse and all acts of unrighteous injury. This preliminary course of conduct is first laid down for a Brahmana. Subsequently, when knowledge comes, he should engage himself in acts, for in acts lies success. 2 The Brahmana who is endued with intelligence succeeds in crossing the stream of life that is so difficult to cross and that is so furious and terrible, that has the five senses for its waters that has cupidity for its source, and wrath for its mire. He should never shut his eyes to the fact that Time stands behind him in a threatening attitude.--Time who is the great stupefier of all things, and who is armed with very great and irresistible force, issuing from the great Ordainer himself. Generated by the current of Nature, the universe is being ceaselessly carried along. The mighty river of Time, overspread with eddies constituted by the years, having the months for its waves and the seasons for its current, the fortnights for its floating straw and grass, and the rise and fall of the eyelids for its froth, the days and the nights for its water, and desire and lust for its terrible crocodiles, the Vedas and sacrifices for its rafts, andp. 167
the righteousness of creatures for its islands, and Profit and Pleasure for its springs, truthfulness of speech and Emancipation for its shores, benevolence for the trees that float along it, and the yugas for the lakes along its course,--the mighty river of Time,--which has an origin as inconceivable as that of Brahma itself, is ceaselessly bearing away all beings created by the great Ordainer towards the abode of Yama. 1 Persons possessed of wisdom and patience always succeed in crossing this awful river by employing the rafts of knowledge and wisdom. What, however, can senseless fools, destitute of similar rafts do (when thrown into that furious stream)? That only the man of wisdom succeeds in crossing this stream and not he that is unwise, is consistent with reason. The former beholds from a distance the merits and faults of everything. (Accordingly, he succeeds in adopting or rejecting what is deserving of adoption or rejection). The man, however, of unstable and little understanding, and whose soul is full of desire and cupidity, is always filled with doubt. Hence the man destitute of wisdom never succeeds in crossing that river. He also who sits inactively (in doubt) can never pass it over. The man destitute of the raft of wisdom, in consequence of his having to bear the heavy weight of great faults, sinks down. One that is seized by the crocodile of desire, even if possessed of knowledge, can never make knowledge one's raft. 2 For these reasons, the man of wisdom and intelligence should strive to float over the stream of Time (without sinking in it). He indeed, succeeds in keeping himself afloat who becomes conversant with Brahma. One born in a noble race, abstaining from the three duties of teaching, officiating at other's sacrifices and accepting gifts, and doing only the three other acts, viz., studying, sacrificing, and giving, should, for those reasons, strive to float over the stream. Such a man is sure to cross it aided by the raft of wisdom. One who is pure in conduct, who is self-restrained and observant of good vows, whose soul is under control, and who is possessed of wisdom, certainly wins success in this and the other world. The Brahmana leading a domestic mode of life should conquer wrath and envy, practise the virtues already named, and worshipping the deities in the five sacrifices, eat after having fed the deities, Pitris, and guests. He should conform to those duties which are observed by the good; he should do all his acts like a person of governed soul; and he should, without injuring any creature, draw his substance by adopting a course that is not censurable. One who is well-versed
p. 168
in the truths of the Vedas and the other branches of knowledge, whose behaviour is like that of a person of well-governed soul, who is endued with a clear vision, who observes those duties that are laid down for his order, who does not, by his acts, produce an inter-mixture of duties, who attends to the observances set down in the scriptures, who is full of faith, who is self-restrained, who is possessed of wisdom, who is destitute of envy and malice, and who is well-conversant with the distinctions between righteousness and inequity, succeeds in crossing all his difficulties. That Brahmana who is possessed of fortitude, who is always heedful, who is self-restrained, who is conversant with righteousness, whose soul is under control, and who has transcended joy, pride, and wrath, has never to languish in grief. This is the course of conduct that was ordained of old for a Brahmana. He should strive for the acquisition of Knowledge, and do all the scriptural acts. By living thus, he is sure to obtain success. One who is not possessed of clear vision does wrong even when one wishes to do right. Such a person, by even exercising his judgment, does such acts of virtue as partake of the nature of inequity. Desiring to do what is right, one does what is wrong. Similarly, desiring to do what is wrong one does what is right. Such a person is a fool. Not knowing, the two kinds of acts, one has to undergo repeated rebirths and deaths.'"
Book
12
Chapter 236
1
[bhī]
proktā gṛhastha vṛttis te vihitā yā manīsinām
tadanantaram uktaṃ yat tan
nibodha yudhiṣṭhira
2 kramaśas tv avadhūyaināṃ tṛtīyāṃ vṛttim uttamām
saṃyogavratakhinnānāṃ vānaprasthāśramaukasām
3 śrūyatāṃ pārtha bhadraṃ te sarvalokāśrayātmanām
prekṣāpūrvaṃ pravṛttānāṃ puṇyadeśanivāsinām
4 [v]
gṛhasthas tu yadā
paśyed valī palitam ātmanaḥ
apatyasyaiva cāpatyaṃ vanam eva tadāśrayet
5 tṛtīyam āyuṣo bhāgaṃ vānaprasthāśrame vaset
tān evāgnīn paricared yajamāno divaukasaḥ
6 niyato niyatāhāraḥ sastha bhakto 'pramādavān
tad agnihotraṃ tā gāvo yajñāṅgāni ca sarvaśaḥ
7 akṛṣṭaṃ vai vrīhi yavaṃ nīvāraṃ vighasāni ca
havīṃsi saṃprayaccheta makheṣv atrāpi pañcasu
8 vānaprasthāśrame 'py etāś
catasro vṛttayaḥ smṛtāḥ
sadyaḥ prakṣālakāḥ ke cit ke cin māsika saṃcayāḥ
9 vārṣikaṃ saṃcayaṃ ke cit ke cid dvādaśa vārṣikam
kurvanty atithipūjārthaṃ yajñatantrārtha siddhaye
10 abhrāvakāśā varṣāsu hemante jalasaṃśrayāḥ
grīsme ca pañcatapasaḥ śaśvac ca
mita bhojanāḥ
11 bhūmau viparivartante tiṣṭhed vā prapadair api
sthānāsanair vartayanti savaneṣv abhiṣiñcate
12 dantolūkhalinaḥ ke cid aśmakuttās tathāpare
śuklapakṣe pibanty eke yavāgūṃ kvathitāṃ sakṛt
13 kṛṣṇapakṣe pibanty eke bhuñjate ca yathākramam
mūlair eke phalair eke puṣpair eke dṛdha vratāḥ
14 vartayanti yathānyāyaṃ vaikhānasa mataṃ śritāḥ
etāś cānyāś ca vividhā dikṣās teṣāṃ manīsinām
15 caturthaś caupaniṣado dharmaḥ sādhāraṇaḥ smṛtaḥ
vānaprastho gṛhasthaś ca tato 'nyaḥ saṃpravartate
16 asminn eva yuge tāta vipraiḥ sarvārthadarśibhiḥ
agastyaḥ sapta ṛṣayo madhucchando 'ghamarṣaṇaḥ
17 sāṃkṛtiḥ sudivā tandir yavānno 'tha kṛtaśramaḥ
ahovīryas tathā kavyās tāndyo medhātithir budhaḥ
18 śalo vākaś ca nirvākaḥ śūnyapālaḥ kṛtaśramaḥ
evaṃ dharmasu vidvāṃsas tataḥ svargam upāgaman
19 tāta pratyakṣadharmāṇas tathā yāyāvarā gaṇāḥ
ṛṣīṇām ugratapasāṃ dharmanaipuna darśinām
20 avyācyāparimeyāś ca brāhmaṇā vanam āśritāḥ
vaikhānasā vālakhilyāḥ sikatāś ca tathāpare
21 karmabhis te nirānandā dharmanityā
jitendriyāḥ
gatāḥ pratyakṣadharmāṇas te sarve vanam āśritāḥ
anakṣatrā anādhṛṣyā dṛśyante jyotiṣāṃ gaṇāḥ
22 jarayā ca paridyūno vyādhinā ca
prapīditaḥ
caturthe cāyuṣaḥ śeṣe vānaprasthāśramaṃ tyajet
sadyaskārāṃ nirūpyeṣṭiṃ sarvaveda sadakṣiṇām
23 ātmayājī so ''tmaratir ātmakrītātma
saṃśrayaḥ
ātmany agnīn samāropya tyaktvā sarvaparigrahān
24 sadyaskrāṃś ca yajed yajñān iṣṭīś caiveha sarvadā
sadaiva yājināṃ yajñād ātmanījhyā
nivartate
25 trīṃś caivāgnīn
yajet samyag ātmany evātma mokṣaṇāt
prāṇebhyo yajuṣā pañca saḥ prāśnīyād akutsayan
26 keśaloma nakhān vāpya vānaprastho
munis tataḥ
āśramād āśramaṃ sadyaḥ pūto gacchati karmabhiḥ
27 abhayaṃ
sarvabhūtebhyo yo dattvā pravrajed dvijaḥ
lokās tejomayās tasya pretya cānantyam aśnute
28 suśīla vṛtto vyapanītakalmaṣo; na ceha nāmutra ca kartum
īhate
aroṣa moho gatasaṃdhi vigraho; bhaved udāsīnavad ātmavin naraḥ
29 yameṣu caivātma
gateṣu na vyathet; svaśāstrasūtrāhuti mantravikramaḥ
bhaved yatheṣṭā gatir ātmayājino;
na saṃśayo dharmapare jītendriye
30 tataḥ paraṃ śreṣṭham atīva sadguṇair; adhiṣṭhitaṃ trīn adhivṛttam uttamam
caturtham uktaṃ paramāśramaṃ śṛṇu; prakīrtyamānaṃ paramaṃ parāyanam
SECTION CCXXXVI
"Vyasa said, 'If Emancipation be desirable, then knowledge should be acquired. For a person who is borne now up and now down along the stream of Time or life, knowledge is the raft by which he can reach the shore. Those wise men who have arrived at certain conclusions (regarding the character of the soul and that which is called life) by the aid of wisdom, are able to assist the ignorant in crossing the stream of time or life with the raft of knowledge. They, however, that are ignorant, are unable save either themselves or others. He who has freed himself from desire and all other faults, and who has emancipated himself from all attachments, should attend to, these two and ten requirements of yoga, viz., place, acts, affection, objects, means, destruction, certainty, eyes, food, suppression, mind and survey. 1p. 169
[paragraph continues] He who wishes to obtain superior Knowledge, should, by the aid of his understanding, restrain both speech and mind. He who wishes to have tranquillity, should, by the aid of his knowledge, restrain his soul. Whether he becomes compassionate or cruel, whether he becomes conversant with all the Vedas or ignorant of the Richs, whether he becomes righteous and observant of sacrifices or the worst of sinners, whether he becomes eminent for prowess and wealth or plunged into misery, that person who directs his mind towards these (attributes that I have spoken of), is sure to cross the ocean of life which is so difficult to cross. Without speaking of the results of the attainment of Brahma by yoga, it may be said that he who sets himself to only enquiring after the Soul transcends the necessity of observing the acts laid down in the Vedas. The body with jiva within it is an excellent car. When sacrifices and religious rites are made its upastha, shame its varutha, Upaya and Apaya its kuvara, the breath called Apana its aksha, the breath called Prana its yuga, knowledge and the allotted period of existence its points for tying the steeds, heedfulness its handsome vandhura, the assumption of good behaviour its nemi, vision, touch, scent, and hearing its four steeds, wisdom its nabhi, all the scriptures its pratoda, certain knowledge of the scriptural declarations its driver, the soul its firmly-seated rider, faith and self-restraint its fore-runners, renunciation its inseparable companion following behind and bent upon doing it good, purity the path along which it goes, meditation (or union with Brahma) its goal, then may that car reach Brahma and shine there in effulgence. 1 I shall now tell thee the speedy means that should be adopted by the person who would equip his car in such a fashion for passing through this wilderness of the world in order to reach the goal
p. 170
constituted by Brahma that is above decrepitude and destruction. To set the mind upon one thing at a time is called Dharana. 1 The Yogin observing proper vows and restraints, practises in all seven kinds of Dharana. There are, again, as many kinds of Dharanas arising out of these, upon subjects that are near or remote. 2 Through these the Yogin gradually acquires mastery over Earth, Wind, Space, Water, Fire, Consciousness, and Understanding. After this he gradually acquires mastery over the Unmanifest. 3 I shall now describe to thee the conceptions in their order that are realised by particular individuals amongst those that are engaged in yoga according to the rules and ordinances that have been laid down. I shall tell thee also of the nature of the success that attaches to yoga commenced (according to rules) by him who looks within his own self. 4 The Yogin, that abandons his gross body, following the instructions of his preceptor, beholds his soul displaying the following forms in consequence of its subtility. To him in the first stage, the welkin seems to be filled with a subtile substance like foggy vapour. 5 Of the Soul which has been freed from the body, even such becomes the form. When this fog disappears, a second (or new) form becomes visible. For, then, the Yogin beholds within himself, in the firmament of his heart, the form of Water. After the disappearance of water, the form of Fire displays itself. When this disappears, the form that becomes perceivable is that of Wind as effulgent as a well-tempered weapon of high polish. Gradually, the form displayed by Wind becomes like that of the thinnest gossamer. Then having acquired whiteness, and also, the subtlety of air, the Brahman's soul is said to attain the supreme whiteness and subtlety of Ether. Listen to me as I tell thee the consequences of these diverse conditions when they occur. That Yogin who has been able to achieve the conquest of the earth-element, attains by such lordship to the power of Creation. Like a second Prajapati endued with a nature that is perfectly imperturbable, he can from his own
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body create all kinds of creatures. With only his toe, or with his hand or feet, that person can singly cause the whole Earth to tremble who has achieved the lordship of the Wind. Even this is the attribute of the Wind as declared in the Sruti. The Yogin, who has achieved the lordship of Space, can exist brightly in Space in consequence of his having attained to uniformity with that element, and can also disappear at will. By lordship over Water, one can (like Agastya) drink up rivers, lakes, and oceans. By lordship over Fire, the Yogin becomes so effulgent that his form cannot be looked at. He becomes visible only when he extinguishes his consciousness of individuality,--these five elements come within his sway. When the Understanding, which is the soul of the five elements and of the consciousness of individuality, 1 is conquered the Yogin attains to Omnipotence, and perfect Knowledge (or perception freed from doubt and uncertainty with respect to all things), comes to him. In consequence of this, the Manifest becomes merged into the Unmanifest or Supreme Soul from which the world emanates and becomes what is called Manifest. 2 Listen now to me in detail as I expound the science of the Unmanifest. But first of all listen to me about all that is Manifest as expounded in the Sankhya system of philosophy. In both the Yoga and the Sankhya, systems, five and twenty topics of knowledge have been treated in nearly the same way. Listen to me as I mention their chief features. That has been said to be Manifest which is possessed of these four attributes, viz., birth, growth, decay, and death. That which is not possessed of these attributes is said to be Unmanifest. Two souls are mentioned in the Vedas and the sciences that are based upon them. The first (which is called Jivatman) is endued with the four attributes already mentioned, and has a longing for the four objects or purposes (viz., Religion, Wealth, Pleasure and Emancipation). This soul is called Manifest, and it is born of the Unmanifest (Supreme Soul). It is both Intelligent and non-Intelligent. I have thus told thee about Sattwa (inert matter) and Kshetrajna (immaterial spirit). Both kinds of Soul, it is said in the Vedas, become attached to objects of the senses. The doctrine of the Sankhyas is that one should keep oneself aloof or dissociated from objects of the senses. That Yogin who is freed from attachment and pride, who transcends all pairs of opposites, such as pleasure and pain, heat and cold, etc., who never gives way to wrath or hate, who never speaks an untruth, who, though slandered or struck, still shows friendship for the slanderer or the striker, who never thinks of doing ill to others, who restrains the three, viz., speech, acts, and mind, and who behaves uniformly towards all creatures, succeeds in approaching the presence of Brahman. That person who cherishes no desire for earthly objects, who is not unwilling to take what comes, who is dependent on earthly objects to only that extent which is necessary for
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sustaining life, who is free from cupidity, who has driven off all grief, who has restrained his senses, who goes through all necessary acts, who is regardless of personal appearance and attire, whose senses are all collected (for devotion to the true objects of life), whose purposes are never left, unaccomplished, 1 who bears himself with equal friendliness towards all creatures, who regards a clod of earth and a lump of gold with an equal eye, who is equally disposed towards friend and foe, who is possessed of patience, who takes praise and blame equally, 2 who is free from longing with respect to all objects of desire, who practises Brahmacharya, and who is firm and steady in all his vows and observances, who has no malice or envy for any creature in the universe, is a Yogin who according to the Sankhya system succeeds in winning Emancipation. Listen now to the way and the means by which a person may win Emancipation through Yoga (or the system of Patanjali). That person who moves and acts after having transcended the puissance that the practice of Yoga brings about (in the initial stages), succeeds in winning Emancipation. 3 I have thus discoursed to thee on those topics (viz., Emancipation according to the Sankhya system and that according to the Yoga system) which are dissimilar if the speaker be disposed to treat them as such (but which in reality, are one and the same). 4 Thus can one transcend all pairs of opposites. Thus can one attain to Brahma.'" 5
Footnotes
168:1 The place should be a level spot, not impure (such as a crematorium, etc.), free from kankars, fire, and sand, etc.; solitary and free from noise and other sources of disturbance. Acts include abstention from food and sports and amusements, abstention from all kinds of work having only worldly objects to accomplish, abstention also from sleep and dreams. Affection means that for good disciples or for progress in yoga. Objects refer to sacred fuel, water, and suppression of expectancy and anxiety, etc. Means refer to the seat to be used, the manner of sitting, and the attitude of the body. Destruction refers to the conquest of desire and attachments, i.e., renunciation of all attractive things. Certainty means the p. 169 unalterable belief that what is said about yoga in the Vedas and by preceptors is true. The nom. sing. inflection stands for the instrumental plural. Eyes include the other senses. All these should be restrained. Food means pure food. Suppression refers to the subjugation of our natural inclination towards earthly objects. Mind here has reference to the regulation of the will and its reverse, viz., irresolution. Survey means reflection on birth, death, decrepitude, disease, sorrow, faults, etc. In giving these meanings, I, of course, follow Nilakantha.169:1 Notwithstanding Nilakantha's gloss which shows great ingenuity and which has been apparently followed by both of them, the Vernacular translators have misunderstood Portions of these verses which sketch out the course of life which one desirous of attaining to Emancipation or Brahma is to follow. Particular virtues or attributes have been represented as particular limbs of the car. It does not appear that there is (except in one or two instances), any especial aptitude in any of those virtues or attributes for corresponding with One instead of with another limb of the figurative car. Upastha is that part of the car on which the driver sits. Varutha is the wooden fence round a car for protecting it against the effects of collision. Shame is the feeling that withdraws us from all wicked acts. Kuvara is the pole to which the yoke is attached. Upaya and Apaya, which have been called the kuvara, are 'means' and destruction'--explained in verse above. Aksha is the wheel. Yuga is the yoke. Vandhura is that part of yuga where it is attached to the pole, i.e., its Middle, about which appears something like a projecting knob. Nemi is the circumference of the wheel. Nabhi is the central portion of the car upon which the rider or warrior is seated. Pratoda is the goad with which the driver urges, the steeds. The commentator explains that jiva-yuktah means having such a jiva as is desirous of attaining to Emancipation or Moksha. Such elaborate figures are favourite conceits of Oriental poets.
170:1 Adopting the Kantian distribution of the mental phenomena, viz., the three great divisions of Cognitive faculties, Pleasure and Pain, and Desire and Will, Sir William Hamilton subdivides the first (viz., the Cognitive faculties), into the acquisitive faculty, the retentive faculty, the reproductive faculty, the representative faculty, and reason or judgment by which concepts are compared together. Dharana corresponds with the exercise of the Representative faculty or the power by which the mind is held to or kept employed upon a particular image or notion. It is this faculty that is especially trained by yogins. Indeed, the initial stop consists in training it to the desirable extent.
170:2 The seven kinds of Dharanas appertain respectively to Earth, Wind, Space, Water, Fire, Consciousness and Understanding.
170:3 All these have been explained lower down.
170:4 The construction of both these lines is difficult to understand. The prose order of the line is 'yogatah yuktesu (madhye) yasya yatha, etc., vikrama (tatha vakshyami); atmani pasyatah (janasya) yuktasya yogasya (yatha) siddhi (tatha vakshyami).' Yogatah means upayatah, i.e., according to rules and ordinances. Vikrama is used in a peculiar sense, viz., anubhavakramah, i.e., the order of conception or conceptions in other order Atmani pasyatah means 'of him who looks into himself,' i.e., who withdraws his mind from the outer world and turns it to view his own self. Without Nilakantha's aid, such verses would be thoroughly unintelligible.
170:5 Pasyatah means 'of that which sees,' i.e., of the Atman or Soul.
171:1 The Understanding is called the soul of the five elements and of the consciousness of individuality because these six things rest on it or have it for their refuge. The reader will easily understand this from what has been said in the previous Sections.
171:2 It is from the Unmanifest or the Supreme Soul that the world or all that is Manifest, springs or emanates. The Yogin, in consequence of his superior knowledge, apprehends all that is Manifest to be but the Unmanifest Supreme Soul.
172:1 Na kritina, i.e., kriti eva. 'Nirakriti' is regardless of dress and appearance. K.P. Singha wrongly translates both these words.
172:2 i.e., who has neither friend nor foe. This means that he regards all creatures with an equal eye, showing particular favour to none, and having no dislike for any. Coldness of heart is not implied, but impartial and equal benevolence for all. Taking praise and blame equally, i.e., never rejoicing at praise nor grieving at blame.
172:3 It is said that with the practice of Yoga, during the first stages, certain extraordinary powers come to the Yogin whether he wishes for them or not. In a previous Section it has been said that that Yogin who suffers himself to be led away by these extraordinary acquisitions, goes to hell, i.e., fails to attain to Emancipation beside which heaven itself with the status of Indra is only hell. Hence, he who transcends the puissance that Yoga brings about becomes Emancipate.
172:4 Dhirah is explained as dhyanavan. Santi has reference to Emancipation, for it is Emancipation alone that can give tranquillity or final rest. The commentator points out that in this verse the speaker shows a decided preference for the Sankhya philosophy.
172:5 Vide Gita, verses 4 and 5, Chapter V.
Book
12
Chapter 237
1 [ṣukra]
vartamānas tathaivātra vānaprasthāśrame yathā
yoktavyo ''tmā yathāśaktyā paraṃ vai kāṅkṣatā padam
2 [vyāsa]
prāpya saṃskāram etābhyām
āśramābhyāṃ tataḥ param
yat kāryaṃ paramārthārthaṃ tad ihaikamanāḥ śṛṇu
3 kasāyaṃ pācayitvā tu śreṇi sthāneṣu ca triṣu
pravrajec ca paraṃ sthānaṃ parivrajyām anuttamām
4 tad bhavān evam abhyasya vartatāṃ śrūyatāṃ tathā
eka eva caren nityaṃ siddhyartham asahāyavān
5 ekaś carati yaḥ paśyan na jahāti na hīyate
anagnir aniketaḥ syād grāmam
annārtham āśrayet
6 aśvastana vidhānaḥ syān munir bhāvasamanvitaḥ
laghvāśī niyatāhāraḥ sakṛd annaniṣevitā
7 kapālaṃ vṛkṣamūlāni kucelam asahāyatā
upekṣā sarvabhūtānām
etāvad bhikṣa lakṣaṇam
8 yasmin vācaḥ praviśanti kūpe prāptāḥ śilā iva
na vaktāraṃ punar yānti sa
kaivalyāśrame vaset
9 naiva paśyen na śṛṇuyād avācyaṃ jātu kasya cit
brāhmaṇānāṃ viśeṣeṇa naiva brūyāt kathaṃcanan
10 yad brāhmaṇasya kuśalaṃ tad eva satataṃ vadet
tūsnīm āsīta nindāyāṃ kurvan bheṣajam ātmanaḥ
11 yena pūrṇam ivākāśaṃ bhavaty ekena sarvadā
śūnyaṃ yena janākīrṇaṃ taṃ devā brāhmaṇaṃ viduḥ
12 yena kena cid āchanno yena kena cid
āśitaḥ
yatrakva cana śāyī ca taṃ devā
prābhamaṃ viduḥ
13 aher iva gaṇād bhītaḥ sauhityān narakād iva
kunapād iva sa strībhyas taṃ devā brāhmaṇaṃ viduḥ
14 na krudhyen na prahṛṣyec ca mānito 'mānitaś ca yaḥ
sarvabhūteṣv abhayadas taṃ devā brāhmaṇaṃ viduḥ
15 nābhinandeta maraṇaṃ nābhinandeta jīvitam
kālam eva pratīkṣeta nideśaṃ bhṛtako yathā
16 anabhyāhata cittaḥ syād anabhyāhata vāk tathā
nirmuktaḥ sarvapāpebhyo
niramitrasya kiṃ bhayam
17 abhayaṃ
sarvabhūtebhyo bhūtānām abhayaṃ yataḥ
tasya dehād vimuktasya bhayaṃ nāsti kutaścanan
18 yathā nāgapade 'nyāni padāni padagāminām
sarvāṇy evāpidhīyante padajātāni
kauñcare
19 evaṃ sarvam ahiṃsāyāṃ dharmārtham apidhīyate
amṛtaḥ sanityaṃ vasati yo 'hiṃsāṃ pratipadyate
20 ahiṃsakaḥ samaḥ satyo dhṛtimān niyatendriyaḥ
śaraṇyaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ gatim āpnoty anuttamām
21 evaṃ prajñāna tṛptasya nirbhayasya manīṣiṇaḥ
na mṛtyur atigo bhāvaḥ sa mṛtyum adhigacchati
22 vimuktaṃ sarvasaṅgebhyo munim ākāśavat sthitam
asvam ekacaraṃ śāntaṃ taṃ devā brāhmaṇaṃ viduḥ
23 jīvitaṃ yasya
dharmārthaṃ dharmo 'raty artham eva ca
ahorātrāś ca puṇyārthaṃ taṃ devā brāhmaṇaṃ viduḥ
24 nirāśiṣam anārambhaṃ nirnamaskāram astutim
akṣīṇa kṣīṇakarmāṇaṃ taṃ devā brāhmaṇaṃ viduḥ
25 sarvāṇi bhūtāni
sukhe ramante; sarvāṇi duḥkhasya bhṛśaṃ trasanti
teṣāṃ bhayotpādana
jātakhedaḥ; kuryān na karmāṇi hi śraddadhānaḥ
26 dānaṃ hi
bhūtābhaya dakṣiṇāyāḥ; sarvāṇi dānāny adhitiṣṭhatīha
tīkṣṇāṃ tanuṃ yaḥ prathamaṃ jahāti; so 'nantam
āpnoty abhayaṃ prajābhyaḥ
27 uttāna āsyena havir juhoti; lokasya
nābhir jagataḥ pratiṣṭhā
tasyāṅgam aṅgāni kṛtākṛtaṃ ca;
vaiśvānaraḥ sarvam eva prapede
28 prādeśa mātre hṛdi niśritaṃ yat; tasmin prānān ātmayājī juhoti
tasyāgnihotraṃ hutam ātmasaṃsthaṃ; sarveṣu lokeṣu sadaiva teṣu
29 daivaṃ tridhātuṃ trivṛtaṃ suparṇaṃ; ye vidyur agryaṃ paramārthatāṃ ca
te sarvalokeṣu mahīyamānā; devāḥ samarthāḥ sukṛtaṃ vrajanti
30 vedāṃś ca vedyaṃ ca vidhiṃ ca kṛtsnam; atho niruktaṃ paramārthatāṃ ca
sarvaṃ śarīrātmani yaḥ praveda; tasmai sma devāḥ spṛhayanti nityam
31 bhūmāv asaktaṃ divi cāprameyaṃ; hiran mayaṃ yo 'ndajam
andamadhye
patatriṇaṃ pakṣiṇam antarikṣe; yo veda bhogyātmani dīptaraśmiḥ
32 āvartamām ajaraṃ vivartanaṃ; so nemikaṃ dvādaśāraṃ suparva
yasyedam āsye pariyāti viśvaṃ; tat kālacakraṃ nihitaṃ guhāyām
33 yaḥ saṃprasādaṃ jagataḥ śarīraṃ; sarvān sa lokān adhigacchatīha
tasmin hutaṃ tarpayatīha devāṃs; te vai tṛptās tarpayanty āsyam asya
34 tejomayo nityatanuḥ purāṇo; lokān anantān abhayān upaiti
bhūtāni yasmān na trasante kadā cit; sa bhūtebhyo na
trasate kadā cit
35 agarhaṇīyo na ca
garhate 'nyān; sa vai vipraḥ paramātmānam īkṣet
vinītamoho vyapanītakalmaṣo; na ceha nāmutra ca ye 'rtham ṛcchati
36 aroṣa mohaḥ sma loṣṭa kāñcanaḥ; prahīna śoko
gatasaṃdhi vigrahaḥ
apetanindāstutir apriyāpriyaś; carann udāsīnavad eṣa bhikṣukaḥ
SECTION CCXXXVII
"Vyasa said, 'Borne up and down in life's ocean, he that is capable of meditation seizes the raft of Knowledge and for achieving his Emancipation adheres to Knowledge itself (without extending his arms hither and thither for catching any other support).' 6p. 173
"Suka said, 'What is that Knowledge? Is it that learning by which, when error is dispelled, the truth becomes discovered? Or, is it that course of duties consisting of acts to be done or achieved, by the aid of which the object sought may be understood or attained? Or, is it that course of duties, called abstention from acts, by which an extension of the Soul is to be sought? Do tell me what it is, so that by its aid, the two, viz., birth and death, may be avoided.' 1
"Vyasa said, 'That fool who believing that all this exists in consequence of its own nature without, in fact, an existent refuge or foundation, fills by such instruction the aspirations of disciples, dispelling by his dialectical ingenuity the reasons the latter might urge to the contrary, succeeds not in attaining to any truth. 2 They again who firmly believe that all Cause is due to the nature of things, fail to acquire any truth by even listening to (wiser) men or the Rishis (who are capable of instructing them). 3 Those men of little intelligence who stop (in their speculations), having adopted either of these doctrines, indeed, those men who regard nature as the cause, never succeed in obtaining any benefit for themselves. 4 This belief in Nature (as the producing and the sustaining Cause), arising as it does from a mind acting under the influence of error, brings about the destruction of the person who cherishes it. Listen now to the truth with respect to these two doctrines that maintain (1) that things exist by their own nature and (2) that they flow (in consequence of their own nature) from others that are different from and that precede them. 5 Wise men apply themselves to agriculture and tillage, and the acquisition of crops (by those means) and of vehicles (for locomotion) and seats and carpets and houses. They attend also to the laying of pleasure-gardens, the construction of commodious mansions, and the preparation of
p. 174
medicines, for diseases of every kind. It is wisdom (which consists in the application of means) that leads to the fruition of purposes. It is wisdom that wins beneficial results. It is wisdom that enables kings to exercise and enjoy sovereignty although they are possessed of attributes equal to those of persons over whom they rule. 1 It is by wisdom that the high and the low among beings are distinguished. It is by wisdom that the superior and the inferior ones among created objects are understood. It is wisdom or knowledge that is the highest refuge of all things. 2 All the diverse kinds of created things have four kinds of birth. They are viviparous, oviparous, vegetables, and those born of filth. Creatures, again, that are mobile should be known to be superior to those that are immobile. It is consistent with reason that intelligent energy, inasmuch as it differentiates (all non-intelligent matter), should be regarded as superior to.(non-intelligent) matter. 3 Mobile creatures, that are innumerable, and of two kinds, viz., those that have many legs and those that have two. The latter, however, are superior to the former. Bipeds, again are of two species, viz., those that live on land and those that are otherwise. Of these, the former are superior to the latter. The superior ones eat diverse kinds of cooked food. 4 Bipeds moving on land are of two kinds viz., middling or intermediate, and those that are foremost. Of these, the middling or intermediate are regarded as superior (to the former) in consequence of their observance of the duties of caste. 5 The middling or intermediate ones are said to be of two kinds, viz., those that are conversant with duties, and those that are otherwise. Of those, the former are superior in consequence of their discrimination in respect of what should be done and what should not. Those conversant with duties are said to be of two kinds, viz., those
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that are acquainted with the Vedas and those that are otherwise. Of these the former are superior, for the Vedas are said to dwell in them. 1 Those that are acquainted with the Vedas are said to be of two kinds, viz., those that lecture on the Vedas and those that are otherwise. Of these, the former, who are fully conversant with the Vedas, with the duties and the rites laid down in them, and the fruits of those duties and rites, are superior in consequence of their publishing all those duties and rites. Indeed, all the Vedas with the duties laid down in them are said to flow from them. Preceptors of the Vedas are of two kinds, viz., those that are conversant with the Soul and those that are otherwise. Of these, the former are superior in consequence of their knowledge of what is meant by Birth and Death. 2 As regards duties, they are, again, of two kinds (viz., Pravritti and Nivritti). He who is conversant with duties is said to be omniscient or possessed of universal knowledge. Such a man is a Renouncer. Such a man is firm in the accomplishment of his purposes. Such a man is truthful, pure (both outwardly and inwardly), and possessed of puissance. 3 The gods know him for a Brahmana who is devoted to knowledge of Brahma (and not him who is conversant with only the duties of Pravritti). Such a man is versed also in the Vedas and earnestly devoted to the study of the Soul. 4 They that have true knowledge behold their own Soul as existing both in and out. Such men, O child, are truly regenerate and such men are gods. 5 Upon these rests this world of Beings, in them dwell this whole universe. There is nothing that is equal to their greatness. Transcending birth and death and distinctions and acts of every kind, they are the lords of the four kinds of creatures and are the equals of the Self-born himself.'" 6
Footnotes
172:6 Brahmanam is arsha for Brahmam.173:1 I follow Nilakantha's gloss in rendering the words Vidya, Pravritti and Nivritti, as used in this verse. By the first, the commentator thinks, is meant that course of instruction in consequence of which error may be dispelled and truth acquired. The usual illustration of the cord and the snake is given. The former maybe mistaken for the latter, but when the mistake ceases, correct apprehension follows. Pravritti has been sufficiently indicated in the text in which the words of the gloss has been incorporated. By Nivritti is meant the doctrine of the Sunyavadins and Lokayatikas (evidently the Buddhists) who seek annihilation or extinction as the only true Emancipation. Both the Vernacular translators are wrong. The Burdwan translator, as usual, citing the very words of the gloss, misunderstands them completely.
173:2 The construction of the first line is 'yastu achetanah bhavam vina swabhavena (sarvam bhati iti) pasyan, etc., etc., pushyate (sa na kinchana labhate).' Bhavan is explained as 'adhishthanasattam.' The commentator is of opinion that the speaker refers in this verse to the Sunyavadins.
173:3 The Bombay text reads Putwatrinamishikamva.
173:4 Enam is singular. The commentator thinks it should be taken distributively. In verse 3, the doctrine of the Nihilists (Sunyavadins) has been referred to. In verse 4, that of the Lokayatikas. In both, Nature is spoken of as the cause, with this difference that the former regard the universe to be only an erroneous impression of an existent entity, while the latter regard it as a real entity flowing from and manifesting itself under its own nature. Both doctrines, the speaker says, are false.
173:5 Both the Vernacular translators skip over the word paribhava in the second line of verse p. 174 6. The commentator correctly explains that swabhava in 6 means swasyaiva bhavah sattakaranam iti, ekah pakshah. Paribhava, he explains is paritah swasya itaresham bhavah. The first refers to the Nihilists, the second to the Lokayatikas or to verses 3 and 4 respectively.
174:1 It is by the wisdom that all these results are achieved. Wisdom is the application of means for the accomplishment of ends. Nature, never rears palaces or produces vehicles and the diverse other comforts that man enjoys. He that would rely upon Nature for these would never obtain them however long he might wait. The need for exertion, both mental and physical, and the success which crowns that exertion furnish the best answer, the speaker thinks, to both the Nihilist sand the Lokayatikas. The word tulyalakshanah is skipped over by both the Bengali translators.
174:2 By para is meant the Chit or Soul, by avara, all else, i.e., non-ego or matter. The words Prajna, Jnana, and Vidya are all as used here, equivalent. The second line of this verse is wrongly rendered by both the Bengali translators, the Burdwan translator, as usual, not understanding the words of the gloss he quotes.
174:3 It is difficult to render the word cheshta as used here. Ordinarily it implies effort or action. It is plain, however, that here it stands for intelligent energy, implying both mental and physical effort or action, for its function is to distinguish or differentiate.
174:4 The itarani do not refer to Pisachas as rendered by K.P. Singha, but to birds which are called Khechare or denizens of the sky or air. Khechara may include Pisachas, but these are also Bhuchara or denizens of the surface of the earth.
174:5 The commentator explains that for ascertaining who are uttama or foremost, the middling, p. 175 or intermediate ones are first spoken of and their distinctions mentioned in the following verses. Of course, the foremost are foremost, and the intermediate ones can never be superior to them. For all that, intermediate ones are observers of the duties of caste; the foremost ones are not so, they having transcended such distinctions; hence, tentatively, the ignorant or popular opinion is first taken, to the effect that the observers of caste are superior to those who do not observe Jatidharma.
175:1 This probably means that as the Vedas had not been reduced to writing, their contents rested or dwelt in memories of men versed in them.
175:2 To understand what is birth and what is death, and to avoid birth (add, therefore, death), are the highest fruits of knowledge of the Soul. Those that have no knowledge of the Soul have to travel in a round of repeated rebirths.
175:3 i.e., of power that comes of Yoga.
175:4 The word para (the locative form of which is used here) always means that which is high or foremost. It is frequently employed to mean either Brahma or the Soul, and as Soul is regarded to be apart of Brahma, para has but one and the same meaning. The Burdwan translator takes it for 'Scriptures other than the Vedas.' K.P. Singha skips over it. Of course, savda-Brahma stands for the Vedas.
175:5 To look upon everything in the universe as one's own. Soul is the highest aspiration of a righteous person. It is yoga that enables one to attain to this highest ideal of existence. One who realises this is said to be a true Brahmana, a really regenerate person, in fact, a god on Earth. Adhiyajna and Adhidaivata are words that signify the Soul.
175:6 What the distinction is between anta and nidhan is not obvious. The commentator is p. 176 silent. K.P. Singha translates the verse correctly. The Burdwan translator makes utter nonsense of the words in the second line.
Book
12
Chapter 238
1 [vyāsa]
prakṛtes tu vikārā ye kṣetrajñas taiḥ pariśritaḥ
te cainaṃ na prajānanti sa tu
jānāti tān api
2 taiś caiṣa kurute kāryaṃ manaḥ sasthair ihendriyaiḥ
sudāntair iva saṃyantā dṛdhaiḥ paramavājibhiḥ
3 indriyebhyo parā hy arthā
arthebhyaḥ paramaṃ manaḥ
manasas tu parā buddhir buddher ātmā mahān paraḥ
4 mahataḥ param avyaktam avyaktāt parato 'mṛtam
amṛtān na paraṃ kiṃ cit sā kāṣṭhā sā parā gatiḥ
5 evaṃ sarveṣu bhūteṣu gūḍho ''tmā na prakāśate
dṛśyate tvāgryayā
buddhyā sūkṣmayā tattvadarśibhiḥ
6 antarātmani saṃlīyamanaḥ sasthāni medhayā
indriyāṇīndriyārthāṃś ca bahu cintyamacintayan
7 dhyānoparamaṇaṃ kṛtvā vidyā saṃpāditaṃ manaḥ
anīśvaraḥ praśāntātma tato
'rchaty amṛtaṃ padam
8 indriyāṇāṃ tu sarveṣāṃ vaśyātmā calitasmṛtiḥ
ātmanaḥ saṃpradānena martyo mṛtyum upāśnute
9 hitvā tu sarvasaṃkalpān sattve cittaṃ niveśayet
sattve cittaṃ samāveśya tataḥ kālaṃjaro bhavet
10 cittaprasādena yatir jahāti hi
śubhāśubham
prasannātmātmani sthitvā sukham ānantyam aśnute
11 lakṣaṇaṃ tu prasādasya yathā tṛptaḥ sukhaṃ svapet
nivāte vā yathā dīpo dīpyamāno na kampate
12 evaṃ pūrvāpare
rātre yuñjann ātmānam ātmanā
sattvāhāra viśuddhātmā paśyaty ātmānam ātmani
13 rahasyaṃ sarvavedānām
anaitihyam anāgamam
ātmapratyayikaṃ śāstram idaṃ putrānuśāsanam
14 dharmākhyāneṣu sarveṣu satyākhyāneṣu yad vasu
daśedam ṛk sahasrāṇi nirmathyāmṛtam uddhṛtam
15 nava nītaṃ yathā dadhnaḥ kāṣṭhād agnir yathaiva ca
tathaiva viduṣāṃ jñānaṃ putra hetoḥ samuddhṛtam
snātakānām idaṃ śāstraṃ vācyaṃ putrānuśāsanam
16 tad idaṃ nāpraśāntāya
nādāntāyātapasvine
nāveda viduṣe vācyaṃ tathā nānugatāya ca
17 nāsūyakāyānṛjave na cānirdiṣṭa kāriṇe
na tarka śāstradagdhāya tathaiva piśunāya ca
18 ślāghate ślāghanīyāya praśāntāya
tapasvine
idaṃ priyāya putrāya śiṣyāyānugatāya ca
rahasyadharmaṃ vaktavyaṃ nānyasmai tu kathaṃcanan
19 yady apy asya mahīṃ dadyād ratnapūrṇām imāṃ naraḥ
idam eva tataḥ śreya iti manyeta
tattvavit
20 ato guhyatarārthaṃ tad adhyātmam atimānuṣam
yat tan maharṣibhir dṛṣṭaṃ vedānteṣu ca gīyate
tat te 'haṃ saṃpravakṣyāmi yan māṃ tvaṃ paripṛcchasi
SECTION CCXXXVIII
"Vyasa said, 'These, then, are the obligatory acts ordained for Brahmanas. One possessed of knowledge always attains to success by going through (the prescribed) acts. If no doubt arises in respect of acts, then acts done are sure to lead to success. The doubt to which we refer is this: whether acts are obligatory or whether they are optional. 1 As regards this (doubt about the true character of acts, it should be said that), if acts are ordained for man for inducing knowledge (by which alone Brahma or Emancipation is to be attained, even then) they should be regarded as obligatory (and not optional). I shall now discourse on them by the light of inferences and experience. Listen to me. 2 With respect to acts some men say that Exertion is their cause. Others say that Necessity is their cause. Others, again, maintain that Nature is the cause. Some say that acts are the result of both Exertion and Necessity. Some maintain that acts flow from Time, Exertion, and Nature. Some say that of the three (viz., Exertion, Necessity, and Nature), one only (and not the other two) is the cause. Some are of opinion that all the three combined are the cause. 3 Some persons that are engaged in the performance of acts say, with respect to all objects, that they exist, that they do not exist, that they cannot be said to exist, that they cannot be said not to exist, that it is not that they cannot be said to exist, and lastly, that it is not that they cannot be said not to exist. (These then are the diverse views entertained by men). They, however, that are Yogins, behold Brahma to be the universal cause. The men of the Treta, the Dwapara, and the Kali Yugas are inspired with doubts. The men, however, of the Krita Yuga are devoted to penances, possessed of tranquil souls, and observant of righteousness. 4 In that age all men regard the Richs, the Samans, and the Yajuses as identical not withstanding their apparent diversity. Analysing desire and aversion, they worship onlyp. 177
penance. 1 Devoted to the practice of penances, steadfast in them, and rigid in their observance, one obtains the fruition of all desires by penances alone. By penance one attains to that by becoming which one creates the universe. By penance one becomes that in consequence of which one becomes the puissant master of all things. 2 That Brahma has been expounded in the declarations of the Vedas. For all that, Brahma is inconceivable by even those that are conversant with those declarations. Once more has Brahma been declared in the Vedanta. Brahma, however, cannot be beheld by means of acts. 3 The sacrifice ordained for Brahmans consists in japa (meditation and recitation), that for Kshatriyas consists in the slaughter of (clean) animals for the gratification of the deities; that for Vaisyas consists in the production of crops and, the keep of domestic animals; and that for Sudras in menial service of the: three other orders. By observing the duties laid down for him and by studying the Vedas and other scriptures, one becomes a Dwija (regenerate). Whether one does any other act or not, one becomes a Brahmana by becoming the friend of all creatures. 4 In the beginning of Treta, the Vedas and sacrifices and the divisions of caste and the several modes of life existed in, their entirety. In consequence, however, of the duration of life being decreased in Dwapara, those are overtaken by decline. In the Dwapara age as also in the Kali, the Vedas are overtaken by perplexity. Towards the close of Kali again, it is doubtful if they ever become even visible to the eye. 5 In that age, the duties of the respective order disappear, and men become afflicted by iniquity. The juicy attributes of kine, of the earth, of water, and (medicinal and edible) herbs, disappear. 6 Through (universal) iniquity the Vedas disappear and with them all the duties inculcated in them
p. 178
as also the duties in respect of the four modes of life. They who remain observant of the duties of their own order become afflicted, and all mobile and immobile objects undergo a change for the worse. 1 As the showers of heaven cause all products of the earth to grow, after the same manner the Vedas, in every age, cause all the angas to grow. 2 Without doubt, Time assumes diverse shapes. It has neither beginning nor end. It is Time which produces all creatures and again devours them. I have already spoken of it to thee. Time is the origin of all creatures; Time is that which makes them grow; Time is that which is their destroyer; and lastly it is time that is their ruler. Subject to pairs of opposites (such as heat and cold, pleasure and pain, etc.), creatures of infinite variety rest on Time according to their own natures (without being otherwise than how they have been ordained by supreme Brahma).' 3
Footnotes
176:1 Whether karma is swabhava or jnanam means (as the commentator explains) whether it is obligatory or optional. Jnanam, of course, means here jnana-janakam, i.e., leading to knowledge. Knowledge is essential to success or emancipation. If acts become necessary for leading to knowledge, the doubt may then arise that they cease to be obligatory, for knowledge may be supposed to be attainable otherwise than by acts. K.P. Singha translates this verse correctly, the Burdwan translator incorrectly, and, as usual, misunderstands the gloss completely.176:2 The first line of this verse is exceedingly terse. The construction, as explained by the commentator, is Tatra (samsaye) purusham prati Jnanam (jnanajanakam) chet (karma) syat, (tarhi) sa (eva) Vedavidhih. One cannot help admiring Nilakantha for his patience and ingenuity.
176:3 Daiva is explained by the commentator as Grahah or Kalah. I think, it is used to signify some kind of blind force whose origin is untraceable. Hence, I render it necessity. Vritti in verse 5 is evidently Exertion, for the word implies course, of conduct, Avivekam is samuchchayam or a combination of all the three.
176:4 Inspired with doubt,' with reference to the declarations of the Srutis. 'Possessed of p. 177 tranquil souls,' i.e., not penetrated by doubts of any kind.
177:1 In the Treta and the other Yugas people are seen professing attachment or devotion to one only of the Vedas and not to the others, be it the Richs, the Samans, or the Yajuses. The speaker, dissatisfied with this refers to the Krita age as one in which such difference of faith were not observable. The men of that age regarded all the Vedas equally, and, in fact, as even identical.
177:2 Jiva or Chit becomes puissant and succeeds in creating the universe by means of penance. By penance one attains to Brahma, and, therefore, universal puissance. This has been sufficiently explained in the previous Sections.
177:3 This is one of the most important verses in this section, for, as the commentator explains, this furnishes the answer to the question proposed in the previous section, viz., 'what is that knowledge?' In the Vedas both acts and knowledge have been spoken of. In the province of acts, Brahma has been represented as Indra and the other gods. Brahma, therefore, as spoken of there, is 'gahana', or hidden to (or inconceivable by) even those that are conversant with that province or sphere of the Vedas. In the Vedanta, again, knowledge or Vidya has been spoken of as the means by which to attain to Brahma. The knowledge or Vidya, therefore, which is the subject of the question, is not what is implied by Pravritti dharma or by Nivritti as used in the previous section.
177:4 The second line of this verse corresponds with the second line of verse 87 of Chapter II of Manusmriti.
177:5 They are seen and not seen is an idiomatic expression for 'becoming invisible.'
177:6 i.e., kine do not yield copious and sweet milk; the soil ceases to be fertile; water ceases p. 178 to be sweet; and the medicinal and edible herbs lose their virtues of healing as also their flavour.
178:1 The commentator thinks that Swadharmasthah is connected with asramah in the first line. I prefer the more obvious construction.
178:2 Varshati means pushnati. Angani means the observances necessary for the practice of Yoga as also all kinds of rites and vows. The Vedas cause these to grow, and they, in their turn, aid all students of the Vedas in achieving their purposes.
178:3 Prabhavah is uttpattih, or origin; sthanam is poshanam. Both the Vernacular translators skip over the last word, thinking that prabhavasthanam, is one word. The commentator notices them as separate. In the beginning of the second line, yatra is understood, Swabhavena, is explained by the commentator as Brahmabhavena, natu vikritena rupena. I think the explanation is correct, and have adopted it accordingly in the text.
Book
12
Chapter 239
1 [ṣukra]
adhyātmaṃ vistareṇeha punar eva vadasva me
yad adhyātmaṃ yathā cedaṃ bhagavann ṛṣisattama
2 [vyāsa]
adhyātmaṃ yad idaṃ tāta puruṣasyeha vidyate
tat te 'haṃ saṃpravakṣyāmi tasya vyākhyām imāṃ śṛṇu
3 bhūmir āpas tathā jyotir vāyur
ākāśam eva ca
mahābhūtāni bhūtānāṃ sāgarasyormayo yathā
4 prasāryeha yathāṅgāni kūrmaḥ saṃharate punaḥ
tadvan mahānti bhūtāni yavīyaḥsu vikurvate
5 iti tanmayam evedaṃ sarvaṃ sthāvarajaṅgamam
sarge ca pralaye caiva tasmān nirdiśyate tathā
6 mahābhūtāni pañcaiva sarvabhūteṣu bhūtakṛt
akarot tāta vaiṣamyaṃ yasmin yad anupaśyati
7 [ṣuka]
akarod yac charīreṣu kathaṃ tad upalakṣayet
indriyāṇi guṇāḥ ke cit kathaṃ tān upalakṣayet
8 [vyāsa]
etat te vartayiṣyāmi yathāvad
iha darśanam
śṛṇu tattvam ihaikāgro
yathātattvaṃ yathā ca tat
9 śabdaḥ śrotraṃ tathā khāni trayam ākāśasaṃbhavam
prāṇaś ceṣṭā tathā sparśa ete vāyuguṇās trayaḥ
10 rūpaṃ cakṣur vipākaś ca tridhā jyotir vidhīyate
raso 'tha rasanaṃ sneho guṇās tv ete trayo 'mbhasām
11 ghreyaṃ ghrāṇaṃ śarīraṃ ca bhūmer ete guṇās trayaḥ
etāvān indriyagrāmo vyākhyātaḥ pāñcabhautikaḥ
12 vāyoḥ sparśo raso
'dbhyaś ca jyotiṣo rūpam ucyate
ākāśaprabhavaḥ śabdo gandho
bhūmiguṇaḥ smṛtaḥ
13 mano buddhiś ca bhāvaś ca traya ete
''tmayonijāḥ
na guṇān ativartante guṇebhyaḥ paramā matāḥ
14 indriyāṇi nare pañca
sasthaṃ tu mana ucyate
saptamīṃ buddhim evāhuḥ kṣetrajñaṃ punar astamam
15 cakṣur
ālocanāyaiva saṃśayaṃ kurute manaḥ
buddhir adhyavasānāya sākṣī kṣetrajña ucyate
16 rajas tamaś ca sattvaṃ ca traya ete svayonijāḥ
samāḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu tad guṇeṣūpalakṣayet
17 yathā kūrma ihāṅgāni prasārya viniyacchati
evam evendriya grāmaṃ buddhiḥ sṛṣṭvā niyacchati
18 yad ūrdhvaṃ pādatalayor avāṅmūrdhnaś ca paśyati
etasminn eva kṛtye vai vartate
buddhir uttamā
19 guṇān nenīyate buddhir
buddhir evendriyāṇy api
manaḥ sasthāni sarvāṇi buddhyabhāve kuto guṇāḥ
20 tatra yat prītisaṃyuktaṃ kiṃ cid ātmani lakṣayet
praśāntam iva saṃśuddhaṃ sattvaṃ tad upadhārayet
21 yat tu saṃtāpasaṃyuktaṃ kāye manasi vā bhavet
rajaḥ pravartakaṃ tat syāt satataṃ hāri dehinām
22 yat tu saṃmoha saṃyuktam avyaktaviṣayaṃ bhavet
apratarkyam avijñeyaṃ tamas tad
upadhāryatām
23 praharṣaḥ prītir ānandaḥ sāmyaṃ svasthātma cittatā
akasmād yadi vā kasmād vartate sāttviko guṇaḥ
24 abhimāno mṛṣāvādo lobho mohas tathākṣamā
liṅgāni rajasas tāni vartante
hetvahetutaḥ
25 tathā mohaḥ pramādaś ca tandrī nidrā prabodhitā
kathaṃ cid abhivartante vijñeyās
tāmasā guṇāḥ
SECTION CCXXXIX
"Bhishma said, 'Thus addressed (by his sire), Suka, highly applauding these instructions of the great Rishi, set himself about asking the following, question relating to the import of duties that lead to Emancipation.'"Suka said, 'By what means doth one possessed of wisdom, conversant with the Vedas, observant of sacrifices, endued with wisdom, and free from malice, succeed in attaining to Brahma which is incapable of being apprehended by either direct evidence or inference, and unsusceptible of being indicated by the Vedas? Asked by me, tell me by what means is Brahma to be apprehended? Is it by penance, by Brahmacharya, by renunciation of everything, by intelligence, by the aid of the Sankhya philosophy, or by Yoga? By what means may what kind of singleness of purpose be attained by men, with respect to both, viz., the mind and the senses? It behoveth thee to expound all this to me.' 4
p. 179
"Vyasa said, 'No man ever attains to success by means other than the acquisition of knowledge, the practice of penances, the subjugation of the senses, and renunciation of everything. 1 The great entities (five in number) represent the first (or initial) creation of the Self-born. They have been very largely placed in embodied creatures included in the world of life. 2 The bodies of all embodied creatures are derived from earth. The humours are from water. Their eyes are said to be derived from light. Prana, Apana (and the three other vital breaths) have the wind for their refuge. And, lastly, all unoccupied apertures within them (such as the nostrils, the cavities of the ear, etc.) are of Space. In the feet (of living creatures) is Vishnu. In their arms is Indra. Within the stomach is Agni desirous of eating. In the ears are the points of the horizon (or the compass) representing the sense of hearing. In the tongue is speech which is Saraswati. 3 The ears, skin, eyes, tongue and nose forming the fifth, are said to be the sense of knowledge. These exist for the purposes of apprehension of their respective objects. Sound, touch, form, taste and scent forming the fifth, are the objects of the (five) senses. These should always be regarded as separate from (or independent of) the senses. Like the charioteer setting his well-broken steeds along the paths he pleases, the mind sets the senses (along directions it pleases). The mind, in its turn, is employed by the knowledge sitting in the heart. 4 The mind is the lord of all these senses in respect of employing them in their functions and guiding or restraining them. Similarly, the knowledge is the lord of the mind (in employing, and guiding or restraining it). 5 The senses, the objects of the senses, the attributes of those objects represented by the word nature, knowledge, mind, the vital breaths, and Jiva dwell in the bodies of all embodied creatures. 6 The body within which the knowledge dwells has no real existence. The body, therefore, is not the refuge of the knowledge. Primordial Nature (Prakriti) having the three attributes (of Goodness and Passion and Darkness) is the refuge of the knowledge which exists only in the form of a sound. The Soul also is not the refuge of the knowledge. It is Desire that creates the knowledge. Desire, however, never creates the three
p. 180
attributes. 1 The man of wisdom, capable of subduing his senses, beholds the seventeenth, viz., the Soul, as surrounded by six and ten attributes, in his own knowledge by the aid of the mind. The Soul cannot be beheld with the aid of the eye or with that of all the senses. Transcending all, the Soul becomes visible by only the light of the mind's lamp. Divested of the properties of sound and touch and form, without taste and scent, indestructible and without a body (either gross or subtile) and without senses, it is nevertheless beheld within the body. Unmanifest and supreme, it dwells in all mortal bodies. Following the lead of the preceptor and the Vedas, he who beholds it hereafter becomes Brahma's self. They that are possessed of wisdom look with an equal eye upon a Brahmana possessed of knowledge and disciples, a cow, an elephant, a dog, and a Chandala. 2 Transcending all things, the Soul dwells in all creatures mobile and immobile. Indeed, all things are pervaded by it. 3 When a living creature beholds his own Soul in all things, and all things in his own Soul, he is said to attain to Brahma. One occupies that much of the Supreme Soul as is commensurate with what is occupied in one's own soul by Vedic sound. 4He that can always realise the identity of all things with his own self certainly attains to immortality. The very gods are stupefied in the track of that trackless man who constitutes himself the soul of all creatures, who is engaged in the good of all beings, and who desire
p. 181
to attain to (Brahma which is) the final refuge (of all things). 1 Indeed, the track which is pursued by men of knowledge is as visible as that of birds in the sky or of fish in water. Time of its own power, cooks all entities within itself. No one, however, knows That in which Time, in its turn, is itself cooked. 2 That (of which I speak) does not occur above, or in the middle or below, or in transverse or in any other direction. That is to tangible entity; it is not to be found in any place. 3 All these worlds are within That. There is nothing in these worlds that exists out of that. Even if one goes on ceaselessly with the celerity of a shaft impelled from the bow-string, even if one goes on with the speed of the mind, itself, one would not still reach the end of that which is the cause of all this. 4 That is so gross that there is nothing grosser. His hands and feet extend everywhere. His eyes, head, and face are everywhere. His ears are everywhere in the universe. He exists overwhelming all things. That is minuter than the minutest, that is the heart of all entities. Existing, without doubt, that is still imperceptible. Indestructible and destructible,--these are the dual forms of existence of the (Supreme) Soul. In all mobile and immobile entities the existence it displays is destructible; while the existence it displays in Chaitanya is celestial, immortal, and indestructible. Though the lord of a existent beings both mobile and immobile, though inactive and divested of attributes, it enters, nevertheless, the well-known mansion of nine doors and becomes engaged in action. 5 Men of wisdom who are capable of beholding the other shore say that the Unborn (or the Supreme Soul) becomes invested with the attribute of action in consequence of motion, pleasure and pain, variety of form, and the nine well-known possessions. 6 That indestructible Soul which is said to be invested with the attribute of action is nothing else than that indestructible Soul which is said to be inactive. A person of knowledge, by attaining to that indestructible essence, gives up for good both life and birth.'" 7
p. 182
Footnotes
178:4 Yatha in the first line of verse means, as the commentator explains, yat prakarakam.179:1 The commentator points out that by these four words the four modes of life are indicated.
179:2 The commentator explains that this means that amongst embodied creatures they that are ignorant take those great entities which are really non-ego for either the ego or its Possessions.
179:3 The commentator explains that the object of this verse is to show that the Yoga view of the Soul being only the enjoyer but not the actor, is not correct. On the other hand, the Sankhya view of the Soul being neither the enjoyer nor the actor, is true. The deities, remaining in the several senses, act and enjoy. It is through ignorance that the Soul ascribes to itself their enjoyments and their actions.
179:4 I render Bhutatma by knowledge, following the commentator who uses the words buddhyupadhirjivah for explaining it.
179:5 Niyama and Visarga are explained by the commentator as 'destruction' and 'creation.' I prefer to take them as meaning 'guiding or restraining,' and 'employing.' Practically, the explanations are identical.
179:6 What is meant by the objects of the senses residing within the bodies of living creatures p. 180 is that (as the commentator explains) their concepts exist in 'the cavity of the heart' (probably, mind) so that when necessary or called for, they appear (before the mind's eye). Swabhava is explained as 'attributes' like heat and cold, etc.
180:1 This is a very difficult verse. I have rendered it, following Nilakantha's gloss. In verse the speaker lays down what entities dwell in the body. In the rest he expounds the nature of Sattwa which the commentator takes to mean buddhi or knowledge. He begins with the statement that Sattwasya asrayah nasti. This does not mean that the knowledge has no refuge, for that would be absurd, but it means that the asraya of the knowledge, i.e., that in which the knowledge dwells, viz., the body, does not exist, the true doctrine being that the body has no real existence but that it exists like to its image in a dream. The body being non-existent, what then is the real refuge of the knowledge? The speaker answers it by saying Gunah, implying that primeval Prakriti characterised by the three attributes is that real refuge. Then it is said that Chetana (by which is implied the Soul here) is not the refuge of the knowledge for the Soul is dissociated from everything and incapable of transformation of any kind. The question is then mentally started,--May not the Gunas be the qualities of the knowledge (instead of being, as said above, its refuge)? For dispelling this doubt, it is stated that Sattwa is the product of Tejas (Desire). The Gunas are not the product of Tejas. Hence the Gunas, which have a different origin cannot be the properties of Sattwa. The Gunas exist independently of Desire. Thus the knowledge, which has Desire for its originating cause, rests on the Gunas or has them for its refuge. In this verse, therefore, the nature of the body, the knowledge, and the Gunas, is expounded. The grammatical construction of the first line is exceedingly terse.
180:2 Such men behold Brahma in all things. Abhijanah is explained by the commentator as sishyakuladih. This seems to be the true meaning of the word here.
180:3 In rendering this word tatam (where it occurs in the Gita), it has been shown that to take it as equivalent to 'spread' is incorrect. In such connections, it is evident that it means 'pervaded!
180:4 If I have understood the gloss aright, this is what the first line of 21 means. Vedatma is explained as Vedic sound, i.e., the instructions inculcated in the Vedas. The word atma p. 181 in the second clause means simply oneself or a person or individual. The sense then is this. The Vedas teach that all is one's soul. The extent to which one succeeds in realising this is the measure of one's attainment of Brahma. If one can realise it fully, one attains to Brahma fully. If partially, one's attainment of Brahma also is partial.
181:1 The track of such a person, it is said, is as invisible as the skies. The commentator explains that the very gods become stupefied in respect of the object which such a man seeks, the object, of course, being Brahma.
181:2 That, of course, in which Time is cooked, is Brahma.
181:3 By this the speaker says that Brahma is not to be found in any particular spot however holy.
181:4 Because Brahma is infinite.
181:5 'Niyatah' is explained by the commentator as achanchalah, and vasi as without the fault of upadhi. 'Hansati, i.e., gachechati ite,' hence gatimati.
181:6 The sense is that the Soul residing within the body is identical with the Supreme Soul, and men of wisdom only know it.
181:7 The construction is Hansoktancha yat aksharam tat (eva) kutastham aksharam, meaning that there is no difference between Jivatman and Paramatman. Both are identical.
Book
12
Chapter 240
1 [vyāsa]
manaḥ prasṛjate bhāvaṃ buddhir adhyavasāyinī
hṛdayaṃ priyāpriye veda trividhā karmacodanā
2 indriyebhyaḥ parā hy arthā arthebhyaḥ paramaṃ manaḥ
manasas tu parā buddhir buddher ātmā paro mataḥ
3 buddhir ātmā manuṣyasya buddhir evātmano ''tmikā
yadā vikurute bhāvaṃ tadā bhavati sā manaḥ
4 indriyāṇāṃ pṛthagbhāvād buddhir vikriyate hy
anu
śṛṇvatī bhavati śrotaṃ spṛśatī sparśa ucyate
5 paśyantī bhavate dṛṣṭī rasatī rasanaṃ bhavet
jighratī bhavati ghrāṇaṃ buddhivikriyate pṛthak
6 indriyāṇīti tāny āhus teṣv adṛśyādhitiṣṭhati
tiṣṭhatī puruṣe buddhis triṣu bhāveṣu vartate
7 kadā cil labhate prītiṃ kadā cid api śocate
na sukhena na duḥkhena kadā
cid iha yujyate
8 seyaṃ bhāvātmikā bhāvāṃs trīn etān ativartate
saritāṃ sāgaro bhartā
mahāvelām ivormimān
9 yadā prārthayate kiṃ cit tadā bhavati sā manaḥ
adhiṣṭhānāni vai buddhyā
pṛthag etāni saṃsmaret
indriyāṇy eva medhyāni
vijetavyāni kṛtsnaśaḥ
10 sarvāṇy evānupūrvyeṇa yad yan nānuvidhīyate
avibhāga gatā buddhir bhāve manasi vartate
pravartamānaṃ tu rajaḥ sattvam apy anuvartate
11 ye caiva bhāvā vartante sarva eṣv eva te triṣu
anvarthāḥ saṃpravartante rathanemim arā iva
12 pradīpārthaṃ naraḥ kuryād indriyair buddhisattamaiḥ
niścaradbhir yathāyogam udāsīnair yadṛcchayā
13 evaṃ svabhāvam
evedam iti vidvān na muhyati
aśocann aprahṛṣyaṃś ca nityaṃ vigatamatsaraḥ
14 na hy ātmā śakyate draṣṭum indriyaiḥ kāmagocaraiḥ
pravartamānair anaye durdharair akṛtātmabhiḥ
15 teṣāṃ tu manasā raśmīn yadā samyaṅ niyacchati
tadā prakāśate hy ātmā ghate dīpa iva jvajan
sarveṣām eva bhūtānāṃ tamasy apagate yathā
16 yathā vāri caraḥ pakṣī na lipyati jale caran
evam eva kṛtaprajño na doṣair viṣayāṃś caran
asajjamānaḥ sarveṣu na kathaṃ cana lipyate
17 tyaktvā pūrvakṛtaṃ karma ratir yasya sadātmani
sarvabhūtātmabhūtasya guṇamārgeṣv asajjataḥ
18 sattvam ātmā prasavati guṇān vāpi kadā cana
na guṇā vidur ātmānaṃ guṇān veda sa sarvadā
19 paridrastā guṇānāṃ sa sraṣṭā caiva yathātatham
sattvakṣetrajñayor etad
antaraṃ viddhi sūkṣmayoḥ
20 sṛjate tu guṇān eka eko na sṛjate guṇān
pṛthag bhūtau prakṛtyā tau saṃprayuktau ca sarvadā
21 yathāmatsyo 'dbhir anyaḥ san saṃprayuktau tathaiva tau
maśakodumbarau cāpi saṃprayuktau
yathā saha
22 iṣīkā vā yathā muñje pṛthak ca saha caiva ca
tathaiva sahitāv etāv anyonyasmin pratiṣṭhitau
SECTION CCXL
"Vyasa said, 'O excellent son, asked by thee, I have told thee truly what the answer to thy question should be according to the doctrine of knowledge as expounded in the Sankhya system. Listen now to me as I expound to thee all that should be done (for the same end) according to the Yoga doctrine. The uniting together of Intellect and Mind, and all the Senses, and the all-pervading Soul is said to be Knowledge of the foremost kind. That Knowledge should be acquired (through the preceptor's aid) by one that is of a tranquil disposition, that has mastered his senses, that is capable (by meditation) of turning his gaze on the Soul, that takes a pleasure in (such) meditation, that is endued with intelligence and pure in acts. One should seek to acquire this Knowledge by abandoning those five impediments of Yoga which are known to the wise, viz., desire, wrath, cupidity, fear, and sleep. Wrath is conquered by tranquillity of disposition. Desire is conquered by giving up all purposes. By reflecting with the aid of the understanding upon topics worthy of reflection, 1 one endued with patience succeeds in abandoning sleep. By steady endurance one should restrain one's organs of generation and the stomach (from unworthy or sinful indulgence). One should protect one's hands and feet by (using) one's eyes. One should protect one's eyes and ears by the aid of one's mind, one's mind and speech by one's acts. One should avoid fear by heedfulness, and pride by waiting upon the wise. Subduing procrastination, one should, by these means, subdue these impediments of Yoga. One should pay one's adorations to fire and the Brahmanas, and one should bow one's head to the deities. One should avoid all kinds of inauspicious discourse, and speech that is fraught with malice, and words that are painful to other minds. Brahma is the effulgent seed (of everything). It is, again, the essence of that seed whence is all this. 2 Brahma became the eye, in the form of this mobile and immobile universe, of all entities that took birth. 3 Meditation, study, gift, truth, modesty, simplicity, forgiveness, purity of body, purity of conduct, subjugation of the senses, these enhance one's energy, which (when enhanced) destroys one's sins. By behaving equally towards all creatures and by living in contentment upon what is acquired easily and without effort, one attains to the fruition of all one's objects and succeeds in obtaining knowledge. Cleansed of all sins, endued with energy, abstemious in diet, with senses under complete control, one should, after having subdued both desire and wrath, seek to attain to Brahma, 4 Firmlyp. 183
uniting the senses and the mind (having drawn them away from all external objects) with gaze fixed inwards, one should, in the still hours of evening or in those before dawn, place one's mind upon the knowledge. If even one of the five senses of a human being be kept unrestrained, all his wisdom may be seen to escape through it like water through an unstopped hole at the bottom of a leathern bag. The mind in the first instance should be sought to be restrained by the Yogin after the manner of a fisherman seeking at the outset to render that one among the fish powerless from which there is the greatest danger to his nets. Having first subdued the mind, the Yogin should then proceed to subdue his ears, then his eyes, then his tongue, and then his nose. Having restrained these, he should fix them on the mind. Then withdrawing the mind from all purposes, he should fix it on the knowledge. Indeed, having restrained the five senses, the Yati should fix them on the mind. When these the mind for their sixth become concentrated in the knowledge, and thus concentrated remain steady and untroubled, then Brahma becomes perceptible like a smokeless fire of blazing flames or the Sun of effulgent radiance. Indeed, one then beholds in oneself one's soul like lightning fire in the skies. Everything then appears in it and it appears in everything in consequence of its infinitude. Those high-souled Brahmanas that are possessed of wisdom, that are endued with fortitude, that are possessed of high knowledge, and that are engaged in the good of all creatures, succeed in beholding it. Engaged in the observance of austere vows, the Yogin who conducts himself thus for six months, seated by himself on an isolated spot, succeeds in attaining to an equality with the Indestructible. 1 Annihilation, extension, power to present varied aspects in the same person or body, celestial scents, and sounds, and sights, the most agreeable sensations of taste and touch, pleasurable sensations of coolness and warmth, equality with the wind, capability of understanding (by inward light) the meaning of scriptures and every work of genius, companionship of celestial damsels,--acquiring all these by Yoga the Yogin should disregard them and merge them all in the knowledge. 2 Restraining speech and the senses one should practise Yoga during the hours after dusk, the hours before dawn, and at dawn of day, seated on a mountain summit, or at the foot of a goodly tree, or with a tree before him. 3 Restraining all the senses within the heart, one should, with
p. 184
faculties concentrated, think on the Eternal and Indestructible like a man of the world thinking of wealth and other valuable possessions. One should never, while practising Yoga, withdraw one's mind from it. One should with devotion betake oneself to those means by which one may succeed in restraining the mind that is very restless. One should never permit oneself to fall away from it. With the senses and the mind withdrawn from everything else, the Yogin (for practice) should betake himself to empty caves of mountains, to temples consecrated to the deities, and to empty houses or apartments, for living there. One should not associate with another in either speech, act, or thought. Disregarding all things, and eating very abstemiously, the Yogin should look with an equal eye upon objects acquired or lost. He should behave after the same manner towards one that praises and one that censures him. He should not seek the good or the evil of one or the other. He should not rejoice at an acquisition or suffer anxiety when he meets with failure or loss. Of uniform behaviour towards all beings, he should imitate the wind. 1 Unto one whose mind is thus turned to itself, who leads a life of purity, and who casts an equal eye upon all things,--indeed, unto one who is ever engaged in Yoga thus for even six months,--Brahma as represented by sound appears very vividly. 2 Beholding all men afflicted with anxiety (on account of earning wealth and comfort), the Yogin should view a clod of earth, a piece of stone, and a lump of gold with an equal eye. Indeed, he should withdraw himself from this path (of earning wealth), cherishing an aversion for it, and never suffer himself to be stupefied. Even if a person happens to belong to the inferior order, even if one happens to be a woman, both of them, by following in the track indicated above, will surely attain to the highest end. 3 He that has subdued his mind beholds in his own self, by the aid of his own knowledge the Uncreate, Ancient, Undeteriorating, and Eternal Brahma,--That, viz., which can not be attained to except by fixed senses,--That which is subtiler than the most subtile, and grosser than the most gross, and which is Emancipation's self.' 4
"Bhishma continued, 'By ascertaining from the mouths of preceptors and by themselves reflecting with their minds upon these words of the great and
p. 185
high-souled Rishi spoken so properly, persons possessed of wisdom attain to that equality (about which the scriptures say) with Brahman himself, till, indeed, the time when the universal dissolution comes that swallows up all existent beings.'" 1
Footnotes
182 :1 Sattwena is explained as 'by intelligence or the knowledge.'182 :2 The construction, as explained by the commentator, is Brahma tejomayam sukram; yasya sukrasya sarvam idam tasyapi Brahma rasah. The last word means sarah.
182 :3 Both the Vernacular translators have skipped over this line. The meaning is this: Brahma opened his eyes for becoming many, as the Srutis declare, and thereupon he became many. This, as the commentator explains, Ikshana-kartritvena sarvatmakatwam gatam, or by a glance Brahma became the Soul of all things mobile and immobile.
182 :4 The commentator explains that Brahmanah padam means prakritim. He thinks, therefore, p. 183that the last clause of the second line means 'should seek to subdue prakriti which is the layasthanam of mahattattwa.' I prefer the obvious sense of the words.
183:1 Parimitam Kalam is explained by the commentator as equivalent to six months as the srutis declare.
183:2 These two verses set forth the Yoga ideal. By the practice of Yoga all these are capable of being acquired or attained. But then the Yogin who suffers himself to be led away by those valuable possessions is said to fall in hell, for the enjoyment of this kind is nothing but hell compared to the high object for which Yogins should strive. Pramoha, Brahma, and Avarta, are technical terms. Equality with the wind means speed of motion, power to disappear at will, and capacity to move through the skies.
183:3 A chaitya is a sacred or a large tree which stands firm on its roots and about which all round a platform of earth is raised. Vrikshagra means 'in the front of a tree,' probably implying 'under the shade of its spreading branches.'
184:1 The commentator explains that he should imitate the wind by becoming asangah, i.e., unattached to all things. Aniketah means without a house or fixed abode.
184:2 It is difficult to understand what is meant by Savda-Brahmativartate. I follow the commentator. 'Brahma as represented by sound, is, of course, Pranavah or Om, the mystic monosyllable standing for the trinity.' K.P. Singha, taking Savda-Brahma for an accusative, regards it as implying,--'such a man transcends all Vedic rites.' This is precisely the meaning attached to it by the commentator where it occurs in verse 7 of section 236 ante.
184:3 The inferior order here referred to is, of course, the Sudra order. The commentator points out that whereas only the three superior orders axe regarded to be eligible for the study of Sankhya and for inculcation of such Srutis as Tattwamasi (That thou art), here Vyasa lays down that as regards the Yoga path, all are eligible to betake themselves to it.
184:4 'Fixed senses,' i.e., when the senses are fixed on the mind and the mind on the understanding. Ajaram is immutable or unchanging, or that in which there is no change for the worse (or for the better). By subtility is indicated the incapacity of being apprehended, and by mahattaram is meant infinity.
185:1 The anu anudrisya is explained as Guruvachanamanu. Thus seems to be the true meaning, otherwise avekshya would be pleonastic, abhutagatim is bhutasamplavaparyantam, i.e., till the destruction of all beings. Imam is sastraprasiddham.
Book
12
Chapter 241
1
[vyāsa]
sṛjate tu guṇān sattvaṃ kṣetrajñas tv anutiṣṭhati
guṇān vikriyataḥ sarvān udāsīnavad īśvaraḥ
2 svabhāvayuktaṃ tat sarvaṃ yad imāṃ sṛjate guṇān
ūrṇa nābhir yathā sūtraṃ sṛjate tantuvad guṇān
3 pradhvastā na nivartante pravṛttir nopalabhyate
evam eke vyavasyanti nivṛttir iti cāpare
4 ubhayaṃ saṃpradhāryaitad adhyavasyed yathāmati
anenaiva vidhānena bhaved garbhaśayo mahān
5 anādi nidhanaṃ nityam āsādya vicaren naraḥ
akrudhyann aprahṛṣyaṃś ca nityaṃ vigatamatsaraḥ
6 ity evaṃ hṛdayagranthiṃ buddhicintāmayaṃ dṛdham
atītya sukham āsīta aśocaṃś chinnasaṃśayaḥ
7 tapyeyuḥ pracyutāḥ pṛthvyā yathā pūrṇāṃ nadīṃ narāḥ
avagādhā hy avidvāṃso viddhi
lokam imaṃ tathā
8 na tu tāmyati vai vidvān sthale
carati tattvavit
evaṃ yo vindate ''tmānaṃ kevalaṃ jñānam ātmanaḥ
9 evaṃ buddhvā naraḥ sarvāṃ bhūtānām āgatiṃ gatim
samavekṣya śanaiḥ samyag labhate śamam uttamam
10 etad vai janma sāmarthyaṃ brāhmaṇasya viśeṣataḥ
ātmajñānaṃ śamaś caiva paryāptaṃ tatparāyanam
11 etad buddhvā bhaved buddhaḥ kim anyad buddha lakṣaṇam
vijñāyaitad vimucyante kṛtakṛtyā manīṣiṇaḥ
12 na bhavati viduṣāṃ mahad bhayaṃ; yad aviduṣāṃ sumahad bhayaṃ bhavet
na hi gatir adhikāsti kasya cid; bhavati hi yā viduṣaḥ sanātanī
13 lokamāturam asūyate janas; tat tad
eva ca nirīkṣya śocate
tatra paśya kuśalān aśocato; ye vidus tad ubhayaṃ kṛtākṛtam
14 yat karoty anabhisaṃdhi pūrvakaṃ; tac ca nirnudati yat purā kṛtam
na priyaṃ tad ubhayaṃ na cāpriyaṃ; tasya taj janayatīha kurvataḥ
SECTION CCXLI
"Suka said, 'The declarations of the Vedas are twofold. They once Jay down the command, 'Do all acts.' They also indicate (the reverse, saying), 'Give up acts.' I ask, 'Whither do persons go by the aid of Knowledge and whither by the aid of acts?' 2 I desire to hear this. Do tell me this. Indeed, these declarations about knowledge and acts are dissimilar and even contradictory.'"Bhishma continued, 'Thus addressed, the son of Parasara said these words unto his son, 'I shall expound to thee the two paths, viz., the destructible and the indestructible, depending respectively upon acts and knowledge. Listen with concentrated attention, O child, to me, as I tell thee the place that is reached by one with the aid of knowledge, and that other place which is reached with the aid of acts. The difference between these two places is as great as the limitless sky. The question that thou hast asked me has given me such pain as an atheistic discourse gives to a man of faith. These are the two paths upon which the Vedas are established; the duties (acts) indicated by Pravritti, and those based on Nivritti that have been treated of so excellently. 3 By acts, a living creature is destroyed. By knowledge, however, he becomes emancipated. For this reason, Yogins who behold the other side of the ocean of life never betake themselves to acts. Through acts one is forced to take rebirth, after death, with a body composed of the six and ten ingredients. Through knowledge, however, one becomes transformed into that which is Eternal, Unmanifest, and Immutable. One class of persons that are however of little intelligence, applaud acts. In consequence of this they have to assume bodies (one after another) ceaselessly. Those men whose perceptions are keen in respect of duties and who have attained to that high understanding (which leads to knowledge), never applaud acts even as persons that depend for their drinking water upon the supply of streams never applaud wells and tanks. The fruit that one obtains of acts consists of pleasure and pain, of existence and non-existence. By knowledge, one attains to that
p. 186
whither there is no occasion for grief; whither one becomes freed from both birth and death; whither one is not subject to decrepitude; whither one transcends the state of conscious existence. 1 whither is Brahma which is Supreme, Unmanifest, immutable, ever-existent, imperceptible, above the reach of pain, immortal, and transcending destruction; whither all become freed from the influence of all pairs of opposites (Like pleasure and pain, etc.), as also of wish or purpose. 2 Reaching that stage, they cast equal eyes on everything, become universal friends and devoted to the good of all creatures. There is a wide gulf, O son, between one devoted to knowledge and one devoted to acts. Know that the man of knowledge, without undergoing destruction, remains existent for ever like the moon on the last day of the dark fortnight existing in a subtle (but undestroyed) form. The great Rishi (Yajnavalkya in Vrihadaranayaka) has said this more elaborately. As regards the man devoted to acts, his nature may be inferred from beholding the new-born moon which appears like a bent thread in the firmament. 3 Know, O son, that the person of acts takes rebirth with a body with eleven entities, for its ingredients, that are the results of modification, and with a subtile form that represents a total of six and ten. 4 The deity who takes refuge in that (material) form, like a drop of water on a lotus leaf, should be known as Kshetrajna (Soul), which is Eternal, and which succeeds by Yoga in transcending both the mind and the knowledge. 5 Tamas, Rajas, and Sattwa are the attributes of the knowledge. The knowledge is the attribute of the individual soul residing within the body. The individual soul, in its turn, comes from the Supreme Soul. 6 The body with the soul is said to be the attribute of jiva. It is jiva that acts and cause all bodies to live. He who has created the seven worlds is said by those that are acquainted with what is Kshetra (and what is Kshetrajna) to be above jiva.'"
Footnotes
185:2 The Vedas proclaim the efficacy of both acts and knowledge. Acts are not laid down for those that have knowledge.185:3 Subhashita is explained by the commentator as ayam tu paramo dharma yat yogena atmadarsanam.
186:1 Na vartate does not mean annihilated but, as the commentator explains, aham asmi iti na jana atmanam.
186:2 Manasena karmana is explained by the commentator as sankalpena.
186:3 The meaning is this: the man of acts is like the new-born moon, i.e., subject to growth and decay.
186:4 This has been explained in a previous section.
186:5 The soul resides in the body without partaking of any of the attributes of the body. It is, therefore, likened to a drop of water on a lotus leaf, which, though on the leaf, is not yet attached to it, in so much that it may go off without at all soaking or drenching any part of the leaf. Yogajitatmakam is yogena jito niruddha atma chittam yena tam, as explained by the commentator.
186:6 Literally, 'Tamas and Rajas and Sattwa have the attribute of Jiva for their essence.' The particular attribute of Jiva here referred to is the Jnanamaya kosha. Jiva, again, is all p. 187 accident of the Soul. The Soul comes from the Supreme Soul. Thus the chain of existence is traced to the Supreme Soul. In verse 20 again it is said that the body, which by itself is inanimate, when it exists with the Soul, is an accident of Jiva as uninvested with attributes.
Book
12
Chapter 242
1 [ṣukra]
yasmād dharmāt paro dharmo vidyate neha kaś cana
yo viśiṣṭaś ca dharmebhyas
taṃ bhavān prabravītu me
2 [vyāsa]
dharmaṃ te saṃpravakṣyāmi purāṇam ṛṣisaṃstutam
viśiṣṭaṃ sarvadharmebhyas tam ihaikamanāḥ śṛṇu
3 indriyāṇi pramāthīni buddhyā saṃyamya yatnataḥ
sarvato niṣpatiṣṇūni pitā bālān ivātmajān
4 manasaś cendriyāṇāṃ ca hy aikāgryaṃ paramaṃ tapaḥ
taj jyāyaḥ sarvadharmebhyaḥ sa dharmaḥ para ucyate
5 tāni sarvāṇi saṃdhāya manaḥ sasthāni medhayā
ātmatṛpta ivāsīta bahu
cintyam acintayan
6 gocarebhyo nivṛttāni yadā sthāsyanti veśmani
tadā tvam ātmanātmānaṃ paraṃ drakṣyasi śāśvatam
7 sarvātmānaṃ mahātmānaṃ vidhūmam iva pāvakam
taṃ paśyanti mahātmāno
brāhmaṇā ye manīṣiṇaḥ
8 yathā puṣpa phalopeto bahuśākho mahādrumaḥ
ātmano nābhijānīte kva me puṣpaṃ kva me phalam
9 evam ātmā na jānīte kva gamiṣye kuto nv aham
anyo hy atrāntar ātmāsti yaḥ sarvam anupaśyati
10 jñānadīpena dīptena paśyaty
ātmānam ātmanā
dṛṣṭvā tvam ātmanātmānaṃ nirātmā bhava sarvavit
11 vimuktaḥ
sarvapāpebhyo muktatvaca ivoragaḥ
parāṃ buddhim avāpyeha vipāpmā
vigatajvaraḥ
12 sarvataḥ srotasaṃ ghorāṃ nadīṃ lokapravāhinīm
pañcendriya grāhavatīṃ manaḥsaṃkalparodhasam
13 lobhamohatṛṇachannāṃ kāmakrodhasarīsṛpām
satyatīrthānṛta kṣobhāṃ krodhapaṅkāṃ sarid varām
14 avyaktaprabhavāṃ śīghrāṃ dustarām akṛtātmabhiḥ
pratarasva nadīṃ buddhyā
kāmagrāhasamākulām
15 saṃsārasāgara gamāṃ yonipātāla dustarām
ātmajanmodbhavāṃ tāta jihvāvartāṃ durāsadām
16 yāṃ taranti kṛtaprajñā dhṛtimanto manīṣiṇaḥ
tāṃ tīrṇaḥ sarvato mukto vipūtātmātmavic chuciḥ
17 uttamāṃ buddhim
āsthāya brahmabhūyaṃ gamiṣyasi
saṃtīrṇaḥ sarvasaṃkleśān prasannātmā
vikalmasaḥ
18 bhūmiṣṭhānīva
bhūtāni parvatastho niśāmaya
akrudhyann aprahṛṣyaṃś ca nanṛśaṃsa matis tathā
tato drakṣyasi bhūtānāṃ sarveṣāṃ prabhavāpyayau
19 evaṃ vai
sarvadharmebhyo viśiṣṭaṃ menire budhāḥ
dharmaṃ dharmabhṛtāṃ śreṣṭha munayas tattvadarśinaḥ
20 ātmano 'vyayino jñātvā idaṃ putrānuśāsanam
prayatāya pravaktavyaṃ
hitāyānugatāya ca
21 ātmajñānam idaṃ guhyaṃ sarvaguhyatamaṃ mahat
abruvaṃ yad ahaṃ tāta ātmasākṣikam añjasā
22 naiva strī na pumān etan naiva cedaṃ napuṃsakam
aduḥkham asukhaṃ brahmabhūtabhavya bhavātmakam
23 naitaj jñātvā pumān strī vā
punarbhavam avāpnuyāt
abhava pratipattyartham etad vartma vidhīyate
24 athā matāni sarvāṇi na caitāni yathā yathā
kathitāni mayā putra bhavanti na bhavanti ca
25 tat prītiyuktena guṇānvitena; putreṇa sat putraguṇānvitena
pṛṣṭo hīdaṃ prītimatā hitārthaṃ; brūyāt sutasyeha yad uktam
etat
SECTION CCXLII
"Suka said, 'I have now understood that there are two kinds of creation, viz.,p. 187
one commencing with Kshara (which is universal), and which is from the (universal) Soul. The other, consisting of the senses with their objects, is traceable to the puissance of the knowledge. This last transcends the other and is regarded to be the foremost. 1 I desire, however, to once more hear of that course of righteousness which runs in this world, regulated by the virtue of Time and according to which all good men frame their conduct. 2 In the Vedas there are both kinds of declarations, viz., do acts and avoid acts. How shall I succeed in ascertaining the propriety of this or that? It behoveth thee to expound this clearly. 3 Having obtained, through thy instructions, a thorough knowledge of the course of conduct of human beings, having purified myself by the practice of only righteousness, and having cleansed my understanding, I shall, after casting off my body, behold the indestructible Soul.' 4
"Vyasa said, 'The course of conduct that was first established by Brahma himself was duly observed by the wise and pious persons of old, viz., the great Rishis of ancient times. The great Rishis conquer all the worlds by the practice of Brahmacharya. Seeking all things that are good for himself by fixing the mind on the knowledge, 5 practising severe austerities by residing in the forest and subsisting on fruits and roots, by treading on sacred spots, by practising universal benevolence, and by going on his rounds of mendicancy at the proper time to the huts of forest recluses when these become smokeless and the sound of the husking rod is hushed, a person succeeds in attaining to Brahma. 6 Abstaining from flattery and from bowing thy heads to others, and avoiding both good and evil, live thou in the forest by thyself,
p. 188
appeasing hunger by any means that comes by the way.'
"Suka said, 'The declarations of the Vedas (already referred to in respect of acts) are, in the opinion of the vulgar, contradictory. Whether this is authoritative or that is so, when there is this conflict, how can they be said to be scriptural? 1 I desire to hear this: how can both be regarded as authoritative? How, indeed, can Emancipation be obtained without violating the ordinance about the obligatory character of acts?'
"Bhishma continued, 'Thus addressed, the son of Gandhavati, viz., the Rishi, applauding these words of his son possessed of immeasurable energy, replied unto him, saying the following.'
"Vyasa said, 'One that is a Brahmacharin, one that leads a life of domesticity, one that is a forest recluse, and one that leads a life of (religious) mendicancy, all reach the same high end by duly observing the duties of their respective modes of life. Or, if one and the same person, freed from desire and aversion, practises (one after another) all these four modes of life according to the ordinances that have been laid down, he is certainly fitted (by such conduct) to understand Brahma. The four modes of life constitute a ladder or flight of steps. That flight is attached to Brahma. By ascending that Right one--succeeds in reaching the region of Brahma. For the fourth part of his life, the Brahmacharin, conversant--with the distinctions of duty and freed from malice, should live with his preceptor or his preceptor's son. While residing in the preceptor's house, he should go to bed after the preceptor has gone to his, and rise therefrom before the preceptor rises from his. 2 All such acts again as should be done by the disciple, as also those which should be done by a menial servant, should be accomplished by him. Finishing these he should humbly take his stand by the side of the preceptor. Skilled in every kind of work, he should conduct himself like a menial servant, doing every act for his preceptor. Having accomplished all acts (without leaving any portion undone), he should study, sitting at the feet of his preceptor, with eager desire to learn. He should always behave with simplicity, avoid evil, speech, and take lessons only when his preceptor invites him for it. 3 Become pure in body and mind, and acquiring cleverness and other virtues, he
p. 189
should now and then speak what is agreeable. Subduing his senses, he should look at his preceptor without eyes of longing curiosity. 1 He should never eat before his preceptor has eaten; never drink before his preceptor has drunk; never sit down before his preceptor has sat down; and never go to bed before his preceptor has gone to bed. He should gently touch his preceptor's feet with upturned palms, the right foot with the right and the left with the left. Reverentially saluting the preceptor, he should say unto him, 'O illustrious one, teach me. I shall accomplish this (work), O illustrious one! This (other work) I have already accomplished. O regenerate one, I am ready to accomplish whatever else thy reverend self may be pleased to command.' Having said all this, and having duly offered himself unto him (thus), he should accomplish whatever acts of his preceptor wait for accomplishment, and having completed them inform the preceptor once more of their completion. Whatever scents or tastes the Brahmacharin may abstain from while actually leading a life of Brahmacharya may be used by him after his return from the preceptor's abode. This is consistent with the ordinance. Whatever observances have been elaborately laid down for Brahmacharins (in the scriptures) should all be regularly practised by him. He should, again, be always near his preceptor (ready within call). Having contributed to his preceptor's gratification in this way to the best of his powers, the disciple should, from that mode of life, pass into the others (one after another) and practise the duties of each. Having (thus) passed a fourth part of his life in the study of the Vedas, and observance of vows and fasts, and having given the preceptor the (final) fee, the disciple should, according to the ordinance, take his leave and return home (for entering into a life of domesticity). 2 Then, having taken spouses, obtaining them in the ways indicated in the ordinances, and having carefully established the domestic fire, he should, observant all the while of vows and fasts, become a house-holder and pass the second period of life.'"
Footnotes
187:1 I follow Nilakantha substantially in his interpretation of this verse. Two kinds of creation are here referred to as those of which Vyasa has spoken in the previous Sections. The first is Ksharat prabhriti yah sargah, meaning that creation which consists of the four and twenty entities commencing with Kshara or Prakriti. The other creation, consisting of the senses with their objects, represents buddhaiswarya or the puissance of the buddhi, these being all buddhikalpitah. This second creation is also atisargah which means, according to the commentator, utkrishtah and which is also pradhanah or foremost, the reason being bandhakatwam or its power to bind all individuals. I take atisargah to mean 'derivative creation,' the second kind of creation being derived from or based upon the other, or (as I have put it in the text) transcends or overlies the other.187:2 It is explained in previous sections how the course of righteousness is regulated by the character of the particular Yuga that sets in.
187:3 Vyasa has already explained the character of the two apparently hostile declarations. The meaning of Suka's question, therefore, is that if two declarations are only apparently hostile,--if, as explained in the Gita, they are identical,--how is that identity to be clearly ascertained? The fact is, Suka wishes his sire to explain the topic more clearly.
187:4 The course of conduct of human beings,' i.e., the distinctions between right and wrong. Vimuktatma is taken by the commentator to imply tyaktadehah. The second line may also mean 'having cast off (by Yoga) the consciousness of body, I shall behold my own Soul.'
187:5 I do not follow the commentator in his interpretation of this line.
187:6 'When the huts become smokeless,' i.e., when the cooking and the eating of the inmates are over. 'When the sound of the husking rod is hushed,' i.e., when the pestle for cleaning p. 189 rice no longer works, and consequently when the inmates are not likely to be able to give much to the mendicant.
188:1 There is an apparent conflict between the two declarations. If both are authoritative, they cannot be regarded to be scriptural declarations in consequence of their conflict.. if one is so and the other not so, the scriptural character of the latter at least is lost. The scriptures cannot but be certain and free from fault. How then (the question proceeds) is the scriptural character of both to be maintained?
188:2 The Burdwan translator makes a ridiculous blunder in rendering Jaghanyasayi, which he takes to mean 'sleeping on a wretched bed.' Jaghanya implies, here as elsewhere, subsequence in point of time.
188:3 Both the Vernacular translators have misunderstood the last part of the second line., It does not mean that the disciple should approach the preceptor when summoned, implying that he should be prompt to answer the summons, but that he should not disturb his Preceptor by clamouring for lessons or instruction. He should go to his preceptor for taking lessons only when his preceptor summons him for it.
189:1 Meaning, he should cast submissive or humble glances instead of staring boldly or rudely.
189:2 Learning was never sold in this country in ancient times. The final fee is not a return for the services of the preceptor but a token of gratitude from the pupil. Its value depended upon the ability of the disciple, though there are stories in the scriptures of disciples coming to grief on account of their persistent forwardness in pressing the acceptance of this fee. Vide the story of Galava in the Udyoga Parva.
Book
12
Chapter 243
1
[vyāsa]
gandhān rasān nānurundhyāt sukhaṃ vā; nālaṃkārāṃś cāpnuyāt tasya tasya
mānaṃ ca kīrtiṃ ca yaśaś ca necchet; sa vai pracāraḥ paśyato brāhmaṇasya
2 sarvān vedān adhīyīta śuśrūsur
brahmacaryavān
ṛco yajūṃsi sāmāni na tena na sa brāhmaṇaḥ
3 jñātivat sarvabhūtānāṃ sarvavit sarvavedavit
nākāmo mriyate jātu na tena na ca brāhmaṇaḥ
4 iṣṭīś ca
vividhāḥ prāpya kratūṃś caivāptadakṣiṇān
naiva prāpnoti brāhmaṇyam abhidhyānāt kathaṃ cana
5 yadā cāyaṃ na bibheti yadā cāsmān na bibhyati
yadā necchati na dveṣṭi brahma saṃpadyate tadā
6 yadā na kurute bhāvaṃ sarvabhūteṣu pāpakam
karmaṇā manasā vācā brahma
saṃpadyate tadā
7 kāmabandhanam evaikaṃ nānyad astīha bandhanam
kāmabandhana mukto hi brahmabhūyāya kalpate
8 kāmato mucyamānas tu dhūmrābhrād
iva candramaḥ
virajāḥ kāmam ākāṅkṣan dhīro dhairyeṇa vartate
9 āpūryamāṇam acalapratiṣṭhaṃ; samudram āpaḥ praviśanti yadvat
sa kāmakānto na tu kāmakāmaḥ; sa vai lokāt svargam upaiti dehī
10 vedasyopaniṣat satyaṃ satyasyopaniṣad damaḥ
damasyopaniṣad dānaṃ dānasyopaniṣat tapaḥ
11 tapasopaniṣat tyāgas tyāgasyopaniṣat sukham
sukhasyopaniṣat svargaḥ svargasyopaniṣac chamaḥ
12 kledanaṃ śokamanasoḥ saṃtāpaṃ tṛṣṇayā saha
sattvam icchasi saṃtoṣāc chānti lakṣaṇam uttamam
13 viśoko nirmamaḥ śāntaḥ prasannātmātmavittamaḥ
so bhir lakṣaṇavān etaiḥ samagraḥ punar eṣyati
14 so bhiḥ sattvaguṇopetaiḥ prājñair adhikamantribhiḥ
ye viduḥ pretya cātmānam
ihasthāṃs tāṃs tathā viduḥ
15 akṛtrimam asaṃhāryaṃ prākṛtaṃ nirupaskṛtam
adhyātmaṃ sukṛtaprajñaḥ sukham avyayam aśnute
16 niṣpracāraṃ manaḥ kṛtvā pratiṣṭhāpya ca sarvataḥ
yām ayaṃ labhate tuṣṭiṃ sā na śakyam ato 'nyathā
17 yena tṛpyaty
abhuñjāno yena tuṣyaty avittavān
yenāsneho balaṃ dhatte yas taṃ veda sa vedavit
18 saṃgopya hy ātmano
dvārāṇy apidhāya vicintayan
yo hy āste brāhmaṇaḥ śiṣṭaḥ sa ātmaratir ucyate
19 samāhitaṃ pare tattve kṣīṇakāmam avasthitam
sarvataḥ sukham anveti vapuś
cāndramasaṃ yathā
20 saviśeṣāṇi bhūtāni guṇāṃś cābhajato muneḥ
sukhenāpohyate duḥkhaṃ bhāskareṇa tamo yathā
21 tam atikrānta karmāṇam atikrānta guṇakṣayam
brāhmaṇaṃ viṣayāśliṣṭaṃ jarāmṛtyū na vindataḥ
22 sa yadā sarvato muktaḥ samaḥ paryavatiṣṭhate
indriyāṇīndriyārthāṃś ca śarīrastho 'tivartate
23 kāraṇaṃ paramaṃ prāpya atikrāntasya kāryatām
punarāvartanaṃ nāsti saṃprāptasya parāt param
SECTION CCXLIII
"Vyasa said, 'Observant of meritorious vows, the householder, for the second period of life, should dwell in his house, having taken spouses according to the ways indicated in the ordinance and having established afire (of his own). As regards the domestic mode of life, four kinds of conduct have been laid down by the learned. The first consists of keeping a store of grain sufficientp. 190
to last for three years. The second consists of keeping a store to last for one year. The third consists of providing for the day without thinking of the morrow. The fourth consists of collecting grain after the manner of the pigeon. 1 Of these, each succeeding one is superior in point of merit to that which precedes it, according to what has been laid down in the scriptures. 2 A householder observing the first kind of conduct may practise all the six well-known duties (viz., sacrifice on his own account, sacrifice on that of others, teaching, learning, making gifts, and accepting gifts). He who observes the second kind of conduct should practise three only, of these duties (viz., learning, giving, and taking). He who observes the third kind of conduct should practise only two of the duties of domesticity (viz., learning and giving). The householder practising the fourth kind of domesticity should observe only one duty (viz., learning the scriptures). The duties of the householder are all said to be exceedingly meritorious. The householder should never cook any food for only his own use; nor should be slaughter animals (for food) except in sacrifices. 3 If it be an animal which the householder desires to kill (for food), or if it be a tree which he wishes to cut down (for fuel), he should do either act according to the ritual laid down in the Yajuses for that much is due to both animate and inanimate existences. The house-holder should never sleep during the day, or during the first part of the night, or during the last part thereof. He should never eat twice between morning and evening, and should never summon his wife to bed except in her season. In his house, no Brahmana should be suffered to remain unfed or unworshipped. He should always worship such guests as are presenters of sacrificial offerings, as are cleansed by Vedic lore and observance of excellent vows, as are high-born and conversant with the scriptures, as are observers of the duties of their own order, as are self-restrained, mindful of all religious acts, and devoted to penances. The scriptures ordain that what is offered to the deities and the Pitris in sacrifices and religious rites is meant for the service of guests like these. In this mode of life the scriptures ordain that a share of the food (that is cooked) should be given unto every creature (irrespective of his birth or character), unto one, that is, who for the sake of show keeps his nails and beard, unto one who from pride displays what his own (religious) practices are, unto one who has improperly abandoned his sacred fire, and even unto one who has injured his preceptor. One leading a domestic mode of life should give (food) unto Brahmacharins and Sannyasins. The householder should every day become an eater of vighasa, and should
p. 191
every day eat amrita. Mixed with clarified butter, the remains of the food that is offered in sacrifices constitute amrita. That householder who eats after having fed (all relatives and) servants is said to eat vighasa. The food that remains after the servants have been fed is called vighasa, and that which is left after the presentation of sacrificial offerings is called amrita. One leading a domestic mode of life should be content with his own wedded wife. He should be self-restrained. He should avoid malice and subdue his senses. He should never quarrel with his Ritwik, Purohita, and preceptor, with his maternal uncle, guests and dependants, with the aged and the young in years, with those that are afflicted with diseases, with those that practise as physicians, with kinsmen, relatives, and friends, with his parents, with women that belong to his own paternal family, with his brother and son and wife, with his daughter, and with his servants. By avoiding disputes with these, the householder becomes cleansed of all sins. By conquering such disputes, he succeeds in conquering all the regions of felicity (in the world hereafter). There is no doubt in this. 1 The preceptor (if duly reverenced) is able to lead one to the regions of Brahman. The father (if reverenced) can lead to the regions of Prajapati. The guest is puissant enough to lead to the region of Indra. The Ritwik has power in respect of the regions of the deities. Female relatives of the paternal line have lordship in respect of the regions of the Apsaras, and kinsmen (by blood), in respect of the region of the Viswedevas. Relatives by marriage and collateral kinsmen have power in respect of the several quarters of the horizon (viz., north, etc.), and the mother and the maternal uncle have power over the earth. The old, the young, the afflicted the wasted have power over the sky. 2 The eldest brother is like unto the sire himself (to all his younger brothers). The wife and the son are one's own body. One's menial servants are one's own shadow. The daughter is an object of great affection. For these reason, a house-holder endued with learning, observant of duties, and possessed of endurance, should bear, without warmth or anxiety of heart every kind of annoyance and even censure from the last named relatives. No righteous household should do any act, urged by considerations of wealth. There are three courses of duty in respect of a life of domesticity. Of these, that which comes next (in the order of enumeration) is more meritorious than the preceding one. 3 As regards the four (principal) modes of life also, the same rule of merit applies, viz., the one that comes after is superior to the one preceding it. Accordingly, domesticity is superior to Brahmacharya, forest life is superior to domesticity, and a life of mendicancy or complete renunciation is superior to a forest life.
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[paragraph continues] One desirous of prosperity should accomplish all those duties and rites that have been ordained in the scriptures in respect of those modes. That kingdom grows in prosperity where these highly deserving persons live, viz., those that lead a life of domesticity according to the Kumbhadhanya method, they that lead it according to the Unchha method, and they that lead it according to the Kapoti method. 1 That man who cheerfully leads a life of domesticity in the observance of those duties, succeeds in sanctifying ten generations of his ancestors above and ten generations of descendants below. A householder, duly observing the duties of domesticity, obtains an end that yields felicity equal to what occurs in the regions attained by great kings and emperors. Even this is the end that has been ordained for those who have subdued their senses. For all high-souled householders heaven has been ordained. That heaven is equipped with delightful cars for each (moving at the will of the rider). Even that is the delightful heaven indicated in the Vedas. For all householders of restrained souls, the regions of heaven constitute the high reward. The Self-born Brahman ordained that the domestic mode of life should be the productive cause of heaven. And since it has been so ordained, a person, by gradually attaining to the second mode of life, obtains happiness and respect in heaven. After this comes that high and superior mode of life, called the third, for those that are desirous of casting off their bodies. Superior to that of householders, that is the life of forest recluses,--of those, that is, who waste their bodies (by diverse kinds of austerities) into skeletons overlaid with dried skins. Listen as I discourse to thee upon it.'"
Footnotes
190:1 The fourth kind of conduct, called kapoti is also called unchha. It consists of collecting such seeds of grain as have fallen down from the ears and as have been abandoned by the reapers.190:2 Thus the second is more meritorious than the first, the third than the second, and the fourth than the third. The fourth or last, therefore, is the first in point of merit.
190:3 It is said that the householder who cooks must give a share of the cooked food to a Brahmacharin or Yati or any one who comes as a guest. If he does not do it but eats the whole of what has been cooked, he is regarded as eating what belongs to a Brahmana. This, of course, is a high sin.
191:1 The commentator supposes that these relatives and kinsmen are named because of the great likelihood there is of disputes arising with them on account of shares of inheritance.
191:2 The sense is this: these various persons, if duly reverenced by the householder, are able to send the latter to the places indicated or make him comfortable in those places.
191:3 Vide verses 2 and 3 of this Section. Of the four courses, the first or Kusaladhanya, is left out here. The three others, of course, are the Kumbhadhanya, the Aswastana (otherwise called Unchhasila), and the Kapoti. The Burdwan translator makes a blunder in enumerating the three kinds of domesticity here referred to.
192:1 The Burdwan version of this verse is incorrect.
Book
12
Chapter 244
1 [vyāsa]
dvandvāni mokṣajijñāsur
arthadharmāv anuṣṭhitaḥ
vaktrā guṇavatā śiṣyaḥ śrāvyaḥ pūrvam idaṃ mahat
2 ākāśaṃ māruto jyotir āpaḥ pṛthvī ca
pañcamī
bhāvābhāvau ca kālaś ca sarvabhūteṣu pañcasu
3 antarātmakam ākāśaṃ tanmayaṃ śrotram indriyam
tasya śabdaṃ guṇaṃ vidyān mūrti śāstravidhānavit
4 caraṇaṃ mārutātmeti prāṇāpānau ca tanmayau
sparśanaṃ cendriyaṃ vidyāt tathā sparśaṃ ca tanmayam
5 tataḥ pākaḥ prakāśaś ca jyotiś cakṣuś ca
tanmayam
tasya rūpaṃ guṇaṃ vidyāt tamo 'nvavasitātmakam
6 prakledaḥ kṣudratā sneha ity āpo hy upadiśyate
rasanaṃ cendriyaṃ jihvā rasaś cāpāṃ guṇo mataḥ
7 saṃghātaḥ pārthivo dhātur asthi dantanakhāni ca
śmaśruloma ca keśāś ca sirāḥ snāyu ca carma ca
8 indriyaṃ ghrāṇasaṃjñānaṃ nāsikety abhidhīyate
gandhaś caivendriyāro 'yaṃ vijñeyaḥ pṛthivīmayaḥ
9 uttareṣu guṇāḥ santi sarve sarveṣu cottarāḥ
pañcānāṃ bhūtasaṃghānāṃ saṃtatiṃ munayo viduḥ
10 mano navamam eṣāṃ tu buddhis tu daśamī smṛtā
ekādaśo 'ntarātmā ca sarvataḥ para ucyate
11 vyavasāyātmikā buddhir mano vyākaraṇātmakam
karmānumānād vijñeyaḥ sa jīvaḥ kṣetrasaṃjñakaḥ
12 ebhiḥ kālāstamair
bhāvair yaḥ sarvaiḥ sarvam anvitam
paśyaty akaluṣaṃ prājñaḥ sa mohaṃ nānuvartate
SECTION CCXLIV
"Bhishma said, "Though hast been told what the duties of domesticity are as ordained by the wise. Listen now, O Yudhishthira, to what those duties are that have been next spoken of. Gradually abandoning the domestic mode, one should enter the third mode which is excellent. It is the mode in which wives afflict themselves by means of Austerities. It is the mode practised by those that live as forest recluses. Blessed be thou, O son, listen to the duties observed by those that lead this mode of life in which occur the practices of all men and all modes of life. Listen, indeed, to the duties of those that are denizens of sacred spots and that have resorted to this mode after proper deliberation!'"Vyasa said, 'When the householder beholds wrinkles on his body and white hair on his head, and children of his children, he should then retire into the forest. The third part of his life he should pass in the observance of the
p. 193
[paragraph continues] Vanaprastha mode. He should attend to those fires to which he had attended as a householder. Desirous of sacrificing, he should adore the deities (according to the rituals ordained). Observant of vows and abstemious in diet, he should eat only once, the time thereof being the sixth part of the day. He should be always heedful. Attending to his fires, he should keep some kine, waiting upon them dutifully. 1 He should attend to all the rituals of a sacrifice. He should live upon rice growing indigenously, upon wheat growing under similar circumstances, upon grain of other kinds, growing wildly (and belonging to none). He should eat what remains after feeding guests. In this the third mode of life, he should present offerings of clarified butter in the five well-known Sacrifices. 2 Four kinds of courses of conduct have been laid down for observance in the Vanaprastha mode of life. Some collect only what is needed for the day. Some collect stores to last for a month. Some store grain and other necessaries sufficient to last for twelve years. Forest recluses may act in these ways for worshipping guests and performing sacrifices. They should during the season of the rains, expose themselves to rain and betake themselves to water during the autumn. During the summer they should sit in the midst of four fires with the sun burning overhead. Throughout the year, however, they should be abstemious in diet. 3 They sit and sleep on the bare earth. They stand on only their toes. They content themselves with the bare earth and with small mats of grass (owning no other furniture for seat or bed). They perform their ablutions morning, noon, and evening (preparatory to sacrifices). Some amongst them use only teeth for cleaning grain. Others use only stones for that purpose. 4 Some amongst them drink, only during the lighted fortnight, the gruel of wheat (or other grain) boiled very lightly. 5 There are many who drink similar gruel only during the dark fortnight. Some eat what only comes by the way (without seeking to obtain it). Some adopting rigid vows, live upon only roots, some upon only fruits, some upon only flowers, duly observing the method followed by the Vaikhanasas. These and other diverse observances are adopted by those men of wisdom and piety. The fourth is (the mode called Renunciation) based upon the Upanishads. The duties laid down for it may be observed in all the modes of life equally. This mode differing from the others comes after domesticity and forest life. In this very Yuga, O son,
p. 194
many learned Brahmanas conversant with the truths of all things, have been known to observe this mode. Agastya, the seven Rishis (viz., Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Vasishtha, Narada, and Kratu), Madhucchandas, Aghamarshana, Sankriti Sudivatandi who lived withersoever he pleased and was content to take what came (without ever seeking for anything). 1 Ahovirya Kavya, Tandya, the learned Medhatithi, Karmanirvaka of mighty energy, and Sunyapala who had exerted himself greatly (for acquiring ascetic puissance) were the authors of this course of duties, and themselves observing them have all proceeded to heaven. Many great Rishis, O son, who had the puissance to behold immediately the fruits of their ascetic merit, 2 those numerous ascetics who are known by the name of Yayavaras, many Rishis of very austere penances and possessed of accurate knowledge in respect of distinctions of duty, and many other Brahmanas too numerous to mention, adopted the forest mode of life. The Vaikhanasas, the Valikhilyas, the Saikatas, all of whom were devoted to austere penances, 3 who were steadfast in virtue, who had subdued their senses, and who used to behold the fruits of their penances immediately, adopted this mode of life and finally ascended to heaven. Freed from fear and not counted among the stars and planets, these have become visible in the firmament as luminous bodies. 4 When the fourth or last part of life is reached, and when one is weakened by decrepitude and afflicted by disease, one should abandon the forest mode of life (for the fourth mode called Renunciation). Performing a sacrifice that is capable of being completed in a single day and in which the Dakshina should be everything of which he may be possessed, he should himself perform his own Sraddha. Withdrawn from every other object, he should devote himself to his own self, taking pleasure in himself, and resting also on his own self. 5 He should establish all his sacrificial fires (thenceforth) upon his own self, and give up all kinds of ties and attachments. (In case he fails to attain to complete Renunciation) he should always perform such sacrifices and rites as are completed in a single day. 6 When, however, from performance of the (ordinary) sacrifices of sacrificers, the Sacrifice in Self proceeds, then (may he discontinue all ordinary sacrifices, and) unto the three fires duly sacrifice in
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his own Self for the sake of his Emancipation. 1 Without finding fault with his food he should eat five or six mouthfuls, offering them duly unto five vital airs uttering (every time the well-known) mantras of the Yajurveda. 2 Engaged in the observance of austerities while leading the life of a forest recluse, one should shave off one's hair and bristles and pare off one's nails, and having cleansed oneself by acts, pass into the fourth and last mode of life that is fraught with great holiness. 3 That regenerate person who enters the fourth mode of life, giving pledges of assurance unto all creatures, succeeds in earning many regions of blazing effulgence hereafter and ultimately attains to the Infinite. 4 Of excellent disposition and conduct, with sins all washed off, the person who is conversant with his own self never desires to do any act for either this or the other world. Freed from wrath and from error, without anxiety and without friendship, such a person lives in this world like one totally uninterested in its concerns. One (in the observance of Sannyasa) should not feel reluctant in discharging the duties included in Yama and those also that walk behind them (and are included in niyama). Such a one should with energy live according to the ordinances in respect of his own mode, and throw away Vedic study and the sacred thread that is indicative of the order of his birth. Devoted to righteousness and with his senses under complete control, such a one, possessed of knowledge of self, attains undoubtedly to the end for which he strives. 5 After the third is the fourth
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mode of life. It is very superior, and fraught with numerous high virtues. It transcends in point of merit the three other modes of life. It is said to occupy the highest place. Listen to me as I discourse upon the duties that belong to that mode which is pre-eminent and which is the high refuge of all!'"
Footnotes
193:1 The cow is a sacred animal and there is merit in feeding and properly tending a cow. Forest recluses kept kine for merit as also for homa or sacrifice with the ghee obtained from them. The story of Vasishtha's cow is well-known.193:2 These five are Agnihotra, Darsapurnamasi, Chaturmasya, Pasu sacrifice and Soma sacrifice.
193:3 The Burdwan translator misunderstands the words abhravakasah. It is a well-known word occurring in almost every lexicon. Wilson explains it correctly.
193:4 i.e., They do not use a regular husking or cleaning apparatus for cleaning the grain they use as food.
193:5 So that very small portion of the grain comes out for drink or mixes with the water.
194:1 i.e., who had no fixed residence and who never sought with any effort for the necessaries of life. The Burdwan translator takes both yathavasah and akritacramah for two independent names of Rishis instead of taking them as adjectives of Sudivatandi.
194:2 i.e., whose wishes were immediately crowned with success, in respect of both blessings and curses, etc.
194:3 Niranandah is explained as krichcchrachandrayanadiparatwat.
194:4 Anakstrah is explained by the commentator as 'different from stars and planets but still freed from darkness' and, therefore, effulgent or luminous. Anadhrishyah is fearless.
194:5 Atmayaji is explained as one who performs his own sraddha or obsequial rites. The Sandhi in the next word is arsha; atmakrida is one who does not take pleasure in wife or children but whose source of pleasure is his own self: Similarly, atmasraya is one who without depending upon kings or others takes refuge in himself.
194:6 Such sacrifice, for example, as those called Brahma-yajna, etc.
195:1 Yajinam yajna is the sacrifice of ordinary sacrifices, i.e., the usual sacrifices consisting of tangible offerings unto the deities, and performed with the aid of Vedic mantras. The ablative implies cause. Atmani ijya is sacrifice in Self, i.e., Yoga. The meaning of the first line, therefore, is when through performance of ordinary sacrifices and rites, the mind becomes pure and the sacrificer is enabled to practise yoga. Unto the three fires he should duly sacrifice on his own self. means, of course, that without any longer adoring his fires by visible rites and actual recitation of mantras, he should, for the sake of emancipation, worship in his own self or seek the extinction of mind and knowledge in Yoga.
195:2 To this day every orthodox Brahmana or Kshatriya or Vaisya never eats without offering at the outset five small mouthfuls unto the five vital breaths, i.e., Prana, Apana, Samana, Udana, and Vyana.
195:3 Vapya or Vapayitwa means causing or obtaining a shave. The Burdwan translator makes a blunder by supposing it to mean parivyapta. The Sannyasa mode of life, as well-known, can never be entered without a previous shave. K.P. Singha gives the correct version.
195:4 It is difficult to render the word abhaya into English. 'To give abhaya to all creatures' is to pledge oneself to a life of total harmlessness, or to practise universal compassion or benevolence. Abstention from every kind of injury is the great duty of the fourth mode of life.
195:5 The duties included in yama (as explained by the commentator) are universal benevolence, truthfulness, faith, Brahmacharya, and freedom from attachment. Those that are included in niyama are purity (of body and mind), contentment, study of the Vedas, meditation on the Supreme, etc. Swasastra sutra means the sutras of his own sastras--i.e., the duties laid down in respect of that Sannyasa which he has adopted; the chief of which is enquiry after the Soul or Self: Bhutimanta implies Vedic recitation and the sacred thread. He who has taken to Sannyasa should display energy in these, i.e., persistently enquire after the Soul and throw away all caste-marks, and other indications. 'The desirable end' is of course, gradual Emancipation of that obtained at once. Following the commentator, K.P. Singha gives the correct version. The Burdwan version, containing the very words of the gloss, is based upon a complete misconception of their meaning.
Book
12
Chapter 245
1 [vyāsa]
śarīrād vipramuktaṃ hi sūkṣmabhūtaṃ śarīriṇam
karmabhiḥ paripaśyanti
śāstroktaiḥ śāstracetasaḥ
2 yathā marīcyaḥ sahitāś caranti; gacchanti tiṣṭhanti ca dṛśyamānāḥ
dehair vimuktā vicaranti lokāṃs; tathaiva sattvāny atimānuṣāṇi
3 pratirūpaṃ yathaivāpsu tāpaḥ sūryasya lakṣyate
sattvavāṃs tu tathā sattvaṃ pratirūpaṃ prapaśyati
4 tāni sūkṣmāṇi sattvasthā vimuktāni śarīrataḥ
svena tattvena tattvajñāḥ paśyanti niyatendriyāḥ
5 svapatāṃ jāgratāṃ caiva sarveṣām ātmacintitam
pradhānadvaidha yuktānāṃ jahatāṃ karmajaṃ rajaḥ
6 yathāhani tathā rātrau yathā
rātrau tathāhani
vaśe tiṣṭhati sattvātmā
satataṃ yogayoginām
7 teṣāṃ nityaṃ sadā nityo bhūtātmā satataṃ guṇaiḥ
saptabhis tv anvitaḥ sūkṣmaiś cariṣṇur ajarāmaraḥ
8 mano buddhiparābhūtaḥ svadehaparadehavit
svapneṣv api bhavaty eṣa vijñātā sukhaduḥkhayoḥ
9 tatrāpi labhate duḥkhaṃ tatrāpi labhate sukham
krodhalobhau tu tatrāpi kṛtvā vyasanam archati
10 prīṇitaś cāpi bhavati mahato 'rthān avāpya ca
karoti puṇyaṃ tatrāpi jāgrann iva ca paśyati
11 tam evam atitejo 'ṃśaṃ bhūtātmānaṃ hṛdi sthitam
tamo rajo bhyām āviṣṭā nānupaśyanti
mūrtiṣu
12 śāstrayogaparā bhūtvā svam ātmānaṃ parīpsavaḥ
anucchvāsāny amūrtīni yāni vajropamāny api
13 pṛthag bhūteṣu sṛṣṭeṣu caturṣv āśramakarmasu
samādhau yogam evaitac chāndilyaḥ śamam abravīt
14 viditvā sapta sūkṣmāṇi ṣaḍaṅgaṃ ca maheśvaram
pradhānaviniyogasthaḥ paraṃ brahmādhigacchati
SECTION CCXLV
"Suka said, 'While living in the due observance of the duties of the foremost of life, how should one, who seeks to attain to That which is the highest object of knowledge, set one's soul on Yoga according to the best of one's power?'"Vyasa said, 'Having acquired (purity of conduct and body) by the practice of the first two modes of life, viz., Brahmacharya and domesticity, one should, after that, set one's soul on Yoga in the third mode of life. Listen now with concentrated attention to what should be done for attaining to the highest object of acquisition! 1 Having subdued all faults of the mind and of heart by easy means in the practice of the first three modes of life (viz., pupilage, domesticity, and seclusion) one should pass into the most excellent and the most eminent of all the modes, viz., Sannyasa or Renunciation. Do thou then pass thy days, having acquired that purity. Listen also to me. One should, alone and without anybody to assist him or bear him company, practise Yoga for attaining to success (in respect of one's highest object of acquisition). One who practises Yoga without companionship, who beholds everything as a repetition of his own self, and who never discards anything (in consequence of all things being pervaded by the Universal Soul), never falls away from Emancipation. Without keeping the sacrificial fires and without a fixed habitation, such a person should enter a village for only begging his food. He should provide himself for the day without storing for the morrow. He should betake himself to penances, with heart fixed on the Supreme. 2 Eating little and that even under proper regulations, he should not eat more than once a day. The other indications of a (religious) mendicant are the human skull, shelter under trees, rags for wearing, solitude unbroken by the companionship of any one, and indifference to all creatures. 3 That
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person into whom words enter like affrighted elephants into a well, and from whom they never come back to the speaker, is fit to lead this mode of life which has Emancipation for its object. 1 The mendicant (or Renouncer) should never take note of the evil acts of any person. He should never hear what is said in dispraise of others. Especially should he avoid speaking evil of a Brahmana. He should always say only what is agreeable to the Brahmanas. When anything is said in dispraise (of himself), he should (without answering) remain perfectly silent. Such silence, indeed, is the medical treatment prescribed for him. That person in consequence of whose single self the place he occupies becomes like the eastern sky, and who can make a spot teeming with thousands of men and things appear to himself perfectly solitary or unoccupied, is regarded by the deities to be a true Brahmana. 2 Him the gods know for a Brahmana who clothes himself with whatever comes by the way, who subsists upon whatever he gets, and who sleeps on whatever spot he finds. Him the gods know for a Brahmana who is afraid of company as of a snake; of the full measure of gratification (from sweet viands and drinks) as of hell; and of women as of a corpse. 3 Him the gods know for a Brahmana who is never glad when honoured and never angry when insulted, and who has given assurances of compassion unto all creatures. One in the observance of the last mode of life should not view death with joy. Nor should he view life with joy. He should only wait for his hour like a servant waiting for the behest (of his master). He should purify his heart of all faults. He should purify his speech of all faults. He should cleanse himself of all sins. As he has no foes, what fear can assail him? He who fears no creature and whom no creature fears, can have no fear from any quarter, freed as he is from error of every kind. As the footprints of all other creatures that move upon legs are engulfed within those of elephants, after the same manner all ranks and conditions are absorbed within Yoga 4. After the same manner, every other duty and observance is supposed to be
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engulfed within the one duty of abstention from injury (to all creatures). 1 He lives an everlasting life of felicity who avoids injuring other creatures. One who abstains from injury, who casts an equal eye upon all creatures, who is devoted to truth, who is endued with fortitude, who has his senses under control, and who grants protection to all beings, attains to an end that is beyond compare. The condition called death succeeds not in transcending such a person who is content with self-knowledge, who is free from fear, and who is divested of desire and expectancy. On the other hand, such a person succeeds in transcending death. Him the gods know for a Brahmana who is freed from attachments of every kind, who is observant of penances, who lives like space which while holding everything is yet unattached to any thing, who has nothing which he calls his own, who leads a life of solitude, and whose is tranquillity of soul. The gods know him for a Brahmana whose life is for the practice of righteousness, whose righteousness is for the good of them that wait dutifully upon him, and whose days and nights exist only for the acquisition of merit. 2 The gods know him for a Brahmana who is freed from desire, who never exerts himself for doing such acts as are done by worldly men, who never bends his head unto any one, who never flatters another, (and who is free from attachments of every kind). All creatures are pleased with happiness and filled with fear at the prospect of grief. The man of faith, therefore, who should feel distressed at the prospect of filling other creatures with grief, must abstain entirely from acts of every kind. 3 The gift of assurances of harmlessness unto all creatures transcends in point of merit all other gifts. He who, at the outset, forswears the religion of injury, succeeds in attaining to Emancipation (in which or) whence is the assurance of harmlessness unto all creatures. 4 That man who does not pour into his open mouth even the five or six mouthfuls that are laid down for the forest recluse, is said to be the navel of the world, and the refuge of the universe. The head and other limbs, as also the acts good and bad, become possessed by Fire. Such a man, who sacrifices in his own self, makes a liberation of his senses and mind into the fire that dwells within the limited space of his own
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heart. In consequence again of his pouring such a libation into such a fire within his own self, the universe with all creatures including the very gods, becomes gratified. 1 They who apprehend the Jiva-soul that is endued with effulgence, that is enveloped in three cases, that has three attributes for its characteristics, to be Iswara partaking of that which is foremost, viz., the nature of the Supreme Soul, becomes object of great regard in all the worlds. The very gods with all human beings speak highly of their merits. He who succeeds in beholding in the soul that resides in his own body all the Vedas, space and the other objects of perception, the rituals that occur in scriptures, all those entities that are comprehensible in sound only and the superior nature of the Supreme Soul, is sought to be worshipped by the very deities as the foremost of all beings. He who sees in the soul that resides within his body, that foremost of beings which is not attached to the earth, which is immeasurable in even the (measureless) firmament, which is made of gold, which is born of the egg and resides within the egg, which is equipped with many feathers, and which has two wings like a bird, and which is rendered effulgent by many rays of light, is sought to be worshipped by the very deities as the foremost of all beings. 2 The very deities worship him in whose understanding is set the wheel of Time, which is constantly resolving, which knows no decay, which swallows up the period of existence of every creature, which has the six seasons for its naves, which is equipped with two and ten radii consisting of the two and ten months, which has excellent joint, and towards whose gaping mouth proceeds this universe (ready to be devoured). 3 The Supreme Soul is the capacious unconsciousness of dreamless slumber. That Unconsciousness is the body of the universe. It pervadeth all created things. Jiva, occupying a portion of that capacious unconsciousness gratifies the deities. These last, being gratified, gratify the open mouth of that unconsciousness. 4 Endued with effulgence as also with the principle of eternity,
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[paragraph continues] Jiva is without a beginning. It acquires (by following particular paths) infinite regions of eternal happiness. He of whom no creature is afraid, has never to fear any creature. He who never does anything censurable and who never censures another, is said to be a truly regenerate person. Such a man succeeds in beholding the Supreme Soul. He whose ignorance has been dispelled and whose sins have been washed away, never enjoys either here or hereafter the happiness that is enjoyed by others (but attains to complete Emancipation). A person in the observance of the fourth mode of life wanders on the earth like one unconnected with everything. Such a one is freed from wrath and error. Such a one regards a clod of earth and lump of gold with an equal eye. Such a man never stores anything for his use. Such a one has no friends and foes. Such a one is utterly regardless of praise or blame, and of the agreeable and the disagreeable.'"
Footnotes
196:1 The commentator correctly explains that by the first line of this verse, Vyasa answers his son's question. The two modes referred to are the first and the second, and not the second and the third as K.P. Singha in his vernacular version wrongly states. Having answered the question, the speaker (in the second line) proceeds to indicate the simple or straight path for reaching the highest object of men's endeavour, viz., Paramartham or Brahma.196:2 Bhava-samahitah is explained as chitta-samadhanavan.
196:3 The skull is to be used as a drinking vessel. Kuchela, which I render 'rags', is supposed by the commentator to signify reddish or brown cloth which has, from age, lost its colour.
197:1 Elephants, when hurled into a well, become utterly helpless and unable to come out. That person, therefore, into whom words enter like elephants into a well, is he who answers not the evil speeches of others. What is said here is that only a person of such forbearance should betake himself to mendicancy or Sannyasa.
197:2 I have given a closely literal version of this verse. The commentator explains that first fine refers to the person who deems himself to be everything and everything to be himself. The second line refers to the same individual who, by Yoga, can withdraw his senses and the mind and consequently make the most populous place appear as totally solitary or unoccupied. This is the Yoga process called Pratyahara and is described in section 233 ante. The Burdwan translator gives an incorrect version. K.P. Singha follows the commentator.
197:3 Suhitya, whence sauhitya, means no satiety but the full measure of gratification from eating. The speaker wishes to lay down that a mendicant or renouncer should never take food to the full measure of gratification. He should eat without completely appeasing his hunger.
197:4 I follow the commentator in his exposition of kaunjara which he derives as kun (earth or the body which is made of earth) jaravati iti kunjarah, i.e., a Yogin in Samadhi. The sense seems to be that the fruits of Yoga include or absorb the fruits of every other act. The rank and status of Indra himself is absorbed within what is attained to by Yoga. There is no kind of felicity that is not engulfed in the felicity of Emancipation, which Yoga alone can confer.
198:1 The commentator thinks that by the 'one duty of abstention from injury' is implied the fourth mode of life or Sannyasa. What is said, therefore, is that the observance of the single duty of harmlessness includes that of every other duty; or, what amounts to the same thing, the fourth mode of life is singly capable of giving merit which all the others may give together.
198:2 Haryartham means 'for the sake of Hari.' i.e., one who takes away merit, implying a disciple or attendant. Some texts read Ratyrtham, meaning 'for the happiness (of others).'
198:3 Because all acts are fraught with injury to others. Whether 'acts' betaken in its general sense or in the particular sense of 'religious acts,' their character is such.
198:4 Both the vernacular translators have completely misunderstood the second line of this Verse. The commentator correctly explains that Tikshnam tanum means the religion of injury, i.e., the religion of sacrifices and acts. 'So' for 'sa' is arsha; as also anantyam for anantyam which, of course, implies moksham or Emancipation. The commentator correctly supplies yatah after apnoti and shows that prajabhyah is equivalent to prajanam. The last clause of the second line, therefore, means sa moksham apnoti, yatah prajabhyah (or prajanam) abhayam. The dative, not ablative as the vernacular translators take it, is not bad grammar, although the genitive is more agreeable with usage.
199:1 A tentative version is offered here, following the actual words used in the original.
199:2 All these expressions apply to the Supreme Soul. Immeasurable in the firmament implies that the Supreme Being is vaster than the firmament. 'Made of gold' means, as the commentator explains, Chit having knowledge only for its attribute.' 'Born of the egg,' i.e., belonging to the universe. 'Within the egg' means 'capable of being apprehended in the heart.' 'Equipped with many feathers,' i.e., having many limbs each of which is presided over by a particular deity. The two wings are absence of attachment or complete dissociation from everything, and joy and gladness and aptitude for enjoyment. 'Rendered effulgent by many rays of light,' i.e., transformed into a living and active agent by means of eyes, cars, etc.
199:3 The sense is that he who understands the wheel of Time is a person worthy of universal regard. The excellent joints of that wheel are the parva days, viz., those sacred lunations on which religious rites are performed.
199:4 I give a little version of verse 33, following the commentator as regards the meaning of samprasadam. The sense, however, of the verse is this: Brahma, in the previous sections, has often been spoken of as Sushupti or the unconsciousness of dreamless slumber. The universe flows from Brahma. Unconsciousness, therefore, is the cause or origin or body of the universe. That unconsciousness, therefore, pervades all things, viz., gross and subtile. Jiva, finding a place within that unconsciousness existing in the form of gross and subtile, gratifies the deities, prana and the senses. These, thus gratified by jiva, at last gratify the open mouth of the original unconsciousness that waits to receive or swallow them. All these verses are based upon the figurative ideas that find expression in the Upanishads.
(My humble salutations to the lotus feet of Sreeman Brahmasri K M Ganguli ji for the collection )
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