Critical Edition
युधिष्ठिर उवाच चातुराश्रम्यमुक्तं ते राजधर्मास्तथैव च नानाश्रयाश्च बहव इतिहासाः पृथग्विधाः
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said You have described the four modes of life and their duties. You have also spoken of the duties of kings. You have recounted many histories of various kinds and on various subjects.
श्रुतास्त्वत्तः कथाश्चैव धर्मयुक्ता महामते संदेहोऽस्ति तु कश्चिन्मे तद्भवान्वक्तुमर्हति
M. N. Dutt: I have also heard from you, O you of great intelligence, many discourses about morality. I have, however, one doubt. You should remove it.
जापकानां फलावाप्तिं श्रोतुमिच्छामि भारत किं फलं जपतामुक्तं क्व वा तिष्ठन्ति जापकाः
M. N. Dutt: I wish, O Bharata, to hear of the fruits which silent Reciters of sacred Mantras acquire. what are the fruits that have been shorn for such men? What is that region to which they repair after death?
जपस्य च विधिं कृत्स्नं वक्तुमर्हसि मेऽनघ जापका इति किं चैतत्सांख्ययोगक्रियाविधिः
M. N. Dutt: You should, also, O sinless one, tell me all the rules that have been laid down regarding such silent recitation? When the word Reciter is uttered, what shall I understand by it? Is such a man to be considered as following the ordinances of Vedanta or Yoga or Work.
किं यज्ञविधिरेवैष किमेतज्जप्यमुच्यते एतन्मे सर्वमाचक्ष्व सर्वज्ञो ह्यसि मे मतः
M. N. Dutt: Or, it such a man to be considered as following the ordinances of (mental) sacrifices? How is the path of the Reciters to be called? You posses universal knowledge. Tell me all this.
भीष्म उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् यमस्य यत्पुरा वृत्तं कालस्य ब्राह्मणस्य च
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said 'Regarding it is cited the old history of Yama, Time and a certain Brahmana.
Supplementary Passages:
12.189.6 K6 V1 B0.6-9 Da3.a4 Dn1.n4 D2. 3.5.6.8 Cn ins. after 6 (K6 B6-9 Da3.a4 Dn1.n4 D2.3.6.8 Cn Cal. ed. repeating the same [with var.] after 7cd): K7 Ds ins. after 7cd: *511 सांख्ययोगौ तु यावुक्तौ मुनिभिर्मोक्षदर्शिभिः On the other hand, D7 T G1.3.6 M5 Kumbh. ed. ins. after 6: *512 इक्ष्वाकोश्चैव मृत्योश्च विवादो धर्मकारणात्
संन्यास एव वेदान्ते वर्तते जपनं प्रति वेदवादाभिनिर्वृत्ता शान्तिर्ब्रह्मण्यवस्थितौ मार्गौ तावप्युभावेतौ संश्रितौ न च संश्रितौ
AI Translation: In the Vedanta, renunciation alone is present in relation to the recitation of the Vedas. The peace that is accomplished by the statements of the Vedas is established in Brahman. Those two paths are both resorted to and not resorted to.
यथा संश्रूयते राजन्कारणं चात्र वक्ष्यते मनःसमाधिरत्रापि तथेन्द्रियजयः स्मृतः
AI Translation: As it is heard, O king, and the reason for it will be stated. Here also, mental concentration and the conquest of the senses are remembered.
Supplementary Passages:
12.189.8 After 8ab, Kumbh. ed. ins.: *513 क्रमेण चैष विहितो जपयज्ञविधिर्नृप सालम्बनमिति ज्ञेयं जपयज्ञात्मकं शुभम्
सत्यमग्निपरीचारो विविक्तानां च सेवनम् ध्यानं तपो दमः क्षान्तिरनसूया मिताशनम्
AI Translation: Truth, attendance on the fire, association with the secluded, Meditation, austerity, self-control, patience, non-covetousness, moderation in eating,
विषयप्रतिसंहारो मितजल्पस्तथा शमः एष प्रवृत्तको धर्मो निवृत्तकमथो शृणु
AI Translation: Restraint of the senses, moderation in speech, and tranquility This is the Dharma of engagement. Now listen to the Dharma of disengagement.
यथा निवर्तते कर्म जपतो ब्रह्मचारिणः एतत्सर्वमशेषेण यथोक्तं परिवर्जयेत् त्रिविधं मार्गमासाद्य व्यक्ताव्यक्तमनाश्रयम्
M. N. Dutt: Follow the path of abstention, he should try to do away with his dependence on both the External and the Internal.
Supplementary Passages:
12.189.11 After 11ab, Kumbh. ed. ins.: *514 न जपो न च वै ध्यानं नेच्छा न द्वेषहर्षणौ युज्यते नृपशार्दूल सुसंवेद्यं हि तत्किल जपमावर्तयन्नित्यं जपन्वै ब्रह्मचारिकम् तदर्थबुद्ध्या संयाति मनसा जापकः परम् यथा संश्रूयते जापो येन वै जापको भवेत् संहिताप्रणवेनैव सावित्री च परा मता यदन्यदुचितं शुद्धं वेदस्मृत्युपपादितम्
कुशोच्चयनिषण्णः सन्कुशहस्तः कुशैः शिखी चीरैः परिवृतस्तस्मिन्मध्ये छन्नः कुशैस्तथा
M. N. Dutt: Sitting on Kusha grass, with Kusha in hand, and binding his hairs with Kusha, he should surround himself with Kusha and have Kusha for robes.
विषयेभ्यो नमस्कुर्याद्विषयान्न च भावयेत् साम्यमुत्पाद्य मनसो मनस्येव मनो दधत्
M. N. Dutt: He should, bowing to all earthly matters, take leave of them and never think of them. He should, acquiring equanimity of, mind, fix his mind on the mind itself.
तद्धिया ध्यायति ब्रह्म जपन्वै संहितां हिताम् संन्यस्यत्यथ वा तां वै समाधौ पर्यवस्थितः
M. N. Dutt: He should, reciting the highly beneficial verse (viz., the Gayatri), meditate with the help of his intellect on Brahma alone. Afterwards he should even leave off that, being then absolutely immersed in contemplation.
ध्यानमुत्पादयत्यत्र संहिताबलसंश्रयात् शुद्धात्मा तपसा दान्तो निवृत्तद्वेषकामवान्
M. N. Dutt: His dependence on the Gayatri which he recites, will give him this concentered contemplation. He attains by penances to purity of soul, and self-control, and cessation of hatred and desire.
Supplementary Passages:
12.189.15 After 15, Kumbh. ed. ins.: *515 अथाभिमतमन्त्रेण प्रणवाद्यं जपेत्कृती यस्मिन्नेवाभिपतितं मनस्तत्र निवेशयेत् समाधौ स हि मन्त्रे तु संहितां वा यथाविधि
अरागमोहो निर्द्वंद्वो न शोचति न सज्जते न कर्ताकरणीयानां न कार्याणामिति स्थितिः
M. N. Dutt: Freed from attachment and delusion, being above the influence of all pairs of opposites, he ever grieves and never suffers himself to be attracted towards worldly objects. He does not consider himself as the actor nor as the enjoyer of sufferer of the fruits of his acts.
न चाहंकारयोगेन मनः प्रस्थापयेत्क्वचित् न चात्मग्रहणे युक्तो नावमानी न चाक्रियः
M. N. Dutt: He never, out of selfishness, fixes his mind on anything. Without being engaged in the acquisition of wealth, he abstains also from disregarding or insulting others, but not from work.
ध्यानक्रियापरो युक्तो ध्यानवान्ध्याननिश्चयः ध्याने समाधिमुत्पाद्य तदपि त्यजति क्रमात्
M. N. Dutt: The work in which he is engaged is that of meditation; he is devoted to meditation, and seeks meditation. By meditation he acquires concentered contemplation, and then gradually leaves off meditation itself.
स वै तस्यामवस्थायां सर्वत्यागकृतः सुखी निरीहस्त्यजति प्राणान्ब्राह्मीं संश्रयते तनुम्
M. N. Dutt: He enjoys, in that state, the happiness which follows Renunciation. Having thoroughly controlled his desires, he casts off his life-breaths and merges into the Brahmic body.
Supplementary Passages:
12.189.19 After 19, Kumbh. ed. ins.: *516 निरालम्बो भवेत्स्मृत्वा मरणाय समाधिमान् सर्वाँल्लोकान्समाक्रम्य क्रमात्प्राप्नोति वै परम्
अथ वा नेच्छते तत्र ब्रह्मकायनिषेवणम् उत्क्रामति च मार्गस्थो नैव क्वचन जायते
M. N. Dutt: Or, if he does not desire to merge into the Brahmic body, he at once goes upwards into the region of Brahma and is never born again.
आत्मबुद्धिं समास्थाय शान्तीभूतो निरामयः अमृतं विरजःशुद्धमात्मानं प्रतिपद्यते
M. N. Dutt: Having become tranquillity's self, and being freed from all sorts of calamity, such a person, by depending upon his own intelligence, attains to that Soul which is pure and immortal and which is without a stain.'