Critical Edition
शुक उवाच क्षरात्प्रभृति यः सर्गः सगुणानीन्द्रियाणि च बुद्ध्यैश्वर्याभिसर्गार्थं यद्ध्यानं चात्मनः शुभम्
M. N. Dutt: Shuka said I have now understood that there are two kinds of creation, viz., one universal emanating from the (universal) Soul. The other consisting of the senses with their objects, originates from the power of the Understanding. This last transcends the other and is considered to be the foremost.
भूय एव तु लोकेऽस्मिन्सद्वृत्तिं वृत्तिहैतुकीम् यया सन्तः प्रवर्तन्ते तदिच्छाम्यनुवर्णितम्
M. N. Dutt: I wish however, to once more hear of that path of righteousness which runs in this world, regulated by the virtue of Time and according to which all good men form their conduct.
वेदे वचनमुक्तं तु कुरु कर्म त्यजेति च कथमेतद्विजानीयां तच्च व्याख्यातुमर्हसि
M. N. Dutt: In the Vedas there are both kinds of saying, do acts and avoid acts. How shall I succeed in determining which of the two is right? You should explain this clearly.
लोकवृत्तान्ततत्त्वज्ञः पूतोऽहं गुरुशासनात् कृत्वा बुद्धिं वियुक्तात्मा त्यक्ष्याम्यात्मानमव्यथः
M. N. Dutt: Having acquired through your 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 renouncing my body, see the indestructible Soul.
व्यास उवाच यैषा वै विहिता वृत्तिः पुरस्ताद्ब्रह्मणा स्वयम् एषा पूर्वतरैः सद्भिराचीर्णा परमर्षिभिः
M. N. Dutt: The course of conduct that was fist laid down by Brahman himself was duly followed by the wise and pious persons of yore viz., the great Rishis of ancient times.
ब्रह्मचर्येण वै लोकाञ्जयन्ति परमर्षयः आत्मनश्च हृदि श्रेयस्त्वन्विच्छ मनसात्मनि
AI Translation: By celibacy the great sages conquer the worlds. And seek the good in the heart and in the mind.
वने मूलफलाशी च तप्यन्सुविपुलं तपः पुण्यायतनचारी च भूतानामविहिंसकः
AI Translation: Eating roots and fruits in the forest, practicing intense austerities, Wandering to sacred places, not harming beings,
विधूमे सन्नमुसले वानप्रस्थप्रतिश्रये काले प्राप्ते चरन्भैक्षं कल्पते ब्रह्मभूयसे
AI Translation: In a place without smoke, without a pestle, in a hermitage, When the time comes, wandering for alms, one becomes fit for the state of Brahman.
निःस्तुतिर्निर्नमस्कारः परित्यज्य शुभाशुभे अरण्ये विचरैकाकी येन केनचिदाशितः
M. N. Dutt: Abstaining from flattery and from bowing your head to others, and avoiding both good and evil, live in the forest alone appeasing hunger by any means that presents itself before you.
शुक उवाच यदिदं वेदवचनं लोकवादे विरुध्यते प्रमाणे चाप्रमाणे च विरुद्धे शास्त्रता कुतः
M. N. Dutt: The saying of the Vedas are, in the opinion of the ordinary person, contradictory. Whether on severe ! this is authoritative or that is so, when there is this conflict, how can they be considered to be spiritual.
इत्येतच्छ्रोतुमिच्छामि भगवान्प्रब्रवीतु मे कर्मणामविरोधेन कथमेतत्प्रवर्तते
M. N. Dutt: I wish to hear this; how can both be considered as authoritative. How indeed, can liberation be obtained without violating the ordinance regarding the obligatory character of acts.
भीष्म उवाच इत्युक्तः प्रत्युवाचेदं गन्धवत्याः सुतः सुतम् ऋषिस्तत्पूजयन्वाक्यं पुत्रस्यामिततेजसः
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said Thus addressed the son of Gandhavati, viz., the Rishi, praising these words of his highly energetic son, replied to him as follows.
गृहस्थो ब्रह्मचारी च वानप्रस्थोऽथ भिक्षुकः यथोक्तकारिणः सर्वे गच्छन्ति परमां गतिम्
M. N. Dutt: Vyasa said One who is a Brahmacharin, one who lives like a house-holder, one who is a herinit and one who lives like a mendicant, all reach the same high end by duly satisfying the duties of their respective modes of life.
एको य आश्रमानेताननुतिष्ठेद्यथाविधि अकामद्वेषसंयुक्तः स परत्र महीयते
M. N. Dutt: Or if one, and the same person, shorn of desire and aversion, follows (one after another) all these four modes of life according to the ordinances that have been laid down, he is certainly gratified (by such conduct) to understand Brahma.
चतुष्पदी हि निःश्रेणी ब्रह्मण्येषा प्रतिष्ठिता एतामाश्रित्य निःश्रेणीं ब्रह्मलोके महीयते
M. N. Dutt: The four modes of life form a ladder or flight of steps. That fight attaches to Brahma. By ascending that flight one reaches the region of Brahma.
आयुषस्तु चतुर्भागं ब्रह्मचार्यनसूयकः गुरौ वा गुरुपुत्रे वा वसेद्धर्मार्थकोविदः
M. N. Dutt: For following the fourth mode of life the Brahmacharya, conversant with the distinctions of duty and shorn of malice, should live with the preceptor or his preceptor's son.
कर्मातिरेकेण गुरोरध्येतव्यं बुभूषता दक्षिणो नापवादी स्यादाहूतो गुरुमाश्रयेत्
M. N. Dutt: Having performed all acts, he should study, sitting at the feet of his preceptor, with anxious desire to learn. He should always behave with simplicity, avoid evil speech, and take lessons only when his preceptor asks him for it.
जघन्यशायी पूर्वं स्यादुत्थायी गुरुवेश्मनि यच्च शिष्येण कर्तव्यं कार्यं दासेन वा पुनः
AI Translation: The pupil should sleep in the lowest place, and rise before the teacher. What is to be done by the pupil, or by the servant,
कृतमित्येव तत्सर्वं कृत्वा तिष्ठेत पार्श्वतः किंकरः सर्वकारी च सर्वकर्मसु कोविदः
AI Translation: Having done all that, he should stand by, saying, "It is done." A servant, a doer of all, skilled in all tasks,
शुचिर्दक्षो गुणोपेतो ब्रूयादिषुरिवात्वरः चक्षुषा गुरुमव्यग्रो निरीक्षेत जितेन्द्रियः
M. N. Dutt: Becoming pure in body and mind, and acquiring cleverness and other virtues he should now and then speak what is pleasant, Controlling his senses he should look at his preceptor without curiosity.
नाभुक्तवति चाश्नीयादपीतवति नो पिबेत् न तिष्ठति तथासीत नासुप्ते प्रस्वपेत च
M. N. Dutt: He should never eat before his preceptor has eaten; never drink before his preceptor has drunk; never sit down before is preceptor has sat down; and never go to bed before his preceptor has gone.
उत्तानाभ्यां च पाणिभ्यां पादावस्य मृदु स्पृशेत् दक्षिणं दक्षिणेनैव सव्यं सव्येन पीडयेत्
M. N. Dutt: He should gently touch his preceptor's feet with palms, the right foot with the right hand and the left foot with the left.
अभिवाद्य गुरुं ब्रूयादधीष्व भगवन्निति इदं करिष्ये भगवन्निदं चापि कृतं मया
M. N. Dutt: Reverentially saluting the preceptor, he should say to him:-O illustrious one, teach me! I shall do this, O illustrious one! This ] have already done, O twice born one. I am ready to do whatever else your reverend self may be pleased to command.
Supplementary Passages:
12.234.23 After 23, K4.6 V1 B0.6-9 Da3.a4 Dn1.n4 Ds D2.3.5.8 Kumbh. ed. ins.: *684 ब्रह्मंस्तदपि कर्तास्मि यद्भवान्वक्ष्यते पुनः
इति सर्वमनुज्ञाप्य निवेद्य गुरवे धनम् कुर्यात्कृत्वा च तत्सर्वमाख्येयं गुरवे पुनः
M. N. Dutt: Having said all this, and having duły offered himself (thus), he should perform whatever acts of his preceptor wait for doing and having completed them inform the preceptor once more that they have been done.
यांस्तु गन्धान्रसान्वापि ब्रह्मचारी न सेवते सेवेत तान्समावृत्त इति धर्मेषु निश्चयः
M. N. Dutt: What scents or tastes the Brahmacharin may abstain from while actually leading a life of celebacy may be used by him after his return from the preceptor's house. This is according to the ordinance.
ये केचिद्विस्तरेणोक्ता नियमा ब्रह्मचारिणः तान्सर्वाननुगृह्णीयाद्भवेच्चानपगो गुरोः
M. N. Dutt: Whatever observances have been laid down in full for Brahmacharins should all be regularly practised by him. He should all be regularly practised by him. He should be always at the beck and call of his preceptor.
स एवं गुरवे प्रीतिमुपहृत्य यथाबलम् आश्रमेष्वाश्रमेष्वेवं शिष्यो वर्तेत कर्मणा
M. N. Dutt: Having pleased his preceptor in this way to the best of his powers, the disciple should, from that mode of life, enter into the others and practise the duties of each.
वेदव्रतोपवासेन चतुर्थे चायुषो गते गुरवे दक्षिणां दत्त्वा समावर्तेद्यथाविधि
M. N. Dutt: Having (thus) spent a fourth part of his life in the study of the Vedas, and observance of vows and fasts, and given the preceptor his fee, the disciple should, according to the ordinance, bidadicu and return home for becoming a house-holder.
धर्मलब्धैर्युतो दारैरग्नीनुत्पाद्य धर्मतः द्वितीयमायुषो भागं गृहमेधिव्रती भवेत्
M. N. Dutt: Then, having married according to the ordinances, and having carefully established the domestic fire, he should, observing all the Vows and fasts, become a house-holder and pass the second period of life. the disciple should, according to the ordinance, bidadicu and return home for becoming a house-holder.