Critical Edition
शुक उवाच यस्माद्धर्मात्परो धर्मो विद्यते नेह कश्चन यो विशिष्टश्च धर्मेभ्यस्तं भवान्प्रब्रवीतु मे
M. N. Dutt: Shuka said May your reverend self describe what is the foremost of all duties, indeed, of that duty then which no higher one exists in this world.
व्यास उवाच धर्मं ते संप्रवक्ष्यामि पुराणमृषिसंस्तुतम् विशिष्टं सर्वधर्मेभ्यस्तमिहैकमनाः शृणु
M. N. Dutt: Vyasa said I shall now describe to you duties having a very ancient origin and laid down by the Rishis, duties which are superior to all others. Listen to me with rapt attention.
इन्द्रियाणि प्रमाथीनि बुद्ध्या संयम्य यत्नतः सर्वतो निष्पतिष्णूनि पिता बालानिवात्मजान्
M. N. Dutt: The maddening senses should carefully be governed by the understanding like a father checking his own in experienced children liable to fall into various evil habits.
मनसश्चेन्द्रियाणां च ह्यैकाग्र्यं परमं तपः तज्ज्यायः सर्वधर्मेभ्यः स धर्मः पर उच्यते
M. N. Dutt: To withdraw the mind and the senses from all unworthy objects and their duc concentration (upon higher objects) is the highest penance. That is the highest of all duties. Indeed, that is said to be the highest duty.
तानि सर्वाणि संधाय मनःषष्ठानि मेधया आत्मतृप्त इवासीत बहु चिन्त्यमचिन्तयन्
M. N. Dutt: Directing, by the help of the understanding, the senses having the mind for their sixth, and without, thinking of worldly objects which create innumerablc kinds of thought, one should live contented with his own self.
गोचरेभ्यो निवृत्तानि यदा स्थास्यन्ति वेश्मनि तदा त्वमात्मनात्मानं परं द्रक्ष्यसि शाश्वतम्
M. N. Dutt: When withdrawn from the fields where they generally run loose, senses and the mind return for living in their proper abode, it is then that you will see in your own self the Eternal and Supreme Soul.
सर्वात्मानं महात्मानं विधूममिव पावकम् तं पश्यन्ति महात्मानो ब्राह्मणा ये मनीषिणः
M. N. Dutt: Those great Brahmanas who are endud with wisdom succeed in seeing that Supreme and Universal Soul which resembles a blazing fire in effulgence.
यथा पुष्पफलोपेतो बहुशाखो महाद्रुमः आत्मनो नाभिजानीते क्व मे पुष्पं क्व मे फलम्
AI Translation: Just as a great tree with many branches and full of flowers and fruits does not know itself, “Where are my flowers? Where are my fruits?”
एवमात्मा न जानीते क्व गमिष्ये कुतो न्वहम् अन्यो ह्यत्रान्तरात्मास्ति यः सर्वमनुपश्यति
AI Translation: Thus the self does not know where it will go or where it has come from. For there is another inner self here, who sees everything.
ज्ञानदीपेन दीप्तेन पश्यत्यात्मानमात्मना दृष्ट्वा त्वमात्मनात्मानं निरात्मा भव सर्ववित्
M. N. Dutt: One sees the Soul with the help of the lamp of knowledge. Seeing, therefore, yourself with you ownself, cease to regard your body as yourself and acquire omniscience.
विमुक्तः सर्वपापेभ्यो मुक्तत्वच इवोरगः परां बुद्धिमवाप्येह विपाप्मा विगतज्वरः
M. N. Dutt: Purged of all sins, like a snake that has cast off its slough, one acquires high intelligence here and becomes free from every anxiety and the obligation of acquiring a new body.
सर्वतःस्रोतसं घोरां नदीं लोकप्रवाहिनीम् पञ्चेन्द्रियग्राहवतीं मनःसंकल्परोधसम्
M. N. Dutt: Having its current spread in various directions, dreadful is this river of life carrying the world onward in its course. The five senses are its crocodiles. The mind and its objects are the shores.
लोभमोहतृणच्छन्नां कामक्रोधसरीसृपाम् सत्यतीर्थानृतक्षोभां क्रोधपङ्कां सरिद्वराम्
M. N. Dutt: Cupidity and bewilderment of judgement are the grass and straw and anger are the dreadful reptiles which live in it. Truth forms the landing stage by its miry banks. Falsehood forms its surges, and anger its mire.
अव्यक्तप्रभवां शीघ्रां दुस्तरामकृतात्मभिः प्रतरस्व नदीं बुद्ध्या कामग्राहसमाकुलाम्
M. N. Dutt: Originating from the Unmanifest, rapid is its current, and incapable of being crossed by persons of impure souls. Do you, with the help of the understanding, cross that river having desires for its alligators.
संसारसागरगमां योनिपातालदुस्तराम् आत्मजन्मोद्भवां तात जिह्वावर्तां दुरासदाम्
M. N. Dutt: The worldly concerns form the ocean towards which that river runs. Genus and species form its unfathomable depth that none can understand. One's birth, O child, is the source from which that stream originates. Speech forms its eddies.
यां तरन्ति कृतप्रज्ञा धृतिमन्तो मनीषिणः तां तीर्णः सर्वतोमुक्तो विपूतात्मात्मविच्छुचिः
M. N. Dutt: Only men endued with learning wisdom, and understanding succeed in crossing it which is so difficult to cross. Crossing it, you will free yourself from every attachment, acquiring a tranquil heart, knowing the Soul, and becoming pure in every way.
उत्तमां बुद्धिमास्थाय ब्रह्मभूयं गमिष्यसि संतीर्णः सर्वसंक्लेशान्प्रसन्नात्मा विकल्मषः
AI Translation: Having attained the highest wisdom, you will attain the state of Brahman. Having crossed over all defilements, with a pure mind and free from sin,
भूमिष्ठानीव भूतानि पर्वतस्थो निशामय अक्रुध्यन्नप्रहृष्यंश्च ननृशंसमतिस्तथा ततो द्रक्ष्यसि भूतानां सर्वेषां प्रभवाप्ययौ
AI Translation: As if the beings were on the ground, listen while standing on a mountain. Not angry, not delighted, and not cruel-minded. Then you will see the origin and destruction of all
एवं वै सर्वधर्मेभ्यो विशिष्टं मेनिरे बुधाः धर्मं धर्मभृतां श्रेष्ठ मुनयस्तत्त्वदर्शिनः
M. N. Dutt: Wise men consider such an act to be the foremost of all things. Indeed, this act of crossing the river of life is considered by the foremost of pious persons, by ascetics conversant with the truth, to be the greatest of all acts that one can perform.
आत्मनोऽव्ययिनो ज्ञात्वा इदं पुत्रानुशासनम् प्रयताय प्रवक्तव्यं हितायानुगताय च
M. N. Dutt: This knowledge of the all-pervading Soul should be delivered to one's son. It should be inculcated upto one who is of controlled Senses, who is honest in conduct, and. that is docile or submissive.
आत्मज्ञानमिदं गुह्यं सर्वगुह्यतमं महत् अब्रुवं यदहं तात आत्मसाक्षिकमञ्जसा
M. N. Dutt: This knowledge of Soul, which I have just explained to you, O child, and the evidence of whose truth is supplied by the Soul itself, is, indeed, the greatest of all mysteries, and the very highest knowledge which one can acquire.
नैव स्त्री न पुमानेतन्नैव चेदं नपुंसकम् अदुःखमसुखं ब्रह्म भूतभव्यभवात्मकम्
M. N. Dutt: Brahma has no sex,-inale, a female, or neuter. It is neither sorrow nor happiness. Its essence the past, the future, and the present.
नैतज्ज्ञात्वा पुमान्स्त्री वा पुनर्भवमवाप्नुयात् अभवप्रतिपत्त्यर्थमेतद्वर्त्म विधीयते
M. N. Dutt: Whatever the sex may be, male or female, the person who acquires the knowledge of Brahma hath never to go through re-births. This duty (of Yoga) has been described for acquiring Liberation from re-birth.
यथा मतानि सर्वाणि न चैतानि यथा तथा कथितानि मया पुत्र भवन्ति न भवन्ति च
M. N. Dutt: These words which I have used for answering your question lead to Liberation in the same way as the various other opinions held by various other sages who have described this subject. I have explained the subject to you in the manner in which it should be explained. Those opinions sometimes yield fruit and sometimes not.
तत्प्रीतियुक्तेन गुणान्वितेन; पुत्रेण सत्पुत्रगुणान्वितेन पृष्टो हीदं प्रीतिमता हितार्थं; ब्रूयात्सुतस्येह यदुक्तमेतत्
M. N. Dutt: Therefore, good child, when asked by a contented, meritorious, and self-controlled son or disciple, a preceptor should, with a delighted hcart, explain, according to their true import, these instructions which I have delivered for your benefit my son.