Critical Edition
ब्रह्मोवाच केचिद्ब्रह्ममयं वृक्षं केचिद्ब्रह्ममयं महत् केचित्पुरुषमव्यक्तं केचित्परमनामयम् मन्यन्ते सर्वमप्येतदव्यक्तप्रभवाव्ययम्
AI Translation: Brahma said: Some consider the tree to be Brahman, some consider the great to be Brahman, Some consider the unmanifest Purusha, some consider the supreme disease-free. They consider all this to be born from the unmanifest and to be imperishable.
उच्छ्वासमात्रमपि चेद्योऽन्तकाले समो भवेत् आत्मानमुपसंगम्य सोऽमृतत्वाय कल्पते
AI Translation: If at the time of death one is even-minded, even for the duration of a single breath, and one approaches the Self, one is fit for immortality.
निमेषमात्रमपि चेत्संयम्यात्मानमात्मनि गच्छत्यात्मप्रसादेन विदुषां प्राप्तिमव्ययाम्
AI Translation: If one restrains the self in the self even for a moment, one attains the state of the wise through the grace of the self, which is imperishable.
प्राणायामैरथ प्राणान्संयम्य स पुनः पुनः दशद्वादशभिर्वापि चतुर्विंशात्परं ततः
AI Translation: Then, having again and again restrained the vital airs by means of the prāṇāyāmas, either by ten, twelve, or twenty-four, or beyond that,
एवं पूर्वं प्रसन्नात्मा लभते यद्यदिच्छति अव्यक्तात्सत्त्वमुद्रिक्तममृतत्वाय कल्पते
M. N. Dutt: Thus having first acquired a tranquil soul, one attains to the fruition of all his desires. When the quality of Goodness predominates in what originates from the Unmanifest, it becomes fit for immortality. They who are conversant with Goodness speak highly of it, saying that there is nothing superior to Goodness.
सत्त्वात्परतरं नान्यत्प्रशंसन्तीह तद्विदः अनुमानाद्विजानीमः पुरुषं सत्त्वसंश्रयम् न शक्यमन्यथा गन्तुं पुरुषं तमथो द्विजाः
M. N. Dutt: By inference we know that the Purusha is dependent on Goodness. O best of twice-born ones, it is impossible to attain to Purusha by any other means.
क्षमा धृतिरहिंसा च समता सत्यमार्जवम् ज्ञानं त्यागोऽथ संन्यासः सात्त्विकं वृत्तमिष्यते
M. N. Dutt: Forgiveness, courage, abstention abstention from injury, equability, truth, sincerity, knowledge, gift, and renunciation, are said to be the marks of that course of conduct which arises out of Goodness.
एतेनैवानुमानेन मन्यन्तेऽथ मनीषिणः सत्त्वं च पुरुषश्चैकस्तत्र नास्ति विचारणा
M. N. Dutt: It is by this inference that the wise believe in the oneness of Purusha and Goodness. There is no doubt in this.
आहुरेके च विद्वांसो ये ज्ञाने सुप्रतिष्ठिताः क्षेत्रज्ञसत्त्वयोरैक्यमित्येतन्नोपपद्यते
M. N. Dutt: Some learned men that are devoted to knowledge hold that Kshetrajna and Nature are one. This, however, is not correct.
पृथग्भूतस्ततो नित्यमित्येतदविचारितम् पृथग्भावश्च विज्ञेयः सहजश्चापि तत्त्वतः
M. N. Dutt: If it said that Nature is different from Purusha, that also will indicate a want of consideration.
तथैवैकत्वनानात्वमिष्यते विदुषां नयः मशकोदुम्बरे त्वैक्यं पृथक्त्वमपि दृश्यते
M. N. Dutt: Distinction and association should be truly known. Unity and diversity are likewise laid down. That is the doctrine of the learned. Even both unity and diversity are seen in the gnat and Udumbara.
मत्स्यो यथान्यः स्यादप्सु संप्रयोगस्तथानयोः संबन्धस्तोयबिन्दूनां पर्णे कोकनदस्य च
M. N. Dutt: As a fish in water is different from it, so is the relation of the two (viz., Purusha and Nature). Indeed, their relation is like that of water drops on the leaf of the lotus,
गुरुरुवाच इत्युक्तवन्तं ते विप्रास्तदा लोकपितामहम् पुनः संशयमापन्नाः पप्रच्छुर्द्विजसत्तमाः
M. N. Dutt: The Preceptor said, Thus addressed, those learned Brahmanas, who were the foremost of men, felt some doubts and (therefore) they once questioned the Grandfather. more
ऋषय ऊचुः किं स्विदेवेह धर्माणामनुष्ठेयतमं स्मृतम् व्याहतामिव पश्यामो धर्मस्य विविधां गतिम्
M. N. Dutt: The Rishis said Which among the duties is considered to be the most worthy of being performed? The various modes of duty, we sec, are contradictory.
ऊर्ध्वं देहाद्वदन्त्येके नैतदस्तीति चापरे केचित्संशयितं सर्वं निःसंशयमथापरे
M. N. Dutt: Some say that it continues after the body is destroyed). Others say that it does not exist. Some say that everything is doubtful. Others have no doubts.
अनित्यं नित्यमित्येके नास्त्यस्तीत्यपि चापरे एकरूपं द्विधेत्येके व्यामिश्रमिति चापरे एकमेके पृथक्चान्ये बहुत्वमिति चापरे
M. N. Dutt: Some say that the eternal (principle) is not eternal. Some say that it exists, and some that it exists not. Some say it is of one form, or twofold, and others that it is mixed.
मन्यन्ते ब्राह्मणा एवं प्राज्ञास्तत्त्वार्थदर्शिनः जटाजिनधराश्चान्ये मुण्डाः केचिदसंवृताः
AI Translation: The wise Brahmins, who see the truth, think thus: Some wear matted locks and bark garments, others are shaven, some are naked,
अस्नानं केचिदिच्छन्ति स्नानमित्यपि चापरे आहारं केचिदिच्छन्ति केचिच्चानशने रताः
AI Translation: Some desire not to bathe, others desire to bathe, Some desire to eat, others are devoted to fasting,
कर्म केचित्प्रशंसन्ति प्रशान्तिमपि चापरे देशकालावुभौ केचिन्नैतदस्तीति चापरे केचिन्मोक्षं प्रशंसन्ति केचिद्भोगान्पृथग्विधान्
AI Translation: Some praise action, others peace, Some both time and place, others that neither exists. Some praise liberation, others various enjoyments,
धनानि केचिदिच्छन्ति निर्धनत्वं तथापरे उपास्यसाधनं त्वेके नैतदस्तीति चापरे
AI Translation: Some desire wealth, others poverty, Some worship the means, others say it does not exist.
अहिंसानिरताश्चान्ये केचिद्धिंसापरायणाः पुण्येन यशसेत्येके नैतदस्तीति चापरे
M. N. Dutt: Some are given to a life of abstention from injury. Others are inclined to destruction. Some are for merit and glory. Others say that this is not so.
सद्भावनिरताश्चान्ये केचित्संशयिते स्थिताः दुःखादन्ये सुखादन्ये ध्यानमित्यपरे स्थिताः
M. N. Dutt: Some are devoted to goodness. Others are established on doubt. Some are for pleasure. Some are for pain. Others people say that it is meditation.
यज्ञमित्यपरे धीराः प्रदानमिति चापरे सर्वमेके प्रशंसन्ति न सर्वमिति चापरे
M. N. Dutt: Other learned Brahmanas say that it is Sacrifice. Others, again, say that it is gift. Others speak highly of penances. Others, the study of the scriptures.
तपस्त्वन्ये प्रशंसन्ति स्वाध्यायमपरे जनाः ज्ञानं संन्यासमित्येके स्वभावं भूतचिन्तकाः
AI Translation: Some praise asceticism, others the study of the Vedas, Some knowledge, some renunciation, and some the nature of beings.
एवं व्युत्थापिते धर्मे बहुधा विप्रधावति निश्चयं नाधिगच्छामः संमूढाः सुरसत्तम
M. N. Dutt: O foremost of the celestials, duty being thus confused and full of contradictions of various kinds, we are deluded and unable to arrive at any conclusion.
इदं श्रेय इदं श्रेय इत्येवं प्रस्थितो जनः यो हि यस्मिन्रतो धर्मे स तं पूजयते सदा
M. N. Dutt: People stand up for acting, saying, This is good, This is good. He who follow a certain duty speaks highly of that duty as the best.
तत्र नो विहता प्रज्ञा मनश्च बहुलीकृतम् एतदाख्यातुमिच्छामः श्रेयः किमिति सत्तम
M. N. Dutt: Therefore our understanding breaks down and our mind is distracted. We, therefore, wish, O best of all beings, to know what is good.
अतः परं च यद्गुह्यं तद्भवान्वक्तुमर्हति सत्त्वक्षेत्रज्ञयोश्चैव संबन्धः केन हेतुना
M. N. Dutt: You should declare to us, after this, what is (so) mysterious, and what is the cause of the connection between the Soul and Nature.
एवमुक्तः स तैर्विप्रैर्भगवाँल्लोकभावनः तेभ्यः शशंस धर्मात्मा याथातथ्येन बुद्धिमान्
M. N. Dutt: Thus addressed by those learned Brahmanas, the illustrious creator of the worlds, endued with great intelligence and possessed of a righteous soul, described to them accurately what they asked.