Critical Edition
ब्रह्मोवाच हन्त वः संप्रवक्ष्यामि यन्मां पृच्छथ सत्तमाः समस्तमिह तच्छ्रुत्वा सम्यगेवावधार्यताम्
AI Translation: Brahma said: I shall tell you what you are asking me, O best of men. Having heard it all here, understand it properly.
Supplementary Passages:
14.49.1 After 1b, B3.5 Dc1 D2-6 ins.: *87 गुरुणा शिष्यमासाद्य यदुक्तं तन्निबोधत
अहिंसा सर्वभूतानामेतत्कृत्यतमं मतम् एतत्पदमनुद्विग्नं वरिष्ठं धर्मलक्षणम्
AI Translation: Non-violence towards all beings is considered to be the most important duty. This is the state of mind that is free from anxiety, the supreme characteristic of Dharma.
ज्ञानं निःश्रेय इत्याहुर्वृद्धा निश्चयदर्शिनः तस्माज्ज्ञानेन शुद्धेन मुच्यते सर्वपातकैः
AI Translation: The elders who see the truth say that knowledge is the highest good. Therefore, by pure knowledge one is freed from all sins.
हिंसापराश्च ये लोके ये च नास्तिकवृत्तयः लोभमोहसमायुक्तास्ते वै निरयगामिनः
AI Translation: Those who are violent and those who are of non-believing conduct, those who are full of greed and delusion, they go to hell.
आशीर्युक्तानि कर्माणि कुर्वते ये त्वतन्द्रिताः तेऽस्मिँल्लोके प्रमोदन्ते जायमानाः पुनः पुनः
AI Translation: Those who perform their duties with devotion and without laziness, they rejoice in this world, being born again and again.
कुर्वते ये तु कर्माणि श्रद्दधाना विपश्चितः अनाशीर्योगसंयुक्तास्ते धीराः साधुदर्शिनः
AI Translation: Those who perform actions with faith and wisdom, united with the yoga of non-aspiration, they are the wise, the well-seeing.
अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि सत्त्वक्षेत्रज्ञयोर्यथा संयोगो विप्रयोगश्च तन्निबोधत सत्तमाः
M. N. Dutt: I shall, after this. describe how the association and the disassociation takes place of Soul and Nature. You best of men, listen. The relation here is said to be that betwcen the object and the subject.
विषयो विषयित्वं च संबन्धोऽयमिहोच्यते विषयी पुरुषो नित्यं सत्त्वं च विषयः स्मृतः
AI Translation: Here, the object and the subjectivity are said to be the relation. The objector is the eternal Purusha, and the object is said to be sattva.
व्याख्यातं पूर्वकल्पेन मशकोदुम्बरं यथा भुज्यमानं न जानीते नित्यं सत्त्वमचेतनम् यस्त्वेव तु विजानीते यो भुङ्क्ते यश्च भुज्यते
M. N. Dutt: Purusha is always the subject; and Nature the object. It has been explained, by what has been said in a previous part of the discourse where it has been pointed out, that they exist after the manner of the gnat and the Udumbara,
अनित्यं द्वंद्वसंयुक्तं सत्त्वमाहुर्गुणात्मकम् निर्द्वंद्वो निष्कलो नित्यः क्षेत्रज्ञो निर्गुणात्मकः
M. N. Dutt: An object of enjoyment as it is, Nature is unintelligent and knows nothing. He, however, who enjoys it, is said to know it, Soul being enjoyer, Nature is enjoyed.
समः संज्ञागतस्त्वेवं यदा सर्वत्र दृश्यते उपभुङ्क्ते सदा सत्त्वमापः पुष्करपर्णवत्
M. N. Dutt: The wise have said that Nature is always made up of pairs of opposites. Soul is, on the other hand, destitute of pairs of opposites, devoid of parts, eternal, and free, about its essence, from qualities.
सर्वैरपि गुणैर्विद्वान्व्यतिषक्तो न लिप्यते जलबिन्दुर्यथा लोलः पद्मिनीपत्रसंस्थितः एवमेवाप्यसंसक्तः पुरुषः स्यान्न संशयः
M. N. Dutt: He lives in everything alike, and walks with knowledge. He always enjoys Nature as a lotus leaf (enjoys) water.
द्रव्यमात्रमभूत्सत्त्वं पुरुषस्येति निश्चयः यथा द्रव्यं च कर्ता च संयोगोऽप्यनयोस्तथा
AI Translation: It is certain that the substance alone is the existence of the Self. Just as the substance and the agent, so also is the conjunction of these two.
यथा प्रदीपमादाय कश्चित्तमसि गच्छति तथा सत्त्वप्रदीपेन गच्छन्ति परमैषिणः
AI Translation: Just as someone carrying a lamp goes into the darkness, so those seeking the supreme go with the lamp of beings.
यावद्द्रव्यगुणस्तावत्प्रदीपः संप्रकाशते क्षीणद्रव्यगुणं ज्योतिरन्तर्धानाय गच्छति
AI Translation: As long as there is substance and quality, the lamp shines. The light that has exhausted substance and quality goes to disappearance.
व्यक्तः सत्त्वगुणस्त्वेवं पुरुषोऽव्यक्त इष्यते एतद्विप्रा विजानीत हन्त भूयो ब्रवीमि वः
AI Translation: The manifest is the quality of goodness. The Purusha is held to be the unmanifest. Know this, O Brahmanas. I shall tell you more.
सहस्रेणापि दुर्मेधा न वृद्धिमधिगच्छति चतुर्थेनाप्यथांशेन बुद्धिमान्सुखमेधते
AI Translation: Even with a thousand, the unwise do not attain growth. Even with a fourth part, the wise attain happiness.
Supplementary Passages:
14.49.17 After 17b, M3.4 (inf. lin.) ins.: *88 तत्पदं समनुप्राप्तं यत्र गत्वा न शोचति त्वमप्येतन्महाभाग यथोक्तं ब्रह्मवर्चसा व्यक्तः सत्त्वगुणस्त्वेवं बुद्धिमान्सुखमेधते
एवं धर्मस्य विज्ञेयं संसाधनमुपायतः उपायज्ञो हि मेधावी सुखमत्यन्तमश्नुते
M. N. Dutt: One, however, who is gifted with intelligence succeeds in acquiring happiness, through only a fourth share (c: explanations). Thus should the accomplishment of duty be understood as dependent on means. For the intelligent man, having knowledge of means, succeeds in acquiring supreme happiness.
यथाध्वानमपाथेयः प्रपन्नो मानवः क्वचित् क्लेशेन याति महता विनश्यत्यन्तरापि वा
M. N. Dutt: As some man travelling along a road without provisions of his journey, proceeds with great uneasiness and may even meet with destruction before he reaches the end of his journey, so should it be known that in deeds there may or may not be fruits.
तथा कर्मसु विज्ञेयं फलं भवति वा न वा पुरुषस्यात्मनिःश्रेयः शुभाशुभनिदर्शनम्
AI Translation: Thus, the result of actions should be known as either existent or non-existent. The welfare of the Self of a person is the manifestation of good and bad.
यथा च दीर्घमध्वानं पद्भ्यामेव प्रपद्यते अदृष्टपूर्वं सहसा तत्त्वदर्शनवर्जितः
AI Translation: Just as one travels a long distance on foot, Suddenly seeing something unseen before, without the ability to see it clearly,
तमेव च यथाध्वानं रथेनेहाशुगामिना यायादश्वप्रयुक्तेन तथा बुद्धिमतां गतिः
AI Translation: And just as one would travel quickly by chariot drawn by horses, so is the progress of the wise.
उच्चं पर्वतमारुह्य नान्ववेक्षेत भूगतम् रथेन रथिनं पश्येत्क्लिश्यमानमचेतनम्
AI Translation: Having climbed a high mountain, one should not look down on one who is on the ground. One should see a chariot-warrior in a chariot, suffering, unconscious.
यावद्रथपथस्तावद्रथेन स तु गच्छति क्षीणे रथपथे प्राज्ञो रथमुत्सृज्य गच्छति
AI Translation: As far as the road goes, he goes by chariot. When the road is exhausted, the wise one abandons the chariot and goes.
एवं गच्छति मेधावी तत्त्वयोगविधानवित् समाज्ञाय महाबुद्धिरुत्तरादुत्तरोत्तरम्
AI Translation: Thus the wise one, knowing the rules of true yoga, goes The very intelligent one, having understood, from the higher to the higher.
यथा महार्णवं घोरमप्लवः संप्रगाहते बाहुभ्यामेव संमोहाद्वधं चर्च्छत्यसंशयम्
AI Translation: Just as one who is not a swimmer enters the terrible ocean, and out of delusion, with his arms alone, certainly meets with death,
नावा चापि यथा प्राज्ञो विभागज्ञस्तरित्रया अक्लान्तः सलिलं गाहेत्क्षिप्रं संतरति ध्रुवम्
AI Translation: Just as a wise person who knows how to divide the water while crossing a river will not be tired and will quickly cross the water, so too, the wise person who knows the divisions of the Dharma
तीर्णो गच्छेत्परं पारं नावमुत्सृज्य निर्ममः व्याख्यातं पूर्वकल्पेन यथा रथिपदातिनौ
AI Translation: Having crossed, one should go to the other shore, abandoning the boat, free from ego. As explained in the previous chapter, like a chariot and a foot soldier.
स्नेहात्संमोहमापन्नो नावि दाशो यथा तथा ममत्वेनाभिभूतः स तत्रैव परिवर्तते
AI Translation: Like a fisherman who, out of affection, is overcome with delusion, He is overwhelmed by possessiveness and revolves right there.
नावं न शक्यमारुह्य स्थले विपरिवर्तितुम् तथैव रथमारुह्य नाप्सु चर्या विधीयते
AI Translation: It is not possible to climb onto a boat and then turn around on dry land. Similarly, having climbed onto a chariot, it is not possible to walk on water.
एवं कर्म कृतं चित्रं विषयस्थं पृथक्पृथक् यथा कर्म कृतं लोके तथा तदुपपद्यते
AI Translation: Thus, the various actions performed in the world, based on the objects, are distinct. Just as actions are performed in the world, so they come to fruition.
यन्नैव गन्धिनो रस्यं न रूपस्पर्शशब्दवत् मन्यन्ते मुनयो बुद्ध्या तत्प्रधानं प्रचक्षते
AI Translation: That which is not fragrant, not to be tasted, not of form, touch, or sound, The sages do not consider it with their intellect, they declare it to be the principal.
Supplementary Passages:
14.49.32 For 32abc, G3 subst.: *89 रसनं रूपसंस्पर्शं शब्दवन्मन्यते मनः यत्परश्च ततो बुद्ध्या
तत्र प्रधानमव्यक्तमव्यक्तस्य गुणो महान् महतः प्रधानभूतस्य गुणोऽहंकार एव च
AI Translation: There, the principal one is the unmanifest, and the quality of the unmanifest is Mahat. And the quality of Mahat, which is the principal one, is the ego.
अहंकारप्रधानस्य महाभूतकृतो गुणः पृथक्त्वेन हि भूतानां विषया वै गुणाः स्मृताः
AI Translation: The quality of the great elements is the principal ego. The qualities of the elements are remembered as the objects of the individual elements.
बीजधर्मं यथाव्यक्तं तथैव प्रसवात्मकम् बीजधर्मा महानात्मा प्रसवश्चेति नः श्रुतम्
AI Translation: The seed-nature is unmanifest, and so is the self-manifesting. We have heard that the seed-nature is the great self and the self-manifesting.
बीजधर्मा त्वहंकारः प्रसवश्च पुनः पुनः बीजप्रसवधर्माणि महाभूतानि पञ्च वै
AI Translation: The seed-like quality is the ego, and the repeated birth. The five great elements have the qualities of seed and birth.
बीजधर्मिण इत्याहुः प्रसवं च न कुर्वते विशेषाः पञ्चभूतानां तेषां वित्तं विशेषणम्
AI Translation: They are called the seed-possessors, and they do not produce. The five elements have five distinctions, and their knowledge is the distinction.
तत्रैकगुणमाकाशं द्विगुणो वायुरुच्यते त्रिगुणं ज्योतिरित्याहुरापश्चापि चतुर्गुणाः
AI Translation: There, space is of one quality, wind is said to be of two qualities, Fire is said to be of three qualities, and water is also of four qualities.
पृथ्वी पञ्चगुणा ज्ञेया त्रसस्थावरसंकुला सर्वभूतकरी देवी शुभाशुभनिदर्शना
AI Translation: The earth is to be known as having five qualities, full of the immobile and the mobile, The goddess who creates all beings, showing the auspicious and inauspicious.
शब्दः स्पर्शस्तथा रूपं रसो गन्धश्च पञ्चमः एते पञ्च गुणा भूमेर्विज्ञेया द्विजसत्तमाः
AI Translation: Sound, touch, form, taste, and smell are the five. These five qualities are to be known as belonging to earth, O best of Brahmins.
पार्थिवश्च सदा गन्धो गन्धश्च बहुधा स्मृतः तस्य गन्धस्य वक्ष्यामि विस्तरेण बहून्गुणान्
AI Translation: The earth is always fragrant, and fragrance is said to be of many kinds. I shall describe in detail the many qualities of that fragrance.
इष्टश्चानिष्टगन्धश्च मधुरोऽम्लः कटुस्तथा निर्हारी संहतः स्निग्धो रूक्षो विशद एव च एवं दशविधो ज्ञेयः पार्थिवो गन्ध इत्युत
M. N. Dutt: I shall describe at length the numerous qualities of smell. Smell is agreeable or disagreeable, sweet, sour, pungent, diffusive and compact, oily and dry, and clear. Thus smell, which belongs to the earth, should be known as of ten sorts.
शब्दः स्पर्शस्तथा रूपं रसश्चापां गुणाः स्मृताः रसज्ञानं तु वक्ष्यामि रसस्तु बहुधा स्मृतः
M. N. Dutt: Sound, touch, colour, and taste have been said to be the qualities of water. I shall now speak or the qualities of Taste. Taste has been said to be of various kinds.
मधुरोऽम्लः कटुस्तिक्तः कषायो लवणस्तथा एवं षड्विधविस्तारो रसो वारिमयः स्मृतः
M. N. Dutt: Sweet, sour, pungent, bitter, astringent, and saline likewise. Taste, which has been said to Belong to water, is thus of six varieties.
शब्दः स्पर्शस्तथा रूपं त्रिगुणं ज्योतिरुच्यते ज्योतिषश्च गुणो रूपं रूपं च बहुधा स्मृतम्
M. N. Dutt: Sound, touch, and colour, these are the three qualities of light. Colour is the quality of light, and colour is said to be of various sorts.
शुक्लं कृष्णं तथा रक्तं नीलं पीतारुणं तथा ह्रस्वं दीर्घं तथा स्थूलं चतुरस्राणु वृत्तकम्
AI Translation: White, black, red, blue, yellow, and reddish-brown, Short, long, and thick, square, small, and round.
एवं द्वादशविस्तारं तेजसो रूपमुच्यते विज्ञेयं ब्राह्मणैर्नित्यं धर्मज्ञैः सत्यवादिभिः
AI Translation: Thus the form of the fire is said to be twelvefold. It should always be known by the Brahmins, who are wise in the law and truthful.
शब्दस्पर्शौ च विज्ञेयौ द्विगुणो वायुरुच्यते वायोश्चापि गुणः स्पर्शः स्पर्शश्च बहुधा स्मृतः
M. N. Dutt: Sound and touch should be known as the two qualities of wind. Touch has been said to be of various sorts.
उष्णः शीतः सुखो दुःखः स्निग्धो विशद एव च कठिनश्चिक्कणः श्लक्ष्णः पिच्छिलो दारुणो मृदुः
AI Translation: Hot, cold, pleasant, painful, glossy, clear, Hard, slimy, smooth, sticky, terrible, soft,
एवं द्वादशविस्तारो वायव्यो गुण उच्यते विधिवद्ब्रह्मणैः सिद्धैर्धर्मज्ञैस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः
AI Translation: Thus the Vayu quality is said to be twelvefold. By the Brahmins who have attained perfection, who know Dharma, who see the truth,
तत्रैकगुणमाकाशं शब्द इत्येव च स्मृतः तस्य शब्दस्य वक्ष्यामि विस्तरेण बहून्गुणान्
M. N. Dutt: Now, space has only one quality, and that is said to be sound. I shall speak at length of the numerous qualities of sound.
षड्जर्षभौ च गान्धारो मध्यमः पञ्चमस्तथा अतः परं तु विज्ञेयो निषादो धैवतस्तथा
M. N. Dutt: Shadaja, Rishabha, together with Gandhara, Madhyama, and likewise Panchama; after this should be known Nishada, and then Daivata, besides these, there are agreeable sounds and disagreeable sounds compact, and of many ingredients.
इष्टोऽनिष्टश्च शब्दस्तु संहतः प्रविभागवान् एवं बहुविधो ज्ञेयः शब्द आकाशसंभवः
AI Translation: Sound is desired and undesired, composed and divided. Thus, sound is to be known as of many kinds, arising from space.
आकाशमुत्तमं भूतमहंकारस्ततः परम् अहंकारात्परा बुद्धिर्बुद्धेरात्मा ततः परः
AI Translation: The supreme element is space, then ego, then from ego, supreme intellect, then from intellect, the Self.
तस्मात्तु परमव्यक्तमव्यक्तात्पुरुषः परः परावरज्ञो भूतानां यं प्राप्यानन्त्यमश्नुते
AI Translation: From that, the supreme unmanifest, from the unmanifest, the Purusha is supreme. The knower of the supreme and the inferior of beings, having attained whom, one attains infinity.
Supplementary Passages:
14.49.55 After 55, K5 B D (except D1) ins.: *90 सर्वभूतात्मभूतात्मा गच्छत्यात्मानमक्षरम्