Critical Edition
वैशंपायन उवाच ततो राजा धृतराष्ट्रो मनीषी; संपूज्य वाक्यं विदुरेरितं तत् सनत्सुजातं रहिते महात्मा; पप्रच्छ बुद्धिं परमां बुभूषन्
M. N. Dutt: Vaishampayana said Then the high-souled and wise king Dhritarashtra, after having supported the speech made by Vidura, questioned SanatSujata in private, desirous of obtaining the highest knowledge.
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच सनत्सुजात यदीदं शृणोमि; मृत्युर्हि नास्तीति तवोपदेशम् देवासुरा ह्याचरन्ब्रह्मचर्य;ममृत्यवे तत्कतरन्नु सत्यम्
M. N. Dutt: Dhritarashtra said O Sanat-Sujata, I hear that in your opinion, death does not exist. The gods and the Asura however practiced austere asceticism for the sake of immortality, Wish of these is true?
सनत्सुजात उवाच अमृत्युः कर्मणा केचिन्मृत्युर्नास्तीति चापरे शृणु मे ब्रुवतो राजन्यथैतन्मा विशङ्किथाः
M. N. Dutt: Sanat-Sujata said You have asked how death is avoided by certain actions and how it does not exit at all. Listen to me, discoursing on this, and do not be moved by doubts for this (inconsistency).
उभे सत्ये क्षत्रियाद्यप्रवृत्ते; मोहो मृत्युः संमतो यः कवीनाम् प्रमादं वै मृत्युमहं ब्रवीमि; सदाप्रमादममृतत्वं ब्रवीमि
M. N. Dutt: Both of these (statements) are true; know what is the great death in the opinion of the wise. Ignorance is death. In the same way, I say that there is no death where there is no ignorance.
प्रमादाद्वै असुराः पराभव;न्नप्रमादाद्ब्रह्मभूता भवन्ति न वै मृत्युर्व्याघ्र इवात्ति जन्तू;न्न ह्यस्य रूपमुपलभ्यते ह
M. N. Dutt: From ignorance do the Asuras become subject (to death); and from the reverse of ignorance do they attain to the conditions of Brahma. Death does not destroy animals like a tiger; its shape cannot be known.
यमं त्वेके मृत्युमतोऽन्यमाहु;रात्मावसन्नममृतं ब्रह्मचर्यम् पितृलोके राज्यमनुशास्ति देवः; शिवः शिवानामशिवोऽशिवानाम्
M. N. Dutt: Current opinion is that Yama is one sort of Death; the wearing out of the soul is said to be another sort; the pursuit of Brahman or selfknowledge is immortality. The god (Yama) rules the region of the Pitris, conferring blessings on the honest and curses on the dishonest.
आस्यादेष निःसरते नराणां; क्रोधः प्रमादो मोहरूपश्च मृत्युः ते मोहितास्तद्वशे वर्तमाना; इतः प्रेतास्तत्र पुनः पतन्ति
AI Translation: From the mouth of men this comes forth: anger, carelessness, and death in the form of delusion. Deluded, under its control, from here the dead fall again there.
Supplementary Passages:
5.42.7 After 7ab, K1 (marg.).5 Dn Ds D2 (marg. sec. m.).3.4.8.10 T G ins.: *243 अहंगतेनैव चरन्विमार्गान् न चात्मनो योगमुपैति कश्चित्
ततस्तं देवा अनु विप्लवन्ते; अतो मृत्युर्मरणाख्यामुपैति कर्मोदये कर्मफलानुरागा;स्तत्रानु यान्ति न तरन्ति मृत्युम्
AI Translation: Then the gods follow him, and from that he goes to death, called death. When the fruits of action are desired, they follow there and do not cross death.
Supplementary Passages:
5.42.8 After 8, K1 (marg.).5 D (except D1.5.6.9; D7 om. lines 3-6) T G (except G3) ins.: *244 सदर्थयोगानवगमात्समन्तात् प्रवर्तते भोगयोगेन देही तद्वै महामोहनमिन्द्रियाणां मिथ्यार्थयोगस्य गतिर्हि नित्या मिथ्यार्थयोगाभिहतान्तरात्मा स्मरन्नुपास्ते विषयान्समन्तात्
योऽभिध्यायन्नुत्पतिष्णून्निहन्या;दनादरेणाप्रतिबुध्यमानः स वै मृत्युर्मृत्युरिवात्ति भूत्वा; एवं विद्वान्यो विनिहन्ति कामान्
M. N. Dutt: some cause He who has succeeded in controlling his soul, having an eye on himself kills (keeps away from) his soaring desires regarding them as not worth having by means of his selfknowledge. The (real) Death assuming the form of death (as known to the people in general) cannot destroy that learned man who controls his desires in this way.
कामानुसारी पुरुषः कामाननु विनश्यति कामान्व्युदस्य धुनुते यत्किंचित्पुरुषो रजः
M. N. Dutt: A man who follows his desires is destroyed soon after the desires (are destroyed). The man, however, who can control his desires can keep away from woes in whatever form they come.
तमोऽप्रकाशो भूतानां नरकोऽयं प्रदृश्यते गृह्यन्त इव धावन्ति गच्छन्तः श्वभ्रमुन्मुखाः
M. N. Dutt: Desire appears to be ignorance, darkness and hell of all creatures (for when they follow desire, they loose all control over their senses). Persons following desire run on like intoxicated men towards the drains and holes of this life.
अभिध्या वै प्रथमं हन्ति चैनं; कामक्रोधौ गृह्य चैनं तु पश्चात् एते बालान्मृत्यवे प्रापयन्ति; धीरास्तु धैर्येण तरन्ति मृत्युम्
AI Translation: Greed first kills him, and then desire and anger seize him. These lead the foolish to death; the wise cross death by means of their courage.
Supplementary Passages:
5.42.12 K4 B1-3 D3-6.8 ins. after 12: B4.5 Dn, after 11: *245 अमूढवृत्तेः पुरुषस्येह कुर्यात् किं वै मृत्युस्तार्ण इवास्य व्याघ्रः
अमन्यमानः क्षत्रिय किंचिदन्य;न्नाधीयते तार्ण इवास्य व्याघ्रः क्रोधाल्लोभान्मोहमयान्तरात्मा; स वै मृत्युस्त्वच्छरीरे य एषः
AI Translation: Not considering anything else, O Kshatriya, he does not study, like a tiger in a reed-bed. The self, full of anger, greed and delusion, is death in your
एवं मृत्युं जायमानं विदित्वा; ज्ञाने तिष्ठन्न बिभेतीह मृत्योः विनश्यते विषये तस्य मृत्यु;र्मृत्योर्यथा विषयं प्राप्य मर्त्यः
AI Translation: Knowing thus that death is born, he who abides in knowledge is not afraid of death here. Death is destroyed for him who has no objects, just as death is destroyed for a mortal who has attained the object of death.
Supplementary Passages:
5.42.14 After 14, K5 (om. lines 17-20) Dn Ds (om. lines 13-20) T G (G3 om. lines 1-8) ins.: *246 धृतराष्ट्र उवाच यानेवाहुरिज्यया साधुलोकान् द्विजातीनां पुण्यतमान्सनातनान् तेषां परार्थं कथयन्तीह वेदा एतद्विद्वान्नैति कथं नु कर्म सनत्सुजात उवाच एवं ह्यविद्वानुपयाति तत्र तथार्थजातं च वदन्ति वेदाः स नेह आयाति परं परात्मा प्रयाति मार्गेण निहत्य मार्गान् धृतराष्ट्र उवाच कोऽसौ नियुङ्क्ते तमजं पुराणं स चेदिदं सर्वमनुक्रमेण किं वास्य कार्यमथ वा सुखं च तन्मे विद्वन्ब्रूहि सर्वं यथावत् सनत्सुजात उवाच दोषो महानत्र विभेदयोगे ह्यनादियोगेन भवन्ति नित्याः तथास्य नाधिक्यमपैति किंचिद् अनादियोगेन भवन्ति पुंसः य एतद्वा भगवान्स नित्यो विकारयोगेन करोति विश्वम् तथा च तच्छक्तिरिति स्म मन्यते तथार्थयोगे च भवन्ति वेदाः
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच येऽस्मिन्धर्मान्नाचरन्तीह केचि;त्तथा धर्मान्केचिदिहाचरन्ति धर्मः पापेन प्रतिहन्यते स्म; उताहो धर्मः प्रतिहन्ति पापम्
M. N. Dutt: Dhritarashtra said Some there are in this world who practice virtue and some that do not practice virtue but renounce all sorts of actions. (Regarding the former I ask) Is virtue destroyed by unrighteousness or does righteousness destroy virtue?
सनत्सुजात उवाच उभयमेव तत्रोपभुज्यते फलं; धर्मस्यैवेतरस्य च धर्मेणाधर्मं प्रणुदतीह विद्वा;न्धर्मो बलीयानिति तस्य विद्धि
AI Translation: Sanatsujata said: Both fruits are enjoyed there, of Dharma and of the other. Here, the learned one subdues unrighteousness by means of Dharma. Know that Dharma is stronger
Supplementary Passages:
5.42.16 D8.10 T G ins. after the ref.: K5, after 15: Ds, after 16ab: Dn1, after 16: *247 तस्मिन्स्थितो वाप्युभयं हि नित्यं ज्ञानेन विद्वान्प्रतिहन्ति सिद्धम् तथान्यथा पुण्यमुपैति देही तथागतं पापमुपैति सिद्धम् गत्वोभयं कर्मणा भुज्यतेऽस्थिरं शुभस्य पापस्य स चापि कर्मणा
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच यानिमानाहुः स्वस्य धर्मस्य लोका;न्द्विजातीनां पुण्यकृतां सनातनान् तेषां परिक्रमान्कथयन्तस्ततोऽन्या;न्नैतद्विद्वन्नैव कृतं च कर्म
M. N. Dutt: Dhritarashtra said Those ancient and sacred regions of this „rn by their own virtuous acts-speak of them according to their degree (of sacredness). Speak also of other (sinless) regions. O learned one, I do not desire to know (the merit) of actions.
सनत्सुजात उवाच येषां बले न विस्पर्धा बले बलवतामिव ते ब्राह्मणा इतः प्रेत्य स्वर्गलोके प्रकाशते
M. N. Dutt: Sanat-Sujata said These Brahmanas, who are proud of their austerities like powerful men of strength, on their exit from the world shine in the eternal regions.
Supplementary Passages:
5.42.18 Dn1 Ds D8.10 T G ins. after 18: K5 (which om. 18) ins. after 17: *248 येषां धर्मे न च स्पर्धा तेषां तज्ज्ञानसाधनम् ते ब्राह्मणा इतो मुक्ताः स्वर्गं यान्ति त्रिविष्टपम् तस्य सम्यक्समाचारमाहुर्वेदविदो जनाः नैनं मन्येत भूयिष्ठं बाह्यमाभ्यन्तरं जनम्
यत्र मन्येत भूयिष्ठं प्रावृषीव तृणोलपम् अन्नं पानं च ब्राह्मणस्तज्जीवन्नानुसंज्वरेत्
M. N. Dutt: Whenever (in whatever family) food and drink fit for a Brahmana abound like grass and reeds in the spots, there should (a Yogi) go for his living and not pain himself (by hunger and thirst).
यत्राकथयमानस्य प्रयच्छत्यशिवं भयम् अतिरिक्तमिवाकुर्वन्स श्रेयान्नेतरो जनः
M. N. Dutt: In a place where there is fear of great danger for not proclamation one's superiority, he who does not do so (speak out his superiority) is worthier than the other (who does).
यो वाकथयमानस्य आत्मानं नानुसंज्वरेत् ब्रह्मस्वं नोपभुञ्जेद्वा तदन्नं संमतं सताम्
M. N. Dutt: He who is not pained by another proclaiming his (the latter) true worth and who eats his food after offering it to the gods, the food offered by such a man is approved by the righteous.
Supplementary Passages:
5.42.21 After 21ab, M ins.: *249 एको वै ह्यन्तरात्मानं ब्राह्मणो हन्तुमर्हति After 21, T2 G1.4.5 ins.: *250 कुशवल्कलचेलाद्यं ब्रह्मस्वं योगिनो विदुः
यथा स्वं वान्तमश्नाति श्वा वै नित्यमभूतये एवं ते वान्तमश्नन्ति स्ववीर्यस्योपजीवनात्
M. N. Dutt: As dogs eat up their own vomit to their constant injury, so they who proclaim their own worth eat up their own vomit.
नित्यमज्ञातचर्या मे इति मन्येत ब्राह्मणः ज्ञातीनां तु वसन्मध्ये नैव विद्येत किंचन
M. N. Dutt: That man is to be regarded as a Brahmana whose religious practices remain ever unknown even to the members of his family among whom he lives, wise men also know him to be a Brahmana.
को ह्येवमन्तरात्मानं ब्राह्मणो हन्तुमर्हति तस्माद्धि किंचित्क्षत्रिय ब्रह्मावसति पश्यति
M. N. Dutt: What other Brahmana is worthy to know the supreme soul, that has no form, is without change, is alone and is devoid of all sorts of duality. By the performance of such practices, the supreme soul resides in a Kshatriya too and is seen by him.
Supplementary Passages:
5.42.24 After 24ab, K5 Dn1 Ds1 D8.10 T G ins.: *251 निर्लिङ्गमचलं शुद्धं सर्वद्वन्द्वविवर्जितम् K5 Ds1 D8.10 T G cont.: Dn1 Ds2 ins. after 24: *252 योऽन्यथा सन्तमात्मानमन्यथा प्रतिपद्यते किं तेन न कृतं पापं चोरेणात्मापहारिणा
अश्रान्तः स्यादनादानात्संमतो निरुपद्रवः शिष्टो न शिष्टवत्स स्याद्ब्राह्मणो ब्रह्मवित्कविः
M. N. Dutt: He who never exerts himself, never accepts gifts from others, who is respected quiet, who though well versed (in the holy books) does not seem to be well versed, is a Brahmana-a wise man knowing Brahman or the Supreme soul.
अनाढ्या मानुषे वित्ते आढ्या वेदेषु ये द्विजाः ते दुर्धर्षा दुष्प्रकम्प्या विद्यात्तान्ब्रह्मणस्तनुम्
M. N. Dutt: Those, who are but poor in what is regarded as wealth by ordinary men, are yet rich in heavenly wealth and in devotion and become hard to vanquish and without fear reside and they become equal to Brahma for their learning.
सर्वान्स्विष्टकृतो देवान्विद्याद्य इह कश्चन न समानो ब्राह्मणस्य यस्मिन्प्रयतते स्वयम्
M. N. Dutt: That man, who in this world having performed all sorts of sacrifices comes to know the gods, cannot be equal to one knowing Brahma; for he (the former) has to exert himself.
यमप्रयतमानं तु मानयन्ति स मानितः न मान्यमानो मन्येत नामानादभिसंज्वरेत्
M. N. Dutt: He, who is honoured (by the gods) without any action, is honoured (like one knowing the true nature of the inner self). If honoured (by others than gods) a man should not think himself really honoured; and he should not be sorry at others not honouring him.
Supplementary Passages:
5.42.28 After 28, K5 Dn1 Ds D8-10 T G ins.: *253 लोकः स्वभाववृत्तिर्हि निमेषोन्मेषवत्सदा
विद्वांसो मानयन्तीह इति मन्येत मानितः अधर्मविदुषो मूढा लोकशास्त्रविशारदाः न मान्यं मानयिष्यन्ति इति मन्येदमानितः
AI Translation: The wise honor me here. Thus one should think when honored. The ignorant who know not Dharma, the fools who are skilled in worldly treatises will not honor the worthy. Thus one should think when not honored.
न वै मानं च मौनं च सहितौ चरतः सदा अयं हि लोको मानस्य असौ मानस्य तद्विदुः
M. N. Dutt: The esteem of the world and the vow of silence (holy asceticism) can never dwell together. Know that this (world) is for those who want esteem and the other for those that have observed the vow of silence.
श्रीः सुखस्येह संवासः सा चापि परिपन्थिनी ब्राह्मी सुदुर्लभा श्रीर्हि प्रज्ञाहीनेन क्षत्रिय
M. N. Dutt: In this world, respect resides in worldly prosperity, through it is an impediment to virtue. Heavenly prosperity is not attainable by one that is devoid of (true) wisdom, O Kshatriya.
द्वाराणि तस्या हि वदन्ति सन्तो; बहुप्रकाराणि दुरावराणि सत्यार्जवे ह्रीर्दमशौचविद्याः; षण्मानमोहप्रतिबाधनानि
M. N. Dutt: Virtuous men speak of several doors in this world to heavenly prosperity, which are difficult of being properly watched. The doors are truthfulness, kindness, modesty, selfcontrol and knowledge which are antidotes of ignorance.