Critical Edition
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच सनत्सुजात यदिमां परार्थां; ब्राह्मीं वाचं प्रवदसि विश्वरूपाम् परां हि कामेषु सुदुर्लभां कथां; तद्ब्रूहि मे वाक्यमेतत्कुमार
M. N. Dutt: Dhritarashtra said O Sanat-Sujata, what you have been saying regarding the attainment of emancipation and the origin of the universe is the best (discourse I have heard). Speak to me such words, (treating of subjects) rarely to be attained by men of desire, O you who have observed celibacy!
सनत्सुजात उवाच नैतद्ब्रह्म त्वरमाणेन लभ्यं; यन्मां पृच्छस्यभिहृष्यस्यतीव अव्यक्तविद्यामभिधास्ये पुराणीं; बुद्ध्या च तेषां ब्रह्मचर्येण सिद्धाम्
AI Translation: Sanatsujata said: This is not to be attained by one who is hasty. You are asking me, and are greatly delighted. I shall explain the ancient knowledge of the unmanifest,
Supplementary Passages:
5.44.2 After 2ab, B1.5 Dn Ds D8-10 T2 G ins.: *278 बुद्धौ प्रलीने मनसि प्रचिन्त्या विद्या हि सा ब्रह्मचर्येण लभ्या
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच अव्यक्तविद्यामिति यत्सनातनीं; ब्रवीषि त्वं ब्रह्मचर्येण सिद्धाम् अनारभ्या वसतीहार्य काले; कथं ब्राह्मण्यममृतत्वं लभेत
M. N. Dutt: Dhritarashtra said The true knowledge, that you are speaking of attainable by hard asceticism, is unborn in the mind and needs not any efforts for its manifestation and is manifested during the seeking of Brahma. How then can that immortality which is connected with a knowledge of the Supreme soul be obtained?
Supplementary Passages:
5.44.3 D8-10 S subst. for 3ab: Ds ins. after 3: *279 आद्यां विद्यां वदसि हि सत्यरूपां या प्राप्यते ब्रह्मचर्येण सद्भिः Ds D8-10 S cont.: Dn ins. after 2: *280 यां प्राप्यैतां मर्त्यलोकं त्यजन्ति या वै विद्या गुरुवृद्धेषु नित्या Dn Ds D8-10 T G cont.: B4 ins. after 4: M1, after 5: *281 धृतराष्ट्र उवाच ब्रह्मचर्येण या विद्या शक्या वेदितुमञ्जसा तत्कथं ब्रह्मचर्यं स्यादेतद्विद्वन्ब्रवीहि मे
सनत्सुजात उवाच येऽस्मिँल्लोके विजयन्तीह कामा;न्ब्राह्मीं स्थितिमनुतितिक्षमाणाः त आत्मानं निर्हरन्तीह देहा;न्मुञ्जादिषीकामिव सत्त्वसंस्थाः
M. N. Dutt: Those who are in this world desirous of obtaining emancipation, subdue their desires. Those virtuous men get their souls separated from their body like a blade of grass from a marshy plot of ground.
Supplementary Passages:
5.44.4 After 4, B4 ins. 281*; while D7 ins.: *282 यदि सर्वे प्रमुच्यन्ते कामा ये हृदि संस्थिताः अथ मृत्योर्मृत इति तत्र ब्रह्म समश्नुते
शरीरमेतौ कुरुतः पिता माता च भारत आचार्यशास्ता या जातिः सा सत्या साजरामरा
M. N. Dutt: The father and the mother, O Bharata, these two create the body; but the state gained from the instructions of the preceptor is sacred, free from death and without old age.
Supplementary Passages:
5.44.5 D8-10 T1 G subst. for 5cd: Ds T2 ins. after 5ab: *283 आचार्यतस्तु यज्जन्म तत्सत्यं वै तथामृतम् T2 ins. after 5cd: *284 तस्मात्तामेव यत्नेन बुद्धिमान्प्रतिपद्यते
आचार्ययोनिमिह ये प्रविश्य; भूत्वा गर्भं ब्रह्मचर्यं चरन्ति इहैव ते शास्त्रकारा भवन्ति; प्रहाय देहं परमं यान्ति योगम्
AI Translation: Those who enter the womb of the teacher here, becoming an embryo and practicing celibacy, become authors of scriptures here itself, and upon abandoning the body, attain the supreme yoga.
य आवृणोत्यवितथेन कर्णा;वृतं कुर्वन्नमृतं संप्रयच्छन् तं मन्येत पितरं मातरं च; तस्मै न द्रुह्येत्कृतमस्य जानन्
M. N. Dutt: He (the preceptor) who discoursing on the Supreme Soul frees a man from untruth and distributes nectar should be regarded as father and mother. No injury should ever be done to him, knowing what he does.
गुरुं शिष्यो नित्यमभिमन्यमानः; स्वाध्यायमिच्छेच्छुचिरप्रमत्तः मानं न कुर्यान्न दधीत रोष;मेष प्रथमो ब्रह्मचर्यस्य पादः
M. N. Dutt: A disciple should every day pay due respects to his preceptor and engage himself in study with a pure mind and concentrated attention. He should not be annoyed (at the humble and menial services he is called upon to perform) and not feel wrathful. This is the first step of asceticism.
Supplementary Passages:
5.44.8 B1.4 (om. line 2).5 Dn Ds T2 G1.3.5 ins. after 8: D8-10 G2, after 8ab: *285 शिष्यवृत्तिक्रमेणैव विद्यामाप्नोति यः शुचिः ब्रह्मचर्यव्रतस्यास्य प्रथमः पाद उच्यते
आचार्यस्य प्रियं कुर्यात्प्राणैरपि धनैरपि कर्मणा मनसा वाचा द्वितीयः पाद उच्यते
M. N. Dutt: What is agreeable to a preceptor should be done at the expense of life and wealth, by the mind, by actions or by speech. Doing this is said to be the second step.
समा गुरौ यथा वृत्तिर्गुरुपत्न्यां तथा भवेत् यथोक्तकारी प्रियकृत्तृतीयः पाद उच्यते
AI Translation: The conduct towards the teacher's wife should be like that towards the teacher. The third chapter is called "The Doer of What is Said" and "The Pleaser".
Supplementary Passages:
5.44.10 After 10, D8.10 ins. (cf. 287*): *286 आचार्येण कृतं ज्ञात्वा भावितोऽस्मीति मन्यते तं गुरुं प्रति हृष्टः संस्तृतीयः पाद उच्यते D8 cont.: B1.5 Dn Ds D9 T G (except G4) ins. after 10: *287 आचार्येणात्मकृतं विजानञ् ज्ञात्वा चार्थं भावितोऽस्मीत्यनेन यन्मन्यते तं प्रति हृष्टबुद्धिः स वै तृतीयो ब्रह्मचर्यस्य पादः
नाचार्यायेहोपकृत्वा प्रवादं; प्राज्ञः कुर्वीत नैतदहं करोमि इतीव मन्येत न भाषयेत; स वै चतुर्थो ब्रह्मचर्यस्य पादः
M. N. Dutt: A wise man should not remove himself (from the preceptor's abode) without requesting the preceptor; nor should he even speak or think “I do this” (i.e. I make this gift). This is the fourth step of asceticism.
Supplementary Passages:
5.44.11 For 11, G4 subst.: *288 एवं वसन्तं यदुपप्लवेद्धि नाचार्याय कृतमिति चाभिमानात् प्राज्ञो मन्ये नैतदहं करोमि स वै चतुर्थो ब्रह्मचर्यस्य पादः B1.5 Dn T1 ins. after 11: Ds D8-10 T2 G, after 9 (cf. v.l. 9.): *289 कालेन पादं लभते तथार्थं ततश्च पादं गुरुयोगतश्च उत्साहयोगेन च पादमृच्छेच् छास्त्रेण पादं च ततोऽभियाति B1.5 Dn Ds D8-10 T1 G2.5 cont.: T2 G1.3.4 M1 ins. after 13: *290 ज्ञानादयो द्वादश यस्य रूपम् अन्यानि चाङ्गानि तथा बलं च आचार्ययोगे फलतीति चाहुर् ब्रह्मार्थयोगेन च ब्रह्मचर्यम्
एवं वसन्तं यदुपप्लवेद्धन;माचार्याय तदनुप्रयच्छेत् सतां वृत्तिं बहुगुणामेवमेति; गुरोः पुत्रे भवति च वृत्तिरेषा
M. N. Dutt: While in the position of a disciple, whatever wealth is earned should be given to the preceptor. It is by this means that he (the preceptor) earns his honest livelihood graced with many virtues. Such should also be the conduct of the preceptor's son.
एवं वसन्सर्वतो वर्धतीह; बहून्पुत्राँल्लभते च प्रतिष्ठाम् वर्षन्ति चास्मै प्रदिशो दिशश्च; वसन्त्यस्मिन्ब्रह्मचर्ये जनाश्च
M. N. Dutt: With this rule of life one prospers in every way and obtains many sons and fame; to such a man, wealth is poured from all sides and to that place many people come for practicing asceticism.
एतेन ब्रह्मचर्येण देवा देवत्वमाप्नुवन् ऋषयश्च महाभागा ब्रह्मलोकं मनीषिणः
M. N. Dutt: By means of such asceticism, the gods attained their divine character and the wise Rishis of heavenly qualities attained to the regions of Brahma.
गन्धर्वाणामनेनैव रूपमप्सरसामभूत् एतेन ब्रह्मचर्येण सूर्यो अह्नाय जायते
M. N. Dutt: By this also did the beauty of the Gandharvas and Apsaras spring up; by such asceticism does the sun rise to make the day.
Supplementary Passages:
5.44.15 B1.5 Dn Ds D9.10 T G2.5 ins. after 15: G1.3.4, after 16: D8, after 14: *291 आकाङ्क्षार्थस्य संयोगाद्रसभेदार्थिनामिव एवं ह्येतत्समाज्ञाय तादृग्भावं गता इमे
य आशयेत्पाटयेच्चापि राज;न्सर्वं शरीरं तपसा तप्यमानः एतेनासौ बाल्यमत्येति विद्वा;न्मृत्युं तथा रोधयत्यन्तकाले
M. N. Dutt: He, who attached to austerities has recourse to asceticism and thereby purifies his body, comes to the condition of a child (free from passions, etc., characteristic of the old men) and that learned man in the end conquers death.
अन्तवन्तः क्षत्रिय ते जयन्ति; लोकाञ्जनाः कर्मणा निर्मितेन ब्रह्मैव विद्वांस्तेन अभ्येति सर्वं; नान्यः पन्था अयनाय विद्यते
M. N. Dutt: By pure work men obtain the perishable worlds, O Kshatriya-but that learned man, by means of his knowledge, obtains emancipation. There is no other path to emancipation.
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच आभाति शुक्लमिव लोहितमिव; अथो कृष्णमथाञ्जनं काद्रवं वा तद्ब्राह्मणः पश्यति योऽत्र विद्वा;न्कथंरूपं तदमृतमक्षरं पदम्
M. N. Dutt: Dhritarashtra said Of what form is the Supreme Soul, which is immortal and omnipresent and which the learned man sees in this world. Does he shine as white, red, black, blue or purple?
सनत्सुजात उवाच नाभाति शुक्लमिव लोहितमिव; अथो कृष्णमायसमर्कवर्णम् न पृथिव्यां तिष्ठति नान्तरिक्षे; नैतत्समुद्रे सलिलं बिभर्ति
M. N. Dutt: Sanat-Sujata said (The Supreme Soul) may appear as white, red, black, brown or like the sun; but its like is not to be met with in the earth, the sky, nor in the water of the sea.
न तारकासु न च विद्युदाश्रितं; न चाभ्रेषु दृश्यते रूपमस्य न चापि वायौ न च देवतासु; न तच्चन्द्रे दृश्यते नोत सूर्ये
M. N. Dutt: It cannot be found among the stars, nor is it shut up in the lightning and its form cannot be seen among the clouds, nor in the air, nor among the gods, nor in the moon, nor in the sun,
नैवर्क्षु तन्न यजुःषु नाप्यथर्वसु; न चैव दृश्यत्यमलेषु सामसु रथंतरे बार्हते चापि राज;न्महाव्रते नैव दृश्येद्ध्रुवं तत्
M. N. Dutt: Nor in the Rich, nor in the Yajush, nor in the Atharva, nor in the sacred Sama (Vedas). It is certain, O king, that it cannot be seen in the Rathantara, nor in the Barhadrath, nor in the great vows.
अपारणीयं तमसः परस्ता;त्तदन्तकोऽप्येति विनाशकाले अणीयरूपं क्षुरधारया त;न्महच्च रूपं त्वपि पर्वतेभ्यः
M. N. Dutt: Incapable of being reached by our ignorance, even the king of Death, at the time of his end, is lost in it. Its form cannot be gazed at; it is like the edge of a razor and its form is like that of a high mountain.
सा प्रतिष्ठा तदमृतं लोकास्तद्ब्रह्म तद्यशः भूतानि जज्ञिरे तस्मात्प्रलयं यान्ति तत्र च
M. N. Dutt: It is the foundation of everything; it is nectar; it is the universe; it is vast and delightful. From it are born all creatures and there do they come to their end.
अनामयं तन्महदुद्यतं यशो; वाचो विकारान्कवयो वदन्ति तस्मिञ्जगत्सर्वमिदं प्रतिष्ठितं; ये तद्विदुरमृतास्ते भवन्ति
M. N. Dutt: Having no duality, it is manifest in the form of the universe. Poets speak of it as having no change but in the language and form used for its description. That on which all this world stands-those who know this become immortal.
Supplementary Passages:
5.44.24 T2 G1 M1 ins. after 24: D9.10 T1 G2, after 22: Ds D8, after 23: *292 तदेतदह्ना संस्थितं भाति सर्वं तदात्मवित्पश्यति ज्ञानयोगात् T2 G1 M1 cont.: *293 तस्मिञ्जगत्सर्वमिदं प्रतिष्ठितं य एतद्विदुरमृतास्ते भवन्ति