12.198
मनुरुवाच॥
Manu said.
ज्ञानं ज्ञेयाभिनिर्वृत्तं विद्धि ज्ञानगुणं मनः। प्रज्ञाकरणसंयुक्तं ततो बुद्धिः प्रवर्तते ॥१२-१९८-१॥
Understand that knowledge arises from the knowable; the mind, endowed with the quality of knowledge and the instrument of discernment, gives rise to intellect.
यदा कर्मगुणोपेता बुद्धिर्मनसि वर्तते। तदा प्रज्ञायते ब्रह्म ध्यानयोगसमाधिना ॥१२-१९८-२॥
When the intellect, possessing the qualities of action, is established in the mind, then Brahman is realized through the concentration attained by meditation and yoga.
सेयं गुणवती बुद्धिर्गुणेष्वेवाभिवर्तते। अवताराभिनिःस्रोतं गिरेः शृङ्गादिवोदकम् ॥१२-१९८-३॥
This intellect, endowed with virtues, operates only among virtues, just as water flows from the peak of a mountain.
यदा निर्गुणमाप्नोति ध्यानं मनसि पूर्वजम्। तदा प्रज्ञायते ब्रह्म निकष्यं निकषे यथा ॥१२-१९८-४॥
When meditation free from qualities reaches the ancient one in the mind, then Brahman is realized, just as a touchstone is recognized by another touchstone.
मनस्त्वपहृतं बुद्धिमिन्द्रियार्थनिदर्शनम्। न समक्षं गुणावेक्षि निर्गुणस्य निदर्शनम् ॥१२-१९८-५॥
The mind, however, is carried away; intellect perceives sense-objects. You do not observe the qualities in the presence of the qualityless; there is no perception.
सर्वाण्येतानि संवार्य द्वाराणि मनसि स्थितः। मनस्येकाग्रतां कृत्वा तत्परं प्रतिपद्यते ॥१२-१९८-६॥
Having closed all these doors and remaining in the mind, making the mind one-pointed, one attains that supreme.
यथा महान्ति भूतानि निवर्तन्ते गुणक्षये। तथेन्द्रियाण्युपादाय बुद्धिर्मनसि वर्तते ॥१२-१९८-७॥
Just as great beings withdraw when their qualities are destroyed, so too, when the senses are withdrawn, the intellect abides in the mind.
यदा मनसि सा बुद्धिर्वर्ततेऽन्तरचारिणी। व्यवसायगुणोपेता तदा सम्पद्यते मनः ॥१२-१९८-८॥
When the intellect, moving within and endowed with the quality of determination, abides in the mind, then the mind attains its true nature.
गुणवद्भिर्गुणोपेतं यदा ध्यानगुणं मनः। तदा सर्वगुणान्हित्वा निर्गुणं प्रतिपद्यते ॥१२-१९८-९॥
When the mind, endowed with the quality of meditation by those possessing qualities, then abandons all qualities, it attains the state beyond qualities.
अव्यक्तस्येह विज्ञाने नास्ति तुल्यं निदर्शनम्। यत्र नास्ति पदन्यासः कस्तं विषयमाप्नुयात् ॥१२-१९८-१०॥
In the case of the unmanifest, there is no comparable example in knowledge here. Where there is no arrangement of words, who could grasp that subject?
तपसा चानुमानेन गुणैर्जात्या श्रुतेन च। निनीषेत्तत्परं ब्रह्म विशुद्धेनान्तरात्मना ॥१२-१९८-११॥
With austerity, inference, qualities, birth, and the Veda, one should seek to realize that supreme Brahman with a purified inner self.
गुणहीनो हि तं मार्गं बहिः समनुवर्तते। गुणाभावात्प्रकृत्या च निस्तर्क्यं ज्ञेयसंमितम् ॥१२-१९८-१२॥
One who is devoid of qualities indeed follows that path outwardly; because of the absence of qualities and by nature, it is not to be reasoned, but is measured by knowledge.
नैर्गुण्याद्ब्रह्म चाप्नोति सगुणत्वान्निवर्तते। गुणप्रसारिणी बुद्धिर्हुताशन इवेन्धने ॥१२-१९८-१३॥
Brahman is attained by absence of qualities, but is turned away from by possessing qualities; the intellect that expands through qualities is like fire in fuel.
यथा पञ्च विमुक्तानि इन्द्रियाणि स्वकर्मभिः। तथा तत्परमं ब्रह्म विमुक्तं प्रकृतेः परम् ॥१२-१९८-१४॥
Just as the five senses are freed by their own actions, so too is that supreme Brahman liberated, transcending nature.
एवं प्रकृतितः सर्वे प्रभवन्ति शरीरिणः। निवर्तन्ते निवृत्तौ च सर्गं नैवोपयान्ति च ॥१२-१९८-१५॥
Thus, all embodied beings arise from nature; at dissolution, they return and do not again enter into creation.
पुरुषः प्रकृतिर्बुद्धिर्विशेषाश्चेन्द्रियाणि च। अहङ्कारोऽभिमानश्च सम्भूतो भूतसञ्ज्ञकः ॥१२-१९८-१६॥
The person, primordial nature, intellect, particularities, and the senses; also ego and pride, and that which has arisen is called beings.
एकस्याद्या प्रवृत्तिस्तु प्रधानात्सम्प्रवर्तते। द्वितीया मिथुनव्यक्तिमविशेषान्नियच्छति ॥१२-१९८-१७॥
The first's activity arises from primordial matter, but the second restrains the manifestation of the pair due to non-differentiation.
धर्मादुत्कृष्यते श्रेयस्तथाश्रेयोऽप्यधर्मतः। रागवान्प्रकृतिं ह्येति विरक्तो ज्ञानवान्भवेत् ॥१२-१९८-१८॥
Superior good is attained through dharma, and even what seems good from adharma is likewise elevated. The attached person follows his own nature, while the detached becomes wise.
