12.198
manuruvāca॥
Manu said.
jñānaṃ jñeyābhinirvṛttaṃ viddhi jñānaguṇaṃ manaḥ। prajñākaraṇasaṃyuktaṃ tato buddhiḥ pravartate ॥12-198-1॥
Understand that knowledge arises from the knowable; the mind, endowed with the quality of knowledge and the instrument of discernment, gives rise to intellect.
yadā karmaguṇopetā buddhir manasi vartate। tadā prajñāyate brahma dhyānayogasamādhinā ॥12-198-2॥
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.
seyaṃ guṇavatī buddhir guṇeṣv evābhivartate। avatārābhiniḥsrotaṃ gireḥ śṛṅgādivodakam ॥12-198-3॥
This intellect, endowed with virtues, operates only among virtues, just as water flows from the peak of a mountain.
yadā nirguṇam āpnoti dhyānaṃ manasi pūrvajam। tadā prajñāyate brahma nikaṣyaṃ nikaṣe yathā॥12-198-4॥
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.
manastvapahṛtaṃ buddhimindriyārthanidarśanam। na samakṣaṃ guṇāvekṣi nirguṇasya nidarśanam ॥12-198-5॥
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.
sarvāṇyetāni saṃvārya dvārāṇi manasi sthitaḥ। manasyekāgratāṃ kṛtvā tatparaṃ pratipadyate ॥12-198-6॥
Having closed all these doors and remaining in the mind, making the mind one-pointed, one attains that supreme.
yathā mahānti bhūtāni nivartante guṇakṣaye। tathendriyāṇyupādāya buddhirmanasi vartate ॥12-198-7॥
Just as great beings withdraw when their qualities are destroyed, so too, when the senses are withdrawn, the intellect abides in the mind.
yadā manasi sā buddhir vartate'ntaracāriṇī। vyavasāyaguṇopetā tadā sampadyate manaḥ ॥12-198-8॥
When the intellect, moving within and endowed with the quality of determination, abides in the mind, then the mind attains its true nature.
guṇavadbhir guṇopetaṃ yadā dhyānaguṇaṃ manaḥ। tadā sarvaguṇān hitvā nirguṇaṃ pratipadyate ॥12-198-9॥
When the mind, endowed with the quality of meditation by those possessing qualities, then abandons all qualities, it attains the state beyond qualities.
avyaktasyeha vijñāne nāsti tulyaṃ nidarśanam। yatra nāsti padanyāsaḥ kastaṃ viṣayamāpnuyāt ॥12-198-10॥
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?
tapasā cānumānena guṇairjātyā śrutena ca। ninīṣettatparaṃ brahma viśuddhenāntarātmanā ॥12-198-11॥
With austerity, inference, qualities, birth, and the Veda, one should seek to realize that supreme Brahman with a purified inner self.
guṇahīno hi taṃ mārgaṃ bahiḥ samanuvartate। guṇābhāvātprakṛtyā ca nistarkyaṃ jñeyasaṃmitam ॥12-198-12॥
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.
nairguṇyādbrahma cāpnoti saguṇatvānnivartate। guṇaprasāriṇī buddhirhutāśana ivendhane ॥12-198-13॥
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.
yathā pañca vimuktāni indriyāṇi svakarmabhiḥ। tathā tat paramaṃ brahma vimuktaṃ prakṛteḥ param ॥12-198-14॥
Just as the five senses are freed by their own actions, so too is that supreme Brahman liberated, transcending nature.
evaṃ prakṛtitaḥ sarve prabhavanti śarīriṇaḥ। nivartante nivṛttau ca sargaṃ naivopayānti ca ॥12-198-15॥
Thus, all embodied beings arise from nature; at dissolution, they return and do not again enter into creation.
puruṣaḥ prakṛtir buddhir viśeṣāś cendriyāṇi ca। ahaṅkāro'bhimānaś ca sambhūto bhūtasañjñakaḥ ॥12-198-16॥
The person, primordial nature, intellect, particularities, and the senses; also ego and pride, and that which has arisen is called beings.
ekasyādyā pravṛttis tu pradhānāt sampravartate। dvitīyā mithuna-vyaktim aviśeṣān niyacchati ॥12-198-17॥
The first's activity arises from primordial matter, but the second restrains the manifestation of the pair due to non-differentiation.
dharmād utkṛṣyate śreyas tathā śreyo'py adharmataḥ। rāgavān prakṛtiṃ hy eti virakto jñānavān bhavet ॥12-198-18॥
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.
