12.199
मनुरुवाच॥
Manu said.
यदा ते पञ्चभिः पञ्च विमुक्ता मनसा सह। अथ तद्द्रक्ष्यसे ब्रह्म मणौ सूत्रमिवार्पितम् ॥१२-१९९-१॥
When your five senses, along with the mind, are liberated by the five means, then you will perceive Brahman, present like a thread running through a gem.
तदेव च यथा सूत्रं सुवर्णे वर्तते पुनः। मुक्तास्वथ प्रवालेषु मृन्मये राजते तथा ॥१२-१९९-२॥
Just as the same thread exists in gold, again in pearls, then in coral, in clay, so it shines. (12-199-2)
तद्वद्गोषु मनुष्येषु तद्वद्धस्तिमृगादिषु। तद्वत्कीटपतङ्गेषु प्रसक्तात्मा स्वकर्मभिः ॥१२-१९९-३॥
Just as among cows, humans, elephants, deer, and other animals, as well as among insects and moths, one whose mind is attached is bound by their own actions.
येन येन शरीरेण यद्यत्कर्म करोत्ययम्। तेन तेन शरीरेण तत्तत्फलमुपाश्नुते ॥१२-१९९-४॥
Whatever actions a person performs with whichever body, with that very body he experiences the corresponding results.
यथा ह्येकरसा भूमिरोषध्यात्मानुसारिणी। तथा कर्मानुगा बुद्धिरन्तरात्मानुदर्शिनी ॥१२-१९९-५॥
Just as the earth, though of one essence, adapts according to the nature of plants, so too the intellect, following actions, reveals the inner self.
ज्ञानपूर्वोद्भवा लिप्सा लिप्सापूर्वाभिसन्धिता। अभिसन्धिपूर्वकं कर्म कर्ममूलं ततः फलम् ॥१२-१९९-६॥
The desire to obtain arises from prior knowledge, and the desire to obtain is accompanied by prior intention. Action is preceded by intention; action is the root, and from that comes the result.
फलं कर्मात्मकं विद्यात्कर्म ज्ञेयात्मकं तथा। ज्ञेयं ज्ञानात्मकं विद्याज्ज्ञानं सदसदात्मकम् ॥१२-१९९-७॥
One should understand that the result arises from action, action is characterized by what is to be known, what is to be known is characterized by knowledge, and knowledge itself is of the nature of both existence and non-existence.
ज्ञानानां च फलानां च ज्ञेयानां कर्मणां तथा। क्षयान्ते तत्फलं दिव्यं ज्ञानं ज्ञेयप्रतिष्ठितम् ॥१२-१९९-८॥
At the end, the ultimate fruit of all knowledge, all results, all things to be known, and all actions is the divine knowledge established in the knowable.
महद्धि परमं भूतं युक्ताः पश्यन्ति योगिनः। अबुधास्तं न पश्यन्ति ह्यात्मस्था गुणबुद्धयः ॥१२-१९९-९॥
The yogis, united with the supreme, perceive the great supreme being; but the ignorant, whose intellect is fixed in qualities, do not see that at all.
पृथिवीरूपतो रूपमपामिह महत्तरम्। अद्भ्यो महत्तरं तेजस्तेजसः पवनो महान् ॥१२-१९९-१०॥
The form of earth is surpassed by that of water here; fire is greater than water, and wind is greater than fire.
पवनाच्च महद्व्योम तस्मात्परतरं मनः। मनसो महती बुद्धिर्बुद्धेः कालो महान्स्मृतः ॥१२-१९९-११॥
From wind comes the great sky; higher than that is the mind; greater than the mind is the intellect; and greater than the intellect is time, which is considered supreme.
कालात्स भगवान्विष्णुर्यस्य सर्वमिदं जगत्। नादिर्न मध्यं नैवान्तस्तस्य देवस्य विद्यते ॥१२-१९९-१२॥
From time, the illustrious Viṣṇu, of whom this entire universe (is), has neither beginning, nor middle, nor indeed end; such is the nature of that god.
अनादित्वादमध्यत्वादनन्तत्वाच्च सोऽव्ययः। अत्येति सर्वदुःखानि दुःखं ह्यन्तवदुच्यते ॥१२-१९९-१३॥
Because he is without beginning, middle, or end, and is imperishable, he transcends all sufferings; suffering is said to have an end.
तद्ब्रह्म परमं प्रोक्तं तद्धाम परमं स्मृतम्। तद्गत्वा कालविषयाद्विमुक्ता मोक्षमाश्रिताः ॥१२-१९९-१४॥
That Brahman is said to be the highest, and that abode is remembered as the supreme; those who reach there, freed from the realm of time, attain liberation.
गुणैस्त्वेतैः प्रकाशन्ते निर्गुणत्वात्ततः परम्। निवृत्तिलक्षणो धर्मस्तथानन्त्याय कल्पते ॥१२-१९९-१५॥
It is by these qualities that things become manifest; but what is beyond is due to absence of qualities. Dharma characterized by withdrawal is thus suited for the infinite.
ऋचो यजूंषि सामानि शरीराणि व्यपाश्रिताः। जिह्वाग्रेषु प्रवर्तन्ते यत्नसाध्या विनाशिनः ॥१२-१९९-१६॥
The Rigvedic hymns, Yajurvedic formulas, and Samavedic chants, having bodies, are resorted to and set in motion on the tips of tongues; they are accomplished by effort and are perishable.
न चैवमिष्यते ब्रह्म शरीराश्रयसम्भवम्। न यत्नसाध्यं तद्ब्रह्म नादिमध्यं न चान्तवत् ॥१२-१९९-१७॥
It is not thus considered that Brahman has its origin dependent on the body. That Brahman is not accomplished by effort, nor does it have a beginning, middle, or end.
ऋचामादिस्तथा साम्नां यजुषामादिरुच्यते। अन्तश्चादिमतां दृष्टो न चादिर्ब्रह्मणः स्मृतः ॥१२-१९९-१८॥
The beginning of the Ṛgvedic hymns, as well as of the Sāmans and Yajus, is spoken of. The end and beginning are observed in things that have a beginning, but the beginning of Brahman is not known.
अनादित्वादनन्तत्वात्तदनन्तमथाव्ययम्। अव्ययत्वाच्च निर्द्वंद्वं द्वंद्वाभावात्ततः परम् ॥१२-१९९-१९॥
Because it is eternal and infinite, it is infinite and imperishable; being imperishable and free from duality, due to the absence of duality, therefore it is supreme.
अदृष्टतोऽनुपायाच्च अप्यभिसन्धेश्च कर्मणः। न तेन मर्त्याः पश्यन्ति येन गच्छन्ति तत्परम् ॥१२-१९९-२०॥
Because of the unseen, lack of means, and intention in action, mortals do not perceive that by which they reach the supreme.
विषयेषु च संसर्गाच्छाश्वतस्य च दर्शनात्। मनसा चान्यदाकाङ्क्षन्परं न प्रतिपद्यते ॥१२-१९९-२१॥
Because of association with sense objects and the perception of permanence, and as the mind desires something else, the highest is not attained.
गुणान्यदिह पश्यन्ति तदिच्छन्त्यपरे जनाः। परं नैवाभिकाङ्क्षन्ति निर्गुणत्वाद्गुणार्थिनः ॥१२-१९९-२२॥
People here see and desire qualities, but others do not aspire for the highest, because those who desire qualities do not seek what is beyond qualities.
गुणैर्यस्त्ववरैर्युक्तः कथं विद्याद्गुणानिमान्। अनुमानाद्धि गन्तव्यं गुणैरवयवैः सह ॥१२-१९९-२३॥
How can one who is endowed with inferior qualities know these qualities? Indeed, one should ascertain (them) by inference, together with their qualities and components.
सूक्ष्मेण मनसा विद्मो वाचा वक्तुं न शक्नुमः। मनो हि मनसा ग्राह्यं दर्शनेन च दर्शनम् ॥१२-१९९-२४॥
We know by the subtle mind, but we are not able to express it by speech; the mind is to be comprehended by the mind itself, and perception by perception.
ज्ञानेन निर्मलीकृत्य बुद्धिं बुद्ध्या तथा मनः। मनसा चेन्द्रियग्राममनन्तं प्रतिपद्यते ॥१२-१९९-२५॥
By purifying the intellect with knowledge, then the mind with the intellect, and then the senses with the mind, one ultimately attains the infinite.
बुद्धिप्रहीणो मनसासमृद्ध; स्तथा निराशीर्गुणतामुपैति। परं त्यजन्तीह विलोभ्यमाना; हुताशनं वायुरिवेन्धनस्थम् ॥१२-१९९-२६॥
One who is deprived of intellect but prosperous in mind, thus hopeless, attains virtue. But abandoning the supreme here, being enticed, is like the wind leaving the fire that is situated in fuel.
गुणादाने विप्रयोगे च तेषां; मनः सदा बुद्धिपरावराभ्याम्। अनेनैव विधिना सम्प्रवृत्तो; गुणादाने ब्रह्मशरीरमेति ॥१२-१९९-२७॥
When qualities are given or separated, their mind is always governed by both higher and lower intellect. By this very method, being thus engaged, one attains the body of Brahman.
अव्यक्तात्मा पुरुषोऽव्यक्तकर्मा; सोऽव्यक्तत्वं गच्छति ह्यन्तकाले। तैरेवायं चेन्द्रियैर्वर्धमानै; र्ग्लायद्भिर्वा वर्तते कर्मरूपः ॥१२-१९९-२८॥
The person whose self and actions are unmanifested reaches the unmanifested state at the end. Through those very senses, whether they are increasing or decaying, he continues to exist in the form of action.
सर्वैरयं चेन्द्रियैः सम्प्रयुक्तो; देहः प्राप्तः पञ्चभूताश्रयः स्यात्। नासामर्थ्याद्गच्छति कर्मणेह; हीनस्तेन परमेणाव्ययेन ॥१२-१९९-२९॥
This body, united with all the senses and supported by the five elements, may exist. But here, due to incapacity, one who is deprived of that supreme imperishable does not engage in action.
पृथ्व्या नरः पश्यति नान्तमस्या; ह्यन्तश्चास्या भविता चेति विद्धि। परं नयन्तीह विलोभ्यमानं; यथा प्लवं वायुरिवार्णवस्थम् ॥१२-१९९-३०॥
A man cannot see the end of the earth; know that her end will come. Those who are enticed are led further and further, just as a raft on the ocean is driven by the wind.
दिवाकरो गुणमुपलभ्य निर्गुणो; यथा भवेद्व्यपगतरश्मिमण्डलः। तथा ह्यसौ मुनिरिह निर्विशेषवा; न्स निर्गुणं प्रविशति ब्रह्म चाव्ययम् ॥१२-१९९-३१॥
Just as the sun, after manifesting its qualities, becomes devoid of them when its rays are gone, so too does this sage, having transcended all distinctions, enter the attributeless and imperishable Brahman.
अनागतिं सुकृतिमतां परां गतिं; स्वयम्भुवं प्रभवनिधानमव्ययम्। सनातनं यदमृतमव्ययं पदं; विचार्य तं शमममृतत्वमश्नुते ॥१२-१९९-३२॥
By contemplating that supreme, imperishable, eternal, self-existent state—the immortal and imperishable abode which is the origin and dissolution—one attains tranquility and immortality.
