12.210
गुरुरुवाच॥
The teacher said.
न स वेद परं धर्मं यो न वेद चतुष्टयम्। व्यक्ताव्यक्ते च यत्तत्त्वं सम्प्राप्तं परमर्षिणा ॥१२-२१०-१॥
He who does not know the fourfold Vedas and the principle realized by the supreme sage in both the manifest and unmanifest does not know the supreme dharma.
व्यक्तं मृत्युमुखं विद्यादव्यक्तममृतं पदम्। प्रवृत्तिलक्षणं धर्ममृषिर्नारायणोऽब्रवीत् ॥१२-२१०-२॥
The manifest is to be understood as the gateway to death, and the unmanifest as the immortal state. The sage Nārāyaṇa declared that dharma is marked by activity.
अत्रैवावस्थितं सर्वं त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम्। निवृत्तिलक्षणं धर्ममव्यक्तं ब्रह्म शाश्वतम् ॥१२-२१०-३॥
All the three worlds, with all moving and unmoving beings, are established right here; here too is the dharma characterized by cessation, the unmanifest, the eternal Brahman.
प्रवृत्तिलक्षणं धर्मं प्रजापतिरथाब्रवीत्। प्रवृत्तिः पुनरावृत्तिर्निवृत्तिः परमा गतिः ॥१२-२१०-४॥
Prajapati then declared: 'The characteristic of dharma is activity. Activity, repetition, cessation, and the supreme state are its aspects.'
तां गतिं परमामेति निवृत्तिपरमो मुनिः। ज्ञानतत्त्वपरो नित्यं शुभाशुभनिदर्शकः ॥१२-२१०-५॥
The sage whose highest aim is withdrawal, who is always devoted to the essence of knowledge, and who reveals the distinction between auspicious and inauspicious, attains that supreme state.
तदेवमेतौ विज्ञेयावव्यक्तपुरुषावुभौ। अव्यक्तपुरुषाभ्यां तु यत्स्यादन्यन्महत्तरम् ॥१२-२१०-६॥
Thus, these two—the unmanifest and the person—are to be understood; but that which is other and greater than the unmanifest and the person should be known.
तं विशेषमवेक्षेत विशेषेण विचक्षणः। अनाद्यन्तावुभावेतावलिङ्गौ चाप्युभावपि ॥१२-२१०-७॥
The wise person should observe that distinction with discernment; both these marks are without beginning and end, and indeed, both are so.
उभौ नित्यौ सूक्ष्मतरौ महद्भ्यश्च महत्तरौ। सामान्यमेतदुभयोरेवं ह्यन्यद्विशेषणम् ॥१२-२१०-८॥
Both are eternal, subtler and greater than the great; this is their commonality, while the other is their distinction.
प्रकृत्या सर्गधर्मिण्या तथा त्रिविधसत्त्वया। विपरीतमतो विद्यात्क्षेत्रज्ञस्य च लक्षणम् ॥१२-२१०-९॥
By nature, endowed with the property of creation and the threefold essence, one should know the opposite as the characteristic of the knower of the field.
प्रकृतेश्च विकाराणां द्रष्टारमगुणान्वितम्। अग्राह्यौ पुरुषावेतावलिङ्गत्वादसंहितौ ॥१२-२१०-१०॥
The seer, who is not endowed with guṇas, of prakṛti and its modifications, is not graspable; these two puruṣas, due to the absence of distinguishing marks, are not united.
संयोगलक्षणोत्पत्तिः कर्मजा गृह्यते यया। करणैः कर्मनिर्वृत्तैः कर्ता यद्यद्विचेष्टते ॥ कीर्त्यते शब्दसञ्ज्ञाभिः कोऽहमेषोऽप्यसाविति ॥१२-२१०-११॥
That which is characterized by the arising from union and is born of action is grasped; by means of instruments and accomplished actions, whatever the agent does is so performed. This is referred to by verbal designations such as: 'Who am I? Who is this? Who is that?'
उष्णीषवान्यथा वस्त्रैस्त्रिभिर्भवति संवृतः। संवृतोऽयं तथा देही सत्त्वराजसतामसैः ॥१२-२१०-१२॥
Just as a person with a turban is covered by three garments, so too is the embodied soul covered by the qualities of sattva, rajas, and tamas.
तस्माच्चतुष्टयं वेद्यमेतैर्हेतुभिराचितम्। यथासञ्ज्ञो ह्ययं सम्यगन्तकाले न मुह्यति ॥१२-२१०-१३॥
Therefore, the fourfold knowledge should be acquired by these causes; so that this person, being conscious, does not become deluded at the time of death.
श्रियं दिव्यामभिप्रेप्सुर्ब्रह्म वाङ्मनसा शुचिः। शारीरैर्नियमैरुग्रैश्चरेन्निष्कल्मषं तपः ॥१२-२१०-१४॥
One who desires divine prosperity, being pure in speech and mind, should practice sinless austerity through severe bodily restraints.
त्रैलोक्यं तपसा व्याप्तमन्तर्भूतेन भास्वता। सूर्यश्च चन्द्रमाश्चैव भासतस्तपसा दिवि ॥१२-२१०-१५॥
The three worlds are pervaded by ascetic power, and it is through inner brilliance that the Sun and the Moon shine in the heavens.
प्रतापस्तपसो ज्ञानं लोके संशब्दितं तपः। रजस्तमोघ्नं यत्कर्म तपसस्तत्स्वलक्षणम् ॥१२-२१०-१६॥
The knowledge that is the splendor of austerity is called austerity in the world; the action that destroys passion and darkness is the true mark of austerity.
ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते। वाङ्मनोनियमः साम्यं मानसं तप उच्यते ॥१२-२१०-१७॥
Celibacy, non-violence, and bodily discipline are called physical austerity. Control of speech and mind, and equanimity are called mental austerity.
विधिज्ञेभ्यो द्विजातिभ्यो ग्राह्यमन्नं विशिष्यते। आहारनियमेनास्य पाप्मा नश्यति राजसः ॥१२-२१०-१८॥
Food should be accepted especially from those who know the rules and from the twice-born; by regulating food, the sin of a passionate person is destroyed.
वैमनस्यं च विषये यान्त्यस्य करणानि च। तस्मात्तन्मात्रमादद्याद्यावदत्र प्रयोजनम् ॥१२-२१०-१९॥
One should take only as much as is needed for the purpose here, for enmity and the instruments that go with it pertain to the matter; therefore, only that much should be taken.
अन्तकाले वयोत्कर्षाच्छनैः कुर्यादनातुरः। एवं युक्तेन मनसा ज्ञानं तदुपपद्यते ॥१२-२१०-२०॥
At the end of life, due to old age, one who is not afflicted should act gradually in this way; with a concentrated mind, that knowledge arises.
रजसा चाप्ययं देही देहवाञ्शब्दवच्चरेत्। कार्यैरव्याहतमतिर्वैराग्यात्प्रकृतौ स्थितः ॥ आ देहादप्रमादाच्च देहान्ताद्विप्रमुच्यते ॥१२-२१०-२१॥
The embodied soul, influenced by rajas, should act like sound, moving through the world, maintaining an undisturbed mind, acting with dispassion, and remaining established in its own nature. Through vigilance until the end of the body, one is completely liberated.
हेतुयुक्तः सदोत्सर्गो भूतानां प्रलयस्तथा। परप्रत्ययसर्गे तु नियतं नातिवर्तते ॥१२-२१०-२२॥
The process of creation, maintenance, and dissolution of beings is always governed by cause; but in the creation that depends on another's influence, this order is never violated.
भवान्तप्रभवप्रज्ञा आसते ये विपर्ययम्। धृत्या देहान्धारयन्तो बुद्धिसङ्क्षिप्तमानसाः ॥ स्थानेभ्यो ध्वंसमानाश्च सूक्ष्मत्वात्तानुपासते ॥१२-२१०-२३॥
Those whose wisdom is at the end and origin of existence, who remain in error; by firmness supporting their bodies, with minds contracted by intellect; as they are destroyed from their places, due to their subtlety, they approach them.
यथागमं च तत्सर्वं बुद्ध्या तन्नैव बुध्यते। देहान्तं कश्चिदन्वास्ते भावितात्मा निराश्रयः ॥ युक्तो धारणया कश्चित्सत्तां केचिदुपासते ॥१२-२१०-२४॥
According to tradition, all this is not truly understood by intellect alone. Until the end of the body, a realized soul remains independent. Some, engaged in concentration, worship existence itself.
अभ्यस्यन्ति परं देवं विद्युत्संशब्दिताक्षरम्। अन्तकाले ह्युपासन्नास्तपसा दग्धकिल्बिषाः ॥१२-२१०-२५॥
Those who, at the end of their lives, having approached the supreme divine being whose imperishable form is resounded like lightning, and whose sins have been burnt away by austerity, repeatedly practice (meditation on Him).
सर्व एते महात्मानो गच्छन्ति परमां गतिम्। सूक्ष्मं विशेषणं तेषामवेक्षेच्छास्त्रचक्षुषा ॥१२-२१०-२६॥
All these great souls attain the highest state. Their subtle distinctions should be discerned through the eye of scripture.
देहं तु परमं विद्याद्विमुक्तमपरिग्रहम्। अन्तरिक्षादन्यतरं धारणासक्तमानसम् ॥१२-२१०-२७॥
But one should recognize the body as the supreme, liberated and free from possessions; with a mind absorbed in concentration, distinct from the intermediate space.
मर्त्यलोकाद्विमुच्यन्ते विद्यासंयुक्तमानसाः। ब्रह्मभूता विरजसस्ततो यान्ति परां गतिम् ॥१२-२१०-२८॥
Those whose minds are endowed with knowledge are released from the world of mortals; having become Brahman and free from passion, they then attain the supreme state.
कषायवर्जितं ज्ञानं येषामुत्पद्यतेऽचलम्। ते यान्ति परमाँल्लोकान्विशुध्यन्तो यथाबलम् ॥१२-२१०-२९॥
Those in whom unshakable knowledge free from passions arises, having become purified according to their capacity, they attain the highest worlds.
भगवन्तमजं दिव्यं विष्णुमव्यक्तसञ्ज्ञितम्। भावेन यान्ति शुद्धा ये ज्ञानतृप्ता निराशिषः ॥१२-२१०-३०॥
Those pure souls, content with knowledge and free from desires, approach with devotion the divine, unborn Viṣṇu, known as the unmanifest.
ज्ञात्वात्मस्थं हरिं चैव निवर्तन्ते न तेऽव्ययाः। प्राप्य तत्परमं स्थानं मोदन्तेऽक्षरमव्ययम् ॥१२-२१०-३१॥
Having realized Hari who abides in the self, those imperishable ones do not return. Attaining that supreme abode, they rejoice in the imperishable and unchanging.
एतावदेतद्विज्ञानमेतदस्ति च नास्ति च। तृष्णाबद्धं जगत्सर्वं चक्रवत्परिवर्तते ॥१२-२१०-३२॥
This is the extent of knowledge: it both exists and does not exist; the entire world, bound by craving, turns like a wheel.
बिसतन्तुर्यथैवायमन्तःस्थः सर्वतो बिसे। तृष्णातन्तुरनाद्यन्तस्तथा देहगतः सदा ॥१२-२१०-३३॥
Just as the thread inside a lotus runs throughout the stalk, so too the endless thread of craving always pervades the body.
सूच्या सूत्रं यथा वस्त्रे संसारयति वायकः। तद्वत्संसारसूत्रं हि तृष्णासूच्या निबध्यते ॥१२-२१०-३४॥
Just as a weaver threads a needle through cloth, so too is the thread of worldly existence bound by the needle of desire.
विकारं प्रकृतिं चैव पुरुषं च सनातनम्। यो यथावद्विजानाति स वितृष्णो विमुच्यते ॥१२-२१०-३५॥
Whoever truly understands modification, primordial nature, and the eternal spirit, becomes free from desire and is liberated.
प्रकाशं भगवानेतदृषिर्नारायणोऽमृतम्। भूतानामनुकम्पार्थं जगाद जगतो हितम् ॥१२-२१०-३६॥
The blessed sage Nārāyaṇa revealed this immortal teaching out of compassion for all beings, for the welfare of the world.
