12.238
व्यास उवाच॥
Vyāsa said.
प्रकृतेस्तु विकारा ये क्षेत्रज्ञस्तैः परिश्रितः। ते चैनं न प्रजानन्ति स तु जानाति तानपि ॥१२-२३८-१॥
But the modifications of nature by which the knower of the field is surrounded, they do not know him; but he knows them all.
तैश्चैष कुरुते कार्यं मनःषष्ठैरिहेन्द्रियैः। सुदान्तैरिव संयन्ता दृढैः परमवाजिभिः ॥१२-२३८-२॥
With those senses, with the mind as the sixth, here, this one acts, just as a charioteer with well-controlled, firm, supreme horses.
इन्द्रियेभ्यः परा ह्यर्था अर्थेभ्यः परमं मनः। मनसस्तु परा बुद्धिर्बुद्धेरात्मा महान्परः ॥१२-२३८-३॥
Objects are superior to the senses; the mind is superior to the objects; the intellect is superior to the mind; but the self is superior to the intellect and is the greatest.
महतः परमव्यक्तमव्यक्तात्परतोऽमृतम्। अमृतान्न परं किञ्चित्सा काष्ठा सा परा गतिः ॥१२-२३८-४॥
Beyond the great (mahat) is the supreme unmanifest; beyond the unmanifest is the immortal. There is nothing beyond the immortal; that is the ultimate limit, that is the supreme goal.
एवं सर्वेषु भूतेषु गूढोऽऽत्मा न प्रकाशते। दृश्यते त्वग्र्यया बुद्ध्या सूक्ष्मया तत्त्वदर्शिभिः ॥१२-२३८-५॥
Thus, the hidden self is not apparent in all beings; it is perceived only by those who possess the highest and most subtle intellect, the seers of truth.
अन्तरात्मनि संलीय मनःषष्ठानि मेधया। इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थांश्च बहु चिन्त्यमचिन्तयन् ॥१२-२३८-६॥
He merged the mind and the senses into the inner self by his intelligence, and did not dwell much on the sense-objects that could be thought about.
ध्यानोपरमणं कृत्वा विद्यासम्पादितं मनः। अनीश्वरः प्रशान्तात्म ततोऽर्छत्यमृतं पदम् ॥१२-२३८-७॥
Having stilled the mind through meditation and knowledge, the one who is not a master, with a tranquil self, then attains the immortal state.
इन्द्रियाणां तु सर्वेषां वश्यात्मा चलितस्मृतिः। आत्मनः सम्प्रदानेन मर्त्यो मृत्युमुपाश्नुते ॥१२-२३८-८॥
But among all the senses, if a person whose self is controlled loses memory, by giving away his own self, the mortal reaches death.
हित्वा तु सर्वसङ्कल्पान्सत्त्वे चित्तं निवेशयेत्। सत्त्वे चित्तं समावेश्य ततः कालञ्जरो भवेत् ॥१२-२३८-९॥
But, having given up all intentions, one should fix the mind in the essence. When the mind is thus absorbed in the essence, then one becomes free from decay.
चित्तप्रसादेन यतिर्जहाति हि शुभाशुभम्। प्रसन्नात्मात्मनि स्थित्वा सुखमानन्त्यमश्नुते ॥१२-२३८-१०॥
Through serenity of mind, the ascetic truly gives up both good and evil; with a tranquil self established in the Self, he attains infinite bliss.
लक्षणं तु प्रसादस्य यथा तृप्तः सुखं स्वपेत्। निवाते वा यथा दीपो दीप्यमानो न कम्पते ॥१२-२३८-११॥
The sign of serenity is that, like a contented person who sleeps peacefully, or like a lamp burning steadily in a windless place, there is no disturbance.
एवं पूर्वापरे रात्रे युञ्जन्नात्मानमात्मना। सत्त्वाहारविशुद्धात्मा पश्यत्यात्मानमात्मनि ॥१२-२३८-१२॥
Thus, during the early and late parts of the night, one who engages the self with the self, whose self is purified by pure food, sees the self within the self.
रहस्यं सर्ववेदानामनैतिह्यमनागमम्। आत्मप्रत्ययिकं शास्त्रमिदं पुत्रानुशासनम् ॥१२-२३८-१३॥
This instruction, O son, is a self-evident treatise, the secret of all the Vedas, not based on tradition or scripture.
धर्माख्यानेषु सर्वेषु सत्याख्यानेषु यद्वसु। दशेदमृक्सहस्राणि निर्मथ्यामृतमुद्धृतम् ॥१२-२३८-१४॥
In all the narrations of dharma and truth, the wealth which is the ten thousand ṛks, having been churned, the nectar has been extracted.
नवनीतं यथा दध्नः काष्ठादग्निर्यथैव च। तथैव विदुषां ज्ञानं पुत्रहेतोः समुद्धृतम् ॥ स्नातकानामिदं शास्त्रं वाच्यं पुत्रानुशासनम् ॥१२-२३८-१५॥
Just as fresh butter is extracted from curds and fire from wood, so too is the knowledge of the wise drawn out for the sake of the son. This teaching of the graduates should be imparted as instruction to sons.
तदिदं नाप्रशान्ताय नादान्तायातपस्विने। नावेदविदुषे वाच्यं तथा नानुगताय च ॥१२-२३८-१६॥
This should not be spoken to one who is not tranquil, not self-controlled, not austere, not learned in the Veda, nor to one who is not obedient.
नासूयकायानृजवे न चानिर्दिष्टकारिणे। न तर्कशास्त्रदग्धाय तथैव पिशुनाय च ॥१२-२३८-१७॥
Do not (teach or entrust) to one who is not envious, not straightforward, acts without instruction, is scorched by logic treatises, or is a slanderer.
श्लाघते श्लाघनीयाय प्रशान्ताय तपस्विने। इदं प्रियाय पुत्राय शिष्यायानुगताय च ॥ रहस्यधर्मं वक्तव्यं नान्यस्मै तु कथञ्चन ॥१२-२३८-१८॥
He praises the praiseworthy, the tranquil, and the ascetic. This secret dharma should be taught only to a dear one, a son, a disciple, or a devoted follower, but never to anyone else in any circumstance.
यद्यप्यस्य महीं दद्याद्रत्नपूर्णामिमां नरः। इदमेव ततः श्रेय इति मन्येत तत्त्ववित् ॥१२-२३८-१९॥
Even if a man were to give this entire earth filled with jewels, the wise person knows that this alone is the highest good.
अतो गुह्यतरार्थं तदध्यात्ममतिमानुषम्। यत्तन्महर्षिभिर्दृष्टं वेदान्तेषु च गीयते ॥ तत्तेऽहं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि ॥१२-२३८-२०॥
Therefore, I shall fully declare to you that most secret meaning, pertaining to the self and beyond human understanding, which has been seen by the great sages and is sung in the Vedāntas, which you have thoroughly asked me about.
