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वसिष्ठ उवाच॥
Vasiṣṭha said.
अप्रबुद्धमथाव्यक्तमिमं गुणविधिं शृणु। गुणान्धारयते ह्येषा सृजत्याक्षिपते तथा ॥१२-२९६-१॥
Now hear about this unmanifest, not-awakened order of guṇas. It is these guṇas that indeed hold, create, and likewise cast aside.
अजस्रं त्विह क्रीडार्थं विकुर्वन्ती नराधिप। आत्मानं बहुधा कृत्वा तान्येव च विचक्षते ॥१२-२९६-२॥
O king, here (the Self), unceasingly for the sake of play, transforms itself in many ways, having made those (forms), and observes them.
एतदेवं विकुर्वाणां बुध्यमानो न बुध्यते। अव्यक्तबोधनाच्चैव बुध्यमानं वदन्त्यपि ॥१२-२९६-३॥
Thus, even when one appears to be becoming aware among those acting differently, he does not truly become aware. And, due to indistinct knowledge, they also call someone 'aware'.
न त्वेव बुध्यतेऽव्यक्तं सगुणं वाथ निर्गुणम्। कदाचित्त्वेव खल्वेतदाहुरप्रतिबुद्धकम् ॥१२-२९६-४॥
But indeed, the unmanifest is not understood as either possessing qualities or devoid of qualities. Sometimes, indeed, they say this is not awakened.
बुध्यते यदि वाव्यक्तमेतद्वै पञ्चविंशकम्। बुध्यमानो भवत्येष सङ्गात्मक इति श्रुतिः ॥१२-२९६-५॥
If this unmanifest, the so-called twenty-fifth, is understood, then this being, when understood, is of the nature of association—thus says the scripture.
अनेनाप्रतिबुद्धेति वदन्त्यव्यक्तमच्युतम्। अव्यक्तबोधनाच्चैव बुध्यमानं वदन्त्युत ॥१२-२९६-६॥
By this, O Acyuta, they call the unmanifest as 'not awakened'. And from the knowledge of the unmanifest, they also say it is being understood.
पञ्चविंशं महात्मानं न चासावपि बुध्यते। षड्विंशं विमलं बुद्धमप्रमेयं सनातनम् ॥१२-२९६-७॥
The twenty-fifth great soul is not even known; the twenty-sixth is the pure, enlightened, immeasurable, and eternal one.
सततं पञ्चविंशं च चतुर्विंशं च बुध्यते। दृश्यादृश्ये ह्यनुगतमुभावेव महाद्युती ॥१२-२९६-८॥
It is understood that the twenty-fourth and the twenty-fifth principles are ever-present; the one of great brilliance pervades both the visible and the invisible.
अव्यक्तं न तु तद्ब्रह्म बुध्यते तात केवलम्। केवलं पञ्चविंशं च चतुर्विंशं न पश्यति ॥१२-२९६-९॥
O dear, the unmanifest is not that Brahman alone. He does not see only the twenty-fifth and the twenty-fourth.
बुध्यमानो यदात्मानमन्योऽहमिति मन्यते। तदा प्रकृतिमानेष भवत्यव्यक्तलोचनः ॥१२-२९६-१०॥
When a person, though awakened, thinks of the self as 'I am someone else,' then, being bound by nature, he becomes one whose vision is obscured.
बुध्यते च परां बुद्धिं विशुद्धाममलां यदा। षड्विंशो राजशार्दूल तदा बुद्धत्वमाव्रजेत् ॥१२-२९६-११॥
O tiger among kings, when one realizes the supreme, completely pure and spotless intellect, then, on the twenty-sixth, one attains enlightenment.
ततस्त्यजति सोऽव्यक्तं सर्गप्रलयधर्मिणम्। निर्गुणः प्रकृतिं वेद गुणयुक्तामचेतनाम् ॥१२-२९६-१२॥
Then, he abandons the unmanifest, which has the nature of creation and dissolution. Being without qualities, he knows Prakriti, which is endowed with qualities and is unconscious.
ततः केवलधर्मासौ भवत्यव्यक्तदर्शनात्। केवलेन समागम्य विमुक्तोऽऽत्मानमाप्नुयात् ॥१२-२९६-१३॥
Then, from perceiving the unmanifest, the self becomes of sole nature. By uniting with the sole (one), the liberated attains the self.
एतत्तत्तत्त्वमित्याहुर्निस्तत्त्वमजरामरम्। तत्त्वसंश्रयणादेतत्तत्त्ववन्न च मानद ॥ पञ्चविंशतितत्त्वानि प्रवदन्ति मनीषिणः ॥१२-२९६-१४॥
They say, "This is that principle"; but that which is devoid of principle is undecaying and immortal. O bestower of honor, by resorting to the principle, this does not become like the principle. The wise declare twenty-five principles.
न चैष तत्त्ववांस्तात निस्तत्त्वस्त्वेष बुद्धिमान्। एष मुञ्चति तत्त्वं हि क्षिप्रं बुद्धस्य लक्षणम् ॥१२-२९६-१५॥
O dear one, this is not a person of essence, but one devoid of essence, though intelligent; for it is the characteristic of the intelligent to quickly abandon essence.
षड्विंशोऽहमिति प्राज्ञो गृह्यमाणोऽजरामरः। केवलेन बलेनैव समतां यात्यसंशयम् ॥१२-२९६-१६॥
The wise one, when grasped as "I am the twenty-sixth", ageless and immortal, surely attains equality by strength alone, without doubt.
षड्विंशेन प्रबुद्धेन बुध्यमानोऽप्यबुद्धिमान्। एतन्नानात्वमित्युक्तं साङ्ख्यश्रुतिनिदर्शनात् ॥१२-२९६-१७॥
Even one who is being awakened by the twenty-sixth (principle), though awakened, is still considered unintelligent; this diversity is thus explained by the example from the Sāṅkhya scripture.
चेतनेन समेतस्य पञ्चविंशतिकस्य च। एकत्वं वै भवत्यस्य यदा बुद्ध्या न बुध्यते ॥१२-२९६-१८॥
When the intellect does not comprehend, the oneness of the united twenty-fifth with consciousness indeed becomes (apparent) for this.
बुध्यमानोऽप्रबुद्धेन समतां याति मैथिल। सङ्गधर्मा भवत्येष निःसङ्गात्मा नराधिप ॥१२-२९६-१९॥
O Maithila, one who is awakened by the unawakened attains equanimity. He who is of the nature of attachment becomes so, but one whose self is free from attachment, O king.
निःसङ्गात्मानमासाद्य षड्विंशकमजं विदुः। विभुस्त्यजति चाव्यक्तं यदा त्वेतद्विबुध्यते ॥ चतुर्विंशमगाधं च षड्विंशस्य प्रबोधनात् ॥१२-२९६-२०॥
When one attains the detached self, the twenty-sixth unborn principle is realized; then the all-pervading abandons the unmanifest, and when this is awakened, the unfathomable twenty-fourth is also realized through the awakening of the twenty-sixth.
एष ह्यप्रतिबुद्धश्च बुध्यमानश्च तेऽनघ। प्रोक्तो बुद्धश्च तत्त्वेन यथाश्रुतिनिदर्शनात् ॥ नानात्वैकत्वमेतावद्द्रष्टव्यं शास्त्रदृष्टिभिः ॥१२-२९६-२१॥
O sinless one, this has been declared to you as not-awakened, awakening, and awakened, in reality, as illustrated by scripture. The manifoldness and oneness should thus be seen through the perspectives of the śāstra.
मशकोदुम्बरे यद्वदन्यत्वं तद्वदेतयोः। मत्स्योऽम्भसि यथा तद्वदन्यत्वमुपलभ्यते ॥१२-२९६-२२॥
Just as the distinction between a mosquito and the udumbara tree, so is the distinction between these two; just as the distinction between a fish and water, so is their separateness perceived.
एवमेवावगन्तव्यं नानात्वैकत्वमेतयोः। एतद्विमोक्ष इत्युक्तमव्यक्तज्ञानसंहितम् ॥१२-२९६-२३॥
Thus, one must understand the manifoldness and oneness of these two; this is called liberation, as stated in the collected knowledge of the unmanifest.
पञ्चविंशतिकस्यास्य योऽयं देहेषु वर्तते। एष मोक्षयितव्येति प्राहुरव्यक्तगोचरात् ॥१२-२९६-२४॥
They say that the one called the twenty-fifth, which abides in these bodies, is to be liberated from the imperceptible sphere.
सोऽयमेवं विमुच्येत नान्यथेति विनिश्चयः। परेण परधर्मा च भवत्येष समेत्य वै ॥१२-२९६-२५॥
Thus, he is released in this way and not otherwise—this is certain. By the Supreme, another's dharma also becomes his, having attained it, indeed.
विशुद्धधर्मा शुद्धेन बुद्धेन च स बुद्धिमान्। विमुक्तधर्मा मुक्तेन समेत्य पुरुषर्षभ ॥१२-२९६-२६॥
O best of men, he whose nature is purified by the pure and the awakened, and who is wise; whose nature is liberated by the liberated, having approached.
नियोगधर्मिणा चैव नियोगात्मा भवत्यपि। विमोक्षिणा विमोक्षश्च समेत्येह तथा भवेत् ॥१२-२९६-२७॥
One who follows the dharma of niyoga truly attains the nature of niyoga; similarly, one who seeks liberation, having attained it here, likewise may become liberated.
शुचिकर्मा शुचिश्चैव भवत्यमितदीप्तिमान्। विमलात्मा च भवति समेत्य विमलात्मना ॥१२-२९६-२८॥
He whose actions are pure and who is himself pure indeed attains immeasurable brilliance. When one’s soul is spotless, uniting with the spotless soul, he too becomes so.
केवलात्मा तथा चैव केवलेन समेत्य वै। स्वतन्त्रश्च स्वतन्त्रेण स्वतन्त्रत्वमवाप्नुते ॥१२-२९६-२९॥
Thus, one whose self is alone, by uniting with the alone, truly attains independence through independence itself.
एतावदेतत्कथितं मया ते; तथ्यं महाराज यथार्थतत्त्वम्। अमत्सरत्वं प्रतिगृह्य चार्थं; सनातनं ब्रह्म विशुद्धमाद्यम् ॥१२-२९६-३०॥
O great king, thus much has been explained to you by me: the real truth and principle. Having accepted the absence of envy and the true meaning, the eternal, pure, primordial Brahman is revealed.
न वेदनिष्ठस्य जनस्य राज; न्प्रदेयमेतत्परमं त्वया भवेत्। विवित्समानाय विबोधकारकं; प्रबोधहेतोः प्रणतस्य शासनम् ॥१२-२९६-३१॥
O king, this supreme teaching should not be given by you to a person established in the Veda. Instruction that causes awakening should be given to one who desires to know, who seeks awakening, and who is humble.
न देयमेतच्च तथानृतात्मने; शठाय क्लीबाय न जिह्मबुद्धये। न पण्डितज्ञानपरोपतापिने; देयं त्वयेदं विनिबोध यादृशे ॥१२-२९६-३२॥
This should not be given to one of false nature, to the deceitful, to the impotent, or to one with crooked intellect. Nor should it be given to one who torments others with the knowledge of the learned. Understand, this should be given by you only to one who is worthy.
श्रद्धान्वितायाथ गुणान्विताय; परापवादाद्विरताय नित्यम्। विशुद्धयोगाय बुधाय चैव; क्रियावतेऽथ क्षमिणे हिताय ॥१२-२९६-३३॥
To one who possesses faith, virtues, abstains from slandering others at all times, is pure in yoga, wise, active in deeds, forgiving, and beneficial.
विविक्तशीलाय विधिप्रियाय; विवादहीनाय बहुश्रुताय। विजानते चैव न चाहितक्षमे; दमे च शक्ताय शमे च देहिनाम् ॥१२-२९६-३४॥
They recognize as worthy those who are of secluded nature, fond of rules, free from disputes, and well-versed in much scripture; but not those who are intolerant of harm. Among embodied beings, those who are capable in self-restraint and tranquility are valued.
एतैर्गुणैर्हीनतमे न देय; मेतत्परं ब्रह्म विशुद्धमाहुः। न श्रेयसा योक्ष्यति तादृशे कृतं; धर्मप्रवक्तारमपात्रदानात् ॥१२-२९६-३५॥
One should not give (gifts) to those most lacking in these qualities; this, they say, is my supreme pure Brahman. Such an act does not lead to auspiciousness; even the expounder of dharma is affected by giving to the unworthy.
पृथ्वीमिमां यद्यपि रत्नपूर्णां; दद्यान्नदेयं त्विदमव्रताय। जितेन्द्रियायैतदसंशयं ते; भवेत्प्रदेयं परमं नरेन्द्र ॥१२-२९६-३६॥
O king, even if one could give away this earth filled with jewels, this should never be given to one without vows; but to one who has conquered his senses, this, without doubt, should be given as the highest gift.
कराल मा ते भयमस्तु किं चि; देतच्छ्रुतं ब्रह्म परं त्वयाद्य। यथावदुक्तं परमं पवित्रं; निःशोकमत्यन्तमनादिमध्यम् ॥१२-२९६-३७॥
O Terrible one, let there be no fear for you at all; today you have heard this supreme Brahman. As it has been properly spoken, it is the supreme, pure, sorrowless, eternal, and without beginning or middle.
अगाधजन्मामरणं च राज; न्निरामयं वीतभयं शिवं च। समीक्ष्य मोहं त्यज चाद्य सर्वं; ज्ञानस्य तत्त्वार्थमिदं विदित्वा ॥१२-२९६-३८॥
O king, after understanding the true meaning of knowledge—unfathomable birth, deathlessness, freedom from disease, fearlessness, and auspiciousness—examine delusion and abandon all of it today.
अवाप्तमेतद्धि पुरा सनातना; द्धिरण्यगर्भाद्गदतो नराधिप। प्रसाद्य यत्नेन तमुग्रतेजसं; सनातनं ब्रह्म यथाद्य वै त्वया ॥१२-२९६-३९॥
O king, this knowledge was formerly obtained from Hiraṇyagarbha as he spoke. By your effort, you have propitiated him of fierce energy, the eternal Brahman, just as it has been done today.
पृष्टस्त्वया चास्मि यथा नरेन्द्र; तथा मयेदं त्वयि चोक्तमद्य। तथावाप्तं ब्रह्मणो मे नरेन्द्र; महज्ज्ञानं मोक्षविदां पुराणम् ॥१२-२९६-४०॥
O king, as you have asked, so have I spoken this to you today. Thus, I have obtained from Brahman, O king, the great and ancient knowledge of those who know liberation.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
एतदुक्तं परं ब्रह्म यस्मान्नावर्तते पुनः। पञ्चविंशो महाराज परमर्षिनिदर्शनात् ॥१२-२९६-४१॥
O great king, this is declared to be the supreme Brahman, from which there is no return. This, as explained by the supreme sage, is the twenty-fifth principle.
पुनरावृत्तिमाप्नोति परं ज्ञानमवाप्य च। नावबुध्यति तत्त्वेन बुध्यमानोऽजरामरः ॥१२-२९६-४२॥
Even after attaining supreme knowledge, if one does not truly realize its essence, though being aware and immortal, one undergoes repeated cycles of birth and death.
एतन्निःश्रेयसकरं ज्ञानानां ते परं मया। कथितं तत्त्वतस्तात श्रुत्वा देवर्षितो नृप ॥१२-२९६-४३॥
O king, this supreme knowledge, which leads to the highest good, has been truly declared to you by me, O dear one; having heard this, addressed by the divine sage.
हिरण्यगर्भादृषिणा वसिष्ठेन महात्मना। वसिष्ठादृषिशार्दूलान्नारदोऽवाप्तवानिदम् ॥१२-२९६-४४॥
This was obtained by Nārada, the foremost among sages, from Vasiṣṭha, the great-souled sage, who received it from Hiraṇyagarbha.
नारदाद्विदितं मह्यमेतद्ब्रह्म सनातनम्। मा शुचः कौरवेन्द्र त्वं श्रुत्वैतत्परमं पदम् ॥१२-२९६-४५॥
O king of the Kauravas, do not grieve; I have learned of this eternal Brahman from Nārada. Having heard of this supreme state, you should not be sorrowful.
येन क्षराक्षरे वित्ते न भयं तस्य विद्यते। विद्यते तु भयं तस्य यो नैतद्वेत्ति पार्थिव ॥१२-२९६-४६॥
O king, he who knows the perishable and imperishable has no fear; but he who does not know this, has fear.
अविज्ञानाच्च मूढात्मा पुनः पुनरुपद्रवन्। प्रेत्य जातिसहस्राणि मरणान्तान्युपाश्नुते ॥१२-२९६-४७॥
Because of ignorance, the deluded soul, repeatedly afflicted, after death undergoes thousands of births that end in death.
देवलोकं तथा तिर्यङ्मानुष्यमपि चाश्नुते। यदि शुध्यति कालेन तस्मादज्ञानसागरात् ॥१२-२९६-४८॥
He attains the world of the gods, as well as animal and human existence; if purified by time from that ocean of ignorance.
अज्ञानसागरो घोरो ह्यव्यक्तोऽगाध उच्यते। अहन्यहनि मज्जन्ति यत्र भूतानि भारत ॥१२-२९६-४९॥
O Bhārata, the terrible ocean of ignorance, which is unmanifest and bottomless, is so called; in it, day after day, beings sink.
यस्मादगाधादव्यक्तादुत्तीर्णस्त्वं सनातनात्। तस्मात्त्वं विरजाश्चैव वितमस्कश्च पार्थिव ॥१२-२९६-५०॥
Because you have transcended the unfathomable, the unmanifest, and the eternal, therefore, O king, you are free from passion and delusion.
