12.299
याज्ञवल्क्य उवाच॥
Yājñavalkya said.
अव्यक्तस्य नरश्रेष्ठ कालसङ्ख्यां निबोध मे। पञ्च कल्पसहस्राणि द्विगुणान्यहरुच्यते ॥१२-२९९-१॥
O best of men, understand from me the reckoning of time of the unmanifested. It is said to be twice five thousand aeons.
रात्रिरेतावती चास्य प्रतिबुद्धो नराधिप। सृजत्योषधिमेवाग्रे जीवनं सर्वदेहिनाम् ॥१२-२९९-२॥
When the night is thus passed and the king awakens, he, like a medicinal herb at dawn, brings life to all living beings.
ततो ब्रह्माणमसृजद्धैरण्याण्डसमुद्भवम्। सा मूर्तिः सर्वभूतानामित्येवमनुशुश्रुम ॥१२-२९९-३॥
Then he created Brahmā, born from the golden egg. That form is said to be of all beings—so have we heard.
संवत्सरमुषित्वाण्डे निष्क्रम्य च महामुनिः। संदधेऽर्धं महीं कृत्स्नां दिवमर्धं प्रजापतिः ॥१२-२९९-४॥
After residing in the egg for a year, the great sage Prajapati emerged and divided the whole earth into one half and the heaven into the other half.
द्यावापृथिव्योरित्येष राजन्वेदेषु पठ्यते। तयोः शकलयोर्मध्यमाकाशमकरोत्प्रभुः ॥१२-२९९-५॥
O king, it is said in the Vedas: 'Of heaven and earth.' Of those two divisions, the Lord created the space in between.
एतस्यापि च सङ्ख्यानं वेदवेदाङ्गपारगैः। दश कल्पसहस्राणि पादोनान्यहरुच्यते ॥ रात्रिमेतावतीं चास्य प्राहुरध्यात्मचिन्तकाः ॥१२-२९९-६॥
Those who have mastered the Veda and Vedāṅgas say that the duration of this too is ten thousand aeons less by a quarter; those who contemplate on the Self declare that its night is also of this extent.
सृजत्यहङ्कारमृषिर्भूतं दिव्यात्मकं तथा। चतुरश्चापरान्पुत्रान्देहात्पूर्वं महानृषिः ॥ ते वै पितृभ्यः पितरः श्रूयन्ते राजसत्तम ॥१२-२९९-७॥
The sage created the ego, a being of divine nature, and also four other sons before (arising) from his body, O best of kings. These are indeed said to be the forefathers of the ancestors.
देवाः पितॄणां च सुता देवैर्लोकाः समावृताः। चराचरा नरश्रेष्ठ इत्येवमनुशुश्रुम ॥१२-२९९-८॥
O best of men, we have heard that the worlds, both moving and unmoving, are surrounded by the gods and by the sons of the ancestors.
परमेष्ठी त्वहङ्कारोऽसृजद्भूतानि पञ्चधा। पृथिवी वायुराकाशमापो ज्योतिश्च पञ्चमम् ॥१२-२९९-९॥
The supreme creator, through the principle of ego, created the five elements: earth, air, ether, water, and light as the fifth.
एतस्यापि निशामाहुस्तृतीयमिह कुर्वतः। पञ्च कल्पसहस्राणि तावदेवाहरुच्यते ॥१२-२९९-१०॥
Here, for this as well, the third night is said for the one performing (the rite); it is said that five thousand aeons is called a day.
शब्दः स्पर्शश्च रूपं च रसो गन्धश्च पञ्चमः। एते विशेषा राजेन्द्र महाभूतेषु पञ्चसु ॥ यैराविष्टानि भूतानि अहन्यहनि पार्थिव ॥१२-२९९-११॥
O king, sound, touch, form, taste, and smell are the five particulars in the great elements; by which beings are pervaded day after day, O son of Pṛthā.
अन्योन्यं स्पृहयन्त्येते अन्योन्यस्य हिते रताः। अन्योन्यमभिमन्यन्ते अन्योन्यस्पर्धिनस्तथा ॥१२-२९९-१२॥
They desire each other, are devoted to each other's welfare, and yet regard each other as rivals.
ते वध्यमाना अन्योन्यं गुणैर्हारिभिरव्ययाः। इहैव परिवर्तन्ते तिर्यग्योनिप्रवेशिनः ॥१२-२९९-१३॥
They, though imperishable, being killed by each other through their qualities by those who take away, revolve here itself, entering into the wombs of animals.
त्रीणि कल्पसहस्राणि एतेषामहरुच्यते। रत्रिरेतावती चैव मनसश्च नराधिप ॥१२-२९९-१४॥
O king, it is said that for these, a day is three thousand aeons; and the night is of the same measure, for Manu as well.
मनश्चरति राजेन्द्र चरितं सर्वमिन्द्रियैः। न चेन्द्रियाणि पश्यन्ति मन एवात्र पश्यति ॥१२-२९९-१५॥
O King, the mind moves through all actions by means of the senses. Yet, the senses do not perceive; it is the mind alone that perceives here.
चक्षुः पश्यति रूपाणि मनसा तु न चक्षुषा। मनसि व्याकुले चक्षुः पश्यन्नपि न पश्यति ॥ तथेन्द्रियाणि सर्वाणि पश्यन्तीत्यभिचक्षते ॥१२-२९९-१६॥
The eye perceives forms, but not by itself—rather, by means of the mind. When the mind is disturbed, even though the eye looks, it does not truly see. In this way, it is said that all the senses perceive only through the mind. 12-299-16.
मनस्युपरते राजन्निन्द्रियोपरमो भवेत्। न चेन्द्रियव्युपरमे मनस्युपरमो भवेत् ॥ एवं मनःप्रधानानि इन्द्रियाणि विभावयेत् ॥१२-२९९-१७॥
O king, when the mind is withdrawn, the senses may also become inactive; but when the senses are inactive, the mind does not necessarily become withdrawn. Therefore, one should understand that the senses are governed by the mind.
इन्द्रियाणां हि सर्वेषामीश्वरं मन उच्यते। एतद्विशन्ति भूतानि सर्वाणीह महायशाः ॥१२-२९९-१८॥
The mind is called the lord of all the senses. All beings enter into this here, O greatly renowned ones.
