14.035
arjuna uvāca॥
Arjuna said;
brahma yat paramam vedyaṃ tan me vyākhyātum arhasi। bhavato hi prasādena sūkṣme me ramate matiḥ॥14-35-1॥
You ought to explain to me that supreme Brahman which is to be known; for indeed, by your grace, my mind delights in subtle (topics). (14-35-1)
vāsudeva uvāca॥
Vasudeva said.
atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam। saṃvādaṃ mokṣasaṃyuktaṃ śiṣyasya guruṇā saha॥14-35-2॥
Here too, they relate this ancient legend—a dialogue on liberation between the disciple and the teacher. (14-35-2)
kaścid brāhmaṇam āsīnam ācāryam saṁśita-vratam। śiṣyaḥ papraccha medhāvī kiṁ svit śreyaḥ parantapa ॥14-35-3॥
A disciple, wise, asked a brāhmaṇa teacher who was sitting and firm in vows, "O scorcher of foes, what indeed is the good?" (14-35-3)
bhagavantaṃ prapanno'ham niḥśreyasaparāyaṇaḥ। yāce tvāṃ śirasā vipra yadbrūyāṃ tadvicakṣva me ॥14-35-4॥
O revered one, I have taken refuge in you, devoted to the supreme good; I earnestly request you, O brāhmaṇa, with bowed head: whatever I should speak, please explain that to me. (14-35-4)
tam evaṃvādinam pārtha śiṣyam gurur uvāca ha। kathayasva pravakṣyāmi yatra te saṃśayo dvija ॥14-35-5॥
To the disciple, O Pārtha, who was speaking thus, the teacher indeed said: "Describe your doubt, O twice-born; I will explain where your uncertainty lies." (14-35-5)
ity-uktaḥ sa kuruśreṣṭha guruṇā guruvatsalaḥ। prāñjaliḥ paripapraccha yat-tac-chṛṇu mahāmate ॥14-35-6॥
Thus addressed by the teacher, he who was devoted to his teacher, O best of Kurus, with folded hands earnestly asked. Listen to what he said, O great-minded one. (14-35-6)
śiṣya uvāca॥
The disciple said;
kutaścāhaṃ kutaśca tvaṃ tat satyaṃ brūhi yat param। kuto jātāni bhūtāni sthāvarāṇi carāṇi ca ॥14-35-7॥
From where am I, and from where are you? Tell that supreme truth. From where are beings, both immovable and movable, born? (14-35-7)
kena jīvanti bhūtāni teṣām āyuḥ kim-ātmakam। kiṃ satyaṃ kiṃ tapo vipra ke guṇāḥ sadbhir īritāḥ ॥ ke panthānaḥ śivāḥ santi kiṃ sukhaṃ kiṃ ca duṣkṛtam ॥14-35-8॥
By what do living beings exist? Of what nature is their lifespan? What is truth? What is austerity, O wise one? Which are the qualities declared by the good? Which are the auspicious paths? What is happiness, and what is an evil deed? (14-35-8)
etān me bhagavan praśnān yāthātathyena sattama। vaktum arhasi viprarṣe yathāvat iha tattvataḥ ॥14-35-9॥
O venerable one, you, O best of the good and best of seers, are worthy to properly explain these questions to me here according to reality and in essence. (14-35-9)
vāsudeva uvāca॥
Vāsudeva said.
tasmai sampratipannāya yathāvat-paripṛcchate| śiṣyāya guṇayuktāya śāntāya guru-vartine|| chāyābhūtāya dāntāya yataye brahmacāriṇe||14-35-10||
To that disciple who has come near and asks respectfully, who is endowed with virtues, peaceful, obedient to the teacher, who follows like a shadow, is self-controlled, an ascetic, and a celibate student. (14-35-10)
tān praśnān abravīt pārtha medhāvī sa dhṛta-vrataḥ। guruḥ kurukula-śreṣṭha samyak sarvān ariṃdama ॥14-35-11॥
The wise teacher of firm vow, best of the Kuru lineage, addressed all those questions properly, O Arjuna, subduer of enemies. (14-35-11)
brahmaproktam idaṃ dharmaṃ ṛṣi-pravara-sevitam। veda-vidyā-samāvāpyaṃ tattva-bhūta-artha-bhāvanam ॥14-35-12॥
This dharma, declared by Brahman and honored by eminent sages, is to be attained through Vedic knowledge and is the contemplation of the true essential meaning. (14-35-12)
bhūtabhavyabhaviṣyādi-dharmakāmārthaniscayam। siddhasaṅghaparijñātaṃ purākalpaṃ sanātanam॥14-35-13॥
The eternal determination of dharma, desire, and purpose—relating to past, future, and all else—has been known by the assembly of the perfected ones since ancient times, according to timeless tradition. (14-35-13)
pravakṣye'haṁ mahāprājña padamuttamam adya te। buddhvā yad iha saṁsiddhā bhavantīha manīṣiṇaḥ ॥14-35-14॥
O greatly wise one, today I shall declare to you the highest state; having understood which here, the wise become perfected here. (14-35-14)
upagamyarṣayaḥ pūrvaṃ jijñāsantaḥ parasparam। bṛhaspatibharadvājau gautamo bhārgavas tathā ॥14-35-15॥
Long ago, the sages, having come together to inquire with one another, were Bṛhaspati, Bharadvāja, Gautama, and also Bhārgava. (14-35-15)
vasiṣṭhaḥ kāśyapaścaiva viśvāmitro'trireva ca। mārgānsarvānaparikramya pariśrāntāḥ svakarmabhiḥ ॥14-35-16॥
Vasiṣṭha, Kāśyapa, Viśvāmitra, and Atri—having traversed all the paths—became exhausted by their own actions. (14-35-16)
ṛṣimāṅgirasaṃ vṛddhaṃ puraskṛtya tu te dvijāḥ। dadṛśur brahmabhavane brahmāṇaṃ vītakalmaṣam ॥14-35-17॥
But those Brāhmaṇas, having placed the aged sage of the Aṅgiras lineage at the front, beheld Brahmā, free from sin, in the abode of Brahmā. (14-35-17)
taṃ praṇamya mahātmānaṃ sukhāsīnaṃ maharṣayaḥ। papracchur vinayopetā niḥśreyasam idaṃ param॥14-35-18॥
Having bowed to him, the great-souled one seated at ease, the great sages, endowed with humility, asked this supreme and highest good. (14-35-18)
kathaṁ karma kriyātsādhu kathaṁ mucyeta kilbiṣāt। ke no mārgāḥ śivāś ca syuḥ kiṁ satyaṁ kiṁ ca duṣkṛtam ॥14-35-19॥
How should one perform actions rightly? How can one be freed from sin? Which are the auspicious paths for us? What is truth and what is evil action? (14-35-19)
kenobhau karmapanthānau mahattvaṃ kena vindati. pralayaṃ cāpavargaṃ ca bhūtānāṃ prabhavāpyayau ॥14-35-20॥
By what means does one realize the importance of both the paths of action, and what are the dissolution, the final liberation, and the coming and going (manifestation and dissolution) of beings? (14-35-20)
ityuktaḥ sa muniśreṣṭhair yad āha prapitāmahaḥ। tat te'haṃ sampravakṣyāmi śṛṇu śiṣya yathāgamam ॥14-35-21॥
Thus addressed by the eminent sages, I will now declare to you what the great-grandfather said; listen, O disciple, as it has been transmitted by tradition. (14-35-21)
brahmovāca॥
Brahmā said.
satyādbhūtāni jātāni sthāvarāṇi carāṇi ca। tapasā tāni jīvanti iti tad vitta suvratāḥ॥14-35-22॥
All beings, both immobile and mobile, have originated from truth; and by austerity, they continue to live. Know this, O you of good vows. (14-35-22)
svāṃ yoniṃ punar āgamya vartante svena karmaṇā। satyaṃ hi guṇasaṃyuktaṃ niyataṃ pañcalakṣaṇam ॥14-35-23॥
They return to their own origin and exist according to their own actions. Truth, indeed, characterized by qualities, is fixed and has five distinguishing features. (14-35-23)
brahma satyaṃ tapaḥ satyaṃ satyaṃ caiva prajāpatiḥ। satyādbhūtāni jātāni bhūtaṃ satyamayaṃ mahat ॥14-35-24॥
Brahman is truth; austerity is truth; truth is also indeed Prajapati. From truth beings are born; being composed of truth is the great reality. (14-35-24)
tasmātsatyāśrayā viprā nityaṃ yogaparāyaṇāḥ। atītakrodhasantāpā niyatā dharmasetavaḥ॥14-35-25॥
Therefore, the brahmins who rely on truth, who are always devoted to yoga, who have overcome anger and distress, who are self-controlled and who possess righteousness as their bridge. (14-35-25)
anyonya-niyatān-vaidya-an-dharma-setupravartakān. tān ahaṃ sampravakṣyāmi śāśvatān loka-bhāvanān ॥14-35-26॥
I will now explain those eternal world-benefactors who are governed by mutual order, are based on the Veda, and establish the bridge of dharma. (14-35-26)
cāturvidyaṃ tathā varṇāṃś catur aś ca āśramān pṛthak । dharmam ekam catuṣpādaṃ nityam āhuḥ manīṣiṇaḥ ॥14-35-27॥
The wise say that the fourfold Veda, as well as the four classes and the four separate orders of life, together constitute one eternal duty supported on four pillars. (14-35-27)
panthānaṃ vaḥ pravakṣyāmi śivaṃ kṣemakaraṃ dvijāḥ। niyataṃ brahmabhāvāya yātaṃ pūrvaṃ manīṣibhiḥ॥14-35-28॥
O twice-born ones, I shall declare to you the path that is auspicious and bestows welfare, which has certainly been followed formerly by sages for the attainment of Brahman. (14-35-28)
gadatas taṃ mamādyeha panthānaṃ durvidaṃ param। nibodhata mahābhāgā nikhilena paraṃ padam॥14-35-29॥
O highly fortunate ones, from my words today, here, know entirely the supreme path which is difficult to comprehend—the highest goal. (14-35-29)
brahmacārikam evāhur āśramaṃ prathamaṃ padam। gārhasthyaṃ tu dvitīyaṃ syād vānaprastham ataḥ param॥ tataḥ paraṃ tu vijñeyam adhyātmaṃ paramaṃ padam॥14-35-30॥
They say that the āśrama of the brahmacārin is the first stage. Householdership is considered the second, followed by the stage of forest-dwelling. Beyond that, the supreme state of the spiritual Self is to be understood. (14-35-30)
jyotir-ākāśam-ādityaḥ vāyuḥ indraḥ prajāpatiḥ। na upaiti yāvat adhyātmam tāvat etān na paśyati॥ tasya upāyaṃ pravakṣyāmi purastāt taṃ nibodhata॥14-35-31॥
Light, space, sun, wind, Indra, and Prajapati—one does not attain them, nor perceives these, so long as the self is not realized. I will now explain the means for that; listen to it carefully. (14-35-31)
phalamūlānilabhujāṃ munīnāṃ vasatāṃ vane। vānaprasthaṃ dvijātīnāṃ trayāṇāmupadiśyate ॥14-35-32॥
For the three twice-born castes, the vānaprastha (forest-dweller) stage is prescribed, characterized by sages who dwell in the forest and live on fruits, roots, and air. (14-35-32)
sarveṣāmeva varṇānāṃ gārhasthyaṃ tadvidhīyate। śraddhālakṣaṇamityevaṃ dharmaṃ dhīrāḥ pracakṣate॥14-35-33॥
Householdership is prescribed for all castes; the wise declare that dharma, which is characterized by faith, in this way. (14-35-33)
ityete devayānā vaḥ panthānaḥ parikīrtitāḥ। sadbhir adhyāsitā dhīraiḥ karmabhir dharmasetavaḥ॥14-35-34॥
Thus, these divine paths have been explained to you; they have been followed by the virtuous and the wise, and established as bridges of righteousness through their actions. (14-35-34)
eteṣāṃ pṛthag-adhyāste yaḥ dharmaṃ saṃśita-vrataḥ। kālāt paśyati bhūtānāṃ sadaiva prabhavāpyayau ॥14-35-35॥
Among these, he who, firm in his vow, abides separately in his duty, always beholds, by means of time, both the origin and destruction of beings. (14-35-35)
atas tattvāni vakṣyāmi yāthātathyena hetunā। viṣayasthāni sarvāṇi vartamānāni bhāgaśaḥ ॥14-35-36॥
Therefore, I shall explain the principles, describing all currently existing positions of the objects, in parts, with reason and in accordance with reality. (14-35-36)
mahānātmā tathāvyaktamahaṅkāras tathaiva ca । indriyāṇi daśaikaṃ ca mahābhūtāni pañca ca ॥14-35-37॥
The great principle, likewise the unmanifest and egoism; as well as the ten senses, the one (mind), and the five great elements.
viśeṣāḥ pañcabhūtānām ityeṣā vaidikī śrutiḥ। caturviṃśatir eṣā vas tattvānāṃ samprakīrtitā ॥14-35-38॥
The distinctions of the five elements—thus is this declared in the Vedic revelation. These twenty-four are proclaimed as the principles of substance. (14-35-38)
tattvānām atha yo veda sarveṣāṃ prabhavāpyayau। sa dhīraḥ sarvabhūteṣu na moham adhigacchati॥14-35-39॥
He who knows the origin and dissolution of all principles does not fall into delusion among all beings; he is wise. (14-35-39)
tattvāni yo vedayate yathātathaṁ; guṇāṁś ca sarvān akhilāṁś ca devatāḥ. vidhūtapāpmā pravimucya bandhanaṁ; sa sarvalokānamalān samaśnute ॥14-35-40॥
Whoever understands the fundamentals as they truly are, along with all the qualities and the entirety of the divinities, having shaken off sin and being fully liberated from bondage, attains all the worlds that are pure. (14-35-40)
