14.036
ब्रह्मोवाच॥
Brahmā said;
तदव्यक्तमनुद्रिक्तं सर्वव्यापि ध्रुवं स्थिरम्। नवद्वारं पुरं विद्यात्त्रिगुणं पञ्चधातुकम् ॥१४-३६-१॥
Know that unmanifested, unwavering, all-pervading, constant, stable nine-gated fortress (that is, the body) as possessing three qualities and composed of five elements. (14-36-1)
एकादशपरिक्षेपं मनो व्याकरणात्मकम्। बुद्धिस्वामिकमित्येतत्परमेकादशं भवेत् ॥१४-३६-२॥
The eleventh enclosure is the mind, consisting of analytical reasoning, presided over by intellect; thus, this is considered the supreme eleventh. (14-36-2)
त्रीणि स्रोतांसि यान्यस्मिन्नाप्यायन्ते पुनः पुनः। प्रणाड्यस्तिस्र एवैताः प्रवर्तन्ते गुणात्मिकाः ॥१४-३६-३॥
There are three channels which in this body are repeatedly nourished; these are indeed the three main nāḍīs, operating with the qualities. (14-36-3)
तमो रजस्तथा सत्त्वं गुणानेतान्प्रचक्षते। अन्योन्यमिथुनाः सर्वे तथान्योन्यानुजीविनः ॥१४-३६-४॥
Darkness, activity, and goodness—these qualities are said (by sages) to be mutually connected, all existing in pairs and living by reliance upon each other. (14-36-4)
अन्योन्यापाश्रयाश्चैव तथान्योन्यानुवर्तिनः। अन्योन्यव्यतिषक्ताश्च त्रिगुणाः पञ्च धातवः ॥१४-३६-५॥
The five elements, endowed with three qualities, are mutually dependent, mutually following, and mutually interwoven. (14-36-5)
तमसो मिथुनं सत्त्वं सत्त्वस्य मिथुनं रजः। रजसश्चापि सत्त्वं स्यात्सत्त्वस्य मिथुनं तमः ॥१४-३६-६॥
Sattva is paired with tamas; rajas is paired with sattva. Also, sattva may accompany rajas, and tamas is paired with sattva. (14-36-6)
नियम्यते तमो यत्र रजस्तत्र प्रवर्तते। नियम्यते रजो यत्र सत्त्वं तत्र प्रवर्तते ॥१४-३६-७॥
Where darkness is restrained, there passion arises; where passion is restrained, there goodness arises. (14-36-7)
नैशात्मकं तमो विद्यात्त्रिगुणं मोहसञ्ज्ञितम्। अधर्मलक्षणं चैव नियतं पापकर्मसु ॥१४-३६-८॥
One should know that darkness, which is of the nature of night, is a product of the three guṇas and is called delusion, as characterized by unrighteousness, and always found in sinful actions. (14-36-8)
प्रवृत्त्यात्मकमेवाहू रजः पर्यायकारकम्। प्रवृत्तं सर्वभूतेषु दृश्यतोत्पत्तिलक्षणम् ॥१४-३६-९॥
Rajas, they say, is indeed of the nature of activity and is the cause of transformation. Activity is seen in all beings as that which is characterized by origination. (14-36-9)
प्रकाशं सर्वभूतेषु लाघवं श्रद्दधानता। सात्त्विकं रूपमेवं तु लाघवं साधुसंमितम् ॥१४-३६-१०॥
The illumination among all beings, lightness, and faithfulness is the sattvic form; thus, lightness determined by the good (the virtuous) is considered sattvic. (14-36-10)
एतेषां गुणतत्त्वं हि वक्ष्यते हेत्वहेतुभिः। समासव्यासयुक्तानि तत्त्वतस्तानि वित्त मे ॥१४-३६-११॥
Indeed, the principle of the qualities among these is explained by me with their causes and non-causes; those connected with both summary and detail, know them truly from me. (14-36-11)
संमोहोऽज्ञानमत्यागः कर्मणामविनिर्णयः। स्वप्नः स्तम्भो भयं लोभः शोकः सुकृतदूषणम् ॥१४-३६-१२॥
Delusion, ignorance, lack of renunciation, indecisiveness regarding actions, dreaming, inertia, fear, greed, sorrow, and the corruption of virtue. (14-36-12)
अस्मृतिश्चाविपाकश्च नास्तिक्यं भिन्नवृत्तिता। निर्विशेषत्वमन्धत्वं जघन्यगुणवृत्तिता ॥१४-३६-१३॥
Absence of memory, lack of maturation, atheism, deviant conduct, undistinguished nature, blindness, and the behavior of base qualities. (14-36-13)
अकृते कृतमानित्वमज्ञाने ज्ञानमानिता। अमैत्री विकृतो भावो अश्रद्धा मूढभावना ॥१४-३६-१४॥
To assume one has done what has not been done, to value knowledge in the absence of true knowledge; absence of friendship is a distorted state, and lack of faith is a deluded attitude. (14-36-14)
अनार्जवमसञ्ज्ञत्वं कर्म पापमचेतना। गुरुत्वं सन्नभावत्वमसितत्वमवाग्गतिः ॥१४-३६-१५॥
Crookedness, lack of consciousness, actions that are sinful, unconsciousness, heaviness, feebleness, blackness, and downward movement. (14-36-15)
सर्व एते गुणा विप्रास्तामसाः सम्प्रकीर्तिताः। ये चान्ये नियता भावा लोकेऽस्मिन्मोहसञ्ज्ञिताः ॥१४-३६-१६॥
All these qualities, O wise ones, are designated as qualities of tamas. Any other fixed states in this world are regarded as states of delusion. (14-36-16)
तत्र तत्र नियम्यन्ते सर्वे ते तामसा गुणाः। परिवादकथा नित्यं देवब्राह्मणवैदिकाः ॥१४-३६-१७॥
In each place, all those tamas-related qualities are restrained. Tales of blame are always about the gods, the brāhmaṇas, and the Veda. (14-36-17)
अत्यागश्चाभिमानश्च मोहो मन्युस्तथाक्षमा। मत्सरश्चैव भूतेषु तामसं वृत्तमिष्यते ॥१४-३६-१८॥
Excessive renunciation, pride, delusion, anger, impatience, and envy—this conduct among beings is considered to be tamasic (of darkness, ignorance). (14-36-18)
वृथारम्भाश्च ये केचिद्वृथादानानि यानि च। वृथाभक्षणमित्येतत्तामसं वृत्तमिष्यते ॥१४-३६-१९॥
All actions undertaken in vain, and any useless gifts, as well as eating without purpose—this sort of conduct is regarded as belonging to darkness (tamas). (14-36-19)
अतिवादोऽतितिक्षा च मात्सर्यमतिमानिता। अश्रद्दधानता चैव तामसं वृत्तमिष्यते ॥१४-३६-२०॥
Excessive talk, extreme forbearance, envy, excessive pride, and lack of faith are regarded as behavior dominated by tamas. (14-36-20)
एवंविधास्तु ये केचिल्लोकेऽस्मिन्पापकर्मिणः। मनुष्या भिन्नमर्यादाः सर्वे ते तामसा जनाः ॥१४-३६-२१॥
But all such men here in this world, who are evil-doers and transgressors of boundaries, they are all people of tamas. (14-36-21)
तेषां योनिं प्रवक्ष्यामि नियतां पापकर्मणाम्। अवाङ्निरयभावाय तिर्यङ्निरयगामिनः ॥१४-३६-२२॥
I shall declare the birth assigned to those who commit evil deeds—those who go downward to animal or hellish states. (14-36-22)
स्थावराणि च भूतानि पशवो वाहनानि च। क्रव्यादा दन्दशूकाश्च कृमिकीटविहङ्गमाः ॥१४-३६-२३॥
Immovable beings and all living entities, animals, vehicles, as well as flesh-eaters, reptiles, worms, insects, and birds. (14-36-23)
अण्डजा जन्तवो ये च सर्वे चापि चतुष्पदाः। उन्मत्ता बधिरा मूका ये चान्ये पापरोगिणः ॥१४-३६-२४॥
All egg-born living beings, and also all four-footed creatures, those who are mad, deaf, dumb, and others who are afflicted with evil diseases. (14-36-24)
मग्नास्तमसि दुर्वृत्ताः स्वकर्मकृतलक्षणाः। अवाक्स्रोतस इत्येते मग्नास्तमसि तामसाः ॥१४-३६-२५॥
Those immersed in darkness, evil in conduct, defined by actions of their own making — these are described as possessed of tamas, their course flowing downward, immersed in darkness. (14-36-25)
तेषामुत्कर्षमुद्रेकं वक्ष्याम्यहमतः परम्। यथा ते सुकृताँल्लोकाँल्लभन्ते पुण्यकर्मिणः ॥१४-३६-२६॥
I will now further explain the excellence and advancement of those, how the doers of virtuous deeds attain the meritorious worlds. (14-36-26)
अन्यथा प्रतिपन्नास्तु विवृद्धा ये च कर्मसु। स्वकर्मनिरतानां च ब्राह्मणानां शुभैषिणाम् ॥१४-३६-२७॥
But those who are otherwise engaged, though advanced in various actions, and also the Brāhmaṇas who are devoted to their own duties and wish for auspiciousness. (14-36-27)
संस्कारेणोर्ध्वमायान्ति यतमानाः सलोकताम्। स्वर्गं गच्छन्ति देवानामित्येषा वैदिकी श्रुतिः ॥१४-३६-२८॥
Striving people ascend upwards by virtue of purification to association with the world; they go to the heaven of the gods. Thus, this is the Vedic scripture. (14-36-28)
अन्यथा प्रतिपन्नास्तु विवृद्धाः स्वेषु कर्मसु। पुनरावृत्तिधर्माणस्ते भवन्तीह मानुषाः ॥१४-३६-२९॥
But those who have adopted otherwise and grown in their own actions, possessing the propensity for repeated return, become humans again here. (14-36-29)
पापयोनिं समापन्नाश्चण्डाला मूकचूचुकाः। वर्णान्पर्यायशश्चापि प्राप्नुवन्त्युत्तरोत्तरम् ॥१४-३६-३०॥
Those who are born of sinful wombs, such as caṇḍālas, or as the dumb and deaf, can also, by successive order, attain higher and higher castes. (14-36-30)
शूद्रयोनिमतिक्रम्य ये चान्ये तामसा गुणाः। स्रोतोमध्ये समागम्य वर्तन्ते तामसे गुणे ॥१४-३६-३१॥
Having surpassed the śūdra birth, those other qualities related to tamas, having gathered in the midst of the stream, exist within the quality of tamas. (14-36-31)
अभिषङ्गस्तु कामेषु महामोह इति स्मृतः। ऋषयो मुनयो देवा मुह्यन्त्यत्र सुखेप्सवः ॥१४-३६-३२॥
Attachment to desires is called great delusion; here, even the seers, sages, and gods are deluded, desiring happiness. (14-36-32)
तमो मोहो महामोहस्तामिस्रः क्रोधसञ्ज्ञितः। मरणं त्वन्धतामिस्रं तामिस्रं क्रोध उच्यते ॥१४-३६-३३॥
Darkness, delusion, great delusion, and tāmisra are terms known as wrath; death is called andhatāmisra, and tāmisra is called wrath. (14-36-33)
भावतो गुणतश्चैव योनितश्चैव तत्त्वतः। सर्वमेतत्तमो विप्राः कीर्तितं वो यथाविधि ॥१४-३६-३४॥
O sages, all this darkness has been explained to you in terms of nature, quality, origin, and essence, according to the proper method. (14-36-34)
को न्वेतद्बुध्यते साधु को न्वेतत्साधु पश्यति। अतत्त्वे तत्त्वदर्शी यस्तमसस्तत्त्वलक्षणम् ॥१४-३६-३५॥
Who indeed truly understands or sees this? One who perceives reality in what is unreal—that is the mark of one still under the characteristic of darkness. (14-36-35)
तमोगुणा वो बहुधा प्रकीर्तिता; यथावदुक्तं च तमः परावरम्। नरो हि यो वेद गुणानिमान्सदा; स तामसैः सर्वगुणैः प्रमुच्यते ॥१४-३६-३६॥
The qualities known as tamas have been described to you in many ways; the full range of darkness, both higher and lower, has been properly stated. The person who always knows these qualities is freed from all qualities born of darkness. (14-36-36)
