14.044
ब्रह्मोवाच॥
Brahmā said;
यदादिमध्यपर्यन्तं ग्रहणोपायमेव च। नामलक्षणसंयुक्तं सर्वं वक्ष्यामि तत्त्वतः ॥१४-४४-१॥
I shall truly explain all that extends from beginning to middle to end, the means of apprehension, along with names and definitions. (14-44-1)
अहः पूर्वं ततो रात्रिर्मासाः शुक्लादयः स्मृताः। श्रविष्ठादीनि ऋक्षाणि ऋतवः शिशिरादयः ॥१४-४४-२॥
First is the day, then night; months beginning with the bright fortnight are remembered. The constellations starting from Śraviṣṭhā, and the seasons beginning with Śiśira (the cold season). (14-44-2)
भूमिरादिस्तु गन्धानां रसानामाप एव च। रूपाणां ज्योतिरादिस्तु स्पर्शादिर्वायुरुच्यते ॥ शब्दस्यादिस्तथाकाशमेष भूतकृतो गुणः ॥१४-४४-३॥
Earth is the origin of smells, and water alone is the origin of tastes; light is the origin of forms, air is said to be the origin of touch, and ether is the origin of sound. Thus, these are the properties created by the elements. (14-44-3)
अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि भूतानामादिमुत्तमम्। आदित्यो ज्योतिषामादिरग्निर्भूतादिरिष्यते ॥१४-४४-४॥
Therefore, I shall now declare the supreme origin among beings: the Sun is the foremost among lights, and Agni is considered the origin among the elements. (14-44-4)
सावित्री सर्वविद्यानां देवतानां प्रजापतिः। ओङ्कारः सर्ववेदानां वचसां प्राण एव च ॥ यद्यस्मिन्नियतं लोके सर्वं सावित्रमुच्यते ॥१४-४४-५॥
Sāvitrī is the lord of progeny among all sciences and deities. Om is the very life of all Vedas and all speech. If, in this world, everything is indeed called Sāvitrī. (14-44-5)
गायत्री छन्दसामादिः पशूनामज उच्यते। गावश्चतुष्पदामादिर्मनुष्याणां द्विजातयः ॥१४-४४-६॥
The Gāyatrī is considered the foremost among metres; the goat among animals; cows among four-footed creatures; and the twice-born among humans. (14-44-6)
श्येनः पतत्रिणामादिर्यज्ञानां हुतमुत्तमम्। परिसर्पिणां तु सर्वेषां ज्येष्ठः सर्पो द्विजोत्तमाः ॥१४-४४-७॥
The hawk is the foremost among birds; the offering is the best among sacrifices. Among all crawling creatures, the serpent is the eldest, O best of the twice-born. (14-44-7)
कृतमादिर्युगानां च सर्वेषां नात्र संशयः। हिरण्यं सर्वरत्नानामोषधीनां यवास्तथा ॥१४-४४-८॥
The Kṛta is the first of the ages, and of all there is no doubt about this here. Gold is the foremost of all jewels, and among all herbs, barley likewise. (14-44-8)
सर्वेषां भक्ष्यभोज्यानामन्नं परममुच्यते। द्रवाणां चैव सर्वेषां पेयानामाप उत्तमाः ॥१४-४४-९॥
Of all food that is to be eaten and consumed, food is considered supreme; and among all liquids and drinks, water is the best. (14-44-9)
स्थावराणां च भूतानां सर्वेषामविशेषतः। ब्रह्मक्षेत्रं सदा पुण्यं प्लक्षः प्रथमजः स्मृतः ॥१४-४४-१०॥
Among all beings, both immobile and all living creatures without distinction, the Plaksha tree—regarded as the field of Brahman—is always considered sacred and the first-born. (14-44-10)
अहं प्रजापतीनां च सर्वेषां नात्र संशयः। मम विष्णुरचिन्त्यात्मा स्वयम्भूरिति स स्मृतः ॥१४-४४-११॥
I am among the lords of progeny and all; there is no doubt about this. My Viṣṇu, whose nature is inconceivable and who is self-born, is thus remembered. (14-44-11)
पर्वतानां महामेरुः सर्वेषामग्रजः स्मृतः। दिशां च प्रदिशां चोर्ध्वा दिग्जाता प्रथमं तथा ॥१४-४४-१२॥
Among mountains, Mahāmeru is remembered as the eldest of all. The directions, the intermediate directions, and the upward direction were thus born first. (14-44-12)
तथा त्रिपथगा गङ्गा नदीनामग्रजा स्मृता। तथा सरोदपानानां सर्वेषां सागरोऽग्रजः ॥१४-४४-१३॥
Thus, Gaṅgā, who moves in three ways, is regarded as the eldest among rivers. Likewise, the ocean is the eldest of all lakes and waters. (14-44-13)
देवदानवभूतानां पिशाचोरगरक्षसाम्। नरकिंनरयक्षाणां सर्वेषामीश्वरः प्रभुः ॥१४-४४-१४॥
He is the lord and master of all—devas, dānavas, bhūtas, piśācas, uragas, rakṣasas, naras, kiṃnaras, and yakṣas. (14-44-14)
आदिर्विश्वस्य जगतो विष्णुर्ब्रह्ममयो महान्। भूतं परतरं तस्मात्त्रैलोक्ये नेह विद्यते ॥१४-४४-१५॥
Viṣṇu, the great one consisting of Brahman, is the origin of the universe and world; there exists no entity higher than him here in the three worlds. (14-44-15)
आश्रमाणां च गार्हस्थ्यं सर्वेषां नात्र संशयः। लोकानामादिरव्यक्तं सर्वस्यान्तस्तदेव च ॥१४-४४-१६॥
Among āśramas, the householder's stage is the chief—of this there is no doubt here. The unmanifest is the origin of worlds, and that alone is the end of everything. (14-44-16)
अहान्यस्तमयान्तानि उदयान्ता च शर्वरी। सुखस्यान्तः सदा दुःखं दुःखस्यान्तः सदा सुखम् ॥१४-४४-१७॥
Days end with sunset, and night ends with sunrise. The end of happiness is always sorrow, and the end of sorrow is always happiness. (14-44-17)
सर्वे क्षयान्ता निचयाः पतनान्ताः समुच्छ्रयाः। संयोगा विप्रयोगान्ता मरणान्तं हि जीवितम् ॥१४-४४-१८॥
All accumulations inevitably end in destruction, all raisings ultimately fall, associations come to separation, and life indeed ends in death. (14-44-18)
सर्वं कृतं विनाशान्तं जातस्य मरणं ध्रुवम्। अशाश्वतं हि लोकेऽस्मिन्सर्वं स्थावरजङ्गमम् ॥१४-४४-१९॥
Everything that is made comes to an end in destruction; for every being that is born, death is certain. Truly, in this world, all things—whether stationary or moving—are impermanent. (14-44-19)
इष्टं दत्तं तपोऽधीतं व्रतानि नियमाश्च ये। सर्वमेतद्विनाशान्तं ज्ञानस्यान्तो न विद्यते ॥१४-४४-२०॥
All sacrificial offerings, gifts, austerities, studies, vows, and rules—these all have destruction as their end; the end of knowledge does not exist. (14-44-20)
तस्माज्ज्ञानेन शुद्धेन प्रसन्नात्मा समाहितः। निर्ममो निरहङ्कारो मुच्यते सर्वपाप्मभिः ॥१४-४४-२१॥
Therefore, being composed, with a serene mind, pure knowledge, free from possessiveness and ego, one is freed from all sins. (14-44-21)
