14.048
brahmovāca॥
Brahmā said.
kecid brahmamayaṃ vṛkṣaṃ kecid brahmamayaṃ mahat। kecit puruṣam avyaktam kecit parama-nāmayam ॥ manyante sarvam api etat avyakta-prabhava-avyayam ॥14-48-1॥
Some think of the tree as consisting of brahman, some think the great is brahman. Some regard the person as unmanifest, some the supreme, free from decay. They consider even all this to have the unmanifest as its origin and as imperishable. (14-48-1)
ucchvāsa-mātram api ced yo'ntakāle samo bhavet। ātmānam upasaṅgamya so'mṛtatvāya kalpate॥14-48-2॥
If, at the time of death, a person remains calm even in his very breath and attains his own self, he becomes worthy of immortality. (14-48-2)
nimeṣamātram api cet saṃyamya ātmānam ātmani। gacchati ātma-prasādena viduṣām prāptim avyayām॥14-48-3॥
If one restrains oneself in oneself even for the duration of a blink, by the clarity of the self, one attains the imperishable attainment of the wise. (14-48-3)
prāṇāyāmair atha prāṇān saṃyamya sa punaḥ punaḥ। daśa-dvādaśabhir vā api caturviṃśāt paraṃ tataḥ ॥14-48-4॥
Then, by practicing prāṇāyāma, having repeatedly controlled the breaths, he does so with ten or twelve counts, or even beyond twenty-four thereafter. (14-48-4)
evaṁ pūrvaṁ prasannātmā labhate yadyadicchati। avyaktātsattvamudriktamamṛtatvāya kalpate ॥14-48-5॥
Thus, previously, the serene-minded attains whatever he desires. From the unmanifest, with abundant purity, one attains fitness for immortality. (14-48-5)
sattvāt parataraṁ nānyat praśaṁsantīha tad-vidaḥ। anumānād vijānīmaḥ puruṣaṁ sattva-saṁśrayam ॥ na śakyam anyathā gantuṁ puruṣaṁ tam atho dvijāḥ ॥14-48-6॥
Those who know that here do not praise anything higher than essence (sattva). We know, by inference, the person who depends upon sattva. O twice-born, it is not possible to realize that person in any other way. (14-48-6)
kṣamā dhṛtirahiṁsā ca samatā satyamārjavam। jñānaṁ tyāgo'tha saṁnyāsaḥ sāttvikaṁ vṛttamiṣyate ॥14-48-7॥
Patience, steadfastness, non-violence, equanimity, truthfulness, straightforwardness, knowledge, renunciation, and abandonment—these are considered conduct of sattvic (pure) nature. (14-48-7)
etenaiva-anumānena manyante’tha manīṣiṇaḥ। sattvaṃ ca puruṣaścaikastatra nāsti vicāraṇā ॥14-48-8॥
The wise, by this very inference, consider that sattva and puruṣa are one there; there is no further deliberation. (14-48-8)
āhureke ca vidvāṃso ye jñāne supratiṣṭhitāḥ। kṣetrajña-sattvayor aikyam ity etan nopapadyate॥14-48-9॥
Some learned people firmly rooted in knowledge also say that there is unity between the knower of the field and sattva; however, this is not established. (14-48-9)
pṛthagbhūtas tato nityam ity etad avicāritam। pṛthagbhāvaś ca vijñeyaḥ sahajaś cāpi tattvataḥ॥14-48-10॥
To say, "it is always separate from that"—this is unconsidered. Separateness is to be known, and it is also innate in reality. (14-48-10)
tathaivaikatvanānātvamiṣyate viduṣāṁ nayaḥ। maśakodumbare tvaikyaṁ pṛthaktvamapi dṛśyate॥14-48-11॥
Similarly, the wise regard both unity and diversity as their doctrine; in the example of the mosquito and the fig tree, both oneness and separateness are observed. (14-48-11)
matsyo yathānyaḥ syādapsu samprayogastathānayoḥ। sambandhastoyabindūnāṃ parṇe kokanadasya ca ॥14-48-12॥
Just as one fish would only be with another in the water, so also is the union of these two; the connection of water drops on the leaf of the red lotus is similar. (14-48-12)
gururuvāca॥
The teacher said.
ity uktavantaṃ te viprās tadā lokapitāmaham। punaḥ saiṃśayam āpannāḥ papracchur dvijasattamāḥ ॥14-48-13॥
After thus having spoken to the grandsire of the worlds, those brāhmaṇas, again overcome by doubt, the foremost of the twice-born, questioned him once more. (14-48-13)
ṛṣaya ūcuḥ॥
The sages said.
kiṁ svideveha dharmāṇām anuṣṭheyatamaṁ smṛtam। vyāhatām iva paśyāmo dharmasya vividhaṁ gatim॥14-48-14॥
What, truly, among duties here is remembered as the foremost to be performed? We seem to see the course of dharma as if obstructed and varied. (14-48-14)
ūrdhvaṃ dehād vadanty eke na etad asti iti ca apare. kecit saṃśayitaṃ sarvaṃ niḥsaṃśayam atha apare ॥14-48-15॥
Some say that there is something after the body; others, that this does not exist; some consider everything to be doubtful, while yet others hold there is no doubt about it. (14-48-15)
anityaṃ nityamityeke nāstyastītyapi cāpare. ekarūpaṃ dvidhetyeke vyāmiśramiti cāpare ॥ ekameke pṛthak cānye bahutvamiti cāpare ॥14-48-16॥
Some say it is impermanent, some (say) eternal; others say it does not exist, or that it exists. Some say it has one form, some twofold, some say it is mixed. Some (declare it) one, others (declare it) separate; others (say it is) multiplicity. (14-48-16)
manyante brāhmaṇā evaṃ prājñās tattvārthadarśinaḥ। jaṭājinadharāś cānye muṇḍāḥ kecid asaṃvṛtāḥ॥14-48-17॥
Brahmins, the wise, and those who see the truth think thus; some are wearers of matted hair and deerskin, others are shaven-headed, some are unclad. (14-48-17)
asnānaṃ kecid icchanti snānam ity api cāpare. āhāraṃ kecid icchanti kecic cānaśane ratāḥ ॥14-48-18॥
Some people desire not to bathe, while others wish to bathe. Some desire to eat, and some are devoted to abstaining from food. (14-48-18)
karma kecitpraśaṁsanti praśāntimapi cāpare। deśakālāvubhau kecinnaitadastīti cāpare ॥ kecinmokṣaṁ praśaṁsanti kecidbhogānpṛthagvidhān ॥14-48-19॥
Some praise action, others praise tranquility; some praise both place and time; others say "this does not exist"; some praise liberation, while others praise various kinds of enjoyments. (14-48-19)
dhanāni kecid icchanti nirdhanatvaṃ tathāpare। upāsya-sādhanaṃ tv eke na etad asti iti ca apare॥14-48-20॥
Some desire wealth, others (desire) poverty. Some consider worship as the means, but others say, 'this does not exist.' (14-48-20)
ahiṁsāniratāś cānye kecid dhiṁsāparāyaṇāḥ। puṇyena yaśas ety eke naitad astīti cāpare॥14-48-21॥
Some are engaged in non-violence, others are devoted to violence; some say it is for virtue or fame, while others say that this does not exist. (14-48-21)
sadbhāvani-ratāś cānye kecit saṁśayite sthitāḥ। duḥkhād anye sukhād anye dhyānam ity apare sthitāḥ॥14-48-22॥
Some are engaged in good intentions, others are in doubt; some are affected by suffering, others by happiness, while yet others are devoted to meditation. (14-48-22)
yajñam ity apare dhīrāḥ pradānam iti ca apare. sarvam eke praśaṁsanti na sarvam iti ca apare ॥14-48-23॥
Some wise ones declare 'sacrifice', others 'gift'; some praise all, and others say, 'not all'. (14-48-23)
tapastvanye praśaṁsanti svādhyāyamapare janāḥ। jñānaṁ saṁnyāsamityeke svabhāvaṁ bhūtacintakāḥ॥14-48-24॥
But some praise austerity, other people self-study; some say knowledge or renunciation are supreme, while those reflecting on beings consider inherent nature. (14-48-24)
evaṁ vyutthāpite dharme bahudhā vipradhāvati। niścayaṁ nādhigacchāmaḥ sanmūḍhāḥ surasattama ॥14-48-25॥
O best of the gods, thus, when dharma has been overthrown, it runs in many directions; being utterly confused, we cannot arrive at certainty. (14-48-25)
idaṃ śreya idaṃ śreya ityevaṃ prasthito janaḥ। yo hi yasminrato dharme sa taṃ pūjayate sadā॥14-48-26॥
“This is the best, this is the best”—thus the person who proceeds; whoever is devoted to a particular dharma, he always honors that. (14-48-26)
tatra no vihatā prajñā manaśca bahulīkṛtam। etad ākhyātum icchāmaḥ śreyaḥ kim iti sattama ॥14-48-27॥
There our wisdom is destroyed and our minds have become very restless. We wish you to tell us this: 'What is the highest good?' O best one. (14-48-27)
ataḥ paraṁ ca yadguhyaṁ tadbhavān vaktum arhati. sattvakṣetrajñayoś caiva sambandhaḥ kena hetunā ॥14-48-28॥
Therefore, further, whatever secret there is, you are worthy to reveal it. By what cause is there a connection between essence and the knower of the field? (14-48-28)
evam-uktaḥ sa tair vipraiḥ bhagavān loka-bhāvanaḥ. tebhyaḥ śaśaṃsa dharmātmā yāthātathyena buddhimān ॥14-48-29॥
Thus addressed by those brāhmaṇas, the blessed creator of the worlds, who was righteous and wise, spoke to them truthfully. (14-48-29)
