14.050
Brahmā said.
Among the five elements, the mind is their lord; in both restraint and creation, the mind is indeed the very self of the elements. (14-50-1)
The ruler, the mind, eternal, of beings and of the great as well; intellect and sovereignty are declared, and the knower of the field is called all. (14-50-2)
Just as a charioteer yokes the mind to the senses as if they were good horses, so too, the experiencer (knower of the field) always yokes the mind and intellect to the senses. (14-50-3)
Having mounted the chariot composed of the great elements and controlled by the intellect, the embodied self roams about everywhere. (14-50-4)
The great chariot, joined with the collection of senses, with the mind as the charioteer, always controlled by the intellect, is entirely made of Brahman. (14-50-5)
He who thus knows the chariot as always consisting of Brahman—such a wise and steadfast person does not fall into delusion in any world. (14-50-6)
Filled with all beings from the unmanifest to the particular, teeming with mobile and immobile creatures, illumined by the radiance of the moon and sun, and adorned with planets and stars. (14-50-7)
It was adorned everywhere with networks of rivers and mountains and was constantly beautifully decorated with various waters. (14-50-8)
The supporter of life of all beings and all sustainers of life is the ultimate goal; this Brahman-forest is eternal, in which the knower of the field moves. (14-50-9)
In this world, all beings, both immobile and mobile, are dissolved at the beginning; afterwards, the guṇas produced from beings (arise). From the guṇas arise the five elements; this is the origin of beings. (14-50-10)
Gods, humans, gandharvas, piśācas, asuras, and rākṣasas—all are created by their own nature, not from actions and not from any cause. (14-50-11)
These sages, born of the universal creator, arise again and again; from them are born others who ultimately dissolve into the five great elements themselves, just as waves dissolve in the ocean in due time. (14-50-12)
The great elements proceed from the creators of the universe and from the beings. One who is freed from the five beings should reach Prajapati. (14-50-13)
Prajāpati, the lord, created all this indeed by austerity. In the same way, the sages attained the Vedas through austerity. (14-50-14)
Those who subsist on fruits and roots, following the proper order of austerity, likewise, concentrated accomplished ones here see the three worlds by means of their austerity. (14-50-15)
Herbs, grains, weapons, and such, as well as all forms of knowledge, are entirely attained only through austerity; for austerity is truly the fundamental means. (14-50-16)
Whatever is difficult to obtain, hard to study, hard to overcome, and difficult to trace— all of that can be achieved by austerity; for austerity is indeed insurmountable. (14-50-17)
Drinkers of liquor, Brahmin-slayers, thieves, embryo destroyers, and those who have approached the guru's bed—these are released from sin thereafter by properly performed austerity. (14-50-18)
Human beings, ancestors, gods, animals, beasts and birds, and whatever other sentient and immobile beings there are. (14-50-19)
Those who are always devoted to austerity always succeed by austerity. Likewise, by austerity, the greatly fortunate gods attained heaven. (14-50-20)
Those who, without laziness and endowed with blessings, perform actions with ego—they are in the presence of Prajāpati. (14-50-21)
Through pure meditation yoga, free from possessiveness and egoism, the great-souled attain the highest great world. (14-50-22)
Always possessing clear minds, having attained the yoga of meditation, they enter the imperceptible source of happiness with self-possession. (14-50-23)
By the practice of meditation, having attained it, those free from possessiveness and ego enter here into the great, highest, unmanifest world. (14-50-24)
Arisen indeed from the unmanifest, the knower of time departs again; freed from tamas and rajas, resorting solely to sattva. (14-50-25)
He who is liberated from all sins, who abandons everything and is indivisible—one should know him as the 'knower of the field.' Whoever knows him is truly a knower of the Veda. (14-50-26)
The self-controlled sage, having reached the mind through his own mind, remained absorbed; his mind thus aligned, he became one with this most ancient secret. (14-50-27)
It is stated that from avyakta to viśeṣa are characterized by ignorance. Now learn how this characteristic is defined by the guṇas (qualities). (14-50-28)
But the word of two syllables is death, the three-syllabled word, Brahman, is eternal. The sense of 'mine' leads to death; the sense of 'not mine' is eternal. (14-50-29)
Some men of duller intellect praise action; but those who are wise and great souls do not praise action. (14-50-30)
A living being with a body comprised of sixteen parts is born from action; ignorance creates the person, who is imperceptible and eats immortality. (14-50-31)
Therefore, those who are free from attachment in actions and are discerning, (understand that) this person is composed of knowledge, not of action, as is regarded. (14-50-32)
He who recognizes this unprecedented, immortal, eternal (Self), which is not the object of thought; he who attains this Self that is ungraspable and the consumer of immortality—he becomes ungraspable and immortal, established by these causes, changeless. (14-50-33)
Having given up all notions and restraining the self in oneself, he realizes that auspicious Brahman from which nothing further exists. (14-50-34)
Only through clarity of mind does one attain tranquility. The sign of this tranquility is said to be seeing dreams. (14-50-35)
But this is the path of the liberated, who are established in knowledge; they see all activities as arising from transformation. (14-50-36)
This is the path for those who are unattached; this is the eternal law, the attainment of the wise—their conduct is blameless. (14-50-37)
This path can be attained everywhere by one who is even-minded among all beings, free from desire, without expectation, and who views all equally. (14-50-38)
I have declared all this to you, O best among Brāhmaṇa-sages. Practice thus quickly, and then you will attain perfection. (14-50-39)
The teacher said.
Thus addressed by Brahmā, the preceptor, the great-souled sages accordingly acted and then attained the worlds. (14-50-40)
You too, O greatly fortunate one, should practice, just as spoken by Brahmā; O pure-souled one, then you will attain perfection. (14-50-41)
Vāsudeva said.
Thus addressed by his teacher, the disciple then performed all the supreme duties, O Kaunteya, and thereafter attained liberation. (14-50-42)
Thus, having achieved all that was necessary, that disciple, the foremost of the Kurus, attained that state where, having reached it, one never grieves. (14-50-43)
Arjuna said.
Kṛṣṇa, who indeed is that brāhmaṇa, and who is the disciple, O Janārdana? If this truth should be heard by me, please relate it to me, O mighty one. (14-50-44)
Vāsudeva said.
O mighty-armed Dhananjaya, know my mind as the disciple and myself as the teacher; out of affection for you, I have told you this secret.
If you always have affection for me, O best of the Kuru lineage, having heard this doctrine of the self, practise it properly, O virtuous one. (14-50-46)
Then, having well-performed this duty, O joy of the Kurus, and having purified yourself of all sins, you will attain only liberation. (14-50-47)
This very thing was told to you previously as well, O mighty-armed one, when the time for battle had come; therefore, now set your mind here. (14-50-48)
But by me, O best of Bharatas and lord, my long-unseen father—I wish to see him, with your approval, O Phalguna. (14-50-49)
Vaiśampāyana said;
After these words had been spoken to Kṛṣṇa, Dhanañjaya replied: "Let us go today, Kṛṣṇa, to the city of Hastināpura, indeed." (14-50-50)
Having met there the king, the righteous Yudhishthira, and having properly taken leave, you ought to return to your own unconquerable city. (14-50-51)
