धृतराष्ट्र उवाच सनत्सुजात यामिमां परां त्वं ब्राह्मीं वाचं वदसे विश्वरूपाम्। परां हि कामेन सुदुर्लभां कथां प्रब्रूहि मे वाक्यमिदं कुमार॥
Dhritarashtra said O Sanat-Sujata, what you have been saying regarding the attainment of emancipation and the origin of the universe is the best (discourse I have heard). Speak to me such words, (treating of subjects) rarely to be attained by men of desire, O you who have observed celibacy!
सनत्सुजात उवाच नैतद् ब्रह्म त्वरमाणेन लभ्यं यन्मां पृच्छन्नतिहष्यतीव। बुद्धौ विलीने मनसि प्रचिन्त्या विद्या हि सा ब्रह्मचर्येण लभ्या॥
Sanat-Sujata said This supreme soul regarding which you ask me with such exaltation cannot be attained by him who is in a hurry. When the mind (desire) has been lost in the intellect (i.e. when intellect has gained a control over desire), the mind of man becomes indifferent to worldly things and this state is attainable only by asceticism.
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच यत् सनातनी अत्यन्तविद्यामिति ब्रवीषि त्वं ब्रह्मचर्येण सिद्धाम्। अनारभ्यां वसतीह कार्यकाले कथं ब्राह्मण्यममृतत्वं लभेत॥
Dhritarashtra said The true knowledge, that you are speaking of attainable by hard asceticism, is unborn in the mind and needs not any efforts for its manifestation and is manifested during the seeking of Brahma. How then can that immortality which is connected with a knowledge of the Supreme soul be obtained?
सनत्सुजात उवाच अव्यक्तविद्यामभिधास्ये पुराणी बुद्ध्या च तेषां ब्रह्मचर्येण सिद्धाम्। यां प्राप्यैनं मर्त्य लोकं त्यजन्ति या वै विद्या गुरुवृद्धेषु नित्या॥
Sanat-Sujata said This true knowledge that is unborn is said to be undeveloped and is developed by asceticism. On obtaining the true knowledge, men leave this world. True knowledge is ever present in the old and eminent preceptors.
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच ब्रह्मचर्येण या विद्या शक्या वेदितुमञ्जसा। तत् कथं ब्रह्मचर्यं स्यादेतद् ब्रह्मन् ब्रवीहि मे॥
Dhritarashtra said That knowledge is capable of being gained by asceticism without difficulty. What sort of asceticism must be that? O Brahma, speak to me that.
सनत्सुजात उवाच आचार्ययोनिमिह ये प्रविश्य भूत्वा गर्भ ब्रह्मचर्यं चरन्तिा इहैव ते शास्त्रकारा भवन्ति प्रहाय देहं परमं यान्ति योगम्॥
Sanat-Sujata said Those who having entered into the dwelling of a preceptor and residing therein serve them and practice asceticism become Brahma himself, as it were; and casting off their bodies are united with Him.
अस्मिल्लोके वै जयन्तीह कामान् ब्राही स्थिति ह्यनुतितिक्षमाणाः। न्मुञ्जादिषीकामिव सत्त्वसंस्थाः॥
Those who are in this world desirous of obtaining emancipation, subdue their desires. Those virtuous men get their souls separated from their body like a blade of grass from a marshy plot of ground.
शरीरमेतौ कुरुतः पिता माता च भारत। आचार्यशास्ता या जातिः सा पुण्या साजराऽमरा॥
The father and the mother, O Bharata, these two create the body; but the state gained from the instructions of the preceptor is sacred, free from death and without old age.
नृतं कुर्वनमृतं सम्प्रयच्छन्। तं मन्येत पितरं मातरं च तस्मै न दुह्येत् कृतमस्य जानन्।॥
He (the preceptor) who discoursing on the Supreme Soul frees a man from untruth and distributes nectar should be regarded as father and mother. No injury should ever be done to him, knowing what he does.
गुरुं शिष्यो नित्यमभिवादयीत स्वाध्यायमिच्छेच्छुचिरप्रमत्तः। मेष प्रथमो ब्रह्मचर्यस्य पादः॥
A disciple should every day pay due respects to his preceptor and engage himself in study with a pure mind and concentrated attention. He should not be annoyed (at the humble and menial services he is called upon to perform) and not feel wrathful. This is the first step of asceticism.
शिष्यवृत्तिक्रमेणैव विद्यामाप्नोति यः शुचिः। ब्रह्मचर्यव्रतस्यास्य प्रथमः पाद उच्यते॥
He who gains knowledge (of his duties) by observing the duties of other disciples is said to observe the first step of the vow of asceticism.
आचार्यस्य प्रियं कुर्यात् प्राणैरपि धनैरपि। कर्मणा मनसा वाचा द्वितीयः पाद उच्यते॥
What is agreeable to a preceptor should be done at the expense of life and wealth, by the mind, by actions or by speech. Doing this is said to be the second step.
समा गुरौ यथा वृत्तिर्णरुपल्यां तथाऽऽचरेत्। तत्पुत्रे च तथा कुर्वन् द्वितीयः पाद उच्यते॥
A similar behaviour like that towards a preceptor should be adopted towards the preceptor's woke and the same should be done to his son. Doing this is said to be the second step.
आचार्येणात्मकृतं विजानन् ज्ञात्वा चार्थ भावितोऽस्मीत्यनेन। यन्मन्यते तं प्रति हृष्टबुद्धिः स वै तृतीयो ब्रह्मचर्यस्य पादः॥
Fully, appreciating what has been done to one's self by his preceptor and knowing the object thereof, a disciple should with exaltation in his heart think-I have been developed by him. This is the third step of asceticism.
नाचार्यस्यानपाकृत्य प्रवास प्राज्ञः कुर्वीतं नैतदहं करोमि। इतीव मन्येत न भाषयेत स वै चतुर्थो ब्रह्मचर्यस्य पादः॥
A wise man should not remove himself (from the preceptor's abode) without requesting the preceptor; nor should he even speak or think “I do this” (i.e. I make this gift). This is the fourth step of asceticism.
कालेन पादं लभते तथाऽर्थं ततश्च पादं गुरुयोगतश्च। च्छास्त्रेण पादं च ततोऽभियाति॥
A man obtains the object of the first step of asceticism by the aid of time (i.e. in due course), the second step by contact with the preceptor, the third by the energy of his own intellect and the next by discussion with others.
मन्यानि चाङ्गानि तथा बलं च। ब्रह्मार्थयोगेन च ब्रह्मचर्यम्॥
The effects of the practice of asceticism, which is made up of twelve constituent elements including righteousness and the effects of Angas and Balam (particular forms of asceticism) are said to be obtained by contact with the preceptor and by an earnest desire to know the Supreme Soul.
एवं प्रवृत्तो यदुपालभेत वै धनमाचार्याय तदनुप्रयच्छेत्। सतां वृत्तिं बहुगुणामेवमेति गुरोः पुत्रे भवति च वृत्तिरेषा॥
While in the position of a disciple, whatever wealth is earned should be given to the preceptor. It is by this means that he (the preceptor) earns his honest livelihood graced with many virtues. Such should also be the conduct of the preceptor's son.
एवं वसन् सर्वतो वर्धतीह बहून् पुत्राँल्लभते च प्रतिष्ठाम्। वर्षन्ति चास्मै प्रदिशो दिशश्च वसन्त्यस्मिन् ब्रह्मचर्ये जनाश्च॥
With this rule of life one prospers in every way and obtains many sons and fame; to such a man, wealth is poured from all sides and to that place many people come for practicing asceticism.
एतेन ब्रह्मचर्येण देवा देवत्वमाप्नुवन्। ऋषयश्च महाभागा ब्रह्मलोकं मनीषिणः॥
By means of such asceticism, the gods attained their divine character and the wise Rishis of heavenly qualities attained to the regions of Brahma.
गन्धर्वाणामनेनैव रूपमप्सरसामभूत्। एतेन ब्रह्मचर्येण सूर्योऽप्यह्राय जायते॥
By this also did the beauty of the Gandharvas and Apsaras spring up; by such asceticism does the sun rise to make the day.
आकाक्ष्यार्थस्य संयोगाद् रसभेदार्थिनामिव। एवं ह्येते समाज्ञाय तादृग्भावं गता इमे॥
on These (i.e. Gandharvas, etc.) completion of their asceticism by this means attained to the state of the seekers of the Rasabheda (a fabulous gem supposed to grant every desire of the possessor) through the obtainment of the object of their desire.
य आश्रयेत् पावयेच्चापि राजन् सर्वं शरीरं तपसा तप्यमानः। एतेन वै बाल्यमभ्येति विद्वान् मृत्युं तथा स जयत्यन्तकाले॥
He, who attached to austerities has recourse to asceticism and thereby purifies his body, comes to the condition of a child (free from passions, etc., characteristic of the old men) and that learned man in the end conquers death.
अन्तवतः क्षत्रिय ते जयन्ति लोकान् जनाः कर्मणा निर्मलेन। ब्रह्मैव विद्वांस्तेन चाभ्येति सर्व नान्यः पन्था अयनाय विद्यते॥
By pure work men obtain the perishable worlds, O Kshatriya-but that learned man, by means of his knowledge, obtains emancipation. There is no other path to emancipation.
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच आभाति शुक्लमिव लोहितमिवाथो कृष्णमथाञ्जनं काद्रवं वा। सद्ब्रह्मणः पश्यति योऽत्र विद्वान् कथं रूपं तदमृतमक्षरं पदम्॥
Dhritarashtra said Of what form is the Supreme Soul, which is immortal and omnipresent and which the learned man sees in this world. Does he shine as white, red, black, blue or purple?
सनत्सुजात उवाच आभाति शुक्लमिव लोहितमिवाथो कृष्णमायसमर्कवर्णम्। न पृथिव्यां तिष्ठति नान्तरिक्षे नैतत् समुद्रे सलिलं बिभर्ति॥
Sanat-Sujata said (The Supreme Soul) may appear as white, red, black, brown or like the sun; but its like is not to be met with in the earth, the sky, nor in the water of the sea.
न तारकासु न च विद्युदाश्रितं न चाभ्रेषु दृश्यते रूपमस्या न चापि वायौ न च देवतासु नैतच्चन्द्रे दृश्यते नोत सूर्ये॥
It cannot be found among the stars, nor is it shut up in the lightning and its form cannot be seen among the clouds, nor in the air, nor among the gods, nor in the moon, nor in the sun,
नैवटुं तन्न यजुषु नाप्यथर्वसु न दृश्यते वै विमलेषु सामसु। रथन्तरे बार्हद्रथे वाऽपि राजन् महाव्रते नैव दृश्येद् ध्रुवं तत्॥
Nor in the Rich, nor in the Yajush, nor in the Atharva, nor in the sacred Sama (Vedas). It is certain, O king, that it cannot be seen in the Rathantara, nor in the Barhadrath, nor in the great vows.
अपारणीयं तमसः परस्तात् तदन्तकोऽप्येति विनाशकाले। अणीयो रूपं क्षुरधारया समं महच्च रूपं तद् वै पर्वतेभ्यः॥
Incapable of being reached by our ignorance, even the king of Death, at the time of his end, is lost in it. Its form cannot be gazed at; it is like the edge of a razor and its form is like that of a high mountain.
सा प्रतिष्ठा तदमृतं लोकास्तद् ब्रह्म तद् यशः। भूतानि जज्ञिरे तस्मात् प्रलयं यान्ति तत्र हि॥
It is the foundation of everything; it is nectar; it is the universe; it is vast and delightful. From it are born all creatures and there do they come to their end.
अनामयं तन्महदुद्यत् यशो वाचो विकारं कवयो वदन्ति। यस्मिन् जगत् सर्वमिदं प्रतिष्ठितं ये तद् विदुरमृतास्ते भवन्ति॥
Having no duality, it is manifest in the form of the universe. Poets speak of it as having no change but in the language and form used for its description. That on which all this world stands-those who know this become immortal.