व्राह्मण उवाच गन्धान् न जिघ्रामि न वेधि रसान् रूपं न पश्यामि न च स्पृशामि। न चापि शब्दान् विविधाशृणोमि न चापि संकल्पमुपैमि कंचित्॥
I do not smell scents. I do not get tastes. I do not see colours. I do not likewise hear the various sounds Nor do I entertain purposes of any kind.
अर्थानिष्टान् कामयते स्वभाव: सर्वान् द्वेष्यान् प्रद्विषते स्वभावः। कामद्वेषावुद्भवतः स्वभावात् प्राणापानौ जन्तुदेहान्निवेश्य॥
It is Nature which desires such objects as are liked; it is Nature which hates such objects as are disliked. Desire and hatred originate from Nature, like the upward and the downward vital airs when should have entered animate bodies.
तेभ्यश्चान्यांस्तेषु नित्यांश्च भावान् भूतात्मानं लक्षयेरशरीरे। तस्मिस्तिष्ठन्नास्मि सक्तः कथंचित् कामक्रोधाभ्यां जरया मृत्युना च॥
Separated from them are others; in them are eternal dispositions; Yogins would see in the body, the soul of all creatures. Living in that, I am never attached to anything through desire and anger, and decrepitude and death.
नविद्विषाणस्य च सर्वदोषान्। स्तोयस्य बिन्दोरिव पुष्करेषु।॥
Not having any desire for any object of desire, and not having any hatred for any evil, there is not taint on my natures, as there is not taint of a drop of water on the lotus.
नित्यस्य चैतस्य भवन्ति नित्या निरीक्ष्यमाणस्य बहुस्वभावान्। न सज्जते कर्मसु भोगजालं दिवीव सूर्यस्य मयूखजालम्॥ अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। अध्वर्युयतिसंवादं तं निबोध यशस्विनि॥
Of this fixed (principle) which looks upon various natures, they are fickle possessions. Though actions are performed, yet the collection of enjoyments does not attach itself to them, as the collection of rays of the sun does not attach to the sky. Regarding it is recited an ancient discourse between an Adhvarya and a Yati. Do you hear it, O glorious lady.
प्रोक्ष्यमाणं पशुं दृष्ट्वा यज्ञकर्मण्यथाब्रवीत्। यतिरध्वर्युमासीनो हिंसेयमिति कुत्सयन्॥
Seeing an animal sprinkled with water at a sacrifice, a Yati said to the Adhvaryu sealed there these word sin censure, This is destruction of life.
तमध्वर्युः प्रत्युवाच नायं छागो विनश्यति। श्रेयसा योक्ष्यते जन्तुर्यदि श्रुतिरियं तथा॥
To him the Adhvaryu replied. This goat will not be destroyed. The animal meets with great good, if the Vedic declaration on this subject be true.
यो ह्यस्य पार्थिवो भाग-पृथिवीं स गमिष्यति। यदस्य वारिज किंचिदपस्तत् सम्प्रवेक्ष्यति॥
That part of this animal which is of earth will go to earth. That part of this one which is of water, will enter into water.
सूर्ये चक्षुर्दिशः श्रोत्रं प्राणोऽस्य दिवमेव च। आगमे वर्तमानस्य न मे दोषाऽस्ति कश्चन॥
His eye will enter the sun; his ear will enter the various points of the horizon; his vital airs will enter the sky. I who follow the scriptures commit no sin.
यतिरुवाच प्राणैर्वियोगे च्छागस्य यदि श्रेयः प्रपश्यसि। छागार्थे वर्तते यज्ञो भवतः किं प्रयोजनम्॥
The Yati said-If you see such good to the goat in this dissociation with (his) vital airs, then this sacrifice is for the goat. What need have you for it?
अत्र त्वा मन्यतां भ्राता पिता माता सखेति च। मन्त्रयस्वैनमुन्नीय परवन्तं विशेषतः॥
Let the brother, father, mother, and friend give you their approval in this. Taking him (to them) do you consult them. This goat is cspccially dependent.
एवमेवानुमन्येरस्तान् भवान् द्रष्टुमर्हति। तेषामनुमतं श्रुत्वा शक्या कर्तुं विचारणा॥
You should see them who can givc their consent in this. After hcaring their consent, the matter will become a worthy topic for consideration.
प्राणा अप्यस्य छागस्य प्रापितास्ते स्वयोनिपु। शरीरं केवल शिष्टं निश्चेष्टमिति मे मतिः॥
The vital airs of this goat have been made to return to their respective sources. Only the inanimate body remains behind. This is what I think.
इन्धनस्य तु तुल्येन शरीरेण विचेतसा। हिंसानिर्वेष्टुकामानामिन्धनं पशुसंज्ञितम्॥
Of those who wish to enjoy pleasure by means of the inanimate body (of an animal) which can be compared with fuel, the fuel (of sacrifice) is after all the animal himself.
अहिंसा सर्वधर्माणामिति वृद्धानुशासनम्। यदहिस्रं भवेत् कर्म तत् कार्यमिति विद्महे॥
Abstention from cruelty is the foremost of all duties. This is the teaching of the elders. We know that no crucl action should be donc.
अहिंसेति प्रतिज्ञेयं यदि वक्ष्याम्यतः परम्। शक्यं बहुविधं कर्तुं भवता कार्यदूषणम्॥
This is the proposition, viz., No destruction (of living creatures-If I say anything further, then various kinds of faulty actions are capable of being done by you.
अहिंसा सर्वभूतानां नित्यमस्मासु रोचते। प्रत्यक्षतः साधयामो न परोक्षमुपास्महे॥
Always abstaining from cruelty to all creatures is what is lauded. We establish this from what is directly perceptible. We do not rely on what is beyond direct perception.
अध्वर्युरुवाच भूमेर्गन्धगुणान् भुंक्षे पिबस्यापोमयान् रसान्। ज्योतिषां पश्यसे रूपं स्पृशस्यनिलजान् गुणान्॥ शृणोष्याकाशजाशब्दान् मनसा मन्यसे मतिम्। सर्वाण्येतानि भूतानि प्राणा इति च मन्यसे॥
The Adhvaryu said You enjoy the properties of smell which belong to the earth. You drink the tastes which belong to water. You see colours which belong to luminous bodies. You touch the properties which originate from wind, you hear the sounds which originate from ether. You think thoughts with the mind. All these entities, you hold, have life.
प्राणादाने निवृत्तोऽसि हिंसायां वर्तते भवान्। नास्ति चेष्टा विना हिंसां किं वा त्वं मन्यसे द्विज।।२१
You do not then abstain from taking life. Really, you are engaged in slaughter. There can be no movement without destruction. Or, what do you think. O twice-born one.
यतिरुवाच अक्षरं च क्षरं चैव द्वैधीभावोऽयमात्मनः। अक्षरं तत्र सद्भावः स्वभावः क्षर उच्यते॥
The Indestructible and the Destructible form the twofold manifestation of the soul. Of these the Indestructible is existent. The Destructible is said to be exceedingly nonexistent.
प्राणो जिह्वा मनः सत्त्वं सद्भावो रजसा सह। भावैरेतैर्विमुक्तस्य निर्द्वन्द्वस्य निराशिषः॥ समस्य सर्वभूतेषु निर्ममस्य जितात्मनः। समन्तात् परिमुक्तस्य न भयं विद्यते क्वचित्॥
The vital air, the tongue, the mind, the quality of goodness, along with the quality of passion, are all existent. Of him who is freed from these existent objects, who is above all pairs of opposites, who does not cherish any expectation, who is alike to all creatures, who is freed from the idea of mineness, who has governed his self, and who is released from all his surroundings, no fear cxists from any source.
अध्वर्युरुवाच सद्भिरेवेह संवासः कार्यो मतिमतां वर। भवतो हि मतं श्रुत्वा प्रतिभाति मतिर्मम॥
The Adhvaryu said O foremost of intelligent men, one should live with the good. Hearing your opinion my understanding shines with light.
भगवन् भगवद्गुद्ध्या प्रतिपन्नो ब्रवीम्यहम्। व्रतं मन्त्रकृतं कर्तु पराधोऽस्ति मे द्विज॥
O illustrious one, I come to you, believing you to be a god; and I say I have no fault, O twice-born one, by performing these rites with the help of Mantras.
ब्राह्मण उवाच उपपत्त्या यतिस्तूष्णीं वर्तमानस्ततः परम्। अध्वर्युरपि निर्मोहः प्रचचार महामखे।॥
The Brahmana said With this conclusion, the Yati remained silent after this. The Adhvaryu also went on with the great sacrifice, freed from delusion.
एवमेतादृशं मोक्षं सुसूक्ष्मं ब्राह्मणा विदुः। विदित्वा चानुतिष्ठन्ति क्षेत्रज्ञेनार्थदर्शिना॥
The Brahmanas understand Liberation, which is exceedingly subtle, to be of this kind; and having understood it, they live accordingly, directed by the Kshetrajna, that seer of all topics.