ब्राह्मण्युवाच नेदमल्पात्मना शक्यं वेदितुं नाकृतात्मना। बहु चाल्पं च संक्षिप्तं विप्लुतं च मतं मम॥
The Brahmana's wife said This cannot be understood by a weakminded person as also by one whose soul has not been purified. My intelligence is very little, and contracted, and confused.
उपायं तं मम ब्रूहि येनैषा लभ्यते मतिः। तन्मन्ये कारणं त्वत्तो यत एषा प्रवर्तते।॥
Tell me the means by which the knowledge may be acquired. I wish to learn from you the source from which this knowledge comes.
ब्राह्मण उवाच अरणी ब्राह्मणी विद्धि गुरुरस्योत्तरारणिः। तप:श्रुतेऽभिमन्थीतो ज्ञानाग्निर्जायते ततः॥
Know that intelligence about Brahma is the lower Arani; the preceptor is the upper Arani; penances and conversance with the scriptures are what make attrition. From this is originated the fire of knowledge.
ब्राह्मण्युवाच यदिदं ब्राह्मणो लिङ्गं क्षेत्रज्ञ इति संज्ञितम्। ग्रहीतुं येन यच्छक्यं लक्षणं तस्य तत् क्व नु।॥
The Brahmana's wife said About this symbol of Brahma, which is designated, Kshetrajna, where, indeed, is a description of it by which it is capable of being seized?
ब्राह्मण उवाच अलिङ्गो निर्गुणश्चैव कारणं नास्य लक्ष्यते। उपायमेव वक्ष्यामि येन गृह्येत वा न वा॥
The Brahmana said He is without symbols, and without qualities. Nothing exists that may be you the considered as his cause. I shall, however, tell means by which he can be apprehended or not.
सम्यगुपायो दृष्टश्च भ्रमरैरिव लक्ष्यते। कर्मबुद्धिरवुद्धित्वाज्ज्ञानलिङ्गैरिवाश्रितम्॥
A good means may be found; which is perceived as by bees. That means consists of and understanding purified by action. Those whose understanding have not been so purified consider that entity, through their own ignorance, as invested with the properties of knowledge and others.
इदं कार्यमिदं नेति न मोक्षेषूपदिश्यते। पश्यतः शृण्वतो बुद्धिरात्मनो येषु जायते॥
It is not laid down that this should be done, or that this should not be donc, in the rules for acquiring Liberation, those that is, in which a knowledge of the soul originates only in him who sees and hears.
यावन्त इह शक्येरं स्तावन्तॊऽशान् प्रकल्पयेत्। अव्यक्तान् व्यक्तरूपानं शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः॥
One should understand as many parts, unmanifest and manifest, by hundreds and thousands, as one is capable of comprehending here.
सर्वान्नानार्थयुक्तांश्च सर्वान् प्रत्यक्षहेतुकान्। यतः परं न विद्यते ततोऽभ्यासे भविष्यति॥
Indeed, one should comprehend various objects of various significancies, and all objects of direct perception. Then will come, from practice, that above which nothing cxists.
श्रीभगवानुवाच ततस्तु तस्या ब्राह्मण्या मतिः क्षेत्रज्ञसंक्षये। क्षेत्रज्ञानेन परतः क्षेत्रज्ञेभ्यः प्रवर्तते॥
The holy one said Then the mind of the Brahmana's wife, upon the destruction of the Kshetrajna, became that which is beyond Kshctrajna, on account of the knowledge of Kshetra.
अर्जुन उवाच क्व नु सा ब्राह्मणी कृष्ण क्व चासौ ब्राह्मणर्पभः। याभ्यां सिद्धिरियं प्राप्ता तावुभौ वद मेऽच्युत॥
Arjuna said, Where, indeed, is that Brahmana's wife, O Krishna, and where is that foremost of Brahmanas, by both of whom was such success acquired. Tell me about them, O you of undecaying glory.
श्रीभगवानुवाच मनो मे ब्राह्मणं विद्धि बुद्धिं मे विद्धि ब्राह्मणीम्। क्षेत्रश्र इति यश्चोक्तः सोऽहमेव धनंजय॥
My mind is the Brahmana, and that my understanding is the Brahmana's wife. He who has been spoken of as Kshetrajna is I myself, O Dhananjaya.