ब्राह्मण उवाच तदव्यक्तमनुद्रिक्तं सर्वव्यापि ध्रुवं स्थिरम्। नवद्वारं पुरं विद्यात् त्रिगुणं पञ्चधातुकम्॥
Brahman said That which is unmanifest, which is indistinct, all-pervading, everlasting, immutablc, should be known to become the city of nine portals, possessed of three qualities, and consisting of five ingredients.
एकादशपरिक्षेपं मनोव्याकरणात्मकम्। बुद्धिस्वामिकमित्येतत् परमेकादशं भवेत्॥
Encompassed by cleven including Mind which distinguishes (objects) and having Understanding for the ruler, this is an aggregate of cleven.
त्रीणि स्रोतांसि यान्यस्मिन्नाप्यायन्ते पुनः पुनः। प्रनाड्यस्तिस्र एवैताः प्रवर्तन्ते गुणात्मिका:॥
The three ducts that are in it, support it always. These are ihe three Nadis. They run continually, and have the three qualities for their essence.
तमो रजस्तथा सत्त्वं गुणानेतान् प्रचक्षते। अन्योन्यमिथुनाः सर्वे तथान्योन्यानुजीविनः॥
Ignorance, Darkness, and Goodness, these are called the (three) qualities. These are connected with one another. They exist depending on one another.
अन्योन्यापाश्चयाश्चापि तथान्योन्यानुवर्तिनः। अन्योन्यव्यतिषक्ताश्च त्रिगुणाः पञ्चधातवः॥
They take refuge in one another, and follow one another. They are also joined with one another. The five (principal) elements are marked by (these) three qualities.
तमसो मिथुनं सत्त्वं सत्त्वस्य मिथुनं रजः। रजसञ्चापि सत्त्वं स्यात् सत्त्वस्य मिथुनं तमः॥
Goodness is also the match of Ignorance. Of goodness the match of Darkness. Goodness is also the match of Darkness, and of Goodness the match is Ignorance.
नियम्यते तमो यत्र रजस्तत्र प्रवर्तते। नियम्यते रजो यत्र सत्त्वं तत्र प्रवर्तते॥
There where Ignorance is restrained, Darkness is seen to flow. There where Darkness is restrained, Goodness is scen to flow.
नैशात्मक तमो विद्यात् त्रिगुणं मोडसंज्ञितम्। अधर्मलक्षणं चैव नियतं पापकर्मसु। तामसं रूपमेतत् तु दृश्यते चापि सङ्गत्तम्॥
Darkness should be known to have the night for its essence. It has three marks, and is (otherwise) called Delusion. It has sin also for its mark, and it is always present in all sinful deeds. This is the nature of Ignorance and it appears also as confined with others.
प्रकृत्यात्मकमेवाहू रजः पर्यायकारकम्। प्रवृत्तं सर्वभूतेषु दृश्यमुत्पत्तिलक्षणम्॥
Darkness is said to have activity for its essence. It is the cause of successive deeds. When it predominates, its mark, among all beings, is production,
प्रकाशं सर्वभूतेषु लाघवं श्रद्दधानता। सात्त्विक रूपमेवं तु लाघवं साधुसम्मितम्॥
Splendour, lightness, and faith-these are the form, that is light, of Goodness among all creatures, as considered by all good men.
एतेषां गुणतत्त्वानि वक्ष्यन्ते तत्त्वहेतुभिः। समासव्यासयुक्तानि तत्त्वतस्तानि बोधत॥
The true nature of their marks will now be declared by me, with reasons. These shall be stated in aggregation and separation. Do you understand them.
सम्मोहोऽज्ञानमत्यागः कर्मणामविनिर्णयः। स्वप्नः स्तम्भो भयं लोभः स्वतः सुकृतदूषणम्॥ अस्मृतिश्चाविपाकश्च नास्तिक्यं भिन्नवृत्तिता। निर्विशेषत्वमन्धत्वं जघन्यगुणवृत्तिता॥ अकृते कृतमानित्वमज्ञाने ज्ञानमानिता। अमैत्री विकृताभावो ह्यश्रद्धा मूढभावना॥ अनार्जवमसंज्ञत्वं कर्म पापचेतना। गुरुत्वं सन्नभावत्वमवशित्वमवाग्गतिः॥ सर्व एते गुणा वृत्तास्तामसाः सम्प्रकीर्तिताः। ये चान्ये विहिता भावा लोकेऽस्मिन् भावसंज्ञिताः।। तत्र तत्र नियम्यन्ते सर्वे ते तामसा गुणाः। परिवादकथा नित्यं देवब्राह्मणवैदिकी॥ अत्यागश्चाभिमानश्च मोहो मन्युस्तथाक्षमा। मत्सरश्चैव भूतेषु तामसं वृत्तमिप्यते॥
Complete delusion, Ignorance, illiberality, indecision about action, sleep, haughtiness, fcar, cupidity, grief, censure of good deeds, loss of meinory, unripeness of judgeinent, absence of faith, violation of all rules of conduct, want of discrimination, blindness, vileness of conduct, boastful assertion of performance when there has been performance, presumption of knowledge in ignorance, unfriendliness (or hostility), evilness of disposition, absence of faith, stupid reasoning, crookedness, incapacity for association, sinfull action, senselessness, stolidity, assitude, absence of self-control, degradation, all these qualities are known as no belonging to Ignorance. Whatever other states of mid, connected with delusion, exist in the world, all belong to Ignorance, Frequent illspeaking of other people, censuring the celestials and the Brahmanas, illiberality, vanity, delusion, anger, unforgiveness, hostility towards all creatures, are considered as the characteristics of Ignorance.
वृथारम्भा हि ये केचिद् वृथा दानानि यानि च। वृथा भक्षणमित्येतत् तामसं वृत्तमिष्यते॥
Whatever undertakings exist which are unmeritorious, what gifts there are which are unmeritorious, vain cating, these also belong to Ignorance.
अतिवादोऽतितिक्षा च मात्सर्यमभिमानिता। अश्रद्दधानता चैव तामसं वृत्तमिष्यते॥
Indulgence in calumny, unforgiveness, animosity, vanity, and absence of faith are also said to be characteristic of Ignorance.
एवंविधाश्च ये केचिल्लोकेऽस्मिन् पापकर्मिणः। मनुष्या भिन्नमर्यादास्ते सर्वे तामसाः स्मृताः॥
Whatever men there are in this world, who are characterised by these and other faults of a similar kind, and who break through the restraints are all considered as belonging is the quality of Ignorance.
तेषां योनीः प्रवक्ष्यामि नियताः पापकर्मिणाम्। अवानिरयभावा ये तिर्यनिरयगामिनः॥
I shall now declare the wombs wherс these men, who are always of sinful deeds, have to take their birth. Ordained to go to hell, they sink in the order of being. Indeed, they sink into the hell of the brute creation.
स्थावराणि च भूतानि पशवो वाहनानि च। क्रव्यादा दन्दशूकाश्च कृमिकीटविहंगमाः॥ अण्डजा जन्तवश्चैव सर्वे चापि चतुष्पदाः। उन्मत्ता बधिरा मूका ये चान्ये पापरोगिणः॥
They become immobile entities, or animals, or beasts of burden; or carnivorous creatures, or snakes, or worms, insects, and birds; or creatures of the oviparous order, or quadrupeds of various species, or lunatics, or deal or bomb human beings, or men who are afflicted by dreadful maladies and considered as unclcan.
मग्नास्तमसि दुर्वृत्ताः स्वकर्म कृतलक्षणाः। अवाक्स्रोतस इत्येते मग्नास्तमसि तामसाः॥
These men of evil conduct, always show the marks of their deeds, sink in Ignorance. Their course is always downwards. Belonging to the quality of Ignorance, they sink in Ignorance.
तेषामुत्कर्षमुद्रेकं वक्ष्याम्यहमत: परम्। यथा ते सुकृताँल्लोकाँल्लभन्ते पुण्यकर्मिणः॥
I shall, after this, declare what the means are of their improvement and ascent; indeed, by what means they succeed in acquiring the regions which exist for men of pious deeds.
अन्यथा प्रतिपन्नास्तु विवृद्धा ये च कर्मणः। स्वकर्मनिरतानां च ब्राह्मणानां शुभैषिणाम्॥ संस्कारेणोर्ध्वमायान्ति यतमाना: सलोकताम्। स्वर्गे गच्छन्ति देवानामित्येषा वैदिकी श्रुतिः॥
Those men who take birth in orders other than human beings, by growing up in view of the religions ceremonies of Brahmanas devoted to the duties of their own caste and desirous of doing good to all creatures, succeed through the help of such purificatory rites, in ascending upwards. Indeed, struggling, they at last attain the sam? regions with thcsc pious Brahmanas. Indeed, they go to the celestial region. This is the Vedic Shruti.
अन्यथा प्रतिपन्नास्ते विबुद्धाः स्वेष कर्मसु। पुनरावृत्तिधर्माणस्ते भवन्तीह मानुषा:॥
Born in orders other then humanity and growing old in their respective deeds, cven thus they become human beings that are, of course, ordained to return.
पापयोनिं समापन्नाश्चण्डाला मूकचूचुकाः। वर्णान् पर्यायशश्चापि प्राप्नुवन्त्युत्तरोत्तरम्॥ शूद्रयोनिमतिक्रम्य ये चान्ये तामसा गुणाः। स्रोतोमध्ये समागम्य वर्तन्ते तामसे गुणे॥
Coming to sinful births and becoming Chandalas or human beings that are deaf or to who lisp indistinctly, they attain to higher and higher castes, one after another in proper turn, getting above the Shudra order, and other (consequences of) qualities which belong to Ignorance and who abide in it in course of migrations this world.
अभिष्वङ्गस्तु कामेषु महामोह इति स्मृतः। ऋषयो मुनयो देवा मुह्यन्त्यत्र सुखेप्सवः॥
Attachment to objects of desire is considered as great delusion. Here Rishis and Munis and celestials become deluded, desirous of pleasure.
तमो मोहो महामोहस्तामिस्रः क्रोधसंज्ञितः। मरणं त्वन्धतामिस्रस्तामिस्रः क्रोध उच्यते॥
Ignorance, delusion, the great delusion, the great obscurity called anger, and death, that blinding obscurity. As regards anger, that is the great obscurity.
वर्णतो गुणतश्चैव योनितश्चैव तत्त्वतः। सर्वमेतत्तमो विप्राः कीर्तितं वो यथाविधि॥
With respect then to its colour, its characteristics, and its source, I have, you learned Brahmanas, declared to you, accurately and in due order, everything, about Ignorance.
कोन्वेतद् बुध्यते साधु कोन्वेतत् साधु पश्यति। अतत्त्वे तत्त्वदर्शी यस्तमसस्तत्त्वलक्षणम्॥
Who is there what truly gets over it? Who is there who truly sees it? That indeed, is the characteristic of Ignorance, viz., the seeing of reality in what is not real.
तमोगुणा बहुविधाः प्रकीर्तिता यथावदुक्तं च तमः परावरम्। नरो हि यो वेद गुणानिमान् सदा स तामसैः सर्वगुणैः प्रमुच्यते॥
The qualities of Ignorance have been declared to you in various ways. Duly has Ignorance, in its higher and lower forms, been described to you. That man who always bears in mind the qualities mentioned here will surely succeed in becoming freed from all marks which belong to Ignorance.