मनुष्याणां तु राजन्यः क्षत्रियो मध्यमो गुणः। कुञ्जरो वाहनानां च सिंहचारण्यवासिनाम्॥ अविः पशूनां सर्वेषामहिस्तु बिलवासिनाम्। गवां गोवृषभश्चैव स्त्रीणां पुरुष एव च॥
Brahman said Among men, the royal Kshatriya is gifted with the middle quality. Among vehicles, the elephant (is so); and among dwellers of the forest the lion; among all (sacrificial) animals, the sheep; among all those that live in holes, is the snake; among cattle, the bull; among females, the male.
न्यग्रोधे जम्बुवृक्षश्च पिप्पल: शाल्मलिस्तथा। शिंशपा मेषशृश्च तथा कीचकवेणवः॥
There is no doubt in this that in this world, the Nyagrodha, the Jambu, the Pippala, the Shalmali, the Shinshapa, the Meshashringa, and the Kichaka, are the foremost ones among trees.
एते दुमाणां राजानो लोकेऽस्मिन् नात्र संशयः। हिमवान् पारियात्रश्च सह्यो विन्ध्यस्त्रिकूटवान्॥ श्वेतो नीलश्च भासश्च कोष्ठवांश्चैव पर्वतः। गुरुस्कन्धो महेन्द्रश्च माल्यवान् पर्वतस्तथा॥ एते पर्वतराजानो गणानां मरुतस्तथा।
Himavat, Pariyatra, Pariyatra, Sahya, Vindhya, Trikutavat, Shveta, Nila, Bhasa, Kushthavat, Guruskandha, Mahendra, and Malayavat, these are the foremost of mountains. Likewise the Maruts are the foremost of the Ganas.
सूर्यो ग्रहाणामधिपो नक्षत्राणां च चन्द्रमाः॥ यमः पितॄणामधिपः सरितामथ सागरः।
The Sun is the lord of all the planets, and the Moon of all the constellations. Yama is the lord of the departed manes; Ocean is the lord of all rivers.
अम्भसां वरुणो राजा मरुतामिन्द्र उच्यते॥ अर्कोऽधिपतिरुष्णानां ज्योतिषामिन्दुरुच्यते।
Varuna is the king of the waters. Indra is said to be the king of the Maruts. Arka is the king of all hot bodies, and Indra of all luminous bodies.
अग्निभूतपतिर्नित्यं ब्राह्मणानां बृहस्पतिः॥ ओषधीनां पतिः सोमो विष्णुर्बलवतां वरः।
Agni is the eternal lord of the elements, and Brihaspati of the Brahmanas. Soma is the lord herbs, and Vishnu is the foremost of all that are gifted with might.
त्वष्टाधिराजो रूपाणां पशूनामीश्वरः शिवः॥ दीक्षितानां तथा यज्ञो दैवानां मघवा तथा।
Tvashtri is the king of Rudras, and Shiva of all creatures. Sacrifice is the foremost of all initiatory rites and Maghavat of the celestials.
दिशामुदीची विप्राणां सोमो राजा प्रतापवान्॥ कुबेरः सर्वरत्नानां देवतानां पुरंदरः।
The North is the lord of all the points of the compass; the energetic Soma is the lord of all learned Brahmanas. Kubera is the lord of all precious gems, and Purandara of all the celestials.
एष भूताधिपः सर्गः प्रजानां च प्रजापतिः॥ सर्वेषामेव भूतानामहं ब्रह्ममयो महान्।
Such is the highest creation among all entities. Prajapati is the lord of all creatures. Of all entities whatever, I, who am full of Brahma, am the foremost.
भूतं परतरं मत्तो विष्णोर्वाऽपि न विद्यते॥ राजाधिराजः सर्वेषां विष्णुर्ब्रह्ममयो महान्। ईश्वरत्वं विजानीध्वं कर्तारमकृतं हरिम्॥
There is no entity that is higher than myself or Vishnu. The great Vishnu, who is full of Brahma, is the king of kings over all. Know him to be the king, the creator, the uncreated Hari.
नरकिन्नरयक्षाणां गन्धर्वोरगरक्षसाम्। देवदानवनागानां सर्वेषामीश्वरो हि सः॥
He is the ruler of men and Kinnaras and Yakshas and Gandharvas, and snakes and Rakshasas, and celestials and Danavas and Nagas.
भगदेवानुयातानां सर्वासा वामलोचना। माहेश्वरी महादेवी प्रोच्यते पार्वती हि सा॥
Among those that are followed by persons full of desire is the great goddess Mahesvari having beautiful eyes.
उमां देवीं विजानीध्वं नारीणामुत्तमां शुभाम्। रतीनां वसुमत्यस्तु स्त्रीणामप्सरसस्तथा॥
She is otherwisc called by the name of Parvati. Know that the goddess Uma is the foremost and the most auspicious of women. Ainong women who are a source of pleasure, the foremost are the Apsaras who are endued with great splendour.
राजानो ब्राह्मणा धर्मसेतवः। तस्माद् राजा द्विजातीनां प्रयतेत स्म रक्षणे॥
Kings are desirous of acquiring piety, and Brahmanas are causeways of Piety. Therefore, the king should always strive to protect the twice-born ones.
धर्मकामाश्च राज्ञां हि विषये येषामवसीदन्ति साधवः। हीनास्ते स्वगुणैः सर्वैः प्रेत्य चोन्मार्गगामिनः॥
Those kings in whose kingdoms good men languish are considered as bereft of the virtues of their order. Hereafter they have to go into wrong paths.
राज्ञां हि विषये येषां साधवः परिरक्षिताः। तेऽस्मिँल्लोके प्रमोदन्ते सुखं प्रेत्य च भुञ्जते॥
Those kings in whose territories good men are protected, rejoice in this world and enjoy happiness in the next.
प्राप्नुवन्ति महात्मान इति वित्त द्विजर्षभाः। अत ऊर्ध्वं प्रवक्ष्यामि नियतं धर्मलक्षणम्॥
Indeed, those great ones attain to the highest seat. Understand this, you foremost of twice-born ones! I shall after this describe the eternal characteristics of duties.
अहिंसा परमो धर्मो हिंसा चाधर्मलक्षणा। प्रकाशलक्षणा देवा मनुष्याः कर्मलक्षणाः॥
Abstention from injury is the highest duty, Injury is a mark of sin. Splendour is the mark of the deities. Men have acts for their characteristics.
शब्दलक्षणमाकाशं वायुस्तु स्पर्शलक्षणः। ज्योतिषां लक्षणं रूपमापश्च रसलक्षणाः॥
Ether (or space) has sound for its characteristic. Wind has touch for its characteristic. The characteristic of luminous bodies is colour, and water has taste for its characteristic.
धारिणी सर्वभूतानां पृथिवी गन्धलक्षणा। स्वरव्यञ्जनसंस्कारा भारती शब्दलक्षणा॥
Earth, which holds all entities, has smell for its characteristic. Speech has words for its characteristic, refined into vowels and consonants.
मनसो लक्षणं चिन्ता चिन्तोक्ता बुद्धिलक्षणा। मनसा चिन्तितानर्थान् बुद्ध्या चेह व्यवस्यति॥
Mind has thought for its characteristic. Thought has again, been said to be the characteristic of the understanding. The thing thought of by the mind are determined with accuracy by the understanding.
बुद्धिर्हि व्यवसायेन लक्ष्यते नात्र संशयः। लक्षणं मनसो ध्यानमव्यक्तं साधुलक्षणम्॥
There is no doubt in this, viz., that the understanding, by perseverance, perceives all things. The characteristic of mind is meditation. The characteristic of the good man is that he does not allow his acts to be noticed.
प्रवृत्तिलक्षणो योगो ज्ञानं संन्यासलक्षणम्। तस्माज्ज्ञानं पुरस्कृत्य संन्यसेदिह बुद्धिमान्॥
Devotion has acts for its characteristic. Knowledge is the characteristic of renunciation. Therefore, kecping knowledge before his view, the man of understanding should practise renunciation.
संन्यासी ज्ञानसंयुक्तः प्राप्नोति परमां गतिम्। अतीतो द्वन्द्वमभ्येति तमोमृत्युजरातिगः॥
The man who follows renunciation and who is endued with knowledge, who is above all pairs of opposites, as also darkness, death, and decrepitude, attains to the highest goal.
धर्मलक्षणसंयुक्तमुक्तं वो विधिवन्मया। गुणानां ग्रहणं सम्यग् वक्ष्याम्यहमतः परम्॥
I have thus described to you duly what the characteristics are of duty. I shall, after this tell you of the comprehension of qualities.
पार्थिवो यस्तु गन्धो वै घ्राणेन हि स गृह्यते। घ्राणस्थश्च तथा वायुर्गन्धज्ञाने विधीयते॥
Smell, which belongs to earth, is seized by the nose. The wind, which dwells in the nose is likewise appointed as an agent) in the perception of smell.
अपां धातू रसो नित्यं जिह्वया स तु गृह्यते। जिह्वास्थश्च तथा सोमो रसज्ञाने विधीयते॥
Taste is the essence of water. That is perceived by the tongue. Soma, who lives in the tongue, is appointed likewise in the perception of taste.
ज्योतिषश्च गुणो रूपं चक्षुषा तच्च गृह्यते। चक्षुःस्थश्च सदाऽऽदित्यो रूपज्ञाने विधीयते।।३शा
The quality of a lighted body is colour. That is apprehended by the eye. Aditya who always lives in the eye has been appointed in the perception of colour.
वायव्यस्तु सदा स्पर्शस्त्वचा प्रज्ञायते च सः। त्वक्स्थश्चैव सदा वायुः स्पर्शने स विधीयते॥
Touch always belongs to the wind (as its quality). That is perceived by the skin. The wind that always lives in the skin has been appointed in apprehending touch.
आकाशस्य गुणो ह्येष श्रोत्रेण च स गृह्यते। श्रोत्रस्थाश्च दिशः सर्वाः शब्दज्ञाने प्रकीर्तिताः॥
The quality of a ether is sound. That is seized by the car. All the quarters, which live in the ear, have been appointed in apprehending sound.
मनसश्च गुणश्चिन्ता प्रज्ञया स तु गृह्यते। हृदिस्थश्चेतनो धातुर्मनोज्ञाने विधीयते॥
The quality of the mind is thought. That is seized by the understanding. The upholder of consciousness, living in the heart, has been appointed in apprehending the mind.
बुद्धिरध्यवसायेन ज्ञानेन च महांस्तथा। निश्चित्य ग्रहणाद् व्यक्तमव्यक्तं नात्र संशयः॥
The understanding is appended in the form of determination or certitude, and principle of Greatness in the form of knowledge. The unperceived (Nature) has been, it is evident, appointed for the seizure of all things after certitude. There is no doubt in this.
अलिग्रहणो नित्यः क्षेत्रज्ञे निर्गुणात्मकः। तस्मादलिङ्गः क्षेत्रज्ञः केवलं ज्ञानलक्षणः॥
The Kshetrajna which is eternal and is shorn of qualities about its essence, is incapable of being seized by symbols. Hence, the characteristic of the Kshetrajna, which is without symbols, is purely knowledge.
अव्यक्तं क्षेत्रमुद्दिष्टं गुणानां प्रभवाप्ययम्। सदा पश्याम्यहं लीनो विजानामि शृणोमि च॥
The unmanifest lives in the symbol called. Kshetra, and is that in which the qualities are produced and absorbed. I always see, know, and hear it (though) it is hidden.
पुरुषस्तद् विजानीते तस्मात् क्षेत्रज्ञ उच्यते। गुणवृत्तं तथा वृत्तं क्षेत्रज्ञः परिपश्यति॥
Purusha knows it; therefore is he called Kshetrajna. The Kshetrajna perceives also the action of the qualities and absence of their actions.
आदिमध्यावसानान्तं सृज्यमानमचेतनम्। न गुणा विदुरात्मानं सृज्यमानाः पुनः पुनः॥
The qualities, which are created repeatedly, do not know themselves, being unintelligent, as entities to be created and gifted with a beginning, middle, and end.
न सत्यं विन्दते कश्चित् क्षेत्रज्ञस्त्वेव विन्दति। गुणानां गुणभूतानां यत् परं परमं महत्॥
No one else, but the Kshetrajna, comes by that which is the highest and great and which is above the qualities and those entities which are born of the qualities.
तस्माद् गुणांश्च सत्त्वं च परित्यज्येह धर्मवित्। क्षीणदोषो गुणातीतः क्षेत्रमं प्रविशत्यथ॥
Hence, who understands duties, renouncing qualities and the understanding, and having his destroyed, and transcending the qualities, enters the Kshetrajna.
निर्द्वन्द्वो निमस्कारो नि:स्वाहाकार एव च। अचलश्चानिकेतश्च क्षेत्रज्ञः स परो विभुः॥
One who is free from all pairs of opposites, who never bends his head to any one, who is divested of Svaha, who is immovable, and hom ess, is the Kshetrajna. He is the Supreme Lord. one sons