जनक उवाच नानात्वैकत्वमित्युक्तं त्वयैतदृषिसत्तम। पश्याम्येतद्धि संदिग्धमेतयोर्वे निदर्शनम्॥
Janaka said You have, O foremost of Rishis, said that Unity is the attribute of that which is Indestructible and variety or multiplicity is the attribute of what is known as Destructible. I have not, however, clearly understood the nature of these two. Doubts are still in my mind.
तथा बुद्धप्रबुद्धाभ्यां बुद्ध्यमानस्य चानघ। स्थूलबुद्ध्या न पश्यामि तत्त्वमेतन्न संशयः॥
Ignorant men consider the Soul as endued with multiplicity. They, however, who are endued with knowledge and wisdom consider the Soul to be one and the same. I, however, have a very dull understanding. I am, therefore, unable to understand how all this can take place.
अक्षरक्षरयोरुक्तं त्वया यदपि कारणम्। तदप्यस्थिरबुद्धित्वात् प्रणष्टमिव मेऽनघ॥
I have almost forgotten the causes also that you have attributed to the unity and the multiplicity of the Indestructible and the Destructible on account of the restlessness of my understanding.
तदेतच्छ्रोतुमिच्छामि नानात्वैकत्वदर्शनम्। बुद्धं चाप्रतिबुद्धं च बुध्यमानं च तत्त्वतः॥ विद्याविद्ये च भगवान्नक्षरं क्षरमेव च। साङ्ख्यं योगं च कार्येन पृथक् चैवापृथक् च ह॥
I, therefore, wish to hear you once more discourse to me on those subjects of unity and multiplicity, on him who is gifted with knowledge, on what is shorn of knowledge, on Individual Soul, Knowledge, Ignorance, on Indestructible, Destructible, and the Sankhya and the Yoga systems, in detail and separately and agreeable to the truth.
वसिष्ठ उवाच हन्त ते सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि यदेतदनुपृच्छसि। योगकृत्यं महाराज पृथगेव शृणुष्व मे॥
Vashishtha said I shall tell you what you ask. Listen, however, to me, O king, as I explain to you the practices of Yoga separately.
योगकृत्यं तु योगानां ध्यानमेव परं बलम्। तच्चापि द्विविधं ध्यानमाहुर्विद्याविदो जनाः॥
Contemplation, which forms an obligatory practice with Yogins, is their highest power, Those conversant with Yoga say that that Contemplation is of two sorts.
एकाग्रता च मनसः प्राणायामस्तथैव च। प्राणायामस्तु सगुणो निर्गुणो मनसस्तथा॥
One is the concentration of the mind, and the other is called Pranayama (suppression of vital airs). Pranayama is said to be real; while concentration of mind is unsubstantial to it.
मूत्रोत्सर्गपुरीषे च भोजने च नराधिप। त्रिकालं नाभियुञ्जीत शेषं युञ्जीत तत्परः॥
Excepting the three times when a man passes urine and stools and eats, one should devote his entire time to contemplation.
इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यो निवर्त्य मनसा शुचिः। दशद्वादशभिर्वापि चतुर्विंशात् परं ततः॥ संचोदनाभिर्मतिमानात्मानं चोदयेदथ। तिष्ठन्तमजरं तं तु यत् तदुक्तं मनीषिभिः॥
Withdrawing the senses from their objects by the help of the mind, one gifted with intelligence, having made oneself pure, should, according to the twenty-two modes of transmitting the Prana breath, unite the Individual Soul with That which is above the four and twentieth topic which is regarded by the wise as living in every part of the body and as above decay and destruction.
तैश्चात्मा सततं ज्ञेय इत्येवमनुशुश्रुम। व्रतं ह्यहीनमनसो नान्यथेति विनिश्चयः॥
It is by means of those twenty-two modes that the Soul may always be known. It is certain that this practice of Yoga is his whose mind is never possessed by evil passions. It is not any other person's.
विमुक्तः सर्वसङ्गेभ्यो लघ्वाहारो जितेन्द्रियः। पूर्वरात्रेऽपररात्रे धारयीत मनोऽऽत्मनि॥ स्थिरीकृत्येन्द्रियग्राम मनसा मिथिलेश्वर। मनो बुद्ध्या स्थिरं कृत्वा पाषाण इव निश्चलः॥
Freed from all attachments, abstemious in diet, and controlling all the senses, one should fix his mind on the Soul, during the first and the last part of the night, after having, O king of Mithila, stopped the functions of all the senses, quieted the mind by the understanding, and assumed a posture as motionless as that of stone.
स्थाणुवच्चाप्यकम्पः स्याद् गिरिवच्चापि निश्चलः। बुद्ध्या विधिविधानज्ञास्तदा युक्तं प्रचक्षते॥
When men of knowledge, conversant with the rules of Yoga, become as fixed as a stake of wood, and as immovable as a mountain, then they are said to be in Yoga.
न शृणोति न चाघ्राति न रंस्यति न पश्यति। न च स्पर्श विजानाति न संकल्पयते मनः॥ न चाभिमन्यते किंचिन्न न बुध्यति काष्ठवत्। तदा प्रकृतिमापनं युक्तमाहुर्मनीषिणः॥
When one does not hear, and smell and taste, and see; when one does not feel any touch; when one's mind is perfectly free from every purpose; when one is not conscious of any thing, when one cherishes no thought, when one becomes like a piece of wood, then is he called by the wise to be in perfect Yoga.
निर्वाते हि यथा दीप्यन् दीपस्तद्वत् प्रकाशते। निर्लिङ्गोऽविचलश्चोर्ध्वं न तिर्यग् गतिमाप्नुयात्॥
At such a time one shines like a limp that burns in a place where blows no wind; at such a time one becomes freed even from his subtile form, and perfectly at one with Brahma. When one acquires such progress, he has no longer to ascend or to fall among intermediate beings.
तदा तमनुपश्येत यस्मिन् दृष्टे न कथ्यते। हृदयस्थोऽन्तरात्मेति ज्ञेयो ज्ञस्तात मद्विधैः। ॥
When persons like ourselves say that there has been a complete identification of Knower, the Known, and Knowledge, then is the Yogin said to see the Supreme Self.
विधूम इव सप्तार्चिरादित्य इव रश्मिमान्। वैद्युतोऽग्निरिवाकाशे दृश्यतेऽऽत्मा तथाऽऽत्मनि॥
While in Yoga, the Supreme Soul shows itself in the Yogin's heart like a burning fire, or like the bright Sun or like the lightning's spark in the firmament.
ये पश्यन्ति महात्मानो धृतिमन्तो मनीषिणः। ब्राह्मणा ब्रह्मयोनिस्था ह्ययोनिममृतात्मकम्॥ तदेवाहुरणुभ्योऽणु तन्महद्भ्यो महत्तरम्। तत् तत्त्वं सर्वभूतेषु ध्रुवं तिष्ठन् न दृश्यते॥
That Supreme Soul which is Unborn and which is the essence of nectar, which is seen by great Brahmanas gifted with intelligence and wisdom and conversant with the Vedas, is subtiler than what is subtile and greater than what is great. That Soul, though living in all creatures, is not seen by them.
बुद्धिद्रव्येण दृश्येत मनोदीपेन लोककृत्। महतस्तमसस्तात पारे तिष्ठन्नतामसः॥
The Creator of the worlds, He is seen only by a person gifted with wealth of intelligence when helped by the lamp of the mind. He lives on the other shore of the Darkness and is above the Ishvara.
स तमोनुद इत्युक्तः सर्वज्ञैर्वेदपारगैः। विमलो वितमस्कश्च निर्लिङ्गोऽलिङ्गसंज्ञितः॥
Persons conversant with the Vedas and endued with omniscience call Him the remover of Darkness, stainless, above Darkness, and with and without attributes.
योग एष हि योगानां किमन्यद् योगलक्षणम्। एवं पश्यं प्रपश्यन्ति आत्मानमजरं परम्॥
This is what is called the Yoga of Yogins. What else is the mark of Yoga? By such practices do Yogins succeed in seeing the Supreme Soul that is above destruction and decay.
योगदर्शनमेतावदुक्तं ते तत्त्वतो मया। सांख्यज्ञानं प्रवक्ष्यामि परिसंख्यानदर्शनम्॥
This much that I have told you in detail is about the Science of Yoga. I shall now describe to you that Sankhya philosophy by which the Supreme Soul is seen through the gradual destruction of mistakes.
अव्यक्तमाहुः प्रकृतिं परां प्रकृतिवादिनः। तस्मान्महत् समुत्पन्नं द्वितीयं राजसत्तम॥
The Sankhyas, whose System is built on Nature, say that Nature, which is Unmanifest, is the foremost. From Nature they say, O king, the second principle called Greatness is produced.
अहङ्कारस्तु महतस्तृतीयमिति नः श्रुतम्। पञ्चभूतान्यहङ्कारादाहुः सांख्यात्मदर्शिनः॥
We have heard that from Greatness originates the third principle called Consciousness. The Sankhyas blessed with sight of the Soul say that from Consciousness originate the five subtile essences of sound, form, touch, taste, and scent.
एताः प्रकृतयश्चाष्टौ विकारावापि षोडश। पञ्च चैव विशेषा वै तथा पञ्चेन्द्रियाणि च॥
All these eight they call by the name of Nature. The changes of these eight are sixteen in number. They are the five gross essences of ether, light, earth, water and wind, and the ten senses of action and of knowledge including the mind.
एतावदेव तत्त्वानां सांख्यमाहुर्मनीषिणः। सांख्ये विधिविधानज्ञा नित्यं सांख्यपथे रताः॥
Wise men devoted to the Sankhya path and conversant with all its ordinances, and dispensations consider these twenty-four topics as including the whole range of Sankhya enquiry. One
यस्माद् यदभिजायेत तत् तत्रैव प्रलीयते। लीयन्ते प्रतिलोमानि सृज्यन्ते चान्तरात्मना॥
What is produced becomes merged in the producing cause. Created by the Supreme Soul after another, these principles are destroyed in a reverse order.
अनुलोमेन जायन्ते लीयन्ते प्रतिलोमतः। गुणा गुणेषु सततं सागरस्योर्मयो यथा।॥
Al every new Creation, the qualities start into being in the lateral order, and (when Destruction comes) they merge in a reverse order, like the waves of the ocean disappearing in the ocean from which they originate.
सर्गप्रलय एतावान् प्रकृतेर्नृपसत्तम। एकत्वं प्रलये चास्य बहुत्वं च यदासृजत्॥
O best of kings, this is the manner in which the Creation and the Destruction of Nature takes place. The Supreme Being is all that remains when Universal destruction takes place; and it is He who assumes various forms when Creation beings.
एवमेव च राजेन्द्र विज्ञेयं ज्ञानकोविदैः। अधिष्ठातारमव्यक्तमस्याप्येतत्रिदर्शनम्॥
This is evern so, O king, as ascertained by men of knowledge. It is Nature that causes the Over-presiding Soul to thus assume diversity and revert back to unity. Nature also herself has the same marks.
एकत्वं च बहुत्वं च प्रकृतेरर्थतत्त्ववान्। एकत्वं प्रलये चास्य बहुत्वं च प्रवर्तनात्॥
One fully conversant with the nature of the topics of enquiry knows that Nature also assumes the same sort of diversity and unity, for when Destruction comes she reverts into unity and when Creation takes place she assumes diversity of form.
बहुधाऽऽत्मा प्रकुर्वीत प्रकृति प्रसवात्मिकाम्। तच्च क्षेत्रं महानात्मा पञ्चविंशोऽधितिष्ठति।॥
The soul makes Nature, which contains the principles of production or growth, assume various forms. Nature is called Kshetra (or soil). Above the twenty-four topics or principles is the Sour which is Great. It presides over that Nature or Kshetra.
अधिष्ठातेति राजेन्द्र प्रोच्यते यतिसत्तमैः। अधिष्ठानादधिष्ठाता क्षेत्राणामिति नः श्रुतम्॥
Hence, O great king, the foremost Yatis say that the Soul is the Presider. Indeed, we have heard that on account of the Soul's presiding over all Kshetras. He is called the Presider.
क्षेत्रं जानाति चाव्यक्त क्षेत्रज्ञ इति चोच्यते। आव्यक्तिके पुरे शेते पुरुषश्चेति कथ्यते॥
And because, He knows that Unmanifest Kshetra, He is, therefore, also called Kshetrajna. And because also Soul enters into Unmanifest Kshetra (viz., the body), therefore is He called Purusha.
अन्यदेव च क्षेत्रं स्यादन्यः क्षेत्रज्ञ उच्यते। क्षेत्रमव्यक्तमित्युक्तं ज्ञाता वै पञ्चविंशकः॥
Kshetra is something quite different from Kshetrajna. Kshetra is Unmanifest. The Soul, which is above the twenty-four principles, is called the Knower.
अन्यदेव च ज्ञानं स्यादन्यज्ज्ञेयं तदुच्यते। ज्ञानमव्यक्तमित्युक्तं ज्ञेयो वै पञ्चविंशकः॥
Knowledge and the objects known are different from each other. Knowledge, again, has been said to be Unmanifest while the object of knowledge is the Soul which is above the twenty-four principles.
अव्यक्त क्षेत्रमित्युक्तं तथा सत्त्वं तथेश्वरः। अनीश्वरमतत्त्वं च तत्त्वं तत् पञ्चविंशकम्॥
The Unmanifest is called Kshetra, understanding, and also the supreme Lord; while Purusha, which is the twenty-fifth principle has nothing superior to it and is not a principle.
सांख्यदर्शनमेतावत् परिसंख्यानुदर्शनम्। सांख्याः प्रकुर्वते चैव प्रकृतिं च प्रचक्षते॥
This much, O king, is an account of the Sankhya philosophy. The Sankhyas call Nature the cause of the universe, and merging all the are grosser principles into the Intelligence beyind the Supreme Soul.
तत्त्वानि च चतुर्विंशत् परिसंख्याय तत्त्वतः। सांख्याः सह प्रकृत्या तु निस्तत्त्वः पञ्चविंशकः॥
Rightly studying the twenty-four topics along with Nature, and determining their true nature, the Sankhyas succeed in seeing. That which is the twenty-four topics or principles.
पञ्चविंशोऽप्रकृत्यात्मा बुध्यमान इति स्मृतः। यदा तु बुध्यतेऽऽत्मानं तदा भवति केवलः॥
Individual Soul in reality is that very Soui which is above Nature and the four and twenty topics. When he succeeds in knowing that Supreme Soul by dissociating himself from Nature, he then becomes at one with the Supreme Soul.
सम्यग्दर्शनमेतावद् भाषितं तव तत्त्वतः। एवमेतद् विजानन्तः साम्यतां प्रति यान्त्युत॥
I have now told you everything about the Sankhya System truly. Those who conversant with this philosophy acquire tranquillity.
सम्यनिदर्शनं नाम प्रत्यक्षं प्रकृतेस्तथा। गुणतत्त्वान्यथैतानि निर्गुणोऽन्यस्तथा भवेत्॥
Indeed, as men whose understandings are subject to error directly perceive all objects of the senses, so men freed from error have directly known Brahma.
न त्वेवं वर्तमानानामावृत्तिर्विद्यते पुनः। विद्यतेऽक्षरभावत्वादपरं परमव्ययम्॥
They who acquire that state have never to return to this world after the dissolution of their bodies; while as regards those who are said to be liberated in this life, power, concentration, and immutability, become theirs, on account of their having attained to the nature of the Indestructible.
पश्येरन्नैकमतयो न सम्यक् तेषु दर्शनम्। ते व्यक्तं प्रतिपद्यन्ते पुनः पुनररिंदम्॥
They who see this universe as many are said to see incorrectly. These men are blind to Brahma. O chastiser of enemies, such persons have again and again to return to the world and assume bodies.
सर्वमेतद् विजानन्तो नासर्वस्य प्रबोधनात्। व्यक्तीभूता भविष्यन्ति व्यक्तस्य वशवर्तिनः॥
They who are conversant with all that has been said above become endued with omniscient, and accordingly when they pass from this body no longer become subject to the subjection of any more physical frames.
सर्वमव्यक्तमित्युक्तमसर्वः पञ्चविंशकः। य एनमभिजानन्ति न भयं तेषु विद्यते॥
All things, have been said to be the result of the Unmanifest. The Soul, which is the twentyfifth, is above all things. They who know the Soul have no fear of coming back to the world.