भीष्म उवाच न स वेद परं ब्रह्म यो न वेद चतुष्टयम्। व्यक्ताव्यक्तं च यत् तत्त्वं सम्प्रोक्तं परमर्षिणा॥
Bhishma said 'He does not know Brahma who does not know the four topics, namely, dreams, dreamless sleep, immanent, and transcendent Brahma, as also what is Manifest (viz., the body), and what is Unmanifest (the intelligence-soul), which the great Rishi (Narayana) has described as Tattvam (pure principle).
व्यक्तं मृत्युमुखं विद्यादव्यक्तमृतं पदम्। प्रवृत्तिलक्षणं धर्ममृषिर्नारायणोऽब्रवीत्॥
That which is manifest is subject to death. That which is unmanifest transcends, death. The Rishi Narayana has described the religion of inclination.
तत्रैवावस्थितं सर्वं त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम्। निवृत्तिलक्षणं धर्ममव्यक्तं ब्रह्म शाश्वतम्॥
Upon that depends the entire universe with its mobile and immobile creatures. The religion of disinclination again leads to the unmanifest and eternal Brahma.
प्रवृत्तिलक्षणं धर्मं प्रजापतिरथाब्रवीत्। प्रवृत्तिः पुनरावृत्तिनिवृत्तिः परमा गतिः॥
The Creator (Brahman) has described the religion of inclination. Inclination indicates rebirth or return. Disinclination on the other hand, indicates the highest end.
तां गतिं परमामेति निवृत्तिपरमो मुनिः। ज्ञानतत्त्वपरो नित्यं शुभाशुभनिदर्शकः॥
The ascetic who wish to discriminate exactly between good and evil, who is always bent on conceiving the nature of the Soul, and who devotes himself to the religion of disinclination, attains to that high end.
तदेवमेतौ विज्ञेयावव्यक्तपुरुषावुभौ। अव्यक्तपुरुषाभ्यां तु यत् स्यादन्यन्महत्तरम्॥ तं विशेषमवेक्षेत विशेषेण विचक्षणः। अनाद्यन्तावुभावेतावलिङ्गौ चाप्युभावपि॥
One who wishes to accomplish this, should know both the Unmanifest and Purusha of which I shall speak now. That, again, which is different from both the Unmanifest and Purusha, and which transcends them both, and which is distinguished from all beings, should be particularly seen by an intelligent man. Both, Prakriti and Purusha are without beginning and without end. Both are incapable of being known by their likes.
उभौ नित्यावविचलौ महद्भ्यश्च महत्तरौ। सामान्यमेतदुभयोरेवं ह्यन्यद्विशेषणम्॥
Both are eternal and indestructible. Both are greater than the greatest. They are similar in these. There are point of dissimilarity again between them.
प्रकृत्या सर्गधर्मिण्या तथा त्रिगुणधर्मया। विपरीतमतो विद्यात् क्षेत्रज्ञस्य स्वलक्षणम्॥
Prakriti is endued with the three qualities. It is also engaged in creation. The true attributes of Kshetrajna (Purusha or the Soul) are different.
प्रकृतेश्च विकाराणां द्रष्टारमगुणान्वितम्। अग्राह्यौ पुरुषावेतावलिङ्गत्वादसंहतौ॥
Purusha apprehends all the changes of Prakriti (but cannot be apprehended himself.) He transcends all qualities. As regards Purusha and the Supreme Soul again, both of them cannot be comprehended. Again for their both being without qualities by which they can be distinguished, both are greatly distinguished froin all else.
संयोगलक्षणोत्पत्तिः कर्मणा गृह्यते यथा। करणैः कर्मनिवृत्तिः कर्ता यद् यद् विचेष्टते। कीर्त्यते शब्दसंज्ञाभिः कोऽहमेषोऽप्यसाविति॥
The creation is the result of relation between Prakriti and Purusha (the soul), but we understand it by action. All movements come through the senses by person. "Who, I, This" etc. are only wordily statements.
उष्णीषवान् यथा वस्त्रैस्त्रिभिर्भवति संवृतः। संवृतोऽयं तथा देही सत्त्वराजसतामसैः॥
A person putting on a turban has his head circled with three folds of a piece of cloth. Similarly the embodied Soul is invested with the three qualities of Goodness, and Ignorance. But though thus invested, the Soul is not identical with those qualities.
तस्माच्चतुष्टयं वेद्यमेतैर्हेतुभिरावृतम्। यथासंज्ञो ह्ययं सम्यगन्तकाले न मुह्यति॥
Hence these four topics, which are covered by these four considerations, should be understood. One who understands all this is never stupefied when he tries to form conclusions.
श्रियं दिव्यामभिप्रेप्सुर्वम॑वान् मनसा शुचिः। शारीरैर्नियमैरुग्रैश्चरेन्निष्कल्मषं तपः॥
He who wishes to secure high prosperity should become pure in mind, and practising austere practices regarding the body and the senses, should devote himself to yoga without seeking for fruits.
त्रैलोक्यं तपसा व्याप्तमन्तर्भूतेन भास्वता। सूर्यश्च चन्द्रमाश्चैव भासतस्तपसा दिवि॥
The universe is permeated by yoga power secretly passing through every part of it and lighting it up brightly. The sun and the moon shine in the sky of the heart on account of yoga power.
प्रकाशस्तपसो ज्ञानं लोके संशब्दितं तपः। रजस्तमोघ्नं यत् कर्म तपसस्तत् स्वलक्षणम्॥
The result of yoga is Knowledge. Yoga is spoken of highly in the world. Whatever acts destroy Darkness and Ignorance form yoga of the in respect of its real character.
ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते। वाङ्मनोनियमः सम्यमानसं तप उच्यते॥
Brahmacharya and abstention from injury form yoga of the body; while restraining of mind and words form yoga of the mind.
विधिज्ञेभ्यो द्विजातिभ्यो ग्राह्यमन्नं विशिष्यते। आहारनियमेनास्य पाप्मा शाम्यति राजसः॥
The food which is acquired by begging from twice-born persons conversant with the ritual is distinguished from all other food. By taking that food abstemiously, one's sins begotten of Darkness are dissipated.
वैमनस्यं च विषये यान्त्यस्य करणानि च। तस्मात् तन्मात्रमादद्याद् यावदत्र प्रयोजनम्॥
Living upon such food a Yogin finds his senses gradually withdrawn from their objects. Hence, he should take only that quality of food which is barely necessary for the support of his body.
अन्तकाले बलोत्कर्षाच्छनैः कुर्यादनातुरः। एवं युक्तेन मनसा ज्ञानं यदुपपद्यते॥
Knowledge which one acquires gradually by mind devoted to yoga should be made one's own on the verge of death by a forcible stretch of power.
रजोवर्धोऽप्ययं देही देहवाञ्छब्दवच्चरेत्। कार्यैरव्याहतमतिर्वैराग्यात् प्रकृतौ स्थितः॥
The embodied Soul, when divested of Darkness, assumes a subtile form with all the senses of perception and moves about in space. When his mind becomes untouched by acts, he, on account of such renunciation, becomes merged in Prakriti.
आ देहादप्रमादाच्च देहान्ताद् विप्रमुच्यते। हेतुयुक्तः सदा सर्गो भूतानां प्रलयस्तथा॥
After the destruction of this gross body, one who through absence of carelessness escapes from all the three bodies, succeeds in attaining to Liberation. The birth and death of creatures is always brought about by by Avidya (Ignorance.)
परप्रत्ययसर्गे तु नियति नुवर्तते। भावान्तप्रभवप्रज्ञा आसते ये विपर्ययम्॥
When knowledge of Brahman originates, the person on longer feels the pinch of necessity. Those, however, who believe what is the reverse of truth whose understandings are always busy with the birth and death of all existent things.
धृत्या देहान् धारयन्तो बुद्धिसंक्षिप्तचेतसः। स्थानेभ्यो ध्वंसमानाश्च सूक्ष्मत्वात् तदुपासते॥
Keeping their bodies by the help of patience, withdrawing their hearts by the help of their understanding, and withdrawing are men themselves from the world of senses, some Yogins worship the senses for their subtility.
यथागमं च गत्वा वै बुद्ध्या तत्रैव बुद्ध्यते। देहान्तं कश्चिदन्वास्ते भावितात्मा निराश्रयम्॥
Some of them, with mind purified by yoga, proceeding according to the scriptures and reaching the highest, succeed in knowing it by help of the understanding and live in that which is the highest and which without resting on any other thing rests on itself.
युक्तं धारणया सम्यक् सतः केचिदुपासते। अभ्यस्यन्ति परं देवं विद्युत्संशब्दिताक्षरम्॥
Some adore Brahma in images. Some adore Him as devoid of qualities. Divinity which has been described to be like a flash of lightning and which is again indestructible.
अन्तकाले [पासन्ते तपसा दग्धकिल्बिषाः। सर्व एते महात्मानो गच्छन्ति परमां गतिम्॥
Others who have consumed their sins by penances, attain to Brahman in the end. All these great persons attain to the highest end.
सूक्ष्मं विशेषणं तेषामवेक्षेच्छास्त्रचक्षुषा। देहान्तं परमं विद्याद् विमुक्तमपरिग्रहम्। अन्तरिक्षादन्यतरं धारणासक्तमानसम्॥
With the eye of scriptures one should mark the subtile attributes of these several forms, as distinguished by attributes, of Brahma that are adored by men. The Yogin who has gone above the necessity, as the Supreme Divinity, or as that which is Unmanifest.
मर्त्यलोकान् विमुच्यन्ते विद्यासंसक्तचेतसः। ब्रह्मभूता विरजसस्ततो यान्ति परां गतिम्॥
They whose hearts are given to the acquisition of knowledge succeed first in disassociating themselves for the world of mortals. Afterwards, by renouncing attachments they partake of the nature of Brahma and at last attain to the highest end.
एवमेकायनं धर्ममाहुर्वेदविदो जनाः। यथाज्ञानमुपासन्तः सर्वे यान्ति परां गतिम्॥
Thus persons conversant with the Vedas have described the religion that brings on the attaininent of Brahma. They who follow that religion according to the extent of their respective knowledge all succeed in acquiring the highest end.
कपायवर्जितं ज्ञानं येषामुत्पद्यते चलम् यान्ति तेऽपि पराँल्लोकान् विमुच्यन्ते यथाबलम्॥
Those persons who can acquire a knowledge which is incapable of being shaken and which makes its possessors shorn of all sorts of attachments acquire different high regions after death and become emancipate according to the extent of their knowledge.
भगवन्तमजं दिव्यं विष्णुमव्यक्तसंज्ञितम्। भावेन यान्ति शुद्धा ये ज्ञानतृप्ता निराशिषः॥
Those pure-hearted persons who have acquired contentment from knowledge, and who have contentment from knowledge, and who have renounced all desires and attachments, gradually approach in respect of their nature nearer Brahma which is unmanifest by nature, which is divine, and without birth and death.
ज्ञात्वाऽऽत्मस्थं हरि चैव न निवर्तन्ति तेऽव्ययाः। प्राप्य तत् परमं स्थानं मोदन्तेऽक्षरमव्ययम्॥
Realising that Brahma lives in their souls, they become themselves immutable and have never to come back to the Earth). Acquiring that supreme, indestructible and eternal state they live in happiness.
एतावदेतद् विज्ञानमेतदस्ति च नास्ति च। तृष्णाबद्धं जगत् सर्वं चक्रवत् परिवर्तते।॥
The knowledge of this world is this: (Persons who have overcome ignorance think that) it does not exist. The whole universe, feltered by desire, is revolving like a wheel.
बिसतन्तुर्यथैवायमन्तःस्थः सर्वतो बिसे। तृष्णातन्तुरनाद्यन्तस्तथा देहगतः सदा॥
As the fibres of a lotus-stalk overspread themselves into every part of the stalk, likewise the fibres of desire, which are without beginning or end, spread themselves over every part of the body.
सूच्या सूत्रं यथा वस्त्रे संसारयति वायकः। तद्वत् संसारसूत्रं हि तृष्णासूच्या निबद्ध्यते॥
As a weaver drives his threads into a cloth by means of his shuttle, similarly the threads that constitute the fabric of the universe are woven by the shuttle of Desire.
विकारं प्रकृतिं चैव पुरुषं च सनातनम्। यो यथावद् विजानाति स वितृष्णो विमुच्यते॥
He who understands the changes of Nature, Nature herself, and Purusha, becomes freed from Desire and acquires Liberation.
प्रकाशं भगवानेतदृषिर्नारायणोऽमृतम्। भूतानामनुकम्पार्थं जगाद जगतो गतिः॥
The divine Rishi Narayana, that refuge of the universe, for the sake of mercy towards all creatures, distinctly laid down these means for the acquisition of immortality.