कृतकृत्याः सर्ववर्णा यदि वृत्तं न पश्यति। संकरस्त्वत्र नागेन्द्र बलवान्प्रसमीक्षितः
If all varṇas, having fulfilled their duties, do not observe conduct, then, O lord of serpents, the confusion of castes is indeed strong, as is evident.
यत्रेदानीं महासर्प संस्कृतं वृत्तमिष्यते। तं ब्राह्मणमहं पूर्वमुक्तवान्भुजगोत्तम
Where, O great serpent, purified conduct is now desired, that person, as I said before, is a brāhmaṇa, O best of serpents.
श्रुतं विदितवेद्यस्य तव वाक्यं युधिष्ठिर। भक्षयेयमहं कस्माद्भ्रातरं ते वृकोदरम्
O Yudhishthira, I have heard your words, you who know what is to be known from the Vedas. Tell me, for what reason should I eat your brother Bhimasena?
भवानेतादृशो लोके वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः। ब्रूहि किं कुर्वतः कर्म भवेद्गतिरनुत्तमा ।। 1
You are renowned in this world as one who has mastered the Vedas and their branches. Tell me, what action leads to the highest state?
पात्रे दत्त्वा प्रियाण्युक्त्वा सत्यमुक्त्वा च भारत। अहिंसानिरतः स्वर्गं गच्छेदिति मतिर्मम
Giving to the worthy, speaking kindly, telling the truth, and being devoted to nonviolence—such a person, O Bharata, in my view, attains heaven.
दानाद्वा सर्प सत्याद्वा किमतो गुरु दृश्यते। अहिंसाप्रिययोश्चैव गुरुलाघवमुच्यताम्
O serpent, between giving and truth, which is greater? And between nonviolence and kindness, tell me which is weightier.
दानं च सत्यं तत्त्वं वा अहिंसा प्रियमेव च। एषां कार्यगरीयस्त्वाद्दृश्यते गुरुलाघवम्
Giving, truth, reality, nonviolence, and kindness—among these, the relative importance is seen according to the situation.
क्वचिद्दानप्रयोगाद्धि सत्यमेव विशिष्यते। सत्यवाक्याच्च राजेनद्र क्वचिद्दानं विशिष्यते
Sometimes, because of the act of giving, truth is considered superior; and sometimes, O king, because of truthful speech, giving is regarded as superior.
एवमेव महेष्वास प्रियवाक्यान्महीपते। अहिंसा दृश्यते गुर्वी ततश्च प्रियमिष्यते
In the same way, O mighty-armed king, among kind words, nonviolence is seen as weightier, and after that, kindness is valued.
एवमेतद्भवेद्राजन्कार्यापेक्षमनन्तरम्। यदभिप्रेतमन्यत्ते ब्रूहि यावद्ब्रवीम्यहम्
Thus it is, O king; the importance depends on the context of the action. If you wish to ask something else, speak, and I will answer.
कथं स्वर्गे गतिः सर्प कर्मणां च फलं ध्रुवम्। अशरीरस्य दृश्येत प्रब्रूहि विषयांश्च मे
How does one attain heaven, O serpent? What is the certain result of actions? How is this seen for one without a body? Tell me about these matters.
तिस्रो वै गतयो राजन्परिदृष्टाः स्वकर्मभिः। मानुषं स्वर्गवासश्च तिर्यग्योनिश्च तत्रिधा
Three paths, O king, are observed as resulting from one's actions: human birth, residence in heaven, and birth among animals—these three.
तत्र वै मानुषाल्लोकाद्दानादिभिरनादिभिः। अहिंसार्थसमायुक्तैः कारणैः स्वर्गमश्नुते
From the human world, by giving and similar timeless acts, and by causes joined with the meaning of nonviolence, one attains heaven.
विपरीतैश्च राजेन्द्र कारणैर्मानुषो भवेत्। तिर्यग्योनिस्तथा तात विशेषश्चात्र वक्ष्यते
By contrary causes, O king, one becomes human; and likewise, O dear one, birth among animals occurs—let me explain the distinction here.
क्रामक्रोधसमायुक्तो हिंसालोभसमनवितः। मनुष्यत्वात्परिब्रष्टस्तिर्यग्योनौ प्रसूयते
One filled with anger and cruelty, joined with violence and greed, falls from humanity and is born among animals.
तिर्यग्योन्याः पृथग्भावो मनुष्यार्थे विधीयते। गवादिभ्यस्तथाऽश्वेभ्यो देवत्वमपि दृश्यते
The distinction among animal births is established for the sake of humans; from cows and horses, even divinity is sometimes seen.
सोयमेता गतीस्तात जन्तुश्चरति कार्यवान्। निम्ने महति चात्मानमवस्थाप्य च वै नृप
Thus, O dear one, a being moves through these states, acting according to duty, placing itself in higher or lower conditions, O king.
जातो जातश्च बलवान्भुङ्क्ते नाम्नाऽथ देहवान्। फलार्थस्तात निष्पृक्तः प्रजालक्षणभावनः
Born again and again, strong, he enjoys with a body and a name; seeking results, O dear one, he is bound by the characteristics of creatures.
शब्दे स्पर्शे च रूपे च तथैव रसगन्धयोः। तस्याधिष्ठानमव्यग्रो ब्रूहि सर्प यथातथम्
In sound, touch, form, as well as taste and smell—tell me, O serpent, what is the untroubled basis of these, as it truly is.
किं न गृह्णासि विषयान्युगपत्त्वं महामते। एतावदुच्यतां चोक्तं सर्वं पन्नगसत्तम
Why do you not grasp all the objects at once, O wise one? Let all this be explained, O best of serpents, as it has been spoken.
तदात्मद्रव्यमायुष्मन्देहसंश्रयणान्वितम्। करणाधिष्ठितं भोगानुपभुङ्क्ते यथाविथि
Then, endowed with its own substance, life, and the support of the body, governed by the senses, one experiences enjoyments according to their proper course.
ज्ञानं चैवात्र बुद्धिश्च कमश्च भरतर्षभ। तस्य भोगाधिकरणे करणानि निबोध मे
Here, O best of the Bharatas, knowledge, intellect, and desire—these are present; now hear from me about the senses that are the instruments for experiencing enjoyment.
मनसा तात पर्येति क्रमशो विषयानिमान्। विषयायतनत्वेन भूतात्मा क्षेत्रविष्ठितः
O dear one, the mind proceeds among these objects in order; as the seat of the objects, the embodied self, situated in the field (body), moves among them.
तत्रचापि नरव्याघ्र मनो जन्तोर्विधीयते। तस्माद्युगपदत्रास्य ग्रहणं नोपपद्यते
And there, O tiger among men, the mind of a creature is arranged; therefore, it is not possible for it to grasp all objects at once.
स आत्मा पुरुषव्याघ्र भ्रुवोरन्तरमाश्रितः। बुद्धिं द्रव्येषु सृजति विविधेषु परावराम्
That self, O best of men, dwelling between the brows, projects the intellect toward various objects, both high and low.
बुद्धेरुत्तरकालं च वेदना दृश्यते बुधैः। एष वै राजशार्दूल विधिः क्षेत्रज्ञभावनः
After the intellect, perception is observed by the wise; this, O tiger among kings, is the process by which the knower of the field is established.
मनसश्चापि बुद्धेश्च ब्रूहि मे लक्षणं परम्। एतदध्यात्मविदुषां परं कार्यं विधीयते
Tell me, too, the supreme characteristics of mind and intellect; this is the highest task prescribed for those who know the inner self.
बुद्धिरात्मानुगाऽतीव उत्पातेन विधीयते। तदाश्रिता हि सा ज्ञेया बुद्धिस्तस्यैषिणी भवेत्
The intellect, closely following the self, arises through its prompting; for it is to be understood that the intellect, dependent on that, seeks after it.
बुद्धिरुत्पद्यते कार्यान्मनस्तूत्पन्नमेव हि। बुद्धेर्गुणविधानेन मनस्तद्गुणवद्भवेत्
The intellect arises from action, and the mind indeed arises from the intellect; by the disposition of the intellect’s qualities, the mind becomes endowed with those same qualities.
एतद्विशेषणं तात मनोबुद्ध्योर्मयेरितम्। त्वमप्यत्राभिसंबुद्धः कथं वा मन्यसे स्वयम्
This distinction, dear one, between mind and intellect has been explained; you too, being awakened to this, what do you yourself think?