ततस्तदर्थं यतते कर्म चारभते महत्। इष्टानां रूपगन्धानामभ्यासं च निषेवते
Then, for that purpose, he strives and undertakes great action; he also indulges in the enjoyment of forms and scents that are desired.
ततो रागः प्रभवति द्वेषश्च तदनन्तरम्। ततो लोभः प्रभवति मोहश्च तदनन्तरम्
From that arises attachment, and after that, aversion; from that arises greed, and after that, delusion.
तस् लोभाभिभूतस्य रागद्वेषहतस्य च। न धर्मे जायते बुद्धिर्व्याजाद्धर्मं करोति च
For one overpowered by greed and afflicted by attachment and aversion, discernment regarding righteousness does not arise, and he performs righteousness deceitfully.
व्याजेन चरते धर्ममर्थं व्याजेन रोचते। व्याजेन सिध्यमानेषु धनेषु द्विजसत्तम
He practices righteousness by deceit, seeks wealth by deceit, and when wealth is attained by deceit, O best of twice-born,
तत्रैव रमते बुद्धिस्ततः पापं चिकीर्षति। सुहृद्भिर्वार्यमाणश्च पण्डितैश्च द्विजोत्तम
His mind delights in that very thing, and then he desires to commit sin, even when restrained by friends and learned Brahmins, O best of twice-born.
उत्तरं श्रुतिसंबद्धं ब्रवीत्यश्रुतियोजितम्। अधर्मस्त्रिविधस्तस्य वर्तते रागदोषजः
He speaks what is connected to the scriptures as an answer, but applies what is not scriptural; for him, unrighteousness of three kinds, born of attachment and fault, prevails.
पापं चिन्तयते चैव ब्रवीति च करोति च। तस्याधर्मप्रवृत्तस्य गुणा नश्यन्ति साधवः
He thinks of sin, speaks of it, and does it; for one engaged in unrighteousness, his virtues, O good one, are destroyed.
एकशीलाश्च मित्रत्वं भजन्ते पापकर्मिणः। स तेन दुःखमाप्नोति परत्र च विपद्यते
Those of like conduct become his friends, though he acts wickedly; through this, he attains suffering and perishes in the next world as well.
पापात्मा भवति ह्येवं धर्मलाभं तु मे शृणु। यस्त्वेतान्प्रज्ञाया दोषान्पूर्वमेवानुपश्यति
A person becomes wicked indeed who acts thus; now hear from me about the gain of righteousness: one who perceives these faults with discernment beforehand—
कुशलः सुखदुःखेषु सांधूंश्चाप्युपसेवते। तस्य साधुसमारम्भाद्बुद्ध्रिधर्मेषु राजते
—is skilled in pleasure and pain, and also associates with the virtuous; by his noble undertakings, he shines in the path of wisdom and righteousness.
ब्रवीषि सूनृतंधर्मं यस्य वक्ता न विद्यते। दिव्यप्रभावः सुमहानृषिरेव मतोसि मे
You speak true righteousness, for whom there is no teacher; in my view, only a great sage of divine power can do so.
ब्राह्मणा वै महाभागाः पितरोऽग्रभुजः सदा। तेषां सर्वात्मना कार्यं प्रियं लोके मनीषिणा
Brahmins are indeed greatly blessed, always the foremost recipients of offerings; a wise person should strive wholeheartedly to please them in this world.
यत्तेषां च प्रियं तत्ते वक्ष्यामि द्विजसत्तम। नमस्कृत्वा ब्राह्मणेभ्यो ब्राह्मीं विद्यां निबोध मे
Now I will tell you, best of twice-born, what pleases them; after bowing to the Brahmins, listen to the Brahminical knowledge from me.
इदं विश्वं जगत्सर्वमजगच्चापि सर्वशः। महाभूतात्मकं ब्रह्मन्नातः परतरं भवेत्
This entire universe, all that moves and does not move, is composed of the great elements, O Brahmin; there is nothing higher than this.
महाभूतानि खं वायुरग्निरापस्तथा च भूः। शब्दः स्पर्शश्च रूपं च रसो गन्धश् तद्गुणाः
The great elements are: space, air, fire, water, and earth; their qualities are sound, touch, form, taste, and smell.
तेषामपि गुणाः सर्वे गुणवृत्तिः परस्परम्। पूर्वपूर्वगुणाः सर्वे क्रमशो गुणिषु त्रिषु
All their qualities function mutually, each preceding quality inhering in the next, in order, within the three elements.
षष्ठी तु चेतना नाम मन इत्यभिधीयते। सप्तमी तु भवेद्बुद्धिरहंकारस्ततः परम्
The sixth is called consciousness, known as mind; the seventh is intellect, and beyond that is ego.
इन्द्रियाणि च पञ्चात्मा रजः सत्वं तमस्तथा। इत्येष सप्तदशको राशिरव्यक्तसंज्ञकः
The senses are fivefold, as are rajas, sattva, and tamas; thus, this group of seventeen is called the unmanifest aggregate.
सर्वैरिहेन्द्रियार्थैस्तु व्यक्ताव्यक्तैः सुसंवृतैः। चतुर्विंसक इत्येष व्यकत्वाव्यक्तमयो गुणः। एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं किं भूयः श्रोतुमिच्छसि
All these, with their manifest and unmanifest objects, are well encompassed; this aggregate of twenty-four, composed of the manifest and unmanifest, is the quality. All this has been explained to you; what more do you wish to hear?
एवमुक्तः स विप्रस्तु धर्मव्याधेन भारत। कथामकथयद्भूयो मनसः प्रीतिवर्धनीम्
Thus addressed by the righteous hunter, O descendant of Bharata, the Brahmin again recounted a story that gladdened the mind.
महाभूतानि यान्याहुः पञ्च धर्मविदांवर। एकैकस्य गुणान्सम्यक्पञ्चानामपि मे वद
O foremost among those who know righteousness, tell me in detail the qualities of each of the five great elements.
भूमिरापस्तथा ज्योतिर्वायुराकाशमेव च। गुणोत्तराणइ सर्वाणि तेषां वक्ष्यामि ते गुणान्
Earth, water, fire, air, and space—all these possess superior qualities; I will now tell you their qualities.
भूमिः पञ्चगुणा ब्रह्मननुदकं च चतुर्गुणम्। गुणास्त्रयस्तेजसि च त्रयश्चाकाशवातयोः
Earth has five qualities, O Brahmin, water has four; fire and air each have three, and so does space.
शब्दः स्पर्शश्च रूपं च रसो गन्धश्च पञ्चमः। एतेगुणाः पञ्च भूमेः सर्वेभ्यो गुणवत्तराः
Sound, touch, form, taste, and the fifth—smell; these five are the qualities of earth, surpassing all others.
शब्दः स्पर्शश्च रूपं च सरश्चापि द्विजोत्तम। अपामेते गुणा ब्रह्मन्कीर्तितास्तव सुव्रत
Sound, touch, form, and taste, O best of twice-born—these are the qualities of water, O Brahmin, as declared to you, O virtuous one.
शब्दः स्पर्शश्च रूपं च तेजसोऽथ गुणास्त्रयः। शब्दः स्पर्शश्च वायौ तु शब्दश्चाकाश एव तु
Sound, touch, and form are the three qualities of fire; sound and touch are the qualities of air, and sound alone is the quality of space.
एते पञ्चदश ब्रह्मन्गुणा भूतेषु पञ्चसु। वर्तन्ते सर्वभूतेषु येषु लोकाः प्रतिष्ठिताः
O Brahmin, these fifteen qualities exist in the five elements; they are present in all beings, in whom the worlds are established.
अन्योन्यं नातिवर्तन्ते सम्यक्व भवति द्विज। यदा तु विषमं भावमाचरन्ति चराचराः
They do not overstep one another, O twice-born, and harmony prevails; but when moving and unmoving beings act with discordant intent,
तदा देही देहमन्यं व्यतिरोहति कालतः। प्रातिलोम्याद्विनश्यन्ति जायन्ते चानुपूर्वशः
Then, in due time, the embodied soul enters another body; through opposition they perish, and in due order they are born again.
तत्र तत्रहि दृश्यन्ते धातवः पाञ्चभौतिकाः। यैरावृतमिदं सर्वं जगत्स्थावरजङ्गमम्
Everywhere are seen the elements composed of the five great elements, by which this entire world, both stationary and moving, is enveloped.