इन्द्रियैर्गृह्यते यद्यत्तत्तद्व्यक्तमिति स्मृतम्। तदव्यक्तमिति ज्ञेयं लिङ्गग्राह्यमतीन्द्रियम्
Whatever is grasped by the senses is considered manifest; that which is apprehended by the subtle faculty, beyond the senses, is to be known as unmanifest.
यथास्वं ग्राहकान्येषां शब्दादीनामिमानि तु। इन्द्रियाणि तथा देही धारयन्निह तप्यते
Just as these senses are the perceivers of sound and the rest, so the embodied soul, bearing them here, experiences both pleasure and pain.
लोके विततमात्मानं लोकं चात्मनि पश्यति। परापरज्ञः सक्तः सन्स तु भूतानि पश्यति
He sees the Self pervading the world and the world in the Self; knowing the higher and lower, yet attached, he perceives all beings.
पश्यतः सर्वभूतानि सर्वावस्थासु सर्वदा। ब्रह्मभूतस् संयोगो नाशुभेनोपपद्यते
For one who sees all beings at all times and in all conditions, union with Brahman does not come through anything inauspicious.
ज्ञानमूलात्मकं क्लेशमतिवृत्तस्य मोहजम्। लोकबुद्धिप्रकाशेन ज्ञेयमार्गेण गम्यते
The suffering rooted in ignorance, arising from delusion, is overcome; by the illumination of worldly understanding, one proceeds on the path of knowledge.
अनादिनिधनं जन्तुमात्मयोनिं सदाव्ययम्। अनौपम्यममूर्तं च भगवानाह बुद्धिमान्
The wise declare that the being, whose origin is the Self, is without beginning or end, eternal, incomparable, and formless.
तपोमूलमिदं सर्वं यन्मां विप्रानुपृच्छसि। `तपसा हि समाप्नोति यद्यदेवाभिवाञ्छति'। इन्द्रियाण्येव संयम्य तपो भवति नान्यथा
All this which you ask me about, O Brahmin, has austerity as its root; for by austerity one attains whatever one desires. Only by restraining the senses does austerity arise, not otherwise.
इन्द्रियाण्येव तत्सर्वंयत्स्वर्गनरकावुभौ। निगृहीतविसृष्टानि स्वर्गाय नरकाय च
Indeed, all that pertains to the senses is both heaven and hell; when restrained or unrestrained, they lead to heaven or hell.
एष योगविधिः कृत्स्नो यावदिन्द्रियधारणम्। एतन्मूलं हि तपसः स्वर्गस्य नरकस्य च
This is the complete discipline of yoga, up to the control of the senses; for this is the root of austerity, of heaven, and of hell.
इन्द्रियाणां प्रसङ्गेन दोमार्च्छत्यसंशयम्। सन्नियम्य तु तान्येव ततः सिद्धिं समाप्नुयात्
Through attachment to the senses, one certainly falls into darkness; but by restraining them, one attains success.
षण्णामात्प्रनि योज्यानामैश्वर्यं योऽधितिष्ठति। न स पापैः कुतोऽनर्थैर्युज्यते विजितेन्द्रियः
He who possesses mastery over the six yoked senses is not afflicted by sins or misfortunes, being one who has conquered the senses.
रथः शरीरं पुरुषस्य दृष्ट- मात्मा नियन्तेन्द्रियाण्याहुरश्वान्। तैरप्रमत्तः कुशली सदश्वै- र्दान्त सुखं याति रथीव धीरः
The body of a person is said to be a chariot; the self is the driver, and the senses are called the horses. With alertness and skill, the wise man, like a charioteer with well-trained horses, travels happily.
षण्णामात्मनियुक्तानामिन्द्रियाणां प्रमाथिनाम्। यो धीरो धारयेद्रश्मीन्स स्यात्परमसारथिः
He who, with steadiness, holds the reins of the six unruly senses yoked to the self, is the supreme charioteer.
इन्द्रियाणां प्रसृष्टानां हयानामिव वर्त्मसु। धृतिं कुर्वीत सारथ्ये धृत्या तानि जयेद्ध्रुवम्
When the senses, like horses on their paths, are unrestrained, one should exercise firmness in charioteering; by firmness, one surely conquers them.
इन्द्रियाणां विचरतां यन्मनोऽनुविधीयते। तदस् हरते बुद्धिं नावं वायुरिवाम्भसि
When the mind follows after the roaming senses, it carries away the understanding, just as the wind carries away a boat on the water.
येषु विप्रतिपद्यन्ते षट्स्वमोहात्फलागमम्। तेष्वध्यवसिताध्यायी विन्दते ध्यानजं फलम्
Among those six (senses) in which, through delusion, people become entangled in pursuit of results, one who is steadfast in meditation attains the fruit born of contemplation.
एवं तु सूक्ष्मे कथिते धर्मव्याधेन भारत। ब्राह्मणः स पुन सूक्ष्मं पप्रच्छ सुसमाहितः
Thus, when the subtle teaching was given by the righteous butcher, O descendant of Bharata, the Brahmin, being well composed, again asked about what is subtle.
वृत्त्वस्य रजसश्चैव तमसश्च यथातथम्। वृणांस्तत्त्वेन मे ब्रूहि यथावदिह पृच्छतः
Tell me truly and in detail, as I ask, about the nature and distinctions of sattva, rajas, and tamas.
दृन्त ते कथयिष्यामि यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि। एतान्गुणान्पृथक्त्वेन निबोध गदतो मम
Listen as I explain to you, as you have questioned me, these qualities separately and in their true nature.
मोहात्मकं तमस्तेषां रज एषां प्रवर्तकम्। प्रकाशबहुलत्वाच्च सत्वं ज्याय इहोच्यते
Of these, tamas is of the nature of delusion; rajas is the cause of activity; and because of its abundance of clarity, sattva is said here to be the highest.
अविद्याबहुलो मूढः स्वप्नशीलो विचेतनः। दृर्हृपीकस्तमोध्यस्तः सक्रोधस्तामसोऽलसः
One dominated by tamas is full of ignorance, confused, prone to sleep, lacking awareness, stubborn, angry, and lazy.
सुवृत्तवाक्यो मन्त्री च यो नराग्र्योऽनमूयकः। विवित्समानो विप्रर्षे स्तब्धो मानी स राजसः
He who is well-spoken, a counselor, foremost among men, not envious, eager to know, but proud and unyielding—he is rajasika.
प्रकाशबहुलो धीरो निर्विवित्सोऽनसूयकः। अक्रोधनो नरो धीमान्दान्तश्चैवस सात्विकः
He who is full of clarity, steadfast, free from envy, patient, intelligent, self-controlled—he is sattvika.
सात्विकस्त्वथ संबुद्धो लोकवृत्तैर्न लिप्यते। यदा बुध्यति बोध्धव्यं लोकवृत्तं जुगुप्सते
The sattvika, being awakened, is not tainted by worldly conduct; when he understands what should be known, he finds fault with worldly ways.
वैराग्यस् च रूपं तु पूर्वमेव प्रवर्तते। मृदुर्भवत्यहंकारः प्रसीदत्यार्जवं च यत्
For him, detachment arises first; his ego becomes gentle, and sincerity prevails.
ततोऽस् सर्वद्वन्द्वानि प्रशाम्यन्ति परस्परम्। न चास्यासंयमो नाम क्वचिद्भवति कश्चन
Then all dualities are mutually calmed; and for him, there is never any lack of self-restraint anywhere.
शूद्रयोनौ हि जातस्य सद्गुणानुपतिष्ठतः। वैश्यत्वं भवति ब्रह्मन्क्षत्रियत्वं तथैव च
Indeed, when one born in a Shudra family possesses good qualities, he attains the status of a Vaishya or even a Kshatriya, O Brahmin.
आर्जवे वर्तमानस्य ब्राह्मण्यमभिजायते। गुणास्ते कीर्तिताः सर्वे किं भूयः श्रोतुमिच्छसि
When one acts with sincerity, he attains Brahminhood; all these qualities have been described—what more do you wish to hear?
पार्थिवं धातुमासाद्य शारीरोऽग्निः कथं भवेत्। अवकाशविशेषेण कथं वर्तयतेऽनिलः
How does the bodily fire arise from the earthly element? How does the wind move according to particular spaces?
प्रश्नमेतं समुद्दिष्टं ब्राह्मणेन युधिष्ठिर। व्याधस्तु कथयामास ब्राह्मणाय महात्मने
This question was posed by the Brahmin, O Yudhishthira, and the butcher then explained it to the great-souled Brahmin.