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.
मूर्धानमाश्रितो वह्निः शरीरं परिपालयन्। प्राणो मूर्धनि चाग्नौ च वर्तमानो विचेष्टते
The fire, residing in the head, preserves the body; the vital breath, abiding in the head and in the fire, moves about.
भूं भव्यं भविष्यं च सर्वं प्राणे प्रतिष्ठितम्। श्रेष्ठं तदेव भूतानां ब्रह्मज्योतिरुपास्महे
All that is past, present, and future is established in the vital breath; that alone is the highest among beings—we worship that divine light of Brahman.
स जन्तुः सर्वभूतात्मा पुरुषः स सनातनः। मनोबुद्धिरहंकारो भूतानां विषयश्च सः
That being, the soul of all creatures, is the eternal person; he is mind, intellect, ego, and the objects of the senses for all beings.
अव्यक्तं सस्वसंज्ञं च जीवः कालः स चैव हि। प्रकृतिः पुरुषश्चैव प्राण एव द्विजोत्तम
He is the unmanifest, the self-aware, the living soul, and time itself; he is also nature and spirit, and indeed, the vital breath, O best of the twice-born.
जागर्ति स्वप्नकाले च स्वप्ने स्वप्नायते च सः। जाग्रत्सु बलमाधत्ते चेष्टत्सु चेष्टयत्यपि
He is awake in the waking state and dreams in the dream state; among those awake, he bestows strength, and among those active, he acts as well.
तस्मिन्निरुद्दे विप्रेन्द्र मृत इत्यभिधीयते। त्यक्त्वा शरीरं भूतात्मा पुनरन्यत्प्रपद्यते
When that is restrained, O foremost of Brahmins, it is called death; abandoning the body, the soul of beings attains another once more.
एष त्वग्निरपानन प्राणेन परिपाल्यते। पृष्ठतस्तु समानन स्वांस्वां गतिमुपाश्रितः
This fire, called apāna, is maintained by the prāṇa; from behind, samāna, each following its own course, is established.
वस्तुमूले गुदे चैव पावकं समुपाश्रितः। वहन्मूत्रं पुरीषंवाऽप्यपानः परिवर्तते
At the root of the organ and in the anus, apāna is established, bearing the fire; apāna circulates, carrying urine or feces.
प्रयत्ने कर्मणि बले य एकस्त्रिषु वर्तते। उदान इति तं प्राहुरध्यात्मविदुषो जनाः
The one that operates in effort, action, and strength, and moves in three ways, is called udāna by those who know the self.
सन्धौसन्धौ संनिविष्टः सर्वेष्वपि तथाऽनिलः। शरीरेषु मनुष्याणां व्यान इत्युपदिश्ते
The air that is situated at every junction in all parts of the body is called vyāna in the bodies of men.