सनत्सुजात यदिमं शृणोमि न मृत्युरस्तीति तवोपदेशम्। देवासुरा ह्याचरन्ब्रह्मचर्य- ममृत्यवे तत्कतरन्नु सत्यम्
Sanatsujata, when I hear your teaching that death does not exist, the gods and asuras practiced celibacy for immortality—so which is true?
अमृत्युं कर्मणा केचिन्मृत्युर्नास्तीति चापरे। शृणु मे ब्रुवतो राजन्यथैतन्मा विशङ्किथाः
Some say immortality is attained by action, others say death does not exist; listen to me as I speak, O king, and do not doubt.
उभे सत्ये क्षत्रियाद्य प्रवृत्ते मोहो मृत्युः संमतोऽयं कवीनाम्। प्रमादं वै मृत्युमहं ब्रवीमि तथाऽप्रमादममृतत्वं ब्रवीमि
Both truths are set forth among Kshatriyas; confusion is regarded as death by the wise. I declare heedlessness as death, and likewise, I declare vigilance as immortality.
प्रमादाद्वै असुराः पराभव- न्नप्रमादाद्ब्रह्मभूताः सुराश्च। नैव मृत्युर्व्याघ्र इवात्ति जन्तू- न्न ह्यस्य रूपमुपलभ्यते हि
Indeed, the asuras perished through heedlessness, and the gods became Brahman by vigilance. Death does not devour creatures like a tiger, nor can its form be perceived.
यमं त्वेके मृत्युमतोऽन्यमाहु- रात्मावासममृतं ब्रह्मचर्यम्। पितृलोके राज्यमनुशास्ति देवः शिवः शिवानामशिवोऽशिवानाम्
Some call Yama the lord of death, others say immortality resides in the self, in celibacy. The god rules in the realm of ancestors; auspicious for the auspicious, inauspicious for the inauspicious.
अस्यादेशान्निःसरते नराणां क्रोधः प्रमादो लोभरूपश्च मृत्युः। अहं गतेनैव चरन्विमार्गा- न्न चात्मनो योगमुपैति कश्चित्
From this teaching arise in men anger, heedlessness, and greed, which are forms of death. Wandering with a lost mind, none attains union with the self.
ते मोहितास्तद्वशे वर्तमाना इतः प्रेतास्तत्र पुनः पतन्ति। ततस्तान्देवा अनुविप्लवन्ते अतो मृत्युर्मरणादभ्युपैति
Those deluded, acting under its influence, depart from here and fall again there; then the gods disturb them, and thus death approaches through dying.
कर्मोदये कर्मफलानुरागा- स्तत्रानु ते यान्ति न तरन्ति मृत्युम् । सदर्थयोगानवगमात्समन्ता- त्प्रवर्तते भोगभोगेन देही
When action arises, attachment to the fruits of action follows; thus they go, but do not cross death. Because of ignorance of true union, the embodied one revolves everywhere, enjoying pleasure after pleasure.
तद्वै महामोहनमिन्द्रियाणां मिथ्यार्थयोगस्य गतिर्हि नित्या। मिथ्यार्थयोगाभिहतान्तरात्मा स्मरन्नुपास्ते विषयान्समन्तात्
Indeed, this is the great delusion of the senses: the constant course of false association with objects. The inner self, struck by false association, remembers and pursues sense objects on every side.
अभिध्या वै प्रथमं हन्ति लोकान् कामक्रोधावनुगृह्याशु पश्चात्। एते बालान्मृत्यवे प्रापयन्ति धीरास्तु धैर्येण तरन्ति मृत्युम्
Covetousness first destroys people; then, quickly, desire and anger seize them. These lead the foolish to death, but the wise cross over death by steadfastness.
सोऽभिध्यायन्नुत्पतिष्णन्निहन्या- दनादरेणाप्रतिबुध्यमानः। नैनं मृत्युर्मृत्युरिवात्ति भूत्वा एवं विद्वान्यो विनिहन्ति कामान्
He who, rising up, is not struck down by covetousness, who remains alert and not indifferent—death does not consume him as death itself would. In this way, the wise one destroys desires.
कामानुसारी पुरुषः कामाननु विनश्यति। कामान्व्युदस्य धुनुते यत्किञ्चित्पुरुषो रजः
A man who follows desires perishes along with those desires; but, casting off desires, he shakes off whatever impurity there is.
तमोप्रकाशो भूतानां नरकोऽयं प्रदृश्यते। मुह्यन्त इव धावन्ति गच्छन्तः श्वभ्रमुन्मुखाः
This darkness and light among beings is seen as hell; as if deluded, they run about, going headlong toward the abyss.
अमूढवृत्तेः पुरुषस्येह कुर्या- त्किं वै मृत्युस्तार्ण इवास्य व्याघ्रः । अमन्यमानः क्षत्रिय किञ्चिदन्य- न्नाधीयते तार्ण इवास्य सर्पः
What could death do to a man of unconfused conduct here—like a tiger to one who has crossed over? Not considering anything else, O Kshatriya, he learns nothing else, like a snake to one who has crossed over.
र्मृत्योर्यथा विषयं प्राप्य मर्त्यः
Just as a mortal, having reached the realm of death—
यानेवाहुरिज्यया साधुलोकान् द्विजातीनां पुण्यतमान्सनातनात्। तेषां परार्थं कथयन्तीह वेदा एतद्विद्वान्नैति कथं नु कर्म
Those worlds which are said to be attained by sacrifice, the most virtuous and eternal for the twice-born—about them the Vedas speak here for the sake of others. How, then, does one who knows this not go beyond action?
एवं ह्यविद्वानुपयाति तत्र तत्रार्थजातं च वदन्ति वेदाः। सवेह आयाति परं परात्मा प्रयाति मार्गेण निहत्य मार्गान्
Indeed, the unknowing goes there, and the Vedas speak of various aims. But here, the supreme self comes, having destroyed the paths, and departs by the way.
कोऽसौ नियुङ्क्ते तमजं पुराणं स चेदिदं सर्वमनुक्रमेण। किं वास्य कार्यमथवा सुखं च तन्मे विद्वन्ब्रूहि सर्वं यथावत्
Who is it that directs that unborn, ancient one, if indeed he brings forth all this in order? What is his purpose, or his happiness? Tell me all this truly, O wise one.
दोषो महानत्र विभेदयोगे ह्यनादियोगेन भवन्ति नित्याः। तथास्य नाधिक्यमपैति किञ्चि- दनादियोगेन भवन्ति पुंसः
There is a great fault here in the connection with division, for by the connection without beginning, these are eternal. Likewise, nothing is diminished for him; by the connection without beginning, these arise for a person.
य एतद्वा भगवान्स नित्यो विकारयोगेन करोति विश्वम्। तथाच तच्छक्तिरिति स्म मन्यते। तथार्थयोगेन भवन्ति वेदाः
He who is called the Blessed One, he is eternal, and by the connection with transformation, he creates the universe. Thus, it is thought that this is his power; and by such connection with objects, the Vedas arise.
यस्माद्धर्मान्नाचरन्तीह केचि- त्तथा धर्मान्केचिदिहाचरन्ति। धर्मः पापेन प्रतिहन्यते स्वि- दुताहो धर्मः प्रतिहन्ति पापम्
Because some here do not practice dharma, while others do practice dharma here—dharma is hindered by sin, or else, does dharma hinder sin?
तस्मिन्स्थितौ वाप्युभयं हि नित्यं ज्ञानेन विद्वान्प्रतिहन्ति सिद्धम्। तथान्यथा पुण्यमुपैति देही तथागतं पापमुपैति सिद्धम्
In either case, both always persist; the wise, by knowledge, overcome what is established. Thus, the embodied one attains merit or, likewise, attains established sin.
गत्वोभयं कर्मणा युज्यते स्थिरं शुभस्य पापस्य स चापि कर्मणा। धर्मेण पापं प्रणुदतीह विद्वान् धर्मो बलीयानिति तत्र विद्धिः
Having gone to both, one is firmly bound by action, to good and evil alike by action. Here, the wise dispel evil by righteousness; know that righteousness is stronger in this matter.
यानिहाहुः स्वस्य धर्मस्य लोका- न्द्विजातीनां पुण्यकृतां सनातनान्। तेषां क्रमान्कथय ततोऽपि चान्या- न्नैतद्विद्वन्वेत्तुमिच्छामि कर्म
Those worlds which are said to be the own realms of dharma, the eternal, meritorious worlds of the twice-born—tell me their order, and also others beyond them. O wise one, I wish to know this action.
येषां व्रतेऽथ विस्पर्धा बले बलवतामिव। ते ब्राह्मणा इतः प्रेत्य स्वर्गे यान्ति प्रकाशताम्
Those whose vows are as if in rivalry, like the strength of the strong, those Brahmins, departing from here, go to brightness in heaven.
येषां धर्मे च विस्पर्धा तेषां जज्ज्ञानसाधनम्। ते ब्राह्मणा इतो मुक्ताः स्वर्गं यान्ति त्रिविष्टपम्
Those whose rivalry is in dharma, whose means is knowledge—those Brahmins, freed from here, go to heaven, to the highest abode.
तस्य सम्यक्समाचारमाहुर्वेदविदो जनाः। नैनं मन्येत भूयिष्ठं बाह्यमाभ्यन्तरं जनम्
Those who know the Vedas say that his conduct is truly upright; one should not regard most people, whether outsiders or those within, as his equal.
यत्र मन्येत भूयिष्ठं प्रावृषीव तृणोदकम्। अन्नं पानं ब्राह्मणस्य तञ्जीवोन्नानुसंज्वरेत्
Wherever one thinks that, like grass and water in the rainy season, food and drink are abundant for a Brahmin, let him sustain his life with that alone.
यत्राकथयमानस्य प्रयच्छत्यशिवं भयम्। अतिरिक्तमिवाकुर्वन्स श्रेयान्नेतरो जनः
Where, without being asked, someone gives what brings misfortune or fear, acting excessively, that person is less worthy than another.
यो वा कथयमानस्य ह्यात्मानं नानुसंज्वरेत्। ब्रह्मस्वं नोपभुञ्जीत तदन्नं संमतं सताम्। कुशवल्कलचेलाद्यं ब्रह्मस्वं योगिनो विदुः
If someone, when asked, does not revive himself, he should not enjoy the wealth of Brahmins; such food is esteemed by the virtuous. Yogis know that Brahmin wealth consists of kusa grass, bark garments, and the like.