नैवर्क्षु तन्न यजुष्षु नाप्यथर्वसु न दृश्यते वै विमलेषु सामसु। रथन्तरे बार्हद्रथे वापि राज- न्महाव्रते नैव दृश्येद्भ्रुवं तत्
It is not in the Rigveda, nor in the Yajurveda, nor in the Atharvaveda; it is not seen in the pure Samans, nor in the Rathantara or Barhadratha chants, O King, nor even in the great vow—its form is not seen there.
अपारणीयं तमसः परस्ता- त्तदन्तकोऽप्येति विनाशकाले। अणीयो रूपं क्षुरधारया समं महच्च रूपं तद्वै पर्वतेभ्यः
It is beyond the reach of darkness; even Death attains it at the time of dissolution. Its form is subtler than the edge of a razor, yet it is greater than the mountains.
सा प्रतिष्ठा तदमृतं लोकास्तद्ब्रह्म तद्यशः । भूतानि जझिरे तस्मात्प्रलयं यान्ति तत्र हि
That is the foundation, that is the immortal, those are the worlds, that is Brahman, that is glory; from that all beings are born, and into that they dissolve.
अनामयं तन्महदुद्यतं यशो वाचो विकारं कवयो वदन्ति। यस्मिञ्जगत्सर्वमिदं प्रतिष्ठितं ये तद्विदुरमृतास्ते भवन्ति
That is free from affliction, that is great, that is exalted glory; the wise call it the transformation of speech. In that all this world is established; those who know that become immortal.
तदेतदह्ना संस्थितं भाति सर्वं तदात्मवित्पश्यति ज्ञानयोगात्। तस्मिञ्जगत्सर्वमिदं प्रतिष्ठितं ये तद्विदुरमृतास्ते भवन्ति
By that, all this shines, established in the day; the knower of the self perceives it through the yoga of knowledge. In that all this world is established; those who know that become immortal.
शोकः क्रोधश्च लोभश्च कामो मानः परासुता। ईर्ष्या मोहो विवित्सा च कृपाऽसूया जुगुप्सुता
Grief, anger, greed, desire, pride, concern for others' wealth, envy, delusion, curiosity, pity, malice, and disgust—
द्वादशैते महादोषा मनुष्यप्राणनाशनाः। एकैकमेते राजेन्द्र मनुष्यान्पर्युपासते। यौराविष्टो नरः पापं मूढसंज्ञो व्यवस्यति
These twelve are great faults, destroyers of human life; each one of them, O king, besets people, and whoever is overcome by them, with a deluded mind, commits evil.
स्पृहयालुरुग्रः परुषो वा वदान्यः क्रोधं बिभ्रन्मनसा वै विकत्थी। नृशंसधर्माः षडिमे जना वै प्राप्याप्यर्थं नोत सभाजयन्ते
One who is covetous, harsh, rude, or boastful, who harbors anger in his mind, who is cruel in conduct—these six types of people, even if they gain wealth, do not honor it.
संभोगसंविद्विषमोऽतिमानी दत्त्वा विकत्थी कृपणो दुर्बलश्च। बहुप्रशंकसी वनिताद्विट् सदैव सप्तैवोक्ताः पापशीला नृशंसाः
One who hates enjoyment, is excessively proud, boasts after giving, is miserly and weak, suspicious of many, a womanizer, or a dandy—these seven are declared to be wicked and cruel by nature.
धर्मश्च सत्यं च तपो दमश्च अमात्सर्यं ह्रीस्तितिक्षानसूया। दानं श्रुतं चैव धृतिः क्षमा च महाव्रता द्वादश ब्राह्मणस्य
Righteousness, truth, austerity, self-control, absence of envy, modesty, forbearance, freedom from malice, generosity, learning, steadfastness, and forgiveness—these twelve are the great vows of a Brahmin.
यो नैतेभ्यः प्रच्यवेद्द्वादशभ्यः सर्वामपीमां पृथिवीं स शिष्यात्। त्रिभिर्द्वाभ्यामेकतो वार्थितो यो नास्य स्वमस्तीति च वेदितव्यम्
Whoever does not deviate from these twelve, even if offered the entire earth, or is urged by three, two, or even one, or is told he has nothing of his own—know that person to be steadfast.
दमस्त्यागोऽथाप्रमाद इत्येतेष्वमृतं स्थितम्। एतानि ब्रह्ममुख्यानां ब्राह्मणानां मनीषिणाम्
Self-restraint, renunciation, and vigilance—immortality abides in these; these are the qualities of the foremost Brahmins, the wise.
सद्वाऽसद्वा परीवादे ब्राह्मणस्य न शस्यते। नरकप्रतिष्ठास्ते स्युर्य एवं कुरुते जनाः
Whether true or false, slander of a Brahmin is never praised; those who act thus establish themselves in hell.
मदोऽष्टादशदोषः स स्यात्पुरा योऽप्रकीर्तितः । लोकद्वेष्यं प्रतिकूल्यमभ्यसूया मृषावचः
Intoxication is said to have eighteen faults: being previously unmentioned, it becomes hated by people, brings opposition, envy, and false speech.
कामक्रोधौ पारतन्त्र्यं परिवादोऽथ पैशुनम्। अर्थहानिर्विवादश्च मात्सर्यं प्राणिपीडनम्
Desire, anger, dependence, slander, malice, loss of wealth, quarrel, envy, and harming living beings—
ईर्ष्या मोदोऽतिवादश्च संज्ञानाशोऽभ्यसूयिता। तस्मात्प्राज्ञो न माद्येत सदा ह्येतद्विगर्हितम्
Jealousy, arrogance, excessive speech, loss of awareness, and fault-finding—therefore, the wise should never become intoxicated, for all this is condemned.
नभ्यर्थितश्चार्हति शुद्धभावः
Even when asked, one who is pure in intent is worthy.
त्यक्तद्रव्यः संवसेन्नेह कामा- द्भिङ्क्ते कर्मस्वाशिषं बाधते च
One who has renounced possessions should live here free from desires; he eats the fruit of his actions and also overcomes misfortune.
द्रव्यवान्गुणवानेवं त्यागी भवति सात्विकः। पञ्चभूतानि पञ्चभ्यो निवर्तयति तादृशः
One who possesses wealth and virtue, yet is a renouncer, is truly sattvic; such a person withdraws the five elements from the five senses.
एतत्समृद्धमप्यृद्धं तपो भवति केवलम्। सत्वात्प्रच्यवमानानां सङ्कल्पेन समाहितम्
Even abundant prosperity becomes pure austerity when it is focused by resolve in those who are slipping from virtue.
यतो यज्ञः प्रवर्धन्ते मत्यस्यैवावरोधनात्। मनसान्यस्य भवति वाच्यन्यस्याथ कर्मणा
From this, sacrifice grows, for the mortal is restrained; one acts with the mind of another, speaks with the words of another, or acts through another’s deeds.
सङ्कल्पसिद्धं पुरुषमसङ्कल्पोऽधितिष्ठति। ब्राह्मणस्य विशेषेण किञ्चान्यदपि मे श्रृणु
The man whose resolve is fulfilled is governed by one without resolve; especially for a Brahmin—hear from me something further.
अध्यापयेन्महदेतद्यशस्यं वाचो विकराः कवयो वदन्ति। अस्मिन्योगे सर्वमिदं प्रतिष्ठितं ये तद्विदुरमृतास्ते भवन्ति
Let him teach this great and glorious doctrine; poets call the modifications of speech. In this union all is established; those who know it become immortal.
न कर्मणा सुकृतेनैव राजन् सत्यं जयेज्जुहुयाद्वा यजेद्वा। नैतेन वालोऽमृत्युमभ्येति राजन् रतिं चासौ न लभत्यन्तकाले
Not by good deeds alone, O King, nor by truth, nor by sacrifice or worship, does a child overcome death, nor does he find delight at the end.
तृष्णीमेक उपासीत चेष्टेत मनसापि न। तथा संस्तुतिनिन्दाभ्यां प्रीतिरोषौ विवर्जयेत्
Let him worship only the cessation of desire, not even striving in thought; likewise, he should avoid both praise and blame, as well as pleasure and anger.
अत्रैव तिष्ठन्क्षत्रिय ब्रह्माविशति पश्यति। वेदेषु चानुपूर्व्येण एतद्विद्वन्ब्रवीमि ते
Remaining here itself, O Kshatriya, one attains and beholds Brahman; and in due order in the Vedas—thus, O learned one, I declare to you.
यत्तच्छुक्रं महञ्ज्योतिर्दीप्यमानं महद्यशः। तद्वै देवा उपासते तस्मात्सूर्यो विराजते। योगिनस्तं प्रपश्यन्ति भगवन्तं सनातनम्
That which is pure, great light, shining, of great glory—that indeed the gods worship; from that the sun shines forth. Yogis behold that blessed, eternal one.
योगिनस्तं प्रपश्यन्ति भगवन्तं सनातनम्
Yogis behold that blessed, eternal one.
योगिनस्तं प्रपश्यन्ति भगवन्तं सनातनम्
The yogis behold that Blessed, Eternal One.
चक्रे रथस्य तिष्ठन्तोऽध्रुवस्याव्ययकर्मणः। केतुमन्तं वहन्त्यश्वास्तं दिव्यमजरं दिवि। योगिनस्तं प्रपश्यन्ति भगवन्तं सनातनम्
Standing upon the wheel of the chariot—whose actions are imperishable though the chariot itself is transient—the horses carry him, adorned with a banner, divine, undecaying, in the heavens; the yogis behold that Blessed, Eternal One.