वनस्पतीनोषधीश्चाविशन्ति आपो वायुं पृथिवीं चान्तरिक्षम्। चतुष्पदं द्विपदं चाति सर्व- मेवंभूता गर्भभूता भवन्ति
They enter trees, herbs, water, wind, earth, and the sky, as well as all four-footed and two-footed beings; in this way, they become embodied as embryos.
अन्यद्वपुर्विदधातीह गर्भ- मुताहोस्वित्स्वेन कायेन याति। आपद्यमानो नरयोनिमेता- माचक्ष्व मे संशयात्प्रब्रवीमि
Does one here assume a different body in the womb, or does one enter with one's own body? Tell me, as I ask out of doubt, how one attains a human birth.
शरीरदेहातिसमुच्छ्रयं च चक्षुःश्रोत्रे लभते केन संज्ञाम्। एतत्तत्त्वं सर्वमाचक्ष्व पृष्टः क्षेत्रज्ञं त्वां तात मन्याम सर्वे
By what does the body attain such great stature, and how do the eyes and ears receive their functions? Tell me all this truth when asked, for we all consider you, dear one, to be the knower of the field.
वायुः समुत्कर्षति गर्भयोनि- मृतौ रेतः पुष्पफलानुपृक्तम्। स तत्र तन्मात्रकृताधिकारः क्रमेण संवर्धयतीह गर्भम्
The wind raises up the embryo in the womb, and at death, the seed, accompanied by flower and fruit, departs; there, having authority over the subtle elements, it gradually develops the embryo here.
स जायमानो विगृहीतमात्रः संज्ञामधिष्ठाय ततो मनुष्यः। स श्रोत्राभ्यां वेदयतीह शब्दं स वै रूपं पश्यति चक्षुषा च
When he is born, having just taken on a body, a person assumes consciousness; then, with his ears, he perceives sound here, and with his eyes, he sees form.
घ्राणेन गन्धं जिह्वयाऽथो रसं च त्वचा स्पर्शं मनसा वेदभावम्। इत्यष्टकेहोपहितं हि विद्धि महात्मनः प्राणभृतः शरीरे
With the nose, he smells fragrance; with the tongue, he tastes flavor; with the skin, he feels touch; and with the mind, he perceives thought. Know that in this way, the great soul, the embodied being, is endowed with eight faculties.
यः संस्थितः पुरुषो दह्यते वा निखन्यते वापि निकृष्यते वा। अभावभूतः स विनाशमेत्य केनात्मानं चेतयते परस्तात्
When that person, established in the body, is burned, or buried, or cast away, having become non-existent, reaching destruction, by what does the self perceive itself thereafter?
हित्वा सोऽसून्सुप्तवन्निष्टनित्वा पुरोधाय सुकृतं दुष्कृतं वा। अन्यां योनिं पवनाग्रानुसारी हित्वा देहं भजते राजसिंह
Having abandoned life, like one asleep, and leaving behind good or evil deeds, following the path of the wind, he leaves the body and takes another womb, O lion among kings.
पुण्यां योनिं पुण्यकृतो व्रजन्ति पापां योनिं पापकृतो व्रजन्ति। कीटाः पतङ्गाश्च भवन्ति पापा न मे विवक्षास्ति महानुभाव
Those who do good deeds attain a virtuous womb; those who do evil deeds attain an evil womb. The evil become insects and moths; I have no wish to speak further, O great one.
चतुष्पदा द्विपदाः षट्पदाश्च तथाभूता गर्भभूता भवन्ति। आख्यातमेतन्निखिलेन सर्वं भूयस्तु किं पृच्छसि राजसिंह
Creatures with four legs, two legs, and six legs are thus born in the womb. All this has been explained to you in full; what more do you wish to ask, O lion among kings?
किंस्वित्कृत्वा लभते तात लोका- न्मर्त्यः श्रेष्ठांस्तपसा विद्यया च। तन्मे पृष्टः शंस सर्वं यथाव- च्छुभाँल्लोकान्येन गच्छेत्क्रमेण
By what actions does a mortal, O dear one, attain the highest worlds—by austerity or by knowledge? Asked by me, tell me all this as it is, by which one may gradually reach auspicious worlds.
पुंसः सदैवेति वदन्ति सन्तः
The wise always say this is the way for a person.
अधीयानः पण्डितंमन्यमानो यो विद्यया हन्ति यशः परेषाम्। तस्यान्तवन्तश्च भवन्ति लोका न चास्य तद्ब्रह्म फलं ददाति
He who, considering himself learned, studies but destroys the fame of others by his knowledge—his worlds are perishable, and that Brahman does not grant him its fruit.
चत्वारि कर्माण्यभयङ्कराणि भयं प्रयच्छन्त्ययथाकृतानि। मानाग्निहोत्रमुत मानमौनं मानेनाधीतमुत मानयज्ञः
There are four acts, dangerous and fearsome, which, if performed improperly, bring fear: pride in the fire-offering, pride in silence, pride in study, and pride in sacrifice.
न मानमान्यो मुदमाददीत न सन्तापं प्राप्नुयाच्चावमानात्। सन्तः सतः पूजयन्तीह लोके नासाधवः साधुबुद्धिं लभन्ते
Let no one take joy in being honored, nor suffer distress from being dishonored. The good honor the good in this world; the wicked do not attain the mind of the virtuous.
इति दद्यामिति यज इत्यदीय इति व्रतम्। इत्येतानि भयान्याहुस्तानि वर्ज्यानि सर्वशः
"I will give," "I will sacrifice," "This is mine," "This is my vow"—these, they say, are causes of fear, and all these should be completely avoided.
ये चाश्रयं वेदयन्ते पुराणं मनीषिणो मानसमार्गरुद्धम्। तन्निःश्रेयस्तेन संयोगमेत्य परां शान्तिं प्रत्युः प्रेत्य चेह
Those wise ones who realize the ancient refuge, whose minds are restrained on the path of thought, attain supreme blessedness by union with that, and after death, and here, they reach the highest peace.
चरन्गृहस्थः कथमेति धर्मान्कथं भिक्षुः कथमाचार्यकर्मा। वानप्रस्थः सत्पथे सन्निविष्टो बहून्यस्मिन्संप्रति वेदयन्ति
How does the wandering householder practice righteousness? How does the mendicant? How does the teacher perform his duties? The forest-dweller, established on the right path, experiences many things in this life.
आहूताध्यायी गुरुकर्मस्वचोद्यः पूर्वोत्थायी चरमं चोपशायी। मृदुर्दान्तो धृतिमानप्रमत्तः स्वाध्याशीलः सिध्यति ब्रह्मचारी
He who is called to study, serves the teacher, rises early, and lies down last; who is gentle, self-controlled, steadfast, and vigilant, devoted to self-study—such a brahmacārin succeeds.
धर्मागतं प्राप्य धनं यजेत दद्यात्सदैवातिथीन्भोजयेच्च। अनाददानश्च परैरदत्तं सैषा गृहस्थोपनिषत्पुराणी
Having obtained wealth by righteous means, one should perform sacrifices, always give, and feed guests; not taking what is not given by others—this is the ancient teaching for the householder.
स्ववीर्यजीवी वृजिनान्निवृत्तो दाता परेभ्यो न परोपतापी। तादृङ्मुनिः सिद्धिमुपैति मुख्यां वसन्नरण्ये नियताहारचेष्टः
Living by his own strength, abstaining from wrongdoing, giving to others and never causing harm, such a sage—dwelling in the forest, disciplined in food and conduct—attains the highest perfection.
अशिल्पजीवी गुणवांश्चैव नित्यं जितेन्द्रियः सर्वतो विप्रयुक्तः। अनोकशायी लघुरल्पप्रसार- श्चरन्देशानेकचरः स भिक्षुः
He does not live by crafts, is ever virtuous, has mastered his senses, is detached from all, sleeps without a home, is light and of little movement, wanders through many lands—such is the mendicant.
रात्र्या यया वाऽभिजिताश्च लोका भवन्ति कामाभिजिताः सुखाश्च। तामेव रात्रिं प्रयतेत विद्वा- नरण्यसंस्थो भवितुं यतात्मा
The night by which worlds are conquered, and desires and pleasures are overcome—striving for that very night, the wise man, self-controlled and dwelling in the forest, should seek to become.
दशैव पूर्वान्दश चापरांश्च ज्ञातीनथात्मानमथैकविंशम्। अरण्यवासी सुकृते दधाति विमुच्यारण्ये स्वशरीरधातून्
He regards ten ancestors before, ten descendants after, and himself as the twenty-first; the forest-dweller, performing good deeds, relinquishes his bodily elements in the forest and is freed.
कतिस्विदेव मुनयः कति मौनानि चाप्युत। भवन्तीति तदाचक्ष्व श्रोतुमिच्छामहे वयम्
How many sages are there, and how many forms of silence exist? Tell us this, for we wish to hear.
अरण्ये वसतो यस्य ग्रामो भवति पृष्ठतः। ग्रामे वा वसतोऽरण्यं स मुनिः स्याज्जनाधिप
For one who dwells in the forest, if a village lies behind him, or for one who lives in a village, if the forest lies behind him, that sage is lord among men.
कथंस्विद्वसतोऽरण्ये ग्रामो भवति पृष्ठतः। ग्रामे वा वसतोऽरण्यं कथं भवति पृष्ठतः
How does it happen that, while dwelling in the forest, a village lies behind, or while living in a village, the forest lies behind?
न ग्राम्यमुपयुञ्जीत य आरण्यो मुनिर्भवेत्। तथास्य वसतोऽरण्ये ग्रामो भवति पृष्ठतः
The sage who is a forest-dweller should not use anything belonging to the village; thus, while he dwells in the forest, the village lies behind him.
अनग्निरनिकेतश्चाप्यगोत्रचरणो मुनिः। कौपीनाच्छादनं यावत्तावदिच्छेच्च चीवरम्
The sage is without fire, without a fixed abode, and wanders without family ties; as long as he has only a loincloth for covering, so long should he desire a robe.
यावत्प्राणाभिसन्धानं तावदिच्छेच्च भोजनम्। तथाऽस्य वसतो ग्रामेऽरण्यं भवति पृष्ठतः
As long as the intention to sustain life remains, so long should he desire food; thus, while dwelling in the village, the forest lies behind him.