ऊर्ध्वमूलमधःशाखमश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम्। छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि यस्तं वेद स वेदवित्
They speak of the imperishable aśvattha tree, with roots above and branches below, whose leaves are the Vedic hymns; he who knows this tree is a knower of the Veda.
अधश्चोर्ध्वं प्रसृतास्तस्य शाखा गुणप्रवृद्धा विषयप्रवालाः । अधश्च मूलान्यनुसंततानि कर्मानुबन्धीनि मनुष्यलोके
Its branches extend downward and upward, nourished by the qualities, with sense-objects as its tender shoots; and its roots, spreading downward, bind living beings in the world through actions.
न रूपमस्येह तथोपलभ्यते नान्तो न चादिर्न च संप्रतिष्ठा । अश्वत्थमेनं सुविरूढमूल- मसङ्गशस्त्रेण दृढेन छित्वा
Its form is not perceived here as it is—its end, its beginning, nor its foundation; having cut down this firmly rooted aśvattha tree with the strong axe of detachment—
ततः पदं तत्परिमार्गितव्यं यस्मिन्गता न निवर्तन्ति भूयः । तमेव चाद्यं पुरुषं प्रपद्ये यतः प्रवृत्तिः प्रसृता पुराणी
Then that goal should be sought, having gone where none return again; I take refuge in that original Person from whom the ancient activity has flowed forth.
निर्मानमोहा जितसङ्गदोषा अध्यात्मनित्या विनिवृत्तकामाः । द्वद्वैर्विमुक्ताः सुखदुःखसंज्ञै- र्गच्छन्त्यमूढाः पदमव्ययं तत्
Those who are free from pride and delusion, who have conquered the fault of attachment, who dwell constantly in the Self, whose desires have departed, who are liberated from the pairs of opposites called pleasure and pain, undeluded, reach that imperishable state.
न तद्भासयते सूर्यो न शशाङ्को न पावकः । यद्गत्वा न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम
That realm is not illumined by the sun, nor by the moon, nor by fire; having gone there, they do not return—that is My supreme abode.
ममैवांशो जीवलोके जीवभूतः सनातनः । मनःषष्ठानीन्द्रियाणि प्रकृतिस्थानि कर्षति
A portion of Myself, having become the eternal living soul in the world of living beings, draws the senses, which are six with the mind, abiding in nature.
शरीरं यदवाप्नोति यच्चाप्युत्क्रामतीश्वरः । गृहीत्वैतानि संयाति वायुर्गन्धानिवाशयात्
When the Lord obtains a body, and when He departs from it, He takes these senses and mind along, just as the wind carries scents from their places.
श्रोत्रं चक्षुः स्पर्शनं च रसनं घ्राणमेव च। अधिष्ठाय मनश्चायं विषयानुपसेवते
Presiding over the ear, the eye, the sense of touch, the tongue, and the nose, as well as the mind, He enjoys the objects of the senses.
उत्क्रामन्तं स्थितं वाऽपि भुञ्जानं वा गुणान्वितम् । विमूढा नानुपश्यन्ति पश्यन्ति ज्ञानचक्षुषः
The deluded do not perceive Him as He departs, stays, or enjoys, endowed with the qualities; but those with the eye of knowledge see.
यतन्तो योगिनश्चैनं पश्यन्त्यात्मन्यवस्थितम् । यतन्तोऽप्यकृतात्मानो नैनं पश्यन्त्यचेतसः
Striving yogis see Him dwelling in themselves; but those of unrefined self, though striving, do not see Him, their minds being unsteady.
यदादित्यगतं तेजो जगद्भासयतेऽखिलम्। यच्चन्द्रमसि यच्चाग्नौ तत्तेजो विद्धि मार्मकम्
That radiance which, abiding in the sun, illumines the whole world, and that which is in the moon and in fire—know that radiance to be Mine.
गामाविश्य च भूतानि धारयम्यहमोजसा । पुष्णामि चौषधीः सर्वाः सोमो भूत्वा रसात्मकः
Entering the earth, I sustain all beings by My energy; and becoming the moon, I nourish all plants with sap.
अहं वैश्वानरो भूत्वा प्राणिनां देहमाश्रितः । प्राणापानसमायुक्तः पचाम्यन्नं चतुर्विधम्
Becoming the fire of digestion, I dwell in the bodies of living beings; united with the inward and outward breaths, I digest the four kinds of food.
सर्वस्य चाहं हृदि सन्निविष्टो मत्तः स्मृतिर्ज्ञानमपोहनं च । वेदैश्च सर्वैरहमेव वेद्यो वेदान्तकृद्वेदविदेव चाहम्
I dwell in the heart of all beings; from me arise memory, knowledge, and the loss thereof. I alone am to be known through all the Vedas; I am the author of the Vedānta and the knower of the Vedas.
द्वाविमौ पुरुषौ लोके क्षरश्चाक्षर एव च। क्षरः सर्वाणि भूतानि कूटस्थोऽक्षर उच्यते
In this world, there are two kinds of beings: the perishable and the imperishable. All creatures are perishable; the unchanging is called imperishable.
उत्तमः पुरुषस्त्वन्यः परमात्मेत्युदाहृतः । यो लोकत्रयमाविश्य बिभर्त्यव्यय ईश्वरः
But there is another, the highest person, called the Supreme Self, who, entering the three worlds, sustains them as the imperishable Lord.
यस्मात्क्षरमतीतोऽहमक्षरादपि चोत्तमः । अतोऽस्मि लोके वेदे च प्रस्थितः पुरुषोत्तमः
Because I transcend the perishable and am even higher than the imperishable, I am proclaimed in the world and in the Vedas as the Supreme Person.
यो मामेवमसंमूढो जानाति पुरुषोत्तमम् । स सर्वविद्भजति मां सर्वभावेन भारत
Whoever, free from delusion, knows me as the Supreme Person, that one, knowing all, worships me with all their being, O Bhārata.
इति गुह्यतमं शास्त्रमिदमुक्तं मयाऽनघ। एवद्बुद्ध्वा बुद्धिमान्स्यात्कृतकृत्यश्च भारत
Thus this most secret teaching has been declared by me, O sinless one. Knowing this, a person becomes wise and accomplished in all duties, O Bhārata.
अभयं सत्वसंशुद्धिर्ज्ञानयोगव्यवस्थितिः । दानं दमश्च यज्ञश्च स्वाध्यायस्तप आर्जवम्
Fearlessness, purity of heart, steadfastness in knowledge and yoga, generosity, self-control, sacrifice, study of the scriptures, austerity, and honesty—
अहिंसा सत्यमक्रोधस्त्यागः शान्तिरपैशुनम् । दया भूतेष्वलोलुत्वं मार्दवं ह्रीरचापलम्
Nonviolence, truthfulness, absence of anger, renunciation, tranquility, absence of malice, compassion for beings, absence of greed, gentleness, modesty, and lack of fickleness—
तेजः क्षमा धृतिः शौचमद्रोहो नातिमानिता । भवन्ति संपदं दैवीमभिजातस्य भारत
Vigor, forgiveness, fortitude, cleanliness, absence of envy, and lack of pride—these are the qualities of one born with divine endowments, O Bhārata.
दम्भो दर्पोऽभिमानश्च क्रोधः पारुष्यमेव च । अज्ञानं चाभिजातस्य पार्थ संपदमासुरीम्
Hypocrisy, arrogance, self-conceit, anger, harshness, and ignorance—these, O Pārtha, are the qualities of one born with demonic endowments.
दैवी संपद्विमोक्षाय निबन्धायासुरी मता। मा शुचः संपदं दैवीमभिजातोऽसि पाण्डव
Divine endowments lead to liberation; demonic ones are considered to bind. Do not grieve, O Pāṇḍava, for you are born with divine qualities.
द्वौ भूतसर्गौ लोकेऽस्मिन्दैव आसुर एव च। दैवो विस्तरशः प्रोक्त आसुरं पार्थ मे शृणु
In this world there are two types of created beings: the divine and the demonic. The divine has been described at length; now hear from me about the demonic, O Pārtha.
प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च जना न विदुरासुराः। न शौचं नापि चाचारो न सत्यं तेषु विद्यते
The demonic do not know the path of action or renunciation; in them there is no purity, no proper conduct, nor is there truth.
असत्यमप्रतिष्ठं ते जगदाहुरनीश्वरम् । अपरस्परसंभूतं किमन्यत्कामहैतुकम्
They say the world is without truth, without foundation, without a Lord, born of mutual union, with desire as its cause—what else?
एतां दृष्टिमवष्टभ्य नष्टात्मानोऽल्पबुद्धयः । प्रभवन्त्युग्रकर्माणः क्षयाय जगतोऽहिताः
Holding to this view, lost in themselves, of little understanding, engaging in cruel deeds, these enemies of the world arise for its destruction.
काममाश्रित्य दुष्पूरं दम्भमानमदान्विताः । मोहाद्गृहीत्वाऽसद्ग्राहान्प्रवर्तन्तेऽशुचिव्रताः
Clinging to insatiable desire, filled with hypocrisy, pride, and arrogance, deluded, they hold fast to false views and act with impure vows.