Agni Purana

अग्निरुवाच यमगीतां प्रवक्ष्यामि उक्ता या नाचिकेतसे । पठतां श्रृण्वतां भुक्त्यै मुक्त्यै मोक्षार्थिनां सतां ।। ३८२.

Agni said: I will declare the Song of Yama, which was spoken to Naciketas—let the virtuous who recite or listen to it, seeking enjoyment or liberation, attain their desired fruit.

यम उवाच आसनं शयनं यानपरिधानगृहादिकम् । वाञ्छत्यहोऽतिमोहेन सुस्थिरं स्वयमस्थिरः ।। ३८२.

Yama said: Alas, though himself unstable, a man desires with great delusion a steady seat, bed, vehicle, clothing, house, and the like.

भोगेष्वशक्तिः सततं तथैवात्मावलोकनं । श्रेयः परं मनुष्याणां कपिलोद्गीतमेव हि ।। ३८२.

Constant inability to enjoy pleasures, and likewise self-examination—this alone, as sung by Kapila, is the highest good for human beings.

सर्व्वत्र समदर्शित्वं निर्म्ममत्वमसङ्गता । श्रेयः परं मनुष्याणां गीतं पञ्चशिखेन हि ।। ३८२.

Seeing all equally everywhere, freedom from possessiveness, and detachment—this alone, as sung by Pañcaśikha, is the highest good for human beings.

आगर्भजन्मबाल्यादिवयोऽवस्थादिवेदनं । श्रेयः परं मनुष्याणां गङ्गाविष्णुप्रगीतकं ।। ३८२.

Awareness of the stages from conception, birth, childhood, and so on—this alone, as sung by Gaṅgāviṣṇu, is the highest good for human beings.

आध्यात्मिकादिदुःखानामाद्यन्तादिप्रतिक्रिया । श्रेयः परं मनुष्याणां जनकोद्गीतमेव च ।। ३८२.

The remedy for the beginning, end, and origin of sufferings—bodily and otherwise—this alone, as sung by Janaka, is the highest good for human beings.

अभिन्नयोर्भेदकरः प्रत्ययो यः परात्मनः । तच्छान्तिपरमं श्रेयो ब्रह्मोद्गीतमुदाहृतं ।। ३८२.

The notion that creates division between the undivided Supreme Self and the individual—its pacification is declared as the supreme good, as sung by Brahman.

* कर्त्तव्यमिति यत्कर्म्म ऋग्यजुःसामसंज्ञितं । कुरुते श्रेयसे सङ्गाज्जैगीषव्येण गीयते ।। ३८२.

Whatever action is to be performed, known as Ṛg, Yajus, and Sāman, one should do for the sake of good, without attachment—this is sung by Jaigīṣavya.

हानिः सर्व्वविधित्‌सानामात्मनः सुखहैतुकी । श्रेयः परं मनुष्याणां देवलोद्गीतमीरितं ।। ३८२.

The loss of all prescribed actions, which is the cause of happiness for the self—this alone, as sung by Devala, is the highest good for human beings.

* कामत्यागात्तु विज्ञानं सुखं ब्रह्म परं पदं । कामिनां न हि विज्ञानं सनकोद्गीतमेव तत् ।। ३८२.

By renouncing desire, knowledge, happiness, and the supreme state of Brahman are attained; for those attached to desire, there is no true knowledge—this is what Sanaka has sung.

प्रवृत्तञ्च निवृत्तञ्च कार्य्यं कर्मपरोऽव्रवीत् । श्रेयसां श्रेय एतद्धि नैष्कर्म्यं ब्रह्म तद्धरिः ।। ३८२.

Both action and renunciation of action have been taught by the wise as duties; but the highest of all is non-action—Brahman itself, that is Hari.

पुमांश्चाधिगतज्ञानो भेदं नाप्नोति सत्तमः । ब्रह्माणा विष्णुसंज्ञेन परमेणाव्ययेन च । ३८२.

A man who has attained knowledge does not perceive difference, O best of men; Brahmā and Viṣṇu are known as the supreme, imperishable One.

ज्ञानं विज्ञानमास्तिक्यं सौभाग्यं रूपमुत्तमम् । तपसा लभ्यते सर्वं मनसा यद्यदिच्छति ।। ३८२.

Knowledge, realization, faith, supreme beauty, and good fortune—all these are obtained by austerity, whatever the mind desires.

नास्ति विष्णुसमन्ध्येयं तपो नानशनात्परं । नास्त्यारोग्यसमं धन्यं नास्ति गङ्गासमा सरित् ।। ३८२.

There is no vow equal to devotion to Viṣṇu, no austerity greater than fasting, no wealth equal to health, and no river equal to the Gaṅgā.

न सोऽस्ति बान्धवः कश्चिद्विष्णुं मुक्त्वा जगद्गुरुं । अधश्चोद्‌र्ध्वं हरिश्चाग्रे देहेन्द्रियमनोमुखे ।। ३८२.

There is no relative for anyone except Viṣṇu, the teacher of the world; above and below, Hari alone stands foremost, facing the body, senses, and mind.

इत्येवं संस्मरन् प्राणान् यस्त्यजेत्स हरिर्भवेत् । यत्तद् ब्रह्म यतः सर्वं यत्सर्वं तस्य संस्थितम् ।। ३८२.१६ अग्राह्यकमनिर्देश्यं सुप्रतिष्ठञ्च यत्परं । परापरस्वरूपेण विष्णुः सर्व्वहृदि स्थितः ।। ३८२.

Thus, remembering in this way, whoever gives up his life becomes Hari; that which is Brahman, from which all arises, in which all is established—

यज्ञेशं यज्ञपुरुषं केचिदिच्छन्ति तत्परं । केचिद्विष्णुं हरं केचित् केचिद् ब्रह्माणमीश्वरं ।। ३८२.

Some desire the Lord of sacrifice, the sacrificial Person, as that Supreme; some desire Viṣṇu, some Hara, some Brahmā as the Lord.

इन्द्रादिनामभिः केचित् सूर्य्यं सोमञ्च कालकम् । ब्रह्मादिस्तम्भपर्यन्तं जगद्विष्णुं वदन्ति च ।। ३८२.

Some call the sun and the moon by the names of Indra and others; some speak of the universe as extending from Brahma to a blade of grass, and as Vishnu.

स विष्णुः परमं ब्रह्म यतो नावर्त्तते पुनः । सुवर्णादिमहाकदानपुण्यतीर्थावगाहनैः ।। ३८२.

That Vishnu is the supreme Brahman, from whom there is no return; he is attained by the merit of great gifts of gold and the like, and by bathing in sacred waters.

ध्यानैर्व्रतैः पूजया च घर्म्मश्रुत्या तदाप्नुयात् । आत्मानं रथिनं विद्धि शरीरं रथमेव तु ।। ३८२.

Through meditation, vows, worship, and the hearing of the Gharma, one attains that; know the self as the charioteer, and the body indeed as the chariot.

बुद्धिन्तु सारथिं विद्धि मनः प्रग्रहमेव च । इन्द्रियाणि हयानाहुर्विषयांश्चेषुगोचरान् ।। ३८२.

Know the intellect as the charioteer, and the mind as the reins; the senses are called the horses, and the objects of sense are their paths.

आत्मेन्द्रियमनोयुक्तं भोक्तेत्याहुर्मनीषिणः । यस्त्वविज्ञानवान् भवत्ययुक्तेन मनसा सदा ।। ३८२.

The wise say that the self, joined with mind and senses, is the experiencer; but one who lacks discernment, always with an unrestrained mind—

न सत्पदमवाप्नोति संसारञ्चाधिगच्छति । यस्तु विज्ञानवान् भवति युक्तेन मनसा सदा ।। ३८२.

—does not reach the true path, and enters into the cycle of rebirth; but one who possesses discernment, always with a restrained mind—

स तत्पदमवाप्नोति यस्माद्भूयो न जायते । विज्ञानसारथिर्यस्तु मनःप्रग्रहवान्नरः ।। ३८२.

—attains that state from which one is not born again; he whose charioteer is discernment, and who holds the reins of the mind—

सोऽध्वानं परमाप्नोति तद्विष्णोः परमं पदम् । इन्द्रियेभ्यः परा ह्यर्था अर्थेभ्यश्च परं मनः ।। ३८२.

—he reaches the supreme path, that highest abode of Vishnu; beyond the senses are the objects, and beyond the objects is the mind.

मनसस्तु परा बुद्धिः बुद्धेरात्मा महान् परः । महतः परमवव्यक्तमव्यक्तात्पुरुषः परः ।। ३८२.

Beyond the mind is the intellect, beyond the intellect is the great self; beyond the great self is the unmanifest, and beyond the unmanifest is the person.

पुरुषान्न परं किञ्चित् सा काष्ठा सा परा गतिः । एषु सर्वेषु भूतेषु गूढ़ात्मा न प्रकाशते ।। ३८२.

There is nothing beyond the person; that is the limit, that is the highest goal; in all these beings, the hidden self does not appear.

दृश्यते त्वग्र्यया बुद्ध्या सूक्ष्मया सूक्ष्मदर्शिभिः । यच्छेद्वाङ्‌मनसी प्राज्ञः तद्यच्छेज्ज्ञानमात्मनि ।। ३८२.

But it is seen by the keen intellect, by those who perceive the subtle; the wise should restrain speech in the mind, and restrain the mind in knowledge, in the self.

ज्ञानमात्मनि महति नियच्छेच्छान्त आत्मनि । ज्ञात्वा ब्रह्मात्मनोर्योगं यमाद्यैर्ब्रह्म सद्भवेत् ।। ३८२.

Let knowledge be restrained in the great self, and the great self in the peaceful self; knowing the union of Brahman and self through the disciplines beginning with restraint, one becomes Brahman.