स त्वं विचक्ष्य मृगचेष्टितमात्मनोऽन्तः चित्तं नियच्छ हृदि कर्णधुनीं च चित्ते । जह्यङ्गनाश्रममसत् तमयूथगाथं प्रीणीहि हंसशरणं विरम क्रमेण
Therefore, observe the behavior of the deer and restrain your own mind within your heart, as a charioteer holds the reins. Abandon the company of women and the songs of the herd, and gradually take refuge in the shelter of the Swan—be satisfied and withdraw step by step.
राजोवाच - (अनुष्टुप्) श्रुतमन्वीक्षितं ब्रह्मन् भगवान् यदभाषत । नैतज्जानन्ति उपाध्यायाः किं न ब्रूयुर्विदुर्यदि
The king said: O brāhmaṇa, I have heard and reflected on what the Lord has spoken. Why do the teachers not explain this, if they know it?
संशयोऽत्र तु मे विप्र सञ्छिन्नस्तत्कृतो महान् । ऋषयोऽपि हि मुह्यन्ति यत्र नेन्द्रियवृत्तयः
O brāhmaṇa, my great doubt has been dispelled by your words. Even sages are bewildered where the senses do not reach.
कर्माण्यारभते येन पुमानिह विहाय तम् । अमुत्रान्येन देहेन जुष्टानि स यदश्नुते
By whatever actions a person acts here, abandoning this body, with another body he enjoys the results of those actions there.
इति वेदविदां वादः श्रूयते तत्र तत्र ह । कर्म यत्क्रियते प्रोक्तं परोक्षं न प्रकाशते
This is the debate heard among those who know the Vedas: the actions performed are said to be hidden, not manifest.
नारद उवाच - येनैवारभते कर्म तेनैवामुत्र तत्पुमान् । भुङ्क्ते हि अव्यवधानेन लिङ्गेन मनसा स्वयम्
Nārada said: By whatever actions one acts, by those very actions he enjoys the results in the next life, without interruption, through the subtle body and mind.
शयानं इमं उत्सृज्य श्वसन्तं पुरुषो यथा । कर्मात्मन्याहितं भुङ्क्ते तादृशेनेतरेण वा
Just as a man leaves behind a sleeping, breathing body, so does he enjoy the results of actions, either with that body or with another.
ममैते मनसा यद्यद् असौ अहं इति ब्रुवन् । गृह्णीयात् तत्पुमान् राद्धं कर्म येन पुनर्भवः
Whatever this person, saying 'I am this,' grasps with his mind, he attains the results of those actions, by which rebirth occurs.
यथानुमीयते चित्तं उभयैरिन्द्रियेहितैः । एवं प्राग्देहजं कर्म लक्ष्यते चित्तवृत्तिभिः
Just as the mind is inferred from the activities of both types of senses, so too are actions from previous bodies recognized by the movements of the mind.
नानुभूतं क्व चानेन देहेनादृष्टमश्रुतम् । कदाचिद् उपलभ्येत यद् रूपं यादृगात्मनि
With this body, one has not experienced nor seen nor heard; yet, at some time, that form may be perceived, as it is within oneself.
तेनास्य तादृशं राजन् लिङ्गिनो देहसम्भवम् । श्रद्धत्स्वाननुभूतोऽर्थो न मनः स्प्रष्टुमर्हति
Therefore, O King, the embodied soul attains such a form arising from the body; the meaning not directly experienced cannot be grasped by the mind.
मन एव मनुष्यस्य पूर्वरूपाणि शंसति । भविष्यतश्च भद्रं ते तथैव न भविष्यतः
The mind alone reveals to a person the previous forms, and likewise those that will be, as well as those that will not be—may you be blessed.
अदृष्टमश्रुतं चात्र क्वचित् मनसि दृश्यते । यथा तथानुमन्तव्यं देशकालक्रियाश्रयम्
Here, sometimes, what has not been seen or heard appears in the mind; thus, one should infer according to place, time, and action.
सर्वे क्रमानुरोधेन मनसीन्द्रियगोचराः । आयान्ति बहुशो यान्ति सर्वे समनसो जनाः
All objects accessible to the mind and senses come and go repeatedly in accordance with sequence; all people share this experience.
सत्त्वैकनिष्ठे मनसि भगवत्पार्श्ववर्तिनि । तमश्चन्द्रमसीवेदं उपरज्यावभासते
When the mind is fixed solely in sattva, dwelling near the Lord, then darkness, like the moon's shadow, is dispelled and this is illuminated.
नाहं ममेति भावोऽयं पुरुषे व्यवधीयते । यावद्बुद्धिमनोऽक्षार्थ गुणव्यूहो ह्यनादिमान्
The notion 'I' and 'mine' is interrupted in the person, as long as the arrangement of intellect, mind, senses, and qualities, which is beginningless, persists.
सुप्तिमूर्च्छोपतापेषु प्राणायनविघाततः । नेहतेऽहमिति ज्ञानं मृत्युप्रज्वारयोरपि
During sleep, fainting, and suffering, due to disruption of breath, the awareness 'I am' does not arise—even in the burning of death.
गर्भे बाल्येऽप्यपौष्कल्याद् एकादशविधं तदा । लिङ्गं न दृश्यते यूनः कुह्वां चन्द्रमसो यथा
In the womb and in childhood, due to immaturity, the elevenfold subtle body is not manifest, just as the moon is hidden in the new phase.
अर्थे हि अविद्यमानेऽपि संसृतिर्न निवर्तते । ध्यायतो विषयानस्य स्वप्नेऽनर्थागमो यथा
Even when the object is absent, the cycle does not cease; as one contemplates objects, misfortune comes in dreams, though they are unreal.
एवं पञ्चविधं लिङ्गं त्रिवृत्षोडश विस्तृतम् । एष चेतनया युक्तो जीव इत्यभिधीयते
Thus, the fivefold subtle body, expanded in three and sixteen ways, when joined with consciousness, is called the living being.
अनेन पुरुषो देहान् उपादत्ते विमुञ्चति । हर्षं शोकं भयं दुःखं सुखं चानेन विन्दति
By this, the person takes up and abandons bodies, and through this experiences joy, sorrow, fear, pain, and happiness.
यथा तृणजलूकेयं नापयात्यपयाति च । न त्यजेन्म्रियमाणोऽपि प्राग्देहाभिमतिं जनः
Just as a leech on grass and water neither departs nor remains, so a person does not abandon identification with the body, even at the time of death.
अदृष्टं दृष्टवन्नङ्क्षेद्भूतं स्वप्नवदन्यथा । भूतं भवद्भविष्यच्च सुप्तं सर्वरहोरहः
The unseen does not perish like the seen, but exists otherwise, like a dream; what has been, what is, and what will be, all sleep day and night.
यदाक्षैश्चरितान् ध्यायन् कर्माण्याचिनुतेऽसकृत् । सति कर्मण्यविद्यायां बन्धः कर्मण्यनात्मनः
When one repeatedly contemplates actions performed by the senses, as long as ignorance persists in action, bondage arises for the non-self.
अतस्तद् अपवादार्थं भज सर्वात्मना हरिम् । पश्यन् तदात्मकं विश्वं स्थित्युत्पत्त्यप्यया यतः
Therefore, for the sake of liberation from that, worship Hari with all your being, seeing the universe as his own, from whom arise creation, maintenance, and dissolution.
मैत्रेय उवाच - भागवतमुख्यो भगवान् नारदो हंसयोर्गतिम् । प्रदर्श्य ह्यमुमामन्त्र्य सिद्धलोकं ततोऽगमत्
Maitreya said: The foremost devotee, the Lord Nārada, having shown the path of the swans and bidding them farewell, then went to Siddhaloka.
प्राचीनबर्ही राजर्षिः प्रजासर्गाभिरक्षणे । आदिश्य पुत्रानगमत् तपसे कपिलाश्रमम्
King Prācīnabarhī, the royal sage, after instructing his sons in the protection of creation, went to the hermitage of Kapila for austerity.
तत्रैकाग्रमना धीरो गोविन्द चरणाम्बुजम् । विमुक्तसङ्गोऽनुभजन् भक्त्या तत्साम्यतामगात्
There, with a mind fixed in one-pointed concentration, the steadfast one worshipped Govinda's lotus feet; freed from all attachment, he attained likeness with Him through devotion.
एतदध्यात्मपारोक्ष्यं गीतं देवर्षिणानघ । यः श्रावयेत् यः श्रृणुयात् स लिङ्गेन विमुच्यते
O sinless one, this teaching on the transcendental Self was sung by the divine sage; whoever recites it or hears it is liberated from material bondage.
एतन्मुकुन्दयशसा भुवनं पुनानं देवर्षिवर्यमुखनिःसृतमात्मशौचम् । यः कीर्त्यमानमधिगच्छति पारमेष्ठ्यं नास्मिन् भवे भ्रमति मुक्तसमस्तबन्धः
This purifying glory of Mukunda, which sanctifies the world, has flowed from the mouth of the foremost divine sage, embodying the purity of the Self; whoever hears it being recited attains the supreme state and, freed from all bonds, no longer wanders in this existence.