इन्द्रियाणां तु सर्वेषां वश्यात्मा चलितस्मृतिः आत्मनः संप्रदानेन मर्त्यो मृत्युम् उपाश्नुते
When the mind is swayed and memory falters, and the self yields to the senses, a mortal partakes of death.
विहत्य सर्वसंकल्पान् सत्त्वे चित्तं निवेशयेत् सत्त्वे चित्तं समावेश्य ततः कालञ्जरो भवेत्
Having destroyed all desires, one should establish the mind in purity; when the mind is thus settled in purity, then one becomes free from decay.
चित्तप्रसादेन यतिर् जहातीह शुभाशुभम् प्रसन्नात्मात्मनि स्थित्वा सुखम् अत्यन्तम् अश्नुते
With clarity of mind, the ascetic abandons both good and evil here; dwelling with a tranquil self in the self, he attains supreme happiness.
लक्षणं तु प्रसादस्य यथा स्वप्ने सुखं भवेत् निर्वाते वा यथा दीपो दीप्यमानो न कम्पते
The mark of tranquility is as follows: just as happiness arises in a dream, or as a lamp burns steadily in a windless place without flickering.
एवं पूर्वापरे रात्रे युञ्जन्न् आत्मानम् आत्मना लघ्वाहारो विशुद्धात्मा पश्यत्य् आत्मानम् आत्मनि
Thus, practicing self-restraint night and day, eating lightly and with a purified mind, one perceives the self within the self.
रहस्यं सर्ववेदानाम् अनैतिह्यम् अनागमम् आत्मप्रत्यायकं शास्त्रम् इदं पुत्रानुशासनम्
This teaching, imparted to the son, is the secret of all the Vedas, not based on tradition or scripture, but established by direct experience of the self.
धर्माख्यानेषु सर्वेषु सत्याख्यानेषु यद् वसु दशवर्षसहस्राणि निर्मथ्यामृतम् उद्धृतम्
Among all teachings of dharma and truth, whatever essence has been churned out as nectar over ten thousand years, that is here.
नवनीतं यथा दध्नः काष्ठाद् अग्निर् यथैव च तथैव विदुषां ज्ञानं मुक्तिहेतोः समुद्धृतम्
Just as butter is extracted from milk, and fire from wood, so too is knowledge for liberation drawn forth by the wise.
स्नातकानाम् इदं शास्त्रं वाच्यं पुत्रानुशासनम् तद् इदं नाप्रशान्ताय नादान्ताय तपस्विने
This scripture, the instruction to the son, should be spoken to those who have graduated, but not to the untranquil, the undisciplined, or the ascetic.
नावेदविदुषे वाच्यं तथा नानुगताय च नासूयकायानृजवे न चानिर्दिष्टकारिणे
It should not be spoken to one ignorant of the Vedas, nor to one who has not followed, nor to the envious, the dishonest, or the undirected in action.
न तर्कशास्त्रदग्धाय तथैव पिशुनाय च श्लाघिने श्लाघनीयाय प्रशान्ताय तपस्विने
Nor to one scorched by logic, nor to the malicious, nor to the boastful; but to the worthy, the tranquil, and the ascetic.
इदं प्रियाय पुत्राय शिष्यायानुगताय तु रहस्यधर्मं वक्तव्यं नान्यस्मै तु कथंचन
This secret teaching of dharma should be spoken only to a dear son, a disciple who follows, but never to anyone else.
यद् अप्य् अस्य महीं दद्याद् रत्नपूर्णाम् इमां नरः इदम् एव ततः श्रेय इति मन्येत तत्त्ववित्
Even if a man were to give this earth filled with gems, the knower of truth would consider this teaching to be superior.
अतो गुह्यतरार्थं तद् अध्यात्मम् अतिमानुषम् यत् तन् महर्षिभिर् दृष्टं वेदान्तेषु च गीयते
Therefore, this most secret meaning, concerning the self and beyond the human, which the great sages have seen and is sung in the Vedanta, is here.
तद् युष्मभ्यं प्रयच्छामि यन् मां पृच्छत सत्तमाः यन् मे मनसि वर्तेत यस् तु वो हृदि संशयः श्रुतं भवद्भिस् तत् सर्वं किम् अन्यत् कथयामि वः
I bestow upon you, O noble ones, whatever you have asked of me, whatever abides in my mind, and whatever doubt remains in your hearts; all that you have heard from me—what else should I tell you?
अध्यात्मं विस्तरेणेह पुनर् एव वदस्व नः यद् अध्यात्मं यथा विद्मो भगवन्न् ऋषिसत्तम
Please speak to us again in detail about the self, O blessed sage, so that we may know the self as it truly is.
अध्यात्मं यद् इदं विप्राः पुरुषस्येह पठ्यते युष्मभ्यं कथयिष्यामि तस्य व्याख्यावधार्यताम्
O Brahmins, whatever is recited here about the self of man, I will explain to you; let its exposition be carefully attended.
भूमिर् आपस् तथा ज्योतिर् वायुर् आकाशम् एव च महाभूतानि यश् चैव सर्वभूतेषु भूतकृत्
Earth, water, fire, air, and space—these are the great elements; and he who is the creator of beings in all creatures.
आकारं तु भवेद् यस्य यस्मिन् देहं न पश्यति आकाशाद्यं शरीरेषु कथं तद् उपवर्णयेत् इन्द्रियाणां गुणाः केचित् कथं तान् उपलक्षयेत्
How can one describe that form whose body is not seen in any form, just as space is not seen in bodies? How can one perceive the qualities of the senses, and how can those qualities be discerned?
एतद् वो वर्णयिष्यामि यथावद् अनुदर्शनम् शृणुध्वं तद् इहैकाग्र्या यथातत्त्वं यथा च तत्
I will explain this to you as it truly is, with proper demonstration. Listen to this here with focused attention, as it is and as it should be understood.
शब्दः श्रोत्रं तथा खानि त्रयम् आकाशलक्षणम् प्राणश् चेष्टा तथा स्पर्श एते वायुगुणास् त्रयः
Sound, hearing, and the three channels—these are the characteristics of space. Breath, movement, and touch—these three are the qualities of air.
रूपं चक्षुर् विपाकश् च त्रिधा ज्योतिर् विधीयते रसो ऽथ रसनं स्वेदो गुणास् त्व् एते त्रयो ऽम्भसाम्
Form, sight, and transformation—these three are said to be the qualities of fire. Taste, tongue, and sweat—these three are the qualities of water.
घ्रेयं घ्राणं शरीरं च भूमेर् एते गुणास् त्रयः एतावान् इन्द्रियग्रामो व्याख्यातः पाञ्चभौतिकः
Smell, nose, and body—these three are the qualities of earth. Thus, the group of senses composed of the five elements has been explained.
वायोः स्पर्शो रसो ऽद्भ्यश् च ज्योतिषो रूपम् उच्यते आकाशप्रभवः शब्दो गन्धो भूमिगुणः स्मृतः
Touch is from air, taste from water, form is said to be from fire, sound arises from space, and scent is known as the quality of earth.
मनो बुद्धिः स्वभावश् च गुणा एते स्वयोनिजाः ते गुणान् अतिवर्तन्ते गुणेभ्यः परमा मताः
Mind, intellect, and inherent nature—these are qualities born from themselves. They transcend the qualities and are considered higher than them.
यथा कूर्म इवाङ्गानि प्रसार्य संनियच्छति एवम् एवेन्द्रियग्रामं बुद्धिश्रेष्ठो नियच्छति
Just as a turtle extends and withdraws its limbs, so too does the intellect, being supreme, restrain the group of senses.
यद् ऊर्ध्वं पादतलयोर् अवार्कोर्ध्वं च पश्यति एतस्मिन्न् एव कृत्ये सा वर्तते बुद्धिर् उत्तमा
Whatever is above the soles of the feet and whatever is seen above the sun, in this very activity the highest intellect operates.
गुणैस् तु नीयते बुद्धिर् बुद्धिर् एवेन्द्रियाण्य् अपि मनःषष्ठानि सर्वाणि बुद्ध्या भावात् कुतो गुणाः
Intellect is led by qualities, and intellect itself leads the senses. All six—the senses and mind—arise from intellect; how then can qualities exist apart from it?
इन्द्रियाणि नरैः पञ्च षष्ठं तन् मन उच्यते सप्तमीं बुद्धिम् एवाहुः क्षेत्रज्ञं विद्धि चाष्टमम्
The five senses in humans, the sixth called mind, the seventh is said to be intellect, and know the knower of the field as the eighth.
चक्षुर् आलोकनायैव संशयं कुरुते मनः बुद्धिर् अध्यवसानाय साक्षी क्षेत्रज्ञ उच्यते
The eye is for seeing, the mind for doubting, the intellect for determining, and the witness is called the knower of the field.