सांख्याः सांख्यं प्रशंसन्ति योगान् योगविदुत्तमाः वदन्ति कारणैः श्रेष्ठैः स्वपक्षोद्भवनाय वै
The Sāṃkhyas praise Sāṃkhya, and the foremost knowers of Yoga praise Yoga, each for the best reasons, in order to establish their own position.
अनीश्वरः कथं मुच्येद् इत्य् एवं मुनिसत्तमाः वदन्ति कारणैः श्रेष्ठं योगं सम्यङ् मनीषिणः
How can one without a Lord be liberated? Thus, the best of sages say, for the best reasons, that Yoga is truly superior, O wise one.
वदन्ति कारणं वेदं सांख्यं सम्यग् द्विजातयः विज्ञायेह गतीः सर्वा विरक्तो विषयेषु यः
The twice-born rightly say that Sāṃkhya is based on the Veda; it is to be understood here as the path for all those who are detached from sense-objects.
ऊर्ध्वं स देहात् सुव्यक्तं विमुच्येद् इति नान्यथा एतद् आहुर् महाप्राज्ञाः सांख्यं वै मोक्षदर्शनम्
They say that, after departing from the body, one is clearly liberated upward, and not otherwise. The great wise ones declare that Sāṃkhya is indeed the view of liberation.
स्वपक्षे कारणं ग्राह्यं समर्थं वचनं हितम् शिष्टानां हि मतं ग्राह्यं भवद्भिः शिष्टसंमतैः
One should accept the reasoning that supports one's own position, and the beneficial words. The opinion of the virtuous should be accepted by you, as approved by the virtuous.
प्रत्यक्षं हेतवो योगाः सांख्याः शास्त्रविनिश्चयाः उभे चैते मते तत्त्वे समवेते द्विजोत्तमाः
Yoga is based on direct perception and reasoning; Sāṃkhya on scriptural determination. Both these views, O best of twice-born, are united in truth.
उभे चैते मते ज्ञाते मुनीन्द्राः शिष्टसंमते अनुष्ठिते यथाशास्त्रं नयेतां परमां गतिम्
Both these paths, when understood and practiced by the great sages, esteemed by the wise, and performed according to scripture, lead to the highest goal.
तुल्यं शौचं तयोर् युक्तं दया भूतेषु चानघाः व्रतानां धारणं तुल्यं दर्शनं त्व् असमं तयोः
Both possess equal purity, are endowed with compassion toward beings, and uphold vows equally; their vision is similar, but not identical.
यदि तुल्यं व्रतं शौचं दया चात्र महामुने तुल्यं तद्दर्शनं कस्मात् तन् नो ब्रूहि द्विजोत्तम
If their vows, purity, and compassion are equal, O great sage, why is their vision not the same? Please explain this to us, O best of the twice-born.
रागं मोहं तथा स्नेहं कामं क्रोधं च केवलम् योगास्थिरोदितान् दोषान् पञ्चैतान् प्राप्नुवन्ति तान्
Attachment, delusion, affection, desire, and anger—these five faults arise solely from instability in yoga.
यथा वानिमिषाः स्थूलं जालं छित्त्वा पुनर् जलम् प्राप्नुवन्ति तथा योगात् तत् पदं वीतकल्मषाः
Just as birds, after breaking through a thick net, again encounter another net, so too those purified by yoga reach that state free from blemish.
तथैव वागुरां छित्त्वा बलवन्तो यथा मृगाः प्राप्नुयुर् विमलं मार्गं विमुक्ताः सर्वबन्धनैः
In the same way, strong deer break through a snare and attain a pure path, freed from all bonds.
लोभजानि तथा विप्रा बन्धनानि बलान्वितः छित्त्वा योगात् परं मार्गं गच्छन्ति विमलं शुभम्
Similarly, O brahmins, those endowed with strength break the bonds born of greed through yoga and proceed to the supreme, pure, auspicious path.
अचलास् त्व् आविला विप्रा वागुरासु तथापरे विनश्यन्ति न संदेहस् तद्वद् योगबलाद् ऋते
But others, unmoving and confused, remain caught in snares and perish; there is no doubt—so it is without the power of yoga.
बलहीनाश् च विप्रेन्द्रा यथा जालं गता द्विजाः बन्धं न गच्छन्त्य् अनघा योगास् ते तु सुदुर्लभाः
And those lacking strength, O best of brahmins, like birds caught in a net, do not escape bondage; such yogas are indeed very rare.
यथा च शकुनाः सूक्ष्मं प्राप्य जालम् अरिंदमाः तत्राशक्ता विपद्यन्ते मुच्यन्ते तु बलान्विताः
Just as birds, O subduer of foes, reaching a fine net, perish if powerless, but escape if endowed with strength.
कर्मजैर् बन्धनैर् बद्धास् तद्वद् योगपरा द्विजाः अबला न विमुच्यन्ते मुच्यन्ते च बलान्विताः
Similarly, O twice-born, those devoted to yoga, bound by bonds arising from karma, do not attain liberation if weak, but are freed if endowed with strength.
अल्पकश् च यथा विप्रा वह्निः शाम्यति दुर्बलः आक्रान्त इन्धनैः स्थूलैस् तद्वद् योगबलः स्मृतः
Just as a small, weak fire is extinguished, O brahmins, when overwhelmed by thick fuel, so too is the power of yoga remembered.
स एव च तदा विप्रा वह्निर् जातबलः पुनः समीरणगतः कृत्स्नां दहेत् क्षिप्रं महीम् इमाम्
But when that fire, O brahmins, regains its strength and is fanned by wind, it can swiftly burn up this entire earth.
तत्त्वज्ञानबलो योगी दीप्ततेजा महाबलः अन्तकाल इवादित्यः कृत्स्नं संशोषयेज् जगत्
A yogi, strong in knowledge of truth, radiant and mighty, like the sun at the time of destruction, can dry up the whole world.
दुर्बलश् च यथा विप्राः स्रोतसा ह्रियते नरः बलहीनस् तथा योगी विषयैर् ह्रियते च सः
Just as a weak man is carried away by a current, so too a yogi lacking strength is carried away by sense objects.
तद् एव तु यथा स्रोतो विष्कम्भयति वारणः तद्वद् योगबलं लब्ध्वा न भवेद् विषयैर् हृतः
But just as an elephant blocks a stream, so too, having attained the power of yoga, one is not carried away by sense objects.
विशन्ति वा वशाद् वाथ योगाद् योगबलान्विताः प्रजापतीन् मनून् सर्वान् महाभूतानि चेश्वराः
Whether entering by their own will or through yoga, those endowed with yogic power enter the progenitors, all Manus, and the great elements, O rulers.
न यमो नान्तकः क्रुद्धो न मृत्युर् भीमविक्रमः विशन्ते तद् द्विजाः सर्वे योगस्यामिततेजसः
Neither Yama nor Death in wrath, nor mighty Death himself, can enter there, O twice-born; all are surpassed by the boundless radiance of yoga.
आत्मनां च सहस्राणि बहूनि द्विजसत्तमाः योगं कुर्याद् बलं प्राप्य तैश् च सर्वैर् महीं चरेत्
O best of twice-born, having attained strength, one should unite with many thousands of selves, and with all of them roam the earth.
प्राप्नुयाद् विषयान् कश्चित् पुनश् चोग्रं तपश् चरेत् संक्षिप्येच् च पुनर् विप्राः सूर्यस् तेजोगुणान् इव
Someone may attain sense objects, yet again undertake intense austerity; and, O Brahmins, he should again draw in his powers, like the sun does with its rays.
बलस्थस्य हि योगस्य बलार्थं मुनिसत्तमाः विमोक्षप्रभवं विष्णुम् उपपन्नम् असंशयम्
Indeed, O best of sages, the strength of yoga is for the sake of strength; and with that, one attains Vishnu, the source of liberation, without doubt.
बलानि योगप्रोक्तानि मयैतानि द्विजोत्तमाः निदर्शनार्थं सूक्ष्माणि वक्ष्यामि च पुनर् द्विजाः
O best of twice-born, I have described to you the strengths spoken of in yoga; now, for the sake of illustration, I will again speak of their subtle forms.
आत्मनश् च समाधाने धारणां प्रति वा द्विजाः निदर्शनानि सूक्ष्माणि शृणुध्वं मुनिसत्तमाः
O twice-born, listen, O best of sages, to the subtle illustrations concerning concentration of the self or regarding dhāraṇā.
अप्रमत्तो यथा धन्वी लक्ष्यं हन्ति समाहितः युक्तः सम्यक् तथा योगी मोक्षं प्राप्नोत्य् असंशयम्
Just as an archer, attentive and focused, strikes the target without error, so too does a yogi, properly engaged, undoubtedly attain liberation.