तेषां तु तिर्यग्गमनं हि दृष्टं नाधो गतिः पापकृतां निवासः न वा प्रधाना अपि ते द्विजातयो ये ज्ञानम् एतन् मुनयो न सक्ताः
For them, passage into lower forms has not been seen, nor a downward course, nor dwelling among the sinful; nor are those twice-born, even the chief ones, who are not attached to this knowledge, considered among the sages.
सांख्यं विशालं परमं पुराणं महार्णवं विमलम् उदारकान्तम् कृत्स्नं हि सांख्या मुनयो महात्म नारायणे धारयताप्रमेयम्
The Sāṃkhya is vast, supreme, ancient, a great ocean, pure, and of noble beauty; the sages of great soul uphold the entire, immeasurable Sāṃkhya in Nārāyaṇa.
एतन् मयोक्तं परमं हि तत्त्वं नारायणाद् विश्वम् इदं पुराणम् स सर्गकाले च करोति सर्गं संहारकाले च हरेत भूयः
This highest truth has been declared by me: from Nārāyaṇa, this entire ancient universe arises; at the time of creation, he creates, and at the time of dissolution, he withdraws it again.
किं तद् अक्षरम् इत्य् उक्तं यस्मान् नावर्तते पुनः किंस्वित् तत् क्षरम् इत्य् उक्तं यस्माद् आवर्तते पुनः
What is called the imperishable is that from which there is no return; what is called the perishable is that from which there is return again.
अक्षराक्षरयोर् व्यक्तिं पृच्छामस् त्वां महामुने उपलब्धुं मुनिश्रेष्ठ तत्त्वेन मुनिपुंगव
We ask you, O great sage, to explain the distinction between the perishable and the imperishable, so that we may truly understand, O best of sages.
त्वं हि ज्ञानविदां श्रेष्ठः प्रोच्यसे वेदपारगैः ऋषिभिश् च महाभागैर् यतिभिश् च महात्मभिः
You are regarded as the foremost among those who know knowledge, by those who have mastered the Vedas, by the great and fortunate seers, and by the noble ascetics.
तद् एतच् छ्रोतुम् इच्छामस् त्वत्तः सर्वं महामते न तृप्तिम् अधिगच्छामः शृण्वन्तो ऽमृतम् उत्तमम्
Therefore, O great-minded one, we wish to hear all this from you; listening to this highest nectar, we do not attain satisfaction.
अत्र वो वर्णयिष्यामि इतिहासं पुरातनम् वसिष्ठस्य च संवादं करालजनकस्य च
Here I shall recount to you an ancient history, the dialogue between Vasiṣṭha and Karāla Janaka.
वसिष्ठं श्रेष्ठम् आसीनम् ऋषीणां भास्करद्युतिम् पप्रच्छ जनको राजा ज्ञानं नैःश्रेयसं परम्
Janaka, the king, once asked Vasiṣṭha, the best among seers, radiant as the sun, about the supreme knowledge that leads to the highest good.
परमात्मनि कुशलम् अध्यात्मगतिनिश्चयम् मैत्रावरुणिम् आसीनम् अभिवाद्य कृताञ्जलिः
Having greeted the noble son of Mitra and Varuṇa, who was seated and versed in the knowledge of the supreme Self and the certainty of the spiritual path, he asked him.
स्वच्छन्दं सुकृतं चैव मधुरं चाप्य् अनुल्बणम् पप्रच्छर्षिवरं राजा करालजनकः पुरा
Long ago, King Karāla Janaka, with joined palms, respectfully asked the best of sages in a manner that was spontaneous, virtuous, sweet, and gentle.
भगवञ् श्रोतुम् इच्छामि परं ब्रह्म सनातनम् यस्मिन् न पुनरावृत्तिं प्राप्नुवन्ति मनीषिणः
O venerable one, I wish to hear about the supreme, eternal Brahman, from which the wise do not return again.
यच् च तत् क्षरम् इत्य् उक्तं यत्रेदं क्षरते जगत् यच् चाक्षरम् इति प्रोक्तं शिवं क्षेमम् अनामयम्
And what is called the perishable, in which this world perishes, and what is called the imperishable, which is auspicious, secure, and free from affliction?
श्रूयतां पृथिवीपाल क्षरतीदं यथा जगत् यत्र क्षरति पूर्वेण यावत्कालेन चाप्य् अथ
Listen, O protector of the earth, to how this world perishes, and for how long it continues before perishing.
युगं द्वादशसाहस्र्यं कल्पं विद्धि चतुर्युगम् दशकल्पशतावर्तम् अहस् तद् ब्राह्मम् उच्यते
Know that a yuga is twelve thousand years, and a kalpa is four yugas; a day of Brahmā is said to be a hundred cycles of ten kalpas.
रात्रिश् चैतावती राजन् यस्यान्ते प्रतिबुध्यते सृजत्य् अनन्तकर्माणि महान्तं भूतम् अग्रजम्
O king, his night is of equal length, at the end of which he awakens and creates countless deeds, bringing forth the great, primeval being.
मूर्तिमन्तम् अमूर्तात्मा विश्वं शंभुः स्वयंभुवः यत्रोत्पत्तिं प्रवक्ष्यामि मूलतो नृपसत्तम
The embodied and formless Self, Śaṃbhu, the self-born, who is the universe—I shall declare to you, O foremost of kings, the origin from its root.
अणिमा लघिमा प्राप्तिर् ईशानं ज्योतिर् अव्ययम् सर्वतःपाणिपादान्तं सर्वतोक्षिशिरोमुखम्
Aṇimā, Laghimā, Prāpti, Īśāna, the imperishable light, whose hands and feet extend everywhere, whose eyes, heads, and faces are everywhere.
सर्वतःश्रुतिमल् लोके सर्वम् आवृत्य तिष्ठति हिरण्यगर्भो भगवान् एष बुद्धिर् इति स्मृतिः
Whose hearing is everywhere in the world, who pervades all and abides, this is the blessed Hiraṇyagarbha; this is called intellect and memory.
महान् इति च योगेषु विरिञ्चिर् इति चाप्य् अथ सांख्ये च पठ्यते शास्त्रे नामभिर् बहुधात्मकः
He is called Mahān in yoga, Viriñci in other contexts, and in Sāṃkhya scripture he is described by many names, possessing manifold forms.
विचित्ररूपो विश्वात्मा एकाक्षर इति स्मृतः धृतम् एकात्मकं येन कृत्स्नं त्रैलोक्यम् आत्मना
Of wondrous form, the soul of the universe, remembered as the single syllable, by whom the entire three worlds are held together by his own Self.
तथैव बहुरूपत्वाद् विश्वरूप इति श्रुतः एष वै विक्रियापन्नः सृजत्य् आत्मानम् आत्मना
Likewise, because of his manifold forms, he is called the Universal Form; this one, indeed, undergoes transformation and creates himself by himself.
प्रधानं तस्य संयोगाद् उत्पन्नं सुमहत् पुरम् अहंकारं महातेजाः प्रजापतिनमस्कृतम्
From the union with Pradhāna, a vast city arises, the great radiance of ego, honored by the Lord of creatures.
अव्यक्ताद् व्यक्तिम् आपन्नं विद्यासर्गं वदन्ति तम् महान्तं चाप्य् अहंकारम् अविद्यासर्ग एव च
From the unmanifest, the manifest arises; this is called the creation of knowledge. The great ego and the creation of ignorance are also spoken of.
अचरश् च चरश् चैव समुत्पन्नौ तथैकतः विद्याविद्येति विख्याते श्रुतिशास्त्रानुचिन्तकैः
Both the moving and unmoving are thus produced together; known as knowledge and ignorance, as considered in the scriptures and by reflection.
भूतसर्गम् अहंकारात् तृतीयं विद्धि पार्थिव अहंकारेषु नृपते चतुर्थं विद्धि वैकृतम्
From ego arises the creation of beings, know this as the third, O prince. In the egos, O king, know the fourth as the modified creation.
वायुर् ज्योतिर् अथाकाशम् आपो ऽथ पृथिवी तथा शब्दस्पर्शौ च रूपं च रसो गन्धस् तथैव च
Wind, light, space, water, and earth likewise; sound and touch, form, taste, and smell as well.
एवं युगपद् उत्पन्नं दशवर्गम् असंशयम् पञ्चमं विद्धि राजेन्द्र भौतिकं सर्गम् अर्थकृत्
Thus, ten categories arise simultaneously, without doubt. Know the fifth, O king, as the elemental creation, producing objects.
श्रोत्रं त्वक् चक्षुषी जिह्वा घ्राणम् एव च पञ्चमम् वाग् हस्तौ चैव पादौ च पायुर् मेढ्रं तथैव च
The ear, skin, eyes, tongue, and nose as the fifth; speech, hands, feet, anus, and genitals likewise.
बुद्धीन्द्रियाणि चैतानि तथा कर्मेन्द्रियाणि च संभूतानीह युगपन् मनसा सह पार्थिव
These are the sense organs and also the organs of action, which arise here together with the mind, O prince.