साधकस्य तु ध्यानादौ स्थूलरूपं प्रचक्षते । शरीरं सूक्ष्ममेवेदं पुरुषस्य प्रकीर्तितम्
For the practitioner, especially in meditation, the gross form is described; this subtle body is said to be that of the person.
मम चैव शरीरं वै सूत्रमित्यभिधीयते । स्थूलं शरीरं वक्ष्यामि ब्रह्मणः परमात्मनः
And my own body is called the 'thread' (sūtra); now I will explain the gross body of Brahman, the Supreme Self.
शृणु नारद यत्नेन यच्छ्रुत्वा विप्रमुच्यते । तन्मात्राणि पुरोक्तानि भूतसूक्ष्माणि यानि वै
Listen attentively, Nārada, to that which, when heard, frees the wise; the subtle elements previously mentioned are indeed the tanmātras.
पञ्चीकृत्य तु तान्येव पञ्चभूतसमुद्भवः । पञ्चीकरणभेदोऽयं शृणु संवदतः किल
By combining those very elements, the emergence of the five gross elements occurs; now hear the process of this combination as I explain it.
प्रथमं रसतन्मात्रामुपादाय मनस्यपि । कल्पयेच्च तथा तद्वै यथा भवति चोदकम्
First, taking the essence of taste and also in the mind, one should imagine it just as water comes to be.
शिष्टानां चैव भूतानामंशान्कृत्वा पृथक्पृथक् । उदके मिश्रयेच्चांशान्कृते रसमये ततः
And then, taking separate portions from the remaining elements, one should mix those portions into the water, thus forming the essence of taste.
तदा भूतविभागे च चैतन्ये च प्रकाशिते । चैतन्यस्य प्रवेशात्तु तदाऽहमिति संशयः
Then, when the division of the elements and consciousness is manifest, by the entry of consciousness, the notion of 'I am' arises.
प्रतीयमाने तेनैव विशेषेणाभिमानतः । आदिनारायणो देवो भगवानिति चोच्यते
When that is perceived, especially through identification, the primordial Nārāyaṇa is then called the Blessed Lord.
घनीभूतेऽथ भूतानां विभागे स्पष्टतां गते । वृद्धिं प्राप्य गुणैश्चेत्थमेकैकगुणवृद्धितः
Then, when the elements have become condensed and their divisions are clear, having increased by their qualities, each one grows according to the increase of its own quality.
आकाशस्य गुणश्चैकः शब्द एव न चापरः । शब्दस्पर्शौ च वायोश्च द्वौ गुणौ परिकीर्तितौ
The quality of space is only one, namely sound, and no other; for air, two qualities are mentioned: sound and touch.
अग्नेः शब्दश्च स्पर्शश्च रूपमेते त्रयो गुणाः । शब्दस्पर्शरूपरसाश्चत्वारो वै जलस्य च
For fire, the qualities are sound, touch, and form—these three; for water, the qualities are sound, touch, form, and taste—these four.
स्पर्शशब्दरसा रूपं गन्धश्च पृथिवीगुणाः । एवं मिलितयोगैश्च ब्रह्माण्डोत्पत्तिरुच्यते
For earth, the qualities are touch, sound, taste, form, and smell; thus, by these combinations, the origin of the cosmic egg is described.
सर्वे जीवा मिलित्वैव ब्रह्माण्डांशसमुद्भवाः । चतुरशीतिलक्षाश्च प्रोक्ता वै जीवजातयः
All living beings, having come together, arise as parts of the cosmic egg; and eighty-four hundred thousand species of living beings are said to exist.
गुणानां रूपसंस्थानादिवर्णनम् ब्रह्मोवाच सर्गोऽयं कथितस्तात यत्पृष्टोऽहं त्वयाऽधुना । गुणानां रूपसंस्थां वै शृणुष्वैकाग्रमानसः
Description of the forms and arrangements of the qualities.
सत्त्वं प्रीत्यात्मकं ज्ञेयं सुखात्प्रीतिसमुद्भवः । आर्जवं च तथा सत्यं शौचं श्रद्धा क्षमा धृतिः
Brahmā said: This creation, O dear one, which you have just asked me about, has been described; now, with focused mind, listen to the forms and arrangements of the qualities.
अनुकम्पा तथा लज्जा शान्तिः सन्तोष एव च । एतैः सत्त्वप्रतीतिश्च जायते निश्चला सदा
Sattva is to be understood as consisting of delight, arising from happiness and satisfaction; straightforwardness, truth, purity, faith, forgiveness, and steadfastness—
श्वेतवर्णं तथा सत्त्वं धर्मे प्रीतिकरः सदा । सच्छ्रद्धोत्पादकं नित्यमसच्छ्रद्धानिवारकम्
Compassion, modesty, peace, and contentment as well; by these, the unwavering realization of sattva always arises.
सात्त्विकी राजसी चैव तामसी च तथापरा । श्रद्धा तु त्रिविधा प्रोक्ता मुनिभिस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः
Faith is said by sages who see the truth to be of three kinds: sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic.
रक्तवर्णं रजः प्रोक्तमप्रीतिकरमद्भुतम् । अप्रीतिर्दुःखयोगत्वाद्भवत्येव सुनिश्चिता
Red color is declared to be rajas, which is wondrous but brings displeasure; indeed, displeasure arises certainly due to its connection with suffering.
प्रद्वेषोऽथ तथा द्रोहो मत्सरः स्तम्भ एव च । उत्कण्ठा च तथा निद्रा श्रद्धा तत्र च राजसी
Hatred, hostility, envy, arrogance, longing, and sleep—these are the qualities of rajasic faith.
मानो मदस्तथा गर्वो रजसा किल जायते । प्रत्येतव्यं रजस्त्वेतैर्लक्षणैश्च विचक्षणैः
Pride, intoxication, and conceit are born from rajas; the wise should recognize rajas by these characteristics.
कृष्णवर्णं तमः प्रोक्तं मोहनं च विषादकृत् । आलस्यं च तथाऽज्ञानं निद्रा दैन्यं भयं तथा
Black color is declared to be tamas, which causes delusion and despair, as well as laziness, ignorance, sleep, misery, and fear.
विवादश्चैव कार्पण्यं कौटिल्यं रोष एव च । वैषम्यं वातिनास्तिक्यं परदोषानुदर्शनम्
Quarreling, miserliness, deceit, anger, inequality, extreme atheism, and finding fault in others—
प्रत्येतव्यं तमस्त्वेतैर्लक्षणैः सर्वथा बुधैः । तामस्या श्रद्धया युक्तं परतापोपपादकम्
The wise should always recognize tamas by these signs; tamasic faith is associated with causing harm to others.
सत्त्वं प्रकाशयितव्यं नियन्तव्यं रजः सदा । संहर्तव्यं तमः कामं जनेन शुभमिच्छता
Sattva should be made manifest, rajas should always be restrained, and tamas should be destroyed by those who desire auspiciousness.
अन्योन्याभिभवाच्चैते विरुध्यन्ति परस्परम् । तथोऽन्योन्याश्रयाः सर्वे न तिष्ठन्ति निराश्रयाः
These qualities overpower each other and oppose one another; all depend on each other and do not exist independently.
सत्त्वं न केवलं क्वापि न रजो न तमस्तथा । मिलिताश्च सदा सर्वे तेनान्योन्याश्रयाः स्मृताः
Sattva, rajas, and tamas never exist alone anywhere; they are always mixed together, and thus are considered mutually dependent.
अन्योन्यमिथुनाच्चैव विस्तारं कथयाम्यहम् । शृणु नारद यज्ज्ञात्वा मुच्यते भवबन्धनात्
I will explain their mutual combination and expansion; listen, Narada, for knowing this one is freed from the bondage of existence.
सन्देहोऽत्र न कर्तव्यो ज्ञात्वेत्युक्तं मया वचः । ज्ञातं तदनुभूतं यत्परिज्ञातं फले सति
No doubt should be made here, for I have spoken this word: what is known, experienced, and understood yields its result.
श्रवणाद्दर्शनाच्चैव सपद्येव महामते । संस्कारानुभवाच्चैव परिज्ञातं न जायते
Through hearing and seeing, O wise one, and through experiencing impressions, true understanding does not arise.