तस्माज्ज्ञानेनात्मतत्त्वं विज्ञेयं श्रीगुरोर्मुखात् । सुखेन मुच्यते जन्तुर्घोरसंसारबन्धनात् ॥ २,४९.
Therefore, the truth of the self should be known through knowledge from the mouth of the revered guru; by this, the living being is easily freed from the terrible bondage of worldly existence.
तत्त्वज्ञस्यान्तिमं कृत्यं शृणु वक्ष्यामि तेऽधुना । येन मोक्षमवाप्नोति ब्रह्म निर्वाणसंज्ञकम् ॥ २,४९.
Now listen as I tell you the final duty of the knower of truth, by which one attains liberation, called Brahman-nirvāṇa.
अन्तकाले तु पुरुष आगते गतसाध्वसः । छिन्द्यादसंगशस्त्रेण स्पृहां देहेऽनु या च तम् ॥ २,४९.
At the time of death, when the end approaches, without fear, one should cut off attachment to the body and all that follows it with the sword of detachment.
गृहात्प्रव्राजितो धीरः पुण्यतीर्थजलाप्लुतः । शुचौ विविक्त आसीनो विधिवत्कल्पितासने ॥ २,४९.
Having left home, being steadfast, bathed in holy waters, seated in a pure and solitary place upon a properly prepared seat—
अभ्यसेन्मनसा शुद्धं त्रिवृद्ब्रह्माक्षरं परम् । मनो यष्छेज्जितश्वासो ब्रह्म बीजमविस्मरन् ॥ २,४९.
One should practice with the mind the pure, threefold, supreme syllable of Brahman; restraining the mind, controlling the breath, never forgetting the seed of Brahman.
नियच्छेद्विषयेभ्योऽक्षान्मनसा बुद्धि सारथिः । मनः कर्मभिराक्षिप्तं शुभार्थे धारयेद्धिया ॥ २,४९.
Let the intellect, as charioteer, restrain the senses from their objects with the mind; let the mind, distracted by actions, be held firmly by the intellect for a virtuous purpose.
अहं ब्रह्म परं धाम ब्रह्माहं परमं पदम् । एवं समीक्ष्य चात्मानमात्मन्याधाय निष्कले ॥ २,४९.
Thinking thus: 'I am Brahman, the supreme abode; I am Brahman, the highest state,' one should contemplate the self in the self, in its undivided form.
ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म व्याहरन्मामनुस्मरन् । यः प्रयाति त्यजन्देहं स याति परमां गतिम् ॥ २,४९.
Uttering the single syllable 'Om,' which is Brahman, remembering me, whoever departs, leaving the body, attains the supreme goal.
न यत्र दाम्भिका यान्ति ज्ञानवैराग्यवर्जिताः । सुधियस्तां गतिं यान्ति तानहं कथयामि ते ॥ २,४९.
Where the hypocrites, those devoid of knowledge and dispassion, do not go—that state is attained by the wise; I will tell you of them.
निर्मानमोहा जितसंगदोषा अध्यात्मनित्या विनिवृत्तकामाः । द्वन्द्वैर्विमुक्ताः सुखदुः खसंज्ञैर्गच्छन्त्यमूढाः पदमव्ययं तत् ॥ २,४९.
Those who are free from pride and delusion, who have conquered the faults of attachment, who are ever devoted to the self, free from desires, liberated from the pairs of opposites called pleasure and pain—those wise ones reach that imperishable state.
ज्ञानह्रदे सत्यजले रागद्वेषमलापहे । यः स्नाति मानसे तीर्थे स वै मोक्षमवाप्नुयात् ॥ २,४९.
He who bathes in the inner sacred place of the mind, in the lake of knowledge, the water of truth, which removes the impurities of passion and hatred—he indeed attains liberation.
प्रौढवैराग्यमास्थाय भजते मामनन्यभाक् । पूर्णदृष्टिः प्रसन्नात्मा स वै मोक्षमवाप्नुयात् ॥ २,४९.
Taking up mature dispassion, worshipping me with undivided devotion, with full vision and a serene mind—he indeed attains liberation.
त्यक्त्वा गृहं च यस्तीर्थे निवसेन्मरणोत्सुकः । मुक्तिक्षेत्रेषु म्रियते स वै मोक्षमवाप्नुयात् ॥ २,४९.
He who, having left home, dwells at a sacred place, eager for death, and dies in a field of liberation—he indeed attains liberation.
अयोध्या मथुरा माया काशी काञ्ची अवन्तिक । पुरी द्वारवती ज्ञेयाः सप्तैता मोक्षदायिकाः ॥ २,४९.
Ayodhyā, Mathurā, Māyā, Kāśī, Kāñcī, Avantikā, and Dvāravatī—these seven cities are to be known as bestowers of liberation.
इति ते कथितं तार्क्ष्य मोक्षधर्मं सनातनम् । ज्ञानवैराग्यसहितं श्रुत्वा मोक्षमवाप्नुयात् ॥ २,४९.
Thus, O Tārkṣya, I have explained to you the eternal doctrine of liberation, accompanied by knowledge and detachment; hearing this, one attains liberation.
मोक्षं गच्छन्ति तत्त्वज्ञा धार्मिकाः स्वर्गतिं नराः । पापिनो दुर्गतिं यान्ति संसरन्ति खगादयः ॥ २,४९.
Those who know the truth attain liberation; the righteous attain heaven; sinners go to a bad state, and birds and others continue in the cycle of birth and death.
सूत उवाच । स्वप्रश्रोत्तरराद्धान्तमेवं भगवतो मुखात् । श्रुत्वा हृष्टतनुस्तार्क्ष्यो ननाम जगदीश्वरम् ॥ २,४९.
Sūta said: Having heard this conclusive teaching, arising from his own questions and answers, directly from the Lord's mouth, Tārkṣya, his body thrilled with joy, bowed to the Lord of the universe.
सन्देहो मे महान्नष्टो भवद्वाक्यविरोचनात् । इत्युक्त्वा विष्णुमामन्त्र्य स गतः कश्यपाश्रमम् ॥ २,४९.
He said, 'My great doubt has been dispelled by your illuminating words.' Thus speaking, after saluting Viṣṇu, he went to Kaśyapa's hermitage.
सद्यो देहान्तरं याति यथा याति विलम्बतः । अनयोरुभयोश्चैव न विरोधस्तथैव वः ॥ २,४९.
One may attain another body immediately or after some delay; for both, there is no contradiction, just so for you all.
सर्वमाख्यातवांस्तात श्रुतो भगवतो यथा । मारीचोऽपि मुदं लेभे श्रुत्वा वाक्यं रमापतेः ॥ २,४९.
All has been related, dear one, just as it was heard from the Lord; even Mārīca, upon hearing the words of the Lord of Lakṣmī, felt joy.
अपाकृतस्तु सन्देहो ब्राह्मणा भवतां मया । उक्तं सुपर्णसंज्ञन्तु पुराणं परमाद्भुतम् ॥ २,४९.
O Brāhmaṇas, your doubts have been dispelled by me; I have told you the wondrous ancient Purāṇa known as Suparṇa.
इदमाप हरेस्तार्क्ष्यस्तार्क्ष्यादाप ततो भृगुः । भृगोर्वसिष्ठः संप्राप वामदेवस्ततः पुनः ॥ २,४९.
Tārkṣya received this from Hari; from Tārkṣya, Bhṛgu obtained it; from Bhṛgu, Vasiṣṭha received it; then from Vasiṣṭha, Vāmadeva.
पराशरमुनिः प्राप तस्माद्व्यासस्ततो ह्यहम् । मया तु भवतां प्रोक्तं परं गुह्यं हरेरिदम् ॥ २,४९.
From him, the sage Parāśara received it; then Vyāsa, and then I; and now I have spoken to you this supreme secret of Hari.
य इदं शृणुयान्मर्त्यो यो वाप्यभिदधाति च । इहामुत्र च लोके स सर्वत्र सुखमाप्नुयात् ॥ २,४९.
Whoever among mortals hears or recites this, here or in the next world, attains happiness everywhere.
व्रजतः संयमन्यां यद्दुः खमत्र निरूपितम् । अस्य श्रवणतः पुण्यं तन्मुक्तो जायते ततः ॥ २,४९.
Whatever suffering is described here for those who stray from self-control, by hearing this, one gains merit and is freed from that.
अत्रोक्तकर्मपाकादिश्रवणाच्च नृणामिह । वैराग्यमावहेद्यस्मात्तस्माच्छ्रोतव्यमेव च ॥ २,४९.
By hearing about the results of actions and their ripening as told here, detachment arises in people; therefore, this should indeed be heard.
भजत जितहृषीकाः कृष्णमेनं मुनीशं समजनि बत यस्माद्गीः सुधासारधारा । पृषतमपि यदीयं वर्णरूपं निपीय श्रुतिपुटचुलुकेन प्राप्नुयादात्मनैक्यम् ॥ २,४९.
Worship Kṛṣṇa, the Lord of sages, whose senses are conquered, from whom the stream of nectar-like speech arose; even a drop of his words, tasted with the cup of the ear, brings unity with the Self.
व्यास उवाच । इति सूतमुखोद्गीर्णांसर्वशास्त्रार्थमण्डिताम् । वैष्णवीं वाक्सुधां पीत्वा ऋषयस्तुष्टिमाययुः ॥ २,४९.
Vyāsa said: Having drunk this nectar of Vaiṣṇava speech, adorned with the essence of all scriptures and uttered from the mouth of Sūta, the sages attained satisfaction.
प्रशशंसुस्तथान्योन्यं सूतं सर्वार्थदर्शिनम् । प्रहर्षमतुलं प्रापुर्मुनयः शौनकादयः ॥ २,४९.
They praised one another and Sūta, the knower of all meanings; the sages headed by Śaunaka experienced incomparable joy.
इति हरिवचनानि सूतवाचा खगपतिसंशयभेदकानि यानि । स मुनिरपि निशम्य शौनकेन्द्रो बहुतरमानयति स्म चात्मनि स्वम् ॥ २,४९.
Thus, the words of Hari, spoken by Sūta, which dispelled the doubts of the king of birds, were heard by the sage Śaunaka, who then reflected deeply within himself.