करोति सततं बुद्ध्या ब्रह्मार्पणमिदं परम्
He who always acts with understanding makes this supreme offering to Brahman.
कर्मणामेतदप्याहुः ब्रह्मार्पणमनुत्तमम्
Even actions are said to be this unsurpassed offering to Brahman.
क्रियते विदुषा कर्म तद्भवेदपि मोक्षदम्
When a wise person performs action, that action can indeed lead to liberation.
अकृत्वा फलसंन्यासं बध्यते तत्फलेन तु
But without renouncing the fruits of action, one becomes bound by those very results.
अविद्वानपि कुर्वोत कर्माप्नोत्यचिरात् पदम्
Even an unlearned person, if he acts, quickly attains the supreme state.
मनः प्रसादमन्वेति ब्रह्म विज्ञायते ततः
Serenity of mind arises, and then Brahman is realized.
ज्ञानं च कर्मसहितं जायते दोषवर्जितम्
Knowledge, together with action, arises free from fault.
कर्माणीश्वरतुष्ट्यर्थं कुर्यान्नैष्कर्म्यमाप्नुयात्
One should perform actions for the satisfaction of the Lord; thus, one attains freedom from action.
एकाकी निर्ममः शान्तो जीवन्नेव विमुच्यते
Alone, free from possessiveness, peaceful, one is liberated even while living.
नित्यानन्दं निराभासं तस्मिन्नेव लयं व्रजेत्
One merges into that which is eternal bliss, without appearance.
तृप्तये परमेशस्य तत् पदं याति शाश्वतम्
For the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord, one attains that eternal state.
न ह्येतत् समतिक्रम्य सिद्धिं विन्दति मानवः
Indeed, without following this, a person does not attain perfection.
नमस्कृत्य हृषीकेशं पुनर्वचनमब्रुवन्
Having bowed to Hrishikesha, they again spoke these words.
इदानीं श्रोतुमिच्छामो यथा संभवते जगत्
Now we wish to hear how the world comes into being.
नियन्ता कश्च सर्वेषां वदस्व पुरुषोत्तम
Who is the controller of all? Tell us, O Supreme Person.
प्राह गम्भीरया वाचा भूतानां प्रभवाप्ययौ
He spoke with a deep voice about the origin and dissolution of beings.
अनन्तश्चाप्रमेयश्च नियन्ता विश्वतोमुखः
He is infinite, immeasurable, the controller, facing all directions.
प्रधानं प्रकृतिश्चेति यदाहुस्तत्त्वचिन्तकाः
That which the thinkers on reality call Pradhana and Prakriti.
अजरं ध्रुवमक्षय्यं नित्यं स्वात्मन्यवस्थितम्
It is ageless, constant, imperishable, eternally abiding in its own nature.
विग्रहः सर्वभूतानामात्मनाधिष्ठितं महत्
The great form of all beings is established in the Self.
असांप्रतमविज्ञेयं ब्रह्माग्रे समवर्तत
In the beginning, before time, the unmanifest Brahman came into being.
प्राकृतः प्रलयो ज्ञेयो यावद् विश्वसमुद्भवः
The dissolution that is called 'prākṛta' should be understood as lasting until the emergence of the universe.
अहर्न विद्यते तस्य न रात्रिर्ह्युपचारतः
For that state, there is neither day nor, even figuratively, night.
सर्वभूतमयो ऽव्यक्तो ह्यन्तर्यामीश्वरः परः
The unmanifest, pervading all beings, is the supreme inner ruler and Lord.
क्षोभयामास योगेन परेण परमेश्वरः
The Supreme Lord stirred it into motion through his supreme yoga.
अनुप्रविष्टः क्षोभाय तथासौ योगमूर्तिमान्
He entered it for the purpose of agitation, possessing the form of yoga.
स संकोचविकासाभ्यां प्रधानत्वे ऽपि च स्थितः
He remained in the state of Pradhāna, through contraction and expansion.
प्रादुरासीन्महद् बीजं प्रधानपुरुषात्मकम्
From that, the great seed arose, consisting of both Pradhāna and Puruṣa.
प्रज्ञाधृतिः स्मृतिः संविदेतस्मादिति तत् स्मृतम्
From that are said to arise intelligence, steadfastness, memory, and consciousness.
त्रिविधो ऽयमहङ्कारो महतः संबभूव ह
From the Mahat, this threefold ego-sense came into being.