असृग्रेतः पुष्परसानुयुक्तम् अन्वेति सद्यः पुरुषेण सृष्टम् तव तरया रज आपद्यते च स गर्भभूतः समुपैति तत्र
Blood, semen, and pollen combine, immediately following what is produced by a man; by the force of passion, it enters, and thus, becoming an embryo, it arrives there.
वनस्पतीन् ओषधींश्चाविशन्ति अपो वायुं पृथिवीं चान्तरिक्षम् चतुष्पदं द्विपदं चापि सर्व एवंभूता गर्भभूता भवन्ति
They enter trees, herbs, waters, air, earth, and space, four-footed and two-footed beings as well; all those who are thus become embryos.
अन्यद्वपुर्विदधातीह गर्भ उताहोस्वित्स्वेन कामेन याति आपद्यमानो नरयोनिमेताम् आचक्ष्व मे संशयात्पृच्छतस्त्वम्
Does the embryo here acquire another body, or does it enter by its own desire? When it is about to enter a human womb, tell me, for I ask you out of doubt.
शरीरदेहादिसमुच्छ्रयं च चक्षुःश्रोत्रे लभते केन संज्ञाम् एतत्सर्वं तात आचक्ष्व पृष्टः क्षेत्रज्ञं त्वां मन्यमाना हि सर्वे
How does the body and its organs arise, and how does it obtain sight and hearing, and consciousness? Tell me all this, father, as I have asked; for all consider you the knower of the field.
वायुः समुत्कर्षति गर्भयोनिम् ऋतौ रेतः पुष्परसानुयुक्तम् स तत्र तन्मात्रकृताधिकारः क्रमेण संवर्धयतीह गर्भम्
The wind carries the embryo into the womb at the proper time, along with semen and pollen; there, the subtle elements establish their domain, and gradually, it nourishes the embryo.
स जायमानो ऽथ गृहीतमात्रः संज्ञामधिष्ठाय ततो मनुष्यः स श्रोत्राभ्यां वेदयतीह शब्दं स वै रूपं पश्यति चक्षुषा च
When it is born, having just been grasped, it assumes consciousness; then the person perceives sound with the ears and sees form with the eyes.
घ्राणेन गन्धं जिह्वयाथो रसं च त्वचा स्पर्शं मनसा देवभावम् इत्यष्टकेहोपचितं हि विद्धि महात्मनः प्राणभृतः शरीरे
With the nose, it smells; with the tongue, it tastes; with the skin, it feels touch; with the mind, it attains divine awareness. Know that all these eight faculties are accumulated in the body of the great-souled, life-bearing being.
यः संस्थितः पुरुषो दह्यते वा निखन्यते वापि निकृष्यते वा अभावभूतः स विनाशमेत्य केनात्मानं चेतयते पुरस्तात्
When that person is established, whether burned, buried, or cast away, having become non-existent, he attains destruction; by what does he perceive himself thereafter?
हित्वा सो ऽसून् सुप्तवन्निष्ठितत्वात् पुरोधाय सुकृतं दुष्कृतं च अन्यां योनिं पुण्यपापानुसारां हित्वा देहं भजते राजसिंह
Having left his vital breaths, like one asleep, after considering good and evil deeds, he abandons the body and, according to merit or demerit, attains another womb, O lion among kings.
पुण्यां योनिं पुण्यकृतो विशन्ति पापां योनिं पापकृतो व्रजन्ति कीटाः पतंगाश्च भवन्ति पापान् न मे विवक्षास्ति महानुभाव
Those who perform good deeds enter a good womb; those who perform evil deeds enter an evil womb. Worms and insects are born from evil; I do not wish to speak further, O great one.
चतुष्पदा द्विपदाः पक्षिणश्च तथाभूता गर्भभूता भवन्ति आख्यातमेतन्निखिलं हि सर्वं भूयस्तु किं पृच्छसि राजसिंह
Four-footed creatures, two-footed beings, and birds—all these come into being in the womb; this has been fully declared. What more do you ask, O lion among kings?
किं स्वित्कृत्वा लभते तात संज्ञां मर्त्यः श्रेष्ठां तपसा विद्यया वा तन्मे पृष्टः शंस सर्वं यथावच् छुभांल्लोकान् येन गच्छेत्क्रमेण
By what action does a mortal attain the highest awareness—by austerity or by knowledge? Tell me everything as you have been asked, so that one may reach auspicious worlds in due order.
तपश्च दानं च शमो दमश्च ह्रीर् आर्जवं सर्वभूतानुकम्पा स्वर्गस्य लोकस्य वदन्ति सन्तो द्वाराणि सप्तैव महान्ति पुंसाम्
Austerity, charity, tranquility, self-control, modesty, straightforwardness, and compassion for all beings—these seven great doors to the heavenly world are declared by the wise for people.
सर्वाणि चैतानि यथोदितानि तपःप्रधानान्यभिमर्षकेण नश्यन्ति मानेन तमो ऽभिभूताः पुंसः सदैवेति वदन्ति सन्तः
All these, as stated, are rooted in austerity; but if tainted by arrogance, they perish, being overcome by darkness—so the wise always say.
अधीयानः पण्डितं मन्यमानो यो विद्यया हन्ति यशः परस्य तस्यान्तवन्तः पुरुषस्य लोका न चास्य तद्ब्रह्मफलं ददाति
One who, considering himself learned, destroys another's reputation through knowledge—such a person's worlds are finite, and he does not obtain the fruit of Brahman thereby.
चत्वारि कर्माणि भयंकराणि भयं प्रयच्छन्त्ययथाकृतानि मानाग्निहोत्रमुत मानमौनं मानेनाधीतमुत मानयज्ञः
There are four actions that bring fear if performed improperly: sacrifice tainted by pride, silence tainted by pride, study tainted by pride, and charity tainted by pride.
न मान्यमानो मुदमाददीत न संतापं प्राप्नुयाच्चावमानात् सन्तः सतः पूजयन्तीह लोके नासाधवः साधुबुद्धिं लभन्ते
One who is honored should not become elated, nor should he be distressed by dishonor. The virtuous honor the virtuous in this world; the wicked do not attain the mind of the good.
इति दद्यादिति यजेद् इत्यधीयीत मे श्रुतम् इत्येतान्यभयान्याहुस् तान्य् अवर्ज्यानि नित्यशः
"Give," "sacrifice," "study," and "listen"—these are said to be free from fear and should always be practiced without exception.
येनाश्रयं वेदयन्ते पुराणं मनीषिणो मानसे मानयुक्तम् तन्निःश्रेयस् तेन संयोगमेत्य परां शान्तिं प्राप्नुयुः प्रेत्य चेह
That ancient refuge which the wise perceive in the mind, accompanied by honor—by uniting with that supreme good, they attain the highest peace here and hereafter.
चरन्गृहस्थः कथमेति देवान् कथं भिक्षुः कथम् आचार्यकर्मा वानप्रस्थः सत्पथे संनिविष्टो बहून्यस्मिन् सम्प्रति वेदयन्ति
How does a householder attain the gods? How does a mendicant? How does one engaged in the teacher's duties, or a forest-dweller established on the right path? Many now inquire about these matters.
आहूताध्यायी गुरुकर्मसु चोद्यतः पूर्वोत्थायी चरमं चोपशायी मृदुर्दान्तो धृतिमानप्रमत्तः स्वाध्यायशीलः सिध्यति ब्रह्मचारी
A student who studies when called, is diligent in the teacher's service, rises early, rests last, is gentle, self-controlled, steadfast, vigilant, and devoted to self-study—such a celibate succeeds.
धर्मागतं प्राप्य धनं यजेत दद्यात्सदैवातिथीन्भोजयेच्च अनाददानश्च परैरदत्तं सैषा गृहस्थोपनिषत्पुराणी
Having acquired wealth righteously, one should perform sacrifices, always give, and feed guests; one should not accept what is given by others. This is the ancient teaching for householders.
स्ववीर्यजीवी वृजिनान्निवृत्तो दाता परेभ्यो न परोपतापी तादृङ्मुनिः सिद्धिमुपैति मुख्यां वसन्न् अरण्ये नियताहारचेष्टः
Living by his own strength, abstaining from wrongdoing, giving to others, not harming anyone—such a sage, dwelling in the forest with regulated food and actions, attains the highest perfection.
अशिल्पजीवी विगृहश्च नित्यं जितेन्द्रियः सर्वतो विप्रमुक्तः अनोकशायी लघु लिप्समानश् चरन् देशानेकचरः स भिक्षुः
He who does not live by crafts, is always free from quarrel, has mastered his senses, is detached from everything, sleeps without a fixed abode, seeks little, and wanders through many lands—he is the mendicant.
रात्र्या यया चाभिरताश्च लोका भवन्ति कामाभिजिताः सुखेन च तामेव रात्रिं प्रयतेत विद्वान् अरण्यसंस्थो भवितुं यतात्मा
The night in which people, overcome by desire, find pleasure—on that very night, the wise man, self-controlled and established in the forest, should strive to become so.
दशैव पूर्वान्दश चापरांस्तु ज्ञातींस्तथात्मानमथैकविंशम् अरण्यवासी सुकृतं दधाति मुक्त्वा त्व् अरण्ये स्वशरीरधातून्
The forest-dweller, having offered ten ancestors before and ten after, as well as himself as the twenty-first, attains merit by relinquishing his bodily elements in the forest.
कतिस्विद् देवमुनयो मौनानि कति चाप्युत भवन्तीति तदाचक्ष्व श्रोतुम् इच्छामहे वयम्
How many vows of silence are there among the gods and sages, and how many indeed exist? Tell us this—we wish to hear.
अरण्ये वसतो यस्य ग्रामो भवति पृष्ठतः ग्रामे वा वसतो ऽरण्यं स मुनिः स्याज्जनाधिप
For one dwelling in the forest whose village lies behind him, or for one living in the village whose forest lies behind—such a sage is lord among men.
कथंस्विद्वसतो ऽरण्ये ग्रामो भवति पृष्ठतः ग्रामे वा वसतो ऽरण्यं कथं भवति पृष्ठतः
How does a village come to be behind one who dwells in the forest? Or, how does the forest come to be behind one who dwells in the village?
न ग्राम्यमुपयुञ्जीत य आरण्यो मुनिर्भवेत् तथास्य वसतो ऽरण्ये ग्रामो भवति पृष्ठतः
One should not engage in what is worldly; the sage who is devoted to the forest becomes thus. For him, dwelling in the forest, the village is left behind.