पीडिते ऽन्यतरे ह्येषां संघातो याति पञ्चताम्
When either of these is afflicted, the aggregate comes to dissolution.
किं खेदयति वा जीवः किं शृणोति ब्रवीति च
What does the living being tire of, what does he hear, and what does he say?
यो दत्त्वा म्रियते जन्तुः सा गौः कं तारयिष्यति
The creature who dies after giving—how will that cow save anyone?
इहैव विलयं यान्ति कुतस्तेषां समागमः
They dissolve right here; how could there be reunion for them?
अग्निना चोपयुक्तस्य कुतः संजीवनं पुनः
For one consumed by fire, how could there be life again?
जीवन्यस्य प्रवर्तन्ते मृतः क्व पुनरेष्यति
As long as he lives, he acts; once dead, how will he return?
मृताः प्रणश्यन्ति बीजाद्बीजं प्रणश्यति
The dead are destroyed; from the seed, the seed is destroyed.
त निवर्तय सर्वज्ञ यतस्त्वामाश्रितो ह्यहम्
Turn them back, O all-knowing one, for I have taken refuge in you.
पुनराहु मुनिश्रेष्ठ तत्संदेहनिवृत्तये
Speak again, best of sages, to dispel that doubt.
याति देहान्तरं प्राणी शरीरं तु विशीर्यते
The living being goes to another body, but the body itself decays.
समिधामग्निदग्धानां यथाग्रिर्द्दश्यते तथा
Just as fire is seen in kindling burnt by fire, so it is.
इन्धनस्योपयोगान्ते स वाग्निर्नोपलभ्यते
At the end of the use of fuel, that fire is no longer perceived.
गतिर्यस्य प्रमाणं वा संस्थानं वा न विद्यते
He whose movement, measure, or form is not known—
नश्यतीत्येव जानामि शान्तमग्निमनिन्धनम्
I know only that it perishes, like a fire at rest without fuel.
समिधामुपयोगान्ते यथाग्निर्नोपलभ्यते
Just as, when the fuel is used up, the fire is no longer perceived—
तथा शरीरसंत्यागे जीवो ह्याकाशवत्स्थितः
So too, when the body is abandoned, the soul remains, like space.
प्राणान्धारयते ह्यग्निः स जीव उपधार्यताम्
It is the fire that sustains the vital breaths; let that soul be understood.
तस्मिन्नष्टे शरीराग्नौ ततो देहमचेतनम्
When that bodily fire is lost, then the body becomes insentient.
जगमानां हि सर्वेषां स्थावराणां तथैव च
This is true for all moving beings, and likewise for the immobile.
तेषां त्रयाणामेकत्वाद्वयं भूमौ प्रतिष्टितम्
Because these three are one, their duality is established in the earth.
अमूर्तयस्ते विज्ञेया मूर्तिमन्तः शरीरिणः
Know that those without form are such, while those with bodies have form.
जीवः किंलक्षणस्तत्रेत्येतदाचक्ष्व मे ऽनघ
What are the characteristics of the soul there? Tell me this, O sinless one.
शरीरे प्राणिनां जीवं वेत्तुभिच्छामि यादृशम्
I wish to know what kind of soul is in the bodies of living beings.
भिद्यमाने शरीरे तु जीवो नैवोपलभ्यते
When the body is broken apart, the soul is not perceived at all.
शरीरे मानसे दुःख कस्तां वेदयते रुजम्
When there is pain in the mental body, who is it that experiences that suffering?
महर्षे मनसि व्यग्रे तस्माज्जीवो निरर्थकः
O great sage, when the mind is distracted, the soul is ineffective.
मनसि व्याकुले चक्षुः पश्यन्नपि न पश्यति
When the mind is disturbed, the eye, though seeing, does not see.
न च स्मर्शमसौ वेत्ति निद्रावशगतः पुनः
And when overcome by sleep, he does not know memory or effort.
इच्छति ध्यायति द्वेष्टि वाक्यं वाचयते च कः
Who is it that desires, contemplates, hates, and utters speech?
स वेत्ति गन्धांश्च रसाञ्छुतीश्च स्पर्शं च रूपं च गुणांश्च ये ऽल्ये
He perceives scents, tastes, sounds, touch, forms, and the qualities that are subtle.