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.
सवेति दुःखानि सुखानि चात्र तद्विप्रयोगात्तु न वेत्ति देहम्
He perceives pleasure and pain here, but when separated from them, he does not perceive the body.
तदा शान्ते शरीराग्नौ देहत्यागेन नश्यति
Then, when the fire of the body is calmed, the body perishes through its abandonment.
तत्रात्मा मानसो ब्रह्मा सर्वभूतेषु लोककृत्
There, the self, the mind-born Brahma, is the creator of worlds in all beings.
तस्मिन्यः संश्रितो देहे ह्यब्बिन्दुरिव पुष्करे
Whoever is established in that body is like a drop upon a lotus.
तमोरजश्च सत्त्वं च विद्धि जीवगुणानिमाम्
Know that darkness, passion, and purity are the qualities of the living being.
अतः परं क्षेत्रविदो वदन्ति प्रावर्तयद्यो भुवनानि सप्त
Beyond this, those who know the field declare that he who set in motion the seven worlds is the origin.
जीवस्तु देहान्तरितः प्रयाति दशार्द्धतस्तस्य शरीरभेदः
The living being, separated from the body, departs; the body's dissolution occurs in ten and a half parts.
दृश्यते त्वग्र्या बुध्यासूक्ष्मया तत्त्वदर्शिभिः
It is perceived by the keenest intellect, by those who see the truth with subtle understanding.
लब्धाहारो विशुद्धात्मा पश्यत्यात्मानमात्मनि
Having obtained nourishment and purified the self, one sees the self within oneself.
प्रसन्नात्मात्मनि स्थित्वा सुखमानन्त्यमश्नुते
With a serene self, established in oneself, one attains boundless happiness.
सृष्टिः प्रजापतेरेषा भूताध्यात्मविनिश्चये
This is the creation of Prajapati, determined by the nature of beings and the self.
आत्मतेजो ऽभिनिर् वृत्तान्भास्कराग्निसमप्रभान्
The radiance of the self manifested, equal in brilliance to the sun and fire.
आचारं चैव शौचं च स्वर्गाय विदधे प्रभुः
He, the lord, established conduct and purity for the sake of heaven.
यक्षराक्षसनागाश्च पिशाचा मनुजास्तथा
Yakshas, Rakshasas, Nagas, Pisachas, and humans likewise.
चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य वर्णेन यदि वर्णो विभिद्यते
If the color of the fourfold class is divided by color,
त्वन्तः क्षरति सर्वेषां कस्माद्वर्णो विभज्यते
Then, since the color flows within all, why is color separated?
तेषां विविधवर्णानां कुतो वर्णविनिश्चयः
Among these various colors, whence is the determination of color?
ब्रह्मणा पूर्वसृष्टं हि कर्मणा वर्णतां गतम्
Indeed, what was first created by Brahma attained its color through action.
त्यक्तस्वकर्मरक्ताङ्गास्ते द्विजाः क्षत्रतां गताः
Those twice-born who have abandoned their own duties and become attached to violence have attained the state of Kṣatriyas.
स्वधर्ंमन्नानुतिष्टन्ति ते द्विजा वैश्यतां गताः
Those twice-born who do not practice their own dharma have indeed become Vaiśyas.