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.
कृष्णाः शौचपारिभ्राष्टास्ते द्विजाः शूद्रतां गताः
Those twice-born who are dark, deprived of purity, have become Śūdras.
ब्राह्मणा धर्मतन्त्रस्थास्तपस्तेषां न नश्यति
Brāhmaṇas who remain established in the system of dharma—their austerity does not perish.
ब्रह्म चैव पुरा सृष्टं येन जानन्ति तद्विदः
And that Brahman which was created in the beginning is known by those who understand.
सा सृष्टिर्मानसी नाम धर्मतन्त्रपरायणा
That creation is called mental, devoted to the system of dharma.
वैश्यः शूद्रश्च विप्रर्षे तद्ब्रूहि वदतां वर
O best of speakers, tell me, O sage among Brāhmaṇas, about the Vaiśya and the Śūdra.
वेदाध्ययनसंपन्नो ब्रह्मकर्मस्ववस्थितः
He who is accomplished in Vedic study and established in the duties of Brahman—
नित्यव्रती सत्यपरः स वै ब्राह्मण उच्यते
Who is ever observant of vows and devoted to truth—he is called a Brāhmaṇa.
तपस्यां दृश्यते यत्र स ब्राह्मण इति स्मृतः
Wherever austerity is seen, he is remembered as a Brāhmaṇa.
दानादानरतिर्यस्तु स वै क्षत्रिय उच्यते
He who delights in giving and not in taking is indeed called a Kṣatriya.
वेदाध्ययनसंपन्नः स वैश्य इति संज्ञितः
He who is accomplished in Vedic study is designated as a Vaiśya.