पुण्यः क्षेम्यश्च काम्यश्च स परो लोक उच्यते
That highest world is said to be meritorious, secure, and desirable.
लोभमोहपरित्यक्ता मानवा निरुपद्रवाः
Humans there are free from greed and delusion, and are undisturbed.
काले मृत्युः प्रबवति स्पृशन्ति व्याधयो न च
Death occurs only at the proper time, and diseases do not touch them.
नान्यो हि वध्यते तत्र द्रव्येषु च न विस्मयः
No one else is slain there, and there is no amazement regarding possessions.
कृतस्य तु फलं तत्र प्रत्यक्षमुपलभ्यते
There, the fruit of one's actions is directly perceived.
सर्वकामैर्वृताः केचिद्धेमाभरणभूषिताः
Some are surrounded by every pleasure, adorned with golden ornaments.
श्रमेण महता केचित्कुर्वन्ति प्राणधारणम्
Some sustain their lives through great toil.
सुखिता दुःखिताः केचिन्निर्धना धनिनो परे
Some are happy, some are unhappy; some are poor, others are wealthy.
लोभश्चार्थकृतो तॄणां येन मुह्यन्त्यपण्डिताः
Greed, arising from wealth, is what deludes the unwise, just as with blades of grass.
सोपधे निकृतिः स्तेयं परिवादो ऽभ्यसूयता
Deceit with motive, theft, slander, and envy—
एतान्संसेवते यस्तु तपस्तस्य प्रहीयते
Whoever engages in these, his austerity is diminished.
इह चिन्ता बहुविधा धर्माधर्मस्य कर्मणः
Here, there are many kinds of anxieties regarding righteous and unrighteous actions.
शुभैः शुभमवाप्नोति तथाशुभमथान्यथा
By good deeds, one attains good; likewise, by bad, the opposite.
इष्टेष्टतपसः पूता ब्रह्मलोकमुपाश्रिताः
Those purified by sacrifices and austerities attain the world of Brahma.
इहस्थास्तत्र जायन्ते ये वै पुण्यकृतो जनाः
Those who perform meritorious deeds here are born there.
क्षीणायुषस्तथा चान्ये नश्यन्ति पृथिवीतले
Others, whose lifespan is exhausted, perish on the earth.
इहैव परिवर्त्तन्ते न च यान्त्युत्तरां दिशम्
Here itself they revolve, and do not go to the higher direction.
पन्थानं सर्वालोकानां विजानन्ति मनीषिणः
The wise know the path to all the worlds.
धर्माधर्मौं हि लोकस्य यो वै वेत्ति स बुद्धिमान्
He who truly knows righteousness and unrighteousness in the world is wise.
यदध्यात्मं यथा चैतत्तन्मे ब्रूहि तपोधन
Tell me, O possessor of austerity, what pertains to the self and how it is.
तद्व्याख्यांस्यामि ते तात श्रेयस्करतमं सुखम्
I shall explain to you, dear one, that which brings the highest happiness.
यज्ज्ञात्वा पुरुषो लोके प्रीतिं सौख्यं च विन्दति
By knowing which, a person attains joy and happiness in this world.
पृथिवी वायुराकाशमापो ज्योतिश्च पञ्चमम्
Earth, air, space, water, and fire as the fifth—
यतः सृष्टानि तत्रैव तानि यान्ति लयं पुनः
From which all are created, into that they again dissolve.
प्रसार्य च यथाङ्गानि कूर्मः संहरते पुनः
Just as a tortoise extends and withdraws its limbs,
महाभूतानि पञ्चैव सर्वभूतेषु भूतकृत्
The five great elements, indeed, are the source of all beings.
शब्दः श्रोत्रं तथा खानि त्रयमाकाशयोनिजम्
Sound, the ear, and the three channels—all arise from space.
रूपं चक्षुस्तथा पाकस्त्रिविधं तेज उच्यते
Form, the eye, and threefold digestion are said to belong to fire.
घ्रेयं घ्राणं शरीरं च एते भूमिगुणास्त्रयः
Smell, the nose, and the body—these three are qualities of earth.
इन्द्रियाणि मनश्चैव विज्ञातान्यस्य भारत
The senses and the mind, O descendant of Bharata, are known as his.