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.
श्रोत्रं वै श्रवणार्थाय स्पर्शनाय च त्वक् स्मृता
The ear is for hearing, and the skin is said to be for touch.
चक्षुरालोकनायैव संशयं कुरुते मनः
The eye is indeed for seeing, and the mind forms doubt.
उर्द्धं पादतलाभ्यां यदवाक्चोदक्च पश्यति
What is seen above, below, and in water by the soles of the feet—
पुरुषैरिन्द्रियाणीह वेदितव्यानि कृत्स्त्रशः
Men must thoroughly understand the senses here.
एतां बुद्धिं नरो बुद्धा भूतानागतिं गतिम्
A wise man, knowing this understanding, knows the coming and going of beings.
गुणैर्विनश्यते बुद्दिर्बुद्धेरेवेन्द्रियाण्यपि
By the qualities, understanding is destroyed, and by understanding, so too are the senses.
इति तन्मयमेवैतत्सर्वं स्थावरजङ्गमम्
Thus, all this—both the moving and the unmoving—is truly pervaded by That.
येन पश्यति तञ्चक्षुः शृणोति श्रोत्रमुच्यते
That by which one sees is called the eye; that by which one hears is called the ear.
त्वचा स्पर्शयति स्पर्शं बुद्धिर्विक्रियते सकृत्
By the skin, one perceives touch; the intellect is transformed in an instant.
अधिष्टानात्तु बुद्धेर्हि पृथगर्थानि पञ्चधा
Indeed, from the foundation of the intellect, the fivefold distinct objects arise.
पुरुषे तिष्टती बुद्धिस्त्रिषु भावेषु वर्तते
The intellect abides in the person and operates in three modes.
न सुखेन न दुःखेन कदाचिदपि वर्तते
It never engages with either pleasure or pain at any time.
सेयं भावात्मिका भावांस्त्रीनेतानतिवर्तते
This intellect, consisting of modes, does not transcend these three states.
अतिभावगता बुद्धिर्भावैर्मनसि वर्तते
When the intellect goes beyond the modes, it functions among the modes within the mind.
इन्द्रियाणि हि सर्वाणि प्रवर्तयति सा सदा
Indeed, it is that which always activates all the senses.
ये ये च भावा लोके ऽस्मिन्सर्वे प्येतेषु वै त्रिषु
And whatever modes exist in this world, all of them are truly within these three.
इन्द्रियाणि च सर्वाणि विजेतव्यानि धीमता
All the senses must be mastered by the wise.
त्रिविश्वावेदनाश्चैव सर्वसत्त्वेषु दृश्यते
The threefold perception of the universe is seen in all beings.
सुखस्पर्शः सत्त्वगुणो दुःखस्पर्शो रजोगुणः
The contact with happiness is the quality of sattva; the contact with pain is the quality of rajas.
तव यत्प्रीतिसंयुक्तं काये मनसि वा भवेत्
Whatever is joined with delight for you, whether in the body or in the mind,