तव पुत्रा महाभागे तपः शांति विवर्जिताः । तेन पापेन ते सर्वे पतिता वै महत्पदात्
Your sons, O highly fortunate one, were devoid of austerity and peace; because of that sin, all of them have fallen from the great state.
एवं ज्ञात्वा शमं गच्छ मुंच दुःखं सुखं तथा । कस्य पुत्राश्च मित्राणि कस्य स्वजन बांधवाः
Knowing this, attain tranquility, abandon both sorrow and happiness; whose are sons and friends, whose are one's own people and relatives?
आत्मकर्मानुसारेण सुखं जीवंति जंतवः । परार्थे चिंतनं देवि तत्त्वज्ञानेन पंडिताः
Living beings experience happiness according to their own actions; the wise, O Devi, think of others' welfare through true knowledge.
न कुर्वंति महात्मानो व्यर्थमेव न संशयः । पंचभूतात्मकं कायं केवलं संधिजर्जरम्
Great souls do not act in vain, of this there is no doubt; the body, composed of the five elements, is merely held together by joints and is fragile.
आत्ममित्रं कृतं तेन सर्वं देवि सुखाशया । आत्मा नाम महापुण्यः सर्वगः सर्वदर्शकः
By making the self one's friend, O Devi, everything is accomplished with the hope of happiness; the self is called supremely virtuous, all-pervading, and all-seeing.
सर्वसिद्धिस्तु सर्वात्मा सात्विकः सर्वसिद्धिदः । एवं सर्वमयो देवि भ्रमत्येको निरञ्जनः
The all-pervading self, O Devi, is the giver of all accomplishments, is pure, and grants all perfections; thus, the one who is all, wanders alone, stainless.
भ्रमता निर्जने येन मूर्तिमंतो द्विजोत्तमाः । चत्वारो दर्शिताः पुण्या मूर्तिमंतो महौजसः
While wandering in solitude, by whom were seen four embodied, virtuous, and greatly powerful best of twice-born ones.
पंचमः श्वसनश्चैव पूर्वाणां मित्रमेव च । अथो आत्मा समायातो ज्ञानसाहाय्यमेव वा
The fifth is breath, indeed, the friend of the former ones; and then the self arrived, or perhaps for the sake of assisting knowledge.
स तान्दृष्ट्वा महात्मा वै ज्ञानमात्मा समब्रवीत् । ज्ञान पश्य अमी पंच मंत्रयंतः परस्परम्
Having seen them, the great soul, knowledge itself, spoke to the self: 'O knowledge, see, these five are consulting among themselves.'
एतान्गत्वाब्रवीहि त्वं यूयं क इति पृच्छ ह । ज्ञानं वाक्यं परं श्रुत्वा सार्थं तस्य महात्मनः
Go to them and ask, 'Who are you?'—having heard the supreme and meaningful words of that great soul, O knowledge.
तदाहात्मानमाराध्यमेतैः किं ते प्रयोजनम् । तत्त्वतो ब्रूहि मे देव सदा शुद्धोसि सर्वदा
Then, having worshipped your own self with these, what purpose is served for you? Tell me the truth, O Lord; you are always pure, at all times.
आत्मोवाच- एते पंच महाभागा रूपवंतो मनस्विनः । गत्वा संदर्शयाम्येनानाभाष्ये ज्ञान श्रूयताम्
The Self said: These five are great beings, endowed with form and intelligence. I will go and show them; listen to the knowledge that is not to be spoken.
भव्यानेतान्प्रवक्ष्यामि पंचमीं गतिमागतान् । दूतत्वं गच्छ भो ज्ञान कुशलो दूतकर्मणि
I will declare to them the auspicious fifth state to which they have come. Go, O Knowledge, you are skilled in the task of a messenger.
ज्ञानमुवाच- त्वमात्मञ्छृणु मे वाक्यं सत्यं सत्यं वदाम्यहम् । एतेषां संगतिस्तात कार्या नैव त्वया कदा
Knowledge said: O Self, listen to my words; I speak the truth, the truth indeed. Association with these, dear one, must never be undertaken by you.
पंचानामपि शुद्धात्मन्न कार्यं शुभमिच्छता । भवतः संगतिं मोह इच्छत्येष महामते
O pure Self, even for the five, one who desires auspiciousness should not act. It is delusion that desires union with you, O greatly wise one.
आत्मोवाच- एतेषां संगतिं ज्ञान कस्माद्वारयते भवान् । तन्मे त्वं कारणं ब्रूहि याथातथ्येन पंडित
The Self said: Why, O Knowledge, do you prevent their association? Tell me the true reason for this, O wise one.
ज्ञानमुवाच- एतेषां संगमात्रात्तु महद्दुःखं भविष्यति । दुःखमूला हि पंचैव शोकसंतापकारकाः
Knowledge said: From mere association with them, great suffering will arise. Indeed, the five are the root of suffering, causing grief and distress.
एवमस्तु महाप्राज्ञ करिष्ये वचनं तव । ज्ञानमाभाष्य स ह्यात्मा ध्यानेन सह संगतः
So be it, O greatly wise one, I will do as you say. Having spoken with Knowledge, the Self joined with Meditation.
कश्यप उवाच- ततः पंचैव ते तत्राद्राक्षुरात्मानमेव तम् । बुद्धिमूचुः समाहूय संगच्छात्मानमेव हि
Kashyapa said: Then those five saw the Self there. Calling forth Intelligence, they said, 'Let us approach the Self.'
दूतत्वं कुरु कल्याणि अस्माकमात्मना सह । पंचतत्त्वा महात्मानो विश्वस्यधारकाः शुभाः
Be our messenger, O auspicious one, together with the Self. The five great elements are auspicious, upholding the universe.
भवतो मैत्रमिच्छंति इत्याभाष्य महामतिम् । गत्वा बुद्धे त्वया कार्यं कर्तव्यं न इतो व्रज
Desiring your friendship, they addressed the greatly wise one. Go to Intelligence; your task is there, do not go elsewhere.
एवमस्तु महाभागा करिष्ये कार्यमुत्तमम् । एवमाभाषितं तेषां गत्वाऽहात्मानमेव तम्
So be it, O great beings, I will perform the excellent task. Thus addressed by them, she went to the Self.
अहं बुद्धिर्महाभाग भवंतं समुपागता । दूतत्वे महतां पार्श्वात्तेषां त्वं वचनं शृणु
I am Intelligence, O great one, and I have come to you. As a messenger from the great ones, listen to their words.
भवन्मैत्रीं समिच्छंति अक्षयां पंच आत्मकाः । कुरु मैत्रीं महाप्राज्ञ जहि ध्यानं सुदूरतः
The five selves desire your unfailing friendship. O greatly wise one, make friendship and cast away Meditation far from you.
ध्यानमुवाच- न कर्तव्यं त्वया चात्मन्नैतेषां वै समागमम् । एषां संसर्गमात्रेण महद्दुःखं भविष्यति
Meditation said: You must not, O Self, associate with them. From mere contact with them, great suffering will arise.
मया ज्ञानेन हीनस्त्वं कथं कर्म करिष्यति । एवमेव न कर्तव्यं तेषां चैव समागमम्
Deprived of Knowledge by me, how will you act? Thus, you must not associate with them.
गर्भवासं नयिष्यंति भवंतं नान्यथा विभो । ज्ञानेनैव मया हीनो अज्ञानं यास्यसि ध्रुवम्
They will lead you into the womb, O Lord, and not otherwise. Deprived of Knowledge by me, you will surely fall into ignorance.
एवमुक्त्वा तमात्मानं विरराम महामतिम् । ततस्तामागतां बुद्धिमात्मा प्रोवाच निश्चितः
Having thus spoken to the Self, the greatly wise one became silent. Then the Self, resolved, addressed Intelligence who had come.
ज्ञानध्यानौ महात्मानौ मंत्रिणौ मम शोभनौ । तत्र यानं न मे युक्तं तद्बुद्धे किं करोम्यहम्
Jñāna and Dhyāna, my two noble ministers, are both great souls; it is not fitting for me to go there without their counsel—what should I do, O wise one?
एवं श्रुत्वा ततो बुद्धिस्तेषां पार्श्वे यशस्विनी । समाचष्ट समग्रं तत्कथनं ज्ञानध्यानयोः
Hearing this, the illustrious Buddhi then approached them and fully related the words of Jñāna and Dhyāna.