तस्याद्य यावद् अनघ प्रवाहापतिते निजे । कर्मण्य् अचलसङ्काशं स्थिरं चित्तम् अवस्थितम्
From that day until now, O sinless one, his mind has remained steady in his own duty, unmoving like a rock, even as the current of actions flows on.
भगवान् स यमः किञ्चिद् व्रतं प्रतिचतुर्युगम् । तथापि कुरुते भूतदलनोत्थाघशङ्कया
That venerable Yama observes a certain vow during each fourfold age; yet, even so, he performs his duties out of concern for the harm that might arise from neglecting the destruction of beings.
कदाचिद् अष्टौ वर्षाणि दश द्वादश वापि च । कदाचित् पञ्च सप्तापि कदाचित् षोडशापि वा
Sometimes for eight years, or ten, or even twelve; sometimes for five or seven, and sometimes even for sixteen years.
उदासीनवद् आसीने तस्मिन् नियमम् आस्थिते । न हिनस्ति जगज्जाले मृत्युर् भूतानि कानिचित्
While he sits absorbed in discipline, indifferent like one detached, death does not harm any beings in the web of the world.
तेन नीरन्ध्रभूतौघं निस्सञ्चारं महीतलम् । भवति प्रावृषि स्वेदी कुञ्जको मषकैर् इव
Because of this, the earth becomes densely crowded with beings, motionless, like a hut in the rainy season swarming with gnats.
अथ तानि विचित्राणि भूतानि बहुयुक्तिभिः । क्षपयन्ति सुरा राम भुवो भारनिवृत्तये
Then, O Rāma, the gods, using various strategies, destroy those diverse beings to relieve the burden of the earth.
एवं यमसहस्राणि व्यवहारशतानि च । समतीतान्य् अनन्तानि भूतानि च जगन्ति च
In this way, thousands of Yamas and hundreds of cycles of activity have passed away, as have countless beings and worlds.
वैवस्वतो ऽद्य तु यमो य एव पितृनायकः । अनेन त्व् अधुना साधो परिक्षीणेषु केषुचित्
But today, Vaivasvata Yama, the very leader of the ancestors, is the one presiding; and now, O noble one, as some beings are diminished by him—
युगेष्व् अघविघाताय वर्षाणि द्वादशात्मना । व्रतचर्येह कर्तव्या दूरास्तक्रूरकर्मणा
In each age, for the removal of evil, a twelve-year vow of discipline must be observed here; those who perform cruel deeds should be kept at a distance.
तेनेयम् उर्वी नीरन्ध्रा भूतैर् मर्तैर् अमृत्युभिः । दीना प्रघनगुल्मेव भारभूतैर् भविष्यति
Because of this, the earth will become devoid of openings, filled with beings—mortals who are not subject to death—afflicted and, like a dense thicket, burdened by those who bear its weight.
भूर् भारपरिभूताङ्गी हरिं शरणम् एष्यति । कान्ता दस्युपराभूता दीना पतिम् इव प्रियम्
The earth, overwhelmed by the burden, will seek refuge in Hari; like a beloved woman oppressed by bandits, distressed, she will approach her dear husband.
हरिर् देहद्वयेनाथ महीम् अवतरिष्यति । देवांशैर् अखिलैस् सार्धं नरनायकतां गतैः
Then Hari, with two bodies, will descend to the earth, together with all the divine portions who have assumed the role of leaders among men.
वसुदेवसुतस् त्व् एको वासुदेव इति श्रुतः । देहो भविष्यति हरेर् द्वितीयः पाण्डवो ऽर्जुनः
The son of Vasudeva, known as Vāsudeva, will be one body of Hari; the second will be the Pāṇḍava Arjuna.
युधिष्ठिर इति ख्यातो धर्मपुत्रो भविष्यति । अम्भोधिमेखलाभूपः पाण्डोः पुत्रस् स धर्मवित्
Yudhiṣṭhira, renowned as the son of Dharma, will be the king whose realm is girded by the ocean, the son of Pāṇḍu, and a knower of righteousness.
दुर्योधन इति ख्यातस् तस्य भ्राता पितृव्यजः । भविष्यति दृढद्वन्द्वो भीमो बभ्रुर् अहेर् इव
Duryodhana, so called, will be his brother, born of his uncle; strong in rivalry, Bhīma will be like the tawny serpent.
अन्योऽन्यं हरतोर् उर्वीं तयोस् सङ्ग्रामलालसाः । अष्टादशाक्षौहिण्यो हि घटिष्यन्त्य् अत्र भीषणाः
Eager for battle, those two will seize the earth from each other; here, eighteen divisions of armies, fierce, will clash.
तत्क्षयेण विभारत्वं भुवो विष्णुः करिष्यति । राघवार्जुनदेहेन बृहद्गाण्डीवधन्वना
When that destruction comes, Vishnu will bring radiance to the earth, taking the form of Arjuna, the mighty wielder of the great Gandiva bow.
विष्णोर् अर्जुननामासौ प्राकृतं भावम् आस्थितः । हर्षामर्षान्वितो देहो नरधर्मा भविष्यति
That Vishnu, named Arjuna, will assume an ordinary nature; his body, filled with joy and anger, will follow the ways of men.
सेनाद्वयगतान् दृष्ट्वा स्वजनान् मरणोन्मुखान् । विषादम् एष्यत्य् उद्योगं युद्धाय न करिष्यति
Seeing his own people on both sides of the armies, facing death, he will fall into despondency and will not make the effort to fight.
तम् अर्जुनाभिधं देहं प्राप्तकार्यैकसिद्धये । हरिर् बुद्धेन देहेन बोधयिष्यति राघव
O Raghava, to accomplish that one necessary purpose, Hari will instruct that body called Arjuna through a body endowed with wisdom.
त्वं मानुषेणोपहतान्तरात्मा विषादमोहाभिभवाद् विसञ्ज्ञः । नष्टस् स्वम् उत्सृज्य परं प्रकाशं तदात्मतत्त्वं ननु राजसिंह
You, with your inner self clouded by human limitations, overcome by grief and delusion, losing awareness, abandoning your own true nature, O lion among kings, you do not realize the supreme light, your own true self.
अनन्तम् अव्यक्तम् अनादिमध्यम् आत्मानम् आलोकय संविदात्मन् । संविद्वपुस् स्फारम् अलग्नदोषम् अजो ऽसि नित्यो ऽसि निरामयो ऽसि
Behold the Self, infinite, unmanifest, without beginning or middle, whose nature is pure consciousness; your form is consciousness, vast, untouched by defect—you are unborn, eternal, free from affliction.
न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचिन् नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः । अजो नित्यश् शाश्वतो ऽयं पुराणो न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे
It is never born, nor does it ever die; having once come into being, it does not cease to be. Unborn, eternal, everlasting, ancient—it is not slain when the body is slain.
य एनं वेत्ति हन्तारं यश् चैनं मन्यते हतम् । उभौ तौ न विजानीतो नायं हन्ति न हन्यते
Whoever thinks this Self is the slayer, and whoever thinks it is slain—both do not understand; it neither kills nor is killed.
अनन्तस्यैकरूपस्य सतस् सूक्ष्मस्य खाद् अपि । आत्मनः परमेशस्य किं कथं केन हन्यते
How can the infinite, the one without a second, the subtle, the very sky itself, the supreme Self, ever be killed, by what, in what way, and by whom?
नार्जुनस् त्वं न हन्ता त्वम् अभिमानम् अलं त्यज । जरामरणनिर्मुक्तस् स्वयम् आत्मासि शाश्वतः
You are not Arjuna, nor are you the slayer; give up this false identification. You are the eternal Self, free from old age and death.
यस्य नाहङ्कृतो भावो यस्य बुद्धिर् न लिप्यते । हत्वापि स इमांल् लोकान् न हन्ति न निबध्यते
He who has no sense of ego, whose intellect is untainted, even if he destroys these worlds, neither kills nor is bound.
यैव सञ्जायते संविद् अन्तस् सैवानुभूयते । अयं सो ऽहम् इदं तन् मे इत्य् अतस् संविदं त्यज
That very consciousness which arises within is what is experienced; therefore, abandon the notion, 'I am this, this is mine, this is me.'
अनयैव च युक्तो ऽस्मि नष्टो ऽस्मीति च भारत । अभितस् सुखदुःखाभ्याम् अवशः परिकृष्यसे
By this very identification, thinking 'I am united' or 'I am lost,' O Bharata, you are helplessly dragged about by pleasure and pain on every side.
स्वात्मांशैः क्रियमाणानि गुणैः कर्माणि भागशः । अहङ्कारविमूढात्मा कर्ताहम् इति मन्यते
Actions are performed in parts by the qualities through the portions of one's own Self; but the deluded by ego thinks, 'I am the doer.'