अतो भेददशां दीनाम् अङ्गीकृत्योपदिश्यते । ब्रह्मेदम् एते जीवाश् च वेति वाचाम् अयं भ्रमः
Therefore, accepting the state of those distressed by the sense of difference, it is taught: 'This is Brahman, and these are living beings'—this is the confusion of speech.
इति दृष्ट्या निरासङ्गाद् ब्रह्मणो जायते जगत् । तज्जं तद् एव तत्त्वं तु गतं दुरवबोधतः
Thus, from the perspective of detachment, the world appears to arise from Brahman; but that which is born from That is itself That, though it has become difficult to comprehend.
मेरुमन्दरसङ्काशा बहवो जीवराशयः । उत्पत्योत्पत्य संलीनास् तस्मिन्न् एव परे पदे
Countless hosts of living beings, resembling Meru and Mandara mountains, repeatedly arise and dissolve in that very Supreme State.
अनाद्यन्तास् स्फुरन्त्य् अन्ये जायमानास् सहस्रशः । नानाककुब्निकुञ्जेषु पादपेष्व् इव पल्लवाः
Others, without beginning or end, arise and shine forth by the thousands, in the various corners of the world, like leaves sprouting on trees.
जीवौघाश् चोद्भविष्यन्ति मधाव् इव नवाङ्कुराः । तत्रैव लयम् एष्यन्ति ग्रीष्मे मधुलता इव
Streams of living beings emerge, as new shoots in spring, and there itself they dissolve, like honey-vines in the summer.
तिष्ठन्त्य् अजस्रं कालेषु त एवान्ये च भूरिशः । जायन्ते ऽथ प्रलीयन्ते परस्मिञ् जीवराजयः
They remain constantly through the ages, and many others are born and then perish; thus, the domains of living beings arise and subside in another.
पुष्पामोदाव् इवाभिन्नौ पुमान् कर्म च राघव । परमेशात् समायातौ तत्रैव विशतश् शनैः
Just as fragrance and flower are inseparable, so too, O Rāghava, man and action both arise from the Supreme Lord and gradually merge back there.
इत्थम् एते जगत्य् अस्मिन् दैत्योरगनरामराः । उद्भवन्यग्भवाभावैः प्रस्फुरन्ति पुनः पुनः
Thus, in this world, demons, serpents, humans, and gods repeatedly manifest and disappear, through birth, existence, and dissolution.
हेतुर् विहरणे तेषाम् आत्मविस्मरणाद् ऋते । न कश्चिल् लक्ष्यते साधो जन्माध्वफलदो ऽपरः
Except for self-forgetfulness, there is no other cause for their wandering; O noble one, no other path is seen that yields the fruit of birth.
अविसंवादितार्थं सद् यत् प्रमाणिकदृष्टिभिः । वीतरागैर् विनिर्णीतं तच् छास्त्रम् इति कथ्यते
That which is true, unfailing in meaning, determined by authoritative vision and by those free from passion, is called scripture.
महासत्त्वगुणोपेता ये धीरास् समदृष्टयः । यन्निदेशाः फलोपेतास् साधवस् त उदाहृताः
Those steadfast ones endowed with great qualities, whose vision is equal, whose instructions bear fruit—such virtuous people are declared to be noble.
इयं तु दृष्टिस् सकला सिद्धये सर्वकर्मणाम् । साधुवृत्ततया शास्त्रं सर्वदैवानुवर्तते
This discernment, when complete, leads to the accomplishment of all actions; by the conduct of the virtuous, scripture is always followed.
साधुसंव्यवहारस्थं शास्त्रं यो नानुवर्तते । बहिष्कुर्वन्ति तं सर्वे स च दुःखे निमज्जति
Whoever does not follow scripture while engaged in virtuous conduct is rejected by all, and he himself sinks into suffering.
इह लोके च वेदे च श्रुतिर् इत्थं सदा प्रभो । यथा कर्म च कर्ता च पर्यायेणेह सङ्गते
In this world and in the Veda, O Lord, it is always heard thus: action and the doer are mutually connected here in turn.
कर्मणा क्रियते कर्ता कर्त्रा कर्म प्रमीयते । बीजाङ्कुरवद् आम्नायो लोके वेदोक्त एष सः
By action, the doer is made; by the doer, action is measured—like seed and sprout, this is the tradition in the world and as stated in the Veda.
कर्मणो जायते जन्तुर् बीजाद् इव नवाङ्कुरः । जन्तोः प्रजायते कर्म पुनर् बीजम् इवाङ्कुरात्
From action, a living being is born, just as a new sprout from a seed; from the living being, action arises again, like a seed from a sprout.
यया वासनया कर्म दीयते भवपञ्जरे । तद्वासनानुरूपेण फलं समनुभूयते
By whatever tendency action is performed in the cage of existence, the result is experienced in accordance with that very tendency.
एवं स्थिते कथं नाम जन्मबीजेन कर्मणा । विनोत्पत्तिस् त्वया प्रोक्ता भूतानां ब्रह्मणः पदात्
Given this, how can you say that beings arise from the seed of birth and action without origin, O knower of Brahman?
पक्षेणानेन भगवन् भवता जन्मकर्मणोः । तिरस्कृता जगज्जाताप्य् अविनाभावितैतयोः
By this reasoning, O Blessed One, you have disregarded birth and action, though the world arises only through their inseparability.
कर्मण्य् अकारणे ब्रह्मञ् जन्मादिषु फलेषु तु । कर्मणां फलम् अस्तीति त्वया लोके प्रमार्जितम्
In actions, there is no cause in Brahman, but in birth and other results, you have established in the world that the fruit of actions exists.
सञ्जाते सङ्करे लोके कर्मस्व् अफलदायिषु । मात्स्ये न्याये विलसति नाश एवावशिष्यते
When confusion arises in the world and actions yield no results, the law of the fish prevails, and only destruction remains.
किं तत् कृतं भवत्य् एवं भगवन् ब्रूहि तत्त्वतः । एतं मे संशयं स्फारं छिन्द्धि वेदविदां वर
What is it that happens in this way? O Lord, speak the truth. Please resolve this great doubt of mine, O best among knowers of the Vedas.
साधु राघव पृष्टो ऽस्मि त्वया प्रश्नम् इमं शुभम् । शृणु वक्ष्यामि ते येन भृशं ज्ञानोदयो भवेत्
Well done, Raghava, you have asked me this auspicious question. Listen, I will tell you so that a great awakening of knowledge may arise in you.
मनसो यस् समुन्मेषः कलाकलनरूपतः । एतत् तत् कर्मणां बीजं फलम् अस्यैव विद्यते
The arising of the mind, in the form of calculation and measurement, is the seed of actions; its fruit is found in this alone.
यद् एव हि मनस्तत्त्वम् उत्थितं ब्रह्मणः पदात् । तद् एव कर्म जन्तूनां जीवो देहतया स्थितः
Whatever essence of mind emerges from the state of Brahman, that itself is action for living beings; the soul abides as the body.
कुसुमामोदयोर् भेदो न यथा भिन्नयोर् इह । तथैव कर्ममनसोर् भेदो नास्त्य् अपि भिन्नयोः
Just as there is no difference between the fragrance and the flower, though they appear separate, so too there is no difference between action and mind, even if they seem distinct.
क्रियास्पन्दो जगत्य् अस्मिन् कर्मेति कथितो बुधैः । पूर्वं तस्य मनोदेहः कर्मातश् चित्तम् एव हि
The movement of activity in this world is called action by the wise; its origin is the mind-body, and from action, indeed, arises consciousness.
न स शैलो न तद् व्योम न सा दिङ् न त्रिविष्टपम् । अस्ति यत्र फलं नास्ति कृतानाम् आत्मकर्मणाम्
There is no mountain, nor that sky, nor that direction, nor heaven itself, where the results of one's own actions do not exist.
ऐहिकं प्राक्तनं वापि कर्म यद् रचितं स्फुटम् । पौरुषो ऽसौ परो यत्नो न कदाचन निष्फलः
Whether an action is performed in this life or a previous one, if it is clearly done with effort, that human endeavor never becomes fruitless.
ब्रह्मणः प्रोत्थितं चित्तं कर्म विद्धीह नेतरत् । तद् एव जनताबीजं विद्धि राघव नेतरत्
Know that it is the mind arisen from Brahman that acts; not anything else. Understand, O Raghava, that this alone is the seed of beings, not anything else.