Chapter 12.242

Verse 1 View Details

यस्माद्धर्मात्परो धर्मो विद्यते नेह कश्चन । यो विशिष्टश्च धर्मेभ्यस्तं भवान्प्रब्रवीतु मे ॥

Shuka said May your reverend self describe what is the foremost of all duties, indeed, of that duty then which no higher one exists in this world.

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Verse 2 View Details

धर्मं ते संप्रवक्ष्यामि पुराणमृषिसंस्तुतम् । विशिष्टं सर्वधर्मेभ्यस्तमिहैकमनाः शृणु ॥

Vyasa said I shall now describe to you duties having a very ancient origin and laid down by the Rishis, duties which are superior to all others. Listen to me with rapt attention.

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Verse 3 View Details

इन्द्रियाणि प्रमाथीनि बुद्ध्या संयम्य यत्नतः । सर्वतो निष्पतिष्णूनि पिता बालानिवात्मजान् ॥

The maddening senses should carefully be governed by the understanding like a father checking his own in experienced children liable to fall into various evil habits.

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Verse 4 View Details

मनसश्चेन्द्रियाणां च ह्यैकाग्र्यं परमं तपः । तज्ज्यायः सर्वधर्मेभ्यः स धर्मः पर उच्यते ॥

To withdraw the mind and the senses from all unworthy objects and their duc concentration (upon higher objects) is the highest penance. That is the highest of all duties. Indeed, that is said to be the highest duty.

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Verse 5 View Details

तानि सर्वाणि संधाय मनःषष्ठानि मेधया । आत्मतृप्त इवासीत बहु चिन्त्यमचिन्तयन् ॥

Directing, by the help of the understanding, the senses having the mind for their sixth, and without, thinking of worldly objects which create innumerablc kinds of thought, one should live contented with his own self.

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Verse 6 View Details

गोचरेभ्यो निवृत्तानि यदा स्थास्यन्ति वेश्मनि । तदा त्वमात्मनात्मानं परं द्रक्ष्यसि शाश्वतम् ॥

When withdrawn from the fields where they generally run loose, senses and the mind return for living in their proper abode, it is then that you will see in your own self the Eternal and Supreme Soul.

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Verse 7 View Details

सर्वात्मानं महात्मानं विधूममिव पावकम् । तं पश्यन्ति महात्मानो ब्राह्मणा ये मनीषिणः ॥

Those great Brahmanas who are endud with wisdom succeed in seeing that Supreme and Universal Soul which resembles a blazing fire in effulgence.

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Verse 8 View Details

यथा पुष्पफलोपेतो बहुशाखो महाद्रुमः । आत्मनो नाभिजानीते क्व मे पुष्पं क्व मे फलम् ॥

As a large tree enveloped with numberless branches and filled with many flowers and fruits, does not know in which part it has flowers and in which it has fruits, similarly the Soul, as modified by birth and other qualities, does not know whence it has come and whither it is to go. There is, however, an inner Soul, which sees every thing.

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यथा | पुष्प + फल + उपे | बहु + शाखा | महत् + द्रुम
आत्मनो | न + अभिज्ञा | क्व | मे | पुष्पं | क्व | मे | फलम्

Verse 9 View Details

एवमात्मा न जानीते क्व गमिष्ये कुतो न्वहम् । अन्यो ह्यत्रान्तरात्मास्ति यः सर्वमनुपश्यति ॥

As a large tree enveloped with numberless branches and filled with many flowers and fruits, does not know in which part it has flowers and in which it has fruits, similarly the Soul, as modified by birth and other qualities, does not know whence it has come and whither it is to go. There is, however, an inner Soul, which sees every thing.

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Verse 10 View Details

ज्ञानदीपेन दीप्तेन पश्यत्यात्मानमात्मना । दृष्ट्वा त्वमात्मनात्मानं निरात्मा भव सर्ववित् ॥

One sees the Soul with the help of the lamp of knowledge. Seeing, therefore, yourself with you ownself, cease to regard your body as yourself and acquire omniscience.

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Verse 11 View Details

विमुक्तः सर्वपापेभ्यो मुक्तत्वच इवोरगः । परां बुद्धिमवाप्येह विपाप्मा विगतज्वरः ॥

Purged of all sins, like a snake that has cast off its slough, one acquires high intelligence here and becomes free from every anxiety and the obligation of acquiring a new body.

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Verse 12 View Details

सर्वतःस्रोतसं घोरां नदीं लोकप्रवाहिनीम् । पञ्चेन्द्रियग्राहवतीं मनःसंकल्परोधसम् ॥

Having its current spread in various directions, dreadful is this river of life carrying the world onward in its course. The five senses are its crocodiles. The mind and its objects are the shores.

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सर्वतस् + स्रोतस् | घोरां | नदीं | लोक + प्रवाहिन्
पञ्चन् + इन्द्रिय + ग्राहवत् | मनस् + संकल्प + रोधस्

Verse 13 View Details

लोभमोहतृणच्छन्नां कामक्रोधसरीसृपाम् । सत्यतीर्थानृतक्षोभां क्रोधपङ्कां सरिद्वराम् ॥

Cupidity and bewilderment of judgement are the grass and straw and anger are the dreadful reptiles which live in it. Truth forms the landing stage by its miry banks. Falsehood forms its surges, and anger its mire.

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काम + क्रोध + सरीसृप
सत्य + तीर्थ + अनृत + क्षोभ | क्रोध + पङ्क | सरित् + वर

Verse 14 View Details

अव्यक्तप्रभवां शीघ्रां दुस्तरामकृतात्मभिः । प्रतरस्व नदीं बुद्ध्या कामग्राहसमाकुलाम् ॥

Originating from the Unmanifest, rapid is its current, and incapable of being crossed by persons of impure souls. Do you, with the help of the understanding, cross that river having desires for its alligators.

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Verse 15 View Details

संसारसागरगमां योनिपातालदुस्तराम् । आत्मजन्मोद्भवां तात जिह्वावर्तां दुरासदाम् ॥

The worldly concerns form the ocean towards which that river runs. Genus and species form its unfathomable depth that none can understand. One's birth, O child, is the source from which that stream originates. Speech forms its eddies.

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संसार + सागर + गम | योनि + पाताल + दुस्तर
आत्मजन्मन् + उद्भव | तात | जिह्वा + आवर्त | दुरासदाम्

Verse 16 View Details

यां तरन्ति कृतप्रज्ञा धृतिमन्तो मनीषिणः । तां तीर्णः सर्वतोमुक्तो विपूतात्मात्मविच्छुचिः ॥

Only men endued with learning wisdom, and understanding succeed in crossing it which is so difficult to cross. Crossing it, you will free yourself from every attachment, acquiring a tranquil heart, knowing the Soul, and becoming pure in every way.

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Verse 17 View Details

उत्तमां बुद्धिमास्थाय ब्रह्मभूयं गमिष्यसि । संतीर्णः सर्वसंक्लेशान्प्रसन्नात्मा विकल्मषः ॥

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Verse 18 View Details

भूमिष्ठानीव भूतानि पर्वतस्थो निशामय । अक्रुध्यन्नप्रहृष्यंश्च ननृशंसमतिस्तथा । ततो द्रक्ष्यसि भूतानां सर्वेषां प्रभवाप्ययौ ॥

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Verse 19 View Details

एवं वै सर्वधर्मेभ्यो विशिष्टं मेनिरे बुधाः । धर्मं धर्मभृतां श्रेष्ठ मुनयस्तत्त्वदर्शिनः ॥

Wise men consider such an act to be the foremost of all things. Indeed, this act of crossing the river of life is considered by the foremost of pious persons, by ascetics conversant with the truth, to be the greatest of all acts that one can perform.

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Verse 20 View Details

आत्मनोऽव्ययिनो ज्ञात्वा इदं पुत्रानुशासनम् । प्रयताय प्रवक्तव्यं हितायानुगताय च ॥

This knowledge of the all-pervading Soul should be delivered to one's son. It should be inculcated upto one who is of controlled Senses, who is honest in conduct, and. that is docile or submissive.

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Verse 21 View Details

आत्मज्ञानमिदं गुह्यं सर्वगुह्यतमं महत् । अब्रुवं यदहं तात आत्मसाक्षिकमञ्जसा ॥

This knowledge of Soul, which I have just explained to you, O child, and the evidence of whose truth is supplied by the Soul itself, is, indeed, the greatest of all mysteries, and the very highest knowledge which one can acquire.

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Verse 22 View Details

नैव स्त्री न पुमानेतन्नैव चेदं नपुंसकम् । अदुःखमसुखं ब्रह्म भूतभव्यभवात्मकम् ॥

Brahma has no sex,-inale, a female, or neuter. It is neither sorrow nor happiness. Its essence the past, the future, and the present.

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Verse 23 View Details

नैतज्ज्ञात्वा पुमान्स्त्री वा पुनर्भवमवाप्नुयात् । अभवप्रतिपत्त्यर्थमेतद्वर्त्म विधीयते ॥

Whatever the sex may be, male or female, the person who acquires the knowledge of Brahma hath never to go through re-births. This duty (of Yoga) has been described for acquiring Liberation from re-birth.

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Verse 24 View Details

यथा मतानि सर्वाणि न चैतानि यथा तथा । कथितानि मया पुत्र भवन्ति न भवन्ति च ॥

These words which I have used for answering your question lead to Liberation in the same way as the various other opinions held by various other sages who have described this subject. I have explained the subject to you in the manner in which it should be explained. Those opinions sometimes yield fruit and sometimes not.

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यथा | मतानि | सर्वाणि | न | च + एतद् | यथा | तथा
कथितानि | मया | पुत्र | भवन्ति | न | भवन्ति | च

Verse 25 View Details

तत्प्रीतियुक्तेन गुणान्वितेन; पुत्रेण सत्पुत्रगुणान्वितेन । पृष्टो हीदं प्रीतिमता हितार्थं; ब्रूयात्सुतस्येह यदुक्तमेतत् ॥

Therefore, good child, when asked by a contented, meritorious, and self-controlled son or disciple, a preceptor should, with a delighted hcart, explain, according to their true import, these instructions which I have delivered for your benefit my son.

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Chapter 12.242

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