Karma, the Womb and the Conduct of the Good

Verse 1 (14.19.1)

शुभानामशुभानां च नेह नाशोस्ति कर्मणाम् । प्राप्यप्राप्यानुपच्यन्ते क्षेत्रेक्षेत्रे तथातथा ॥

śubhānāmaśubhānāṃ ca neha nāśosti karmaṇām | prāpyaprāpyānupacyante kṣetrekṣetre tathātathā

Of good deeds and of evil deeds there is no destruction here; again and again they come to ripen, in one field after another, in one way and another.

Verse 2 (14.19.2)

यथा प्रसूयमानस्तु फली दद्यात्फलं बहु । तथा स्याद्विपुलं पुण्यं शुद्धेन मनसा कृतम् ॥

yathā prasūyamānastu phalī dadyātphalaṃ bahu | tathā syādvipulaṃ puṇyaṃ śuddhena manasā kṛtam

As a fruit-tree, when it comes to bear, yields much fruit, so merit done with a pure mind grows abundant.

Verse 3 (14.19.3)

पापं चापि तथैव स्यात्पापेन मनसा कृतम् । पुरोधाय मनो हीह कर्मण्यात्मा प्रवर्तते ॥

pāpaṃ cāpi tathaiva syātpāpena manasā kṛtam | purodhāya mano hīha karmaṇyātmā pravartate

And so also sin done with a sinful mind; for the self goes into action with the mind placed first.

Verse 4 (14.19.4)

यथा कर्मसमाविष्टः काममन्युसमावृतः । नरो गर्भं प्रविशति तत्रापि शृणु चोत्तरम् ॥

yathā karmasamāviṣṭaḥ kāmamanyusamāvṛtaḥ | naro garbhaṃ praviśati tatrāpi śṛṇu cottaram

As a man, bound up with his deeds and wrapped in desire and anger, enters a womb, hear that too, and what follows.

Verse 5 (14.19.5)

शुक्रं शोणितसंसृष्टं स्त्रिया गर्भाशयं गतम् । क्षेत्रं कर्मजमाप्नोति शुभं वा यदि वाऽशुभम् ॥

śukraṃ śoṇitasaṃsṛṣṭaṃ striyā garbhāśayaṃ gatam | kṣetraṃ karmajamāpnoti śubhaṃ vā yadi vā'śubham

Semen mingled with blood, having reached the woman's womb, obtains a field born of deed, whether good or evil.

Verse 6 (14.19.6)

सौक्ष्म्यादव्यक्तभावाच्च न च क्वचन सज्जति । सम्प्राप्य ब्रह्मणः कायं तस्मात्तद्ब्रह्म शाश्वतम् ॥

saukṣmyādavyaktabhāvācca na ca kvacana sajjati | samprāpya brahmaṇaḥ kāyaṃ tasmāttadbrahma śāśvatam

Because of its subtlety and its unmanifest nature, it clings nowhere. Having reached the body of Brahman, therefore, that is the eternal Brahman.

Note on the text: Corrected व्यक्तयावाच्च → व्यक्तभावाच्च (misprint in Wikisource; "avyaktabhāvāc ca", because of its unmanifest nature; CE reads "avyaktabhāvāc ca"). Corrected ब्राह्मणः → ब्रह्मणः (misprint in Wikisource; "brahmaṇaḥ kāyaṃ", the body of Brahman; the sense requires the genitive of Brahman, CE reads "brahmaṇaḥ kāyaṃ"). Two-line verse = CE 14.18.6a,c; the next verse is 6e. No Appendix I passage occurs in 14,018.

Verse 7 (14.19.7)

तद्बीजं सर्वभूतानां तेन जीवन्ति जन्तवः ॥

tadbījaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ tena jīvanti jantavaḥ

That is the seed of all beings; by it creatures live.

Note on the text: One-line verse as printed (14-19-7a) = CE 14.18.6e.

Verse 8 (14.19.8)

स जीवः सर्वभूतानां गर्भमाविश्य भागशः । दधाति चेतना सद्यः प्राणस्थानेष्ववस्थितः । ततः स्पन्दयतेऽङ्गानि स गर्भश्चेतनान्वितः ॥

sa jīvaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ garbhamāviśya bhāgaśaḥ | dadhāti cetanā sadyaḥ prāṇasthāneṣvavasthitaḥ | tataḥ spandayate'ṅgāni sa garbhaścetanānvitaḥ

That living self, entering the embryo of all beings part by part, and abiding in the seats of the vital breaths, at once sustains it with consciousness; then the embryo, endowed with consciousness, stirs its limbs.

Note on the text: Three-line verse as printed (14-19-8a,b,c) = CE 14.18.7a,c,e (CE "garbhasya", "cetasā"; Wikisource "सर्वभूतानां", "चेतना": recension variants, kept).

Verse 9 (14.19.9)

यथा लोहस्य विष्यन्दो निषिक्तो बिम्बविग्रहम् । उपैति तद्वज्जानीहि गर्भे जीवप्रवेशनम् ॥

yathā lohasya viṣyando niṣikto bimbavigraham | upaiti tadvajjānīhi garbhe jīvapraveśanam

As molten iron poured into a mould takes the shape of the mould, so know the entry of the living self into the womb.

Verse 10 (14.19.10)

लोहपिण्डं यथा वह्निः प्रविश्य ह्यतितापयेत् । तथा त्वमपि जानीहि गर्भे जीवोपपादनम् ॥

lohapiṇḍaṃ yathā vahniḥ praviśya hyatitāpayet | tathā tvamapi jānīhi garbhe jīvopapādanam

As fire enters a lump of iron and heats it through, so know too the bringing of the living self into the womb.

Verse 11 (14.19.11)

यथा च दीपः शरणं दीप्यमानः प्रकाशयेत् । एवमेव शरीराणि प्रकाशयति चेतनः ॥

yathā ca dīpaḥ śaraṇaṃ dīpyamānaḥ prakāśayet | evameva śarīrāṇi prakāśayati cetanaḥ

And as a lamp, burning, lights up a house, so consciousness lights up bodies.

Verse 12 (14.19.12)

यद्यच्च कुरुते कर्म शुभं वा यदि वाऽशुभम् । पूर्वदेहकृतं सर्वमवश्यमुपभुज्यते ॥

yadyacca kurute karma śubhaṃ vā yadi vā'śubham | pūrvadehakṛtaṃ sarvamavaśyamupabhujyate

Whatever deed he does, good or evil, all that was done in a former body he must needs enjoy.

Verse 13 (14.19.13)

ततस्तु क्षीयते चैव पुनश्चान्यत्प्रचीयते । यावत्तु मोक्षयोगस्थं धर्मं नैवावबुध्यते ॥

tatastu kṣīyate caiva punaścānyatpracīyate | yāvattu mokṣayogasthaṃ dharmaṃ naivāvabudhyate

Then it is used up, and another is heaped up, so long as he does not understand the dharma that rests on the discipline of liberation.

Verse 14 (14.19.14)

तत्ते धर्मं प्रवक्ष्यामि सुखी भवति येन वै । आवर्तमानो जातीषु यथाऽन्योन्यासु सत्तम ॥

tatte dharmaṃ pravakṣyāmi sukhī bhavati yena vai | āvartamāno jātīṣu yathā'nyonyāsu sattama

That dharma I shall tell you, by which one becomes happy while turning through one birth after another, O best of men.

Verse 15 (14.19.15)

दानं व्रतं ब्रह्मचर्यं यथोक्तव्रतधारणम् । दमः प्रशान्तता चैव भूतानां चानुकम्पनम् ॥

dānaṃ vrataṃ brahmacaryaṃ yathoktavratadhāraṇam | damaḥ praśāntatā caiva bhūtānāṃ cānukampanam

Giving, vows, chastity, keeping the vows as prescribed, self-control, tranquillity, and compassion for all beings;

Verse 16 (14.19.16)

संयमश्चानृशंस्यं च परस्वादानवर्जनम् । व्यलीकानामकरणं भूतानां मनसा भुवि ॥

saṃyamaścānṛśaṃsyaṃ ca parasvādānavarjanam | vyalīkānāmakaraṇaṃ bhūtānāṃ manasā bhuvi

restraint, freedom from cruelty, abstaining from taking what belongs to others, and not wronging beings, even in thought, here on earth;

Note on the text: Corrected चानृशंस्य च → चानृशंस्यं च (misprint in Wikisource; "ānṛśaṃsyaṃ", a neuter noun needing its anusvara; CE reads "cānṛśaṃsyaṃ ca"). Corrected भूताना मनसा → भूतानां मनसा (misprint in Wikisource; dropped anusvara and wrong word-division; the genitive plural "bhūtānāṃ" is required).

Verse 17 (14.19.17)

मातापित्रोश्च शुश्रूषा देवतातिथिपूजनम् । गुरुपूजा घृणा शौचं नित्यमिन्द्रियसंयमः ॥

mātāpitrośca śuśrūṣā devatātithipūjanam | gurupūjā ghṛṇā śaucaṃ nityamindriyasaṃyamaḥ

serving one's mother and father, honouring the gods and guests, reverence for the teacher, compassion, purity, and constant control of the senses;

Note on the text: Corrected देवतातितिपूजनम् → देवतातिथिपूजनम् (misprint in Wikisource; "devatātithipūjanam", worship of gods and guests; CE reads "devatātithipūjanam"). Corrected नित्यमिन्द्रयसंयमः → नित्यमिन्द्रियसंयमः (misprint in Wikisource; "indriya", dropped vowel sign; CE reads "nityam indriyasaṃyamaḥ").

Verse 18 (14.19.18)

प्रवर्तनं शुभानां च तत्सतां व्रतमुच्यते । ततो धर्मः प्रभवति यः प्रजाः पाति शाश्वतीः ॥

pravartanaṃ śubhānāṃ ca tatsatāṃ vratamucyate | tato dharmaḥ prabhavati yaḥ prajāḥ pāti śāśvatīḥ

and engaging in what is good: this is called the observance of the good. From it arises dharma, which protects the people for ever.

Note on the text: Wikisource "तत्सतां व्रतमुच्यते" (CE: "tat satāṃ vṛttam ucyate"); a recension variant, kept.

Verse 19 (14.19.19)

सद्भिराचरितो धर्मः सदाचारे प्रतिष्ठितः । उभयार्थो भवत्येव स्वर्गार्थो मोक्षतस्तथा ॥

sadbhirācarito dharmaḥ sadācāre pratiṣṭhitaḥ | ubhayārtho bhavatyeva svargārtho mokṣatastathā

Dharma practised by the good is founded on good conduct; it serves both ends, being for heaven and likewise for liberation.

Note on the text: Removed the stray opening backtick and the closing quote marks (।।') printed round the couplet. Not in the critical edition's numbered text: star passage 14,018.017b*0041_01-02 ("sadbhir ācarito dharmaḥ sadācāre pratiṣṭhitaḥ / ubhayārtho bhavaty eva svargārtho mokṣadas tathā"; Wikisource "मोक्षतस्तथा", a variant).

Verse 20 (14.19.20)

एवं सत्सु सदा पश्येत्तत्र चाप्येषा ध्रुवा स्थितिः । आचारो धर्ममाचष्टे यस्मिन्सन्तो व्यवस्थिताः ॥

evaṃ satsu sadā paśyettatra cāpyeṣā dhruvā sthitiḥ | ācāro dharmamācaṣṭe yasminsanto vyavasthitāḥ

So one should always look to the good; for in them too this is the firm footing. Conduct declares dharma, and in conduct the good are established.

Note on the text: Corrected तत्रछाप्येषा → तत्र चाप्येषा (misprint in Wikisource; "tatra cāpy eṣā"; "छ" is a slip for "च", and the words are separated. CE has "tatra hy eṣā", so this is also a recension variant).

Verse 21 (14.19.21)

तेषु तत्कर्म निक्षिप्तं यः स धर्मः सनातनः । यस्तं समभिपद्येत न स दुर्गतिमाप्नुयात् ॥

teṣu tatkarma nikṣiptaṃ yaḥ sa dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ | yastaṃ samabhipadyeta na sa durgatimāpnuyāt

That deed which is lodged in them is eternal dharma. He who follows it does not come to an evil end.

Verse 22 (14.19.22)

अतो नियम्यते लोकः प्रच्यवन्धर्मवर्त्मसु । यश्च योगी च मुक्तश्च स एतेभ्यो विशिष्यते ॥

ato niyamyate lokaḥ pracyavandharmavartmasu | yaśca yogī ca muktaśca sa etebhyo viśiṣyate

Therefore the world, as it slips from the paths of dharma, is held in check. But he who is both a yogin and liberated stands above all these.

Note on the text: Corrected ऐतेभ्यो → एतेभ्यो (misprint in Wikisource; "etebhyaḥ", from these; "sa etebhyaḥ" has no sandhi, and CE reads "etebhyaḥ").

Verse 23 (14.19.23)

वर्तमानस्य धर्मेण पुरुषस्य यथा तथा । संसारतारणं ह्यस्य कालेन महता भवेत् ॥

vartamānasya dharmeṇa puruṣasya yathā tathā | saṃsāratāraṇaṃ hyasya kālena mahatā bhavet

For a man who lives by dharma, in whatever way, the crossing over of the cycle of rebirth will come in a long time.

Verse 24 (14.19.24)

एवं पूर्वकृतं कर्म सर्वो जन्तुः प्रपद्यते । सर्वं तत्कारणं येन निकृतोऽयमिहागतः ॥

evaṃ pūrvakṛtaṃ karma sarvo jantuḥ prapadyate | sarvaṃ tatkāraṇaṃ yena nikṛto'yamihāgataḥ

Thus every creature takes upon itself the deed done before. All that is the cause by which this being, brought low, has come here.

Note on the text: Corrected निकृतोऽप्यमिहागतः → निकृतोऽयमिहागतः (misprint in Wikisource; "nikṛto 'yam ihāgataḥ"; "ऽप्यम" is a corrupt reading of "ऽयम", which CE has).

Verse 25 (14.19.25)

शरीरग्रहणं चास्य केन पूर्वं प्रकल्पितम् । इत्येवं संशये लोके तच्च वक्ष्याम्यतः परम् ॥

śarīragrahaṇaṃ cāsya kena pūrvaṃ prakalpitam | ityevaṃ saṃśaye loke tacca vakṣyāmyataḥ param

And by whom was the taking of a body first ordained for it? Since the world has this doubt, I shall tell you that next.

Verse 26 (14.19.26)

शरीरमात्मनः कृत्वा सर्वलोकपितामहः । त्रैलोक्यमसृजद्ब्रह्मा कृत्स्नं स्थावरजङ्गमम् ॥

śarīramātmanaḥ kṛtvā sarvalokapitāmahaḥ | trailokyamasṛjadbrahmā kṛtsnaṃ sthāvarajaṅgamam

Having made a body of himself, Brahma, the grandsire of all the worlds, created the three worlds entire, the moving and the unmoving.

Verse 27 (14.19.27)

ततः प्रधानमसृजच्चेतनां तु शरीरिणाम् । यया सर्वमिदं व्याप्तं यां लोके परमां विदुः ॥

tataḥ pradhānamasṛjaccetanāṃ tu śarīriṇām | yayā sarvamidaṃ vyāptaṃ yāṃ loke paramāṃ viduḥ

Then he created pradhana, the consciousness of embodied beings, by which all this is pervaded, and which the world knows as supreme.

Verse 28 (14.19.28)

इदं तत्क्षरमित्युक्तं परं त्वमृतमक्षरम् । त्रयाणां मिथुनं सर्वमेकैकस्य पृथक्पृथक् ॥

idaṃ tatkṣaramityuktaṃ paraṃ tvamṛtamakṣaram | trayāṇāṃ mithunaṃ sarvamekaikasya pṛthakpṛthak

This is called the perishable; the supreme, however, is the immortal, the imperishable. Of the three, all is a pairing, for each one separately.

Verse 29 (14.19.29)

असृजत्सर्वभूतानि पूर्वदृष्टः प्रजापतिः । स्थावराणि च भूतानि इत्येषा पौर्विकी श्रुतिः ॥

asṛjatsarvabhūtāni pūrvadṛṣṭaḥ prajāpatiḥ | sthāvarāṇi ca bhūtāni ityeṣā paurvikī śrutiḥ

Prajapati, known of old, created all beings, and the unmoving beings as well: so runs the ancient tradition.

Note on the text: Wikisource printed 14-19-29a,b and 14-19-30a,b together as one four-line row. Split into two couplets at the page's own labels; this is the first (14-19-29), the second becomes verse 30, which restores the skipped number. = CE 14.18.27 ("pūrvasṛṣṭaḥ", Wikisource "पूर्वदृष्टः", a variant).

Verse 30 (14.19.30)

तस्य कालपरीमाणमकरोत्स पितामहः । भूतेषु परिवृत्तिं च पुनरावृत्तिमेव च ॥

tasya kālaparīmāṇamakarotsa pitāmahaḥ | bhūteṣu parivṛttiṃ ca punarāvṛttimeva ca

The grandsire set a measure of time for it, and the turning and the return of beings.

Note on the text: Second half of the four-line Wikisource row 14-19-29/30 (labels 30a,30b); split off as its own verse, numbered 30. Corrected पनरावृत्तिमेव → पुनरावृत्तिमेव (misprint in Wikisource; "punarāvṛttim", return; CE reads "punarāvṛttim eva ca"). = CE 14.18.28.

Verse 31 (14.19.31)

यथा तु कश्चिन्मेधावी दृष्टात्मा पूर्वजन्मनि । यत्प्रवक्ष्यामि तत्सर्वं यथावदुपपद्यते ॥

yathā tu kaścinmedhāvī dṛṣṭātmā pūrvajanmani | yatpravakṣyāmi tatsarvaṃ yathāvadupapadyate

Just as a certain wise man who had realised the self in a former birth—everything I shall now say is found to be exactly so.

Verse 32 (14.19.32)

सुखदुःखे यथा सम्यगनित्ये यः प्रपश्यति । कायं चामेध्यसंस्थानं विनाशं कर्मसंहितम् ॥

sukhaduḥkhe yathā samyaganitye yaḥ prapaśyati | kāyaṃ cāmedhyasaṃsthānaṃ vināśaṃ karmasaṃhitam

He who rightly sees pleasure and pain as impermanent, the body as a foul compound, and destruction as bound up with deeds,

Verse 33 (14.19.33)

यच्च किञ्चित्सुखं तच्च दुःखं दृष्टमिति स्मरन् । संसारसागरं घोरं तरिष्यति सुदुस्तरम् ॥

yacca kiñcitsukhaṃ tacca duḥkhaṃ dṛṣṭamiti smaran | saṃsārasāgaraṃ ghoraṃ tariṣyati sudustaram

and who remembers that whatever pleasure there is has been seen to be pain, will cross the dreadful ocean of rebirth, so hard to cross.

Verse 34 (14.19.34)

जनीमरणरोगैश्च समाविष्टः प्रधानवित् । चेतनावत्सु चैतन्यं समं भूतेषु पश्यति ॥

janīmaraṇarogaiśca samāviṣṭaḥ pradhānavit | cetanāvatsu caitanyaṃ samaṃ bhūteṣu paśyati

He who, afflicted by birth, death and disease, knows the primal principle, sees consciousness as the same in all beings that have consciousness.

Note on the text: Corrected चेतनाव्तसु → चेतनावत्सु (misprint in Wikisource; "cetanāvatsu", among those having consciousness; CE reads "cetanāvatsu").

Verse 35 (14.19.35)

निर्विद्यते ततः कश्चिन्मार्गमाणः परं पदम् । तस्योपदेशं वक्ष्यामि याथातथ्येन सत्तम ॥

nirvidyate tataḥ kaścinmārgamāṇaḥ paraṃ padam | tasyopadeśaṃ vakṣyāmi yāthātathyena sattama

Then, growing weary of the world, someone seeks the supreme state. I shall tell you his instruction exactly as it is, O best of men.

Verse 36 (14.19.36)

शाश्वतस्याव्ययस्याथ यदस्य ज्ञानमुत्तमम् । प्रोच्यमानं मया विप्र निबोधेदमशेषतः ॥

śāśvatasyāvyayasyātha yadasya jñānamuttamam | procyamānaṃ mayā vipra nibodhedamaśeṣataḥ

Now hear fully from me, O Brahmin, as I declare it, the supreme knowledge of this eternal and imperishable state.

Note on the text: Corrected शाश्वतस्याव्ययस्याथ् → शाश्वतस्याव्ययस्याथ (misprint in Wikisource; stray virama on the final "ā-tha"; CE reads "śāśvatasyāvyayasyātha padasya jñānam uttamam", where Wikisource has "यदस्य", a recension variant, kept). Corrected निबोधदमशेषतः → निबोधेदमशेषतः (misprint in Wikisource; "nibodhedam", dropped vowel sign; CE reads "nibodhedam aśeṣataḥ").