Krishna Teaches Uttanka the Truth of the Self

Verse 1 (14.54.1)

ब्रूहि केशव तत्त्वेन त्वमध्यात्ममनिन्दितम् । श्रुत्वा श्रेयोऽभिधास्यामि शापं वा ते जनार्दन ॥

brūhi keśava tattvena tvamadhyātmamaninditam | śrutvā śreyo'bhidhāsyāmi śāpaṃ vā te janārdana

"Tell me in truth, O Keshava, the blameless teaching about the Self. Having heard it, I shall say what is best for you, or else pronounce a curse upon you, O Janardana."

Verse 2 (14.54.2)

तमो रजश्च सत्वं च विद्धि भावान्मदाश्रयान् । स्थितिसृष्टिलयाध्यक्षो विष्णुब्रह्मेशसंज्ञितः ॥

tamo rajaśca satvaṃ ca viddhi bhāvānmadāśrayān | sthitisṛṣṭilayādhyakṣo viṣṇubrahmeśasaṃjñitaḥ

"Know that darkness, passion and goodness are states that rest on me: the one who presides over preservation, creation and dissolution, called Vishnu, Brahma and Ishvara.

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 14.53.2a; line 2 is the critical edition's star passage 14.53.2b*0107_01 (not in the constituted text). Stray backtick at the start of line 2 removed.

Verse 3 (14.54.3)

कदाचित्तमसा रुद्रो विष्णुः सत्त्वगुणे स्थितः । रजस्यपि तथा ब्रह्मा स्वगुणान्यगुणानुगौ ॥

kadācittamasā rudro viṣṇuḥ sattvaguṇe sthitaḥ | rajasyapi tathā brahmā svaguṇānyaguṇānugau

At times Rudra stands in darkness, Vishnu in goodness, and Brahma likewise in passion, each following his own quality or another's.

Note on the text: Both lines are the critical edition's star passage 14.53.2b*0107_02–03 (not in the constituted text; Wikisource reads स्वगुणान्यगुणानुभौ where the star text has guṇād anyaguṇānugau, and the form अनुभौ is not a valid word, so corrected → अनुगौ, misprint in Wikisource: ग for भ).

Verse 4 (14.54.4)

प्रणवात्मा च शब्दादींस्त्रिगुणात्मा चराचरम् । तथा रुद्रान्वसून्वाऽपि विद्धि मत्प्रभवान्द्विज ॥

praṇavātmā ca śabdādīṃstriguṇātmā carācaram | tathā rudrānvasūnvā'pi viddhi matprabhavāndvija

He is the Pranava in essence, and in his threefold-quality nature he is sound and the other objects of sense, and the whole moving and unmoving world. Know also the Rudras and the Vasus as born of me, O twice-born.

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's star passage 14.53.2b*0107_04 (not in the constituted text); line 2 = CE 14.53.2c. Stray quote mark and danda after line 1 removed.

Verse 5 (14.54.5)

मयि सर्वाणि भूतानि सर्वभूतेषु चाप्यहम् । स्थित इत्यभिजानीहि मा ते भूदत्र संशयः ॥

mayi sarvāṇi bhūtāni sarvabhūteṣu cāpyaham | sthita ityabhijānīhi mā te bhūdatra saṃśayaḥ

All beings are in me, and I am in all beings; know this, and let no doubt arise in you about it.

Verse 6 (14.54.6)

तथा दैत्यगणान्सर्वान्यक्षगन्धर्वराक्षसान् । नागानप्सरसश्चैव विद्धि मत्प्रभवान्द्विज ॥

tathā daityagaṇānsarvānyakṣagandharvarākṣasān | nāgānapsarasaścaiva viddhi matprabhavāndvija

Know likewise that all the hosts of the Daityas, and the Yakshas, Gandharvas, Rakshasas, Nagas and Apsarases, are born of me, O twice-born.

Note on the text: Wikisource's wording (यक्षगन्धर्वराक्षसान् / नागानप्सरसश्चैव, in a different order) corresponds to the critical edition's star lines 14.53.4c*0108_01–02, while the CE text reads yakṣarākṣasapannagān / gandharvāpsarasaś caiva; recension variant, kept.

Verse 7 (14.54.7)

सदसच्चैव यत्प्राहुरव्यक्तं व्यक्तमेव च । अक्षरं च क्षरं चैव सर्वमेतन्मदात्मकम् ॥

sadasaccaiva yatprāhuravyaktaṃ vyaktameva ca | akṣaraṃ ca kṣaraṃ caiva sarvametanmadātmakam

What they call being and non-being, the unmanifest and the manifest, the imperishable and the perishable: all of this is of my nature.

Verse 8 (14.54.8)

ये चाश्रमेषु वै धर्माश्चतुर्षु विहिता मुने । वैदिकानि च कर्माणि विद्धि सर्वं मदात्मकम् ॥

ye cāśrameṣu vai dharmāścaturṣu vihitā mune | vaidikāni ca karmāṇi viddhi sarvaṃ madātmakam

The duties laid down in the four stages of life, O sage, and the Vedic rites: know all of it to be of my nature.

Note on the text: Wikisource reads वैदिकानि where the critical edition has daivāni (the page's footnote records दैवतानि च कर्माणि); recension variant, kept.

Verse 9 (14.54.9)

असच्च सच्चैव च यद्विश्वं सदसतः परम् । ततः परतरं नास्ति देवदेवात्सनातनात् ॥

asacca saccaiva ca yadviśvaṃ sadasataḥ param | tataḥ parataraṃ nāsti devadevātsanātanāt

What is non-being and being, and the universe that is beyond being and non-being: beyond that there is nothing higher than the eternal God of gods.

Note on the text: Wikisource's line 1 (असच्च सच्चैव च यद्विश्वं सदसतः परम्) is a recension variant of the critical edition's asac ca sadasac caiva yad viśvaṃ sadasataḥ param, kept.

Verse 10 (14.54.10)

ओंकारप्रभवान्वेदान्विद्धि मां त्वं भृगूद्वह । यूपं सोमं चरुं होमं त्रिदशाप्यायनं मखे ॥

oṃkāraprabhavānvedānviddhi māṃ tvaṃ bhṛgūdvaha | yūpaṃ somaṃ caruṃ homaṃ tridaśāpyāyanaṃ makhe

Know me, O descendant of Bhrigu, as the Vedas that arise from Om; as the sacrificial post, the soma, the charu, the oblation, and the nourishment of the gods in the sacrifice.

Note on the text: Line 2 (यूपं सोमं चरुं होमम्) is a variant of the critical edition's yūpaṃ somaṃ tathaiveha (recension variant, kept).

Verse 11 (14.54.11)

होतारमपि हव्यं च विद्धि मां भृगुनन्दन । अध्वर्युः कल्पकृच्चापि हविः परमसंस्कृतम् ॥

hotāramapi havyaṃ ca viddhi māṃ bhṛgunandana | adhvaryuḥ kalpakṛccāpi haviḥ paramasaṃskṛtam

Know me too as the Hotri priest and as the offering, O joy of the Bhrigus; and as the Adhvaryu, the arranger of the rite, and the offering most perfectly prepared.

Note on the text: Corrected विद्धिं → विद्धि (misprint in Wikisource; stray anusvara, the critical edition reads viddhi).

Verse 12 (14.54.12)

उद्गाता चापि मां स्तौति गीतघोषैर्महाध्वरे । प्रायश्चित्तेषु मां ब्रह्मञ्शान्तिमङ्गलवाचकाः ॥

udgātā cāpi māṃ stauti gītaghoṣairmahādhvare | prāyaścitteṣu māṃ brahmañśāntimaṅgalavācakāḥ

In the great sacrifice the Udgatri also praises me with ringing chants; and in the expiatory rites, O Brahmin, those who recite words of peace and blessing

Note on the text: Lines = CE 14.53.10a,c.

Verse 13 (14.54.13)

स्तुवन्ति विश्वकर्माणं सततं द्विजसत्तम । मम विद्धि सुतं धर्ममग्रजं द्विजसत्तम ॥

stuvanti viśvakarmāṇaṃ satataṃ dvijasattama | mama viddhi sutaṃ dharmamagrajaṃ dvijasattama

praise Vishvakarman always, O best of the twice-born. Know Dharma, my firstborn son, O best of the twice-born,

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 14.53.10e (Wikisource reads द्विजसत्तम where the critical edition has dvijasattamāḥ, a recension variant, kept); line 2 = CE 14.53.11a (the words reordered).

Verse 14 (14.54.14)

मानसं दयितं विप्र सर्वभूतदयात्मकम् । तत्राहं वर्तमानैश्च निवृत्तैश्चैव मानवैः ॥

mānasaṃ dayitaṃ vipra sarvabhūtadayātmakam | tatrāhaṃ vartamānaiśca nivṛttaiścaiva mānavaiḥ

mind-born, beloved, whose nature is compassion for all beings. There I am present, among men who engage in the world and men who have turned away from it,

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 14.53.11c; line 2 = CE 14.53.12a.

Verse 15 (14.54.15)

बह्वीः संसरमाणो वै योनीर्वर्तामि सत्तम । लोकसंरक्षणार्थाय धर्मसंस्थापनाय च ॥

bahvīḥ saṃsaramāṇo vai yonīrvartāmi sattama | lokasaṃrakṣaṇārthāya dharmasaṃsthāpanāya ca

passing through many wombs, I dwell there, O excellent one, for the protection of the world and the establishment of dharma,

Note on the text: Corrected लोकसरंक्षणार्थाय → लोकसंरक्षणार्थाय (misprint in Wikisource; the anusvara and ra transposed, cf. the critical edition's dharmasaṃrakṣaṇārthāya). Line 1 = CE 14.53.12c (योनीर्वर्तामि सत्तम for yonīr hi dvijasattama, a recension variant, kept); line 2 = CE 14.53.13a (लोक for dharma at its start, a recension variant, kept).

Verse 16 (14.54.16)

तैस्तैर्वेषैश्च रूपैश्च त्रिषु लोकेषु भार्गव । अहं विष्णुरहं ब्रह्मा शक्रोऽथ प्रभवाप्ययः ॥

taistairveṣaiśca rūpaiśca triṣu lokeṣu bhārgava | ahaṃ viṣṇurahaṃ brahmā śakro'tha prabhavāpyayaḥ

in those various guises and forms in the three worlds, O Bhargava. I am Vishnu, I am Brahma, I am Shakra, the origin and the dissolution,

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 14.53.13c; line 2 = CE 14.53.14a.

Verse 17 (14.54.17)

भूतग्रामस्य सर्वस्य स्रष्टा संहार एव च । अधर्मे वर्तमानानां सर्वेषामहमच्युतः ॥

bhūtagrāmasya sarvasya sraṣṭā saṃhāra eva ca | adharme vartamānānāṃ sarveṣāmahamacyutaḥ

the creator and the destroyer of the whole host of beings. And for all who live in unrighteousness, I, the Unfallen,

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 14.53.14c; line 2 is a variant of CE 14.53.15a (adharme vartamānānāṃ sarveṣām aham apy uta), kept.

Verse 18 (14.54.18)

धर्मस्य सेतुं बध्नामि चलिते चलिते युगे । तास्ता योनीः प्रविश्याहं प्रजानां हितकाम्यया ॥

dharmasya setuṃ badhnāmi calite calite yuge | tāstā yonīḥ praviśyāhaṃ prajānāṃ hitakāmyayā

build a bridge of dharma whenever an age begins to totter, entering this and that womb out of a wish for the welfare of creatures.

Note on the text: Lines = CE 14.53.15c,e.

Verse 19 (14.54.19)

यदा त्वहं देवयोनौ वर्तामि भृगुनन्दन । तदाऽहं देववत्सर्वमाचरामि न संशयः ॥

yadā tvahaṃ devayonau vartāmi bhṛgunandana | tadā'haṃ devavatsarvamācarāmi na saṃśayaḥ

When I live in the womb of a god, O descendant of Bhrigu, I do everything as a god does; there is no doubt of it.

Verse 20 (14.54.20)

यदा गन्धर्वयोनौ तु वर्तामि भृगुनन्दन । तदा गन्धर्ववच्चेष्टा सर्वाश्चेष्टामि भार्गव ॥

yadā gandharvayonau tu vartāmi bhṛgunandana | tadā gandharvavacceṣṭā sarvāśceṣṭāmi bhārgava

When I live in the womb of a Gandharva, O descendant of Bhrigu, I act in all things as a Gandharva does, O Bhargava.

Verse 21 (14.54.21)

नागयोनौ यदा चैव तदा वर्तामि नागवत् । यक्षराक्षसयोन्योस्तु यथावद्विचराम्यहम् ॥

nāgayonau yadā caiva tadā vartāmi nāgavat | yakṣarākṣasayonyostu yathāvadvicarāmyaham

When I am in the womb of a Naga, I live as a Naga does; and in the wombs of Yakshas and Rakshasas I move about as they do.

Note on the text: Wikisource's line 2 (यक्षराक्षसयोन्योस्तु) differs slightly from the critical edition's yakṣarākṣasayonīś ca (recension variant, kept).

Verse 22 (14.54.22)

मानुष्ये वर्तमाने तु कृपणं याचिता मया । न च ते जातसम्मोहा वचोऽगृह्णन्त मोहिताः ॥

mānuṣye vartamāne tu kṛpaṇaṃ yācitā mayā | na ca te jātasammohā vaco'gṛhṇanta mohitāḥ

When I was among men, I pleaded humbly with them; but they, in the grip of confusion and deluded, would not take my words, which were for their good.

Verse 23 (14.54.23)

भयं च महदुद्दिश्य त्रासिताः कुरवो मया । क्रुद्धेन भूत्वा तु पुनर्यथावदनुदर्शिताः ॥

bhayaṃ ca mahaduddiśya trāsitāḥ kuravo mayā | kruddhena bhūtvā tu punaryathāvadanudarśitāḥ

Pointing to a great danger, I frightened the Kurus; and becoming angry, I showed them again exactly how things stood.

Note on the text: Corrected पुर्यथावत् → पुनर्यथावत् (misprint in Wikisource; dropped न, the critical edition reads punar yathāvad anudarśitāḥ). Wikisource's क्रुद्धेन for the critical edition's kruddheva is a recension variant, kept.

Verse 24 (14.54.24)

तेऽधर्मेणेह संयुक्ताः परीताः कालधर्मणा । धर्मेण निहता युद्धे गताः स्वर्गं न संशयः ॥

te'dharmeṇeha saṃyuktāḥ parītāḥ kāladharmaṇā | dharmeṇa nihatā yuddhe gatāḥ svargaṃ na saṃśayaḥ

Bound to unrighteousness here and seized by the law of time, they were slain in battle in accordance with dharma, and have gone to heaven; there is no doubt of it.

Note on the text: Corrected परीताःक → परीताः (misprint in Wikisource; a stray क, a manuscript siglum, run into the text).

Verse 25 (14.54.25)

लोकेषु पाण्डवाश्चैव गताः ख्यातिं द्विजोत्तम । एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि ॥

lokeṣu pāṇḍavāścaiva gatāḥ khyātiṃ dvijottama | etatte sarvamākhyātaṃ yanmāṃ tvaṃ paripṛcchasi

And the Pandavas have gone to fame in the worlds, O best of the twice-born. I have now told you all that you asked me."