Bhrigu Teaches That the Soul Outlasts the Body

Verse 1 (12.185.1)

न प्रणाशोऽस्ति जीवानां दत्तस्य च कृतस्य च । याति देहान्तरं प्राणी शरीरं तु विशीर्यते ॥

na praṇāśo'sti jīvānāṃ dattasya ca kṛtasya ca | yāti dehāntaraṃ prāṇī śarīraṃ tu viśīryate

Living beings are never destroyed, nor what they have given or done. The creature passes to another body; it is only the body that falls apart.

Verse 2 (12.185.2)

न शरीराश्रितो जीवस्तस्मिन्नष्टे प्रणश्यति । यथा समित्सु दग्धासु न प्रणश्यति पावकः ॥

na śarīrāśrito jīvastasminnaṣṭe praṇaśyati | yathā samitsu dagdhāsu na praṇaśyati pāvakaḥ

The living being does not rest on the body, and so does not perish when the body is destroyed, just as fire does not perish when the kindling has been burnt up.

Verse 3 (12.185.3)

अग्नेर्यथा समिद्धस्य यदि नाशो न विद्यते । इन्धनस्योपयोगान्ते स चाग्निर्नोपलभ्यते ॥

agneryathā samiddhasya yadi nāśo na vidyate | indhanasyopayogānte sa cāgnirnopalabhyate

If, as you say, a blazing fire is not destroyed, yet when the fuel has been used up that fire is no longer found.

Verse 4 (12.185.4)

नश्यतीत्येव जानामि शान्तमग्निमनिन्धनम् । मतिर्यस्य प्रमाणं वा संस्थानं वा न दृश्यते ॥

naśyatītyeva jānāmi śāntamagnimanindhanam | matiryasya pramāṇaṃ vā saṃsthānaṃ vā na dṛśyate

I take it only that it perishes, the fire grown quiet for want of fuel, of which neither any idea, nor measure, nor form can be seen.

Verse 5 (12.185.5)

जीवस्य चेन्धनाग्नेश्च सदा नाशो न विद्यते । समिधामुपयोगान्ते सन्नेवाग्निर्न दृश्यते । आकाशानुगतत्वाद्धि दुर्ग्रहः स निराश्रयः ॥

jīvasya cendhanāgneśca sadā nāśo na vidyate | samidhāmupayogānte sannevāgnirna dṛśyate | ākāśānugatatvāddhi durgrahaḥ sa nirāśrayaḥ

Neither the soul nor the fire of the fuel is ever destroyed. When the kindling has been used up the fire still exists, though it is not seen; being pervaded by space it is hard to grasp, and it has no support.

Note on the text: Removed the backticks and the quote mark that Wikisource prints around line 1. Line 1 (जीवस्य चेन्धनाग्नेश्च …) is the critical edition's star passage 12.180.5*0493_01 (jīvasya cendhanāgneś ca sadā nāśo na vidyate); lines 2 and 3 are CE 12.180.5a and 5c (the alignment listed them as unmatched).

Verse 6 (12.185.6)

तथा शरीरसंत्यागे जीवो ह्याकाशमाश्रितः । न गृह्यते तु सूक्ष्मत्वाद्यथा ज्योतिरनिन्धनम् ॥

tathā śarīrasaṃtyāge jīvo hyākāśamāśritaḥ | na gṛhyate tu sūkṣmatvādyathā jyotiranindhanam

So too, when the body is abandoned, the soul rests in space; because of its subtlety it is not grasped, like a fire that has no fuel.

Verse 7 (12.185.7)

प्राणान्धारयते योऽग्निः स जीव उपधार्यताम् । वायुसंधारणो ह्यग्निर्नश्यत्युच्छ्वासनिग्रहात् ॥

prāṇāndhārayate yo'gniḥ sa jīva upadhāryatām | vāyusaṃdhāraṇo hyagnirnaśyatyucchvāsanigrahāt

Know the fire that sustains the vital breaths to be the soul. That fire is upheld by the wind, and it dies when the breath is held back.

Verse 8 (12.185.8)

तस्मिन्नष्टे शरीराग्नौ शरीरं तदचेतनम् । पतितं याति भूमित्वमयनं तस्य हि क्षितिः ॥

tasminnaṣṭe śarīrāgnau śarīraṃ tadacetanam | patitaṃ yāti bhūmitvamayanaṃ tasya hi kṣitiḥ

When that fire of the body is extinguished, the body becomes insensible; it falls and turns to earth, for the earth is its final resting place.

Verse 9 (12.185.9)

जङ्गमानां हि सर्वेषां स्थावराणां तथैव च । आकाशं पवनोऽन्वेति ज्योतिस्तमनुगच्छति । तेषां त्रयाणामेकत्वं द्वयं भूमौ प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥

jaṅgamānāṃ hi sarveṣāṃ sthāvarāṇāṃ tathaiva ca | ākāśaṃ pavano'nveti jyotistamanugacchati | teṣāṃ trayāṇāmekatvaṃ dvayaṃ bhūmau pratiṣṭhitam

Of all moving things, and likewise of the unmoving, the wind follows space, and fire follows the wind. These three are one; the other two rest upon the earth.

Verse 10 (12.185.10)

यत्र खं तत्र पवनस्तत्राग्निर्यत्र मारुतः । अमूर्तयस्ते विज्ञेया आपो मूर्तास्तथा क्षितिः ॥

yatra khaṃ tatra pavanastatrāgniryatra mārutaḥ | amūrtayaste vijñeyā āpo mūrtāstathā kṣitiḥ

Where there is space, there is wind, and where there is wind, there is fire. Know these to be without form; water and earth have form.

Verse 11 (12.185.11)

यद्यग्निमारुतौ भूमिः खमापश्च शरीरिषु । जीवः किंलक्षणस्तत्रेत्येतदाचक्ष्व मेऽनघ ॥

yadyagnimārutau bhūmiḥ khamāpaśca śarīriṣu | jīvaḥ kiṃlakṣaṇastatretyetadācakṣva me'nagha

If fire, wind, earth, space and water are all in embodied beings, then by what mark is the soul known there? Tell me this, O sinless one.

Verse 12 (12.185.12)

पञ्चात्मके पञ्चरतौ पञ्चविज्ञानसंयुते । शरीरे प्राणिनां जीवं वेत्तुमिच्छामि यादृशम् ॥

pañcātmake pañcaratau pañcavijñānasaṃyute | śarīre prāṇināṃ jīvaṃ vettumicchāmi yādṛśam

In the body of living beings, which is made of five, delights in five and is joined with the five kinds of knowing, I wish to learn what the soul is like.

Verse 13 (12.185.13)

मांसशोणितसंघाते मेदः स्नाय्वस्थिसंचये । भिद्यमाने शरीरे तु जीवो नैवोपलभ्यते ॥

māṃsaśoṇitasaṃghāte medaḥ snāyvasthisaṃcaye | bhidyamāne śarīre tu jīvo naivopalabhyate

When the body, a mass of flesh and blood, a heap of fat, sinews and bones, is cut apart, the soul is not found at all.

Verse 14 (12.185.14)

यद्यजीवं शरीरं तु पञ्चभूतसमन्वितम् । शारीरे मानसे दुःखे कस्तां वेदयते रुजम् ॥

yadyajīvaṃ śarīraṃ tu pañcabhūtasamanvitam | śārīre mānase duḥkhe kastāṃ vedayate rujam

If the body, made up of the five elements, has no soul, then who feels the pain that comes in the body and in the mind?

Verse 15 (12.185.15)

शृणोति कथितं जीवः कर्णाभ्यां न शृणोति तत् । महर्षे मनसि व्यग्रे तस्माज्जीवो निरर्थकः ॥

śṛṇoti kathitaṃ jīvaḥ karṇābhyāṃ na śṛṇoti tat | maharṣe manasi vyagre tasmājjīvo nirarthakaḥ

The soul is said to hear what is spoken, yet when the mind is distracted, O great sage, it does not hear it with the ears. Therefore the soul serves no purpose.

Verse 16 (12.185.16)

सर्वं पश्यति यद्दृश्यं मनोयुक्तेन चक्षुषा । मनसि व्याकुले तस्मिन्पश्यन्नपि न पश्यति ॥

sarvaṃ paśyati yaddṛśyaṃ manoyuktena cakṣuṣā | manasi vyākule tasminpaśyannapi na paśyati

One sees everything visible with an eye joined to the mind; when the mind is troubled, one looks and yet does not see.

Verse 17 (12.185.17)

न पश्यति न चाघ्राति न शृणोति न भाषते । न च स्पर्शरसौ वेत्ति निद्रावशगतः पुनः ॥

na paśyati na cāghrāti na śṛṇoti na bhāṣate | na ca sparśarasau vetti nidrāvaśagataḥ punaḥ

When a man has fallen under the power of sleep, he neither sees nor smells, neither hears nor speaks, and perceives neither touch nor taste.

Verse 18 (12.185.18)

हृष्यति क्रुध्यते कोऽत्र शोचत्युद्विजते च कः । इच्छति ध्यायति द्वेष्टि वाचमीरयते च कः ॥

hṛṣyati krudhyate ko'tra śocatyudvijate ca kaḥ | icchati dhyāyati dveṣṭi vācamīrayate ca kaḥ

Who is it here that rejoices and who grows angry? Who grieves and who is alarmed? Who wishes, who meditates, who hates, and who utters speech?

Verse 19 (12.185.19)

न पञ्चसाधारणमत्र किंचि । च्छरीरमेकी वहतेऽन्तरात्मा । स वेत्ति गन्धांश्च रसाञ्श्रुतीश्च । स्पर्शं च रूपं च गुणाश्च येऽन्ये ॥

na pañcasādhāraṇamatra kiṃci | ccharīramekī vahate'ntarātmā | sa vetti gandhāṃśca rasāñśrutīśca | sparśaṃ ca rūpaṃ ca guṇāśca ye'nye

Nothing here is common to the five; the one inner self bears the body. It knows smells and tastes and sounds, touch and form, and whatever other qualities there are.

Verse 20 (12.185.20)

पञ्चात्मके पञ्चगुणप्रदर्शी । स सर्वगात्रानुगतोऽन्तरात्मा । स वेत्ति दुःखानि सुखानि चात्र । तद्विप्रयोगात्तु न वेत्ति देही ॥

pañcātmake pañcaguṇapradarśī | sa sarvagātrānugato'ntarātmā | sa vetti duḥkhāni sukhāni cātra | tadviprayogāttu na vetti dehī

In the body made of five, the inner self, pervading every limb, displays the five qualities. It knows the sorrows and joys here; when it is parted from the body, the embodied one knows nothing.

Verse 21 (12.185.21)

यदा न रूपं न स्पर्शो नोष्मभावश्च पञ्चके । तदा शान्ते शरीराग्नौ देहं त्यक्त्वा न नश्यति ॥

yadā na rūpaṃ na sparśo noṣmabhāvaśca pañcake | tadā śānte śarīrāgnau dehaṃ tyaktvā na naśyati

When there is no form, no touch and no warmth in the five, and the fire of the body has grown still, the self leaves the body and is not destroyed.

Verse 22 (12.185.22)

अम्मयं सर्वमेवेदमापो मूर्तिः शरीरिणाम् । तत्रात्मा मानसो ब्रह्मा सर्वभूतेषु लोककृत् ॥

ammayaṃ sarvamevedamāpo mūrtiḥ śarīriṇām | tatrātmā mānaso brahmā sarvabhūteṣu lokakṛt

All this is made of water, and water is the form of embodied beings. In it the Self, made of mind, is Brahma, the maker of the worlds in all beings.

Note on the text: Corrected सर्व भूतेषु → सर्वभूतेषु (misprint in Wikisource; stray space breaking the compound; the critical edition reads sarvabhūteṣu).

Verse 23 (12.185.23)

आत्मा क्षेत्रज्ञ इत्युक्तः संयुक्तः प्राकृतैर्गुणैः । तैरेव तु विनिर्मुक्तः परमात्मेत्युदाहृतः ॥

ātmā kṣetrajña ityuktaḥ saṃyuktaḥ prākṛtairguṇaiḥ | taireva tu vinirmuktaḥ paramātmetyudāhṛtaḥ

The Self, when joined to the qualities of nature, is called the knower of the field; when freed from those same qualities, it is declared to be the supreme Self.

Note on the text: Removed the editorial square brackets and the doubled daṇḍa before the closing bracket that Wikisource prints round this verse. Not in the main text of the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the same two lines occur there as the star passage 12.180.22d*0494_01–02 (ātmā kṣetrajña ity uktaḥ …).

Verse 24 (12.185.24)

आत्मानं तं विजानीहि सर्वलोकविपाचकम् । स तस्मिन्संश्रितो देहे ह्यब्बिन्दुरिव पुष्करे ॥

ātmānaṃ taṃ vijānīhi sarvalokavipācakam | sa tasminsaṃśrito dehe hyabbinduriva puṣkare

Know that Self as the one who ripens all the worlds; it dwells in that body like a drop of water on a lotus leaf.

Verse 25 (12.185.25)

क्षेत्रज्ञं तं विजानीहि नित्यं लोकहितात्मकम् । तमो रजश्च सत्त्वं च विद्धि जीवगुणानिमान् ॥

kṣetrajñaṃ taṃ vijānīhi nityaṃ lokahitātmakam | tamo rajaśca sattvaṃ ca viddhi jīvaguṇānimān

Know that one as the knower of the field, ever bent on the good of the world. Know tamas, rajas and sattva to be these qualities of the living being.

Verse 26 (12.185.26)

सचेतनं जीवगुणं वदन्ति । स चेष्टते चेष्टयते च सर्वम् । ततः परं क्षेत्रविदो वदन्ति । प्रावर्तयद्यो भुवनानि सप्त ॥

sacetanaṃ jīvaguṇaṃ vadanti | sa ceṣṭate ceṣṭayate ca sarvam | tataḥ paraṃ kṣetravido vadanti | prāvartayadyo bhuvanāni sapta

They say that consciousness is the quality of the living soul; it acts and makes everything act. Beyond that, the knowers of the field speak of the one who set the seven worlds in motion.

Verse 27 (12.185.27)

न जीवनाशोऽस्ति हि देहभेदे । मिथ्यैतदाहुर्मुत इत्यबुद्धाः । जीवस्तु देहान्तरितः प्रयाति । दशार्धतैवास्य शरीरभेदः ॥

na jīvanāśo'sti hi dehabhede | mithyaitadāhurmuta ityabuddhāḥ | jīvastu dehāntaritaḥ prayāti | daśārdhataivāsya śarīrabhedaḥ

There is no destruction of the soul when the body breaks apart; the unwise who say "he is dead" speak falsely. The soul passes on, going into another body; the breaking of the body is only its return to the five.

Verse 28 (12.185.28)

एवं सर्वेषु भूतेषु गूढश्चरति संवृतः । दृश्यते त्वग्र्यया बुद्ध्या सूक्ष्मया तत्त्वदर्शिभिः ॥

evaṃ sarveṣu bhūteṣu gūḍhaścarati saṃvṛtaḥ | dṛśyate tvagryayā buddhyā sūkṣmayā tattvadarśibhiḥ

Thus hidden in all beings it moves, concealed; it is seen only by those who see the truth, with a keen and subtle mind.

Verse 29 (12.185.29)

तं पूर्वापररात्रेषु युञ्जानः सततं बुधः । लध्वाहारो विशुद्धात्मा पश्यत्यात्मानंमात्मनि ॥

taṃ pūrvāpararātreṣu yuñjānaḥ satataṃ budhaḥ | ladhvāhāro viśuddhātmā paśyatyātmānaṃmātmani

The wise man who, in the early and late watches of the night, ever practises yoga, eats lightly and keeps his self pure, sees the Self in the Self.

Verse 30 (12.185.30)

चित्तस्य हि प्रसादेन हित्वा कर्म शुभाशुभम् । प्रसन्नात्माऽत्मनि स्थित्वा सुखमव्ययमश्नुते ॥

cittasya hi prasādena hitvā karma śubhāśubham | prasannātmā'tmani sthitvā sukhamavyayamaśnute

By the serenity of the mind, giving up deeds good and bad, the one of tranquil self, abiding in the Self, enjoys imperishable happiness.

Verse 31 (12.185.31)

मानसोऽग्निः शरीरेषु जीव इत्यभिधीयते । सृष्टिः प्रजापतेरेषा भूताध्यात्मविनिश्चया ॥

mānaso'gniḥ śarīreṣu jīva ityabhidhīyate | sṛṣṭiḥ prajāpatereṣā bhūtādhyātmaviniścayā

The fire of the mind in bodies is called the soul. This is the creation of Prajapati, the settled conclusion about the beings and the Self.