Manu on the Elements, the Senses and the Unseen Self

Verse 1 (12.200.1)

अक्षरात्खं ततो वायुस्ततो ज्योतिस्ततो जलम् । जलात्प्रसूता जगती जगत्या जायते जगत् ॥

akṣarātkhaṃ tato vāyustato jyotistato jalam | jalātprasūtā jagatī jagatyā jāyate jagat

From the Imperishable came space; from space the air, from air light, and from light the water. From water the earth was born, and from the earth the world of moving things.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource ततो ज्योतिस्ततो जलम् and जगत्या against CE vāyor jyotis tato jalam and jagatyāṃ.

Verse 2 (12.200.2)

इमे शरीरैर्जलमेव गत्वा । जलाच्च तेजः पवनान्तरिक्षम् । खाद्वै निवर्तन्ति न भाविनस्ते । ये भाविनस्ते परमाप्नुवन्ति ॥

ime śarīrairjalameva gatvā | jalācca tejaḥ pavanāntarikṣam | khādvai nivartanti na bhāvinaste | ye bhāvinaste paramāpnuvanti

These beings, going with their bodies to water, and from water to fire, air and space — from space they turn back, those who lack right disposition; those who have it reach the supreme.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource न भाविनस्ते against CE nabhāvinas te (the sense of भाविन् is uncertain; rendered here as one who has the right inner disposition, bhāva).

Verse 3 (12.200.3)

नोष्णं न शीतं मृदु नापि तीक्ष्णं । नाम्लं कषायं मधुरं न तिक्तम् । न शब्दवन्नापि च गन्धवत्त । न्न रूपवत्तत्परमस्वभावम् ॥

noṣṇaṃ na śītaṃ mṛdu nāpi tīkṣṇaṃ | nāmlaṃ kaṣāyaṃ madhuraṃ na tiktam | na śabdavannāpi ca gandhavatta | nna rūpavattatparamasvabhāvam

It is neither hot nor cold, neither soft nor sharp; neither sour, astringent, sweet nor bitter; it has no sound and no smell, and no form — that is the supreme nature.

Verse 4 (12.200.4)

स्पर्शं तनुर्वेद रसं च जिह्वा । घ्राणं च गन्धाञ्श्रवणे च शब्दान् । रूपाणि चक्षुर्न च तत्परं य । द्गृह्णन्त्यनध्यात्मविदो मनुष्याः ॥

sparśaṃ tanurveda rasaṃ ca jihvā | ghrāṇaṃ ca gandhāñśravaṇe ca śabdān | rūpāṇi cakṣurna ca tatparaṃ ya | dgṛhṇantyanadhyātmavido manuṣyāḥ

People who do not know the Self take in touch with the body, taste with the tongue, smells with the nose, sounds with the ears and forms with the eye — but they do not grasp that which is beyond these.

Note on the text: Corrected चक्षुर्नच → चक्षुर्न च (misprint in Wikisource; the space between न and च is lost; the critical edition reads cakṣur na ca). Recension variant, kept: Wikisource रसं च जिह्वा against CE rasaṃ tu jihvā.

Verse 5 (12.200.5)

निवर्तयित्वा रसनां रसेभ्यो । घ्राणं च गन्धाच्छ्रवणे च शब्दात् । स्पर्शात्तनुं रूपगुणात्तु चक्षु । स्ततः परं पश्यति तत्स्वभावम् ॥

nivartayitvā rasanāṃ rasebhyo | ghrāṇaṃ ca gandhācchravaṇe ca śabdāt | sparśāttanuṃ rūpaguṇāttu cakṣu | stataḥ paraṃ paśyati tatsvabhāvam

Turning the tongue back from tastes, the nose from smells, the ears from sounds, the body from touch, and the eye from the quality of form — then he sees what lies beyond, in its own nature.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource तत्स्वभावम् against CE svaṃ svabhāvam.

Verse 6 (12.200.6)

यतो गृहीत्वा हि करोति यच्च । यस्मिंश्च यामारभते प्रवृत्तिम् । यस्मै च यद्येन च यश्च कर्ता । यत्कारणं तं स्वमुपेयमाहुः ॥

yato gṛhītvā hi karoti yacca | yasmiṃśca yāmārabhate pravṛttim | yasmai ca yadyena ca yaśca kartā | yatkāraṇaṃ taṃ svamupeyamāhuḥ

The source from which one acts after taking it up, the thing done, the ground on which he begins his activity, the purpose, the means and the doer — the cause of all this, they say, is one's own (Self), the goal to be reached.

Note on the text: Recension variants, kept: Wikisource यस्मै च … स्वमुपेयमाहुः against CE yasmiṃś ca … samupāyam āhuḥ.

Verse 7 (12.200.7)

यद्वाऽप्यभूद्व्यापकं साधकं च । यन्मन्त्रवत्स्थास्यति चापि लोके । यः सर्वहेतुः परमार्थकारी । तत्कारणं कार्यमतो यदन्यत् ॥

yadvā'pyabhūdvyāpakaṃ sādhakaṃ ca | yanmantravatsthāsyati cāpi loke | yaḥ sarvahetuḥ paramārthakārī | tatkāraṇaṃ kāryamato yadanyat

That which was all-pervading and effecting, that which will stand in the world like a mantra, he who is the cause of all and brings about the highest purpose — that is the cause; whatever is other than this is the effect.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource यद्वाऽप्यभूद्व्यापकं … यन्मन्त्रवत्स्थास्यति against CE yac cābhibhūḥ … yan mantravac chaṃsyate.

Verse 8 (12.200.8)

यथा हि कश्चित्सुकृतैर्मनुष्यः । शुभाशुभं प्राप्नुते चाविरोधात् । एवं शरीरेषु शुभाशुभेषु । स्वकर्मभिर्ज्ञानमिदं निबद्धम् ॥

yathā hi kaścitsukṛtairmanuṣyaḥ | śubhāśubhaṃ prāpnute cāvirodhāt | evaṃ śarīreṣu śubhāśubheṣu | svakarmabhirjñānamidaṃ nibaddham

As a man gains good and evil without hindrance by his good deeds, so in bodies good and bad this knowledge is bound by their own deeds.

Note on the text: Corrected निवद्धम् → निबद्धम् (misprint in Wikisource; व for ब; the critical edition reads nibaddham). Recension variant, kept: Wikisource स्वकर्मभिः against CE svakarmajaiḥ.

Verse 9 (12.200.9)

यथा प्रदीप्तः पुरतः प्रदीपः । प्रकाशमन्यस्य करोति दीप्यन् । तथेह पञ्चेन्द्रियदीपवृक्षा । ज्ञानप्रदीप्ताः परवन्त एव ॥

yathā pradīptaḥ purataḥ pradīpaḥ | prakāśamanyasya karoti dīpyan | tatheha pañcendriyadīpavṛkṣā | jñānapradīptāḥ paravanta eva

As a lamp lit in front gives light to another as it burns, so here the five senses, like lamp-stands, lit by knowledge, have another above them.

Verse 10 (12.200.10)

यथा च राज्ञो बहवो ह्यमात्याः । पृथक् प्रमाणं प्रवदन्ति युक्ताः । तद्वच्छरीरेषु भवन्ति पञ्च । ज्ञानैकदेशाः परमः स तेभ्यः ॥

yathā ca rājño bahavo hyamātyāḥ | pṛthak pramāṇaṃ pravadanti yuktāḥ | tadvaccharīreṣu bhavanti pañca | jñānaikadeśāḥ paramaḥ sa tebhyaḥ

As a king has many ministers, each appointed, who state their own separate measure, so in bodies there are five, each only a part of knowledge; and the supreme is beyond them.

Verse 11 (12.200.11)

यथार्चिषोऽग्नेः पवनस्य वेगा । मरीचयोऽर्कस्य नदीषु चापः । गच्छन्ति चायान्ति च संयताश्च । तद्वच्छरीराणि शरीरिणां तु ॥

yathārciṣo'gneḥ pavanasya vegā | marīcayo'rkasya nadīṣu cāpaḥ | gacchanti cāyānti ca saṃyatāśca | tadvaccharīrāṇi śarīriṇāṃ tu

As the flames of fire, the gusts of the wind, the rays of the sun and the waters in rivers go and come, held in check, so are the bodies of embodied beings.

Verse 12 (12.200.12)

यथा च कश्चित्परशुं गृहीत्वा । धूमं न पश्येज्ज्वलनं च काष्ठे । तद्वच्छरीरोदरपाणिपादं । छित्त्वा न पश्यन्ति ततो यदन्यत् ॥

yathā ca kaścitparaśuṃ gṛhītvā | dhūmaṃ na paśyejjvalanaṃ ca kāṣṭhe | tadvaccharīrodarapāṇipādaṃ | chittvā na paśyanti tato yadanyat

As a man who takes up an axe and splits wood would not see smoke or fire in it, so, cutting apart the body — belly, hands and feet — they do not see what is other than these.

Note on the text: Corrected यदन्य → यदन्यत् (misprint in Wikisource; the final त् is dropped; the critical edition reads yad anyat).

Verse 13 (12.200.13)

तान्येव काष्ठानि यथा विमथ्य । धूमं च पश्येज्ज्वलनं च योगात् । तद्वत्सुबुद्धिः सममिन्द्रियार्थै । र्बुद्धः परं पश्यति तत्स्वभावम् ॥

tānyeva kāṣṭhāni yathā vimathya | dhūmaṃ ca paśyejjvalanaṃ ca yogāt | tadvatsubuddhiḥ samamindriyārthai | rbuddhaḥ paraṃ paśyati tatsvabhāvam

But if one churns those same sticks properly, he sees both smoke and fire by the right means; so the man of clear understanding, awakened and even-minded toward the objects of the senses, sees the supreme in its own nature.

Note on the text: Recension variants, kept: Wikisource बुद्धः and तत्स्वभावम् against CE budhaḥ and svaṃ svabhāvam (the page's footnote cites पृथक्परं पश्यति तत्स्वभावम्).

Verse 14 (12.200.14)

यथात्मनोऽङ्गं पतितं पृथिव्यां । स्वप्नान्तरे पश्यति चात्मनोऽन्यत् । श्रोत्रादियुक्तः सुमनाः सुबुद्धि । र्लिङ्गात्तथा गच्छति लिङ्गमन्यत् ॥

yathātmano'ṅgaṃ patitaṃ pṛthivyāṃ | svapnāntare paśyati cātmano'nyat | śrotrādiyuktaḥ sumanāḥ subuddhi | rliṅgāttathā gacchati liṅgamanyat

As in a dream a man sees his own limb fallen on the ground, and something other than himself, so the one endowed with hearing and the rest, of good mind and understanding, passes from one subtle body to another.

Verse 15 (12.200.15)

उत्पत्तिवृद्धिक्षयसन्निपातै । र्न युज्यतेऽसौ परमः शरीरी । अनेन लिङ्गेन तु लिङ्गमन्य । द्गच्छत्यदृष्टः प्रतिसन्धियोगात् ॥

utpattivṛddhikṣayasannipātai | rna yujyate'sau paramaḥ śarīrī | anena liṅgena tu liṅgamanya | dgacchatyadṛṣṭaḥ pratisandhiyogāt

The supreme embodied one is not joined with birth, growth, decay or their meetings. By this subtle body, unseen, he goes to another subtle body through the junction of rebirth.

Note on the text: Corrected उत्पत्तिवृद्धिक्षयमसन्निपातैः → उत्पत्तिवृद्धिक्षयसन्निपातैः (misprint in Wikisource; a stray म inside the compound, which leaves no construable word; the critical edition reads utpattivṛddhikṣayasaṃnipātair).

Verse 16 (12.200.16)

न चक्षुषा पश्यति रूपमात्मनो । न चापि संस्पर्शमुपैति किंचित् । न चापि तैः साधयते स्वकार्यं । ते तं न पश्यन्ति स पश्यते तान् ॥

na cakṣuṣā paśyati rūpamātmano | na cāpi saṃsparśamupaiti kiṃcit | na cāpi taiḥ sādhayate svakāryaṃ | te taṃ na paśyanti sa paśyate tān

He does not see his own form with the eye, nor does he come in contact with anything through touch; nor does he accomplish his own work through them. They do not see him — he sees them.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource स्वकार्यम् against CE 'tha kāryam.

Verse 17 (12.200.17)

यथा समीपे ज्वलतोऽनलस्य । संतापजं रूपमुपैति कश्चित् । न चान्तरा रूपगुणं बिभर्ति । तथैव तद्दृश्यते रूपमस्य ॥

yathā samīpe jvalato'nalasya | saṃtāpajaṃ rūpamupaiti kaścit | na cāntarā rūpaguṇaṃ bibharti | tathaiva taddṛśyate rūpamasya

As one standing near a blazing fire takes on a look born of its heat, yet does not within bear the quality of the fire's form, so too is his form perceived.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource यथा समीपे ज्वलतोऽनलस्य against CE yathā pradīpe jvalato 'nalasya, and न चान्तरा against na cāntaraṃ.

Verse 18 (12.200.18)

तथा मनुष्यः परिमुच्य काय । मदृश्यमन्यद्विशते शरीरम् । विसृज्य भूतेषु महत्सु देहं । तदाश्रयं चैव बिभर्ति रूपम् ॥

tathā manuṣyaḥ parimucya kāya | madṛśyamanyadviśate śarīram | visṛjya bhūteṣu mahatsu dehaṃ | tadāśrayaṃ caiva bibharti rūpam

So a man, casting off the body, enters another, unseen body; having left his body in the great elements, he still bears a form that rests on them.

Verse 19 (12.200.19)

खं वायुमग्निं सलिलं तथोर्वी । समन्ततोऽभ्याविशते शरीरी । नान्याश्रयाः कर्मसु वर्तमानाः । श्रोत्रादयः पञ्चगुणाञ्श्रयन्ते ॥

khaṃ vāyumagniṃ salilaṃ tathorvī | samantato'bhyāviśate śarīrī | nānyāśrayāḥ karmasu vartamānāḥ | śrotrādayaḥ pañcaguṇāñśrayante

The embodied one enters on every side space, air, fire, water and earth. The senses, beginning with hearing, engaged in their tasks, have no other support; they rest on the five qualities.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource नान्याश्रयाः against CE nānāśrayāḥ.

Verse 20 (12.200.20)

श्रोत्रं नभो घ्राणमथो पृथिव्या । स्तेजोमयं रूपमथो विपाकः । जलाश्रयं तेज उक्तं रसं च । वाय्वात्मकः स्पर्शकृतो गुणश्च ॥

śrotraṃ nabho ghrāṇamatho pṛthivyā | stejomayaṃ rūpamatho vipākaḥ | jalāśrayaṃ teja uktaṃ rasaṃ ca | vāyvātmakaḥ sparśakṛto guṇaśca

Hearing belongs to space and smell to earth; form is made of fire, and so is ripening. What rests on water is said to be heat and taste; and the quality that makes touch is of the nature of air.

Note on the text: Recension variants, kept: Wikisource श्रोत्रं नभः and जलाश्रयं तेज उक्तं against CE śrotraṃ khataḥ and jalāśrayaḥ sveda uktaḥ (the page's footnote cites श्रोत्रं खत इति and जलाश्रयः स्वेद उक्तो रसश्च).

Verse 21 (12.200.21)

महत्सु भूतेषु च सन्ति पञ्च । पञ्चेन्द्रियार्थेषु तथेन्द्रियाणि । सर्वाणि चैतानि मनोनुगानि । बुद्धिं मनोऽन्वेति मतिः स्वभावम् ॥

mahatsu bhūteṣu ca santi pañca | pañcendriyārtheṣu tathendriyāṇi | sarvāṇi caitāni manonugāni | buddhiṃ mano'nveti matiḥ svabhāvam

The five exist in the great elements, and the senses in the five objects of sense; all of these follow the mind. The mind follows the intellect, and thought follows its own nature.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource सन्ति पञ्च … मतिः स्वभावम् against CE vasanti pañca … manaḥ svabhāvam.

Verse 22 (12.200.22)

शुभाशुभं कर्म कृतं यदस्य । तदेव प्रेत्याददतेऽन्यदेहे । मनोऽनुवर्तन्ति परावराणि । जलौकसः स्रोत इवानुकूलम् ॥

śubhāśubhaṃ karma kṛtaṃ yadasya | tadeva pretyādadate'nyadehe | mano'nuvartanti parāvarāṇi | jalaukasaḥ srota ivānukūlam

The deed, good or bad, that a man has done — he takes up that very deed after death in another body. The higher and the lower follow the mind, like water-creatures swimming with the current.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource प्रेत्याददतेऽन्यदेहे against CE pratyādadate svadehe.

Verse 23 (12.200.23)

चलं यथा दृष्टिपथं परैति । सूक्ष्मं महद्रूपमिवावभाति । तातप्यमानो न पतेच्च धीरः । परं तथा बुद्धिपथं परैति ॥

calaṃ yathā dṛṣṭipathaṃ paraiti | sūkṣmaṃ mahadrūpamivāvabhāti | tātapyamāno na patecca dhīraḥ | paraṃ tathā buddhipathaṃ paraiti

As a moving thing enters the range of sight, and a subtle thing seems to take on a great form, so the steadfast man, though sorely tormented, does not fall, but passes beyond to the path of the intellect.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource तातप्यमानो न पतेच्च धीरः against CE svarūpam ālocayate ca rūpam (the page's footnote cites स्वरूपमालोचयते च रूपम्). The wording of lines 3–4 is obscure; rendered closely.