The Unseen Self Like the Moon at the New Moon

Verse 1 (12.201.1)

यदिन्द्रियैस्तूपगतैः पुरस्ता । त्प्राप्तान्गुणान्संस्मरते चिराय । तेष्विन्द्रियेषूपहतेषु पश्चा । त्स बुद्धिरूपः परमः स्वभावः ॥

yadindriyaistūpagataiḥ purastā | tprāptānguṇānsaṃsmarate cirāya | teṣvindriyeṣūpahateṣu paścā | tsa buddhirūpaḥ paramaḥ svabhāvaḥ

That which, long afterwards, remembers the qualities the senses once brought it, even when those senses have been destroyed — that, of the nature of intellect, is the supreme nature.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource तूपगतैः against CE tūpakṛtān.

Verse 2 (12.201.2)

य इन्द्रियार्थान्युगपत्समन्ता । न्नावेक्षते कृत्स्नशस्तुल्यकालम् । यथाक्रमं संचरते स विद्वां । स्तस्मात्स एकः परमः शरीरी ॥

ya indriyārthānyugapatsamantā | nnāvekṣate kṛtsnaśastulyakālam | yathākramaṃ saṃcarate sa vidvāṃ | stasmātsa ekaḥ paramaḥ śarīrī

He who does not perceive all the objects of the senses at once, completely and in the same moment, but moves among them in due order, the knowing one — therefore he alone is the supreme embodied one.

Note on the text: Recension variants, kept: Wikisource य इन्द्रियार्थान् … कृत्स्नशस्तुल्यकालम् … यथाक्रमम् against CE yathendriyārthān … kṛtsnam atulyakālam … yathābalam.

Verse 3 (12.201.3)

रजस्तमः सत्त्वमथो तृतीयं । गच्छत्यसौ ज्ञानगुणान्विरूपान् । तथेन्द्रियाण्याविशते शरीरी । हुताशनं वायुरिवेन्धनस्थम् ॥

rajastamaḥ sattvamatho tṛtīyaṃ | gacchatyasau jñānaguṇānvirūpān | tathendriyāṇyāviśate śarīrī | hutāśanaṃ vāyurivendhanastham

Rajas, tamas, and then sattva as the third — the embodied self passes into these varied qualities of knowledge, and likewise enters the senses, as the wind enters a fire lodged in fuel.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (12.196.3): Wikisource prints only the last line of the verse (labelled 12-201-3f, हुताशनं वायुरिवेन्धनस्थम्). Lines 1–3 are restored from CE 12.196.3a and 3c — rajas tamaḥ sattvam atho tṛtīyaṃ / gacchaty asau jñānaguṇān virūpān / tathendriyāṇy āviśate śarīrī — with the critical edition's words exactly, and line 4 is kept as printed. The CE also has two star lines after 3b (12.196.3b*0533_01–02, na tair nibaddhaḥ sa tu badhnāti viśvaṃ / na cānuyātīha guṇān parātmā), which Wikisource lacks and which are not added.

Verse 4 (12.201.4)

न चक्षुषा पश्यति रूपमात्मनो । न पश्यति स्पर्शनमिन्द्रियेन्द्रियम् । न श्रोत्रलिङ्गं श्रवणेन दर्शनं । तथा कृतं पश्यति तद्विनश्यति ॥

na cakṣuṣā paśyati rūpamātmano | na paśyati sparśanamindriyendriyam | na śrotraliṅgaṃ śravaṇena darśanaṃ | tathā kṛtaṃ paśyati tadvinaśyati

He does not see his own form with the eye, nor does he perceive the organ of touch, the sense behind the senses; nor is there seeing of the mark of hearing by hearing. What is so produced is seen, and it perishes.

Note on the text: Recension variants, kept: Wikisource स्पर्शनम्, श्रवणेन दर्शनं and तथा कृतं against CE sparśam, śravaṇe nidarśanaṃ and tathāgataṃ. The sense of line 4 is obscure; rendered closely.

Verse 5 (12.201.5)

श्रोत्रादीनि न पश्यन्ति स्वंस्वमात्मानमात्मना । सर्वज्ञः सर्वदर्शी च क्षेत्रज्ञस्तानि पश्यति ॥

śrotrādīni na paśyanti svaṃsvamātmānamātmanā | sarvajñaḥ sarvadarśī ca kṣetrajñastāni paśyati

The ears and the other senses do not see their own selves by themselves; the all-knowing, all-seeing Knower of the Field sees them.

Verse 6 (12.201.6)

यथा हिमवतः पार्श्वे पृष्ठं चन्द्रमसो यथा । न दृष्टपूर्वं मनुजैर्न च तन्नास्ति तावता ॥

yathā himavataḥ pārśve pṛṣṭhaṃ candramaso yathā | na dṛṣṭapūrvaṃ manujairna ca tannāsti tāvatā

As no man has seen the far side of the Himalaya, or the back of the moon, yet it is not non-existent for that reason,

Verse 7 (12.201.7)

तद्वद्भूतेषु भूतात्मा सूक्ष्मो ज्ञानात्मवानसौ । अदृष्टपूर्वश्चक्षुर्भ्यां न चासौ नास्ति तावता ॥

tadvadbhūteṣu bhūtātmā sūkṣmo jñānātmavānasau | adṛṣṭapūrvaścakṣurbhyāṃ na cāsau nāsti tāvatā

so the self of beings, subtle and made of knowledge, has never been seen by the eyes — and yet he is not non-existent for that reason.

Note on the text: Corrected चक्षुर्म्याम् → चक्षुर्भ्याम् (misprint in Wikisource; म for भ; the critical edition reads cakṣurbhyāṃ).

Verse 8 (12.201.8)

पश्यन्नपि यथा लक्ष्म जनः सोमे न विन्दति । एवमस्ति न चोत्पन्नं न च तन्न परायणम् ॥

paśyannapi yathā lakṣma janaḥ some na vindati | evamasti na cotpannaṃ na ca tanna parāyaṇam

Even when looking at it, people do not make out the mark in the moon; so it is — it exists, it is not something produced, and it is not that it is not the final goal.

Note on the text: Corrected सोमेन → सोमे न (misprint in Wikisource; the space is lost, so that the word reads as the instrumental 'by the moon', which gives no sense; the critical edition reads some na vindati). Recension variant, kept: Wikisource जनः against CE jagat, and एवमस्ति न चोत्पन्नम् against evam asti na vety etat (the page's footnote cites another reading of line 2).

Verse 9 (12.201.9)

रूपवन्तमरूपत्वादुदयास्तमने बुधाः । धिया समनुपश्यन्ति तद्गताः सवितुर्गतिम् ॥

rūpavantamarūpatvādudayāstamane budhāḥ | dhiyā samanupaśyanti tadgatāḥ saviturgatim

Though it has form, because of its formlessness the wise, intent upon it, perceive with the intellect its rising and setting, the course of the sun.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource उदयास्तमने against CE udayāstamaye.

Verse 10 (12.201.10)

तथा बुद्धिप्रदीपेन दूरस्थं सुविपश्चितः । प्रत्यासन्नं निषीदन्ति ज्ञेयं ज्ञानाभिसंहितम् ॥

tathā buddhipradīpena dūrasthaṃ suvipaścitaḥ | pratyāsannaṃ niṣīdanti jñeyaṃ jñānābhisaṃhitam

In the same way, by the lamp of the intellect, the truly wise settle close to the knowable, though it is far — the object of knowledge, united with knowledge.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource निषीदन्ति against CE ninīṣanti.

Verse 11 (12.201.11)

न हि खल्वनुपायेन कश्चिदर्थोऽभिसिद्ध्यति । सूत्रजालैर्यथा मत्स्यान्बध्नन्ति जलजीविनः ॥

na hi khalvanupāyena kaścidartho'bhisiddhyati | sūtrajālairyathā matsyānbadhnanti jalajīvinaḥ

Nothing is ever accomplished without the right means. By nets of thread, fishermen catch fish;

Note on the text: Corrected स्वल्वनुपायेन → खल्वनुपायेन (misprint in Wikisource; स for ख, which leaves no word; the critical edition reads khalv anupāyena).

Verse 12 (12.201.12)

मृगैर्मृगाणां ग्रहणं पक्षिणां पक्षिभिर्यथा । गजानां च गजैरेव ज्ञेयं ज्ञानेन गृह्यते ॥

mṛgairmṛgāṇāṃ grahaṇaṃ pakṣiṇāṃ pakṣibhiryathā | gajānāṃ ca gajaireva jñeyaṃ jñānena gṛhyate

deer are taken by deer, birds by birds, and elephants by elephants; so the knowable is grasped by knowledge.

Verse 13 (12.201.13)

अहिरेव ह्यहेः पादान्पश्यतीति निदर्शनम् । तद्वन्मूर्तिषु मूर्तिस्थं ज्ञेयं ज्ञानेन पश्यति ॥

ahireva hyaheḥ pādānpaśyatīti nidarśanam | tadvanmūrtiṣu mūrtisthaṃ jñeyaṃ jñānena paśyati

A snake alone sees a snake's feet — such is the example. In the same way what is lodged in forms is seen by knowledge, the knowable.

Verse 14 (12.201.14)

नोत्सहन्ते यथा वेत्तुमिन्द्रियैरिन्द्रियाण्यपि । तथैवेह परा बुद्धिः परं बुद्ध्या न पश्यति ॥

notsahante yathā vettumindriyairindriyāṇyapi | tathaiveha parā buddhiḥ paraṃ buddhyā na paśyati

As the senses cannot know the senses by means of the senses, so here the higher intellect does not see the supreme by the intellect.

Verse 15 (12.201.15)

यथा चन्द्रो ह्यमावास्यामलिङ्गत्वान्न दृश्यते । न च नाशोऽस्य भवति तथा विद्धि शरीरिणम् ॥

yathā candro hyamāvāsyāmaliṅgatvānna dṛśyate | na ca nāśo'sya bhavati tathā viddhi śarīriṇam

As the moon at new moon is not seen for want of a mark, yet is not destroyed — know the embodied one likewise.

Verse 16 (12.201.16)

क्षीणकोशो ह्यमावास्यां चन्द्रमा न प्रकाशते । तद्वन्मूर्तिविमुक्तोऽसौ शरीरी नोपलभ्यते ॥

kṣīṇakośo hyamāvāsyāṃ candramā na prakāśate | tadvanmūrtivimukto'sau śarīrī nopalabhyate

At new moon the moon, its store spent, does not shine; so the embodied one, freed from form, is not perceived.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource तद्वन्मूर्तिविमुक्तोऽसौ against CE tadvan mūrtiviyuktaḥ sañ.

Verse 17 (12.201.17)

यथा कोशान्तरं प्राप्य चन्द्रमा भ्राजते पुनः । तद्वल्लिङ्गान्तरं प्राप्य शरीरी भ्राजते पुनः ॥

yathā kośāntaraṃ prāpya candramā bhrājate punaḥ | tadvalliṅgāntaraṃ prāpya śarīrī bhrājate punaḥ

As the moon, gaining another store, shines again, so the embodied one, gaining another subtle body, shines again.

Verse 18 (12.201.18)

जन्म वृद्धिः क्षयश्चास्य प्रत्यक्षेणोपलभ्यते । सा तु चन्द्रमसो व्यक्तिर्न तु तस्य शरीरिणः ॥

janma vṛddhiḥ kṣayaścāsya pratyakṣeṇopalabhyate | sā tu candramaso vyaktirna tu tasya śarīriṇaḥ

Its birth, growth and decay are seen directly; but that is the appearance of the moon, not of that embodied one.

Note on the text: Corrected बुद्धिः → वृद्धिः (misprint in Wikisource; the list is birth, growth and decay, not intellect; the critical edition reads janmavṛddhikṣayaś).

Verse 19 (12.201.19)

उत्पत्तिवृद्धिव्ययतो यथा स इति गृह्यते । चन्द्र एव त्वमावास्यां तथा भवति मूर्तिमान् ॥

utpattivṛddhivyayato yathā sa iti gṛhyate | candra eva tvamāvāsyāṃ tathā bhavati mūrtimān

As the moon is recognized as that same moon by its rising, growth and waning, and yet at the new moon is still the moon itself, so the embodied self comes to be possessed of form.

Verse 20 (12.201.20)

नाभिसर्पद्विमुञ्चद्वा शशिनं दृश्यते तमः । विसृजंश्चोपसर्पंश्च तद्वत्पश्य शरीरिणम् ॥

nābhisarpadvimuñcadvā śaśinaṃ dṛśyate tamaḥ | visṛjaṃścopasarpaṃśca tadvatpaśya śarīriṇam

Darkness is not seen to approach the moon or to leave it, though it releases it and draws near; see the embodied one in the same way.

Verse 21 (12.201.21)

यथा चन्द्रार्कसंयुक्तं तमस्तदुपलभ्यते । तद्वच्छरीरसंयुक्तं ज्ञानं तदुपलभ्यते ॥

yathā candrārkasaṃyuktaṃ tamastadupalabhyate | tadvaccharīrasaṃyuktaṃ jñānaṃ tadupalabhyate

As darkness is perceived joined to moon and sun, so knowledge is perceived joined to the body.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource तद्वच्छरीरसंयुक्तं ज्ञानं तदुपलभ्यते against CE tadvac charīrasaṃyuktaḥ śarīrīty upalabhyate.

Verse 22 (12.201.22)

यथा चन्द्रार्कनिर्मुक्तः स राहुर्नोपलभ्यते । तद्वच्छरीरनिर्मुक्तः शरीरी नोपलभ्यते ॥

yathā candrārkanirmuktaḥ sa rāhurnopalabhyate | tadvaccharīranirmuktaḥ śarīrī nopalabhyate

As Rahu, freed from moon and sun, is not perceived, so the embodied one, freed from the body, is not perceived.

Verse 23 (12.201.23)

यथा चन्द्रो ह्यमावास्यां नक्षत्रैर्युज्यते गतः । तद्वच्छरीरनिर्मुक्तः फलैर्युज्यति कर्मणः ॥

yathā candro hyamāvāsyāṃ nakṣatrairyujyate gataḥ | tadvaccharīranirmuktaḥ phalairyujyati karmaṇaḥ

As the moon at the new moon, having moved on, is joined with the stars, so one freed from the body is joined with the fruits of his action.