Manu on Sorrow, Mind and the Way to the Qualityless Brahman

Verse 1 (12.203.1)

दुःखोपघाते शारीरे मानसे चाप्युपस्थिते । यस्मिन्न शक्यते कर्तुं यत्नस्तं नानुचिन्तयेत् ॥

duḥkhopaghāte śārīre mānase cāpyupasthite | yasminna śakyate kartuṃ yatnastaṃ nānucintayet

When bodily or mental suffering has befallen one, one should not keep brooding over that against which no effort can be made.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only as star passage 540, lines 01–02 (12.198.1*0540_01–02), printed after the speaker line and before 12.198.1ac.

Verse 2 (12.203.2)

भैषज्यमेतद्दुःखस्य यदेतन्नानुचिन्तयेत् । चिन्त्यमानं हि चाभ्येति भूयश्चापि प्रवर्तते ॥

bhaiṣajyametadduḥkhasya yadetannānucintayet | cintyamānaṃ hi cābhyeti bhūyaścāpi pravartate

Not brooding over it is itself the cure for sorrow; for a sorrow that is dwelt upon comes back and grows again.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only as star passage 540, lines 03–04 (12.198.1*0540_03–04), printed after the speaker line and before 12.198.1ac.

Verse 3 (12.203.3)

प्रज्ञया मानसं दुःखं हन्याच्छारीरमौषधैः । एतद्विज्ञानसामर्थ्यं न बालैः समतामियात् ॥

prajñayā mānasaṃ duḥkhaṃ hanyācchārīramauṣadhaiḥ | etadvijñānasāmarthyaṃ na bālaiḥ samatāmiyāt

Mental pain one should cure with understanding, bodily pain with medicines. This is the strength of discernment; one should never stand on a level with children.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only as star passage 540, lines 05–06 (12.198.1*0540_05–06), printed after the speaker line and before 12.198.1ac.

Verse 4 (12.203.4)

अनित्यं यौवनं रूपं जीवितं द्रव्यसंचयः । आरोग्यं प्रियसंवासो गृध्येत्तत्र न पण्डितः ॥

anityaṃ yauvanaṃ rūpaṃ jīvitaṃ dravyasaṃcayaḥ | ārogyaṃ priyasaṃvāso gṛdhyettatra na paṇḍitaḥ

Youth, beauty, life, a hoard of wealth, health, and the company of loved ones are all impermanent; a wise person does not covet them.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only as star passage 540, lines 07–08 (12.198.1*0540_07–08), printed after the speaker line and before 12.198.1ac.

Verse 5 (12.203.5)

न जानपदिकं दुःखमेकः शोचितुमर्हति । अशोचन्प्रतिकुर्वीत यदि पश्येदुपक्रमम् ॥

na jānapadikaṃ duḥkhamekaḥ śocitumarhati | aśocanpratikurvīta yadi paśyedupakramam

A grief that afflicts the whole community should not be mourned by one person alone. Without grieving, one should counter it, if one sees a way to do so.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only as star passage 540, lines 09–10 (12.198.1*0540_09–10), printed after the speaker line and before 12.198.1ac.

Verse 6 (12.203.6)

सुखाद्बहुतरं दुःखं जीविते नास्ति संशयः । स्निग्धस्य चेन्द्रियार्थेषु मोहान्मरणमप्रियम् ॥

sukhādbahutaraṃ duḥkhaṃ jīvite nāsti saṃśayaḥ | snigdhasya cendriyārtheṣu mohānmaraṇamapriyam

There is no doubt that life holds more suffering than happiness; and for one who is attached to the objects of the senses, death, through delusion, is unwelcome.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only as star passage 540, lines 11–12 (12.198.1*0540_11–12), printed after the speaker line and before 12.198.1ac. Corrected स्रिग्धस्य → स्निग्धस्य (misprint in Wikisource; स्रिग्ध is not a word, the CE star passage reads snigdhasya).

Verse 7 (12.203.7)

परित्यजति यो दुःखं सुखं वाऽप्युभयं नरः । अभ्येति ब्रह्म सोऽत्यन्तं न ते शोचन्ति पण्डिताः ॥

parityajati yo duḥkhaṃ sukhaṃ vā'pyubhayaṃ naraḥ | abhyeti brahma so'tyantaṃ na te śocanti paṇḍitāḥ

The person who gives up both sorrow and happiness reaches Brahman completely; such wise ones do not grieve.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only as star passage 540, lines 13–14 (12.198.1*0540_13–14), printed after the speaker line and before 12.198.1ac. Corrected सोत्यन्तं → सोऽत्यन्तं (misprint in Wikisource; avagraha dropped, the sandhi is so 'tyantam as in the CE star passage).

Verse 8 (12.203.8)

दुःखमर्था हि युज्यन्ते पालने न च ते सुखम् । दुःखेन चाधिगम्यन्ते नाशमेषां न चिन्तयेत् ॥

duḥkhamarthā hi yujyante pālane na ca te sukham | duḥkhena cādhigamyante nāśameṣāṃ na cintayet

Wealth is bound up with suffering, and there is no happiness in guarding it; it is acquired through suffering too. One should not brood over its loss.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only as star passage 540, lines 15–16 (12.198.1*0540_15–16), printed after the speaker line and before 12.198.1ac.

Verse 9 (12.203.9)

ज्ञानं ज्ञेयाभिर्निवृत्तं विद्धि ज्ञानगुणं मनः । प्रज्ञाकरणसंयुक्तं ततो बुद्धिः प्रवर्तते ॥

jñānaṃ jñeyābhirnivṛttaṃ viddhi jñānaguṇaṃ manaḥ | prajñākaraṇasaṃyuktaṃ tato buddhiḥ pravartate

Know that knowledge takes shape in relation to what is to be known, and that the mind has knowledge as its quality. When the mind is joined with the faculties of discernment, intellect arises from it.

Verse 10 (12.203.10)

यदा कर्मगुणोपेता बुद्धिर्मनसि वर्तते । तदा प्रज्ञायते ब्रह्म ध्यानयोगसमाधिना ॥

yadā karmaguṇopetā buddhirmanasi vartate | tadā prajñāyate brahma dhyānayogasamādhinā

When the intellect, endowed with the qualities of action, abides in the mind, Brahman is then known through meditation, yoga and deep concentration.

Verse 11 (12.203.11)

सेयं गुणवती बुद्धिर्गुणेष्वेवाभिवर्तते । अपरादभिनिः स्रौति गिरेः शृङ्गादिवोदकम् ॥

seyaṃ guṇavatī buddhirguṇeṣvevābhivartate | aparādabhiniḥ srauti gireḥ śṛṅgādivodakam

This intellect, possessed of qualities, moves only among the qualities; it streams out from another source, as water streams from a mountain peak.

Verse 12 (12.203.12)

यदा निर्गुणमाप्नोति ध्यानं मनसि पूर्वजम् । तदा प्रज्ञायते ब्रह्म निकषं निकषे यथा ॥

yadā nirguṇamāpnoti dhyānaṃ manasi pūrvajam | tadā prajñāyate brahma nikaṣaṃ nikaṣe yathā

When one attains qualityless meditation, which was born earlier in the mind, then Brahman is known, as gold is known on a touchstone.

Verse 13 (12.203.13)

मनस्त्वसंहृतं बुद्ध्या हीन्द्रियार्थनिदर्शकम् । न समर्थं गुणापेक्षि निर्गुणस्य निदर्शने ॥

manastvasaṃhṛtaṃ buddhyā hīndriyārthanidarśakam | na samarthaṃ guṇāpekṣi nirguṇasya nidarśane

But the mind, if not drawn in by the intellect, merely displays the objects of the senses; it looks to qualities and is not able to point out what has no qualities.

Verse 14 (12.203.14)

सर्वाण्येतानि संवार्य द्वाराणि मनसि स्थितः । मनस्येकाग्रतां कृत्वा तत्परं प्रतिपद्यते ॥

sarvāṇyetāni saṃvārya dvārāṇi manasi sthitaḥ | manasyekāgratāṃ kṛtvā tatparaṃ pratipadyate

Having restrained all these doors and standing in the mind, and having made the mind one-pointed within the mind, one attains That which is supreme.

Verse 15 (12.203.15)

यथा महान्ति भूतानि निवर्तन्ते गुणक्षये । तथेन्द्रियाण्युपादाय बुद्धिर्मनसि वर्तते ॥

yathā mahānti bhūtāni nivartante guṇakṣaye | tathendriyāṇyupādāya buddhirmanasi vartate

As the great elements withdraw when their qualities come to an end, so the intellect, taking up the senses, abides in the mind.

Verse 16 (12.203.16)

यदा मनसि सा बुद्धिर्वर्ततेऽन्तरचारिणी । व्यवसायगुणोपेता तदा संपद्यते मनः ॥

yadā manasi sā buddhirvartate'ntaracāriṇī | vyavasāyaguṇopetā tadā saṃpadyate manaḥ

When that intellect, moving within, abides in the mind, endowed with resolve, the mind then reaches its fulfilment.

Verse 17 (12.203.17)

गुणवद्भिर्गुणोपेतं यदा ध्यानगतं मनः । तदा सर्वान्गुणान्हित्वा निर्गुणं प्रतिपद्यते ॥

guṇavadbhirguṇopetaṃ yadā dhyānagataṃ manaḥ | tadā sarvānguṇānhitvā nirguṇaṃ pratipadyate

When the mind, endowed with qualities along with those that have qualities, has entered meditation, it then leaves all qualities behind and reaches the qualityless.

Verse 18 (12.203.18)

अव्यक्तस्येह विज्ञाने नास्ति तुल्यं निदर्शनम् । यत्र नास्ति पदन्यासः कस्तं विषयमाप्नुयात् ॥

avyaktasyeha vijñāne nāsti tulyaṃ nidarśanam | yatra nāsti padanyāsaḥ kastaṃ viṣayamāpnuyāt

In the knowing of the Unmanifest there is no comparable illustration; where there is no place to set a foot, who could reach that object?

Verse 19 (12.203.19)

तपसा चानुमानेन गुणैर्जात्या श्रुतेन च । निनीषेत्परमं ब्रह्म विशुद्धेनान्तरात्मना ॥

tapasā cānumānena guṇairjātyā śrutena ca | ninīṣetparamaṃ brahma viśuddhenāntarātmanā

By austerity, by inference, by good qualities, by birth and by learning, with a purified inner self one should seek to lead oneself to supreme Brahman.

Verse 20 (12.203.20)

गुणहीनो हि तं मार्गं बहिः समनुवर्तते । गुणाभावात्प्रकृत्या वा निस्तर्क्यं ज्ञेयसंमितम् ॥

guṇahīno hi taṃ mārgaṃ bahiḥ samanuvartate | guṇābhāvātprakṛtyā vā nistarkyaṃ jñeyasaṃmitam

One without qualities follows that path only from the outside. Since it lacks qualities, or by its very nature, it lies beyond argument and can be measured only by what is knowable.

Verse 21 (12.203.21)

नैर्गुण्याद्ब्रह्म चाप्नोति सगुणत्वान्निवर्तते । गुणप्रसारिणी बुद्धिर्हुताशन इवेन्धने ॥

nairguṇyādbrahma cāpnoti saguṇatvānnivartate | guṇaprasāriṇī buddhirhutāśana ivendhane

Through being without qualities one reaches Brahman; through having qualities one turns back. The intellect, which spreads over the qualities, is like a fire in its fuel.

Verse 22 (12.203.22)

यदा पञ्च वियुक्तानि इन्द्रियाणि स्वकर्मभिः । तदा तत्परमं ब्रह्म संमुक्तं प्रकृतेः परम् ॥

yadā pañca viyuktāni indriyāṇi svakarmabhiḥ | tadā tatparamaṃ brahma saṃmuktaṃ prakṛteḥ param

When the five senses are separated from their own functions, then that supreme Brahman, beyond Nature, stands wholly freed.

Verse 23 (12.203.23)

एवं प्रकृतितः सर्वे संभवन्ति शरीरिणः । निवर्तन्ते निवृत्तौ च स्वर्गे नैवोपयान्ति च ॥

evaṃ prakṛtitaḥ sarve saṃbhavanti śarīriṇaḥ | nivartante nivṛttau ca svarge naivopayānti ca

In this way all embodied beings come into being from Nature; they turn back when there is cessation, and they do not go to heaven either.

Verse 24 (12.203.24)

पुरुषप्रकृतिर्बुद्धिर्विशेषाश्चेन्द्रियाणि च । अहंकारोऽभिमानश्च संभूतो भूतसंज्ञकः ॥

puruṣaprakṛtirbuddhirviśeṣāścendriyāṇi ca | ahaṃkāro'bhimānaśca saṃbhūto bhūtasaṃjñakaḥ

Spirit, Nature, intellect, the specific things and the senses, egoity and self-conceit: from these there arises what is called a being.

Verse 25 (12.203.25)

एतस्याद्या प्रवृत्तिस्तु प्रधानात्संप्रवर्तते । द्वितीया मिथुनव्यक्तिमविशेषान्नियच्छति ॥

etasyādyā pravṛttistu pradhānātsaṃpravartate | dvitīyā mithunavyaktimaviśeṣānniyacchati

The first movement of this proceeds from the Primal Nature; the second brings about the appearance of pairs out of the undifferentiated.

Verse 26 (12.203.26)

धर्मादुत्कृष्यते श्रेयस्तथा धर्मोऽप्यधर्मतः । रागवान्प्रकृतिं ह्येति विरक्तो ज्ञानवान्भवम् ॥

dharmādutkṛṣyate śreyastathā dharmo'pyadharmataḥ | rāgavānprakṛtiṃ hyeti virakto jñānavānbhavam

Through dharma the higher good is drawn forth, and so too dharma itself is drawn forth even from adharma. One full of attachment goes to Nature; the dispassionate man of knowledge attains Being.

Note on the text: Corrected धर्मोऽष्यधर्मतः → धर्मोऽप्यधर्मतः (misprint in Wikisource; ष्य for प्य, the CE has 'py adharmataḥ). Wikisource's तथा धर्मोऽप्यधर्मतः against the CE's tathāśreyo 'py adharmataḥ, and virakto jñānavān bhavam against bhavet, are recension variants, kept.