Manu on Brahman, Vasudeva and the Realm Beyond the Qualities

Verse 1 (12.204.1)

तदेव सततं मन्ये न शक्यमनुवर्णितुम् । यथा निदर्शनं वस्तु न शक्यमनुबोधितुम् ॥

tadeva satataṃ manye na śakyamanuvarṇitum | yathā nidarśanaṃ vastu na śakyamanubodhitum

That alone I regard as constant, yet it cannot be fully described, just as a thing cannot be made known by an illustration alone.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.14, lines 1–2 (12.199.1@014_0001–0002), printed after the speaker line and before 12.199.1ac. Removed the stray backtick Wikisource prints before the verse (it opens a quoted passage that runs to verse 12).

Verse 2 (12.204.2)

यथाहि सारं जानाति न कथंचन संस्थितम् । परकायच्छविस्तद्वद्देहेऽयं चेतनस्तथा ॥

yathāhi sāraṃ jānāti na kathaṃcana saṃsthitam | parakāyacchavistadvaddehe'yaṃ cetanastathā

Just as no one at all comes to know the essence of what stands there, like the glow of another's body, so too is this conscious one within the body.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.14, lines 3–4 (12.199.1@014_0003–0004), printed after the speaker line and before 12.199.1ac.

Verse 3 (12.204.3)

विना कायं न सा च्छाया तां विना कायमस्त्युत । तद्वदेव विना नास्ति प्रकृतेरिह वर्तनम् ॥

vinā kāyaṃ na sā cchāyā tāṃ vinā kāyamastyuta | tadvadeva vinā nāsti prakṛteriha vartanam

Without a body there is no shadow, though a body can exist without it; in the same way, there is no functioning of Nature in this world without That.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.14, lines 5–6 (12.199.1@014_0005–0006), printed after the speaker line and before 12.199.1ac.

Verse 4 (12.204.4)

इदं वै नास्ति नेदमस्ति परं विना । जीवात्मना त्वसौ छिन्नस्त्वेष चैव परात्मना ॥

idaṃ vai nāsti nedamasti paraṃ vinā | jīvātmanā tvasau chinnastveṣa caiva parātmanā

This surely does not exist by itself, nor does this exist apart from the Supreme. As the individual self it is divided off, and this very one is also the Supreme Self.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.14, lines 7–8 (12.199.1@014_0007–0008), printed after the speaker line and before 12.199.1ac. Line 1 (इदं वै नास्ति नेदमस्ति परं विना) differs from the Appendix line (idaṃ vinā paraṃ nāsti nedam asti paraṃ vinā); kept as a recension variant.

Verse 5 (12.204.5)

तत्तथेति विदुः केचिदतथ्यमिति चापरे । उभयं मे मतं विद्वन्मुक्तिहेतौ समाहितम् ॥

tattatheti viduḥ kecidatathyamiti cāpare | ubhayaṃ me mataṃ vidvanmuktihetau samāhitam

Some know it as 'it is so', others as 'it is not so'. Both views of mine, O learned one, find their place in the cause of liberation.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.14, lines 9–10 (12.199.1@014_0009–0010), printed after the speaker line and before 12.199.1ac. Corrected तत्तवेति → तत्तथेति (misprint in Wikisource; तत्तव is not a word here, the Appendix reads tat tatheti).

Verse 6 (12.204.6)

विमुक्तैश्च मृगः सोऽपि दृश्यते संयतेन्द्रियः । सर्वेषां न हि दृश्यो हि तटिद्वत्स्फुरति ह्यसौ ॥

vimuktaiśca mṛgaḥ so'pi dṛśyate saṃyatendriyaḥ | sarveṣāṃ na hi dṛśyo hi taṭidvatsphurati hyasau

That sought-after one is seen only by the liberated, whose senses are restrained; he is not visible to everyone, but flashes forth like lightning.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.14, lines 11–12 (12.199.1@014_0011–0012), printed after the speaker line and before 12.199.1ac.

Verse 7 (12.204.7)

ब्राह्मणस्य समादृश्यो वर्तते सोऽपि किं पुनः । विद्यते परमः शुद्धः साक्षिभूतो विभावसुः ॥

brāhmaṇasya samādṛśyo vartate so'pi kiṃ punaḥ | vidyate paramaḥ śuddhaḥ sākṣibhūto vibhāvasuḥ

He is perceptible, in full, to a brahmin as well - what more need be said? There exists the Supreme, pure, the Witness, the Radiant One.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.14, lines 13–14 (12.199.1@014_0013–0014), printed after the speaker line and before 12.199.1ac.

Verse 8 (12.204.8)

श्रुतिरेषा ततो नित्या तस्मादेकः परो मतः । न प्रयोजनमुद्दिश्य चेष्टा तस्य महात्मनः ॥

śrutireṣā tato nityā tasmādekaḥ paro mataḥ | na prayojanamuddiśya ceṣṭā tasya mahātmanaḥ

This is the Veda's word, and therefore it is eternal; hence the One is held to be supreme. The actions of that great Self are not aimed at any purpose.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.14, lines 15–16 (12.199.1@014_0015–0016), printed after the speaker line and before 12.199.1ac.

Verse 9 (12.204.9)

तादृशोऽस्त्विति मन्तव्यस्तथा सत्यं महात्मना । नानासंस्थेन भेदेन सदा गतिविभेदवत् । तस्य भेदः समाख्यातो भेदो ह्यस्ति तथाविधः ॥

tādṛśo'stviti mantavyastathā satyaṃ mahātmanā | nānāsaṃsthena bhedena sadā gativibhedavat | tasya bhedaḥ samākhyāto bhedo hyasti tathāvidhaḥ

He is to be thought of as just such, and so he truly is, for the great-souled. Through varied states and divisions, like differing courses of movement, his diversity has been declared; for diversity of that kind does exist.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.14, lines 17–19 (12.199.1@014_0017–0019), printed after the speaker line and before 12.199.1ac. Corrected तादृशोस्त्विति → तादृशोऽस्त्विति (misprint in Wikisource; avagraha dropped, the Appendix reads tādṛśo 'stv iti).

Verse 10 (12.204.10)

एवं विद्वन्विजानीहि परमात्मानमव्ययम् । तत्तद्गुणविशेषेण संज्ञानामनुसंयुतम् ॥

evaṃ vidvanvijānīhi paramātmānamavyayam | tattadguṇaviśeṣeṇa saṃjñānāmanusaṃyutam

Know thus, O learned one, the imperishable Supreme Self, who is joined with various names according to this or that quality.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.14, lines 20–21 (12.199.1@014_0020–0021), printed after the speaker line and before 12.199.1ac.

Verse 11 (12.204.11)

सर्वेश्वरः सर्वमयः स च सर्वप्रवर्तकः । सर्वात्मकः सर्वशक्तिः सर्वकारणकारणम् ॥

sarveśvaraḥ sarvamayaḥ sa ca sarvapravartakaḥ | sarvātmakaḥ sarvaśaktiḥ sarvakāraṇakāraṇam

Lord of all, formed of all, the impeller of all; the Self of all, possessed of all powers, the cause of the cause of everything.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.14, lines 22–23 (12.199.1@014_0022–0023), printed after the speaker line and before 12.199.1ac.

Verse 12 (12.204.12)

सर्वसाधारणः सर्वैरुपास्यश्च महात्मभिः । वासुदेवेति विख्यातस्तं विदित्वाऽश्नुतेऽमृतम् ॥

sarvasādhāraṇaḥ sarvairupāsyaśca mahātmabhiḥ | vāsudeveti vikhyātastaṃ viditvā'śnute'mṛtam

Common to all, worshipped by all great souls, he is famed as Vasudeva; knowing him, one attains immortality.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.14, lines 24–25 (12.199.1@014_0024–0025), printed after the speaker line and before 12.199.1ac. Removed the stray closing mark (।।') Wikisource prints after the verse, which closes the quoted passage opened at verse 1.

Verse 13 (12.204.13)

यदा ते पञ्चभिः पञ्च युक्तानि मनसा सह । अथ तद्द्रक्ष्यते ब्रह्म मणौ सूत्रमिवार्पितम् ॥

yadā te pañcabhiḥ pañca yuktāni manasā saha | atha taddrakṣyate brahma maṇau sūtramivārpitam

When your five are joined with the five, together with the mind, then that Brahman will be seen, like a thread strung through a jewel.

Note on the text: Corrected प़ञ्चभिः → पञ्चभिः (misprint in Wikisource; stray nukta). Wikisource's युक्तानि … द्रक्ष्यते against the CE's vimuktā … drakṣyase is a recension variant, kept.

Verse 14 (12.204.14)

तदेव च यथा सूत्रं सुवर्णे वर्तते पुनः । मुक्तास्वथ प्रवालेषु मृन्मये राजते तथा ॥

tadeva ca yathā sūtraṃ suvarṇe vartate punaḥ | muktāsvatha pravāleṣu mṛnmaye rājate tathā

That same thread lies again in gold, in pearls, in coral, in clay and in silver.

Verse 15 (12.204.15)

तद्वद्गोऽश्वमनुष्येषु तद्वद्धस्तिमृगादिषु । तद्वत्कीटपतङ्गेषु प्रसक्तात्मा स्वकर्मभिः ॥

tadvadgo'śvamanuṣyeṣu tadvaddhastimṛgādiṣu | tadvatkīṭapataṅgeṣu prasaktātmā svakarmabhiḥ

So too it is in cows, horses and men; so too in elephants, deer and the like; so too in worms and moths - the self attached to them through its own actions.

Verse 16 (12.204.16)

येनयेन शरीरेण यद्यत्कर्म करोत्ययम् । तेनतेन शरीरेण तत्तत्फलमुपाश्नुते ॥

yenayena śarīreṇa yadyatkarma karotyayam | tenatena śarīreṇa tattatphalamupāśnute

In whatever body this one performs whatever action, in that very body it enjoys the fruit of each such action.

Verse 17 (12.204.17)

यथा ह्येकरसा भूमिरोषध्यर्थानुसारिणी । तथा कर्मानुगा बुद्धिरन्तरात्माऽनुदर्शिनी ॥

yathā hyekarasā bhūmiroṣadhyarthānusāriṇī | tathā karmānugā buddhirantarātmā'nudarśinī

As earth, though of a single flavour, adapts itself to the needs of each plant, so intelligence follows action, and the inner self looks on.

Verse 18 (12.204.18)

ज्ञानपूर्वोद्भवा लिप्सा लिप्सापूर्वाभिसन्धिता । अभिसन्धिपूर्वकं कर्म कर्ममूलं ततः फलम् ॥

jñānapūrvodbhavā lipsā lipsāpūrvābhisandhitā | abhisandhipūrvakaṃ karma karmamūlaṃ tataḥ phalam

Desire arises preceded by knowledge, resolve is preceded by desire, action is preceded by resolve, and the fruit then has action as its root.

Verse 19 (12.204.19)

फलं कर्मात्मकं विद्यात्कर्म ज्ञेयात्मकं तथा । ज्ञेयं ज्ञानात्मकं विद्याज्ज्ञानं सदसदात्मकम् ॥

phalaṃ karmātmakaṃ vidyātkarma jñeyātmakaṃ tathā | jñeyaṃ jñānātmakaṃ vidyājjñānaṃ sadasadātmakam

Know the fruit to be of the nature of action, action to be of the nature of the knowable, the knowable to be of the nature of knowledge, and knowledge to be of the nature of the real and the unreal.

Note on the text: Corrected कर्मत्मकं → कर्मात्मकं (misprint in Wikisource; dropped ā, the CE reads karmātmakaṃ).

Verse 20 (12.204.20)

तदेवमिष्यते ब्रह्म संख्यानाद्विनिभिद्यते । ज्ञानानां च फलानां च ज्ञेयानां कर्मणां तथा । क्षयान्ते यत्फलं विद्याज्ज्ञानं ज्ञेयप्रतिष्ठितम् ॥

tadevamiṣyate brahma saṃkhyānādvinibhidyate | jñānānāṃ ca phalānāṃ ca jñeyānāṃ karmaṇāṃ tathā | kṣayānte yatphalaṃ vidyājjñānaṃ jñeyapratiṣṭhitam

Thus Brahman is held to be; it is analysed by enumeration. Of knowledges, fruits, knowables and actions alike, when they have come to an end, one should know the result: knowledge resting on the knowable.

Note on the text: Line 1 (तदेवमिष्यते ब्रह्म संख्यानाद्विनिभिद्यते) is a star passage in the CE, 12.199.7d*0541_01, printed after 12.199.7cd; lines 2–3 are CE 12.199.8ab and cd (Wikisource's क्षयान्ते यत्फलं against the CE's kṣayānte tat phalaṃ divyaṃ is a recension variant, kept). Removed the stray quote marks (backtick, ') Wikisource prints round line 1.

Verse 21 (12.204.21)

महद्धि परमं भूतं युक्ताः पश्यन्ति योगिनः । अबुधास्तं न पश्यन्ति ह्यात्मस्थं गुणबुद्धयः ॥

mahaddhi paramaṃ bhūtaṃ yuktāḥ paśyanti yoginaḥ | abudhāstaṃ na paśyanti hyātmasthaṃ guṇabuddhayaḥ

Yogis, the disciplined, see the great Supreme Being; the unwise, whose understanding rests in qualities, do not see him abiding in the self.

Verse 22 (12.204.22)

पृथिवीरूपतो रूपमपामिह महत्तरम् । अद्भ्यो महत्तरं तेजस्तेजसः पवनो महान् ॥

pṛthivīrūpato rūpamapāmiha mahattaram | adbhyo mahattaraṃ tejastejasaḥ pavano mahān

Compared with the form of earth, the form of water is greater here; greater than water is fire, and greater than fire is wind.

Note on the text: Corrected पृथिवीरुपतो → पृथिवीरूपतो (misprint in Wikisource; short u for long ū, the CE reads pṛthivīrūpato).

Verse 23 (12.204.23)

पवनाच्च महद्व्योम तस्मात्परतरं मनः । मनसो महती बुद्धिर्बुद्धेः कालो महान्स्मृतः ॥

pavanācca mahadvyoma tasmātparataraṃ manaḥ | manaso mahatī buddhirbuddheḥ kālo mahānsmṛtaḥ

Greater than wind is space; beyond that is the mind; greater than mind is the intellect; and greater than the intellect is Time, it is said.

Verse 24 (12.204.24)

कालात्स भगवान्विष्णुर्यस्य सर्वमिदं जगत् । नादिर्न मध्यं नैवान्तस्तस्य देवस्य विद्यते ॥

kālātsa bhagavānviṣṇuryasya sarvamidaṃ jagat | nādirna madhyaṃ naivāntastasya devasya vidyate

Beyond Time is the Blessed Lord Vishnu, to whom this whole world belongs; for that god there is no beginning, no middle and no end.

Verse 25 (12.204.25)

अनादित्वादमध्यत्वादनन्तत्वाच्च सोऽव्ययः । अत्येति सर्वदुःखानि दुःखं ह्यन्तवदुच्यते ॥

anāditvādamadhyatvādanantatvācca so'vyayaḥ | atyeti sarvaduḥkhāni duḥkhaṃ hyantavaducyate

Because he is without beginning, middle or end, he is imperishable; he passes beyond all sorrows, for sorrow is said to have an end.

Verse 26 (12.204.26)

तद्ब्रह्म परमं प्रोक्तं तद्धाम परमं पदम् । तद्गत्वा कालविषयाद्विमुक्ता मोक्षमाश्रिताः ॥

tadbrahma paramaṃ proktaṃ taddhāma paramaṃ padam | tadgatvā kālaviṣayādvimuktā mokṣamāśritāḥ

That is declared the supreme Brahman, that the supreme abode, the supreme state; having reached it, those who are freed from the realm of Time have taken refuge in liberation.

Verse 27 (12.204.27)

गुणेष्वेते प्रकाशन्ते निर्गुणत्वात्ततः परम् । निवृत्तिलक्षणो धर्मस्तथाऽऽनन्त्याय कल्पते ॥

guṇeṣvete prakāśante nirguṇatvāttataḥ param | nivṛttilakṣaṇo dharmastathā''nantyāya kalpate

These things shine among the qualities; beyond them, being without qualities, is the Supreme. The dharma marked by withdrawal leads to the Endless.

Verse 28 (12.204.28)

ऋचो यजूंषि सामानि शरीराणि व्यपाश्रिताः । जिह्वाग्रेषु प्रवर्तन्ते यत्नसाध्याविनाशिनः ॥

ṛco yajūṃṣi sāmāni śarīrāṇi vyapāśritāḥ | jihvāgreṣu pravartante yatnasādhyāvināśinaḥ

The Rik, Yajus and Sama verses rest on bodies; they move on the tips of tongues, attainable only by effort and subject to perishing.

Verse 29 (12.204.29)

न चैवमिष्यते ब्रह्म शरीराश्रयसंभवम् । न यत्नसाध्यं तद्ब्रह्म नादिमध्यं न चान्तवन् ॥

na caivamiṣyate brahma śarīrāśrayasaṃbhavam | na yatnasādhyaṃ tadbrahma nādimadhyaṃ na cāntavan

Brahman is not held to arise in dependence on a body; Brahman is not attained by effort; it has no beginning or middle, and no end.

Verse 30 (12.204.30)

ऋचामादिस्तथा साम्नां यजुषामादिरुच्यते । अन्तश्चादिमतां दृष्टो न त्वादिर्ब्रह्मणः स्मृतः ॥

ṛcāmādistathā sāmnāṃ yajuṣāmādirucyate | antaścādimatāṃ dṛṣṭo na tvādirbrahmaṇaḥ smṛtaḥ

A beginning is declared for the Rik verses, for the Samans and for the Yajus formulas; an end is seen for whatever has a beginning; but no beginning of Brahman is held.

Verse 31 (12.204.31)

अनादित्वादनन्तत्वात्तदनन्तमथाव्ययम् । अव्ययत्वाच्च निर्दुःखं द्वन्द्वाभावस्ततः परम् ॥

anāditvādanantatvāttadanantamathāvyayam | avyayatvācca nirduḥkhaṃ dvandvābhāvastataḥ param

Because it is beginningless and endless, it is infinite and imperishable; because it is imperishable, it is free from sorrow; and beyond that lies the absence of dualities.

Verse 32 (12.204.32)

अदृष्टतोऽनुपायाच्च प्रतिसन्धेश्च कर्मणः । न तेन मर्त्याः पश्यन्ति येन गच्छन्ति तत्पदम् ॥

adṛṣṭato'nupāyācca pratisandheśca karmaṇaḥ | na tena martyāḥ paśyanti yena gacchanti tatpadam

Because it is unseen, because there is no means, and because of the rejoining of action, mortals do not see by that by which they go to that state.

Note on the text: Corrected गच्छान्त → गच्छन्ति (misprint in Wikisource; गच्छान्त is not a word, the CE reads gacchanti). Wikisource's तत्पदम् against the CE's tat param is a recension variant, kept.

Verse 33 (12.204.33)

विषयेषु च संसर्गाच्छाश्वतस्य च संशयात् । मनसा चान्यदाकाङ्क्षन्परं न प्रतिपद्यते ॥

viṣayeṣu ca saṃsargācchāśvatasya ca saṃśayāt | manasā cānyadākāṅkṣanparaṃ na pratipadyate

Through clinging to the objects of the senses, through doubt about the eternal, and through longing with the mind for something else, one does not attain the Supreme.

Note on the text: The page's footnote cites शाश्वतस्य दर्शनात् as another reading (झ. पाठः); the main text (संशयात्) is kept.

Verse 34 (12.204.34)

गुणान्यदिह पश्यन्ति तदिच्छन्त्यपरे जनाः । परं नैवाभिकाङ्क्षन्ति निर्गुणत्वाद्गुणार्थिनः ॥

guṇānyadiha paśyanti tadicchantyapare janāḥ | paraṃ naivābhikāṅkṣanti nirguṇatvādguṇārthinaḥ

What people here see as qualities, other folk desire; those who seek qualities do not aspire to the Supreme, because it is without qualities.

Verse 35 (12.204.35)

गुणैर्यस्त्ववरैर्युक्तः कथं विद्याद्गुणानिमान् । अनुमानाद्धि गन्तव्यं गुणैरवयवैः परम् ॥

guṇairyastvavarairyuktaḥ kathaṃ vidyādguṇānimān | anumānāddhi gantavyaṃ guṇairavayavaiḥ param

How can one bound to inferior qualities know these qualities? The Supreme is to be reached through inference, by way of the qualities that are its parts.

Verse 36 (12.204.36)

सूक्ष्मेण मनसा विद्मो वाचा वक्तुं न शक्नुमः । मनो हि मनसा ग्राह्यं दर्शनेन च दर्शनम् ॥

sūkṣmeṇa manasā vidmo vācā vaktuṃ na śaknumaḥ | mano hi manasā grāhyaṃ darśanena ca darśanam

We know with the subtle mind, but we cannot express it in words; the mind is to be grasped by the mind, and vision by vision.

Verse 37 (12.204.37)

ज्ञानेन निर्मलीकृत्य बुद्धिं बुद्ध्या मनस्तथा । मनसा चेन्द्रियग्राममक्षरं प्रतिपद्यते ॥

jñānena nirmalīkṛtya buddhiṃ buddhyā manastathā | manasā cendriyagrāmamakṣaraṃ pratipadyate

Having purified the intellect with knowledge, then the mind with the intellect, and the host of senses with the mind, one attains the imperishable.

Verse 38 (12.204.38)

बुद्धिप्रहीणो मनसा समृद्ध । स्तथाऽनिराशीर्गुणतामुपैति । परं त्यजन्तीह विलोभ्यमाना । हुताशनं वायुरिवेन्धनस्थम् ॥

buddhiprahīṇo manasā samṛddha | stathā'nirāśīrguṇatāmupaiti | paraṃ tyajantīha vilobhyamānā | hutāśanaṃ vāyurivendhanastham

One who has lost his intellect yet is rich in mind, and so is not free of desire, falls into the state of the qualities. Lured away, such people abandon the Supreme here, as the wind abandons a fire resting in its fuel.

Verse 39 (12.204.39)

गुणादाने विप्रयोगे च तेषां । मनः सदा विद्धि परावराभ्याम् । अनेनैव विधिना संप्रवृत्तो । गुणादाने ब्रह्म शरीरमेति ॥

guṇādāne viprayoge ca teṣāṃ | manaḥ sadā viddhi parāvarābhyām | anenaiva vidhinā saṃpravṛtto | guṇādāne brahma śarīrameti

In the taking up of the qualities and in parting from them, know that the mind acts always through the higher and the lower. Proceeding by this very rule, in the taking up of qualities Brahman enters a body.

Verse 40 (12.204.40)

अव्यक्तात्मा पुरुषोऽव्यक्तकर्मा । सोऽव्यक्तत्वं गच्छति ह्यन्तकाले । तैरेवायं चेन्द्रियैर्वर्धमानै । र्ग्लायद्भिर्वा वर्ततेऽकामरूपः ॥

avyaktātmā puruṣo'vyaktakarmā | so'vyaktatvaṃ gacchati hyantakāle | tairevāyaṃ cendriyairvardhamānai | rglāyadbhirvā vartate'kāmarūpaḥ

The Spirit whose self and works are unmanifest goes to the unmanifest at the time of death; by those same senses, whether growing or failing, this one abides, desireless in form.

Note on the text: The page's footnote cites a different reading of the second line (ध. पाठः); the main text (वर्ततेऽकामरूपः) is kept.

Verse 41 (12.204.41)

सर्वैरयं चेन्द्रियैः संप्रयुक्तो । देहं प्राप्तः पञ्चभूताश्रयः स्यात् । न सामर्थ्याद्गच्छति कर्मणेह । हीनस्तेन परमेणाव्ययेन ॥

sarvairayaṃ cendriyaiḥ saṃprayukto | dehaṃ prāptaḥ pañcabhūtāśrayaḥ syāt | na sāmarthyādgacchati karmaṇeha | hīnastena parameṇāvyayena

Joined with all the senses, this one has obtained a body that rests on the five elements. Not by strength does he go through action here; he remains deprived of that supreme imperishable.

Note on the text: Corrected यञ्चभूताश्रयः → पञ्चभूताश्रयः (misprint in Wikisource; य for प, the CE reads pañcabhūtāśrayaḥ).

Verse 42 (12.204.42)

पृथ्व्या नरः पश्यति नान्तमस्या । ह्यन्तश्चास्या भविता चेति विद्धि । परं न यातीह विलोभ्यमानो । यथा प्लवं वायुरिवार्णवस्थम् ॥

pṛthvyā naraḥ paśyati nāntamasyā | hyantaścāsyā bhavitā ceti viddhi | paraṃ na yātīha vilobhyamāno | yathā plavaṃ vāyurivārṇavastham

A man sees no end to this earth, yet know that she will have an end. Lured by desire, he does not reach the Supreme here, like a boat on the ocean at the mercy of the wind.

Verse 43 (12.204.43)

दिवाकरो गुणमुपलभ्य निर्गुणो । यथा भवेदपगतरश्मिमण्डलः । तथा ह्यसौ मुनिरिह निर्विशेषवान् । स निर्गुणं प्रविशति ब्रह्म चाव्ययम् ॥

divākaro guṇamupalabhya nirguṇo | yathā bhavedapagataraśmimaṇḍalaḥ | tathā hyasau muniriha nirviśeṣavān | sa nirguṇaṃ praviśati brahma cāvyayam

As the sun, having taken up its quality, becomes without quality when the circle of its rays is gone, so this sage here, free of all distinctions, enters the qualityless, imperishable Brahman.

Note on the text: Corrected तथां → तथा (misprint in Wikisource; stray anusvara, the CE reads tathā hy asau).

Verse 44 (12.204.44)

अनागतं सुकृतवतां परां गतिं । स्वयंभुवं प्रभवनिधानमव्ययम् । सनातनं यदमृतमव्ययं ध्रुवं । निचाय्य तत्परममृतत्वमश्नुते ॥

anāgataṃ sukṛtavatāṃ parāṃ gatiṃ | svayaṃbhuvaṃ prabhavanidhānamavyayam | sanātanaṃ yadamṛtamavyayaṃ dhruvaṃ | nicāyya tatparamamṛtatvamaśnute

Having beheld that which is yet to come, the supreme goal of the virtuous, the Self-existent, the source and storehouse of all origins, imperishable, eternal, immortal, unchanging and fixed, one attains that supreme immortality.

Note on the text: Matches CE 12.199.32 (ac), which the automatic alignment missed because of recension variants: Wikisource's अनागतं सुकृतवतां, ध्रुवं and निचाय्य तत्परममृतत्वम् against the CE's anāgatiṃ sukṛtimatāṃ, padaṃ and vicārya taṃ śamam amṛtatvam; all kept.