The Wheel of Cause and Effect

Verse 1 (12.213.1)

चतुर्विधानि भूतानि स्थावराणि चराणि च । अव्यक्तप्रभवान्याहुरव्यक्तनिधनानि च । अव्यक्तलक्षणं विद्यादव्यक्तात्मात्मकं मनः ॥

caturvidhāni bhūtāni sthāvarāṇi carāṇi ca | avyaktaprabhavānyāhuravyaktanidhanāni ca | avyaktalakṣaṇaṃ vidyādavyaktātmātmakaṃ manaḥ

Beings are of four kinds, the moving and the unmoving among them. They are said to arise from the Unmanifest and to end in the Unmanifest. Know the mind to be marked by the Unmanifest, its very self made of the Unmanifest.

Verse 2 (12.213.2)

यथाऽश्वत्थकणीकायामन्तर्भूतो महाद्रुमः । निष्पन्नो दृश्यते व्यक्तमव्यक्तात्संभवस्तथा ॥

yathā'śvatthakaṇīkāyāmantarbhūto mahādrumaḥ | niṣpanno dṛśyate vyaktamavyaktātsaṃbhavastathā

As a great tree lies hidden inside the tiny seed of the fig tree and is seen plainly once it has grown, so does the manifest come into being from the Unmanifest.

Verse 3 (12.213.3)

आत्मानमनुसंयाति बुद्धिरव्यक्तजा तथा । तामन्वेति मनो यद्वल्लोहवर्मणि सन्निधौ ॥

ātmānamanusaṃyāti buddhiravyaktajā tathā | tāmanveti mano yadvallohavarmaṇi sannidhau

The intellect, born of the Unmanifest, follows the self, and the mind follows the intellect, as iron is drawn along when the lodestone is near.

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 570, lines 01–02 (12.204.002d*0570_01–02), printed after 12.204.2. Removed the stray backtick and quote mark Wikisource prints around this interpolated passage and the doubled daṇḍa inside the verse-end.

Verse 4 (12.213.4)

अभिद्रवत्ययस्कान्तमयोनिश्चेतनं यथा । स्वभावहेतुजा भावा यद्वदन्यदपीदृशम् ॥

abhidravatyayaskāntamayoniścetanaṃ yathā | svabhāvahetujā bhāvā yadvadanyadapīdṛśam

As lifeless iron rushes toward the lodestone, and as other things of this kind come about through their own nature as the cause,

Verse 5 (12.213.5)

तद्वदव्यक्तजा भावाः कर्तुः कारणलक्षणाः । अचेतनाश्चेतयितुः कारणादभिसंगताः ॥

tadvadavyaktajā bhāvāḥ kartuḥ kāraṇalakṣaṇāḥ | acetanāścetayituḥ kāraṇādabhisaṃgatāḥ

so the things born of the Unmanifest bear the mark of their cause, the agent: though without consciousness, they come together because of the conscious one.

Verse 6 (12.213.6)

न भूर्न खं द्यौर्भूतानि नर्षयो न सुरासुराः । नान्यदासीदृते जीवमासेदुर्न तु संहतिम् ॥

na bhūrna khaṃ dyaurbhūtāni narṣayo na surāsurāḥ | nānyadāsīdṛte jīvamāsedurna tu saṃhatim

There was no earth, no sky, no heaven; no elements, no sages, no gods or demons. Nothing else existed apart from the living self, and these had not yet come together.

Verse 7 (12.213.7)

सर्वं नित्यं सर्वगतं मनोहेतुत्वलक्षणम् । अज्ञानकर्म निर्दिष्टमेतत्कारणलक्षणम् ॥

sarvaṃ nityaṃ sarvagataṃ manohetutvalakṣaṇam | ajñānakarma nirdiṣṭametatkāraṇalakṣaṇam

All this is lasting and all-pervading, its mark being that mind is its cause. Action born of ignorance is declared to be just this: the mark of the cause.

Verse 8 (12.213.8)

तत्कारणेन संयुक्तं कार्यसंग्रहकारकम् । येनैतद्वर्तते चक्रमनादिनिधनं महत् ॥

tatkāraṇena saṃyuktaṃ kāryasaṃgrahakārakam | yenaitadvartate cakramanādinidhanaṃ mahat

Joined with that cause, it brings about the gathering of effects, and by it this great wheel, without beginning or end, keeps turning.

Verse 9 (12.213.9)

येन स्वभावसद्भावं हेतुभूता सकारणा । एवं प्राकृतविस्तारो ह्याश्रित्य पुरुषं परम् ॥

yena svabhāvasadbhāvaṃ hetubhūtā sakāraṇā | evaṃ prākṛtavistāro hyāśritya puruṣaṃ param

By this the real being of things, each according to its nature, is established, for it acts as the cause together with its own causes. In this way the whole expanse of Prakriti rests upon the supreme Person.

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 571, lines 01–02 (12.204.007d*0571_01–02), printed after 12.204.7. Removed the stray backtick and quote mark Wikisource prints around this interpolated passage and the doubled daṇḍa inside the verse-end.

Verse 10 (12.213.10)

अव्यक्तनाभं व्यक्तारं विकारपरिमण्डलम् । क्षेत्रज्ञाधिष्ठितं चक्रं स्निग्धाक्षं वर्तते ध्रुवम् ॥

avyaktanābhaṃ vyaktāraṃ vikāraparimaṇḍalam | kṣetrajñādhiṣṭhitaṃ cakraṃ snigdhākṣaṃ vartate dhruvam

It is a wheel whose hub is the Unmanifest, whose spokes are the manifest, and whose rim is the circle of modifications; presided over by the Knower of the Field, it turns without end on a well-oiled axle.

Verse 11 (12.213.11)

स्निग्धत्वात्तिलवत्सर्वं चक्रेऽस्मिन्पीड्यते जगत् । तिलपीडैरिवाक्रम्य भोगैरज्ञानसंभवैः ॥

snigdhatvāttilavatsarvaṃ cakre'sminpīḍyate jagat | tilapīḍairivākramya bhogairajñānasaṃbhavaiḥ

Because of that oiliness, the whole world is pressed on this wheel like sesame, crushed by enjoyments born of ignorance as by the presses of oil-makers.

Verse 12 (12.213.12)

प्राणेनायं हि शान्ते तु विरोधात्प्रतिपालनम् । देहस्येषून्य आस्ते यः शुद्धोऽचिन्त्यः सनातनः ॥

prāṇenāyaṃ hi śānte tu virodhātpratipālanam | dehasyeṣūnya āste yaḥ śuddho'cintyaḥ sanātanaḥ

When the life-breath has grown still, there is a guarding against what opposes it; and he who dwells in the body among its arrows, pure, unthinkable, everlasting,

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 572, lines 01–02 (12.204.009d*0572_01–02), printed after 12.204.9. Removed the stray backtick Wikisource prints around this interpolated passage.

Verse 13 (12.213.13)

भ्रामयन्नेषतो याति कालचक्रसमन्वितः । भूतानि मोहयन्नित्यं चक्रस्य च रयं गतः ॥

bhrāmayanneṣato yāti kālacakrasamanvitaḥ | bhūtāni mohayannityaṃ cakrasya ca rayaṃ gataḥ

sets them whirling and goes on, joined to the wheel of Time, forever bewildering beings, carried along by the speed of the wheel.

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 572, lines 03–04 (12.204.009d*0572_03–04), printed after 12.204.9.

Verse 14 (12.213.14)

स्नेहद्रव्यसमायोगे क्षेत्रपाचं न वस्तुषु । तिलवत्पीडिते चक्रे ह्याधियन्त्रनिपीडिते । बहिश्चाधिष्ठिते यद्वज्ज्ञानिनां कर्मसंभवम् ॥

snehadravyasamāyoge kṣetrapācaṃ na vastuṣu | tilavatpīḍite cakre hyādhiyantranipīḍite | bahiścādhiṣṭhite yadvajjñānināṃ karmasaṃbhavam

When the oily substance joins, there is no ripening of the field within things. When the wheel is pressed like sesame, crushed under the presiding press, and ruled from outside, so arises the action of those who know.

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 572, lines 05–07 (12.204.009d*0572_05–07), printed after 12.204.9. Removed the stray quote mark Wikisource prints around this interpolated passage.

Verse 15 (12.213.15)

कर्म तत्कुरुते तर्षादहंकारपरिग्रहम् । कार्यकारणसंयोगे स हेतुरुपपादितः ॥

karma tatkurute tarṣādahaṃkāraparigraham | kāryakāraṇasaṃyoge sa heturupapāditaḥ

Out of craving he does action, taking up the sense of 'I'. When effect and cause are joined, he is shown to be the cause.

Verse 16 (12.213.16)

यथाऽऽकर्ण्य च तच्छिष्यस्तत्वज्ञानमनुत्तमम् । नात्येति कारणं कार्यं न कार्यं कारणं तथा । कार्याण्यमूनि करणे कालो भवति हेतुमान् ॥

yathā''karṇya ca tacchiṣyastatvajñānamanuttamam | nātyeti kāraṇaṃ kāryaṃ na kāryaṃ kāraṇaṃ tathā | kāryāṇyamūni karaṇe kālo bhavati hetumān

When the disciple has heard that unsurpassed knowledge of the truth: the cause does not pass beyond the effect, nor the effect beyond the cause. In the working of these effects, Time is what acts as the cause.

Note on the text: First line is not in the critical edition's main text: it is star passage 573, line 01 (12.204.010d*0573_01), printed after 12.204.10; lines 2–3 are CE 12.204.11a, 11c (Wikisource reads कार्याण्यमूनि करणे where the CE has कार्याणां तूपकरणे). Removed the stray backtick and quote mark Wikisource prints around this interpolated passage.

Verse 17 (12.213.17)

हेतुयुक्ताः प्रकृतयो विकाराश्च परस्परम् । अन्योन्यमभिवर्तन्ते पुरुषाधिष्ठिताः सदा ॥

hetuyuktāḥ prakṛtayo vikārāśca parasparam | anyonyamabhivartante puruṣādhiṣṭhitāḥ sadā

Natures and their modifications are tied to their causes and turn upon one another, always presided over by the Person.

Verse 18 (12.213.18)

सत्वरजस्तामसैर्भावैश्च्युतो हेतुबलान्वितः । क्षेत्रज्ञमेवानुयाति पांसुर्वातेरितो यथा ॥

satvarajastāmasairbhāvaiścyuto hetubalānvitaḥ | kṣetrajñamevānuyāti pāṃsurvāterito yathā

Parted from the states of sattva, rajas and tamas, yet endowed with the strength of the cause, it follows the Knower of the Field alone, like dust driven by the wind.

Note on the text: Lines 1–2 are CE 12.204.13a, 13c. Corrected क्षेत्रज्ञमेवानयाति → क्षेत्रज्ञमेवानुयाति (misprint in Wikisource; अनयाति is not a verb form; the CE has evānuyāti).

Verse 19 (12.213.19)

न च तैः स्पृश्यते भावैर्न ते तेन महात्मना । सरजस्कोऽरजस्कश्च स वै वायुर्भवेद्यथा ॥

na ca taiḥ spṛśyate bhāvairna te tena mahātmanā | sarajasko'rajaskaśca sa vai vāyurbhavedyathā

These states do not touch him, nor does that great one touch them; for the wind may carry dust or be free of it, and yet it is the same wind.

Note on the text: Lines 1–2 are CE 12.204.13e and 14a (the CE verse 13 is a three-line verse; Wikisource moves its last line to the next verse).

Verse 20 (12.213.20)

तथैतदन्तरं विद्यात्सत्वक्षेत्रज्ञयोर्बुधः । अभ्यासात्स तथा युक्तो न गच्छेत्प्रकृतिं पुनः ॥

tathaitadantaraṃ vidyātsatvakṣetrajñayorbudhaḥ | abhyāsātsa tathā yukto na gacchetprakṛtiṃ punaḥ

In the same way the wise man should know the difference between sattva and the Knower of the Field. By practice, thus joined, he does not return to Prakriti again.

Note on the text: Lines 1–2 are CE 12.204.14c, 14e (Wikisource reads सत्वक्षेत्रज्ञयोः where the CE has क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञयोः).

Verse 21 (12.213.21)

संदेहमेतमुत्पन्नमच्छिनद्भगवानृषिः । तथा वार्तां समीक्षेत कृतलक्षणसंविदम् ॥

saṃdehametamutpannamacchinadbhagavānṛṣiḥ | tathā vārtāṃ samīkṣeta kṛtalakṣaṇasaṃvidam

The blessed sage has cut through this doubt that had arisen. In the same way one should weigh the matter, with the marks laid down for it and the knowledge that goes with it.

Verse 22 (12.213.22)

बीजान्यग्न्युपदग्धानि न रोहन्ति यथा पुनः । ज्ञानदग्धैस्तथा क्लेशैर्नात्मा संपद्यते पुनः ॥

bījānyagnyupadagdhāni na rohanti yathā punaḥ | jñānadagdhaistathā kleśairnātmā saṃpadyate punaḥ

As seeds scorched by fire do not sprout again, so when afflictions have been burnt by knowledge, the self does not come to birth again.

Note on the text: Corrected नरो हन्ति → न रोहन्ति (misprint in Wikisource; नरो हन्ति gives no sense for seeds scorched by fire; the CE has na rohanti, the same letters with a different word division).