Desire, Birth and the Chain of Sorrow

Verse 1 (12.215.1)

रजसा साध्यते मोहस्तमश्च भरतर्षभ । क्रोधलोभौ भयं दर्प एतेषां सादनाच्छुचिः ॥

rajasā sādhyate mohastamaśca bharatarṣabha | krodhalobhau bhayaṃ darpa eteṣāṃ sādanācchuciḥ

Delusion is brought about by rajas, and by tamas too, O best of the Bharatas. By crushing these — anger, greed, fear and pride — one becomes pure.

Verse 2 (12.215.2)

परमं परमात्मानं देवमक्षयमव्ययम् । विष्णुमव्यक्तसंस्थानं विदुस्तं देवसत्तमम् ॥

paramaṃ paramātmānaṃ devamakṣayamavyayam | viṣṇumavyaktasaṃsthānaṃ vidustaṃ devasattamam

They know the supreme Self, the supreme God, imperishable and unchanging, Vishnu, whose seat is the Unmanifest, as the best of the gods.

Verse 3 (12.215.3)

तस्य मायापिनद्धाङ्गा ज्ञानभ्रष्टा निराशिषः । मानवा ज्ञानसंमोहात्ततः कामं प्रयान्ति वै ॥

tasya māyāpinaddhāṅgā jñānabhraṣṭā nirāśiṣaḥ | mānavā jñānasaṃmohāttataḥ kāmaṃ prayānti vai

Their bodies wrapped in his illusion, fallen from knowledge, bereft of hope, men, bewildered in knowledge, go on from there to desire.

Note on the text: Corrected ज्ञान भ्रष्टा → ज्ञानभ्रष्टा (misprint in Wikisource; stray space inside the compound; CE jñānabhraṣṭā).

Verse 4 (12.215.4)

कामात्क्रोधमवाप्याथ लोभमोहौ च मानवाः । मानदर्पावहंकारमहंकारात्ततः क्रियाः ॥

kāmātkrodhamavāpyātha lobhamohau ca mānavāḥ | mānadarpāvahaṃkāramahaṃkārāttataḥ kriyāḥ

From desire men come to anger, and then to greed and delusion, to pride and arrogance, to egoism; and from egoism, to acts.

Verse 5 (12.215.5)

क्रियाभिः स्नेहसंबन्धः स्नेहाच्छोकमनन्तरम् । अथ दुःखसमारम्भा जराजन्मकृतक्षणाः ॥

kriyābhiḥ snehasaṃbandhaḥ snehācchokamanantaram | atha duḥkhasamārambhā jarājanmakṛtakṣaṇāḥ

From acts comes the tie of attachment, and from attachment grief follows at once. Then the sufferings begin, which take their occasion from old age and birth.

Verse 6 (12.215.6)

जन्मतो गर्भवासं तु शुक्रशोणितसंभवम् । पुरीषमूत्रविक्लेदं शोणितप्रभवाविलम् ॥

janmato garbhavāsaṃ tu śukraśoṇitasaṃbhavam | purīṣamūtravikledaṃ śoṇitaprabhavāvilam

Then comes dwelling in the womb, born of semen and blood, wet with excrement and urine, fouled by what arises from blood.

Verse 7 (12.215.7)

तृष्णाभिभूतस्तैर्बद्धस्तानेवाभिपरिप्लवन् । तथा नरकगर्तस्थस्तृष्णारज्जुभिराचितः । पुण्यपापप्रणुन्नाङ्गो जायते स यथा कृमिः ॥

tṛṣṇābhibhūtastairbaddhastānevābhipariplavan | tathā narakagartasthastṛṣṇārajjubhirācitaḥ | puṇyapāpapraṇunnāṅgo jāyate sa yathā kṛmiḥ

Overcome by craving, bound by those very things, he flounders about in them; fallen in a pit of hell, bound with cords of craving, his limbs driven by merit and demerit, he is born like a worm.

Note on the text: Line 1 is CE 12.206.7a; lines 2–3 are not in the critical edition's main text: they are star passage 590, lines 01–02 (12.206.007b*0590_01–02), printed after 12.206.7a. Corrected तैर्वद्धस् → तैर्बद्धस् (misprint in Wikisource; वद्ध is not a word; the CE has baddhas). Removed the stray backtick Wikisource prints around this interpolated passage.

Verse 8 (12.215.8)

मशकैर्मत्कुणैर्दष्टस्तथा चित्रवधार्दितः । नानाव्याधिभिराकीर्णः कथंचिद्यौवनं गतः ॥

maśakairmatkuṇairdaṣṭastathā citravadhārditaḥ | nānāvyādhibhirākīrṇaḥ kathaṃcidyauvanaṃ gataḥ

Bitten by mosquitoes and bugs, tormented by blows of every kind, beset with diseases of all sorts, somehow he reaches youth.

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 590, lines 03–04 (12.206.007b*0590_03–04), printed after 12.206.7a.

Verse 9 (12.215.9)

कूर्मोत्सृजति भूयश्च रज्जुः स्वस्वमुखेप्सया । योषितं नरकं गृह्य जन्मकर्मवशानुगः ॥

kūrmotsṛjati bhūyaśca rajjuḥ svasvamukhepsayā | yoṣitaṃ narakaṃ gṛhya janmakarmavaśānugaḥ

Like the tortoise, he lets go, and again the rope binds him, each seeking his own pleasure; he takes a woman, a hell, and follows the pull of his birth and his deeds.

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 590, lines 05–06 (12.206.007b*0590_05–06), printed after 12.206.7a.

Verse 10 (12.215.10)

पुरक्षेत्रनिमित्तं यद्दुःखं वक्तुं न शक्यते । कस्तत्र निन्दकश्चैव नरके पच्यते भृशम् ॥

purakṣetranimittaṃ yadduḥkhaṃ vaktuṃ na śakyate | kastatra nindakaścaiva narake pacyate bhṛśam

The suffering that comes on account of city and field cannot be told. Who is there to find fault? He is roasted terribly in hell.

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 590, lines 07–08 (12.206.007b*0590_07–08), printed after 12.206.7a.

Verse 11 (12.215.11)

वार्धक्यमनुलङ्घेत तत्र कर्मारभेत्पुनः । भगवान्संस्तुतः पश्चात्किं प्रवक्ष्यामि ते भृशम् ॥

vārdhakyamanulaṅgheta tatra karmārabhetpunaḥ | bhagavānsaṃstutaḥ paścātkiṃ pravakṣyāmi te bhṛśam

Having got past old age, he begins action there once more; the Blessed One is praised only afterwards. What more shall I tell you at length?

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 590, lines 09–10 (12.206.007b*0590_09–10), printed after 12.206.7a. Removed the stray quote mark Wikisource prints around this interpolated passage.

Verse 12 (12.215.12)

संसारतन्त्रवाहिन्यस्तत्र बुद्ध्येत योषितः । प्रकृत्याः क्षेत्रभूतास्ता नराः क्षेत्रज्ञलक्षणाः । तस्मादेवाविशेषेण नरोऽतीयाद्विशेषतः ॥

saṃsāratantravāhinyastatra buddhyeta yoṣitaḥ | prakṛtyāḥ kṣetrabhūtāstā narāḥ kṣetrajñalakṣaṇāḥ | tasmādevāviśeṣeṇa naro'tīyādviśeṣataḥ

Let him understand that women there are the bearers of the web of worldly life. They belong to Prakriti, the field, and men bear the mark of the Knower of the Field. Therefore a man should rise above them, in general and most of all in particular.

Note on the text: Lines 1–3 are CE 12.206.7c, 8a, 8c (the CE places star passage 590 before line 7c; Wikisource reads प्रकृत्याः … नरोऽतीयाद्विशेषतः where the CE has प्रकृत्या … नरोऽतीयुर्विपश्चितः).

Verse 13 (12.215.13)

कृत्या ह्येता घोररूपा मोहयन्त्यविचक्षणान् । रजस्यन्तर्हिता मूर्तिरिन्द्रियाणां सनातनी ॥

kṛtyā hyetā ghorarūpā mohayantyavicakṣaṇān | rajasyantarhitā mūrtirindriyāṇāṃ sanātanī

They are like the dread spirits conjured by spells, of terrible form, and they bewilder the unwise. The eternal form of the senses lies hidden in rajas.

Verse 14 (12.215.14)

तस्मात्तर्षात्मकाद्रागाद्बीजाज्जायन्ति जन्तवः । स्वदेहजानस्वसंज्ञान्यद्वदङ्गात्कृमींस्त्यजेत् । स्वसंज्ञानस्वकांस्तद्वत्सुतसंज्ञान्कृमींस्त्यजेत् ॥

tasmāttarṣātmakādrāgādbījājjāyanti jantavaḥ | svadehajānasvasaṃjñānyadvadaṅgātkṛmīṃstyajet | svasaṃjñānasvakāṃstadvatsutasaṃjñānkṛmīṃstyajet

Hence creatures are born from the seed of passion, which is made of craving. As one throws off from the body the worms born of one's own body, which are not called 'mine', so one should cast off, as worms, those called by the name of son, called 'mine' though they are not truly one's own.

Verse 15 (12.215.15)

शुक्रतो रसतश्चैव देहाज्जायन्ति जन्तवः । स्वभावात्कर्मयोगाद्वा तानुपेक्षेत बुद्धिमान् ॥

śukrato rasataścaiva dehājjāyanti jantavaḥ | svabhāvātkarmayogādvā tānupekṣeta buddhimān

From semen and from the juices of the body, creatures are born from the body. By their nature, or through the working of karma — a wise man should disregard them.

Verse 16 (12.215.16)

रजस्तमसि पर्यस्तं सत्वं च रजसि स्थितम् । ज्ञानाधिष्ठानमज्ञानं बुद्ध्यंहंकारलक्षणम् ॥

rajastamasi paryastaṃ satvaṃ ca rajasi sthitam | jñānādhiṣṭhānamajñānaṃ buddhyaṃhaṃkāralakṣaṇam

Rajas is cast down into tamas, and sattva abides in rajas; ignorance, resting on knowledge, is marked by intellect and egoism.

Verse 17 (12.215.17)

तद्बीजं देहिनामाहुस्तद्बीजं जीवसंज्ञितम् । कर्मणा कालयुक्तेन संसारपरिवर्तनम् ॥

tadbījaṃ dehināmāhustadbījaṃ jīvasaṃjñitam | karmaṇā kālayuktena saṃsāraparivartanam

That is called the seed of embodied beings, and that seed is called the individual self; through karma joined with time comes the turning of worldly life.

Note on the text: Corrected देहिनामाद्दुस्तद्बीजं → देहिनामाहुस्तद्बीजं (misprint in Wikisource; आद्दुः is not a word; the CE has āhus).

Verse 18 (12.215.18)

रमत्ययं यथा स्वप्ने मनसा देहवानिव । कर्मगर्भैर्गुणैर्देही गर्भे तदुपलभ्यते ॥

ramatyayaṃ yathā svapne manasā dehavāniva | karmagarbhairguṇairdehī garbhe tadupalabhyate

As in a dream the embodied one revels with the mind, as if he had a body, so, carried by qualities pregnant with karma, the embodied self is found in the womb.

Note on the text: Wikisource reads तदुपलभ्यते where the CE has तदुपपद्यते.

Verse 19 (12.215.19)

कर्मणा बीजभूतेन चोद्यते यद्यदिन्द्रियम् । जायते तदहंकाराद्रागयुक्तेन चेतसा ॥

karmaṇā bījabhūtena codyate yadyadindriyam | jāyate tadahaṃkārādrāgayuktena cetasā

Whatever sense is impelled by karma as its seed, that arises out of egoism, with a mind full of attachment.

Verse 20 (12.215.20)

शब्दरागाच्छ्रोत्रमस्य जायते भावितात्मनः । रूपरागात्तथा चक्षुर्घ्राणं गन्धजिघृक्षया ॥

śabdarāgācchrotramasya jāyate bhāvitātmanaḥ | rūparāgāttathā cakṣurghrāṇaṃ gandhajighṛkṣayā

From attachment to sound the ear of this embodied one comes to be; from attachment to form, the eye; and the nose, from the wish to smell.

Note on the text: The CE has star lines 591_01 (12.206.016b*0591_01, on touch and the skin) and 592_01 (12.206.016d*0592_01, on taste and the tongue) in this verse, which Wikisource lacks; nothing is added. Wikisource reads गन्धजिघृक्षया where the CE has गन्धचिकीर्षया.

Verse 21 (12.215.21)

संस्पर्शेभ्यस्तथा वायुः प्राणापानव्यपाश्रयः । व्यानोदानौ समानश्च पञ्चधा देहयापनम् ॥

saṃsparśebhyastathā vāyuḥ prāṇāpānavyapāśrayaḥ | vyānodānau samānaśca pañcadhā dehayāpanam

From touches comes the wind that rests on the in-breath and the out-breath; with the diffusing, rising and equalizing breaths it makes the fivefold support of the body.

Verse 22 (12.215.22)

संजातैर्जायते गात्रैः कर्मजैर्ब्रह्मणा वृतः । दुःखाद्यन्तैर्दुःखमध्यैर्नरः शारीरमानसैः ॥

saṃjātairjāyate gātraiḥ karmajairbrahmaṇā vṛtaḥ | duḥkhādyantairduḥkhamadhyairnaraḥ śārīramānasaiḥ

Man is born with limbs that have taken shape, born of karma and veiled by Brahman, with pains of body and mind that begin in sorrow, end in sorrow and are sorrow in the middle.

Verse 23 (12.215.23)

दुःखं विद्यादुपादानादभिमानाच्च वर्धते । त्यागात्तेभ्यो निरोधः स्यान्निरोधज्ञो विमुच्यते ॥

duḥkhaṃ vidyādupādānādabhimānācca vardhate | tyāgāttebhyo nirodhaḥ syānnirodhajño vimucyate

Know that sorrow grows from clinging and from the pride of 'mine'. By giving these up there is a stopping of it, and he who knows cessation is freed.

Verse 24 (12.215.24)

इन्द्रियाणां रजस्येव प्रलयप्रभवावुभौ । परीक्ष्य संचरेद्विद्वान्यथावच्छास्त्रचक्षुषा ॥

indriyāṇāṃ rajasyeva pralayaprabhavāvubhau | parīkṣya saṃcaredvidvānyathāvacchāstracakṣuṣā

Both the origin and the dissolution of the senses lie in rajas alone. Let the learned man move through the world after examining this, with the eye of the scriptures as it should be done.

Verse 25 (12.215.25)

ज्ञानेन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थान्नोपसर्पन्त्यतर्षुलम् । ज्ञानैश्च करणैर्देही न देहं पुनरर्हति ॥

jñānendriyāṇīndriyārthānnopasarpantyatarṣulam | jñānaiśca karaṇairdehī na dehaṃ punararhati

The organs of knowledge do not go toward the objects of sense in one free of craving; and by means of the instruments of knowledge the embodied one does not deserve a body again.

Note on the text: Corrected पुननर्हति → पुनरर्हति (misprint in Wikisource; पुननर्हति is not a word (न for र); the CE has punar arhati).