The Guru's Teaching on Restraint and Liberation

Verse 1 (12.217.1)

दुरन्तेष्विन्द्रियार्थेषु सक्ताः सीदन्ति जन्तवः । ये त्वसक्ता महात्मानस्ते यान्ति परमां गतिम् ॥

duranteṣvindriyārtheṣu saktāḥ sīdanti jantavaḥ | ye tvasaktā mahātmānaste yānti paramāṃ gatim

Creatures who cling to sense-objects, whose ends are painful, sink; but the great-souled ones who are unattached reach the highest goal.

Verse 2 (12.217.2)

जन्ममृत्युजरादुःखैर्व्याधिभिर्मानसक्लमैः । दृष्ट्वैव संततं लोकं घटेन्मोक्षाय बुद्धिमान् ॥

janmamṛtyujarāduḥkhairvyādhibhirmānasaklamaiḥ | dṛṣṭvaiva saṃtataṃ lokaṃ ghaṭenmokṣāya buddhimān

Seeing the world ever beset by birth, death, old age, sorrow, disease and torments of the mind, a wise man should strive for liberation.

Verse 3 (12.217.3)

वाङ्मनोभ्यां शरीरेण शुचिः स्यादनहंकृतः । प्रशान्तो ज्ञानवान्भिक्षुर्निरपेक्षश्चरेत्सुखम् ॥

vāṅmanobhyāṃ śarīreṇa śuciḥ syādanahaṃkṛtaḥ | praśānto jñānavānbhikṣurnirapekṣaścaretsukham

Pure in speech, mind and body, free of egoism, tranquil and possessed of knowledge, the mendicant should wander happily, expecting nothing from anyone.

Note on the text: Corrected वाङ्भनोभ्यां → वाङ्मनोभ्यां (misprint in Wikisource; भ for म; CE vāṅmanobhyāṃ).

Verse 4 (12.217.4)

वशा मोक्षवतां पाशास्तासां रूपं प्रदर्शकम् । दुर्ग्रहं पश्यमानोऽपि मन्यते मोहितस्तदा ॥

vaśā mokṣavatāṃ pāśāstāsāṃ rūpaṃ pradarśakam | durgrahaṃ paśyamāno'pi manyate mohitastadā

Attachments are the snares of those who seek liberation, and their outward form is what displays them. Though he sees how hard they are to grasp, the deluded man still thinks of them as his own.

Note on the text: Removed a stray backtick (wiki mark). Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the lines are the CE star passage 12.208.3d*0596_01–02, printed in the apparatus after 12.208.3d.

Verse 5 (12.217.5)

एवं पश्यन्तमात्मानमनुध्यातं हि बन्धुषु । अयथात्वेन जानामि भेदरूपेण संस्थितम् ॥

evaṃ paśyantamātmānamanudhyātaṃ hi bandhuṣu | ayathātvena jānāmi bhedarūpeṇa saṃsthitam

I know the self that looks on in this way, dwelling in thought on its kin, to stand in a false state, in the form of separateness.

Note on the text: Removed a stray apostrophe and a doubled daṇḍa (wiki marks). Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the lines are the CE star passage 12.208.3d*0596_03–04.

Verse 6 (12.217.6)

अथवा मनसः सङ्गं पश्येद्भूतानुकम्पया । तत्राप्युपेक्षां कुर्वीत ज्ञात्वा कर्मफलं जगत् ॥

athavā manasaḥ saṅgaṃ paśyedbhūtānukampayā | tatrāpyupekṣāṃ kurvīta jñātvā karmaphalaṃ jagat

Or, if out of compassion for beings he sees his mind drawn to attachment, even then he should stay indifferent, knowing that the world runs on the fruit of action.

Verse 7 (12.217.7)

यत्कृतं स्याच्छुभं कर्म पापं वा यदि वाऽश्नुते । तस्माच्छुभानि कर्माणि कुर्याद्वा बुद्धिकर्मभिः ॥

yatkṛtaṃ syācchubhaṃ karma pāpaṃ vā yadi vā'śnute | tasmācchubhāni karmāṇi kuryādvā buddhikarmabhiḥ

Whatever deed, good or evil, has been done, its fruit one reaps; therefore one should do good deeds, with thought and with action.

Verse 8 (12.217.8)

अहिंसा सत्यवचनं सर्वभूतेषु चार्जवम् । क्षमा चैवाप्रमादश्च यस्यैते स सुखी भवेत् ॥

ahiṃsā satyavacanaṃ sarvabhūteṣu cārjavam | kṣamā caivāpramādaśca yasyaite sa sukhī bhavet

Non-violence, truthful speech, honesty toward all beings, forgiveness and freedom from heedlessness: whoever has these will be happy.

Verse 9 (12.217.9)

अनक्षसाध्यं तद्ब्रह्म निर्मलं जगतः परम् । स्वात्मप्रकाशमग्राह्यमहेतुकमचञ्चलम् ॥

anakṣasādhyaṃ tadbrahma nirmalaṃ jagataḥ param | svātmaprakāśamagrāhyamahetukamacañcalam

That Brahman cannot be won by the senses; it is stainless, beyond the world, self-luminous, ungraspable, without cause and unmoving.

Note on the text: Removed a stray backtick (wiki mark). Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the lines are the CE star passage 12.208.6d*0597_01–02.

Verse 10 (12.217.10)

विवेकज्ञानवाचिस्थो ह्याशुरूपेण संस्थितः । वैकारिकात्प्रदृश्येते गैरिके मधुधारवत् ॥

vivekajñānavācistho hyāśurūpeṇa saṃsthitaḥ | vaikārikātpradṛśyete gairike madhudhāravat

Resting in discernment, knowledge and speech, it stands in a swift form; the two are seen arising out of what is modified, like a stream of honey on red ochre.

Note on the text: Corrected प्रदृश्येतै → प्रदृश्येते (misprint in Wikisource; a stray vowel sign; CE pradṛśyete). Removed a stray apostrophe and a doubled daṇḍa (wiki marks). Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the lines are the CE star passage 12.208.6d*0597_03–04.

Verse 11 (12.217.11)

यश्चैनं परमं धर्मं सर्वभूतसुखावहम् । दुःखान्निः सरणं वेद तत्त्वज्ञः स सुखी भवेत् ॥

yaścainaṃ paramaṃ dharmaṃ sarvabhūtasukhāvaham | duḥkhānniḥ saraṇaṃ veda tattvajñaḥ sa sukhī bhavet

Whoever knows this supreme dharma, which brings happiness to all beings and is the way out of sorrow, that knower of truth will be happy.

Verse 12 (12.217.12)

तस्मात्समाहितं बुद्ध्या मनो भूतेषु धारयेत् । नापथ्यायेन्न स्पृहयेन्नाबद्धं चिन्तयेदसत् ॥

tasmātsamāhitaṃ buddhyā mano bhūteṣu dhārayet | nāpathyāyenna spṛhayennābaddhaṃ cintayedasat

Therefore he should hold his mind steadily on beings by means of the intellect; he should not wish others ill, should not covet, and should not brood on what is unreal and unconnected with him.

Verse 13 (12.217.13)

अथामोघप्रयत्नेन मनो ज्ञाने निवेशयेत् । सुवाचोऽथ प्रयोगेण मनोज्ञं संप्रवर्तते ॥

athāmoghaprayatnena mano jñāne niveśayet | suvāco'tha prayogeṇa manojñaṃ saṃpravartate

Then, with unfailing effort, he should fix his mind on knowledge; and by the practice of fine speech, what is pleasing to the mind comes about.

Note on the text: Line 2 corresponds to CE 12.208.9a (avāgyogaprayogeṇa manojñaṃ saṃpravartate), in Wikisource's own wording (सुवाचोऽथ प्रयोगेण), a recension variant, kept; line 1 (अथामोघप्रयत्नेन मनो ज्ञाने निवेशयेत्) has no counterpart in the critical edition (vulgate only). The automatic alignment found no match.

Verse 14 (12.217.14)

विवेकयित्वा तद्वाक्यं धर्मसूक्ष्ममवेक्ष्य च । सत्यां वाचमहिंस्रां च वदेदनपवादिनीम् ॥

vivekayitvā tadvākyaṃ dharmasūkṣmamavekṣya ca | satyāṃ vācamahiṃsrāṃ ca vadedanapavādinīm

Having weighed his words and looked into the subtlety of dharma, he should speak words that are true, free of harm and free of reproach.

Note on the text: Line 1 corresponds to CE 12.208.9c (vivakṣatā vā sadvākyaṃ dharmaṃ sūkṣmam avekṣatā), in Wikisource's own wording, a recension variant, kept; line 2 = CE 12.208.9e. The automatic alignment found no match.

Verse 15 (12.217.15)

कल्कापेतामपरुषामनृशंसामपैशुनीम् । ईदृगल्पं च वक्तव्यमविक्षिप्तेन चेतसा ॥

kalkāpetāmaparuṣāmanṛśaṃsāmapaiśunīm | īdṛgalpaṃ ca vaktavyamavikṣiptena cetasā

Free of malice, not harsh, not cruel, not slanderous: such speech, and little of it, should be spoken, with an undistracted mind.

Verse 16 (12.217.16)

वाक्यबन्धेन संरागविहाराद्व्याहरेद्यदि । बुद्ध्याऽप्यनुगृहीतेन मनसा कर्म तामसम् ॥

vākyabandhena saṃrāgavihārādvyāharedyadi | buddhyā'pyanugṛhītena manasā karma tāmasam

If one speaks through the bondage of words, out of the play of passion, then even with a mind held by the intellect the act is of the quality of darkness.

Note on the text: Lines correspond to CE 12.208.11a and 11c (vākprabuddho hi saṃrāgād virāgād vyāhared yadi / buddhyā hy anigṛhītena manasā karma tāmasam), in Wikisource's own wording (the page's footnote cites a variant of line 1), a recension variant, kept. The automatic alignment found no match.

Verse 17 (12.217.17)

रजोभूतैर्हि करणैः कर्मणि प्रतिपद्यते । स दुःखं प्राप्य लोकेऽस्मिन्नरकायोपपद्यते । तस्मान्मनोवाक्शरीरैराचरेद्धैर्यमात्मनः ॥

rajobhūtairhi karaṇaiḥ karmaṇi pratipadyate | sa duḥkhaṃ prāpya loke'sminnarakāyopapadyate | tasmānmanovākśarīrairācareddhairyamātmanaḥ

With senses tinged by rajas, he enters upon action; having met with sorrow in this world, he falls into hell. Therefore he should practise steadiness of his own self through mind, speech and body.

Note on the text: Corrected आचरेद्वैर्यम् → आचरेद्धैर्यम् (misprint in Wikisource; व for ध; CE dhairyam). Three lines: line 1 = CE 12.208.11e, line 2 = CE 12.208.12a, line 3 = CE 12.208.12c. The automatic alignment found no match.

Verse 18 (12.217.18)

प्रकीर्ण एव भारो हि यद्वद्धार्येत दस्युभिः । प्रतिलोमां दिशं बुद्ध्वा संसारमबुधास्तथा । संसारमार्गमापन्नः प्रतिलोमं विवर्जयेत् ॥

prakīrṇa eva bhāro hi yadvaddhāryeta dasyubhiḥ | pratilomāṃ diśaṃ buddhvā saṃsāramabudhāstathā | saṃsāramārgamāpannaḥ pratilomaṃ vivarjayet

As robbers carry off a scattered load after turning it in the wrong direction, so do the unwise take their way through worldly existence. Having entered the path of worldly existence, one should shun what runs against the current.

Note on the text: Removed a stray backtick, a stray apostrophe and a doubled daṇḍa (wiki marks). Lines 1–2 correspond to CE 12.208.13a and 13c (Wikisource's प्रकीर्ण एव भारो हि is a recension variant of prakīrṇameṣabhāro hi, kept); line 3 is the CE star line 12.208.13d*0598_01 (saṃsāramārgam āpannaḥ pratilomaṃ vivarjayet). The automatic alignment found no match.

Verse 19 (12.217.19)

तामेव च यथा दस्यून्हत्वा गच्छेच्छिवां दिशम् । तथा रजस्तमः कर्माण्युत्सृज्य प्राप्नुयाच्छुभम् ॥

tāmeva ca yathā dasyūnhatvā gacchecchivāṃ diśam | tathā rajastamaḥ karmāṇyutsṛjya prāpnuyācchubham

And as one, after slaying those robbers, would go to the safe quarter, so, casting off the works of rajas and tamas, one attains the good.

Verse 20 (12.217.20)

निःसंदिग्धमनीहो वै मुक्तः सर्वपरिग्रहैः । विविक्तचारी लघ्वाशी तपस्वी नियतेन्द्रियः ॥

niḥsaṃdigdhamanīho vai muktaḥ sarvaparigrahaiḥ | viviktacārī laghvāśī tapasvī niyatendriyaḥ

Free of doubt, without desire, released from every possession, living in solitude, eating lightly, austere, with his senses restrained,

Verse 21 (12.217.21)

ज्ञानदग्धपरिक्लेशः प्रयोगरतिरात्मवान् । निष्प्रचारेण मनसा परं तदधिगच्छति ॥

jñānadagdhaparikleśaḥ prayogaratirātmavān | niṣpracāreṇa manasā paraṃ tadadhigacchati

his afflictions burnt away by knowledge, devoted to the practice of yoga and self-possessed, he reaches that Supreme with a mind that no longer wanders.

Verse 22 (12.217.22)

धृतिमानात्मवान्बुद्धिं निगृह्णीयादसंशयम् । मनो बुद्ध्या निगृह्णीयाद्विषयान्मनसाऽऽत्मनः । योजयित्वा मनस्तत्र निश्चलं परमात्मनि ॥

dhṛtimānātmavānbuddhiṃ nigṛhṇīyādasaṃśayam | mano buddhyā nigṛhṇīyādviṣayānmanasā''tmanaḥ | yojayitvā manastatra niścalaṃ paramātmani

The steadfast, self-possessed man should restrain the intellect without fail; he should restrain the mind with the intellect, and the objects with the mind, for his own good. Having fixed the mind there, unmoving, on the Supreme Self,

Note on the text: Lines 1–2 = CE 12.208.17a, 17c; line 3 is the CE star line 12.208.17d*0599_01 (yojayitvā manas tatra niścalaṃ paramātmani), the first of a star passage that continues in the next two verses. Removed a stray backtick (wiki mark). The automatic alignment found no match.

Verse 23 (12.217.23)

योगाभिसन्धियुक्तस्य ब्रह्म तत्संप्रकाशते । ऐकान्त्यं तदिदं विद्धि सर्ववस्त्वन्तरस्थितिः ॥

yogābhisandhiyuktasya brahma tatsaṃprakāśate | aikāntyaṃ tadidaṃ viddhi sarvavastvantarasthitiḥ

for one who is joined to the resolve of yoga, that Brahman shines forth. Know this to be single-mindedness, the abiding within of all things.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the lines are the CE star passage 12.208.17d*0599_02–03.

Verse 24 (12.217.24)

विशेषहीनं गृह्णन्ति विशेषां कारणात्मिकाम् । अथवा न प्रभुस्तत्र परमात्मनि वर्तितुम् । आगामित्तत्त्वं योगात्मा योगतन्त्रमुपक्रमेत् ॥

viśeṣahīnaṃ gṛhṇanti viśeṣāṃ kāraṇātmikām | athavā na prabhustatra paramātmani vartitum | āgāmittattvaṃ yogātmā yogatantramupakramet

They grasp what is without distinction, and distinctions that have the nature of a cause. Or, if one cannot remain in the Supreme Self, then he whose self is yoga, mindful of the truth yet to be reached, should undertake the discipline of yoga.

Note on the text: Removed a stray apostrophe and a doubled daṇḍa (wiki marks). Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the lines are the CE star passage 12.208.17d*0599_04–06.

Verse 25 (12.217.25)

निगृहीतेन्द्रियस्यास्य कुर्वाणस्य मनो वशे । देवतास्ताः प्रकाशन्ते हृष्टा यान्ति तमीश्वरम् ॥

nigṛhītendriyasyāsya kurvāṇasya mano vaśe | devatāstāḥ prakāśante hṛṣṭā yānti tamīśvaram

When his senses are restrained and he keeps the mind under control, those deities appear to him, and, gladdened, go to that Lord.

Verse 26 (12.217.26)

ताभिः संयुक्तमनसो ब्रह्म तत्संप्रकाशते । शनैश्चापगते सत्वे ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते ॥

tābhiḥ saṃyuktamanaso brahma tatsaṃprakāśate | śanaiścāpagate satve brahmabhūyāya kalpate

To one whose mind is joined with them, that Brahman shines forth; and when, little by little, sattva too has gone, he becomes fit for the state of Brahman.

Note on the text: Corresponds to CE 12.208.19 (tābhiḥ saṃsaktamanaso brahmavat saṃprakāśate / etaiś cāpagataiḥ sarvair brahmabhūyāya kalpate); Wikisource's wording is a recension variant, kept. The automatic alignment found no match.

Verse 27 (12.217.27)

अथवा न प्रवर्तेत योगतन्त्रैरुपक्रमेत् । योगतन्त्रमयं तन्त्रं वृत्तिः स्यात्तत्तदाचरेत् ॥

athavā na pravarteta yogatantrairupakramet | yogatantramayaṃ tantraṃ vṛttiḥ syāttattadācaret

Or, if he does not engage in these, let him proceed by the rules of yoga; the discipline consists of the rules of yoga, and whatever practice suits his way of life, that he should follow.

Note on the text: Corrected स्यात्ततदाचरेत् → स्यात्तत्तदाचरेत् (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped त; CE tat tad ācaret). Line 2 begins योगतन्त्रमयं तन्त्रं, a recension variant of the CE's yena tantramayaṃ tantraṃ.

Verse 28 (12.217.28)

कणकुल्माषपिण्याकशाकयावकसक्तवः । तथा मूलफलं भैक्ष्यं पर्यायेणोपयोजयेत् ॥

kaṇakulmāṣapiṇyākaśākayāvakasaktavaḥ | tathā mūlaphalaṃ bhaikṣyaṃ paryāyeṇopayojayet

Broken grain, boiled pulses, oil-cake, vegetables, barley gruel and barley meal, likewise roots, fruits and alms-food: he should take these in turn.

Verse 29 (12.217.29)

आहारनियमं चैव देशे काले च सात्विकः । तत्परीक्ष्यानुवर्तेत यत्प्रवृत्त्यनुवर्तकम् ॥

āhāraniyamaṃ caiva deśe kāle ca sātvikaḥ | tatparīkṣyānuvarteta yatpravṛttyanuvartakam

He should also keep a rule of diet, suited to place and time and kept to sattva; having examined it, he should follow whatever supports his progress.

Verse 30 (12.217.30)

प्रवृत्तं नोपरुन्धेत शनैरग्निमिवेन्धयेत् । ज्ञानैधितं तथा ज्ञानमर्कवत्संप्रकाशते ॥

pravṛttaṃ noparundheta śanairagnimivendhayet | jñānaidhitaṃ tathā jñānamarkavatsaṃprakāśate

He should not stop what has begun, but kindle it slowly, as one kindles a fire. Fed by knowledge, knowledge then shines forth like the sun.

Verse 31 (12.217.31)

ज्ञानाधिष्ठानमज्ञानं त्रीँल्लोकानधितिष्ठति । विज्ञानानुगतं ज्ञानमज्ञानेनापकृष्यते ॥

jñānādhiṣṭhānamajñānaṃ trīm̐llokānadhitiṣṭhati | vijñānānugataṃ jñānamajñānenāpakṛṣyate

Ignorance, which has knowledge for its seat, rules over the three worlds; knowledge that accompanies realization is dragged away by ignorance.

Note on the text: Corrected त्रील्लोँकान् → त्रीँल्लोकान् (misprint in Wikisource; the candrabindu stands on the wrong letter).

Verse 32 (12.217.32)

पृथक्त्वात्संप्रयोगाच्च नासूयुर्वेद शाश्वतम् । स तयोरपवर्गज्ञो वीतरागो विमुच्यते ॥

pṛthaktvātsaṃprayogācca nāsūyurveda śāśvatam | sa tayorapavargajño vītarāgo vimucyate

One who is free of envy knows the eternal through their separateness and their union; knowing the release from both, he becomes free of passion and is liberated.

Verse 33 (12.217.33)

वयोतीतो जरामृत्यू जित्वा ब्रह्म सनातनम् । अमृतं तदवाप्नोति यत्तदक्षरमव्ययम् ॥

vayotīto jarāmṛtyū jitvā brahma sanātanam | amṛtaṃ tadavāpnoti yattadakṣaramavyayam

Gone beyond age, having conquered old age and death, he gains the eternal Brahman, that immortal, imperishable, unchanging state.