The River of Time and the Brahmin's Crossing

Verse 1 (12.241.1)

त्रयीं विद्यामवेक्षेत वेदेषूत्तमतां गतः । ऋक्सामवर्णाक्षरतो यजुषोऽथर्वणस्तथा ॥

trayīṃ vidyāmavekṣeta vedeṣūttamatāṃ gataḥ | ṛksāmavarṇākṣarato yajuṣo'tharvaṇastathā

Let him who has reached excellence in the Vedas hold to the threefold knowledge, studying the Rik, the Saman, the Yajus and likewise the Atharvan, by their letters and syllables.

Note on the text: Corrected वेदेपूत्तमतां → वेदेषूत्तमतां (misprint in Wikisource; ष printed as प; CE vedeṣūktām, and the footnote's variant reads वेदेषूक्तामथाङ्गतः).

Verse 2 (12.241.2)

तिष्ठत्येतेषु भगवान्षट्‌सु कर्मसु संस्थितः । वेदवादेषु कुशला ह्यध्यात्मकुशलाश्च ये ॥

tiṣṭhatyeteṣu bhagavānṣaṭsu karmasu saṃsthitaḥ | vedavādeṣu kuśalā hyadhyātmakuśalāśca ye

The venerable one stands among these, established in the six acts. Those who are skilled in the discourses of the Veda and skilled in knowledge of the Self,

Note on the text: Removed the square brackets and a stray second danda that the page prints around the first line. Line 1 = CE star line 12.227.1d*0675_01 (tiṣṭhaty eteṣu bhagavān ṣaṭsu karmasu saṃsthitaḥ); line 2 = CE 12.227.2a. From here to v6 Wikisource's couplets run half a verse behind the CE's.

Verse 3 (12.241.3)

सत्ववन्तो महाभागाः पश्यन्ति प्रभवाप्ययौ । एवं धर्मेण वर्तेत क्रियाः शिष्टवदाचरेत् ॥

satvavanto mahābhāgāḥ paśyanti prabhavāpyayau | evaṃ dharmeṇa varteta kriyāḥ śiṣṭavadācaret

being full of goodness and greatly blessed, see the origin and the dissolution of things. In this way he should live by dharma and perform the rites as the cultured do.

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 12.227.2c (sattvavanto, spelled सत्ववन्तो here); line 2 = CE 12.227.3a.

Verse 4 (12.241.4)

असंरोधेन भूतानां वृत्तिं लिप्सेत वै द्विजः । सद्भ्य आगतविज्ञानः शिष्टः शास्त्रविचक्षणः ॥

asaṃrodhena bhūtānāṃ vṛttiṃ lipseta vai dvijaḥ | sadbhya āgatavijñānaḥ śiṣṭaḥ śāstravicakṣaṇaḥ

A brahmin should seek his livelihood without obstructing other beings, as one who has received knowledge from the good, is cultured and is expert in the scriptures,

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 12.227.3c; line 2 = CE 12.227.4a.

Verse 5 (12.241.5)

स्वधर्मेण क्रिया लोके कुर्वाणः सोऽप्यसङ्करः । तिष्ठते तेषु गृहवान्षट्‌सु कर्मसु स द्विजः ॥

svadharmeṇa kriyā loke kurvāṇaḥ so'pyasaṅkaraḥ | tiṣṭhate teṣu gṛhavānṣaṭsu karmasu sa dvijaḥ

performing his rites in the world by his own duty, he too is free of confusion. That householder brahmin stands in those six acts,

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 12.227.4c (the CE reads satyasaṃgaraḥ for सोऽप्यसङ्करः); line 2 = CE 12.227.5a (the CE reads tiṣṭhaty eteṣu for तिष्ठते तेषु).

Verse 6 (12.241.6)

पञ्चभिः सततं यज्ञैः श्रद्दधानो यजेत च । धृतिमानप्रमत्तश्च दान्तो धर्मविदात्मवान् । वीतहर्षमदक्रोधो ब्राह्मणो नावसीदति ॥

pañcabhiḥ satataṃ yajñaiḥ śraddadhāno yajeta ca | dhṛtimānapramattaśca dānto dharmavidātmavān | vītaharṣamadakrodho brāhmaṇo nāvasīdati

and with faith he should offer the five sacrifices constantly. Steadfast, vigilant, self-controlled, knowing dharma and master of himself, free of elation, pride and anger, a brahmin does not sink.

Note on the text: Three lines = CE 12.227.5c, 6a and 6c (the CE reads vītaharṣabhayakrodho, with fear for pride, in the last). Lines 2-3 recur as v29 below.

Verse 7 (12.241.7)

दानमध्ययनं यज्ञस्तपो ह्रीरार्जवं दमः । एतैर्विवर्धते तेजः पाप्मानं चापकर्षति ॥

dānamadhyayanaṃ yajñastapo hrīrārjavaṃ damaḥ | etairvivardhate tejaḥ pāpmānaṃ cāpakarṣati

Giving, study, sacrifice, austerity, modesty, uprightness and self-restraint: by these his radiance grows and sin is drawn away.

Verse 8 (12.241.8)

धूतपाप्मा च मेधावी लघ्वाहारो जितेन्द्रियः । कामक्रोधौ वशे कृत्वा निनीषेद्ब्रह्मणः पदम् ॥

dhūtapāpmā ca medhāvī laghvāhāro jitendriyaḥ | kāmakrodhau vaśe kṛtvā ninīṣedbrahmaṇaḥ padam

With sin shaken off, wise, eating lightly, his senses conquered, and desire and anger brought under his control, he should aspire to lead himself to the state of Brahman.

Verse 9 (12.241.9)

अग्नींश्च ब्राह्मणांश्चार्चेद्देवताः प्रणमेत च । वर्जयेदुशतीं वाचं हिंसां चाधर्मसंहिताम् ॥

agnīṃśca brāhmaṇāṃścārceddevatāḥ praṇameta ca | varjayeduśatīṃ vācaṃ hiṃsāṃ cādharmasaṃhitām

He should honour the sacred fires and the brahmins, and bow to the gods. He should avoid enticing speech, and violence joined with adharma.

Verse 10 (12.241.10)

एषा पूर्वतरा वृत्तिर्ब्राह्मणस्य विधीयते । ज्ञानागमेन कर्माणि कुर्वन्कर्मसु सिद्ध्यति ॥

eṣā pūrvatarā vṛttirbrāhmaṇasya vidhīyate | jñānāgamena karmāṇi kurvankarmasu siddhyati

This is the older way of life laid down for a brahmin: performing his rites with knowledge gained from the scriptures, he succeeds in his deeds.

Verse 11 (12.241.11)

पञ्चेन्द्रियजलां घोरां लोभकूलां सुदुस्तराम् । मन्युपङ्कामनाधृष्यां नदीं तरति बुद्धिमान् ॥

pañcendriyajalāṃ ghorāṃ lobhakūlāṃ sudustarām | manyupaṅkāmanādhṛṣyāṃ nadīṃ tarati buddhimān

The wise man crosses the river that is terrible and very hard to cross, whose waters are the five senses, whose banks are greed, whose mud is anger, and which none can overcome.

Verse 12 (12.241.12)

कालमभ्युद्यतं पश्येन्नित्यमत्यन्तमोहनम् ॥

kālamabhyudyataṃ paśyennityamatyantamohanam

Let him see Time, ever on the rise, utterly bewildering,

Note on the text: A single line: the vulgate's reading of CE 12.227.12a (kāmamanyūddhataṃ yat syān nityam atyantamohitam). With v13 it makes up the CE's three-line verse 12.227.12 (lines a, c, e); Wikisource divides it 1 + 2.

Verse 13 (12.241.13)

महता विधिदृष्टेन बलिनाऽप्रतिघातिना । स्वभावस्रोतसा वृत्तमुह्यते सततं जगत् ॥

mahatā vidhidṛṣṭena balinā'pratighātinā | svabhāvasrotasā vṛttamuhyate satataṃ jagat

for the world, as it goes on, is carried constantly along by the stream of its own nature, great, seen to be ordained, mighty and not to be checked,

Note on the text: Lines = CE 12.227.12c and 12e.

Verse 14 (12.241.14)

कालोदकेन महता वर्षावर्तेन संततम् । मासोर्मिणर्तुवेगेन पक्षोलपतृणेन च ॥

kālodakena mahatā varṣāvartena saṃtatam | māsormiṇartuvegena pakṣolapatṛṇena ca

a stream whose water is Time, great, whose whirlpools are the rains, whose waves are the months, whose swift current is the seasons, whose reeds and grass are the fortnights,

Verse 15 (12.241.15)

निमेषोन्मेषफेनेन अहोरात्रजवेन च । कामग्राहेण घोरेण वेदयज्ञप्लवेन च ॥

nimeṣonmeṣaphenena ahorātrajavena ca | kāmagrāheṇa ghoreṇa vedayajñaplavena ca

whose foam is the opening and shutting of the eye, whose swiftness is day and night, whose dreadful crocodile is desire, whose raft is the Veda and sacrifice,

Verse 16 (12.241.16)

धर्मद्वीपेन भूतानां चार्थकामरवेण च । ऋतवाङ्मोक्षतीरेण विहिंसातरुवाहिना ॥

dharmadvīpena bhūtānāṃ cārthakāmaraveṇa ca | ṛtavāṅmokṣatīreṇa vihiṃsātaruvāhinā

whose island is dharma, whose roar is the clamour of gain and pleasure among beings, whose banks are truth in speech and liberation, which carries along the trees of violence,

Note on the text: The page reads ऋतवाङ्मोक्षतीरेण (banks of true speech and liberation) where the CE has ṛtasopānatīreṇa; a recension variant, kept.

Verse 17 (12.241.17)

युगह्रदौघमध्येन ब्रह्मप्रायभवेन च । धात्रा सृष्टानि भूतानि कृष्यन्ते यमसादनम् ॥

yugahradaughamadhyena brahmaprāyabhavena ca | dhātrā sṛṣṭāni bhūtāni kṛṣyante yamasādanam

whose middle is the flood and pools of the ages, whose origin lies in Brahma: by it the beings made by the Creator are dragged to the abode of Yama.

Verse 18 (12.241.18)

एतत्प्रज्ञामयैर्धीरा निस्तरन्ति मनीषिणः । प्लवैरप्लववन्तो हि किं करिष्यन्त्यचेतसः ॥

etatprajñāmayairdhīrā nistaranti manīṣiṇaḥ | plavairaplavavanto hi kiṃ kariṣyantyacetasaḥ

The steadfast and wise cross by means of these rafts made of understanding. Those without rafts, being without discernment, what can they do?

Verse 19 (12.241.19)

उपपन्नं हि यत्प्राज्ञो निस्तरेन्नेतरो जनः । दूरतो गुणदोषौ हि प्राज्ञः सर्वत्र पश्यति ॥

upapannaṃ hi yatprājño nistarennetaro janaḥ | dūrato guṇadoṣau hi prājñaḥ sarvatra paśyati

It is fitting indeed that the wise man crosses and not other people, for the wise man sees merits and faults everywhere from afar.

Verse 20 (12.241.20)

संशयात्तु स कामात्मा चलचित्तोऽल्पचेतनः । अप्राज्ञो न तरत्येनं यो ह्यास्ते न स गच्छति ॥

saṃśayāttu sa kāmātmā calacitto'lpacetanaḥ | aprājño na taratyenaṃ yo hyāste na sa gacchati

But the doubter, whose self is desire, whose mind wavers and whose sense is small, being without wisdom, does not cross it; and he who merely sits does not get anywhere.

Verse 21 (12.241.21)

अप्लवो हि महादोषं मुह्यमानो न गच्छति । कामग्राहगृहीतस्य ज्ञानमप्यस्य न प्लवः ॥

aplavo hi mahādoṣaṃ muhyamāno na gacchati | kāmagrāhagṛhītasya jñānamapyasya na plavaḥ

Without a raft, deluded, a man does not get through the great peril. For one seized by the crocodile of desire, even knowledge is not a raft.

Verse 22 (12.241.22)

तस्मादुन्मज्जनस्यार्थे प्रयतेत विचक्षणः । एतदुन्मज्जनं तस्य यदयं ब्राह्मणो भवेत् ॥

tasmādunmajjanasyārthe prayateta vicakṣaṇaḥ | etadunmajjanaṃ tasya yadayaṃ brāhmaṇo bhavet

Therefore the discerning man should strive to emerge. His emerging is this: that he become a brahmin, a knower of Brahman.

Verse 23 (12.241.23)

त्र्यवदाते कुले जातस्त्रिसंदेहस्त्रिकर्मकृत् । तस्मादुन्मज्जनं तिष्ठेत्प्रज्ञया निस्तरेद्यथा ॥

tryavadāte kule jātastrisaṃdehastrikarmakṛt | tasmādunmajjanaṃ tiṣṭhetprajñayā nistaredyathā

Born in a family pure in three ways, doubtful in three matters, performing three acts, let him therefore hold to the means of emergence, so that he may cross by wisdom.

Verse 24 (12.241.24)

संस्कृतस्य हि दान्तस्य नियतस्य यतात्मनः । प्राज्ञस्यानन्तरा सिद्धिरिह लोके परत्र च ॥

saṃskṛtasya hi dāntasya niyatasya yatātmanaḥ | prājñasyānantarā siddhiriha loke paratra ca

For the man who is refined, self-controlled, disciplined and master of himself, and who is wise, success comes without delay, in this world and in the next.

Verse 25 (12.241.25)

वर्तेत तेषु गृहवानक्रुध्यन्ननसूयकः । पञ्चभिः सततं यज्ञैर्विघसाशी यजेत च ॥

varteta teṣu gṛhavānakrudhyannanasūyakaḥ | pañcabhiḥ satataṃ yajñairvighasāśī yajeta ca

The householder should live among those acts, not angry and not envious, eating what remains after the offerings, and constantly sacrificing with the five sacrifices.

Verse 26 (12.241.26)

सतां धर्मेण वर्तेत क्रियां शिष्टवदाचरेत् । असंरोधेन लोकस्य वृत्तिं लिप्सेदगर्हिताम् ॥

satāṃ dharmeṇa varteta kriyāṃ śiṣṭavadācaret | asaṃrodhena lokasya vṛttiṃ lipsedagarhitām

He should live by the way of the good and perform his rites as the cultured do, and seek, without obstructing the world, a livelihood free of blame.

Verse 27 (12.241.27)

श्रुतविज्ञानतत्त्वज्ञः शिष्टाचारविचक्षणः । स्वधर्मेण क्रियावांश्च कर्मणा सोऽप्यसंकरः ॥

śrutavijñānatattvajñaḥ śiṣṭācāravicakṣaṇaḥ | svadharmeṇa kriyāvāṃśca karmaṇā so'pyasaṃkaraḥ

Knowing the truth of what has been heard and what has been realised, skilled in the conduct of the cultured, active in his own duty, he too is by his act free of confusion.

Verse 28 (12.241.28)

क्रियावाञ्श्रद्दधानो हि दान्तः प्रायोऽनसूयकः । धर्माधर्मविशेषज्ञः सर्वं तरति दुस्तरम् ॥

kriyāvāñśraddadhāno hi dāntaḥ prāyo'nasūyakaḥ | dharmādharmaviśeṣajñaḥ sarvaṃ tarati dustaram

Active in his rites, full of faith, self-controlled, for the most part free of envy, and knowing the finer points of dharma and adharma, he crosses all that is hard to cross.

Note on the text: Corrected श्रद्दधानो कहि दान्तः → श्रद्दधानो हि दान्तः (misprint in Wikisource; stray क inserted before हि; with it the half-verse has a syllable too many and no sense. The CE reads śraddadhānaś ca dātā prājño 'nasūyakaḥ, a different wording that is not adopted). Corrected धमार्धर्म → धर्माधर्म (misprint in Wikisource; र् and ा transposed; CE dharmādharma).

Verse 29 (12.241.29)

धृतिमानप्रमत्तश्च दान्तो धर्मविदात्मवान् । वीतहर्षमदक्रोधो ब्राह्मणो नावसीदति ॥

dhṛtimānapramattaśca dānto dharmavidātmavān | vītaharṣamadakrodho brāhmaṇo nāvasīdati

Steadfast, vigilant, self-controlled, knowing dharma and master of himself, free of elation, pride and anger, a brahmin does not sink.

Note on the text: Same verse as lines 2-3 of v6 above; the CE likewise has it twice (12.227.6 and 12.227.28; the CE reads vītaharṣabhayakrodho).

Verse 30 (12.241.30)

एषा पुरातनी वृत्तिर्ब्राह्मणस्य विधीयते । ज्ञानवृद्ध्यैव कर्माणि कुर्वन्सर्वत्र सिध्यति ॥

eṣā purātanī vṛttirbrāhmaṇasya vidhīyate | jñānavṛddhyaiva karmāṇi kurvansarvatra sidhyati

This is the ancient way of life laid down for a brahmin: performing his rites with an ever-growing knowledge, he succeeds everywhere.

Note on the text: A vulgate variant of CE 12.227.29 (eṣā pūrvatarā vṛttir ... jñānavittvena karmāṇi kurvan sarvatra sidhyati); the CE has a near-identical verse at 12.230.1.

Verse 31 (12.241.31)

अधर्मं धर्मकामो हि करोति ह्यविचक्षणः । धर्मं वा धर्मसंकाशं शोचन्निव करोति सः ॥

adharmaṃ dharmakāmo hi karoti hyavicakṣaṇaḥ | dharmaṃ vā dharmasaṃkāśaṃ śocanniva karoti saḥ

The unwise man who longs for dharma may do adharma; or he does what only looks like dharma, as though grieving as he does it.

Verse 32 (12.241.32)

धर्मं करोमीति करोत्यधर्म । मधर्मकामश्च करोति धर्मम् । उभे बालः कर्मणी न प्रजानन् । संजायते म्रियते चापि देही ॥

dharmaṃ karomīti karotyadharma | madharmakāmaśca karoti dharmam | ubhe bālaḥ karmaṇī na prajānan | saṃjāyate mriyate cāpi dehī

"I am doing dharma," he says, and does adharma; and he who desires adharma does dharma. The fool, not knowing the two kinds of action, is born and dies as an embodied being.

Note on the text: Corrected न प्रजानम् → न प्रजानन् (misprint in Wikisource; final न् misprinted as म्; CE prajānan).