Vyasa Opens the Teaching on the Self

Verse 1 (12.252.1)

प्रकृतेस्तु विकारा ये क्षेत्रज्ञस्तैरधिष्ठितः । न चैनं ते प्रजानन्ति स तु जानाति तानपि ॥

prakṛtestu vikārā ye kṣetrajñastairadhiṣṭhitaḥ | na cainaṃ te prajānanti sa tu jānāti tānapi

The Knower of the Field dwells in the modifications of Nature; they do not know him, but he knows even them.

Verse 2 (12.252.2)

तैश्चैवं कुरुते कार्यं मनःषष्ठैरिहेन्द्रियैः । सुदान्तैरिव संयन्ता दृढैः परमवाजिभिः ॥

taiścaivaṃ kurute kāryaṃ manaḥṣaṣṭhairihendriyaiḥ | sudāntairiva saṃyantā dṛḍhaiḥ paramavājibhiḥ

With these senses, the mind being the sixth, he does his work here, as a charioteer does with strong, excellent horses that have been well trained.

Verse 3 (12.252.3)

इन्द्रियेभ्यः परे ह्यर्था अर्थेभ्यः परमं मनः । मनसस्तु परा बुद्धिर्बुद्धेरात्मा महान्परः ॥

indriyebhyaḥ pare hyarthā arthebhyaḥ paramaṃ manaḥ | manasastu parā buddhirbuddherātmā mahānparaḥ

Beyond the senses are their objects, beyond the objects is the mind, beyond the mind is the intellect, and beyond the intellect is the great Self.

Verse 4 (12.252.4)

महतः परमव्यक्तमव्यक्तात्पुरुषः परः । पुरुषान्न परं किंचित्सा काष्ठा सा परा गतिः ॥

mahataḥ paramavyaktamavyaktātpuruṣaḥ paraḥ | puruṣānna paraṃ kiṃcitsā kāṣṭhā sā parā gatiḥ

Beyond the great Self is the Unmanifest, and beyond the Unmanifest is the Person. There is nothing higher than the Person: that is the limit, that is the highest goal.

Note on the text: Wikisource's second line (अव्यक्तात्पुरुषः परः) differs from CE 12.238.4b (avyaktāt parato 'mṛtam, 'beyond the Unmanifest is the Immortal'); the page's own footnote records the CE-type reading as a manuscript variant. Wikisource reading kept.

Verse 5 (12.252.5)

एवं सर्वेषु भूतेषु गूढोत्मा न प्रकाशते । दृश्यते त्वग्र्यया बुद्ध्या सूक्ष्मया सूक्ष्मदर्शिभिः ॥

evaṃ sarveṣu bhūteṣu gūḍhotmā na prakāśate | dṛśyate tvagryayā buddhyā sūkṣmayā sūkṣmadarśibhiḥ

So, hidden in all beings, the Self does not shine forth; it is seen only by those of subtle vision, with a keen and subtle intellect.

Verse 6 (12.252.6)

अन्तरात्मनि संलीय मनः षष्ठानि मेधया । इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थांश्च बहुचिन्त्यमचिन्तयन् ॥

antarātmani saṃlīya manaḥ ṣaṣṭhāni medhayā | indriyāṇīndriyārthāṃśca bahucintyamacintayan

Having merged into the inner Self, by insight, the senses that have the mind as sixth and the objects of the senses, and thinking none of the many things that might be thought,

Verse 7 (12.252.7)

ध्यानोपरमणं कृत्वा विद्यासंपादितं मनः । अनिश्चरः प्रशान्तात्मा ततोर्च्छत्यमृतं पदम् ॥

dhyānoparamaṇaṃ kṛtvā vidyāsaṃpāditaṃ manaḥ | aniścaraḥ praśāntātmā tatorcchatyamṛtaṃ padam

and having brought even meditation to rest, with the mind perfected by knowledge, he becomes tranquil in spirit and no longer moves outward; then he reaches the deathless state.

Verse 8 (12.252.8)

इन्द्रियाणां तु सर्वेषां वश्यात्मा चलितस्मृतिः । आत्मनः संप्रदानेन मर्त्यो मृत्युमुपाश्नुते ॥

indriyāṇāṃ tu sarveṣāṃ vaśyātmā calitasmṛtiḥ | ātmanaḥ saṃpradānena martyo mṛtyumupāśnute

But one whose self is subject to all the senses, and whose memory wavers, by giving himself over to them, meets death, mortal that he is.

Note on the text: Corrected पश्यात्मा → वश्यात्मा (misprint in Wikisource; प for व, CE 12.238.8a vaśyātmā; 'पश्य' makes no sense before आत्मा here).

Verse 9 (12.252.9)

हित्वा तु सर्वसंकल्पान्सत्वे चित्तं निवेशयेत् । सत्वे चित्तं समावेश्य ततः कालंजरो भवेत् ॥

hitvā tu sarvasaṃkalpānsatve cittaṃ niveśayet | satve cittaṃ samāveśya tataḥ kālaṃjaro bhavet

Giving up all resolves, let him fix his mind on sattva; having fixed his mind on sattva, he will then become a conqueror of Time.

Verse 10 (12.252.10)

चित्तप्रसादेन यतिर्जहातीह शुभाशुभम् । प्रसन्नात्मात्मनि स्थित्वा सुखमत्यन्तमश्नुते ॥

cittaprasādena yatirjahātīha śubhāśubham | prasannātmātmani sthitvā sukhamatyantamaśnute

By the serenity of his mind the ascetic here casts off both good and evil; with a tranquil self, abiding in the Self, he enjoys happiness without end.

Verse 11 (12.252.11)

लक्षणं तु प्रसादस्य यथा तृप्तः सुखं स्वपेत् । निवाते वा यथा दीपो दीप्यमानो न कम्पते ॥

lakṣaṇaṃ tu prasādasya yathā tṛptaḥ sukhaṃ svapet | nivāte vā yathā dīpo dīpyamāno na kampate

The mark of such serenity is this: it is like the sleep of one who is content and sleeps in comfort, or like a blazing lamp in a place without wind, which does not flicker.

Verse 12 (12.252.12)

एवं पूर्वापरे रात्रौ युञ्जन्नात्मानमात्मनि । लघ्वाहारो विशुद्धात्मा पश्यत्यात्मानमात्मनि ॥

evaṃ pūrvāpare rātrau yuñjannātmānamātmani | laghvāhāro viśuddhātmā paśyatyātmānamātmani

So, in the first and last watches of the night, joining the self to the Self, eating lightly and pure in spirit, he sees the Self in the Self.

Verse 13 (12.252.13)

रहस्यं सर्ववेदानामनैतिह्यमनागतम् । आत्मप्रत्ययिकं शास्त्रमिदं पुत्रानुशासनम् ॥

rahasyaṃ sarvavedānāmanaitihyamanāgatam | ātmapratyayikaṃ śāstramidaṃ putrānuśāsanam

This is the secret of all the Vedas; it rests on no hearsay and comes from no outside source; it is a teaching whose proof lies in the Self's own experience, this instruction for a son.

Verse 14 (12.252.14)

धर्माख्यानेषु सर्वेषु चित्राख्यानेषु यद्वसु । दृश्यते ऋक्सहस्राणि निर्मथ्यामृतमुद्धृतम् ॥

dharmākhyāneṣu sarveṣu citrākhyāneṣu yadvasu | dṛśyate ṛksahasrāṇi nirmathyāmṛtamuddhṛtam

Of all the tales of dharma and the many wondrous stories, whatever wealth is found in them, in thousands of verses, from these this nectar was churned and drawn out.

Verse 15 (12.252.15)

नवनीतं यथा दध्नः काष्ठादग्निर्यथैव च । तथैव विदुषां ज्ञानं पुत्रहेतोः समुद्धृतम् ॥

navanītaṃ yathā dadhnaḥ kāṣṭhādagniryathaiva ca | tathaiva viduṣāṃ jñānaṃ putrahetoḥ samuddhṛtam

As butter is drawn from curds, and fire from wood, so the wisdom of the learned has been drawn out for the sake of a son.

Note on the text: Not marked in the alignment; both lines are CE 12.238.15a and 15c (Wikisource: नवनीतं यथा दध्नः काष्ठादग्निर्यथैव च / तथैव विदुषां ज्ञानं पुत्रहेतोः समुद्धृतम्).

Verse 16 (12.252.16)

स्नातकानामिदं शास्त्रं वाच्यं पुत्रानुशासनम् । तदिदं नाप्रशान्ताय नादान्तायातपस्विने ॥

snātakānāmidaṃ śāstraṃ vācyaṃ putrānuśāsanam | tadidaṃ nāpraśāntāya nādāntāyātapasvine

This teaching, the instruction of a son, is to be spoken to snatakas, to those who have finished their studies. It is not to be spoken to one who is not at peace, to one who is not self-restrained, or to one who has no austerity,

Note on the text: Corrected तदितं → तदिदं (misprint in Wikisource; CE 12.238.16a tad idaṃ). Not marked in the alignment: line 1 = CE 12.238.15e; line 2 = CE 12.238.16a.

Verse 17 (12.252.17)

नावेदविदुषे वाच्यं तथा नानुगताय च । नासूयकायानृजवे न चानिर्दिष्टकारिणे ॥

nāvedaviduṣe vācyaṃ tathā nānugatāya ca | nāsūyakāyānṛjave na cānirdiṣṭakāriṇe

nor to one who has not studied the Veda, nor to one who is not a follower, nor to the envious, the crooked, or one who does not do as he is told,

Note on the text: Not marked in the alignment: line 1 = CE 12.238.16c; line 2 = CE 12.238.17a.

Verse 18 (12.252.18)

न तर्कशास्त्रदग्धाय तथैव पिशुनाय च । श्लाघिने श्लाघनीयाय प्रशान्ताय तपस्विने ॥

na tarkaśāstradagdhāya tathaiva piśunāya ca | ślāghine ślāghanīyāya praśāntāya tapasvine

nor to one scorched by the science of dry reasoning, nor to a slanderer; but to one who praises it, to one worthy of praise, to one who is at peace, to the ascetic.

Note on the text: Not marked in the alignment: line 1 = CE 12.238.17c; line 2 = CE 12.238.18a (Wikisource श्लाघिने against CE ślāghate is kept as a variant).

Verse 19 (12.252.19)

इदं प्रियाय पुत्राय शिष्यायानुगताय च । रहस्यधर्मं वक्तव्यं नान्यस्मै तु कथंचन ॥

idaṃ priyāya putrāya śiṣyāyānugatāya ca | rahasyadharmaṃ vaktavyaṃ nānyasmai tu kathaṃcana

This secret dharma is to be told to a dear son, to a disciple, and to a follower, and never in any way to anyone else.

Note on the text: Not marked in the alignment: line 1 = CE 12.238.18c; line 2 = CE 12.238.18e.

Verse 20 (12.252.20)

यद्यप्यस्य महीं दद्याद्रत्नपूर्णामिमां नरः । इदमेव ततः श्रेय इति मन्येत तत्त्ववित् ॥

yadyapyasya mahīṃ dadyādratnapūrṇāmimāṃ naraḥ | idameva tataḥ śreya iti manyeta tattvavit

Even if a man were to give him this whole earth full of jewels, one who knows the truth would think, "This teaching is still better."

Verse 21 (12.252.21)

अतो गुह्यतरार्थं तदध्यात्ममतिमानुषम् । यत्तन्महर्षिभिर्जुष्टं वेदान्तेषु च गीयते ॥

ato guhyatarārthaṃ tadadhyātmamatimānuṣam | yattanmaharṣibhirjuṣṭaṃ vedānteṣu ca gīyate

Beyond this lies one still more secret in meaning: the knowledge of the Self, beyond the human, which the great seers have cherished and which is sung in the Vedanta.

Note on the text: Not marked in the alignment: line 1 = CE 12.238.20a; line 2 = CE 12.238.20c (Wikisource महर्षिभिर्जुष्टम् against CE maharṣibhir dṛṣṭam is kept as a variant).

Verse 22 (12.252.22)

तत्तेऽहं संप्रवक्ष्यामि यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि ॥

tatte'haṃ saṃpravakṣyāmi yanmāṃ tvaṃ paripṛcchasi

That I shall now explain to you, which you ask me about.

Note on the text: Not marked in the alignment: this is CE 12.238.20e.

Verse 23 (12.252.23)

यच्च ते मनसि वर्तते परं । यत्र चास्ति तव संशयः क्वचित् । श्रूयतामयमहं तवाग्रतः । पुत्र किं हि कथयामि ते पुनः ॥

yacca te manasi vartate paraṃ | yatra cāsti tava saṃśayaḥ kvacit | śrūyatāmayamahaṃ tavāgrataḥ | putra kiṃ hi kathayāmi te punaḥ

Whatever else weighs on your mind, and wherever you have any doubt, let it be heard: here I am, before you. My son, what shall I tell you more?

Note on the text: Not marked in the alignment. Four-line verse as printed on the page (12-252-23a,b,c,d); the lines are the CE star passage 12.238.20f*0687_01-04 (printed in the CE apparatus, not in its constituted text).