The Intellect, the Senses and the Knower of the Field

Verse 1 (12.254.1)

मनः प्रसृजते भावं बुद्धिरध्यवसायिनी । हृदयं प्रियाप्रिये वेद त्रिविधा कर्मवेदना ॥

manaḥ prasṛjate bhāvaṃ buddhiradhyavasāyinī | hṛdayaṃ priyāpriye veda trividhā karmavedanā

The mind sends forth a feeling; the intellect is that which decides; the heart knows the pleasant and the unpleasant: so the experience that comes of action is threefold.

Verse 2 (12.254.2)

इन्द्रियेभ्यः परा ह्यर्था अर्थेभ्यः परमं मनः । मनसस्तु परा बुद्धिर्बुद्धेरात्मा परो मतः ॥

indriyebhyaḥ parā hyarthā arthebhyaḥ paramaṃ manaḥ | manasastu parā buddhirbuddherātmā paro mataḥ

Beyond the senses are their objects, beyond the objects is the mind, beyond the mind is the intellect, and beyond the intellect the Self is held to be higher still.

Verse 3 (12.254.3)

बुद्धिरात्मा मनुष्यस्य बुद्धिरेवात्मनो गतिः । यदा विकुरुते भावं तदा भवति सा मनः ॥

buddhirātmā manuṣyasya buddhirevātmano gatiḥ | yadā vikurute bhāvaṃ tadā bhavati sā manaḥ

The intellect is a person's Self; the intellect itself is the Self's course. When it changes the feeling, then it becomes the mind.

Note on the text: Corrected भाव → भावं (misprint in Wikisource; dropped anusvara, the object of विकुरुते needs the accusative, CE 12.240.3c bhāvaṃ).

Verse 4 (12.254.4)

इन्द्रियाणां पृथग्भावाद्बुद्धिर्विक्रियतेऽसकृत् । शृण्वती भवति श्रोत्रं स्पृशती स्पर्श उच्यते ॥

indriyāṇāṃ pṛthagbhāvādbuddhirvikriyate'sakṛt | śṛṇvatī bhavati śrotraṃ spṛśatī sparśa ucyate

Because the senses are separate, the intellect is modified again and again: hearing, it becomes the ear; touching, it is called touch.

Verse 5 (12.254.5)

पश्यती भवते दृष्टी रसती रसनं भवेत् । जिघ्रती भवति घ्राणं बुद्धिर्विक्रियते पृथक् ॥

paśyatī bhavate dṛṣṭī rasatī rasanaṃ bhavet | jighratī bhavati ghrāṇaṃ buddhirvikriyate pṛthak

Seeing, it becomes the eye; tasting, it becomes the tongue; smelling, it becomes the nose. Thus the intellect is modified in different ways.

Verse 6 (12.254.6)

इन्द्रियाणीति तान्याहुस्तेष्वदृश्योऽधितिष्ठति । तिष्ठती पुरुषे बुद्धिस्त्रिषु भावेषु वर्तते ॥

indriyāṇīti tānyāhusteṣvadṛśyo'dhitiṣṭhati | tiṣṭhatī puruṣe buddhistriṣu bhāveṣu vartate

These they call the senses, and the unseen one presides over them. Abiding in the Person, the intellect works in three states of being.

Verse 7 (12.254.7)

कदाचिल्लभते प्रीतिं कदाचिदपि शोचति । न सुखेन न दुःखेन कदाचिदिह युज्यते ॥

kadācillabhate prītiṃ kadācidapi śocati | na sukhena na duḥkhena kadācidiha yujyate

At one time it finds joy, at another it grieves; at no time here is it joined to pleasure or to pain.

Verse 8 (12.254.8)

सेयं भावात्मिका भावांस्त्रीनेताननुवर्तते । सरितां सागरो भर्ता महावेलामिवोर्मिमान् ॥

seyaṃ bhāvātmikā bhāvāṃstrīnetānanuvartate | saritāṃ sāgaro bhartā mahāvelāmivormimān

This intellect, whose nature is made of states, follows these three states, as the ocean, lord of rivers and full of waves, keeps to its great shore.

Verse 9 (12.254.9)

यदा प्रार्थयते किंचित्तदा भवति सा मनः । अधिष्ठानानि वै बुद्ध्यां पृथगेतानि संस्मरेत । इन्द्रियाण्येवमेतानि विजेतव्यानि कृत्स्नशः ॥

yadā prārthayate kiṃcittadā bhavati sā manaḥ | adhiṣṭhānāni vai buddhyāṃ pṛthagetāni saṃsmareta | indriyāṇyevametāni vijetavyāni kṛtsnaśaḥ

When it wants something, then it becomes the mind. One should remember these separately as the seats in the intellect; so these senses are to be conquered entirely.

Note on the text: Three-line verse as printed on the page (12-254-9a,b,c). Lines = CE 12.240.9a, 9c, 9e (Wikisource बुद्ध्यां and इन्द्रियाण्येवमेतानि against CE buddhyā and indriyāṇy eva medhyāni are kept as variants).

Verse 10 (12.254.10)

सर्वाण्येवानुपूर्व्येण यद्यदाऽनुविधीयते । अविभागगता बुद्धिर्भावे मनसि वर्तते । प्रवर्तमानं तु रजः सत्वमप्यनुवर्तते ॥

sarvāṇyevānupūrvyeṇa yadyadā'nuvidhīyate | avibhāgagatā buddhirbhāve manasi vartate | pravartamānaṃ tu rajaḥ satvamapyanuvartate

In due order, as each of them is followed in turn, the intellect, undivided, rests in the state of the mind; and when rajas begins to act, sattva follows it as well.

Note on the text: Removed a stray backtick before line 3 and the closing quote mark with doubled daṇḍa (।।') printed after it. Three-line verse as printed on the page (12-254-10a,b,c). Lines = CE 12.240.10a, 10c, 10e (Wikisource यद्यदाऽनुविधीयते against CE yad yan nānuvidhīyate is kept as a variant).

Verse 11 (12.254.11)

ये चैव भावा वर्तन्ते सर्व एष्वेव ते त्रिषु । अन्वर्थाः संप्रवर्तन्ते रथनेमिमरा इव ॥

ye caiva bhāvā vartante sarva eṣveva te triṣu | anvarthāḥ saṃpravartante rathanemimarā iva

Whatever states there are, all of them exist in these three alone; they proceed according to their purpose, like the spokes set in the rim of a chariot wheel.

Verse 12 (12.254.12)

प्रदीपार्थं मनः कुर्यादिन्द्रियैर्बुद्धिसत्तमैः । निश्चरद्भिर्यथायोगमुदासीनैर्यदृच्छया ॥

pradīpārthaṃ manaḥ kuryādindriyairbuddhisattamaiḥ | niścaradbhiryathāyogamudāsīnairyadṛcchayā

The mind should act for illumination through the senses, which are guided by the best of intellects, each going out as is fitting, indifferent, and as chance directs.

Verse 13 (12.254.13)

एवं स्वभावमेवेदमिति विद्वान्न मुह्यति । अशोचन्नप्रहृष्यन्हि नित्यं विगतमत्सरः ॥

evaṃ svabhāvamevedamiti vidvānna muhyati | aśocannaprahṛṣyanhi nityaṃ vigatamatsaraḥ

Knowing that this is simply its nature, the wise man is not bewildered: without grief, without exultation, ever free from envy.

Verse 14 (12.254.14)

न चात्मा शक्यते द्रष्टुमिन्द्रियैः कामगोचरैः । प्रवर्तमानैरनयैर्दुर्धर्षैरकृतात्मभिः ॥

na cātmā śakyate draṣṭumindriyaiḥ kāmagocaraiḥ | pravartamānairanayairdurdharṣairakṛtātmabhiḥ

The Self cannot be seen through the senses that range over desires, that run into wrong courses and are unyielding in those whose selves are untrained.

Verse 15 (12.254.15)

तेषां तु मनसा रश्मीन्यदा सम्यङ्नियच्छति । तदा प्रकाशतेऽस्यात्मा दीपदीप्ता यथाऽऽकृतिः ॥

teṣāṃ tu manasā raśmīnyadā samyaṅniyacchati | tadā prakāśate'syātmā dīpadīptā yathā''kṛtiḥ

When one fully draws in their reins with the mind, then the Self shines forth, like a figure lit by a lamp.

Note on the text: Corrected सम्यङ्क्तियच्छति → सम्यङ्नियच्छति (misprint in Wikisource; क्ति for नि, CE 12.240.15a samyaṅ niyacchati). Not marked in the alignment: line 1 = CE 12.240.15a; line 2 is the vulgate's own reading for CE 12.240.15c (tadā prakāśate hy ātmā ghaṭe dīpa iva jvalan).

Verse 16 (12.254.16)

सर्वेषामेव भूतानां मनस्युपरते यथा । प्रकाशं भवते सर्वं तथेदमुपधार्यताम् ॥

sarveṣāmeva bhūtānāṃ manasyuparate yathā | prakāśaṃ bhavate sarvaṃ tathedamupadhāryatām

As, when the mind of every creature has been stilled, everything becomes luminous, so let this be understood.

Note on the text: Not marked in the alignment: line 1 = CE 12.240.15e; line 2 is the CE star passage 12.240.15f*0690_01 (Wikisource मनस्युपरते against CE tamasy apagate is kept as a variant). Not in the critical edition's constituted text (star passage).

Verse 17 (12.254.17)

यथा वारिचरः पक्षी न लिप्यति जले चरन् । विमुक्तात्मा तथा योगी गुणदोषैर्न लिप्यते ॥

yathā vāricaraḥ pakṣī na lipyati jale caran | vimuktātmā tathā yogī guṇadoṣairna lipyate

As a water-bird moving in the water is not wetted by it, so the yogi whose self is freed is not stained by the faults of the qualities.

Note on the text: Not marked in the alignment: line 1 = CE 12.240.16a; line 2 is the CE star passage 12.240.16b*0691_01. Not in the critical edition's constituted text (star passage).

Verse 18 (12.254.18)

एवमेव कृतप्रज्ञो न दोषैर्विषयांश्चरन् । असज्जमानः सर्वेषु कथंचन न लिप्यते ॥

evameva kṛtaprajño na doṣairviṣayāṃścaran | asajjamānaḥ sarveṣu kathaṃcana na lipyate

In the same way one whose wisdom is perfected, though he moves among objects, is not touched by their faults; clinging to nothing, he is in no way stained.

Note on the text: Not marked in the alignment: lines = CE 12.240.16c, 16e.

Verse 19 (12.254.19)

त्यक्त्वा पूर्वकृतं कर्म रतिर्यस्य सदाऽऽत्मनि । सर्वभूतात्मभूतस्य गुणवर्गेष्वसज्जतः ॥

tyaktvā pūrvakṛtaṃ karma ratiryasya sadā''tmani | sarvabhūtātmabhūtasya guṇavargeṣvasajjataḥ

Having given up the deeds done before, whose delight is always in the Self, who has become the Self of all beings and clings to none of the groups of qualities:

Verse 20 (12.254.20)

सत्वमात्मा प्रसरति गुणान्वाऽपि कदाचन । न गुणा विदुरात्मानं गुणान्वेद स सर्वदा ॥

satvamātmā prasarati guṇānvā'pi kadācana | na guṇā vidurātmānaṃ guṇānveda sa sarvadā

at times the Self extends itself through sattva, or through the other qualities; yet the qualities do not know the Self, while it always knows the qualities.

Verse 21 (12.254.21)

परिद्रष्टा गुणानां च परिस्रष्टा यथातथम् । सत्वक्षेत्रज्ञयोरेतदन्तरं विद्धि सूक्ष्मयोः ॥

paridraṣṭā guṇānāṃ ca parisraṣṭā yathātatham | satvakṣetrajñayoretadantaraṃ viddhi sūkṣmayoḥ

The one is the seer of the qualities, the other their maker, in truth. Know this to be the difference between sattva and the Knower of the Field, both of them subtle.

Note on the text: Corrected क्षेतक्षेत्रज्ञयोः → सत्वक्षेत्रज्ञयोः (misprint in Wikisource; 'क्षेत' is not a word, CE 12.240.19c sattvakṣetrajñayoḥ; spelled with a single त after the page's own spelling सत्व). Wikisource परिस्रष्टा against CE sa sraṣṭā is kept as a variant.

Verse 22 (12.254.22)

सृजतेऽत्र गुणानेक एको न सृजते गुणान् । पृथग्भूतौ प्रकृत्या तौ संप्रयुक्तौ च सर्वदा ॥

sṛjate'tra guṇāneka eko na sṛjate guṇān | pṛthagbhūtau prakṛtyā tau saṃprayuktau ca sarvadā

Here one produces the qualities, the other does not produce them; by nature the two are separate, and yet they are always joined.

Verse 23 (12.254.23)

यथा मत्स्योऽद्भिरन्यः स्यात्संप्रयुक्तौ तथैव तौ । मशकोदुम्बरौ वाऽपि संप्रयुक्तौ यथा सह ॥

yathā matsyo'dbhiranyaḥ syātsaṃprayuktau tathaiva tau | maśakodumbarau vā'pi saṃprayuktau yathā saha

As a fish is other than the waters yet joined with them, so are those two joined; or as the gnat and the fig are joined together.

Verse 24 (12.254.24)

इषीका वा यथा मुञ्जे पृथक्च सह चैव च । तथैव सहितावेतावन्योन्यस्मिन्प्रतिष्ठितौ ॥

iṣīkā vā yathā muñje pṛthakca saha caiva ca | tathaiva sahitāvetāvanyonyasminpratiṣṭhitau

Or as the reed is in the munja grass, both apart and together: so these two are together, each resting on the other.