Freedom from Desire: The True Brahmin

Verse 1 (12.257.1)

गन्धान्रसान्नानुरुन्ध्यात्सुखं वा । नालंकारांश्चाप्नुयात्तस्य तस्य । मानं च कीर्तिं च यशश्च नेच्छेत् । स वै प्रचारः पश्यतो ब्राह्मणस्य ॥

gandhānrasānnānurundhyātsukhaṃ vā | nālaṃkārāṃścāpnuyāttasya tasya | mānaṃ ca kīrtiṃ ca yaśaśca necchet | sa vai pracāraḥ paśyato brāhmaṇasya

Let him not give in to scents and tastes, or to comfort; let him not take up ornaments of any kind. Let him wish for no esteem, no glory, no fame. That is the conduct of a brahmin who sees.

Note on the text: Restored from CE 12.243.1 (gandhān rasān nānurundhyāt sukhaṃ vā; nālaṃkārāṃś cāpnuyāt tasya tasya / mānaṃ ca kīrtiṃ ca yaśaś ca necchet; sa vai pracāraḥ paśyato brāhmaṇasya): Wikisource prints this verse (labelled 12-257-1a,b,c) only as the spreadsheet error "#NAME?", the text being lost. Written as four half-lines as in the CE.

Verse 2 (12.257.2)

सर्वान्वेदानधीयीत शुश्रूषुर्ब्रह्मचर्यवान् । ऋचो यजूंषि सामानि वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः ॥

sarvānvedānadhīyīta śuśrūṣurbrahmacaryavān | ṛco yajūṃṣi sāmāni vedavedāṅgapāragaḥ

Let him study all the Vedas, serving his teacher and keeping to the celibate life: the Rik, Yajus and Saman verses, a master who has gone to the far side of the Veda and its limbs.

Note on the text: Restored the start of line 1 (सर्वान्वेदानधीयीत; CE 12.243.2a sarvān vedān adhīyīta), which Wikisource prints as ----नधीयीत, and corrected ऋवो → ऋचो (misprint in Wikisource; CE ṛco). Line 2 (वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः) is the vulgate's own reading for CE 12.243.2c (na tena na sa brāhmaṇaḥ). Not marked in the alignment.

Verse 3 (12.257.3)

ज्ञानी यः सर्वभूतानां सर्ववित्सर्वभूतवित् । नाकामो म्रियते जातु न तेन न च ब्राह्मणः ॥

jñānī yaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ sarvavitsarvabhūtavit | nākāmo mriyate jātu na tena na ca brāhmaṇaḥ

He who is wise in regard to all beings, who knows everything, who knows every creature, yet never dies free of desire: by that he is no brahmin.

Note on the text: Restored the end of line 2 (न तेन न च ब्राह्मणः; CE 12.243.3c), which Wikisource prints as dashes (नाकामो म्रियते जातु-------------), the text being lost. Line 1 is the vulgate's own reading for CE 12.243.3a (jñātivat sarvabhūtānāṃ sarvavit sarvavedavit). Not marked in the alignment.

Verse 4 (12.257.4)

इष्टीश्च विविधाः प्राप्य क्रतूंश्चैवाप्तदक्षिणान् । प्राप्नोति नैव ब्राह्मण्यमविज्ञानात्कथंचन ॥

iṣṭīśca vividhāḥ prāpya kratūṃścaivāptadakṣiṇān | prāpnoti naiva brāhmaṇyamavijñānātkathaṃcana

A man may perform many kinds of offerings and sacrifices with full fees, yet through lack of knowledge he never in any way attains brahminhood.

Note on the text: Restored and corrected line 1 (इष्टीश्च विविधाः प्राप्य क्रतूंश्चैवाप्तदक्षिणान्; CE 12.243.4a iṣṭīś ca vividhāḥ prāpya kratūṃś caivāptadakṣiṇān): Wikisource prints इष्टी------श्राप्य क्रतूश्चवाप्तदाक्षणान् (text lost and letters garbled). Line 2 (अविज्ञानात्) is the vulgate's own reading for CE abhidhyānāt. Not marked in the alignment.

Verse 5 (12.257.5)

यदा चायं न बिभेति यदा चास्मान्न बिभ्यति । यदा नेच्छति न द्वेष्टि ब्रह्म संपद्यते तदा ॥

yadā cāyaṃ na bibheti yadā cāsmānna bibhyati | yadā necchati na dveṣṭi brahma saṃpadyate tadā

When he fears no one, and no one fears him, when he neither desires nor hates, then he becomes Brahman.

Note on the text: Corrected बियति → बिभ्यति (misprint in Wikisource; dropped conjunct, CE 12.243.5a bibhyati).

Verse 6 (12.257.6)

यदा न कुरुते भावं सर्वभूतेषु पापकम् । कर्मणा मनसा वाचा ब्रह्म संपद्यते तदा ॥

yadā na kurute bhāvaṃ sarvabhūteṣu pāpakam | karmaṇā manasā vācā brahma saṃpadyate tadā

When he harbours no evil feeling toward any being, in deed, in thought or in word, then he becomes Brahman.

Verse 7 (12.257.7)

कामबन्धनमेवेदं नान्यदस्तीह बन्धनम् । कामबन्धनमुक्तो हि ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते ॥

kāmabandhanamevedaṃ nānyadastīha bandhanam | kāmabandhanamukto hi brahmabhūyāya kalpate

This is the bond of desire: there is no other bond here. Freed from the bond of desire, one becomes fit for oneness with Brahman.

Verse 8 (12.257.8)

कामतो मुच्यमानस्तु धूमाभ्रादिव चन्द्रमाः । विरजाः कालमाकाङ्क्षन्धीरो धैर्येण वर्तते ॥

kāmato mucyamānastu dhūmābhrādiva candramāḥ | virajāḥ kālamākāṅkṣandhīro dhairyeṇa vartate

Freed from desire, like the moon from a smoky cloud, stainless, awaiting his time, the steadfast man lives with firmness.

Verse 9 (12.257.9)

आपूर्यमाणमचलप्रतिष्ठं । समुद्रमापः प्रविशन्ति यद्वत् । तद्वत्कामा यं प्रविशन्ति सर्वे । स शान्तिमाप्नोति न कामकामः ॥

āpūryamāṇamacalapratiṣṭhaṃ | samudramāpaḥ praviśanti yadvat | tadvatkāmā yaṃ praviśanti sarve | sa śāntimāpnoti na kāmakāmaḥ

As waters enter the ocean, which is full and unmoving in its foundation, so all desires enter the one in whom they come, and he attains peace; not he who is a desirer of desires.

Note on the text: Not marked in the alignment. Four-line verse as printed on the page (12-257-9a,b,c,d): lines 1-2 = CE 12.243.9a; lines 3-4 are the CE star passage 12.243.9c*0693_01-02 (tadvat kāmā yaṃ praviśanti sarve; sa śāntim āpnoti na kāmakāmaḥ), printed in the apparatus after 9c. Not in the critical edition's constituted text (star passage).

Verse 10 (12.257.10)

स कामकान्तो न तु कामकामः । स वै कामात्स्वर्गमुपैति देही ॥

sa kāmakānto na tu kāmakāmaḥ | sa vai kāmātsvargamupaiti dehī

He is the beloved of desires, not a desirer of desires; that embodied one goes from desire to heaven.

Note on the text: Corrected क कामकान्तो → स कामकान्तो (misprint in Wikisource; क for स, CE 12.243.9c sa kāmakānto; the page's own footnote reads सकामकामो). Not marked in the alignment: this is CE 12.243.9c (Wikisource कामात् against CE lokāt is kept as a variant).

Verse 11 (12.257.11)

वेदस्योपनिषद्दानं दानस्योपनिषद्दमः । दमस्योपनिषद्दानं दानस्योपनिषत्तपः ॥

vedasyopaniṣaddānaṃ dānasyopaniṣaddamaḥ | damasyopaniṣaddānaṃ dānasyopaniṣattapaḥ

The secret meaning of the Veda is giving; of giving, self-restraint; of self-restraint, giving; of giving, austerity.

Note on the text: Wikisource prints दानं twice in this chain (वेद → दान → दम → दान → तप); the CE chain is veda → satya → dama → dāna → tapas (12.243.10a, satyam / satyasyopaniṣad). Kept as printed, since each word is valid Sanskrit; flagged as a probable eye-skip error in the source text.

Verse 12 (12.257.12)

तपसोपनिषत्त्यागस्त्यागस्योपनिषत्सुखम् । सुखस्योपनिषत्स्वर्गः स्वर्गस्योपनिषच्छमः ॥

tapasopaniṣattyāgastyāgasyopaniṣatsukham | sukhasyopaniṣatsvargaḥ svargasyopaniṣacchamaḥ

The secret meaning of austerity is renunciation; of renunciation, happiness; of happiness, heaven; and of heaven, tranquillity.

Verse 13 (12.257.13)

क्लेदनं शोकमनसोः संतीर्णं तृष्णया सह । सत्वमृच्छति संतोषाच्छान्तिलक्षणमुत्तमम् ॥

kledanaṃ śokamanasoḥ saṃtīrṇaṃ tṛṣṇayā saha | satvamṛcchati saṃtoṣācchāntilakṣaṇamuttamam

Having crossed the wetting distress of grief and mind together with craving, one reaches, through contentment, the sattva that is the highest mark of peace.

Note on the text: Corrected संतोपाच्छान्ति → संतोषाच्छान्ति (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष, CE 12.243.12c saṃtoṣāc chānti). Wikisource संतीर्णम् and सत्वमृच्छति against CE saṃtāpam and sattvam icchasi are kept as variants.

Verse 14 (12.257.14)

विशोको निर्ममः शांतः प्रशांतात्माऽत्मविच्छुचिः । षड्भिर्लक्षणवानेतैः समग्रः पुनरेष्यति ॥

viśoko nirmamaḥ śāṃtaḥ praśāṃtātmā'tmavicchuciḥ | ṣaḍbhirlakṣaṇavānetaiḥ samagraḥ punareṣyati

Free of sorrow, free of possessiveness, calm, tranquil in self, a knower of the Self, pure: endowed with these six marks, whole, he shall come again.

Note on the text: Corrected पङ्गिर्लक्षणवानेतैः → षड्भिर्लक्षणवानेतैः (misprint in Wikisource; garbled letters, CE 12.243.13c ṣaḍbhir lakṣaṇavān etaiḥ). Wikisource प्रशांतात्माऽत्मविच्छुचिः against CE prasannātmātmavittamaḥ is kept as a variant.

Verse 15 (12.257.15)

षड्भिः सत्वगुणोपेतैः प्राज्ञैरधिगतं त्रिभिः । ये विदुः प्रत्यगात्मानमिहस्थानमृतान्विदुः ॥

ṣaḍbhiḥ satvaguṇopetaiḥ prājñairadhigataṃ tribhiḥ | ye viduḥ pratyagātmānamihasthānamṛtānviduḥ

It is reached by the wise who are endowed with the six qualities of sattva, by three means. Those who know the inner Self know the beings who live here as immortal.

Note on the text: Corrected पङ्भिः → षड्भिः (misprint in Wikisource; garbled letters, CE 12.243.14a ṣaḍbhiḥ). Wikisource प्राज्ञैरधिगतं त्रिभिः and ये विदुः प्रत्यगात्मानमिहस्थानमृतान्विदुः against CE prājñair adhikamantribhiḥ and ye viduḥ pretya cātmānam ihasthāṃs tāṃs tathā viduḥ are kept as variants.

Verse 16 (12.257.16)

अकृत्रिममसंहार्यं प्राकृतं निरुपस्कृतम् । अध्यात्मवित्कृतप्रज्ञः सुखमव्ययमश्नुते ॥

akṛtrimamasaṃhāryaṃ prākṛtaṃ nirupaskṛtam | adhyātmavitkṛtaprajñaḥ sukhamavyayamaśnute

Not made, not to be taken away, natural, unadorned: the knower of the Self, whose wisdom is made firm, enjoys that imperishable happiness.

Verse 17 (12.257.17)

निष्प्रचारं मनः कृत्वा प्रतिष्ठाप्य च सर्वशः । यामयं लभते तुष्टिं सा न शक्याऽऽत्मनोन्यथा ॥

niṣpracāraṃ manaḥ kṛtvā pratiṣṭhāpya ca sarvaśaḥ | yāmayaṃ labhate tuṣṭiṃ sā na śakyā''tmanonyathā

When he has stilled the mind's wandering and set it firm in every respect, the contentment this man then gains cannot be gained by the self in any other way.

Verse 18 (12.257.18)

येन तृप्यत्यभुञ्जानो येन तृप्यत्यवित्तवान् । येनास्नेहो बलं धत्ते यस्तं वेद स वेदवित् ॥

yena tṛpyatyabhuñjāno yena tṛpyatyavittavān | yenāsneho balaṃ dhatte yastaṃ veda sa vedavit

That by which a man is sated though he eats nothing, content though he has no wealth, and strong though free of attachment: whoever knows that is a true knower of the Veda.

Verse 19 (12.257.19)

असङ्गो ह्यात्मनो द्वाराण्यपिधाय विचिन्तयन् । यो ह्यास्ते ब्राह्मणः शिष्टः स आत्मरतिरुच्यते ॥

asaṅgo hyātmano dvārāṇyapidhāya vicintayan | yo hyāste brāhmaṇaḥ śiṣṭaḥ sa ātmaratirucyate

A brahmin, unattached, who sits reflecting with the doors of the self closed, a man of discipline, is said to delight in the Self.

Verse 20 (12.257.20)

समाहितं परे तत्त्वे क्षीणकाममवस्थितम् । सर्वतः सुखमन्वेति वपुश्चान्द्रमसं यथा ॥

samāhitaṃ pare tattve kṣīṇakāmamavasthitam | sarvataḥ sukhamanveti vapuścāndramasaṃ yathā

To one who is composed in the supreme reality, whose desires are spent and who stands firm, happiness comes from every side, like the radiant body of the moon.

Verse 21 (12.257.21)

अविशेषाणि भूतानि गुणांश्च जहतो मुनेः । सुखेनापोह्यते दुःखं भास्करेण तमो यथा ॥

aviśeṣāṇi bhūtāni guṇāṃśca jahato muneḥ | sukhenāpohyate duḥkhaṃ bhāskareṇa tamo yathā

For the sage who lets go of the undifferentiated elements and of the qualities, suffering is driven out by happiness, as darkness is by the sun.

Verse 22 (12.257.22)

तमतिक्रान्तकर्माणमतिक्रान्तगुणक्षयम् । ब्राह्मणं विषयाश्लिष्टं जरामृत्यू न विन्दतः ॥

tamatikrāntakarmāṇamatikrāntaguṇakṣayam | brāhmaṇaṃ viṣayāśliṣṭaṃ jarāmṛtyū na vindataḥ

Him who has gone beyond all action and beyond the wearing away of the qualities, the brahmin untouched by objects, old age and death do not find.

Note on the text: Corrected विपयाश्लिष्टं → विषयाश्लिष्टं (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष, CE 12.243.21c viṣayāśliṣṭam).

Verse 23 (12.257.23)

स यदा सर्वतो मुक्तः समः पर्यवतिष्ठते । इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थांश्च शरीरस्थोऽतिवर्तते ॥

sa yadā sarvato muktaḥ samaḥ paryavatiṣṭhate | indriyāṇīndriyārthāṃśca śarīrastho'tivartate

When he stands wholly freed and even-minded, though he remains in the body he rises above the senses and the objects of the senses.

Verse 24 (12.257.24)

कारणं परमं प्राप्य अतिक्रान्तस्य कार्यताम् । पुनरावर्तनं नास्ति संप्राप्तस्य परात्परम् ॥

kāraṇaṃ paramaṃ prāpya atikrāntasya kāryatām | punarāvartanaṃ nāsti saṃprāptasya parātparam

Having reached the supreme cause, he has passed beyond being an effect; for him who has attained what is higher than the high, there is no return.