Kapila Explains the Unmanifest, the Manifest and Egoism

Verse 1 (12.327.1)

यद्भवानाह किं व्यक्तं किमव्यक्तमिति अत्र ब्रूमः ॥

yadbhavānāha kiṃ vyaktaṃ kimavyaktamiti atra brūmaḥ

As for what you ask — what is the manifest and what the unmanifest — on this we say:

Note on the text: Moved the speaker heading "कपिल उवाच" (with the stray backtick Wikisource prints before it) out of the Sanskrit into the speaker field. Corrected व्यक्तिं → व्यक्तं (misprint in Wikisource; the question is "what is the manifest", CE kiṃ vyaktam). Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.29A, line 14 (12,308.191d@029A_0014), printed after the speaker line "kapila uvāca".

Verse 2 (12.327.2)

अव्यक्तमग्राह्यमतर्क्यमपरिमेयमव्यक्तं व्यक्तमुपलक्ष्यते यथर्तवोऽमूर्तयस्तेषु पुष्पफलैर्व्यक्तिरुपलक्ष्यते तद्वद्व्यक्तगुणैरुपलक्ष्यते ॥

avyaktamagrāhyamatarkyamaparimeyamavyaktaṃ vyaktamupalakṣyate yathartavo'mūrtayasteṣu puṣpaphalairvyaktirupalakṣyate tadvadvyaktaguṇairupalakṣyate

The unmanifest is ungraspable, beyond reasoning, immeasurable — the unmanifest. The manifest is what is perceived. Just as the seasons, which have no form, are perceived through the flowers and fruits that mark them, so it is perceived through its manifest qualities.

Note on the text: Corrected मूर्तयः → ऽमूर्तयः (a missing avagraha that reverses the sense in Wikisource; CE yathartavo 'mūrtayas, the seasons are formless). Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.29A, lines 14–16 (12,308.191d@029A_0014–0016); CE tadvad avyaktaṃ guṇair against Wikisource तद्वद्व्यक्तगुणैः is a recension variant, kept.

Verse 3 (12.327.3)

प्राग्गतं प्रत्यग्गतमूर्ध्वमधस्तिर्यक्च सतश्चाननुग्राह्यत्वात्साऽकृतिः ॥

prāggataṃ pratyaggatamūrdhvamadhastiryakca sataścānanugrāhyatvātsā'kṛtiḥ

It goes forward and backward, upward, downward and across; and because what exists cannot be apprehended, it has a form.

Note on the text: Corrected शतश्चानुग्राह्य → सतश्चाननुग्राह्य (misprint in Wikisource: श for स, and the न of अननुग्राह्य dropped; CE sataś cānanugrāhyatvāt). Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.29A, lines 17–18 (12,308.191d@029A_0017–0018). The sense is obscure; rendered closely.

Verse 4 (12.327.4)

व्यक्त उत्तमो रजः सत्वं तत्प्रधानं तत्वमक्षमजरमित्येवमादीन्यव्यक्तनामानि भवन्ति । एवमाह ॥

vyakta uttamo rajaḥ satvaṃ tatpradhānaṃ tatvamakṣamajaramityevamādīnyavyaktanāmāni bhavanti | evamāha

"Manifest", "the highest", rajas, sattva, "that primal nature", "the principle", "the imperishable", "the ageless" — these and the like are the names of the unmanifest. So it is said:

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.29A, lines 19–21 (12,308.191d@029A_0019–0021). The list of names is corrupt in Wikisource (व्यक्त उत्तमो … तत्त्वमक्षमजरम्; the CE has avyaktasya tamo rajaḥ sattvaṃ tat pradhānaṃ tattvaṃ paraṃ kṣetram | salilam amṛtam abhayam avyaktam akṣaram ajaṃ jīvam); kept as printed and rendered word by word.

Verse 5 (12.327.5)

अव्यक्तं बीजधर्माणं महाग्राहमचेतनम् । तस्मादेकगुणो जज्ञे तद्व्यक्तं तत्वमीश्वरः ॥

avyaktaṃ bījadharmāṇaṃ mahāgrāhamacetanam | tasmādekaguṇo jajñe tadvyaktaṃ tatvamīśvaraḥ

The unmanifest has the nature of a seed, is a great holder, and is without consciousness. From it was born the one with a single quality: that is the manifest, the principle, the lord.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.29A, lines 22–23 (12,308.191d@029A_0022–0023).

Verse 6 (12.327.6)

तदेतदव्यक्तम्। प्रसवधारणादानस्वभावमापोधारणे प्रजनने दाने गुणानां प्रकृतिः सपराप्रमत्तं तदेतदस्मिन्कार्यकरणे ॥

tadetadavyaktam | prasavadhāraṇādānasvabhāvamāpodhāraṇe prajanane dāne guṇānāṃ prakṛtiḥ saparāpramattaṃ tadetadasminkāryakaraṇe

This, then, is the unmanifest. Its nature is to bring forth, to bear and to take up. In bearing, in generating and in giving, it is the primal nature of the qualities, unfailingly alert, in this one working of cause and effect.

Note on the text: Corrected प्रस्नवा घारणादान → प्रसवधारणादान (misprint in Wikisource; "prasava-dhāraṇa-ādāna", CE prasavadhāraṇādānasvabhāvam). Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.29A, lines 24–25 (12,308.191d@029A_0024–0025); the CE then marks a gap (a line of asterisks, @029A_0026) before the next passage. The rest of the line (सपराप्रमत्तं तदेतदस्मिन्कार्यकरणे, CE sadā parāpramattaṃ tad ekasmin kāryakāraṇe) is a recension variant, kept; the sense is obscure and rendered closely.

Verse 7 (12.327.7)

यदप्युक्तं किं व्यक्तमिति तत्र ब्रूमः। व्यक्तं नामाऽऽसुरे यत्पूर्वमव्यक्तादुत्पन्नतत्वमीश्वरमप्रतिबुद्धगुणस्थमेतत्पुरुषसंज्ञिकं महदित्युक्तं बुद्धिरिति च। सत्ता स्मृतिर्धृतिर्मेधा व्यवसायः समाधिप्राप्तिरित्येवमादीनि व्यक्तपर्याये नामानि वदन्त्येवमाह ॥

yadapyuktaṃ kiṃ vyaktamiti tatra brūmaḥ | vyaktaṃ nāmā''sure yatpūrvamavyaktādutpannatatvamīśvaramapratibuddhaguṇasthametatpuruṣasaṃjñikaṃ mahadityuktaṃ buddhiriti ca | sattā smṛtirdhṛtirmedhā vyavasāyaḥ samādhiprāptirityevamādīni vyaktaparyāye nāmāni vadantyevamāha

As for what you also asked — what is the manifest — on this we say: the manifest, Asuri, is what first arose from the unmanifest: the principle, the lord, resting in the qualities that are not yet awakened, which is named the puruṣa, called "the great" (mahat) and also "buddhi". Being, memory, understanding, wisdom, resolve, concentration, attainment — these and the like they give as synonyms of the manifest. So it is said:

Note on the text: Corrected किमव्यक्तमिति → किं व्यक्तमिति (misprint in Wikisource; this answer defines the manifest, CE kiṃ vyaktam) and गुणस्यगेतत् → गुणस्थमेतत् (misprint; CE guṇastham etat). Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.29A, lines 27–31 (12,308.191d@029A_0027–0031). Wikisource lacks the CE words धृतिरिति च and मतिः in the list of names; a recension variant, kept.

Verse 8 (12.327.8)

मम व्यक्तादुपात्तासिद्धिरागता संयमश्च महद्यतः । परसर्गश्च दीप्त्यर्थमौत्सुक्यं च परं तथा ॥

mama vyaktādupāttāsiddhirāgatā saṃyamaśca mahadyataḥ | parasargaśca dīptyarthamautsukyaṃ ca paraṃ tathā

From the manifest came to me an attained perfection, and restraint, since from it comes the great; and the creation of another for the sake of radiance, and an eager longing for the highest likewise.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.29A, lines 32–33 (12,308.191d@029A_0032–0033). Wikisource wording differs substantially from the CE (mahataḥ siddhir āyattā saṃśayaś ca mahān yataḥ | putrasargasya dīptyartham …); a recension variant, kept. The sense is obscure and rendered closely.

Verse 9 (12.327.9)

यदेषोर्ध्वस्रोताभिर्महत्वादप्रतिबुद्धत्वाच्चात्मनः प्रकरोत्यहंकारमव्यक्ताव्यक्ततरम् ॥

yadeṣordhvasrotābhirmahatvādapratibuddhatvāccātmanaḥ prakarotyahaṃkāramavyaktāvyaktataram

Because it is driven by the upward currents, through its greatness and the self's not yet being awake, it brings forth egoism, the "more unmanifest than the unmanifest".

Note on the text: Corrected ऊर्ध्य → ऊर्ध्व (misprint in Wikisource; "upward", CE ūrdhvasrotas) and यकरोति → प्रकरोति (misprint; CE prakaroti). Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.29A, lines 34–35 (12,308.191d@029A_0034–0035); the wording differs from the CE (tad evordhvasrotobhimukhatvād …), a recension variant, kept.

Verse 10 (12.327.10)

यदप्युक्तं किं व्यक्ताव्यक्ततरमिति अत्र ब्रूमः ॥

yadapyuktaṃ kiṃ vyaktāvyaktataramiti atra brūmaḥ

As for what you also asked — what is the "manifest-unmanifest" — on this we say:

Note on the text: Corrected किमव्यक्ततरमिति → किं व्यक्ताव्यक्ततरमिति (misprint in Wikisource; the syllables व्यक्ता are dropped, CE kiṃ vyaktāvyaktataram). Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.29A, line 36 (12,308.191d@029A_0036).

Verse 11 (12.327.11)

व्यक्ताव्यक्ततरं नाम तृतीयं पुरुषसंज्ञकम् । तदेतदुभयोर्विरिञ्चवैरिञ्चयोरेकैक उत्पत्तिः । विरिञ्चोऽभिमानिन्यविवेक ईर्ष्या कामः क्रोधो लोभो मदो दर्पो ममकारश्चैतान्यहंकारपर्यायनामानि भवन्त्येवमाह ॥

vyaktāvyaktataraṃ nāma tṛtīyaṃ puruṣasaṃjñakam | tadetadubhayorviriñcavairiñcayorekaika utpattiḥ | viriñco'bhimāninyaviveka īrṣyā kāmaḥ krodho lobho mado darpo mamakāraścaitānyahaṃkāraparyāyanāmāni bhavantyevamāha

The "manifest-unmanifest" is the third, named the puruṣa. For these two, Viriñca and Vairiñca, the origin is one by one. Viriñca (Brahma), the conceited one, lack of discernment, envy, desire, anger, greed, intoxication, arrogance and the sense of "mine" — these are the synonyms of egoism. So it is said:

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.29A, lines 36–40 (12,308.191d@029A_0036–0040). The row holds Wikisource lines 11a, 11b and 12b. Wikisource मदः against CE mohaḥ in the list, and विरिञ्च-/एकैक against CE viriñci-/ekaikaśa, are recension variants, kept.

Verse 12 (12.327.12)

अहं कर्तेत्यहंकर्ता ससृजे विश्वमीश्वरः । तृतीयमेनं पुरुषमभिमानगुणं विदुः ॥

ahaṃ kartetyahaṃkartā sasṛje viśvamīśvaraḥ | tṛtīyamenaṃ puruṣamabhimānaguṇaṃ viduḥ

"I am the doer" — so the maker of the "I" created the world, the lord. They know this as the third puruṣa, whose quality is conceit.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.29A, lines 41–42 (12,308.191d@029A_0041–0042).

Verse 13 (12.327.13)

अहंकाराद्युगपदुत्पादयामास पञ्च महाभूतानि शब्दस्पर्शरूपरसगन्धलक्षणानि। तान्येव बुद्ध्यन्त इत्येवमाह ॥

ahaṃkārādyugapadutpādayāmāsa pañca mahābhūtāni śabdasparśarūparasagandhalakṣaṇāni | tānyeva buddhyanta ityevamāha

From egoism he produced at once the five great elements, marked by sound, touch, form, taste and smell; these are what are perceived. So it is said:

Note on the text: Corrected उन्मादयामास → उत्पादयामास (misprint in Wikisource; उन्मादयामास means "drove mad", CE utpādayām āsa). Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.29A, lines 43–44 (12,308.191d@029A_0043–0044).

Verse 14 (12.327.14)

भूतसङ्घमहङ्काराद्यो विद्वानवबुध्यते । अभिमानमतिक्रम्य महान्तं प्रतितिष्ठते ॥

bhūtasaṅghamahaṅkārādyo vidvānavabudhyate | abhimānamatikramya mahāntaṃ pratitiṣṭhate

The wise man who understands the host of the elements as arising from egoism passes beyond conceit and takes his stand in the Great.

Note on the text: Corrected अवबुध्यसे → अवबुध्यते (misprint in Wikisource; the relative clause needs the third person, CE avabudhyate). Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.29A, lines 45–46 (12,308.191d@029A_0045–0046); Wikisource भूतसङ्घम् against CE bhūtasargam is a recension variant, kept.

Verse 15 (12.327.15)

भूतेषु चाप्यहंकारमश्वरूपस्तथोच्यते । पुनर्विषयहेत्वर्थे स मनस्संज्ञकः स्मृतः । विखराद्वैखरं युगपदिन्द्रियैः सहोत्पादयति। श्रोत्रं घ्राणं चक्षुर्जिह्वा त्वगित्येतानि शब्दस्पर्शरूपरसगन्धानवबुध्यन्त इति पञ्च बुद्धीन्द्रियाणि वदन्त्येवमाहुराचार्याः । वाग्घस्तौ पादपायुरानन्दश्चेति पञ्चेन्द्रियाणि विशेषमादित्योऽश्विनौ नक्षत्राणीत्येतानीन्द्रियाणां पर्यायनामानि वदन्त्येवमाह ॥

bhūteṣu cāpyahaṃkāramaśvarūpastathocyate | punarviṣayahetvarthe sa manassaṃjñakaḥ smṛtaḥ | vikharādvaikharaṃ yugapadindriyaiḥ sahotpādayati | śrotraṃ ghrāṇaṃ cakṣurjihvā tvagityetāni śabdasparśarūparasagandhānavabudhyanta iti pañca buddhīndriyāṇi vadantyevamāhurācāryāḥ | vāgghastau pādapāyurānandaśceti pañcendriyāṇi viśeṣamādityo'śvinau nakṣatrāṇītyetānīndriyāṇāṃ paryāyanāmāni vadantyevamāha

And among the elements egoism, of a horse-like form, is likewise spoken of; again, for the sake of the objects, it is called the mind (manas). From the "vikhara" it brings forth the "vaikhara" together with the senses, all at once. Ear, nose, eye, tongue and skin — these perceive sound, touch, form, taste and smell, and so they speak of the five organs of knowledge; thus the teachers say. Speech, hands, feet, the organ of excretion and the organ of pleasure — these are the five organs of action, the specifics. The Sun, the Ashvins and the constellations — these are called synonyms of the senses. So it is said:

Note on the text: Corrected आदित्योश्वीनि → आदित्योऽश्विनौ (misprint in Wikisource; the Sun and the Ashvins, CE ādityo 'śvinau). Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.29A, lines 47–54 (12,308.191d@029A_0047–0054); the row holds Wikisource lines 16a, 16b, 17b and 18b. अश्वरूपः (CE asarūpaḥ) and विशेषम् (CE viśeṣāḥ) are kept as printed; the first is rendered as printed.

Verse 16 (12.327.16)

अहंकारात्तथा भूतान्युत्पाद्य महदात्मनोः । वैखरत्वं ततो ज्ञात्वा वैखरो विषयात्मकः ॥

ahaṃkārāttathā bhūtānyutpādya mahadātmanoḥ | vaikharatvaṃ tato jñātvā vaikharo viṣayātmakaḥ

Having brought forth the elements from egoism and from the great and the self, and then knowing the vaikhara state, the vaikhara is made of the objects.

Note on the text: Corrected ततो राज्ञा वैखर्यो → ततो ज्ञात्वा वैखरो (misprint in Wikisource; "by the king" has no place here, CE tato jñātvā vaikharo). Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.29A, lines 55–56 (12,308.191d@029A_0055–0056).

Verse 17 (12.327.17)

विकारस्थमहंकारमवबुध्याथ मानवः । महदैश्वर्यमाप्नोति यावदाचन्द्रतारकम् ॥

vikārasthamahaṃkāramavabudhyātha mānavaḥ | mahadaiśvaryamāpnoti yāvadācandratārakam

A man who understands egoism as resting in modification attains great lordship that lasts as long as the moon and the stars.

Note on the text: Removed the stray quote mark and doubled daṇḍa Wikisource prints at the end (आचन्द्रतारकम्।।') and restored the verse-end ॥. Not in the critical edition's main text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.29A, lines 57–58 (12,308.191d@029A_0057–0058).