Brahma and Rudra on the One Person

Verse 1 (12.360.1)

बहवः पुरुषा ब्रह्मन्नुताहो एक एव तु । को ह्यत्र पुरुषः श्रेष्ठः को वा योनिरिहोच्यते ॥

bahavaḥ puruṣā brahmannutāho eka eva tu | ko hyatra puruṣaḥ śreṣṭhaḥ ko vā yonirihocyate

Are there many Persons, brahmin, or only one? Which Person here is the highest, and what is said to be their source?

Verse 2 (12.360.2)

बहवः पुरुषा लोके साङ्ख्ययोगविचारणे । नैतदिच्छन्ति पुरुषमेकं कुरुकुलोद्वह ॥

bahavaḥ puruṣā loke sāṅkhyayogavicāraṇe | naitadicchanti puruṣamekaṃ kurukulodvaha

In the deliberations of Sankhya and Yoga there are said to be many Persons in the world; those thinkers do not accept a single Person, O scion of the Kuru line.

Note on the text: Corrected साङ्ग्य → साङ्ख्य (misprint in Wikisource; ग for ख; CE sāṃkhyayoga..., and the page itself notes the variant साङ्ख्ययोगविचारणा).

Verse 3 (12.360.3)

बहूनां पुरुषाणां च यथैका योनिरुच्यते । तथा तं पुरुषं विश्वं व्याख्यास्यामि गुणाधिकम् ॥

bahūnāṃ puruṣāṇāṃ ca yathaikā yonirucyate | tathā taṃ puruṣaṃ viśvaṃ vyākhyāsyāmi guṇādhikam

Just as one source is spoken of for the many Persons, so I shall explain that Person, the universal one, who surpasses all in excellence.

Note on the text: Corrected बहनां → बहूनां (misprint in Wikisource; dropped ू; CE bahūnāṃ).

Verse 4 (12.360.4)

नमस्कृत्वा च गुरवे व्यासाय विदितात्मने । तपोयुक्ताय दान्ताय वन्द्याय परमर्षये ॥

namaskṛtvā ca gurave vyāsāya viditātmane | tapoyuktāya dāntāya vandyāya paramarṣaye

Bowing to my teacher Vyasa, the self-realised, rich in austerity, self-controlled, worthy of homage, the supreme sage,

Note on the text: Corrected परमपये → परमर्षये (misprint in Wikisource; पय is not a word; CE paramarṣaye). Wikisource reads विदितात्मने where the CE has अमिततेजसे (amitatejase), and च where the CE has तु; recension variants, kept.

Verse 5 (12.360.5)

इदं पुरुषसूक्तं हि सर्ववेदेषु पार्थिव । ऋतं सत्यं च विख्यातमृषिसिंहेन चिन्तितम् ॥

idaṃ puruṣasūktaṃ hi sarvavedeṣu pārthiva | ṛtaṃ satyaṃ ca vikhyātamṛṣisiṃhena cintitam

this hymn of the Person, O king, found in all the Vedas, famed as the Real and the True, was contemplated by that lion among sages.

Note on the text: Corrected मृपिसिंहेन → मृषिसिंहेन (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष (विख्यातम् + ऋषिसिंहेन); CE ṛṣisiṃhena).

Verse 6 (12.360.6)

उत्सर्गेणापवादेन ऋषिभिः कपिलादिभिः । अध्यात्मचिन्तामाश्रित्य शास्त्राण्युक्तानि भारत ॥

utsargeṇāpavādena ṛṣibhiḥ kapilādibhiḥ | adhyātmacintāmāśritya śāstrāṇyuktāni bhārata

Resting on contemplation of the Self, sages such as Kapila taught the sciences by general rule and by exception, Bharata.

Note on the text: Corrected अध्यान्म → अध्यात्म (misprint in Wikisource; न्म for त्म; CE adhyātma).

Verse 7 (12.360.7)

समासतस्तु यद्व्यासः पुरुषैकत्वमुक्तवान् । तत्तेऽहं संप्रवक्ष्यामि प्रसादादमितौजसः ॥

samāsatastu yadvyāsaḥ puruṣaikatvamuktavān | tatte'haṃ saṃpravakṣyāmi prasādādamitaujasaḥ

What Vyasa said in brief about the oneness of the Person, that I shall tell you, by the grace of the one of boundless might.

Note on the text: Corrected समासतेस्तु → समासतस्तु (misprint in Wikisource; ते for त in the ablative-adverb समासतः; CE samāsatas tu).

Verse 8 (12.360.8)

अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । ब्रह्मणा सह संवादं त्र्यम्बकस्य विशांपते ॥

atrāpyudāharantīmamitihāsaṃ purātanam | brahmaṇā saha saṃvādaṃ tryambakasya viśāṃpate

On this they also cite an ancient story: a conversation between Brahma and Tryambaka, O lord of men.

Verse 9 (12.360.9)

क्षीरोदस्य समुद्रस्य मध्ये हाटकसप्रभः । वैजयन्त इति ख्यातः पर्वतप्रवरो नृप ॥

kṣīrodasya samudrasya madhye hāṭakasaprabhaḥ | vaijayanta iti khyātaḥ parvatapravaro nṛpa

In the middle of the Ocean of Milk there is a mountain shining like gold, famed as Vaijayanta, the finest of mountains, O king.

Verse 10 (12.360.10)

तत्राध्यात्मगतिं देव एकाकी प्रविचिन्तयन् । वैराजसदनान्नित्यं वैजयन्तं निपेवते ॥

tatrādhyātmagatiṃ deva ekākī pravicintayan | vairājasadanānnityaṃ vaijayantaṃ nipevate

There the god, alone, pondering the course of the Self, resorts constantly to Vaijayanta, leaving his abode Vairaja.

Verse 11 (12.360.11)

अथ तत्राऽऽसतस्तस्य चतुर्वक्रस्य धीमतः । ललाटप्रभवः पुत्रः शिव आगाद्यदृच्छया । आकाशेन महायोगी पुरा त्रिनयनः प्रभुः ॥

atha tatrā''satastasya caturvakrasya dhīmataḥ | lalāṭaprabhavaḥ putraḥ śiva āgādyadṛcchayā | ākāśena mahāyogī purā trinayanaḥ prabhuḥ

As the wise four-faced one sat there, his son born from his forehead, Shiva, came there of his own accord, through the sky: the great yogin, the three-eyed Lord of old.

Verse 12 (12.360.12)

ततः खान्निपपाताशु धरणीधरमूर्धनि । अग्रतश्चाभवत्प्रीतो ववन्दे चापि पादयोः ॥

tataḥ khānnipapātāśu dharaṇīdharamūrdhani | agrataścābhavatprīto vavande cāpi pādayoḥ

Then he dropped swiftly from the sky onto the summit of the mountain, stood delighted before him, and bowed at his feet.

Verse 13 (12.360.13)

तं पादयोर्निपतितं दृष्ट्वा सव्येन पाणिना । उत्थापयामास तदा प्रभुरेकः प्रजापतिः । उवाच चैनं भगवांश्चिरस्यागतमात्मजम् ॥

taṃ pādayornipatitaṃ dṛṣṭvā savyena pāṇinā | utthāpayāmāsa tadā prabhurekaḥ prajāpatiḥ | uvāca cainaṃ bhagavāṃścirasyāgatamātmajam

Seeing him fallen at his feet, the one Lord, Prajapati, raised him with his left hand, and the Blessed One spoke to his son, who had come after a long time:

Note on the text: Corrected पादयोनिंपतितं → पादयोर्निपतितं (misprint in Wikisource; broken sandhi (पादयोः + निपतितं); CE pādayor nipatitaṃ). Corrected अत्थापयामास → उत्थापयामास (misprint in Wikisource; अत्थ is not a word; CE utthāpayām āsa). Lines = CE 12.338.13a, 13c and 14a (the CE's 12.338.13-15 are not matched by the automatic alignment).

Verse 14 (12.360.14)

स्वागतं ते महाबाहो दिष्ट्या प्राप्तोसि मेऽन्तिकम् । कच्चित्ते कुशलं पुत्र स्वाध्यायतपसोः सदा । नित्यमुग्रतपास्त्वं हि ततः पृच्छामि ते पुनः ॥

svāgataṃ te mahābāho diṣṭyā prāptosi me'ntikam | kaccitte kuśalaṃ putra svādhyāyatapasoḥ sadā | nityamugratapāstvaṃ hi tataḥ pṛcchāmi te punaḥ

"Welcome, mighty-armed one; it is good fortune that you have come to me. Is all well with you, my son, in your study and austerities? You are ever of fierce austerity, and so I ask you again."

Note on the text: Lines = CE 12.338.14c, 15a and 15c.

Verse 15 (12.360.15)

त्वत्प्रसादेन भगवन्स्वाध्यायतपसोर्मम । कुशलं चाव्ययं चैव सर्वस्य जगतस्त्वथ ॥

tvatprasādena bhagavansvādhyāyatapasormama | kuśalaṃ cāvyayaṃ caiva sarvasya jagatastvatha

"By your grace, Lord, all is well in my study and austerity, and lasting well-being too for the whole world.

Note on the text: Corrected कृशलं → कुशलं (misprint in Wikisource; कृ for कु; CE kuśalaṃ).

Verse 16 (12.360.16)

चिरदृष्टोसि भगवन्वैराजसदने मया । ततोऽहं पर्वतं प्राप्तस्त्विमं त्वत्पादसेवितम् ॥

ciradṛṣṭosi bhagavanvairājasadane mayā | tato'haṃ parvataṃ prāptastvimaṃ tvatpādasevitam

Lord, it was long ago that I last saw you in your abode Vairaja; so I have come to this mountain, which your feet have made their haunt.

Note on the text: Corrected चिरदृष्टोमि → चिरदृष्टोसि (misprint in Wikisource; मि for सि: the first person is impossible with भगवन् and मया; the sense is "you were seen long ago by me" (CE ciradṛṣṭo hi bhagavān)).

Verse 17 (12.360.17)

कौतूहलं चापि हि मे एकान्तगमनेन ते । नैतत्कारणमल्पं हि भविष्यति पितामह ॥

kautūhalaṃ cāpi hi me ekāntagamanena te | naitatkāraṇamalpaṃ hi bhaviṣyati pitāmaha

And I am curious about your going off alone; this cannot be a trifling reason, Grandsire.

Verse 18 (12.360.18)

किंनु तत्सदनं श्रेष्ठं क्षुत्पिपासाविवर्जितम् । सुरासुरैरध्युपितमृषिभिश्चामितप्रभैः ॥

kiṃnu tatsadanaṃ śreṣṭhaṃ kṣutpipāsāvivarjitam | surāsurairadhyupitamṛṣibhiścāmitaprabhaiḥ

What of that excellent abode, free of hunger and thirst, where gods and demons dwell, and sages of boundless radiance,

Verse 19 (12.360.19)

गन्धर्वैरेप्सरोभिश्च सततं संनिषेवितम् । उत्सृज्येमं गिरिवरमेकाकी प्राप्तवानसि ॥

gandharvairepsarobhiśca satataṃ saṃniṣevitam | utsṛjyemaṃ girivaramekākī prāptavānasi

which Gandharvas and Apsarases ever attend? You have left it and come alone to this great mountain.

Verse 20 (12.360.20)

वैजयन्तो गिरिवरः सततं सेव्यते मया । अत्रैकाग्रेण मनसा पुरुषश्चिन्त्यते विराट् ॥

vaijayanto girivaraḥ satataṃ sevyate mayā | atraikāgreṇa manasā puruṣaścintyate virāṭ

"I always resort to this great mountain Vaijayanta. Here, with a single-pointed mind, the Person, the Cosmic One, is contemplated."

Verse 21 (12.360.21)

बहवः पुरुषा ब्रह्मंस्त्वया सृष्टाः स्वयंभुव । सृज्यन्ते चापरे ब्रह्मन्स चैकः पुरुषो विराट् ॥

bahavaḥ puruṣā brahmaṃstvayā sṛṣṭāḥ svayaṃbhuva | sṛjyante cāpare brahmansa caikaḥ puruṣo virāṭ

"Many persons have been created by you, self-born Brahma, and others are still being created; and there is that one Person, the Cosmic One.

Verse 22 (12.360.22)

को ह्यसौ चिन्त्यते ब्रह्मंस्त्वयैकः पुरुषोत्तमः । एतन्मे संशयं छिन्धि महत्कौतूहलं हि मे ॥

ko hyasau cintyate brahmaṃstvayaikaḥ puruṣottamaḥ | etanme saṃśayaṃ chindhi mahatkautūhalaṃ hi me

Who is that one, the Supreme Person, whom you contemplate, Brahma? Dispel this doubt of mine, for I am greatly curious."

Verse 23 (12.360.23)

बहवः पुरुषाः पुत्र त्वया ये समुदाहृताः । एवमेतदतिक्रान्तं द्रष्टव्यं नैवमित्यपि ॥

bahavaḥ puruṣāḥ putra tvayā ye samudāhṛtāḥ | evametadatikrāntaṃ draṣṭavyaṃ naivamityapi

"As for the many persons you have named, son, it is so, but it has been passed beyond; it is to be seen thus, and yet not thus.

Note on the text: Lines = CE 12.338.24a and 24c.

Verse 24 (12.360.24)

आधारं तु प्रवक्ष्यामि एकस्य पुरुषस्य ते । बहूनां पुरुषाणां स यथैका योनिरुच्यते ॥

ādhāraṃ tu pravakṣyāmi ekasya puruṣasya te | bahūnāṃ puruṣāṇāṃ sa yathaikā yonirucyate

I shall tell you the support of the one Person, in that he is called the single source of the many Persons.

Note on the text: Lines = CE 12.338.24e and 25a.

Verse 25 (12.360.25)

तथा तं पुरुषं विश्वं परमं सुमहत्तमम् । निर्गुणं निर्गुणा भूत्वा प्रविशन्ति सनातनम् ॥

tathā taṃ puruṣaṃ viśvaṃ paramaṃ sumahattamam | nirguṇaṃ nirguṇā bhūtvā praviśanti sanātanam

So the many, having become free of qualities, enter that Person, the universal, supreme and greatest, the eternal, free of qualities."

Note on the text: Lines = CE 12.338.25c and 25e.