युधिष्ठिर उवाच किं तदक्षरमित्युक्तं यस्मानावर्तते पुनः। किं च तत्क्षरमित्युक्तं यस्मादावर्तते पुनः॥
What is that which is called Undecaying and by acquiring which no one has to return? What, again, is that which is called Decaying, and by acquiring which one has to return once more?
अक्षरक्षरयोर्व्यक्तिं पृच्छाम्यरिनिषूदन्। उपलब्धं महाबाहो तत्त्वेन कुरुनन्दन।॥
O destroyer of enemies, I ask you the distinction that exists, O you of mighty arms, between the Decaying and the Undecaying ones for understanding them both truly, O delighter of the Kurus.
त्वं हि ज्ञानानिधिविप्रेसच्यसे वेदपारगैः। ऋषिभिश्च महाभागैर्यतिभिश्च महात्मभिः॥
Brahmans conversant with the Vedas, speak of you as on Ocean of knowledge. Highly blessed Rishis and Yatis of great souls do the Salme.
शेषमल्पं दिनानां ते दक्षिणायनभास्करे। आवृते भगवत्यर्के गन्तासि परमां गतिम्॥
You have very few days to live. When the Sun turns from his southern solstice for entering into the northern, you will attain to your high end.
त्वयि प्रतिगते श्रेयः : कुतः श्रोष्यामहे वयम्। कुरुवंशप्रदीपस्त्वं ज्ञानदीपेन दीप्यसे॥
When you will leave us, from whom shall we hear of all that is wholesome for us? You are the lamp of Kuru's race. Indeed, you are always shining with the light of knowledge.
तदेतच्छ्रोतुमिच्छामि त्वत्तः कुरुकुलोद्वह। न तृप्यामीह राजेन्द्र शृण्वन्नमृतमीदृशम्॥
O perpetuator of Kuru's race, I wish, therefore, to hear all this from you. Listening to your discourses which are always sweet like nectar, my curiosity, without being satiated, is always increasing.
भीष्म उवाच अत्र ते वर्तयिष्यामि इतिहासं पुरातनम्। वसिष्ठस्य च संवादं करालजनकस्य च॥
Bhishma said I shall, regarding it, relate to you the old discourse that took place between Vashishtha and king Karala of Janaka's race.
वसिष्ठं श्रेष्ठमासीनमृषीणां भास्करद्युतिम्। पप्रच्छ जनको राजा ज्ञानं नैःश्रेयसं परम्॥
Once on a time when that foremost of Rishis, viz., Vashishtha, effulgent like the Sun, was seated at his ease, king Janaka asked him about that highest knowledge which is for our supreme behoof.
परमध्यात्मकुशलमध्यात्मगतिनिश्चयम्। मैत्रावरुणिमासीनमभिवाद्य कृताञ्जलिः॥ स्वक्षरं प्रश्रितं वाक्यं मधुरं चाप्यनुल्बणम्। पप्रच्छर्षिवरं राजा करालजनकः पुरा॥ भगवश्रोतुमिच्छामि परं ब्रह्म सनातनम्। यस्मान्न पुनरावृत्तिमाप्नुवन्ति मनीषिणः॥
A perfect adept in that department of knowledge which is about the Soul and gifted with sure conclusions about all branches of that science, as Mairtravaruni, that foremost of Rishis, was seated, the king, approaching him with joined hands, asked him in humble words, well said and sweet and shorn of all controversial spirit, this question,-O holy one, I wish to hear of Supreme and Eternal Brahma by attaining to which men of wisdom have not to return.
यच्च तत् क्षरमित्युक्तं यत्रेदं क्षरते जगत्। यच्चाक्षरमिति प्रोक्तं शिवं क्षेम्यमनामयम्॥
I wish also to know that which is called Destructible and That into which this universe goes when destroyed. Indeed, what is That which is said to be indestructible. Auspicious, wholesome and free from all sorts of evil.
वसिष्ठ उवाच श्रूयतां पृथिवीपाल क्षरतीदं यथा जगत्। यन्न क्षरति पूर्वेण यावत्कालेन वाप्यथ॥
Hear, O king, as to how this universe is destroyed, and of That which was never destroyed and which will never be destroyed at any time.
युगं द्वादशसाहस्रं कल्पं विद्धि चतुर्युगम्। दशकल्पशतावृत्तमहस्तद् ब्राह्ममुच्यते॥
Twelve thousand years make a cycle. Four such cycles, taken a thousand times, make a Kalpa which measures one day of Brahman.
रात्रिश्चैतावती राजन् यस्यान्ते प्रतिबुद्ध्यते। सृजत्यनन्तकर्माणं महान्तं भूतमग्रजम्॥ मूर्तिमन्तममूर्तात्मा विश्वं शम्भुः स्वयम्भुवः। अणिमा लघिमा प्राप्तिरीशानं ज्योतिरव्ययम्॥ सर्वतः पाणिपादं तत् सर्वतोऽक्षिशिरोमुखम्। सर्वतःश्रुतिमल्लोके सर्वमावृत्य तिष्ठति॥
Brahman's night also, O king, is of the same measure. When Brahman himself is destroyed, Shambhu of formless soul and to whom the Yoga attributes of lightness, heaviness, etc., naturally stick, awakes, and once more creates that First of all creatures, possessed of huge proportions, of infinite deeds, endued with form, and at one with the universe. That Shambhu is otherwise called Ishana. He is pure Effulgence, and is above all decay, having his hands and feet stretching on all sides with eyes and head and mouth cverywhere, and with ears also in every place. That Being exists, possessing the entire universe.
हिरण्यगर्भो भगवानेष बुद्धिरिति स्मृतः। महानिति च योगेषु विरिञ्चिरिति चाप्यजः॥
The eldest-born Being is called Hiranyagarbha. This holy one has been called the Understanding. In the Yoga scriptures, He is called the Great, and Virinchi, and the Unborn.
सांख्ये च पठ्यते शास्त्रे नामभिर्वहुधात्मकः। विचित्ररूपो विश्वात्मा एकाक्षर इति स्मृतः॥
In the Sankhya system, He is described by diverse names, and considered as having Infinity for his Soul. Of various forms and constituting the soul of the universe, He is considered as One and Indestructible.
वृतं नैकात्मकं येन कृतं त्रैलोक्यमात्मना। तथैव बहुरूपत्वाद् विश्वरूप इति स्मृतः॥
The three worlds of numberless ingredients have been created by Him without help from any source and have been overwhelmed by him. On account of His manifold forins, He is said to be of universal form.
एष वै विक्रियापन्नः सृजत्यात्मानमात्मना। अहङ्कारं महातेजाः प्रजापतिमहंकृतम्॥
Undergoing changes He creates Himself. Gifted with great energy, He first creates Consciousness and that Great Being called Prajapati endued with Consciousness.
अव्यक्ताद् व्यक्तमापन्नं विद्यासगं वदन्ति तम्। महान्तं चाप्यहङ्कारमविद्यासर्गमेव च॥
The Manifest is created from the Unmanifest. This is called by the learned the Creation of Knowledge. The creation of (Virat) and Consciousness, by Hiranyagarbha, is the Creation of Ignorance.
अविधिश्च विधिश्चैव समुत्पन्नौ तथैकतः। विद्याविद्येति विख्याते श्रुतिशास्त्रार्थचिन्तकैः॥
Allotment of attributes and the destruction thereof, called respectively by the names of Ignorance and Knowledge by persons learned in the Shrutis, then arose, referring to this, that, or the other of the three.
भूतसर्गमहङ्कारात् तृतीयं विद्धि पार्थिवा अहङ्कारेषु सर्वेषु चतुर्थं विद्धि वैकृतम्॥
Know, O king, that the creation of the elements from Consciousness is the third. In all the kinds of Consciousness is the fourth creation which originates from modification of the third.
वायुयोतिरथाकाशमापोऽथ पृथिवी तथा। शब्दः स्पर्शश्च रूपं च रसो गन्धस्तथैव च॥
This fourth creation consists of Wind and Light and Ether and Water and Earth, with their properties of sound, touch, form, taste, and scent. arose
एवं युगपदुत्पन्नं दशवर्गमसंशयम्। पञ्चमं विद्धि राजेन्द्र भौतिकं सर्गमर्थवत्॥
This aggregate of ten arose, forsooth, at the same time. The fifth creation, O king, is that which has originated, from combinations of the principal elements.
श्रोत्रं त्वक् चक्षुषी जिह्वा घ्राणमेव च पञ्चमम्। वाक् च हस्तौ च पादौ च पायुर्मेदूं तथैव च॥
This comprises the ear, the skin, the eyes, the tongue, and the nose forming the fifth, and speech, and the two hands, and the two legs, and the lower canal, and the organs of generation.
बुद्धीन्द्रियाणि चैतानि तथा कर्मेन्द्रियाणि च। सम्भूतानीह युगपन्मनसा सह पार्थिव॥
The first five of those form the organs of knowledge, and the last five the organs of action. All these, with mind, simultaneously, O king.
एषा तत्त्वचतुर्विंशा सर्वाकृतिषु वर्तते। यां ज्ञात्वा नाभिशोचन्ति ब्राह्मणास्तत्त्वदर्शिनः॥
These form the twenty-four topics that exist in the forms of all living creatures. By understanding these properly. these properly. Brahmanas endued with insight into the truth have never to give way to sorrow.
एतद् देहं समाख्यातं त्रैलोक्ये सर्वदेहिषु। वेदितव्यं नरश्रेष्ठ सदेवनरदानवे॥ सयक्षभूतगन्धर्वे सकिन्नरमहोरगे। सचारणपिशाचे वै सदेवर्षिनिशाचरे॥ सदंशकीटमशके सपूतिकृमिमूषिके। शुनि श्वपाके चैणे ये सचाण्डाले सपुल्कसे॥ हस्त्यश्वखरशार्दूले सवृक्षे गवि चैव ह। यच्च मूर्तिमयं किंचित् सर्वत्रैतन्निदर्शनम्॥ जले भुवि तथाऽऽकाशे नान्यत्रेति विनिश्चयः। स्थानं देहवतामासीदित्येवमनुशुश्रुम॥
In the three worlds a combination of these, called body, is possessed by all embodied Creatures. Indeed, O king, a combination of those is known as such in gods and men and Danavas, in Yakshas and spirits and Gandharvas, and Kinnaras and great snakes, and Charanas and Pishachas, in celestial Rishis and Rakshasas, in biting flies, and worins, and gnats, and vermin born of filth and rats, and dogs and Shvapakas and Chaineyas and Chandalas and Pukkasas, in elephants and horse and asses and tigers, and trees, and kine. Whatever other creatures exist in water or ether or on earth, for there is on other place in which creatures exist as we have heard, have this combination.
कृत्स्नमेतावतस्तात क्षरते व्यक्तसंज्ञितम्। अहन्यहनि भूतात्मा ततः क्षर इति स्मृतः॥
All these, O sire, included within the class called Manifest, are seen to be destroyed day after day. Hence, all creatures begotten by union of these twenty-four are said to be destructible.
एतदक्षरमित्युक्तं क्षरतीदं यथा जगत्। जगन्मोहात्मकं प्राहुरव्यक्ताद् व्यक्तसंज्ञकम्॥
This then is the Indestructible. And since the universe, which is made up of Manifest and Unmanifest, is destroyed, therefore, it is said to be Destructible.
महांश्चैवाग्रजो नित्यमेतत् क्षरनिदर्शनम्। कथितं ते महाराज यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि॥
The Very Being called Mahan who is the first born is always spoken of as an instance of the Destructible. I have now told you, O king, all that you had asked me.
पञ्चविंशतिमो विष्णुर्निस्तत्त्वस्तत्त्वसंज्ञितः। तत्त्वसंश्रयणादेतत् तत्त्वमाहुर्मनीषिणः॥
Above the twenty-four topics already referred to is the twenty-fifth called Vishnu. That Vishnu, on account of the absence of all qualities, is not a topic though as that which permeates all the topics, he has been called so by the wise.
यन्मय॑मसृजद् व्यक्तं तत्तन्मूर्त्यधितिष्ठति। चतुर्विंशतिमोऽव्यक्तो ह्यमूर्तः पञ्चविंशकः॥
Since that which is destructible has caused all this that is Manifest, therefore, all this is gifted with form. The twenty-fourth, which is Nature, is said to lord over all this. The twentyfifth, which is Vishnu, is formless and, therefore, cannot be said to lord over the universe.
स एव हृदि सर्वासु मूर्तिष्वातिष्ठतेऽऽत्मवान्। केवलश्चेतनो नित्यः सर्वमूर्तिरमूर्तिमान्॥
It is that Unmanifest, which, when endued with body lives in the hearts of all creatures having body. As regards eternal Consciousness, although he is shorn of attributes and without form, yet he assumes all forins.
सर्गप्रलयधर्मिण्या असर्गप्रलयात्मकः। गोचरे वर्तते नित्यं निर्गुणं गुणसंज्ञितम्॥
Uniting with Nature which has has the attributes of birth and death, he also assumes the attributes of birth and death. And on account of such union he becomes an object of perception and though in reality shorn of all attributes yet he coines to be invested therewith.
एवमेष महानात्मा सर्गप्रलयकोविदः। विकुर्वाणः प्रकृतिमानभिमन्यत्यबुद्धिमान्॥
It is in this way that the Soul, becoming united with Nature and invested with Ignorance, undergoes changes and becomes conscious of Self.
तमःसत्त्वरजोयुक्तस्तासु तास्विह योनिषु। नियते प्रतिबुद्धित्वादबुद्धजनसेवनात्॥
Uniting with the qualities of Goodness, Darkness and Ignorance, he becomes at one with various creatures belonging to various orders of Being, on account of his forgetfulness and his waiting upon Ignorance.
सहवासविनाशित्वान्नान्योऽहमिति मन्यते। योऽहं सोऽहमिति ह्युक्त्वा गुणानेवानुवर्तते॥
On account of his birth and death originating from the fact of living in union with Nature, he thinks himself to be no other than what he apparently is, Knowing himself as this or that, he follows the qualities of Goodness, Darkness and Ignorance.
तमसा तामसान् भावान् विविधान् प्रतिपद्यते। रजसा राजसांश्चैव सात्त्विकान् सत्त्वसंश्रयात्॥
Under the influence of Ignorance, he comes by various kinds of conditions which are affected by Ignorance. Under the influences of Darkness and Goodness he attains likewise to conditions which are affected by Darkness and Goodness.
शुक्ललोहितकृष्णानि रूपाण्येतानि त्रीणि तु। सर्वाण्येतानि रूपाणि यानीह प्राकृतानि वै॥
There are three colours in all viz., White, Red, and Dark. All those colours belong to Nature.
तामसा निरयं यान्ति राजसा मानुषानथ। सात्त्विका देवलोकाय गच्छन्ति सुखभागिनः॥
Through Ignorance one goes to hell. Through Darkness one attains to the status of humanity. Through Goodness people ascend to the regions of the gods and partake of great happiness.
निष्कैवल्येन पापेन तिर्यग्योनिमवाप्नुयात्। पुण्यपापेन मानुष्यं पुण्येनैकेन देवताः॥
By sticking to sin continuously one sinks into the intermediate order of beings. By acting both virtuously and sinfully one comes by the status of humanity. By acting only righteously, one attains to the status of the gods.
एवमव्यक्तविषयं क्षरमाहुर्मनीषिणः। पञ्चविंशतिमो योऽयं ज्ञानादेव प्रवर्तते॥
In this way the twenty-fifth, viz., (the Indestructible), the wise say, by union with the unmanifest, becomes changed into (destructible). By means of knowledge, however, the Indestructible appears in His true nature.