वसिष्ठ उवाच अथ बुद्धमथाबुद्धमिमं गुणविधिं शृणु। आत्मानं बहुधा कृत्वा तान्येव प्रविचक्षते॥
Vashishtha said Listen now to me as I describe to you the Buddha (Enlightened to the Supreme Self) and Abuddha (Individual Soul) which is the dispensation of the qualities, Assuming many forms the Supreme Soul, becoming Individual Soul, regards all those forms as real.
एतदेवं विकुर्वाणो बुध्यमानो न बुध्यते। गुणान् धारयते ह्येष सृजत्याक्षिपते तदा॥
On account of such transformations Individual Soul fails to understand the Supreme Soul, for he has the three qualities and creates and withdraws into himself what he creates.
अजस्रं त्विह क्रीडार्थं विकरोति जनाधिप। अव्यक्तबोधनाच्चैव बुध्यमानं वदन्त्यपि॥
Carelessly for his sport, O king, does Individual Soul undergo changes and because he is capable of understanding the called action of the Unmanifest, therefore he is the Comprehender.
न त्वेव बुध्यतेऽव्यक्तं सगुणं तात निर्गुणम्। कदाचित् त्वेव खल्वेतदाहुरप्रतिबुद्धकम्॥
The Unmanifest or Nature can at no time comprehend Brahma which is really without qualities even when it shows itself with qualities. Hence is Nature called Unintelligent.
बुध्यते यदि वाक्यक्तमेतद् वै पञ्चविंशकम्। बुध्यमानो भवत्येव सङ्गात्मक इति श्रुतिः। अनेनाप्रतिबुद्धेति वदन्त्यव्यक्तमच्युतम्॥ अव्यक्तबोधनाच्चापि बुध्यमानं वदन्त्युत।
There is a declaration of the Shrutis that is ever Nature does succeed in knowing the twenty fifth, she then becomes at one with the Individual Soul who is united with her. On account of this Individual Soul or Purusha, who is not manifest and which in his real nature is not subject to changes, comes to be called as the Unawakened or Ignorant.
पञ्चविंशं महात्मानं न चासावपि बुध्यते॥ षड्विशं विमलं बुद्धमप्रमेयं सनातनम्। स तु तं पञ्चविंशं च चतुर्विंशं च बुध्यते॥
Indeed, because the twenty-fifth can comprehend the Unmanifest, he is, therefore, called Comprehender. He cannot, however readily, comprehened the twenty-sixth, which is pure, which is Knowledge without duality, which is immeasurable, and which is eternal. The twenty-sixth, however, can know both the Individual Soul and Nature, numbering the twenty-fifth and the twenty-fourth respectively.
दृश्यादृश्ये ह्यनुगतं स्वभावे महाद्युते। अव्यक्तमत्र तद् ब्रह्म बुध्यते तात केवलम्॥
O you of great effulgence, only wise men know that Brahma which is Unmanifest, which is in its real nature to all that is seen and unseen, and which, O son, is the one independent essence in the universe,
केवलं पञ्चविंशं च चतुर्विंशं न पश्यति। बुध्यमानो यदाऽऽत्मानमन्योऽहमिति मन्यते॥
When Individual Soul considers himself different from what he truly is, it is only then that lie fails to know the Supreme Soul and himself and Nature with which he is united.
तदा प्रकृतिमानेष भवत्यव्यक्तलोचनः। बुध्यते च परां बुद्धिं विशुद्धाममलां यदा॥
When Individual Soul succeeds in understanding Nature then he is said to be restored to his true nature and then does he attain to that high understanding which is pure and stainless.
षड्विंशो राजशार्दूल तथा बुद्धत्वमाव्रजेत्। ततस्त्यजति सोऽव्यक्तं सर्गप्रलयधर्मि वै॥
When Individual Soul succeeds, O foremost of kings, in attaining to that excellent understanding, he then attains to that Pure Knowledge which is called the twenty-sixth (or Brahma). He then casts off the Unmanifest or Nature which has the attributes of Creation and Destruction.
निर्गुणः प्रकृति वेद गुणयुक्तामचेतनाम्। ततः केवलधर्माऽसौ भवत्यव्यक्तदर्शनात्॥
When Individual Soul know Nature which is unintelligent and subject to the action of the three qualities of Goodness, Darkness and Ignorance, he then becomes shorn of qualities himself. On account of his thus understanding the Unmanifest, he succeeds in acquiring the nature of the Supreme Soul.
केवलेन समागम्य विमुक्तोऽऽत्मानमाप्नुयात्। एतत् तु तत्त्वमित्याहुर्निस्तत्त्वमजरामरम्॥
The Learned say that when he is feed from the qualities and united in nature with the Supreme Soul, then does Individual Soul become at one with that Soul. The Supreme Soul, is called the Real as well as Not Real, and is above decay and destruction.
तत्त्वसंश्रयणादेतत् तत्त्ववन्न च मानद। पञ्चविंशति तत्त्वानि प्रवदन्ति मनीषिणः॥
O giver of honours, the Soul, though it has the body for its resting place, yet it cannot be said to have acquired the nature of those principles. The wise say that there are five and twenty principles in all.
न चैष तत्त्ववांस्तात निस्तत्त्वस्त्वेष बुद्धिमान्। एष मुञ्चति तत्त्वं हि क्षिप्रं बुद्धस्य लक्षणम्॥
Indeed, O son, the Soul not to be considered as possessed of any of the principles. Endued with Intelligence, it is above the principles. It renounces quickly even that principle which is the mark of Knowledge.
षड्विंशोऽहमिति प्राज्ञो गृह्यमाणोऽजरामरः। केवलेन बलेनैव समतां यात्यसंशयम्॥
When Individual Soul comes to regard himself as the twenty-sixth which is divested of decay and destruction, it is then that, forsooth, he succeeds by his own force in attaining to similarity with the twenty-sixth.
षड्विंशेन प्रबुद्धेन बुध्यमानोऽप्यबुद्धिमान्। एतन्नानात्वमित्युक्तं सांख्यश्रुतिनिदर्शनात्॥
Though awakened by the twenty-sixth which is Pure Intelligence, Individual Soul still becomes subject to Ignorance. This is the cause of Jiva's multifariousness as explanied in the Shrutis and the Sankhya scriptures.
चेतनेन समेतस्य पञ्चविंशतिकस्य ह। एकत्वं वै भवत्यस्य यदा बुद्ध्या न बुध्यते॥
When Individual Soul, who is endued with consciousness, loses all Consciousness of a distinct or individual self, then does he, losing his multifariousness, resume his Oneness.
बुध्यमानोऽप्रबुद्धेन समतां याति मैथिल। सङ्गधर्मा भवत्येष निःसङ्गात्मा नराधिप।॥
O king, of Mithila, when Individual Soul, who is found to be in union with happiness and misery and who is seldom free from the consciousness of self, becomes identified with the Supreme Soul which transcends understanding, then does he becomes freed from virtue and vice.
निःसङ्गात्मानमासाद्य षड्विंशकमजं विभुम्। विभुस्त्यजति चाव्यक्तं यदा त्वेतद् विबुद्ध्यते॥
Indeed, when Individual soul attaining to the twenty-sixth which is Unborn and Powerful and which is shorn of all attachments, succeeds in comprehend it thoroughly, he himself becomes possessed of power and entirely renounces the Unmanifest or Nature.
चतुर्विंशमसारं च षड्विंशस्य प्रबोधनात्। एष ह्यप्रतिबुद्धश्च बुध्यमानश्च तेऽनघ॥ प्रोक्तो बुद्धश्च तत्त्वेन यथाश्रुतिनिदर्शनात्। नानात्वैकत्वमेतावद् द्रष्टव्यं शास्त्रदर्शनात्॥
For understanding the twenty-sixth, the twenty-four principles seem to Individual soul to be unreal. I have thus told you, O sinless one, according to the indications of the Shrutis the nature of the Unintelligent, and of Individual Soul, as also of that which is Pure knowledge, agreeably to the truth. Guided by the scriptures, variety and oneness are thus to be understood.
मशकोदुम्बरे यद्वदन्यत्वं तद्वदेतयोः। मत्स्योदके यथा तद्वदन्यत्वमुपलभ्यते॥
The difference between the gnat and the Udumvara, or that between the fish and water, illustrates the difference between the Individual Soul and the Supreme Soul.
एवमेवावगन्तव्यं नानात्वैकत्वमेतयोः। एतद्धि मोक्ष इत्युक्तमव्यक्तज्ञानसंहितम्॥
The Multiplicity and Oneness of these two are to be understood thus. This is called Liberation, viz., this comprehension of oneself as something distinct from Unintelligent or Unmanifest Nature.
पञ्चविंशतिकस्यास्य योऽयं देहेषु वर्तते। एष मोक्षयित्वयेति प्राहुरव्यक्तगोचरात्॥
The twenty-fifth, which lives in the bodies of living creatures, should be liberated making him know the Unmanifest or the Supreme Soul which is above the understading.
सोऽयमेवं विमुच्येत नान्यथेति विनिश्चयः। परेण परधर्मा च भवत्येष समेत्य वै॥
Indeed, that twenty-fifth is capable of acquiring Liberation in this way only and not through any other means. Though insooth different from the body in which he lives for the time being, he partakes of the nature of that body on account of his union with it.
विशुद्धधर्मा शुद्धेन बुद्धेन च स बुद्धिमान्। विमुक्तधर्मा मुक्तेन समेत्य पुरुषर्षभ॥
Uniting with what is Pure, he becomes Pure. Uniting with the Intelligent, he becomes Intelligent. By uniting, O foremost of men, with one that is Liberate he becomes Liberated.
वियोगधर्मिणा चैव विमुक्तात्मा भवत्यथा विमोक्षिणा विमोक्षश्च समेत्येह तथा भवेत्॥
By uniting with one who is shorn of all attachments, he becomes freed from all attachments. By uniting with one striving after Liberation, he himself partaking of the nature of his companion, strives after Liberation.
शुचिकर्मा शुचिश्चैव भवत्यमितदीप्तिमान्। विमलात्मा च भवति समेत्य विमलात्मना॥
By uniting with one of pure acts, he becomes pure and of pure acts and endued with blazing effulgence. By uniting with one of pure soul, he becomes of pure soul himself.
केवलात्मा तथा चैव केवलेन समेत्य वै। स्वतन्त्रश्च स्वतन्त्रेण स्वतन्त्रत्वमवाप्नुते॥
By uniting with the One independent Soul, he becomes One and Independent. Uniting with One that is dependent on One's Own Self, he attains to the same nature and acquires Independence.
एतावदेतत् कथितं मया ते तथ्यं महाराज यथार्थतत्त्वम्। अमत्सरत्वं परिगृह्य चार्थं सनातनं ब्रह्म विशुद्धमाद्यम्॥
O monarch, I have duly told you all this that is perfectly true. Candidly have I described to you this subject, viz., the Eternal, Pure and Prime Brahma.
नावेदनिष्ठस्य जनस्य राजन् प्रदेयमेतत् परमं त्वया भवेत्। विधिसमानाय विबोधकारणं प्रबोधहेतोः प्रणतस्य शासनम्॥
You may communicate this high knowledge, capable of awakening the soul, to that person, O king, who though not a master of the Vedas is, nevertheless, humble and has a keen desire for acquiring the knowledge of Brahma.
न देयमेतच्च तथानृतात्मने शठाय क्लीबाय न जिह्मबुद्धये। न पण्डितज्ञानपरोपतापिने देयं तु देयं च निबोध यादृशे॥
It should never be given to one who speaks falsehood, or one who is cunning or roguish, or one who has no strength of mind, or one who is of crooked understanding, or one who is jealous of men of knowledge, or one who pains others. Listen to me as I say who they are to whom this knowledge may safely be given.
श्रद्धान्वितायाथ गुणान्विताय परापवादाद् विरताय नित्यम्। विशुद्धयोगाय बुधाय नित्यं क्रियावते च क्षमिणे हिताय॥ विविक्तशीलाय विधिप्रियाय विवादहीनाय बहुश्रुताय) विजानते चैव न चाहितक्षमे दमे च शक्ताय शमे च देयम्॥
It should be given to one who has faith, or one who has merit, or one who does not speak ill of others, or one who is given to penances from the purest of motives, or one who is endued with knowledge and wisdom, or one who performs sacrifices and other rites laid down in the Vedas, or one who has a forgiving nature, or one who feels compassion on and does good to all crcatures; or one who is fond of living in privacy and solitude, or one who is fond of performing all acts laid down in the scriptures, or one who does not like to quarrel, or one who is endued with great learning, or one having wisdom, or one possessed of forgiveness and self-control and tranquillity of soul.
मेतत् परं ब्रह्म विशुद्धमाहुः। न श्रेयसा योक्ष्यति तादृशे कृतं धर्मप्रवक्तारमपात्रदानात्॥
This high knowledge of Brahma should never be given to one who has not such qualifications. It has been said that by giving this knowledge to one who is not considered a worthy recipient, no advantage or good fruit can arise.
पृथ्वीमिमां यद्यपि रत्नपूर्णां दद्यान्न देयं त्विदमव्रताय। जितेन्द्रियायैतदसंशयं ते भवेत् प्रदेयं परमं नरेन्द्र॥
This great knowledge should never be given, even if he gives in exchange the whole Earth full of gems and riches of every sort, to one that is not obscrvant of any vows and restraints. Forsooth, however, O king, this knowledge should be imparted to one who has conquered his senses.
कराल मा ते भयमस्तु किञ्चिदेतच्छ्रुतं ब्रह्म परं त्वयाद्या यथावदुक्तं परमं पवित्रं विशोकमत्यन्तमनादिमध्यम्॥
O Karala, do not entertain any fear since you have heard all this regarding high Brahma from the to-day! I have described to you duly the high and holy Brahma that is without beginning and middle, and that is capable of removing all kinds of sorrow.
अगाधजन्मामरणं च राजन् निरामयं वीतभयं शिवं च। ज्ञानस्य तत्त्वार्थमिदं विदित्वा॥
Seeing Brahma whose sight is capable of doing away with both birth and death, O king, which is full of auspiciousness, which removes all fear, and which yields the highest benefit, and having acquired this essence of all knowledge, renounce all error and stupefaction to-day.
द्धिरण्यगर्भाद् गदतो नराधिप। प्रसाद्य यत्नेन तमुग्रचेतसं सनातनं ब्रह्म यथाद्य त्वया।॥ वै पृष्टस्त्वया चास्मि यथा नरेन्द्र यथा मयेदं त्वयि चोक्तमद्य। तथावाप्तं ब्रह्मणो मे नरेन्द्र महाज्ञानं मोक्षविदां परायणम्॥
I had acquired this knowledge from the eternal Hiranyagarbha himself, O king, who communicated it to me for my having carefully pleased that great Being of very superior Soul. Asked by you to-day, I have, O king, communicated the knowledge of eternal Brahma to you, just as I had myself gained it from my teacher. Indeed, this great knowledge which is the refuge of all persons conversant with Liberation has been given to you exactly as I had it from Brahman himself.”
भीष्म उवाच एतदुक्तं परं ब्रह्म यस्मान्नावर्तते पुनः। पञ्चविंशो महाराज परमर्षिनिदर्शनात्॥
Bhishma said I have thus told you of high Brahma, just as the great Rishi had said, by attaining to which the Twenty-fifth (Individual Soul) has never to return.
पुनरावृत्तिमाप्नोति परं ज्ञानमवाप्य च। नावबुध्यति तत्त्वेन बुध्यमानोऽजरामरम्॥
On account of his knowing truly the Supreme Soul which is not subject to decay and death, Individual Soul is obliged to frequently return to the world. When, however, Individual Soul succeeds in acquiring that high knowledge, he has no longer to return.
एतन्निःश्रेयसकरं ज्ञानं ते परमं मया। कथितं तत्त्वतस्तात श्रुत्वा देवर्षितो नृप॥
Having heard it, O king, from the celestial Rishi, I have, O son, given to you that great knowledge which yields the highest good.
हिरण्यगर्भादृषिणा वसिष्ठेन महात्मना। वसिष्ठादृषिशार्दूलान्नारदोऽवाप्तवानिदम्॥
This knowledge acquired from Hiranyagarbha by the great Rishi Vashishtha. was From that foremost of Rishis, viz., Vashishtha, it was acquired by Narada.
नारदाद् विदितं मह्यमेतद् ब्रह्म सनातनम्। मा शुचः कौरवेन्द्र त्वं श्रुत्वैतत् परमं पदम्॥
From Narada I have acquired that knowledge which is truly at one with the eternal Brahma. Having heard this discourse of great import, couched in excellent words, do not, O foremost of the Kurus, give way any longer to greaf.
येन क्षराक्षरे वित्ते भयं तस्य न विद्यते। विद्यते तु भयं तस्य यो नैतद् वेत्ति पार्थिव॥
That man who knows the Destructible and the Indestructible, become freed from fear. He, indeed, O king, is compelled to entertain fear who is shorn of this knowledge.
अविज्ञानाच्च मूढात्मा पुनः पुनरुपाद्रवत्। प्रेत्य जातिसहस्राणि मरणान्तान्युपाश्नुते॥
On account of Ignorance, the man of foolish soul hath repeatedly to return to this world. Indeed, after death he has to be born in thousands and thousands of orders of Being, every one of which meets with Death in the end.
देवलोकं तथा तिर्यड्मनुष्यमपि चाश्नुते। यदि शुध्यति कालेन तस्मादज्ञानसागरात्॥
Now in the world of the gods, now among men, and now among intermediate orders of Being, he has to appear again and again. If in course of time he succeeds in crossing that Ocean of Ignorance in which he is sunk, he then succeeds in avoiding completely re-birth and attaining to oneness with the Supreme Soul.
(उत्तीर्णोऽस्मादगाधात् स परमाप्नोति शोभनम्।) अज्ञानसागरो घोरो ह्यव्यक्तोऽगाध उच्यते। अहन्यहनि मज्जन्ति यत्र भूतानि भारत॥
The Ocean of Ignorance is dreadful. It is bottomless and called the Unmanifest. 0 Bharata, day after day, creatures are seen to fall and sink in that Ocean.
यस्मादगाधादव्यक्तादुत्तीर्णस्त्वं सनातनात्। तस्मात् त्वं विरजाश्चैव वितमस्कश्च पार्थिव॥
Since you, O king, have been freed from that eternal and limitless Ocean of Ignorance, you have, therefore, become freed from Darkness and also Ignorance.