युधिष्ठिर उवाच योगं मे परमं तात मोक्षस्य वद भारत। तमहं तत्त्वतो ज्ञातुमिच्छामि वदतां वर॥
Yudhishthira said Tell me, O sire, that high Yoga by which, O Bharata, I may obtain liberation. O foremost of speakers, I wish to know everything about that Yoga truly.
भीष्म उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। संवादं मोक्षसंयुक्तं शिष्यस्य गुरुणा सह॥
Bhishma said 'Regarding it is cited the old narrative of the discourse between a preceptor and disciple on the subject of liberation.
कश्चिद् ब्राह्मणमासीनमाचार्यमृषिसत्तमम्। तेजोराशिं महात्मानं सत्यसंधं जितेन्द्रियम्॥
There was a twice-born preceptor who was the foremost of Rishis. He looked like a mass of effulgence. Endued with a high soul, he was firm in truth and a complete master of his senses.
शिष्यः परममेधावी श्रेयोऽर्थी सुसमाहितः। चरणावुपसंगृह्य स्थितः प्राञ्जलिरब्रवीत्॥ उपासनात् प्रसन्नोऽसि यदि वै भगवन् मम। संशयो मे महान् कश्चित् तन्मे व्याख्यातुमर्हसि।
Once upon a time, a highly intelligent and attentive disciple, desirous of obtaining what was for his highest good touched the preceptor's feet, and standing with joined palms before him, said,-If O illustrious one, you have been pleased with the adoration I have offered you, you should solve a great doubt of mine.
कुतश्चाहं कुतश्च त्वं तत् सम्यग्ब्रूहि यत्परम्॥ कथं च सर्वभूतेषु समेषु द्विजसत्तम। सम्यग्वृत्ता निवर्तन्ते विपराताः क्षयोदयाः॥ वेदेषु चापि यद् वाक्यं लौकिकं व्यापकं च यत्। एतद् विद्वन् यथातत्त्वं सर्वं व्याख्यातुमर्हसि॥
Whence am I am and whence are you? Tell me this fully. Tell me also what is the final cause. Why also, O best of twice-born ones, when the material and destruction take place in such dissimilar ways? You should, O you of great learning, also explain the object of the saying in the Vedas, the meaning of the injunctions of the Smritis and of those injunctions which apply to all classes of men.
गुरुरुवाच शृणु शिष्य महाप्राज्ञ ब्रह्मगुह्यमिदं परम्। अध्यात्म सर्वविद्यानामागमानां च यद्वसु॥
Listen, O disciple, O you of great wisdom. This what you have asked me is not described even in the very Vedas and is the highest subject for thought or discourse. It is called Adhyatma and is the most precious of all branches of learning and of all sacred institutes.
वासुदेवः परमिदं विश्वस्य ब्रह्मणो मुखम्। सत्यं ज्ञानमथो यज्ञस्तितिक्षा दम आर्जवम्॥
Vasudeva is the Supreme (cause) of the universe. He is the origin of the Vedas (viz., Om). He is Truth, Knowledge, Sacrifice, Renunciation, self-control, and Righteousness.
पुरुषं सनातनं विष्णुं यं तं वेदविदो विदुः। स्वर्गप्रलयकर्तारमव्यक्तं ब्रह्म शाश्वतम्॥
Persons well-read in Vedas know Him as pervading, all Eternal, Omnipresent, the Creator and the Destroyer, the Unmanifest, Brahma, Immutable.
तदिदं ब्रह्म वार्ष्णेयमितिहासं शृणुष्व मे। ब्राह्मणो ब्राह्मणैः श्राव्यो राजन्यः क्षत्रियैस्तथा॥ वैश्यो वैश्यैस्तथा श्राव्यः शूद्रः शूरैर्महामनाः। माहात्म्यं देवदेवस्य विष्णोरमिततेजसः॥
Hear now from me the story of Him who was born in the Vrishni family. A Brahmana should hear the greatness of that God of gods, called Vishnu of immeasurable energy, from the lips of Brahmanas. A Kshatriya should hear it from persons of that order. One who is a Vaishya, should hear it from Vaishyas, and a high-souled Shudra should hear it from Sudras.
अर्हस्त्वमसि कल्याणं वार्ष्णेयं शृणु यत्परम्। कालचक्रमनाद्यन्तं भावाभावस्वलक्षणम्॥
You deserve to hear it. Listen now to the sacred accounts of Krishna, that theme which is foremost of all themes. Vasudeva is the Wheel of Time, without beginning and without end. Existence and Non-existence are the qualities by which His real nature is known.
त्रैलोक्यं सर्वभूतेशे चक्रवत्परिवर्तते। यत्तदक्षरमव्यक्तममृतं ब्रह्म शाश्वतम्। वदन्ति पुरुषव्याघ्र केशवं पुरुषर्षभम्॥
The universe rolls like a wheel, depending upon that Lord of all beings. O best of men, Keshava, that foremost of all beings is said to be Indestructible, unmanifest, Immortal Brahma, and Immutable.
पितृन देवानृषीश्चैव तथा वै यक्षराक्षसान्। नागासुरमनुष्यांश्च सृजते परमोऽव्ययः॥
The highest of the high, and without change or destruction himself, he created the departed manes, the gods, the Rishis, the Yakshas, the Rakshasas, the Nagas, the Asuras, and mankind.
तथैव वेदशास्त्राणि लोकधर्माश्च शाश्वतान्। प्रलयं प्रकृति प्राप्य युगादौ सृजते पुनः॥
He also created the Vedas and the eternal duties and customs of men. Having reduced everything into nothing, he once more, in the beginning of a (new) cycle, creates Prakriti.
यथाव॒तुलिङ्गानि नानारूपाणि पर्यये। दृश्यन्ते तानि तान्येव तथा भावा युगादिषु॥
As the various phenomena of the several seasons set in one after another according to the season that comes, so creatures come into being at the commencement of every cycle.
अथ यद्यद् यदा भाति कालयोगाद् युगादिषु। तत् तदुत्पद्यते ज्ञानं लोकयात्राविधानजम्॥
Corresponding with those creatures who came into being, rules and duties are paid for regulating the world's course.
युगान्तेऽन्तर्हितान् वेदान् सेतिहासान् महर्षयः। लेभिरे तपसा पूर्वमनुज्ञाताः स्वयम्भुवा॥
At the end of every cycle the Vedas and all other scriptures disappear. Through the favour of the Self-create, the great Rishis, by mcans of their penances, first re-acquire the lost Vedas and the scriptures.
वेदविद् वेद भगवान् वेदाङ्गानि बृहस्पतिः। भार्गवो नीतिशास्त्रं तु जगाद जगतो हितम्॥
The Self-create (Brahman) first acquired the Vedas. Their branches called the Angas were first acquired by Brihaspati. Bhrigu's son (Shukra) first acquired the science of ethics which is so beneficial for the universe.
गान्धर्वं नारदो वेद भरद्वाजो धनुर्ग्रहम्। देवर्षिचरितं गार्ग्य: कृष्णात्रेयश्चिकित्सितम्॥
Narada acquired the science of music; Bharadvaja that of arms; Gargya, the history of the celestial Rishis; the dark son of Atri that of medicine.
न्यायतन्त्राण्यनेकानि तैस्तैरुक्तानि वादिभिः। हेत्वागमसदाचारैर्यदुक्तं तदुपास्यताम्॥
are Various other Rishis whose names connected therewith, promulgated various other sciences such as Philosophy, Logic, etc. Let that Brahma which those Rishis have described by arguments drawn from reason, by means of the Vedas, and by inferences drawn from the direct evidence of the senses, be worshipped.
अनाद्यं तत्परं ब्रह्म न देवा नर्षयो विदुः। एकस्तद् वेद भगवान् धाता नारायणः प्रभुः॥
Neither the gods nor the Rishis were able to grasp Brahma who is without beginning and who is the highest of the high. Only the divine creator of all things, viz., the powerful Narayana, had known of Brahma.
नारायणादृषिगणास्तथा मुख्याः सुरासुराः। राजर्षयः पुराणाश्च परमं दुःखभेषजम्॥
From Narayana, the Rishis the foremost of the deities, the Asuras, and the royal sages of old, acquired the knowledge of that highest panacea for the cure of sorrow.
पुरुषाधिष्ठितान् भावान् प्रकृतिः सूयते यदा। हेतुयुक्तमतः पूर्वं जगत् सम्परिवर्तते॥
When Prakriti creates through the action of Purusha, the universe with all its potencies begins to spring from it.
दीपादन्ये यथा दीपाः प्रवर्तन्ते सहस्रशः। प्रकृतिः सूयते तद्वदानन्त्यान् नापचीयते॥
From one lighted lamp thousands of other lamps are capable of being lighted. Similarly, Prakriti produces thousands of existent things. On account of its infinity, primordial matter is never exhausted,
अव्यक्तकर्मजा बुद्धिरहंकारं प्रसूयते। आकाशं चाप्यहंकाराद् वायुराकाशसम्भवः॥
From the Unmanifest flows the Understanding determined by acts. The Understanding creates Consciousness. From Consciousness proceeds Space. From Space proceeds Wind.
वायोस्तेजस्ततश्चाप अद्भ्योऽथ वसुधोद्गता। मूलप्रकृतयो ह्यष्टौ जगदेतास्ववस्थितम्॥
From the Wind proceeds Heat. From Heat proceeds Water, and from Water is produced the Earth. These Eight form primordial Prakriti. The universe rests on them.
ज्ञानेन्द्रियाण्यतः पञ्च पञ्च कर्मेन्द्रियाण्यपि। विषयाः पञ्च चैकं च विकारे घोडशं मनः॥
From those Eight have originated the five organs of knowledge, the five organs of action, the five objects of the (first five) organs, and the one, viz., the Mind, forining the sixteenth, which is the outcome of their modification.
श्रोत्रं त्वक्चक्षुषी जिह्वा घ्राणं ज्ञानेन्द्रियाण्यथ। पादौ पायुरूपस्थश्च हस्तौ वाकर्मणी अपि॥
The car, the skin, the two eyes, the tongue, and the nose are the five organs of knowledge. The two feet, the anus, the organ of generation, the two arms, and speech, are the five organs of action.
शब्दः स्पर्शश्च रूपं च रसो गन्धस्तथैव च। विज्ञेयं व्यापकं चित्तं तेषु सर्वगतं मनः॥
Sound, touch, form, taste, and smell are the five objects of the senses, covering all things. The Mind lives upon all the senses and their objects.
रसज्ञाने तु जिह्वयं व्याहते वाक् तथोच्यते। इन्द्रियैर्विविधैर्युक्तं सर्वं व्यक्तं मनस्तथा॥
In the perception of taste, the Mind becomes the tongue, and in speech Mind become words. Covered with the different senses, Mind becomes all the objects.
विद्यात् तु षोडशैतानि दैवतानि विभागशः। देहेषु ज्ञानकर्तारमुपासीनमुपासते।॥
These sixteen, existing in their respective forms, should be known as god. These adore Him who creates all knowledge and lives within the body.
तद्वत् सोमगुणा जिह्वा गन्धस्तु पृथिवीगुणः। श्रोतं नभोगुणं चैव चक्षुरग्नेर्गुणस्तथा। स्पर्श वायुगुणं विद्यात् सर्वभूतेषु सर्वदा॥
Taste in the attribute of water; scent is the attribute of space; vision is the attribute of fire or light; and touch is the attribute of the wind. This is the case with all creatures at all times.
मनः सत्त्वगुणं प्राहुः सत्त्वमव्यक्तजं तथा। सर्वभूतात्मभूतस्थं तस्माद् बुद्ध्येत बुद्धिमान्॥
The Mind, is the attribute of existence. Existence springs from the Prakriti which exists in That which is the Soul of all existent beings.
एते भावा जगत् सर्वं वहन्ति सचराचरम्। श्रिता विरजसं देवं यमाहुः प्रकृतेः परम्॥
These existence's, resting upon the supreme Divinity that is above Prakriti and that is inactive, uphold the entire universe of the mobile and immobile objects.
नवद्वारं पुरं पुण्यमेतैर्भावैः समन्वितम्। व्याप्य शेते महानात्मा तस्मात् पुरुष उच्यते॥
This sacred building of nine doors (body) is endued with all these existences. That which is high above them, viz., the Soul, lives within it, pervading it all over. Therefore it is called Purusha.
अजर: सोऽमरश्चैव व्यक्ताव्यक्तोपदेशवान्। व्यापक: सगुणः सूक्ष्मः सर्वभूतगुणाश्रयः॥
The Soul is not subject to decay and death. It has knowledge of what is manifest and what is unmanifest. It is again all-pervading, endued with qualities, subtile, and the refuge of all existence and qualities.
यथा दीपः प्रकाशात्मा ह्रस्वो वा यदि वा महान्। ज्ञानात्मानं तथा विद्यात् पुरुषं सर्वजन्तुषु॥
As a lamp shows all objects great or small, similarly the Soul dwells in all creatures as the principle of knowledge.
श्रोत्रं वेदयते वेद्यं स शृणोति स पश्यति। कारणं तस्य देहोऽयं स कर्ता सर्वकर्मणाम्॥
Making the car to hear what it hears, it is the Soul that hears. Likewise, making the works, it is the Soul that sees. This body supplies the means by which the Soul derives knowledge. The bodily organs are not the doers, but it is the Soul that is doer, of all acts.
अग्निर्दारुगतो यद्वद् भिन्ने दारौ न दृश्यते। तथैवात्मा शरीरस्थो योगेनैवानुदृश्यते॥
There is fire in wood, but it is never seen by cutting upon a piece of wood. Similarly, the Soul lives within the body, but it can never be seen by cutting the body.
अग्निर्यथा झुपायेन मथित्वा दारु दृश्यते। तथैवात्मा शरीरस्थो योगेनैवात्र दृश्यते॥
The fire which exists in wood may be seen by proper means, viz., rubbing the wood. Similarly, the Soul which lives within the body may be seen by employing proper means, viz., Yoga.
नदीष्वापो यथा युक्ता यथा सूर्ये मरीचयः। संततत्वाद् यथा यान्ति तथा देहाः शरीरिणाम्॥
Water must exits in rivers. Rays of light are always attached to the sun. Similarly, thc Soul has a body. This connection is not stopped because of the constant succession of bodies that Soul has to pass through.
स्वप्नयोगे यथैवात्मा पञ्चेन्द्रियसमायुतः। देहमुत्सृज्य वै याति तथैवात्मोपलभ्यते॥
In a dream, the Soul, endued with the five senses, leaves the body and moves over wide areas. Similarly, when death takes place, the Soul passes out of one body for entering another.
कर्मणा बाध्यते रूपं कर्मणा चोपलभ्यते। कर्मणा नीयतेऽन्यत्र स्वकृतेन बलीयसा॥
The Soul is fettered by its pristine acts. Fettered by acts done by it in one state. Indeed, it is led from one into another body by its owni acts which are of very powerful consequences.
स तु देहाद् यथा देहं त्यक्त्वान्यं प्रतिपद्यते। तथान्यं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि भूतग्रामं स्वकर्मजम्॥
I will not describe how the owner of a human body, casting off his body, enters another, and then again into another, and how, indeed, the whole range of beings is the result of their respective acts.