व्यास उवाच सृजते तु गुणान् सत्त्वं क्षेत्रज्ञस्त्वधितिष्ठति। गुणान् विक्रियत: सर्वानुदासीनवदीश्वरः॥
The objects by which one is encircled are created by the Understanding. Without being connected with them, the Soul stands aloof, lording over them. The Understanding creates all objects. The three principal qualities are continually being transformed. The Soul, gifled with power, lords over them all, without, however, mingling with them.
स्वभावयुक्तं सर्वं यदिमान् सृजते गुणान्। उर्णनाभिर्यथा सूत्रं सृजते तद्गुणांस्तथा॥
The objects created by the Understanding partake of its own nature. Like the threads created by the spider, the objects created by the Understanding partake of the nature of Understanding.
प्रध्वस्ता न निवर्तन्ते प्रवृत्तिर्नोपलभ्यते। एवमेके व्यवस्यन्ति निवृत्तिरिति चापरे॥
Some hold that the qualities, when done away with by yoga or knowledge, do not cease to exist. They hold this because when once gone, the marks only of their return are not perceived. Others hold that when destroyed by knowledge, they are at once destroyed never to rcturn.
उभयं सम्प्रधायैतदध्यवस्येद् यथामति। अनेनैव विधानेन भवेद् गर्भशयो महान्॥
Meditating duly upon these two opinions, one should try his best according to the way one thinks proper. It is by this way that one should acquire eminence and take refuge in his own Soul alone.
अनादिनिधनो ह्यात्मा तं बुद्ध्वा विचरेन्नरः। अक्रुरध्यन्नप्रहृष्यंश्च नित्यं विगतमत्सरः॥
The Soul is without beginning and without end. Understanding his Soul properly man should move and act, without yielding to anger, without indulging in joy, and always shorn of envy.
इत्येवं हृदयग्रन्थिं बुद्धिचिन्तामयं दृढम्। अनित्यं सुखमासीत अशोचंश्छिन्नसंशयः॥
Cutting by this means the knot that is in his heart, created by the faculties of the Understanding, which is hard (to cut), but which can be destroyed by knowledge, one should live happily, without yielding to grief, and with his doubts removed.
ताम्येयुः प्रच्युताः पृथ्व्या यथा पूर्णा नदी नराः। अवगाढा ह्यविद्वांसो विद्धि लोकमिमं तथा॥
Know that they who mix in worldly affairs, are as distressed in body and mind as persons ignorant of the art of swimming when they fall from the land into a vast and deep river.
न तु ताम्यति वै विद्वान् स्थले चरति तत्त्ववित्। एवं यो विन्दतेऽऽत्मानं केवलं ज्ञानमात्मनः॥
Being conversant with the truth, the learned man, however, is never distressed, for he feels like one walking over firm land. Indeed, he who perceives his Soul to be such, viz., as full of consciousness which has knowledge alone for its mark, is never distressed.
एवं बुद्ध्वा नरः सर्वं भूतानामागतिं गतिम्। समवेक्ष्य च वैषम्यं लभते शममुत्तमम्॥
By thus knowing the origin and end of all creatures, and by thus apprehending their distinctions, a person succeeds in acquiring high felicity.
एतद् वै जन्मसामर्थ्य ब्राह्मणस्य विशेषतः। आत्मज्ञानं शमश्चैव पर्याप्तं तत्परायणम्॥
This knowledge is the possession of a Brahmana in particular by virtue of his birth. Knowledge of the Soul, and happiness like above, are each fully sufficient to lead to Liberation.
एतद् बुद्ध्वा भवेद् बुद्धः किमन्यद् बुद्धलक्षणम्। विज्ञायैतद् विमुच्यन्ते कृतकृत्या मनीषिणः॥ न भवति विदुषां महद्भयं यदविदुषा समुहद्भयं परत्र। न हि गतिरधिकास्ति कस्यचिद् भवति हि या विदुषः सनातनी॥
By gaining such knowledge one really becomes learned. What else is the mark of a person of knowledge? Having gained such knowledge, the wise men consider themselves successful and become liberated. Those things which produce fear to men shorn of knowledge do not do so to those who are gifted with knowledge. There is no end higher than the eternal end which is acquired by a learned person.
स्तत्तदेव च निरीक्ष्य शोचते। तत्र पश्य कुशलानशोचतो ये विदुस्तदुभयं कृताकृतम्॥
One sees with aversion all earthly objects of enjoyment which are, of course, full of shortcomings. Again seeing others pursue such objects with pleasure, another is filled with sorrow. But they who are conversant with both objects, viz., that which is fictitious and that which is not so, are never grieved and are truly happy.
यत्करोत्यनभिसंधिपूर्वकं तच्च निर्गुदति तत् पुराकृतम्। न प्रियं तदुभयं न चाप्रियं तस्य तज्जनयतीह कुर्वतः॥
What a man does without expectation of fruits dissipates his acts of a pristine life. The acts, however, of such a person both of this end and his pristine life cannot lead to Liberation. On the other hand, such destruction of former acts and such acts of this life cannot bring what is disagreeable (viz., hell), even if the wise man engages in acts.