S'rî
Parîkchit said: 'O brahmin, how can the sacred texts
[the s'ruti,
the Vedas], dealing with the different modes of nature,
express themselves about the inexpressible
[*]
Absolute Truth that is elevated above cause [the
subtle] and effect [the gross]?'
S'rî
Parîkchit said: 'O brahmin, how can the sacred texts
[the s'ruti, the Vedas], covering the different
modes of nature, be of direct reference to the inexpressible
[*] Absolute Truth transcendental to cause [the
subtle] and effect [the
gross]?'
(Vedabase)
Text
2
S'rî
S'uka said: 'The intelligence, senses, mind and life force of
the living beings were by their Lord and Master evolved for the
sake of the sensual, for the sake of getting a life and for the
sake of the [emancipation of the] soul and its ultimate
liberation.
S'rî
S'uka said: 'The intelligence, senses, mind and life force
of the living beings were by their Lord and Master evolved
for the sake of sensuality, for the sake of getting a life
and for the sake of the [emancipation of the] soul
and its ultimate liberation. (Vedabase)
Text
3
This
same philosophical exercise concerning the Absolute Truth was
observed by the predecessors
[like the Kumâras] of our predecessors [like
Nârada]. Whoever with faith concentrates upon it will
be free from material attachment and attain peace and
tranquility [see also 8.24:
38].
Indeed
was this same philosophical exercise about the absolute
Truth observed by the predecessors [like the
kumâras] of our predecessors [like
Nârada]; whoever with faith concentrates upon it
will attain peace and tranquility free from material
attachment [see also 8.24: 38].
(Vedabase)
Text
4
For
this purpose will I relate to you an account concerning Lord
Nârâyana. It concerns a conversation between
Nârâyana Rishi and Nârada
Muni.
To
this I'll relate to you an account concerning Lord
Nârâyana. It is a conversation between
Nârâyana Rishi and Nârada
Muni.
(Vedabase)
Text
5
Once
went the Supreme Lord's beloved Nârada as he was
traveling the worlds, for a visit to the âs'rama
of the Eternal Seer Nârâyana.
Once
did the Supreme Lord's beloved Nârada traveling the
worlds go to visit the âs'rama of the Eternal Seer
Nârâyana.
(Vedabase)
Text
6
From the
beginning of Brahmâ's day has He
[Nârâyana Rishi], just for the welfare in
this and the next life of the human beings who abide by
dharma,
jñâna
and self-control, in Bhârata-varsha been performing
penances [see kalpa].
He
just for the welfare, in this and the next life, of the
human beings abiding in dharma, jnâna and self-control
in Bhârata-varsha, has been performing penances from
the beginning of Brahmâ's day [see
kalpa].(Vedabase)
Text
7
Having
arrived there bowed he down to Him who sat there surrounded by
sages of Kalâpa, the village where He resided, and asked
he this very same question, o best of the Kurus.
There
bowed he down to Him sitting there surrounded by sages in
Kalâpa, the village where He resided, and asked he
this very same question, o best of the
Kurus.
(Vedabase)
Text
8
As
the seers were listening related the Supreme Lord this ancient
discussion about the Absolute Truth among the inhabitants of
the world of the mortals [Janaloka].
As
the seers were listening related the Supreme Lord this
ancient discussion among the inhabitants of the world of the
mortals [janaloka] about the Absolute
Truth.
(Vedabase)
Text
9
The
Supreme Lord said: 'O son of the self-born Lord
[Brahmâ], in the past was there, among the ones
residing in the world of the mortals, a sacrifice held for the
sake of which the [ûrdhva-retah]
celibate sages who had found their life in Brahmâ [-
who were born from him -] exercised their
spirituality.
The
Supreme Lord said: 'O son of the selfborn lord
[Brahmâ], in the past was there, among the
ones residing in the world of the mortals, a sacrifice held
to which the [ûrdhva-retah] celibate sages
born from Brahmâ ['from the mind'] exercised
the spiritual. (Vedabase)
Text
10
With
you having left for
S'vetadvîpa
to see the
Lord, ensued about Him [Vishnu in the function of
Aniruddha] in whom the Vedas lay down to rest [after
the dissolution of the material world], indeed a lively
exposition which brought up the question that you now again are
asking Me.
With
you having gone to S'vetadvîpa to see its Controller,
ensued about Him [Vishnu as Aniruddha] in whom the
Vedas lay down to rest [after the dissolution of the
material world], indeed a lively exposition, which
brought up the question that you again are asking Me.
(Vedabase)
Text
11
Even though
they were equally qualified from their penance and their study
of the s'ruti and equal to friends, foes and neutrals,
appointed they one of them as their speaker while the rest
eagerly listened.'
Though
equal of character in their penance and their hearing from
the s'ruti, though equal to friends, foes and neutrals,
appointed they one of them as their speaker while the rest
eagerly listened.' '
(Vedabase)
Text
12-13
S'rî
Sanandana said: 'When He after having created this universe
relating to its disolution withdrew and was lying asleep,
awakened the Vedas in person the Supreme One with descriptions
of His characteristics,
the same way a sleeping king by his court poets is awakened as
they as his servants approach him at dawn with
[reciting] his heroic deeds.
S'rî
Sanandana said: 'When He having created this universe at its
end withdrew and was lying asleep, awakened the Veda's in
person the Supreme One with descriptions of His
characteristics, the same way a sleeping king by his court
poets is awakened as they as his servants approach him at
dawn with [reciting] his heroic
deeds.
(Vedabase)
Text
14
The Vedas said:
'All glories, all glories to You, please o Unconquerable One
defeat the eternal illusion that assumed the form of the modes
and creates the detrimental. Because You at times engage
Yourself with the from Your inner self springing energies of
the embodied ones who move and not move about, can You by us,
the Vedas, be appreciated who in Your original status are
complete in all opulences [**].
The
Vedas said: 'All glories, all glories to You, please o
Unconquerable One who assumed the modes to create the
detrimental, defeat the eternal illusion; because You in
Your original status are complete in all opulences can You,
at times engaging Yourself with the from Your inner self
springing energies of the embodied ones moving and
nonmoving, be appreciated by us, the Vedas, as the root
[**].
(Vedabase)
Text
15
This
world is by the seers regarded
as being the end product of a greater complete [of
brahman],
for it is like with clay that in transformation leads to forms
that dissolve again but itself doesn't change. For that reason
dedicated the seers their minds, words and actions to You.
Where else could the footsteps of men be placed than on the
ground they are walking [see also 6.16:
22,
11.24:
18 and B.G.
7:
20-25]?
=This
world perceived as the great [as brahman] do the
seers consider as being the all-pervading foundation, for it
is like with clay that in transformation leading to forms
and dissolving again itself does not change; therefore have
they dedicated their minds, words and actions to You - how
can it be else that the steps men take are placed on the
ground [of their existence, see also 6.16: 22, 11.24: 18
and B.G. 7: 20-25]. (Vedabase)
Text
16
Thus do Your
people of enlightenment o Master of All the Three Worlds, rid
themselves of their troubles by diving deep into the ocean of
the nectar of the narrations [the kathâ]
that eradicates the contamination. No wonder then that they who
by the power of their own minds dispelled the qualities of the
temporal O Supreme One, in their worship experience the
uninterrupted happiness of Your abode.
Thus
do Your people of enlightenment o Master of the Three of All
Worlds, rid themselves of their troubles by diving deep into
the ocean of the nectar of kathâ that eradicates the
contamination; what again to say about those who by the
power of their own minds dispelled the qualities of the
temporal, o Supreme One, and who in worship experience the
uninterrupted happiness of Your abode.
(Vedabase)
Text
17
They who only
displace air as they breathe [see B.G. 18:
61] are
really alive when they are Your faithful followers, for You,
elevated above cause and effect, are the underlying reality
from Whose mercy the universal egg of the material complete,
the separate existence and the other aspects and material
elements of the person were produced [see
3.26:
51-53].
According the particular forms that furthermore were
manifested, You appear as the Ultimate Form among the more or
less material, physical coverings [the kos'as
and B.G. 18:
54].
They
who bellow as if they are breathing [see B.G. 18.61]
are really alive if they are Your faithful followers, for
You, above cause and effect, are the underlying reality of
Whose mercy the universal egg of the totality, the
separateness and the other elements of the person was
produced [see 3.26: 51-53]; with You, according to
the particular forms they furthermore lead to, appearing
among these as the Ultimate One in relation to the
[mere] physical coverings and so on [the kos'as
and B.G. 18: 54]. (Vedabase)
Text
18
According
the standards of
the seers are they who are engrossed in their vision of worship
for the abdomen [the lower centers] and fix the
Ârunis
[the superior yogis] first of all their attention on
the prânic knot of the subtle energies [see
cakra]
of the heart, after which they, o Unlimited One, go upward to
the head which is Your abode and next go to the highest
destination from which they, once they reached it, never fall
down again into the mouth of death [see also B.G.
8:
16].
According
the standards of the seers are they with a gross vision of
worship for the abdomen [the lower centers] and are
the ârunis [the superior yogîs] of
respect for the prânic knot of the subtle energies
[see cakra] of the heart, after which they, o
Unlimited One, go upward to the head which is Your abode and
next go to the highest destination from reaching which they
never fall down again into the mouth of death [see also
B.G. 8: 16]. (Vedabase)
Text
19
Apparently
as their motivator [pro or contra] entering the by You
differently created species of life, do You depending the
situation in Your own creation become visible about the way
fire manifests itself [depending the form ignited]. You
thus being among them as the real [equal to itself and
eternal] among the unreal [variegated expansion that is
temporal] are by the ones who are connected to Your
manifestation and
not being entangled have spotless minds, understood as being
one [unchanging, permanent] state of love [see also
B.G. 2:
12].
Apparently
entering within the by You variegated created species of
life as their motivator [pro or con], do You in
imitation of Your own creation become visible, like fire
does, according their relative positions; You thus being
among them as expanded [or real] and as not expanded
[untrue or temporary] are by those connected with
Your manifestation, who free from being entangled have minds
that are spotless, understood as being one [unchanging,
permanent] state of love [see also B.G. 2: 12].
(Vedabase)
Text
20
The
person within the
bodies he owes to his own activities is in fact as an expansion
of You, the possessor of all energies so it is said [by the
Vedas], not of the external [the gross body, the
deha],
nor of the internal [the subtle body, the
linga]
but [by these bodies] enveloped. And so do, once they
have developed faith ascertaining the status of the living
entity as being manifested in this manner, the ones learned in
the sacred precepts worship Your feet as the source of
liberation and field in which all offerings are
sown.
The
person within the bodies he arranged for himself is in fact
as the expansion of You, the possessor of all energies, so
is said [by the Vedas], not of the external [the
gross body, the deha], nor of the internal [the
subtle body, the linga] but enveloped; and so do, once
they have developed faith ascertaining the status of the
living entity as being manifested in this manner, the ones
learned in the sacred precepts worship Your feet as the
source of liberation and field in which all offerings are
sown. (Vedabase)
Text
21
By
diving deep into the vast ocean of nectar of the pastimes of
the forms You assumed in order to propagate the hard to grasp
principle of the soul, do the few who found relief from the
fatigue [of a material life] not even wish to be
liberated from this world, o Lord. This is so because they,
abandoning their homes, found association with the community of
the swans [the transcendental people] at Your lotus
feet [see e.g.
4.24:
58,
4.30:
33,
5.12:
16,
5.13:
21,
7.6:
17-18,
7.14:
3-4].
The
few that are tired of the trouble [of a material
life] do, by diving into the vast ocean of nectar of the
pastimes of the forms You assumed in order to propagate the
hard to grasp principle of soul, not even wish to leave this
world behind, o Lord, in abandoning their homes having found
the association with the community of the swans at Your
lotus feet [see e.g. 4.24: 58, 4.30: 33, 5.12: 16, 5.13:
21, 7.6: 17-18 , 7.14: 3-4].
(Vedabase)
Text
22
This body
useful for serving You acts as one's self, one's friend and
beloved. However, even though You, favorably disposed as their
very Self, are helpful and affectionate, do they who alas fail
to delight in You rather find the degradation of the physical
frame [in successive births], suicidal as they are in
their worship of the unreal when they time and again fail to
find their way with their existential fears [see also
B.G.
16: 19].
This
body useful for serving You acts as one's self, one's friend
and beloved; however, although You, favorably disposed as
their very Self, are helpful and affectionate, do they who
alas fail to delight in You rather find the degradation of
the physical frame [in successive births], being of
suicide in worship of the unreal as they persistently wander
far and wide in the existential fear [see also B.G. 16:
19].
(Vedabase)
Text
23
That
what by the sages with their breathing, mind and senses
brought under
control in steadfast yoga is worshiped in the heart, is also
attained by the ones who remember You in enmity [see also
3.2:
24 and
10.74:
46].
Similarly will we attain You and relish the same nectar of the
lotus feet as the women enjoy [the gopîs, the
wives] who in their mind and with their eyes are attracted
to Your arms that are as firm as mighty snake
bodies.
That
which the sages with the breathing, mind and senses brought
under control in steadfast yoga worship in the heart, is
also attained by the ones remembering in enmity [see
also 3.2: 24 10.74: 46]; and so will we do, equally
relishing the same nectar from the lotuslike feet, as do the
women [the gopîs, the wives] who in their mind
and vision are attracted to Your arms firm as mighty snake
bodies. (Vedabase)
Text
24
Ah,
who out here who but recently was born and soon will die has an
inkling who the first one would be from whom arose the seer
[Brahmâ]
after whom followed the two groups of demigods [to the
senses and the principles. See B.G.
7: 26]?
When He lies down to withdraw is there at that time neither the
gross, nor the subtle, nor that [the bodies] comprising
both; nor is there the flow of Time or are the
S'âstras
there [B.G.
9: 7].
Ah,
who out here recently born and soon to die indeed knows who
came first, from whom arose the seer [Brahmâ]
and from whom followed the two groups of demigods [to
the senses and the principles] [see B.G. 7: 26]?
When He lies down to withdraw is there at that time neither
the gross, nor the subtle, nor that [the bodies]
comprising both; nor is there the flow of Time or are the
s'âstras there [B.G. 9: 7].
(Vedabase)
Text
25
They
who teaching with authority declare that life springs from dead
matter and that there would be finality to the eternal
[see
B.G.
2: 16],
that the soul wouldn't be one [see 10.14:
9] and
that the duality of mundane business is something real [see
B.G.
17: 28],
are mistaken in their from ignorance born dualistic conception
that the living entity thus would be produced from the three
modes [only without You, their Oneness Beyond, see B.G.
14:
19 and
13:
28]; that
is what one gets when one concerning such transcendental
matters is not of [knowledge with] You, the Essence of
Full Perception [see also 5.6:
9-11].
They
who teaching with authority declare that life springs from
dead matter and that there is cessation from the eternal
[see B.G. 2: 16], that the soul wouldn't be one
[see 10.14: 9] and that the duality of mundane
business is something real [see B.G. 17: 28], are
mistaken in their from ignorance born dualistic conception
that the living entity thus would be produced from the three
modes [only without You, their Oneness Beyond, see B.G.
14: 19 and 13: 28]; that is what one gets when one to
such transcendental matters is not in [knowledge
with] You, the Essence of Full Perception [see also
5.6: 9-11]. (Vedabase)
Text
26
The
[temporal of forms and thus the] untrue threefold and
its [mind-]phenomena up to the human beings, appear in
You as if they would be true, but they are nevertheless by the
knowers of the Soul who consider the entirety of this world as
something true
[viz. as Your living body] not rejected, because they
are transformations non-different from Him. They, created by
Him who enters [His creation] Himself, are as such
recognized as being of the True Self in the same sense as gold
is not different when it is assigned different forms [see
also 6.16:
22].
The
[temporal of form and thus] untrue threefold and its
[mind-]phenomena up to the human beings, appear in
You as if they are true, and are by the knowers of the Soul
considering this entire world as true not rejected for being
transformations non-different from Him; they, created by
Himself entering, are as such indeed ascertained to be as
much the True Self as gold is, not differing from its
projections [see also 6.16: 22].
(Vedabase)
Text
27
They
who worship You as the shelter of all created beings do not
worry about Death and simply put their feet on his head, but
even the sages [among them] are tied by Your words the
way animals are tied. It are they who consider themselves Your
friends who [thus] find purification, not so much they
who turned away from that.
They
who worship You as the shelter of all created beings simply
step with their feet upon the head of Death, while You with
Your words even tie up the wise if they are of neglect; they
who turned to friendship indeed purify themselves, not so
they who turned their face
away.
(Vedabase)
Text
28
You
who self-effulgent are free from labor are the sustainer of all
who are of karma [bound as they are to their senses].
The godly vigilant with the material of nature carry You
tribute and enjoy the same excercise of respect offered to
them, just like it is with the local rulers in a kingdom in
relation to the sovereign ruling the entire country - that is
how they who are of success in fear of You execute their
assigned duties.
You
self-effulgent not effecting are the sustainer of all that
are effecting [with the sensory functions]; the
godly vigilant with the material nature carry You tribute
and do partake in that offering, as if they are the local
rulers in a kingdom in relation to their lord ruling over
the entire land - that is how they, the ones who make it
indeed, in fear of You execute their assigned services.
(Vedabase)
Text
29
By Your
material energy are the species of life, that manifest
themselves as stationary and moving, motivated for action, but
that can happen only when You, the One aloof, o Eternally
Liberated one, cast Your brief glance by assuming Your forms to
have Your pastimes in the material world. To [You] the
Supreme can no one be a stranger or a friend, just like the
ether can have no perceptible qualities. In that sense are You
like the void of space.
With
the material energy are the species of life, that manifest
themselves as stationary and moving, awakened in their
motives of action if You being aloof, o Eternally Liberated
one, by Your brief glance assume [Your forms to]
sport to her; to the Supreme indeed can no one be strange or
a friend, just as it is with the ethereal sky having no
perceptible qualities - in that You bear resemblance to a
void. (Vedabase)
Text
30
If the
countless embodied beings wouldn't be time-bound, would the
omnipresent consequently not be such a sovereign rule, o
Unchanging One. Because the substance cannot be independent
from that from which it was generated [ -
pradhâna, timespace, primeval ether -] must
[You] the regulator [of Time] be known as being
equally present everywhere and not as being somewhere else. For
that reason is one mistaken supposing that one knows [the
complete of You], since one is of the imperfect [local
order] with what one is knowing [see
6.5:
19].
If
the countless embodied beings wouldn't be time-bound, would
then the omnipresent not be such a sovereign rule, o
Unchanging One; [because of You] not separating from
the substance from which they were generated must
[You] the regulator [of Time] be known as
being equally present everywhere, not as being somewhere
else; and thus is one having it wrong supposing that one
knows [the complete of You] since one is of the
imperfect [local order] of what is known [see
6.5: 19]. (Vedabase)
Text
31
The generation
of the material world and its enjoyer [the male principle,
the person, the purusha] is not something that
happens; it is from the combination of these two unborn
elements that living bodies within You find their existence
like bubbles that appear in water [in combination with
air]. Just like rivers merge into the ocean and all flavors
of nectar merge into the honey, merge these living beings with
all their different names and qualities [in de end
again] into the Supreme [see also B.G.
9: 7].
The
generation of material nature and its male principle, the
person, does not really happen; by the combination of both
being unborn come these living bodies in You into being like
bubbles on the water [in touch with the air] and
have they therefore different names and qualities [later
again] merging in the Supreme as rivers merging into the
ocean and all flavors of nectar merging into honey [see
also B.G. 9: 7]. (Vedabase)
Text
32
Those who are
of wisdom and properly understand how much Your
mâyâ bewilders the human beings render
potent loving service unto You, the source of liberation. How
would there for those who faithfully follow You, be any kind of
fear for a material existence, a fear which by the three rimmed
[wheel of Time of past, present and future] of Your
furrowing eyebrows repeatedly is created in those who do not
take shelter of You [see also B.G. 4:
10,
7:
14 &
14:
26]?
The
ones of wisdom fervent unto You understanding how Your
mâyâ bewilders the human beings render potent
loving service unto You, the source of liberation; how would
for those who faithfully follow You, there be any of the
fear of a material existence that the three rimmed
[wheel of Time of past, present and future] of Your
furrowing eyebrows repeatedly creates with those who do not
take shelter of You? [see also B.G. 4: 10, 7:14 &
14:26]. (Vedabase)
Text
33
Conquered
by the senses and breath is the mind like a horse not brought
under control [B.G.
2:
60 and
5.11:
10]. Those
who out here endeavor to regulate but
abandon
the feet of the guru, meet with hundreds of obstacles in their
distress and unsteadiness with the various methods of control,
o Unborn One. They are like merchants who sailing the ocean
failed to employ a helmsman
[see 10.51:
60 & B.G.
4:
34].
Conquered
by the senses and breath is the mind like a horse not
brought under control [B.G. 2: 60 and 5.11: 10];
those who out here endeavor to regulate but abandon the feet
of the guru, meet with hundreds of obstacles being
distressed and unsteady in the various methods of control as
if they, o Unborn One, are merchants on the ocean not having
taken a helmsman [see 10.51: 60 B.G. 4: 34].
(Vedabase)
Text
34
What
do servants, children, a body, a wife, money, a home, land,
vitality, and vehicles mean to human beings for whom You became
their very Self,
the Embodiment of All Pleasure. And what at all would to those
who carrying on with their indulgence in sexual matters fail to
appreciate the truth [of Him], bring [real]
happiness in this world subject to destruction that on itself
is void of any essence? [see also B.G. 13:
8-12]
What
do servants, children, a body, a wife, money, a home, land,
vitality, and vehicles mean to human beings taking shelter
of their very Self, the Embodiment of All Pleasure; what at
all will to those who, carrying on with their indulgence in
sexual matters and failing to appreciate the truth [of
Him], bring [real] happiness in this world that
of its own is subject to destruction and on itself is void
of any essence? [see also B.G. 13: 8-12]
(Vedabase)
Text
35
The
seers free from false pride who, with the greatest piety on
this earth direct themselves at the places of pilgrimage and
the sites of His pastimes, have installed Your feet in their
heart and destroy the sins themselves with the water of their
feet. They who but once turned their mind towards You, the
Supreme Soul of Eternal Happiness, will never again dedicate
themselves to the homely affair [of a family life] that
steals away a person's essential qualities.
The
seers free from false pride who, with the greatest piety on
this earth [living] to the places of pilgrimage and
the sites of His pastimes, have Your feet in their heart,
destroy with the water of their feet indeed the sins; they
who but once turn their mind towards You, the Supreme Soul
Ever happy, are never again of worship for the homely affair
that steals away a persons essential
qualities.
(Vedabase)
Text
36
'From
the true manifested the true' so one may say, but that must be
refuted as being a specious argument. Just because it is true
in a number of cases is this connection not always found.
Because the conjunction is found at times are by a succession
of people groping in the dark the matters of every day life
differently presented and then do Your numerous words of wisdom
bewilder and loses one one's attentiveness with the
incantations one has with the rituals.
'From
the true arose this true' so said may be refuted as a
logical contradiction since it is inconsistent in some cases
while in other cases it is not untrue; of the conjunction of
both are by a succession of people groping in the dark
alternations desired in common matters to which Your
numerous words of wisdom do bewilder with them getting
dulled by the incantations in ritual utterings.
(Vedabase)
Text
37
Because
all of this didn't exist in the beginning and hence will not
exist after its annihilation, can be concluded that that what
in the interim appears within Your manifestation, is the
untruth to be
avoided. And thus is that [interim existence] to those
who are stable in their spirituality but a figment of
imagination, even though one can compare it all in categories
of material substance that appear in varieties of
transformations [see text
26],
transformations that by the unintelligent conversely are
considered something worshipable [see B.G.
6:
8].
As
this all did not exist in the beginning and hence will not
exist after its annihilation, can be concluded that it, in
between appearing within You, is the untruth to be avoided;
and thus is it to those stable in their spirituality,
contrary to the fact that it may be compared to categories
of material substance [or elements, appearing] in
varieties of transformations [see text 26], but a
figment of the imagination that the unintelligent think of
as something suitable for worship [see B.G. 6: 8].
(Vedabase)
Text
38
He
[the living entity] reconciles himself, because of the
insurmountable of matter, to that energy and assumes, in taking
to her qualities, accordingly forms. In his attachment to those
forms is he deprived of His advantage and runs he into [the
facts of birth and] death. You on the other hand with the
grace You have leaves her aside like a snake that sheds its
skin and are in Your eightfold greatness
[see
siddhis]
glorified
as the One Unlimited in His Glory.
He
[the living entity] because of the insurmountable
matter lies down next to the energy and, assuming her
qualities, takes on forms accordingly, following which
deprived of his assets he runs into [birth and]
death; You on the other hand endowed with all Your grace
leave her aside like a snake shedding its skin and are in
Your eightfold greatness [see siddhis] glorified as
the One Unlimited in His Glory.
(Vedabase)
Text
39
If
persons having entered
a renounced life do not uproot the traces of material desires
in their hearts and as yoga practitioners [just] live
to satisfy their animal needs, have they, being unhappy in not
having moved away from death, in both [this life and the
hereafter], missed Your heavenly kingdom. For the impure it
is impossible to attain when they have forgotten You with You
by them carried as a jewel around their neck [see also B.G.
6:
41-42].
If
persons having entered a renounced life do not uproot the
traces of material desires in their hearts and as yoga
practitioners [just] satisfy their animal life, have
they, not removed from death being unhappy in both [this
life and the hereafter], missed Your heavenly kingdom
impossible to realize for the impure and forgotten the jewel
[of You] around their neck [see also B.G. 6:
41-42]. (Vedabase)
Text
40
Someone who
understands You takes no heed of the good and bad consequences
of the auspicious and inauspicious that in the moment rises
from You [in the here and now], nor takes he heed of
the words of other living beings. Every day, o You of All
qualities, is he of the song that in every age is heard through
the disciplic succession of the children of Manu [see
3.22:
34-39 and
5.13:
25]. And
thus are You by him considered the ultimate goal of
liberation.
Someone
who understands You takes no heed of the good and bad
consequences of the auspicious and inauspicious at the
moment rising from You, nor of the words of other living
beings; every day, o You of All qualities, is he of the song
in every age heard through the disciplic succession of the
children of Manu [see 3.22: 34-39 and 5.13: 25],
because of which You are the ultimate goal of liberation.
(Vedabase)
Text
41
Neither the
masters of heaven can discern the end of the glories of You so
Unlimited, nor even You Yourself, You within whom the
multitudes of universes - each in their own shell - with the
Course of Time are blown about in the sky as particles of dust.
In You finding their ultimate conclusion bear the
s'rutis fruit by [neti
neti]
eliminating that what is not the Absolute of You [see
siddhânta]'
Neither
the masters of heaven can reach the end of the glories of
You so Unlimited, nor even You Yourself, within whom the
multitudes of universes - each in their own shell - with the
Course of Time are blown about in the sky as particles of
dust; indeed is it because the s'rutis in You bear fruit by
[neti neti] eliminating what is not the Absolute,
that they in You find their ultimate conclusion [see
siddhânta]'.
(Vedabase)
Text
42
The Supreme
Lord said: 'Thus having heard this instruction about the True
Self, understood the sons of Brahmâ their final
destination and worshiped they following perfectly satisfied
sage Sanandana.
The
Supreme Lord said: 'Thus having heard this instruction about
the True Self, understood the sons of Brahmâ their
final destination and worshiped they following perfectly
satisfied the sage Sanandana. (Vedabase)
Text
43
Thus was by the
classical sages who appeared in this world to roam in higher
spheres, of all the Vedas and Purânas the nectar of the
underlying mystery [of the Upanishad philosophy]
distilled.
Thus
was by the ancient ones, the saintly souls born to roam the
higher regions, of all the Vedas and Purânas the
nectar of the underlying mystery [of the upanishad
philosophy] distilled. (Vedabase)
Text
44
O you heir of
Brahmâ [Nârada], wander the earth as you
wish, meditating with faith upon this instruction about the
Soul that turns to ashes the desires of man.'
O
you heir of Brahmâ [Nârada], wander the
earth as you wish, meditating with faith upon this
instruction about the Soul that burns up the desires of
man.' (Vedabase)
Text
45
S'ri S'uka
said: 'He, self-possessed, who this way was commanded by the
sage accepted that faithfully, o King, and spoke, now
completely being of success, the following after first, firm in
his belief, having meditated upon what he had
heard.
S'ri
S'uka said: 'He, the self-possessed, this manner commanded
by the sage accepted it faithfully, o King, and spoke, now
fully of success, heroic to his vow meditating upon what he
had heard. (Vedabase)
Text
46
S'rî
Nârada said: 'My obeisances to Him, the Supreme Lord
Krishna spotless in His glories, who manifests His
all-attractive expansions for the liberation of all living
beings [1.3:
28].'
S'rî
Nârada said: 'My obeisances to Him, the Supreme Lord
Krishna spotless in His glories, who manifests His
all-attractive expansions for the liberation of all living
beings [1.3: 28].' (Vedabase)
Text
47
Thus having
spoken bowed he down to the Original Rishi
[Nârâyana] and to the great souls who were
His pupils, and went he from there to the hermitage of my
physical father, Dvaipâyana
Vedavyâsa.
Thus
speaking bowing down to the Original Rishi
[Nârâyana] and to the great souls that
were His pupils, went he from there to the hermitage of my
direct father, Dvaipâyana Vedavyâsa.
(Vedabase)
Text
48
After
by the great devotee having been honored and having accepted a
seat from him, described he to him what he had heard from the
mouth of S'rî Nârâyana.
By
the great devotee having been honored and having accepted a
seat from him, described he to him that what he had heard
from the mouth of S'rî Nârâyana.
(Vedabase)
Text
49
Thus
has your question been answered o King, about how the mind
would find its way with the Absolute Truth, the truth which
having no material qualities is so hard to express in words.
Thus
has been replied to the question you asked us, o King, on
how in the Absolute Truth - that without material qualities
so elusive to terms - the mind would find its way.
(Vedabase)
Text
50
He who watches
over this universe in the beginning, the middle and the end; He
who is the Lord of the unmanifested of the individual soul; He
who, sending forth this universe, entered it along with the
individual seer and [with him] producing bodies
regulates them; He unto whom surrendering the one
[illusioned] not being [re-]born forgets - as
if asleep - the body that he cherishes; He by the power of
whose pure spiritual status one is saved from a material birth,
is the Supreme Personality upon whom one relentlessly should
meditate to be freed from the fear [see B.G.
16:
11-12,
1.9:
39 and the
bhajan Sarvasva
Tomâra].'
He
who watches over this universe in the beginning, the middle
and the end; He who is the Lord of the unmanifested of the
individual soul; He who, sending forth this universe,
entered it along with the individual seer and producing
bodies regulates them; He unto whom surrendering the one
[illusioned] not being [re-]born gives up
the body he embraces as if asleep; by His pure spiritual
status being kept away from a material birth, should one, to
be freed from the fear [see B.G. 16: 11-12],
incessantly meditate upon the Supreme Personality [see
1.9: 39 and the bhajan Sarvasva
Tomar].
(Vedabase)
*
S'rîla S'rîdhara Svâmî elaborately
analyzes this problem, of describing the inexpressible Truth in
definable terms, by means of the traditional discipline of
Sanskrit poetics that states that words have three kinds of
expressive capacities, called s'abda-vrittis. These are
the different ways a word refers to its meaning, distinguished
as mukhya-vritti - literal meaning (divided in
rudhi, conventional use and yoga, derived use as in
etymology), lakshanâ-vritti - metaphorical
meaning, and the closely related gauna-vritti, a similar
meaning; exemplified by: the word lion has the three expressive
forms of: it is a lion - literal, he is a lion - metaphorical
and he is like a lion - similar use. So in fact the question is
how the Absolute would be covered taken literal, in metaphor
and in simile.
**According
to S'rîla Jîva Gosvâmî, the
twenty-eight verses of the prayers of the personified Vedas
(Texts 14 - 41) represent the opinions of each of the
twenty-eight major s'rutis. These chief Upanishads and
other s'rutis are concerned with the various approaches
of the Absolute Truth. See the purports pp
10.87
of this chapter of the paramparâ for specific
quotes.