1764 verses · verified Sanskrit text · IAST · English translation
ūrdhvamūlamadhaḥśākhamaśvatthaṃ prāhuravyayam । chandāṃsi yasya parṇāni yastaṃ veda sa vedavit ॥
“They call the fig tree imperishable, root above, boughs below; its leaves are the metres — whoever knows it knows the Veda.”
adhaścordhvaṃ prasṛtāstasya śākhā guṇapravṛddhā viṣayapravālāḥ । adhaśca mūlānyanusaṃtatāni karmānubandhīni manuṣyaloke ॥
“Its boughs spread below and above, grown by the qualities, with sense-things for shoots; and below its roots stretch on, deed-binding, in the human world.”
na rūpamasyeha tathopalabhyate nānto na cādirna ca saṃpratiṣṭhā । aśvatthamenaṃ suvirūḍhamūlamasaṅgaśastreṇa dṛḍhena chittvā ॥
“Its form is not so grasped here, nor its end, nor beginning, nor ground; cutting this fig tree of deep-grown roots with the firm sword of unclinging.”
tataḥ padaṃ tatparimārgitavyaṃ yasmingatā na nivartanti bhūyaḥ । tameva cādyaṃ puruṣaṃ prapadye yataḥ pravṛttiḥ prasṛtā purāṇī ॥
“Then that goal must be sought, reaching which men return no more — 'I take refuge in that primal Person alone, whence streamed forth the ancient forthgoing.'”
nirmānamohā jitasaṅgadoṣā adhyātmanityā vinivṛttakāmāḥ । dvandvairvimuktāḥ sukhaduḥkhasaṃjñairgacchantyamūḍhāḥ padamavyayaṃ tat ॥
“Free of pride and delusion, conquering the taint of clinging, ever in the self, with cravings gone, freed from opposites called pleasure and pain — the undeluded reach that changeless goal.”
na tadbhāsayate sūryo na śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ । yadgatvā na nivartante taddhāma paramaṃ mama ॥
“It the sun does not light, nor the moon, nor fire; reaching which men do not return — that is My highest home.”
mamaivāṃśo jīvaloke jīvabhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ । manaḥṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛtisthāni karṣati ॥
“A part of Me alone, the everlasting life-state in the world of lives, drags the six senses with mind, standing in matter.”
śarīraṃ yadavāpnoti yaccāpyutkrāmatīśvaraḥ । gṛhītvaitāni saṃyāti vāyurgandhānivāśayāt ॥
“Whatever body it wins, and whatever it leaves as lord, grasping these it passes on, as wind carries scents from their seat.”
śrotraṃ cakṣuḥ sparśanaṃ ca rasanaṃ ghrāṇameva ca । adhiṣṭhāya manaścāyaṃ viṣayānupasevate ॥
“Dwelling on hearing, sight, touch, taste, smell, and mind too, it attends to sense-things.”
utkrāmantaṃ sthitaṃ vāpi bhuñjānaṃ vā guṇānvitam । vimūḍhā nānupaśyanti paśyanti jñānacakṣuṣaḥ ॥
“The deluded do not see it leaving, staying, tasting, or joined to the qualities; the wisdom-eyed see.”
yatanto yoginaścainaṃ paśyantyātmanyavasthitam । yatanto'pyakṛtātmāno nainaṃ paśyantyacetasaḥ ॥
“Striving seekers see it standing in the self; yet though striving, the unmade selves, witless, see it not.”
yadādityagataṃ tejo jagadbhāsayate'khilam । yaccandramasi yaccāgnau tattejo viddhi māmakam ॥
“Whatever splendour in the sun lights the whole world, whatever in the moon and in fire — know that splendour as Mine.”
gāmāviśya ca bhūtāni dhārayāmyahamojasā । puṣṇāmi cauṣadhīḥ sarvāḥ somo bhūtvā rasātmakaḥ ॥
“And entering the earth, I bear beings by My vigour; and becoming the savoury moon, I nourish all herbs.”
ahaṃ vaiśvānaro bhūtvā prāṇināṃ dehamāśritaḥ । prāṇāpānasamāyuktaḥ pacāmyannaṃ caturvidham ॥
“Becoming the eater's fire, I dwell in the bodies of breathers; joined with in-breath and out-breath, I cook the four kinds of food.”
sarvasya cāhaṃ hṛdi saṃniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtirjñānamapohanaṃ ca । vedaiśca sarvairahameva vedyo vedāntakṛdvedavideva cāham ॥
“And I am seated in the heart of all; from Me come memory, knowledge, and their loss; by all Vedas I alone am knowable — I am the Veda-ender and the Veda-knower too.”
dvāvimau puruṣau loke kṣaraścākṣara eva ca । kṣaraḥ sarvāṇi bhūtāni kūṭastho'kṣara ucyate ॥
“Two are these Persons in the world — the perishing and the unperishing; the perishing is all beings, the changeless is called unperishing.”
uttamaḥ puruṣastvanyaḥ paramātmetyudāhṛtaḥ । yo lokatrayamāviśya bibhartyavyaya īśvaraḥ ॥
“But the highest Person is another, called the supreme self — who, entering the three worlds, bears them, the changeless lord.”
yasmātkṣaramatīto'hamakṣarādapi cottamaḥ । ato'smi loke vede ca prathitaḥ puruṣottamaḥ ॥
“Since I pass beyond the perishing and am higher than the unperishing too, I am famed in world and Veda as the highest Person.”
yo māmevamasaṃmūḍho jānāti puruṣottamam । sa sarvavidbhajati māṃ sarvabhāvena bhārata ॥
“Whoever, undeluded, thus knows Me as the highest Person — all-knowing, he serves Me in every way, O Bhārata.”
iti guhyatamaṃ śāstramidamuktaṃ mayānagha । etadbuddhvā buddhimānsyātkṛtakṛtyaśca bhārata ॥
“Thus this most hidden teaching is spoken by Me, O sinless one; knowing this, one would be wise and done with deeds, O Bhārata.”
abhayaṃ sattvasaṃśuddhirjñānayogavyavasthitiḥ । dānaṃ damaśca yajñaśca svādhyāyastapa ārjavam ॥
“Fearlessness, cleansing of being, steadiness in knowledge-discipline, giving, restraint, sacrifice, study, austerity, uprightness.”
ahiṃsā satyamakrodhastyāgaḥ śāntirapaiśunam । dayā bhūteṣvaloluptvaṃ mārdavaṃ hrīracāpalam ॥
“Non-harming, truth, angerlessness, giving up, calm, no backbiting, pity toward beings, ungreediness, gentleness, shame, ficklenesslessness.”
tejaḥ kṣamā dhṛtiḥ śaucamadroho nātimānitā । bhavanti saṃpadaṃ daivīmabhijātasya bhārata ॥
“Splendour, patience, resolve, purity, no treachery, no overweening pride — these belong to one born to a divine portion, O Bhārata.”
dambho darpo'bhimānaśca krodhaḥ pāruṣyameva ca । ajñānaṃ cābhijātasya pārtha saṃpadamāsurīm ॥
“Show, pride, conceit, anger, harshness too, and ignorance — these, O Pārtha, belong to one born to a demon portion.”
daivī saṃpadvimokṣāya nibandhāyāsurī matā । mā śucaḥ saṃpadaṃ daivīmabhijāto'si pāṇḍava ॥
“The divine portion is deemed toward freedom, the demon toward bondage; grieve not — you are born to a divine portion, O Pāṇḍava.”
dvau bhūtasargau loke'smindaiva āsura eva ca । daivo vistaraśaḥ prokta āsuraṃ pārtha me śṛṇu ॥
“Two are the births of beings in this world — the divine and the demon; the divine is told at length — hear from Me the demon, O Pārtha.”
pravṛttiṃ ca nivṛttiṃ ca janā na vidurāsurāḥ । na śaucaṃ nāpi cācāro na satyaṃ teṣu vidyate ॥
“Demon men know neither drive nor check; neither purity nor conduct nor truth is found in them.”
asatyamapratiṣṭhaṃ te jagadāhuranīśvaram । aparasparasaṃbhūtaṃ kimanyatkāmahaitukam ॥
“They say the world is untrue, groundless, lordless, born of mutual joining — what else but lust-caused?”
etāṃ dṛṣṭimavaṣṭabhya naṣṭātmāno'lpabuddhayaḥ । prabhavantyugrakarmāṇaḥ kṣayāya jagato'hitāḥ ॥
“Holding this view, lost selves of small wit come forth, dread in deeds, foes to the world's ruin.”
kāmamāśritya duṣpūraṃ dambhamānamadānvitāḥ । mohādgṛhītvāsadgrāhānpravartante'śucivratāḥ ॥
“Sheltering in unfillable craving, full of show, pride and madness, grasping foul holds from delusion, they proceed in impure vows.”
cintāmaparimeyāṃ ca pralayāntāmupāśritāḥ । kāmopabhogaparamā etāvaditi niścitāḥ ॥
“Sheltering in boundless care ending with doomsday, holding lust's enjoyment highest, certain that this much is all.”
āśāpāśaśatairbaddhāḥ kāmakrodhaparāyaṇāḥ । īhante kāmabhogārthamanyāyenārthasañcayān ॥
“Bound by hundredfold snares of hope, given to lust and anger, they strive for lust's enjoyment by unjust heapings of wealth.”
idamadya mayā labdhamimaṃ prāpsye manoratham । idamastīdamapi me bhaviṣyati punardhanam ॥
“'This I won today, this wish I shall win; this I have, and this wealth too shall be mine again.'”
asau mayā hataḥ śatrurhaniṣye cāparānapi । īśvaro'hamahaṃ bhogī siddho'haṃ balavānsukhī ॥
“'That foe was slain by me, and others too I shall slay; I am lord, I enjoy, I am perfect, strong, happy.'”
āḍhyo'bhijanavānasmi ko'nyo'sti sadṛśo mayā । yakṣye dāsyāmi modiṣya ityajñānavimohitāḥ ॥
“'I am rich, high-born — who else is like me? I shall offer, give, rejoice' — thus deluded by ignorance.”
anekacittavibhrāntā mohajālasamāvṛtāḥ । prasaktāḥ kāmabhogeṣu patanti narake'śucau ॥
“Straying through many thoughts, wrapped in delusion's net, clinging to lust's enjoyments, they fall into foul hell.”
ātmasaṃbhāvitāḥ stabdhā dhanamānamadānvitāḥ । yajante nāmayajñaiste dambhenāvidhipūrvakam ॥
“Self-vaunting, stubborn, full of wealth's pride and madness, they offer with name-only offerings, showily, against the rule.”
ahaṃkāraṃ balaṃ darpaṃ kāmaṃ krodhaṃ ca saṃśritāḥ । māmātmaparadeheṣu pradviṣanto'bhyasūyakāḥ ॥
“Sheltering in ego, force, pride, lust and anger, hating Me in their own and others' bodies, spiteful.”
tānahaṃ dviṣataḥ krūrānsaṃsāreṣu narādhamān । kṣipāmyajasramaśubhānāsurīṣveva yoniṣu ॥
“Those haters, cruel, lowest of men, luckless — I hurl ever into demon wombs amid rebirths.”
āsurīṃ yonimāpannā mūḍhā janmani janmani । māmaprāpyaiva kaunteya tato yāntyadhamāṃ gatim ॥
“Winning demon wombs, deluded birth after birth, never reaching Me, O son of Kuntī, they then reach the lowest path.”
trividhaṃ narakasyedaṃ dvāraṃ nāśanamātmanaḥ । kāmaḥ krodhastathā lobhastasmādetattrayaṃ tyajet ॥
“Threefold is this gate of hell, ruinous to the self — lust, anger, and greed too; so let one shun these three.”
etairvimuktaḥ kaunteya tamodvāraistribhirnaraḥ । ācaratyātmanaḥ śreyastato yāti parāṃ gatim ॥
“Freed from these three gates of darkness, O son of Kuntī, a man works the self's weal, then reaches the highest path.”
yaḥ śāstravidhimutsṛjya vartate kāmakārataḥ । na sa siddhimavāpnoti na sukhaṃ na parāṃ gatim ॥
“Whoever, casting off scripture's rule, lives by lust's will — he wins neither perfection, nor joy, nor the highest path.”
tasmācchāstraṃ pramāṇaṃ te kāryākāryavyavasthitau । jñātvā śāstravidhānoktaṃ karma kartumihārhasi ॥
“So let scripture be your measure in settling what must and must not be done; knowing what scripture's rule declares, you should do deeds here.”
ye śāstravidhimutsṛjya yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ । teṣāṃ niṣṭhā tu kā kṛṣṇa sattvamāho rajastamaḥ ॥
“Men who offer, full of faith, casting off scripture's rule — what is their steadfastness, O Kṛṣṇa: goodness, passion, or darkness?”
trividhā bhavati śraddhā dehināṃ sā svabhāvajā । sāttvikī rājasī caiva tāmasī ceti tāṃ śṛṇu ॥
“Threefold is the faith of dwellers, born of their nature — good, passionate, and dark too; hear it.”
sattvānurūpā sarvasya śraddhā bhavati bhārata । śraddhāmayo'yaṃ puruṣo yo yacchraddhaḥ sa eva saḥ ॥
“Each man's faith fits his being, O Bhārata; man is made of faith — whatever his faith, that he is.”
yajante sāttvikā devānyakṣarakṣāṃsi rājasāḥ । pretānbhūtagaṇāṃścānye yajante tāmasā janāḥ ॥
“The good offer to gods, the passionate to prazos and demons, the rest — the dark folk — offer to ghosts and hosts of spirits.”
aśāstravihitaṃ ghoraṃ tapyante ye tapo janāḥ । dambhāhaṃkārasaṃyuktāḥ kāmarāgabalānvitāḥ ॥
“Men who burn dread austerity unsanctioned by scripture, joined with show and ego, graced with lust, passion and force.”
karṣayantaḥ śarīrasthaṃ bhūtagrāmamacetasaḥ । māṃ caivāntaḥśarīrasthaṃ tānviddhyāsuraniścayān ॥
“Witless, wasting the mass of beings stationed in the body, and Me too within the body — know them as demon-resolved.”