Passage 1
श्रीशुक उवाच— शिवस्तु दुःसहं मत्वा प्रजासर्गमनारतम्। वैवस्वताय मनवे ज्ञानं वक्तुमुपागतः॥१॥
Śrī Śuka said: “Śiva considered the unceasing creation of beings unbearable and came to impart knowledge to Vaivasvata Manu.
Passage 2
ब्रह्मचारी यथा भूत्वा धृताषाढो मृगाजिनी। धौतोज्ज्वलाम्बरधरः सुपूतः सुदृढव्रतः॥२॥
He assumed the form of a brahmacārin, carrying an āṣāḍha staff and wearing deerskin, spotless in washed, shining garments and firm in his vow.
Passage 3
महाहाराज्यासनगं देवं वैवस्वतं मनुम्। अभ्यगच्छन्नभोदेशादवतीर्य लसद्द्युतिः॥३॥
Descending radiantly from the sky, he approached divine Vaivasvata Manu seated upon his great royal throne.
Passage 4
तं सूर्यप्रतिमं दृष्ट्वावतरन्तं नभस्तलात्। उत्तस्थौ स्वासनं हित्वा भक्त्या वैवस्वतो मनुः॥४॥
Seeing that sun-like figure descend from heaven, Vaivasvata Manu rose devotionally from his seat.
Passage 5
सर्वदाभ्यागतः पार्श्वे ब्रह्मचर्यनिधिर्द्विजः। वैवस्वतो विस्मितोऽभूद्दृष्ट्वा तद्ब्रह्मवर्चसम्। प्रत्युत्थाय ननामास्मै मूर्ध्ना नम्रेण धार्मिकः॥५॥
When the Brāhmaṇa, treasury of brahmacarya, came near, Manu marveled at his spiritual radiance. The righteous king rose and bowed his head before him.
Passage 6
स तं प्रयुज्याशिषमद्भुतां मुनिर्विमुक्तिमार्गं सहसा व्रजेति भोः। निशम्य तस्याशिषमेष निर्वृतः संसारचक्रश्रमणाह्वानचित्तः॥६॥
The sage gave him the wondrous blessing, “Sir, quickly enter the path of liberation.” Hearing it, Manu found peace, his heart summoned away from weary wandering on saṃsāra's wheel.
Passage 7
पाद्यादिभिः प्रपूज्यैनं कृत्वा च बहुलादरम्। महाऽर्हमासनं दत्त्वा शिरश्चरणयोरन्यधात्॥७॥
He worshiped the visitor with water for the feet and other honors, offered him a most worthy seat, and placed his head at the sage's feet.
Passage 8
स तस्य शिर उत्सार्य महामुकुटमण्डितम्। प्रसन्नहृदयो भूत्वा प्रोवाच मनुजेश्वरम्॥८॥
Lifting the king's head adorned with its great crown, the visitor became gracious and addressed the lord of men. The Brāhmaṇa Questions Worldly Activity
Passage 9
ब्राह्मण उवाच— धन्योऽसि धारणीपाल प्रजापालनतत्परः। विविधाश्च प्रजाः कृत्वा कृतकृत्योऽसि साम्प्रतम्॥९॥
The Brāhmaṇa said: “Blessed are you, protector of the earth, devoted to caring for your subjects. Having created diverse beings, you have now fulfilled your duty.
Passage 10
पारं प्राप्तोऽसि वेदानां समस्तानां महामते। साङ्गानां सरहस्यानां सोत्तराम्नायभूयसाम्॥१०॥
Great-minded king, you have reached the far shore of all the Vedas, with their limbs, mysteries, and extensive later traditions.
Passage 11
अधीत्य साङ्गमाम्नायं पितुर्देवाद्विवस्वतः। किमेतत्कृतवान् यत्त्वं भूयः समसृजः प्रजाः॥११॥
Having studied revelation with its limbs from your divine father Vivasvān, why have you acted so as to create beings again?
Passage 12
न हि प्रवृत्तिरुदिता वेदेषु निखिलेष्वपि। निवृत्त्येकपरा वेदा ब्रह्मैकं ज्ञापयन्ति हि॥१२॥
The Vedas in their fullness do not ultimately teach outward activity. Devoted solely to cessation, they make known the one Brahman.
Passage 13
समासतो व्यासतश्च वेदैरेकोऽर्थ ईर्यते। बह्वर्थत्वे वाक्यभेदः सर्वाम्नाये प्रसज्यते॥१३॥
In brief and in detail, the Vedas declare a single meaning; if many ultimate meanings were intended, contradiction would infect the whole revelation.
Passage 14
पूर्वकाण्डे यज्ञमात्रं परत्र ब्रह्म केवलम्। आम्नायेन च सर्वेण तस्य ज्ञानमुदीर्यते॥१४॥
The earlier section teaches sacrifice, while the later teaches Brahman alone; the whole transmitted Veda culminates in knowledge of that reality.
Passage 15
पूर्वकाण्डोदितो यज्ञश्चित्तशुद्ध्यर्थमिष्यते। कथं ज्ञानकलोदेति शुद्ध्यभावे तु चेतसः॥१५॥
Sacrifice taught in the earlier section is intended to purify the mind. How could even a trace of knowledge arise while the mind remains impure?
Passage 16
विचार्यं भवतैवैतद्यतः स्वस्य स्वयं गुरुः। प्रवृत्तिर्वा निवृत्तिर्वा किमशोकं पदं दिशेत्॥१६॥
You must examine this yourself, for one is one's own teacher: does engagement or withdrawal point toward the sorrowless abode?
Passage 17
प्रवृत्तिः खलु भूतानां बन्धनैकसम्प्रसाधिनी। निवृत्त्या विरजो भूत्वा लभते शाश्वतं पदम्॥१७॥
Outward activity binds living beings, whereas through withdrawal one becomes stainless and attains the eternal state.
Passage 18
वैराग्यं चैव विज्ञानं स्वात्मज्ञानैकसाधनम्। प्रवृत्तिस्तत्प्रातिकूल्ये निवृत्तिरनुकूलता॥१८॥
Dispassion and realized knowledge alone accomplish knowledge of one's Self. Activity opposes them, while withdrawal supports them.
Passage 19
अशान्तिदमशान्तं च कामक्रोधमदावहम्। असाररूपं संसारमशुभं क उपासते॥१९॥
Who would cherish inauspicious saṃsāra, devoid of essence, restless and uncontrolled, bearing desire, anger, and pride?
Passage 20
सदारं धनपुत्रादिलालसाशोकसम्भृतम्। परिणामैकविरसं कः संसारं प्रवर्तयेत्॥२०॥
Who would perpetuate worldly life, crowded with craving and grief for spouse, wealth, children, and the rest, whose transformations end only in distaste?
Passage 21
बहुभिर्भुज्यते भोग एकः खलु निबध्यते। ईदृशं गृहमुत्सृज्य स्वात्मानं किं न साधयेत्॥२१॥
Many consume the household's enjoyments, yet one person alone is bound by responsibility. Why not leave such a home and realize one's Self?
Passage 22
दूरेण खलु तत्तत्त्वं यल्लब्धं त्यक्तगृह्यकैः। गृहिणां गृहकृत्येन व्यग्राणां ग्राम्यवृत्तिभिः॥२२॥
That truth, attained by those who abandon domestic life, remains far from householders distracted by domestic tasks and ordinary pursuits.
Passage 23
भवेषु क्लिश्यमानानामपूर्णोदरचेतसाम्। दधतां महतीं चिन्तां ग्लानिः कस्मान्न जायते॥२३॥
Why should weariness not arise in those tormented by becoming, minds fixed on filling bellies and bearing immense anxiety?
Passage 24
ग्लायतामपि दुःखेन क्रोशतां भववेदनैः। न जायते निवृत्तिर्वै हन्तेयं मूर्खता नृणाम्॥२४॥
Though they languish in sorrow and cry from worldly pain, withdrawal does not arise in them—alas, such is human folly. Do Not Postpone the Work of Liberation
Passage 25
कालं न विश्वसेज्जातु भीषणं क्षणचापलम्। वर्धयित्वा हरेज्जन्तुं तत्क्षणादेव पश्यतः॥२५॥
Never trust terrible time, fickle from moment to moment. It raises a creature up and then carries him away before one's eyes.
Passage 26
हरितः पुष्पितः पूर्णः फलितो ज्वलितो वने। भस्मान्तं च गतो भूमौ मिलितोऽङ्कुरितः पुनः॥२६॥
A tree grows green, flowers, fills out, bears fruit, and burns in the forest; reduced to ash and merged with earth, it sprouts again.
Passage 27
अहो कालस्य लीलेयं बलिनोऽखिलभेदिनः। निजशक्तिं प्रविस्तार्य विश्वं विपरिणामयेत्॥२७॥
Behold the play of mighty, all-piercing time: extending its power, it transforms the universe.
Passage 28
क्रीडते सततं कालो गुणक्षोभं समाश्रितः। दिनमासर्तुवर्षादिप्रलयान्तो महोर्जितः॥२८॥
Time continually plays through the agitation of the guṇas, powerfully extending from days, months, seasons, and years to final dissolution.
Passage 29
निगृह्णीयान्मनो नित्यं विषयेषु न चोत्सृजेत्। विमुक्तानिग्रहे चित्ते पुरुषः स्यात्कदर्थितः॥२९॥
One should always restrain the mind and never release it among sense objects. If the mind is left unrestrained, a person becomes tormented.
Passage 30
प्रकृतेः परिणामित्वादनेकधा गुणोद्भवः। पुरुषः सुखदुःखानि भुङ्क्तेऽयं यत्समाश्रयः॥३०॥
Through prakṛti's transformations, the guṇas arise in many forms; identifying with them, the person experiences pleasure and pain.
Passage 31
गुणप्रवाहपतितो यत्र यत्रानुधावति। ततस्ततो निगृह्णीयाद्यदीच्छन्मुक्तिमात्मनः॥३१॥
Wherever one runs while fallen into the current of the guṇas, one must repeatedly pull oneself back if one desires liberation.
Passage 32
अथाधुना ब्रह्मचर्यं श्वो गार्हस्थ्यं भविष्यति। ततो वानप्रस्थमथो ग्रहीष्ये दण्डमुत्तमम्॥३२॥
“Now I practice brahmacarya; tomorrow I shall become a householder; then a forest-dweller; afterward I shall take the renunciant's staff.”
Passage 33
एवं क्रमेण मुक्तोऽहं भविष्यामि ततः परम्। इत्यमाशावशो लोको लीयते कालवक्त्रगः॥३३॥
“By this sequence I shall finally be liberated.” Ruled by such hopes, people disappear into time's mouth.
Passage 34
श्वःसाधनीयमर्थं तु विद्वानद्यैव साधयेत्। कालेन बलिना तत्र दीर्घसूत्री विहन्यते॥३४॥
The wise accomplish today what is proposed for tomorrow; powerful time destroys the procrastinator.
Passage 35
यावदिन्द्रियसामर्थ्यं यावदूर्जस्वलं वपुः। तावत्कुर्यान्नरो धीमान् संसृतेरात्मसाधनम्॥३५॥
While the senses remain capable and the body vigorous, an intelligent person should work for the Self's freedom from saṃsāra.
Passage 36
देहं न विश्वसेज्जातु निगीर्णं कालशक्तितः। अचेतनं भौतिकं तत्केन चैतन्यमाप्यते॥३६॥
Never trust the body, already swallowed by time's power. It is unconscious and material; from what does it receive consciousness?
Passage 37
परमात्मा चिदानन्दो यस्य जीवा वशे स्थिताः। स द्विधेयं जगद्वृक्षमाविश्य क्रीडते पृथक्॥३७॥
The Supreme Self is consciousness and bliss, under whose power living beings remain. Entering the dual tree of the world, that Self plays as though separate.
Passage 38
तत्संयोगादभूतमयं चेतनं वपुरुच्यते। तेन प्रसाधयेत्कार्यं शाश्वतं हितमात्मनः॥३८॥
Through union with the Self, the elemental body is called conscious. One should use it to accomplish the eternal good of one's Self.
Passage 39
जगद्विनश्वरं सर्वं तत्स्थोऽयं चापि तादृशः। इति विज्ञाय न नरो विषयेषु प्रसज्जते॥३९॥
The entire world is perishable, and one who dwells within it is likewise transient. Knowing this, a person does not cling to sense objects.
Passage 40
विषयासङ्गयुक्तस्य रागस्तेषु प्रजायते। स्वरूपानन्दसन्दोहस्तेन नित्यं तिरोहितः॥४०॥
Attachment to sense objects gives rise to passion for them, by which the fullness of one's intrinsic bliss remains perpetually concealed.
Passage 41
अयं ते दोष आख्यातः प्रजासर्गसमुद्भवः। तस्मादतो निवर्तस्व यदीच्छसि शुभं मनः॥४१॥
I have explained the fault arising from creating beings. Therefore withdraw from it if you desire the mind's highest welfare.”