Passage 1
जनक उवाच— इत्युक्तः शंकरेणासौ देवो वैवस्वतो मनुः। नियुक्तोऽपि प्रजासर्गे सद्य एव व्यरज्यत॥१॥
Janaka said: “Thus addressed by Śaṅkara, divine Vaivasvata Manu became dispassionate at once, although he had been appointed to create living beings.
Passage 2
वैराग्यवशगं चित्तं कृत्वा वैवस्वतस्य वै। उवाच रुद्रो भगवान् स्मयन् मधुरया गिरा॥२॥
Having brought Vaivasvata's mind under the sway of dispassion, Lord Rudra smiled and spoke in a gentle voice.
Passage 3
ब्राह्मण उवाच— भवादृशा हि बहवो राजन् प्राक् संस्कृतान्तराः। आत्मतत्त्वं प्रविज्ञाय ब्रह्मसाधर्म्यमागताः॥३॥
The Brāhmaṇa said: “King, many like you, inwardly purified in former lives, have fully known the truth of the Self and attained likeness to Brahman.
Passage 4
तस्मादेव ते नृपते विशुद्धकुलयोनये। श्रद्धालवे च विदुषे प्रोक्तवानिदमस्म्यहम्॥४॥
For that very reason, ruler, I have spoken this to you, born in a pure lineage, faithful, and wise.
Passage 5
सारं वेदान्तवाक्यानामात्मतत्त्वैकदीपकम्। गुह्यं ज्ञानमिदं प्रोक्तं सावधानोऽवधारय॥५॥
I have declared this secret knowledge—the essence of the statements of Vedānta and the single lamp illuminating the truth of the Self. Attend carefully and grasp it.
Passage 6
श्रवणं श्रवणं नैव श्रवणाभ्यां तु यच्छ्रुतम्। तदेव मननान्तं चेत् श्रवणं परिकीर्तितम्॥६॥
Mere hearing through the two ears is not true hearing. Only when what has been heard culminates in reflection is it called śravaṇa.
Passage 7
तस्मान्मदुक्तं मनसा नरेन्द्र निश्चित्य भूयो मननं कुरुष्व। ततो निदिध्यासनमेव कृत्वा कृतार्थमात्मानमवेहि राजन्॥७॥
O king of men, ascertain in your mind what I have said with due regard and reflect upon it again. Then practice deep contemplation and know yourself to have accomplished life's purpose.
Passage 8
पूर्वं जगत् सुसंयम्य पश्चात्कर्मफलं त्यज। ततः कर्माणि संन्यस्य ब्रह्मतत्त्वं विभावय॥८॥
First restrain your involvement with the world; afterward abandon the fruits of action. Then renounce actions themselves and contemplate the reality of Brahman.
Passage 9
अचिरान्मनस्येकाग्रे ब्रह्मतत्त्वं परिस्फुरेत्। प्रकाशिते परे तत्त्वे कृतकृत्यः प्रजायते॥९॥
Before long, the reality of Brahman will shine fully in the concentrated mind. When the supreme truth is revealed, one becomes fulfilled.
Passage 10
विमुक्तो जीवन्मुक्तश्च विनिर्धूतपुनर्भवः। तादृशस्त्वं भव नृप सिद्धानां नः शुभाशिषा॥१०॥
Be such a one, O king—free, liberated while living, with further birth completely cast off—through the auspicious blessing of us perfected beings.
Passage 11
अञ्जसैवागतग्लानिः प्रजासर्गं च संत्यज। अनुजानीहि मां भद्र यथेच्छं तपसे गिरिम्॥११॥
Abandon at once the creation of beings, which has brought you weariness. Good king, permit me to go as I please to the mountain for austerity.
Passage 12
हिमालयं महोत्तुङ्गं स्पृहणीयं तपस्विनाम्। इत्युक्त्वा प्रगते देवे महादेवे महेश्वरे॥१२॥
The lofty Himalaya is cherished by ascetics.” Having said this, the god Mahādeva, the great Lord, departed. Creation Declines and Vivasvān Intervenes
Passage 13
वैवस्वतो मनुरभूत्संनिवृत्तः प्रजाकृतेः। यदभूत्तदभूत्पूर्वं संनिवृत्तं ततो जगत्॥१३॥
Vaivasvata Manu withdrew from producing living beings. What had previously come into existence ceased thereafter, and so did the world's continuance.
Passage 14
अपाल्यमानं तेनाथ विरक्तेन महात्मना। दिने दिने क्षीयमाणं बभूव च ततो जगत्॥१४॥
No longer sustained by that great and dispassionate soul, the world then began to diminish day by day. Editorial note: The scan prints the contextually impossible ayālyamānaṃ (अयाल्यमानं); the grammatically and contextually required apālyamānaṃ (अपाल्यमानं, “not being sustained”) is adopted here.
Passage 15
प्रजासर्गादुपरतं मनुं दृष्ट्वा विशेषतः। विवस्वान् भगवानेत्य प्रोवाच मधुरं वचः॥१५॥
Seeing Manu wholly desist from creating beings, Lord Vivasvān came and spoke these gentle words.
Passage 16
कस्माद्वत्स प्रजासर्गात्सम्प्रत्युपरतो भवान्। वयं हि परमेशस्य विष्णोर्मायापतेर्हरेः॥१६॥
“Child, why have you now withdrawn from creating beings? We all belong to the supreme Lord Hari—Viṣṇu, master of māyā.
Passage 17
निदेशकारिणः सर्वे तदुक्तं कुर्महे वयम्। स आदौ भगवानस्मान् प्रजासर्गे नियुक्तवान्॥१७॥
We all carry out his commands and do what he has declared. In the beginning that Lord appointed us to create living beings.
Passage 18
तस्य नाभिह्रदादासीद् ब्रह्मा वेदविदां वरः। स तस्य हृदये स्थित्वा परां प्राचोदयद् गिरम्॥१८॥
From the lake of his navel arose Brahmā, foremost among knowers of the Veda. Dwelling in Brahmā's heart, the Lord inspired the supreme Word.
Passage 19
सा जाता तत्क्षणादेव निगमागमरूपिणी। तस्यां खलु प्रजातानां शब्दमय्यां हि संसृतिः॥१९॥
At that very instant she arose in the form of Nigama and Āgama. Within that Word-made revelation lies the course of all created beings. Editorial note: The scan prints prajātāpāṃ (प्रजातापां); the required genitive plural prajātānāṃ (प्रजातानां, “of created beings”) is adopted here.
Passage 20
तेभ्य एव च शब्देभ्यः सृष्टिर्जातार्थरूपिणी। अनुवर्तामहे सर्वे तामेव भगवत्कृतिम्॥२०॥
From those very words creation arose in the form of their meanings. We all follow that divine work alone.
Passage 21
यथा तदिच्छा समभूत्तथा सर्वं भविष्यति। भवान् कस्य निदेशेन प्रजासर्गादुपारतः। प्रतिकूलमिदं पुत्र देवदेवस्य शार्ङ्गिणः॥२१॥
Everything will unfold according to his will. At whose command have you withdrawn from creating beings? Son, this opposes the will of the God of gods, the wielder of Śārṅga.” Manu Defends the Urgency of Liberation
Passage 22
वैवस्वत उवाच— आत्मनो बन्धुरात्मासौ गुरुश्चैव सखा सुहृत्। किं कृतं तेन पापेन येनात्मैवैष वञ्चितः॥२२॥
Vaivasvata said: “The Self is one's kinsman, teacher, companion, and friend. What greater wrong could one commit than to cheat that very Self?
Passage 23
तस्माद्धि सर्वोपायेन जनः स्वात्मानमुद्धरेत्। कालं नैव प्रतीक्षेत यस्य वैराग्यमुत्कटम्॥२३॥
Therefore a person should raise up the Self by every means. One whose dispassion is intense must never wait for a later time.
Passage 24
यावन्न जायते जन्तोर्वैराग्यं भवखेदतः। तावत्प्रसज्जता सर्गे न तु जातु विरक्तिमान्॥२४॥
So long as dispassion has not arisen in a creature from weariness with worldly becoming, let him remain engaged in creation; but never one who has become dispassionate.
Passage 25
कोऽर्थः प्रसाधितोऽनेन देहं प्राप्य कुबुद्धिना। सामर्थ्ये सति यद्वो नेश्वरः समुपासितः॥२५॥
What purpose has a person of poor understanding accomplished by obtaining this body if, while ability remained, the Lord was not worshiped?
Passage 26
इति विज्ञाय सततं समुपासीत तं परम्। नो चेदात्मैव सततममुना वञ्चितः स्वयम्॥२६॥
Knowing this, one should continually worship that Supreme. Otherwise one perpetually cheats one's own Self.
Passage 27
यथा मम गुरुस्तात पृच्छ्यते चेत् त्वया विभो। तमहं ते प्रवक्ष्यामि न तस्मै द्रोग्धुमर्हसि॥२७॥
Father, if you ask who my teacher is, lord, I shall tell you; you must not act against him.
Passage 28
योऽसौ देवो हरिः साक्षात् त्रिलोकमहितो विभुः। स एव गुरुरूपेण सर्वत्र प्रकटः स्वयम्॥२८॥
That very Lord Hari, the all-pervading benefactor of the three worlds, himself appears everywhere in the form of the guru.
Passage 29
यस्मै कृपयते देवो बुद्धिरूपस्तदाशये। प्रकटीभूय कुरुते तत्त्वार्थस्योपदेशनम्॥२९॥
When the Lord, present as intelligence within the heart, shows grace to someone, he reveals himself and teaches the true meaning of reality.
Passage 30
कश्चित् खलु द्विजवरो मुनिराड् विजितेन्द्रियः। स मह्यमूचिवान् गुह्यमात्मयोगमुदारधीः॥३०॥
A certain eminent Brāhmaṇa, a sovereign sage who had conquered his senses, taught me the secret yoga of the Self, being noble in understanding.
Passage 31
निःस्पृहो ब्राह्मणवरो वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः। भवदुःखेन खिद्यन्तं ज्ञात्वा मामुपदिष्टवान्॥३१॥
That desireless and excellent Brāhmaṇa, master of the Vedas and their limbs, perceived me suffering from the pain of worldly existence and instructed me.
Passage 32
उक्त्वा गुह्यतरं ज्ञानं द्विजो यातो हिमालयम्। यत्र नित्यं तपस्यन्ति मुनयः शुद्धबुद्धयः॥३२॥
After declaring this most secret knowledge, the Brāhmaṇa went to the Himalaya, where sages of pure understanding perpetually practice austerity.
Passage 33
सोऽहं तत्रैव यास्यामि तपस्तप्तुं हिमालये। आत्मानमात्मयोगेन साधयिष्यामि भूयसा॥३३॥
I too shall go there to practice austerity in the Himalaya. Through abundant discipline in the yoga of the Self, I shall perfect the Self.
Passage 34
इत्युक्त्वा विरते तस्मिन् पुत्रे वैवस्वते मनौ। उवाच दीर्घं निःश्वस्य विवस्वान् भगवान् विभुः॥३४॥
When his son Vaivasvata Manu had spoken thus and fallen silent, the all-pervading Lord Vivasvān drew a long breath and replied.