श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
य एतान् मत्पथो हित्वा भक्तिज्ञानक्रियात्मकान् ।
क्षुद्रान् कामांश्चलैः प्राणैर्जुषन्तः संसरन्ति ते ॥ १॥
स्वे स्वेऽधिकारे या निष्ठा स गुणः परिकीर्तितः ।
विपर्ययस्तु दोषः स्यादुभयोरेष निश्चयः ॥ २॥
शुद्ध्यशुद्धी विधीयेते समानेष्वपि वस्तुषु ।
द्रव्यस्य विचिकित्सार्थं गुणदोषौ शुभाशुभौ ॥ ३॥
धर्मार्थं व्यवहारार्थं यात्रार्थमिति चानघ ।
दर्शितोऽयं मयाऽऽचारो धर्ममुद्वहतां धुरम् ॥ ४॥
भूम्यम्ब्वग्न्यनिलाकाशा भूतानां पञ्चधातवः ।
आब्रह्मस्थावरादीनां शारीरा आत्मसंयुताः ॥ ५॥
वेदेन नाम रूपाणि विषमाणि समेष्वपि ।
धातुषूद्धव कल्प्यन्त एतेषां स्वार्थसिद्धये ॥ ६॥
देशकालादिभावानां वस्तूनां मम सत्तम ।
गुणदोषौ विधीयेते नियमार्थं हि कर्मणाम् ॥ ७॥
अकृष्णसारो देशानामब्रह्मण्योऽशुचिर्भवेत् ।
कृष्णसारोऽप्यसौवीरकीकटासंस्कृतेरिणम् ॥ ८॥
कर्मण्यो गुणवान् कालो द्रव्यतः स्वत एव वा ।
यतो निवर्तते कर्म स दोषोऽकर्मकः स्मृतः ॥ ९॥
द्रव्यस्य शुद्ध्यशुद्धी च द्रव्येण वचनेन च ।
संस्कारेणाथ कालेन महत्वाल्पतयाथ वा ॥ १०॥
शक्त्याशक्त्याथ वा बुद्ध्या समृद्ध्या च यदात्मने ।
अघं कुर्वन्ति हि यथा देशावस्थानुसारतः ॥ ११॥
धान्यदार्वस्थितन्तूनां रसतैजसचर्मणाम् ।
कालवाय्वग्निमृत्तोयैः पार्थिवानां युतायुतैः ॥ १२॥
अमेध्यलिप्तं यद्येन गन्धलेपं व्यपोहति ।
भजते प्रकृतिं तस्य तच्छौचं तावदिष्यते ॥ १३॥
स्नानदानतपोऽवस्था वीर्यसंस्कारकर्मभिः ।
मत्स्मृत्या चात्मनः शौचं शुद्धः कर्माचरेद्द्विजः ॥ १४॥
मन्त्रस्य च परिज्ञानं कर्मशुद्धिर्मदर्पणम् ।
धर्मः सम्पद्यते षड्भिरधर्मस्तु विपर्ययः ॥ १५॥
क्वचिद्गुणोऽपि दोषः स्याद्दोषोऽपि विधिना गुणः ।
गुणदोषार्थनियमस्तद्भिदामेव बाधते ॥ १६॥
समानकर्माचरणं पतितानां न पातकम् ।
औत्पत्तिको गुणः सङ्गो न शयानः पतत्यधः ॥ १७॥
यतो यतो निवर्तेत विमुच्येत ततस्ततः ।
एष धर्मो नृणां क्षेमः शोकमोहभयापहः ॥ १८॥
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The glorious Lord began again : Abandoning the aforesaid paths leading to Me, consisting of Devotion, spiritual enlightenment and (disinterested) action, they who enjoy the trifling pleasures of sense with their fickle senses undergo transmigration. (1)
What goes by the name of devotion to one's own duty has been proclaimed to be a virtue. The contrary of it (viz., devotion to another's duty), however, is a fault. Such is the conclusion about the nature of both (viz., virtue and fault). (2)
Purity and impurity (fitness for use or otherwise), virtue and fault (goodness or otherwise) and good and evil consequences are determined in regard to homogeneous substances in order to regulate one's natural proneness to betake oneself to a particular substance, by creating a doubt (in one's mind) about it. (3)
(Of these) purity and impurity are determined for the purpose of knowing the righteous way as distinguished from the unrighteous; virtue and fault are defined in order to regulate usage (what is intrinsically good is used in exceptional cases notwithstanding its impurity); and good and evil consequences are determined in order to enable one to make one's living (one is permitted to use an impure substance in exceptional circumstances only to the extent necessary for maintaining one's existence), O sinless one! Such a course of conduct has been shown by Me (in the form of Manu and other divine Law-givers) for men bearing the responsibility of upholding the cause of virtue. (4)
Earth, water, fire, the air and ether these five elements coupled with the Self (Spirit) enter into the constitution of the bodies of all created beings from Brahmā (the foremost of created beings) down to the immobile creation (the plant or vegetable kingdom, the lowest species of life). (That is to say, all created beings are one in point of the material stuff of which they are constituted as well as in point of their Jivahood or spiritual essence). (5)
(Yet) in order to enable these creatures (by regulating their activity) to attain their purpose (of life in the form of Dharma or religious merit, Artha or material possessions, Kāma or gratification of the senses and Mokṣa or final beatitude) diverse names and forms (viz., Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya and so on) are invented by the Vedas with reference to the bodies though made up of the same substance, O Uddhava! (6)
In order (however) to regulate the activities (of created beings) goodness and otherwise are attributed by Me (in the form of the Vedas) even to entities like space and time (including the fruit and motive of actions, as well as those qualified for various types of actions), nay, to substances, O most noble one! (7)
Of (all) tracts of land, that which is untrodden by the black deer is unholy, more so that which is lacking in devotion to the Brāhmaṇas. Even that which is hallowed by the presence of the black deer is unholy if destitute of righteous men. The tract known by the name of Kikaṭa (comprising the territories of Aṅga, Vaṅga and Kaliṅga*, roughly corresponding to the modern district of Bhagalpur in Bihar and the states of Bengal and Utkala) is unholy if not inhabited by good men.† The land mostly inhabited by Mlecchas ‡ and barren land (too) is likewise unholy. (8)
(A period of) time which is fit for the performance of righteous actions from the point of view of (adequate supply of) requisite articles or by itself is valuable (from that point of view); whereas (a period of) time in which a (sacred) rite (already commenced) has to be abandoned (for scarcity of requisite materials or political upheaval) and (even so) that which is declared as unfit for any (religious) rite (due to impurity occasioned by the death of a blood relation or other near relative or childbirth in one's own house or family) is impure. (9)
The purity and impurity of a substance are brought about by another substance as well as by the word of mouth (of a Brāhmaṇa), by a purificatory process (and otherwise), nay, by (flux of) time§ and by largeness and smallness of area respectively (as in the case of a tank polluted by the touch of a low-born person), by physical fitness and otherwise or by knowledge and the affluent circumstances (or otherwise) of the individual concerned. (Nay,) the sin which the aforementioned agencies (of pollution) bring to a soul (by polluting a substance) really do so (only) according to the local conditions and other circumstances of the individual concerned. (10-11)
The purity of food-grains, (articles of) wood, bones (such as ivory) and textiles, savoury substances (such as milk, ghee and honey), metals (especially gold), hides and skins and earthen substances is brought about by (passage of) time, the air, fire, earth and water jointly or severally. (12)
That by recourse to which an article (such as a stool, household utensil or cloth) smeared with an impure substance sheds its (foul) smell and (impure) coating and returns to its natural state is intended to be its purifier. (13)
The purity of a doer prompted by the ego-sense is brought about by bathing, munificence, askesis, age (prescribed for a certain act), strength, purificatory rites (such as investiture with the sacred thread) and righteous acts (like the saying of Sandhyā prayers) and (above all) by remembering Me. A member of the twice-born classes (or even a Śūdra for that matter) should (proceed to) do his duty (only) when purified (by these). (14)
The purity of a Mantra (sacred formula) is brought about by learning it (properly from a qualified man) and the purity of an act lies in dedicating it to Me. Religious merit is acquired through (the purity of) the aforesaid factors (place, time, substance, agent, sacred formula and righteous act enumerated in the foregoing verses); while the reverse (their impurity) (makes for) unrighteousness. (15)
In some cases even a virtue turns out to be a fault and vice versa in the light of a scriptural ordinance. (In this way) the scriptural ordinance determining the goodness or otherwise of a particular object cuts at the root of the distinction (of good and bad) itself. (16)
In the case of those (already) fallen (in social rank or morals) the perpetration of an act similar to that which is sinful for others (not so fallen) is not (further) degrading. (Similarly) sexual intercourse (with one's lawfully wedded wife during the days permitted* by the Śāstras) when already afreed upon is a virtue (although it is a sin in the case of a recluse); (for) a person (already) lying (on the ground) has no chance of a (further) fall. (17)
A man is rid of attachment for each of those objects and actions from which he desists. This righteous course (in the shape of detachment) is salutary for men and dispels their grief, infatuation and fear. (18) (1-18)
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फलश्रुतिरियं नॄणां न श्रेयो रोचनं परम् ।
श्रेयो विवक्षया प्रोक्तं यथा भैषज्यरोचनम् ॥ २३॥
उत्पत्त्यैव हि कामेषु प्राणेषु स्वजनेषु च ।
आसक्तमनसो मर्त्या आत्मनोऽनर्थहेतुषु ॥ २४॥
न तानविदुषः स्वार्थं भ्राम्यतो वृजिनाध्वनि ।
कथं युञ्ज्यात्पुनस्तेषु तांस्तमो विशतो बुधः ॥ २५॥
एवं व्यवसितं केचिदविज्ञाय कुबुद्धयः ।
फलश्रुतिं कुसुमितां न वेदज्ञा वदन्ति हि ॥ २६॥
कामिनः कृपणा लुब्धाः पुष्पेषु फलबुद्धयः ।
अग्निमुग्धा धूमतान्ताः स्वं लोकं न विदन्ति ते ॥ २७॥
न ते मामङ्ग जानन्ति हृदिस्थं य इदं यतः ।
उक्थशस्त्रा ह्यसुतृपो यथा नीहारचक्षुषः ॥ २८॥
ते मे मतमविज्ञाय परोक्षं विषयात्मकाः ।
हिंसायां यदि रागः स्याद्यज्ञ एव न चोदना ॥ २९॥
हिंसाविहारा ह्यालब्धैः पशुभिः स्वसुखेच्छया ।
यजन्ते देवता यज्ञैः पितृभूतपतीन् खलाः ॥ ३०॥
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Such a promise of reward (in the shape of heaven etc., contained in the Vedas as for example 'स्वर्गकामो यजेत'—One aspiring for heaven should perform sacrifices like Aśwamedha) does not point out the way to blessedness but is put forward only in order to create in the mind of men (externally inclined) a taste (for ritual acts) as introductory to an exposition of final beatitude, even as before administering a (dose of) bitter medicine (to a stubborn child) a sweet promise is made (by parents just in order to prevail upon the child to take the dose). (23)
Indeed mortals naturally have their mind attached to objects of desire (such as wealth, cattle etc.), to their life (including their sense-organs, vitality, virility etc.), as well as to their own people (progeny, wife and so on), even though they are (ultimately) sources of misery (bondage) to the Self. (24)
How could the (all-knowing) Veda direct such men—blind to their (real) interests and yet devout (convinced about the infallibility of the Vedas) and wandering (as a reward of their sacrificial performances) in the path of enjoyment (the superhuman species of life—the state of gods and other heavenly beings) and (then) entering (as a punishment for their cruelty to animals in the course of those sacrificial performances) the inanimate forms of life (such as the plant kingdom)—once more to those (very) enjoyments (through such texts as 'पशुकामो यजेत', 'आयुरिन्द्रियकामो यजेत', 'पुजादिकामो यजेत'—One desirous of cattle, one desirous of longevity, sound organs etc., and one desirous of progeny, wife and so on should undertake sacrificial performances)? (25)
Not knowing such intention (of the Vedas), some misguided people (the advocates of Karma or ritual acts) interpret the promises (contained in the Vedas) of fruit (in the shape of final beatitude) as offering blossoms (alone in the shape of heavenly enjoyment). (But) not so the knowers of (the real import of) the Vedas (sages Vyāsa and others) indeed. (26)
Men seeking pleasures of sense and (therefore ever) miserable, grasping, mistaking the enjoyments of heaven (which are like so many flowers) as the (supreme) fruit (of human endeavour) confounded by their excessive attachment to ritual acts (in which the sacred fire plays a prominent part) and finding the Path of Smoke at the end (of their life) are not able to realize their own self. (27)
With ritual acts as the only theme of their talks and intent on gratifying their flesh, they are unable to know Me, though present in their heart—Me, who am this universe and from whom this universe has sprung up—any more than those whose eyes are bedimmed by mist are able to recognize even that which is close at hand, O dear Uddhava! (28)
Not knowing My opinion—which is not quite apparent, and which is to the effect that if one has a passion for destruction of life, it should be restricted to sacrificial performances only, and that there is no scriptural ordinance making it obligatory on us—those wicked men indulging in destruction of life as a pastime and with their mind set on the pleasures of sense worship the gods as well as the manes and the rulers of evil spirits through sacrificial performances carried on by means of animals slaughtered with the desire of gratifying themselves. (29-30) (23-30)
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स्वप्नोपमममुं लोकमसन्तं श्रवणप्रियम् ।
आशिषो हृदि सङ्कल्प्य त्यजन्त्यर्थान् यथा वणिक् ॥ ३१॥
रजःसत्त्वतमोनिष्ठा रजःसत्त्वतमोजुषः ।
उपासत इन्द्रमुख्यान् देवादीन्न यथैव माम् ॥ ३२॥
इष्ट्वेह देवता यज्ञैर्गत्वा रंस्यामहे दिवि ।
तस्यान्त इह भूयास्म महाशाला महाकुलाः ॥ ३३॥
एवं पुष्पितया वाचा व्याक्षिप्तमनसां नृणाम् ।
मानिनां चातिस्तब्धानां मद्वार्तापि न रोचते ॥ ३४॥
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Picturing to their mind the other world—which is evanescent like the objects seen in a dream and a source of misery, though delightful to the ear—and the blessings sought for (in this world), they part with their earnings (expend them on sacrificial performance etc.), even as a merchant would stake his (hard-earned) fortune (in the hope of gaining more). (31)
Rooted in Rajas, Sattva and Tamas, they worship gods etc., Indra being the chief of them—who (likewise) take delight in Sattva, Rajas and Tamas—and not so (devotedly) Myself (who stand beyond the three Gunas). (32)
They indulge in the (fond) hope that, having worshipped the gods through sacrifices in their earthly career, they will ascend to heaven and revel (there), and at the end of such enjoyment (in heaven) will be born (again) in the terrestrial region of a high pedigree and be great householders (living in stately mansions). (33)
Even the talk bearing on Me does not find favour with the egotistic and highly arrogant men who have their mind distracted thus by (seemingly) flowery promises (contained in the Vedas). (34) (31-34)
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वेदा ब्रह्मात्मविषयास्त्रिकाण्डविषया इमे ।
परोक्षवादा ऋषयः परोक्षं मम च प्रियम् ॥ ३५॥
शब्दब्रह्म सुदुर्बोधं प्राणेन्द्रियमनोमयम् ।
अनन्तपारं गम्भीरं दुर्विगाह्यं समुद्रवत् ॥ ३६॥
मयोपबृंहितं भूम्ना ब्रह्मणानन्तशक्तिना ।
भूतेषु घोषरूपेण बिसेषूर्णेव लक्ष्यते ॥ ३७॥
यथोर्णनाभिर्हृदयादूर्णामुद्वमते मुखात् ।
आकाशाद्घोषवान् प्राणो मनसा स्पर्शरूपिणा ॥ ३८॥
छन्दोमयोऽमृतमयः सहस्रपदवीं प्रभुः ।
ओङ्काराद्व्यञ्जितस्पर्शस्वरोष्मान्तस्थभूषिताम् ॥ ३९॥
विचित्रभाषाविततां छन्दोभिश्चतुरुत्तरैः ।
अनन्तपारां बृहतीं सृजत्याक्षिपते स्वयम् ॥ ४०॥
गायत्र्युष्णिगनुष्टुप् च बृहती पङ्क्तिरेव च ।
त्रिष्टुब्जगत्यतिच्छन्दो ह्यत्यष्ट्यतिजगद्विराट् ॥ ४१॥
किं विधत्ते किमाचष्टे किमनूद्य विकल्पयेत् ।
इत्यस्या हृदयं लोके नान्यो मद्वेद कश्चन ॥ ४२॥
मां विधत्तेऽभिधत्ते मां विकल्प्यापोह्यते त्वहम् ।
एतावान् सर्ववेदार्थः शब्द आस्थाय मां भिदाम् ।
मायामात्रमनूद्यान्ते प्रतिषिध्य प्रसीदति ॥ ४३॥
इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां
संहितायां एकादशस्कन्धे एकविंशोऽध्यायः ॥ २१॥
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These Vedas dealing with the three departments (viz., ritual acts, the worship of gods and Brahma-Realization) teach (as a matter of fact) the truth that Brahma (alone) constitutes the Self of (us) all. The Vedic texts, however, (as well as their seers) convey their meaning (only) indirectly (and hence it is not manifest to all at first sight) and (such indirect mode of) teaching (alone) is dear to Me as well (inasmuch as the pure-hearted alone can grasp the real spirit, the generality of men being liable to misunderstand it and be led astray). (35)
(The meaning of) the Veda (which is Brahma manifested in the form of word) is most difficult to understand, consisting as it does of the vital air (the Parā stage of speech), the mind (the Paśyanti stage residing in the Anāhata Cakra, including the Madhyamā stage, consisting of Buddhi or the intellect and residing in the Maṇipūra Cakra located in the heart) and the organ of speech (the Vaikhari state). (As consisting of the Cosmic Prāṇa) it is endless (in point of time) and limitless (in space), profound (obscure) and difficult to fathom like the ocean. (36)
Presided over by Me—the infinite Brahma, possessed of endless potencies—the said Veda is perceived (by the wise) in the form of the Anāhata sound in (all) created beings as the fibre in a lotus stalk. (37)
(Even) as a spider sends forth the cobweb from its heart through its mouth, (the Lord in the form of Hiranyagarbha working through) the vital air, essentially blissful, and appearing in the form of Veda, with the material of Anāhata sound evolves from the cavity of the heart through the mind, which conceives the (various) sounds represented by the letters of the alphabet, the Vaikhari form of speech—flowing in a thousand channels and embellished with (the articulate sounds represented by the letters of the alphabet* classified (in Indian phonetics) as sibilants, vowels, aspirants and semi-vowels (so-called because they stand between the vowels, on the one hand, and consonants on the other), manifested out of the (sacred sound) OM (heard in a subtle form within the heart)—elaborated by various languages (Vedic as well as secular) and characterized by (a number of) metres successively consisting of four more letters than the preceding and having no limit or end; and Himself withdraws it. (38—40)
Some of these metres are (respectively known by the names of) Gāyatri†, Uṣṇik, Anuṣṭubh, Br̥hati, Paṅkti, Triṣṭubh, Jagati, Aticchanda, Atyaṣṭi, Atijagati and Ativirāṭ. (41)
None in the world other than Me knows the heart (hidden meaning) of this (sacred) speech (in the form of Veda)—as to what it lays down (in the section dealing with ritual acts), what it reveals (through the various Mantras or sacred texts in the section dealing with the worship of gods) and what it puts forward by way of hypothesis and (then) calls it in question (in the section dealing with spiritual knowledge). (42)
Me (alone in the form of Yajña) it enjoins (in the Karmakāṇḍa); Me (alone in the form of various deities) it names (in the Devatākāṇḍa); (nay,) whatever (objective existence such as ether) is superimposed on Me (first) and (then) negatived (in the Jñānakāṇḍa) is also Myself. Taking its stand on Me (as the Cause of all causes and the highest Reality) the Veda posits diversity as a mere illusion and (then), denying it, ultimately becomes quiet. This much is the import of all the Vedas. (43)
Thus ends the twenty-first discourse in Book Eleven of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Samhitā
* The twenty-five consonants, viz., क, ख, ग, घ, ङ, च, छ, ज, झ, ञ, ट, ठ, ड, ढ, ण, त, थ, द, थ, न, प, फ, ब, भ and ब are collectively known as the sibilants. अ, इ, उ, ऊ, जू, ए, ऐ, ओ and औ are known as vowels; स, प, म, and र are called the aspirants; while ब, र, ल and ब are known as the Antaḥsthas.
† Of these the Gāyatri consists of 24 letters, Uṣṇik, of 28, Anuṣṭubh, of 32 and so on (35-43)
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