Scripture

O King, recalling again and again this wondrous and holy dialogue of Keshava and Arjuna, I rejoice over and over.

राजन्संस्मृत्य संस्मृत्य संवादमिममद्भुतम् | केशवार्जुनयोः पुण्यं हृष्यामि च मुहुर्मुहुः ||१८-७६||

The Blessed Lord said: I taught this imperishable yoga to Vivasvan; Vivasvan told it to Manu, and Manu related it to Ikshvaku.

श्रीभगवानुवाच | इमं विवस्वते योगं प्रोक्तवानहमव्ययम् | विवस्वान्मनवे प्राह मनुरिक्ष्वाकवेऽब्रवीत् ||४-१||

This supreme secret, set forth in the Vedānta in a former age, should not be given to one who is not tranquil, nor again to one who is not a son or a pupil.

वेदान्ते परमं गुह्यं पुराकल्पे प्रचोदितम् । नाप्रशान्ताय दातव्यं नापुत्रायाशिष्याय वा पुनः ॥ २२॥

Of these, the lower is the Rig Veda, the Yajur Veda, the Sama Veda, the Atharva Veda, phonetics, ritual, grammar, etymology, meter, and astronomy. The higher is that by which the Imperishable is attained.

तत्रापरा ऋग्वेदो यजुर्वेदः सामवेदोऽथर्ववेदः शिक्षा कल्पो व्याकरणं निरुक्तं छन्दो ज्योतिषमिति । अथ परा यया तदक्षरमधिगम्यते ॥ ५॥

Om. Brahma arose first among the gods, maker of the universe, protector of the world. To Atharva, his eldest son, he told the knowledge of Brahman, the foundation of all knowledge.

ॐ ब्रह्मा देवानां प्रथमः संबभूव विश्वस्य कर्ता भुवनस्य गोप्ता । स ब्रह्मविद्यां सर्वविद्याप्रतिष्ठामथर्वाय ज्येष्ठपुत्राय प्राह ॥ १॥

And the person of faith, free of malice, who merely listens to it — even he, liberated, will attain the auspicious worlds of those of meritorious deeds.

श्रद्धावाननसूयश्च शृणुयादपि यो नरः | सोऽपि मुक्तः शुभाँल्लोकान्प्राप्नुयात्पुण्यकर्मणाम् ||१८-७१||

This is never to be spoken by you to one who is without austerity, nor to one without devotion, nor to one who does not wish to listen, nor to one who speaks ill of me.

इदं ते नातपस्काय नाभक्ताय कदाचन | न चाशुश्रूषवे वाच्यं न च मां योऽभ्यसूयति ||१८-६७||

"Om Tat Sat" — this is held to be the threefold designation of Brahman. By it the brahmins, the Vedas, and the sacrifices were ordained of old.

ॐतत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः | ब्राह्मणास्तेन वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च विहिताः पुरा ||१७-२३||

Thus this most secret teaching has been declared by me, sinless one; understanding this, one becomes wise and fulfilled in all that is to be done, Bharata.

इति गुह्यतमं शास्त्रमिदमुक्तं मयानघ | एतद्बुद्ध्वा बुद्धिमान्स्यात्कृतकृत्यश्च भारत ||१५-२०||

That which those who know the Vedas call the imperishable, which the ascetics free of passion enter, and desiring which they practice celibacy — that state I will explain to you in brief.

यदक्षरं वेदविदो वदन्ति विशन्ति यद्यतयो वीतरागाः | यदिच्छन्तो ब्रह्मचर्यं चरन्ति तत्ते पदं संग्रहेण प्रवक्ष्ये ||८-११||

then, however those Brahmins there—thoughtful, competent, gentle, devoted to dharma—would behave in that case, so should you behave. And with regard to those who are accused of some fault: however those Brahmins there—thoughtful, competent, gentle, devoted to dharma—would behave toward them, so should you behave toward them. This is the teaching. This is the counsel. This is the secret doctrine of the Veda. This is the instruction. Thus should one worship; thus indeed should this be worshiped.'

ये तत्र ब्राह्मणाः संमर्शिनः । युक्ता आयुक्ताः ।अलूक्षा धर्मकामाः स्युः । यथा ते तत्र वर्तेरन् ।तथा तत्र वर्तेथाः । अथाभ्याख्यातेषु ।ये तत्र ब्राह्मणाः संमर्शिनः । युक्ता आयुक्ताः ।अलूक्षा धर्मकामाः स्युः । यथा ते तेषु वर्तेरन् ।तथा तेषु वर्तेथाः । एष आदेशः । एष उपदेशः ।एषा वेदोपनिषत् । एतदनुशासनम् । एवमुपासितव्यम् ।एवमु चैतदुपास्यम् ॥ ४॥

"Tell us the secret teaching, sir." "I have told you the Upanishad; the secret teaching concerning Brahman we have indeed told you."

उपनिषदं भो ब्रूहीत्युक्ता त उपनिषद्ब्राह्मीं वाव तउपनिषदमब्रूमेति ॥ ७॥

That is hidden in the Upanishads, the secret of the Vedas; Brahmā knows it as the source of Brahman. The gods and seers of old who knew it became of its nature and truly immortal.

तद् वेदगुह्योपनिषत्सु गूढं तद् ब्रह्मा वेदते ब्रह्मयोनिम् । ये पूर्वं देवा ऋषयश्च तद् विदु- स्ते तन्मया अमृता वै बभूवुः ॥ ६॥

This is the truth which the sage Angiras spoke of old. One who has not kept the vow does not study it. Homage to the supreme seers! Homage to the supreme seers!

तदेतत्सत्यमृषिरङ्गिराः पुरोवाच नैतदचीर्णव्रतोऽधीते । नमः परमऋषिभ्यो नमः परमऋषिभ्यः ॥ ११॥

The knowledge of Brahman which Brahma declared to Atharva, Atharva in turn told to Angir; he told it to Bharadvaja Satyavaha, and Bharadvaja told it to Angiras—the higher and the lower.

अथर्वणे यां प्रवदेत ब्रह्माऽथर्वा तं पुरोवाचाङ्गिरे ब्रह्मविद्याम् । स भारद्वाजाय सत्यवाहाय प्राह भारद्वाजोऽङ्गिरसे परावराम् ॥ २॥

Arjuna said: Those who cast aside the injunctions of scripture yet perform sacrifice full of faith — what is their standing, Krishna? Is it sattva, rajas, or tamas?

अर्जुन उवाच | ये शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विताः | तेषां निष्ठा तु का कृष्ण सत्त्वमाहो रजस्तमः ||१७-१||

Therefore let scripture be your authority in determining what should and should not be done. Knowing what is prescribed by the injunctions of scripture, you should perform your work in this world.

तस्माच्छास्त्रं प्रमाणं ते कार्याकार्यव्यवस्थितौ | ज्ञात्वा शास्त्रविधानोक्तं कर्म कर्तुमिहार्हसि ||१६-२४||

But one who acts under the impulse of desire, casting aside the injunctions of scripture, attains neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme goal.

यः शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य वर्तते कामकारतः | न स सिद्धिमवाप्नोति न सुखं न परां गतिम् ||१६-२३||

Speech itself is the Rig; breath (prana) is the Saman; the syllable Om is the Udgitha. Speech and breath, the Rig and the Saman, form a pair.

वागेवर्क्प्राणः सामोमित्येतदक्षरमुद्गीथः । तद्वा एतन्मिथुनं यद्वाक्च प्राणश्चर्क्च साम च