Seeker

Shaunaka, a great householder, approaching Angiras in the proper manner, asked: 'What is it, sir, by knowing which all this becomes known?'

शौनको ह वै महाशालोऽङ्गिरसं विधिवदुपसन्नः पप्रच्छ । कस्मिन्नु भगवो विज्ञाते सर्वमिदं विज्ञातं भवतीति ॥ ३॥

Four kinds of virtuous people worship me, Arjuna: the distressed, the seeker of knowledge, the seeker of gain, and the one who knows, best of the Bharatas.

चतुर्विधा भजन्ते मां जनाः सुकृतिनोऽर्जुन | आर्तो जिज्ञासुरर्थार्थी ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ ||७-१६||

Since liberation is granted to the mind that is free of objects, one seeking liberation should always make the mind free of objects.

यतो निर्विषयस्यास्य मनसो मुक्तिरिष्यते । तस्मान्निर्विषयं नित्यं मनः कार्यं मुमुक्षुणा

Both the gods and the demons heard of this, and they said: 'Come, let us seek out that Self, by seeking which one attains all worlds and all desires.' Then Indra from among the gods and Virocana from among the demons set out, and the two of them, without consulting each other, came to Prajapati, fuel in hand as students do.

तद्धोभये देवासुरा अनुबुबुधिरे ते होचुर्हन्त तमात्मानमन्वेच्छामो यमात्मानमन्विष्य सर्वाꣳश्च लोकानाप्नोति सर्वाꣳश्च कामानितीन्द्रो हैव देवानामभिप्रवव्राज विरोचनोऽसुराणां तौ हासंविदानावेव समित्पाणी प्रजापतिसकाशमाजग्मतुः

And if they should ask: 'In this city of Brahman there is a small lotus, a dwelling place, and within it a small space — what is there within it that should be sought out, that one should desire to understand?' — then he should reply:

तं चेद्ब्रूयुर्यदिदमस्मिन्ब्रह्मपुरे दहरं पुण्डरीकं वेश्म दहरोऽस्मिन्नन्तराकाशः किं तदत्र विद्यते यदन्वेष्टव्यं यद्वाव विजिज्ञासितव्यमिति स ब्रूयात्

'One who meditates on memory as Brahman can move about at will as far as memory reaches — such is the reward of one who meditates on memory as Brahman.' 'Sir, is there anything greater than memory?' 'There is indeed something greater than memory.' 'Then please tell it to me, sir.'

स यः स्मरं ब्रह्मेत्युपास्ते यावत्स्मरस्य गतं तत्रास्य यथाकामचारो भवति यः स्मरं ब्रह्मेत्युपास्तेऽस्ति भगवः स्मराद्भूय इति स्मराद्वाव भूयोऽस्तीति तन्मे भगवान्ब्रवीत्विति

'One who meditates on strength as Brahman can move about at will as far as strength reaches — such is the reward of one who meditates on strength as Brahman.' 'Sir, is there anything greater than strength?' 'There is indeed something greater than strength.' 'Then please tell it to me, sir.'

स यो बलं ब्रह्मेत्युपास्ते यावद्बलस्य गतं तत्रास्य यथाकामचारो भवति यो बलं ब्रह्मेत्युपास्तेऽस्ति भगवो बलाद्भूय इति बलाद्वाव भूयोऽस्तीति तन्मे भगवान्ब्रवीत्विति

'One who meditates on meditation as Brahman can move about at will as far as meditation reaches — such is the reward of one who meditates on meditation as Brahman.' 'Sir, is there anything greater than meditation?' 'There is indeed something greater than meditation.' 'Then please tell it to me, sir.'

स यो ध्यानं ब्रह्मेत्युपास्ते यावद्ध्यानस्य गतं तत्रास्य यथाकामचारो भवति यो ध्यानं ब्रह्मेत्युपास्तेऽस्ति भगवो ध्यानाद्भूय इति ध्यानाद्वाव भूयोऽस्तीति तन्मे भगवान्ब्रवीत्विति

'One who meditates on mind as Brahman can move about at will as far as mind reaches — such is the reward of one who meditates on mind as Brahman.' 'Sir, is there anything greater than mind?' 'There is indeed something greater than mind.' 'Then please tell it to me, sir.'

स यो मनो ब्रह्मेत्युपास्ते यावन्मनसो गतं तत्रास्य यथाकामचारो भवति यो मनो ब्रह्मेत्युपास्तेऽस्ति भगवो मनसो भूय इति मनसो वाव भूयोऽस्तीति तन्मे भगवान्ब्रवीत्विति

'One who meditates on speech as Brahman can move about at will as far as speech reaches — such is the reward of one who meditates on speech as Brahman.' 'Sir, is there anything greater than speech?' 'There is indeed something greater than speech.' 'Then please tell it to me, sir.'

स यो वाचं ब्रह्मेत्युपास्ते यावद्वाचो गतं तत्रास्य यथाकामचारो भवति यो वाचं ब्रह्मेत्युपास्तेऽस्ति भगवो वाचो भूय इति वाचो वाव भूयोऽस्तीति तन्मे भगवान्ब्रवीत्विति

'Yet, sir, with all this I know only the sacred words; I do not know the Self. I have heard from those like you that one who knows the Self passes beyond sorrow. But I am one who sorrows, sir. Please carry me across to the other shore of sorrow.' He said to him: 'Whatever you have studied here is merely a name.'

सोऽहं भगवो मन्त्रविदेवास्मि नात्मविच्छ्रुतꣳ ह्येव मे भगवद्दृशेभ्यस्तरति शोकमात्मविदिति सोऽहं भगवः शोचामि तं मा भगवाञ्छोकस्य पारं तारयत्विति तꣳ होवाच यद्वै किंचैतदध्यगीष्ठा नामैवैतत्

'Teach me, sir,' said Narada as he approached Sanatkumara. Sanatkumara said to him: 'Come to me with what you already know, and from there I will lead you further.' Narada said:

अधीहि भगव इति होपससाद सनत्कुमारं नारदस्तꣳ होवाच यद्वेत्थ तेन मोपसीद ततस्त ऊर्ध्वं वक्ष्यामीति स होवाच

He reached the teacher's house. The teacher addressed him: "Satyakama!" "Yes, sir," he answered.

प्राप हाचर्यकुलं तमाचर्योऽभ्युवाद सत्यकाम३ इति भगव इति ह प्रतिशुश्राव

The diver-bird flew down to him and addressed him: "Satyakama!" "Yes, sir," he answered.

तं मद्गुरुपनिपत्याभ्युवाद सत्यकाम३ इति भगव इति ह प्रतिशुश्राव

A swan flew down to him and addressed him: "Satyakama!" "Yes, sir," he answered.

तꣳहꣳस उपनिपत्याभ्युवाद सत्यकाम३ इति भगव इति ह प्रतिशुश्राव

The fire addressed him: "Satyakama!" "Yes, sir," he answered.

तमग्निरभ्युवाद सत्यकाम३ इति भगव इति ह प्रतिशुश्राव

He came to Haridrumata Gautama and said: "I wish to live as a celibate student with you, sir. May I come to you [as a pupil]?"

स ह हारिद्रुमतं गौतममेत्योवाच ब्रह्मचर्यं भगवति वत्स्याम्युपेयां भगवन्तमिति

Satyakama Jabala addressed his mother Jabala: "I wish to live as a celibate student, revered mother. Of what lineage am I?"

सत्यकामो ह जाबालो जबालां मातरमामन्त्रयांचक्रे ब्रह्मचर्यं भवति विवत्स्यामि किंगोत्रो न्वहमस्मीति