Self-Realisation

The one ruler of the many inactive — the one who makes the one seed manifold — those wise ones who perceive Him dwelling in the Self — for them is eternal happiness, not for others.

On the same tree, the person, immersed and helpless, grieves in delusion. But when he sees the other — the Lord and His glory — he becomes free from grief.

Two birds, companions always united, cling to the same tree. One of them eats the sweet fruit of the tree; the other, not eating, looks on.

When that which is both the highest and the lowest is seen, the knot of the heart is cut asunder, all doubts are destroyed, and all karma is exhausted.

The Self is not attained through eloquent teaching, not through sharp intellect, not through much scriptural learning. The one whom this Self chooses—by that one alone is it reached. To that person, the Self reveals its own nature.

This, O Partha, is the divine state of Brahman — one who attains it is never deluded. Abiding in this even at the final hour, one merges into the peace of Brahman.

The Blessed Lord said: When one completely relinquishes all desires that have lodged in the mind, O Partha, and rests content in the Self by the Self alone — then that one is called a person of steady wisdom.

Arjuna said: What is the description of one of steady wisdom who is established in deep absorption, O Keshava? How does the person of stable insight speak? How does such a one sit? How does such a one move?

The Purusha alone is this whole universe—action, austerity, Brahman, the supreme immortality. O dear one, whoever knows this hidden in the cave of the heart dissolves the very knot of ignorance here in this life.

The sacred syllable Om is the bow; the soul (atman) is the arrow; Brahman is declared to be the target. With unwavering alertness it must be pierced—one must become one with it, as the arrow becomes one with its mark.

On the same tree, one bird is sunk in helplessness, grieving and confused. But when it sees the other—the Lord, worshipped and great—it becomes free of sorrow.

The fourth is beyond measure, beyond transaction, the cessation of all appearance, auspicious, non-dual. Thus Om is verily the Atman. One who knows this enters the Atman through the Atman itself.

It is not inwardly conscious, not outwardly conscious, not conscious in both directions, not a dense mass of consciousness, not conscious, not unconscious. It is unseen, beyond transaction, beyond grasp, beyond inference, unthinkable, indescribable — its very essence is the certainty of the one Self, the cessation of all appearance, peaceful, auspicious, non-dual. This is what is considered the fourth. This is the Atman. This is to be known.

All this is indeed Brahman. This Atman is Brahman. This very Atman has four quarters.

That which seems like poison at the start but is like nectar at its fullness — born of the serenity of Self and intellect — that happiness is declared to be sattvic.

Those who with the eye of wisdom perceive this difference between the field and the knower of the field, and know the liberation from the nature of beings — they attain the supreme.

That which is night for all beings — in that, the one of self-restraint is awake. That in which all beings are awake — that is night for the seeing sage.

That which is the ear of the ear, the mind of the mind, the speech of speech, the life of the life, and the eye of the eye — the wise, freeing themselves from the senses, depart from this world and attain immortality.

To that student who came duly, whose mind was fully stilled, who possessed inner tranquillity, the knower taught in its essence the truth of Brahma-vidya—by which one comes to know the imperishable, true Purusha.

In the luminous golden sheath beyond lies Brahman—spotless, indivisible; it is the pure light of lights. That is what the knowers of the Self know.