SECTION XXXV
"Arjuna said, 'It behoveth thee to expound Brahma to me,--that which is
the highest object of knowledge. Through thy favour, my mind is delighted
with these subtle disquisitions.'
"Vasudeva said,--'In this connection is recited the old history of the
discourse between a preceptor and his disciple on the subject of Brahman.
Once on a time, O scorcher of foes, an intelligent disciple questioned a
certain Brahmana of rigid vows who was his preceptor, as he was seated
(at his ease), saying,--What, indeed, is the highest good? Desirous of
attaining to that which constitutes the highest good, I throw myself at
thy feet, O holy one. O learned Brahmana, I solicit thee, bending my
head, to explain to me what I ask.--Unto that disciple, O son of Pritha,
who said so, the preceptor said,--O regenerate one, I shall explain to
thee everything about which thou mayst have any doubts.--Thus addressed,
O foremost one of Kuru's race, by his preceptor, that disciple who was
exceedingly devoted to his preceptor, spoke as follows, with joined
hands. Do thou hear what he said, O thou of great intelligence.'
"The Disciple said, 'Where am I? Whence art thou? Explain that which is
the highest truth. From what source have sprung all creatures mobile and
immobile? By what do creatures live? What is the limit of their life?
What is truth? What is penance, O learned Brahmana? What are called
attributes by the good? What paths are to be called auspicious? What is
happiness? What is sin? O holy one, O thou of excellent vows, it behoves
thee to answer these questions of mine, O learned Rishi, correctly,
truly, and accurately. Who else is there in this world than thee that is
capable of answering these questions? Do thou answer them, O foremost of
all persons conversant with duties. My curiosity is great. Thou art
celebrated in all the worlds as one well skilled in the duties relating
to Emancipation. There is none else than thou that is competent to remove
all kinds of doubts. Afraid of worldly life, we have become desirous of
achieving Emancipation.'
"Vasudeva said, 'Unto that disciple who had humbly sought his instruction
and put the questions duly, who was devoted to his preceptor and
possessed of tranquillity, and who always behaved in a manner that was
agreeable (to his instructor), who lived so constantly by the side of his
instructor as to have almost become his shadow, who was self-restrained,
and who had the life of a Yati and Brahmacharin, O son of Pritha, that
preceptor possessed of intelligence and observant of vows, duly explained
all the questions, O foremost one of Kuru's race, O chastiser of all
foes.'
"The preceptor said, 'All this was declared (In days of old) by Brahma
himself (the Grandsire of all the worlds). Applauded and practised by the
foremost of Rishis, and depending on a knowledge of the Vedas, it
involves a consideration of what constitutes the real entity. We regard
knowledge to be the highest object, and renunciation as the best penance.
He who, with certainty, knows the true object of knowledge which is
incapable of being modified by circumstances, viz., the soul abiding in
all creatures, succeeds in going whithersoever he wishes and comes to be
regarded as the highest. That learned man who beholds the residence of
all things in one place and their severance as well, and who sees unity
in diversity, succeeds in freeing himself from misery. He who does not
covet anything and does not cherish the idea of mineness with regard to
anything, comes to be regarded, although residing in this world, as
identifiable with Brahman, He who is conversant with the truth about the
qualities of Pradhana (or Nature), acquainted with the creation of all
existent objects, divested of the idea of mineness, and without pride,
succeeds, without doubt, in emancipating himself. Understanding properly
that great tree which has the unmanifest for its seed sprout, and the
understanding for its trunk, and high consciousness of self for its
branches, and the senses for the cells whence its twigs issue, and the
(five) great elements for its flower-buds, and the gross elements for its
smaller boughs, which is always endued with leaves, which always puts
forth flowers, and upon which all existent objects depend, whose seed is
Brahman, and which is eternal,--and cutting all topics with the sharp
sword of knowledge, one attains to immortality and casts off birth and
death. The conclusions with regard to the past, present, and future, etc,
and religion, pleasure and wealth, which are all well known to conclaves
of Siddhas, which appertain to remote cycles, and which are, indeed,
eternal, I shall declare to thee, O thou of great wisdom. These
constitute what is called Good. Men of wisdom, understanding them in this
world, attain to success. In days of old, the Rishis Vrihaspati and
Bharadwaja, and Gautama and Bhargava, and Vasishtha and Kasyapa, and
Viswamitra, and Atri, assembled together for the purpose of asking one
another. They thus assembled together after having travelled over all
paths and after they had got tired with the acts each of them had done.
Those regenerate persons, placing the sage son of Angiras at their head,
proceeded to the region of the Grandsire. There they beheld Brahma
perfectly cleansed of all sin. Bowing their heads unto that high-souled
one who was seated at his ease, the great Rishis, endued with humility,
asked him this grave question regarding the highest good. How should a
good man act? How would one be released from sin? What paths are
auspicious for us? What is truth, and what is sin? By what action are the
two paths, northern and southern, obtained? What is destruction? What is
Emancipation? What is birth and what is death of all existent objects? I
shall tell thee, O disciple, what the Grandsire, thus addressed, said
unto them, conformably to the scriptures. Do thou listen.'
"Brahma said, 'It is from Truth that all creatures, mobile and immobile,
have been born. They live by penance (of action). Understand this, O ye
of excellent vows. In consequence of their own actions they live,
transcending: their own origin.[101] For Truth, when united with
qualities, becomes always possessed of five indications. Brahman is
Truth. Penance is truth. Prajapati is truth. It is from Truth that all
creatures have sprung. Truth is the universe of being. It is for this
that Brahmanas who are always devoted to Yoga, who have transcended wrath
and sorrow, and who always regard Religion as the causeway (along which
every one must pass for avoiding the morass below), take refuge in Truth.
I shall now speak of those Brahmanas who are restrained by one another
and possessed of knowledge, of the orders, and of those who belong to the
four modes of life. The wise say that Religion or duty is one, (though)
having four quarters. Ye regenerate ones, I shall speak to ye now of that
path which is auspicious and productive of good. That path has constantly
been trod over by men possessed of wisdom in order to achieve an identity
with Brahman. I shall speak now of that path which is the highest and
which is exceedingly difficult of being understood. Do you understand, in
all its details, ye highly blessed ones, what is the highest seat. The
first step has been said to be the mode of life that appertains to
Brahmacharins. The second step is domesticity. After this is the
residence in the woods. After that it should be known is the highest
step, viz., that relating to Adhyatma.[102] Light, ether (or space), sun,
wind, Indra, and Prajapati,--one sees these as long as one does not
attain to Adhyatma. I shall declare the means (by which that Adhyatma may
be attained). Do ye first understand them. The forest mode of life that
is followed by ascetics residing in the woods and subsisting upon fruits
and roots and air is laid down for the three regenerate classes. The
domestic mode of life is ordained for all the orders. They that are
possessed of wisdom say that Religion or duty has Faith for its (chief)
indication. Thus have I declared to you the paths leading to the deities.
They are adopted by those that are good and wise by their acts. Those
paths are the causeways of piety. That person of rigid vows who adopts
any one of these modes separately, always succeeds in time to understand
the production and destruction of all creatures. I shall now declare,
accurately and with reasons, the elements which reside in parts in all
objects. The great soul, the unmanifest, egoism (consciousness of
identity), the ten and one organs (of knowledge and action), the five
great elements, the specific characteristics of the five elements,--these
constitute the eternal creation. The number of elements has been said to
be four and twenty, and one (more). That person of wisdom who understands
the production and destruction of all these elements, that man among all
creatures, never meets with delusion. He who understands the elements
accurately, all the qualities, all the deities, succeeds in cleansing
himself of all sin. Freed from all bonds, such a man succeeds in enjoying
all regions of spotless purity.'"[103]
