The Bhagavadgîtâ, with the Sanatsugâtîya and the Anugîtâ — SBE Vol. 8 (trans. K. T. Telang, 1882)
The translator’s English as printed (K. T. Telang). The original-language text is not held; names are romanised as the translator printed them.
Sanatsugâta said :
(Thinking) so, an ignorant man does resort to action. The Vedas likewise do lay down various benefits* (for him). But that (man) comes not hither5. (Becoming) the supreme self*, he attains the supreme, by the (right) path destroying the wrong paths 7.
Dhṛitarâshṭra said :
Who is it that constrains this unborn primeval (self), if it is (itself) all this severally*? And what it to do, or what is its unhappiness*? Tell me all that accurately, O learned person !
* Gyotishtoma, Aśvamedha, and other rites.
* As leading to final emancipation.
* L.e. objects for which various ceremonies (or ‘ actions’) should be performed.
* Le. the man of knowledge.
* Le. into the sphere of action. Cf. Gita, p. 48.
* Knowing the supreme self is identical with becoming the supreme self, Muṇḍaka, p. 323.
7 Le. getting rid of the paths which keep one away from the Brahman by means of contemplation of the Brahman, &c. Nîlakaṇṭha renders ‘right path’ to mean the Sushumyâ passage by -which the soul proceeds to final emancipation, see Khândogya, p. 570; Kaṭha, p. 15%.
* Śaṅkara says: ‘ Having shown that true death is heedlessness, and having shown that heedlessness in its forms of anger &c. is the cause of all evil, and having also shown that death is destroyed by true knowledge, and having shown further that heaven &c. are really not man’s highest goal; the author has also implied the unity of the supreme and individual self. On that arises a doubt, which is stated in this passage.’
* All this=all the developments of the Brahman, i.e. space, wind, fire, water, earth, vegetation, food, living creatures; see Taittirfyopanishad, p. 68.
Sanatsujâta said:
So an ignorant man turns to action, and the Vedas likewise prescribe various benefits for him. But that man does not come hither5. Becoming the supreme self, he attains the supreme, destroying the wrong paths by the right path 7.
Dhṛitarâshṭra said:
Who is it that constrains this unborn, primeval self, if it is itself all these things severally? And what is there for it to do, or what unhappiness can it have? Tell me all this accurately, O learned person!
* Jyotishtoma, Aśvamedha, and other rites.
* As leading to final emancipation.
* I.e. objects for which various ceremonies (or 'actions') should be performed.
* I.e. the man of knowledge.
* That is, into the sphere of action. Cf. Gita, p. 48.
* Knowing the supreme self is identical with becoming the supreme self, Muṇḍaka, p. 323.
7 I.e. getting rid of the paths which keep one away from the Brahman, by means of contemplation of the Brahman, etc. Nîlakaṇṭha takes "right path" to mean the Sushumyâ passage through which the soul proceeds to final emancipation; see Khândogya, p. 570; Kaṭha, p. 15%.
Śaṅkara says: 'The author has shown that true death is heedlessness, that heedlessness in its forms of anger and so on is the cause of all evil, that true knowledge destroys death, and that heaven and the like are not really man's highest goal; in doing so he has also implied the unity of the supreme and individual self. A doubt arises from this, and the present passage states it.'
* All this = all the developments of the Brahman, i.e. space, wind, fire, water, earth, vegetation, food, living creatures; see Taittirīyopanishad, p. 68.