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.
The Brâhmaṇa said:
He is without symbols’, and also without qualities ; nothing exists that is a cause of him. I will only state the means by which he can be comprehended or not. A good means is found, namely, action* and knowledge, by which that³ (entity), which has the symbols (useful) for knowledge* attributed to it through ignorance, is perceived as by bees⁵. In the (rules for) final emancipation, it is not laid down, that a certain thing should be done, and a certain thing should not⁶. But the knowledge of the things beneficial to the self is produced in one who sees and hears⁷. One should adopt as many of these things, (which are) means of direct perception, as may here be practicable—unperceived, and those whose form is perceived⁸, in hundreds and in thousands, all of destruction of the KshetragZa!, turned to that which is beyond (all) Kshetragñas by means of a knowledge of the Kshetra ?. :
various descriptions. Then one comes near to that beyond which nothing exists. The Deity said: Then the mind of the Brâhmaṇa’s wife, after the
1 See Sanatsugâtiya, p. 160. ? Viz. that which is required as a preliminary to the acquisition of knowledge, and hence is necessary for final emancipation.
3 The Brahman.
* Le. symbols which are to convey a knowledge of the Brahman.
5 Le. in a way not perfect; as bees hovering above a flower get the fragrance of it without grasping the flower itself, so these means give one an imperfect knowledge of the Brahman to be afterwards perfected by constant meditation upon it (nididhyâsa).
6 As it is in the prior portion of the Vedas, as to sacrifices, &c.
7 Sees, i.e. by contemplation ; hears, i.e. from a teacher, Arğuna Misra.
8 This seems to mean such things as hearing, reading, &c., which would be ‘perceived’ scil. by the senses; and all intellectual operations which would be ‘unperceived.’
The Brâhmaṇa said:
He is without symbols and without qualities; nothing exists that could be a cause of him. I will only set out the means by which he can or cannot be comprehended. A good means is found—namely, action* and knowledge—by which that³ entity, which has the symbols useful for knowledge* attributed to it through ignorance, is perceived, as by bees⁵. In the rules for final emancipation it is not laid down that a certain thing must be done and a certain thing must not⁶. But knowledge of the things beneficial to the self arises in one who sees and hears⁷. One should adopt as many of these things—which are means of direct perception—as may here be practicable: the unperceived and those whose form is perceived⁸, in hundreds and in thousands, all of them leading to the destruction of the Kshetrajña!, turned toward that which is beyond all Kshetrajñas by means of a knowledge of the Kshetra⁹.
various descriptions. Then one comes near to that beyond which nothing exists. The Deity said: Then the mind of the Brahmaṇa's wife, after the
1 See Sanatsujâtîya, p. 160. 2 That is, the discipline required as a preliminary to the acquisition of knowledge, and hence necessary for final emancipation.
3 The Brahman.
* That is, symbols which are to convey a knowledge of the Brahman.
5 I.e. in a way not perfect; as bees hovering above a flower get the fragrance of it without grasping the flower itself, so these means give one an imperfect knowledge of the Brahman to be afterwards perfected by constant meditation upon it (nididhyâsa).
6 As it is in the prior portion of the Vedas, regarding sacrifices and the like.
7 Sees, i.e. by contemplation; hears, i.e. from a teacher, Arjuna Misra.
8 This seems to refer to such things as hearing, reading, and the like, which would be 'perceived,' that is, by the senses; and to all intellectual operations, which would be 'unperceived.'