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.
CHAPTER XXX.
Brahman said :
The wheel of life* moves on; a wheel of which the spoke is the understanding, of which the pole‘ is the mind, of which the bonds are the group of the senses, of which the outer rim* is the five great elements, of which the environment is home‘; which abounds in old age and grief, which moves in the midst of disease and misfortune, which rotates in⁵ space and time; the noise of which is trouble and toil, the rotations⁶ of which (constitute) day and night; which is encircled with cold and heat; of which pleasure and pain are the joints, and hunger and thirst the nails fixed into it, of which sunshine and shade are the ruts; which staggers in the opening or closing of an eyelid, which is enveloped in the fearful waters of delusion, which is ever revolving and void of consciousness*, which is measured by months and half months, is ever-changing 4, which moves through (all) the worlds*; the mud* for which is penance and regulations, the mover of which is the force of the quality of passion”; which is lit up* which revolves in the midst of grief and destruction !, which is full of actions and instruments of action 2, which is large, and which is extended by means of attachments 5, which is rendered unsteady by avarice and desire*, which is produced by ignorance of various (matters) 5, which is attended upon by fear and delusion, and which is the cause of the delusion of all beings, which moves towards joy and pleasure’, which has desire and wrath as its appurtenances, which is made up of (the entities) beginning with the Mahat and ending with the gross elements’, which is unchecked, the imperishable source (of all) *, the speed of which is like that of the mind, and which is (never) fatigued. This wheel of life, which is associated with the pairs of opposites, and which is devoid of consciousness, all the world, together with the immortals, should cast away, abridge, and check *. That man, among all creatures, who always accurately understands the movement and stoppage ! of the wheel of life is never deluded. (That) sage, released from all impressions, transcending all pairs of opposites, and released from all sins, attains the highest goal. The householder, and the Brahmakârin, the forester, and also the beggar?, all these four orders are stated to have the order of householder for their basis. Whatever system of rules* is prescribed in this world, to follow it is good ; this has been celebrated from ancient times 5. He who has been first refined by ceremonies | who has duly observed vows, being (born) in a caste of (high) qualifications’, and who understands the Vedas, should return (from his preceptor's house). Always devoted to his own wife, behaving like ® good men, with his senses restrained, and full of faith, one should perform the five sacrifices 1° in this world. The sage who eats what remains after (offerings) to deities™ and guests, who is devoted to Vedic rites, who duly performs sacrifices and gifts according to his means, who is not thoughtlessly active! with the hand or foot, who is not thoughtlessly active with the eye, and who is not thoughtlessly active with his speech or any of his limbs, to such a one the (word) good applies. One should always have the sacred thread and a clean cloth, and be of pure vows, and self-restrained, and should always associate with good men, making gifts, and with one’s external organs restrained; one should restrain one’s lust and hunger ?, should be kind, should behave like the good, and keep a bamboo stick and a water-pot filled with water *. One should learn and teach, should likewise perform sacrifices and officiate at others’ sacrifices, and should give and receive gifts,—(thus) one should adopt the sixfold mode of life‘. Know that three (of these) duties are the means of livelihood for Brâhmaxas, the two teaching and officiating at sacrifices, and also receiving untainted gifts’: And as to the other remaining three duties, gift, study, and sacrifice, they are pious® duties. With regard to those three duties, the sage who understands piety, who is selfrestrained, kind, possessed of forgiveness, and equable to all creatures, should avoid heedlessness’?. The ee agaist ee ee eee
CE Gia, D. 48.
2 All this is action, the fruit of which is perishable; the fruit of knowledge, on the other hand, is everlasting.
8 Literally, time ; it seems, however, to stand for the vicissitudes of worldly life. Cf. Svetâsvatara, p. 283. The body is called ‘wheel of time’ at p. 83 supra, but Arguna Misra there says ‘it is the wheel which causes the rotation of the wheel of time.’ # The cause of its being large in dimensions, Arguna Misra; the supporting pillar, Nîlakaṇṭha. I prefer the former, and take the sense to be that worldly life is co-extensive with the operations or ‘fancies’ of the mind.
5 What is outside the elements, the physical manifestations of Prakriti, is beyond the domain of worldly life.
6 The possession of ‘home’ is equivalent to a dwelling in the midst of worldly life. Hence the idea of homelessness at inter alia Gita, pp. 101-103.
CHAPTER XXX.
Brahman said:
The wheel of life moves on: a wheel whose spoke is the understanding, whose pole is the mind, whose bonds are the group of the senses, whose outer rim is the five great elements, whose environment is home; a wheel that abounds in old age and grief, that moves in the midst of disease and misfortune, that rotates in space and time; whose noise is trouble and toil, whose rotations⁶ constitute day and night; which is encircled with cold and heat; whose joints are pleasure and pain, and whose nails fixed into it are hunger and thirst, whose ruts are sunshine and shade; which staggers in the opening or closing of an eyelid, which is enveloped in the fearful waters of delusion, which is ever revolving and void of consciousness, which is measured by months and half months, is ever-changing 4, which moves through all the worlds; whose mud is penance and regulations, whose mover is the force of the quality of passion; which is lit up, which revolves in the midst of grief and destruction 1, which is full of actions and instruments of action 2, which is large, and which is extended by means of attachments 5, which is rendered unsteady by avarice and desire 4, which is produced by ignorance of various matters 5, which is attended upon by fear and delusion, and which is the cause of the delusion of all beings, which moves towards joy and pleasure 7, which has desire and wrath as its appurtenances, which is made up of the entities beginning with the Mahat and ending with the gross elements 8, which is unchecked, the imperishable source of all 9, whose speed is like that of the mind, and which is never fatigued. This wheel of life, which is associated with the pairs of opposites and which is devoid of consciousness, all the world together with the immortals should cast away, abridge, and check. That man, among all creatures, who always accurately understands the movement and stoppage 1 of the wheel of life is never deluded. The sage released from all impressions, transcending all pairs of opposites, and released from all sins, attains the highest goal. The householder, the Brahmaârin, the forester, and also the beggar 2—all these four orders are stated to have the order of householder for their basis. Whatever system of rules is prescribed in this world, to follow it is good; this has been celebrated from ancient times 5. He who has been first refined by ceremonies, who has duly observed vows, being born in a caste of high qualifications, and who understands the Vedas, should return from his preceptor's house. Always devoted to his own wife, behaving like good men, with his senses restrained, and full of faith, one should perform the five sacrifices 10 in this world. The sage who eats what remains after offerings to deities and guests, who is devoted to Vedic rites, who duly performs sacrifices and gifts according to his means, who is not thoughtlessly active 1 with the hand or foot, who is not thoughtlessly active with the eye, and who is not thoughtlessly active with his speech or any of his limbs—to such a one the word good applies. One should always have the sacred thread and a clean cloth, and be of pure vows, and self-restrained, and should always associate with good men, making gifts, and with one's external organs restrained; one should restrain one's lust and hunger 2, should be kind, should behave like the good, and keep a bamboo stick and a water-pot filled with water. One should learn and teach, should likewise perform sacrifices and officiate at others' sacrifices, and should give and receive gifts—thus one should adopt the sixfold mode of life 4. Know that three of these duties are the means of livelihood for Brâhmaxas: teaching and officiating at sacrifices, and also receiving untainted gifts 5. And as to the other remaining three duties—gift, study, and sacrifice—they are pious duties. With regard to those three duties, the sage who understands piety, who is self-restrained, kind, possessed of forgiveness, and equable to all creatures, should avoid heedlessness.
CE Gia, D. 48.
2 All this is action, and its fruit is perishable; the fruit of knowledge, by contrast, is everlasting.
8 Literally, "time"; it seems, however, to stand for the vicissitudes of worldly life. Cf. Svetâsvatara, p. 283. The body is called "wheel of time" at p. 83 above, but Arjuna Misra there says "it is the wheel which causes the rotation of the wheel of time." # The cause of its being large in dimensions, Arjuna Misra; the supporting pillar, Nîlakaṇṭha. I prefer the former, and take the sense to be that worldly life is co-extensive with the operations or "fancies" of the mind.
5 What lies outside the elements—the physical manifestations of Prakriti—is beyond the domain of worldly life.
6 Having a 'home' is equivalent to dwelling in the midst of worldly life. Hence the idea of homelessness at inter alia Gita, pp. 101-103.