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 XXXII.
Brahman said :
The ancients who perceived the established (truth) call renunciation* penance; and the Brâhmaṇas dwelling in the seat of the Brahman* understand knowledge to be concerned with the Brahman*. The highest Brahman is very far off*, and (the attainment of it) depends on Vedic knowledge‘; it is free from the pairs of opposites, devoid of qualities 5, everlasting, of unthinkable qualities, and supreme. The men of talent, who are pure*, and whose minds are refined, transcending passion, and being untainted, perceive that supreme (principle) by means of knowledge and penance. Those who are constantly devoted to renunciation’, and understand the Brahman and wish for the supreme, go to the happy path by penance. Penance’ is said to be a light; (correct) conduct is the means to piety; knowledge verily should be understood to be the highest, and renunciation the best penance. He who understands determinately the self which is unperturbed, which abides in all entities, and which is the essential element in knowledge, he is laid down* (as being able) to move everywhere. The learned man who perceives, association and dissociation, and likewise unity and diversity*, is released from misery. He who desires nothing, and despises nothing*, becomes eligible, even dwelling in this world, for assimilation with the Brahman‘. He who knows the truth about the qualities of Pradhana*, and understands the Pradhana of all entities*, who is free from (the thought that this or that is) mine, and free from egoism’, is emancipated, there is no doubt of that. One who is free from the pairs of opposites, free from the (ceremonies of) salutation, free from (the ceremony of) svadhâ, attains to that everlasting (principle) which is free from the pairs of opposites, and devoid of qualities, by tranquillity only. Abandoning all action, whether agreeable or disagreeable, developed from the qualities*, and abandoning both truth and falsehood’, a creature is emancipated, there is no doubt of that. The great tree of Brahman” is eternal; a tree which is produced from the unperceived as the seed, which consists of the understanding as its trunk, whose collection of boughs is the great egoism, the sprouts within which are the senses, the great branches of which are the great elements, and the side branches the objects of sense, which is always possessed of leaves, always possessed of flowers, in which agreeable and disagreeable fruits are always produced, and which is fed upon by all creatures. Cutting and piercing this (tree)* with the sword of knowledge of the truth, and abandoning the bonds in the shape of attachment, which cause birth, death, and old age*, a wise man who is free from (the thought that this or that is) mine, and who is devoid of egoism, is emancipated, there is no doubt of that. There are these two birds*, (which are) unchanging, and which should also be known to be unintelligent‘, But as to that other who is above them, he is called intelligent. (When) the inner self, devoid of knowledge of nature‘, and (as it were) non-intelligent*, understands that which is beyond nature, then understanding the Kshetra’, and with an understanding comprehending all, and transcending the qualities* he is released from all sins.
1 Abandoning of fruit, Arguna Misra. Cf. Gita, p. 121.
2 Cf. p. 339 supra, note 4, dwelling in=adhering to, "See Git. D:. FO4.
4 Cf. Sanatsugattya, p. 158 seq. 5 Viz. the three famous ones,
6 Pure, refined, and untainted are not easily distinguished. Probably ‘pure’ refers to external cleanliness ; ‘ untainted’ to freedom from sin and such taints; and ‘refined’ to freedom from error.
7 I.e. who have no ‘belongings,’ Arguna Misra.
8 Action without desire, Arguna Misra, who adds that it is called a light, as it leads to knowledge. See too p. 166, and p. 247, note 11, and p. 340 supra. [8] Bb
CHAPTER XXXII.
Brahman said:
The ancients who perceived the established truth call renunciation penance; and the Brâhmaṇas dwelling in the seat of the Brahman understand knowledge to be concerned with the Brahman. The highest Brahman is very far off, and attaining it depends on Vedic knowledge; it is free from the pairs of opposites, devoid of qualities 5, everlasting, of unthinkable qualities, and supreme. Pure men of talent whose minds are refined, transcending passion and untainted, perceive that supreme principle by means of knowledge and penance. Those who are constantly devoted to renunciation, and understand the Brahman and wish for the supreme, go to the happy path by penance. Penance is said to be a light; correct conduct is the means to piety; knowledge should be understood to be the highest, and renunciation the best penance. He who determinately understands the self—which is unperturbed, which abides in all entities, and which is the essential element in knowledge—is held to be able to move everywhere. The learned man who perceives association and dissociation, and likewise unity and diversity, is released from misery. He who desires nothing and despises nothing becomes eligible, even while dwelling in this world, for assimilation with the Brahman. He who knows the truth about the qualities of Pradhana, and understands the Pradhana of all entities, who is free from the thought that this or that is mine, and free from egoism, is emancipated—there is no doubt of that. One who is free from the pairs of opposites, free from the ceremonies of salutation, free from the ceremony of svadhâ, attains by tranquillity alone to that everlasting principle which is free from the pairs of opposites and devoid of qualities. Abandoning all action—whether agreeable or disagreeable, developed from the qualities—and abandoning both truth and falsehood, a creature is emancipated; there is no doubt of that. The great tree of Brahman is eternal: a tree produced from the unperceived as its seed, consisting of the understanding as its trunk, whose collection of boughs is the great egoism, whose sprouts within are the senses, whose great branches are the great elements and whose side branches are the objects of sense—a tree always possessed of leaves, always possessed of flowers, in which agreeable and disagreeable fruits are always produced, and which is fed upon by all creatures. Cutting and piercing this tree with the sword of knowledge of the truth, and abandoning the bonds in the shape of attachment that cause birth, death, and old age, a wise man who is free from the thought that this or that is mine, and who is devoid of egoism, is emancipated—there is no doubt of that. There are these two birds, which are unchanging and which should also be known to be unintelligent. But that other one who is above them is called intelligent. When the inner self, devoid of knowledge of nature and as it were non-intelligent, understands that which is beyond nature, then—understanding the Kshetra, with an understanding that comprehends all, and transcending the qualities—it is released from all sins.
1 Abandoning of fruit, Arjuna Misra. Cf. Gita, p. 121.
2 Cf. p. 339 supra, note 4, dwelling in=adhering to, "See Git. D:. FO4.
4 Cf. Sanatsujâtîya, p. 158 seq. 5 Viz. the three famous ones,
6 Pure, refined, and untainted are not easily told apart. Probably 'pure' refers to external cleanliness; 'untainted' to freedom from sin and such taints; and 'refined' to freedom from error.
7 I.e. who have no 'belongings,' Arjuna Misra.
8 Action without desire, Arjuna Misra, who adds that it is called a light, as it leads to knowledge. See too p. 166, and p. 247, note 11, and p. 340 supra. [8] Bb