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.
Dhṛitarâshṭra said:
I have heard about penance free from sin, O Sanatsugata! Tell me what is the sin (connected) with penance, so that I may understand the eternal mystery *.
Sanatsugata said:
The twelve beginning with wrath, and likewise the seven cruelties, are the defects (connected) with it; and there are (stated) in the Sâstras twelve merits (connected) with it, beginning with knowledge, which are known to the twice-born, and may be developed. Wrath, desire*, avarice, delusion, craving*, mercilessness, censoriousness, vanity, grief*, attachment’, envy’, reviling others—these twelve should always be avoided by a man of high qualifications*. These, O king of kings! attend each and every man, wishing to find some opening*, as a hunter (watches) animals. [Boastful, lustful, haughty, irascible, unsteady*, one who does not protect (those dependent * on him), these six sinful acts are performed by sinful men who are not afraid (even) in the midst of great danger*.] One whose thoughts are (all) about enjoyments, who prospers by injuring (others), who repents of generosity, who is miserly, who is devoid of the power* (of knowledge), who esteems the group’ (of the senses), who hates his wife*—these seven, different (from those previously mentioned), are the seven forms of cruelty. Knowledge, truth, self-restraint, sacred learning, freedom from animosity (towards living beings), modesty*, endurance*, freedom from censoriousness, sacrifice, gift, courage*, quiescence*— these are the twelve great observances* of a Brâhmaṇa. Whoever is not devoid of these twelve can govern this whole world, and those who are possessed of three, two, or even one (of these) become, in (due) course, distinguished (for knowledge) and identified with the Brahman’. [Self-restraint, abandonment”, and freedom from heedlessness—on these depends immortality. And the talented Brâhmaṇas say that truth is chief over them] Selfrestraint has eighteen defects; if (any one of them is) committed, it is an obstacle (to self-restraint). They are thus stated. Untruthfulness, backbiting, thirst*, antipathy (to all beings), darkness*, repining*, hatred* of people, haughtiness, quarrelsomeness, injuring living creatures, reviling others, garrulity, vexation’, want of endurance 8, want of courage*, imperfection*, sinful conduct, and slaughter. That is called self-restraint by the good, which is free from these defects. Frenzy has eighteen defects*; and abandonment is of six kinds. The contraries of those which have been laid down 12 are stated to be the defects of frenzy. Abandonment of six kinds is excellent. Of those six, the third is hard to achieve. With it one certainly crosses oe a Sn a rd beyond all misery without distinction’. That being achieved, (everything) is accomplished*. The (first is the) giving away of sons and wealth to a deserving man who asks (for them); the second is gifts at Vedic ceremonies, and gifts at ceremonies laid down in the Smṛitis*. The abandonment of desires, O king of kings! by means of indifference (to worldly objects) is laid down as the third 4. With these one should become free from heedlessness. That freedom from heedlessness, too, has eight characteristics, and is (a) great (merit). Truthfulness, concentration, absorbed contemplation, reflexion 5, and also indifference (to worldly objects), not stealing*, living the life of a BrahmaZarin, and likewise freedom from all belongings*. Thus have the defects of self-restraint been stated; one should avoid those defects, Freedom from (those) defects is freedom from heedlessness; and that, too, is deemed to have eight characteristics* Let truth be your (very) self, O king of kings! On truth all the worlds rest. Truth is said to be their main (principle). Immortality depends on truth‘ Getting rid of (these) defects, one should practise the observance of penance. This is the conduct prescribed by the Creator. Truth is the solemn vow of the good. The pure penance, which is free from these defects, and possessed of these characteristics, becomes developed, and well developed*. I will state to you, in brief, O king of kings! what you ask of me. This (observance) 5 is destructive of sin, and pure, and releases (one) from birth and death and oldage’. Ifoneis free from the five senses, and also from the mind 8, O descendant of Bharata! also from (thoughts regarding) the past and the future*, one becomes happy.
* Cf. Bṛihadâraṇyaka, p. 899. Tapas is variously rendered. See inter alia, Praṣṇa, pp. 162-170; Svetâsvatara, p- 307; Muṇḍaka, pp. 270-280, 311-314; Khândogya, p.136; Anugîtâ, pp. 247, 339. ? Le. Brahma-vidyâ, or science of the Brahman, Nîlakaṇṭha ; the Brahman itself, Sañkara. Plea lust,
* Want of discrimination between right and wrong.
* Desire to taste worldly objects.
* For the loss of anything desired. © Desire to enjoy worldly objects. The difference between this and craving, according to Sankara, appears to be between merely tasting and continual enjoyment. According to Nîlakaṇṭha, the former is a desire which is never contented ; the latter is merely a general liking,
* Impatience of other people’s prosperity ; censoriousness being the pointing out of flaws in other people’s merits; and reviling being an ignoring of the merits and merely abusing.
Dhṛitarâshṭra said:
I have heard about sinless penance, O Sanatsujâta! Now tell me what the sin connected with penance is, so that I may understand this eternal mystery*.
Sanatsujâta said:
The twelve beginning with wrath, and likewise the seven cruelties, are the defects connected with it; and there are stated in the Sâstras twelve merits connected with it, beginning with knowledge, which are known to the twice-born and may be developed. Wrath, desire, avarice, delusion, craving, mercilessness, censoriousness, vanity, grief, attachment, envy, reviling others—these 12 should always be avoided by a man of high qualifications. These, O king of kings, attend each and every man, wishing to find some opening, as a hunter watches animals. Boastful, lustful, haughty, irascible, unsteady, one who does not protect those dependent on him—these 6 sinful acts are performed by sinful men who are not afraid even in the midst of great danger. One whose thoughts are all about enjoyments, who prospers by injuring others, who repents of generosity, who is miserly, who is devoid of the power of knowledge, who esteems the group of the senses, who hates his wife—these 7, different from those previously mentioned, are the seven forms of cruelty. Knowledge, truth, self-restraint, sacred learning, freedom from animosity towards living beings, modesty, endurance, freedom from censoriousness, sacrifice, gift, courage, quiescence—these are the 12 great observances of a Brâhmaṇa. Whoever is not devoid of these 12 can govern this whole world, and those who are possessed of three, two, or even one of these become, in due course, distinguished for knowledge and identified with the Brahman. Self-restraint, abandonment, and freedom from heedlessness—on these depends immortality. And the talented Brâhmaṇas say that truth is chief over them. Self-restraint has eighteen defects; if any one of them is committed, it is an obstacle to self-restraint. They are thus stated. Untruthfulness, backbiting, thirst, antipathy to all beings, darkness, repining, hatred of people, haughtiness, quarrelsomeness, injuring living creatures, reviling others, garrulity, vexation, want of endurance 8, want of courage, imperfection, sinful conduct, and slaughter. What is free from these defects is what the good call self-restraint. Frenzy has eighteen defects; and abandonment is of six kinds. The contraries of those which have been laid down 12 are stated to be the defects of frenzy. Abandonment of six kinds is excellent. Of those six, the third is hard to achieve. With it one certainly crosses beyond all misery without distinction. That being achieved, everything is accomplished. The first is the giving away of sons and wealth to a deserving man who asks for them; the second is gifts at Vedic ceremonies, and gifts at ceremonies laid down in the Smṛitis. The abandonment of desires, O king of kings, by means of indifference to worldly objects is laid down as the third 4. With these one should become free from heedlessness. That freedom from heedlessness, too, has 8 characteristics, and is a great merit. Truthfulness, concentration, absorbed contemplation, reflexion 5, and also indifference to worldly objects, not stealing, living the life of a Brahmaẕarin, and likewise freedom from all belongings. Thus have the defects of self-restraint been stated; one should avoid those defects. Freedom from those defects is freedom from heedlessness; and that, too, is deemed to have eight characteristics. Let truth be your very self, O king of kings! On truth all the worlds rest. Truth is said to be their main principle. Immortality depends on truth. Getting rid of these defects, one should practise the observance of penance. This is the conduct prescribed by the Creator. Truth is the solemn vow of the good. The pure penance, which is free from these defects and possessed of these characteristics, becomes developed, and well developed. I will state to you, in brief, O king of kings, what you ask of me. This observance 5 is destructive of sin, and pure, and releases one from birth and death and old age. If one is free from the five senses, and also from the mind 8, O descendant of Bharata, also from thoughts regarding the past and the future, one becomes happy.
* Cf. Bṛihadâraṇyaka, p. 899. Tapas is variously rendered. See inter alia, Praṣṇa, pp. 162-170; Svetâsvatara, p. 307; Muṇḍaka, pp. 270-280, 311-314; Khândogya, p. 136; Anugîtâ, pp. 247, 339. ² I.e. Brahma-vidyâ, or the science of the Brahman, Nîlakaṇṭha; the Brahman itself, Sañkara. Pleasure, lust,
* Want of discrimination between right and wrong.
* Desire to taste worldly objects.
* For the loss of anything desired. © Desire to enjoy worldly objects. The difference between this and craving, according to Sankara, appears to be between merely tasting and continual enjoyment. According to Nîlakaṇṭha, the former is a desire which is never contented; the latter is merely a general liking.
Impatience of other people's prosperity; censoriousness being the pointing out of flaws in other people's merits; and reviling being an ignoring of the merits and merely abusing.