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 V.
On this 1, too, O chief of the descendants of Bharata! they relate this ancient story, (in the form of) a dialogue, which occurred, O son of Pṛithâ ! between a husband and wife. A Brâhmaṇa’s wife, seeing the Brâhmaṇa her husband, who had gone through all knowledge and experience ?, seated in seclusion, spoke to him (thus): ‘What world, indeed, shall I go to, depending on you as (my) husband, you who live renouncing (all) action, and who are harsh and undiscerning*. We have heard that wives attain to the worlds acquired by (their) husbands. What goal, verily, shall I reach, having got you for my husband ?’ Thus addressed, that man of a tranquil self, spoke to her with a slight smile: ‘O beautiful one! O sinless one! I am not offended at these words of yours. Whatever action there is, that can be caught (by the touch) 4, or seen, or heard, that only do the men of action engage in as action. Those who are devoid of knowledge only lodge 5 delusion in themselves by means of action. And freedom from action is not to be attained in this world even for an instant’, From birth to the destruction of the body, action, good or bad, by act, mind or speech 2, does exist among (all) beings. While the paths® (of action), in which the materials are visible, are destroyed by demons‘, I have perceived by means of the self the seat abiding in the self*—(the seat) where dwells the Brahman free from the pairs of opposites, and the moon together with the fire, upholding (all) beings (as) the mover of the intellectual principle’; (the seat) for which Brahman and others concentrating (their minds) worship that indestructible (principle), and for which learned men have their senses restrained, and their selfs tranquil, and (observe) good vows. It is not to be smelt by the nose, and not to be tasted by the tongue. It is not to be touched by the sense of touch, but is to be apprehended by the mind. It cannot be conquered by the eyes, and is entirely beyond the senses of hearing. It is devoid of smell, devoid of taste and touch, devoid of colour and sound, and imperishable. (It is that) from which (this whole) expanse? (of the universe) proceeds, and on which it rests. From this the Prâṇa, Apâna, Samana, Vyâna, and Udâna also proceed, and into it they enter *. Between the Samana and the Vydana, the Prâṇa and the Apâna moved. When that* is asleep, the Samâna and Vyâna also are absorbed ° ; and between the Prâṇa and the Apâna dwells the Udana pervading (all). Therefore the Prâṇa and the Apâna do not forsake a sleeping person. That is called the Udâna, as the life-winds are controlled 5 (by it). And therefore those who study the Brahman engage in penance’ of which I am the goal*®. In the interior!, in the midst of all these (life-winds) which move about in the body and swallow up one another ?, blazes the Vaisvâna fire sevenfold. The nose, and the tongue, and the eye, and the skin, and the ear as the fifth, the mind and the understanding, these are the seven tongues‘ of the blaze of Vaisvanara. That which is to be smelt, that which is to be drunk, that which is to be seen, that which is to be touched, and likewise that which is to be heard, and also that which is to be thought of, and that which is to be understood, those are the seven (kinds of) fuel for me® That which smells, that which eats, that which sees, that which touches, and that which hears as the fifth, that which thinks, and that which understands, these are the seven great officiating priests®. And mark this always, commentary which I have used, says that the Anugîtâ ends here. But, as we have shown, there is a verse coming further on, which Sañkarâkârya cites as from the Anugîtâ. In the printed copies of the Mahabharata the next chapter is called the Brahmaṇagîtâ.
* Le. the questions at p. 252, Nîlakaṇṭha ; more probably, perhaps, the ‘ doctrine’ mentioned at p. 254 is what is alluded to. ? Cf. Gita, p. 57 and note.
* Nîlakaṇṭha says this means ‘ignorant that the wife has no other support.’ Arguna Misra interprets kînâsa to mean ‘indigent’ instead of ‘harsh.’
* So Arguna Misra. Nîlakaṇṭha’s reading and his interpretation of the passage are different. ° I follow Arguna Misra; the original literally means ‘ restrain.’
CHAPTER V.
On this 1, too, O chief of the descendants of Bharata! they relate this ancient story, in the form of a dialogue that occurred, O son of Pṛithâ! between a husband and wife. A Brâhmaṇa's wife, seeing the Brâhmaṇa her husband—who had gone through all knowledge and experience?—seated in seclusion, spoke to him thus: 'What world shall I go to, depending on you as my husband, you who live renouncing all action, and who are harsh and undiscerning*. We have heard that wives attain to the worlds acquired by their husbands. What goal shall I reach, having got you for my husband?' Thus addressed, that man of a tranquil self spoke to her with a slight smile: 'O beautiful one! O sinless one! I am not offended by these words of yours. Whatever action there is that can be caught by the touch 4, or seen, or heard—that alone do the men of action engage in as action. Those who are devoid of knowledge only lodge 5 delusion in themselves by means of action. And freedom from action cannot be attained in this world even for an instant.' From birth to the destruction of the body, action—good or bad, by act, mind, or speech 2—does exist among all beings. While the paths® of action, in which the materials are visible, are destroyed by demons', I have perceived by means of the self the seat abiding in the self*—the seat where dwells the Brahman free from the pairs of opposites, and the moon together with the fire, upholding all beings as the mover of the intellectual principle'; the seat for which Brahman and others, concentrating their minds, worship that indestructible principle, and for which learned men keep their senses restrained, their selfs tranquil, and observe good vows. It is not to be smelt by the nose, and not to be tasted by the tongue. It is not to be touched by the sense of touch, but is to be apprehended by the mind. It cannot be conquered by the eyes, and is entirely beyond the senses of hearing. It is devoid of smell, devoid of taste and touch, devoid of colour and sound, and imperishable. It is that from which the whole expanse? of the universe proceeds and on which it rests. From this the Prâṇa, Apâna, Samâna, Vyâna, and Udâna also proceed, and into it they enter*. Between the Samâna and the Vyâna, the Prâṇa and the Apâna moved. When that* is asleep, the Samâna and Vyâna also are absorbed°; and between the Prâṇa and the Apâna dwells the Udâna, pervading all. Therefore the Prâṇa and the Apâna do not forsake a sleeping person. That is called the Udâna, as the life-winds are controlled 5 by it. And therefore those who study the Brahman engage in penance' of which I am the goal*®. In the interior!, in the midst of all these life-winds which move about in the body and swallow up one another?, blazes the Vaisvâna fire sevenfold. The nose, and the tongue, and the eye, and the skin, and the ear as the fifth, the mind and the understanding—these are the seven tongues' of the blaze of Vaisvanara. That which is to be smelt, that which is to be drunk, that which is to be seen, that which is to be touched, and likewise that which is to be heard, and also that which is to be thought of, and that which is to be understood—those are the seven kinds of fuel for me®. That which smells, that which eats, that which sees, that which touches, and that which hears as the fifth, that which thinks, and that which understands—these are the seven great officiating priests®. And mark this always, The commentary I have used says that the Anugîtâ ends here. But, as we have shown, there is a verse further on that Sañkarâkârya cites as being from the Anugîtâ. In the printed copies of the Mahabharata, the next chapter is called the Brahmaṇagîtâ.
* I.e. the questions at p. 252, Nîlakaṇṭha; more probably, perhaps, what is alluded to is the 'doctrine' mentioned at p. 254. ? Cf. Gita, p. 57 and note.
* Nîlakaṇṭha says this means "ignorant that the wife has no other support." Arjuna Misra takes kînâsa to mean "indigent" rather than "harsh."
* So Arjuna Misra. Nîlakaṇṭha's reading and his interpretation of the passage are different. ° I follow Arjuna Misra; the original literally means 'restrain.'