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 :
Tell me, what belief you have resorted to, by which, though this country, which is the kingdom of your father and grandfather, is subject to you, you have got rid of (the notion that this or that is) mine. What conviction have you adopted, by which verily you consider your whole domain as not (your) domain, or all as your domain?
Ganaka said:
I understand (all) conditions here, in all affairs, to be terminable’, hence I could not find anything that should be (called) mine‘. (Considering) whose this ee © was, (I thought of) the Vedic text about anybody’s property, (hence) I could not find by my intelligence anything that should be (called) mine’. Resorting to this conviction, I have got rid of (the notion that this or that is) mine. Now hear the conviction, holding which, my domain (appears to me to be) everywhere *. I do not desire for myself even smells existing in the nose*. Therefore the earth‘ being conquered is always subject to me. I do not desire for myself tastes even dwelling in the mouth. Therefore water being conquered is always subject to me. I do not desire for myself the colour (or) light appertaining to the eye. Therefore light being conquered is always subject to me. I do not desire for myself the (feelings of touch) which exist in the skin. Therefore air being conquered is always subject to me. I do not desire for myself sounds even though existing in the ear. Therefore sounds being conquered are always subject to me. I do not desire for myself the mind always within me. Therefore the mind being conquered is always subject to me. All these actions of mine are, verily, for this purpose, (namely) for the gods, the Pitṛis, the Bhûtas, together with guests. Then the Brâhmaṇa, smiling, again said to Ganaka: ‘Know me to be Dharma, come here to-day to learn (something) about you!, You are the one person to turn this wheel, the nave of which is the Brahman, the spoke the understanding, and which does not turn back’, and which is checked by the quality of goodness as its circumference 4,’
? Meaning, apparently, that over which he and no one else has power. He contracts his vision gradually, and finds nothing at all which he can call his own to the exclusion of others. He explains, further on, how he arrives at the alternative conviction stated towards the close of this speech. In the Bṛihadaraṇyaka (p. 916) he is said to have offered his kingdom to Yâgñavalkya and himself as his slave, after learning the Brahma-vidya. See too Muir, Sanskrit Texts, vol. iv, p. 426 seq. * See Santi Parvan (Moksha) I, 13.
* Conditions of indigence or affluence, Nīlakaṇṭha. Arguna Misra’s reading is different.
* There is a familiar verse, ascribed to Ganaka, which says, ‘If
The Brâhmaṇa said:
Tell me, what belief have you arrived at by which, though this country — the kingdom of your father and grandfather — is subject to you, you have freed yourself from the sense of "this is mine"? What conviction have you adopted by which you regard your entire domain as no domain at all, or else regard everything as your domain?
Janaka said:
I understand all conditions here, in every affair, to be terminable — and so I could find nothing that I could call mine. Thinking whose this or that was, and reflecting on the Vedic text about anyone's property, I could find nothing by my own intelligence that I could call mine. Holding to this conviction, I have freed myself from the sense of mine. Now hear the conviction by which I hold my domain to be everywhere. I do not desire for myself even the smells that exist in the nose. Therefore the earth, being conquered, is always subject to me. I do not desire for myself even the tastes that dwell in the mouth. Therefore water, being conquered, is always subject to me. I do not desire for myself the colour or light belonging to the eye. Therefore light, being conquered, is always subject to me. I do not desire for myself the feelings of touch that exist in the skin. Therefore air, being conquered, is always subject to me. I do not desire for myself sounds, though they exist in the ear. Therefore sounds, being conquered, are always subject to me. I do not desire for myself the mind that is always within me. Therefore the mind, being conquered, is always subject to me. All these actions of mine are truly for this purpose alone — for the gods, the Pitṛis, the Bhûtas, and guests. Then the Brâhmaṇa, smiling, said again to Janaka: 'Know me to be Dharma, come here today to learn something about you! You are the one person to turn this wheel — whose nave is the Brahman, whose spoke is the understanding, which does not turn back, and which is checked by the quality of goodness as its circumference 4.'
? Meaning, apparently, that over which he and no one else has power. He gradually narrows his gaze and finds nothing at all that he can call exclusively his own. He explains later in the speech how he arrives at the alternative conviction stated near its close. In the Bṛihadaraṇyaka (p. 916) he is said to have offered his kingdom to Yājñavalkya and himself as his slave, after learning the Brahma-vidyā. See also Muir, Sanskrit Texts, vol. iv, p. 426 seq. * See Śānti Parvan (Moksha) I, 13.
* Conditions of indigence or affluence, Nīlakaṇṭha. Arjuna Miśra's reading is different.
There is a familiar verse, ascribed to Janaka, which says, 'If