Mahabharata, Book 14, Section XXXIVआश्वमेधिकपर्व

Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s English prose (1883–96), beside the Sanskrit of adhyāya 14.34.

34Sanskrit adhyāya 14.34 · Sanskrit source · English source

Sanskrit

ब्राह्मण उवाच।
नाहं तथा भूरु चरामि लोके
यथा त्वं मां तर्जयसे स्वबुद्ध्या।
विप्रोस्मिं मुक्तोस्मि वनेचरोस्मि
गृहस्थधर्मा व्रतवांस्तथाऽस्मि।।
नाहमस्मि यता मां त्वं पश्यसे च शुभाशुभे।
मया व्याप्तमिदं सर्वं यत्किञ्चिज्जगतीगतम्।।
ये केचिज्जन्तवो लोके जङ्गमाः स्थावराश्च ह।
तेषां मामन्तकं विद्धि दारुणामिव पावकम्।।
राज्ये पृथिव्यां सर्वस्यामथवापि त्रिविष्टपे।
तथा बुद्धिरियं वेत्ति बुद्धिरेव धनं मम।।
एकः पन्था ब्राह्मणानां येन गच्छन्ति तद्विदः।
गृहेषु वनवासेषु गुरुवासेषु भिक्षुषु।।
लिङ्गैर्बहुभिरव्यग्रैरेका बुद्धिरुपास्यते।
नानालिङ्गाश्रमस्थानां येषां बुद्धिः शमात्मिका।।
ते भावमेकमायान्ति सरितः सागरं यथा।
बुद्ध्याऽयं गम्यते मार्गः शरीरेणि न गम्यते।
आद्यन्तवन्ति कर्माणि शरीरं कर्मबन्धनम्।।
तस्मान्मे सुभगे नास्ति परलोककृतं भयम्।
तद्भावभावनिरता ममैवात्मानमेष्यसि।।
।। इति श्रीमन्महाभारते आश्वमेधिकपर्वणि
अनुगीतापर्वणि चतुस्त्रिंशोऽध्यायः।। 34 ।।

English Ganguli

"'"The Brahmana's wife said, 'This is incapable of being understood by a person of little intelligence as also by one whose soul has not been cleansed. My intelligence is very little, and contracted, and confused. Do thou tell me the means by which the knowledge (of which thou speakest) may be acquired. I wish to learn from thee the source from which this knowledge flows.'

"'"The Brahmana said, 'Know that intelligence devoted to Brahman, is the lower Arani; the preceptor is the upper Arani; penances and conversance with the scriptures are to cause the attrition. From this is produced the fire of knowledge.'

"'"The Brahmana's wife said, 'As regards this symbol of Brahman, which is designated Kshetrajna, where, indeed, occurs a description of it by which it is capable of being seized?'

"'"The Brahmana said, 'He is without symbols, and without qualities. Nothing exists that may be regarded as his cause. I shall, however, tell thee the means by which he can be seized or not. A good means may be found; viz., perception of hearing, etc. as flowers are perceived by bees. That means consists of an understanding cleansed by action. Those whose understandings have not been so cleansed, regard that entity, through their own ignorance, as invested with the properties of knowledge and others.[97] It is not laid down that this should be done, of that this should not be done, in the rules for achieving Emancipation,—those, that is, in which a knowledge of the soul arises only in him who sees and hears.[98] One should comprehend as many parts, unmanifest and manifest by hundreds and thousands, as one is capable of comprehending here. Indeed, one should comprehend diverse objects of diverse import, and all objects of direct perception. Then will come, from practice (of contemplation and self-restraint, etc.), that above which nothing exists.'"[99]

"'The holy one continued, "Then the mind of that Brahmana's wife, upon the destruction of the Kshetrajna, became that which is beyond Kshetrajna, in consequence of the knowledge of Kshetra."[100]

"'Arjuna said, "Where, indeed, is that Brahmana's wife, O Krishna, and where is that foremost of Brahmanas, by both of whom was such success attained. Do thou, tell me about them, O thou of unfading glory."

"'The blessed and holy one said, "Know that my mind is the Brahmana, and that my understanding is the Brahmana's wife. He who has been spoken of as Kshetrajna is I myself, O Dhananjaya!"'"