28. Chapter 28

श्रीराम उवाच । बीजाङ्कुराणां पुरुषकर्मणां जन्मकारिणाम् । दैवशब्दार्थयुक्तानां तत्त्वं वद विभो पुनः ॥ १ ॥

śrīrāma uvāca | bījāṅkurāṇāṃ puruṣakarmaṇāṃ janmakāriṇām | daivaśabdārthayuktānāṃ tattvaṃ vada vibho punaḥ || 1 ||

Rama said:—Please sir, explain to me moreover regarding the acts of men, which become the causes of their repeated births, as seeds are sources of the germs of future trees; and those to which the word daiva or divian is applied, imply the Divine dispensation, destiny or fate.

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच । दैवकर्मादिपर्यायं घटादि घटतावधि । संवित्स्पन्दनमेवेदं लोके पुरुषतां गतम् ॥ २ ॥

śrīvasiṣṭha uvāca | daivakarmādiparyāyaṃ ghaṭādi ghaṭatāvadhi | saṃvitspandanamevedaṃ loke puruṣatāṃ gatam || 2 ||

Vasishtha replied:—The meaning of daiva or destiny, is as that of a potter in producing the pottery; it is the act of intelligence (samvid), and not of blind chance, nor of human effort or manliness.

संवित्स्पन्दादृते पुंस्त्वं कर्म वा कीदृशं भवेत् । घटावटपटाद्यात्म ह्येतेनैव जगत् कृतम् ॥ ३ ॥

saṃvitspandādṛte puṃstvaṃ karma vā kīdṛśaṃ bhavet | ghaṭāvaṭapaṭādyātma hyetenaiva jagat kṛtam || 3 ||

How is it possible for any action to be done by manly exertion only, without some effort of the understanding directing human energy to action; it is this intelligent power that makes the world and all what it contains.

प्रवर्तते जगल्लक्ष्मीः संवित्स्पन्दात्सवासनात् । निवर्तते हि संसारः संवित्स्पन्वादवासनात् ॥ ४ ॥

pravartate jagallakṣmīḥ saṃvitspandātsavāsanāt | nivartate hi saṃsāraḥ saṃvitspanvādavāsanāt || 4 ||

The prosperity of the world depends on the understanding, exerting itself with a desire to bring about some certain end; and it ceases with the course of the course of the world, upon the exertion of the understanding to no purpose.

अवासनं हि संवित्तेः स्पन्दमस्पन्दनं विदुः । सस्पन्दोऽप्यस्फुरत्स्पन्दो येनावर्तादिनोह्यते ॥ ५ ॥

avāsanaṃ hi saṃvitteḥ spandamaspandanaṃ viduḥ | saspando'pyasphuratspando yenāvartādinohyate || 5 ||

The insouciance or want of desire in the mind, is called its negative act, and the mind that merely moves on without engaging in any pursuit, is as a current stream without its undulation.

मनागपि न भेदोऽस्ति संवित्स्पन्दमयात्मनोः । कल्पनांशादृते राम सृष्टौ पुरुषकर्मणोः ॥ ६ ॥

manāgapi na bhedo'sti saṃvitspandamayātmanoḥ | kalpanāṃśādṛte rāma sṛṣṭau puruṣakarmaṇoḥ || 6 ||

There is no difference between a thinking and unthinking soul, unless the mind of one is actuated by its imagination, to the invention of some manly art or work.

जलवीच्योर्यथा द्वित्वं संकल्पोत्थं न वास्तवम् । तथेह चित्परिस्पन्दरूपयोर्जन्तुकर्मणोः ॥ ७ ॥

jalavīcyoryathā dvitvaṃ saṃkalpotthaṃ na vāstavam | tatheha citparispandarūpayorjantukarmaṇoḥ || 7 ||

As there is no essential duality or difference in the water and its waves, and between desire and its result; so there is no distinction betwixt the intellect and its function, nor is there any difference in the actions from the person of their agent.

कर्मैव पुरुषो राम पुरुषस्यैव कर्मता । एते ह्यभिन्ने विद्धि त्वं यथा तुहिनशीतते ॥ ८ ॥

karmaiva puruṣo rāma puruṣasyaiva karmatā | ete hyabhinne viddhi tvaṃ yathā tuhinaśītate || 8 ||

Know Rama, the action as the agent, and the actor the same with his action; both these are quite alike as the ice and coldness.

हिमं यत्तद्यथा शैत्यं यच्छैत्यं तद्यथा हिमम् । यत्कर्मासौ तथा जन्तुर्यो जन्तुः कर्म तत्तथा ॥ ९ ॥

himaṃ yattadyathā śaityaṃ yacchaityaṃ tadyathā himam | yatkarmāsau tathā janturyo jantuḥ karma tattathā || 9 ||

As the frost is cold and coldness the same with frost, so the deed is the same as its doer, and the doer is alike the deed done by him.

संवित्स्पन्दरसस्यैव दैवकर्मनरादयः । पर्यायशब्दा न पुनः पृथक्कर्मादयः स्थिताः ॥ १० ॥

saṃvitspandarasasyaiva daivakarmanarādayaḥ | paryāyaśabdā na punaḥ pṛthakkarmādayaḥ sthitāḥ || 10 ||

The vibration of the Intellect (i.e. the divine will), is the same as destiny which is also the agent of action; these are synonymous terms expressing the same thing, and destiny, deed and other words have no distinct meaning.

स्पन्दात्संविज्जगद्वीजमस्पन्दाद्यात्यबीजताम् । अङ्कुरश्च तदेवान्तः स्थितत्वादङ्कुरश्रियः ॥ ११ ॥

spandātsaṃvijjagadvījamaspandādyātyabījatām | aṅkuraśca tadevāntaḥ sthitatvādaṅkuraśriyaḥ || 11 ||

The oscillation of the intellect is the cause of creation, as the seed is the source of the germ of a tree; want of this vibration is productive of nothing, wherefore intellectual activity contains in it the germinating seed of the whole world.

चित्त्वं च क्वचिदस्पन्दं क्वचित्स्पन्दं स्वभावतः । अनन्तमेकार्णववद्दिक्कालक्रमसंस्थितम् ॥ १२ ॥

cittvaṃ ca kvacidaspandaṃ kvacitspandaṃ svabhāvataḥ | anantamekārṇavavaddikkālakramasaṃsthitam || 12 ||

The divine mind contains in its infinite expanse all the ample space of time and place; and is of its own nature sometimes in its fluctuation, and at others at a standstill like the vast ocean on earth.

संवित्स्पन्दो वासनावानिह बीजमकारणम् । भूत्वा कारणतामेति देहादेरङ्कुरावलेः ॥ १३ ॥

saṃvitspando vāsanāvāniha bījamakāraṇam | bhūtvā kāraṇatāmeti dehāderaṅkurāvaleḥ || 13 ||

The causeless and uncausing seed of the intellect, being moved by desire, becomes cause of the minutiae of material bones, as the seed becomes productive of its germs and sprouts.

तृणवल्लीलतागुल्मबीजान्तरगतेरपि । बीजं संवित्स्पन्द एव तस्य बीजं न विद्यते ॥ १४ ॥

tṛṇavallīlatāgulmabījāntaragaterapi | bījaṃ saṃvitspanda eva tasya bījaṃ na vidyate || 14 ||

All vegetable productions as the grass and all sorts of plants and creepers, vegetate from within their particular seeds as their origin; and these seeds originate from the pulsation of the divine mind, which is increate and without any [cause] for it.

न बीजाङ्कुरयोर्भेदो विद्यतेऽग्न्यौष्ण्ययोरिव । बीजमेवाङ्कुरं विद्धि विद्धि कर्मैव मानवम् ॥ १५ ॥

na bījāṅkurayorbhedo vidyate'gnyauṣṇyayoriva | bījamevāṅkuraṃ viddhi viddhi karmaiva mānavam || 15 ||

There is no difference between the seed and its sprout, as there is no distinction of the heat from fire; and as you find the identity of the seed and its sprout, so must you know the identity of man with his acts.

चित्स्फुरन्ती भूमिकोशे करोति स्थावराङ्कुरम् । स्थूलान्सूक्ष्मान्मृदुक्रूरान्पयोबुद्बुदकानिव ॥ १६ ॥

citsphurantī bhūmikośe karoti sthāvarāṅkuram | sthūlānsūkṣmānmṛdukrūrānpayobudbudakāniva || 16 ||

The divine Intellect exerts its power in the bosom of the earth, and grows the sprouts of the unmoving vegetable creation as from its seed; and these become great or small, straight or crooked as the waves of the sea as it would have them to be.

चिता विना धराकोशादत्यन्तपरिपेलवात् । अङ्कुरान्वज्रसारांश्च क उल्लासयितुं क्षमः ॥ १७ ॥

citā vinā dharākośādatyantaparipelavāt | aṅkurānvajrasārāṃśca ka ullāsayituṃ kṣamaḥ || 17 ||

What other power is there beside that of the intellect, to grow the sturdy oaks and arbours from the soft clay and humid moisture, which compose the bosom of the earth?

प्राणिवीर्यरसान्तस्था संविज्जंगममाततम् । तनोति लतिकान्तस्थो रसः पुष्पफलं यथा ॥ १८ ॥

prāṇivīryarasāntasthā saṃvijjaṃgamamātatam | tanoti latikāntastho rasaḥ puṣpaphalaṃ yathā || 18 ||

It is this Intellect that fills the seeds of living beings with the vital fluid, as the sappy juice abiding in the inside of plants, gives growth to the flowers and fruits on the outside.

यदि सर्वगता संविद्भवेन्नातिबलीयसी । तत्क उल्लासने शक्तः स्याद्देवासुरभूभृताम् ॥ १९ ॥

yadi sarvagatā saṃvidbhavennātibalīyasī | tatka ullāsane śaktaḥ syāddevāsurabhūbhṛtām || 19 ||

If this all inhering intellect, were not almighty also at the same time, say then what other power is there, that could produce the mighty gods and demigods in air, and the huge mountains on earth.

जङ्गमानां स्थावराणामेतदाद्यं च बीजकम् । संविद्विस्फुरणामात्रमस्य बीजं न विद्यते ॥ २० ॥

jaṅgamānāṃ sthāvarāṇāmetadādyaṃ ca bījakam | saṃvidvisphuraṇāmātramasya bījaṃ na vidyate || 20 ||

The divine mind contains in it the seeds of all moving and unmoving beings, which have their being from the movement of this intellectual power, and from no other source whatever.

बीजाङ्कुरविकल्पानां क्रियापुरुषकर्मणाम् । ऊर्मिवीचितरङ्गाणां नास्ति भेदो न वस्तुनि ॥ २१ ॥

bījāṅkuravikalpānāṃ kriyāpuruṣakarmaṇām | ūrmivīcitaraṅgāṇāṃ nāsti bhedo na vastuni || 21 ||

As there is no difference in the alternate production of the seed and the germ or fruit from one another, so there is no difference in the commutual causation of man and his acts and the vice versa. In this manner also there is no shade of difference, betwixt the swelling waves and the sinking waters of the sea.

द्वित्वं नृकर्मणोर्यस्य बीजाङ्कुरतया तयोः । विपश्चित्पशवे तस्मै महतेऽस्तु सदा नमः ॥ २९ ॥

dvitvaṃ nṛkarmaṇoryasya bījāṅkuratayā tayoḥ | vipaścitpaśave tasmai mahate'stu sadā namaḥ || 29 ||

It is the inherent consciousness of the ever existent soul, which is both the prime seed as well as the first germ of the world; the same is the source both of action as also of its cause and effect of the person of man. It is that which is designated as destiny and the weal and woe of all.

संवित्तेर्जन्मबीजस्य योऽन्तस्थो वासनारसः । स करोत्यङ्कुरोल्लासं तमसङ्गाग्निना दह ॥ २३ ॥

saṃvitterjanmabījasya yo'ntastho vāsanārasaḥ | sa karotyaṅkurollāsaṃ tamasaṅgāgninā daha || 23 ||

The prurience that is inherent in one's consciousness, is the embryonic seed of his resuscitation to life; in the manner of the germination of plants: it is therefore meet to render this seed abortive by frying it in the fire of inappetency.

कुर्वतोऽकुर्वतश्चैव मनसा यदमज्जनम् । शुभाशुभेषु कार्येषु तदसङ्गं विदुर्बुधाः ॥ २४ ॥

kurvato'kurvataścaiva manasā yadamajjanam | śubhāśubheṣu kāryeṣu tadasaṅgaṃ vidurbudhāḥ || 24 ||

The doing of a thing with listlessness, and the performance of an act whether good or bad without taking it to the mind, is what is called lukewarmness by the learned.

अथवा वासनोत्साद एवासङ्ग इति स्मृतः । यया कयाचिद्युक्त्यान्तः संपादय तमेव हि ॥ २५ ॥

athavā vāsanotsāda evāsaṅga iti smṛtaḥ | yayā kayācidyuktyāntaḥ saṃpādaya tameva hi || 25 ||

Or it is exemption from desire, that is said to loosen a man from all connection; therefore try by all means in your power, to create in your mind a total unconcern for every one, and indifference to all things whatsoever.

ययैव वेत्सि ततया युक्त्या पुरुषयत्नतः । वासनाङ्कुरनिर्मूलमेतदेव परं शिवम् ॥ २६ ॥

yayaiva vetsi tatayā yuktyā puruṣayatnataḥ | vāsanāṅkuranirmūlametadeva paraṃ śivam || 26 ||

In whatever manner you think it possible for you to rid of your lickerish desires, whether by means of your theoretical or practical yoga (the raja and hatha yogas), or by means of your manly exertion; you must root every desire from your heart, in order to secure your best welfare and perfect felicity.

पौरुषेण प्रयत्नेन यथा जानासि वा तथा । निवारयाहंभावांशमेषोऽसौ वासनाक्षयः ॥ २७ ॥

pauruṣeṇa prayatnena yathā jānāsi vā tathā | nivārayāhaṃbhāvāṃśameṣo'sau vāsanākṣayaḥ || 27 ||

But then you must endeavour to the utmost of your manly power, to suppress some portion of your egoism, in order to prevent the rise of selfish passions and desires within your health.

नास्त्येव पौरुषादन्या संसारोत्तरणे गतिः । निरहंभावरूपेऽस्मिन्वासनाक्षयनामनि ॥ २८ ॥

nāstyeva pauruṣādanyā saṃsārottaraṇe gatiḥ | nirahaṃbhāvarūpe'sminvāsanākṣayanāmani || 28 ||

There is no other course of fording the unfordable expanse of the world, save by the exercise of our manly virtues; nor is there any other way of extinguishing our ardent desires, except by the extinction of egoism.

आद्यैव संविदस्तीह सोऽङ्कुरो बीजमस्ति तत् । तत्कर्म तच्च पुरुषस्तद्दैवं तच्छुभाशुभम् ॥ २९ ॥

ādyaiva saṃvidastīha so'ṅkuro bījamasti tat | tatkarma tacca puruṣastaddaivaṃ tacchubhāśubham || 29 ||

It is the inherent consciousness of the ever existent soul, which is both the prime seed as well as the first germ of the world; the same is the source both of action as also of its cause and effect of the person of man. It is that which is designated as destiny and the weal and woe of all.

न बीजमादावस्त्यन्यन्नाङ्कुरो न च वा नरः । न कर्म न च दैवादि केवलं चिदुदेति हि ॥ ३० ॥

na bījamādāvastyanyannāṅkuro na ca vā naraḥ | na karma na ca daivādi kevalaṃ cidudeti hi || 30 ||

In the beginning there was no other seed nor its sprout, nor even any man nor his action; nor was there any such thing as destiny or doom or any other prime cause, but all that existed was the Supreme intellect which is all in all.

नो बीजमस्ति न किलाङ्कुरकोऽपि वास्ति नाप्यस्ति कर्म पुरुषश्च न वास्ति साधो । एकं तु चित्त्वमुदितं ह्यनयाभिधानलक्ष्म्या नटः सुरनरासुरशोभयेव ॥ ३१ ॥

no bījamasti na kilāṅkurako'pi vāsti nāpyasti karma puruṣaśca na vāsti sādho | ekaṃ tu cittvamuditaṃ hyanayābhidhānalakṣmyā naṭaḥ suranarāsuraśobhayeva || 31 ||

There is neither any seed nor its germ in reality, nor is there any action or its active agent de facto; but there [is] only one Supreme intellect in absolute and positive existence, and it is under the auspices of this hallowed name, that you see O sage! all these gods and demigods, and all men and women, are performing their respective parts as actors on the stage of the world.

इत्येव निश्चयमनामय भावयित्वा त्यक्त्वा भृशं पुरुषकर्मविचारशङ्काम् । निर्वासनः सकलसंकलनाविमुक्तः संविद्वपुर्ननु यथाभिमतेच्छमास्व ॥ ३२ ॥

ityeva niścayamanāmaya bhāvayitvā tyaktvā bhṛśaṃ puruṣakarmavicāraśaṅkām | nirvāsanaḥ sakalasaṃkalanāvimuktaḥ saṃvidvapurnanu yathābhimatecchamāsva || 32 ||

Knowing this certain truth, and thinking thyself as the imperishable one, be freed from thy thoughts of the agent and action; give up all thy desires and false imagination, and live to reflect with thy body of self-consciousness alone.

प्रशान्तसर्वेच्छमशङ्कमच्छचिन्मात्रसंस्थोऽखिलकार्यकारी । आत्मैकरामः परिपूर्णकामो भवाभयो राम शमाभिरामः ॥ ३३ ॥

praśāntasarvecchamaśaṅkamacchacinmātrasaṃstho'khilakāryakārī | ātmaikarāmaḥ paripūrṇakāmo bhavābhayo rāma śamābhirāmaḥ || 33 ||

Remain fearless, O Rama, and be more graceful with the calm composure of thy mind. Allay all thy desires and lay aside thy fears with them. Rely on thy clear intellect and continue to do thy endless acts (by guidance of the same). Be full in thyself with the Supreme soul, and thus thou shalt have the fulness of thy desires fulfilled in thee.