Muni's PlayManusmriti Chapter 12
Sanskrit
शुभाशुभफलं कर्म मनोवाग्देहसम्भवम् ।
कर्मजा गतयो नॄणामुत्तमाधममध्यमः ॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration
śubhāśubhaphalaṃ karma manovāgdehasambhavam |
karmajā gatayo nṝṇāmuttamādhamamadhyamaḥ || 3 ||
Translation
Actions proceeding from mind, speech and body are conducive to good and bad results; and the conditions of men, due to actions, are high, low and middling.
Sanskrit
वाग्दण्डोऽथ मनोदण्डः कायदण्डस्तथैव च ।
यस्यैते निहिता बुद्धौ त्रिदण्डीति स उच्यते ॥ १० ॥
Transliteration
vāgdaṇḍo’tha manodaṇḍaḥ kāyadaṇḍastathaiva ca |
yasyaite nihitā buddhau tridaṇḍīti sa ucyate || 10 ||
Translation
Control over Speech, control over the Mind and control over the Body,—the man in whose heart these are firmly fixed is called ‘the man of triple control.’
Sanskrit
सत्त्वं ज्ञानं तमोऽज्ञानं रागद्वेषौ रजः स्मृतम् ।
एतद् व्याप्तिमदेतेषां सर्वभूताश्रितं वपुः ॥ २६ ॥
Transliteration
sattvaṃ jñānaṃ tamo’jñānaṃ rāgadveṣau rajaḥ smṛtam |
etad vyāptimadeteṣāṃ sarvabhūtāśritaṃ vapuḥ || 26 ||
Translation
‘Sattva’ has been declared to be Knowledge, ‘Tamas,’ to be Ignorance, and ‘Rajas,’ to be Love and Hate;—such is the nature of these, all-pervading and interpenetrating all beings.
Sanskrit
तत्र यत् प्रीतिसंयुक्तं किं चिदात्मनि लक्षयेत् ।
प्रशान्तमिव शुद्धाभं सत्त्वं तदुपधारयेत् ॥ २७ ॥
Transliteration
tatra yat prītisaṃyuktaṃ kiṃ cidātmani lakṣayet |
praśāntamiva śuddhābhaṃ sattvaṃ tadupadhārayet || 27 ||
Translation
Whenever one perceives in himself something full of bliss, calm and pure,—he should know it to be ‘Sattva.’
Sanskrit
यत् तु दुःखसमायुक्तमप्रीतिकरमात्मनः ।
तद् रजो प्रतीपं विद्यात् सततं हारि देहिनाम् ॥ २८ ॥
Transliteration
yat tu duḥkhasamāyuktamaprītikaramātmanaḥ |
tad rajo pratīpaṃ vidyāt satataṃ hāri dehinām || 28 ||
Translation
What is mixed with pain and brings unhappiness to the Soul,—know that to be ‘Rajas,’ imperceptible and constantly attracting embodied beings.
Sanskrit
यत् तु स्यान् मोहसंयुक्तमव्यक्तं विषयात्मकम् ।
अप्रतर्क्यमविज्ञेयं तमस्तदुपधारयेत् ॥ २९ ॥
Transliteration
yat tu syān mohasaṃyuktamavyaktaṃ viṣayātmakam |
apratarkyamavijñeyaṃ tamastadupadhārayet || 29 ||
Translation
What is mixed with stupefaction, undiscernible, of the nature of sensual objects, incapable of being reasoned about and uncognisable,—one should recognise as ‘Tamas.’
Sanskrit
वेदाभ्यासस्तपो ज्ञानं शौचमिन्द्रियनिग्रहः ।
धर्मक्रियाऽत्मचिन्ता च सात्त्विकं गुणलक्षणम् ॥ ३१ ॥
Transliteration
vedābhyāsastapo jñānaṃ śaucamindriyanigrahaḥ |
dharmakriyā’tmacintā ca sāttvikaṃ guṇalakṣaṇam || 31 ||
Translation
Vedic study, austerity, knowledge, purity, control over the organs, practice of virtue and meditation on the Soul,—are the characteristics of the quality of ‘Sattva.’
Sanskrit
आरम्भरुचिताऽधैर्यमसत्कार्यपरिग्रहः ।
विषयोपसेवा चाजस्रं राजसं गुणलक्षणम् ॥ ३२ ॥
Transliteration
ārambharucitā’dhairyamasatkāryपरिgrahaḥ |
viṣayopasevā cājasraṃ rājasaṃ guṇalakṣaṇam || 32 ||
Translation
Proneness to undertake work, impatience, commission of improper acts, constant addiction to sensual objects are the characteristics of the quality of ‘Rajas.’
Sanskrit
लोभः स्वप्नोऽधृतिः क्रौर्यं नास्तिक्यं भिन्नवृत्तिता ।
याचिष्णुता प्रमादश्च तामसं गुणलक्षणम् ॥ ३३ ॥
Transliteration
lobhaḥ svapno’dhṛtiḥ krauryaṃ nāstikyaṃ bhinnavṛttitā |
yāciṣṇutā pramādaśca tāmasaṃ guṇalakṣaṇam || 33 ||
Translation
Avarice, drowsiness, irresolution, cruelty, disbelief, bad character, habit of begging, and inattentiveness are the characteristics of the quality of ‘Tamas.’
Sanskrit
यत् कर्म कृत्वा कुर्वंश्च करिष्यंश्चैव लज्जति ।
तज् ज्ञेयं विदुषा सर्वं तामसं गुणलक्षणम् ॥ ३५ ॥
Transliteration
yat karma kṛtvā kurvaṃśca kariṣyaṃścaiva lajjati |
taj jñeyaṃ viduṣā sarvaṃ tāmasaṃ guṇalakṣaṇam || 35 ||
Translation
When, having done, or doing, or going to do a certain act, a man happen to feel ashamed,—every such act should be understood by the learned to be characterised by the quality of ‘Tamas.’
Sanskrit
येनस्मिन् कर्मणा लोके ख्यातिमिच्छति पुष्कलाम् ।
न च शोचत्यसम्पत्तौ तद् विज्ञेयं तु राजसम् ॥ ३६ ॥
Transliteration
yenāsmin karmaṇā loke khyātimicchati puṣkalām |
na ca śocatyasampattau tad vigñeyaṃ tu rājasam || 36 ||
Translation
When, by a certain act, the man desires great fame in this world, and does not mind failure—this should be understood to partake of the quality of ‘Rajas.’
Sanskrit
यत् सर्वेणेच्छति ज्ञातुं यन्न लज्जति चाचरन् ।
येन तुष्यति चात्माऽस्य तत् सत्त्वगुणलक्षणम् ॥ ३७ ॥
Transliteration
yat sarveṇecchati ज्ञातुं yanna lajjati cācaran |
yena tuṣyati cātmā’sya tat sattvaguṇalakṣaṇam || 37 ||
Translation
When, however, the act is one which he wishes to understand in all its details, by doing which he does not feel ashamed, and by which his heart feels satisfied,—it is characterised by the quality of ‘Sattva.’
Sanskrit
तमसो लक्षणं कामो रजसस्त्वर्थ उच्यते ।
सत्त्वस्य लक्षणं धर्मः श्रैष्ठ्यमेषां यथोत्तरम् ॥ ३८ ॥
Transliteration
tamaso lakṣaṇaṃ kāmo rajasastvartha ucyate |
sattvasya lakṣaṇaṃ dharmaḥ śraiṣṭhyameṣāṃ yathottaram || 38 ||
Translation
Pleasure is the distinguishing feature of ‘Tamas,’ ‘Wealth’ is described to be that of ‘Rajas,’ and ‘Spiritual Merit’ is the distinguishing feature of ‘Sattva,’—each succeeding one of these being superior to the preceding.
Sanskrit
गन्धर्वा गुह्यका यक्षा विबुधानुचराश्च ये ।
तथैवाप्सरसः सर्वा राजसीषूत्तमा गतिः ॥ ४७ ॥
Transliteration
gandharvā guhyakā yakṣā vibudhānucarāśca ye |
tathaivāpsarasaḥ sarvā rājasīṣūttamā gatiḥ || 47 ||
Translation
Gandharvas, Guhyakas, ‘Yakṣas,’ the attendants of the gods, and all the Apsaras, represent the high state among those partaking of ‘Rajas.’
Sanskrit
वेदाभ्यासस्तपो ज्ञानमिन्द्रियाणां च संयमः ।
अहिंसा गुरुसेवा च निःश्रेयसकरं परम् ॥ ८३ ॥
Transliteration
vedābhyāsastapo jñānamindriyāṇāṃ ca saṃyamaḥ |
ahiṃsā gurusevā ca niḥśreyasakaraṃ param || 83 ||
Translation
Vedic Study, Austerity, Knowledge, Control of the Senses, Harmlessness, Service of Elders,—are the best means of attaining the Highest Good.
Sanskrit
सर्वभूतेषु चात्मानं सर्वभूतानि चात्मनि ।
समं पश्यन्नात्मयाजी स्वाराज्यमधिगच्छति ॥ ९१ ॥
Transliteration
sarvabhūteṣu cātmānaṃ sarvabhūtāni cātmani |
samaṃ paśyannātmayājī svārājyamadhigacchati || 91 ||
Translation
He who perceives the Self in all beings, and all beings in the Self,—and sacrifices to the Self,—attains self-sovereignty.
Sanskrit
पितृदेवमनुष्याणां वेदश्चक्षुः सनातनम् ।
अशक्यं चाप्रमेयं च वेदशास्त्रमिति स्थितिः ॥ ९४ ॥
Transliteration
pitṛdevamanuṣyāṇāṃ vedaścakṣuḥ sanātanam |
aśakyaṃ cāprameyaṃ ca vedaśāstramiti sthitiḥ || 94 ||
Translation
For Pitṛs, gods and men, the Veda is the eternal eye; the teaching of the Veda is beyond power and illimitable. Such is the settled fact.
Sanskrit
अज्ञेभ्यो ग्रन्थिनः श्रेष्ठा ग्रन्थिभ्यो धारिणो वराः ।
धारिभ्यो ज्ञानिनः श्रेष्ठा ज्ञानिभ्यो व्यवसायिनः ॥ १०३ ॥
Transliteration
ajñebhyo granthinaḥ śreṣṭhā granthibhyo dhāriṇo varāḥ |
dhāribhyo jñāninaḥ śreṣṭhā jñānibhyo vyavasāyinaḥ || 103 ||
Translation
Better than ignoramuses are those who ‘read the books’; better than the ‘reader of books’ are those who ‘retain’ them; better than the ‘retainers’ are those who have ‘knowledge’; and better than those having ‘knowledge’ are those who act.
Sanskrit
तपो विद्या च विप्रस्य निःश्रेयसकरं परम् ।
तपसा किल्बिषं हन्ति विद्ययाऽमृतमश्नुते ॥ १०४ ॥
Transliteration
tapo vidyā ca viprasya niḥśreyasakaraṃ param |
tapasā kilbiṣaṃ hanti vidyayā’mṛtamaśnute || 104 ||
Translation
Austerity and knowledge are conducive to the Highest Good of the Brāhmaṇa; by Austerity he destroys sins and by Knowledge he attains immortality.
Sanskrit
प्रत्यक्षं चानुमानं च शास्त्रं च विविधाऽऽगमम् ।
त्रयं सुविदितं कार्यं धर्मशुद्धिमभीप्सता ॥ १०५ ॥
Transliteration
pratyakṣaṃ cānumānaṃ ca śāstraṃ ca vividhā”gamam |
trayaṃ suviditaṃ kāryaṃ dharmaśuddhimabhīpsatā || 105 ||
Translation
If one desires to obtain the correct knowledge of Dharma, he should become fully acquainted with these three:—Perception, Inference and the Scriptures of various traditions.
Sanskrit
सर्वमात्मनि सम्पश्येत् सत्चासत्च समाहितः ।
सर्वं ह्यात्मनि सम्पश्यन्नाधर्मे कुरुते मनः ॥ ११८ ॥
Transliteration
sarvamātmani sampaśyet satcāsatca samāhitaḥ |
sarvaṃ hyātmani sampaśyannādharme kurute manaḥ || 118 ||
Translation
With a concentrated mind, one should perceive in the Self all things, real as well as unreal. One who perceives all things in the Self never turns his mind towards wrong.
Sanskrit
आत्मैव देवताः सर्वाः सर्वमात्मन्यवस्थितम् ।
आत्मा हि जनयत्येषां कर्मयोगं शरीरिणाम् ॥ ११९ ॥
Transliteration
ātmaiva devatāḥ sarvāḥ sarvamātmanyavasthitam |
ātmā hi janayatyeṣāṃ karmayogaṃ śarīriṇām || 119 ||
Translation
The Self alone is all the gods; everything subsists in the Self; it is the Self that brings about the connection of these embodied beings with actions.
Sanskrit
खं संनिवेशयेत् खेषु चेष्टनस्पर्शनेऽनिलम् ।
पक्तिदृष्ट्योः परं तेजः स्नेहेऽपो गां च मूर्तिषु ॥ १२० ॥
Transliteration
khaṃ saṃniveśayet kheṣu ceṣṭanasparśane’nilam |
paktidṛṣṭyoḥ paraṃ tejaḥ snehe’po gāṃ ca mūrtiṣu || 120 ||
Translation
One should withdraw the Ākāśa into the ten cavities, the Wind into the organs of touch and movement, the best Light into the organs of digestion and vision, the Water into the fluids, and the Earth into the solid limbs.
Sanskrit
मनसीन्दुं दिशः श्रोत्रे क्रान्ते विष्णुं बले हरम् ।
वाच्यग्निं मित्रमुत्सर्गे प्रजने च प्रजापतिम् ॥ १२१ ॥
Transliteration
manasīnduṃ diśaḥ śrotre krānte viṣṇuṃ bale haram |
vācyagniṃ mitramutsarge prajane ca prajāpatim || 121 ||
Translation
The Moon into the mind, Space into the ear, Viṣṇu into movement, Hara into strength, Agni into speech, Mitra into the excretions, and Prajāpati into the generative organ.