ādyam

ये हि संस्पर्शजा भोगा दुःखयोनय एव ते

ādya-antavantaḥ — having beginning and end

The pleasures born of contact are wombs of pain. They begin and they end, son of Kunti; the wise do not delight in them.

वेदेषु यज्ञेषु तपःसु चैव दानेषु यत्पुण्यफलं प्रदिष्टम्

ādyam — original

Whatever merit is promised by the study of the Vedas, by offerings, by austerities and by giving — one who practises knows all of it, and goes beyond, to the first and highest place.

आख्याहि मे को भवानुग्ररूपो नमोऽस्तु ते देववर प्रसीद

ādyam — the primeval

Tell me who you are, you of fearful form. I bow to you; have mercy, best of gods. I wish to know you as you are at the first, for I do not understand what you are doing.

मया प्रसन्नेन तवार्जुनेदं रूपं परं दर्शितमात्मयोगात्

ādyam — primeval

Out of grace toward you, Arjuna, I have shown you by my own power this highest form — radiant, universal, endless, primal — which no one before you has seen.

ततः पदं तत्परिमार्गितव्य यस्मिन्गता न निवर्तन्ति भूयः

ādyam — original

one should then seek out that place from which, having gone, none return — and take refuge in the primal person from whom this whole unfolding came.