brahma

एषा ब्राह्मी स्थितिः पार्थ नैनां प्राप्य विमुह्यति

brahma-nirvāṇam — liberation from Maya

This is the state of Brahman, son of Pritha. Having reached it, one is not deluded. Established in it, even at the hour of death, one comes to the peace of Brahman.

कर्म ब्रह्मोद्भवं विद्धि ब्रह्माक्षरसमुद्भवम्

brahma — in the Vedas

Know that action arises from the Veda, and the Veda from the imperishable. Therefore the all-pervading is present in every offering.

ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्महविर्ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणा हुतम्

brahma — Brahman

The offering is Brahman, the oblation is Brahman, poured by Brahman into the fire of Brahman. Brahman is what such a one reaches, whose action is Brahman.

दैवमेवापरे यज्ञं योगिनः पर्युपासते

brahma — of the Supreme Truth

Some who practise offer sacrifice to the gods; others offer sacrifice itself into the fire of Brahman.

यज्ञशिष्टामृतभुजो यान्ति ब्रह्म सनातनम्

brahma — the Absolute Truth

Those who eat what remains of the offering go to the eternal. But for one who makes no offering there is no place, either here or beyond.

एवं बहुविधा यज्ञा वितता ब्रह्मणो मुखे

brahmaṇaḥ — of the Vedas

So many kinds of offering have been described. Know that all of them arise from action — and knowing this, you will be free.

संन्यासस्तु महाबाहो दुःखमाप्तुमयोगतः

brahma — Brahman

But renunciation is hard to reach without yoga, mighty-armed one. The sage joined to yoga comes to Brahman before long.

ब्रह्मण्याधाय कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा करोति यः

brahmaṇi — to God

One who acts having placed all actions in Brahman, having let go of attachment, is not stained by wrongdoing — as a lotus leaf is not wetted by water.

इहैव तैर्जितः सर्गो येषां साम्ये स्थितं मनः

brahma — God

Those whose minds are established in evenness have conquered creation in this very life. Brahman is flawless and the same, and so they are established in Brahman.

न प्रहृष्येत्प्रियं प्राप्य नोद्विजेत्प्राप्य चाप्रियम्

brahma-vit — having a firm understanding of divine knowledge

One should not exult on getting what is pleasant, nor shrink from what is not. Steady in understanding, unconfused, knowing Brahman, one is established in Brahman.

बाह्यस्पर्शेष्वसक्तात्मा विन्दत्यात्मनि यत्सुखम्

brahma-yoga yukta-ātmā — those who are united with God through yog

Unattached to outward contacts, one finds the happiness that is in the self. Joined to Brahman through yoga, such a person reaches inexhaustible joy.

योऽन्तःसुखोऽन्तरारामस्तथान्तर्ज्योतिरेव यः

brahma-nirvāṇam — liberation from material existence

Whoever is happy within, at rest within, and lit from within — that one who practises reaches the peace of Brahman.

लभन्ते ब्रह्मनिर्वाणमृषयः क्षीणकल्मषाः

brahma-nirvāṇam — liberation from material existence

The seers whose faults are worn away, whose divisions are cut through, who are self-restrained and set on the good of all beings, reach the peace of Brahman.

कामक्रोधवियुक्तानां यतीनां यतचेतसाम्

brahma — spiritual

For those freed of desire and anger, restrained in mind, self-governed, the peace of Brahman is near on every side.

प्रशान्तमनसं ह्येनं योगिनं सुखमुत्तमम्

brahma-bhūtam — endowed with God-realization

The highest happiness comes to such a practitioner, whose mind is at peace, whose restlessness is stilled, who has become one with Brahman, whose faults are gone.

युञ्जन्नेवं सदाऽऽत्मानं योगी विगतकल्मषः

brahma-sansparśham — constantly in touch with the Supreme

Keeping the self constantly so joined, freed of faults, the practitioner easily reaches the boundless happiness of touching Brahman.

कच्चिन्नोभयविभ्रष्टश्छिन्नाभ्रमिव नश्यति

brahmaṇaḥ — of God-realization

Fallen from both, do they not perish like a scattered cloud — with no footing anywhere, mighty-armed one?

जरामरणमोक्षाय मामाश्रित्य यतन्ति ये

brahma — Brahman

Those who take refuge in me and strive for release from old age and death know Brahman, and know the whole.

किं तद्ब्रह्म किमध्यात्मं किं कर्म पुरुषोत्तम

brahma — Brahman

What is that Brahman? What is the self? What is action? What is called the ground of matter, and what the ground of the gods?

अक्षरं ब्रह्म परमं स्वभावोऽध्यात्ममुच्यते

brahma — Brahman

The imperishable is the highest Brahman. One's own nature is called the self. The bringing forth of beings and their states is called action.

ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म व्याहरन्मामनुस्मरन्

brahma — the Absolute Truth

uttering the single syllable Om — Brahman — and remembering me, one who departs on leaving the body goes to the highest.

सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तमहर्यद्ब्रह्मणो विदुः

brahmaṇaḥ — of Brahma

Those who know that a thousand ages make one day of Brahma, and a thousand ages his night, know day and night.

अग्निर्ज्योतिरहः शुक्लः षण्मासा उत्तरायणम्

brahma — Brahman

Fire, light, day, the bright fortnight, the six months of the sun's northern course: departing then, those who know Brahman go to Brahman.

परं ब्रह्म परं धाम पवित्रं परमं भवान्

brahma — Brahman

You are the supreme Brahman, the supreme abode, the highest purifier; the eternal divine person, the first of gods, unborn, all-pervading.

कस्माच्च ते न नमेरन्महात्मन् गरीयसे ब्रह्मणोऽप्यादिकर्त्रे

brahmaṇaḥ — than Brahma

And why should they not bow to you, great one, greater than Brahma, the first maker? Endless lord, god of gods, refuge of the world — you are the imperishable, what is and what is not, and what is beyond both.

ऋषिभिर्बहुधा गीतं छन्दोभिर्विविधैः पृथक्

brahma-sūtra — the Brahma Sūtra

It has been sung by the seers in many ways, in various hymns, and in the aphorisms on Brahman, with reasoning.

ज्ञेयं यत्तत्प्रवक्ष्यामि यज्ज्ञात्वाऽमृतमश्नुते

brahma — Brahman

I will tell you what is to be known, by knowing which one reaches the deathless: the beginningless highest Brahman, which is said to be neither existent nor non-existent.

यदा भूतपृथग्भावमेकस्थमनुपश्यति

brahma — Brahman

When one sees that the separate states of beings rest in one, and spread out from that one, then one reaches the highest.

सर्वयोनिषु कौन्तेय मूर्तयः सम्भवन्ति याः

brahma-mahat — great material nature

Whatever forms arise in any womb, son of Kunti, the great nature is their womb, and I am the father who gives the seed.

मां च योऽव्यभिचारेण भक्ितयोगेन सेवते

brahma-bhūyāya — level of Brahman

And one who serves me with unwavering devotion, going beyond these strands, is fit for the state of Brahman.

ब्रह्मणो हि प्रतिष्ठाऽहममृतस्याव्ययस्य च

brahmaṇaḥ — of Brahman

For I am the ground of Brahman — of the deathless, the imperishable, the everlasting, and of what is right, and of happiness that does not end.

तत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः

brahmaṇaḥ — the Supreme Absolute Truth

Om, Tat, Sat — this is held to be the threefold naming of Brahman. By it the priests, the Vedas and the offerings were established of old.

तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः

brahma-vādinām — expounders of the Vedas

So those who speak of Brahman always begin the acts of offering, giving and austerity with the utterance of Om, as the scriptures direct.

शमो दमस्तपः शौचं क्षान्तिरार्जवमेव च

brahma — of the priestly class

Calm, restraint, austerity, purity, patience, integrity, knowledge, insight and faith are the work born of the nature of the priestly.

सिद्धिं प्राप्तो यथा ब्रह्म तथाप्नोति निबोध मे

brahma — Brahman

Hear from me briefly how one who has reached that perfection attains Brahman.

अहङ्कारं बलं दर्पं कामं क्रोधं परिग्रहम्

brahma-bhūyāya — union with Brahman

free of the sense of self, of force, arrogance, desire, anger and possession, without claiming anything as “mine”, at peace — such a person is fit for the state of Brahman.

ब्रह्मभूतः प्रसन्नात्मा न शोचति न काङ्क्षति

brahma-bhūtaḥ — one situated in Brahman

Having become Brahman, serene in self, one does not grieve and does not crave; the same toward all beings, such a person reaches the highest devotion to me.