Translated by Prof. A. A. Ramanathan
Published by The Theosophical Publishing House, Chennai
Om ! That (Brahman) is infinite, and this (universe) is infinite.
The infinite proceeds from the infinite.
(Then) taking the infinitude of the infinite (universe),
It remains as the infinite (Brahman) alone.
Om ! Let there be Peace in me !
Let there be Peace in my environment !
Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !
1. The mind alone is the cause of bondage and liberation of the people; (the mind) attached to the objects of the senses leads them to bondage; freed from the objects it leads them to liberation. (Thus) it has been declared.
2. If that attachment of the mind of a person to the objects of the senses is directed towards Brahman, who shall not be liberated from bondage ?
3. The mind (chitta) alone is worldly life; hence it should be purified with effort. As the mind is, so he becomes. This is the eternal secret.
4. One who knows not the Veda realizes not that omnipresent One (Brahman); one who knows not Brahman reaches not that supreme abode. He who realizes that the omnipresent god (Vishnu), the omniscient one, the prop of all (Vasudeva) (is himself), that sage, seer of reality, attains the state of wisdom while living (vipratvam).
5. Then (observing in the four disciplines) those Brahmanas well-versed in the Veda and untouched by desires, who ponder over the eternal supreme Brahman (realize Brahman). (A person desiring liberation) who is quiescent, self-subdued, has renounced all sensory pleasures, is forbearing, well versed in the scripture, is known as equanimous, has discarded the primary desires (for wealth, wife and progeny) and is free from the debts (to the manes, etc.,), coming to realize the Atman, shall live, observing silence, in some stage of life or other as the Kutichaka (or Paramahamsa).
6. Then entering into the final stage of life (i.e. Sannyasa) he may possess five (small) things (matras) as is proper.
7. He should possess as long as he lives (the five things, namely) a three-fold staff (of bamboo), sacred thread, garment consisting of a loin-cloth, sling and holy ring of sacred grass.
8. These fire are the things pertaining to an ascetic (of the Kutichaka order); (to all ascetics the inward possessions are five, namely, the ‘a’, ‘u’, ‘m’, the bindu and the nada constituting Om.) This matra (namely the five constituents) is heard in the Pranava (Brahman). Till the final exit (of the vital breath) the ascetic shall not abandon (the twofold five matras); even at death (the five external matras) shall be buried with him.
9. The sign of Vishnu (i.e. means leading to liberation) is said to be twofold, the external and the internal. If one of them is discarded (the ascetic) is without doubt fallen.
10. The threefold staff is an emblem (leading to) Vishnu; it is a means of attaining liberation by learned Brahmanas as ascetics. It is the extinction of all worldly characteristics – thus runs the Vedic teaching.
11-12. Then indeed, Oh Brahmana, there are four kinds of ascetics, namely Kutichaka, Bahudaka, Hamsa and Paramahamsa. All these bear the signs of Vishnu (i.e. they strive for liberation), wear tuft and sacred thread, are pure in mind, consider their own Self as Brahman, are intent on worship (of God) in the form of pure consciousness, practise muttering of prayers and the principal and secondary disciplines (Yama and Niyama), are of good conduct and (thus) become exalted. This is declared in a Vedic verse: The Kutichaka, Bahudaka, Hamsa and Paramahamsa ascetics are different in their way of life; all these possess the signs of Vishnu, the external and internal, which are always visible and invisible (respectively). Practising the five devotional acts (yajnas), having penetration into the Vedanta, observing the rites (appropriate to the station in life), resorting to the spiritual lore, abandoning the tree (of worldly life) but having recourse to its root-cause (namely Brahman), renouncing its flowers (of rituals) but enjoying its (true) essence, sporting in Vishnu (i.e. leading the life spiritual), delighting in Vishnu, freed (from external worship), identifying themselves with Vishnu, they realize the omnipresent Vishnu.
13. Worship during the three junctures of the day (Sandhyas) bathing according to capacity, presenting libations of water to the manes, cleansing (i.e. purifying oneself with water), waiting upon (the deities with prayers) – these five devotional acts (the Kutichaka) shall perform till death.
14. With ten Pranavas and seven mystic words (vyahritis) the four-footed Gayatri along with its ‘head’ is the prayer to be recited during the three Sandhyas.
15. The practice of yoga consists of the constant single-minded devoted service of Vishnu, the Guru; non-injuring by word, thought and deed is the devotional act of penance (tapoyajna).
16. It is declared that the devotional act of studying the scripture (Svadhyaya-yajna) consists of reciting the various Upanishads. The attentive reciting of Om offers the (concept of the individual) Self in the fire of the (non-dual) Brahman.
17. The devotional act of possessing spiritual wisdom (Jnana-yajna) is to be known as the very best of all yajnas. (The Paramahamsas) have Jnana (true knowledge) for the (emblematic) staff, Jnana for the tuft and Jnana for the sacred thread.
18. He whose tuft consists of Jnana and the sacred thread too of that (Jnana) has all the characteristics of a Brahmana – thus is the injunction of the Veda.
19. Then indeed, Oh Brahmana, these mendicant monks are as they appear (i.e. unclad, as when they were born). They should desire to remain as a tree, having gone beyond passion, anger, greed, delusion, false pride, pride, envy, ‘mine-ness’ and egotism; and having discarded honour and dishonour, blame and praise; and when cut down (like a tree) they shall not complain. Thus these wise men become immortal here (in this world) itself. This has been said in the Vedic verse: Having taken leave of his kinsmen and son with good will and not seeing them again, enduring the pairs (of opposites, heat and cold, etc.,) and quiescent he shall turn eastward or northward and proceed on foot.
20-22. (Equipped with) a (water) vessel and staff, seeing four cubits of ground alone before him, wearing sacred thread and tuft or remaining shaven-headed, having a family (of his body alone), and receiving from people alms unbegged or begged for bare sustenance’ having a vessel made of clay, wood, gourd or strung leaves as originally provided, and clothed with a garment of hemp, silk, grass, a patched one, (deer-)skin or a leafy one strung or unstrung; shaving his head alone at the junction of the seasons without removing hair below and in the arm pits and never the tuft; he shall reside in a fixed place for four months (of the rainy season) during which the inward soul, the omnipresent Purusha (Vishnu) is asleep (in the milky ocean).
23. When (God, Vishnu) has risen (from sleep), the ascetic may reside in one place to carry out his work (such as study, meditation or Samadhi) for the other eight months or he may go about (as a mendicant monk). (During the journey) he may stay (for short periods) in a temple, a hut where the ritual fire is kept, the shade of a tree, or a cave, without attachment and unnoticed by the people. He shall be quiescent like fire when fuel is exhausted and he shall not give or cause trouble to any one anywhere. (On seeing one equal to or inferior to him he shall not shrink nor consider any one existing as different from himself).