Dhritarashtra said:
The existence of the Brahman, you say, a wise man perceives in his own soul. Now, is the Brahman white, red, black, blue or purple? Tell me what is the true form and colour of the Omnipresent and Eternal Brahman?
Sanat-sujata said:
Indeed, the Brahman, as perceived, may appear as white, red, black, brown or bright. But neither on the earth, nor in the sky, nor in the water of the ocean is there anything like IT. (‘Water’ is said by some commentators to mean the five elements of which the body is composed. In the Svetasvatara-Upanisad, it signifies mind. Ocean,
as such, means world or samsara).
Neither in the stars, nor in lightning, nor in the clouds, is IT’s form to be seen. Nor is IT visible in the atmosphere, nor in the deities, nor in the moon, nor in the sun. Neither in the riks, nor among the yajus, nor among the atharvans, nor in the pure samans, is IT to be found. O King! Verily, IT is not to be found in Rathantara or Brihadratha (Brihat-saman), or in great sacrifices.
Incapable of being compassed and lying beyond the reach of the limited intellect, even the universal Destroyer, after the dissolution, is himself lost in IT. Incapable of being gazed at, IT is subtle as edge of the razor, while being grosser than mountains.
IT is the basis upon which everything is founded. IT is unchangeable. IT is this visible universe. IT is vast and IT is delightful. Creatures have all sprung from IT and are to return to IT. Free from all kinds of duality, IT is manifest as the universe and all-pervading. Men of learning say that IT is without any change, except in the language used to describe IT. They are emancipated that are acquainted with That in which this universe is established.
Sanat-sujata said:
Sorrow, anger, covetousness, lust, ignorance, laziness, malice, self-importance, continuous desire of gain, affection, jealousy and evil speech, O Monarch, are grave faults that are destructive of men’s lives. Each of these waits for opportunities to seize mankind. Afflicted by them, men lose their senses and commit sinful acts. He that is
covetous, he that is fierce, he that is harsh of speech, he that is garrulous, he that is given to nursing anger, and he that is boastful are of wicked disposition. On obtaining wealth, they cannot treat others with courtesy.
He that regards sensual gratification as the end of life, he that is self-conceited, he that boasts having made a gift, he that never spends, he that is weak in mind, he that is given to self-admiration, and he that hates his own wife are counted as wicked men of sinful habits.
Righteousness, truth, asceticism, self-restraint, contentment, modesty, renunciation, love of others, gift, acquaintance with the scriptures, patience and forgiveness are the twelve practices of a brahmana. He that does not fall off from these twelve may sway the entire earth. He that is endued with three, or two, or even one of these does never
regard anything as his own to the exclusion of others.
Self-restraint, renunciation and knowledge lead to emancipation. These are the attributes of brahmanas, endued with wisdom and regarding the Brahman as the highest of all objects of attainment. True or false, it is not laudable for a brahmana to speak ill of others; they that do this have hell for their abode.
Mada has eighteen faults which have not yet been enumerated by me. They are ill-will towards others, throwing obstacles in the way of virtuous acts, detraction, falsehood in speech, lust,anger, dependence, speaking ill of others, finding out the faults of others for report, waste of wealth, quarrel, insolence, cruelty to living creatures, malice,
ignorance, disregard of those that are worthy of regard, loss of the senses of right and wrong, and always seeking to injure others. A wise man, therefore, should not give way to mada, for the accompaniments of mada are censurable.
Friendship is said to possess six indications; first, friends delight in the prosperity of friends, and, second, are distressed at their adversity. Third, if anyone asks for anything which is dear to his heart, but should not be asked for, a true friend surely gives away even that. Fourth, a true friend who is of a righteous disposition, when asked, can give away his very prosperity, his beloved sons, and even his own wife.
Fifth, a friend should not dwell in the house of a friend, on whom he may have bestowed everything, but should enjoy what he earns himself. Sixth, a friend stops not to sacrifice his own good (for his friend). The man of wealth who seeks to acquire those good qualities, and who becomes charitable and righteous, restrains his five senses from their respective objects. Such restraint of the senses is asceticism. When it grows in degree, it is capable of winning regions of bliss hereafter (unlike Knowledge which leads to attainment even here).
They that have fallen off from patience (and are incapable, therefore, of attaining to Knowledge) acquire such asceticism in consequence of the purpose they entertain, that is, the attainment of bliss in the high regions hereafter. In consequence of his ability to grasp that Truth (the Brahman) from which sacrifices flow, the Yogi is capable of performing sacrifices by the mind. Another performs sacrifices by words (Japa), and another by work.
Truth (the Brahman) resides in him who knows the Brahman as vested with attributes. IT dwells more completely in him who knows the Brahman as divested of attributes.
Listen now to something else from me! This high and celebrated philosophy should be taught (to disciples). All other systems are only a farrago of words.
The whole of this (universe) is established in this Yoga-philosophy. They that are acquainted with it are not subjected to death. O King! One cannot, by work, however well-accomplished, attain to Truth (the Brahman). The man that is destitute of Knowledge, even if he pours homa libations or performs sacrifices, can never, by work, attain to immortality (emancipation). Nor does he enjoy great happiness at the end. (For, he has got to undergo migration from one life to another as the result of the action).
