by Bibek Debroy
824The many is destructible and the one is indestructible.
825That the atman is one.
826Pranayama is performed while chanting mantras, but concentration of the mind doesn’t require mantras.
827The twenty-four have been mentioned earlier. In pranayama, there are different methods of breathing and controlling prana, with a list that runs into around fifty. Clearly, twenty-two of these are being singled out.
828A fire has seven flames.
829The five elements, consciousness, Mahat and the original Prakriti.
830Added to the five elements, there are fifteen, and the mind is added to get sixteen.
831That is, consciousness is created after Mahat, but is destroyed before Mahat.
832In this context, the Purusha.
833Purusha.
834Purusha makes Prakriti many.
835Prakriti is the field and the great-souled one is the brahman.
836The brahman.
837The field or kshetra is Prakriti and the one who knows about the field, kshetrajna, is the brahman.
838The word pura means earlier, ancient, in the beginning. Hence, purusha means the original or primeval one.
839When they die.
840The jivatman and Prakriti.
841Prakriti.
842Purusha into Prakriti.
843Purusha.
844Distinct from Prakriti. Succeeding shlokas suggest that this is a description of a yogi in meditation.
845The brahman.
846Referring to states of birth—high being gods, medium being humans and low being inferior species.
847Prakriti.
848Prakriti.
849The brahman.
850Sankhya philosophy does not believe in a personal god and this simply states that.
851The one who knows is the jivatman and the one who is to be known is the paramatman or brahman. Yoga talks of both.
852The brahman. Throughout this chapter, the shlokas are very difficult to understand and several liberties have been taken.
853The jivatman.
854Budhyamana means the one who comprehends and is being used for the jivatman, which can understand the nature of the paramatman.
855This seems to be a reference to the jivatman, but can mean prakriti too.
856The jivatman seems to be the twenty-fourth, prakriti the twenty-fifth and the paramatman the twenty-sixth.
857Prakriti.
858Thinks that the jivatman is no different from the paramatman.
859Prakriti.
860Because of ignorance, the brahman is perceived to have form.
861The atman.
862The jivatman being equated with the paramatman.
863Prakriti.
864Prakriti.
865Gnats are found inside ripe figs.
866The jivatman and the paramatman.
867The jivatman.
868Respectively, the paramatman and the jivatman.
869Narada.
870The image is of a man who climbs a tree in search of honey, but falls down and dies.
871Recommended for brahmanas—performing sacrifices, officiating at the sacrifices of others, studying, teaching, receiving and giving.
872Vasuman’s.
873Here, the unmanifest means prakriti. The other seven are manifest.
874The two hands are counted as one and the two feet are also counted as one. When one adds the mind, which has not been mentioned, one gets the sixteen transformations.
875The organs of action and the objects of the senses.
876That is, consciousness.
877This isn’t very clear, but probably refers to the organs of action.
878This refers to the various breaths of life, some of which rise upwards, while there are others that move diagonally.
879Brahma.
880Through his mental powers, Brahma created four sons—Sanaka, Sanatana, Sananda and Sanatkumara. However, this is also interpreted as mind, intelligence, consciousness and superconsciousness.
881Of the great elements.
882Worms and insects.
883Mitra is sometimes equated with Surya and Mitra is adhidaiva for this organ.
884Purusha.
885Tamas leads to birth as inferior species, rajas as humans and sattva as gods.
886Prakriti.
887Purusha.
888Some of the shlokas in this chapter are extremely difficult to understand and liberties have been taken.
889Prakriti.
890Prakriti.
891Prakriti.
892Here, birth is used in the sense of creation.
893Because of the association with Prakriti.
894Prakriti is one and Purusha is many. But clearly, the suggestion is that this is not a valid view.
895The text uses the word Rudra, a rare term for prana.
896Yogis roam around in their subtle bodies.
897There are eight steps in yoga. But this probably refers to eight major siddhis or powers. These are anima (becoming as small as one desires), mahima (as large as one desires), laghima (as light as one wants), garima (as heavy as one wants), prapti (obtaining what one wants), prakamya (travelling where one wants), vashitvam (powers to control creatures) and ishitvam (obtaining divine powers).
898This probably means the eight steps of asana, pranayama, yama, niyama, pratyahara, dhyana, dharana and samadhi.
899Pranayama with qualities is when a mantra is simultaneously chanted, recommended for early stages. When a mantra is no longer necessary, that is pranayama without qualities.
900The inhalation, holding and exhalation is for a prescribed period of time. This duration is gradually increased. The purport seems to be that in the initial stages, this duration should not be excessively great.
901Paramatman.
902This is after death. The reference is to that part of the anatomy, from where the jivatman emerges at the time of death.
903This is probably not meant to signify being born on earth, but is a reference to Prithivi’s region.
904Arundhati is the wife of the sage Vasishtha. She is also the fainter of the two stars in the double star in Ursa Major. Mizar is Vasishtha and Arundhati is Alcor. Dhruva is the Pole Star.
905The sun.
906We have deliberately retained this as yajus, meaning sacrificial formulae. The mantras were compiled into the Yajur Veda Samhita. There are two versions of the Yajur Veda Samhita, Shukla and Krishna. Yajnavalkya compiled the Shukla Yajur Veda.
907Bhaskara, Ravi and Vibhavasu are also names for the sun god.
908The Shatapatha Brahmana is associated with the Shukla Yajur Veda.
909The sun god.
910Vaishampayana was Vyasadeva’s disciple and used to teach the Krishna Yajur Veda. He was also Yajnavalkya’s maternal uncle and teacher. There is a story of a dispute between Vaishampayana and Yajnavalkya. When Yajnavalkya subsequently began to teach the Shukla Yajur Veda, Vaishampayana was understandably unhappy.
911Lomaharshana (alternatively Romaharshana) was Vedavyasa’s disciple and Vedavyasa taught him the Puranas.
912The text uses the word bija (seed), which is not quite ‘original’. Bija is the mystical syllable that exists in any mantra.
913The word shakha means branch, but is usually applied to reascension. Two shakhas of the Shukla Yajur Veda are known now.
914Ashva usually (not always) means horse, or something related to a horse. The answer that follows suggests that there might be a typo here. Perhaps it should read asva, meaning, without properties.
915Fourth because it is about moksha, not about dharma, artha and kama.
916Prakriti.
917Sattva, rajas and tamas.
918Purusha.
919If this is asva, without qualities, asva will mean purusha and the negation of asva will be prakriti.
920Prakriti.
921There seems to be an inconsistency with what has been said about prakriti earlier. That’s probably because there were different
schools and types of belief.
922Prakriti.
923The brahman.
924The epics and the Puranas are known as the fifth Veda.
925The gandharvas were also descended from the sage Kashyapa.
926The paramatman and the jivatman.
927The twenty-fifth is the jivatman.
928The chief or foremost one.
929The twenty-fourth is prakriti, the twenty-fifth is the jivatman and the twenty-sixth is the paramatman. In a state of knowledge, the jivatman can comprehend the paramatman.
930In a state of ignorance.
931Prakriti is different from the jivatman.
932Between the jivatman and the paramatman.
933Yajnavalkya is now speaking to Janaka.
934Prakriti and purusha respectively.
935Janaka.
936The atman.
937This is repeated twice, because the reference is to both the subtle and the gross forms of the atman.
938Presumably, those meant for kshatriyas.
939A female mendicant.
940 A tridandi carries three staffs (tridanda) tied together. This is the sign of a mendicant.
941The capital of Videha, Mithila.
942The king and Sulabha were in their subtle forms and the conversation took place between the subtle forms.
943This may refer to the school of philosophy known as vaisheshika, or to some special aspects of sankhya.
944Panchashikha.
945This probably means knowledge, yoga and rites.
946Panchashikha held yoga to be superior.
947A king, an umbrella being part of royal insignia.
948Water pot used by ascetics.
949Union within the same gotra is prohibited.
950Ignorance/false knowledge and evil nature are probably the first two.
951A hostile king.
952A strong king must be approached with sincerity.
953This is Bhishma speaking.
954In the choice of words.
955Dharma, artha and kama.
956Everything is made out of the elements. So is Sulabha. There is no point in asking who she is.
957The five senses of knowledge, the five organs of action and the mind are the other eleven.
958We have deliberately not translated this. It means the spirit or essence of life.
959This has not been named in the text, but is interpreted as desire.
960The text uses the word kala. In this context, this means the sixteenth. The sixteenth has also not been named in the text, but is interpreted as ignorance. Ignorance adheres to the collection of the other fifteen.
961These are the seventeenth and the eighteenth. Akriti means form. It is possible that there is a typo in the Critical edition, since some non-critical versions say prakriti. Vyakti means manifestation.
962With the addition of the five great elements, the list numbers twenty-seven.
963Respectively, destiny, seed and exertion. By seed, one probably means the consequences of past deeds.
964Including prakriti.
965They do not believe that there is anything higher than prakriti.
966They do not even believe in prakriti.
967purusjla and prakriti.
968Purusha, prakriti, the jivatman and ignorance.
969Embryo, just after conception.
970Embryo that is five days old.
971Embryo that has flesh and muscles.
972Dharma, artha, kama, taken singly; then dharma and artha, dharma and kama, artha and kama, taken two at a time; and finally, dharma, artha and kama, all three taken together.
973Excessive addiction for sleep, desire, food and clothes.
974Becomes a universal emperor.
975Very little 0f what the king ostensibly owns is actually enjoyed by him.
976The king.
977He cannot sleep.
978Extending the kingdom, decay and maintenance of the status quo.
979As share obtained through taxes.
980And thus reveal a private affair before the court.
981Respectively, prakriti and purusha.
982This is cryptic. They suffer from an error in judgement because they think this (the body) is the same as that (the atman).
983This Drona is not to be confused with the Drona who taught the Kouravas and the Pandavas. These are the names of mountains.
984There is a suggestion that the king’s body is also empty, because there is no knowledge there.
985Perched unattached on a tree and a witness to what is going on.
986These are vices as metaphorical enemies, not literal ones.
987The text uses the word karmabhumi, field for action, implying good deeds and the resultant fruits.
988Keeping to the left is a metaphor for treating them with disfavour.
989All three are small measurements of time.
990In Yama’s world.
991Purity, contentment, austerities, studying, meditation, lack of cruelty, truth, abstaining from theft, observance of vows and acquisition of wealth.
992This means Yama’s world.
993To the supreme objective.
994Vices are being compared to wolves.
995These golden trees are believed to be a premonition of death.
996 Yavaka is a dish made out of barley. The cooking and eating of this is used as a metaphor for material objects.
997Death.
998The jivatman.
999Of other men.
1000If one transcends this, methods are irrelevant.
1001In tne sense of the physical body.
1002Yama.
1003The text uses the word yujyate, meaning united. This does not fit. Why-should one be united with ignorance and delusion? It should probably read muchyate, meaning freed. We have thus treated this as a typo.
1004Meaning, a habitation in general.
1005In successive births.
1006The Indian laburnum.
1007Parvati.
1008He was praying to Shiva.
1009Vedavyasa.
1010Krishna Dvaipayana.
1011Shuka means parrot.
1012Mahadeva.
1013Parvati.
1014Water pot.
1015Bird with one hundred feathers, can be peacock, parrot, crane or woodpecker.
1016Shuka. Dharma requires one to have a preceptor.
1017That is, sankhya.
1018By hjs father Vyasa told him not to use the powers of yoga.
1019A varsha is a division of the earth, a bit like a continent. Varshas are separated by mountain ranges. While geographical descriptions vary a bit, Meru, Hari and Himavat varshas are to the north of Bharatavarsha.
1020He did not stop there. Like a bird, he did not alight.
1021A title used for kings who follow dharma, not to be confused with Yudhishthira, to whom, the term is also applied.
1022This explains the earlier sets of gatekeepers. The first set stopped him at the gate of the city. The second set stopped him at the entry to the palace, the first chamber, so to speak.
1023The name of Kubera’s garden.
1024The number three is difficult to understand. It can conceivably refer to sanchita (accumulated) karma, prarabdha karma (Icarma that has ripened or matured) and kriyamana karma (that undertaken in the current life).
1025Vedavyasa was Janaka’s preceptor and officiating priest.
1026The seat is described as sarvatobbadra. This means fortunate in every-way, or in every direction. However, this can also be interpreted as a square or circular seat.
1027Any other woman.
1028This is a reference to the ashrama of sannyasa.
1029Jnana and tne preceptor.
1030Respectively, the paramatman and the jivatman.
1031The text does not clearly indicate the Yayati quote and our choice is subjective.
1032Subrahmanya (Brahmanya) is Kartikeya’s name and means someone who is kind to brahmanas.
1033Pavaki is Kartikeya’s name, Kartikeya being described as the son of the fire god (Pavaka).
1034Prahlada.
1035Shiva.
1036Measure of distance, between two and three miles. Originally, a yojana was a distance that could be travelled by one yoking of horses to a chariot.
1037Shuka.
1038Sumantu, Vaishampayana, Jaimini, Paila and Shuka being the five.
1039Implicitly, this refers to a preceptor and a disciple.
1040This requires interpretation. Unless carefully studied, the Vedas (the words of Brahma) are capable of being misunderstood.
1041Parashara was Vasishtha’s grandson.
1042Upaplava is Rahu’s name, when Rahu is in the ascendant. The reference is to a lunar eclipse.
1043Those who carry or bear burdens. It is not obvious what is meant.
1044Devayana is the path of the gods and pitriyana is the path of the ancestors.
1045These five are also the breaths of life in the body.
1046Equated with Samana.
1047Equated with Udana.
1048The god of rain.
1049Equated with Vyana.
1050Equated with Apana.
1051Equated with Prana.
1052Yama.
1053Here, Prajapati probably means Daksha and thousands probably means offspring generated through the ten sons.
1054Paravaha is also responsible for emancipation.
1055All the gods were descended from Aditi and the sage Kashyapa.
1056The chants of the brahman are also a form of the wind.
1057Clearly, the wind had stopped blowing.
1058Vedavyasa had left.
1059Since the rishis are being addressed, this should really be in the plural.
1060Interpreted as any habitation.
1061There js an image of a river of life.
1062Interpreted in the narrow sense.
1063In the body.
1064The word used is paramanu.
1065The five senses, the five organs of action, the five breaths of life, mind and intelligence.
1066The five objects of the senses, ego, ignorance and prakriti added to the earlier list of seventeen.
1067That is, the jivatman.
1068Dharma, artha and kama.
1069Sensual pleasures are temporary.
1070In yoga.
1071There is a certain abruptness and lack of continuity in the shlokas in this chapter.
1072In an earlier life.
1073Again, because of deeds performed in an earlier life.
1074Ferrying passengers back and forth across a river.
1075The embryo.
1076One thus deduces that Shuka did not listen to his father’s request.