Adhyaya 27

Verse 1

श्रीभगवानुवाच प्रकृतिस्थोऽपि पुरुषो नाज्यते प्राकृतैर्गुणै: । अविकारादकर्तृत्वान्निर्गुणत्वाज्जलार्कवत् ॥ १ ॥

The Supreme Lord Kapila said: Although dwelling within material nature, the purusha is not tainted by material modes, for he is unchanging, not the doer, and beyond the gunas—like the sun, which remains aloof from its reflection upon water.

Verse 2

स एष यर्हि प्रकृतेर्गुणेष्वभिविषज्जते । अहंक्रियाविमूढात्मा कर्तास्मीत्यभिमन्यते ॥ २ ॥

When the soul becomes attached to the modes of material nature, he is bewildered by the workings of false ego, identifies the body as the self, and imagines, “I am the doer.”

Verse 3

तेन संसारपदवीमवशोऽभ्येत्यनिर्वृत: । प्रासङ्गिकै: कर्मदोषै: सदसन्मिश्रयोनिषु ॥ ३ ॥

Thus the conditioned soul, helpless and without peace, enters the path of samsara and, because of karmic faults born of association with the modes, transmigrates into higher and lower species—wombs mixed with virtue and vice.

Verse 4

अर्थे ह्यविद्यमानेऽपि संसृतिर्न निवर्तते । ध्यायतो विषयानस्य स्वप्नेऽनर्थागमो यथा ॥ ४ ॥

In truth, even when sense objects have no real substance, samsara does not cease for one who dwells on them; just as in a dream, the dreamer is afflicted by many misfortunes.

Verse 5

अत एव शनैश्चित्तं प्रसक्तमसतां पथि । भक्तियोगेन तीव्रेण विरक्त्या च नयेद्वशम् ॥ ५ ॥

Therefore, the mind attached to the path of the unreal should be brought, step by step, under control by intense bhakti-yoga and by detachment.

Verse 6

यमादिभिर्योगपथैरभ्यसन्श्रद्धयान्वित: । मयि भावेन सत्येन मत्कथाश्रवणेन च ॥ ६ ॥

By practicing the yoga paths beginning with yama and the like, endowed with faith, and by a truthful loving mood toward Me—through hearing and chanting My narrations—one rises to pure devotional service.

Verse 7

सर्वभूतसमत्वेन निर्वैरेणाप्रसङ्गत: । ब्रह्मचर्येण मौनेन स्वधर्मेण बलीयसा ॥ ७ ॥

In devotional service one should see all beings equally, without enmity toward anyone and without intimate entanglement; one should observe brahmacarya, maintain grave restraint, and firmly perform one’s svadharma.

Verse 8

यद‍ृच्छयोपलब्धेन सन्तुष्टो मितभुङ्‍मुनि: । विविक्तशरण: शान्तो मैत्र: करुण आत्मवान् ॥ ८ ॥

A devotee should be satisfied with what comes without great struggle, and eat only in moderation; dwelling in seclusion, he should be thoughtful, peaceful, friendly, compassionate, and self-controlled.

Verse 9

सानुबन्धे च देहेऽस्मिन्नकुर्वन्नसदाग्रहम् । ज्ञानेन द‍ृष्टतत्त्वेन प्रकृते: पुरुषस्य च ॥ ९ ॥

Without clinging to this body and its attendant ties, one should, through the vision of knowledge, behold the truth of prakriti (matter) and purusha (the soul).

Verse 10

निवृत्तबुद्ध्यवस्थानो दूरीभूतान्यदर्शन: । उपलभ्यात्मनात्मानं चक्षुषेवार्कमात्मद‍ृक् ॥ १० ॥

One should abide in the transcendental state, beyond the stages of material consciousness, remaining aloof from all other conceptions of life. Freed from false ego, one should behold the self as clearly as one sees the sun in the sky.

Verse 11

मुक्तलिङ्गं सदाभासमसति प्रतिपद्यते । सतो बन्धुमसच्चक्षु: सर्वानुस्यूतमद्वयम् ॥ ११ ॥

The liberated soul realizes the Absolute Personality of Godhead, transcendental, who appears as a reflection even within the false ego. He is the support of the material cause and enters into all things; He is absolute, without a second, and He governs the illusory vision of māyā.

Verse 12

यथा जलस्थ आभास: स्थलस्थेनावद‍ृश्यते । स्वाभासेन तथा सूर्यो जलस्थेन दिवि स्थित: ॥ १२ ॥

The presence of the Supreme Lord is realized as the sun is realized—first as a reflection upon water, and again as a second reflection upon a wall—though the sun itself remains situated in the sky.

Verse 13

एवं त्रिवृदहङ्कारो भूतेन्द्रियमनोमयै: । स्वाभासैर्लक्षितोऽनेन सदाभासेन सत्यद‍ृक् ॥ १३ ॥

Thus the self-realized soul is reflected first within the threefold ego, and then again within the body, the senses, and the mind as their respective reflections.

Verse 14

भूतसूक्ष्मेन्द्रियमनोबुद्ध्यादिष्विह निद्रया । लीनेष्वसति यस्तत्र विनिद्रो निरहंक्रिय: ॥ १४ ॥

Though a devotee may appear, by the influence of sleep, to be merged in the five elements, the objects of enjoyment, and the material senses, mind, and intelligence, he is understood to be inwardly awake and freed from false ego.

Verse 15

मन्यमानस्तदात्मानमनष्टो नष्टवन्मृषा । नष्टेऽहङ्करणे द्रष्टा नष्टवित्त इवातुर: ॥ १५ ॥

The living being vividly knows himself as the seer, yet in deep sleep, when false ego subsides, he wrongly thinks himself lost—like a man bereft of wealth who, distressed, imagines himself ruined.

Verse 16

एवं प्रत्यवमृश्यासावात्मानं प्रतिपद्यते । साहङ्कारस्य द्रव्यस्य योऽवस्थानमनुग्रह: ॥ १६ ॥

Thus, by mature reflection, he realizes his own self; and the condition he had accepted under false ego in material existence becomes clearly manifest to him.

Verse 17

देवहूतिरुवाच पुरुषं प्रकृतिर्ब्रह्मन्न विमुञ्चति कर्हिचित् । अन्योन्यापाश्रयत्वाच्च नित्यत्वादनयो: प्रभो ॥ १७ ॥

Śrī Devahūti asked: “O brāhmaṇa, does material nature ever release the puruṣa, the spirit soul? O Lord, since the two are mutually dependent and eternally connected, how can their separation be possible?”

Verse 18

यथा गन्धस्य भूमेश्च न भावो व्यतिरेकत: । अपां रसस्य च यथा तथा बुद्धे: परस्य च ॥ १८ ॥

As earth has no existence apart from its fragrance, and water none apart from its taste, so intelligence (buddhi) cannot have a separate existence from consciousness (caitanya).

Verse 19

अकर्तु: कर्मबन्धोऽयं पुरुषस्य यदाश्रय: । गुणेषु सत्सु प्रकृते: कैवल्यं तेष्वत: कथम् ॥ १९ ॥

Therefore, although the puruṣa is truly a non-doer, this bondage of karma appears to rest upon him; as long as the guṇas of material nature act and bind, how can the soul attain freedom—kaivalya?

Verse 20

क्‍वचित्तत्त्वावमर्शेन निवृत्तं भयमुल्बणम् । अनिवृत्तनिमित्तत्वात्पुन: प्रत्यवतिष्ठते ॥ २० ॥

Even if the terrible fear of bondage is dispelled by inquiry into the tattvas, it can arise again, for its cause has not been ended.

Verse 21

श्रीभगवानुवाच अनिमित्तनिमित्तेन स्वधर्मेणामलात्मना । तीव्रया मयि भक्त्या च श्रुतसम्भृतया चिरम् ॥ २१ ॥

The Supreme Lord said: Perform your prescribed duty with a pure heart, without selfish motive; and with intense devotion to Me, hear about Me for a long time.

Verse 22

ज्ञानेन द‍ृष्टतत्त्वेन वैराग्येण बलीयसा । तपोयुक्तेन योगेन तीव्रेणात्मसमाधिना ॥ २२ ॥

This devotional service must be practiced with firm knowledge and true vision of the tattvas, with strong renunciation, austerity, yoga, and intense absorption in the Self.

Verse 23

प्रकृति: पुरुषस्येह दह्यमाना त्वहर्निशम् । तिरोभवित्री शनकैरग्नेर्योनिरिवारणि: ॥ २३ ॥

Material nature covers the living being and burns him day and night as if in a blazing fire; yet by earnest devotional service this covering is removed, just as the fire consumes the very sticks that kindle it.

Verse 24

भुक्तभोगा परित्यक्ता द‍ृष्टदोषा च नित्यश: । नेश्वरस्याशुभं धत्ते स्वे महिम्नि स्थितस्य च ॥ २४ ॥

Having tasted sense enjoyments and ever seeing their faults, the living being renounces them; he no longer bears the inauspicious urge to lord over matter, and he stands in his own true glory.

Verse 25

यथा ह्यप्रतिबुद्धस्य प्रस्वापो बह्वनर्थभृत् । स एव प्रतिबुद्धस्य न वै मोहाय कल्पते ॥ २५ ॥

As in the dream-state the unawakened consciousness is almost covered and beholds many inauspicious things, so when one is awakened and fully aware, those inauspicious visions can no longer bewilder him.

Verse 26

एवं विदिततत्त्वस्य प्रकृतिर्मयि मानसम् । युञ्जतो नापकुरुत आत्मारामस्य कर्हिचित् ॥ २६ ॥

Thus, one who knows the truth and yokes his mind to Me—the self-satisfied soul—cannot be harmed by material nature, even while engaged in material activities.

Verse 27

यदैवमध्यात्मरत: कालेन बहुजन्मना । सर्वत्र जातवैराग्य आब्रह्मभुवनान्मुनि: ॥ २७ ॥

When one thus engages in bhakti and self-realization through long time and many births, the sage develops complete detachment everywhere—even from the enjoyments of all planets up to Brahmaloka—and his consciousness becomes fully mature.

Verse 28

मद्भक्त: प्रतिबुद्धार्थो मत्प्रसादेन भूयसा । नि:श्रेयसं स्वसंस्थानं कैवल्याख्यं मदाश्रयम् ॥ २८ ॥ प्राप्नोतीहाञ्जसा धीर: स्वद‍ृशाच्छिन्नसंशय: । यद्गत्वा न निवर्तेत योगी लिङ्गाद्विनिर्गमे ॥ २९ ॥

My devotee, by My boundless causeless mercy, truly awakens to self-realization; by his spiritual vision all doubts are cut away. Steady and sober, he easily advances toward his destined abode—the supreme good, called kaivalya—sheltered under My own spiritual energy of pure bliss. When he leaves this material body, the yogic devotee reaches that transcendental home and never returns.

Verse 29

मद्भक्त: प्रतिबुद्धार्थो मत्प्रसादेन भूयसा । नि:श्रेयसं स्वसंस्थानं कैवल्याख्यं मदाश्रयम् ॥ २८ ॥ प्राप्नोतीहाञ्जसा धीर: स्वद‍ृशाच्छिन्नसंशय: । यद्गत्वा न निवर्तेत योगी लिङ्गाद्विनिर्गमे ॥ २९ ॥

My devotee, by My boundless causeless mercy, truly awakens to self-realization; by his spiritual vision all doubts are cut away. Steady and sober, he easily advances toward his destined abode—the supreme good, called kaivalya—sheltered under My own spiritual energy of pure bliss. When he leaves this material body, the yogic devotee reaches that transcendental home and never returns.

Verse 30

यदा न योगोपचितासु चेतो मायासु सिद्धस्य विषज्जतेऽङ्ग । अनन्यहेतुष्वथ मे गति: स्याद् आत्यन्तिकी यत्र न मृत्युहास: ॥ ३० ॥

When the perfected yogī’s mind is no longer entangled in the by-products of mystic powers, which arise from the external māyā, his advance toward Me becomes limitless, and the force of death cannot conquer him.