Sarga 20¶

Mumukṣu Prakaraṇa · Knowledge and conduct grow together (15 verses)

Sarga 20 at a glance

The close of the Mumukṣu Prakaraṇa: knowledge and conduct together.

First grow wisdom through noble company, then the marks of greatness; virtue without right knowledge bears no fruit (2.20.1–2.20.3).
Knowledge and good conduct grow through each other, like lotus and lake; neither is achieved unless both are practised equally (2.20.4–2.20.11).
The way of conduct has been taught; the way of knowledge follows. Heard from a trustworthy teacher, it clears the mind as the kataka nut clears water, and what is understood is never lost (2.20.12–2.20.15).

Verse 2.20.1¶

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।
आर्यसंगमयुक्त्यादौ प्रज्ञां वृद्धिं नयेद्बलात् ।
ततो महापुरुषतां महापुरुषलक्षणैः ॥ २.२०.१ ॥

आदौ (first) आर्य-संगम-युक्त्या (by means of association with the noble) प्रज्ञां बलात् वृद्धिं नयेत् (one should vigorously grow wisdom); ततः (then) महा-पुरुष-लक्षणैः (by the marks of a great person) महा-पुरुषतां [नयेत्] (one should grow into greatness).

Translation: Śrī Vasiṣṭha said: "First, grow your wisdom vigorously through the company of the noble; then grow into a great person by cultivating the marks of greatness."

Pointers for Reflection:

The closing sarga of Book 2. Vasiṣṭha draws everything together: wisdom and conduct must grow side by side.
महापुरुष. Śaṅkara (attrib.) names महापुरुषसंश्रयः — refuge in a great soul — among the three rare blessings (Vivekacūḍāmaṇi 3).

Verse 2.20.2¶

यो यो येन गुणेनेह पुरुषः प्रविराजते ।
शिष्यते तं तमेवाशु तस्माद्बुद्धिं विवर्धयेत् ॥ २.२०.२ ॥

इह (here) यः यः पुरुषः (whatever person) येन गुणेन प्रविराजते (shines with whatever quality), तं तम् एव आशु शिष्यते (that very [quality] quickly sets him apart); तस्मात् बुद्धिं विवर्धयेत् (therefore one should grow understanding).

Translation: "Whatever quality a person shines with is what quickly marks him out; so grow in understanding."

Pointers for Reflection:

Distinguished by understanding. Of all qualities, understanding is the one to cultivate first.

Verse 2.20.3¶

महापुरुषता ह्येषा शमादिगुणशालिनी ।
सम्यग्ज्ञानं विना राम सिद्धिमेति न कांचन ॥ २.२०.३ ॥

राम (O Rāma), एषा हि शम-आदि-गुण-शालिनी महा-पुरुषता (this greatness, rich in calm and other virtues) सम्यक्-ज्ञानं विना (without right knowledge) कांचन सिद्धिं न एति (reaches no fulfilment).

Translation: "Rāma, greatness rich in calm and the other virtues reaches no fulfilment without right knowledge."

Pointers for Reflection:

Virtue needs knowledge. Good character without understanding remains incomplete.

Verse 2.20.4¶

ज्ञानाच्छमादयो यान्ति वृद्धिं सत्पुरुषक्रमाः ।
श्लाघनीयाः फलेनान्तर्वृष्टेरिव नवाङ्कुराः ॥ २.२०.४ ॥

ज्ञानात् (from knowledge) शम-आदयः सत्-पुरुष-क्रमाः (calm and the other ways of good people) वृद्धिं यान्ति (grow), अन्तः फलेन श्लाघनीयाः (admirable for their inner fruit), वृष्टेः नव-अङ्कुराः इव (like new shoots after rain).

Translation: "From knowledge, calm and the other ways of the good grow, admirable for their inner fruit, like new shoots after rain."

Pointers for Reflection:

Knowledge nourishes virtue. As rain brings shoots.

Verse 2.20.5¶

शमादिभ्यो गुणेभ्यश्च वर्धते ज्ञानमुत्तमम् ।
अन्नात्मकेभ्यो यज्ञेभ्यः शालिवृष्टिरिवोत्तमा ॥ २.२०.५ ॥

शम-आदिभ्यः गुणेभ्यः च (and from virtues such as calm) उत्तमं ज्ञानं वर्धते (excellent knowledge grows), अन्न-आत्मकेभ्यः यज्ञेभ्यः (as from sacrifices that consist of food [offerings]) उत्तमा शालि-वृष्टिः इव (an excellent rain for the rice).

Translation: "And from virtues such as calm, excellent knowledge grows, as offerings of food in sacrifice bring good rain for the rice."

Pointers for Reflection:

The cycle of sacrifice. The Gītā: अन्नाद्भवन्ति भूतानि पर्जन्यादन्नसंभवः । यज्ञाद्भवति पर्जन्यः — from food come beings, from rain food, from sacrifice rain (3.14). Virtue and knowledge feed each other in the same way.

Verse 2.20.6¶

गुणाः शमादयो ज्ञानाच्छमादिभ्यस्तथा ज्ञता ।
परस्परं विवर्धन्ते ते अब्जसरसी इव ॥ २.२०.६ ॥

शम-आदयः गुणाः ज्ञानात् (virtues like calm, from knowledge) तथा शम-आदिभ्यः ज्ञता (and knowledge from calm and the rest) — ते परस्परं विवर्धन्ते (they increase each other), अब्ज-सरसी इव (like lotus and lake).

Translation: "Calm and the other virtues come from knowledge, and knowledge from them; they increase one another like lotus and lake."

Pointers for Reflection:

Lotus and lake. The lake makes the lotus possible; the lotus makes the lake beautiful. Compare 2.7.29.

Verse 2.20.7¶

ज्ञानं सत्पुरुषाचाराज्ज्ञानात्सत्पुरुषक्रमः ।
परस्परं गतौ वृद्धिं ज्ञानसत्पुरुषक्रमौ ॥ २.२०.७ ॥

ज्ञानं सत्-पुरुष-आचारात् (knowledge from the conduct of the good) ज्ञानात् सत्-पुरुष-क्रमः (and the way of the good from knowledge); ज्ञान-सत्-पुरुष-क्रमौ (knowledge and the way of the good) परस्परं वृद्धिं गतौ (have grown through each other).

Translation: "Knowledge comes from the conduct of the good, and the conduct of the good from knowledge; the two grow through each other."

Pointers for Reflection:

Knowing and living. Jaina teaching names the path as सम्यग्दर्शनज्ञानचारित्राणि मोक्षमार्गः — right faith, right knowledge and right conduct together are the path to liberation (Tattvārtha Sūtra 1.1). Not one without the others.

Verse 2.20.8¶

शमप्रज्ञादिनिपुणपुरुषार्थक्रमेण च ।
अभ्यसेत्पुरुषो धीमाञ्ज्ञानसत्पुरुषक्रमौ ॥ २.२०.८ ॥

धीमान् पुरुषः (a wise person) शम-प्रज्ञा-आदि-निपुण-पुरुषार्थ-क्रमेण च (through skilful effort in calm, wisdom and the rest) ज्ञान-सत्-पुरुष-क्रमौ अभ्यसेत् (should practise both knowledge and the way of the good).

Translation: "A wise person should practise both knowledge and the way of the good, through skilful effort in calm, wisdom and the rest."

Pointers for Reflection:

Practise both. The two wings of a bird.

Verse 2.20.9¶

न यावत्सममभ्यस्तौ ज्ञानसत्पुरुषक्रमौ ।
एकोऽपि नैतयोस्तात पुरुषस्येह सिध्यति ॥ २.२०.९ ॥

तात (dear one), यावत् (as long as) ज्ञान-सत्-पुरुष-क्रमौ समम् न अभ्यस्तौ (knowledge and the way of the good are not practised equally), [तावत्] इह पुरुषस्य (for a person here) एतयोः एकः अपि न सिध्यति (not even one of the two is achieved).

Translation: "Dear one, as long as knowledge and the way of the good are not practised equally, neither of the two is achieved."

Pointers for Reflection:

Balance. Knowledge without conduct is dry; conduct without knowledge is blind. The Īśa: विद्यां चाविद्यां च यस्तद्वेदोभयं सह — one who knows both together (11).

Verse 2.20.10¶

यथा कलमरक्षिण्या गीत्या वितततालया ।
खगोत्सादेन सहितं गीतानन्दः प्रसाध्यते ॥ २.२०.१० ॥

यथा (just as) कलम-रक्षिण्या (by a woman guarding the rice field) वितत-तालया गीत्या (with a song of steady rhythm) खग-उत्सादेन सहितं (together with driving off the birds) गीत-आनन्दः प्रसाध्यते (the joy of song is achieved) —

Translation: "Just as the woman guarding the rice field enjoys her song, with its steady rhythm, and at the same time drives the birds away —"

Pointers for Reflection:

A village image. The watchwoman sings and scares birds at once: one act, two results. So knowledge and good conduct together.

Verse 2.20.11¶

ज्ञानसत्पुरुषेहाभ्यामकर्त्रा कर्तृरूपिणा ।
तथा पुंसा निरिच्छेन सममासाद्यते पदम् ॥ २.२०.११ ॥

तथा (so) अकर्त्रा कर्तृ-रूपिणा (by one who is not a doer though he seems a doer) निरिच्छेन पुंसा (by a desireless person) ज्ञान-सत्-पुरुष-ईहाभ्याम् (through knowledge and the striving of the good) समं पदम् आसाद्यते (the state of evenness is reached).

Translation: "— so the desireless person, who does not act though he seems to act, reaches the state of evenness through knowledge and the ways of the good together."

Pointers for Reflection:

Non-doer in action. The Gītā: कर्मण्यकर्म यः पश्येत् (4.18). The free one acts without the sense of doing.

Verse 2.20.12¶

सदाचारक्रमः प्रोक्तो मयैवं रघुनन्दन ।
तथोपदिश्यते सम्यगेवं ज्ञानक्रमोऽधुना ॥ २.२०.१२ ॥

रघु-नन्दन (O joy of the Raghus), मया एवं सत्-आचार-क्रमः प्रोक्तः (thus I have told the way of good conduct); तथा अधुना (now likewise) एवं ज्ञान-क्रमः सम्यक् उपदिश्यते (the way of knowledge will be properly taught).

Translation: "Joy of the Raghus, so I have told you the way of good conduct. Now the way of knowledge will be properly taught."

Pointers for Reflection:

The transition. Book 2 has taught conduct: effort, calm, inquiry, contentment, good company. The coming books teach knowledge itself, beginning with how the world arises (Utpatti Prakaraṇa).

Verse 2.20.13¶

इदं यशस्यमायुष्यं पुरुषार्थफलप्रदम् ।
तज्ज्ञादाप्ताच्च सच्छास्त्रं श्रोतव्यं किल धीमता ॥ २.२०.१३ ॥

इदं (this) यशस्यम् आयुष्यं (bringing fame and long life) पुरुषार्थ-फल-प्रदम् (granting the fruits of human aims) सत्-शास्त्रं (true teaching) धीमता (by a thoughtful person) तत्-ज्ञात् आप्तात् च (from one who knows it and is trustworthy) श्रोतव्यं किल (should be heard).

Translation: "This true teaching, which brings honour and long life and grants the fruits of every human aim, should be heard by the thoughtful from someone who knows it and can be trusted."

Pointers for Reflection:

Hear it from the trustworthy. Compare 2.11.43–47.

Verse 2.20.14¶

श्रुत्वा त्वं बुद्धिनैर्मल्याद्बलाद्यास्यसि तत्पदम् ।
यथा कतकसंश्लेषात्प्रसादं कलुषं पयः ॥ २.२०.१४ ॥

त्वं (you) श्रुत्वा (having heard) बुद्धि-नैर्मल्यात् बलात् (by force of the purity of your understanding) तत् पदं यास्यसि (will reach that state), यथा कलुषं पयः (as muddy water) कतक-संश्लेषात् प्रसादं [याति] (becomes clear by contact with the kataka nut).

Translation: "Having heard it, you will reach that state through the purity of your understanding, as muddy water clears when touched by the kataka nut."

Pointers for Reflection:

The kataka nut. Rubbed in muddy water, it makes the silt settle and the water clear — an old Indian water-purifier. Śaṅkara uses the same image. The teaching does not add anything to the mind; it lets the mud settle.

Verse 2.20.15¶

विदितवेद्यमिदं हि मनो मुनेर्विवशमेव हि याति परं पदम् ।
यदवबुद्धमखण्डितमुत्तमं तदवबोधवशान्न जहाति हि ॥ २.२०.१५ ॥

विदित-वेद्यम् इदं मुनेः मनः हि (this mind of the sage who has known what is to be known) विवशम् एव (of itself) परं पदं याति हि (goes to the supreme state); यत् अखण्डितम् उत्तमम् अवबुद्धम् (what has been understood as the unbroken highest) तत् (that) अवबोध-वशात् न जहाति हि (it never leaves, by the power of that understanding).

Translation: "Once a sage has come to know what is to be known, his mind finds its own way to the highest state; and what it has grasped as the whole, unbroken supreme, it never lets go of again, held there by that very understanding."

Pointers for Reflection:

Of itself. After all the effort, the final arrival is effortless (विवश — without needing to be driven).
Never lost. The Gītā: यज्ज्ञात्वा न पुनर्मोहमेवं यास्यसि पाण्डव — knowing which, you will not again fall into delusion (4.35).
The end of Book 2. The seeker has been prepared. The teaching proper begins in the Utpatti Prakaraṇa.