The fruits of Jnana Yoga

Yudhishthira said What are the fruits of the Jnana Yoga, of all the Vedas, and of the (various) observances and vows? How also may the individual soul be known? Tell me this, O grand father.

Bhishma said Regarding it is cited the old narrative of the conversation between that lord of creatures, viz., Manu, and the great Rishi Brihaspati.

In days of yore, the foremost of celestial Rishis, viz., Brihaspati, who was a disciple of Manu bowed to his preceptor and addressing that king and first of all creatures, said,-What is the origin of the universe? Whence have the ordinances originated? What are those fruits attributed by the learned to Knowledge? Tell me also truly, O illustrious one, what is that which the Vedas have not been able to show?

What are those fruits which are respected by eminent sages conversant with the science of Artha, with the Vedas, and with the mantras, through sacrifices and profuse gifts of kine? Whence do those fruits originate? Where are they do be found?

Tell me also this old history, viz., whence have the Earth, all earthly objects, wind, sky aquatic animals, water, heaven, and the dwellers of heaven, all originated.

Man is inclined towards that object which he seeks to know. I have no knowledge of that Ancient and Supreme Being. How shall I free myself from a false display of my leaning towards Him?

I have read the Riks, all the Samans, all the Yajuses, the Chhandas, Astronomy, Nirukta, Grammar, Sankalpa, and Shiksha. But I have no knowledge of the nature of the five principal elements which forin everything.

Describe to me all I have asked you, by making only simple statements and using qualifying adjectives or attributes. Tell me what the fruits are of Knowledge, sacrifices and other religious rites. Explain to me how also an embodied being leaves his body and acquires a new one.

What is agreeable to one constitutes his happiness. Likewise what is disagreeable to one forms his misery, feeling-"By this I shall acquire happiness and prevent misery”_-men perform all religious acts.

The efforts for the acquisition of Knowledge, however, originate from a desire for avoiding both happiness and misery.

The ordinances about sacrifices and other observances, which are in the Vedas, all originate from desire. He, however, who frees himself from desire of acquiring happiness, performs various acts is constrained to go to hell.

Men aspire to acquire the agreeable which ends in happiness, to avoid the disagreeable which begets misery. Such acquisition and such avoidance again are brought about by acts.

By freeing oneself from acts that a man succeeds in entering into Brahma. The injunctions of Karma or acts are laid down for that very end. The ordinances of Karma tempt only those whose hearts are not shorn of desire. By freeing oneself from acts one wins the highest state.

By performing religious rites, one who wishes liberation becomes purified (from attachments, for these acts have for their object the purification of the soul, and at last acquires great splendour. By freeing oneself from acts, one acquires the highest end, viz., Brahma, which reigns Supreme over the reward which acts give.

Creatures have all been engendered by Mind and Act. These are the two best paths adored of all. External acts yields fruits that are both transitory as also eternal. For acquiring the latter there is no other means than relinquishing the desire for fruits by the mind,

As the eye, when night passes away and the veil of darkness is gone, leads its possessor by its own power, so the Understanding, when it becomes endued with Knowledge, sees all evils which should be shunned.

Men avoid snakes, sharp blades, of Kusha and pits, when they find them on their way. If some tread upon or fall into them, they do so by ignorance. Mark the superiority of the fruits of knowledge.

Duly administered Mantras, sacrifices, the presents called Dakshina, gift of food and concentration of the mind are the five acts which yield fruits, there being none else.

Acts have the three Gunas (of Satva Rajas, and Tamas) for their soul. The Vedas say this. The Mantras, therefore, have the same three qualities, since it is with Mantras that acts are performed. The ritual also is possessed by the same three qualities. The fruits of action depend upon the mind. It is the embodied creature who enjoys those fruits.

All excellent sorts of sound, form, tastes, touch, and scent, are the fruits of acts, being acquired in the region of acts. As for, however, the fruits of knowledge, man acquires them even here before death.

Whatever acts are perforined by means of the body, one enjoys the fruits thereof in this body. The body is, indeed, the structure to which adhere both happiness and misery.

Whatever acts are performed by means of words, their fruits are enjoyed in a state in which words can be spoken. Likewise, whatever acts are performed by the mind, their fruits are enjoyed in a state in which one is not treed from the mind.

Seeking the fruits of acts, whatever acts (Satvika or Rajasika or Tamasika) a person performs, the fruits, good or bad, that he actually enjoys are permeated by their nature.

Like fishes going against a current of water, pristine acts visit the actor. The embodied creature enjoys happiness for his good acts, and suffers misery for his evil ones.

I will now describe Him from whom this universe has originated, Him by knowing whom persons of purified souls cross this world, Him who has not been expressed by Vedic Mantras and Words. Listen to me as I speak of that greatest of the grcat.

Himself freed from the several sorts of tasto and scent, and sound and touch and forin, He is incapable of being comprehended by the senses, unmanifest, without colour, the One, and He has created the five kinds of objects for His creatures.

He is neither female, nor male, nor of the neuter sex. He is neither existent, nor nonexistent, nor existent-non-existent. Only those that are acquainted with Bralıma see Him. He knows no deterioration.