Adyaya II, Valli III - The theory of Karma and Rebirth

Text: शतं चैका च हृदयस्य नाड्यस्तासां मूर्धानमभिनिःसृतैका । तयोर्ध्वमायन्नमृतत्वमेति विष्वङ्ङन्या उत्क्रमणे भवन्ति ॥ १६ ॥ śataṃ caikā ca hṛdayasya nāḍyastāsāṃ mūrdhānamabhiniḥsṛtaikā | tayordhvamāyannamṛtatvameti viṣvaṅṅanyā utkramaṇe bhavanti || 16 || 16. A hundred and one are the nerves of the heart. Of them, one has gone out piercing the head; going up through it, one attains immortality; others at the time of death lead different ways. Shankara’s Commentary: It has been stated that there is no going; for, the knower who has attained the knowledge that the atman is the all-pervading Brahman devoid of all attributes and who has untied all the knots due to ignorance, &c....

Text: अङ्गुष्ठमात्रः पुरुषोऽन्तरात्मा सदा जनानां हृदये संनिविष्टः । तं स्वाच्छरीरात्प्रवृहेन्मुञ्जादिवेषीकां धैर्येण । तं विद्याच्छुक्रममृतं तं विद्याच्छुक्रममृतमिति ॥ १७ ॥ aṅguṣṭhamātraḥ puruṣo’ntarātmā sadā janānāṃ hṛdaye saṃniviṣṭaḥ | taṃ svāccharīrātpravṛhenmuñjādiveṣīkāṃ dhairyeṇa | taṃ vidyācchukramamṛtaṃ taṃ vidyācchukramamṛtamiti || 17 || 17. The Purusha of the size of a thumb, the internal atman, is always seated in the heart of all living creatures; one should draw him out from one’s own body boldly, as stalk from grass; one should know him as pure and immortal; one should know him as pure and immortal....

Text: मृत्युप्रोक्तान्नचिकेतोऽथ लब्ध्वा विद्यामेतां योगविधिं च कृत्स्नम् । ब्रह्मप्राप्तो विरजोऽभूद्विमृत्युरन्योऽप्येवं यो विदध्यात्ममेव ॥ १८ ॥ mṛtyuproktānnaciketo’tha labdhvā vidyāmetāṃ yogavidhiṃ ca kṛtsnam | brahmaprāpto virajo’bhūdvimṛtyuranyo’pyevaṃ yo vidadhyātmameva || 18 || 18. Nachiketas then having acquired this knowledge imparted by Death and also all the instruction about yoga, attained Brahman, having become free from taint and death; so does another also, who thus knows the nature of the atman. Shankara’s Commentary: This conclusion of the story intended to eulogise knowledge is now stated....

Text: सह नाववतु । सह नौ भुनक्तु । सह वीर्यं करवावहै । तेजस्विनावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ॥ १९ ॥ saha nāvavatu | saha nau bhunaktu | saha vīryaṃ karavāvahai | tejasvināvadhītamastu mā vidviṣāvahai || 19 || 19. Let Him protect us both; let us exert together may what we study be well studied; may we not hate. ओं शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥ oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ || Om! Peace! Peace! Peace!...