Sanatsujatiya
Encyclopedia
The Sānatsujātiya refers to a portion of the Mahābhārata
, a Hindu
epic. It appears in the Udyoga Parva
(book), and is composed of five chapters (Adyāya 41-46). One reason for the Sānatsujātiyas importance is that it was commented upon by Adi Shankara
, the preeminent expositor of Advaita Vedanta
, and one of the most important Hindu sages, philosophers, and mystics.
Buitenen wrote that "The Sānatsujātiya had a minor reputation as a philosophical classic.... The text certainly deserves more study than it has received" (p. 182). He also wrote that
has been conversing with his half-brother Vidura
, who has been responding to his requests for various kinds of counsel.
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
, a Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
epic. It appears in the Udyoga Parva
Udyoga Parva
The Udyoga Parva is the fifth Parva of the Mahabharata, abounding with incidents appertaining to war and peace. It is the Book of the effort in preparations for war ....
(book), and is composed of five chapters (Adyāya 41-46). One reason for the Sānatsujātiyas importance is that it was commented upon by Adi Shankara
Adi Shankara
Adi Shankara Adi Shankara Adi Shankara (IAST: pronounced , (Sanskrit: , ) (788 CE - 820 CE), also known as ' and ' was an Indian philosopher from Kalady of present day Kerala who consolidated the doctrine of advaita vedānta...
, the preeminent expositor of Advaita Vedanta
Advaita Vedanta
Advaita Vedanta is considered to be the most influential and most dominant sub-school of the Vedānta school of Hindu philosophy. Other major sub-schools of Vedānta are Dvaita and ; while the minor ones include Suddhadvaita, Dvaitadvaita and Achintya Bhedabheda...
, and one of the most important Hindu sages, philosophers, and mystics.
Buitenen wrote that "The Sānatsujātiya had a minor reputation as a philosophical classic.... The text certainly deserves more study than it has received" (p. 182). He also wrote that
The Sānatsujātiya should probably be best approached as a brief, late-upaniṣadic text that very early attracted to itself, by way of appendix, commentary, and continuation, other texts that were considered to be of the same inspiration.... Its core seems to be the triṣṭubhTristubhTristubh is the name of a Vedic meter of 44 syllables , or any hymn composed in this meter. It is the most prevalent meter of the Rigveda, accounting for roughly 40% of its verses....
verses of the beginning, in which the problem of death is addressed. This is followed, in ślokasShlokaA ' is a category of verse line developed from the Vedic Anuṣṭubh. It is the basis for Indian Epic verse, and may be considered the Indian verse form par excellence, occurring, as it does, far more frequently than any other meter in classical Sanskrit poetry. The Mahabharata and Ramayana, for...
, by reflections on brahmanBrahmanIn Hinduism, Brahman is the one supreme, universal Spirit that is the origin and support of the phenomenal universe. Brahman is sometimes referred to as the Absolute or Godhead which is the Divine Ground of all being...
and wisdom, on the twelve vices and twelve virtues, and on brahmacarya. It ends with a mystical hymn on the manifestations of the Supreme... with the refrain: "The yoginsYogaYoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
behold the sempiternal blessed Lord." (p. 182)
Synopsis of Sānatsujātiya
King DhṛtarāṣṭraDhritarashtra
In the Mahābhārata, Dhritarashtra was King of Hastinapur at the time of the Kurukshetra War, the epic's climactic event. He was born the son of Vichitravirya's first wife Ambika, and was fathered by Vyasa. He was blind from birth, and became father to a hundred children by his wife Gandhari...
has been conversing with his half-brother Vidura
Vidura
Vidura was an important figure in the Mahabharata, a major Hindu epic. He was half-brother to the kings Dhritarashtra and Pandu of Hastinapura, born the son of the sage Vyasa and a lady-in-waiting to the queens Ambika and Ambalika of the city...
, who has been responding to his requests for various kinds of counsel.
- Ch. 41: King DhṛtarāṣṭraDhritarashtraIn the Mahābhārata, Dhritarashtra was King of Hastinapur at the time of the Kurukshetra War, the epic's climactic event. He was born the son of Vichitravirya's first wife Ambika, and was fathered by Vyasa. He was blind from birth, and became father to a hundred children by his wife Gandhari...
asks for more information. ViduraViduraVidura was an important figure in the Mahabharata, a major Hindu epic. He was half-brother to the kings Dhritarashtra and Pandu of Hastinapura, born the son of the sage Vyasa and a lady-in-waiting to the queens Ambika and Ambalika of the city...
replies that he, as the son of a servant woman, may not speak of higher matters, but that these matters may be spoken by the eternal sage Sanatsujāta. Vidura then invokes Sanatsujāta by meditating on him. When Sanatsujāta appears, Vidura requests that he dispel Dhṛtarāṣṭra's doubts.
- Ch. 42: DhṛtarāṣṭraDhritarashtraIn the Mahābhārata, Dhritarashtra was King of Hastinapur at the time of the Kurukshetra War, the epic's climactic event. He was born the son of Vichitravirya's first wife Ambika, and was fathered by Vyasa. He was blind from birth, and became father to a hundred children by his wife Gandhari...
asks Sanatsujāta why he teaches that death does not exist. Sanatsujāta replies that distraction equals death, and elaborates.
- Ch. 43: Sanatsujāta continues, explaining that Veda (scriptures) cannot save someone from evil, but can lead to better rebirth. There are many scriptures, but one truth, on which one should meditate, which gives knowledge of brahmanBrahmanIn Hinduism, Brahman is the one supreme, universal Spirit that is the origin and support of the phenomenal universe. Brahman is sometimes referred to as the Absolute or Godhead which is the Divine Ground of all being...
.
- Ch. 44: Sanatsujāta continues, explaining the need for brahmacarya (self-restrained behavior) and a guruGuruA guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
(spiritual teacher).
- Ch. 45: Sanatsujāta describes the state of the yogin (realized person) in hymn-like language. A continuing refrain is "The yogins behold the sempiternal blessed Lord" (p. 292). Other affirmations in this chapter include "No one beholds him with his eye, but they who with wisdom, mind and heart gain knowledge of him have become immortal" (p. 292), and "If one sees oneself in all creatures yoked to their various tasks, why should he worry any more?" (p. 294), and
- "My soul is the place, my soul is the birth,
- I'm the ageless foundation the Vedas declare"
- (p. 294)
Editions
- Johannes Buitenen's (1978) translation of the MahābhārataMahabharataThe Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
contains a summary (p. 285) and translation (pp. 285–294) of the Sānatsujātiya (partly available online via Google book preview) - Kashinath Trimbak TelangKashinath Trimbak TelangKashinath Trimbak Telang was an Indian judge and Indologist.-Biography:By profession an advocate of the high court, he also took a vigorous share in literary, social, municipal and political work, as well as in the affairs of the University of Bombay, over which he presided as vice-chancellor from...
(1882) translated the Sānatsujātiya (freely/fully available online - see External links), which appeared in volume 8 of the Sacred Books of the East series edited by Max MüllerMax MüllerFriedrich Max Müller , more regularly known as Max Müller, was a German philologist and Orientalist, one of the founders of the western academic field of Indian studies and the discipline of comparative religion...
. The volume was reprinted in a 2001 edition.
External links
- The Bhagvadgita with the Sanatsugatiya and Anugita Vol.8, The Sacred Books of the East. Translated by Kashinath Trimbak TelangKashinath Trimbak TelangKashinath Trimbak Telang was an Indian judge and Indologist.-Biography:By profession an advocate of the high court, he also took a vigorous share in literary, social, municipal and political work, as well as in the affairs of the University of Bombay, over which he presided as vice-chancellor from...
(full text online) - Müller's Introduction (p. 135), and related translation (p. 149) of Sanatsujatiya http://www.amazon.com/dp/0700715479 (partially online)
- S. N. Sastri's translation of the Sanatsugatiya http://www.celextel.org/othervedantabooks/sanatsujatiyam.html (online). Includes romanized Sanskrit based on ITRANSITRANSThe "Indian languages TRANSliteration" is an ASCII transliteration scheme for Indic scripts, particularly for Devanagari script. It was developed by Avinash Chopde. The latest version of ITRANS is version 5.30 released in July, 2001...
, plus commentary "Based on the bhAshya of SrI SankaraAdi ShankaraAdi Shankara Adi Shankara Adi Shankara (IAST: pronounced , (Sanskrit: , ) (788 CE - 820 CE), also known as ' and ' was an Indian philosopher from Kalady of present day Kerala who consolidated the doctrine of advaita vedānta...
bhagavatpAda" (accessed 22 March 2010). - Parallel SanskritSanskritSanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
and Romanized Sanskrit, freely viewable at sacred.texts.com - Book 5, chapter: 41, 42, 43, 44, 45