karma brahmodbhavaṃ viddhi brahmākṣara-samudbhavam
tasmāt sarva-gataṃ brahma nityaṃ yajñe pratiṣṭhitam
karma | – | karman 2n.1 n. – activity (from: √kṛ – to do); |
brahmodbhavam | – | brahma-udbhava 2n.1 n.; yasya brahmaṇa udbhavam asti tat – that which comes from brahman (from: √bṛh – to increase, brahman – spirit, the Vedas; ud-√bhū – to spring up from, to produce, udbhava – springing from, production); |
viddhi | – | √vid (to know, to understand) Imperat. P 2v.1 – you must know; |
brahma | – | brahman 2n.1 n. – spirit, the Vedas (from: √bṛh – to increase); |
akṣara-samudbhavam | – | a-kṣara-samudbhava 2n.1 m.; BV: yasya akṣarāt samudbhavam asti tat – that which comes form the imperishable / the syllable (from: √kṣar – to flow, to perish, a-kṣara – imperishable, a syllable; sam-ud-√bhū – to spring up from, to produce, samudbhava – springing from, production); |
tasmāt | – | av. – therefore (from: tat sn. 5n.1 m. – from that); |
sarva-gatam | – | sarva-gata 1n.1 n.; TP: sarvatra gatam iti – everywhere gone, all-pervading (from: sarva – all, whole; √gam – to go, PP gata – gone); |
brahma | – | brahman 1n.1 n. – spirit, the Vedas (from: √bṛh – to increase); |
nityam | – | av. – constantly, eternally (from: nitya – continual, eternal); |
yajñe | – | yajña 7n.1 m. – in sacrifice, in worship (from: √yaj – to consecrate, to sacrifice, to worship); |
pratiṣṭhitam | – | pratiṣṭhita (prati-√sthā – to stand firmly) PP 1n.1 f. – fixed, firm, steady; |
karma brahmodbhavaṃ viddhi → brahma karmodbhavaṃ viddhi (you must know that brahman comes from activity);
The key:
an excerpt from the commented verse
quotes from the scriptures
starting polemic
|
tac caivaṃ vidhaṃ karma kuto jātam ity āha – | |
know thou that action comes from Brahman |
karma brahmodbhavaṃ viddhi brahmākṣara-samudbhavam | tasmāt sarva-gataṃ brahma nityaṃ yajñe pratiṣṭhitam ||3.15|| |
|
These activities are enjoined in the Veda (Brahman), and the Veda comes from the Imperishable, the Paramatman, the Highest Self. |
karma brahmodbhavam | brahma vedaḥ | sa udbhavaḥ kāraṇaṃ prakāśako yasya tat karma brahmodbhavaṃ viddhi vijānīhi | brahma punaḥ vedākhyam akṣara-samudbhavam akṣaraṃ brahma paramātmā samudbhavo yasya tat akṣara-samudbhavam | brahma veda ity arthaḥ | | |
Because the Veda has arisen from the Highest Self – the Akshara, the Imperishable, as the breath comes out of a man, therefore, the Veda, though all-comprehending as revealing all things, ever rests in sacrifice, i. e., it treats mainly of sacrifices and the mode of their performance. |
yasmāt sākṣāt paramātmākhyād akṣarāt puruṣa-niḥśvāsavat samudbhūtaṃ brahma tasmāt sarvārtha-prakāśakatvāt sarva-gatam | sarva-gatam api sat nityaṃ sadā yajña-vidhi-pradhānatvāt yajñe pratiṣṭhitam ||3.15|| |
tasmāt sākṣāt paramātma-samudbhavatayā sarva-gataṃ sarva-prakāśakaṃ nityam avināśi ca brahma vedākhyaṃ yajñe dharmākhye ‚tīndriye pratiṣṭhitaṃ tātparyeṇa | ataḥ pāṣaṇḍa-pratipāditopadharma-parityāgena veda-bodhita eva dharmo ‚nuṣṭheya ity arthaḥ
agnau prāstāhutiḥ samyag ādityam upatiṣṭhate |
ādityāj jāyate vṛṣṭir vṛṣṭer annaṃ tataḥ prajāḥ || iti smṛteḥ