Śreyas and Preyas

2nd section

In the first section of this first chapter, naciketa passes the tests given by yamaraja, showing he has the qualifications to pursue self-knowledge. In this second section, the first 13 mantra are glorifications for competent students, and will be followed by glorifications for the teacher and the teaching itself, since the teaching between a rare teacher and a rare student is indeed rare (Gītā chapter 2 verse 29).

anyacchreyo’nyadutaiva preyaste ubhe nānārthe puruṣam sinītaḥ |

tayoḥ śreya ādadānasya sādhu bhavati hīyate’rthādya u preyo vṛṇīte ||1.2.1||

Śreyas is one (pursuit) and preyas is quite another. Both of them have different goals, and bind a person. There is good for one who chooses śreyas between the two. One who chooses preyas is indeed deprived of the highest goal of life.

Two pursuits of life are talked about in this mantra. Śreyas is highest goal of life which is moksa, and preyas is dharma, artha, and kāma. The word preyas literally means pleasant, naturally liked by all. Human possessing objects is instinctive since birth, and our happiness depends upon the gain on external factors, thus this path is called karma-mārga or pravrtti-mārga. Whereas śreyas literary means good for all. It is also called jñāna-mārga where by gaining knowledge of oneself, one gets absolute fulfilment. The focus is on what I am, but not on what I have, thus it is also called nivrtti-mārga.

anyacchreyaḥ - śreyas which is the path of pursuing ultimate good is indeed distinct anyadutaiva preyaḥ - similarly preyas is also a distinct pursuit. te ubhe nānārthe puruṣam sinītaḥ - being different in purposes, both of them bind people who are endowed with different stages of life, duty, etc. If one desires absolute freedom, he will engage in the pursuit of knowledge (śreyas) and one who desires material prosperity,

will engage in pursuit of karma (preyas). Since the nature of knowledge and karma (ignorance) are opposite to each other, therefore to pursue both simultaneously is impossible for a single person without giving up either of these two. tayoḥ śreya ādadānasya sādhu bhavati - thus absolute good will happen to one who gives up karma to pursue knowledge, hīyate’rthādya u preyo vṛṇīte - whereas one chooses preyas will be deprived of the ultimate benefit of human goal, which is the absolute freedom.

śreyaśca preyaśca manuṣyametaḥ tau samparītya vivinakti dhīraḥ |

śreyo hi dhīro’bhi preyaso vṛṇīte preyo mando yogakṣemādvṛṇīte ||1.2.2||

Śreyas and preyas approach every human being. Having very clearly analysed

them, the discriminative (person) distinguishes (them). Indeed, the discriminative

one chooses śreyas rather than preyas. The indiscriminate one chooses preyas for

the sake of acquisition and preservation.

śreyaśca preyaśca manuṣyametaḥ - śreyas and preyas approach every human being, they are there for human beings to choose, since we are endowed with free will. If either of the pursuit can be chosen by a person based on his own will, why is preyas alone chosen by most of the people?

preyo mando yogakṣemādvṛṇīte - the dull-minded non-discriminative person chooses preyas for the sake of acquisition and preservation. He spends his life focusing on acquiring and protecting his possessions. Such a person has no time to lead a worthy life.

On the other hand, tau samparītya vivinakti dhīraḥ - having very clearly analysed them (śreyas and preyas), the discriminative human being distinguishes them, and understands the limitation of the result of karma which is endowed with pain, dissatisfaction and attachment. He understands that defects are not with the sense-objects, but with one’s attitude towards them. śreyo hi dhīro’bhi preyaso vṛṇīte - such a discriminative person chooses śreyas over preyas.

After glorifying the seeker of moksa, in the next mantra, yamaraja glorifies naciketa specifically as a discriminative person. 

sa tvam priyān priyarūpāmśca kāmān abhidhyāyan naciketo’tyasrākṣīḥ |

naitām sṛṅkām vittamayīmavāpto yasyām majjanti bahavo manuṣyāḥ ||1.2.3||

Oh naciketa! Having analysed the pleasing and attractive sense objects, you gave them out. You didn’t accept this vedic ritual which is full of wealth, in which many people get immersed.

Yamaraja praises naciketa as one who is a discriminative, intelligent person, since he can see the defects in the sense-objects offered by yamaraja which are impermanent and worthless. sa tvam priyān priyarūpāmśca kāmān abhidhyāyan naciketo’tyasrākṣīḥ - even though they are pleasing in the form of son and family members, and attractive in the form of celestial dancers, etc, naciketa didn’t get tempted. naitām sṛṅkām vittamayīmavāpto - he didn’t accept the path of karma that leads to various good results offered by yamaraja on the 16th mantra, yasyām majjanti bahavo manuṣyāḥ - in which many deluded people immerse in and suffer due to attachment.