छित्त्वात्मज्ञानशस्त्रेण तपोदण्डेन सत्तमाः ततो दुःखादिकं घोरं चिन्ताशोकमहाह्रदम्
With the sword of self-knowledge and the staff of austerity, the best of men then cut through the terrible ocean of suffering, worry, and great sorrow.
व्याधिमृत्युमहाघोरं महाभयमहोरगम् तमःकूर्मं रजोमीनं प्रज्ञया संतरन्त्य् उत
By wisdom, they cross over the dreadful disease and death, the great serpent of fear, the tortoise of darkness, and the fish of passion.
स्नेहपङ्कं जरादुर्गं स्पर्शद्वीपं द्विजोत्तमाः कर्मागाधं सत्यतीरं स्थितं व्रतमनीषिणः
O best of twice-born, those devoted to vows reach the muddy attachment, the fortress of old age, the island of touch, the deep river of karma, and the shore of truth.
हर्षसंघमहावेगं नानारससमाकुलम् नानाप्रीतिमहारत्नं दुःखज्वरसमीरितम्
A great current of joy, filled with various tastes, crowded with many delights and great jewels, but stirred by the fever of suffering.
शोकतृष्णामहावर्तं तीक्ष्णव्याधिमहारुजम् अस्थिसंघातसंघट्टं श्लेष्मयोगं द्विजोत्तमाः
O best of twice-born, a great whirlpool of grief and thirst, sharp diseases and great pains, the collision of bones, and the union of phlegm.
दानमुक्ताकरं घोरं शोणितोद्गारविद्रुमम् हसितोत्क्रुष्टनिर्घोषं नानाज्ञानसुदुष्करम्
A dreadful river of charity as pearls, red with the coral of blood, resounding with the noise of laughter and cries, and filled with many difficult ignorances.
रोदनाश्रुमलक्षारं सङ्गयोगपरायणम् प्रलब्ध्वा जन्मलोको यं पुत्रबान्धवपत्तनम्
Flowing with tears from weeping, devoted to the union of attachment, having attained the world of birth, which is the city of sons and relatives.
अहिंसासत्यमर्यादं प्राणयोगमयोर्मिलम् वृन्दानुगामिनं क्षीरं सर्वभूतपयोदधिम्
Bound by nonviolence, truth, and proper conduct, a union of life-breaths, following groups, milk from the ocean of all beings.
मोक्षदुर्लभविषयं वाडवासुखसागरम् तरन्ति यतयः सिद्धा ज्ञानयोगेन चानघाः
The ocean of worldly pleasure, difficult to cross and filled with fire, is crossed by ascetics and perfected ones, O sinless ones, by the yoga of knowledge.
तीर्त्वा च दुस्तरं जन्म विशन्ति विमलं नभः ततस् तान् सुकृतीञ् ज्ञात्वा सूर्यो वहति रश्मिभिः
Having crossed the difficult birth, they enter the pure sky; then, knowing those virtuous ones, the sun carries them with his rays.
पद्मतन्तुवद् आविश्य प्रवहन् विषयान् द्विजाः तत्र तान् प्रवहो वायुः प्रतिगृह्णाति चानघाः
Entering like a lotus-fiber, carrying the senses, O twice-born, there the wind, as a current, receives them, O sinless ones.
वीतरागान् यतीन् सिद्धान् वीर्ययुक्तांस् तपोधनान् सूक्ष्मः शीतः सुगन्धश् च सुखस्पर्शश् च भो द्विजाः
O twice-born, the subtle, cool, fragrant, and pleasant-to-touch wind receives the ascetics and perfected ones who are free from passion, endowed with energy, and rich in austerity.
सप्तानां मरुतां श्रेष्ठो लोकान् गच्छति यः शुभान् स तान् वहति विप्रेन्द्रा नभसः परमां गतिम्
He who is foremost among the seven Maruts attains the auspicious worlds; he carries them, O best of Brahmins, to the supreme path of the sky.
नभो वहति लोकेशान् रजसः परमां गतिम् रजो वहति विप्रेन्द्राः सत्त्वस्य परमां गतिम्
The sky carries the lords of the worlds to the supreme path of rajas; rajas, O best of Brahmins, carries them to the supreme path of sattva.
सत्त्वं वहति शुद्धात्मा परं नारायणं प्रभुम् प्रभुर् वहति शुद्धात्मा परमात्मानम् आत्मना
Sattva carries the pure-souled one to the supreme Lord Nārāyaṇa; the Lord, being pure-souled, carries the supreme Self by means of the self.
परमात्मानम् आसाद्य तद्भूता यतयो ऽमलाः अमृतत्वाय कल्पन्ते न निवर्तन्ति च द्विजाः
Having attained the supreme Self, the stainless ascetics who have become that, are destined for immortality, O twice-born, and do not return.
परमा सा गतिर् विप्रा निर्द्वंद्वानां महात्मनाम् सत्यार्जवरतानां वै सर्वभूतदयावताम्
That supreme path, O Brahmins, is for the great souls who are free from dualities, who are devoted to truth and sincerity, and who possess compassion for all beings.
स्थानम् उत्तमम् आसाद्य भगवन्तं स्थिरव्रताः आजन्ममरणं वा ते रमन्ते तत्र वा न वा
Having attained the highest place, those of firm vows delight in the Blessed Lord; whether from birth to death or not, they may rejoice there or not.
यद् अत्र तथ्यं तत्त्वं नो यथावद् वक्तुम् अर्हसि त्वदृते मानवं नान्यं प्रष्टुम् अर्हाम सत्तम
Whatever truth and reality there is in this matter, you ought to speak it as it is; except for you, O best of the good, we should not ask any other man.
मोक्षदोषो महान् एष प्राप्य सिद्धिं गतान् ऋषीन् यदि तत्रैव विज्ञाने वर्तन्ते यतयः परे
This is the great fault regarding liberation: if, having attained perfection, the ascetics remain only in that knowledge, O sages, even after reaching the accomplished seers.
प्रवृत्तिलक्षणं धर्मं पश्याम परमं द्विज मग्नस्य हि परे ज्ञाने किंतु दुःखान्तरं भवेत्
We see the supreme dharma marked by action, O excellent Brahmin; for one immersed in the highest knowledge, however, there may be another kind of suffering.
यथान्यायं मुनिश्रेष्ठाः प्रश्नः पृष्टश् च संकटः बुधानाम् अपि संमोहः प्रश्ने ऽस्मिन् मुनिसत्तमाः
As is proper, O best of sages, the question asked is difficult; even the wise are bewildered by this question, O eminent sages.
अत्रापि तत्त्वं परमं शृणुध्वं वचनं मम बुद्धिश् च परमा यत्र कपिलानां महात्मनाम्
Here too, listen to my supreme teaching of truth, in which lies the highest understanding of the great-souled Kapilas.
इन्द्रियाण्य् अपि बुध्यन्ते स्वदेहं देहिनां द्विजाः करणान्य् आत्मनस् तानि सूक्ष्मं पश्यन्ति तैस् तु सः
Even the senses, O twice-born, perceive the embodied self in their own body; those instruments of the self, subtle, are seen by him through them.
आत्मना विप्रहीणानि काष्ठकुड्यसमानि तु विनश्यन्ति न संदेहो वेला इव महार्णवे
When deprived of the self, they become like pieces of wood or a wall and perish without doubt, like the shore in the great ocean.
इन्द्रियैः सह सुप्तस्य देहिनो द्विजसत्तमाः सूक्ष्मश् चरति सर्वत्र नभसीव समीरणः
When the embodied one sleeps with the senses, O best of Brahmins, the subtle self moves everywhere, like the wind in the sky.
स पश्यति यथान्यायं स्मृत्वा स्पृशति चानघाः बुध्यमानो यथापूर्वम् अखिलेनेह भो द्विजाः
He perceives as is proper, remembers, and touches, O sinless ones; awakening as before, he acts here in every way, O Brahmins.
इन्द्रियाणि ह सर्वाणि स्वे स्वे स्थाने यथाविधि अनीशत्वात् प्रलीयन्ते सर्पा विषहता इव
All the senses, each in its own place and as prescribed, become inactive due to lack of power, like serpents struck by poison.
इन्द्रियाणां तु सर्वेषां स्वस्थानेष्व् एव सर्वशः आक्रम्य गतयः सूक्ष्मा वरत्य् आत्मा न संशयः
But the subtle movements of the self, having pervaded all the senses in their own places, certainly remain, without doubt.
सत्त्वस्य च गुणान् कृत्स्नान् रजसश् च गुणान् पुनः गुणांश् च तमसः सर्वान् गुणान् बुद्धेश् च सत्तमाः
And, O best of sages, all the qualities of sattva, and again the qualities of rajas, and all the qualities of tamas, and the qualities of buddhi.