योगमायावशे सर्वमिदं स्थावरजङ्गमम् । ब्रह्मादिस्तम्बपर्यन्तं ग्रथितं गुणसूत्रतः
All that is movable and immovable, from Brahma down to the smallest blade of grass, is bound by the threads of qualities under the power of Yogamaya.
यथा सा स्वेच्छया पूर्वं कर्तुमिच्छति सुव्रत । तथा करोति सुहिता वयं सर्वेऽपि तद्वशाः
As she, by her own will, wishes to act, so she does, O virtuous one; we all act according to her, for we are under her control.
यद्यहं स्यां स्वतन्त्रो वै चिन्तयन्तु धिया किल । कुतोऽभवं मत्स्यवपुः कच्छपो वा महार्णवे
If I were truly independent, let them reflect with their minds: how could I have become a fish or a tortoise in the great ocean?
तिर्यग्योनिषु को भोगः का कीर्तिः किं सुखं पुनः । किं पुण्यं किं फलं तत्र क्षुद्रयोनिगतस्य मे
What enjoyment, what fame, what happiness, what merit, what fruit is there for me, who entered such low births among animals?
कोलो वाथ नृसिंहो वा वामनो वाभवं कुतः । जमदग्निसुतः कस्मात्सम्भवेयं पितामह
How could I have become a boar, or Narasimha, or Vamana? How could I have been born as Jamadagni's son, O Grandfather?
नृशंसं वा कथं कर्म कृतवानस्मि भूतले । क्षतजैस्तु ह्रदान्सर्वान्पूरयेयं कथं पुनः
How could I have performed such cruel deeds on earth? How could I have filled all the lakes with blood again?
तत्कथं जमदग्नेश्च पुत्रो भूत्वा द्विजोत्तमः । क्षत्रियान्हतवानाजौ निर्दयो गर्भगानपि
How, then, having become the son of Jamadagni, O best of twice-born, did I mercilessly slay the Kshatriyas in battle, even those in the womb?
रामो भूत्वाथ देवेन्द्र प्राविशद्दण्डकं वनम् । पदातिश्चीरवासाश्च जटावल्कलवान्पुनः
Having become Rama, O Indra among gods, I entered the Dandaka forest, walking on foot, wearing bark garments and matted locks once more.
असहायो ह्यपाथेयो भीषणे निर्जने वने । कुर्वन्नाखेटकं तत्र व्यचरं विगतत्रपः
Alone and without provisions, in the terrifying and desolate forest, I wandered there, hunting, without any shame.
न ज्ञातवान्मृगं हैमं मायया पिहितस्तदा । उटजे जानकीं त्यक्त्वा निर्गतस्तत्पदानुगः
I did not recognize the golden deer, for it was concealed by illusion; leaving Janaki in the hut, I went out, following its tracks.
लक्ष्मणोऽपि च तां त्यक्त्वा निर्गतो मत्पदानुगः । वारितोऽपि मयात्यर्थं मोहितः प्राकृतैर्गुणैः
Lakshmana too, leaving her behind, went out, following my footsteps; though I earnestly forbade him, he was deluded by ordinary qualities.
भिक्षुरूपं ततः कृत्वा रावणः कपटाकृतिः । जहार तरसा रक्षो जानकीं शोककर्शिताम्
Then Ravana, taking the form of a mendicant and disguising himself, swiftly abducted Janaki, who was afflicted by sorrow.
दुःखार्तेन मया तत्र रुदितञ्च वने वने । सुग्रीवेण च मित्रत्वं कृतं कार्यवशान्मया
Stricken with grief, I wept there, from forest to forest; and, compelled by necessity, I formed a friendship with Sugriva.
अन्यायेन हतो वाली शापाच्चैव निवारितः । सहायान्वानरान् कृत्वा लङ्कायां चलितः पुनः
Vali was slain unjustly and hindered by a curse; gathering the monkeys as allies, I set out again for Lanka.
बद्धोऽहं नागपाशैश्च लक्ष्मणश्च ममानुजः । विसंज्ञौ पतितौ दृष्ट्वा वानरा विस्मयं गताः
I was bound by serpent bonds, and so was Lakshmana, my younger brother; seeing us unconscious and fallen, the monkeys were astonished.
गरुडेन तदाऽऽगत्य मोचितौ भ्रातरौ किल । चिन्ता मे महती जाता दैवं किं वा करिष्यति
Then Garuda arrived and freed the two brothers; a great anxiety arose in me, wondering what fate or destiny would do.
हृतं राज्यं वने वासो मृतस्तातः प्रिया हृता । युद्धं कष्टं ददात्येवमग्रे किं वा करिष्यति
The kingdom was taken, I dwelt in the forest, my father died, my beloved was abducted; such a difficult battle was given—what would fate do next?
प्रथमं तु महद्दुःखमराज्यस्य वनाश्रयम् । राजपुत्र्यान्वितस्यैव धनहीनस्य मे सुराः
First, the great sorrow was the exile to the forest without a kingdom, accompanied only by the princess, and lacking wealth, O gods.
वराटिकापि पित्रा मे न दत्ता वननिर्गमे । पदातिरसहायोऽहं धनहीनश्च निर्गतः
Not even a coin was given to me by my father upon departing for the forest; I went forth on foot, alone and without wealth.
चतुर्दशैव वर्षाणि नीतानि च तदा मया । क्षात्रं धर्मं परित्यज्य व्याधवृत्त्या महावने
Fourteen years were spent by me then, abandoning the warrior's duty, living as a hunter in the great forest.
दैवाद्युद्धे जयः प्राप्तो निहतोऽसौ महासुरः । आनीता च पुनः सीता प्राप्तायोध्या मया तथा
By destiny, victory was attained in battle, and that great demon was slain; Sita was brought back, and I returned to Ayodhya.
वर्षाणि कतिचित्तत्र सुखं संसारसम्भवम् । प्राप्तं राज्यञ्च सम्पूर्णं कोसलानधितिष्ठता
For some years there, I enjoyed happiness born of worldly life, and attained the complete kingdom, ruling over Kosala.
पुरैवं वर्तमानेन प्राप्तराज्येन वै तदा । लोकापवादभीतेन त्यक्ता सीता वने मया
Even then, while ruling the kingdom, out of fear of public reproach, I abandoned Sita in the forest.
कान्ताविरहजं दुःखं पुनः प्राप्तं दुरासदम् । पातालं सा गता पश्चाद्धरां भित्त्वा धरात्मजा
Again, I suffered the unbearable sorrow of separation from my beloved; afterwards, the daughter of the earth entered the netherworld, breaking through the earth.
एवं रामावतारेऽपि दुःखं प्राप्तं निरन्तरम् । परतन्त्रेण मे नूनं स्वतन्त्रः को भवेत्तदा
Thus, even in the incarnation of Rama, I experienced unceasing sorrow; truly, being dependent on others, who can be independent then?
पश्चात्कालवशात्प्राप्तः स्वर्गो मे भ्रातृभिः सह । परतन्त्रस्य का वार्ता वक्तव्या विबुधेन वै
Later, by the force of time, I attained heaven together with my brothers; what need is there for a wise person to speak of the condition of one who is dependent?
परतन्त्रोऽत्म्यहं नूनं पद्मयोने निशामय । तथा त्वमपि रुद्रश्च सर्वे चान्ये सुरोत्तमाः
O Lotus-born, see: I am truly dependent on another; so too are you, Rudra, and all the other foremost gods.
देवान् प्रति देवीवाक्यवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच इत्युक्त्वा भगवान्विष्णुः पुनराह प्रजापतिम् । यन्मायामोहितः सर्वस्तत्त्वं जानाति नो जनः
Vyāsa said: Having spoken thus, the blessed Viṣṇu again addressed the Lord of Creatures: 'All are deluded by her māyā; no one knows the true reality.'
वयं मायावृताः कामं न स्मरामो जगद्गुरुम् । परमं पुरुषं शान्तं सच्चिदानन्दमव्ययम्
Covered by māyā, we do not remember the Teacher of the world, the supreme, peaceful, imperishable Person, who is existence, consciousness, and bliss.
अहं विष्णुरहं ब्रह्मा शिवोऽहमिति मोहिताः । न जानीमो वयं धातः परं वस्तु सनातनम्
Deluded, we think 'I am Viṣṇu, I am Brahmā, I am Śiva,' but, O Creator, we do not know the supreme, eternal Reality.