एकेनैव तु गन्तव्यं सर्वमुत्सृज्य वै जनम् एकेनैव तु भोक्तव्यं तस्मात्सुकृतमाचरेत्
One must go alone, leaving behind all people; one must enjoy alone, therefore one should perform good deeds.
न ह्येनं प्रस्थितं कश्चिद् गच्छन्तम् अनुगच्छति यदनेन कृतं कर्म तदेनमनुगच्छति
For no one accompanies him who departs on his journey; only the karma he has performed follows him.
ते नित्यं यमविषयेषु सम्प्रवृत्ताः क्रोशन्तः सततमनिष्टसंप्रयोगैः शुष्यन्ते परिगतवेदनाः शरीरा बह्वीभिः सुभृशमनन्तयातनाभिः
They, constantly engaged in the realms of Yama, cry out incessantly, always afflicted by unwelcome associations; their bodies, surrounded by pain, wither under many severe and endless torments.
कर्मणा मनसा वाचा यदभीक्ष्णं निषेवते तदभ्यासो हरत्येनं तस्मात्कल्याणमाचरेत्
Whatever a person repeatedly practices through action, thought, or speech, that habit carries them away; therefore, one should perform what is virtuous.
अनादिमान्प्रबन्धः स्यात् पूर्वकर्मणि देहिनः संसारं तामसं घोरं षड्विधं प्रतिपद्यते
The chain of existence for the embodied being is without beginning, arising from previous actions; it enters the dreadful, dark cycle of transmigration in six forms.
मानुष्यात्पशुभावश् च पशुभावान् मृगो भवेत् मृगत्वात्पक्षिभावश् च तस्माच्चैव सरीसृपः
From human birth one attains the state of an animal; from being an animal, one becomes a beast; from being a beast, one becomes a bird, and from there, a reptile.
सरीसृपत्वाद्गच्छेद्वै स्थावरत्वं न संशयः स्थावरत्वे पुनः प्राप्ते यावद् उन्मिलते जनः
From being a reptile, one certainly attains the state of a plant—there is no doubt; upon reaching the plant state, one remains until a new birth arises.
कुलालचक्रवद्भ्रान्तस् तत्रैव परिवर्तते इत्येवं हि मनुष्यादिः संसारः स्थावरान्तिकः
Like a potter’s wheel, revolving endlessly, so too does the cycle of existence—from human to plant—turn again and again.
विज्ञेयस्तामसो नाम तत्रैव परिवर्तते सात्त्विकश्चापि संसारो ब्रह्मादिः परिकीर्तितः
This cycle, called tamasic, is to be understood as revolving in that way; the sattvic cycle, beginning with Brahma, is also described.
पिशाचान्तः स विज्ञेयः स्वर्गस्थानेषु देहिनाम् ब्राह्मे तु केवलं सत्त्वं स्थावरे केवलं तमः
The cycle ending with spirits is to be known as such among embodied beings in heavenly realms; in the Brahmic state, there is only sattva, and in the plant state, only tamas.
चतुर्दशानां स्थानानां मध्ये विष्टम्भकं रजः मर्मसु छिद्यमानेषु वेदनार्तस्य देहिनः
Among the fourteen states, rajas acts as the support; when the vital points are struck, the embodied being, afflicted by pain, suffers.
ततस्तत्परमं ब्रह्म कथं विप्रः स्मरिष्यति संसारः पूर्वधर्मस्य भावनाभिः प्रणोदितः
Then, O sage, how will one remember the supreme Brahman? The cycle of existence is propelled by the impressions of previous actions.
मानुषं भजते नित्यं तस्माद्ध्यानं समाचरेत् चतुर्दशविधं ह्येतद् बुद्ध्वा संसारमण्डलम्
One always attains human birth; therefore, one should practice meditation, having understood this fourteenfold circle of transmigration.
नित्यं समारभेद्धर्मं संसारभयपीडितः ततस्तरति संसारं क्रमेण परिवर्तितः
Afflicted by the fear of transmigration, one should always undertake righteousness; then, gradually transformed, one crosses over the cycle of existence.
तस्माच्च सततं युक्तो ध्यानतत्परयुञ्जकः तथा समारभेद्योगं यथात्मानं स पश्यति
Therefore, one should always be devoted, intent on meditation, and practice yoga in such a way that one perceives the self.
एष आपः परं ज्योतिर् एष सेतुरनुत्तमः विवृत्या ह्येष संभेदाद् भूतानां चैव शाश्वतः
This is the supreme water, the highest light, the unsurpassed bridge; by its unfolding and union, it is the eternal essence of all beings.
तदेनं सेतुमात्मानम् अग्निं वै विश्वतोमुखम् हृदिस्थं सर्वभूतानाम् उपासीत महेश्वरम्
One should worship as the bridge, the self, the fire with faces in all directions, Maheshvara who dwells in the heart of all beings.
तथान्तः संस्थितं देवं स्वशक्त्या परिमण्डितम् अष्टधा चाष्टधा चैव तथा चाष्टविधेन च
Thus, one should contemplate the god who abides within, adorned with his own power, in eightfold and again in eightfold forms, and likewise in eight ways.
सृष्ट्यर्थं संस्थितं वह्निं संक्षिप्य च हृदि स्थितम् ध्यात्वा यथावद्देवेशं रुद्रं भुवननायकम्
For the purpose of creation, the fire is established, then withdrawn and placed in the heart; meditating properly on Lord Rudra, the ruler of the worlds.
हुत्वा पञ्चाहुतीः सम्यक् तच्चिन्तागतमानसः वैश्वानरं हृदिस्थं तु यथावदनुपूर्वशः
Having offered the five oblations properly, with the mind absorbed in that contemplation, one should meditate in order, as prescribed, on the Vaiśvānara fire established in the heart.
आपः पूताः सकृत्प्राश्य तूष्णीं हुत्वा ह्युपाविशन् प्राणायेति ततस्तस्य प्रथमा ह्याहुतिः स्मृता
Having sipped purified water once, they sit in silence after offering, for thus the first oblation is considered to be for the life-breath.
अपानाय द्वितीया च व्यानायेति तथा परा उदानाय चतुर्थी स्यात् समानायेति पञ्चमी
The second is for apāna, the third likewise for vyāna, the fourth is for udāna, and the fifth for samāna.
स्वाहाकारैः पृथग्घुत्वा शेषं भुञ्जीत कामतः अपः पुनः सकृत्प्राश्य आचम्य हृदयं स्पृशेत्
Having offered each with the svāhā formula separately, one may partake of the remainder as desired; again sipping water once, after rinsing the mouth, one should touch the heart.
प्राणानां ग्रन्थिरस्यात्मा रुद्रो ह्यात्मा विशान्तकः रुद्रो वै ह्यात्मनः प्राण एवमाप्याययेत्स्वयम्
The knot of the life-breaths is his very self; Rudra is indeed the self, the dissolver of all; Rudra is truly the life-breath of the self, thus he nourishes himself.
प्राणे निविष्टो वै रुद्रस् तस्मात्प्राणमयः स्वयम् प्राणाय चैव रुद्राय जुहोत्यमृतमुत्तमम्
Rudra is established in the life-breath, therefore he is himself composed of life-breath; to the life-breath and to Rudra, the finest nectar is offered.
शिवाविशेह मामीश स्वाहा ब्रह्मात्मने स्वयम् एवं पञ्चाहुतीश्चैव प्रभुः प्रीणातु शाश्वतः
O Lord, enter me auspiciously—svāhā—to the Self of Brahman; thus, may the eternal Lord be pleased with these five oblations.
पुरुषो ऽसि पुरे शेषे त्वं अङ्गुष्ठप्रमाणतः आश्रितश्चैव चाङ्गुष्ठम् ईशः परमकारणम्
You are the Person who remains within the city, of the measure of a thumb; you are established in the thumb, O Lord, the supreme cause.
सर्वस्य जगतश्चैव प्रभुः प्रीणातु शाश्वतः त्वं देवानामसि ज्येष्ठो रुद्रस्त्वं च पुरो वृषा
May the eternal Lord of all the worlds be pleased; you are the eldest among the gods, Rudra, and the foremost bull.
मृदुस्त्वमन्नमस्मभ्यम् एतदस्तु हुतं तव इत्येवं कथितं सर्वं गुणप्राप्तिविशेषतः
May you be gentle, and may this food be for us; may this offering be yours—thus, everything has been declared, especially regarding the attainment of qualities.
योगाचारः स्वयं तेन ब्रह्मणा कथितः पुरा एवं पाशुपतं ज्ञानं ज्ञातव्यं च प्रयत्नतः
This discipline of yoga was formerly taught by Brahmā himself; thus, the knowledge of Paśupati should be diligently understood.