आत्मानं मन्यते मोहात्तदसम्यक् परं मतम्
Out of delusion, he considers himself to be the self; that is not the true, supreme view.
अजरो ऽयममृत्युश्च राजासौ मन्यते यथा
Just as a king thinks himself to be ageless and immortal, so does he.
किमधिष्टाय तद् ब्रूयाल्लोकयात्राविनिश्चयम्
On what basis could one declare certainty about the course of worldly existence?
प्रत्यक्षो ह्यागमो भिन्नः कृतान्तो वा न किञ्चन
For perception and scripture are at odds, and fate is nothing definite.
अन्योजीवः शरीरस्य नास्तिकानां मते स्थितः
According to the view of the unbelievers, there is no other soul for the body.
जातिस्मृतिरयस्कान्तः सूर्यकान्तोंऽबुभक्षणम्
Memory of past births, the magnet, the sunstone, and the absorption of water—
मृतकर्मनिवत्तिं च प्रमाणमिति निश्चयः
And the cessation of actions after death—these are considered as evidence.
अमूतस्य हि मूर्तेन सामान्यं नोपलभ्यते
For the unmanifest cannot be perceived as having anything in common with the manifest.
तस्मिन्नष्टे च दग्धे च चित्ते मरणधर्मिणि
When that (mind) is lost and burned, it follows the nature of death.
यदा सरूपतश्चान्यो जातितः श्रुततोर्ऽथतः
When, by form, by birth, by hearing, or by meaning, another is found—
एवं सति च का प्रीहिर्ज्ञानविद्यातपोबलैः
If this is so, what is the use of knowledge, learning, austerity, or strength?
अपि त्वयमिहैवान्यैः प्राकृतैर्दुःखितो भवेत्
Indeed, here one may suffer from others who are ordinary people.
यथा हि मुशलैर्हन्युः शरीरं तत्पुनर्भवेत्
Just as if the body were struck with clubs, it would return again.
ऋमसंवत्सरौ तिष्यः शीतोष्णो ऽथ प्रियाप्रिये
The months and years, the star Tiṣya, cold and heat, and pleasure and pain—
जरयाभिपरीतस्य मृत्युना च विनाशितम्
Destroyed by death and overwhelmed by old age,
इन्द्रियाणि मनो वायुः शोणितं मांसमस्थि च
the senses, the mind, the vital wind, the blood, flesh, and bone—
लोकयात्राविधातश्च दानधर्मफलागमे
the arranger of worldly activity, the attainment of the fruits of charity and righteousness—
इति सम्यङ् मनस्येते बहवः संति हेतवः
thus, many causes are rightly considered in the mind.
तेषां विमृशतामेव तत्सम्यगभिधावताम्
For those who reflect upon them and speak of them rightly,
एवन्तुर् थैरनर्थैश्च दुःखिताः सर्वजन्तवः
even so, all beings are afflicted by these misfortunes,
आगमैरपकृष्यन्ते हस्तिपैर्हस्तिनो यथा
they are dragged away by calamities, just as elephants are by elephant-drivers.
महत्तरं दुःखमभिप्रपन्ना हित्वामिषं मृत्युवशं प्रयान्ति
Having encountered greater suffering, abandoning pleasure, they go under the power of death.
विहाय यो गच्छति सर्वमेव क्षणेन गत्वा न निवर्तते च
Whoever departs, leaving everything behind, goes in a moment and does not return.
इतीदमालक्ष्य रतिः कुतो भवेद्विनाशिनाप्यस्य न शम विद्यते
Seeing this, how can there be delight? For even in this perishing, there is no peace.
नरपतिरभिवीक्ष्य विस्मितः पुनरनुयोक्तुमिदं प्रचक्रमे
The king, beholding this, was astonished and again began to question thus:
एवं सति किमज्ञानं ज्ञानं वा किं करिष्यति
If this is so, what will ignorance or knowledge accomplish?
अप्रमत्तः प्रमत्तो वा किं विशेषं करिष्यति
Whether one is heedless or vigilant, what difference will it make?
कस्मै क्रियत कल्पेत निश्चयः को ऽत्र तत्त्वतः
For whom should action be performed? What determination is proper here in truth?
पुनः प्रशमयन्वाक्यैः कविः पञ्चशिखो ऽब्रवीत्
Then, soothing with words, the sage Pañcashikha spoke:
अयं ह्यपि समाहारः शरीरेद्रियचेतसाम्
This too is a combination of body, senses, and mind.