तमः कर्त्तारमध्वानं कथमेको गमिष्यसि
How will you alone traverse the path made by the creator of darkness?
सुकृतं दुष्कृतं च त्वां गच्छन्तमनुयास्यतः
Good and evil deeds will follow you as you depart.
अर्थार्थमनुशीर्यन्ते सिद्धार्थस्तु विमुच्यते
For the sake of wealth, bonds are formed; but one who has attained his goal is freed.
छित्वैनां सुकृतो यान्ति नैनां छिन्दन्ति दुष्कृतः
Cutting these bonds, the virtuous depart; the wicked cannot sever them.
न च नामास्ति निर्वेदो लोहं हि हृदयं तव
There is no name for dispassion; your heart is like iron.
गन्धपङ्कां शब्दजलां स्वर्गमार्गदुरारुहाम्
Fragrant mud, waters of sound, difficult to ascend on the path to heaven.
त्यागवाताध्वगां शीघ्रां बुद्धिनावं नदीं तरेत्
One should cross the swift river of the path, blown by the winds of renunciation, with the boat of intellect.
त्यज धर्ममसंकल्पादधर्मं चाप्यहिंसया
Abandon righteousness without desire, and unrighteousness through non-injury.
अस्थिस्थूणं स्नायुयुतं मांसशोणितलेपनम्
A pillar of bone, bound with sinews, smeared with flesh and blood.
जराशोकसमाविष्टं रोगायतनमस्थिरम्
Overtaken by old age and sorrow, a seat of disease, unstable.
इदं विश्वं जगत्सर्वमजगञ्चापि यद्भवेत्
This entire universe, all the world, and even what is not world, whatever may exist.
इन्द्रियाणि च पञ्चैव तमः सत्त्वं रजस्तथा
The five senses, and darkness, goodness, and passion as well.
सर्वैरिहेन्द्रियार्थैश्च व्यक्ताव्यक्तैर्हि हितम्
By all these sense-objects, both manifest and unmanifest, benefit is attained.
एतैः सर्वैः समायुक्तमनित्यमभिधीयते
That which is composed of all these is said to be impermanent.
य इदं वेद तत्त्वेन सस वेद प्रभवाप्ययौ
Whoever truly knows this knows both the origin and dissolution.
अव्यक्तमथ तज्ज्ञेयं लिङ्गग्राह्यमतीन्द्रियम्
The unmanifest should be understood as that which is grasped by subtle signs, beyond the senses.
लोके विहितमात्मानं लोकं चात्मनि पश्यति
He sees the self established in the world, and the world within the self.
पश्यतः सर्वभूतानि सर्वावस्थासु सर्वदा
For one who sees all beings at all times and in every state—
ज्ञानेन विविधात्क्लेशान्न निवृत्तिश्च देहजात्
Through knowledge, the various afflictions do not cease, nor does the birth of the body.
अनादिनिधनं जन्तुमात्मनि स्थितमव्ययम्
The being, without beginning or end, abides in the self, imperishable.
यो जन्तुः स्वकृतैस्तैस्तैः कर्मभिर्नित्यदुःखितः
That being, always afflicted by its own actions, by those various deeds—
ततः कर्म समादत्ते पुनरन्यन्नवं बहु
Then again takes up new and many other actions.
अजस्रमेव मोहान्तो दुःखेषु सुखसंज्ञितः
Constantly, even in the midst of delusion, he calls suffering by the name of happiness.
ततो निवृत्तो बन्धात्स्वात्कर्मणामुदयादिह
Then, freed from bondage, from the arising of his own actions here—
संयमेन च संबन्धान्निवृत्त्या तपसो बलात्
By restraint and by the power of austerity, through disconnection from attachments—
सम्प्राप्ता बहवः सिद्धिं अव्याबाधां सुखोदयाम्
Many have attained perfection, undisturbed and with the arising of happiness.
निशम्य लभ्यते बुद्धिर्लब्धायां सुखमेधते
By hearing, understanding is gained; when understanding is gained, happiness increases.
दिवसे दिवसे मूढमाविशन्ति न पण्डितम्
Day by day, the deluded approach, but not the wise.
मनुष्या मानसैर्दुःखैर्युज्यन्ते ये ऽल्पबुद्धयः
Men of little understanding are afflicted by mental sorrows.
ताननाद्रियमाणश्च स्नेहबन्धाद्विमुच्यते
He who does not honor them is freed from the bonds of affection.