रात्रौ स्वप्नान्प्रपश्येत दिवा चैतन्यवर्जितः । वैकल्येन तथांगानां व्याप्तो देवि दिनेदिने
At night, he sees dreams; by day, he is devoid of consciousness. Thus, O Devi, he is afflicted by the impairment of his limbs, day by day.
संसारे भ्रममाणेन वैराग्यं तत्र दर्शितम् । निःशंकं बंधुहीनं च प्रशांतं तुष्टमेव च
For one wandering in worldly existence, detachment is revealed there: without doubt, without kin, peaceful, and content.
तमुवाच तदात्मा वै कामक्रोधविवर्जितम् । को भवान्नग्नरूपेण कथं मित्रैर्न लज्जसे
Then the self, free from desire and anger, spoke: Who are you, in this naked form? How is it that you do not feel shame among friends?
यत्र लोकाः स्त्रियो वृद्धा युवत्यो मातरस्तथा । एतासां हि गतो मध्ये न बिभेषि अनावृतः
Where people, women, elders, young women, and mothers are present, you have gone among them, uncovered, and do not fear.
वीतराग उवाच- को ह्यत्र नग्नो दृश्येत न नग्नोस्मीति वै कदा । सुसंबद्धस्त्वमेवापि परिधान समन्वितः
The dispassionate one spoke: Who here is seen as naked? I am never naked. You, well-bound and clothed, are the one adorned with garments.
न नग्नोस्मि कदा दिव्यभवान्नग्नः प्रदृश्यते । इंद्रियार्थवशेवर्ती मर्यादापरिवर्जितः
I am never naked; only one who is subject to the senses and their objects, and who abandons restraint, is truly seen as naked.
आत्मोवाच- पुरुषस्य का हि मर्यादा तामाचक्ष्व च सुव्रत । विस्तरेण महाप्राज्ञ यदि जानासि निश्चितम्
The self spoke: What is the restraint for a person? Tell me, O virtuous one, in detail, O great sage, if you know it with certainty.
वीतरागो महाप्राज्ञस्तमुवाच महामतिः । सुस्थैर्यं भजते चित्तं सुखदुःखेषु नित्यदा
The dispassionate, wise one, with great intellect, replied: The mind attains firm steadiness always, in both pleasure and pain.
क्लेशितं सर्वभावैश्च तेषुतेषु परित्यजेत् । अथ लज्जां प्रवक्ष्यामि मनो या निर्विशत्यलम्
When afflicted by all conditions, one abandons them; now I will speak of shame, which the mind enters completely.
मयाद्यैवं न कर्तव्यं नग्नः स्थानविवर्जितः । पश्चात्तापे सुसंलीनः सा लज्जा परिकथ्यते
I should not act thus today, standing naked and without place; when one is deeply regretful afterward, that is called shame.
कस्य लज्जा प्रकर्तव्या द्वितीयो नास्ति सर्वदा । एकश्च पुरुषो दिव्यः कस्य किंचिन्न नाशयेत्
For whom should shame be enacted? There is never a second. The person is alone and divine; who can destroy anything of his?
अथ लोकान्प्रवक्ष्यामि ये त्वया परिकीर्तिताः । यथा कुलालकश्चक्रे मृत्पिंडं च निधापयेत्
Now I will speak of the people you mentioned: just as a potter places a lump of clay on the wheel,
भ्रामयित्वा तु सूत्रेण नानाभेदान्प्रकाशयेत् । भांडानां तु सहस्राणि स्वेच्छया मतिसंस्थितः
Having spun it with a thread, he reveals various forms; thousands of vessels, according to his own wish and intelligence.
तथायं सृजते धाता नानारूपाणि नान्यथा । पश्चाद्विनाशमायांति येनकेनापि हेतुना
In the same way, the creator produces various forms, not otherwise; afterward, they perish for whatever reason.
सर्वदैव स्थिता ये च ये लोकाश्च सनातनाः । तेषां लज्जा प्रकर्तव्या नावर्तंते हि ते भुवि
Those who are always established, and the eternal worlds, for them shame should be enacted; they do not return to earth.
आकाशवायुतेजांसि पृथ्वी चापश्च पंचमः । अमी लोकाः प्रकाशंते ये च सर्वत्र संस्थिताः
Space, air, fire, earth, and water as the fifth—these worlds are manifest, and are established everywhere.
सत्त्वानामंगदेशेषु पंचैतेषु सुसंस्थिताः । सर्वत्रैव च वर्तंते कस्य लज्जा विधीयते
The beings are well established in these five elements, in every limb; they exist everywhere—so for whom is shame prescribed?
स्त्रीणां रूपं प्रवक्ष्यामि श्रूयतां तात सांप्रतम् । यथाघटसहस्रेषुसोदकेषुविराजते
I will now speak of the form of women; listen, dear one, at this moment: just as among thousands of pots, the water shines forth.
एकश्चंद्रो हि सर्वत्र भवांस्तद्वद्विराजते । गतो जंतुसहस्रेषु मोहचक्रे महात्मवान्
Just as one moon shines everywhere, so too does the great soul shine forth, having departed from the multitude of beings caught in the wheel of delusion.
स्थावरेषु च सर्वेषु जंगमेषु तथा भवान् । योनिद्वारेण पापेन मायामोहमयेन वै
In all stationary and moving beings, you enter through the gateway of birth, by means of sin and the illusion of delusion.
कुचाभ्यां च नितंबाभ्यां वयसा च विराजते । हृन्मांसस्याधिका वृद्धिर्दृष्टा चात्र न संशयः
She shines by her breasts, hips, and youth; here, an increase of heart's flesh is observed—of this there is no doubt.
पतनाय च लोकानां मोहरूपं विदर्शितम् । नभवत्येव सा नारी या त्वया परिकीर्तिता
For the downfall of beings, her form as delusion is displayed; that woman whom you described does not truly exist.
लीलया कुरुते धाता विनोदाय सदात्मनः । यथा नार्यास्तथा पुंसो जीवः सर्वत्र संस्थितः
The Creator, by his play, always acts for his own delight; as it is with woman, so too is the soul established everywhere in man.
कुचयोनिविहीना ये जीवन्मुक्ताः सदैव हि । नरस्तु पुरुषः प्रोक्तो नारी प्रकृतिरुच्यते
Those who are devoid of breasts and womb are always liberated while living; the man is called 'puruṣa,' and woman is said to be 'prakṛti.'
रमते तेन वै सार्द्धं न मुक्ता हि कदाचन । भवान्प्रकृतिसंयुक्तः पुरुषेषु प्रदृश्यते
He delights together with her, but never attains liberation; you are seen among men, united with nature.
कः कस्य कुरुते लज्जामेवं ज्ञात्वा सुखं व्रज । वृद्धां स्त्रियं प्रवक्ष्यामि सदावृद्धां वरानने
Who should feel shame for whom, knowing this? Go to happiness. I will describe to you the old woman, ever aged, O beautiful-faced one.
त्वचा जर्जरतां याता यस्याप्यंगे वरानने । श्वेतैश्चैव तथाकेशैः पलितैश्च समाकुला
Her skin has become withered, O beautiful-faced one, and her limbs too; she is troubled by white and grey hair.
बलहीनाथ दीनापि व्यापिता वलिना तदा । नेयं वृद्धा भवेन्नारी परं वृद्धा च कथ्यते
Then, weak and miserable, covered with wrinkles, she is not considered a woman in old age, but is called old.
एतस्या लक्षणं प्रोक्तं युवतीं प्रवदाम्यहम् । ज्ञानेन वर्द्धते नित्यं जीवपार्श्वे समाश्रिता
This is her characteristic described; now I will speak of the young woman, who always grows in knowledge, sheltered at the side of the soul.
सुमतिर्नाम संप्रोक्ता सा वृद्धा युवतीति च । नारी पुरुषलोकेषु सर्वदैव प्रतिष्ठिता
She is called Sumati, both old and young; woman is always established among men.