महामोहः समुत्पन्नो ममांगे मुनिपुंगव । व्यापकः सर्वलोकानां ममांगे मतिनाशकः
A great delusion has arisen in my being, O foremost of sages, pervading all the worlds, destroying discernment in me.
तस्मान्निद्रा समुत्पन्ना यथा मर्त्येषु वर्तते । सुप्तया तु मया दृष्टः स्वप्नो वै दारुणो मुने
From that, sleep arose, just as it occurs among mortals; and while I slept, O sage, I saw a dreadful dream.
केनाप्युक्तं समेत्यैव पुरतो द्विजसत्तम । अव्यक्तोऽसौ हृषीकेशः संसारं स गमिष्यति
Someone, having approached, spoke before me, O best of twice-born: 'That unmanifest Hṛṣīkeśa will enter saṃsāra.'
तदा प्रभृति दुःखेन व्यापिताहं महामते । तन्मे त्वं कारणं ब्रूहि भवाञ्ज्ञानवतां वरः
From that time, O great-minded one, I have been overcome by sorrow; tell me the cause of this, for you are the foremost among the wise.
नारद उवाच- वातिकः पैत्तिकश्चैव कफजः सान्निपातिकः । स्वप्नः प्रवर्तते भद्रे मानवेषु न संशयः
Nārada said: O blessed one, among humans, dreams arise from vāta, pitta, kapha, or a combination—there is no doubt.
न जायते च देवेषु स्वप्नो निद्रा च सुंदरि । आदित्योदयवेलायां दृश्यते स्वप्न उत्तमः
But among the gods, O beautiful one, neither dream nor sleep occurs; the best dream is seen at the time of sunrise.
सत्स्वप्नो मानवानां हि पुण्यस्य फलदायकः । अन्यदेवं प्रवक्ष्यामि स्वप्नस्य कारणं शुभे
A good dream for humans indeed gives the fruit of merit; now, O auspicious one, I will tell you another cause of dreams.
महावातांदोलनैश्च चलंत्यापो वरानने । त्रुटंत्यंबुकणाः सूक्ष्मास्तस्मादुदकसंचयात्
By the agitation of great winds, O lovely-faced one, waters are disturbed; subtle drops are broken off from the mass of water.
बहिरेव पतंत्येते निर्मलांबुकणाः शुभे । पुनर्लयं प्रयांत्येते दृश्यादृश्या भवंति वै
These pure drops fall outside, O auspicious one; then they dissolve again, becoming visible or invisible.
तद्वत्स्वप्नस्य वै भावः कथ्यते शृणु भामिनि । आत्मा शुद्धो विरक्तस्तु रागद्वेषविवर्जितः
In the same way, listen, O beautiful one, to the nature of dreams: the self is pure, detached, free from passion and aversion.
पंचभूतात्मकानां च मुषित्वैव सुनिश्चलः । षड्विंशतिसु तत्वानां मध्ये चैष विराजते
Having abandoned the five-elemental bodies, it becomes perfectly still; among the twenty-six principles, it shines forth in the midst.
शुद्धात्मा केवलो नित्यः प्रकृतेः संगतिं गतः । तद्भावैर्वायुरूपैश्च चलते स्थानतो यदा
The pure self, alone, eternal, having come into contact with nature, moves from its place when affected by those conditions in the form of wind.
आत्मनस्तेजसश्चैव प्रतितेजः प्रजायते । अंतरात्मा शुभं नाम तस्य एव प्रकथ्यते
From the Self and its radiance, another radiance is indeed produced; this is called the inner self, O auspicious one.
पयसश्च यथा भिन्ना भवंत्यंबुकणाः शुभे । आत्मनस्तु तथा तेज अंतरात्मा प्रकथ्यते
Just as, O auspicious one, separate drops arise from water, so too from the Self's radiance, the inner self is said to arise.
स हि पृथ्वी स वै वायुः स चाप्याकाश एव हि । स वै तोयं स दीप्येत एते पंच पुरा कृताः
That indeed is earth, that is air, and that is truly space; that is water, that shines forth—these five were made in the beginning.
आत्मनस्तेजसो भूता मलरूपा महात्मनः । तस्यापि संगतिं प्राप्ता एकत्वं हि प्रयांति ते
The elements, which are forms of impurity, arise from the radiance of the great Self; having attained union with it, they return to oneness.
स्वात्मभावप्रदोषेण नाशयंति वरानने । तत्पिंडमन्यमिच्छंति वारं वारं वरानने
Through the corruption of their own nature, O beautiful-faced one, they bring about destruction, and again and again desire another embodiment.
तेषां क्रीडाविहारोयं सृष्टिसंबंधकारणम् । उदकस्य तरंगस्तु जायते च विलीयते
For them, this play and sport is the cause of the connection with creation; just as a wave of water arises and dissolves.
पुनर्भूतिः पुनर्हानिस्तादृशस्य पुनः पुनः । अपां रूपस्य दृष्टांतं तद्वदेषां न संशयः
Repeated arising and dissolution happens again and again for such forms; this is the example of water—so it is for them, without doubt.
आत्मा न नश्यते देवि तेजो वायुर्न नश्यति । न नश्यतो धराकाशौ न नश्यंत्याप एव च
The Self does not perish, O goddess, nor does radiance or air perish; nor do earth and space perish, nor indeed do waters.
पंचैव आत्मना सार्द्धं प्रभवंति प्रयांति च । आत्मादयो ह्यमी भद्रे नित्यरूपा न संशयः
These five, together with the Self, arise and dissolve; these, beginning with the Self, O blessed one, are of eternal nature, without doubt.
पिंड एव प्रणश्येत तेषां संजात एव च । विषयाणां सुदोषैः स रागद्वेषादिभिर्हतः
Only the body perishes, and is born among them; afflicted by the faults of the senses, struck by passion, hatred, and the like.
प्राणाः प्रयांति वै पिंडात्पंचपंचात्मका द्विज । पिंडांते वसते आत्मा प्रतिरूपस्तु तस्य च
The vital breaths depart from the body, O twice-born one, being of fivefold nature; at the end of the body, the Self abides, and its reflection as well.
अंतरात्मा यथा चाग्नेः स्फुलिंगस्तु प्रकाशते । तथा प्रकाशमायाति दृश्यादृश्यः प्रजायते
Just as a spark appears from fire, so the inner self manifests, becoming both visible and invisible.
शुद्धात्मा च परं ब्रह्म सदा जागर्ति नित्यशः । अंतरात्मा प्रबद्धस्तु प्रकृतेश्च महागुणैः
The pure Self, which is the supreme Brahman, always remains awake eternally; but the inner self is bound by the great qualities of nature.
अन्नाहारेण संपुष्टैरंतरात्मा सुखं व्रजेत् । सुसुखाज्जायते मोहस्तस्मान्मनः प्रमुह्यति
When nourished by food, the inner self attains happiness; from excessive comfort arises delusion, and thus the mind becomes bewildered.
पश्चात्संजायते निद्रा तामसी लयवर्द्धिनी । नाडीमार्गेण यः सूर्यो मेरुमुल्लंघ्य गच्छति
Afterwards, sleep arises, tamasic and increasing dissolution; through the pathway of the nāḍīs, the sun crosses over Meru.
तदा रात्रिः प्रजायेत यावन्नोदयते रविः । विषयांधकारैर्मुक्तस्तु अंतरात्मा प्रकाशते
Then night is produced, until the sun rises; freed from the darkness of the senses, the inner self shines forth.
भावैस्तत्त्वात्मकानां तु पंचतत्त्वैः प्रपोषितैः । पूर्वजन्मस्थितैः पिंडैरंतरात्मा प्रगृह्यते
Through the dispositions composed of the five elements, nourished by the five principles, and by bodies acquired from previous births, the inner self is grasped.
स यास्यति च वै स्थानमुच्चावचं महामते । संसार अंतरात्मा वै दोषैर्बद्धः प्रणीयते
It will go to a higher or lower state, O wise one; the inner self, bound by faults, is led through the cycle of existence.