संध्यासूक्तिविशेषेण चिंतयेन्नित्यमीश्वरम् । कृत्वा हृत्पद्मनिलये विश्वाख्यं विश्वसंभवम्
With special recitation at twilight, he should always contemplate the Lord, having established in the lotus of the heart the one called Viśva, the source of the universe.
आत्मानं सर्वभूतानां परस्तात्तमसः स्थितम् । सर्वस्याधारमव्यक्तमानंदं ज्योतिरव्ययम्
He should meditate on the Self, which abides beyond darkness in all beings, the imperceptible foundation of all, blissful, the undecaying light.
प्रधानपुरुषातीतमाकाशं दहनं शिवम् । तदंतं सर्वभावानामीश्वरं ब्रह्मरूपिणम्
Transcending both matter and spirit, space, fire, and auspiciousness, that end of all beings, the Lord, the one of the form of Brahman.
ॐकारांतेथवात्मानं समाप्य परमात्मनि । आकाशे देवमीशानं ध्यायीताकाशमध्यगम्
Or, having merged the self in the Supreme Self at the close of the syllable Oṃ, he should meditate on the Lord, the ruler, present in the midst of space.
कारणं सर्वभावानामानंदैकसमाश्रयम् । पुराणपुरुषं विष्णुं ध्यायन्मुच्येत बंधनात्
He should meditate on Viṣṇu, the ancient person, the cause of all beings, the sole refuge of bliss; by meditating thus, one is freed from bondage.
यद्वा गुहादौ प्रकृतौ जगत्संमोहनालये । विचिंत्य परमं व्योम सर्वभूतैककारणम्
Or, reflecting on the supreme ether, the sole cause of all beings, in the cave of the heart, in nature, the abode that bewilders the world.
जीवनं सर्वभूतानां यत्र लोकः प्रलीयते । आनंदं ब्रह्मणः सूक्ष्मं यत्पश्यंति मुमुक्षवः
That in which is the life of all beings, where the world dissolves, the subtle bliss of Brahman, which those seeking liberation perceive.
तन्मध्ये निहितं ब्रह्म केवलं ज्ञानलक्षणम् । अनंतं सत्यमीशानं विचिंत्यासीत वाग्यतः
Within that is established Brahman alone, characterized by knowledge, infinite, true, the Lord; reflecting thus, one should remain, restrained in speech.
गुह्याद्गुह्यतमं ज्ञानं यतीनामेतदीरितम् । योवतिष्ठेत्सदानेन सोश्नुते योगमैश्वरम्
This knowledge, most secret of the secret, has been declared for renunciates; whoever abides in it always, attains the yoga of lordliness.
तस्माज्ज्ञानरतो नित्यमात्मविद्यापरायणः । ज्ञानं समभ्यसेद्ब्रह्म येन मुच्येत बंधनात्
Therefore, always devoted to knowledge, intent on the science of the self, one should practice knowledge of Brahman, by which one is freed from bondage.
मत्वा पृथक्त्वमात्मानं सर्वस्मादेव केवलम् । आनंदमक्षरं ज्ञानं ध्यायेत च ततः परम्
Considering the self as distinct, alone from all, one should then meditate upon the supreme—blissful, imperishable, and knowledge itself.
यस्माद्भवंति भूतानि यज्ज्ञात्वा नेह जायते । स तस्मादीश्वरो देवः परस्ताद्योधितिष्ठति
From whom beings arise, and knowing whom, one is not born here again—he is that Lord, the God, who stands beyond all.
यदंतरे तद्गमनं शाश्वतं शिवमव्ययम् । य इदं स्वपरोक्षस्तु स देवः स्यान्महेश्वरः
That eternal, auspicious, unchanging presence within, to which one goes—he who directly perceives this is the great Lord, Maheśvara.
व्रतानि यानि भिक्षूणां तथैवायं व्रतानि च । एकैकातिक्रमेणैव प्रायश्चित्तं विधीयते
The vows prescribed for mendicants, and likewise these vows here, for each transgression, expiation is prescribed accordingly.
उपेत्य च स्त्रियं कामात्प्रायश्चित्तं समाहितः । प्राणायामसमायुक्तं कुर्य्यात्सांतपनं शुचिः
If, driven by desire, one approaches a woman, he should undertake expiation with a concentrated mind, performing the Sāṃtapana penance in purity, accompanied by breath-control.
ततश्चरेत नियमात्कृच्छ्रं संयतमानसः । पुनराश्रममागम्य चरेद्भिक्षुरतंद्रितः
Then, with self-restraint, he should practice the difficult penance, and, returning again to his order, the mendicant should live untiringly.
न धर्मयुक्तमनृतं हिनस्तीति मनीषिणः । तथापि च न कर्तव्यः प्रसंगो ह्येष दारुणः
The wise say that a falsehood spoken for righteousness does not destroy virtue; yet even so, it should not be done, for such conduct is indeed dreadful.
एकरात्रोपवासश्च प्राणायामशतं तथा । उक्त्वानृतं प्रकर्तव्यं यतिना धर्मलिप्सुना
Fasting for one night and performing a hundred breath-controls—this is the prescribed expiation for an ascetic who, desiring righteousness, has spoken a falsehood.
परमापद्गतेनापि न कार्यं स्तेयमन्यतः । स्तेयादभ्यधिकः कश्चिन्नास्त्यधर्म इति स्मृतिः
Even in the greatest distress, one should never commit theft; for, according to tradition, there is no unrighteousness greater than stealing.
हिंसा चैवापरा तृष्णा याच्ञात्मज्ञाननाशिका । यदेतद्द्रविणं नाम प्राणा ह्येते बहिश्चराः २७ द्रविण। स तस्य हरते प्राणान्यो यस्य हरते धनम् । एवं कृत्वा स दुष्टात्मा भिन्नवृत्तो व्रतच्युतः
Violence and excessive desire, as well as begging, destroy self-knowledge; what is called wealth—these are outwardly moving vital forces. He who takes another's wealth takes his very life; having done so, that wicked soul, deviating from his vows, is fallen.
भूयो निर्वेदमापन्नश्चरेद्भिक्षुरतंद्रितः । अकस्मादेव हिंसां तु यदि भिक्षुः समाचरेत्
Again, having attained remorse, the mendicant should live untiringly; but if a mendicant commits violence suddenly—
कुर्यात्कृच्छ्रातिकृच्छ्रं तु चांद्रायणमथापि वा । स्कंदेतेंद्रियदौर्बल्यात्स्त्रियं दृष्ट्वा यतिर्यदि
He should perform the most severe penance, or the Cāndrāyaṇa vow; if, due to weakness of the senses, an ascetic is aroused upon seeing a woman—
तेन धारयितव्या वै प्राणायामास्तु षोडश । दिवास्कंदे त्रिरात्रं स्यात्प्राणायामशतं बुधाः
He should then practice sixteen breath-controls; if it occurs during the day, he should fast for three nights, and the wise prescribe a hundred breath-controls.
एकान्ने मधुमांसे च नवश्राद्धे तथैव च । प्रत्यक्षलवणे चोक्तं प्राजापत्यं विशोधनम्
For eating food from a single source, honey, meat, or at a new śrāddha, and for taking salt directly, the Prājāpatya expiation is prescribed for purification.
ध्याननिष्ठस्य सततं नश्यते सर्वपातकम् । तस्मान्नारायणं ध्यात्वा तस्य ध्यानपरो भवेत्
For one always established in meditation, all sins are destroyed; therefore, having meditated on Nārāyaṇa, one should be devoted to meditation upon him.
यद्ब्रह्मणः परं ज्योतिः प्रविष्टाक्षरमव्ययम् । योंतरात्मा परं ब्रह्म स विज्ञेयो महेश्वरः
That supreme light of Brahman, which has entered the imperishable and unchanging, the inner self, the supreme Brahman—he is to be known as Maheśvara.
एष देवो महादेवः केवलः परमं शिवः । तदेवाक्षरमद्वैतं तदा नित्यं परं पदम्
This God, the great God, is the one, the supreme, the auspicious; that alone is the imperishable nondual, that is the eternal, supreme state.
तस्मान्महीयते देवे स्वधाम्नि ज्ञानसंज्ञिते । आत्मयोगात्परे तत्वे महादेवस्ततः स्मृतः
Therefore, the God is revered in his own abode, called knowledge; through union with the self in the highest reality, he is thus remembered as Mahādeva.
नान्यं देवं महादेवाद्व्यतिरिक्तं प्रपश्यति । तमेवात्मानमन्वेति यः स याति परं पदम्
He perceives no other god apart from the great Lord; whoever follows Him alone as the self attains the supreme state.
मन्यंते ये स्वमात्मानं विभिन्नं परमेश्वरात् । न ते पश्यंति तं देवं वृथा तेषां परिश्रमः
Those who consider their own self as separate from the Supreme Lord do not see that God; their effort is in vain.