Yoga Vasistha

अहम् बद्धो विमुक्तस् स्याम् इति यस्यास्ति निश्चयः । नात्यन्ततज्ज्ञो नातज्ज्ञस् सो ऽस्मिञ् शास्त्रे ऽधिकारवान्

He who is firmly resolved, 'I am bound, I shall be liberated,'—he who is neither entirely ignorant nor fully enlightened—he alone is qualified for this scripture.

कथोपायान् विचार्यादौ मोक्षोपायान् इमान् अथ । यो विचारयति प्राज्ञो न स भूयो ऽभिजायते

The wise one who, at the outset, examines these methods of liberation and the means to freedom, does not take birth again.

अस्मिन् रामायणे नाम कथोपायान् महाफलान् । एतांस् तु प्रथमं कृत्वा पुराहम् अरिमर्दन

In this work called the Rāmāyaṇa, I, O destroyer of foes, first set forth these fruitful stories as means to liberation.

शिष्यायास्मै विनीताय भरद्वाजाय धीमते । एकाग्रो दत्तवान् रम्यान् मणीन् अब्धिर् इवार्थिने

To his devoted and disciplined disciple, the wise Bharadvāja, the ocean, intent and single-minded, gave these delightful gems, as to one who seeks them.

तत एते कथोपाया भरद्वाजेन धीमता । कस्मिंश्चिन् मेरुगहने ब्रह्मणो ऽग्र उदाहृताः

Then these stories, the means to liberation, were recited by the wise Bharadvāja in a certain cave on Mount Meru, at the behest of Brahmā.

अथास्य तुष्टो भगवान् ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः । वरं पुत्र गृहाणेति समुवाच महाशयः

Then the blessed Lord Brahmā, the grandsire of the worlds, being pleased, spoke to him with great kindness: 'My son, choose a boon.'

भगवन् भूतभव्येश वरो ऽयं मे ऽद्य रोचते । येनेयं जनता दुःखान् मुच्यते तद् उदाहर

Lord, ruler of past and future, this boon pleases me today: declare that by which these people may be freed from suffering.

गुरुं वाल्मीकिम् अत्राशु प्रार्थयस्व प्रयत्नतः । तेनेदं यत् समारब्धं रामायणम् अनिन्दितम्

Diligently approach the teacher Vālmīki here and request him; by him, this flawless Rāmāyaṇa has been undertaken.

तस्मिञ् ज्ञाते नरो मोहात् समग्रात् सन्तरिष्यति । सेतुनेवाम्बुधेः पारम् अपारगुणशालिना

Whoever knows this, even if deluded, will cross over all completely—like one with a bridge crosses the ocean, which is otherwise impassable and full of dangers.

इत्य् उक्त्वा स भरद्वाजं परमेष्ठी ममाश्रमम् । अभ्यागमत् समं तेन भरद्वाजेन भूतकृत्

Having spoken thus to Bharadvāja, the great creator came to my hermitage together with Bharadvāja.

तूर्णं सम्पूजितो देवस् सो ऽर्घ्यपाद्यादिना मया । अवोचन् मां महासत्त्वस् सर्वभूतहिते रतः

Quickly I honored the god with water for washing the feet and other offerings; that great soul, devoted to the welfare of all beings, spoke to me.

रामस्वभावकथनाद् अस्माद् वरमुने त्वया । नोद्योगस् सम्परित्याज्य आ समाप्तेर् अनिन्दितात्

O noble sage, in narrating the nature of Rāma, you must not abandon your effort until this blameless task is completed.

ज्ञातेनानेन लोको ऽयम् अस्मात् संसारसङ्कटात् । समुत्तरिष्यति क्षिप्रं पोतेनेवाशु सागरात्

By knowing this, the world will swiftly cross over from the peril of saṃsāra, just as one quickly crosses the ocean by means of a boat.

वक्तुं तवैतम् एवार्थम् अहम् आगतवान् अयम् । कुरु लोकहितार्थं त्वं शास्त्रम् इत्य् उक्तवान् अजः

It is for the sake of telling you this very matter that I have come; compose this scripture for the welfare of the world—so said the Unborn One.

मम पुण्याश्रमात् तस्मात् क्षणाद् अन्तर्धिम् आगतः । मुहूर्ताद् उद्यतः प्रोच्चैस् तरङ्ग इव वारिणः

From my blessed hermitage, he vanished in an instant—rising up in a moment, like a wave from the water.

तस्मिन् प्रयाते भगवत्य् अहं विस्मयम् आगतः । पुनस् तत्र भरद्वाजम् अपृच्छं स्वच्छया धिया

When that venerable one departed, I was filled with wonder; again, with a clear mind, I questioned Bharadvāja there.

किम् एतद् ब्रह्मणा प्रोक्तम् भरद्वाज वदाशु मे । इत्य् उक्तेन पुनः प्रोक्तम् भरद्वाजेन मे ऽनघ

Bharadvāja, tell me quickly what this was that Brahmā spoke; when I said this, Bharadvāja replied to me again, O sinless one.

एतद् उक्तम् भगवता यथा रामायणं कुरु । सर्वलोकहितायाशु संसारार्णवपोतकम्

This is what the Lord said: 'Compose the Rāmāyaṇa in such a way that it becomes a swift boat across the ocean of worldly existence, for the welfare of all beings.'

मह्यं च भगवन् ब्रूहि कथं संसारसङ्कटे । रामो व्यवहृतो ऽप्य् अस्मिन् भरतश् च महामनाः

O venerable one, tell me also: how did Rāma, though engaged in worldly affairs, and the high-minded Bharata, act in this difficult world?

शत्रुघ्नो लक्ष्मणश् चापि सीता चापि यशस्विनी । रामानुयायिनस् ते वा मन्त्रिपुत्रा महाधियः

And how did Śatrughna, Lakṣmaṇa, and the illustrious Sītā, as well as those great-minded sons of ministers who followed Rāma,

निर्दुःखतां कथं ते तु प्राप्तास् तद् ब्रूहि मे स्फुटम् । तथैवाहं तरिष्यामि ततो जनतया सह

How did they attain freedom from suffering? Tell me this clearly, so that I too may cross over, along with the people.

भरद्वाजेन राजेन्द्र यदेत्य् उक्तो ऽस्मि सादरम् । तदा कर्तुं विभोर् आज्ञाम् अहं वक्तुं प्रवृत्तवान्

When Bharadvāja, O king, respectfully said, 'So be it,' I then set about to carry out the command of the Lord and began to speak.

शृणु वत्स भरद्वाज यथापृष्टं वदामि ते । श्रुतेन येन सम्मोहम् अलं दूरीकरिष्यसि

Listen, dear Bharadvāja, I will tell you as you have asked; by hearing this, you will surely dispel all delusion.

तथा व्यवहर प्राज्ञ यथा व्यवहृतस् सुखी । सर्वासंसक्तया बुद्ध्या रामो राजीवलोचनः

Therefore, act wisely, just as the lotus-eyed Rama acted, with a mind unattached to all things, and thus remained happy.

लक्ष्मणो भरतश् चैव शत्रुघ्नश् च महामनाः । कौसल्या च सुमित्रा च सीता दशरथस् तथा

Likewise Lakshmana, Bharata, and the high-minded Shatrughna, as well as Kausalya, Sumitra, Sita, and also Dasharatha,

कृतास्थश् चाविरोधश् च बोधपारम् उपागतः । वसिष्ठो वामदेवश् च मन्त्रिणो ऽष्टौ तथेतरे

Having attained steadfastness and non-opposition, and having reached the highest knowledge, so too Vasistha, Vamadeva, and the eight other ministers,

घृष्टिर् विकुन्तो भामश् च सत्यवर्धन एव च । विभीषणस् सुषेणश् च हनुमान् इन्द्रजित् तथा

Ghrishti, Vikukshi, Bhama, Satyavardhana, Vibhishana, Sushena, Hanuman, and likewise Indrajit,

एते ऽष्टाविंशतिः प्रोक्तास् समनीरागचेतसः । जीवन्मुक्ता महात्मानो यथाप्राप्तानुवर्तिनः

These twenty-eight, whose minds are free from attachment, are said to be great souls liberated while living, following whatever comes to them.

एभिर् यथा हृतं दत्तं गृहीतम् उषितं स्मृतम् । तथा चेद् वर्तसे पुत्र मुक्त एवासि सङ्कटात्

If, my son, you live as they did—giving, taking, dwelling, and remembering without attachment—then you are truly free from distress.