देहगेहाद् गते चित्तयक्षे बलवतां वर । निराधिर् विगतोद्वेगं तिष्ठ नास्ति भयं तव
When the goblin of the mind has departed from the house of the body, O best of the strong, remain without support and free from agitation—there is no fear for you.
नीराग एव निरुपाञ्जन एव चास्मीत्य् एतावतैव गलिता तव चित्तसत्ता । निर्दुःखम् उत्तमपदं परमं गतो ऽसि तिष्ठोपशान्तसकलैषण एवम् अन्तः
When you are free of passion and without any coloring, then your mind's existence has dissolved; you have attained the highest, sorrowless state—remain thus, with all desires pacified, within.
एनाम् अनुसरन् राम चित्तसत्ताम् अपावनीम् । संसारबीजकणिकां जीवबन्धनवागुराम्
Following this impure existence of mind, O Rama, is like pursuing the tiny seed of worldly existence, the snare that binds the soul.
आत्मा त्यक्तात्मरूपाभो मलिनाम् आपतन् दशाम् । चिन्तां समनुसन्धत्ते धत्ते च कलनामलम्
The self, having abandoned its own true nature, falls into a state of impurity, becomes entangled in anxiety, and takes up a multitude of thoughts.
मूर्छमाना महामोहदायिनी भयकारिणी । तृष्णा विषलतारूपा मूर्छाम् एव प्रयच्छति
Desire, which brings about delusion and fear, takes the form of a poisonous creeper and causes a stupefaction of the mind.
यदा यदोदेति तदा महामोहप्रदायिनी । तृष्णा कृष्णनिशेवेयम् अनन्तान्ध्यविकारिणी
Whenever it arises, this desire bestows great delusion; it is like a dark night, endless and ever-changing in its blindness.
कल्पानलशिखादाहं सोढुं शक्ता हरादयः । तृष्णानलशिखादाहं सोढुं शक्ता न केचन
Even deities like Shiva can endure the burning flames of the cosmic fire, but none can withstand the scorching flames of desire.
तीक्ष्णा कृष्णा सुदीर्घा च वहत्य् अङ्गे सदा निजे । शीतलेवासुखोदर्का घोरा तृष्णाकृपाणिका
Sharp, dark, and exceedingly long, the blade of desire always resides in one's own being; though cold in appearance, it brings terrible suffering.
यान्य् एतानि दुरन्तानि दुर्धराण्य् उद्धतानि च । तृष्णावल्ल्याः फलानीह तानि दुःखानि राघव
All these relentless, uncontrollable, and wild sufferings, O Raghava, are the fruits here of the creeper of desire.
अदृश्यैवात्ति मांसास्थिरुधिरादि शरीरकात् । मनोबिलविलीनैषा तृष्णावनशुनी नृणाम्
Invisible, it consumes flesh, bone, blood, and more from the body; this dog of the forest called desire devours people, having merged with the mind.
क्षणम् उल्लासम् आयाति क्षणम् आयाति शून्यताम् । जडा विदलयत्य् आशु तृष्णाप्रावृट्तरङ्गिणी
For a moment it brings delight, for a moment emptiness; this wave of desire, surging like the monsoon, swiftly shatters the dull-witted.
दृष्टदैन्यो हतस्वान्तो हतौजा याति नीचताम् । मुह्यते रौति पतति तृष्णयाभिहतो जनः
When a person is overcome by poverty, his spirit is broken, his strength destroyed, and he sinks into degradation; struck by craving, he becomes confused, cries out, and falls.
न स्थिता कोटरे यस्य तृष्णाकृष्णभुजङ्गमी । तस्य प्राणानिलास् स्वस्थाः पुंसो हृदयरन्ध्रगाः
For one whose heart is not occupied by the serpent of craving, the vital breaths remain steady, passing through the channels of the heart.
नूनम् अस्तङ्गतो यत्र तृष्णाकृष्णनिशाक्रमः । पुण्यानि तत्र वर्धन्ते शुक्लपक्ष इवेन्दवः
Where the darkness of craving has truly set, there virtue increases, just as the moon waxes in the bright fortnight.
यो न तृष्णाघुणावल्या क्षतः पुरुषपादपः । पुण्यप्रसूनेन सदा सो ऽवभाति विकासिना
The tree of man who is not wounded by the coils of craving always shines forth, blossoming with the flower of virtue.
अनन्ताकुलकल्लोला विवर्तावर्तसङ्कुला । प्रवहत्य् आशयारण्ये तृष्णामोहनदी नृणाम्
The river of delusion, surging with endless waves and swirling currents, flows through the forest of human desires.
तृष्णयेमे जनास् सर्वे सूत्रयन्त्रपतत्रिवत् । उह्यन्ते प्रविशीर्यन्ते संह्रियन्ते च भूरिशः
All these people are moved, shattered, and gathered again and again by craving, like puppets on strings.
मूलान्य् अपि सुसूक्ष्मापि कठिनायसकर्कशा । तृष्णा परशुधारेव लगन्ती विनिकृन्तति
Even the finest and hardest roots are cut through by craving, as if by the blade of an axe.
निपतत्य् अवटे मूढस् तृष्णाम् अनुसरञ् जनः । नीलाम् अनुपतञ् श्वभ्रतृणशाखां यथैणकः
A foolish person, following craving, falls into a chasm, like a deer leaping after a blue grass blade over a pit.
नापन् नापि जरा न क्षुत् तथा जरयति क्षणात् । यथा जरयति क्षामं तृष्णा हृदयरूपिका
Neither wind, nor old age, nor hunger consumes so swiftly as thirst, which takes the form of the heart.
तृष्णयाशयकौशिक्या हृद्य् अमङ्गलभूतया । रूढया भगवान् एष विष्णुर् वामनतां गतः
When the root of thirst, dwelling in the heart and bringing misfortune, becomes firmly established, even the blessed Vishnu assumes the form of a dwarf.
कयाचिद् एव दैविक्या हृदि ग्रथितयानया । तृष्णया भ्राम्यते व्योम्नि रज्ज्वेवार्को ऽन्वहं किल
By some divine force, when thirst is tightly bound in the heart, the sun wanders in the sky each day, as if attached to a rope.
सर्वदुःखमयाकारां कारां जगति जीवतः । तृष्णां परिहर क्रूराम् उरगीम् इव दूरतः
Abandon the cruel thirst, which is the cause of all suffering and bondage in the world for the living, as one would avoid a serpent from afar.
तृष्णया पवना वान्ति शैलास् तिष्ठन्ति तृष्णया । तृष्णयैव धरा धात्री त्रैलोक्यं तृष्णया वृतम्
By thirst, winds blow; by thirst, mountains stand; by thirst alone, the earth is sustained; the three worlds are enveloped by thirst.
सर्वैव लोकयात्रेयं प्रोता तृष्णावरत्रया । रज्जुबद्धा विमुच्यन्ते तृष्णाबद्धा न केचन
This entire worldly journey is threaded on the cord of thirst; those bound by a rope are released, but none are freed who are bound by thirst.
तस्माद् राघव तृष्णां त्वं त्यज सङ्कल्पवर्जनात् । मनस् सङ्कल्पकं नास्ति निर्णीतम् इति युक्तितः
Therefore, Raghava, abandon thirst by relinquishing all mental constructs; it is established by reasoning that the mind has no creator of constructs.
अयं नामाहम् इत्य् एव प्रथमं तावद् आशये । मा दुराशां महाबाहो सङ्कल्पय तमोमयीम्
First, the thought arises: 'I am called so-and-so'; O mighty-armed one, do not imagine vain hopes, which are filled with darkness.
एतां दुःखप्रसविनीम् अनात्मन्य् आत्मभावनाम् । न भावयसि चेद् राम तद् बहुज्ञेषु गण्यसे
Rama, if you do not cultivate the notion of self in what is not the self, which is the source of suffering, then you are counted among the wise.
एनाम् अहम्भावमयीम् अपुण्यां छित्त्वा स्वयम्भावशलाकयैव । स्वभावनां भव्य भवान्तभूमौ भवाभिभूताखिलभीतिभूतिः
Cut off this unwholesome sense of 'I', which is composed of ego, with the very rod of self-awareness; then, established in your own true nature at the end of becoming, you will be free from all fear and suffering.
अतिगम्भीरम् एतत् तु भगवन् वचनं तव । यद् अहङ्कारतृष्णे त्वं मा गृहाणेति वक्षि माम्
Venerable one, your statement is exceedingly profound: that I should not accept ego and craving.