विषयान् प्रति भोः पुत्र सर्वान् एव हि सर्वथा । अनास्था परमा यैषा सा युक्तिर् मनसो जये
O son, supreme dispassion towards all objects in every way—this is the method for conquering the mind.
एषैव परमा युक्तिर् अनयैव महामदः । स्वमनोमत्तमातङ्गो द्रागित्य् एवावदम्यते
This alone is the supreme method; by this, the great intoxication—the mad elephant of one's own mind—is quickly subdued.
एषा ह्य् अत्यन्तदुष्प्रापा सुप्रापा च महामते । अनभ्यस्ता हि दुष्प्रापा स्वभ्यस्ता प्राप्यते सुखम्
This, O noble-minded one, is extremely difficult to attain, yet easy as well; for what is unpracticed is hard to reach, but what is practiced is easily attained.
क्रमाद् अभ्यस्यमानैषा विषयारतिर् आत्मज । सर्वतस् स्फुटताम् एति सेकसिक्ता लता यथा
When practiced gradually, this self-born attachment to sense objects becomes manifest everywhere, just as a vine flourishes when watered.
नासाद्यते ह्य् अनभ्यस्ता काङ्क्षतापि शठात्मना । पुत्र शालिर् इवाव्युप्तस् तस्माद् एनां समाहरेत्
If not practiced, it cannot be attained, even if desired by a cunning mind; just as rice does not grow without being sown, therefore one should cultivate it.
तावद् भ्रमन्ति दुःखेषु संसारावटवासिनः । विरतिं विषयेष्व् एते यावन् नायान्ति देहिनः
Those dwelling in the jungle of worldly existence wander in suffering until they attain dispassion toward sense objects.
अभ्यासेन विना कश्चिन् नाप्नोति विषयारतिम् । अप्य् अत्यन्तमतां देही देशान्तरम् इवागतिः
Without practice, no one attains dispassion for sense objects, even if the body-holder has the utmost intention, just as one does not reach another land without effort.
ध्येयत्यागम् अतो ऽजस्रं ध्यायता देहधारिणा । भोगेष्व् अरतिर् अभ्यासाद् वृद्धिं नेया लता यथा
Therefore, the body-holder should constantly meditate on renunciation; through practice, aversion to enjoyment should be increased, like a vine growing.
पुरुषार्थाद् ऋते पुत्र नेह सम्प्राप्यते शुभम् । पौरुषेणैव सर्वेषां कार्याणां फलम् आप्यते
Son, without human effort, nothing auspicious is attained here; the fruit of all actions is obtained only through one's own exertion.
क्रियाफले परिप्राप्ते हर्षामर्षादितो यथा । दैवम् इत्य् उच्यते लोके न दैवं देहवत् क्वचित्
When the result of an action is achieved, whether it brings joy or anger, people call it 'fate' in the world; but fate does not exist anywhere for the embodied.
अवश्यभवितव्याख्या येहया नियतिश् च वा । उच्यते दैवशब्देन सा नरैर् एव नेतरैः
Whatever is said to be inevitable or fixed, or called destiny, is referred to by the word 'fate' by people, not by others.
यद् यथेह सदा यत्र सम्पन्नं फलतां गतम् । हर्षामर्षविनाशाय तद् दैवम् इति कथ्यते
Whatever, at any time and place here, comes to fruition and brings about joy or sorrow—that is called fate.
दैवं नियतिरूपं च पौरुषेणावजीयते । सम्यग्ज्ञानविलासेन मृगतृष्णाभ्रमो यथा
Fate, which takes the form of destiny, is overcome by human effort, just as the illusion of a mirage is dispelled by true knowledge.
यथा सङ्कल्प्यते यद् यत् पौरुषेण तथैव तत् । तलवत्तागृहीतं खं तलवत्तासुखप्रदम्
Whatever is conceived through human effort comes about in just that way; but if it is not grasped firmly, it is like space held in the palm—giving only the pleasure of an empty gesture.
कर्त्र् अतो मन एवेह यत् कल्पयति तत् तथा । नियतिं यादृशीम् एतत् सङ्कल्पयति सा तथा
Therefore, the mind alone is the doer here; whatever it imagines, so it becomes. The kind of destiny it conceives, that indeed comes to be.
नियतान् नियतान् कांश्चिद् भावान् अनियतान् अपि । करोति चित्तं तेनैतच् चित्तं नियतियोजकम्
The mind produces certain events as fixed and others as unfixed; thus, the mind itself is the cause that binds destiny.
नियतां नियतिं कुर्वन् कदाचित् सार्थनामिकाम् । स्फुरत्य् अस्मिञ् जगत्कोशे जीवो व्योम्नीव मारुतः
Sometimes, by making destiny fixed and giving it a collective name, the individual soul stirs within this world-egg, like the wind in the sky.
नियत्या रहितां कुर्वन् कदाचिन् नियतिं मनः । सञ्ज्ञार्थरूढानियतिशब्दां स्फुरति वातवत्
Sometimes, by making destiny devoid of fixity, the mind stirs up what is called 'destiny' merely as a convention, like the wind.
तस्माद् यावन् मनस् तावन् न दैवं नियतिर् न च । मनस्य् अस्तङ्गते साधो यद् भवत्य् अस्तु तत् तथा
Therefore, as long as the mind exists, there is neither fate nor destiny; when the mind is dissolved, O noble one, whatever remains, let that be as it is.
जीवो हि पुरुषो जातः पौरुषेण स यद् यथा । सङ्कल्पयति लोके ऽस्मिंस् तत् तथा तस्य नान्यथा
The living being, indeed, is born as a person through personal effort; whatever he imagines in this world, that comes to be for him, not otherwise.
पुरुषार्थाद् ऋते पुत्र न किञ्चिद् इह विद्यते । परं पौरुषम् आश्रित्य भोगेष्व् अरतिम् आहरेत्
Apart from personal effort, my son, nothing exists here; by relying on supreme effort, one should attain disinterest in enjoyments.
न भोगेष्व् अरतिर् यावज् जातेह जयदायिनी । न परा निर्वृतिस् तावत् प्राप्यते भवनाशिनी
Until disinterest in enjoyments arises here, which grants victory, supreme bliss that destroys worldly existence is not attained.
विषयेषु रतिर् यावत् स्थिता सम्मोहकारिणी । तावद् भवदशादोलाविलोलान्दोलनं स्थितम्
As long as attachment to sense objects remains, producing delusion, so long the oscillation of worldly existence, like a swing, continues.
अभ्यासेन विना पुत्र न कदाचन दुःखदा । भोगभोगिभरप्रोत्था कदाशा विनिवर्तते
Without practice, my son, the desire arising from the burden of enjoyments and enjoyers, which brings suffering, never ceases.
भोगेष्व् अरतिर् एषान्तः कथं सर्वासुरेश्वर । स्थितिम् आयाति जीवस्य दीर्घजीवितदायिनी
O lord of all demons, how does this inner disinterest in enjoyments, which bestows long life, come to abide in the living being?
आत्मानम् आलोकयतः फलितं फलति स्फुटम् । जीवस्य भोगेष्व् अरतिश् शरदीव महालता
For one who beholds the Self, disinterest in enjoyments clearly manifests in the living being, like a great creeper in autumn.
आत्मावलोकनेनैषा विषयारतिर् उत्तमे । हृदये स्थितिम् आयाति श्रीर् इवाम्भोजकोटरे
Through Self-contemplation, this supreme disinterest in sense objects settles in the heart, like prosperity in the hollow of a lotus.
तस्मात् प्रज्ञानिकाषेण विचारेणातिचारुणा । देवम् आलोकयेद् भोगाद् रतिं चापहरेत् समम्
Therefore, by the sharp light of discernment, through most excellent inquiry, one should behold the divine; and from enjoyment, withdraw attachment equally.
चित्तस्य भोगैर् द्वौ भागौ शास्त्रेणैकं प्रपूरयेत् । गुरुशुश्रूषया चैकम् अव्युत्पन्नस्य सत्क्रमे
Of the mind's two portions inclined to enjoyment, let one be fulfilled by study of scripture, and for one not yet accomplished, by devoted service to the teacher in the proper way.
किञ्चित्व्युत्पत्तियुक्तस्य भागं भोगैः प्रपूरयेत् । गुरुशुश्रूषया भागं भागं शास्त्रार्थचिन्तया
For one with some measure of understanding, let a portion be fulfilled by enjoyments, a portion by service to the teacher, and a portion by reflection on the meaning of scripture.