इष्टानिष्टदृशोस् त्यागे समतोदेति शाश्वती । तया हृदयवर्तिन्या पुनर् जन्तुर् न जायते
When the vision of pleasant and unpleasant is relinquished, eternal equanimity arises; with that established in the heart, the being is not born again.
येषु येषु प्रदेशेषु मनो मज्जति बालवत् । तेभ्यस् तेभ्यस् समुद्धृत्य तद् धि तत्त्वे निवेशयेत्
Wherever the mind, like a child, becomes absorbed in various places, from each of those, withdraw it and establish it in the truth.
एवम् अभ्यागताभ्यासं मनोमत्तमतङ्गजम् । निबध्य सर्वभावेन परं श्रेयो ऽधिगम्यते
Thus, by repeated practice, restraining the elephant of the mind with all your being, the highest good is attained.
मा शठैर् अयथार्थज्ञैर् मिथ्यादृष्टिहताशयैः । धूर्तसङ्कल्पविक्रीतैर् विमूढैस् समतां गमः
Do not seek equality with the deceitful, those who do not know reality, whose hopes are ruined by false views, whose intentions are corrupted by cunning, and who are deluded.
अकिञ्चनात् स्वनिर्णीतौ लम्बमानात् परोक्तिषु । न मौर्ख्याद् अधिको लोके कश्चिद् अस्तीह दुःखदः
There is no one in this world more foolish and a greater bringer of sorrow than he who, lacking everything, relies on the judgments of others instead of his own discernment.
त्वम् एतद् अविवेकाभ्रम् उदितं हृदयाम्बरे । विवेकपवनेनाशु दूरं नय महामते
O wise one, swiftly dispel from the sky of your heart this cloud of confusion that has arisen from lack of discrimination, by the wind of discernment.
आत्मनैव प्रयत्नेन यावद् आत्मावलोकने । न कृतो ऽनुग्रहस् तावन् न विचारोदयो भवेत्
Until one makes effort oneself to observe the self, there is no bestowal of grace, and until then, inquiry does not arise.
वेदवेदान्तशास्त्रार्थतर्कदृष्टिभिर् अप्य् अयम् । नात्मा प्रकटताम् एति यावन् न स्वम् अवेक्षणम्
Even through the insight of the Vedas, Vedanta, and logical reasoning, the self does not become evident until one observes oneself.
त्वम् आत्मन्य् आत्मना राम प्रसादे समवस्थितः । प्राप्तो ऽसि विततं बोधं मद्वचांस्य् अवबुध्यसे
O Rama, established in your own self by your own self, with grace, you have attained expansive knowledge and understand my words.
विकल्पांशविहीनस्य त्वयैषा चिद्विवस्वतः । गृहीता वितता व्याप्तिर् मदुक्ता परमात्मनः
By you, free from the fragments of imagination, this all-pervading expanse of consciousness, which I have described as the supreme self, has been grasped.
विलीनसर्वसङ्कल्पश् शान्तसन्देहविभ्रमः । क्षीणकौतुकनीहारो जातो ऽसि विगतज्वरः
You have become one whose every intention has dissolved, whose doubts and confusions are at peace, whose mist of curiosity has faded, and who is free from affliction.
यद् उपगच्छसि पासि निहंसि वा पिबसि वल्गसि चिन्मय वर्धसे । तद् असि तेन तवास्तु महामुने विगतबोधकलङ्कविशङ्किता
Whatever you approach, protect, destroy, drink, or delight in, O great sage, you are that—may you remain thus, free from any taint or doubt in your awakened understanding.
अथेमम् अपरं राम विज्ञानाधिगमे क्रमम् । शृणु दैत्येश्वरस् सिद्धः प्रह्लादस् स्वात्मना यथा
Now, O Rāma, listen to another sequence in the attainment of knowledge—how Prahlāda, lord of the daityas, attained perfection through his own Self.
आसीत् पातालजठरे विद्रावितसुरो ऽसुरः । हिरण्यकशिपुर् नाम नारायणपराक्रमः
There was an asura named Hiraṇyakaśipu, of unrivaled might, who, driven from the surface, dwelled in the depths of the netherworld.
आक्रान्तभुवनाभोगस् स जहार हरेर् जगत् । षट्पदस्य बृहत्पत्त्रं राजहंस इवाम्बुजम्
He, having seized the enjoyments of all the worlds, took away the universe of Hari, as a royal swan takes a lotus from the bees.
चकार जगतां राज्यं समाक्रान्तसुरासुरः । दन्ती निरस्तहंसौघो नलिन्याम् अलिनाम् इव
Having subdued gods and demons alike, he ruled over all the worlds, like an elephant in a lotus pond driving away the flocks of swans.
अथासाव् असुराधीशः कुर्वंस् त्रिभुवनेशताम् । कालेन सुषुवे पुत्रान् अङ्कुरान् इव माधवः
Then that lord of the asuras, establishing his sovereignty over the three worlds, in due course begot sons, as Mādhava brings forth sprouts in spring.
ते ऽवर्धन्ताचिरेणैव तेजस्तर्जिततारकाः । दशार्कांशुशतानीव व्योमाक्रान्तिविलासिनः
They quickly grew in power, dazzling the stars with their radiance, moving across the sky like hundreds of suns.
प्रह्लादो नाम भगवान् प्रधानात्मा बभूव ह । तेषां मध्ये महार्हाणां मणीनाम् इव कौस्तुभः
Among them, Prahlāda, the illustrious one, became preeminent—like the Kaustubha gem among precious jewels.
तेनाराजत पुत्रेण हिरण्यकशिपुर् भृशम् । सर्वसौन्दर्ययुक्तेन वसन्तेनेव वत्सरः
By that son, who was not a king, Hiraṇyakaśipu was greatly delighted, endowed with all beauty, like the year is by spring.
अथ पुत्रसहायो ऽसौ बलकोशसमन्वितः । आजगाम मदं दैत्यस् त्रिगण्डगलितेभवत्
Then, accompanied by his son and possessing a mighty army, that Daitya, intoxicated, arrived, his threefold pride dissolved.
ततापाक्रान्तितापेन त्रिजगन्ति विकासिना । कल्पान्तसूर्यगणवन् नवयैव करश्रिया
By the heat of his oppression, which spread through the three worlds, the brilliance of his hands was like the multitude of suns at the end of an age.
अखिद्यन्तास्य तेनाथ सूर्येन्दुप्रमुखास् सुराः । दुर्विलासविलोलस्य बालस्येव स्वबन्धवः
Then, because of him, the gods led by the sun and moon were distressed, like the relatives of a child who is reckless in his mischief.
ते ऽर्थयां चक्रिरे शौरिं दैत्येन्द्रेभपतेर् वधे । न क्षमन्ते महान्तो ऽपि पौनःपुण्येन दुष्क्रियाम्
They appealed to Viṣṇu for the slaying of the lord of the Daityas; even the great cannot endure repeated wickedness.
ततः प्रलयपर्यस्तजगद्घर्घरजृम्भितम् । दिग्दन्तिदशनप्रख्यनखवज्राश्रिसूम्भितम्
Then, as the world was shaken by dissolution, there was a roaring tumult, adorned with the splendor of claws like the tusks of the lord of elephants.
स्थिरविद्युल्लताजालभासुरोर्ध्वजमण्डलम् । दशदिक्कोटरोद्वान्तज्वलज्ज्वलनकुण्डलम्
There appeared a lofty form, radiant with a network of steady lightning-like luster, encircled by blazing earrings at the ends of the ten directions.
समस्तकुलशैलेन्द्रपिण्डपीठोद्भटोदरम् । दोर्द्रुमाधूननोद्धूतस्फुटद्ब्रह्माण्डकर्परम्
Its belly was vast, like the massed peaks of all the lordly mountains, and its arms shook, shattering the shell of the universe.
वदनोदरनिष्क्रान्तवातोत्सारितपर्वतं । त्रिजगद्दहनोद्युक्तकोपकल्पाग्निगर्वितम्
With his breath issuing from his mouth and nostrils, he drove away mountains, proud as the fire of dissolution, ready to burn the three worlds in his wrath.
सटाविकटपीनांसस्पन्दप्रेरितभास्करम् । रोमकूपलसद्वह्निपुञ्जपिञ्जरपर्वतम्
His mane was wild, his shoulders broad and swelling, his movements set the sun in motion, and the mountains were tinged tawny by the clusters of fire at his hair roots.
कुलाचलमहाकुड्यकुट्टनोद्भटदृक्पुटम् । सर्वावयवनिष्ठ्यूतपट्टिसप्रासतोमरम्
His eyes were fierce, shattering the great walls of mountain ranges, and all his limbs bristled with weapons—swords, spears, and javelins.