वीतशोकभयायासो निरीहश् छिन्नसंशयः । जगाम शिखरं मेरोस् समाध्यर्थम् अनिन्दितम्
Free from sorrow, fear, and fatigue, indifferent and with all doubts severed, he ascended the flawless summit of Meru for the purpose of meditation.
तत्र वर्षसहस्राणि निर्विकल्पसमाधिना । दश स्थित्वा शशामासाव् आत्मन्य् अस्नेहदीपवत्
There, for a thousand years, he remained in absorption without conceptualization, like a lamp without oil, at rest within himself.
व्यपगतकलनाकलङ्कशुद्धस् स्वयम् अमलात्मनि पावने पदे ऽसौ । सलिलकण इवाम्बुधौ महात्मा विगलितभेदम् अथैकतां जगाम
With all traces of mental activity and impurity gone, pure in his own stainless self, the great soul entered the state of unity, like a drop of water merging into the ocean.
तस्य व्यासतनूजस्य मतिमात्रापमार्जनम् । यथोपयुक्तं ते राम तावद् एवोपयुज्यते
Rama, the cleansing of mere intellect for the son of Vyasa is used only as much as is needed, and only for that purpose.
ज्ञेयम् एतेन विज्ञातम् अशेषेणावनीश्वर । स्वदन्ते ऽस्मै न यद् भोगा रोगा इव सुमेधसे
By this, everything is known, O lord of the earth; pleasures do not delight him, just as diseases do not please the wise.
ज्ञातज्ञेयस्य मनसो नूनम् एतद् धि लक्षणम् । न स्वदन्ते समग्राणि भोगवृन्दानि यत् पुनः
This is surely the mark of one whose mind has known what is to be known: that all arrays of pleasures no longer delight him.
भोगभावनया याति बन्धो दार्ढ्यम् अवस्तुजः । तयैव शान्तया याति बन्धो जगति तानवम्
By the imagination of enjoyment, bondage rooted in unreality becomes firm; by the same imagination pacified, bondage in the world becomes thin.
वासनातानवं राम मोक्ष इत्य् उच्यते बुधैः । पदार्थवासनादार्ढ्यं बन्ध इत्य् अभिधीयते
Rama, the thinning of desires is called liberation by the wise; the firmness of desire for objects is called bondage.
आत्मतत्त्वाभिगमनं भवति प्रायशो नृणाम् । पुनर् विषयवैरस्यं कदर्थाद् उपजायते
Most people, after approaching the knowledge of the Self, soon again develop aversion to sense objects, though only with difficulty.
सम्यक् पश्यति यस् तज्ज्ञो ज्ञातज्ञेयस् तु पण्डितः । न स्वदन्ते बलाद् एव तस्मै भोगा महात्मने
He who truly sees is wise; he who knows both the knower and the known is learned; to such a great soul, enjoyments do not taste sweet, even if forced upon him.
यशःप्रभृतिना यस्मै हेतुनैव विना पुनः । भुवि भोगा न रोचन्ते स जीवन्मुक्त उच्यते
He for whom, without any cause such as fame or wealth, pleasures on earth no longer appeal—he is called liberated while living.
ज्ञेयं यावन् न विज्ञातं तावत् तात न जायते । विषयेष्व् अरतिर् जन्तोर् मरुभूमौ लता यथा
As long as the knowable has not been realized, O dear one, so long does a being not develop dispassion for sense objects, just as a creeper does not grow in a desert.
अत एव हि विज्ञातज्ञेयं विद्धि रघूद्वह । यद् एनं रञ्जयन्त्य् एता न रम्या भोगभूमयः
Therefore, O descendant of Raghu, know that one who has realized the knowable is such that these unpleasing fields of enjoyment no longer delight him.
रामो यद् एतज् जानाति तद् वस्त्व् इत्य् एव सन्मुखात् । आकर्ण्य चित्तविश्रामो राघवस्योपजायते
Whatever Rama learns as true reality, upon hearing it directly, brings repose to the mind of Raghava.
केवलं केवलीभावविश्रान्तिं समपेक्षते । रामबुद्धिश् शरल्लक्ष्मीर् जलविश्रमणं यथा
The mind of Rama seeks only the repose found in pure, undivided being, just as the beauty of autumn seeks rest in water.
अत्रास्य चित्तविश्रान्त्यै राघवस्य महात्मनः । युक्तिं कथयतु श्रीमान् वसिष्ठो भगवान् अयम्
Here, for the repose of the mind of the great-souled Raghava, let the illustrious sage Vasistha speak his reasoning.
रघूणाम् एष सर्वेषां प्रभुः कुलगुरुस् सदा । सर्वज्ञस् सर्वदर्शी च त्रिकालामलदर्शनः
He is the lord and family preceptor of all the Raghu dynasty; ever all-knowing, all-seeing, and perceives the three times with flawless clarity.
वसिष्ठ भगवन् पूर्वं कच्चित् स्मरसि यत् स्वयं । आवयोर् वैरशान्त्यर्थं श्रेयसे च महात्मनाम्
Vasiṣṭha, revered one, do you recall what you yourself once taught, for the sake of ending enmity between us and for the welfare of the great souls?
निषधाद्रेर् मुनीनां च सानौ सरलसङ्कुले । उपदिष्टं भगवता ज्ञानं पद्मभुवा बहु
On the summit of Niṣadha mountain, amidst the cluster of pines, the blessed one, Padmabhū (Brahmā), imparted abundant knowledge to the sages.
येन युक्तिमता ब्रह्मञ् ज्ञानेनेयं हि वासना । संसारी नूनम् आयाति शमं श्यामेव भास्वता
By which, O wise Brahman, when one is endowed with discernment, this tendency is transformed by knowledge; the worldly person surely attains tranquility, just as darkness is dispelled by sunlight.
तद् एव युक्तिमज् ज्ञेयं रामायान्तेनिवासिने । ब्रह्मन्न् उपदिशाशु त्वं येन विश्रान्तिम् एष्यति
That very method of knowledge should be taught to Rāma, who resides here; O Brahman, instruct him swiftly, by which he will attain repose.
कदर्थना च नैवैषा रामो हि गतकिल्बिषः । निर्मले मकुरे वक्त्रम् अयत्नेनैव बिम्बति
There is no need for persuasion; Rāma is free from impurity. His face is reflected effortlessly in a spotless mirror.
तज् ज्ञानं स च शास्त्रार्थस् तद् वैदग्ध्यम् अखण्डितम् । सच्छिष्याय विरक्ताय साधो यद् उपदिश्यते
That knowledge, the meaning of scripture, and that unbroken skill—all these are to be imparted to the noble disciple who is detached.
अशिष्यायाविरक्ताय यत् किञ्चिद् उपदिश्यते । तत् प्रयात्य् अपवित्रत्वं गोक्षीरं श्वदृताव् इव
Whatever is taught to one who is not a disciple and not detached, becomes impure, like cow's milk mixed with a dog's saliva.
वीतरागभयक्रोधा निर्ममा गलितैनसः । वदन्ति त्वादृशा यत् तु तत्र विश्राम्यतीह धीः
Those who are free from passion, fear, and anger, who are without possessiveness and have shed all impurity—what such as you declare, upon that alone does the mind here find rest.
इत्य् उक्ते गाधिपुत्रेण व्यासनारदपूर्वकाः । मुनयस् ते तम् एवार्थं साधु साध्व् इत्य् अपूजयन्
When the son of Gadhi had spoken thus, the sages, led by Vyasa and Narada, praised that very statement, saying, 'Well said, well said.'
अथोवाच महातेजा राज्ञः पार्श्वे व्यवस्थितः । ब्रह्मेव ब्रह्मणः पुत्रो वसिष्ठो भगवान् मुनिः
Then the illustrious sage Vasistha, radiant with great energy and standing by the king's side like Brahma's own son, spoke.
मुने यद् आदिशसि मे तद् अविघ्नं करोम्य् अहम् । कस् समर्थस् समर्थो ऽपि सतां लङ्घयितुं वचः
O sage, whatever you instruct me, I shall carry out without obstacle; for who, even if capable, would dare to transgress the words of the virtuous?
अहं हि राजपुत्राणां रामादीनां मनस्तमः । ज्ञानेनापनयाम्य् अद्य दीपेनेव निशातमः
For I shall today dispel the darkness of mind in the royal princes, beginning with Rama, by means of knowledge, just as a lamp removes the darkness of night.
स्मराम्य् अखण्डितं सर्वं संसारभ्रमशान्तये । निषधाद्रौ पुरा प्रोक्तं यज् ज्ञानं पद्मजन्मना
I recall, without interruption, all the knowledge once spoken by the lotus-born for the pacification of the delusion of worldly existence on Mount Nishadha.