प्रह्लादो ऽन्तस्स्थया शुद्धसत्त्ववासनया स्वया । बोधम् आप महाबाहो शङ्खशब्दावबुद्धया
Prahlada, by his own inner pure and sattvic impression, O mighty-armed one, attained awakening, like one who becomes aware upon hearing the sound of a conch.
हरिर् आत्मा हि भूतानां तस्य यत् प्रतिभासते । तत् तथैव भवत्य् आशु सर्वत्रात्मैव कारणम्
Hari is truly the self of all beings; whatever appears to him, that indeed quickly becomes so, for the self alone is the cause everywhere.
प्रबोधम् एतु प्रह्लादो यदैवेति विचिन्तितम् । निमेषाद् वासुदेवेन तदैव तद् उपस्थितम्
The moment it was contemplated that Prahlada should attain awakening, O Vāsudeva, in that very instant, it was accomplished.
आत्मन्य् अकारणेनैव भूतानां कारणेन च । सृष्ट्यर्थं वपुर् आत्तं तद् वासुदेवीयम् आत्मना
For the sake of creation, the body of Vāsudeva was assumed by the self, which is causeless in itself but the cause of all beings.
आत्मावलोकनेनाशु माधवः परिदृश्यते । माधवाराधनेनाशु स्वयम् आत्मावलोक्यते
By perceiving the self, Mādhava is quickly seen; by worshipping Mādhava, the self is swiftly realized.
एतां दृष्टिम् अवष्टभ्य राघवात्मावलोकने । विहराशु विराडात्मा पदं प्राप्स्यसि शाश्वतम्
By holding to this vision, O Raghava, and contemplating the Self, you will swiftly attain the eternal state of the all-pervading Self.
सुखासारवती राम संसारप्रावृड् आतता । जाड्यं ददाति परमं विचारार्कम् अपश्यतः
O Rama, the rainy season of worldly existence, abundant with the essence of fleeting pleasures, brings about utter dullness for one who does not behold the sun of inquiry.
प्रसादाद् आत्मनो विष्णोर् मायेयम् अतिभासुरा । प्रबाधते न धीरांस् तु यक्षी मन्त्रवतो यथा
By the grace of the Self—of Vishnu—this exceedingly radiant illusion does not overpower the wise, just as a yakṣī cannot harm one who knows the proper mantra.
आत्मेच्छयैव घनतां समुपागतान्तर् आत्मेच्छयैव तनुताम् उपयाति काले । संसारजालरचनेयम् अनन्तमाया ज्वालेव वातकलयानघ पावकस्य
By the very will of the Self, this inner illusion becomes dense, and by the will of the Self, it becomes subtle in time; this endless web of worldly appearance, O sinless one, is like the play of wind upon the flame of fire.
भगवन् सर्वधर्मज्ञ शुद्धैस् त्वद्वचनांशुभिः । निर्वृतास् स्मश् शशाङ्कस्य करैर् ओषधयो यथा
O Lord, knower of all dharmas, we are fulfilled by the pure rays of your words, just as herbs are by the beams of the moon.
कर्णाभिवाञ्छ्यमानानि पवित्राणि मृदूनि च । भूषयन्ति गृहीतानि पुष्पाणीव वचांसि ते
Your words, pure and gentle, longed for by the ears, adorn those who receive them like flowers.
पौरुषेण प्रयत्नेन सर्वम् आसाद्यते यदि । प्रह्लादस् तत् कथं बुद्धो न माधववरं विना
If everything can be attained by human effort and perseverance, then why did Prahlada not achieve his boon without the favor of Madhava?
यद् यद् राघव सम्प्राप्तं प्रह्लादेन महात्मना । तत् तद् आसादितं तेन पौरुषाद् एव नान्यतः
Whatever the great-souled Prahlada attained, O Raghava, he gained solely through his own effort, not otherwise.
आत्मा नारायणश् चैव न भिन्नौ तिलतैलवत् । तथैव शौक्ल्यपटवत् कुसुमामोदवत् तथा
The Self and Nārāyaṇa are not separate, just as sesame and its oil, as whiteness and cloth, or as fragrance and a flower.
यो हि विष्णुस् स एवात्मा यो ह्य् आत्मा स जनार्दनः । विष्ण्वात्मशब्दौ पर्यायौ यथा विटपिपादपौ
He who is Viṣṇu is indeed the Self; and the Self is Janārdana. The words 'Viṣṇu' and 'Self' are interchangeable, like 'tree' and 'branch.'
प्रह्लादनाम्ना प्रथमम् आत्मैव स्वयम् आत्मना । स्वयैव शक्त्या परया विष्णुभक्तौ नियोजितः
At first, the Self itself, by its own power, assumed the name Prahlāda and was engaged in devotion to Viṣṇu by its own supreme energy.
प्रह्लादो ह्य् आत्मनैवैतं वरम् अर्जितवान् स्वयम् । स्वयं विचारं कृतवान् स्वयं विजितवान् मनः
Prahlāda himself, by his own Self, attained this boon; he himself reflected, and he himself conquered the mind.
कदाचिद् आत्मनैवात्मा स्वयं शक्त्या विबोध्यते । कदाचिद् विष्णुदेहेन भक्तिलभ्येन बोध्यते
Sometimes, the Self awakens itself by its own power; sometimes, it is awakened through the body of Viṣṇu, attainable by devotion.
चिरम् आराधितो ऽप्य् एष परमप्रीतिमान् अपि । नाविचारवतो ज्ञानं दातुं शक्नोति माधवः
Even when Mādhava is worshipped for a long time and is supremely pleased, he cannot grant knowledge to one who lacks inquiry.
मुख्यः पुरुषयत्नोत्थो विचारस् स्वात्मदर्शने । गौणो वरादिको हेतुर् मुख्यहेतुपरो भव
The primary cause for perceiving one's own Self is inquiry, arising from personal effort; boons and the like are secondary causes—be devoted to the primary cause.
पूर्वम् एव बलात् तस्माद् आक्रम्येन्द्रियपञ्चकम् । अभ्यासात् सर्वयत्नेन चित्तं कुरु विचारवत्
Therefore, first forcibly restrain the five senses, and through constant practice and all effort, make the mind endowed with inquiry.
यद् यद् आसाद्यते किञ्चित् केनचित् क्वचिद् एव हि । स्वशक्तिसम्प्रवृत्त्या तल् लभ्यते नान्यतः क्वचित्
Whatever is attained by anyone, anywhere, is obtained only through the exertion of one's own power; it is not gained otherwise, anywhere.
पौरुषं यत्नम् आश्रित्य प्रोल्लङ्घ्येन्द्रियपर्वतम् । संसारजलधिं तीर्त्वा पारं गच्छ परं पदम्
Relying on human effort, leap over the mountain of the senses, cross the ocean of worldly existence, and reach the supreme state.
विना पुरुषयत्नेन दृश्यते चेज् जनार्दनः । मृगपक्षिगणं कस्मात् तद् असौ नोद्धरत्य् अजः
If Janardana (God) is seen without human effort, then why does He not liberate the multitude of animals and birds?
गुरुश् चेद् उद्धरत्य् अज्ञम् आत्मीयात् पौरुषाद् ऋते । उष्ट्रदान्तबलीवर्दांस् तत् कस्मान् नोद्धरत्य् असौ
If a guru rescues the ignorant without their own effort, then why does he not liberate camels, elephants, and oxen?
न हरेर् न गुरोर् नार्थात् किञ्चिद् आसाद्यते महत् । आक्रान्तमनसस् स्वस्माद् यन् नासादितम् आत्मनः
Nothing great is attained from Hari, from a guru, or from wealth, if it is not gained by one's own mind's endeavor.
अभ्यासवैराग्ययुताद् आक्रान्तेन्द्रियपन्नगात् । आत्मनः प्राप्यते यत् तत् प्राप्यते न जगत्त्रयात्
What is attained by oneself, endowed with practice and dispassion, having subdued the serpent of the senses, is not obtained from the three worlds.
आराधयात्मनात्मानम् आत्मनात्मानम् अर्चय । आत्मनात्मानम् आलोक्य सन्तिष्ठ स्वात्मनात्मनि
Worship the Self by the Self, honor the Self by the Self; seeing the Self by the Self, abide firmly in your own Self.
शास्त्रयत्नविचारेभ्यो मूर्खाणां प्रपलायताम् । कल्पिता वैष्णवी भक्तिः प्रवृत्त्यर्थं शुभस्थितौ
For the ignorant fleeing from scriptural inquiry and effort, devotion to Vishnu has been devised as a means for engaging them in virtuous conduct.
अभ्यासयत्नौ प्रथमं मुख्यो विधिर् उदाहृतः । तदभावे तु गौणस् स्यात् पूज्यपूजामयः क्रमः
The primary method is said to be practice and effort at first; in their absence, the secondary method is the sequence consisting of worship and the worshipped.