द्रुमे ऽक्षिनासाकुसुमे भुजादिशाखे विलोलाङ्गुलिजालपत्त्रे । समुल्लसन्तं परिमारयैनं मनोमहामर्कटम् अङ्ग सिद्ध्यै
On the tree whose flowers are the senses, whose branches are arms and other limbs, whose leaves are the restless fingers, the great monkey of the mind leaps and plays—restrain it, O friend, for the sake of accomplishment.
अभ्युत्थितं सत्फलसङ्क्षयाय लसत्सुखासङ्गतडित्प्रकाशम् । वर्षन्तम् आसारम् अनर्थसार्थम् आन्दोलितं वासनवात्ययान्तः
Rising up to bring about the destruction of true fruit, flashing with the lightning of attachment to pleasure, pouring a torrent of meaningless troubles, the cloud of mind is shaken by the wind of desire within.
सङ्कल्प्यसङ्कल्पनवर्जनोग्रमन्त्रप्रभावाद् धृदयाम्बरात् त्वम् । सोत्साहम् उत्सादय चित्तमेघं महत् फलं प्राप्य भवालम् आढ्यः
By the power of the intense mantra of renouncing and not renouncing thoughts, from the sky of the heart, enthusiastically dispel the cloud of mind; having attained the great fruit, become truly rich in the wealth of being.
ग्रन्थीकृतं कर्मभिर् आत्मसृष्टैश् शस्त्रैर् अभेद्यं ज्वलनैर् अदग्धम् । पीडां पराम् आत्मनि कल्पयन्तं समस्तजात्यन्तरदीर्घदाम
Knotted by actions created by oneself, uncut by weapons, unburnt by fire, the chain of suffering is fashioned in the self, stretching through all kinds and long lines of births.
सम्प्रोतनिस्सङ्ख्यशरीरमालं बलाद् असङ्कल्पनमात्रशस्त्रैः । छित्त्वा स्वयं राघव चित्तपाशं यथासुखं त्वं विहरास्तशङ्कः
Cut asunder, by the weapon of pure non-conceptualization, the countless bonds of the body that have grown strong; having severed the noose of the mind yourself, O Raghava, live as you please, free from fear.
फूत्कारदग्धाखिलमार्गलोकम् अत्यन्तदुष्प्रापपरप्रबोधम् । आशाविषाशोषितलोकषण्डं वातामिषोच्छूनशरीरदण्डम्
Having scorched all the pathways and worlds with the fire of your breath, making the supreme awakening exceedingly difficult to attain, drying up the forests of people with the poison of desire, and swelling the staff of the body with the meat of the winds—
आमन्थरं देहगुहाप्रसुप्तं सङ्कल्पघोराजगरं जवेन । अकामनानाममहानलेन बलेन दग्ध्वा विभयो भव त्वम्
Swiftly burn up the dreadful serpent of imagination, which lies dormant in the cave of the body, with the great fire of desirelessness, and become fearless.
चित्तेन चेतश् शमम् आशु नीत्वा शुद्धेन घोरास्त्रम् इवास्त्रयुक्त्या । चिराय साधो त्यज चञ्चलत्वं विमर्कटो वृक्ष इवाक्षतश्रीः
With a pure mind, quickly bring your mind to tranquility, as one would subdue a terrible weapon with another weapon; O noble one, abandon restlessness for good, like a wise monkey remaining unscathed in a tree.
अलम् अलम् इति कृत्वा चेतसा वीतशङ्कं व्युपशमितमलो ऽन्तस् सर्वम् आदेहम् एव । तृणलवलघु पश्यंल् लीलयाहेयदृष्ट्या पिब विहर रमस्व प्राप्तसंसारपारः
Having declared 'enough, enough' with your mind, and with all inner impurity stilled and suspicion gone, see the entire body as light as straw or a sesame seed; with the effortless vision of renunciation, drink, play, and delight, for you have reached the far shore of worldly existence.
परिदीर्घासु तन्वीषु कचन्तीष्व् असितासु च । क्षुरधारोपमानासु चित्तवृत्तिषु तिष्ठ मा
Do not remain in the mental tendencies, which are long and slender, dark, and sharp as a razor's edge.
कालेन च महाक्षेत्रे जातेयं बुद्धिवल्लरी । वृद्धिं विवेकसेकेन नयैनां नयकोविद
In time, in the great field, this vine of understanding has arisen; nourish it with the water of discernment, O wise one skilled in guidance.
यावन् म्लायति नो कायकलिका कलिभस्मना । भूतले पतितां तावद् एनाम् उद्धृत्य धारय
As long as the bud of the body does not wither away by the ashes of time, uphold and support this vine until it falls to the ground.
मद्वाक्यार्थैकतत्त्वज्ञ मद्वाक्यार्थैकभावनात् । सुखम् आप्नोषि सर्पारिर् यथाभ्ररवभावनात्
Knowing the single essence of the meaning of my words, and contemplating only that meaning, you will attain happiness, just as Garuda, the enemy of serpents, attains the sky by contemplating the clouds.
उद्दालकवद् आलूनविशीर्णं भूतपञ्चकम् । कृत्वा कृत्वा धिया धीर धीरयान्तर् विचारय
Like Uddālaka, repeatedly dissolve and break apart the five elements in your intellect, O steadfast one, and contemplate inwardly with a discerning mind.
केन क्रमेण भगवन् मुनिनोद्दालकेन तत् । भूतपञ्चकम् आलूनं कृत्वान्तः प्रविचारितम्
By what method, O venerable one, did the sage Uddālaka internally analyze, after dissolving the five elements?
शृणु राम यथा पूर्वं भूतवृन्दविचारणात् । उद्दालकेन सम्प्राप्ता परमा दृष्टिर् अक्षता
Listen, Rāma, as I recount how, in former times, through investigation of the group of elements, Uddālaka attained the supreme, unbroken vision.
जगज्जीर्णगृहस्यास्य कोणे कस्मिंश्चिद् आतते । भूमेर् अनिलदिङ्नाम्नि भूभृद्भाण्डभराकुले
In some corner of this world, which is like an old, decaying house, on the earth in a region called Anila, crowded with mountains and heaps of rocks—
गन्धमादनशैलेन्द्रनाम्नी काचित् किल स्थली । विद्यते कीर्णकुसुमा कर्पूरद्रुमधूसरा
There exists, it is said, a certain place named Gandhamādana, covered with scattered flowers and whitened by camphor trees.
विचित्रवर्णविहगा नानावनविलासिनी । वनेचरव्याप्ततटी पुष्पकेसरहासिनी
It is adorned with birds of various colors, delights in many kinds of forests, its banks teeming with woodland creatures, and it smiles with the filaments of blossoming flowers.
क्वचित् स्थितमहारत्ना क्वचिन् नीलाम्बुदोत्पला । क्वचिन् नीहारकवरी सरसीदर्पणा क्वचित्
In some places are great gems set, elsewhere blue lotuses like clouds, in some spots lakes with misty coverings, and in others, waters shining like mirrors.
तत्र कस्मिंश्चिद् उदिते सानौ सफलपादपे । आगुल्फकीर्णकुसुमे स्निग्धच्छायामहाद्रुमे
There, on a certain rising slope, stood a fruitful tree, its base strewn with flowers up to the ankles, a great tree with lush shade.
उद्दालको नाम मुनिर् मौनी मानी महामतिः । अप्राप्तयौवनः पूर्वम् उवासोद्दामतापसः
There was a sage named Uddālaka, silent, proud, and of great intellect, who, even before reaching youth, lived as an intense ascetic.
प्रथमं तु बभूवासाव् अल्पप्रज्ञाविचारवान् । अप्राप्तपदविश्रान्तिर् अप्रबुद्धशुभाशयः
At first, he was of little discernment and reflection, not yet having attained the state of rest, nor awakened to auspicious intentions.
ततः क्रमेण तपसा शास्त्रार्थनियमैर् यमैः । विवेक आजगामैनं नवर्तुर् इव भूतलम्
Then, gradually, through austerity, discipline in the meaning of the scriptures, and self-restraint, discernment arose in him, as spring arrives upon the earth.
अथेदं चिन्तयाम् आस संसारभयभीतधीः । एकान्त एव निवसन् कदाचित् क्लान्तमानसः
Then, his mind fearful of the terror of worldly existence, he began to reflect, living in solitude, sometimes with a weary mind.
किं तत् प्राप्यं प्रधानं स्याद् यद् विश्रान्तौ न शोच्यते । यत् प्राप्य जन्मना भूयस् सम्बन्धो नोपजायते
What is that supreme attainment, upon reaching which there is no sorrow in repose, and having attained which, one is not bound again by birth?
कदाहं त्यक्तमननः पदे परमपावने । विश्रान्तिं चिरम् एष्यामि मेरुशृङ्ग इवाम्बुदः
When will I, having abandoned all thought, reach lasting repose in the supremely pure state, like a cloud resting on the peak of Meru?
कदा शमम् उपेष्यन्ति ममान्तर् भोगवासनाः । आलोलकल्लोलरवा ऊर्मयो ऽम्बुनिधाव् इव
When will the waves of desire for enjoyment within me come to rest, like the surging waves in the ocean falling silent?
इदं कृत्वेदम् अप्य् अन्यत् कर्तव्यम् इति कल्पनाम् । कदान्तर् विहसिष्यामि पदविश्रान्तया धिया
When will I, free from the notion 'having done this, now something else must be done,' rejoice inwardly with a mind at rest?
कदा विकल्पजालं मे न लगिष्यति चेतसि । स्थितम् अप्य् उज्झितासङ्गं पयः पद्मदले यथा
When will the net of thoughts no longer cling to my mind, remaining unattached even if present, like water on a lotus leaf?