कदाशाकौशिकीकीर्णा जाड्यजीर्णहृदम्बुजा । क्षयम् एष्यति कृष्णेयं कदा मे मोहयामिनी
When will this dark enchantress, who scatters the heart's lotus with dullness and decay, finally perish for me?
कदोपशान्तमननो धरणीधरकन्दरे । समेष्यामि शिलासाम्यं निर्विकल्पसमाधिना
When, with a mind at peace, will I enter the mountain cave and become equal to the stone, absorbed in the unwavering samadhi?
कदा मे चित्तमातङ्गस् स्वाभिमानमहामदः । तत्त्वावबोधहरिणा हतो नाशम् उपैष्यति
When will the mighty pride of my mind-elephant, intoxicated with self-conceit, be slain by the deer of true understanding, and thus come to its end?
निरंशध्यानविश्रान्तिमूकस्य मम मूर्धनि । कदा कर्णे करिष्यन्ति कुलायं वनपुत्तिकाः
When will the forest birds build their nests in my ear, as I rest in silent meditation, my head quiet and still?
कदा निश्शङ्कम् उरसि ध्यानाधीनधियः खगाः । मम विश्रान्तिम् एष्यन्ति शैलस्थाणुतलस्थितेः
When will the birds, whose minds are absorbed in meditation, fearlessly settle upon my chest, as I remain unmoving like a mountain pillar?
तृष्णाकरञ्जजटिलां जन्मजर्जरगुल्मकाम् । संसारारण्यसरणिं त्यक्त्वा यास्याम्य् अहं कदा
When will I abandon the path through the forest of worldly existence, overgrown with the tangled thickets of craving, and afflicted by the disease of birth and decay?
इति चिन्तापरवशो वन उद्दालको द्विजः । पुनः पुनस् तूपविश्य ध्यानाभ्यासं चकार सः
Thus, overwhelmed by such thoughts, the twice-born Uddālaka sat again and again in the forest, practicing meditation.
विषयैर् नीयमाने तु चित्ते मर्कटचञ्चले । न स लेभे समाधानप्रतिष्ठां प्रीतिदायिनीम्
But as his mind, restless like a monkey, was drawn toward sense objects, he did not attain the stable, joyful state of concentration.
कदाचिद् बाह्यसंस्पर्शपरित्यागाद् अनन्तरम् । तस्यागच्छच् चित्तकपिः प्रोद्वेगं तत्त्वसंस्थितौ
Sometimes, after renouncing external contacts, his mind-monkey would leap up with agitation even in the state of contemplation on reality.
कदाचिद् आन्तरान् स्पर्शान् परित्यज्य मनःकपिः । लोलत्वात् तस्य संयातो विषयं विषलुब्धवत्
At times, having abandoned inner impressions, his mind-monkey, due to its fickle nature, would again rush toward sense objects, like one greedy for poison.
कदाचिद् आन्तरार्काभं तेजो दृष्ट्वान्तरे मनः । विषयोन्मुखतां यातं तस्य तामरसेक्षण
Sometimes, seeing within a radiance like an inner sun, his mind, O lotus-eyed one, would turn toward sense objects.
अन्तर् आन्ध्यतमस्त्यागं कृत्वा विषयलम्पटम् । तस्योड्डीय मनो याति कदाचित् त्रस्तपक्षिवत्
At times, after casting off the inner darkness, his mind, greedy for sense objects, would suddenly fly away like a frightened bird.
बाह्यान् आभ्यन्तरान् स्पर्शांस् त्यक्त्वा निद्रां च तन्मनः । तमस् तेजश् च नो लेभे कदाचिच् छाश्वतीं स्थितिम्
Abandoning both external and internal contacts, and even sleep, his mind would not attain lasting stability in darkness or in light.
इति पर्याकुलास्व् अन्तस् सो ऽलुठद् ध्यानवृत्तिषु । दरीष्व् अन्वहम् उग्रासु वातभग्न इव द्रुमः
Thus, with his thoughts in turmoil, he was tossed about within the currents of meditation, like a tree broken by the wind in fierce mountain ravines, day after day.
अतिष्ठल् लूनसंरूढमना मननसङ्कटे । यथा दोलायितवपुस् तृणं तीरतरङ्गके
His mind, torn and unsettled in the distress of reflection, wavered like a blade of grass on the bank, swayed by the waves.
अथ पर्याकुलमतिर् विजहारारतिर् गिरौ । प्रत्यहं दिवसाधीशो महामेराव् इवैककः
Then, with a disturbed mind and joyless heart, he wandered daily on the mountain, solitary like the sun ruling each day over the great Meru.
समग्रभूतदुष्प्रापाम् एकदा प्राप कन्दराम् । संशान्तसर्वसञ्चारां मुनिर् मोक्षदशाम् इव
One day, he reached a cavern, difficult for any living being to attain, utterly still and motionless, like a sage attaining the state of liberation.
अपर्याकुलितां वातैर् अप्राप्तमृगपक्षिणीं । अदृष्टां देवगन्धर्वैः परमाकाशशोभनाम्
Untouched by winds, unvisited by beasts or birds, unseen by gods or gandharvas, it shone with the radiance of the supreme sky.
पुष्पप्रकरसञ्छन्नां मृदुशाद्वलकोमलाम् । ज्योतीरसाश्मसम्प्रोतैः कृतां मरकतैर् इव
Covered with clusters of flowers, soft with tender grass, it seemed fashioned of emeralds, adorned with stones gleaming with the essence of light.
सिद्धगीतलसच्छायां प्रकटां रत्नदीपकैः । सुगुप्तां वनदेवीनाम् अन्तःपुरकुटीम् इव
Graced by the shade of celestial songs, bright with the lamps of jewels, it was well hidden, like the inner chambers of the forest goddesses.
न लोचनाहितालोकां नात्युष्णां नातिशीतलाम् । शारदस्योदितार्कस्य हेमगौरीं प्रभाम् इव
Not harsh to the eyes, neither too hot nor too cold, it was golden-bright, like the radiance of the autumn sun newly risen.
नाल्पालोकपरिम्लानां कोमलाशब्दमारुताम् । मञ्जरीजटिलोपान्तां बालां मालावतीम् इव
Not withered by the gaze of many, tender as the sound of a gentle breeze, with the ends of her flower-clusters tangled—like a young Mālāvatī garland.
उपशमपदवीम् इवात्तरूपां कमलजविश्रमणाय योग्यरूपाम् । कुसुमनिकरकोमलाभिरामां सरसिजकोटरसुन्दरीं समन्तात्
Like the path of tranquility, assuming a visible form, suited for the repose of the lotus-born, delightful with the softness of many blossoms, beautiful all around like the hollow of a lotus.
स तां विवेश धर्मात्मा गन्धमादनकन्दराम् । चिरभ्रमणसम्प्राप्ताम् अलिः पद्मकुटीम् इव
That righteous one entered the cave of Gandhamādana, which he had reached after long wandering, like a bee entering a lotus dwelling.
समाधानोन्मुखतया प्रविशन् स व्यराजत । सर्गव्यापारविरताव् आत्मपुर्याम् इवाब्जजः
Entering with a mind inclined toward samādhi, he shone like the lotus-born in his own city, having ceased from the activity of creation.
चकारासनम् आनीलैः पत्त्रैर् अन्तस्स्थगुच्छकम् । मृदु मेघविधिर् वृन्दम् आम्भोदम् इव तत्र सः
There he made a seat with fresh leaves, their clusters hidden within, soft as a cluster of clouds formed by gentle rain.
तस्य प्रसारयाम् आस पृष्ठे चारु मृगाजिनम् । नीलरत्नतटे मेरोस् ताराशारम् इवाम्बरम्
He spread a beautiful deer skin on the ground, like a constellation of stars in the sky on the sapphire slopes of Mount Meru.
तत्रोपाविशद् आवेशं चैतसं तनुतां नयन् । अन्तश्शुद्धवपुश् शृङ्गे वृष्टमूक इवाम्बुदः
There he sat, bringing his mind to a state of absorption, his inner being pure, like a silent cloud resting on a mountain peak.
बुद्धवत् सुदृढाबद्धपद्मासन उदङ्मुखः । पार्ष्णिभ्यां वृषणौ धृत्वा चकार ब्राह्मम् अञ्जलिम्
Firmly seated in the lotus posture like an awakened one, facing north, holding his testicles with his heels, he formed the Brahma-mudra with his hands.
वासनाभ्यस् समाहृत्य मनोमृगपरिप्लुतम् । निर्विकल्पसमाध्यर्थं चकारेमां विचारणाम्
Having gathered the tendencies, with the mind bewildered like a deer, I engaged in this inquiry for the sake of attaining thought-free absorption.