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.
अयि मूर्ख मनः को ऽर्थस् तव संसारवृत्तिभिः । धीमन्तो न निषेवन्ते पर्यन्ते दुःखदां क्रियाम्
O foolish mind, what is the use for you in the ways of worldly existence? The wise do not pursue actions that ultimately bring suffering.
अनुधावति यो भोगांस् त्यक्त्वा शमरसायनम् । स त्यक्तमन्दारवनः प्रयाति विषजङ्गलम्
He who abandons the elixir of tranquility and instead chases after pleasures is like one who leaves a grove of heavenly trees and enters a poisonous jungle.
यदि यासि महीरन्ध्रं ब्रह्मलोकम् अथापि वा । तन् न निर्वृतिम् आयासि त्वं विनोपशमामृतम्
Even if you reach the depths of the earth or the world of Brahma, you will not attain true contentment without the nectar of inner peace.
आशाशतावपूर्णत्वं त्वम् इदं सर्वदुःखदम् । त्यज याहि परं श्रेयः पदम् एकान्तसुन्दरम्
This endless thirst of desire is the source of all your suffering; abandon it and go to that supremely beautiful state of highest good.
इमा विचित्राः कलना भावाभावमयात्मिकाः । दुःखायैव तवोग्राय न सुखाय कदाचन
These various imaginations, whose nature is existence and non-existence, are only for your intense suffering, never for happiness.
शब्दादिकाभिर् एताभिः किं मूढ हतवृत्तिभिः । भ्रमस्य् अविरतं व्यर्थम् एव मण्डूकिका यथा
Why, deluded one, do you wander ceaselessly and in vain after these objects of sound and the like, with ruined habits, like a frog?
मनोमण्डूकिके व्यर्थम् इयन्तं कालम् अन्धया । भ्रमन्त्या भुवनं विष्वक् किं समासादितं त्वया
O mind, like a blind frog you have wandered in vain for so long throughout this world—what have you truly gained?
यस्मात् किञ्चित् तद् आप्नोषि यस्मिन् भजसि निर्वृतिम् । तस्मिंश् चित्त शमे मूर्ख नानुबध्नासि किं पदम्
O mind, whatever you obtain, in whatever you find satisfaction, why, O fool, do you not pursue that state of inner peace?
आगत्य श्रोत्रतां मूर्ख व्यर्थोत्थानोपबृंहिताम् । धिया शब्दानुसारिण्या मृगवन् मा क्षयं व्रज
O fool, having come to the faculty of hearing, which is filled with useless sounds, do not, like a deer, go to your destruction by following words with your restless mind.
त्वक्ताम् आगत्य दुःखाय स्पर्शोन्मुखतयानया । मूर्ख मा बद्धताम् एहि गजीलुब्धगजेन्द्रवत्
Having come to the sense of touch, which leads only to suffering, O fool, do not become bound, like the elephant-king ensnared by his desire for the female elephant.