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.
रसनाभावम् आगत्य गर्धेनान्ध दुरन्धसाम् । मा नाशम् एहि बडिशपिण्डीलम्पटमत्स्यवत्
Having come to the sense of taste, which is blinded by greed for strong flavors, do not meet your end, like the greedy fish caught by the baited hook.
चाक्षुषीं वृत्तिम् आश्रित्य स्त्र्यादिरूपामयोन्मुखीम् । मा गच्छ दग्धतां मुग्ध कान्तिलुब्धपतङ्गवत्
Relying on the sense of sight, which is drawn to the forms of women and the like, do not, O simple one, get burned like the moth attracted to the flame by its longing for beauty.
घ्राणमार्गम् उपाश्रित्य शरीराम्भोजकोटरे । गन्धोन्मुखतया बन्धं मा समाश्रय भृङ्गवत्
Taking the path of smell, drawn to fragrances in the hollow of the body’s lotus, do not, like the bee, become trapped by attachment.
कुरङ्गालिपतङ्गेभमीनास् त्व् एकैकशो हताः । सर्वैर् एतैर् अनर्थैस् तु व्याप्तस्याज्ञ कुतस् सुखम्
Deer, bees, moths, elephants, and fish are each destroyed by one of these; but you, O ignorant one, who are beset by all these calamities, how can you find happiness?
हे चित्त वासनाजालं बन्धाय भवतोम्भितम् । स्वात्मनस् सहजः फेनस् तान्तवः क्रिमिणा यथा
O mind, the net of desires, swelling with bondage, is like the natural threads of foam for the worm—born from yourself.
शरदभ्रवद् आगत्य शुद्धिं त्यक्तमलामयाम् । यदि शाम्यसि निर्मूलं तद् अनन्ता जयास् तव
If, like an autumn cloud, you arrive and abandon impurity for pure clarity, and if you become completely pacified, then your victories are endless.
क्षयोदयदशादात्रीः पर्यन्तपरितापिनीः । जानन्न् अपि जगद्दृष्टीर् न त्यक्ष्यसि विनङ्क्ष्यसि
Even knowing that all perceptions of the world are subject to arising and passing away and bring only distress at their limits, if you do not abandon them, you will perish.
करोम्य् अथ किमर्थं वा तवैतद् अनुशासनम् । विचारणवतः पुंसश् चित्तम् अस्ति हि नानघ
Why, then, should I give you this instruction? For one who reflects, O blameless one, there is indeed only one mind, not many.
यावद् अज्ञानघनता तावत् प्रघनचित्तता । यावत् प्रावृट्प्रबलता तावन् नीहारभूरिता
As long as there is the density of ignorance, so long is there heaviness of mind; as long as the force of the rainy season endures, so long is there abundance of mist.
यावद् अज्ञानतनुता तावच् चित्तस्य तानवम् । प्रावृट्परिक्षयो यावत् तावन् नीहारसङ्क्षयः
As long as ignorance is thin, so long is the mind subtle; as the rainy season wanes, so too does the mist diminish.