सदेहा वा विदेहा वा मुक्तता न प्रमास्पदम् । अस्माकम् अस्यास् तु यदा स्वैकतास्त्य् अविभागिनी
Whether with a body or without, liberation is not determined by that for us; for when this non-dual unity exists, it is indivisible.
तस्मात् प्रकृतम् एवेदं शृणु श्रवणभूषणम् । मयोपदिश्यमानं त्वं ज्ञानम् अज्ञान्ध्यनाशनम्
Therefore, listen now to this teaching, an ornament to the ear, which I am about to impart to you—a knowledge that destroys the darkness of ignorance.
सर्वम् एवेह हि सदा संसारे रघुनन्दन । सम्यक्प्रयुक्तात् सर्वेण पौरुषात् समवाप्यते
O delight of the Raghu lineage, in this world of transmigration, everything is always attained through complete and proper human effort.
इह हीन्दोर् इवोदेति शीतलाह्लादनं हृदि । परिस्पन्दफलप्राप्तौ पौरुषाद् एव नान्यतः
Just as the moon rises and brings cool delight to the heart, so too, the fruit of endeavor is obtained only by one's own effort, and not otherwise.
पौरुषस्पन्दफलवद् दृष्टं प्रत्यक्षतो न यत् । कल्पितं मोहिभिर् मन्दैर् दैवं किञ्चिन् न विद्यते
That which is seen directly as the result of the movement of effort is real; what is imagined by the deluded as fate is nothing and does not exist.
साधूपदेशशास्त्रेण यन् मनोऽङ्गविचेष्टितम् । तत् पौरुषं तत् सफलम् अन्यद् उन्मत्तचेष्टितम्
Whatever activity of mind and body is guided by the teaching of the wise and scripture, that is true effort and fruitful; anything else is the action of the deluded.
यो यम् अर्थं कामयते तद् अर्थं चेहते क्रमात् । अवश्यं तम् अवाप्नोति न चेद् अर्धान् निवर्तते
Whoever desires a certain goal and strives for it step by step, surely attains it; if not, he does not even turn back halfway.
पौरुषेण प्रयत्नेन त्रैलोक्यैश्वर्यसुन्दरीम् । कश्चित् प्राणिविशेषो हि शक्रतां समुपागतः
By human effort and striving, some particular living being has indeed attained the lordship of the three worlds, the splendor of Indra.
पौरुषेण प्रयत्नेन सहसाम्भोरुहास्पदाम् । कश्चिद् एव चिदुल्लासो ब्रह्मताम् अधिगच्छति
By human effort and striving, some rare one, through the blossoming of consciousness, attains the state of Brahma, the seat of the lotus of creation.
सारेण पुरुषार्थेन स्वेनैव गरुडध्वजाम् । कश्चिद् एव पुमान् एष पुरुषोत्तमतां गतः
By the essence of purposeful effort, by his own power, some rare man has attained the highest state of Purushottama, the supreme among men, the banner-bearer Garuda.
पौरुषेणैव यत्नेन ललनावलनाकृतिम् । शरीरी कश्चिद् एवेह गतश् चन्द्रार्धचूडताम्
It is only through personal effort that someone, possessing a body shaped by the play of feminine grace, attains the status of one adorned with the crescent moon.
प्राक्तनं चैहिकं चेति द्विविधं विद्धि पौरुषम् । प्राक्तनो ऽद्यतनेनाशु पुरुषार्थेन जीयते
Know that effort is of two kinds: previous and present; the former is quickly overcome by the latter, through purposeful action.
यत्नवद्भिर् दृढाभ्यासैः प्रज्ञोत्साहसमन्वितैः । मेरवो ऽपि निगीर्यन्ते कैव प्राक्पौरुषे कथा
Even mountains are swallowed by those who strive with steadfast practice, endowed with wisdom and enthusiasm; what then of the talk about previous effort?
शास्त्रनियन्त्रितपौरुषपरमा पुरुषस्य पुरुषता या स्यात् । अभिमतफलभरसिद्ध्यै भवति हि सान्या त्व् अनर्थाय
The highest human excellence is that which is guided by scripture-directed effort; for the fulfillment of desired results, it is beneficial, but otherwise, it leads to harm.
कस्याञ्चित् स्वयम् आत्मदुस्स्थितिवशात् पुंसो दशायां शनैर् अङ्गुल्यग्रनिपीडितैकचुलुकाद् आचामबिन्दुर् बहुः । कस्याञ्चिज् जलराशिपर्वतपुरद्वीपान्तरालङ्कृता कर्तव्योचितसंविभागकरणे पृथ्वी न पृथ्वी भवेत्
For someone, due to the instability of their own self, in a certain state, a single drop of water pressed from the tip of a finger may seem abundant; for another, when the earth is adorned with oceans, mountains, cities, and islands, it may not suffice for the proper distribution of duties, and the earth ceases to be earth.
प्रवृत्तिर् एवं प्रथमं यथाशास्त्रं विहारिणाम् । प्रभेव वर्णभेदानां साधनी सर्वकर्मणाम्
Action, according to scripture, is the first step for those who live in the world; it is like the radiance among the colors, the means for all deeds.
मनसा वाञ्छ्यते यत् तु यथाशास्त्रं न कर्मणा । साध्यते मत्तलीलासौ मोहनी नार्थसाधनी
Whatever is desired in the mind but not acted upon according to scripture, is fulfilled as the play of the intoxicated, enchanting but not productive of results.
यथा सञ्चेत्यते येन तथा तेनानुभूयते । स्वकर्मैवेति वास्त्व् अन्या व्यतिरिक्ता न दैवदृक्
As one conceives, so one experiences; one's own action alone is real, and nothing else, not even fate, is distinct.
उच्छास्त्रं शास्त्रितं चेति पौरुषं द्विविधं स्मृतम् । तत्रोच्छास्त्रम् अनर्थाय परमार्थाय शास्त्रितम्
Human effort is said to be of two kinds: that which is unregulated and that which is guided by scripture. Of these, unregulated effort leads to harm, while effort guided by scripture leads to the highest good.
द्वौ हुडाव् इव युध्येते पुरुषार्थौ समासमौ । आत्मीयश् चान्यदीयश् च जयत्य् अतिबलस् तयोः
Just as two wrestlers contend, so do the two forms of human effort—one belonging to oneself, the other to another. Among them, the stronger always prevails.
अनर्थः प्राप्यते यत्र शास्त्रिताद् अपि पौरुषात् । अनर्थकर्तुर् बलवत् तत्र ज्ञेयं स्वपौरुषम्
Where harm arises even from effort guided by scripture, one should recognize that the harm-doer's own effort is stronger in that case.
परं पौरुषम् आश्रित्य दन्तैर् दन्तान् विचूर्णयन् । शुभेनाशुभम् उद्युक्तः प्राक्तनं पौरुषं जयेत्
Relying on superior effort, one grinds teeth against teeth; by engaging good against evil, one can overcome previous effort with present effort.
प्राक्तनः पुरुषार्थो ऽसौ मां नियोजयतीति धीः । बलाद् अधस्पदीकार्या प्रत्यक्षाद् अधिका न सा
The thought, 'My previous effort compels me,' should be forcibly set aside; it is not greater than direct, present action.
तावत् तावत् प्रयत्नेन यतितव्यं स्वपौरुषम् । प्राक्तनं पौरुषं यावद् अशुभं शाम्यति स्वयम्
One must persistently strive with one's own effort until previous effort, which is evil, subsides on its own.
दोषश् शाम्यत्य् असन्देहं प्राक्तनो ऽद्यतनैर् गुणैः । दृष्टान्तो ऽत्र ह्यस्तनस्य दोषस्याद्यगुणैः क्षयः
Without doubt, a fault subsides when present virtues overcome previous faults; the example is that yesterday's fault is destroyed by today's virtues.
असद्दैवम् अधः कृत्वा नित्यम् उद्युक्तया धिया । संसारोत्तरणं भूत्यै यतेताधातुम् आत्मनि
Casting aside false fate, one should always strive with determined mind to establish in oneself the means for crossing over worldly existence and attaining prosperity.
न गन्तव्यम् अनुद्योगैस् साम्यं पुरुषगर्दभैः । उद्योगस् तु यथाशास्त्रं लोकद्वितयसिद्धये
One should not pursue equality with men and donkeys through inaction; rather, effort should be made according to scripture for the attainment of both worlds.
संसारकुहराद् अस्मान् निर्गन्तव्यं स्वयं बलात् । पौरुषं यत्नम् आश्रित्य हरिणेवारिपञ्जरात्
We must forcefully escape from the cavern of worldly existence, relying on personal effort, like a deer breaking free from a water cage.
प्रत्यहं प्रत्यवेक्षेत नरश् चरितम् आत्मनः । सन्त्यजेत् पशुभिस् तुल्यं श्रयेत् सत्पुरुषोचितम्
Each day, a person should examine their own conduct, abandon what is like that of beasts, and adopt what is fitting for noble people.
किञ्चित् कान्तान्नपानादिकलिलं कोमलं गृहे । व्रणे कीट इवास्वाद्य वयः कार्यं न भस्मसात्
A little enjoyment of pleasant food and drink at home is delicate, but like a worm savoring a wound, one's youth should not be wasted to ashes.