न द्वित्वम् अस्ति नो देहस् सम्बन्धो न च तैश् चितः । सम्भवत्य् अकलङ्काया भानोर् इव तमःपटैः
There is no duality, no connection with the body, nor is consciousness related to them—just as darkness cannot exist in the sun, which is free from all blemish.
द्वित्वम् अभ्युपगम्यापि कथयामि तवारिहन् । देहादिभिस् सद्भिर् अपि न सम्बन्धो विभोर् भवेत्
Even if duality is accepted for the sake of discussion, I tell you, O worthy one, that even with real bodies and the like, there can be no connection with the Infinite.
छायातपप्रसरयोः प्रकाशतमसोर् यथा । न सम्भवति सम्बन्धस् तथा वै देहदेहिनोः
Just as there is no connection between the movement of shadow and sunlight, or between light and darkness, so too, there is no connection between the body and the indweller.
यथा शीतोष्णयोर् नित्यं परस्परविरुद्धयोः । न सम्भवति सम्बन्धो राम देहात्मनोस् तथा
Just as between cold and heat, which are always mutually opposed, there can never be a union, so too, O Rama, is it with the body and the Self.
अविनाभावितार्थस् तु सम्बन्धः कथम् एतयोः । जडचेतनयोर् देहदेहिनोर् अनुभूयते
How can there be a connection between these two, which are not mutually dependent—between the inert and the conscious, the body and the indweller—such as is experienced?
चिन्मात्रेणात्मना देहस् सम्बद्ध इति या कथा । सैषा दुरवबोधोत्था दावाग्नौ जलधीर् यथा
The notion that the body is joined to the Self, which is pure consciousness alone, arises from misunderstanding, like the appearance of water in a mirage caused by forest fire.
सत्यावलोकनेनैषा मिथ्यादृष्टिर् विनश्यति । अवलोकनया सम्यग् आतपे जलधीर् यथा
By true discernment, this false perception is destroyed, just as the illusion of water vanishes upon proper observation in sunlight.
चिदात्मा निर्मलो नित्यस् स्वावभासो निरामयः । देहस् त्व् अनित्यो मलवांस् तेन सम्बध्यते कथम्
The Self, which is consciousness, is pure, eternal, self-luminous, and free from affliction; but the body is impermanent and impure—how can there be any connection between them?
स्पन्दम् आयाति वातेन भूतैर् आपीवरीकृतः । देहस् तेन न सम्बन्धो मनाग् एव महात्मनः
The body, composed of elements and made plump by them, moves by the force of wind; therefore, there is not even the slightest connection between it and the great Self.
सिद्धे द्वित्वे ऽपि देहस्य न सम्बन्धस्य सम्भवः । द्वित्वासिद्धौ तु सुमते कलनैवेदृशी कुतः
Even if duality of the body were established, there could be no possibility of connection; and if duality is not established, O wise one, how could such a conception arise at all?
इत्य् एतद् एव तत् सत्यम् अत्रैवाङ्ग स्थितिं कुरु । न बन्धो ऽस्ति न मोक्षो ऽस्ति कदाचित् कस्यचित् क्वचित्
Thus, this alone is the truth; abide in this, O dear one. There is never any bondage nor liberation for anyone, anywhere, at any time.
सर्वम् आत्ममयं शान्तम् इत्य् एव प्रत्ययं स्फुटम् । सबाह्याभ्यन्तरं राम सर्वत्र दृढतां नय
Hold firmly, everywhere and in all circumstances, the clear conviction that all is pervaded by the Self and is peaceful, both within and without, O Rama.
सुखी दुःखी च मूढो ऽस्मीत्य् एता दुर्दृष्टयस् स्मृताः । आसु चेद् वस्तुबुद्धिस् ते तच् चिरं दुःखम् एष्यसि
Thoughts such as 'I am happy,' 'I am unhappy,' or 'I am confused' are considered false perceptions; if you take them as real, you will experience prolonged suffering.
यः क्रमश् शैलतृणयोः कौशेयोपलयोस् तथा । साम्यं प्रति स एवोक्तः परमात्मशरीरयोः
Just as one can discern the difference between a mountain and a blade of grass, or between silk and stone, so too is the distinction made between the supreme Self and the body.
यथा शीतोष्णयोर् ऐक्यं कथास्व् अपि न दृश्यते । जडप्रकाशयोश् श्लेषो न तथात्मशरीरयोः
Just as unity between cold and heat is never seen, even in stories, so too there is no real union between the inert body and the luminous Self.
यथा तेजस्तिमिरयोर् न सम्बन्धो न तुल्यता । अत्यन्तभिन्नयो राम तथा ह्य् आत्मशरीरयोः
Just as there is neither connection nor similarity between light and darkness, O Rama, so too are the Self and the body utterly distinct.
देहश् चलति वातेन तेनैवायाति गच्छति । शब्दं करोति तेनैव देहनाडीविलासिना
The body moves by the wind, comes and goes by it, and produces sound through the play of the wind in its channels.
शब्दः कचटतप्रायस् स्फुरत्य् अन्तस् समीरणे । यथा प्रजायते वंशाद् देहरन्ध्रात् तथैव हि
Sound arises within by the movement of air, much like the sound produced from a bamboo when wind passes through its hollow.
कनीनिकापरिस्पन्दश् चक्षुस्स्पन्दश् च मारुतात् । इन्द्रियस्फुरणं चैव संवित् केवलम् आत्मनः
The blinking of the eye and its movements are due to the wind; the activity of the senses is also from it, but pure awareness belongs to the Self alone.
आकाशोपलकुड्यादौ सर्वत्रात्मदशा स्थिता । प्रतिबिम्बम् इवादर्शे चित्त एव च दृश्यते
The state of the Self is present everywhere, in the sky, on walls, and so on; yet, like a reflection in a mirror, it is perceived only in the mind.
शरीरालयम् उत्सृज्य यत्र चित्तविहङ्गमः । स्ववासनावशाद् याति तत्रैवात्मानुभूयते
When the bird of the mind departs from the abode of the body, it experiences the Self precisely wherever it goes, led by its own tendencies.
यत्र पुष्पं तत्र गन्धसंविदस् संस्थिता यथा । यत्र चित्तं हि तत्रात्मसंविदस् संस्थितास् तथा
Just as the awareness of fragrance abides wherever there is a flower, so too, wherever the mind is, there the awareness of the Self abides.
सर्वत्र स्थितम् आकाशम् आदर्शे प्रतिबिम्बते । यथा तथात्मा सर्वत्र स्थितश् चेतसि दृश्यते
Just as space, though present everywhere, is reflected in a mirror, so the Self, though present everywhere, is seen in the mind.
अपाम् अवनतं स्थानम् आस्पदं भूतले यथा । अन्तःकरणम् एवात्मसंविदाम् आस्पदं तथा
Just as a low place on the earth becomes a reservoir for water, so the mind alone is the reservoir for awareness of the Self.
सत्यासत्यं जगद्रूपम् अन्तःकरणबिम्बिता । आत्मसंवित् तनोतीदम् आलोकम् इव सूर्यभाः
The reality or unreality of the world appears as a reflection in the mind; awareness of the Self produces this illumination, just as the sun's rays produce light.
अन्तःकरणम् एवातः कारणं भूतसंसृतौ । आत्मा सर्वातिगत्वात् तु कारणं सद् अकारणम्
Therefore, the mind alone is the cause in the cycle of beings; but the Self, being all-pervading, is the true cause, yet itself causeless.
अविचारणम् अज्ञानं मौर्ख्यम् आहुर् महाधियः । संसारसंसृतौ सारम् अन्तःकरणकारणम्
The wise declare that lack of inquiry, ignorance, and folly are the essence and cause of the mind's involvement in the cycle of worldly existence.
असम्यक्प्रेक्षणान् मोहाच् चेतस् सत्तां गृहीतवत् । सम्मोहबीजकणिकां तमो ऽर्कद्रवणाद् इव
Through improper perception, out of delusion, the mind has grasped a sense of existence—just as a tiny seed of confusion is held, like darkness before the sun's rays dispel it.
यथाभूतात्मतत्त्वैकपरिज्ञानेन राघव । असत्ताम् एत्य् अलं चेतो दीपेनेव तमः क्षणात्
By the single, true knowledge of the real nature of the Self, O Raghava, the mind attains nonexistence—just as darkness vanishes in an instant before a lamp.
संसारकारणम् अतस् स्वयं चेतो ऽविचारणात् । जीवो ऽन्तःकरणं चित्तं मनश् चेत्यादिनामकम्
Therefore, the cause of saṃsāra is the mind itself, due to lack of inquiry; the living being, the inner organ, the mind, and so on—these are merely different names for it.