परमं बोधम् आसाद्य केचित् काननम् आगताः । यथा भृगुभरद्वाजविश्वामित्रसहादयः
Having attained supreme knowledge, some have gone to the forest, like Bhrigu, Bharadvaja, Vishvamitra, and others.
केचित् राज्येषु तिष्ठन्ति च्छत्त्रचामरमालिताः । यथा जनकशर्यातिमान्धातृमगधादयः
Some remain in kingdoms, adorned with umbrellas and fans, like Janaka, Sharyati, Mandhata, and the kings of Magadha.
केचिद् व्योमनि तिष्ठन्ति धिष्ण्यचक्रान्तरस्थिताः । यथा बृहस्पत्युशनश्चन्द्रसूर्यमुनीश्वराः
Some dwell in the sky, established within the spaces among the heavenly spheres, like Brihaspati, Ushanas, Chandra, Surya, and the great sages.
केचित् सुरपदं याता विमानावलिम् आस्थिताः । यथाग्निवायुवरुणयमतुम्बुरुनारदाः
Some have attained the realm of the gods, residing in rows of celestial vehicles, like Agni, Vayu, Varuna, Yama, Tumburu, and Narada.
केचित् पातालकुहरे जीवन्मुक्ता व्यवस्थिताः । यथा बडिसुहोत्रान्धप्रह्लादह्लादपूर्वकाः
Some jivanmuktas are established in the caves of the netherworld, like Badi, Suhotra, Andha, Prahlada, Hlada, and Purvaka.
तिर्यग्योनिष्व् अपि सदा वर्तन्ते कृतबुद्धयः । देवयोनिष्व् अपि प्राज्ञ वर्तन्ते मूर्खबुद्धयः
Those of awakened understanding continually exist even in animal wombs; while among the gods, the ignorant also exist.
सर्वं सर्वेण सर्वत्र सर्वथा सर्वदैव हि । सम्भवत्य् एव सर्वात्मन्य् आत्मनात्मस्वरूपिणि
Indeed, everything, everywhere, in every way, at all times, arises in the all-pervading Self, which is the true nature of the Self.
विधेर् विचित्रा नियतिर् अनन्तारम्भमन्थरा । सन्निवेशांशवैचित्र्यात् सर्वं सर्वत्र दृश्यते
The wondrous order of fate, slow to begin yet endless, appears everywhere in all things due to the diversity of arrangements.
विधिर् दैवं विभुर् धाता सर्वेशश् शिव ईश्वरः । इति नामभिर् आत्मान्तः प्रत्यक्चेतन उच्यते
Fate, destiny, the all-pervading, the creator, the lord of all, Shiva, the ruler—by these names, the inner self, the inward consciousness, is spoken of.
अस्त्य् अवस्तुनि वस्त्व् अन्तः काञ्चनं सिकतास्व् इव । अस्ति वस्तुन्य् अवस्त्व् अन्तर् मलं हेमकणेष्व् इव
In the unreal, there is a trace of reality, like gold within sand; in the real, there is a trace of unreality, like impurity within gold particles.
अयुक्ते युक्तता युक्त्या प्रेक्ष्यमाणा प्रदृश्यते । पापस्य हि भयाल् लोको धर्मे राम प्रवर्तते
Through reasoning, suitability is seen even in the unsuitable; out of fear of evil, O Rama, people turn to righteousness.
असत्ये सत्यता साधो शाश्वती परिलक्ष्यते । शून्येन ध्यानयोगेन शाश्वतं पदम् आप्यते
O noble one, in the unreal, true reality is perceived as eternal; through meditation and absorption in emptiness, the everlasting state is attained.
यन् नास्ति तद् उदेत्य् आशु देशकालविलासतः । शशकाश् शृङ्गवन्तो हि दृश्यन्ते शम्बरस्थितौ
That which does not exist quickly appears due to the play of space and time; for indeed, in a mirage, horned rabbits are seen.
ये वज्रसारास् सुदृढा दृश्यन्ते ते क्षयं गताः । कल्पस्यान्ते यथेन्द्वर्कधराब्धिविबुधाद्रयः
Even those who are diamond-hard and steadfast are seen to perish, just as at the end of an aeon, the moon, sun, earth, ocean, gods, and mountains pass away.
इति पश्यन् महाबाहो भावाभावभवक्रमम् । हर्षामर्षविषादेहास् सन्त्यज्य समतां व्रज
Thus, seeing the sequence of being, non-being, and becoming, O mighty-armed one, abandon delight, anger, and sorrow, and attain equanimity.
असत् सद् अवभातीह सद् असच् चापि दृश्यते । आस्थानास्थे परित्यज्य तेनाशु समतां व्रज
Here, the unreal appears as real, and the real is also seen as unreal; abandoning both attachment and aversion, therefore quickly attain equanimity.
मुक्तौ राघव लोके ऽस्मिन् न प्राप्तिस् सम्भवत्य् अलम् । अप्रवृत्त्या विवेकस्य मग्ना हि जनकोटयः
O Raghava, in this world, liberation is not attained merely by the absence of discernment; for countless people are lost due to the lack of discrimination.
मुक्तौ राघव लोके ऽस्मिन् प्राप्तिर् अस्ति सदैव हि । प्रवृत्त्या हि विवेकस्य मुक्ताश् च जनकोटयः
O Raghava, in this world, liberation is always attained through the presence of discernment; for countless people are liberated by the activity of discrimination.
प्रविवेकाविवेकाभ्यां सुलभालभ्यतां गता । मुक्तिर् मनःक्षयप्राप्त्या विवेकं तेन दीपय
Liberation becomes easy or difficult to attain depending on discernment or lack thereof; therefore, by attaining the dissolution of the mind, kindle discernment.
आत्मावलोकने यत्नः कर्तव्यो भूतिम् इच्छता । सर्वदुःखशिरश्छेद आत्मालोकेन जायते
One who desires prosperity should make effort in self-inquiry; for by the light of the Self, the root of all suffering is severed.
नीरागा निरुपासङ्गा जीवन्मुक्ता महाधियः । सम्भवन्तीह बहवस् सुहोत्रजनका इव
Those great ones who are free from passion and attachment, liberated while living, are many in this world, like Suhotra and Janaka.
तस्मात् त्वम् अपि वै राम विवेकोदितधीरधीः । जीवन्मुक्तो विहर भोस् समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः
Therefore, you too, O Rama, with a mind illumined by discernment, live as a liberated one, regarding earth, stone, and gold as the same.
द्विविधा मुक्तता लोके विद्यते देहधारिणाम् । सदेहैका विदेहान्या विभागो ऽयं तयोश् शृणु
There are two kinds of liberation known among embodied beings: one with the body, and the other without the body; listen to the distinction between these two.
असंसङ्गात् पदार्थानां मनश्शान्तिर् हि मुक्तता । सत्य् असत्य् अपि देहे सा सम्भवत्य् अनघाकृते
Through non-attachment to objects, the mind attains peace, which is liberation; this occurs in the body whether it is real or unreal, for one whose actions are pure.
स्नेहसङ्क्षयम् एवाङ्ग विदुः कैवल्यम् उत्तमाः । तत् सम्भवति देहस्य भावे चाभाव एव च
O dear one, the wise know that the cessation of affection is aloneness; this arises whether the body exists or does not exist.
यो जीवति गतस्नेहं स जीवन्मुक्त उच्यते । सस्नेहजीवितो बद्धो मुक्त एव तृतीयकः
He who lives without attachment is called liberated while living; one who lives with attachment is bound, and the third is liberated indeed.
यत्नो यत्नेन कर्तव्यो मोक्षार्थं युक्तिपूर्वकम् । यत्नयुक्तिविहीनस्य गोष्पदं दुस्तरं भवेत्
Effort must be made with diligence and reason for the sake of liberation; for one lacking effort and reason, even a cow’s hoofprint is hard to cross.
न त्व् अनध्यवसायस्य दुःखाय विपुलात्मने । आत्मा परवशः कार्यो मोहम् आश्रित्य केवलम्
But for one without resolve, whose soul is vast and troubled, the self becomes subject to others, relying solely on delusion.
सुमहद् धैर्यम् आलम्ब्य मनसा व्यवसायिना । विचारयात्मनात्मानम् आत्मनश् चिरसिद्धये
Relying on great courage, with a resolute mind, one should contemplate the self by the self for the attainment of lasting perfection.
वितताध्यवसायस्य जगद् भवति गोष्पदम् । विहताध्यवसायस्य गोष्पदं वै जगद् भवेत्
For one with expansive resolve, the world becomes like a cow’s hoofprint; for one whose resolve is destroyed, the world is indeed like a cow’s hoofprint.