केवलं त्व् अज्ञविषयम् उपदेशार्थसिद्धये । त्वया करणभूतेन करोत्य् आत्मेति कथ्यते
Only for the sake of instructing the ignorant is it said that you, as an instrument, perform actions and are called the self.
असत्स्वरूपं करणं जडं निरवलम्बनम् । न स्पन्दते न प्लवते कर्तृसम्बोधनं विना
The instrument, being insentient, unreal in nature, and unsupported, neither moves nor acts without the invocation of a doer.
अकर्तुः करणस्याज्ञ शक्तिः काचिन् न विद्यते । दात्रस्य लावकाभावे कर्तुं किम् इव शक्तता
O ignorant one, for an instrument without a doer, there is no power at all; just as, in the absence of a giver, what power is there to give?
खड्गप्रहारविच्छेदक्रियायां पुंसि शक्तता । न खड्गे सुजडे कृत्तसर्वाङ्गे ऽप्य् अस्ति शक्तता
The power to cut in the act of striking with a sword resides in the person, not in the sword itself, even if it is completely inert and severed in every part.
तस्मान् नासि सखे कर्तृ मा व्यर्थं दुःखभाग् भव । परार्थं क्लेशिता मूर्ख प्राकृतेषु न शोभते
Therefore, friend, you are not the doer—do not needlessly partake in suffering; it does not befit the wise to toil for the sake of others among the unrefined.
ईश्वरो नेदृशश् शोच्यो यस् त्वयोपकृतो भवेत् । नैव तस्य कृतेनार्थो नाकृतेनेह कश्चन
The Lord is not to be pitied in this way—whether you benefit him or not, there is no gain for him from what is done, nor any loss from what is left undone.
सर्वं तूपकरोम्य् एनम् इति केवलम् अल्पधीः । क्लिश्यते च सतां त्व् अर्थो न कश्चिद् उपयुज्यते
Only a person of small understanding thinks, 'I will benefit this one entirely,' and suffers; but for the noble, there is truly no purpose served by such action.
कर्तुर् भोगेश्वरस्यैवम् अथ चेद् अनुवर्तसे । तद् अस्य काचिन् नेच्छेह तृप्तत्वात् सर्वदैव हि
If you follow the will of the enjoyer and Lord as the doer, then here he has no desire for anything, being ever content.
अकृत्रिमावभासेन सर्वगेन चिदात्मना । एकेनैवेदम् आपूर्णं कल्पनैवास्ति नेतरा
Through the uncontrived radiance of the all-knowing consciousness-self, this alone appears as all; imagination alone exists, nothing else.
एकानेकावभासेन समस्तेन ततात्मना । आत्मन्य् एवात्मनैवान्तः क्रियते किं किम् इष्यते
By the one and many appearances, by the all-pervading true self, within the self alone, by the self alone, all is done—what then is desired?
त्वादृशस्य तु दृष्ट्यैव क्षुब्धता जायते मुधा । आलोक्य राजमहिषीं मनो मदमयीं यथा
But for one like you, agitation arises merely from perception, just as the mind becomes intoxicated upon seeing the queen.
आत्मना तव सम्बन्धश् चेत् तत् कर्त्र् असि सुन्दर । किं तु नास्यासि सम्बन्धः कुसुमस्योपलो यथा
If you think you have a connection with the self, then you are the doer, O beautiful one; but truly, you have no connection, just as a stone has none with a flower.
द्वितीयेन समं यैषा तत्ता तद्भावतैकता । सा सम्बन्धगतिः प्रोक्ता प्राग्द्वित्वाद् अधुनैकता
When this (connection) is together with a second, it is called the movement of relation; previously there was duality, now there is oneness.
नानाप्रकाररचना नानारूपक्रियामुखी । सुखदुःखदशाहेतुस् सा चानेकविधा स्मृता
It is said to be of many kinds, composed in various ways and manifesting in diverse forms and actions, the cause of states of pleasure and pain.
सम्बन्धस् समयोर् दृष्टस् तथार्धसमयोर् अपि । सुविलक्षणयोश् चान्यस् तस्मिन् सति जगत्त्रये
Connection is observed between times, as well as between half-times, and also between two entirely distinct things; when that exists, the three worlds arise.
द्रव्यान्तरगुणं द्रव्याण्य् आश्रयन्ति बहून्य् अलम् । शशिशैत्यं यथौषध्यो यथोष्माणं महाशिलाः
Many substances indeed take on the qualities of other substances, just as medicinal herbs acquire the coolness of the moon, or great stones acquire heat.
इत्थं यदि तु सम्बन्धो भवतः परमात्मना । अस्तु तत् संसृतेर् बीजम् अन्योऽन्यगुणसङ्करः
Thus, if there is indeed a connection between you and the Supreme Self, let it be; that is the seed of transmigration, the intermingling of each other's qualities.
मनोमनननिर्माणकलातीतात्मनात्मना । ईदृशो ऽस्ति न सम्बन्धस् तवेन्द्रियगणाणुना
But for you, whose nature is beyond mind, thought, creation, and time, there is no such connection with the aggregate of sense-atom elements.
अन्यश् च दृश्यते लोके सम्बन्धस् समयोस् स्फुटः । यथा ज्वलनयोर् ऐक्ये तेजसोः पयसोर् अपि
Another kind of connection is clearly seen in the world, between times, as when two flames unite, or between fire and water.
मनोमनननिर्माणकलातीतात्मनाणुना । ईदृशो ऽपि न सम्बन्धस् तवेन्द्रियगणात्मना
Yet, for you, whose nature is beyond mind, thought, creation, and time, there is not even such a connection with the essence of the sense-group.
अन्यश् च चौर सम्बन्धो दृष्टो ऽर्धसमयोर् अपि । एकावयववैचित्र्याद् यथा स्त्रीपुंसयोर् इह
Another connection is also seen between half-times, as when, due to the peculiarity of a single limb, there is union between a woman and a man in this world.
किञ्चिदन्यतया चैव सलिलक्षीरयोर् इव । अथ वा वारिमधुनोर् मधुनोर् इव चित्रयोः । पाण्डुरारुणयोर् वापि तेजसोर् अरुणार्कयोः
There is a certain difference, just as between water and milk, or as between water and honey, or between two distinct kinds of honey, or between pale and red lights, or between the reddish sun and its rays.
मनोमनननिर्माणकलातीतात्मनात्मना । ईदृशो ऽपि न सम्बन्धस् तवेन्द्रियगणाणुना
Yet, even so, there is no connection between you—the Self beyond the play of mind, thought, and imagination—and the multitude of your sense-organs, which are mere atoms.
अन्यो ऽस्ति चौर सम्बन्धो यो ऽत्यन्तासमयोर् अपि । यथेह काष्ठजतुनोस् तथा पुरुषदन्तिनोः
There is another kind of connection, like that between a thief and the stolen goods, even when they are utterly unrelated—just as here between a wooden elephant and a real elephant.
तादृशो ऽपि न सम्बन्धस् तवेन्द्रियगणाणुना । मनोमनननिर्माणकलातीतात्मनात्मना
Yet, even such a connection does not exist between you—the Self beyond the play of mind, thought, and imagination—and the multitude of your sense-organs.
अन्यो बीजाङ्कुरन्याये पितृपुत्रक्रमे तथा । कार्यकारणरूपो ऽपि न सम्बन्धस् तवात्मना
Another is the connection by the analogy of seed and sprout, or in the sequence of father and son; even as cause and effect, there is no such connection for you, the Self.
अन्यो ऽपि कलनामात्रसङ्केतरचितो भवेत् । तवाहं त्वं ममेत्य् अन्तर्निश्चयेन किल द्वयोः
Another kind is merely a conceptual designation, arising from notions such as 'I am this,' 'this is mine,' formed by inner conviction between the two.
अन्ये च बहवो लोकेष्व् आधाराधेयतादयः । सम्भवन्तीह सम्बन्धास् सुष्ठु सम्बन्धकारिणाम्
There are also many other types of connections in the world, such as that of support and supported, and so on; these indeed arise for those who are bound by the sense of relationship.
मनोमनननिर्माणकलातीतात्मनाणुना । तथापि नैव सम्बन्धस् तवेन्द्रियगणात्मना
Yet, even so, there is truly no connection between you—the Self beyond the play of mind, thought, and imagination—and the aggregate of your sense-organs.
आत्मना भवतः को ऽयं घोरस् संसारदुःखदः । सम्बन्धस् स्याद् वदास्माभिर् यो न दृष्टो न दृश्यते
What is this dreadful connection with the world that brings suffering to you? Tell us, for we neither see nor perceive any such bond with your Self.