कल्लोलव्यालवलिते शरीरश्वभ्रकोटरे । खनतीहानखी खातं चिन्ताचपलगर्गटी
In the hollow of the body, like a cave twisted by the surging serpent of waves, the restless rat of anxiety digs ever deeper with its sharp claws.
लोभलट्वा लटत्पक्षा तीक्ष्णया द्वन्द्वतुण्डया । कायजीर्णद्रुमाद् अस्माद् गुणपद्मानि कृन्तति
With wings of greed fluttering, and the sharp beak of duality, it cuts down the lotuses of virtue from this tree of bodily decay.
हृदयावकरं कीर्णम् इतश् चेतश् च कर्कशः । अपवित्रोद्धुराकारः कुरुते कामकुक्कुटः
The cock of desire, harsh and impure in form, scatters filth here and there in the heart’s chamber.
महत्यां मोहयामिन्याम् उल्बणो ऽज्ञानकौशिकः । श्मशान इव वेतालः परिवल्गति हृद्द्रुमे
In the vast night of delusion, the fierce owl of ignorance leaps about the tree of the heart, like a ghoul in a cremation ground.
एताश् चान्याश् च बह्व्यो ऽपि त्वयीन्द्रियगणे सति । पिशाचा इव शर्वर्यां प्रवल्गन्त्य् अशुभश्रियः
And these, along with countless others, when the senses are present in you, frolic like demons in the night, bearing inauspicious forms.
त्वयि त्व् असति हे साधो सर्वा एव शुभश्रियः । प्रभात इव पद्मिन्यस् सालोकं विकसन्त्य् अलम्
O noble one, when you are present, all auspicious glories unfold abundantly, just as lotuses blossom fully at dawn.
प्रशान्तमोहमिहिकं राजते हृदयाम्बरम् । निर्मलालोकवलितं नीरजस्कं ततान्तरम्
The sky of the heart shines, its delusive mist stilled, filled with pure light, clear and free from dust within.
अशङ्कितं नभःकोशपतितोपलपूरवत् । नापतन्ति विकल्पौघाश् चिरं वैकल्यकारिणः
Untroubled, like a vault of heaven unstruck by falling stones, the multitude of wavering thoughts—long the cause of distress—no longer descend.
सर्वस्याह्लादनी शीता मैत्री परमपावनी । अभ्युदेति हृदो हृद्या सुतरोर् इव मञ्जरी
Friendship, cool and supremely pure, delighting all, arises in the heart—charming, like the blossom of a well-watered tree.
अन्तश्छिद्रवती जाड्ययुक्ता गुप्तगुणा स्वयम् । चिन्ता शोषम् उपायाति हिमदग्धेव पद्मिनी
Worry, riddled with inner holes, joined with dullness and hiding its own qualities, withers away by itself, like a lotus scorched by frost.
आलोकस् स्फुटताम् अन्तर् आयात्य् अज्ञानसङ्क्षये । प्रशाम्यत्य् अम्बुदे व्योम्नि शरदीवार्कमण्डलम्
When ignorance is destroyed, inner light becomes clear; like the sun's disk in autumn, it shines in the sky, the clouds having subsided.
प्रसन्नस्फारगम्भीरम् अक्षुब्धम् अपराहतम् । हृदयं समताम् एति शान्तवात इवार्णवः
The heart attains equanimity—clear, expansive, deep, undisturbed, and unstruck—like the ocean when the wind is still.
अमृतापूरपूर्णेन नित्यानन्दमयेन च । स्थीयते पुरुषेणान्तश्शीतेन शशिना यथा
Within the person, there remains a fullness of immortal nectar, composed of eternal bliss, cool as the moon.
संविदंशैकविश्रान्तं समग्रं सचराचरम् । भाव्यते भरिताकारं वपुर् आनन्दमन्थरम्
The entirety of existence, moving and unmoving, appears as a single, unified expanse of consciousness, resting in itself, filled with fullness, its form gently stirred by bliss.
न भवत्य् अस्तसङ्गानाम् आशापाशविधायिनाम् । दग्धानाम् इव पर्णानां जन्मनां पुनरागतिः
For those who are free from attachment and who have severed the bonds of desire, there is no return to birth, just as burnt leaves do not grow again.
पुंसा क्षपितसंसारजराजन्ममहाध्वना । अपुनर्भ्रमणायात्मद्रुमे विश्रम्यते चिरम्
When a person has traversed and exhausted the long road of worldly existence, old age, and birth, he rests for a long time in the tree of the Self, never to wander again.
एवम्प्रायास् तथान्याश् च भवन्ति गुणसम्पदः । असति त्वयि सर्वाशिन् सर्वाशाक्षणदाक्षये
In this way, and similarly, other virtues arise; but when you are absent, O consumer of all, all desires are destroyed in an instant.
पक्षयोर् एतयोश् चित्त सत्तासत्तास्वरूपयोः । येनैव पश्यसि श्रेयस् तम् एवाङ्गीकुरु क्षणात्
Between these two sides—the existence and non-existence of mind—whichever you perceive as the higher, accept that at once.
स्वात्माभावस् तव सुखं मन्ये मानवतां वर । तम् एव भावयाभावं सुखत्यागो हि मूढता
O best of men, I consider your absence of self to be happiness; contemplate only that absence, for abandoning happiness is folly.
यदि त्व् अस्ति भवत् सत्यम् अन्तर्भावितचेतनम् । जीवतस् तत् तवात्यन्तम् अभावं क इवेच्छति
But if you truly exist as a conscious being within, then while living, who would ever desire your utter non-existence?
किं तु नास्त्य् असि सत्येन वदामि तव सुन्दर । तेन मिथ्यैव जीवामीत्य् आस्थया मा भवासुखि
But in truth, you do not exist—I tell you this honestly, O beautiful one; therefore, do not cling to the false notion 'I live,' and do not remain attached to happiness.
प्रक्रमे वासि नास्त्य् एव या वा भ्रान्त्या त्वदस्तिता । सापीदानीं विचारेण भृशं सङ्क्षयम् आगता
In the beginning, O Vasiṣṭha, there was truly no such thing as you, nor the delusion of your existence; now, through inquiry, even that has greatly diminished.
एतावद् एव ते रूपं साधो यद् अविचारणम् । विचारे विहिते सम्यक् त्वम् अरूपम् असत् स्थितम्
O noble one, your only form was this lack of inquiry; when proper inquiry is established, you are formless, abiding as the unreal.
अविचारात् प्रजातं त्वम् अनालोकात् तमो यथा । विचारेणोपशान्तं त्वम् आलोकेन तमो यथा
You arose from non-inquiry, just as darkness arises from the absence of light; through inquiry, you are pacified, just as darkness is dispelled by light.
एतावन्तं सखे कालं बभूवाल्पविवेकिता । तावतैवातिपीनत्वम् अभूद् दुःखैककारणम्
Friend, for this much time there was little discernment; for just that long, there was excessive swelling, the sole cause of suffering.
मोहसङ्कल्पमात्रेण बालवेतालवद् भवत् । बभूवात्यन्तसङ्कल्पे क्षीणे त्वयि भवत् स्थितम्
By mere imagination born of delusion, you became like a childish ghost; when that intense imagination is exhausted, you remain as you are.
इदानीम् उदितं नित्यं त्वं प्राग्रूपे क्षयं गते । विवेकस्य प्रसादेन विवेकाय नमो नमः
Now you have arisen eternally, your former form having perished; by the grace of discernment—salutations again and again to discernment.
बभूविथाप्रबुद्धं त्वं चित्तकात्यन्तबोधतः । चित्ततायां विनष्टायां स्थितस् त्वं परमेश्वरः
You have now become awakened through the highest knowledge of mind; with the mind-nature destroyed, you abide as the supreme Lord.
प्राक्स्वरूपविलासस् ते श्रेयसि स्थितिम् आगतः । समस्तवासनोन्मुक्तस् सम्प्रत्य् असि महेश्वरः
Your former self-manifestation has attained the highest state; now, freed from all desires, you are indeed the great Lord.
यस्याविवेकाद् उत्पत्तिस् स विवेकाद् विनश्यति । प्रकाशेन प्रयात्य् अन्तम् अनालोकोद्भवं तमः
That which arises from ignorance is destroyed by discernment; darkness, which is born without illumination, comes to its end through light.