यथा विषाणि निघ्नन्ति मदयन्ति मधूनि च । वमयन्ति च भुक्तानि मदनानि फलानि च
Just as poisons kill, intoxicating drinks cause intoxication, and emetic fruits, when eaten, induce vomiting,
तथा स्वभाववशतो द्रव्यकालक्रियाक्रमाः । नियतं साधयन्त्य् आशु प्रयोगं युक्तियोगजाः
In the same way, the sequences of substances, time, and actions, when properly applied with reasoning, swiftly produce their inevitable results due to their own nature.
एतस्मात् समतीतस्य युक्त्या युक्तस्य राघव । आत्मज्ञानस्य नास्त्य् एव कर्तृता नाप्य् अकर्तृता
Therefore, O Rāghava, for one who has transcended this through reasoning and is established in self-knowledge, there is truly neither doership nor non-doership.
द्रव्यमन्त्रक्रियाकालयुक्तयस् साधुसिद्धिदाः । परमात्मपदप्राप्तौ नोपकुर्वन्ति काश्चन
Combinations of substances, mantras, actions, and time may grant worldly accomplishments, but none of them assist in attaining the supreme state of the Self.
यस्येच्छा विद्यते काचित् स सिद्धिं साधयत्य् अलम् । आत्मज्ञानस्य पूर्णत्वान् नेच्छा सम्भवति क्वचित्
Whoever has any desire at all may accomplish some attainment, but because self-knowledge is complete, no desire arises anywhere.
सर्वेच्छाजालसंशान्ताव् आत्मलाभोदयो हि यः । तद्विरुद्धा कथं तस्माद् इच्छा सञ्जायते ऽनघ
For one in whom the net of all desires has been quieted, the realization of the Self arises; how, then, O sinless one, could any desire contrary to that arise?
या योदेति च यस्येच्छा स तया यतते तथा । यथा कालं तद् आप्नोति ज्ञो वाप्य् अज्ञतरो ऽपि वा
Whatever desire arises in someone, he strives accordingly with that; and, in due time, he attains it—whether he is wise or unwise.
वीतहव्येन यतितं नाजातेच्छेन किञ्चन । जातेच्छेनाशु यतितं प्रोत्थितो ऽसौ यथावनेः
Vītahavya did not achieve anything without desire; but when desire arose, he quickly exerted himself, rising up as if from the earth.
एवं कालक्रियाद्रव्यकर्मयुक्तिस्वभावजाः । यथेष्टम् एव सिध्यन्ति सिद्धयस् स्वाः क्रमार्जिताः
Thus, accomplishments that arise from time, action, substance, method, and inherent nature come to fruition as desired, each in its own sequence.
याः फलावलयो येन सम्प्राप्तास् सिद्धिनामिकाः । तास् तेनाधिगता राम निजात् प्रयतनद्रुमात्
Whatever fruits or results, called 'accomplishments,' are attained by someone, O Rāma, they are gained by him from the tree of his own effort.
महतां नित्यतृप्तानां तज्ज्ञानां भावितात्मनाम् । ईप्सितान्तं प्रयातानां नोपकुर्वन्ति सिद्धयः
For the great ones who are ever content, who possess true knowledge, whose minds are purified, and who have reached their desired end, accomplishments offer no benefit.
अयं मे संशयो ब्रह्मन् वीतहव्यस्य सा तनुः । क्रव्यादैर् न कथं भुक्ता कथं क्लिन्ना न भूतले
O Brahman, I have this doubt: how is it that Vītahavya's body was not eaten by wild beasts, nor did it decay on the ground?
तदैव वीतहव्यो ऽसौ कथं च न गतः प्रभो । विदेहमुक्ततां शीघ्रं यथावद् इति मे वद
At that very moment, how did Vītahavya not immediately attain bodiless liberation, O Lord? Tell me this properly.
या संविद् वलिता साधो वासनामलतन्तुना । सुखदुःखदशादाहभागिनी भवतीह सा
O noble one, that consciousness which is entwined with the subtle thread of latent impressions becomes the experiencer here of pleasure and pain, and the states of waking and so on.
निर्मुक्तवासना शुद्धसंविन्मात्रमयी तु या । तनुस् तिष्ठति तच्छेदे शक्ता नेह हि केचन
When all tendencies have been abandoned and only pure consciousness remains, the body persists after its severance, but no power remains here.
शृणु युक्त्या यया योगितनुश् छेदादिभिर् भ्रमैः । नाक्रम्यते महाबाहो बहुवर्षशतैर् अपि
Hear by what reasoning, O mighty-armed one, the yogi’s body is not affected by cutting or other disturbances, even after hundreds of years.
चेतः पदार्थे पतति यस्मिन् यस्मिन् यदा यदा । तन्मयं तद् भवत्य् आशु तस्मिंस् तस्मिंस् तदा तदा
Wherever and whenever the mind falls upon any object, it quickly becomes of that very nature at that very time and place.
तथा दृष्टारि हि मनो विकारम् उपगच्छति । दृष्टमित्रं च हृद्यत्वं स्वयम् एवाभिपद्यते
Thus, when the mind perceives an enemy, it takes on agitation; when it perceives a friend, it naturally assumes a sense of affection.
रागद्वेषविहीने तु पथिके पादपे गिरौ । भवत्य् अरागविद्वेषं स्वयम् इत्य् अनुभूयते
But for the traveler who is free from attachment and aversion, whether with a tree or on a mountain, non-attachment and non-aversion arise naturally and are experienced as such.
मृष्टे लौल्यम् उपादत्ते दुर्भोज्ये याति नस्पृहाम् । वैरस्यं याति कटुनि स्वयम् इत्य् अनुभूयते
One develops craving for delicious food, feels no desire for poor food, and experiences distaste for something bitter—this is naturally experienced.
समसंविद्विलासाढ्ये यद् यदा योगिदेहके । हिंस्रं चेतः पतत्य् आशु समताम् एति तत् तदा
In the yogi’s body, endowed with the play of equal awareness, whenever the mind falls upon something harmful, it immediately attains equanimity.
समं सद्भावमुक्तत्वाच् छेदादौ न प्रवर्तते । पान्थो व्यर्थं पथि ग्रामे यथा ग्रामीणकर्मणि
Because of abiding in equal being, there is no involvement in cutting or the like, just as a traveler does not engage in the village affairs while passing through the road.
योगिदेहसमीपात् तु गत्वा प्राप्नोति हिंस्रताम् । यद् यद् भवति तत्राशु तथारूपं न संशयः
Approaching the yogi’s body, it becomes violent; whatever occurs there, it swiftly takes on that form—there is no doubt.
इति हिंस्रैर् मृगव्याघ्रसिंहकीटसरीसृपैः । न च्छिन्ना वीतहव्यस्य तनुर् भूतलशायिनी
Thus, though attacked by fierce animals—deer, tigers, lions, insects, reptiles—the body of Vītahavya, lying on the earth, was not destroyed.
सर्वत्र विद्यते संवित् काष्ठलोष्टोपलादिके । सत्तासामान्यरूपेण संस्थिता बालमूकवत्
Consciousness exists everywhere—even in wood, clods, stones—present in the form of universal existence, like a child or mute.
पोप्लूयमाना तरला केवलं परिदृश्यते । तन्वी पुर्यष्टकेष्व् एव प्रतिबिम्बं जलेष्व् इव
It is seen only as a subtle, fleeting reflection within the eightfold body, just as an image appears in water.
तेन भूजलवाय्वग्निसंवित्त्या समरूपया । न विकारं तनुर् नीता वीतहव्यस्य राघव
Therefore, Rāghava, the body of Vītahavya was not altered, because of the sameness of consciousness in earth, water, air, and fire.
अन्यच् च शृणु हे राम स्पन्दो नाशस्य कारणम् । विकारस्य च चित्तोत्थो वातजो वा जगत्स्थितौ
Hear further, O Rāma: vibration is the cause of destruction, and transformation arises from the mind or from wind in the world’s existence.
प्राणानां प्राणता स्पन्दात् तच्छान्तौ ते दृषत्समाः । यतस् स्थिता धारणया तेनानष्टास्य सा तनुः
The vitality of the life-forces comes from vibration; when that ceases, they become inert. Because they are sustained by retention, his body was not lost.
सबाह्याभ्यन्तरं स्पन्दश् चेतसो वातजो ऽथ वा । न यस्य विद्यते तस्य दूरस्थौ विकृतिक्षयौ
If there is no vibration, either mental or wind-born, inside or outside, then for that one, change and decay remain distant.