भयाद् भयम् उपायान्ति क्लेशात् क्लेशं व्रजन्ति ते । निर्वृतिं नाधिगच्छन्ति दुर्भगा इव जन्तवः
From fear, they enter into further fear; from distress, they proceed to more distress. They do not attain peace, like unfortunate creatures.
कालं तीर्थतपोदानयज्ञदेवार्चनभ्रमैः । चिरम् आधिशतोपेताः क्षपयन्ति मृगा इव
They spend a long time, burdened with countless anxieties, wandering through pilgrimages, austerities, charity, sacrifices, and worship of gods, like animals.
भ्रमन्ति गिरिकूटेषु फलपल्लवभोजिनः । मुग्धमुग्धधियो भीता वराका हरिणा इव
They wander among mountain peaks, eating fruits and tender leaves, their minds simple and fearful, pitiable like timid deer.
मतिर् आलूनशीर्णाङ्गी तदीया पेलवाङ्गिका । न क्वचिद् याति विश्वासं मृगी ग्रामगता यथा
Their intellect, weakened and diminished, is frail and uncertain, never finding trust anywhere, like a wild deer that has entered a village.
कल्लोलवलितं चेतस् तेषां जडजवाहृतम् । प्रोह्यते प्रपतद् दूरं तृणं गिरिनदीष्व् इव
Their minds, tossed by waves and carried by the force of dullness and speed, are swept far away, like grass falling into mountain streams.
आत्मतत्त्वं विधिवशात् कदाचित् किञ्चिद् एव ते । दुःखदोषदशादिग्धा विदन्ति न विदन्ति वा
By fate, they sometimes grasp a little of the truth of the self, but, stained by the conditions of suffering and error, they know it or do not know it.
आगमापायिनो नित्या नरकस्वर्गमानुषैः । पातोत्पातकराकारा नीयन्ते कन्दुका इव
Constantly subject to coming and going, among hell, heaven, and human worlds, they are led about in forms of downfall and calamity, like balls.
ततो गच्छन्ति नरकं ततस् स्वर्गम् इहैव वा । आवृत्तिभिर् विवर्तन्ते सरितीव तरङ्गकाः
Then they go to hell, then to heaven, or remain here; through cycles of return, they revolve like waves in a river.
तस्माद् एताः परित्यज्य दुर्दृष्टी रघुनन्दन । शुद्धां संविदम् आश्रित्य वीतरागस् स्थिरो भव
Therefore, O delight of the Raghu lineage, abandon these faulty perceptions; relying upon pure awareness, be steadfast and free from passion.
ज्ञानवान् एव सुखभाग् ज्ञानवान् एव जीवति । ज्ञानवान् एव बलवांस् तस्माज् ज्ञानमयो भव
Only the wise enjoy happiness, only the wise truly live, only the wise possess strength; therefore, become one whose essence is knowledge.
संवेद्यवर्जितम् अनुत्तमम् आद्यम् एकं संवित्पदं विकलनं कलयन् महात्मन् । हृद्य् एव तिष्ठ कलनारहितः क्रियां तु कुर्वन्न् अकर्तृपदम् एष्य् असमोदितश्रीः
Contemplate the supreme, original, singular state of awareness, devoid of objects of perception, O great soul; remain in the heart free from conceptualization, performing actions while attaining the state of non-doership, undisturbed in your glory.
मनाग् अपि विचारेण चेतसस् स्वस्य निग्रहः । मनाग् अपि कृतो येन तेनाप्तं जन्मनः फलम्
Even a slight inquiry and restraint of one's own mind by anyone brings the fruit of birth.
विचारकणिका येषां हृदि स्फुरति पेलवा । एषैवाभ्यासयोगेन प्रयाति शतशाखताम्
For those in whose hearts even a faint spark of inquiry arises, through the practice of this discipline, it branches out into a hundred directions.
किञ्चित्प्रौढविचारं तु नरं वैराग्यपूर्वकम् । संश्रयन्ति गुणा गौरास् सरः पूर्णम् इवाण्डजाः
If a person undertakes even a little mature inquiry, preceded by detachment, virtues gather around him like swans around a full lake.
सम्यग्विचारिणं प्राज्ञं यथाभूतावलोकिनम् । आसादयन्त्य् अपि स्फारा नाविद्याविभवा भृशम्
Even the abundant powers of ignorance cannot overpower the wise who inquire rightly and perceive things as they are.
किं कुर्वन्तीह विषया मानस्यो वृत्तयस् तथा । आधयो व्याधयो वापि सम्यग्दर्शनसन्मतेः
What can sense objects, mental tendencies, afflictions, or diseases do to one who is established in true vision and right understanding?
क्वोन्नमत्पवनापूरास् तडित्पिङ्गलपाटलाः । पुष्करावर्तजलदा गृहीता जालमुष्टिभिः
Where are those clouds, filled with the wind’s force, streaked with lightning’s tawny-red, swirling like lotuses, seized in the grip of a net?
क्व नभोमध्यसंस्थेन्दुर् मुग्धे मणिसमुद्गके । मुग्धयाङ्गनया बद्धो मुग्धेन्दीवरशङ्कया
Where is the moon, poised in the midst of the sky, O innocent one, like a gem in a casket, bound by a naive maiden, mistaking it for a tender blue lotus?
क्व कटप्रोच्छलद्भृङ्गपटलोत्पलशेखराः । मुग्धस्त्रीश्वासमधुरैर् मषकैर् मथिता गजाः
Where are those elephants, crowned with lotuses buzzing with swarms of bees, tormented by gentle, sweet-breathing mosquitoes like the sighs of a young woman?
क्वेभमुक्ताफलोल्लासनिरणन्नखपञ्जराः । सिंहास् समरसंरब्धा हरिणैः प्रविदारिताः
Where are those lions, with claws shining like pearl-strings from elephant tusks, fiercely engaged in battle, torn apart by timid deer?
क्व विषोल्लासनिश्श्वासदग्धोन्नतवनद्रुमाः । क्षुद्वन्तो ऽजगराः क्षुब्धा निगीर्णा बालदर्दुरैः
Where are those lofty forest trees, scorched by the poisonous breath of serpents, now devoured by hungry, agitated young mice?
क्व प्राप्तभूमिको धीरो ज्ञातज्ञेयो विवेकवान् । आक्रान्तः किल विक्रान्तो विषयेन्द्रियदस्युभिः
Where is the steadfast one, established in wisdom, discerning what is to be known, who is said to be overpowered by the bold bandits of sense-objects and senses?
विचारधियम् अप्रौढां हरन्ति विषयारयः । प्रचण्डपवना मृद्वीं क्षतवृन्तां लताम् इव
The enemies called sense-objects carry off the mind not yet mature in inquiry, like a violent wind uproots a tender creeper with a wounded stem.
न विवेकबलप्रौढां भङ्क्तुं शक्ता दुराधयः । कल्पक्षोभसहं धीरं शैलं मन्दानिला इव
But the wicked are not able to break one who is strong in the power of discernment, just as gentle breezes cannot shake a mountain that endures the upheaval of an age.
अगृहीतमहीपीठं विचारकुसुमद्रुमम् । चिन्तावात्या विधुन्वन्ति न स्थिरस्थितिसुस्थितम्
Winds of thought cannot shake the tree of discernment, whose roots are not firmly set in the earth of ignorance, and which stands steadily established.
गच्छतस् तिष्ठतो वापि जाग्रतस् स्वपतो ऽपि वा । न विचारपरं चेतो यस्यासौ मृत उच्यते
Whether going or standing, awake or asleep, one whose mind is not engaged in discernment is said to be dead.
किम् इदं स्याज् जगत् किं स्याद् अहम् इत्य् अनिशं शनैः । विचारयाध्यात्मदृशा स्वयं वा सज्जनैस् सह
What is this world? What am I?—one should continually reflect on this, slowly, with the eye of inner knowledge, either alone or together with noble people.
अन्धकारपरेणाशु विचारेण परं पदम् । दृश्यते विमलं रत्नं प्रदीपेनेव भास्वता
By the swift light of discernment, which dispels deep darkness, the supreme state is seen—like a pure jewel illuminated by a shining lamp.
ज्ञानेन सर्वदुःखानां विनाश उपजायते । कृतालोकविलासेन तमसाम् इव भास्वता
Through knowledge, the destruction of all suffering arises, just as darkness is dispelled by the radiance of a lamp that reveals all forms.
ज्ञाने प्रकटतां याते ज्ञेयं स्वयम् उदेत्य् अलम् । रवाव् अभ्युदिते भूमाव् आलोक इव निर्मलः
When knowledge becomes manifest, the knowable itself clearly arises—just as pure light appears on earth when the sun has risen.