येन शास्त्रविचारेण ब्रह्मतत्त्वं विबुध्यते । तज् ज्ञानम् उच्यते ज्ञेयाद् अभिन्नम् इव संस्थितम्
That knowledge by which, through scriptural inquiry, the essence of Brahman is understood, is said to be knowledge—abiding as if non-different from the known.
विचारो ऽध्यात्मविद्यानां ज्ञानम् अङ्ग विदुर् बुधाः । ज्ञेयम् अस्यान्तर् एवास्ति माधुर्यं पयसो यथा
The wise declare that discernment is the limb of spiritual knowledge; its essence is found within itself, just as sweetness is within milk.
सम्यग्ज्ञानसमालोकः पुमाञ् ज्ञेयमयस् स्वयम् । भवत्य् आपीतमैरेयो मदानन्दमयो यथा
When a person is illuminated by true knowledge, he himself becomes composed of what is to be known, just as one who has drunk wine is filled with the joy of intoxication.
सदसद्रूपम् अमलं ज्ञेयं ब्रह्म परं विदुः । ज्ञानाधिगममात्रेण तत् स्वयं सम्प्रसीदति
The wise know the supreme Brahman as pure, having the form of existence and non-existence; by merely attaining knowledge, it itself becomes tranquil.
ज्ञानवान् उदितानन्दो न क्वचित् परिमज्जति । जीवन्मुक्तो गतासङ्गं सम्राडात्मैव तिष्ठति
One who possesses knowledge, whose bliss has arisen, is never diminished anywhere; liberated while living, free from attachment, he remains as the sovereign Self.
ज्ञानवान् हृद्यशब्देषु वीणावंशरवादिषु । कामिन्याः कामगीतेषु सम्भोगमणितेषु च
The knower, in pleasing sounds—like those of the lute, flute, and other instruments—or in the songs of a beloved woman, or in the delights of sensual enjoyment,
वसन्तमदमत्तानां षट्पदानां स्वनेषु च । प्रावृट्प्रसरपुष्टेषु जलदस्तनितेषु च
In the buzzing of intoxicated bees during spring, or in the thunder of clouds swelling in the rainy season,
उत्ताण्डवशिखण्डेषु केकाकलरवेषु च । रणिताम्भोजषण्डेषु सारसक्वणितेषु च
In the clamor of wild dances, in the melodious cries of peacocks, in the humming of lotus clusters, or in the calls of cranes,
कर्तर्यादिकरान्तेषु गम्भीरमुरजेषु च । ततावनद्धसुषिरचित्रवाद्यस्वनेषु च
In the sounds at the beginning and end of actions, in the deep tones of drums, or in the varied notes of stringed and wind instruments,
केषुचिन् न निबध्नाति रूक्षेषु मधुरेषु च । रणितेषु रतिं राम पद्मेष्व् इव निशाकरः
He is not bound by any of these, whether harsh or sweet, whether resonant or delightful, O Rama, just as the moon is not bound by the lotuses.
ज्ञानवान् बालकदलीस्तम्भपल्लवपाणिषु । चन्दनागुरुमन्दारलतास्तबकसद्मसु
The wise one is not attached, even among the hands of children, the stems and shoots of banana trees, or in the fragrant bowers of sandalwood, aloe, and coral-vine blossoms.
कौशेयहारकुन्देन्दुकमलोत्पलभूमिषु । द्रवत्काञ्चनकान्तेषु नितम्बस्तनबाहुषु
On beds of silk, pearl necklaces, jasmine, white lotuses, blue water-lilies, and on the shining golden limbs—hips, breasts, and arms—of women, he remains unattached.
ऊरुष्व् अनङ्गसदनहेमतोरणशोभिषु । सुरगन्धर्वकन्याङ्गलतानन्दनकेलिषु
On thighs adorned like golden gateways to the house of love, in the playful delights with the vine-like bodies of celestial maidens and daughters of gods and gandharvas, he is not bound.
केषुचिन् न निबध्नाति स्वायत्तेष्व् अप्य् असक्तधीः । राम स्पर्शरतिं धीरो हंसो मरुमहीष्व् इव
In some things, even when they are within his reach, the wise and unattached mind does not become bound to the pleasure of touch, O Rama—just as a swan does not linger in desert lakes.
ज्ञानवान् पिण्डखर्जूरकदम्बपनसादिषु । मृद्वीकेक्ष्वारुकाक्षोटबिसजम्बीरजातिषु
The wise one is not attached to clusters of fruits such as dates, figs, kadamba, jackfruit, grapes, sugarcane, mangoes, berries, lotus roots, rose-apples, or jambīra fruits.
मदिरामधुमैरेयमार्द्वीकासवभूतिषु । दधिक्षीरघृतामिक्षानवनीतौदनेषु च
Nor to intoxicating drinks like wine, honey, mead, raisin-liquor, or to delicacies such as curds, milk, ghee, sugarcane, fresh butter, or rice-gruel.
षड्रसेषु विचित्रेषु लेह्यपेयविलासिषु । फलेष्व् अन्नेषु मूलेषु शाकेष्व् अप्य् आमिषेषु च
Among the six kinds of diverse tastes, in foods to be licked or drunk, in fruits, cooked rice, roots, vegetables, or even in meat, he remains unattached.
केषुचिन् न निबध्नाति तृप्तमूर्तिर् असक्तधीः । आस्वादनरतिं विप्रश् श्वशरीरपलेष्व् इव
In some things, the one whose form is content and whose mind is unattached does not become bound to the pleasure of taste—just as a dog does not delight in its own body’s flesh.
ज्ञानवान् यमचन्द्रेन्द्ररुद्रविष्ण्वब्जजादिषु । मेरुमन्दरकैलाससह्यदर्दुरसानुषु
The wise one is not attached to Yama, the Moon, Indra, Rudra, Vishnu, Brahma, and others, nor to Meru, Mandara, Kailasa, Sahya, Dardura, and other mountains.
कौशेयदलजालेषु चन्द्रबिम्बफलादिषु । कल्पपादपकुञ्जेषु देवीदोलाविलासिषु
He is not attached to webs of silk, to the orbs of the moon and fruits, to groves of wish-fulfilling trees, or to the pleasures of swings adorned with goddesses.
रत्नकाञ्चनकुड्येषु मणिमुक्तामयेषु च । तिलोत्तमोर्वशीरम्भामेनकाङ्गलतासु च
He is not attached to walls of jewels and gold, to those made of pearls and gems, nor to the creepers of Tilottama, Urvashi, Rambha, Menaka, and others.
केषुचिद् दर्शनं श्रीमान् नाभिवाञ्छत्य् असक्तधीः । परिपूर्णमना मौनी मानी शत्रुष्व् इवाबलः
The blessed one, with unattached mind, does not desire the sight of any of these; his mind is fulfilled, silent, dignified, and weak as he is among enemies.
ज्ञानवान् कुन्दमन्दारकल्हारकुमुदादिषु । कमलोत्पलपुन्नागकेतकागुरुजातिषु
The wise one is not attached to jasmine, coral tree, water-lily, white lotus and the like, nor to lotus, blue lotus, punnaga, ketaka, aguru, and jasmine flowers.
कदम्बचूतजम्बीरकिंशुकाशोकशाखिषु । जपातिमुक्तसौवीरनिम्बपाटलदामसु
He is not attached to the branches of kadamba, mango, jambira, kimshuka, ashoka, nor to garlands of hibiscus, jasmine, sauvira, neem, and patala flowers.
चन्दनागुरुकर्पूररजोमृगमदेषु च । कश्मीरजलवङ्गैलाकक्कोलतगरादिषु
He is not attached to sandalwood, aguru, camphor, the dust of musk, nor to saffron, water, clove, cardamom, kakkola, tagara, and the like.
केषुचिन् न निबध्नाति सौगन्ध्यरतिम् एकधीः । समबुद्धिर् अविक्षोभी मध्वामोदेष्व् इव द्विजः
In some, the single-minded one is not bound by delight in fragrance; he remains even-minded and unshaken, like a twice-born man in the presence of honey or perfume.
अब्धौ गुलुगुलारावे प्रतिश्रुत्कस्वने गिरौ । निनदे च मृगेन्द्राणां न क्षुभ्यति मनाग् अपि
Just as the echoing roar in the ocean, the reverberating sound in the mountains, or the cry of lions does not disturb it in the slightest,
मत्तमातङ्गबृंहासु वेतालवलनासु च । पिशाचयक्षक्ष्वेडासु न मनाग् अपि कम्पते
Even amidst the trumpeting of intoxicated elephants, the wild dances of ghosts, or the howling of demons and yakshas, it remains entirely unmoved.
अशनिस्वनघोषेण नगास्फोटरवेण च । ऐरावणनिनादेन साम्यध्यानान् न कम्पते
Neither the thunderous noise of lightning, nor the crashing sound of mountains, nor the roar of Airavata shakes it from its state of balanced contemplation.
वहत्क्रकचकाषेण शितासिदलनेन च । शिलाशनिनिपातेन कम्पते न स्वरूपतः
Whether struck by the scraping of saws, the splitting of sharp swords, or the fall of rocks and thunderbolts, its essential nature is not disturbed.