न जिघ्रत्य् अपि जिघ्रंश् च नोन्मिषंश् चोन्मिषत्य् अपि । पदार्थे न पतत्य् एव बलात् पातितम् अप्य् अलम्
Though smelling, it does not smell; though opening the eyes, it does not open them; even when forcibly brought into contact with objects, it does not truly engage with them.
देशान्तरस्थचेतोभिर् एतद् आत्मगृहस्थितैः । अप्रौढमतिभिस् साधु मुर्खैर् अप्य् अनुभूयते
This is well experienced even by those whose minds dwell elsewhere, by those whose understanding is immature, and even by the ignorant.
सङ्गः कारणम् अर्थानां सङ्गस् संसारकारणम् । सङ्गः कारणम् आशानां सङ्गः कारणम् आपदाम्
Attachment is the cause of objects, attachment is the cause of worldly existence; attachment is the cause of desires, attachment is the cause of misfortunes.
सङ्गत्यागं विदुर् मोक्षं सङ्गत्यागाद् अजन्मता । सङ्गं सन्त्यज्य भावानां जीवन्मुक्तो भवानघ
Freedom from attachment is known as liberation; from the abandonment of attachment comes the state of non-birth; O sinless one, by giving up attachment to phenomena, one becomes liberated while living.
सर्वसंशयनीहारशरन्मारुत हे मुने । सङ्गः किम् उच्यते ब्रूहि समासेन मम प्रभो
O sage, you who are like the wind that disperses the mist of all doubts, tell me briefly, my lord, what is called attachment?
भावाभावे पदार्थानां हर्षामर्षविकारदा । मलिना वासना यैषा स सङ्ग इति कथ्यते
That impure tendency which gives rise to joy, anger, and other modifications regarding the presence or absence of objects—this is called attachment.
जीवन्मुक्तशरीराणाम् अपुनर्जन्मकारिणी । मुक्ता हर्षविषादाभ्यां शुद्धा भवति वासना
For those whose bodies are liberated while living, the tendency that causes no further birth becomes free from joy and sorrow, purified.
ताम् असङ्गाभिधां विद्धि यावद्देहं च भाविनीम् । तया यत् क्रियते कर्म तद् बन्धायैव केवलम्
Know that as long as the body lasts, this is called non-attachment; whatever action is performed with it leads only to bondage.
एवंरूपं परित्यज्य सङ्गं स्वाङ्गविकारदम् । यदि तिष्ठसि निर्व्यग्रं कुर्वन्न् अपि तद् अस्य् असि
If you abandon attachment, which brings disturbances to your own limbs, and remain undisturbed, then even while acting, you are of that nature.
हर्षामर्षविकाराभ्यां यदि गच्छसि नान्यताम् । वीतरागभयक्रोधस् तद् असङ्गो ऽसि राघव
If you do not become altered by joy or anger, and remain free from passion, fear, and wrath, then you are unattached, O Rāghava.
असङ्गताम् अनायासां जीवन्मुक्तस्थितिं स्थिराम् । अवलम्ब्य समस् स्वस्थो वीतरागो भवानघ
Relying on effortless non-attachment, the steady state of the liberated while living, you become equal-minded, healthy, passionless, and sinless.
जीवन्मुक्तमतिर् मौनी निगृहीतेन्द्रियग्रहः । अमानमदमात्सर्य आर्यस् तिष्ठति विज्वरः
The mind of the liberated while living is silent, with restrained senses; without pride, arrogance, or envy, noble, and free from fever.
सदा समग्रे ऽपि हि वस्तुजाते समाशयो ऽप्य् अन्तर् अदीनसत्त्वः । व्यापारमात्रात् सहजात् क्रमस्थान् न किञ्चिद् अप्य् अन्यद् असौ करोति
Even amidst all objects, always with equal expectation and undepressed spirit, he does nothing other than what arises naturally from activity and its proper order.
यद् एव किञ्चित् प्रकृतक्रमस्थं कर्तव्यम् आत्मीयम् असौ तद् एव । संसङ्गसम्बन्धविहीनयैव कुर्वन्न् अखेदो रमते धियान्तः
Whatever must be done according to the natural order and is his own, he does that alone, without any connection to attachment or relation, delighting inwardly without fatigue.
अप्य् आपदं प्राप्य सुसम्पदं वा महामतिस् स्वं प्रकृतं स्वभावम् । जहाति नो मन्दरवेल्लितो ऽपि शौक्ल्यं यथा क्षीरमहाम्बुराशिः
Even when encountering misfortune or great prosperity, a person of great wisdom does not abandon his own inherent nature, just as milk does not lose its whiteness even when churned with Mandara Mountain.
सम्प्राप्य साम्राज्यम् अथापदं वा सरीसृपत्वं सुरनाथतां वा । तिष्ठत्य् अखेदोदयम् अस्तहर्षं क्षयोदयेष्व् इन्दुर् इवैकरूपः
Whether attaining sovereignty or adversity, whether crawling as a reptile or ruling as a lord of gods, he remains unchanged in joy and sorrow, like the moon which is ever the same through waxing and waning.
निरस्तसंरम्भम् अपास्तभेदं प्रशान्तनानाफलफल्गुचेष्टः । विचारयात्मानम् अदीनसत्त्वो यथा भवस्य् उत्तमकार्यनिष्ठः
Free from agitation, devoid of division, with all vain actions stilled, he contemplates his own self with unwavering strength, just as one intent on the highest purpose in life.
तथोदितप्रसरविलासशुद्धया गतज्वरं पदम् अवलोकयामलम् । धियेद्धया पुनर् इह जन्मबन्धनैर् न बध्यसे समधिगतात्मदृग् यथा
Thus, with pure and expansive awareness, behold the stainless state free from affliction; with such vision of the self attained, you will not be bound again here by the fetters of birth.
उपशान्तिप्रकरणाद् अनन्तरम् इदं शृणु । त्वं निर्वाणप्रकरणं ज्ञातं निर्वाणकारि यत्
After the section on tranquility, now listen to this: you have understood the section on liberation, which leads to liberation.
कथयत्य् एवम् उद्दामवचनं मुनिनायके । श्रवणैकरसे मौनं स्थिते राजकुमारके
As the foremost sage speaks these powerful words, the prince sits absorbed in listening, established in silence.
मुनिवागर्थनिक्षिप्तमनस्य् अस्तेतरक्रिये । राजलोके गतस्पन्दं चित्रार्पित इव स्थिते
With his mind deposited in the meaning of the sage’s words, doing nothing else, the prince sits motionless among the royal assembly, like a painting.
वसिष्ठवचसाम् अर्थं विचारयति सादरम् । लसदङ्गुलिभङ्गे च मुनिसार्थे स्फुरद्भ्रुवि
With shining gestures of his fingers and expressive brows, the chief among sages thoughtfully considers the meaning of Vasiṣṭha’s words, with full attention.
विस्मयालोकनोल्लासप्रोत्फुल्लनयनालिनि । पुरन्ध्रिवर्गे प्रग्रीवतरुमञ्जरितां गते
As the group of noble women gazed in wonder, their eyes blossomed like lotuses, and their necks adorned with garlands of flowers turned toward the path she took.
खे वासरचतुर्भागदेशे दिनकरे स्थिते । श्रुतज्ञानतया सौम्ये किञ्चिच् छमम् उपेयुषि
When the sun stood in the quarter of the sky marking the fourth part of the day, and the gentle air, having heard and known, became somewhat calm,
श्रवणायेव संशान्तवितानस्पन्दम् आस्थिते । मौनं मरुति मन्दारमधुरामोददायिनि
As if for the sake of listening, the canopy of wind became still, bestowing a sweet fragrance like the mandāra flower, and silence prevailed.
पुष्पदामसु सुप्तासु मदाद् भ्रमरपङ्क्तिषु । ज्ञातज्ञेयतया नूनं सम्यग्ध्यानवतीष्व् इव
As the rows of intoxicated bees slept on garlands of flowers, it was as if those deeply absorbed in meditation, having realized the knower and the known, had attained perfect stillness.
जालमुक्ताकलापान्तस् तथा मकुरभूमिषु । कचत्य् अपगतस्पन्दं तापे श्रोतुम् इवास्थिते
On the ends of pearl strings and on the surfaces of mirrors, everything became motionless, as if waiting to hear, subdued by the heat.
गृहान्तरं प्रविष्टेषु गवाक्षैर् दूरम् अंशुषु । विश्रमार्थम् इवादीर्घनभःपान्थेषु शीतलम्
As the sun's rays entered deep into the inner chambers of the house through the windows, the coolness seemed to rest, as if for the sake of repose, in the long expanse of the sky.
मुक्ताजालप्रभाजालभस्मनोद्धूलितात्मनि । शंसतीव शमं शाम्यद्दिनदेहे दिनातपे
The self, dusted by the radiance of pearl-netted light like ashes, seemed to proclaim peace, as the heat of the day subsided in the body of the day.
करलीलासरोजेषु शेखरेषु च भूभृताम् । शुष्यत्सु रससंशोषाद् अवृत्तिषु मनस्स्व् इव
On the playful lotus-hands and on the summits of the mountains, as the sap dried up from excessive heat, there was inactivity, as in minds deprived of sustenance.