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.
बालकेष्व् अज्ञलोकेषु लीलापक्षिषु सारवम् । भोजनार्थं वधूलोकम् उपरुन्धत्स्व् अनारतम्
Among children and ignorant people, among playful birds, the essence is constantly being obstructed by the world of women for the sake of enjoyment.
भ्रमद्भ्रमरपक्षोत्थवाताधूते रजस्य् अलम् । कौसुमे परिविश्रान्ते चामरेष्व् अक्षिपक्ष्मसु
Amid swirling dust, stirred by the wind from the wings of wandering bees, resting upon flowers, and on the fans made of peacock feathers.
रश्मिष्व् अग्रग्रहोन्मुक्तच्छायाजालभयाद् इव । गवाक्षादिष्व् इवोड्डीय प्रविष्टेषु गृहान्तरम्
As if out of fear of the net of shadows cast by rays freed from the grasp of the tips, they darted through windows and similar openings, entering the inner rooms.
आसीद् दिनचतुर्भागसत्तावेदनतत्परः । भेरीपणवशङ्खानां दिङ्मुखापूरको ध्वनिः
There arose, during a quarter of the day, a sound filling all directions, from drums, kettledrums, and conch shells, intent on the awareness of existence.
तेन तत् तारम् अप्य् आशु वचो ऽन्तर्धानम् आययौ । मौनं जलदनादेन मायूर इव निस्स्वनः
Because of that, even the sharpest speech quickly fell silent, like the cry of a peacock ceasing at the sound of thunderclouds.
चुक्षुभे क्षुब्धपक्षाली पञ्जरस्था खगावली । भूकम्पेन लसत्तालीपल्लवेव वनावली
The row of birds in the cage, their wings agitated, became restless, like a line of trees in the forest trembling on their swaying branches during an earthquake.
आययुर् भयवित्रस्ता बाला धात्रीकुचान्तरम् । सारवं प्रावृशीवाब्दाः प्रोन्नतं शृङ्गकोटरम्
Frightened by fear, the children rushed into the bosoms of their nurses, like monsoon clouds entering the high hollows of mountain peaks.
उत्तस्थुर् अवतंसेभ्यो भूभृतां भ्रमरव्रजाः । दृषत्करालवाहाभ्यस् सरिद्भ्यो ऽम्बुकणा इव
Swarms of bees rose from the garlands on the mountains, like drops of water from rivers rising up from the fierce streams of rocks.
एवं प्रक्षुभिते तस्मिन् गृहे दाशरथे तदा । प्रोक्तवासरवृद्धत्वे शान्ते शङ्खस्वने शनैः
Thus, when that house of Dasharatha was agitated at that time, and the day had grown old, in the calm, as the sound of the conch faded away,
संहरन् प्रस्तुतं वस्तु वचो मधुरवृत्तिमत् । उवाच मुनिशार्दूलस् सभामध्ये रघूद्वहम्
Withdrawing the matter at hand, and with words of gentle conduct, the best of sages spoke to the foremost of the Raghus in the midst of the assembly.