अथासौ मुनिशार्दूलस् तयैव सह सेनया । गृहं दाशरथं कल्ये रामाद्यनुगतो ययौ
Then that foremost sage, together with that very army, went in the morning to the house of Dasaratha, accompanied by Rama and the others.
तत्रैनं पूर्वसम्बुद्धः कृतसन्ध्यो महीपतिः । दूरम् अग्रे विनिर्गत्य पूजयाम् आस सादरम्
There, the king, who had already performed his morning rites and was prepared, went out a long way to meet him and respectfully honored him.
पुष्पमुक्तामणिव्रातैर् भूयो ऽप्य् अधिकभूषिताम् । सभां प्रविश्य ते सर्वे विविशुर् विष्टरादिषु
Entering the assembly hall, which was further adorned with garlands of flowers and strings of pearls and gems, they all took their seats on the arranged seats.
अथैतस्मिन्न् अवसरे ह्यस्तनास् सर्व एव ते । श्रोतारस् समुपाजग्मुर् नभश्चरमहीचराः
At that very moment, all the listeners from yesterday—those who move in the sky and on earth—also arrived together.
विवेश सा सभा सोम्यं कृतान्योऽन्याभिवादना । बभौ समसमाभोगा शान्तवातेव पद्मिनी
That assembly, having exchanged greetings with one another, became tranquil and harmonious, shining like a lotus pond at peace.
यथाप्रदेशम् एवाशु निविष्टेषु यथासुखम् । तेषु तद्देशयोग्येषु विप्रर्षिमुनिराजसु
As the brahmins, sages, and kings took their appropriate and comfortable seats according to their place, each settled quickly in the spot suited to them.
मृदुनि स्वागतरवे शनैश् शमम् उपागते । सभाकोणोपविष्टेषु शान्तशब्देषु वन्दिषु
On the soft welcoming mats, as calmness descended, with the bards seated in the corners of the hall and silence prevailing among them,
त्वरयेवोदितेष्व् आशु श्रोतुम् अभ्यागतेष्व् इव । गवाक्षाद् इव जातेषु प्रविष्टेष्व् अर्करश्मिषु
As if in haste, as if eager to listen, they quickly assembled—just as sunbeams enter through a window.
सत्वरं प्रविशच्छ्रोतृहस्तस्पर्शवशोद्भवे । मुक्ताजालझणत्कार ओङ्कार इव शाम्यति
Quickly entering, arising from the touch of the listener's hand, the sound of the string of pearls falls silent, like the resonance of Om.
कुमारश् शङ्करस्येव कचो देवगुरोर् इव । प्रह्लाद इव शुक्रस्य सुपर्ण इव शार्ङ्गिणः
Like Kumara to Shankara, like Kacha to the preceptor of the gods, like Prahlada to Shukra, like Suparna to the wielder of the Sharnga bow.
वसिष्ठस्यानने रामश् शनैर् दृष्टिम् अपातयत् । भ्रमन्तीम् अम्बरे वातः फुल्लपद्म इवालिनीम्
Rama cast his gaze slowly upon Vasistha’s face, as the wind sets a blooming lotus with bees adrift in the sky.
मुनिस् त्व् अनुज्झितेनाथ तेनैव रघुनन्दनम् । क्रमेणोवाच वाक्यज्ञो वाक्यं वाक्यार्थकोविदम्
Then the sage, without breaking his composure, addressed Raghunandana in due order, being skilled in speech, to one who knows the meaning of words.
कच्चित् स्मरसि यत् प्रोक्तं ह्यो मया रघुनन्दन । वाक्यम् अत्यन्तगुर्वर्थं परमार्थावबोधकम्
Do you remember, O Raghunandana, what I spoke to you yesterday—a statement of utmost gravity, revealing the highest truth?
इदानीम् अवबोधार्थम् अन्यच् च रिपुमर्दन । उच्यमानं मयेदं त्वं शृणु शाश्वतसिद्धये
Now, for the sake of your understanding, O destroyer of foes, listen to this further teaching I am about to give, for the attainment of eternal perfection.
वैराग्याभ्यासवशतस् तथा तत्त्वावलोकनात् । संसारात् तीर्यते तेन तेष्व् एवाभ्यासम् आहर
Through the force of practice in dispassion, and likewise by the contemplation of reality, one crosses over the world; therefore, apply yourself to these practices.
सम्यक् तत्त्वावबोधेन दुर्बोधे क्षयम् आगते । गलिते वासनावेशे विशोकं प्राप्यते पदम्
When, through true understanding of reality—though difficult to attain—desires have faded away, one reaches the state beyond sorrow.
दिक्कालाद्यनवच्छिन्नम् अदृष्टोभयकोटिकम् । एकं ब्रह्मैव हि जगत् स्थितं द्वित्वम् इवागतम्
The one Brahman alone, unlimited by direction, time, or anything else, unseen by both extremes, appears as this world, though it seems to have become dual.
सर्वभावानवच्छिन्नं यत्र ब्रह्मैव विद्यते । शान्तं समसमाभासं तत्रान्यत् तत् कथं भवेत्
Where only Brahman exists, unbounded by all forms and states, peaceful and appearing the same everywhere—how could anything else exist there?
इति मत्वाहम् इत्य् अन्तर् मुक्त्वा मुक्तवपुर् महान् । एकरूपः प्रशान्तात्मा मौनी स्वात्ममयो भव
Thinking thus, having let go of the sense of 'I' within, and having abandoned the body of bondage, become one in form, with a tranquil mind, silent, and composed of your own Self.
नास्ति चित्तं न चाविद्या न मनो न च जीवकः । एताश् च कलना राम कृता ब्रह्मण एव ताः
There is no mind, no ignorance, no thought, and no individual soul; all these, O Rama, are mere fabrications of Brahman alone.
यास् सम्पदो याश् च दृशो याश् चितो याश् चिदेषणाः । ब्रह्मैव तद् अनाद्यन्तम् अब्रह्मेह न विद्यते
Whatever attainments, perceptions, thoughts, or desires for consciousness there are—all that is Brahman alone, without beginning or end; there is nothing here that is not Brahman.
पाताले भूतले स्वर्गे त्रिनेत्रान्तं तृणादि यत् । दृश्यते तत् परं ब्रह्म चिद्रूपं नान्यद् अस्ति हि
Whether in the netherworld, on earth, or in heaven, whatever is seen—from the three-eyed god to a blade of grass—is the supreme Brahman, of the nature of consciousness; truly, there is nothing else.
उपेक्ष्यं हेयम् आदेयं बन्धवो विभवा वपुः । ब्रह्मैव विगताद्यन्तम् अब्धिवत् प्रविजृम्भते
What is to be neglected or accepted, friends, wealth, or body—all this is Brahman alone, endless and beginningless, manifesting like the ocean.
यावद् अज्ञानकलना यावद् अब्रह्मवासना । यावद् आस्था जगज्जाले तावच् चित्तादिकल्पना
As long as there are fabrications of ignorance, tendencies contrary to Brahman, and attachment to the web of the world, so long do the imagined mind and the rest persist.
देहे यावद् अहम्भावो दृश्ये ऽस्मिन् यावद् आत्मता । यावन् ममेदम् इत्य् आस्था तावच् चित्तादिविभ्रमः
As long as there is the sense of 'I' in the body, as long as there is selfhood in what is seen, and as long as there is the conviction 'this is mine,' so long does the confusion of mind and the like persist.
यावन् नोदितम् उच्चैस्त्वं सज्जनासङ्गशृङ्गतः । यावन् मौर्ख्यं न सङ्क्षीणं तावच् चित्तादिनिम्नता
As long as you have not risen high through the summit of association with the noble, and as long as folly is not diminished, so long does the lowness of mind and the rest remain.
यावच् छिथिलतां यातं नेदं भुवनभावनम् । सम्यग्दर्शनशक्त्यान्तस् तावच् चित्तोदयस् स्फुटः
As long as this imagination of the world has not become loosened, and until the power of true vision arises within, so long does the mind clearly arise.
यावद् अज्ञत्वम् अन्धत्वं वैवश्यं विषयाशया । मूर्छामोहसमुच्छ्रायस् तावच् चित्तादिकल्पना
As long as ignorance, blindness, helplessness, and desires for sense objects, and the heights of stupor and delusion exist, so long does the imagination of mind and the rest continue.
यावद् आशाविषामोदः परिस्फुरति हृद्वने । प्रविचारचकोरो ऽत्र न तावत् प्रविशत्य् अलम्
As long as the fragrance of the poison of hope vibrates in the forest of the heart, the chakora-bird of discrimination does not truly enter there.
भोगेष्व् अनास्थमनसश् शीतलामलनिर्वृतेः । छिन्नाशापाशजालस्य क्षीयते चित्तविभ्रमः
For one whose mind is unattached to enjoyments, who abides in cool, pure bliss, and whose net of hope-bonds is cut, the confusion of mind is destroyed.