बीभत्सं विषमं दृष्ट्वा को नाम न विरज्यते । सतां तूत्तमवैराग्यं विवेकाद् एव जायते
Who would not become dispassionate upon seeing what is vile and unjust? But for the noble, supreme detachment arises only through discernment.
ते महान्तो महाप्रज्ञा निमित्तेन विनैव हि । वैराग्यं जायते येषां त एवामलमानसाः
Those great ones of vast wisdom, in whom detachment arises without any external cause—only they possess minds that are truly pure.
स्वविवेकचमत्कारपरामर्शविरक्तया । राजते हि धिया जन्तुर् युवेव वनमालया
Indeed, a being shines with intelligence adorned by the wonder of self-discernment and the touch of detachment, just as a youth shines with a garland of forest flowers.
परामृश्य विवेकेन संसाररचनाम् इमाम् । विरागं ये ऽधिगच्छन्ति त एव पुरुषोत्तमाः
Those who, by discernment, reflect upon this structure of worldly existence and attain dispassion—only they are the highest among men.
स्वविवेकवशाद् एव विचार्येदं पुनः पुनः । इन्द्रजालं परित्याज्यं सबाह्याभ्यन्तरं बलात्
By the power of one's own discernment, one should repeatedly examine this illusion and forcibly abandon it, both outwardly and inwardly.
श्मशानम् आपदं दैन्यं दृष्ट्वा को न विरज्यते । तद् वैराग्यं परं श्रेयस् स्वतो यद् अभिजायते
Who would not become dispassionate upon seeing the cremation ground, calamity, or misery? But that detachment which arises from oneself alone is the highest good.
अकृत्रिमविरागस् त्वं महत्ताम् अलम् आगतः । योग्यो ऽसि ज्ञानसारस्य बीजस्येव मृदुस्थलम्
You possess uncontrived detachment and have attained true greatness; you are fit for the essence of knowledge, just as soft earth is fit for a seed.
प्रसादात् परमेशस्य नाथस्य परमात्मनः । त्वादृशस्य शुभा बुद्धिर् विवेकम् अनुधावति
By the grace of the Supreme Lord, the master, the supreme self, auspicious understanding follows discernment in one such as you.
क्रियाक्रमेण महता तपसा नियमेन च । दानेन तीर्थयात्राभिश् चिरकालविवेकतः
Through great effort in action, intense austerity, discipline, charity, pilgrimages to sacred places, and long reflection with discernment—
दुष्कृते क्षयम् आपन्ने परमार्थविचारणे । काकतालीययोगेन बुद्धिर् जन्तोः प्रवर्तते
When evil deeds are exhausted, and there is inquiry into the highest reality, then, by a chance conjunction like that of a crow and a palm fruit, discernment arises in a being.
क्रियापरास् तावद् अलं चक्रावृत्तिभिर् आदृताः । भ्रमन्तीह जना यावन् न पश्यन्ति परं पदम्
Absorbed in actions, people remain preoccupied with the endless cycles of activity here, until they perceive the supreme state.
यथाभूतम् इमं दृष्ट्वा संसारं तन्मयीं धियम् । परित्यज्य परं यान्ति निरालाना गजा इव
Seeing this world as it truly is, and recognizing the mind absorbed in it, those who are free from attachment abandon it and attain the highest, like elephants released from their bonds.
विषमेयम् अनन्तेहा राम संसारसंसृतिः । देहमुक्ता महातन्तुर् विना ज्ञानं न नश्यति
O Rama, this difficult and endless pursuit of worldly existence does not cease, even when the body is cast off, unless there is knowledge; it is a great web.
ज्ञानयुक्तिप्लवेनैव संसाराब्धिं सुदुस्तरम् । महाधियस् समुत्तीर्णा नेतरेण रघूद्वह
Only those of great intellect cross the exceedingly difficult ocean of worldly existence by the raft of knowledge and reasoning, not by any other means, O descendant of Raghu.
ताम् इमां ज्ञानयुक्तिं त्वं संसाराम्भोधितारिणीम् । शृणुष्वावहितो बुद्ध्या नित्यावहितयानया
Therefore, listen attentively with focused mind to this method of knowledge, which carries one across the ocean of worldly existence, and always proceed with such attentiveness.
यस्माद् अनन्तसंरम्भा जगतो दुःखरीतयः । चिरायान्तर् दहन्त्य् एता विना युक्तिम् अनिन्दित
For the endless waves of suffering in the world, arising from countless efforts, burn within for a long time unless dispelled by right understanding, O blameless one.
शीतवातातपादीनि द्वन्द्वदुःखानि राघव । ज्ञानयुक्तिं विना केन सह्यतां यान्ति साधुषु
O Raghava, how can the wise endure the pains of dualities such as cold, wind, and heat, without the support of knowledge?
आपतन्ति प्रतिपदं यथाकालं दहन्ति च । दुःखचिन्ता नरं मूढं तृणम् अग्निशिखा इव
Suffering and anxious thoughts assail and burn the deluded person at every step, in due season, just as blades of grass are consumed by tongues of fire.
प्राज्ञं विज्ञातविज्ञानं सम्यग्दर्शिनम् आधयः । न दहन्ति वनं वर्षदब्दम् अग्निशिखा इव
But afflictions do not burn the wise, who possess true knowledge and right vision, just as fire cannot burn a rain-soaked forest for a whole year.
आधिव्याधिपरावर्ते संसारमरुमारुते । क्षुभिते ऽपि न तत्त्वज्ञो भज्यते कल्पवृक्षवत्
Even when tossed by the storms of affliction and disease in the desert-wind of worldly existence, the knower of truth does not break, like the wish-fulfilling tree.
तत्त्वं ज्ञातुम् अतो यत्नाद् धीमान् एव हि धीमता । प्रामाणिकः प्रबुद्धात्मा प्रष्टव्यः प्रणयान्वितं
Therefore, only the intelligent should diligently seek to know the truth, by respectfully questioning an awakened and authoritative person.
प्रामाणिकस्य पृष्टस्य वक्तुर् उत्तमचेतसा । यत्नेन वचनं ग्राह्यम् अंशुकेनेव कुङ्कुमम्
The words of an authoritative and noble-minded teacher, when asked, must be carefully accepted, just as saffron is gathered with a cloth.
अतत्त्वज्ञम् अनादेयवचनं वाग्विदां वर । यः पृच्छति नरं तस्मान् नास्ति मूढतरो ऽपरः
O best of speakers, there is no one more deluded than the person who asks one ignorant of truth or whose words are not worth taking.
प्रामाणिकस्य तज्ज्ञस्य वक्तुः पृष्टस्य यत्नतः । नानुतिष्ठति यो वाक्यं नान्यस् तस्मान् नराधमः
Among men, there is none more base than one who, having carefully questioned an authoritative knower, does not follow his words.
तज्ज्ञतातज्ज्ञते पूर्वं वक्तुर् निर्णीय कार्यतः । यः करोति नरः प्रश्नं पृच्छकस् स महामतिः
He who, having first discerned whether the speaker knows or does not know the subject, asks a question accordingly—such a questioner is truly wise.
अनिर्णीय प्रवक्तारं बालः प्रश्नं करोति यः । अधमः पृच्छकस् स स्यान् न महार्थस्य भाजनम्
But he who, without determining the competence of the speaker, asks a question like a child—such a questioner is base and unworthy of great knowledge.
पूर्वापरसमाधानक्षमबुद्धाव् अनिन्दिते । पृष्टं प्राज्ञेन वक्तव्यं नाधमे पशुधर्मिणि
A wise person should answer only when questioned by one whose mind is capable of understanding both the beginning and the end, and who is blameless—not to one who is base and animal-like in nature.
प्रामाणिकार्थयोग्यत्वं पृच्छकस्याविचार्य वा । यो वक्ति तम् इह प्राज्ञाः प्राहुर् मूढतमं नरम्
If someone speaks without considering whether the questioner is fit for the true meaning and authority of the subject, the wise in this world call him the most foolish of men.
त्वम् अतीव गुणाधारः पृच्छको रघुनन्दन । अहं च वक्तुं जानामि स च योगो ऽयम् आवयोः
You, O delight of the Raghu lineage, are truly a repository of virtues and a worthy questioner; and I know how to answer—thus, this dialogue between us is fitting.
यद् अहं वच्मि तद् यत्नात् त्वया शब्दार्थकोविद । एतद् वस्त्व् इति निर्णीय हृदि कार्यम् अखण्डितं
Whatever I say, you, skilled in the meanings of words, should carefully discern as the real substance, and hold it undivided in your heart.