नोदगुः कार्यसम्पत्ताव् आक्रान्ता नास्तम् आययुः । जहृषुर् न सुखप्राप्तौ मम्लुर् नैव च सङ्कटे
They did not swell with success in action, nor did they decline when beset by obstacles; they did not exult on attaining happiness, nor did they wither in adversity.
मुमुहुर् न विमोहेषु ममज्जुर् न विपत्क्रमे । शुशुचुर् न शुचा शोके रुरुदुर् न भवान् इव
They did not lose consciousness in delusion, nor sink in misfortune; they did not grieve in sorrow, nor lament like ordinary people.
प्रकृताचारसम्प्राप्तं कुर्वन्तः कर्म केवलम् । स्थिता विगतसंरम्भम् अपरा इव मेरवः
Engaged only in actions that came naturally, they remained calm and undisturbed, like other Meru mountains.
तां त्वं दृष्टिम् अवष्टभ्य राघवाघविघातिनीम् । अनहङ्कृत्यलङ्कारो विहरेह यथासुखम्
O Rama, holding to that vision which destroys the darkness of ignorance, adorned with humility, live here as you please.
यथाभूताम् इमाम् एवं पश्यन् सर्गपरम्पराम् । मेरुस्थिरो ऽब्धिगम्भीरस् समास्स्व विगतभ्रमः
Seeing this succession of creation as it truly is, remain steady as Mount Meru, deep as the ocean, calm, and free from confusion.
चिन्मात्रं सर्वम् एवेदम् इत्थम् आभासतां गतम् । नेह सत्यम् असत्यं वा क्वचिद् अप्य् अस्ति किञ्चन
All this is but pure consciousness, appearing thus as mere semblance; here, there is nothing at all that is truly real or unreal.
महत्ताम् अलम् आलम्ब्य त्यक्त्वेदम् अवहेलया । असक्तबुद्धिस् सर्वत्र भव भव्य भवक्षयी
Relying firmly on greatness, having abandoned this (world) with indifference, be unattached in mind everywhere, O one destined to end becoming.
किं रोदिषि घनोद्वेगं मूढवच् चानुशोचसि । भ्रमस्य् उद्भ्रान्तचित्तं च सोम्यावर्ते तृणं यथा
Why do you weep in such distress, and grieve like one deluded? Your mind is agitated by confusion, like grass tossed in a gentle whirlpool.
अहो नु भगवन् नूनं सम्यग्रूपं विलक्षये । त्वत्प्रसादात् प्रबुद्धो ऽस्मि सूर्यासङ्गाद् इवाम्बुजम्
Indeed, O venerable one, now I truly perceive the right form; by your grace I am awakened, like a lotus by the touch of the sun.
भ्रान्तिर् अस्तङ्गता नूनं मिहिका शरदीव मे । संशान्ताखिलसन्देहः करिष्ये वचनं तव
Surely, my delusion has set, like autumn mist; all doubts are calmed—I will carry out your instruction.
व्यपगतमदमोहो मानमात्सर्यमुक्तश् चिरतरम् उदितात्मा शान्तशोकश् चिरेण । पुनर् असुखम् अगच्छन् स्वच्छयैकान्तबुद्ध्या वदसि यद् असि साधो तत् करिष्ये विशङ्कम्
Long freed from pride, delusion, arrogance, and envy, with the self arisen, sorrow stilled after a long time, not turning again to suffering, with pure and unwavering understanding, O noble one, I will do without hesitation whatever you instruct.
सम्यग्ज्ञानविलासेन वासनाविलयोदये । जीवन्मुक्तपदे ब्रह्मन् वद विश्रम्यते कथम्
O Brahman, tell me: when the play of true knowledge brings about the dissolution of tendencies, and the state of liberation while living is attained, how does one abide in rest?
संसारोत्तरणे युक्तिर् योगशब्देन कथ्यते । तां विद्धि द्विप्रकारां त्वं चित्तोपशमधर्मिणीम्
The method for crossing over worldly existence is described by the term 'yoga'; know that it is of two kinds, both characterized by the calming of the mind.
आत्मज्ञानं प्रकारो ऽस्या एकः प्रकथितो भुवि । द्वितीयः प्राणसंरोधश् शृणु सो ऽयं मयोच्यते
Self-knowledge is said to be one form of this; the second is restraint of the breath—listen, I will now explain it.
सुलभत्वाद् अदुःखत्वात् कतरश् शोभनो ऽनयोः । येनावगतमात्रेण भूयः क्षोभो न बाधते
Of these two, the one that is easy and free from suffering is superior; by merely attaining it, further agitation does not trouble one.
प्रकारौ द्वाव् अपि प्रोक्तौ योगशब्देन यद्य् अपि । तथापि रूढिम् आयातः प्राणयुक्ताव् असौ भृशम्
Although both forms are referred to by the word 'yoga', the one involving the breath has become especially established in usage.
एवं योगस् तथा ज्ञानं संसारोत्तरणक्रमे । समाव् उपायौ द्वाव् एव प्रोक्ताव् एकफलप्रदौ
Thus, yoga and knowledge are both means for crossing over worldly existence; only these two methods are taught, and both yield the same result.
असाध्यः कस्यचिद् योगः कस्यचिज् ज्ञाननिश्चयः । मम त्व् अभिमतस् साधो सुसाधो ज्ञानजः क्रमः
For some, yoga is unattainable; for others, certainty in knowledge is difficult; but for me, O noble one, the path arising from knowledge is most easily accomplished.
यज् ज्ञातं न तद् अज्ञातं स्वप्नेष्व् अपि पुनर् भवेत् । ज्ञानं सर्वास्व् अवस्थासु नित्यम् एव प्रवर्तते
What is known does not become unknown again, even in dreams; knowledge operates constantly in all states.
धारणासनदेशादिसाध्यत्वेन सुसाधतां । नायाति योगो ह्य् अथ वा विकल्पो नैष शोभनः
Yoga, being dependent on concentration, posture, place, and so forth, does not attain ease of practice; moreover, this alternative is not truly excellent.
द्वाव् एव किल यत्नोत्थौ ज्ञानयोगौ रघूद्वह । तत्रोक्तं भवतो ज्ञानम् अन्तस्स्थज्ञेयनिर्मलम्
There are indeed only two disciplines arising from effort, O descendant of Raghu: the yoga of knowledge and the yoga of practice. Of these, the knowledge spoken by you is pure, free from inner objects to be known.
प्राणापानरथारूढो गूढदेहगुहाशयः । अनन्तसिद्धिदस् साधो योगो ऽयं प्रोच्यते शृणु
Mounted upon the chariot of prāṇa and apāna, dwelling secretly within the cave of the body, this yoga, O sage, bestows endless accomplishments; listen as it is declared.
मुखानिलस्फुरणनिरोधसम्भवे स्थितिं गते नृपसुत चेतसः क्षये । समाहितस्थितिर् इह योगयुक्तितः परे पदे विगलितभीर् निवत्स्यसि
When, through the cessation of the movement of breath from the mouth, the mind attains stillness and is dissolved, O prince, then, established in concentration by yoga, you will abide in the supreme state, freed from fear.
अस्ति तावद् अनन्तस्य खस्य क्वचिद् अयं किल । जगद्रूपः परिस्पन्दो मृगतृष्णा मराव् इव
There exists, at some place, the infinite sky; and within it, this world-form, a mere vibration, like a mirage in the desert.
तत्र कारणतां यातो ब्रह्मा कमलसम्भवः । स्थितः पितामहत्वेन सृष्टभूतभरभ्रमः
Within that, Brahmā, born from the lotus, has assumed the role of cause; established as the grandfather, he sustains the burden of created beings.
तस्याहं मानसः पुत्रो वसिष्ठश् श्रेष्ठचेष्टितः । ऋक्षचक्रे ध्रुववृते निवसामि युगं प्रति
I am his mind-born son, Vasiṣṭha, foremost in action; I dwell in the circle of the stars, revolving with Dhruva, through each age.
सो ऽहं कदाचिद् आस्थाने स्वर्गे तिष्ठञ् शतक्रतोः । श्रुतवान् नारदादिभ्यः कथां सुचिरजीविनाम्
Once, while residing in the court of Indra in heaven, I heard from Nārada and others the stories of those who live long.
कथाप्रसङ्गे कस्मिंश्चिद् अथ तत्राभ्युवाच ह । शातातपो नाम मुनिर् मौनी मानी महामतिः
During the course of those stories, there, a certain sage named Śātātapa, silent, proud, and of great intellect, spoke.
मेरोर् ईशानकोणस्थपद्मरागमये दिवि । अस्ति कल्पतरुश् श्रीमाञ् शृङ्गे चूड इति श्रुतः
In the sky at the northeastern peak of Mount Meru, there is a splendid wish-fulfilling tree, made of padmarāga gem, known as Cūḍa.
तस्य कल्पतरोर् मूर्ध्नि दक्षिणस्कन्धकोटरे । कलधौतलताप्रान्ते विद्यते विहगालयः
At the crown of that wish-fulfilling tree, in a hollow of its southern branch, at the tip of a silver-creeper, there exists a bird's dwelling.