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.
महान् असि विरक्तो ऽसि तज्ज्ञो ऽसि जनतास्थितौ । त्वयि वस्तु लगत्य् अन्तः कुङ्कुमाम्बु यथांशुके
You are great, you are dispassionate, you are knowledgeable, and you are established among people; in you, the truth settles within, just as saffron water is absorbed by a cloth.
उक्तावधानपरमा परमार्थविवेचनी । विशत्य् अर्थं तव प्रज्ञा जलमध्यम् इवार्कभा
Your intellect, intent on attentive listening and discerning the highest truth, penetrates the meaning just as sunlight enters water.
यद् यद् वच्मि तवादेयं हृदि कार्यं प्रयत्नतः । न चेत् प्रष्टव्य एवाहं न त्वयेह निरर्थकम्
Whatever I say to you should be carefully kept in your heart; otherwise, I should not be questioned by you, for I do not speak here in vain.
मनो हि चपलं राम संसारवनमर्कटम् । संरोध्य हृदि यत्नेन श्रोतव्या परमार्थधीः
For the mind is fickle, O Rama, like a monkey in the forest of worldly existence; restrain it in the heart with effort and listen to the supreme truth.
अविवेकिनम् अज्ञानम् असज्जनरतिं जनम् । चिरं दूरतरं कृत्वा पूजनीया हि साधवः
One should keep far away for a long time from those who lack discernment, are ignorant, and delight in the company of the unvirtuous; for the virtuous alone are worthy of honor.
नित्यं सज्जनसम्पर्काद् विवेक उपजायते । विवेकपादपस्यैते भोगमोक्षौ फले स्मृते
Constant association with the virtuous gives rise to discernment; and the two fruits of the tree of discernment are said to be enjoyment and liberation.
मोक्षद्वारे द्वारपालाश् चत्वारः परिकीर्तिताः । शमो विचारस् सन्तोषश् चतुर्थस् साधुसङ्गमः
At the gateway to liberation, four gatekeepers are spoken of: tranquility, inquiry, contentment, and the company of the virtuous as the fourth.
एते सेव्याः प्रयत्नेन चत्वारो द्वौ त्रयो ऽथ वा । द्वारम् उद्घाटयन्त्य् एते मोक्षराजगृहे बलात्
These four—whether two, three, or all—should be diligently cultivated; they forcibly open the gate to the palace of the king called liberation.
एकं वा सर्वयत्नेन प्राणांस् त्यक्त्वा समाश्रयेत् । एतस्मिन् वशगे यान्ति चत्वारो ऽपि वशं यतः
One should, even at the cost of one's life, wholeheartedly take refuge in at least one of them; for when one is mastered, all four come under control.
सविवेको हि शास्त्रस्य ज्ञानस्य तपसो द्युतेः । भाजनं भूषणाकारो भास्करस् तेजसाम् इव
Discernment is indeed the vessel, the adornment, and the very form of the scriptures, knowledge, austerity, and brilliance—just as the sun is the form of all lights.
घनताम् उपयातं हि प्रज्ञामान्द्यम् अचेतसाम् । याति स्थावरताम् अम्बु जाड्यात् पाषाणताम् इव
Indeed, when the dullness of mind becomes dense in the unreflective, their awareness becomes immobile, like water turning solid from cold, or like a stone.
त्वं तु राघव सौजन्यगुणशास्त्रार्थदृष्टिभिः । विकासितान्तःकरणस् स्थितः पद्म इवोदये
But you, Raghava, endowed with noble qualities and insight into the meaning of scriptures, stand with an awakened inner being, like a lotus at sunrise.
इमां ज्ञानदृशं श्रोतुम् अवबोद्धुं च सन्मते । अर्हस्य् उद्धृतकर्णस् तु जन्तुर् वीणाध्वनिं यथा
You are worthy, O wise one, to listen to and comprehend this vision of knowledge, with attentive ears—like a creature intent on the sound of a lute.
वैराग्याभ्यासयोगेन समसौजन्यसम्पदा । तत् पदं प्राप्यते राम यत्र नाशो न विद्यते
Through the practice of dispassion, discipline, and the wealth of even-minded nobility, that state is attained, O Rama, where there is no destruction.
शास्त्रैस् सुजनसम्पर्कपूर्वकैस् सुतपोदमैः । आदौ संसारमुक्त्यर्थं प्रज्ञाम् एवाभिवर्धयेत्
At first, for the sake of liberation from worldly existence, one should cultivate discernment by means of scriptures, association with the virtuous, and excellent austerity and self-restraint.
संसारविषवृक्षोग्रसेकम् आस्पदम् आपदाम् । अञ्जनं मोहयामिन्या मौर्ख्यं यत्नेन नाशयेत्
With effort, one should eradicate folly, which is the root of the poisonous tree of worldly existence, the source of calamities, and the collyrium of the night of delusion.
एतद् एव च मौर्ख्यस्य परमं विद्धि नाशनम् । यद् इदं प्रेक्ष्यते शास्त्रं किञ्चित्संस्कृतया धिया
Know this alone to be the supreme destruction of folly: when scripture is regarded, even with a mind that is but slightly refined.
दुराशासर्पगर्तेन मौर्ख्येण हृदि वल्गता । चेतस् सञ्कोचम् आयाति चर्माग्नाव् इव योजितम्
When the serpent-pit of vain hopes and folly writhes in the heart, the mind contracts, like leather placed in fire.
प्राज्ञे यथार्थभूतेयं वस्तुदृष्टिः प्रसीदति । दृग् इवेन्दौ निरम्भोदसकलामलमण्डले
For the wise, this perception of reality becomes clear, like vision beholding the flawless, full moon in a cloudless sky.
पूर्वापरविचारार्थचारुचातुर्यशालिनी । सविकासा मतिर् यस्य स पुमान् इति कथ्यते
He whose mind, endowed with delightful discernment, skillfully considers both the past and the future, is called a true person.