समैकसन्निवेशानि बहूनि विषमाणि च । तथार्धसमरूपाणि त्रिजगन्ति स्मराम्य् अहम्
I remember many worlds with similar arrangements, some with differences, and some with only partial resemblance.
तान्य् एव तादृक्कर्माणि तथान्याचरणानि च । तत्कर्माणि तथान्यानि भूतानीह स्मराम्य् अहम्
I recall those same kinds of actions, as well as other deeds performed there; I remember those actions and other beings here as well.
प्रतिमन्वन्तरं ब्रह्मन् विपर्यस्ते जगत्क्रमे । सन्निवेशे ऽन्यथा जाते प्रयाते संस्तुते जने
O Brahman, at every change of a Manvantara, when the order of the world is reversed, and when a new arrangement arises, and people come and go,
ममान्यानि च मित्राणि ते ऽन्य एव च बन्धवः । अन्य एव नवा भृत्या अन्य एव समाश्रयाः
I have different friends, and you have other relatives; there are new servants, and others who offer shelter.
कदाचिद् अहम् एकान्ते विन्ध्यमूललताश्रयः । कदाचिन् मेरुशृङ्गाग्रकल्पवृक्षलताश्रयः
Sometimes I dwell in solitude at the foot of the Vindhya mountains, and sometimes I take refuge in the wish-fulfilling creepers atop Mount Meru.
कदाचित् सह्यनिलयः कदाचिद् दर्दुरालयः । कदाचिद् धिमवद्वासी कदाचिन् मलयाश्रयः
Sometimes I reside in the Sahya mountains, sometimes in the Dardura range; sometimes I live in the Himalayas, and sometimes in the Malaya mountains.
कदाचित् प्राक्तनेनैव सन्निवेशेन भूधरम् । वनं वृक्षं च शाखां च प्राप्य नीडं करोम्य् अहम्
Sometimes, with a previous arrangement, I make my nest upon a mountain, in a forest, on a tree, or on a branch.
अद्यानन्तेषु यातेषु युगेषु मुनिनायक । प्राक्तनेनैव जातो ऽयं सन्निवेशेन पादपः
O leader of sages, in the ages that have passed up to the present, this tree has been born with the same arrangement as before.
ताते जीवति यैवाभूच् छोभास्य सुतरोस् तया । कृतप्राक्सन्निवेशो ऽयम् अहं स्थितिम् उपागतः
When my father was alive, there was a great radiance from him; having previously established myself, I have now attained this state.
नेहाभूद् उत्तरा पूर्वं ककुम् नायं च भूधरः । दिग् उत्तराभूद् अन्यैव पूर्वं मेरुमहीधरा
Here, there was neither a northern nor an eastern horizon before, nor was this a mountain; the direction that was north before was different, as was the eastern Meru mountain.
एकैकदेहसंस्थाननीतब्रह्मनिशागमः । ध्यानान्ते खस्थ एवैतत् सर्गम् आलोक्य वेद्म्य् अहम्
The coming of night in Brahman, brought about by the placement of each body, at the end of meditation, I perceive this creation while abiding in the sky and I know it.
अर्कादेर् ऋक्षसञ्चारान् मेर्वादेस् स्थानकाद् दिशाम् । संस्थानम् अन्यथा तस्मिन् स्थिते यान्ति दिशो ऽन्यथा
Because of the movement of the sun and stars, and the position of Meru and other places, the arrangement of directions changes; when that remains, the directions go otherwise.
न सन् नासज् जगन् मन्ये भ्रमो ऽयं केवलं धियः । आत्मस्पन्दचमत्कारविभवो ऽयं विजृम्भते
I do not consider the world to be existent or non-existent; this is merely a confusion of the mind. This manifestation arises from the marvel of the vibration of the Self.
पुत्रः पितृत्वम् आयातो मित्राणि त्व् अरितां तथा । स्त्रीत्वं च शतशो यातान् पुंसश् चैव स्मराम्य् अहम्
I remember having been a son who attained fatherhood, friends who became enemies, and having been a woman hundreds of times, as well as a man.
कलौ कृतयुगाचारान् कृते कलियुगस्थितीः । त्रेतायां द्वापरे चैव संस्मरामि मुनीश्वर
O sage, in the Kali age I recall the ways of the Krita age, in the Krita age the conditions of Kali, and likewise in Treta and Dvapara I remember them.
अदृष्टवेदवेदार्थान् स्वसङ्केतविहारिणः । सर्गान् निरर्गलाचारान् क्वचित् कांश्चित् स्मराम्य् अहम्
I remember, at times, certain creations whose Vedas and meanings were unseen, whose inhabitants wandered by their own signs, and whose conduct was unrestricted.
ध्यातरि ब्रह्मणि ब्रह्मन् ससुरासुरमानुषम् । चतुर्युगसहस्रे द्वे जगच् छून्यं स्मराम्य् अहम्
O Brahman, when the mind meditates on Brahman, I recall that for two thousand cycles of four ages, the world with gods, demons, and humans was void.
विचित्रसंस्थानविशेषदेशान् विचित्रकार्याकुलभूतकोशान् । विचित्रविन्यासविलासवेषान् स्मराम्य् अहं ब्रह्मदिनेष्व् अशेषान्
I remember, in each day of Brahma, all the varied forms, distinct regions, the multitude of beings engaged in diverse activities, and the manifold arrangements and playful appearances.
अथासौ वायसश्रेष्ठो जिज्ञासार्थम् इदं मया । भूयः पृष्टो महाबाहो कल्पवृक्षलताग्रखे
Then that foremost of crows, for the sake of inquiry, was again questioned by me, O mighty-armed one, as he sat atop the branch of the wish-fulfilling tree.
चरतां जगतः कोशे व्यवहारवताम् अपि । कथं विहगराजेन्द्र देहं मृत्युर् न बाधते
O king of birds, how is it that, even as beings move about in the world and engage in ordinary activities, death does not afflict the body?
जानन्न् अपि हि सर्वज्ञ ब्रह्मञ् जिज्ञासयैव माम् । पृच्छसि प्रभवो नित्यं भृत्यं वाचालयन्ति हि
Even though you know all, O Brahman, you question me out of curiosity; indeed, masters always engage their servants in speech.
तथापि यत् पृच्छसि मां तत् ते प्रकथयाम्य् अहम् । अनाज्ञाभङ्गम् एवाहुर् मुख्यम् आराधनं सताम्
Still, since you ask me, I will tell you; for the wise say that not disobeying a command is the highest form of service.
दोषमुक्ताफलप्रोता वासनातन्तुसन्ततिः । हृदि न ग्रथिता यस्य मृत्युस् तं न जिघांसति
Death does not seek to harm one whose heart is not bound by the thread of tendencies woven with faults and fruits.
विश्वासवृक्षक्रकचास् सर्वे देहलताघुणाः । आधयो यं न भिन्दन्ति मृत्युस् तं न जिघांसति
Death does not seek to harm one whom all the axes of affliction, which cut the vine of the body, do not break—the axes that are the saws of doubt.
षण्डात् षण्डं निपतितं शाखामृगम् इवोद्धतं । न चञ्चलं मनो यस्य तं मृत्युर् न जिघांसति
Death does not wish to seize the one whose mind, like a wild branch-animal fallen from a eunuch, is not restless.
शरीरतरुसर्पौघाश् चित्तौर्वशिखिनश् शिखाः । आशा यं न दहन्त्य् अन्तस् तं मृत्युर् न जिघांसति
Death does not wish to seize the one whom the flames of hope, which are the crests of the fire of desires in the forest of the body, do not burn within.
रागद्वेषविषापूरस् स्वमनोबिलमन्दिरः । लोभव्यालो न भुङ्क्ते यं मृत्युस् तं न जिघांसति
Death does not wish to seize the one whom the serpent of greed does not consume, though his own mind-cave is filled with the poison of passion and aversion.
पीताशेषविवेकाम्बुश् शरीराम्भोधिवाडवः । न निर्दहति यं कोपस् तं मृत्युर् न जिघांसति
Death does not wish to seize the one whom anger does not burn, as he has drunk the water of complete discernment, quenching the submarine fire in the ocean of the body.
यन्त्रं तिलानां कठिनं राशिम् उग्रम् इवाकुलम् । यं पीडयति नानङ्गस् तं मृत्युर् न जिघांसति
Death does not wish to seize the one whom desire does not torment, just as a hard oil-press does not crush a heap of sesame seeds.
एकस्मिन् निर्मले येन पदे परमपावने । संश्रिता दृढविश्रान्तिस् तं मृत्युर् न जिघांसति
Death does not wish to seize the one who has taken firm refuge and perfect rest in the one pure, supremely holy state.