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.
एते ब्रह्मन् महादोषास् संसारव्याधिहेतवः । मनाग् अपि न लुम्पन्ति चित्तम् एकसमाहितम्
O Brahman, these great faults, the causes of the disease of worldly existence, do not touch in the least the mind that is single-pointed.
आधिव्याधिसमुत्थानि वलितानि महाभ्रमैः । न विलुम्पन्ति दुःखानि चित्तम् एकसमाहितम्
Sufferings arising from afflictions and diseases, twisted by great delusions, do not disturb the mind that is single-pointed.
न दादति न चादत्ते न जहाति न याचते । कुर्वद् एव च कार्याणि चित्तम् एकसमाहितम्
It neither gives nor takes, neither abandons nor begs; yet, while performing actions, the mind remains wholly unified.
नास्तम् एति न चोदेति नसंस्मृति नविस्मृति । न सुप्तं न च जाग्रत्स्थं चित्तम् एकसमाहितम्
It neither sets nor rises, neither remembers nor forgets; the mind, wholly unified, is neither asleep nor awake.
अन्धीकृतहृदाकाशाः कामक्रोधविकारजाः । चिन्ता न परिहिंसन्ति चित्तम् एकसमाहितम्
Worries born of desire, anger, and their modifications, which darken the space of the heart, do not trouble the mind that is wholly unified.
ये दुरर्था दुरारम्भा दुर्गुणा दुरुदाहृताः । दुष्क्रमास् ते न कृन्तन्ति चित्तम् एकसमाहितम्
Those intentions that are harmful, difficult to begin, of bad quality, or hard to accomplish—none of these can cut the mind that is wholly unified.
शुभानि विपुलार्थानि महान्ति गुणवन्ति च । सर्वाण्य् एवानुधावन्ति चित्तम् एकसमाहितम्
All auspicious things—abundant, great, and full of virtue—naturally follow the mind that is wholly unified.
यद् उदर्कहितं सत्यम् अनपायि गतभ्रमम् । दुरीहितदशामुक्तं तत्परं कारयेन् मनः
Whatever is truly beneficial in the end, unwavering, free from error, and untouched by evil—let the mind be established in that supreme state.
यद् अदृष्टम् अशुद्धेन चिरवैधुर्यकारिणा । मुने कामपिशाचेन तत्परं कारयेन् मनः
Whatever is unseen by the impure, long corrupted by the demon of desire—O sage, let the mind be established in that supreme state.
आदौ मध्ये तथान्ते च चिराय परि चोदितम् । यच् चारु मधुरं पथ्यं तत्परं कारयेन् मनः
Whatever, from the beginning, middle, and end, has long been praised, and is beautiful, sweet, and wholesome—let the mind be established in that supreme state.
यद् अनर्थदशाहीनं निर्णीतं सद्भिर् आदितः । गुणानुबन्धि लोक्यं च तत्परं कारयेन् मनः
Let the mind be directed toward that which, from the outset, has been determined by the wise to be free from misfortune, connected with virtue, and worthy of being experienced.
पेशलं मधुरं हृद्यं स्वादु शीतम् अपक्षयम् । सुतीक्ष्णम् अतिनिर्णीतं तत्परं कारयेन् मनः
Let the mind be directed toward that which is graceful, sweet, pleasing, delightful, cool, imperishable, and exceedingly refined.
यद् बुद्धेः परम् आलोक्यम् आद्यं यद् अमृतं परम् । यद् अनुत्तमसौभाग्यं तत्परं कारयेन् मनः
Let the mind be directed toward that which is the highest object of intellect, the original, the supreme nectar, and the utmost good fortune.
सामरे सहगन्धर्वे सविद्याधरकिन्नरे । ससुरस्त्रीगणे स्वर्गे न किञ्चित् सुस्थिरं शुभम्
In the realm of gods, Gandharvas, Vidyādharas, Kinnaras, and among the groups of divine women in heaven, nothing remains truly stable or auspicious.
सनरे सनराधीशे सपर्वतपुरव्रजे । साम्बुधौ भूतले तात न किञ्चिच् छोभनं स्थिरम्
Among humans, kings, cities on mountains, in the ocean, or on earth, O dear one, nothing beautiful remains stable.
सनागे सासुरव्यूहे सासुरस्त्रीजने तथा । समस्त एव पाताले न किञ्चिच् छोभनं स्थिरम्
Among serpents, in the armies of demons, among demon women, and throughout the entirety of the netherworld, nothing beautiful remains stable.
सस्वर्गे सधराभोगे सपाताले सदिक्तटे । जगत्य् अस्मिंस् तु सर्वस्मिन् न किञ्चिच् छोभनं स्थिरम्
In heaven, on earth, in the netherworld, and on the shores, in this entire world, nothing beautiful remains stable.
समुखे सकरे सांसे सपादे सोरुमण्डले । सरक्तमांसे देहे ऽस्मिन् न किञ्चिच् छोभनं स्थिरम्
In the face, in the hands, in the thighs, in the feet, in the circle of joints, in this body of flesh and blood, nothing beautiful remains stable.
आधिव्याधिविलोलासु दुःखौघवलितासु च । क्रियासु नित्यतुच्छासु न किञ्चिच् छोभनं स्थिरम्
In actions disturbed by affliction and disease, and filled with waves of suffering, which are always empty, there is nothing beautiful or lasting.
तरलीकृतचित्तासु हृदयामर्दनीषु च । चिन्तासु जीवकारासु न किञ्चित् सुस्थिरं शुभम्
In minds made unsteady, in thoughts that oppress the heart, in worries that shape life, there is nothing good or stable.