शान्तसञ्चारसङ्क्रान्तनिश्चलास्येषु पक्षिषु । स्वपत्स्व् अन्तःपुराणां च पञ्जरेष्व् आलयेषु च
As the birds, their motion stilled and beaks unmoving, slept in the inner chambers, in cages and in their nests,
विचारयत्सु तत्त्वार्थं बुद्ध्या प्राप्तविकासया । सुतत्त्वज्ञेषु सभ्येषु सहजानन्दशालिषु
While the wise, whose intellects had blossomed through inquiry into the truth, sat in the assembly, naturally abiding in bliss,
परोपशमशालिन्या तया सद्वाक्यमालया । विनयावनतिस्थेषु क्रीडामर्कटकेष्व् अपि
And even the playful monkeys, subdued by the atmosphere of peace and noble speech, sat with heads bowed in humility,
राघवस्यात्मविश्रान्तिस्थित्यर्थं वचनौघतः । विरराम मुनिर् वारि ससेत्व् आत्मरयाद् इव
Then, for the sake of Rāghava’s abiding rest in the Self, the sage’s stream of words came to a pause, like a river held back by a dam.
अथ याते मुहूर्तार्धे राघवे प्रतिबोधिते । पुनर् आह तम् एवार्थं वसिष्ठो वदतां वरः
When half a moment had passed and Rāghava was awakened, Vasiṣṭha, best of speakers, again addressed him on the same subject.
राम सम्यक्प्रबुद्धो ऽसि स्वात्मानम् असि लब्धवान् । एतम् एवावलम्ब्यान्तस् तिष्ठ मेह मदं कृथाः
Rāma, you are fully awakened and have attained your own Self; holding to this within, remain here and do not fall into delusion.
इदं संसारचक्रं हि नाभौ सङ्कल्पमात्रके । संरोधितायां वहनाद् रघुनन्दन रुध्यते
O delight of the Raghu lineage, this wheel of worldly existence, whose hub is mere imagination, comes to a halt when its movement is restrained.
बोधितायां मनोनाभ्याम् इदं संसारचक्रकम् । प्रयत्नाद् रोधितम् अपि प्रवहत्य् एव वेगतः
Even when this wheel of worldly existence is checked by the awakened mind, it still rushes onward with force, unless restrained with effort.
परं पौरुषम् आश्रित्य बलं प्रज्ञां च युक्तितः । नाभिं संसारचक्रस्य चित्तम् एव निरोधयेत्
Relying on supreme effort, strength, and wisdom joined with discernment, one should restrain the mind, which is the hub of the wheel of worldly existence.
प्रज्ञासौजन्ययुक्तेन शास्त्रसंवलितेन च । पौरुषेण न यत् प्राप्तं न तत् क्वचन लभ्यते
What cannot be attained anywhere by effort endowed with wisdom, nobility, and supported by scripture, is truly unattainable.
दैवैकपरतां त्यक्त्वा बालबोधोपकल्पिताम् । निजं प्रयत्नम् आश्रित्य चित्तम् आदौ निरोधयेत्
Abandoning exclusive reliance on fate, which is a notion of childish understanding, one should first restrain the mind by relying on one's own effort.
आ विरिञ्चात् प्रवृत्तेन भ्रमेणाज्ञानरूपिणा । असद् एव सदाभासम् इदम् आलक्ष्यते ऽनघ
O sinless one, due to the delusion of ignorance, which has operated since the time of Brahma, this unreal appears as real.
अज्ञानभ्रमविस्तारमिथ्यैकाकृतयो ऽनघ । इमे देहा भ्रमन्तीह सर्व एवासदुत्थिताः
O sinless one, these bodies, which are mere projections of the expansion of ignorance and delusion, wander here, all arising from unreality.
सङ्कल्पपुरुषस्येव देहस्यार्थे कदाचन । सुखदुःखविकारित्वं न कार्यं राम धीमता
O wise Rama, for the person of imagination, there should never be attachment to pleasure or pain regarding the body.
दुःखम्लानमुखक्लेदी प्रसन्नात् क्लेदवर्जितात् । अपि चित्रनराद् देहनरस् तुच्छतरस् स्मृतः
A face afflicted by sorrow is moist, while one that is serene is free from such moisture; likewise, among various types of men, the body composed of flesh is considered the most insignificant.
आधिव्याधिपरिम्लाने स्वयं क्लेदिनि नाशिनि । न तथा स्थिरता देहे चित्रपुंसि यथा किल
When afflicted by distress, disease, and decay, the body itself becomes moist and perishable; it does not possess the same stability as the wondrous person.
विनाशितो हि चित्रस्थो देहो नश्यति नान्यथा । अवश्यनाशो नाशात्मा स्वयं देहो विनश्यति
Indeed, the body situated in the realm of imagination is destroyed and perishes in no other way; being by nature perishable, the body inevitably comes to an end on its own.
पालितस् सुस्थिरां शोभाम् आदत्ते चित्रमानवः । देहस् तु पालितो ऽप्य् उच्चैर् नश्यत्य् एव न वर्धते
A person of imagination, when maintained, acquires lasting beauty; but the physical body, even if carefully preserved, inevitably decays and does not increase.
तेन श्रेष्ठश् चित्रदेहो नायं सङ्कल्पदेहकः । ये गुणाश् चित्रदेहे हि न ते सङ्कल्पदेहके
Therefore, the body of imagination is superior, not this body formed by mere thought; for the qualities found in the body of imagination are not present in the body created by thought.
चित्रदेहाद् अपि जडाद् यो ऽयं तुच्छतरः किल । तस्मिन् मांसमये देहे केवास्था भवतो ऽनघ
Even more insignificant than the inert body of imagination is this body made of flesh; so, O sinless one, what reliance can you have on this fleshly body?
दीर्घसङ्कल्पदेहो ऽयम् अस्मिन् क्वास्था महामते । स्वल्पसङ्कल्पजाद् देहाद् अपि तुच्छतरो ह्य् अयम्
This body, arising from prolonged thought, O wise one, where can there be any reliance on it? For it is even more insignificant than the body produced by brief thought.
स्वल्पसङ्कल्पजो दीर्घैस् सुखदुःखैर् न गृह्यते । दीर्घसङ्कल्पजश् चायं दीर्घदुःखेन दुःखितः
The body produced by brief thought is not affected by long-lasting pleasure or pain; but this body, arising from prolonged thought, is afflicted by prolonged suffering.
देहो हि सङ्कल्पमयो नायम् अस्ति न नास्ति च । किं व्यर्थम् एतदर्थं हि मूढो ऽयं क्लेशभाग् जनः
The body is made only of thought; it neither truly exists nor does not exist. Why does this deluded person suffer in vain for its sake?
यथा चित्रमये पुंसि क्षते क्षीणे न वः क्षतिः । यथा सङ्कल्पपुरुषे क्षते क्षीणे न वः क्षतिः
Just as, when a wound or injury occurs to a person made of a painting, you do not suffer harm; so too, when a wound or injury occurs to a person made of thought, you do not suffer harm.
यथा मनोराज्यमये क्षते क्षीणे न वः क्षतिः । यथा द्वितीये शशिनि क्षते क्षीणे न वः क्षतिः
Just as, when a wound or loss happens in a kingdom built in imagination, you are not harmed; and just as, when a wound or loss occurs in a second moon, you are not harmed.
यथा स्वप्नसमारम्भे क्षते क्षीणे न वः क्षतिः । यथा घनातपजले क्षते क्षीणे न वः क्षतिः
Just as, when a wound or loss happens in the beginning of a dream, you are not harmed; and just as, when a wound or loss occurs in water produced by mist and sunlight, you are not harmed.
सङ्कल्पमात्रकलिते प्रकृत्यैव विनाशिनि । तथा शरीरयन्त्रे ऽस्मिन् क्षते क्षीणे न वः क्षतिः
In the same way, when this body-machine, which is by nature perishable and formed only of thought, is wounded or destroyed, you are not truly harmed.
दीर्घस्वप्नमये ह्य् अस्मिंश् चिरसङ्कल्पकल्पिते । भूषिते दूषिते देहे न हि किञ्चिच् चितः क्षतम्
In this body, which is like a long dream and constructed by persistent imagination, whether it is adorned or defiled, the consciousness is not at all injured.
न चिद् अस्तम् उपायाति नात्मा चलति राघव । न ब्रह्म विकृतिं याति किं वो देहक्षये क्षतम्
Consciousness does not set, nor does the Self waver, O Raghava; Brahman does not undergo change—so what harm comes to you from the destruction of the body?
भ्रमच्चक्रोपरिस्थो हि त्यक्तचक्रो ऽपि चक्रवत् । यथा पश्यति दिक्चक्रं भ्रमद् अत्यन्तमोहितः
Just as one seated on a spinning wheel, even after leaving the wheel, still perceives the circle of directions spinning due to intense delusion.