चित् सर्वं जगदारम्भम् इमं प्रकटयत्य् अलम् । त्रैलोक्यदीपकशिखा दीपो वर्णश्रियं यथा
Consciousness alone fully reveals the entire origin of the world, just as the flame of a lamp displays the beauty of colors in the three worlds.
चिच्चन्द्रबिम्बे विमले शशवत् प्राप्य सङ्गमम् । सर्वत्र लक्ष्यताम् एति पदार्थश्रीर् जगद्गता
When the splendor of objects existing in the world attains union with the pure moon-disc of consciousness, it becomes evident everywhere, like the moon’s light.
चिद्रसायनसेकेन पदार्थपटलावली । रूपम् एति फलं चैव प्रावृट्सिक्तेव सल्लता
By the sprinkling of the nectar of consciousness, the multitude of objects attains form and fruit, just as a creeper flourishes when moistened by the rains.
चिच्छाययैव सर्वस्य जाड्यं शाम्यत्य् उदेति वा । शवस्यास्य शरीरस्य गृहस्येव तमस् त्विषा
By the very shadow of consciousness, all dullness either subsides or arises, just as darkness or light appears in a house depending on the presence or absence of a lamp.
चिच्चमत्कृतयो देहे न भवेयुर् इमा यदि । त्रैलोक्यदेहास् तत् के ते कान् स्पृशेयुः किमाकृतीन्
If these wonders of consciousness did not exist in the body, then what would the bodies of the three worlds be, whom would they touch, and what forms would they have?
चिदालोकप्रकाशे ऽस्मिन् सङ्कल्पशिशुधारिणी । क्रियाकुलवधूर् देहगेहे स्फुरति चञ्चला
In this illumination of consciousness, which bears the child of intention, the restless bride of activity shines forth in the house of the body.
चिदालोकं विना कस्य रसनाग्रे स्फुरन्न् अपि । कथं कदा प्रकटताम् एति कीदृक् च वा रसः
Without the light of consciousness, how could taste, even if it appears at the tip of the tongue, ever become manifest, and what kind of taste would it be?
सुस्कन्धस् स्वङ्गशाखो ऽपि कुन्तलालिवृतो ऽप्य् अलम् । चिन्मञ्जरीं विना देहवृक्षः क इव राजते
Even if the tree of the body is well-branched, adorned with its own limbs and covered with locks of hair, without the blossom of consciousness, how could it shine?
वर्धते ऽभिलषत्य् अत्ति चिच् चराचरकारिणी । चिद् एवास्तीतरन् नास्ति चिन्मात्रम् इदम् उत्थितम्
It grows, desires, eats—consciousness alone acts in all that moves and is still; apart from consciousness, nothing exists, this is pure consciousness arisen.
इत्य् उक्तवान् अथ त्र्यक्षस् सुधास्यन्दाच्छया गिरा । पुनः पृष्टो मया राम विनयप्रश्रयोज्ज्वलम्
Having spoken thus, the three-eyed one, with words shaded by nectar-flow, was again questioned by me, Rama, with humility and respect.
यदि सर्वगता देव चिद् अस्त्य् एका ततात्मिका । तद् अयं चेतति स्फारम् अयं चैव न चेतति
If consciousness, O Lord, is all-pervading and of a single essence, then why does one being appear conscious and another not?
अयं चिद्वान् पुरा भूत्वा चिद्धीनस् सम्प्रति स्थितः । इतीयं कल्पना लोके प्रत्यक्षानुभवा कथम्
This one was conscious before and now stands devoid of consciousness—how can such notions in the world be based on direct experience?
शृण्व् एतद् अखिलं ब्रह्मन् यथापृष्टम् वदामि ते । महान् अयं कृतः प्रश्नस् त्वया ब्रह्मविदां वर
Hear this entire matter, O Brahman, as you have asked; I shall tell you. You have made a great inquiry, O best among knowers of Brahman.
चिद् अस्ति द्विशरीरेह सर्वभूतमयात्मिका । चेत्योन्मुखात्मिकैका तु निर्विकल्पा परा स्मृता
Here, consciousness exists in two bodies, encompassing all beings; but the one whose nature is directed toward objects is called the supreme, undivided, and beyond conceptualization.
सङ्कल्पबद्धात्मैवान्तस् स्वयम् अन्येव संस्थिता । सङ्कल्पितेतरवरा दौश्शील्यं स्त्री यथा गता
The self, bound within by imagination, remains as it is, just as a woman who has lost her virtue through imagined desires for others.
स एव हि पुमान् कोपाद् यथेहान्य इव क्षणात् । भवत्य् एवं विकल्पाङ्का चित् स्वरूपान्यतां गता
Indeed, that very man, out of anger, appears to become another in an instant; thus, when marked by imagination, consciousness assumes a different nature.
विकल्पकलिता ब्रह्मंश् चित् स्वरूपपरिच्युता । जाड्यं क्रमाद् भावयन्ती प्रयाति कलनापदम्
O Brahman, when consciousness is filled with imagination and departs from its own nature, it gradually becomes inert and enters the state of conceptualization.
चित् स्वयं चेत्यताम् एति साकाशपरमाणुताम् । शब्दबीजात्मिकां पश्चाद् वाततन्मात्रभावनीम्
Consciousness itself becomes the object of cognition, attains the subtlety of an atom, and then, being of the nature of the seed of sound, conceives the subtle element of air.
देशकालविभागा तु तन्मात्रवलिता क्रमात् । जीवो भूत्वा भवत्य् आशु बुद्धिः पश्चाद् अहं मनः
Through the successive divisions of space and time, shaped by the subtle elements, the individual soul quickly arises, followed by intellect, then ego, and then mind.
मनस्त्वं समुपायाता संसारम् अवलम्बते । चण्डालो ऽस्मीति मननाच् चण्डालत्वम् इव द्विजः
When you become the mind, you take hold of worldly existence; and just as a twice-born man, by thinking 'I am an outcaste,' becomes like an outcaste, so it is here.
सङ्कल्पिताप्रबोधेन जाड्याच् चित् स्वप्रबोधिनी । शबलं रूपम् आसाद्य सङ्कल्पान् यात्य् अनारतम्
Through imagined ignorance, consciousness, though inherently self-luminous, assumes a variegated form and continually enters into various imaginations.
अनन्तसङ्कल्पमयी जाड्यसङ्कल्पपीवरी । चिज् जाड्याद् देहम् आयाति पयः पाषाणताम् इव
Consciousness, made of endless imaginations and swollen with the imagination of dullness, takes on a body from dullness, just as water becomes stone.
ततश् चित्तमनोमोहमायेति विहिताभिधा । जाड्यं निपुणम् आश्रित्य संसारे जायते मुने
Then, O sage, what is called the delusion of mind and consciousness arises, taking support in dullness, and is born in the cycle of worldly existence.
मोहसात्म्यम् उपायाता तृष्णानिगडपीडिता । कामकोपभयोपेता भावाभावातिपातिनी
Having attained the essence of delusion, bound by the chains of craving, accompanied by desire, anger, and fear, it rushes through the extremes of being and non-being.
त्यक्तानन्तनिजाभोगा व्यवच्छेदविकारिणी । दुःखदावानलातप्ता शोकाशनिकृशाशया
Having abandoned countless natural enjoyments, subject to interruptions and changes, scorched by the wildfire of sorrow, and with a mind emaciated by the thunderbolt of grief.
इयम् अस्मीति भावेन शून्येन विकलीकृता । भेदमात्रगृहीतास्था परं दैन्यम् उपागता
With the empty notion, 'This is me,' it is rendered unstable, holding to nothing but mere difference, and has come to utter wretchedness.
मग्ना मोहमहापङ्के पङ्के जीर्णेव दन्तिनी । भावाभावलतादोलापरिलोलशरीरका
Sunk in the great mire of delusion, like an old elephant in mud, its body is tossed by the swinging creeper of being and non-being.
असारावरसंसारविकारव्यवहारिणी । तापोपतप्तहृदया रागरोगानुसारिणी
Engaged in the worthless and tasteless transformations of worldly life, its heart scorched by affliction, following the disease of passion.
निजयूथपरिभ्रष्टा मृगीवावशतां गता । आविर्भावोदिताकारा तिरोभावे ऽस्तम् आगता
Separated from its own herd, like a deer fallen into helplessness, it appears with the rise of manifestation and disappears at dissolution.
स्वसङ्कल्पोपयातासु भीता सम्भ्रमदृष्टिषु । पलायते ऽप्य् असत्यासु वेतालीष्व् इव बालिका
Arriving through its own imagination, frightened among confused sights, it flees even from the unreal, like a little girl from goblins.