बालस्य स्वमनोमोहकल्पितः प्राणहारकः । रात्रौ तमसि वेतालो विचारेण विलीयते
The phantom, imagined by the child's own deluded mind and bringing terror in the night, is dissolved by reason.
सर्व एव जगद्भावा अविचारणचारवः । अविद्यमानसद्भावा विचारविशरारवः
All the phenomena of the world, lacking the movement of reason, are unreal; but when touched by the sword of reason, their false existence is cut away.
पुंसो निजमनोमोहकल्पितो ऽनल्पदुःखदः । संसारचिरवेतालो विचारेण विलीयते
The phantom of long-standing worldly existence, imagined by a person's own deluded mind and bringing endless suffering, is dissolved by reason.
समस्वच्छं निराबाधम् अनन्तम् अनपाश्रयम् । विद्धीमं केवलीभावं विचारोग्रतरोः फलम्
Know this state of pure, undisturbed, infinite, and unsupported oneness as the highest fruit of the powerful tree of reason.
अचलस्थितिनोदारप्रकटाभोगतेजसा । तेन निष्कामतोदेति शीततेवोदितेन्दुना
By that state, which is steadfast, noble, and radiant with the enjoyment of clear stability, desirelessness arises, like the coolness from the newly risen moon.
चिन्ताज्वरमहौषध्या साधुचित्तनिषण्णया । तयोत्तमत्वप्रदया नाभिवाञ्छति नोज्झति
With the great medicine of reason, established in the mind of the good, which bestows the highest state, one neither craves nor rejects anything.
तत् सदालम्बनं चेतस् स्फारम् आभासम् आगतम् । नास्तम् एति न चोदेति खम् इवातिततान्तरम्
That ever-supported mind, having become a vast appearance, neither sets nor rises, like space that extends beyond all limits.
न जहाति न चादत्ते न ताम्यति न शाम्यति । केवलं साक्षिवत् पश्यञ् जगद् आत्मनि तिष्ठति
It neither abandons nor grasps, neither suffers nor is pacified; simply witnessing, it abides in itself, perceiving the world within.
न च शाम्यति नाप्य् अन्तर् नापि बाह्ये ऽवतिष्ठति । न च नैष्कर्म्यम् आदत्ते न च कर्मणि मज्जति
It is not extinguished, nor does it remain within or without; it does not adopt inactivity, nor does it become absorbed in action.
उपेक्षते गतं वस्तु सम्प्राप्तम् अनुवर्तते । न क्षुब्धो नाति चाक्षुब्धो भाति पूर्ण इवार्णवः
It disregards what has passed and follows what arrives; neither agitated nor utterly unperturbed, it shines like a full ocean.
एवंरूपेण मनसा महात्मानो महाशयाः । जीवन्मुक्ता जगत्य् अस्मिन् विहरन्ति हि योगिनः
With such a mind, the great-souled, noble-hearted yogis who are liberated while living, indeed move about in this world.
उषित्वा सुचिरं कालं धीरास् ते यावदीप्सितम् । तनुम् अन्ते परित्यज्य यान्ति केवलतां तताम्
Having lived for a long time as they wish, those steadfast ones, at the end, abandon the body and attain the state of pure being.
को ऽहं कस्य च संसार इत्य् आपद्य् अपि धीमता । चिन्तनीयं प्रयत्नेन सप्रतीकारम् आत्मना
Even when faced with the thought, 'Who am I, and whose is this world?' the wise must diligently reflect with self-inquiry and countermeasures.
कार्यसङ्कटसन्देहं राजा जानाति राघव । निष्फलं सफलं वापि विचारेणैव नान्यथा
O Raghava, the king knows the confusion and doubt of action only through discernment, whether it is fruitless or fruitful, and not otherwise.
वेदवेदान्तसिद्धान्तस्थितयस् स्थितिकारणम् । निर्णीयन्ते विचारेण दीपेनेव भुवो निशि
The conclusions of the Vedas and Vedanta, and the reasons for their establishment, are determined by discernment, just as a lamp reveals the earth at night.
अनष्टम् अन्धकारेषु बहुतेजस्स्व् अजिह्मितम् । पश्यत्य् अपि व्यवहितं विचारच् चारुलोचनम्
Even in darkness, a clear and unwavering eye, radiant with discernment, sees what is hidden, just as a bright light does not fail.
विवेकान्धो हि जात्यन्धश् शोच्यश् सर्वस्य दुर्मतिः । दिव्यचक्षुर् विवेकात्मा जयत्य् अखिलवस्तुषु
Truly, one blind to discrimination is pitiable, like one blind from birth, and is of poor understanding; but the self of discernment, possessing divine sight, prevails over all things.
परमात्ममयी पाल्या महानन्दैकसाधनी । क्षणम् एकं परित्याज्या न विचारचमत्कृतिः
The wonder of discernment, which is filled with the Supreme Self and is the sole means to great bliss, should be cherished and not abandoned even for a moment.
विचारचारुः पुरुषो महताम् अपि रोचते । परिपक्वं चमत्कारि सहकारफलं यथा
A person adorned with discernment is esteemed even among the great, just as a fully ripened mango delights all.
विचारकान्तमतयो नानेकेषु पुनः पुनः । पतन्ति दुःखगर्तेषु ज्ञातोर्ध्वगतयो नराः
Those whose minds lack the beauty of discernment, though they may rise in knowledge, repeatedly fall into pits of suffering.
न विरौति तथा रोगी नानर्थशतजर्जरः । अविचारविनष्टात्मा यथाज्ञः परिरोदिति
No one cries out in pain as much—not the sick, nor one afflicted by hundreds of misfortunes—as the ignorant person whose self is destroyed by lack of discernment.
वरं कर्दमकीटत्वं श्वभ्रकण्टकता वरम् । वरम् अन्धगुहाहित्वं न नरस्याविचारिता
Better to be a worm in the mud, better to be among thorns in a pit, better to dwell in a dark cave, than for a person to be without discernment.
सर्वानर्थनिजावासं सर्वसाधुतिरस्कृतम् । सर्वदौस्स्थित्यसीमान्तम् अविचारं परित्यजेत्
One should abandon unreflectiveness, which is the dwelling place of all misfortune, rejected by all the virtuous, and the utmost limit of perpetual distress.
नित्यं विचारयुक्तेन भवितव्यं महात्मना । भवान्धकूपे पततां विचारो ह्य् अवलम्बनम्
A noble soul must always be engaged in reflection; for those who fall into the pit of existence, reflection is indeed the support.
स्वयम् एवात्मनात्मानम् अवष्टभ्य विचारतः । संसारमोहजलधेस् तारयेत् स्वमनोमृगम्
By firmly holding oneself with one's own self through reflection, one can lead the mind-deer across the ocean of delusion called saṃsāra.
को ऽहं कथम् अयं दोषस् संसाराख्य उपागतः । न्यायेनेति परामर्शो विचार इति कथ्यते
The inquiry—'Who am I? How has this fault called saṃsāra arisen?'—conducted according to reason, is called reflection.
अन्धान्धमोहमुखरं चिरं दुःखाय केवलम् । कृतं शिलाया हृदयं दुर्मतेश् चाविचारिणः
For the person lacking reflection, whose mind is hard as stone, only endless suffering is produced, filled with utter darkness and the tumult of delusion.
भावाभावग्रहोत्सर्गदृशाम् इह हि राघव । न विचाराद् ऋते तत्त्वं ज्ञायते साधु किञ्चन
O Rāghava, for those whose vision is fixed on the arising and ceasing of things, nothing true is ever known here except through reflection.
विचाराज् ज्ञायते तत्त्वं तत्त्वाद् विश्रान्तिर् आत्मनि । ततो मनसि शान्ते तु सर्वदुःखपरिक्षयः
Through reflection, truth is known; from truth, there is repose in the Self; then, when the mind is at peace, all suffering comes to an end.
सफलता फलते भुवि कर्मणां प्रकटतां किल गच्छत उत्तमात् । स्फुटविचारदृशैव विचारिता शमवते भवते ऽपि विरोचताम्
Indeed, the actions of the best become fruitful and manifest in the world; may your own reflection, clear-sighted and well-considered, bring you to peace and shine forth.