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.
सन्तोषो हि परं श्रेयस् सन्तोषस् सुखम् उच्यते । सन्तुष्टः परम् अभ्येति विश्रामम् अरिसूदन
Contentment is indeed the highest good; contentment is called happiness. One who is content, O destroyer of foes, attains supreme rest.
सन्तोषैश्वर्यसुखिनां चिरविश्रान्तचेतसाम् । साम्राज्यम् अपि साधूनां जरत्तृणलवायते
For those whose minds have long rested in the happiness of contentment and prosperity, even the sovereignty of the virtuous appears as worthless as dry grass.
सन्तोषशालिनी बुद्धी राम संसारवृत्तिषु । विषमास्व् अप्य् अनुद्विग्ना न कदाचन दूयते
O Rama, a mind endowed with contentment remains undisturbed even amidst the turmoil of worldly affairs, and is never afflicted by adversity.
सन्तोषामृतपानेन ये परां तृप्तिम् आगताः । भोगश्रीर् अतुला तेषाम् एषा प्रतिविषायते
Those who have attained supreme satisfaction by drinking the nectar of contentment find all worldly enjoyments incomparable and insignificant.
न तथा तर्पयन्त्य् एताः पीयूषरसवीचयः । यथा हि मधुरास्वादस् सन्तोषो दोषनाशनः
The waves of nectar do not satisfy as much as the sweet taste of contentment, which destroys all faults.
अप्राप्तवाञ्छाम् उत्सृज्य सम्प्राप्ते समतां गतः । अदृष्टखेदाखेदो ऽन्तस् स सन्तुष्ट इहोच्यते
One who abandons unfulfilled desires, remains equal in what is attained, and is free from inner distress and agitation—such a person is called content here.
आत्मनात्मनि सन्तोषं यावद् याति न मानसम् । उद्भवन्त्य् आपदस् तावल् लता इव मनोवनात्
As long as contentment does not reach the mind from within oneself, calamities arise again and again, like creepers sprouting from fertile soil.
सन्तोषशीतलं चेतश् शुद्धविज्ञानदृष्टिभिः । भृशं विकासम् आयाति सूर्यांशुभिर् इवाम्बुजम्
A mind cooled by contentment, seen through pure and clear understanding, blossoms greatly like a lotus under the rays of the sun.
आशावैवश्यविवशे चित्ते सन्तोषवर्जिते । म्लाने वक्त्रम् इवादर्शे न ज्ञानं प्रतिबिम्बति
When the mind is unsettled by the sway of expectation and lacks contentment, knowledge does not reflect there, just as a faded face is not mirrored in a dull mirror.
अज्ञानघनयामिन्या सङ्कोचं न नराम्बुजम् । यात्य् असाव् उदितो यस्य नित्यं सन्तोषभास्करः
The lotus of a person does not wither in the dense night of ignorance, for whom the sun of contentment rises perpetually.
अकिञ्चनो ऽप्य् असौ जन्तुस् साम्राज्यसुखम् अश्नुते । आधिव्याधिविनिर्मुक्तं सन्तुष्टं यस्य मानसम्
Even one who possesses nothing enjoys the happiness of sovereignty, if his mind is content, free from distress and disease.
नाभिवाञ्छत्य् असम्प्राप्तं प्राप्तं भुङ्क्ते यथाक्रमम् । यस् स सोम्यस् सदाचारस् सन्तुष्ट इति कथ्यते
He does not desire what is not obtained, and partakes of what comes as it comes; such a gentle and well-conducted person is called content.
सन्तोषपरितृप्तस्य महतः पूर्णचेतसः । क्षीराब्धेर् इव शुद्धस्य मुखे लक्ष्मीर् विराजते
On the face of the great one who is fully satisfied and whose mind is pure, prosperity shines, just as it does on the pure ocean of milk.
पूर्णताम् अलम् आश्रित्य स्वात्मन्य् एवात्मना स्वयम् । पौरुषेण प्रयत्नेन तृष्णां सर्वत्र वर्जयेत्
Relying completely on fullness, abiding in one's own self by one's own self, with effort and strength, one should everywhere abandon craving.
सन्तोषामृतपूर्णस्य स्वान्तश् शीतलता स्वयम् । स्थैर्यम् आयात्य् अरिक्तस्य शीतांशोर् इव शाश्वतम्
For one whose heart is filled with the nectar of contentment, coolness arises naturally within; for the one free from want, steadfastness comes, enduring like the moon's coolness.
सन्तोषपुष्टमनसं भृत्या इव महर्द्धयः । राजानम् उपतिष्ठन्ते किङ्करत्वम् उपागताः
Great riches, having become servants, attend upon the one whose mind is nourished by contentment, just as attendants serve a king.
आत्मनैवात्मनि स्वच्छे सन्तुष्टे पुरुषे स्थिते । प्रशाम्यन्त्य् आधयस् सर्वे प्रावृषीवाशु पांसवः
When a person abides in the pure, contented Self within himself, all afflictions quickly subside, just as dust settles swiftly in the rainy season.
नित्यं शीतलया नाम कलङ्कपरिहीनया । पुरुषश् शुद्धया वृत्त्या भाति पूर्णतयेन्दुवत्
A person endowed with pure conduct, always free from blemish and tranquil, shines in fullness like the spotless moon.
समतासुन्दरं वक्त्रं पुरुषस्यावलोकयन् । तोषम् एति यथा लोको न तथा धनसङ्गमैः
Beholding the beautiful face of equanimity in a person, people attain satisfaction in a way that wealth and possessions cannot provide.
समतया मतया गुणशालिनां पुरुषराड् इह यस् समलङ्कृतः । तम् अमलं प्रणमन्ति नभश्चरा अपि महामुनयो रघुनन्दन
O descendant of Raghu, even the great sages and celestial beings bow to that pure one who is adorned here with the virtue of equanimity and a noble mind.