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.
विशेषेण महाबुद्धे संसारोत्तरणे नृणाम् । सर्वत्रोपकरोतीह साधुस् साधुसमागमः
O great intellect, especially in crossing over worldly existence, the company of the virtuous is always beneficial in every way.
साधुसङ्गतरोर् जातं विवेककुसुमं शुभम् । रक्षन्ति ये महात्मानो भाजनं ते फलश्रियः
Those great souls who preserve the auspicious flower of discernment that grows on the tree of association with the virtuous become vessels of the wealth of its fruit.
शून्यम् आकीर्णताम् एति मृतिर् अप्य् उत्सवायते । आपत् सम्पद् इवाभाति विद्वज्जनसमागमे
In the company of the wise, emptiness becomes abundance, even death appears as a festival, and adversity shines like prosperity.
हिमम् आपत्सरोजिन्या मोहनीहारमारुतः । जयत्य् एको जगत्य् अस्मिन् साधुस् साधुसमागमः
In this world, the company of the virtuous alone conquers the frost of misfortune, the wind of delusion, and the darkness of ignorance, like the sun triumphing over them all.
परं विवर्धनं बुद्धेर् अज्ञानतरुशातनम् । समुत्सरणम् आधीनां विद्धि साधुसमागमम्
Know that association with the virtuous is the supreme enhancer of intelligence, the destroyer of the tree of ignorance, and the remover of afflictions.
विवेकः परमो दीपो जायते साधुसङ्गमात् । मनोहरोज्ज्वलो नूनम् अशोकाद् इव गुच्छकम्
From association with the virtuous, the highest lamp of discernment arises—certainly bright and delightful, like a cluster of flowers from the sorrowless tree.
निरपायां निराबाधां निर्वृतिं नित्यपीवरीम् । अनुत्तमां प्रयच्छन्ति साधुसङ्गविभूतयः
The powers gained from association with the virtuous bestow a happiness that is free from danger, free from disturbance, ever abundant, and unsurpassed.
अपि कष्टतरां प्राप्तैर् दशां विवशतां गतैः । मनाग् अपि न सन्त्याज्या मानवैस् साधुसङ्गतिः
Even by those who have reached the most difficult and helpless states, association with the virtuous should not be abandoned, even in the slightest, by human beings.
साधुसङ्गतयो लोके सन्मार्गशुभदीपिकाः । हार्दान्धकारहारिण्यो भासो ज्ञानविवस्वतः
In this world, associations with the virtuous are auspicious lamps on the path of righteousness; they dispel the darkness of the heart, shining with the light of knowledge.
यस् स्नातश् शीतसितया साधुसङ्गतिगङ्गया । किं तस्य दानैः किं तीर्थैः किं तपोभिः किम् अध्वरैः
He who has bathed in the cool, pure Ganges of association with the virtuous—what need has he for gifts, for holy places, for austerities, or for sacrifices?