ततो न पश्यति मनः प्रशान्तं देहतां पुनः । स्वनाशेन पदं प्राप्तं वासनैव मनो विदुः
Then the mind, having attained tranquility and its own dissolution, does not perceive the bodily state again; latent impressions alone are known as the mind.
चेतो हि वासनामात्रं तदभावः परं पदम् । तच् च सम्पद्यते ज्ञानाज् ज्ञानम् आहुर् विचारणम्
Consciousness is merely latent impression; its absence is the supreme state. That is accomplished through knowledge, and knowledge is called discernment.
इत्य् अस्यास् संसृते राम पर्यन्तस् सम्प्रवर्तते । स्वयं विवेकमात्रेण रज्जुसर्पभ्रमाकृतेः
Thus, O Rama, this cycle continues until its end, by discernment alone, as in the illusion of a snake in a rope.
एकार्थाभ्यसनप्राणरोधचेतःपरिक्षयाः । एकस्मिन्न् एव संसिद्धे संसिध्यन्ति परस्परम्
The exhaustion of the mind through repeated contemplation of one object, restraint of the vital breaths, and depletion of consciousness—all are perfected together when one is perfected.
तालवृन्तपरिस्पन्दे शान्ते शान्तो यथानिलः । प्राणानिलपरिस्पन्दे शान्ते शान्तं तथा मनः
Just as, when the movement of a palm leaf is stilled, the wind is also still, so when the movement of the life-breath is stilled, the mind too becomes still.
प्राणाश् शरीरविलये प्रयान्ति व्योमवायुताम् । यथावासितम् एवेदं मनः पश्यन्ति तत्र च
When the body dissolves, the life-breaths merge into the space-like air; and there, the mind perceives only what has been impressed upon it.
यथा विदेहाः पश्यन्ति प्राणा व्योमनि देहकम् । समनस्कास् तथाचारं सर्वं चानुभवन्ति ते
Just as the disembodied see the subtle body in space, so too those with mind experience all actions and everything else.
शान्ते वातपरिस्पन्दे यथा गन्धः प्रशाम्यति । तथा शान्ते मनस्स्पन्दे शाम्यन्ति प्राणवायवः
Just as, when the movement of air ceases, fragrance fades away, so too, when the movement of the mind is stilled, the life-breaths come to rest.
अविनाभाविनी नित्यं जन्तूनां प्राणचेतसी । कुसुमामोदवन् मिश्रे तिलतैले इव स्थिते
The life-breath and mind of living beings are always inseparable, abiding together like fragrance in a flower or oil in sesame seeds.
मनसस् स्पन्दनं प्राणः प्राणस्य स्पन्दनं मनः । एते विहरतो नित्यम् अन्योऽन्यं रथसारथी
The movement of the mind is the life-breath, and the movement of the life-breath is the mind; these two always dwell together, each the charioteer of the other.
आधाराधेयवत् त्व् एते एकाभावे विनश्यतः । कुरुतश् च स्वनाशेन कार्यं मोक्षाख्यम् उत्तमम्
Like support and supported, these two perish in the absence of the other; and by their mutual dissolution, the supreme state called liberation is attained.
एकतत्त्वघनाभ्यासाच् छान्तं शाम्यत्य् अलं मनः । तल्लयत्वात् स्वभावस्य तेन प्राणो ऽपि शाम्यति
Through the practice of absorption in the one dense reality, the mind becomes completely still; and because of its merging into its own nature, the life-breath too becomes still.
विचार्य यद् अनन्तात्मतत्त्वं तन्मयतां नयेत् । मनस् ततस् तल्लयतस् तद् एव भवति स्थिरम्
Having thoroughly contemplated the infinite Self-reality, one should merge the mind into that; then, as the mind dissolves into That, it becomes firmly established.
यद् एवातितरां श्रेयो ऽनुपलम्भोपलम्भयोः । द्वयोर् अप्य् असतोस् तत्र शेषे वापि स्थिरो भव
Whatever is truly superior, whether in the grasping or non-grasping of experience, in both of these unreal states, or even in what remains, be steadfast there.
एकस्मिन् सुदृढे तत्त्वे तावद् भावं विभावयेत् । भावो ऽभावत्वम् आयाति स्वाभ्यासाद् यावद् आततम्
In one firmly established truth, let one contemplate the state of being; through repeated practice, that state of being expands into non-being.
प्रत्याहारवशाच् चेतस् स्वयं भोग्यक्षयाद् इव । विलीयते सह प्राणैः परम् एवावशिष्यते
By the power of withdrawal, the mind dissolves of its own accord, just as enjoyment ceases when its objects are exhausted; along with the life-breaths, only the Supreme remains.
यदेकतानं भवति चेतस् तद् भवति क्षणात् । शान्ताशेषविशेषौघं चिराभ्यासस्वभावतः
When the mind becomes wholly one-pointed, in that very instant, by the nature of long practice, all waves of distinctions are completely pacified.
अविद्येयं तु नास्तीति बुद्ध्वा युक्तियुतं धिया । ज्ञानाद् एव परावाप्तिस् तदभ्यासस् ततो वरम्
Recognizing with reason that this ignorance does not exist, through knowledge alone the highest attainment is gained; therefore, practice of that is superior.
चित्ते शान्ते शाम्यतीयं संसारमृगतृष्णिका । जराम् उपगते मेघे मिहिका महती यथा
When the mind is peaceful, this mirage of worldly existence subsides, just as a great mist vanishes when the cloud has grown old.
चित्तमात्रम् अविद्येति कुरु तेनैव तत्क्षयम् । तद्रूपनाम चित्तात्मानुभावो हि परं पदम्
Know that ignorance is nothing but mind alone; by that very understanding, bring about its cessation. The realization of the Self, whose nature and name is that mind, is the supreme state.
मुहूर्तम् एव निर्वाणं यदि चेतः परे पदे । तत् तत्परिणतं विद्धि तत्रैवास्वादम् आगतम्
If for even a moment the mind attains dissolution in the supreme state, know that it has been transformed, and there itself it experiences the highest taste.
यदि साङ्ख्येन विश्रान्तं चेतो योगेन वा पदे । क्षणं तत् सत्त्वतां यातं न भूयः परिजायते
If the mind finds rest in that state through Sāṅkhya or through Yoga, then for that instant it attains purity and does not arise again.
चेतो विगलिताविद्यं सत्त्वशब्देन कथ्यते । दग्धं संसारबीजं तन् न दद्याद् अङ्कुरं पुनः
The mind, freed from ignorance, is described by the word 'sattva'; its seed of worldly existence is burned and will not sprout again.
ज्ञश् चिद्विगलिताविद्यस् सत्त्वस्थश् शान्तवासनः । समं शून्योपमं शान्तं ज्योतिः पश्यति शाम्यति
The knower whose consciousness is freed from ignorance, established in sattva and with peaceful tendencies, sees the tranquil light, equal and like space, and becomes still.
विगलिताज्ञपदं विमलं मनस् सुभग सत्त्वम् इतीह हि कथ्यते । न पुनर् एति कलामलिनं पदं कनकताम् इव ताम्रम् उपागतम्
Here, the pure mind, free from the state of ignorance and beautiful, is called sattva; it does not return again to the impure state, just as gold does not become copper once it has been refined.
जीवो ऽजीवीभवत्य् आशु याति चित्तम् अचित्तताम् । विचाराद् इत्य् अविद्यान्तो मोक्ष इत्य् अभिधीयते
The individual soul quickly becomes non-individual, and the mind attains no-mind; through inquiry, ignorance ends—this is called liberation.
मृगतृष्णाजलम् इव सर्गो ऽहन्तादि दृश्यते । असद् एव मनाग् एव तद् विचारात् प्रलीयते
The creation, beginning with the sense of 'I', appears like the mirage-water; it is truly unreal and, even slightly examined, dissolves through inquiry.
संसृतिस्वप्नविश्रान्तौ वेतालोदाहृतान् इमान् । प्रश्नान् आकर्णय शुभान् प्रसङ्गात् स्मृतिम् आगतान्
While resting in the dream of worldly existence, listen to these auspicious questions, cited in the tales of the spirits, which have arisen in memory by way of context.
अस्ति विन्ध्यमहाटव्यां वेतालो विपुलाकृतिः । स किञ्चिन् मण्डलं गर्धाद् आजगाम जिघत्सया
In the great forest of the Vindhya mountains, there was a vetāla of immense form; driven by hunger, he approached a certain area.
स वेतालो ऽवसत् पूर्वं कस्मिंश्चित् सज्जनास्पदे । बहुबल्युपहारेण नित्यतृप्ततया सुखी
That vetāla had previously dwelled in a place frequented by virtuous people, content and happy due to abundant offerings of strength, always satisfied.