एतद् राम मयोक्तं ते वेतालप्रश्नजालकम् । एवंक्रमेण चिदणाव् एवेदं संस्थितं जगत्
O Rama, I have told you this web of Vetala's questions; in this way, the world is established solely in the atom of consciousness.
चिदणोः कोशगं विश्वं विचारेण विलीयते । कोपो वेतालकस्येव शिष्यते यत् परं तु तत्
Through inquiry, the universe arising from the sheath of consciousness dissolves; what remains, as with the Vetala's anger, is only the supreme.
संहृत्य सर्वतश् चित्तं स्तिमितेनान्तरात्मना । प्रवाहापतितं कुर्वन् निरिच्छस् तिष्ठ शान्तधीः
Gathering the mind from everywhere, with the stillness of the inner self, let the flow subside; remain with a peaceful intellect, free from desires.
आकाशविशदं कृत्वा मनसैव मनो मुनिः । तिष्ठैकशमशान्तात्मा व्योमवद्विशदाशयः
Making the mind clear like the sky, the sage, by mind alone, remains with a tranquil and peaceful self, with a pure disposition like the sky.
स्थिरबुद्धेर् अमूढस्य यथाप्राप्तानुवर्तिनः । राज्ञो भगीरथस्येव दुस्साधम् अपि सिध्यति
Even what is difficult becomes accomplished for one whose mind is steady, unconfused, and who acts according to what comes, just as it did for King Bhagiratha.
सम्पूर्णशान्तमनसः परितृप्तवृत्तेर् नित्यं समे सुसमम् आत्मनि तिष्ठतो ऽन्तः । सिध्यन्ति दुर्लभतरा अपि वाञ्छितार्था गङ्गावतार इव सागरखातृनप्तुः
For one whose mind is completely peaceful, whose desires are fulfilled, who always remains balanced and equanimous within, even the rarest desired goals are attained, as was the descent of the Ganges for the one who dug the ocean trench.
यथा चित्तचमत्कृत्या राज्ञो गङ्गावतारणम् । भगीरथस्य सम्पन्नं तन् मे कथय भोः प्रभो
O Master, tell me how, by the marvel of his mind, King Bhagiratha accomplished the descent of the Ganges.
आसीद् भगीरथो नाम राजा परमधार्मिकः । भुवस् समुद्रद्वीपाया मण्डनातिलकोपमः
There was a king named Bhagiratha, supremely righteous, who was like the chief ornament among the islands and oceans of the earth.
सङ्कल्पानन्तरं प्रापुर् यथाभिमतम् अर्थिनः । चन्द्रप्रसन्नवदनाद् यस्माच् चिन्तामणेर् इव
After he resolved, those seeking favors received what they desired, as if from a wish-fulfilling jewel, from his moon-bright face.
साधूनां यो व्यवस्थार्थं धनान्य् अविरतं ददौ । तृणमात्रम् उपादत्ते करं तृणमणिर् यथा
For the sake of establishing the virtuous, he gave wealth ceaselessly, yet took for himself only a blade of grass, like a grass-jewel takes a blade.
वज्रसारम् अपि प्रोतम् अज्वलन्न् एव यो ऽभिनत् । अयोमणिर् अयोयन्त्रम् इव दुर्जनचेष्टितम्
He shattered even what was hard as diamond, without shining himself, like an iron magnet breaks an iron device, so did he break the actions of the wicked.
अधूमो ह्य् अदहञ् शीतो वितैक्ष्ण्यो हार्दम् अप्य् अलम् । तमो ऽहरन् नृणां नैशं यो मणिर् वेश्मनाम् इव
He was smokeless, non-burning, cool, without sharpness, yet full of warmth; he dispelled the darkness of people’s nights, like a jewel in a house.
किरन्न् अग्निकणासारम् अभितस् स्वप्रतापजम् । मध्याह्नसूर्यकान्ताग्निर् इव ज्वलति यो ऽरिषु
He who, shining with the essence of fire-sparks, born of his own radiance, blazes among enemies like the midday sun’s burning ray.
मृदुशीतसुखस्पर्शो यस् समाह्लादयन् महीम् । स्वे जने द्रवति स्निग्धस् सेन्दुर् इन्दुमणिर् यथा
He whose touch is gentle, cool, and pleasantly soothing, delighting the earth, melts with affection among his own people like a moon-gem with the moon.
जगद्यज्ञोपवीतस्य स्वर्गपातालवाहिनः । गङ्गावाहस्य येनोर्व्यां तृतीयः पूरितो गुणः
By whom the third quality of the sacred thread of the world, the stream of the Ganges flowing through heaven and the underworld, was fulfilled upon the earth.
अगस्त्यशोषितो ऽम्भोधिर् गङ्गापूरेण पूरितः । येन दुष्पूररूपो ऽपि महासार्थो ऽर्थिनाम् इव
By whom the ocean, dried up by Agastya, was filled with the flood of the Ganges, though it seemed impossible to fill, like a great caravan of petitioners.
गङ्गासोपानपद्धत्या येन पातालवासिनः । योजिता ब्रह्मणो लोके बान्धवा लोकबन्धुना
By whom, through the stairway of the Ganges, the dwellers of the netherworld were joined to the world of Brahma, as relatives are joined by a universal friend.
ब्रह्माणं शङ्करं जह्नुं तपसाराधयंश् च यः । भूयो भूयो ययौ खेदं न मूर्तव्यवसायवत्
He who, worshipping Brahma, Shiva, and Jahnu through austerity, again and again experienced weariness, not being one of firm resolve.
यौवने वर्तमानस्य तस्य भूमिपतेर् अथ । प्रविचारयतो लोकयात्रां पर्याकुलाम् इमाम्
Then, while still in his youth, that king, reflecting upon this tumultuous course of the world, became greatly disturbed.
स्वविरागचमत्कारविचारकणिकोदभूत् । चेतस्य् अपि सुतारुण्ये दैवाद् वल्ली मराव् इव
By fate, even in the freshness of his mind’s youth, a tender shoot of dispassion arose, sprung from the wonder of his own detachment, like a creeper on a tree.
एकान्ते चिन्तयाम् आस महीपतिर् असाव् अथ । जगद्यात्राम् इमां नित्यम् असमञ्जससङ्कुलाम्
In solitude, that king began to contemplate this perpetual course of the world, so full of confusion and disorder.
पुनर् दिनं पुनश् श्यामा दानादानाशनं पुनः । तद् एव शुक्तविरसं लज्ज्यते कर्म कुर्वता
Day after day, again the dark night, again giving and taking, again eating; performing the same tasteless actions, one feels ashamed.
येन प्राप्तेन लोके ऽस्मिन् नाप्राप्तम् अवशिष्यते । तत् कृतं सुकृतं मन्ये शेषं कर्मविषूचिका
That by which, upon attaining it in this world, nothing remains unattained—I consider that as true merit; all else is the fever of action.
पुनः पुनः पर्युषितं कर्म कुर्वन् न लज्जते । मूढबुद्धिर् अमूढस् तु कः कुर्यात् किल बालवत्
Again and again, performing stale actions, one does not feel ashamed; only the dull-minded act thus—who, being wise, would behave like a child?
अथैकदोद्विग्नमनाः कदाचित् त्र्युत्तुलं गुरुम् । एकान्ते संसृतेर् भीतस् समपृच्छद् भगीरथः
Then, once, with a troubled mind, Bhagiratha, fearful of the cycle of existence, privately approached his exceedingly weighty teacher and questioned him.
अन्तश्शून्यासु सुचिरं भ्रमन् संसारवृत्तिषु । अरण्यानीष्व् इवैतासु भृशं खिन्ना वयं विभो
Wandering for a long time in the empty routines of worldly life, we are greatly wearied, O Lord, as if in barren wildernesses.
जरामरणमोहादिरूपाणां भवकारिणाम् । भगवन् सर्वदुःखानां कथम् अन्तः प्रजायते
O Blessed One, how does the end arise for all sufferings—such as old age, death, and delusion—which are the forms of worldly existence?
चिरसाम्यात्मनाच्छेन निर्विभागविलासिना । राजञ् ज्ञेयावबोधेन पूर्णेन भरितात्मना
O King, through the fullness of knowledge and awareness, by the pure, undivided, and harmonious Self, the end is attained.
क्षीयन्ते सर्वदुःखानि त्रुट्यन्ति ग्रन्थयो ऽभितः । संशयाश् शमम् आयान्ति सर्वकर्माणि चानघ
All sorrows are dissolved, all knots are thoroughly broken, doubts come to rest, and all actions are pacified, O sinless one.
ज्ञेयं तु विदुर् आत्मानं संशुद्धज्ञप्तिरूपिणम् । स च सर्वगतो नित्यं नास्तम् एति न चोदयम्
The wise know the self as that which is of the nature of pure, clarified awareness; it is all-pervading and eternal, neither setting nor rising.