शीतले स्वर्धुनीतीरे यत्नोत्सृष्टमलं पुरः । चन्द्रबिम्बफलापूरम् एकत्रैवोपसम्भृतम्
On the cool bank of the celestial river, there was a heap of fruit, as if a pile of moon-disks and fruit had been gathered together in one place, freshly arranged and spotless before him.
स्त्रैणम् आलोक्य तत् कान्तं सहसैव मनो मुनेः । अनाश्रितविवेकांशं बभूवानन्दितं स्फुरत्
Seeing that beautiful woman, the sage's mind was suddenly captivated; it became delighted and radiant, lacking any recourse to discrimination.
आनन्दवलिते चित्ते क्षुब्धे प्राणानिले स्थिते । बभूव तस्य तुष्टस्य मदनस्खलितं तदा
With his mind overflowing with delight, his breath agitated and unsteady, in that moment of satisfaction, he experienced a stumble caused by desire.
फलं रसापूर्णम् इव ग्रीष्मान्त इव तोयदः । प्रत्यग्रः पादपश् छिन्नलतावृन्त इवोत्तमः
Like a fruit filled with fresh juice, like a raincloud at the end of summer, like a young tree with its creeper just cut, he was at his peak.
अवश्यायकणस्यन्दी शशाङ्क इव वा मुनिः । बिसं द्विधा यातम् इव गलत्साररसो ऽभवत्
The sage, like the moon dripping nectar, became as if a lotus stalk split in two, its essence flowing out, unable to restrain the necessary outpouring.
तादृशो ऽपि बहुज्ञो ऽपि जीवन्मुक्तो ऽप्य् असौ मुनिः । निरिच्छो ऽपि निरास्थो ऽपि नकिञ्चिदुपमो ऽप्य् अलम्
Even though he was such a one—learned, liberated while living, without desire, detached, and without any comparison—still, the sage was overcome.
सबाह्याभ्यन्तरं नित्यम् आकाशविशदो ऽपि च । नारदो ऽपि कथं ब्रह्मन् मदनस्खलितो ऽभवत्
How is it, O Brahman, that even Nārada—ever pure within and without, clear as the sky—was stumbled by desire?
सर्वस्या एव राजेन्द्र भूतजातेर् जगत्त्रये । देवादेर् अपि देहो ऽयं द्वयात्मैवं स्वभावतः
O king of kings, in all the three worlds, for every embodied being—even gods—this body is by nature dual in its constitution.
अज्ञम् अस्त्व् अथ वा तज्ज्ञं यावन् मत्तं शरीरकम् । सर्वम् एव जगत्य् अङ्ग सुखदुःखमयं स्मृतम्
Whether one is ignorant or knowledgeable, as long as the body is intoxicated by delusion, O dear one, the entire world is regarded as filled with pleasure and pain.
हृद्यादिना पदार्थेन केनचिद् वर्धते सुखम् । आलोक इव दीपेन महाम्बुधिर् इवेन्दुना
Happiness increases for someone through some pleasing object, just as light grows with a lamp, or the great ocean swells under the moon.
तुच्छादिना पदार्थेन दुःखं केनचिद् एति हि । तमो मेघपटेनेव स्वभावो ह्य् अत्र कारणम्
Through some trivial object, suffering arises for someone, just as darkness comes from a covering of clouds; in this, one's own nature is the cause.
स्वरूपे निर्मले सत्ये निमेषम् अपि विस्मृते । दृश्यम् उल्लासम् आप्नोति प्रावृषीव पयोधरः
When one's pure and true nature is forgotten even for a moment, the visible world gains brilliance, like rain clouds swelling in the monsoon.
अनारतानुसन्धानाद् अनुन्मेषम् अविस्तृते । स्वरूपे नोल्लसत्य् एष चिति दृश्यपिशाचकः
But through unbroken contemplation, without even a blink or distraction, this phantom of perception does not arise in the pure nature.
यथा तमःप्रकाशाभ्याम् अहोरात्रं स्थितिं गतम् । तथैव सुखदुःखाभ्यां शरीरं स्थितिम् आगतम्
Just as day and night arise from darkness and light, so too the body comes to exist through pleasure and pain.
एते हि सुखदुःखे द्वे जन्मकारणदर्शनात् । अज्ञस्य लगतश् शुक्लपटकुङ्कुमवद् दृढम्
These two, pleasure and pain, are firmly joined for the ignorant, due to seeing them as causes of birth, like white cloth and red dye.
तज्ज्ञस्य त्व् अङ्ग लगतो मनाग् अपि चितेर् वशात् । यथा शुभाशुभौ रागाव् अनाक्रान्तान्तरौ मणेः
But for the one who knows the truth, O dear one, they are only slightly connected, and by the power of consciousness, attraction and aversion do not touch the jewel within.
पुरस्स्थवस्त्वभावेन रञ्जनां स्फटिको यथा । तज्ज्ञस् त्यजति हे साधो जीवन्मुक्तमतिर् मुनिः
Just as a crystal loses its coloration when the object before it is removed, so too, O noble one, does the sage of liberated mind abandon attachment.
वस्तु संश्लेषमात्रेण घनं रञ्जितचेतसः । गते ऽपि वस्तुनि दृढं दुर्धियः परितापिनः
When the mind is deeply colored by contact with objects, even after the object is gone, those of unsteady intellect remain tormented by strong impressions.
गते ऽपि कुङ्कुमे भस्त्रा तदीयम् अनुरञ्जनम् । न जहाति यथा मूढस् तथा विषयरञ्जनम्
Just as a bellows retains the red tint even after the vermilion is gone, so too does the deluded one not relinquish attachment to sense objects.
अनेनैव क्रमेणैतौ बन्धमोक्षौ व्यवस्थितौ । भावनातानवं मोक्षो बन्धो हि दृढभावनम्
In this very manner, bondage and liberation are established: liberation is the attenuation of imagination, while bondage is strong imagination indeed.
स्वोत्पत्तिकारणप्राप्तौ कथं दुःखं सुखं च वा । अभ्युदेतीति वद मे दूरस्थायाम् अपि प्रभो
Tell me, O Lord, how can pleasure or pain arise when the cause of one's own origination is attained, even if it is far away?
अत्युदारम् अतीवाच्छं बह्वर्थं वचनं तव । श्रोतुं तृप्तिं न गच्छामि मयूरो ऽभ्ररवेष्व् इव
Your words are exceedingly noble, supremely pure, and full of meaning; I do not grow satisfied hearing them, like a peacock with the sound of thunderclouds.
स्वोत्पत्तिकारणं हृद्यं वस्त्व् आदायाक्षपाणिभिः । सुखसंविद् इयं बाला नूनम् उल्लसति स्वतः
Taking up the delightful cause of its own origination with the senses, this experience of happiness surely arises spontaneously, like a child.
हृद्गता क्षोभम् आयाता जीवं कुण्डलिनीगतम् । सोम्यम् उद्बोधयत्य् अन्तस् सिंहम् अभ्ररवो यथा
When agitation arises in the heart, it awakens the life-force lying in the coiled kundalini, gently stirring it within, as the roar of clouds awakens a lion.
प्राणावपूरिता नाडीर् जीव आक्रमति स्फुरन् । सम्यक्सेकप्रबुद्धात्मा रसो द्रुमलता इव
When the channels are filled with vital breath, the living being enters and stirs within them; the awakened mind moves rightly, like sap in the creepers and trees.
सुखप्रबोधसञ्चारे दुःखबोधगमे तथा । जीवस्य नियता नाड्यः पृथग् देहे स्थितिं गताः
As happiness awakens and spreads, and likewise when the awareness of sorrow arises, the channels of the living being are fixed, each taking its own place in the body.
सुखितः प्रस्फुरत्य् एष यासु तासु न दुःखितः । ये हि मार्गास् सुवेषस्य कुवेषस्य न ते शुभाः
He flourishes in those channels where happiness is found, but not in those where sorrow dwells; for the paths of the well-adorned are auspicious, not those of the ill-adorned.
जीवस् सदैव सर्वत्र देहे तिष्ठति वै किल । तस्य दुःखे सुखे वापि नियतं स्फुरितं कुतः
The living being always abides everywhere in the body; so why is its movement determined by happiness or sorrow?
यावत्प्रमाणं जीवो ऽयं संशाम्यत्य् अपरिस्फुरन् । तावत्प्रमाणम् एवैनं मुक्तं मुक्तम् अवैहि वै
For as long as this living being rests without stirring, know that for just that duration it is liberated, truly liberated.
यावत्प्रमाणम् अधिकं स्फुरति क्षुब्धमारुतम् । तावत्प्रमाणम् एवैनं बद्धं बद्धम् अवैहि मे
For as long as the agitated breath stirs excessively, know that for just that duration it is bound, truly bound, as I say.