न पतत्य् अवटे जन्तुर् विषयासङ्गरूपिणि । कः किल ज्ञातसरणिश् श्वभ्रे समनुधावति
A creature does not fall into the chasm that is the attachment to sense objects; who, knowing the path, would ever chase after the abyss?
सच्छास्त्रसाधुवृत्तानाम् अविरोधिनि कर्मणि । रमते धीर् यथाप्राप्ते साध्वीवान्तःपुराजिरे
The wise delight in actions that do not contradict the conduct of true scriptures and virtuous people, just as a noble lady enjoys the inner chambers as they come.
जगतां कोटिलक्ष्येषु यावन्तः परमाणवः । तेषाम् एकैकशो ऽन्तस्स्थान् सर्गान् पश्यत्य् असर्गधीः
Among the countless atoms in the multitudes of worlds, the mind free from creation perceives, within each one, the various creations.
मोक्षोपायावबोधेन शुद्धान्तःकरणं जनम् । न खेदयति भोगौघो न चानन्दयति क्वचित्
A person whose inner faculty is purified by understanding the means to liberation is neither distressed nor ever delighted by the flood of enjoyments.
परमाणौ परमाणौ सर्गवर्गा निरर्गलम् । ये पतन्त्य् उत्पतन्त्य् अम्बुवीचिवत् तान् स पश्यति
He observes, in each and every atom, the groups of creations falling and rising without obstruction, like waves in water.
न द्वेष्टि सम्प्रवृत्तानि न निवृत्तानि काङ्क्षति । कार्याण्य् एष प्रबुद्धो ऽपि निष्प्रबुद्ध इव द्रुमः
He neither hates actions that arise nor desires those that cease; though awakened, he is like a tree, indifferent to what must be done.
दृश्यते लोकसामान्यो यथाप्राप्तानुवृत्तिमान् । इष्टानिष्टफलप्राप्तौ हृदयेनापराजितः
The ordinary person in the world is seen to act according to circumstances as they arise, remaining undefeated in heart whether he attains desired or undesired results.
बुद्ध्वेदम् अखिलं शास्त्रं वाचयित्वा विवेच्य वा । अनुभूयत एवैतन् न तूक्तं वरशापवत्
Having understood this entire scripture, having read or examined it, one must directly experience it; it is not merely something spoken, like a boon or a curse.
शास्त्रं सुबोधम् एवेदं नानालङ्कारभूषितम् । काव्यं रसघनं चारु दृष्टान्तैः प्रतिपादकम्
This scripture is indeed easy to understand, adorned with various embellishments, poetic, rich in flavor, beautiful, and explained through examples.
बुध्यते स्वयम् एवेदं किञ्चित्पदपदार्थवित् । स्वयं यस् तु न वेत्तीदं श्रोतव्यं तेन पण्डितात्
One who knows the meaning of the words and their sense understands this by himself; but whoever does not know it should hear it from a learned teacher.
अस्मिञ् श्रुते मते ज्ञाते तपोध्यानजपादिकम् । मोक्षप्राप्तौ तु तस्येह न किञ्चिद् उपयुज्यते
Once this is heard, understood, and realized, then austerity, meditation, recitation, and the like are of no use for attaining liberation here.
एतच्छास्त्रघनाभ्यासात् पौनःपुन्येन वीक्षितात् । जन्तोः पाण्डित्यपूर्वं हि चित्तसंस्कारपूर्वकम्
Through repeated study and contemplation of this profound scripture, knowledge arises in a person, preceded by the purification of the mind.
अहं जगद् इति प्रौढो द्रष्टृदृश्यपिशाचकः । पिशाचो ऽर्कोदयेनेव स्वयं शाम्यत्य् अविघ्नतः
The strong notion 'I am the world'—the ghost of perceiver and perceived—subsides on its own, without obstruction, just as a ghost vanishes at sunrise.
भ्रमो जगद् अहं चेति स्थित एवोपशाम्यति । स्वप्नमोहः परिज्ञात इव नो रमयत्य् अलम्
The delusion, 'I am the world,' remains but is pacified, just as a dream, once recognized as such, no longer delights at all.
यथा सङ्कल्पनगरे पुंसो हर्षविषादिता । न बाधते तथैवान्तः परिज्ञाते जगद्भ्रमे
Just as joy and sorrow in the city of imagination do not trouble a person, so too, when the illusion of the world is understood within, it does not disturb.
चित्रसर्पः परिज्ञातो न सर्पभयदो यथा । दृश्यसर्पः परिज्ञातस् तथा न सुखदुःखदः
As a painted snake, once recognized as such, does not cause fear of snakes, so too, when the visible world is understood, it does not bring pleasure or pain.
परिज्ञानेन सर्पत्वं चित्रसर्पस्य नश्यति । यथा तथैव संसारस् स्थित एवोपशाम्यति
By understanding, the snake-nature of the painted snake disappears; in the same way, though the world remains, it is pacified through knowledge.
सुमनःपल्लवामर्षे किञ्चिद् व्यतिकरो भवेत् । परमार्थपदप्राप्तौ न तु व्यतिकरो ऽस्ति नः
There may be some disturbance when touching the tender leaves of a flower, but upon attaining the state of ultimate reality, there is no disturbance for us.
गच्छत्य् अवयवस्पन्दस् सुमनःपत्रमर्दने । इह धीमात्रबोधस् तु नाङ्गावयवबोधनम्
When a flower petal is pressed, its parts move; but here, awareness is only of pure intelligence, not of bodily limbs or parts.
सुखासनोपविष्टेन यथासम्भवम् अश्नता । भोगजालं सदाचारविरुद्धेषु न तिष्ठता
Seated comfortably, eating as appropriate, one does not remain among enjoyments that are opposed to good conduct.
यथाक्षणं यथादेशं प्रविचारयता सुखम् । यथासम्भवसत्सङ्गम् इदं शास्त्रम् अथेतरत्
By examining happiness according to time and place, and by associating as is fitting, one discerns this scripture and others.
आसाद्यते महाज्ञानबोधस् संसारशान्तिदः । स भूयो येन नायाति योनियन्त्रप्रपीडनम्
The knowledge that brings great wisdom and peace to the world is attained; by that, one does not again fall into the suffering of the cycle of birth.
एतावत्य् एव ये भूता भोगान् प्राप्य रसे स्थिताः । स्वमातृविष्ठाक्रिमयः कीर्तनीया न ते ऽधमाः
Those beings who, having attained enjoyments, remain absorbed in pleasure, and are composed of their own mother's essence, are not to be regarded as base.
शृणु तावद् इदानीं त्वं कथ्यमानम् इमं मया । राघव ज्ञानविस्तारं बुद्धिसारतरान्तरम्
Now listen as I explain to you, Raghava, the expansion of knowledge and the subtler distinctions of intellect.
ययेदं श्रूयते शास्त्रं तां तु विस्तरतश् शृणु । विचार्यते यथार्थो ऽयं यया च परिभाषया
Hear in detail the scripture that is being recited; consider how its meaning is examined and by which explanation it is clarified.
येनेहाननुभूते ऽर्थे दृष्टेनार्थावबोधनम् । बोधोपकारफलदं तं दृष्टान्तं विदुर् बुधाः
That by which understanding of an unseen matter is gained through a seen example, and which yields the fruit of aiding comprehension, is known as an illustration by the wise.
दृष्टान्तेन विना राम नापूर्वो ऽर्थो ऽवबुध्यते । यथा दीपं विना रात्रौ भाण्डोपस्करणं गृहे
Without an illustration, Rama, a previously unknown matter cannot be understood, just as household objects cannot be seen at night without a lamp.
यैर् यैः काकुत्स्थ दृष्टान्तैस् त्वं मयेहावबोध्यसे । सर्वे सकारणास् ते हि प्राप्यं तु सद् अकारणम्
All the illustrations by which, O Kakutstha, you are made to understand by me, are purposeful; what is to be attained is always with cause, never without.
उपमानोपमेयानां कार्यकारणतोदिता । वर्जयित्वा परं ब्रह्म सर्वेषाम् एव विद्यते
The relationship of analogy and what is analogized is established by cause and effect, except for the supreme Brahman, which is present in all.
ब्रह्मोपदेशदृष्टान्तो यस्य वेह हि कथ्यते । एकदेशसधर्मत्वं तत्रातः परिगृह्यते
When an illustration regarding Brahman is given here, only a partial similarity is accepted in that context.