अकारणं कारणिभिर् बोधार्थम् उपमीयते । उपमानैस् तूपमेयसदृशैर् एकदेशतः
That which has no cause is compared by those seeking understanding with things that have causes; through analogies, only partial similarity with the subject is established.
स्थातव्यं नेह भोगेषु विवेकविकलात्मना । उपलोदरसञ्जातपरिपीनान्धभेकवत्
One should not remain attached to pleasures here with a mind lacking discernment, like a bloated, blind frog nourished by the contents of a well.
दृष्टान्तैर् युक्तिभिर् यत्नाद् वाञ्छितं त्यजतेतरत् । विचारणवता भाव्यं शान्तिशास्त्रार्थशालिना
By means of examples and reasoning, one should diligently abandon what is undesirable; one who reflects should cultivate the meaning of the teachings on tranquility.
शास्त्रोपशमसौजन्यप्रज्ञातज्ज्ञसमागमैः । अन्तरान्तरसम्पन्नधर्म्यार्थोपार्जनक्रियः
Through the practices of scriptural study, tranquility, kindness, wisdom, and association with those who know That, one acquires the means for attaining the inner and outer virtues of righteous meaning.
तावद् विचारयेत् प्राज्ञो यावद् विश्रान्तिम् आत्मनि । सम्प्रयात्य् अपुनर्नाशां शान्तिं तुर्यपदाभिधाम्
The wise person should inquire until he attains rest in the Self, reaching the peace that is called the state beyond destruction, known as the fourth state.
तुर्यविश्रान्तियुक्तस्य प्रतीर्णस्य भवार्णवात् । जीवतो ऽजीवतश् चैव गृहस्थस्याथ वा यतेः
For one who has attained rest in the fourth state and crossed the ocean of worldly existence, whether living or not, whether a householder or a renunciant—
न कृतेनाकृतेनार्थो न श्रुतिस्मृतिविभ्रमैः । निर्मन्दर इवाम्भोधिस् स तिष्ठति यथास्थितम्
There is no purpose served by action or inaction, nor by confusion regarding scripture or tradition; like the ocean undisturbed by Mandara mountain, he remains as he is.
एकांशेनोपमानानाम् उपमेयसधर्मता । बोद्धव्या बोध्यबोधाय न स्थेयं चोद्यचञ्चुना
From every analogy, only a single aspect of similarity should be understood for the sake of comprehension; one should not dwell on the details with a questioning mind.
यया कयाचिद् युक्त्याशु बोद्धव्यं बोध्यम् एव ते । मुक्तये तन् न पश्यन्ति व्याकुलाश् चोद्यचञ्चवः
By whatever reasoning, you should quickly grasp what is to be known; those who are agitated by questioning do not see this, and remain confused.
हृदये संविदाकाशे विश्रान्ते ऽनुभवात्मनि । वस्तुन्य् अनर्थं यः प्रष्टा चोद्यचञ्चुस् स उच्यते
He who, though resting in the space of consciousness within the heart, in the Self of experience, still asks about what is real and unreal—he is called one who pecks with questions.
अभिमानविकल्पांशैर् अज्ञो ज्ञप्तिं विकल्पयन् । बोधं मलिनयत्य् अन्तर् मुखं सर्प इवामलम्
The ignorant person, by projecting notions of ego and distinctions, taints knowledge within, just as a snake sullies a pure space.
सर्वप्रमाणसत्तानां पदम् अब्धिर् अपाम् इव । प्रमाणम् एकम् एवेह प्रत्यक्षं राम तच् छृणु
Just as the ocean is the abode of all waters, so here, O Rama, direct perception alone is the one means of valid knowledge—listen to this.
सर्वार्थसारम् अध्यक्षं वेदनं विदुर् उत्तमाः । नूनं तत् प्रति यत् सिद्धं प्रत्यक्षं तद् उदाहृतम्
The wise know perception as the essence and overseer of all things; whatever is established in relation to that is truly called direct experience.
अनुभूतेर् वेदनस्य प्रतिपत्तेर् यथास्थितम् । प्रत्यक्षम् इति नामेह कृतं जीवस् स एव च
Here, the term 'direct experience' is used for the awareness of perception as it actually occurs; and that itself is the living being.
स एव संवित् स पुनर् अहन्ताप्रत्ययात्मकः । स ययोदेति संवित्त्या सा पदार्थ इति स्मृता
That itself is consciousness, and again, it is the sense of 'I'-ness; whatever arises through that consciousness is regarded as an object.
स सङ्कल्पविकल्पाद्यैः कृतनानाक्रमो भ्रमैः । जगत्तया स्फुरत्य् अम्बु तरङ्गादितया यथा
Through the various illusions created by intention, doubt, and the like, this world appears, just as water appears in the forms of waves and so on.
प्राग् अकारणम् एवाशु सर्गादौ सर्गलीलया । स्फुरित्वा कारणीभूतं प्रत्यक्षं स्वयम् आत्मनि
At first, before creation, it is without cause; but at the beginning of creation, by its own play, it flashes forth and becomes the cause—direct experience within itself.
कारणत्वं विचारो ऽस्य जीवस्यासद् अपि स्थितम् । सद् इवास्यां जगद्रूपसम्पत्तौ व्यक्तिम् आगतम्
The causal status of this living being is established only by inquiry, even though it is unreal; yet, in the manifestation of the world, it appears as if real.
स्वयम् एव विचारस् तु सनञर्थं स्वकं वपुः । नाशयित्वा करोत्य् आशु प्रत्यक्षं परमं पदम्
Inquiry itself, by dissolving its own form along with its purpose, swiftly brings about the supreme state of direct experience.
विचारयन् विचारो ऽपि नात्मानम् अधिगच्छति । यदा तदा निरुल्लेखं परम् एवावशिष्यते
Even inquiry, when it inquires, does not reach itself; when that happens, only the supreme, without any trace, remains.
मनस्य् अनीहिते शान्ते तैर् बुद्धीन्द्रियकर्मभिः । नेह कैश्चित् कृतैर् अर्थो नाकृतैर् अप्य् अभावनात्
When the mind is inactive and peaceful, no result is produced here by actions of the intellect, senses, or body—nor by inaction, for there is no conception of doership.
मनस्य् अनीहिते शान्ते न प्रवर्तन्त एव ते । कर्मेन्द्रियाणि कर्मादाव् असञ्चारितयन्त्रवत्
When the mind is inactive and tranquil, the organs of action do not engage in any activity at all; they remain like mechanical devices not set in motion.
मनोयन्त्रस्य चलने कारणं वेदनं विदुः । प्राणाली दारुमेषस्य रज्जुर् अन्तर्गता यथा
The movement of the mind-machine is said to be caused by sensation, just as the movement of a wooden puppet is caused by the string within.
रूपालोकमनस्कारपदार्थाद्याकुलं जगत् । विद्यते वेदनस्यान्तर् वाते ऽन्तस् स्पन्दनं यथा
The world, teeming with forms, lights, thoughts, objects, and more, exists within sensation, just as inner vibration exists within the wind.
सर्वात्मवेदनं शुद्धं यथोदेति तदात्मकम् । भाति प्रसृतदिक्कालबाह्यान्तारूपदेहकम्
Pure, all-pervading sensation arises as it is, appearing with forms of body, inner and outer, extending in all directions, time, and space.
द्रष्टैव दृश्यताभासं स्वं रूपं धारयन् स्थितः । स्वं यथा तत्र यद् रूपं प्रविभाति तथैव तत्
The seer alone, sustaining the appearance of what is seen as his own form, remains; whatever form shines forth there as his own, that alone is present.
सर्वम् आत्मा यथा तत्र सङ्कल्पत्वम् इवागतः । तिष्ठत्य् आशु तथा तत्र तद्रूप इव राजते
All is the Self there, as if it has become the nature of intention; it stands swiftly there, shining as if of that very form.
सर्वात्मकतया द्रष्टुर् दृश्यत्वम् इव युज्यते । द्रष्टृत्वं द्रष्ट्रसद्भावे दृश्यस्य त्व् अस्ति नासतः
Because the seer is all, what is seen appears as if it exists; but seership exists only when the seer is present, while the seen does not exist if the seer is absent.
अकारणकम् एवातो ब्रह्मकल्पम् इदं स्थितम् । प्रत्यक्षम् एव निर्मातृ तस्यांशास् त्व् अनुपाधयः
Thus, this creation exists without cause, like the imagination of Brahman; its maker is directly evident, and its parts are without any attributes.
स्वयत्नमात्रेतररूपको यस् तद्दैवशब्दार्थम् अपास्य दूरे । शूरेण साधो पदम् उत्तमं तत् स्वपौरुषेणैव हि लभ्यते ऽन्तः
He whose form is nothing but his own effort—discarding the notion of fate far away—O noble one, the highest state is attained only by one's own strength, within.