प्राप्यते सति दृश्ये ऽस्मिन् न च तन् नाम केनचित् । यत्र तत्र किलायाति चित्तभ्रान्त्या जगद्भ्रमः
When this vision is present, that state is not attained by anyone; for, due to the mind's delusion, the illusion of the world arises anywhere.
द्रष्टाथ यदि पाषाणरूपतां भावयन् बलात् । किलास्ते तत् तदन्ते ऽपि भूयो ऽस्योदेति दृश्यता
If the seer, by force, cultivates a state like that of a stone, then even at the end of that, the perception of the world arises again.
न च पाषाणतातुल्या निर्विकल्पसमाधयः । केषाञ्चित् स्थितिम् आयान्ति सर्वैर् इत्य् अनुभूयते
And absorptions without thought do not attain a state like that of a stone for some; this is experienced by all.
न च पाषाणतातुल्या रूढिं यातास् समाधयः । भवन्त्य् अग्र्यं पदं शान्तं चिद्रूपम् अजम् अव्ययम्
Nor do absorptions that have become like a stone reach maturity; they become the supreme, peaceful state—consciousness itself, unborn and undecaying.
तस्माद् यदीदं सद् दृश्यं तन् न शाम्येत् कदाचन । शाम्येत् तपोजपध्यानैर् दृढम् इत्य् अज्ञकल्पना
Therefore, if this visible reality were truly existent, it would never cease; the idea that it can be ended by austerity, recitation, or meditation is merely an ignorant assumption.
आलीनवल्लरीरूपं यथा पद्माक्षकोटरे । आस्ते कमलिनीबीजं तथा द्रष्टरि दृश्यधीः
Just as a lotus seed rests within the hollow of a closed lotus stalk, so too does the perception of the seen reside within the perceiver.
यथा रसः पदार्थेषु यथा तैलं तिलादिषु । कुसुमेषु यथामोदस् तथा द्रष्टरि दृश्यधीः
As taste exists in substances, as oil is present in sesame and other seeds, and as fragrance is in flowers, so too does the perception of the seen exist in the perceiver.
यत्र यत्र स्थितस्यापि कर्पूरादेस् सुगन्धता । यथोदेति तथा दृश्यं चिद्धातोर् उदरे जगत्
Wherever camphor or similar substances are kept, their fragrance arises accordingly; in the same way, the world appears within the core of consciousness.
यथा चात्र तव स्वप्नसङ्कल्पश् चित्तराज्यधीः । स्वानुभूत्यैव दृष्टान्तस् तस्माद् धृद्य् अस्ति दृश्यभूः
Just as in this case your dream, imagination, and the notion of a mental kingdom are known only through your own experience, so too is the realm of the seen present in the heart.
तस्माच् चित्तविकल्पस्थः पिशाचो बालकं यथा । विनिहन्त्य् एवम् एषान्तर् द्रष्टारं दृश्यरूपिका
Therefore, just as a demon dwelling in the imagination can destroy a child, so too does this form of the seen within destroy the perceiver.
यथाङ्कुरो ऽन्तर् बीजस्य संस्थितो देशकालतः । करोति भासुरं देहं तनोत्य् एवं हि दृश्यधीः
Just as a sprout, remaining within the seed, produces a radiant body at the proper place and time, so too does the perception of the seen unfold.
द्रव्यस्य हृद्य् एव चमत्कृतिर् यथा सदोदितास्त्य् अस्तमयोज्झितोदरे । द्रव्यस्य चिन्मात्रशरीरिणस् तथा स्वभावभूतास्त्य् उदरे जगत्स्थितिः
Just as the wonder of a substance always arises in the heart, unceasing within its core, so too does the existence of the world naturally abide within the core of one whose body is pure consciousness.
इदम् आकाशजाख्यानं शृणु श्रवणभूषणम् । उत्पत्त्याख्यं प्रकरणं येन राघव बुध्यसे
Listen to this story of Akashaja, an ornament to the ears; it is the section called 'Origin,' by which, O Raghava, you will come to understand.
अस्तीहाकाशजो नाम द्विजः परमधार्मिकः । ध्यानैकनिष्ठस् सततं प्रजानां च हिते रतः
There was a twice-born named Akashaja, supremely righteous, ever devoted to meditation, and always intent on the welfare of all beings.
स चिरं जीवति यदा तदा मृत्युर् अचिन्तयत् । सर्वाण्य् एव क्रमेणाहं भूतान्य् अद्मि किलाक्षयः
When he had lived for a long time, Death began to ponder: 'Indeed, I consume all beings in due course, for I am inexhaustible.'
एवम् आकाशजं विप्रं न कस्माद् भक्षयाम्य् अहम् । अत्र मे कुण्ठिता शक्तिः खड्गधारा यथोपले
Yet why do I not devour this Brahmin Akashaja? In this matter, my power is blunted, like the edge of a sword against a stone.
इति सञ्चिन्त्य तं हन्तुम् अगच्छत् तत्पुरं तदा । त्यजन्त्य् उद्यमम् उद्युक्ता न कदाचन केचन
Thinking thus, Death went to that city to slay him; but those who are truly resolute never abandon their effort.
ततस् तत्सदनं यावन् मृत्युः प्रविशति स्वयम् । तावद् एनं दहत्य् अग्निः कल्पान्तज्वलनोपमः
As Death himself entered that dwelling, at that very moment, a fire, blazing like the fire at the end of an age, burned him.
अग्निज्वालामहाजालं विदार्यान्तर्गतो ऽप्य् असौ । द्विजं दृष्ट्वा समादातुं हस्तेनैच्छत् प्रयत्नतः
Even after breaking through that great network of flames and entering within, he tried with all his might to seize the Brahmin with his hand.
न चाशकत् पुरो दृष्टम् अपि हस्तशतैर् द्विजम् । बलवान् अप्य् अवष्टब्धुं सङ्कल्पपुरुषं यथा
But even though he saw the Brahmin right before him, Death could not grasp him with a hundred hands, just as even the strong cannot restrain a person of firm resolve.
अथागत्य यमं मृत्युर् अपृच्छत् संशयच्छिदम् । किम् इत्य् अहं न शक्नोमि भोक्तुम् आकाशजं प्रभो
Then Death approached Yama, the dispeller of doubts, and asked: 'Lord, why am I unable to consume this being born of space?'
मृत्यो न किञ्चिच् छक्तस् त्वम् एको मारयितुं बलात् । मारणीयस्य कर्माणि तत्कर्तॄणीह नेतरत्
O Death, you alone do not have the power to kill anyone by force; it is the actions destined for death that are the cause here, not anything else.
तस्माद् एतस्य विप्रस्य मारणीयस्य यत्नतः । कर्माण्य् अन्विच्छ तेषां त्वं साहाय्येनैनम् अत्स्यसि
Therefore, diligently seek out the actions of this Brahmin that make him subject to death; with their help, you will be able to devour him.
ततस् स मृत्युर् बभ्राम तत्कर्मान्वेषणादृतः । मण्डलानि दिगन्तांश् च सरांसि सरितो दिशः
Then Death wandered about, intent on searching for those actions—through regions, horizons, lakes, rivers, and directions.
वनजङ्गलजालानि शैलाम्भोधितटान्य् अपि । द्वीपान्तराण्य् अरण्यानि नगराणि पुराणि च
He searched through forests and jungles, mountain and ocean shores, distant islands, wildernesses, cities, and ancient towns.
ग्रामान् अखिलराष्ट्राणि देशान्तगहनानि च । एवं भूमण्डलं भ्रान्त्वा स कुतश्चिन् न कानिचित्
He went through villages, entire kingdoms, and the depths of remote lands; thus, after roaming the whole earth, he found nothing anywhere.
तान्य् आकाशजकर्माणि लब्धवान् मृत्युर् उद्यतः । वन्ध्यापुत्रम् इव प्राज्ञस् सङ्कल्पाद्रिम् इवापरः
Death, eager, found none of the actions belonging to the one born of space—like a wise man seeking the son of a barren woman, or another seeking a mountain made of imagination.
समपृच्छद् अथागत्य यमं सर्वार्थकोविदम् । परायणं हि प्रभवस् सन्देहेष्व् अनुजीविनाम्
Then, returning, he questioned Yama, the all-knowing in every matter; for he is the ultimate refuge for those living in doubt.
आकाशजस्य कर्माणि क्व स्थितानि वद प्रभो । धर्मराजो ऽथ सञ्चिन्त्य सुचिरं प्रोक्तवान् इदम्
O Lord, tell me, where are the actions of one born of space established? Then, after pondering for a long time, Dharma-raja spoke these words:
आकाशजस्य कर्माणि मृत्यो सन्ति न कानिचित् । एष ह्य् आकाशजो विप्रो जातः खाद् एव केवलात्
O Death, there are no actions at all for one born of space; for this brahmin, born from space alone, has arisen solely from the sky.