नित्योदितं विमलरूपम् अनन्तम् आद्यं ब्रह्मास्ति नेतरकलाकलनं हि किञ्चित् । इत्य् एव भावय निरञ्जनताम् उपेतो निर्वाणम् एहि सकलामलशान्तवृत्तिः
There is the eternal, pure, infinite, primordial Brahman, without any calculation of otherness. Contemplate thus, attaining stainlessness; come to liberation, with all taintless and peaceful conduct.
अनामयं ब्रह्म समस्तकल्पकार्यैकबीजं परमाणुरूपम् । बृहच् च तद् बृंहितसर्वभावं खम् अस्ति नास्तीव यद् अस्ति किञ्चित्
Brahman is free from affliction, the sole seed of all imagined effects, atomic in form yet vast, expanding all existence; it is like space—neither existent nor nonexistent is anything apart from it.
अन्यत् क्वचित् किञ्चिद् इदं कदाचिन् न सम्भवत्य् एव सद् अप्य् असच् च । इत्य् एव साधो दृढनिश्चयो ऽन्तस् स्थित्वा गताशङ्कविलासम् आस्स्व
Elsewhere, at some time, something may or may not arise—though it exists, it is also nonexistent. Thus, O noble one, with firm inner certainty, remain established within, free from the play of doubt.
अन्तर्मुखस् सन् सततं समस्तं कुर्वन् बहिस्स्थं खलु कार्यजातम् । न खेदम् आयासि कदाचिद् एव व्योम्नस् समां संस्थितिम् अभ्युपैषि
By turning inward, always performing all actions outwardly as they arise, you will never experience fatigue, and you will attain a state equal to space.
रामाहङ्कारसत्तान्तḫ प्रसूते संसृतिभ्रमम् । बालस्य भाविता यक्षभावनेवोग्रयक्षकम्
O Rama, the existence of ego gives rise to the confusion of worldly existence, just as a child's imagination of a yakṣa produces a fierce yakṣa in his mind.
अहङ्कारोपशान्तौ तु शाम्यतीयं हि संसृतिः । मोहदा मिहिकेवाङ्ग प्रावृट्कालपरिक्षये
But when the ego is pacified, this worldly existence subsides, just as mist disappears, O dear one, when the rainy season comes to an end.
रज्ज्वां सर्पभ्रमो बन्धोर् वाक्येनैति यथा क्षयम् । न सर्पो ऽयम् इयं रज्जुर् इत्याद्येन जनस्य वै
Just as the illusion of a snake in a rope is dispelled by a friend's words—'This is not a snake, this is a rope'—so too is the confusion of people removed.
तथा गुरोर् गिरा शान्तिम् एत्य् अहम्भावविभ्रमः । माहङ्कारम् असद्रूपं भावयेत्यादिरूपया
In the same way, by the words of the teacher, the delusion of ego is brought to peace: 'Do not imagine the unreal ego; contemplate its true nature.'
अभ्यासाज् ज्ञानशास्त्राणां सत्सङ्गमकथाक्रमैः । अहम्भ्रमश् शमं याति जन्तोर् आन्ध्यम् इवाञ्जनैः
Through repeated study of the scriptures of knowledge, and by the sequence of association with the wise and their teachings, the delusion of ego is pacified in a person, just as blindness is removed by collyrium.
विद्यमानम् अपि स्थूलं यत् तत् क्षयि निघर्षणैः । उदपानशिलाप्य् अङ्ग क्षीयते घटघर्षणैः
Even something gross and present is worn away by repeated friction, just as, O dear one, a stone at a well is worn down by the rubbing of water pots.
अहङ्कृतेर् अविद्याया भाविताया अकारणम् । नाशे क इव सन्देहो विचारैर् नाशहेतुभिः
When the ego, which is ignorance, is brought to an end without any cause, what doubt can remain about its destruction, since inquiry itself is the cause of its dissolution?
भगवन् सर्वतत्त्वज्ञ चित्ते ऽहङ्कारनामनि । गलिते वा गलद्रूपे लिङ्गं सत्त्वस्य किं भवेत्
O Lord, knower of all principles, when the ego called 'I' in the mind dissolves or its form disappears, what sign of existence remains for the being?
विवेकाब्दोदयेनाङ्ग शाम्यन्त्यां देहधन्वनि । स्वचित्तमृगतृष्णायां न संसृत्यातपो भवेत्
O dear one, when the sun of discernment rises and the desert of the body is pacified, then in the mirage of one's own mind, the heat of transmigration does not arise.
उरवो ऽपि हि सञ्जाता न स्पृशन्त्य् आशयं सितम् । लोभमोहादयो दोषाḫ पयांसीव सरोरुहम्
Even when strong passions arise, they do not touch the pure mind, just as water does not touch the lotus.
मुदिताद्याश् श्रियो वक्त्रं न मुञ्चन्ति कदाचन । सौभाग्यसुखदायिन्यḫ पुष्पलक्ष्म्यो मधुं यथा
Joys such as happiness never leave the face of prosperity; these goddesses of fortune, bestowers of happiness and good fortune, cling as bees do to flowers.
कथं संसृतिर् इत्य् एव विचारे मुदितोदये । उदेति सत्त्वं चित्तं च गलनाय प्रवर्तते
When inquiry arises as to 'How does transmigration occur?', and joy is born, then being and mind begin to move towards dissolution.
गलत्य् अहङ्कारमये चित्ते चलति दुष्कृते । वासनाग्रन्थयẖ खिन्ना इव त्रुट्यन्त्य् अलं शनैः
When the mind made of ego dissolves and evil actions subside, the knots of latent impressions, weary, gradually loosen completely.
कोपस् तानवम् आयाति शरदीव पयोधरः । मोहो मान्द्यम् उपादत्ते प्रभाते तिमिरं यथा
Anger becomes thin like a rain cloud in autumn; delusion takes on weakness like darkness at dawn.
कामẖ क्लमं गच्छति च दीर्घाध्वग इवातपे । लोभḫ पलायते क्वापि व्यालो दृष्ट्वेव बर्हिणम्
Desire grows weary, like a traveler on a long road beneath the sun; greed flees somewhere, like a serpent upon seeing a peacock.
नोल्लसन्तीन्द्रियाण्य् उच्चैर् अहनीव निशाचराः । न स्फुरत्य् उच्चकैẖ खेदḫ प्रावृषीवाकुलं रजः
The senses do not surge strongly, like night-dwellers during the day; fatigue does not flare up intensely, like dust subdued by the rains.
न दुẖखान्य् उपगर्जन्ति गजा इव वियौवनाः । न सुखान्य् उपधावन्ति पयांसीवोग्रसेतुना
Sorrows do not roar forth, like elephants deprived of their youth; pleasures do not rush in, like waters blocked by a mighty dam.
सुखदुẖखादयश् चैते दृश्यन्ते यदि वा मुखे । दृश्यन्ते एव तत् साधो न तु लिम्पन्ति ते मनः
Pleasure, pain, and the rest may appear outwardly, or may not; O noble one, they are seen indeed, but they do not stain the mind.
चित्ते गलति गीर्वाणगणस्य स्पृहणीयताम् । साधुर् गच्छत्य् उदेत्य् अस्य समताशीतचन्द्रिका
When such a state arises in the mind, worthy even of the gods' admiration, the sage attains the cool moonlight of equanimity.
इदं शान्तं च कान्तं च दीप्तम् अप्रतिघाति च । निभृतं चोर्जितं स्वच्छं भवतीन्द्वमलं वपुः
This state is peaceful and lovely, radiant and unimpeded; quiet, yet powerful, pure, and shining like the spotless moon.
भावाभावविभुग्नो ऽपि विचित्रो ऽपि महान् अपि । नानन्दाय न खेदाय सतां संसृतिविभ्रमः
Even though it is broken by the presence or absence of things, though varied and vast, the confusion of worldly existence brings neither joy nor sorrow to the wise.
बुद्ध्यालोकनसाध्ये ऽस्मिन् वस्तुन्य् अस्तमितापदि । प्रवर्तते न यो मोहात् तं धिग् अस्तु नराधमम्
In this reality, which is to be realized by the light of understanding and is free from decline, whoever does not act out of delusion—let such a wretched man be condemned.
विश्रान्तिम् आप्तुम् उचितां चिरम् अङ्ग दुẖखरत्नाकरं जननसागरम् उत्तितीर्षोः । को ऽहं कथं जगद् इदं च परश् च कस् स्यात् किं भोगकैर् इति मतिḫ परमो ऽभ्युपायः
O dear one, for one who wishes to cross the ocean of birth, which is a mine of suffering, the supreme means to attain proper rest is this: 'Who am I? How did this world and the other arise? Whose is this? What is to be enjoyed, and by whom?'—such inquiry in the mind.
भवताम् आदिपुरुष इक्ष्वाकुर् नाम भूपतिः । इक्ष्वाकुवंशप्रभवो यथा मुक्तस् तथा शृणु
There was a king among you called Ikshvaku, the primeval man; listen to how he, the progenitor of the Ikshvaku lineage, attained liberation.
इक्ष्वाकुर् इति विख्यातो भूपो भास्करवंशजः । आसीत् पतिर् महीपानां पितॄणाम् इव धर्मराट्
The king, renowned as Ikshvaku, born of the solar dynasty, was lord among rulers of the earth, as Yama is lord among the ancestors.
हिमशीतस्वभावो ऽपि पदार्थान् अन्तर् अस्पृशन् । मध्याह्ने सूर्यकान्ताद्रिर् इव ज्वलति यो ऽरिषु
Though his nature was cool as snow, he did not touch worldly objects within; yet, in battle with enemies, he blazed like a sunstone mountain at noon.