अपुनस्स्मरणं सम्यक् चिरविस्मृतकर्म यत् । स्थितं स्तम्भोदरसमं स कर्मत्याग उच्यते
That complete and long-forgotten non-recollection of action, remaining like the interior of a pillar, is called the abandonment of action.
अत्यागं त्यागम् इति ये कुर्वते व्यर्थबोधिनः । तेषाम् अवटलग्नानां विधिस् त्राणं करिष्यति
Those who vainly imagine non-abandonment to be abandonment, their understanding is futile; for them, the rules will serve as protection, as if they are stuck in a pit.
कर्मत्यागम् अकृत्वैवम् अर्धं ये कर्म कुर्वते । सा भुङ्क्ते तान् पशून् अज्ञान् कर्मत्यागपिशाचिका
Those who perform actions only halfway, without truly renouncing action, are consumed by the demon of non-renunciation, and partake of those ignorant beasts.
समूलकर्मसन्त्यागेनैव ये शान्तम् आस्थिताः । नैव तेषां कृतेनार्थो नाकृतेनेह कश्चन
But those who have completely abandoned action at its root and abide in peace—nothing done or left undone holds any meaning for them here.
समूलम् अलम् उद्धृत्य कर्मबीजकलाम् इति । नित्यम् एकसमाधानास् तज्ज्ञास् तिष्ठन्त्य् अलं सुखम्
Having thoroughly uprooted even the subtle seed of action, those who are ever established in single-pointed absorption, knowing that truth, remain in perfect happiness.
प्रवाहापतिते कार्ये ईषत्स्पन्दा अतन्मयाः । घूर्णमाना इव क्षीवा यन्त्रसञ्चारिता इव
When action falls into the current of momentum, those identified with it, with only the faintest stir, are like drunken people reeling, or like puppets moved by strings.
मोक्षलक्ष्म्या विलासिन्या व्यसनोपहता इव । अर्धसुप्तप्रबुद्धाभाẖ काम् अप्य् अवगतिं गताः
Struck by the playful goddess of liberation, they seem as if afflicted by misfortune, half-awake and half-asleep, having attained only a partial understanding.
यत् समूलं परित्यक्तं तत् त्यक्तम् इति कथ्यते । अमूलकाषस् त्यागो यस् स शाखालवनोपमः
That which is abandoned wholly, with its root, is said to be truly renounced; but renunciation without uprooting is like lopping off branches in a forest.
अकृष्टमूलश् शाखाग्रविलूनẖ कर्मपादपः । पुनश् शाखासहस्रेण दुẖखाय परिवर्धते
If the tree of action is cut at the tips but not at the root, it grows again with a thousand branches, bringing only suffering.
अवेदनात्मनानेन कर्मत्यागो ऽङ्ग सिध्यति । क्रमेण नेतरेणात एतद् एवाहरन् भव
O dear one, only through the knowledge of the Self does true renunciation of action succeed; not otherwise. Therefore, pursue only this, day after day.
ये त्व् एवं कर्मसन्त्यागम् अकृत्वान्यत्प्रवर्तिताः । अत्यागं त्यागरूपात्म गगनं मारयन्ति ते
Those who, without renouncing action in this way, engage in other pursuits—these, by their lack of renunciation, obscure the sky-like nature of the self.
बोधात्मकतया कर्मत्यागस् सम्पद्यते स्वयम् । दग्धबीजा निरिच्छोच्चैर् अक्रियैव भवेत् क्रिया
Renunciation of action arises naturally through knowledge; just as a burnt seed cannot sprout, so too, action ceases even while activity appears.
बुद्धीन्द्रियेहितं कर्म सफलं रसभावनात् । वेष्टितत्यक्तदाम्नीव स्पन्दो ऽन्यो निष्फलो ऽङ्गजः
Action performed by the mind and senses bears fruit due to the sense of enjoyment; but when this is abandoned, any movement arising from the body is fruitless, like a rope left behind.
कर्मत्यागे स्थिते बोधाज् जीवन्मुक्तो विवासनः । गेहे तिष्ठत्व् अरण्ये वा शाम्यत्व् अभ्येतु वोदयम्
When renunciation of action is established through knowledge, one becomes liberated while living; whether residing at home or in the forest, one remains at peace and welcomes the dawn.
गेहम् एवोपशान्तस्य विजनं दूरकाननम् । अशान्तस्याप्य् अरण्यानी विजना सजना पुरी
For one who is peaceful, the home itself is solitude, while for the restless, even the distant forest is crowded; for the unquiet, the wilderness and solitude are as populated as the city.
परिशान्तमतेर् ज्ञस्य स्वप्ने ऽप्य् अप्राप्तमानवा । निर्मला वितता हृद्या हृद् एव वनभूमिका
For the wise whose mind is thoroughly tranquil, even in dreams, the forest is not attained; pure, expansive, and delightful, the forest exists only in the heart.
ज्ञस्य निर्वाणदृश्यस्य निष्पदार्था मनोमयी । शान्ताशेषविशेषार्था जगद् एव महाटवी
For the knower who perceives liberation, the world itself is a great forest—mind-created, devoid of real substance, peaceful, and free from all distinctions.
अनन्तसङ्कल्पवतो हृदयोद्यज्जगत्स्थितेः । हृद्य् एवावर्तते भूमिर् अज्ञस्याखिलसागरा
For one with endless thoughts, the world arising in the heart is the field of existence; in the heart alone, the earth and all its oceans revolve for the ignorant.
घनस्याज्ञस्य दीनस्य विविधद्वन्द्वसङ्कटा । सारम्भा विपुलाकारा हृद्य् एव ग्राममण्डली
Within the heart of the ignorant and afflicted, a vast and tumultuous village of various dualities and troubles arises.
विविधकार्यविकारदशामयी सपुरपत्तनपर्वतमण्डला । मकुरकोश इव प्रतिबिम्बिता हृदि भवत्य् अमला मलिने मही
The pure and impure earth, along with its cities, towns, and mountains, appears reflected in the heart like an image in a mirror, shaped by the manifold conditions of action.
साहन्तादिजगच्छान्तौ बोधे संवित्कलात्मनि । दीपसंशान्तिसङ्काशस् त्यागस् सिध्यति नान्यथा
Renunciation is accomplished only when the world, beginning with the sense of 'I', is pacified in the awareness whose essence is consciousness, resembling the tranquility of a lamp; not otherwise.
न त्यागẖ कर्मसन्त्यागो बोधस् त्याग इति स्मृतः । अजगत्प्रतिभैकात्मा यो ऽनहन्तादिर् अव्ययः
Renunciation is not the abandonment of actions; it is remembered as the renunciation of ignorance, which is the single essence of the non-world, beginning with the absence of 'I', and is imperishable.
अयं सो ऽहम् इदं तन् मे इति निस्स्नेहदीपवत् । शान्ते परमनिर्वाणं प्रबोधात्मैव शिष्यते
When one is free from attachment, like a lamp, and thinks, 'This is that, I am this, this belongs to me,' then, in the peace of supreme nirvana, only the awakened self remains.
अयं सो ऽहम् इदं तन् मे शान्तम् इत्य् एव यस्य नो । न ज्ञानं तस्य नो शान्तिर् न त्यागो न च निर्वृतिः
For one who does not have the thought, 'This is that, I am this, this belongs to me, it is peaceful,' there is neither knowledge nor peace, nor renunciation, nor delight.
ममेदम् अयम् एवाहम् इत्य् एतावति यẖ क्षयः । बोधात्मा शिवं शान्तं तु तस्माद् अन्यन् न विद्यते
Where the sense of 'This is mine, I am this' has ceased, only the peaceful, auspicious, awakened self remains; nothing else is known apart from that.
अहमंशे चिता क्षीणे सर्वम् एव क्षयं गतम् । न किञ्चिच् च क्वचित् क्षीणं निर्वाणैकघनं स्थितम्
When the portion of 'I' in consciousness is exhausted, everything is brought to cessation; nothing remains anywhere, and only the mass of nirvana stands.
अहंविद् अनहंवित्त्वाद् एव शाम्यत्य् अविघ्नतः । एतावन्मात्रसाध्येयं किम् एवेयं कदर्थना
The sense of 'I' ceases effortlessly when the sense of 'not-I' arises; this is all that needs to be accomplished—why indulge in further complications?
अहं नाहम् इति भ्रान्तिर् न च वित्त्वाद् ऋते ऽस्ति सा । वित्त्वं चाकाशविशदम् अतẖ क्वैषा भ्रमस्थितिः
The confusion of 'I am' and 'I am not' exists only because of the sense of 'I'; apart from this, it does not exist. The sense of 'I' is as clear and empty as space—so where does this state of confusion reside?
न भ्रमो भ्रमणं नैव न भ्रान्तिर् भ्रमको ऽस्ति वा । अनालोकनम् एवेदम् आलोकान् नेदम् अस्ति ते
There is no delusion, no wandering, nor any cause of confusion; it is simply the absence of perception. If perception arises, then this does not exist for you.
विद्धि विन्मात्रम् एवेदम् असद्रूपोपमं ततम् । ॐ अलं मौनम् आस्स्वैवं सर्वं निर्वाणमात्रकम्
Know that this is nothing but pure consciousness, pervading like the semblance of the unreal. Om—enough, remain silent thus; all is nothing but nirvana.