द्यौẖ क्षमा वायुर् आकाशं पर्वतास् सरितो दिशः । इत्य् आमोदो ऽहमर्थोग्रकुसुमस्य विकासिनः
Heaven, earth, wind, space, mountains, rivers, and directions—these are the fragrance of the powerful blossom of the sense of 'I' as it unfolds.
अहमर्थḫ प्रविसृतḫ प्रकटीकुरुते जगत् । सद्रूपालोकमननं प्रवृत्त इव वासरः
When the sense of 'I' spreads forth, it reveals the world, just as the day seems to begin with the arising of forms, lights, and thoughts.
प्रवृत्तेन दिनेनाभा प्रकटीक्रियते यथा । असज् जगद् अहन्त्वेन क्षणान् निर्मीयते तथा
Just as the absence of day becomes apparent when the day begins, so too is the unreal world momentarily created by the sense of 'I'.
अहम् इत्य् अर्थदुस्तैललवो ब्रह्मणि वारिणि । प्रसृतो यत् तद् आश्व् एतत् त्रिजगच्चक्रिकं स्थितम्
The drop of oil-like sense of 'I', released into the water of Brahman, quickly becomes established as the revolving wheel of the three worlds.
उन्मेषमात्रेणाहन्ता जगन्त्य् अनुभवत्य् अहो । न निमेषेण दृग् इव सत्यानीत्य् अप्य् असन्त्य् अलम्
With but a mere opening, the sense of 'I' experiences the worlds—indeed, not with a closing, just as the eye, even if things are unreal, perceives them as real.
अहमर्थे प्रविसृते संसारो ह्य् अनुभूयते । नान्तर्लयपरिक्षीणे लोचनस्येव तारके
When the sense of 'I' spreads forth, the cycle of existence is experienced; when it is dissolved within, it is diminished, like the star in the eye when the gaze is withdrawn.
अहमंशे निरंशत्वं नीते शाश्वतसंविदा । शाम्यतीयम् अशेषेण संसारमृगतृष्णिका
When the sense of 'I' is dissolved into the eternal awareness of partlessness, this mirage of worldly existence comes completely to rest.
स्वसंविद्भावनामात्रसाध्ये ऽस्मिन् वरवस्तुनि । सिद्धमात्रात्मनि स्वैरं मा खेदं गच्छ मा भ्रमीः
In this supreme reality, attainable only by the contemplation of one's own awareness, which is fulfilled in the Self alone—be at ease, do not be troubled or confused.
स्वयत्नमात्रसंसाध्याद् असहायादिसाधनात् । अनहंवेदनान् नान्यच् छ्रेयḫ पश्यामि ते ऽनघ
Since this is achieved solely by one's own effort, without any external aid, and through the absence of ego-sense, I see no greater good for you, O sinless one.
विस्मृत्याहन्त्वम् आस्स्व प्रविसृतविभवो भूषिताशेषविश्वो विष्वक्शैलान्तरिक्षक्षितिजलधिमरुन्मार्गरूपो ऽमलात्मा । स्वस्थश् शान्तो विशोकẖ करणमलकलावर्जितो निष्प्रपञ्चो निस्सञ्चारश् चरात्मा सकलम् असकलं चेति सिद्धान्तसारः
Forget the sense of 'I' and abide as the pure Self, whose glory is manifest as the entire universe—mountains, sky, earth, ocean, wind, and space—who is tranquil, peaceful, free from sorrow, untouched by the impurities of the senses and mind, beyond all manifestation and movement, the living Self, both all and not-all; this is the essence of the teaching.
स्वभावम् अवजित्यादाव् इन्द्रियाणां सचेतसाम् । प्रवर्तते विवेके यस् सर्वं तस्याशु सिध्यति
He who, from the outset, conquers the natural tendencies of the senses and the mind and acts with discernment, quickly accomplishes everything.
स्वभावमात्रं येनान्तर् न जितं दग्धबुद्धिना । तस्योत्तमपदप्राप्तिस् सिकतातैलदुर्लभा
For one whose inner nature is not conquered due to a mind scorched by distraction, attainment of the highest state is as rare as oil from sand.
शुद्धे ऽल्पो ऽप्य् उपदेशो हि निर्मलादर्शतैलवत् । लगत्य् उत्तानचित्ते तु नादर्श इव मौक्तिकम्
Even a little instruction settles in a pure mind like oil on a spotless mirror; but in a distracted mind, it does not remain, like a pearl on a mirror.
अत्रैवोदाहरन्तीमम् इतिहासं पुरातनम् । मम पूर्वं भुसुण्डेन कथितं मेरुमूर्धनि
Here they recount this ancient story, once told to me by Bhusunda on the summit of Mount Meru.
पुरा भुसुण्डẖ कस्मिंश्चित् पृष्ट आसीत् कथान्तरे । मया कदाचिद् एकान्ते मेरोश् शिखरकोटरे
Once, Bhusunda was asked about something during another conversation; at some time, in solitude, within a cave on the summit of Mount Meru, by me.
मुग्धबुद्धिम् अनात्मज्ञं कञ्चित् त्वं चिरजीवितम् । स्मरसीति मया पृष्टेनोक्तं तेनेदम् अङ्ग मे
I asked him: 'Do you remember someone, long-lived, with a bewildered mind and ignorant of the Self?' He replied to me thus, O dear one.
आसीद् विद्याधरḫ पूर्वम् अनात्मज्ञस् सुखोचितः । लोकालोकोत्तरे शृङ्गे शुष्क आर्यो ऽविचारवान्
There was once a Vidyadhara, ignorant of the Self and accustomed to pleasure, dry and noble, lacking discernment, on the peak between the worlds and the beyond.
तपसा बहुरूपेण यमेन नियमेन च । अक्षीणायुर् व्यतिष्ठत् स पुरा कल्पचतुष्टयम्
Through various forms of austerity, restraint, and discipline, he lived with undiminished lifespan for four cycles of creation.
ततश् चतुर्थे कल्पान्ते विवेकस् तस्य तूदभूत् । विडूरस्येव वैडूर्यम् औचित्याज् जलदोदयात्
Then, at the end of the fourth cycle, discernment arose in him, just as a jewel shines appropriately when water emerges.
पुनर्मृतिḫ पुनर्जन्म जरा चेति विचारयन् । लज्जे ऽहं तत् किम् एकं स्यात् स्थिरम् इत्य् अवमृश्य सः
Reflecting on repeated death, repeated birth, and old age, he pondered, 'Why does only one thing not remain constant?' and felt ashamed.
समाजगाम सम्प्रष्टुम् अष्टापदमयीं पुरीम् । स्वाम् उपोज्झ्य विरक्तात्मा संसारारसतां गतः
He came to question the city made of eight squares, abandoning his own, with a mind detached, having lost taste for worldly existence.
स मत्समीपम् आगत्य कृतोदारनमस्कृतिः । मत्पूजितो ऽवसरत उवाचेदम् अनिन्दितम्
He approached me, performed a respectful salutation, was honored by me, sat down, and spoke these blameless words.
मृदूनि परितापेन दृषद्दृढमलानि च । छेदे भेदे च दक्षाणि शस्त्राङ्गानीन्द्रियाणि च
The senses, like instruments, are skilled in cutting and splitting; they are gentle with pleasure, but hard and stained with pain.
पर्याकुलानि मलिनानि विपत्प्रदानि दुẖखोर्मिमन्ति गुणकाननपावकत्वात् । हार्दान्धकारगहनानि तमोमयानि जित्वेन्द्रियाणि सुखम् एमि हि किं ममार्थैः
They are agitated, impure, sources of misfortune, full of waves of suffering, because the forest of qualities is ablaze; they are dense with the darkness of the heart, made of ignorance—having subdued the senses, what happiness can objects bring me?
यद् उदारम् अनायासं क्षयातिशयवर्जितम् । पदं पावनम् आद्यन्तरहितं तद् वदाशु मे
Tell me quickly of that pure state, noble, effortless, free from decay and excess, without beginning or end.
एतावन्तम् अहं कालं सुप्त आसं जडात्मकः । इदानीं सम्प्रबुद्धो ऽस्मि प्रसादाद् आत्मनो मुने
All this time I was asleep, inert in nature; now, by the grace of the Self, O sage, I am awakened.
मनोमहामयोत्तब्धं लुब्धम् अज्ञानवृत्तिषु । माम् उद्धर दुरन्तेहं मोहाद् अहम् इति स्थितात्
Lift me up from this difficult body, bound by the great illusion of mind, greedy in ignorant tendencies, and fixed in delusion as 'I am this.'
श्रीमत्य् अपि पतन्त्य् आशु शातनोत्का दुराधयः । गुणवत्य् अग्रपत्त्रे हि तुहिनानीव पङ्कजे
Even on the most splendid, the wicked quickly fall, like frost on the finest lotus petal, though it is virtuous.
जायन्ते च म्रियन्ते च केवलं जीर्णजन्तवः । न धर्माय न मोक्षाय मषका इव पङ्कजे
Creatures are born and die, merely aging; not for righteousness, not for liberation, like mosquitoes in a lotus.
भावैस् तैर् एव तैर् एव तुच्छलाभविडम्बनैः । चिरेण परिखिन्नास् स्मो विप्रलब्धाḫ पुनḫ पुनः
By those very same states, by those very same vain gains and deceptions, we are long wearied, deceived again and again.