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.
नाणुम् अप्य् अवगच्छामि विश्रान्तिं श्रान्तमानसः । प्रभ्रमन् भोगभङ्गेषु मरुभूमिष्व् इवाध्वगः
Weary in mind, I do not find even the slightest rest, wandering among the ruins of pleasures like a traveler in desert lands.
आपातमधुरारम्भा भङ्गुरा भवहेतवः । अचिरेण विकारिण्यो भीषणा भोगभूमयः
The grounds of enjoyment, though sweet at first encounter, are unstable causes of worldly existence; they soon change, becoming dreadful and fearsome.
मानावमानपरया दुरहङ्कारकान्तया । न रमे वामया तात हतविद्याधरश्रिया
O dear one, I take no delight in that fickle woman, devoted to pride and disdain, whose charm is the arrogance of ego and whose splendor as a vidyādhara is now destroyed.
दृष्टाश् चैत्ररथोद्यानभुवẖ कुसुमकोमलाः । कल्पवृक्षलतादत्तसमस्तविभवश्रियः
I have seen the gardens of Caitraratha, soft with blossoms, and the wealth and splendor bestowed by the wish-fulfilling trees and creepers.
विहृतं मेरुकुञ्जेषु विद्याधरपुरेषु च । विमानवरमालासु वातस्कन्धस्थलीषु च
I have wandered in the groves of Meru, in the cities of the vidyādharas, among the rows of splendid aerial palaces, and on the plateaus carried by the wind.
विश्रान्तं सुरसेनासु कान्ताभुजलतासु च । हारिहारविलासासु लोकपालपुरीषु च
I have rested among the armies of the gods, in the embrace of beloved women, amidst the play of dazzling garlands and ornaments, and in the cities of the guardians of the world.
न किञ्चिद् उचितं साधु सर्वम् आधिविषोष्मणा । दग्धं भस्मायते तात विज्ञातम् अधुना मया
Nothing is truly fitting or good; all has been scorched to ashes by the fever of affliction—this, O dear one, I have now come to know.
रूपालोकनलोलेन वनिताननगृध्नुना । सावभासेन दोषाय दुẖखं नीतो ऽस्मि चक्षुषा
Drawn by the restless gaze toward beauty, longing for the faces of women, I have been led by my eyes, with their deceptive brilliance, into suffering.
इदं गुणावहं नेदम् इति मुक्त्वा विकल्पनम् । रूपमात्रानुसारित्वाद् अवस्तुन्य् अपि धावति
Having abandoned the thought, 'This possesses qualities, this does not,' the mind, following only appearances, rushes even toward what is unreal.
तावद् आयाति विरतिं न शठं यावद् आपदम् । नानीतवत् परां चेतḫ परानर्थेहितोन्मुखम्
So long as the mind, deceitful and intent on others’ affairs, has not experienced calamity, it does not attain true dispassion, nor does it turn away from seeking what is not its own.
घ्राणम् एतद् अनर्थाय धावच् चैवाभितस् स्फुटम् । न निवारयितुं तात शक्नोमीह हयं यथा
This sense of smell is truly for misfortune, and it rushes everywhere; father, I am unable to restrain it here, just as one cannot hold back a horse.
गन्धोदकप्रणालेन सुखदुẖखानुपातिना । वैरिणेवातिदोषेषु घ्राणेनास्मि नियोजितः
Through the channel of fragrance and water, which brings pleasure and pain, I am compelled by the nose, as by an enemy, toward excessive faults.
चिरं रसनया चाहम् अनया नयहीनया । गर्धगोमायुगुप्तेषु दुẖखाद्रिष्व् अलम् आहतः
For a long time, with this tongue, which lacks discernment, I have been struck by suffering, tasting what is hidden among donkeys and cows.
निषेद्धुं न च शक्नोमि स्पर्शलम्पटतां त्वचः । ग्रीष्मकालसमिद्धस्य तापम् अंशुमतो यथा
Nor am I able to restrain the skin’s craving for touch, just as one cannot avoid the heat of the sun intensified in summer.
शुभशब्दरसार्थिन्यो मुने श्रवणशक्तयः । मां योजयन्ति विषमे तृणेच्छा हरिणं यथा
O sage, the faculties of hearing, seeking pleasant sounds and tastes, entangle me in difficulty, like a deer drawn by the desire for grass.
प्रणताḫ प्रियकारिण्यḫ प्रह्वभृत्यसमीरिताः । वाद्यगेयरवोन्मिश्राश् शुभशब्दश्रियश् श्रुताः
Sounds that are pleasant, mingled with music, singing, and the voices of humble servants, and which bring delight, are heard as if bowing before me.
श्रियस् स्त्रियो दिशश् चैव तट्यश् चाम्भोधिभूभृताम् । दृष्टा विभ्रमहारिण्यḫ प्रक्वणन्मणिभूषणाः
Splendors, women, directions, and the shores of the ocean and mountains—these have been seen, dazzling and captivating, adorned with resounding jeweled ornaments.
चिरम् आस्वादितास् स्वादु चमत्कारमनोरमाः । प्रह्वकान्ताजनानीताष् षड्रसा गुणशालिनः
For a long time, delightful and wondrous enjoyments have been tasted—charming, brought by beloved women, possessing all six flavors and abundant qualities.
कौशेयकामिनीहारकुसुमास्तरणानिलाः । निर्विघ्नम् अभितस् स्पृष्टा भृशम् आभोगभूमिषु
Silken garments, necklaces, garlands, and soft breezes have been freely enjoyed everywhere on the fields of pleasure, without any hindrance.
वधूमुखौषधीपुष्पसमालम्भनभूमयः । अनुभूता मुने गन्धा मन्दानिलसमीरिताः
The fragrances arising from the faces of brides, medicinal herbs, and flowers, wafted by gentle breezes, have been experienced, O sage.