इन्द्रियोत्तमरोगाणां भोगाशावर्जनाद् ऋते । नौषधानि न तीर्थानि न च मन्त्राḫ प्रशान्तये
Except by turning away from the craving for enjoyment, there is no cure for the most severe diseases of the senses—not by medicines, not by sacred bathing places, nor by mantras.
नीतो ऽस्मि परमं खेदम् अभिधावद्भिर् इन्द्रियैः । एक एव महारण्ये तस्करैḫ पथिको यथा
I have been driven to utter exhaustion by the senses as they pursue their objects, just as a lone traveler in a great forest is pursued by robbers.
पङ्कवन्त्य् अप्रसन्नानि मद्गुदौर्भाग्यवन्ति च । गन्धिशेवालतुच्छानि पल्वलानीन्द्रियाणि च
The senses are like muddy, disturbed, and unfortunate ponds, filled with reeds, useless, and overgrown with foul-smelling weeds.
दुरतिक्रमणीयानि नीहारगहनानि च । जीवितानन्तजालानि जङ्गलानीन्द्रियाणि च
The senses are like jungles, dense with fog, difficult to cross, and filled with countless snares of life.
पङ्कजानि सरन्ध्राणि सुदुर्लक्ष्यगुणानि च । ग्रन्थिमन्ति जडाङ्गानि मृणालानीन्द्रियाणि च
The senses are like lotuses with mud, full of holes, possessing subtle qualities hard to discern, knotted, with stiff stalks.
रूक्षाणि रत्नलुब्धानि कल्लोलवलितानि च । दुर्ग्रहग्राहघोराणि क्षाराम्बूनीन्द्रियाणि च
The senses are rough, greedy for jewels, tossed by waves, and like briny waters—difficult to grasp, fierce, and dangerous.
बान्धवोद्वेगदायीनि देहान्तरपराणि च । करुणाक्रन्दकारीणि मरणानीन्द्रियाणि च
The senses bring distress to relatives, are attached to other bodies, and cause pitiful wailing—they are the agents of death.
अविवेकिष्व् अमित्राणि मित्राणि च विवेकिषु । गहनाततशून्यानि काननानीन्द्रियाणि च
Among the undiscriminating, the senses are enemies; among the discerning, they are friends. The senses are like forests—dense, vast, and empty.
घनास्फोटान्य् असाराणि मलिनानि जडानि च । विद्युत्प्रकाशान्य् एतानि महाभ्राणीन्द्रियाणि च
These senses are like dense thunderclaps—insubstantial, impure, and inert—yet they flash forth like lightning from great clouds.
क्षुद्रप्राणिगृहीतानि वर्जितानि कृतात्मभिः । रजस्तमोऽभिभूतानि स्वेन्द्रियाण्य् अवटानि च
Seized by petty creatures, abandoned by the wise, overwhelmed by passion and darkness, these senses are sunken and powerless.
पातनैकान्तदक्षाणि दोषाशीविषवन्ति च । रूक्षकण्टकलग्नानि श्वभ्राग्राणीन्द्रियाणि च
They are skilled only in causing downfall, filled with the poison of faults, harsh and thorny, and perched at the edge of abysses—such are the senses.
आत्मम्भरीण्य् अनार्याणि साहसैकरतानि च । अन्धकारविकारीणि रक्षांसि स्वेन्द्रियाणि च
They are ignoble, self-serving, ever intent on rashness, distorted by darkness—these senses are like demons.
अन्तश्शून्यान्य् असाराणि वक्राणि ग्रन्थिमन्ति च । दहनैकान्तयोग्यानि दुर्दारूणीन्द्रियाणि च
Empty within, unsubstantial, crooked, full of knots, fit only for burning, and hard to cut—such are the senses.
घनमोहप्रतर्दानि दुष्कूपगहनानि च । महावकरतुच्छानि कुपुराणीन्द्रियाणि च
They are battered by dense delusion, difficult to traverse, vast yet hollow, and like ruined cities—these are the senses.
अनन्तेषु पदार्थेषु करणानि घटादिषु । सभ्रमाणि सपङ्कानि चक्राङ्गानीन्द्रियाणि च
Among countless objects, the senses are like wheels and axles in pots and the like—confused, muddy, and with parts like spokes.
आपन्निमग्नम् इमम् एवम् अकिञ्चनं त्वं माम् उद्धरोद्धरणशील दयोदयेन । ये नाम केचन जगत्सु जयन्ति सन्तस् तत्सङ्गमं परमशोकहरं वदन्ति
I am thus sunk and helpless in this mire; O you who are skilled in rescue, lift me up with your compassion. They say that the company of the truly good, who alone conquer in the worlds, is the supreme remover of sorrow.
ततस् तस्य मया ब्रह्मंस् तच् छ्रुत्वा पावनं वचः । इदम् उक्तं यथापृष्टं सुस्पष्टपदया गिरा
Then, O Brahman, having heard his purifying words, I replied as you had asked, with speech that was clear and precise.
साधु विद्याधराधीश दिष्ट्या बुद्धो ऽसि भूतये । भवान्धकूपकुहराच् चिरेणोत्थातुम् इच्छसि
Well done, lord of the Vidyādharas! By fortune, you have awakened for your own good; after a long time, you wish to rise from the dark well of existence.
पावनीयं तव मती राजते शुद्धरूपिणी । विवेकेनानलेनेव कनकद्रवसन्ततिः
Your mind, which is to be purified, shines forth in its pure nature—like a stream of molten gold gleaming by the fire of discernment.
उपदेशगिराम् अर्थम् आदत्ते हारिहेलया । मकुरे निर्मले द्रव्यम् अयत्नेनैव बिम्बते
You grasp the meaning of words of instruction with effortless charm, just as a substance is reflected without effort in a spotless mirror.
यद् इदं वच्मि तत् सर्वम् ॐ इत्य् आदातुम् अर्हसि । अस्माभिश् चिरम् अन्विष्टं नात्र कार्या विचारणा
Whatever I say, you should receive it all, beginning with 'Om'; it has been sought by us for a long time—there is no need for further deliberation here.
यत् किञ्चित् स्वदते ऽन्तस् ते वस्तु वस्तुतयाश्रितम् । तद् अस्वाद्व् इति निर्विघ्नं त्यजंस् तिष्ठ यथासुखम्
Whatever object within you is tasted as possessing reality, abandon that taste as unreal, and remain undisturbed, at ease.
निरहङ्कारितां सत्यां बुध्यस्वाबोधम् उत्सृजन् । नासि त्वं चिरम् अप्य् अन्तḫ प्रेक्षितो ऽसि न लक्ष्यसे
When true egolessness is present, realize your own awareness, letting go of all else; you are not observed, nor are you perceived, even after a long time.
नाहन्त्वम् अस्ति न जगद् इति निश्चयिनस् तव । सर्वम् अस्ति शिवं तच् च न दुẖखाय सुखाय नो
For you, who are certain that there is no 'I', no 'you', and no world, all exists as auspiciousness, and that is neither for sorrow nor for happiness.
किम् अज्ञत्वाज् जगज् जातं जगतो ऽथ किम् अज्ञता । विचार्यापीति नो विद्म एकत्वाद् अलम् एतयोः
What is it, not knowing which, the world has arisen? Or, in the world, what is it that is unknown? Upon reflection, we do not know; because of their unity, enough of these two questions.
मृगतृष्णाम्बुवद् विश्वं अवस्तुत्वात् सद् अप्य् असत् । यच् चेदं भाति तत्रैव किञ्चिद् इत्य् एव निश्चयः
Like water in a mirage, the universe, though existent, is unreal due to its lack of substance; and whatever appears here, the only certainty is that it is something, nothing more.
मृगतृष्णाम्बुवद् विश्वं अवस्तुत्वात् सद् अप्य् असत् । यच् चेदं भाति तद् ब्रह्म नकिञ्चित् किञ्चिद् एव वा
Like water in a mirage, the universe, though existent, is unreal due to its lack of substance; and whatever appears here, that is Brahman, or perhaps it is nothing at all, or only something.
मृगतृष्णाम्बुवद् विश्वं न सन् नासन् न किञ्चन । प्रतिभासवशात् सत्यम् अवस्तुत्वाद् असत् सदा
Like water in a mirage, the universe is neither existent nor non-existent nor anything at all; by the force of appearance it seems real, but due to its lack of substance, it is always unreal.
मृगतृष्णाम्बुवद् विश्वं नास्ति सत्यम् अथास्ति च । प्रतिभातापि नास्त्य् अत्र तदभावाद् अतश् शिवम्
Like water in a mirage, the universe does not truly exist, yet it seems to exist; even the appearance does not exist here, because of its absence—therefore, there is peace.
विश्वबीजम् अहन्त्वं त्वं विद्धि तस्माद् धि जायते । साद्रिद्यूर्वीनदीशादिजगज्जरढपादपः
Know that the seed of the universe is the sense of 'I'; from that indeed arises the world, with its mountains, earth, rivers, and all the ancient trees.