यथाभूतार्थसन्दर्शच्छिन्नाहम् इति भावना । दृष्टापि न करोत्य् अन्तर् दग्धं बीजम् इवाङ्कुरम्
The notion 'I am cut off from the perception of things as they truly are,' even when seen, does not produce any inner effect—just as a burnt seed does not produce a sprout.
कर्म कुर्वन्न् अकुर्वन् वा वीतरागो निरामयः । निर्मना नित्यनिर्वाणो मुनिर् आत्मनि तिष्ठति
Whether acting or not acting, the sage who is free from passion and affliction, whose mind is pure and who abides in perpetual liberation, remains established in the Self.
चित्तोपशान्तौ संशान्ताश् शान्तये भोगबन्धवः । न त्व् अभावपरिक्षीणाश् चित्तम् एषां किलाकरः
When the mind is tranquil, those who are peaceful are freed from the bonds of enjoyment; but their minds are not destroyed by mere absence.
अघनẖ केवलालोको बुद्धो जीवḫ परायते । स एवान्यो ऽप्य् अनन्यो ऽन्तरपराह्ण इवातपः
The awakened one is pure light without substance; the living being appears as another, yet is not different, like sunlight within and without at midday.
एकदेशस्थितात् पुंसो दूरं यातस्य चेतसः । यद् रूपम् अकलं मध्ये तद् रूपं परमात्मनः
When a person's mind travels far from its fixed place, the formless essence found in the midst is the form of the supreme Self.
चारु चिद् व्योमकर्पूरं यच् चमत्कुरुते स्वयम् । अनन्तम् अन्तर् अव्यक्तं जगद् इत्य् एव वेत्ति तत्
That which spontaneously flashes forth as the beautiful camphor of consciousness-space, knows only the infinite, unmanifest within as the world.
गतभवभ्रमभासुरम् अक्षयं शमम् उपेतम् उपेक्षितदीपवत् । स्थितम् अपीह जनं जगदीश्वरा ननु नमन्ति रमन्ति मुदा च खे
Having attained undying peace, radiant with the end of delusion about existence, and disregarding the lamp of distinctions, even while remaining here, the person is honored and rejoiced in by the lords of the world.
निराशवासनापास्तसमस्तभववासनः । उत्थाय गच्छ प्रकृतेर् अस्या मङ्किर् इवाङ्कतः
Having cast off all desires and the tendencies of worldly existence, rise up and depart from this nature, like Maṅki leaving his mark.
मङ्किनामाभवत् पूर्वं ब्राह्मणस् संशितव्रतः । स कथं शृणु निर्वाणम् आप्तवान् मद्विबोधतः
Once, there was a brahmin named Maṅki, steadfast in his vows; listen to how he attained liberation through my teaching.
अहं कदाचिद् आकाशकोशाद् अवनिम् आगतः । भवत्पितामहार्थेन केनाप्य् उपनिमन्त्रितः
Once, I descended from the vault of space to the earth, invited for the sake of your ancestor by someone.
विहरन् भूतलं गच्छंस् त्वत्पितामहपत्तनम् । प्राप्तो ऽस्मि काम् अप्य् आदीर्घाम् अरण्यानीं महातपाम्
As I wandered over the earth and journeyed toward your grandfather's city, I came upon a certain vast and ancient forest, a place of great austerity.
पांसुप्रतर्दगहनां प्रकचत्तप्तसैकताम् । अदृष्टपारपर्यन्तां क्वचिद् ग्रामकलाञ्छिताम्
It was dense with clouds of dust, its sand scorched and glaring, its limits unseen, stretching endlessly, with the occasional sign of a small village.
अक्षुब्धखानिलालोकजलभूशान्तिशालिनीम् । ततां शून्यां महारम्भां ब्रह्मसत्ताम् इवामलाम्
There reigned an undisturbed calm of air, light, water, and earth—a vast emptiness, grand in its expanse, pure in its essence, like the being of Brahman.
अविद्याम् इव सम्मोहमृगतृष्णागतभ्रमाम् । जाड्यदाम् आततां शून्यां दिग्दाहमिहिकाकुलाम्
It was like ignorance itself—bewildering, haunted by the mirage of delusion, pervaded by dullness, empty, scorched in every direction, and shrouded in mist.
अथ तस्याम् अरण्यान्यां यावत् प्रविहराम्य् अहम् । तावत् पश्यामि पुरतो वदन्तं पथिकं श्रमात्
Then, as I wandered in that forest, I saw ahead of me a weary traveler speaking aloud.
अहो नु परिखेदाय प्रौढप्रायातपो रविः । परितापाय पापो ऽयं दुर्जनेनेव सङ्गमः
"Ah, truly, the sun, grown fierce, brings only exhaustion; its heat is torment, like the company of wicked people."
सङ्गलन्तीव मर्माणि स्फुरतीवाग्निर् आतपे । सङ्कुचत्पल्लवापीडास् ताम्यन्ति वनराजयः
It is as if the sun's heat pierces the very core, as if fire flares in the sunlight; the forest groves, their leaves withered, are languishing.
तावत् तद् एतम् अग्रस्थं ग्रामकं प्रविशाम्य् अहम् । श्रमम् अत्रापनीयाशु वहाम्य् अध्वानम् आशुगः
So I entered that small village ahead, quickly seeking relief from my fatigue, and swiftly continued my journey.
इति सञ्चिन्त्य सो ऽग्रस्थं किरातग्रामकं यदा । प्रवेष्टुम् इच्छति तदा मया प्रोक्त इदं वचः
Thinking thus, when he wished to enter the village of hunters that was seized, I spoke these words to him.
अपरिज्ञात नीराग मार्गमित्र शुभाकृते । मरुमार्गमहारण्यपान्थ स्वागतम् अस्तु ते
Unknown, unattached, friend of the path, doer of good, traveler of the desert wilderness, welcome to you.
चिरं मनुष्यदेशे ऽस्मिन् निर्जनग्रामधन्वनि । नागराध्वग विश्रान्तिं विश्रान्तो ऽपि न लप्स्यसे
For a long time in this land of humans, in this deserted village and wasteland, you, city traveler, though resting, will not find rest.
श्रमो विश्रमणेनैव वर्धते पामरास्पदे । तृड् वै लवणपानेन भूय एवाभिवर्धते
Fatigue increases by resting in a place of the lowly; thirst, indeed, grows ever more by drinking salty water.
एते ग्रामैकशरणाḫ पल्लवस्पन्दभीरवः । अयथायथसञ्चारा हरिणा इव जन्तवः
These creatures, seeking shelter in a single village, fearful of the trembling of leaves, wander rightly or wrongly like deer.
न स्फुरन्ति विचारेषु न ज्वलन्त्य् अनुभूतिषु । न त्रसन्ति दुराचाराद् अश्मयन्त्रमया इव
They do not stir in reflection, do not blaze in experience, nor tremble from evil conduct, as if made of stone and gears.
कामार्थरागविद्वेषपरिनिष्ठितपौरुषाः । कर्मण्य् आपातमधुरे रमन्ते दग्धबुद्धयः
Established in passion, wealth, attachment, and aversion, their minds burned, they delight in actions sweet only in their onset.
आभिजात्योन्नतोदारा शीतला रसशालिनी । नेह विश्वसिति प्रज्ञा मेघमाला मराव् इव
Here, nobility and greatness, coolness, and flavor abound; yet wisdom does not trust here, as a mass of clouds in the desert.
वरम् अन्धगुहाहित्वं शिलान्तẖ कीटता वरम् । वरं मरौ पङ्गुमृगो न ग्राम्यजनसङ्गमः
It is better to dwell in a dark cave, better to be an insect within a stone, better to be a lame deer in the desert, than to associate with worldly people.
निमेषास्वादमधुराẖ क्षणान्तरविरागिणः । मारणैकान्तनिरता ग्राम्या विषकणा इव
Worldly people are sweet only for a moment, quickly turning indifferent; they are ever intent on destruction, like poison-laden arrows.
वान्ति भस्मकणाकीर्णा जीर्णास् संशीर्णसद्मसु । तृणपर्णवनव्यग्रा ग्राम्यावकरवायवः
The winds of the village, busy with grass, leaves, and forest debris, blow through ruined, crumbling houses strewn with ashes.
एवम् उक्तेन तेनाहम् इदम् उक्तस् तदानघ । मद्वाक्येन समाश्वस्य स्नातेनेवामृताम्भसा
When he spoke thus, O sinless one, I replied to him; comforted by my words, he felt as if bathed in the nectar of immortality.