कुर्वन्न् अपीव जगतां महताम् अनन्तस्पन्दं न किञ्चन करोति कदाचनापि । स्वात्मन्य् अनस्तमयसंविदि निर्विकारे त्यक्तोदयस्थितिमतिस् स्थित एक एव
Even while performing the boundless activity of the great worlds, it never truly acts at any time; established solely in its own undiminishing, changeless awareness, having abandoned all notions of arising and abiding.
अस्य देवातिदेवस्य परस्य परमात्मनः । ज्ञानाद् एव परा सिद्धिर् न त्व् अनुष्ठानखेददा
For this God of gods, the supreme Self, highest attainment comes only through knowledge, not through the weariness of ritual practice.
अत्र ज्ञानम् अनुष्ठानं न त्व् अन्यद् उपयुज्यते । मृगतृष्णाजलभ्रान्तिशान्तिवेदनरूपि तत्
Here, only knowledge and its application are useful; nothing else is required. It is like the experience that brings relief from the illusion of water in a mirage.
न चैष दूरे नाकाशे नालभ्यो विषमो न च । स्वानन्दभासरूपो ऽसौ स्वदेहाद् एव लभ्यते
This is neither distant nor in the sky, nor difficult to attain. It is the radiance of one's own bliss, and is found within one's own body.
किञ्चिन् नोपकरोत्य् अत्र तपोदानव्रतादिकम् । स्वभावमात्रविश्रान्तिम् ऋते नात्रास्ति साधनम्
Practices such as austerity, charity, or vows do not help here at all. Except for resting in one's own nature, there is no other means.
शास्त्रसत्सङ्गसद्योगिपरतैवात्र केवलम् । साधनं बोधनं मोहजालस्य यद् अकृत्रिमम्
Scripture, association with the wise, and the guidance of true yogis alone are the means and illumination here; whatever dispels the net of delusion without artifice.
अयं स देव इत्य् एव सम्परिज्ञानमात्रतः । जन्तोर् न जायते दुःखं जीवन्मुक्तत्वम् एति च
By the mere recognition, 'This is that God,' suffering does not arise for the living being, and one attains liberation while living.
सम्परिज्ञातमात्रेण किलानेनात्मनात्मनि । पुनर् दोषा न बाधन्ते मरणाद्याः कदाचन
By this very recognition of the self within the self, faults such as death and others never afflict again.
देवदेवो महान् एष कुतो दूराद् अवाप्यते । तपसा केन तीव्रेण क्लेशेन कियताथवा
How could this great God, the God of gods, be attained from afar—by what intense austerity, by what hardship, or by how much effort?
स्वपौरुषप्रयत्नेन विवेकेन विकासिना । स देवो ज्ञायते राम न तपस्स्नानकर्मभिः
O Rama, that God is known through one's own effort, through expanding discernment, not by austerity, bathing, or ritual actions.
रागद्वेषतमःक्रोधमदमात्सर्यवर्जनम् । विना राम तपोदानं क्लेश एव न वास्तवम्
O Rama, without abandoning attachment, aversion, darkness, anger, pride, and envy, austerity and charity are merely sources of suffering, not truly effective.
रागाद्युपहते चित्ते वञ्चयित्वा परं धनम् । यद् अर्ज्यते ततो दानाद् यस्यार्थस् तस्य तत्फलम्
When the mind is afflicted by attachment and the like, and one acquires another's wealth through deceit, whatever is given in charity from that is fruitful only for the rightful owner.
रागाद्युपहते चित्ते व्रतादि क्रियते च यत् । स दम्भः प्रोच्यते तस्य फलम् अस्ति मनाङ् न वा
When the mind is tainted by attachment and the like, and one performs vows or rituals, that is called hypocrisy; its result is negligible or none at all.
तस्मात् पुरुषयत्नेन मुख्यम् औषधम् आहरेत् । सच्छास्त्रसज्जनासङ्गं संसृतिव्याधिनाशनम्
Therefore, by one's own effort, one should obtain the foremost remedy: association with true scriptures and noble people, which destroys the disease of worldly existence.
अत्रैकं पौरुषं यत्नं वर्जयित्वेतरा गतिः । सर्वदुःखक्षयप्राप्तौ न काचिद् उपपद्यते
Here, except for personal effort, no other means is suitable for attaining the cessation of all suffering.
शृणु तत् पौरुषं कीदृग् आत्मज्ञानस्य लब्धये । येन शाम्यन्त्य् अशेषेण रागद्वेषविषूचिकाः
Listen to what kind of personal effort leads to the attainment of self-knowledge, by which all the fevers of attachment and aversion are completely pacified.
यथासम्भवया वृत्त्या लोकशास्त्राविरुद्धया । सन्तोषसन्तुष्टमना भोगगर्धं परित्यजन्
With whatever means are available, in a way not opposed to worldly norms or scriptures, with a mind content and satisfied, one should abandon greed for enjoyment.
यथासम्भवम् उद्योगाद् अनुद्विग्नतया स्वया । साधुसङ्गमसच्छास्त्रपरतां प्रथमं श्रयेत्
With whatever effort is possible, and without agitation, one should first take refuge in devotion to association with the good and with true scriptures.
यथाप्राप्तार्थसन्तुष्टो यो गर्हितम् उपेक्षते । साधुसङ्गमसच्छास्त्ररतश् शीघ्रं स मुच्यते
He who is content with what comes to him, who disregards what is blameworthy, and who delights in the company of the virtuous and in true scriptures—he is quickly liberated.
विचारणापरिज्ञातस्वभावस्य महामतेः । अनुकम्प्या भवन्त्य् एते ब्रह्मविष्ण्विन्द्रशङ्कराः
For one of great intelligence who has not discerned the true nature of things through inquiry, even Brahma, Vishnu, Indra, and Shiva are to be regarded with compassion.
भृशं यं सुजनप्रायं लोकास् साधुं प्रचक्षते । स विशिष्टस् स साधुस् स्यात् तं प्रयत्नेन संश्रयेत्
He whom people, who are themselves mostly good, call a virtuous person—he is truly distinguished and virtuous; one should diligently seek his association.
अध्यात्मविद्या विद्यानां प्रधानं तत्कथाश्रयम् । शास्त्रं सच्छास्त्रम् इत्य् आहुर् मुच्यते तद्विचारवान्
Among all branches of knowledge, spiritual wisdom is foremost, and the scripture that is based on its teaching is called the true scripture; one who reflects upon it is liberated.
सच्छास्त्रसत्सङ्गमजैर् विवेकैस् तथा विनश्यन्ति बलान् मलानि । यथा जलानां कतकानुषङ्गाद् यथा जडानाम् अभयोपयोगात्
Just as the scum of water is removed by the use of clearing nuts, and as the dull are freed by the use of remedies, so too impurities are destroyed by discernment born of true scriptures and association with the good.
य एष देवः कथितो यस्मिञ् ज्ञाते विमुच्यते । वद क्वासौ स्थितो देवः कथम् एनम् अहं लभे
This deity who has been described, by knowing whom one is liberated—tell me, where does this deity abide, and how may I attain him?
य एष देवः कथितो नैष दूरे ऽवतिष्ठते । शरीरे संस्थितो नित्यं चिन्मात्रम् इति विश्रुतः
This deity who has been described does not dwell far away; he is always present in the body, known as pure consciousness.
एष सर्वम् इदं विश्वं न विश्वं त्व् एष सर्वगः । विद्यते ह्य् एष एवैको न तु विश्वाभिधास्ति दृक्
This alone is all this universe; yet, this all-pervading one is not the universe. Truly, only this one exists; there is no seer called 'the universe' apart from him.
चिन्मात्रम् एष शशिभृच् चिन्मात्रं गरुडध्वजः । चिन्मात्रम् एव तपनश् चिन्मात्रं कमलोद्भवः
This is pure consciousness: the moon-bearer, the eagle-bannered one, the sun, and the lotus-born—all are nothing but pure consciousness.
बाला अपि वदन्त्य् एतद् यदि चेतनमात्रकम् । जगद् इत्य् एव कैवात्र नाम स्याद् उपदेशता
Even children say this world is nothing but consciousness; if so, what need is there for instruction, and what name could be given to it?
चिन्मात्रं चेतनं विश्वम् इति यज् ज्ञातवान् असि । न किञ्चिद् एतद् विज्ञातं भवता भवतारणम्
You have understood that the universe is pure consciousness, awareness alone; yet nothing has truly been known by you that could lead to liberation from becoming.
चेतनं नाम संसारो जीव एष पशुस् स्मृतः । एतस्माद् एव निर्यान्ति जरामरणवीचयः
What is called 'awareness' is samsara; this living being is regarded as a creature, and from this arise the waves of old age and death.