अभावं भावना याति बोधेन घनतानवा । विपश्चित्सङ्गमाभ्यासात् पाण्डित्यम् इव मूढता
Imagination reaches nonexistence through knowledge, when density is thinned; by repeated association with the wise, ignorance becomes erudition.
नाहम् अस्मीति सद्युक्त्या निश्चयो ऽन्तश् शमात्मकः । जीवतो ऽजीवतश् चातिरूढो बोध इति स्मृतः
The conviction, 'I am not this,' established by true reasoning, is inwardly composed of tranquility; this is called 'awakening,' firmly established in both the living and the non-living.
वायौ स्पन्द इवात्रेदं जगदाद्य् अवभासते । को ऽहं कथम् इदं चेति विचारेणैव शाम्यति
Just as vibration appears in the wind, so this world first manifests here; by inquiry into 'Who am I? How is this?' it comes to rest.
नाहम् इत्य् एव निर्वाणं किम् एतावति मूढता । सत्सङ्गमविचाराभ्याम् एतद् आश्व् अवगम्यते
The realization 'I am not this' is nirvana; what ignorance remains in that? Through association with the wise and inquiry, this is quickly understood.
क्षीयते तत्त्ववित्सङ्गाद् अहम् इत्य् एव बन्धनम् । आलोकेनेव तिमिरं दिवसेनेव यामिनी
The bondage of 'I am' is dissolved by the company of one who knows the truth, just as darkness is dispelled by light, or night by the day.
को ऽहं कथम् इदं दृश्यं को जीवः किं च जीवनम् । इति तत्त्वज्ञसंयोगाद् यावज्जीवं विचारयेत्
By association with a knower of reality, one should continually inquire throughout life: 'Who am I? What is this world I perceive? Who is the individual soul? What is living?'
जीवितं भुवनं भाति तमो ऽहम् इति नश्यति । तत्त्वालोकेन तज्ज्ञार्कसेवनात् स निषेव्यताम्
Life and the world appear, but the darkness of 'I am' is destroyed by the light of truth, through the service of those who know that truth; therefore, serve them.
यो यो बोधातिशयवांस् तं तं पृथग् उपास्स्व भोः । सङ्गसङ्कथयोदेति तेषां वादपिशाचिका
Approach each person who possesses exceptional understanding individually, for in their company, the ghost of argument arises through discussions about association.
विवादयक्षे ऽभ्युदिते बालस्येव विपश्चितः । मुक्तिम् उक्ताम् अलं मुख्यम् उदेत्य् अहम् इति भ्रमः
When the dice of debate are cast, even the wise become like children; the delusion of 'I am' arises, and the liberation that was spoken of is lost.
अतḫ प्रत्येकम् एकान्ते प्राज्ञस् सेवेत पण्डितम् । एकीकृत्य तदुक्तांस् तान् अर्थान् बुद्ध्या विचारयेत्
Therefore, the wise should privately serve a learned person, and, having gathered the meanings of their words, reflect upon them with understanding.
विचारयेत् तदुक्त्यर्थं बुद्ध्या बुद्धिविवृद्धये । सर्वसङ्कल्पमुक्तं यत् तत् सत् तन्मयतां व्रजेत्
One should reflect with intelligence on the meaning of what has been said, for the growth of discernment; that which is free from all mental constructions is the real, and one should become absorbed in that.
विपश्चित्सङ्गमे बुद्धिं नीत्वा परमतीक्ष्णताम् । अज्ञानलतिका सैका कणशẖ क्रियताम् अलम्
Having brought the intellect to its utmost sharpness through association with the wise, let the single creeper of ignorance be completely destroyed, bit by bit.
एषो ऽर्थस् सम्भवत्य् एव तेनेदं कथयाम्य् अहम् । अनुभूतं वयं बाला नासमञ्जसवेदिनः
This meaning truly arises, and thus I speak of it; we have experienced it as children, not as those lacking proper understanding.
व्योम्नो ऽम्बुवाहादिविजृम्भयेव तरङ्गभङ्ग्येव महार्णवस्य । न युज्यते नापि च नश्यतीह नाशोदये निर्मननस्य किञ्चित्
Just as clouds expand in the sky, or waves break upon the vast ocean, nothing here is fitting, nor does anything perish or arise in the dissolution or emergence of the mindless.
इदं हि सर्वं मृगतृष्णिकाम्बुवन् निरामये ब्रह्मणि शान्त आतते । विचारिते नाहम् इतीव विद्यते कुतẖ क्व कस्मान् मननादिविभ्रमः
All this is like water in a mirage; in the pure, peaceful expanse of Brahman, upon inquiry, there is no 'I am'—from where, to whom, and why would there be confusion such as thought and the like?
स्वपौरुषेण स्वधिया सत्सङ्गमविकासया । यदि नानीयते ज्ञत्वं तद् उपायो ऽस्ति नेतरः
If, by one's own effort, by one's own intellect, and by the expansion that comes from association with the wise, knowledge is not attained, then there is no other means.
अकल्पितं कल्पितं च प्रतिकल्पनया स्वया । तद् एवान्यत्वम् आदत्ते विषत्वम् अमृतं यथा
The imagined and the unimagined, through one's own counter-imagination, take on otherness, just as poison becomes nectar.
कल्पना चाकल्पनान्ता मुक्तता त्यक्तकल्पनम् । एतच् च भोगसन्त्यागपूर्वं सिध्यति नान्यथा
Imagination ends in non-imagination; liberation is the abandonment of imagination, and this is accomplished only after renouncing enjoyment, not otherwise.
वचसा मनसा चान्तश् शब्दार्थाव् अविभावयन् । य आस्ते वर्धते तस्य कल्पनोपशमश् शनैः
He who, by speech and mind, inwardly does not distinguish between word and meaning, who abides thus, for him the cessation of imagination gradually increases.
वर्जयित्वाहम् इत्य् एव नाविद्यास्तीतरात्मिका । शान्ते त्व् अभावनाद् अस्मिन् नान्यो मोक्षो ऽस्ति कश्चन
Except for the notion 'I am,' there is no ignorance of any other kind; in this peace, through absence of conceptualization, there is no other liberation at all.
अहम्भावम् अथादेहं किञ्चिच् छ्रयसि नश्यसि । जगदादौ चिरं तस्मिंस् त्यक्ते शाम्यसि सिध्यसि
When you relinquish the sense of 'I' and the body, you dissolve; at the beginning of the world, in that state, having abandoned it, you become peaceful and fulfilled.
अचेतनाद् इदं सर्वं सद् एवासद् इव स्थितम् । शान्तं यस्योपलस्येव नमस् तस्मै महात्मने
All this, arising from the insentient, exists as if real or unreal; it is tranquil, like a stone, and I bow to that great soul.
अचेतनाद् इदं सर्वम् उपलस्येव शाम्यति । शून्याख्यान्तḫ परालीनचित्तस्याचित्तभावनात्
All this, arising from the insentient, becomes tranquil like a stone; through the cultivation of non-mind, the mind of one absorbed in the void is dissolved.
इदम् अस्त्व् अथ वा मास्तु चेतितं दुẖखवृद्धये । अचेतितं सुखायान्तर् अचेतनम् अचेतनात्
Let this exist or not exist; consciousness increases suffering, while non-consciousness brings inner happiness—insentience arises from the insentient.
द्वौ व्याधी देहिनो घोराव् अयं लोकस् तथा परः । याभ्यां घोराणि दुẖखानि भुङ्क्ते सर्वत्र पीडितः
There are two terrible diseases for the embodied: this world and the next; afflicted by both, one experiences dreadful pains everywhere.
इहलोके यतन्ते ऽज्ञा व्याधौ भोगदुरौषधैः । आजीवितं यथाशक्ति चिकित्सा नापरामये
In this world, the ignorant strive to treat disease with enjoyments and medicines; as long as life lasts, they attempt remedies, but not for the ultimate illness.
परलोकमहाव्याधौ प्रयतन्ते चिकित्सितुम् । शमसत्सङ्गबोधाद्यैर् अमृतैḫ पुरुषोत्तमाः
For the great disease of the next world, the best among men strive to treat it with the nectar of tranquility, noble company, and awakening.
परलोकचिकित्सायां सावधाना भवन्ति ये । मोक्षमार्गमहेच्छायां शमयुक्त्या जयन्ति ते
Those who are attentive in the treatment of the next world, in the great desire for the path of liberation, conquer it by the method of tranquility.
इहैव नरकव्याधेश् चिकित्सां न करोति यः । गत्वा निरौषधं स्थानं स रोगी किं करिष्यति
If someone does not seek treatment for the torment of hell while still here, what will that sick person do after reaching a place where no medicine is available?
इहलोकचिकित्साभिर् जीवितं यातु मा क्षयम् । आत्मज्ञतौषधैर् अज्ञाḫ परलोकश् चिकित्स्यताम्
Let life not come to ruin through remedies in this world; let ignorance of the Self be treated with the medicine of self-knowledge for the sake of the next world.