देहकारणकस् स्वप्नो देहाभावे न दृश्यते । इति चेत् तद् अदेहानां परलोको ऽपि नास्ति वः
If you say that dream is caused by the body and is not seen in the absence of the body, then for those without a body, there would be no afterlife for you either.
इत्य् एतद् अभविष्यच् चेत् तच् छरीरकसङ्क्षये । नाभविष्यद् अयं सर्गस् स चास्त्य् एव हि सर्वदा
If this were so, then at the destruction of the body, this creation would not exist; but in fact, it always exists.
अवयवविभागात्मन्य् अवश्यंभाविनि क्षये । न कदाचिद् अनित्थं तज् जगद् इत्य् अप्य् असंस्थितम्
When the dissolution of the body, which is composed of parts, is inevitable, this world too is never truly established, nor is it ever otherwise.
न कदाचिज् जगन्नाशे देहाद् भूतगणाद् इयम् । मदशक्तिर् इव ज्ञप्तिर् उदेतीत्य् असि वक्षि चेत्
If you say that, even when the world is destroyed, this awareness arises from the body and the group of elements, like the power of intoxication, then—
तत् पुराणेतिहासानां सर्वसङ्क्षयवादिनाम् । स्मृत्यादीनां च वेदानां वैयर्थ्यम् उपजायते
Then, the ancient legends and all the scriptures that speak of universal dissolution, as well as the Vedas and other texts based on memory, become meaningless.
अप्रमाणतयैतस्मिन्न् अर्थे तेषां महामते । अन्यत्रापि प्रमाणत्वं विद्यादाव् अपि किं भवेत्
If, in this matter, those authorities are not valid, O wise one, then how can their authority be accepted elsewhere, even in matters of knowledge?
न चैतद् विद्यते लोके जगदुच्छेदकारणात् । अन्यच् चास्ताम् एतद् अङ्ग ममेदम् अपरं शृणु
And this is not found in the world, that the world is destroyed for such a reason; but let that be, my friend—now hear this other point of mine.
मदशक्त्यात्मनि ज्ञाने दृष्टा देशान्तरेषु या । प्रमृतानां पिशाचादिदेहता सा न सिध्यति
The knowledge that appears in the self, as the power of intoxication is seen in distant lands, does not truly become the embodiment of ghosts and the like after death.
अथ सापि मुधाभ्रान्तिर् यावद्देहं प्रदृश्यते । इति चेत् तन् मुधानाम सत्यम् इत्य् एव वो भवेत्
If you say that even this is a false delusion as long as the body is perceived, then let it be so—such is truly the view of the deluded.
एवं चेत् तत् परे लोके सत् स्वर्गनरकादिकम् । इत्य् एषापि न संवित् किं सत्यताम् उपगच्छति
If it is so, then in the other world, with heaven, hell, and so on, even that is not consciousness—how, then, can it be considered real?
पिशाचप्रतिभा सत्या मदज्ञप्तिमतो यदि । प्रतिभास्य न सत्या स्यात् परलोकात्मिका कथम्
If the vision of a ghost is true for one whose mind is intoxicated, why should not the perception of the afterlife, which appears similarly, also be true?
पिशाचो ऽस्तीति चेत् संवित् सत्यार्था तेन संविदः । मृतस्यास्ति परो लोक इत्य् अस्याẖ किं न सत्यता
If you say, 'A ghost exists,' then that awareness is real for consciousness; so why should the belief that there is an afterlife for the dead not also be real?
काकतालीयवद् देहात् पैशाची ज्ञप्तिर् अस्ति चेत् । परलोकार्थसंवित्तिẖ कथं नास्ति सकारणा
If, by chance, a ghostly perception arises from the body, then why should the awareness of the afterlife, which has its own cause, not also exist?
यान्तर् वेत्ति यथा संवित् सा तथानुभवत्य् अलम् । अस्तु सत्यम् असत्यं वा सिद्धम् इत्य् अनुभूतितः
Just as inner consciousness knows, so it fully experiences; whether it is true or untrue is established by experience.
मृतस्यास्ति परो लोको विद् इत्य् एवम्मयी भवेत् । सति चासति देहे ऽस्मिंस् तेन किं सद् असच् च किम्
Let there be the idea, 'There is an afterlife for the dead'—such is the nature of thought; when the body exists or does not exist, what then is real or unreal?
तस्मात् स्वभावḫ प्रथमं प्रस्फुरन् वेत्ति संविदम् । वासनाकारणं पश्चाद् बुद्ध्वा सम्पश्यति भ्रमम्
Therefore, first, inherent nature flashes forth and knows consciousness; then, recognizing the cause as latent impression, it perceives delusion.
तत्क्षयाच् छमम् आयाति द्रष्टृदृश्यदृगामयः । तत्सत्तायाम् उदेतीयं संसृत्याख्या पिशाचिका
When that ceases, tranquility arises, composed of seer, seen, and seeing; when that persists, this so-called ghostly cycle of transmigration arises.
उपलम्भ उदेत्य् आदौ ब्रह्मणो वासना ततः । तच्छान्तिं विद्धि निर्वाणं तत्सत्तां संसृतिभ्रमम्
First, perception arises, then the latent impression of Brahman; know that the cessation of that is liberation, and its persistence is the delusion of transmigration.
उत्पन्नैव न सानादौ परे ब्रह्मण्य् असम्भवात् । उत्पन्नापि च वा यासौ ब्रह्मैव परम् एव सत्
That which arises does not truly arise in the beginningless Supreme Brahman, for there is no origination there; and even if it appears to arise, it is only the Supreme Brahman itself, the one true reality.
एतावद् यत् परिज्ञानं तन् निर्वाणं विदुर् बुधाः । यद् अत्रैवापरिज्ञानं तं बन्धं विद्धि राघव
So much as there is clear understanding, that is known by the wise as liberation; whatever lack of understanding remains here, know that, O Raghava, to be bondage.
विज्ञानघन एवायं कचनाकचनात्मकः । स्वयम् एव कचत्य् अन्तर् न कचत्य् एव वा स्वयम्
This is indeed a mass of pure consciousness, appearing as both moving and unmoving; by itself it moves within, or by itself it does not move at all.
संविदंशपरावृत्तिमात्रपेलवरूपिणी । बन्धदृङ् मोक्षदृक् चेति क्लेशस् तत्साधने कियान्
Awareness, appearing merely as the turning of a fraction, is seen as bondage or as liberation; how much suffering is there in striving for that?
संविदुद्बोधनं बन्धस् तदनुद्बोधनं शिवम् । असत् सद्वज् जगद् भाति संविदुद्बोधनोदरम्
The awakening of awareness is bondage; its non-awakening is peace. The world appears as real or unreal, depending on the stirring of awareness.
अजडं बोधनं सुप्तं मोक्ष इत्य् अभिधीयते । प्रबुद्धं बन्ध इत्य् आहुर् यद् इच्छसि तद् आहर
Unclouded awareness in sleep is called liberation; when awakened, it is said to be bondage. Choose whichever you wish.
निर्वाणवासनम् अनन्तम् अजाड्यम् अच्छबोधैकतानम् अपयन्त्रणम् अस्तशङ्कम् । अद्वैतम् ऐक्यरहितं च निरस्तशून्यम् आकाशकोशविशदाशय शान्तम् आस्स्व
Abide in the infinite disposition of nirvana—free from dullness, with pure, undivided knowledge, unrestrained, without fear, nondual, without any sense of unity, devoid of emptiness, with a mind clear as the sky and at peace.
इति ते सर्व आयाता ब्रह्मलोकनिवासिनः । अदृश्यताम् एव गता दीपाẖ क्षीणदशा इव
Thus, all those residing in the world of Brahma came to you; then, like lamps whose oil is spent, they became invisible.
अथ ते द्वादशादित्या ब्रह्मणि ब्रह्मतां गते । जगद्वद् ब्रह्मलोकं तम् अदहन् भासुरार्चिषः
Then, as those twelve suns attained unity with Brahman, their radiant flames consumed the Brahma-world, just as they would the universe.
वैरिञ्चनगरं दग्ध्वा ध्यानं कृत्वा विरिञ्चवत् । ते ऽपि निर्वाणम् आजग्मुर् निस्स्नेहदशदीपवत्
Having burned the city of Brahma, and meditating in the manner of Brahma, they too reached liberation, like ten lamps extinguished, devoid of oil.
तत एकार्णवापूरो विरिञ्चनगरान्तरम् । रात्रौ भुवम् इव ध्वान्तं पूरयाम् आस सूर्मिमान्
Then, a single oceanic flood filled the space between the city of Brahma, covering it like night envelops the earth, surging with waves.
आब्रह्मलोकम् अभवज् जगद् आपूर्णम् अर्णसा । तुल्यं रसैकपूर्णेन पक्वद्राक्षाफलेन तत्
The world, up to the realm of Brahma, was submerged by the waters; it became saturated, like a ripe grape filled entirely with its juice.