व्योमोत्पले कोशचक्रं वाडवं तिमिरार्णवे । ब्रह्माण्डसदने दीपो वृक्षो दिनफलावलेः
A wheel of lotuses in the sky, a submarine fire in the ocean of darkness, a lamp in the abode of the cosmic egg, a tree bearing the fruits of day.
रसायनह्रदाकारम् इन्दुत्वं वदनं दिवः । निशानिशाचरीहासो विकासो रजनीदिशाम्
The moon is the face of the sky, shaped like a lake of nectar; the night is the blossoming smile of the night-wandering goddess, the unfolding of the directions of night.
जगल्लावण्यलक्ष्मीनां सर्वासाम् उपमास्पदम् । रजनीरोहिणीनारीकैरवाणां परं प्रियम्
The very model of all the world's beauty and fortune, supremely dear to the night, to Rohiṇī, to women, and to the night-blooming lilies.
नेत्रवृन्दं खशक्रस्य द्युलतापुष्पजालकम् । स्वर्गौकोमषकव्यूहं तारकापटलं पृथु
The host of stars is the multitude of eyes of the sky, a web of celestial creeper-blossoms, a vast array of heaven's gentle insects, a broad cluster of constellations.
वणिङ्मार्गे वणिग्घस्ततलतोलनदोलितम् । रत्नत्वं जलकल्लोलहस्तान्दोलितम् अब्धिभिः
On the merchant's path, the merchant's hand weighs and swings it; in the ocean, the waves of water toss it as a jewel.
अब्दाब्धौ शफरावर्तम् अब्दागे मञ्जरीगणः । अब्दाद्रौ दावदहनो वैद्युतं द्योतनं तरौ
In the ocean, it is the whirl of small fish; on the river, a cluster of blossoms; on the mountain, a wildfire; on the tree, a flash of lightning.
दारुदारुणदुर्वारं दीप्तं ज्वलनचालनम् । यज्ञाग्निदाहकल्पान्तविस्फोटकठिनारवम्
A fierce, unrestrainable blaze, burning and whirling, with a roar as harsh as the explosion of the sacrificial fire at the end of an age.
कचत्काञ्चनमाणिक्यमुक्तामणिमयं महः । तमस्तां नीतम् आक्षिप्य पाण्डित्यम् इव पामरैः
A radiance of gold, rubies, pearls, and gems, seized and carried away into darkness, like learning snatched away by the ignorant.
विश्रान्तं स्तनतुङ्गेषु मुक्ताहारतया मया । असुरोरगगन्धर्वनरनायकयोषिताम्
I have seen it resting on the high breasts of women, as a string of pearls, among the wives of asuras, serpents, gandharvas, and human lords.
पादाहतिशतं मार्गे तिलकत्वं वधूमुखे । खद्योतेन मया लब्धं पश्यावस्थासु चापलम्
A hundred footfalls on the path make it a tilaka on a bride's face; by the firefly I have seen its fickleness in various states.
क्वचिद् विद्युत्तयाभ्रेषु शफर्येवार्णवेष्व् इह । खस्थेषु विहृतं चारु वार्यावर्तविराविषु
At times, like lightning in the clouds or a minnow in the ocean, here, it moves gracefully among the sky, amidst the swirling eddies of water.
क्वचिद् दीपतया नीपकलिकाकोमलाङ्गया । अन्तḫपुरेषु कान्तानां सुरतालोकनं कृतम्
Elsewhere, by the glow of a lamp and the tender limbs of a young woman, the sight of lovers’ union is revealed within the inner chambers.
क्वचित् कज्जलजालस्य ज्वालात्वेन कचाकृतेः । खे ऽन्तर् निलीनं कूर्माङ्गसङ्घेनेव स्वकोटरे
Sometimes, within the mass of kohl, as the flame of a hair ornament, it is hidden in the sky, like a cluster of turtle bodies concealed in their own burrow.
कल्पान्तेषु क्वचित् सर्वजगद्ग्रासघनश्रमात् । खे कज्जलासिते लीनं रुद्धे ऽभ्र इव विद्युता
At the end of an age, exhausted by the dense effort of consuming the entire world, it is absorbed in the blackness of the sky, like lightning blocked by a cloud.
क्वचिद् आकल्पम् आपीय वडवाग्नितया जलम् । जगत्सु गगनेनेव न तृप्तं जलराशिषु
Sometimes, having drunk up all the water as the submarine fire, the sky, though filled with oceans, is not satisfied by the abundance of water in the worlds.
क्वचिद् उल्मुकदन्तेन मया ज्वालाभुजात्मना । विलोलधूमावर्तोग्रकुन्तलेनाकुलौजसा
Elsewhere, with flaming teeth and a fiery nature, I, with wild whirling smoke and fierce, tangled locks, am agitated with intense energy.
पुरपल्वलवाहेषु कवलीकृतजन्तुना । कृताष् टकाराẖ काष्ठादिपदार्थास्वादनोदिताः
In the streams flowing through city marshes, having swallowed living creatures, the sounds of 'ṭa' are uttered, prompted by the tasting of wood and other substances.
हतेन शस्त्रपाषाणैर् अयḫपिण्डादिवासिना । हन्तृदाहार्थम् उद्गीर्णाẖ कणाẖ कोपलवाẖ क्वचित्
Sometimes, struck by weapons or stones, or by one dwelling in an iron lump, particles are expelled for burning the slayer, as sparks of anger.
क्वचिन् महाशिलाकोशे पाषाणमणिना मया । समस्तभूतादृश्येन स्थितं युगशतान्य् अपि
At one time, within a great cavern of stone, I remained for hundreds of ages, unseen by all beings, like a gem embedded in rock.
मुने तस्याम् अवस्थायाम् अनुभूतं त्वया सुखम् । उत दुẖखम् इति ब्रूहि बोधाय मम मानद
O sage, in that state, did you experience happiness or sorrow? Tell me, O giver of honor, for my understanding.
यथा याति नरस् सुप्तो जडतां चेतनो ऽपि सन् । चिद्व्योम गच्छद् दृश्यत्वं तथा जाड्यं प्रचेतति
Just as a person, though conscious, enters dullness when asleep, so too, when consciousness moves into the space of awareness, dullness arises and becomes apparent.
आत्मानं चेतति ब्रह्म पृथ्व्यादीव यदा तदा । सुप्तं जडम् इवास्ते ऽन्तस् स्याद् अस्य न तद् अन्यथा
When the Self perceives itself as Brahman, just as earth and other elements, then it remains within as if asleep and inert; otherwise, it is not so.
वस्तुतस् त्व् अस्य खोर्व्यादि नासद्रूपं न सन्मयम् । द्रष्टृदृश्यम् इवाभाति ब्रह्मैवैतत् समं स्थितम्
In truth, its nature is neither non-existent nor composed of elements like space and earth; it appears as subject and object, yet it is Brahman alone, equally abiding.
एतत् सत्यं परिज्ञानं यस्योत्पन्नम् अखण्डितम् । न तस्य पञ्चभूतानि न द्रष्टृदृश्यविभ्रमः
This is true and complete knowledge: for one in whom it has arisen, there are neither the five elements nor the confusion of subject and object.
तदा मयैवं शुद्धेन तत् कृतं ब्रह्मरूपिणा । ब्रह्मरूपाद् ऋते किञ्चिद् एतत् कर्तुं न युज्यते
Then, by me, pure and of the nature of Brahman, it was accomplished; apart from the form of Brahman, nothing else can be done.
यदा सर्वम् इदं दृश्यं ज्ञातं ब्रह्म निरामयम् । तदा ब्रह्मपदस्थेन मयात्मैवैवम् ईक्षितः
When all this visible world is known as Brahman, free from affliction, then, established in the state of Brahman, I perceived my own Self in this way.
यदा पुनर् अहं पञ्चभूतानीत्य् एव भावयन् । भवामि जड एवाहं तदा चेतामि किं किल
But when I keep thinking, 'I am only the five elements,' then I become insentient; what, indeed, can I be conscious of at that time?
सुप्तो ऽस्मीति दृढं भावं बुद्धवांश् चेतनो ऽपि सन् । नैद्रम् एवैत्य् अलं जाड्यं न स चेतति किञ्चन
Even if one is conscious, when he firmly holds the thought, 'I am asleep,' he does not experience sleep, but remains simply inert, not aware of anything.
यस् तु प्रज्ञाप्रबुद्धात्मा देहस् तस्याधिभौतिकः । शाम्यत्य् उदेति विमलो बोधात्मैवातिवाहिकः
But he whose self is awakened in wisdom—his body, though material, becomes calm and pure, and his very essence is the subtle body of consciousness.
आतिवाहिकदेहेन तेन बोधात्मनाणुना । बृहता वा यथाकामं निर्वाणात्मा स तिष्ठते
With that subtle body, which is the body of consciousness—whether minute or vast as he wishes—the self established in liberation abides.