यैर् अहं सलिलाद् दृष्टḫ प्रोत्थितस् तैर् मुनीश्वरैः । प्रोक्तो वारिवसिष्ठो ऽहम् इति मे जन्मसन्ततिः
By those great sages who saw me emerging from the waters, I was named Vārivasiṣṭha; thus is the lineage of my births.
ततḫ प्रभृति लोके ऽहं पार्थिवḫ प्रथितẖ क्वचित् । अम्मयẖ क्वचिद् अन्येषां तैजसो मारुतẖ क्वचित्
From then on, in the world, I have sometimes been known as earthly, sometimes as made of mind, sometimes as fiery, and sometimes as airy among others.
अथ कालेन मे तत्र तस्मिन्न् एवातिवाहिके । आधिभौतिकता देहे रूढा गूढान्तरिक्षता
Then, in due course, in that very subtle body, corporeality became established in my body, while my subtlety remained hidden.
यद् एतद् आतिवाहित्वम् आधिभौतिकता च खम् । द्वयम् अप्य् एतद् एकात्म ततẖ कचति मे चितिः
This subtle existence and corporeality, both of these—space and matter—are of one essence; therefore, my awareness moves through them.
एवमात्मकचिद्व्योमकचनात्माप्य् अहं नभः । परम् एव निराकारं युष्मास्व् आकारवान् अपि
Thus, though my nature is the expanse of consciousness and space, I appear to you with form, yet in truth I am the supreme, formless sky.
जीवन्मुक्तो व्यवहरन्न् अप्य् आस्ते ब्रह्मखात्मकः । तथैव देहमुक्तो ऽपि तिष्ठति ब्रह्ममात्रकम्
Even while living liberated and engaging in worldly affairs, one abides as Brahman-space; likewise, when freed from the body, one remains as pure Brahman alone.
मम न ब्रह्मतापेति तादृग् व्यवहरन्न् अपि । असम्भवाद् अन्यदृशो युष्मदादिष्व् अहं त्व् अहम्
My state of Brahmanhood does not depart, even while engaging in such worldly dealings; for it is impossible for me to be otherwise, just as I am not like you and others.
यथाज्ञस्य स्वप्ननरे निर्जन्मनि निराकृतौ । आधिभौतिकताबुद्धिस् तथा मे जगतो ऽपि च
Just as a person ignorant in a dream believes himself to be a man, though he is not born or has no form, so too is my perception of the world.
एवम् एवावभासन्ते सर्व एव स्वयम्भुवः । सर्गाश् च न तु जायन्ते प्रजाता इव चोदिताः
In this same way, all these self-born creations merely appear to manifest, but they are not truly born, just as offspring seem to arise when prompted.
एष सो ऽहम् इहाकाशवसिष्ठḫ पुष्टताम् इव । गतो ऽद्य स्वात्मनो ऽभ्यासाद् भवतां चाभवस्थितिः
This is that very 'I' here, O Vasiṣṭha, who has now attained fullness like space, through practice of the Self; but your state is one of non-being.
आकाशात्मान एवैते सर्व एव स्वयम्भुवः । यथा ते मन्मनोमात्रम् इमे सर्गास् तथैव हि
All these self-born beings are truly of the nature of space; just as these creations exist only as thoughts in your mind, so indeed are they.
अहमादिर् अयं सर्गस् त्व् अपरिज्ञानदोषतः । वेताल इव बालानां गतो वै वज्रसारताम्
This creation, with ego as its origin, has attained the appearance of solidity due to the fault of non-recognition, like a goblin appearing real to children.
परिज्ञातस् तु कालेन स्वल्पेनैवोपशाम्यति । वासनातानवात् स्नेहो बन्धौ दूरगते यथा
But once recognized, it quickly subsides in a short time, just as affection in a bond fades when the object of attachment is far away.
घनत्वम् अहमाद्य् अस्य तथा सर्गस्य शाम्यति । परिज्ञानाद् यथा स्वप्ननिधेर् आदेयभावना
The density of ego and of creation likewise dissolves through right knowledge, just as the sense of possession in a dream fades upon waking.
शाम्यन्तीमाḫ परिज्ञातास् सकला दृश्यदृष्टयः । यथा मरुनदीवेगवारिग्रहणबुद्धयः
All perceptions of the seen and the seer become tranquil when recognized, just as the thoughts of grasping water in a river are calmed.
महारामायणप्रायशास्त्रप्रेक्षणमात्रतः । एतद् आसाद्यते नित्यं किम् एतावति दुष्करम्
By merely observing the teachings of the great Ramayana scripture, this is attained daily; what difficulty is there in this?
संसारवासनाभावरूपसत्या तु यस्य धीः । मन्दा मोक्षे निराकाङ्क्षा स श्वा कीटो ऽथ वानरः
But one whose mind is weak and lacks desire for liberation, whose understanding is shaped by the absence of worldly inclinations, is like a dog, an insect, or a monkey.
भोगाभोगẖ किलायं यस् स जीवन्मुक्तबुद्धिना । कीदृशो भुज्यमानस् स्यात् कीदृक् स्यान् मौर्ख्यसेविना
This experience of enjoyment and non-enjoyment belongs to one with the mind of a liberated being; what is it like when enjoyed, and what is it like for one devoted to ignorance?
महारामायणप्रायशास्त्रप्रेक्षणमात्रतः । अन्तश् शीतलतोदेति पदार्थेषु हिमोपमा
By merely observing the teachings of the great Ramayana scripture, a coolness arises within, like snow, regarding objects.
मोक्षश् शीतलचित्तत्वं बन्धस् सन्तप्तचित्तता । एतस्मिन्न् अपि नार्थित्वम् अहो लोकस्य मूर्खता
Liberation is the coolness of mind; bondage is the heat of mind. Even so, there is no desire for this—alas, the foolishness of people!
अयं प्रकृत्या विषयैर् वशीकृतḫ परस्परं स्त्रीधनलोलुभो जनः । यथार्थसन्दर्शनतस् सुखीभवेन् मुमुक्षुशास्त्रार्थविचारणाद् अतः
By nature, people are mutually controlled by sense objects, greedy for women and wealth; but by seeing things as they are and reflecting on the meaning of scriptures for liberation, the seeker becomes happy.
इत्य् उक्तवत्य् अथ मुनौ दिवसो जगाम सायन्तनाय विधये ऽस्तम् इनो जगाम । स्नातुं सभा कृतनमस्करणा जगाम श्यामाक्षये रविकरैश् च सहाजगाम
Having spoken thus, the day passed into evening as the sage finished; he went to bathe, offered salutations in the assembly, and departed along with the rays of the setting sun.