गगनम् इव सुशून्यभेदम् अस्ति त्रिभुवनम् अङ्ग महाचितो ऽन्तर् अस्याः । परमपदमयं समस्तदृश्यं त्व् इदम् इति निश्चयवान् भवानुभूतेः
Just as the three worlds exist within space, undivided and perfectly empty, so within the great consciousness, all that is seen is truly the supreme state—be firm in this realization born of direct experience.
इत्य् उक्तवत्य् अथ मुनौ दिवसो जगाम सायन्तनाय विधये ऽस्तम् इनो जगाम । स्नातुं सभा कृतनमस्करणा जगाम श्यामाक्षये रविकरैश् च सहाजगाम
When the sage had spoken thus, the day moved towards evening, the sun set, and the assembly, having offered their salutations, departed to bathe as the rays of the sun faded into dusk.
जगद् आकाशम् एवेदं यथा हि व्योम्नि मौक्तिकम् । विमले भाति खात्मैव जगच् चिद्गगने तथा
This world is only space, just as a pearl appears in the sky; in the pure expanse of consciousness, the world shines forth in the same way.
अनुत्कीर्णैव भातीव त्रिजगत्सालभञ्जिका । चित्स्तम्भे न च सोत्कीर्णा न चोत्कर्तात्र विद्यते
Just as a celestial maiden carved on a pillar seems to stand out but is not truly separate, so too, in the pillar of consciousness, there is neither carving nor carver to be found.
समुद्रे ऽन्तर् जलास्पन्दास् स्वभावाद् अच्युता अपि । विदि वेद्या भवन्तीव परे दृश्यविदस् तथा
Just as the ripples within the ocean, though unshaken in their essence, appear to arise naturally, so too, the knowable and the knower seem to appear in the supreme, though they are not truly separate.
जलान्तर्गतसूर्याभाजालकारचनान्य् अपि । जगद्भानं प्रति स्थूलान्य् अणुं प्रति यथाचलाः
Even the patterns of sunlight seen within water, though appearing substantial to the world, are insubstantial to the atom—so too is the world’s appearance.
जगद्भानम् अभानाभं ब्रह्मणो ऽव्यतिरेकतः । जलसूर्यांशुजालं तु व्यतिरेकानुभूतिदम्
The appearance of the world, which is neither manifest nor unmanifest, is not separate from Brahman; it is like the network of sunlight on water, which is perceived as distinct.
अनुभूतान्य् अपीमानि जगति व्योमरूपिणि । पृथ्व्यादीनि न सन्त्य् एव स्वप्नसङ्कल्पयोर् इव
Even though earth and the other elements seem to be experienced in this world, which is of the nature of space, they do not truly exist—just as in dream or imagination.
पिण्डग्रहे सद् इत्य् अस्मिन् विज्ञानाकाशरूपिणि । मरुनद्यां जलम् इव न सम्भवति कुत्रचित्
In this space-like consciousness, which appears as the grasping of objects as real, nothing actually arises—just as water does not exist in a mirage river.
जगत्य् अपिण्डग्राहे ऽस्मिन् गन्धर्वनगरोपमे । मरौ सरिद् इवाभाति दृश्यता भ्रान्तिरूपिणी
In this world, where there is no grasping of objects, which is like a city of the Gandharvas, the appearance of things is like a river in the desert—an illusion that seems visible.
स्वप्नाद्रिणेव जगता तुलादेशौ न कौचन । पूरितौ कलनोन्मुक्ता दृश्यश्रीर् व्योम केवलम्
Just as in a dream mountain, there are no real scales or measures, so too in the world, all visible forms are merely space, filled only by imagination and not by substance.
वर्जयित्वाज्ञविज्ञातजगच्छब्दार्थभावनम् । जगद्ब्रह्मखशब्दानाम् अर्थे नास्त्य् एव भिन्नता
Except for the conceptualization of the meanings of the words 'world' and 'Brahman' by the ignorant, there is truly no difference in the meaning of the words 'world,' 'Brahman,' and 'space.'
इदं त्व् अचेत्यचिन्मात्रभानोर् भानं नभः प्रति । तथा सूक्ष्मं यथा मेघं प्रति सङ्कल्पवारिदः
This radiance, which is the mere shining of consciousness and non-consciousness, is related to space as subtly as a cloud of imagination is to a real cloud.
यथा स्वप्नपुरं स्वच्छं जाग्रत्पुरवरं प्रति । तथा जगद् इदं स्वच्छं सङ्कल्पितजगत् प्रति
Just as a dream city appears clear in comparison to a waking city, so too this world appears clear in comparison to an imagined world.
तस्माद् अचेत्यचिद्रूपं जगद् व्योमैव केवलम् । शून्यौ व्योमजगच्छब्दौ पर्यायौ विद्धि चिन्मयौ
Therefore, this world, which appears as inert and conscious, is in reality nothing but pure space; know that the words 'void' and 'space-world' are interchangeable, both being of the nature of consciousness.
तस्मान् न किञ्चिद् उत्पन्नं जगदादीह दृश्यकम् । अनाख्यम् अनभिव्यक्तं यथास्थितम् अवस्थितम्
Thus, nothing has arisen here—neither the world nor its beginning nor anything seen; it remains as it is, unnameable and unmanifest.
जगद् एव महाकाशं चिदाकाशम् अभित्तिमत् । तद् देशस्याणुमात्रस्य तुलायाश् चाप्रपूरकम्
The world itself is the great space, the space of consciousness, without any division; it is like a region of atomic size or like a scale that cannot be filled.
आकाशरूपम् एवाच्छं पिण्डग्रहविवर्जितम् । व्योम्नि व्योममयं चित्रं सङ्कल्पपुरवत् स्थितम्
It is of the nature of space alone, pure, free from grasping of forms; within space, a wondrous vision made of space stands, like a city conjured by imagination.
अत्रेदं मण्डपाख्यानं शृणु श्रवणभूषणम् । निस्सन्देहो यथैषो ऽर्थश् चित्ते विश्रान्तिम् एति ते
Here, listen to the story of the pavilion, an ornament to the ear; by which, without doubt, this meaning will bring rest to your mind.
सद्बोधवृद्धये ब्रह्मन् समासेन वदाशु मे । मण्डपाख्यानम् अखिलं येन बोधो विवर्धते
O Brahman, for the growth of true understanding, quickly tell me the entire story of the pavilion in brief, by which knowledge increases.
अभूद् अस्मिन् महीपीठे कुलपद्मो विकासवान् । पद्मो नाम नृपश् श्रीमान् बहुपुत्रो ऽतिकोशवान्
There was, on this earth, a noble lotus of a family, fully blossomed—a king named Padma, illustrious, with many sons and great wealth.
मर्यादापालने ऽम्भोधिर् द्विषत्तिमिरभास्करः । कान्ताकुमुदिनीचन्द्रो दोषतृणहुताशनः
In upholding boundaries, he was an ocean; to his enemies, a sun dispelling darkness; to his beloveds, a moon to the night-lotuses; to faults, a fire consuming grass.
मेरुर् विबुधवृन्दानां यशश्चन्द्रोद्भवार्णवः । सरस् सद्गुणहंसानां कलाकमलभास्करः
He was the Meru mountain among assemblies of the wise, the ocean from which the moon of fame arises, the lake for swans of noble virtues, the sun to the lotus of the arts.
शात्रवाम्भोदपवनो मानमातङ्गकेसरी । समस्तविद्यादयितस् सर्वाश्चर्यगुणाकरः
He was the wind dispersing the ocean of enemies, the lion among elephants of pride, beloved of all branches of knowledge, a mine of all wondrous qualities.
शूरारिसागरक्षोभविलसन्मन्दराचलः । विलासपुष्पौघमधुस् सौभाग्यकुसुमायुधः
He was the Mandara mountain churning the sea of foes, the honey of a multitude of blossoming graces, the god of love armed with the flowers of good fortune.
लीलालतालास्यमरुत् साहसोत्सवकेशवः । सौजन्यकैरवशशी दुर्लीलालतिकानलः
He was the breeze at the play of the creeper of sport, the hero in the festival of daring, the moon to the night-blooming water-lily of nobility, the fire to the rare creeper of sport.
तस्यासीत् सुभगा भार्या लीला नाम विलासिनी । सर्वसौभाग्यवलिता कमलेवोदितावनौ
He had a fortunate wife named Lila, full of charm, endowed with every auspicious quality, who appeared on earth like a lotus newly blossomed.
सर्वसम्पत्तिललिता लीलामधुरभाषिणी । सानन्दमन्दवलिता द्वितीयेन्दूदयस्मिता
She was adorned with all prosperity, sweet-spoken in her playfulness, gently radiant with joy, her smile like the rising of a second moon.
अलकालिमनोहारिवदनाम्भोजशालिनी । शीताङ्गी कर्णिकागौरी जङ्गमेव सरोजिनी
Her lotus face captivated the minds of Alaka’s denizens, her body was cool and her core pure as a lotus’s heart, a living embodiment of the lotus.
लताविलासकुन्दौघहासिनी रसशालिनी । प्रवालहस्ता पुष्पाढ्या मधुश्रीर् इव देहिनी
She smiled with the radiance of jasmine clusters in the play of vines, was full of flavor, her hands tender as new shoots, adorned with flowers, a goddess of fortune in human form.