किं सम्पदा किं विपदा किं गेहेन किम् ईहितैः । सर्वम् एवासद् इत्य् उक्त्वा तूष्णीम् एको ऽवतिष्ठते
He says, 'What is the use of wealth, what of misfortune, what of a house, what of efforts? All is unreal,' and remains silent and alone.
नोदेति परिहासेषु न भोगेषु निमज्जति । न च तिष्ठति कार्येषु मौनम् एवावलम्बते
He does not join in laughter, does not immerse himself in pleasures, nor does he engage in duties—he simply resorts to silence.
विलोलालकवल्लर्यो हेलावलितलोचनाः । नानन्दयन्ति तं नार्यो मृग्यो वनतरुं यथा
Women with flowing locks and glancing eyes, playful and alluring, do not bring him joy, just as deer do not delight in a forest tree.
एकान्तेषु दिगन्तेषु तीरेषु विपिनेषु च । रतिम् आयात्य् अरण्येषु विक्रीतवद् अजन्तुषु
In solitary places, at the horizon, on riverbanks, and in forests, he finds pleasure among wild creatures as if they were his own kind.
वस्त्रपानाशनादानपराङ्मुखतया तया । परिव्राड्धर्मिणां राजन् सो ऽनुयाति तपस्विनाम्
O King, with a disposition turned away from clothing, drink, food, and possessions, he follows the conduct of wandering ascetics, pursuing the path of austerity.
एक एव वसन् देशे जनशून्ये जनेश्वर । न हसत्य् एकया बुद्ध्या न गायति न रोदिति
Dwelling alone in a deserted place, O Lord of men, he neither laughs with his solitary mind, nor sings, nor weeps.
बद्धपद्मासनश् शून्यमना वामकरस्थले । कपोलतलम् आदाय केवलं परितिष्ठति
Seated in the bound lotus posture, his mind empty, he rests his cheek upon his left palm and simply remains there.
नाभिमानम् उपादत्ते नाभिवाञ्छति राजताम् । नोदेति नास्तम् आयाति सुखदुःखानुवृत्तिषु
He does not adopt pride, nor does he desire sovereignty; he neither rises nor sets in the succession of pleasure and pain.
न विद्मः किम् असौ जातः किं करोति किम् ईहते । किं ध्यायति किम् आयाति कथं किम् अनुधावति
We do not know whether he was born, what he does, what he desires, what he contemplates, where he goes, or how or why he acts.
प्रत्यहं कृशतां याति प्रत्यहं याति पाण्डुताम् । विरागं प्रत्यहं याति शरदन्त इव द्रुमः
Day by day he grows thin, day by day he becomes pale; day by day he attains dispassion, like a tree at the end of autumn.
अनुयातौ तम् एवैतौ राजञ् शत्रुघ्नलक्ष्मणौ । तादृशाव् एव तस्यैव प्रतिबिम्बाव् इवोत्थितौ
O King, Śatrughna and Lakṣmaṇa follow him, just as if they were his very reflections arisen in the same manner.
भृत्यै राजभिर् अम्बाभिस् स पृष्टो ऽपि पुनः पुनः । उक्त्वा न किञ्चिद् एवेति तूष्णीम् आस्ते निरीहितः
Though repeatedly questioned by servants, kings, and mothers, he simply replies, 'Nothing,' and sits in silence, without desire.
आपातमात्रहृद्येषु मा भोगेषु मनः कृथाः । इति पार्श्वगतं भव्यम् अनुशास्ति सुहृज्जनम्
He instructs his dear friend who is beside him, saying: 'Do not let your mind dwell on pleasures that only touch the heart for a moment.'
नानाविभवरम्यासु स्त्रीषु गोष्ठीकथासु च । पुरस्स्थितम् इवास्नेहो नाशम् एवानुपश्यति
He sees that affection, even for women who delight in various enjoyments and for conversations in gatherings, vanishes as if it were right before his eyes.
रीतिमाधुर्यसायासपदसंस्थितिवर्जितैः । चेष्टितैर् एव काकल्या भूयो भूयः प्रगायति
Again and again, the crow sings only with gestures that lack elegance, sweetness, effort, or proper form.
सम्राड् भवेति पार्श्वस्थं वदन्तम् अनुजीविनम् । प्रलपन्तम् इवोन्मत्तं हसत्य् अन्यमना मुनिः
When a dependent standing nearby says, 'Become emperor,' the sage, absorbed elsewhere, laughs at him as if he were a madman babbling.
न प्रोक्तम् आकर्णयति प्रेक्षते न पुरोगतम् । करोत्य् अवज्ञां सर्वत्र सुमहत्य् अपि वस्तुनि
He does not listen to what is spoken, nor does he look at what is before him; he disregards everything, even the greatest things.
अप्य् आकाशसरोजिन्याम् अप्य् आकाशमहावने । इत्थम् एतत् कथम् इति विस्मयो ऽस्य न जायते
Even if there were a lotus pond or a great forest in the sky, he would not feel any wonder, thinking, 'How is this so?'
कान्तामध्यगतस्यापि मनो ऽस्य मदनेषवः । न भेदयन्ति दुर्भेदं धारा इव महोपलम्
Even when surrounded by beautiful women, the arrows of love do not pierce his mind, which is as hard to break as a massive stone.
आपदाम् एकम् आवासम् अभिवाञ्छसि किं धनम् । अनुशास्येति सर्वस्वम् अर्थिने स प्रयच्छति
If someone in distress asks him, 'Do you desire a single dwelling place or wealth?' he gives away everything to the one who requests it, as an instruction.
इयम् आपद् इयं सम्पद् इत्य् अयं कल्पनामयः । मनस्य् अभ्युदितो मोह इति शोकात् प्रगायति
This is misfortune, this is fortune—such are the fabrications of imagination; when such delusion arises in the mind, it sings forth in sorrow.
हा हतो ऽहम् अनाथो ऽहम् इत्य् आक्रन्दपरो ऽपि सन् । न जनो याति वैराग्यं चित्रम् इत्य् एव वक्त्य् असौ
Alas, I am ruined, I am helpless—though he cries out in lamentation, still, it is remarkable that such a person does not become detached.
रघुकाननसालेन रामेण रिपुघातिना । भृशम् इत्थं स्थितेनैव वयं खेदम् उपागताः
Because Rama, the destroyer of enemies and lion of the Raghu forest, remains thus deeply absorbed, we have come to distress.
न विद्मः किं महाबाहो तस्य तादृशचेतसः । कुर्मः कमलपत्त्राक्ष गतिर् अत्र हि नो भवान्
We do not know, O mighty-armed one, what to do for one whose mind is thus; O lotus-eyed one, you alone are our refuge here.
राजानम् अथ वा विप्रम् उपदेष्टारम् अग्रगम् । हसन् पशुम् इवाव्यग्रस् सो ऽवधीरयति प्रभो
Whether it is the king, a brahmin, or the foremost teacher, he regards them all with indifference, O Lord, dismissing them like a beast unconcerned.
प्रपञ्चो ऽयम् इह स्फारं जगन्नाम यद् उत्थितम् । नैतद् वस्तु न चैवाहम् इति निर्णीय संस्थितः
This vast manifestation, called the world, has arisen here; having determined that this is not real, nor am I, he remains established.
नारौ नात्मनि नो मित्रे न राज्ये न च मातरि । न सम्पदापदोर् नान्तस् तस्यास्था न विभोर् बहिः
He has no attachment to the body, nor to the self, nor to friends, nor to the kingdom, nor to his mother; neither in fortune nor misfortune, nor in anything external or internal, does he place any trust.
निरस्तास्थो निराशो ऽसौ निरीहो ऽसौ निरास्पदः । मोहेन च विमुक्तो ऽसौ तेन तप्यामहे वयम्
He is devoid of attachment, without hope, without desire, without any support; he is freed from delusion, and because of this, we are afflicted.
किं धनेन किम् अम्बाभिः किं राज्येन किम् ईहया । इति निश्चयवान् अन्तः प्राणत्यागमनास् स्थितः
What use is wealth, what use are mothers, what use is a kingdom, what use is desire? Thus resolved within, he stands ready for the giving up of life.
भोगेष्व् आयुषि राज्ये च मित्रे पितरि मातरि । परम् उद्वेगम् आयातश् चातको ऽवग्रहे यथा
In pleasures, in life, in the kingdom, in friend, in father, in mother—he has come to utter distress, like a chataka bird in a drought.