इत्य् उत्तमस्य स मुने रघुवंशकेतुर् आकर्ण्य वाक्यम् उचितार्थविलासगर्भम् । तत्याज खेदम् अभिगर्जति वारिवाहे बर्ही यथाभ्यनुमिताभिमतार्थसिद्धिः
Hearing these words of the sage—full of appropriate meaning and noble intent—the scion of Raghu’s line cast off his distress, like a peacock roars joyfully at the approach of rain, assured of the fulfillment of his cherished aim.
इति पृष्टो मुनीन्द्रेण समाश्वास्य च राघवः । उवाच वचनं चारु धीरपूर्णार्थमन्थरम्
Thus questioned by the chief of sages and reassured, Rāghava spoke gentle words, measured and filled with steadfast meaning.
भगवन् भवता पृष्टो यथावद् अधुना किल । कथयाम्य् अहम् अज्ञो ऽपि को लङ्घयति सद्वचः
Revered one, since you have now asked, I shall speak as best I can, though ignorant; for who would disregard the words of the virtuous?
अहं तावद् अयं जातो निजे ऽस्मिन् पितृसद्मनि । क्रमेण वृद्धिं सम्प्राप्तः प्राप्तविद्यश् च संस्थितः
I was born here in my father’s house, gradually attained growth, and, having acquired knowledge, am now established.
ततस् सदाचारपरो भूत्वाहं मुनिनायक । विहृतस् तीर्थयात्रार्थम् उर्वीम् अम्बुधिमेखलाम्
Then, devoted to good conduct, O leader of sages, I traveled over the earth girdled by the ocean, undertaking pilgrimages.
एतावताथ कालेन संसारास्थाम् इमां मम । स्वविवेको जहारान्तर् ओघस् तटलताम् इव
After this period, my own discernment swept away my attachment to worldly existence, just as a flood erodes the riverbank.
विवेकेन परीतात्मा तेनाहं तदनु स्वयम् । भोगनीरसया बुद्ध्या प्रविचारितवान् इदम्
My mind, filled with discernment, then reflected on this with an intellect that had lost all taste for enjoyment.
किं नामेदं वत सुखं यो ऽयं संसारसंसृतिः । जायते मृतये लोको म्रियते जननाय च
What is this so-called happiness, truly, in this cycle of worldly existence? People are born only to die, and die only to be born again.
स्वस्थितास् सर्व एवेमे सचराचरचेष्टिताः । आपदां पतयः पापा भावा विभवभूमयः
All these moving and unmoving activities remain in their own state; the lords of calamities, sinful thoughts, and the sources of prosperity all abide in their respective domains.
अयश्शलाकासदृशाः परस्परम् असङ्गिनः । श्लिष्यन्ते केवलं भावा मनःकल्पनया स्वया
Like sticks of dishonor, mutually unconnected, thoughts come together only through the mind’s own imagination.
मनस्समायत्तम् इदं जगद् आभोगि दृश्यते । मनश् चासद् इहाभाति केन स्मः परिमोहिताः
This world, dependent on the mind, appears as an object of enjoyment; yet the mind itself here seems unreal—by what are we so thoroughly deluded?
असतैव वयं कष्टं विक्रीता मूढबुद्धयः । मृगतृष्णाम्भसा दूरे वने मुग्धमृगा इव
Alas, we are truly wretched, sold into unreality with deluded minds, like bewildered deer wandering in a distant forest, chasing the water of a mirage.
न केनचिच् च विक्रीता विक्रीता इव संस्थिताः । वत मूढा वयं सर्वे जानाना अपि शम्बरम्
We have not been sold by anyone, yet we stand as if sold; indeed, we are all deluded, even though we know the truth.
किम् एतेषु प्रपञ्चेषु भोगा नाम सुदुर्भगाः । मुधैव हि वयं मोहात् संस्थिता बद्धभावनाः
Are these so-called enjoyments in the world truly so rare? In vain, out of delusion, we remain bound by our own fixed notions.
अज्ञाते बहुकालेन व्यर्थ एव वयं घने । मोहे निपतिता मुग्धाश् श्वभ्रे मुग्धमृगा इव
Unknowing for a long time, we have wasted our lives, fallen into deep delusion, bewildered like innocent animals trapped in a pit.
किं मे राज्येन किं भोगैः को ऽहं किम् इदम् आगतम् । यन् मिथ्यैवास्तु तन् मिथ्या कस्य नाम किम् आगतम्
What use is kingship to me, what use are pleasures? Who am I, and what is all this that has come to be? Let whatever is false remain false—who indeed has truly gained anything?
एवं विमृशतो ब्रह्मन् सर्वेष्व् एव ततो मम । भावेष्व् अरतिर् आयाता पथिकस्य मरुष्व् इव
Thinking in this way, O Brahman, I have lost all interest in every state of being, just as a traveler loses desire for deserts.
तद् एतद् भगवन् ब्रूहि किम् इदं परिनश्यति । किम् इदं जायते भूयः किम् इदं परिवर्धते
Therefore, venerable one, tell me: what is it that perishes, what is it that is born again, and what is it that grows and changes?
जरामरणम् आपच् च जननं सम्पदस् तथा । आविर्भावतिरोभावैर् विवर्तन्ते पुनः पुनः
Old age, death, birth, and also prosperity—all these revolve again and again through appearances and disappearances.
भावैस् तैर् एव तैर् एव तुच्छैर् वयम् इमे किल । पश्य जर्जरतां नीता वातैर् इव गिरिद्रुमाः
By these fleeting states, we and others are worn down—see how we are brought to decay, like mountain trees battered by the wind.
अचेतना इव जनाः पवनैः प्राणनामभिः । ध्वनन्तस् संस्थिता व्यर्थं यथा कीचकवेणवः
People, as if unconscious, are kept moving by the winds called breath, sounding out in vain like hollow reeds blown by the wind.
शाम्यतीदं कथं दुःखम् इति तप्तो ऽस्मि चिन्तया । जरद्द्रुम इवोग्रेण कोटरस्थेन वह्निना
I am tormented by this thought: how will this suffering cease? Like an old tree scorched by a fierce fire burning within its hollow.
संसारदुःखपाषाणनीरन्ध्रहृदयो ऽप्य् अहम् । निजलोकभयाद् एव गलद्बाष्पैर् न रोदिमि
Even though my heart is sealed like a stone by the pain of worldly existence, I do not weep, for my tears are held back by fear of my own people.
शून्यमन्मुखवृत्तीस् तु शुष्करोदननीरसाः । विवेक एव हृत्संस्थो ममैकान्तेषु पश्यति
My face is empty, my actions hollow, my tears dry and devoid of feeling; only discernment, dwelling in my heart, observes me in solitude.
भृशं मुह्यामि संस्मृत्य भावाभावमयीं स्थितिम् । दारिद्र्येणेव सुभगो दूरे संसारचिन्तया
I am greatly bewildered when I recall the state composed of being and non-being, like a fortunate man, though far from poverty, is troubled by thoughts of the world.
मोहयन्ति मनोवृत्तिं खण्डयन्ति गुणान् अलम् । दुःखजालं प्रयच्छन्ति विप्रलम्भपराश् श्रियः
Wealth, devoted to separation, deludes the mind, destroys virtues, and brings a net of sorrow.
चिन्तानिचयवक्राणि नानन्दाय धनानि मे । सम्प्रसूतकलत्राणि गृहाण्य् उग्रापदां यथा
Wealth, twisted with heaps of anxieties, brings me no joy; wives and homes, once obtained, are like dreadful traps.
विविधदोषदशापरिचिन्तनैस् सततभङ्गुरकारणकल्पितैः । मम न निर्वृतिम् एति मनो मुने निगडितस्य यथा वनहस्तिनः
My mind finds no satisfaction, O sage, bound as it is by endless reflections on the many faults and the ever-fragile causes of things, just as a wild elephant is chained.
खलाः काले काले निशि निशितमोहैकमिहिकागतालोके लोके विषयहठचौरास् सुचतुराः । प्रवृत्ताः प्रोद्युक्ता दिशि दिशि विवेकैकहरणे रणे शक्तास् तेषां वदत विबुधाः के ऽद्य सुभटाः
At every turn, at every hour, in the darkness of night, the clever thieves of the senses, skilled in plundering discernment, roam the world; tell me, O wise ones, who among us today are true warriors in this battle?
इयम् अस्मिन् विनोदाय संसारे परिकल्पिता । श्रीर् मुने परिमोहाय सापि नूनम् अनर्थदा
This fortune, O sage, has been devised in this world for diversion; yet, indeed, it brings only confusion and is surely the source of misfortune.