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.
उल्लासबहुलान् अन्तः कल्लोलान् अक्रमाकुलान् । जडान् प्रस्रवति स्फारान् प्रावृषीव तरङ्गिणी
Just as a river in the rainy season pours forth abundant, powerful, and tumultuous waves, so too does the dull mind overflow with countless inner surges of excitement.
चिन्तादुहितरो बह्व्यो भूरिदुर्ललितेरिताः । चञ्चलाः प्रभवन्त्य् अस्यास् तरङ्गास् सरितो यथा
Many restless waves arise in it, stirred by countless whims and fancies, just as a river's waves are set in motion by its own currents.
एषा हि पदम् एकत्र न निबध्नाति दुर्भगा । मुग्धेवानियताचारम् इतश् चेतश् च धावति
This unfortunate mind does not remain fixed in one place; like a bewildered person with erratic behavior, it runs here and there.
जनयन्ती परं दाहं परामृष्टाङ्गिका सती । विनाशम् एव धत्ते ऽन्तर् दीपलेखेव कज्जलम्
When touched, it produces intense burning within, and ultimately brings about its own destruction, like a streak of lamp soot turning into ash.
गुणागुणविचारेण विनैव किल पार्श्वगम् । राजप्रकृतिवन् मूढा दुरारूढावलम्बते
Without any discernment of virtue or vice, it blindly clings to whatever is nearby, like a foolish courtier attached to the king.
कर्मणा तेन तेनैषा विस्तारम् उपगच्छति । दोषाशीविषवेगस्य यत् क्षीरविसरायते
Through various actions, it expands further and further, just as the venom of a serpent spreads and mixes into milk.
तावच् छीतमृदुस्पर्शः परे स्वे च जने जनः । वात्ययेव हिमं यावच् छ्रिया न परुषीकृतः
A person remains gentle and pleasant to both friends and strangers, like the cool touch of frost, until prosperity hardens him, just as a storm turns frost harsh.
प्राज्ञाश् शूराः कृतज्ञाश् च पेशला मृदवश् च ये । पांसुमुष्ट्येव मणयश् श्रिया ते मलिनीकृताः
The wise, the brave, the grateful, the refined, and the gentle—like gems soiled by a handful of dust—are tainted by prosperity.
न श्रीस् सुखाय भगवन् दुःखायैव हि कल्पते । गुप्तं विनाशनं धत्ते मृतिं विषलता यथा
O Lord, prosperity does not bring happiness; it only leads to suffering. It secretly carries destruction, just as poison brings death.
श्रीमान् अजननिन्द्यश् च शूरश् चाप्य् अविकत्थनः । समदृष्टिः प्रभुश् चैव दुर्लभाः पुरुषास् त्रयः
Three kinds of men are rare: one who is wealthy yet not despised for his birth, one who is brave yet not boastful, and one who is impartial and powerful.