एषा हि विषमा दुःखभोगिनां गहना गुहा । घनमोहगजेन्द्राणां विन्ध्यशैलमहाटवी
This is indeed a perilous, dense cave for those who suffer; a vast forest in the Vindhya mountains for the mighty elephants of deep delusion.
सत्कार्यपद्मरजनी दुःखकैरवचन्द्रिका । सद्दृष्टिदीपिकावात्या कल्लोलौघतरङ्गिणी
It is the night of the lotus of noble deeds, the moonlight for the water-lily of sorrow, the hurricane for the lamp of true vision, the surging river of waves.
सम्भ्रमाभ्राद्रिपदवी विषादविषवर्धिनी । केदारिका विकल्पानां खदा कुभयभोगिनाम्
It is the mountain path of clouds of confusion, the poison that increases despair, the field of doubts, the pit for those who indulge in evil pleasures.
हिमं वैराग्यवल्लीनां विकारोलूकयामिनी । राहुदंष्ट्रा विवेकेन्दोस् सौजन्याम्भोजचन्द्रिका
It is the frost for the creepers of dispassion, the night for the owls of distortion, the jaws of Rahu for the moon of discernment, the moonlight for the lotus of kindness.
इन्द्रायुधवद् आलोलनानारागमनोहरा । लोला तडिद् इवोत्पन्नध्वंसिनी जडसंश्रया
Like a rainbow, it is alluring with many colors; restless like lightning, it arises and destroys, and is the refuge of dullness.
चपला वर्जिता रत्या नकुली नकुलीनजा । विप्रलम्भनतात्पर्यहेतूग्रमृगतृष्णिका
It is fickle, devoid of delight, like a mongoose among mongooses; a fierce mirage that causes separation and longing.
लहरीवैकरूपेण क्षणं पदम् अकुर्वती । चला दीपशिखेवातिदुर्ज्ञेयागतिगोचरा
Like a wave, taking a single form for a moment, not remaining still; like a flickering lamp flame, her movements are exceedingly hard to discern.
सिंहीव विग्रहव्यग्रकरीन्द्रकुलपातिनी । खड्गधारेव शिशिरा तीक्ष्णा तीक्ष्णाशयाश्रया
Like a lioness, fierce and intent on battle, bringing down the king of elephants; like a sharp sword, cold and keen, she abides in piercing intentions.
नानयोपहतार्थिन्या दुराधिपरिपीनया । पश्याम्य् अभव्यया लक्ष्म्या किञ्चिद् दुःखाद् ऋते सुखम्
With her purpose unshaken by others, swollen with the pride of a cruel ruler, I see in this inauspicious fortune scarcely any happiness apart from sorrow.
द्वारेणोत्सारिता लक्ष्मीः पुनर् एति तमोऽरिणा । अहो वत हृतस्थाना निर्लज्जा दुर्जनास्पदा
Driven out the door by the enemy of darkness, fortune returns again; alas, having lost her place, she is shameless and the refuge of the wicked.
मनोरमा कर्षति चित्तवृत्तिं कदर्यसाध्या क्षणभङ्गुरा च । व्यालावलीगर्भनिवृत्तदेहा श्वभ्रोत्थिता पुष्पलतेव लक्ष्मीः
Charming, she draws the mind's activity, yet is attained only by the miserly and breaks in an instant; fortune, whose body is born from a brood of serpents, arises from a pit like a creeper of flowers.
आयुः पल्लवकोणाग्रलम्बाम्बुकणभङ्गुरम् । उन्मत्तम् इव सन्त्यज्य यात्य् अकाण्डे शरीरकम्
Life, as fragile as a drop of water hanging from the tip of a leaf, departs the body suddenly, abandoning it like a madman.
विषयाशीर्विषासङ्गपरिजर्जरचेतसाम् । अप्रौढात्मविवेकानाम् आयुर् आयासकारणम्
For those whose minds are worn out by attachment to sense-objects and the poison of desire, who lack mature self-discernment, life is merely a cause of toil.
ये तु विज्ञातविज्ञेया विश्रान्ता वितते पदे । भावाभावसमाश्वस्ता आयुस् तेषां सुखायते
But for those who have known what is to be known, who rest in the boundless state, who are at peace with both being and non-being, life brings happiness.
वयं परिमिताकारपरिनिष्ठितनिश्चयाः । संसाराभ्रतडित्पुञ्जे मुने नायुषि निर्वृताः
We, whose forms are limited and whose resolve is firmly settled, O sage, are not content in this life amid the flashes of the storm-cloud of worldly existence.
युज्यते वेष्टनं वायाव् आकाशस्यावखण्डनम् । ग्रथनं च तरङ्गाणाम् आस्था नायुषि युज्यते
It is possible to bind the wind, to divide the sky, or to weave together waves; but to place trust in life is not possible.
पेलवं शरदीवाभ्रम् अस्नेहम् इव दीपकम् । तरङ्गकम् इवालोलं गतम् एवोपलक्ष्यते
Life is observed to be fleeting like an autumn cloud, without attachment like a lamp's flame, and restless like a wave.
तरङ्गप्रतिबिम्बेन्दुं तडित्पुञ्जं नभोऽम्बुदे । ग्रहीतुम् आस्थां बध्नामि न त्व् आयुषि गतस्थितौ
I may strive to grasp the reflection of the moon in a wave, a cluster of lightning in a cloud, but not to hold onto life that is already departing.
अविश्रान्तमनाश् शून्यम् आयुर् आततम् ईहते । दुःखायैव विमूढो ऽन्तर् गर्भम् अश्वतरी यथा
With a restless mind, one pursues the empty span of life, but the deluded person seeks only suffering within, like a foal in the womb of a she-mule.
संसारसंसृताव् अम्भः फेनो ऽस्मिन् सर्गसागरे । कायवल्ल्यां रसो राजञ् जीवितं मे न रोचते
In the ocean of creation, the froth of worldly existence rises and falls; O king, the taste of life in the vine of the body does not appeal to me.
प्राप्यं सम्प्राप्यते येन भूयो येन न शोच्यते । पराया निर्वृतेस् स्थानं यत् तज् जीवितम् उच्यते
That which is attainable and, once attained, brings no further sorrow, is called the state of supreme contentment; that alone is true life.
तरवो ऽपि हि जीवन्ति जीवन्ति मृगपक्षिणः । स जीवति मनो यस्य मननेन न जीवति
Even trees live, and so do beasts and birds; but he alone truly lives whose mind does not live by mere thought.
जातास् त एव जगति जन्तवस् साधुजीविताः । ये पुनर् नेह जायन्ते शेषा जानीत गर्दभाः
Those alone are truly born in this world who live a virtuous life; as for the rest who are not born here, know them to be donkeys.
भारो ऽविवेकिनश् शास्त्रं भारो ज्ञानं च रागिणः । अशान्तं च मनो भारो भारो ऽनात्मविदो वपुः
Scripture is a burden for the undiscerning, knowledge is a burden for the passionate, the restless mind is a burden, and the body is a burden for those ignorant of the Self.
रूपम् आयुर् मनो बुद्धिर् अहङ्कारस् तथेहितम् । भारो भारधरस्येव सर्वं दुःखाय दुर्धियः
Form, lifespan, mind, intellect, ego, and actions—all are burdens for the foolish, just as a load is for the bearer, and all bring suffering.
अविश्रान्तमनःपूर्णम् आपदां परमास्पदम् । नीडो रोगविहङ्गानाम् आयुर् आयासनं दृढम्
A mind never at rest is the supreme abode of calamities; lifespan is a strong seat for diseases, a nest for the birds of illness.
प्रत्यहं खेदम् उत्सृज्य शनैर् अलम् अनारतम् । आश्व् एव जन्मनश् श्वभ्रं कालेन विनिखन्यते
Day by day, after casting off weariness, gradually and ceaselessly, the pit of birth is dug by time, just as a horse’s grave is excavated.
शरीरबिलविश्रान्तैर् विषदाहप्रदायिभिः । रोगैर् निपीयते रौद्रैर् व्यालैर् इव वनानिलः
The body is drained by fierce diseases that rest in its cavities and bring burning pain, just as a forest wind is consumed by venomous serpents.
प्रसुवानैर् अवच्छेदं तुच्छैर् अन्तरवासिभिः । दुःखैर् आकृष्यते क्रूरैर् घुणैर् इव जरद्द्रुमः
It is pulled by cruel sorrows, insignificant yet dwelling within, just as an old tree is gnawed by termites.
नूनं निगिरणायाशु घनगर्वम् अनारतम् । आखुर् मार्जारकेणेव मरणेनावलोक्यते
Surely, death observes the mouse, swollen with constant pride, just as a cat does, ready to devour it swiftly.