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.
गर्वादिगुणगर्भिण्या शून्ययाशक्तिवश्यया । अन्नं महाशनेनेव जरसा परिजीर्यते
Just as food is consumed by great hunger and old age, so too is the body, filled with pride and other qualities, yet empty and powerless, gradually worn away.
दिनैः कतिपयैर् एव परिज्ञाय गतादरम् । दुर्जनस् सज्जनेनेव यौवनेनावमुच्यते
In just a few days, once its charm is recognized and gone, youth is abandoned, like a wicked person is by the virtuous.
विनाशसुहृदा नित्यं जरामरणबन्धुना । रूपं शिड्गवरेणेव कृतान्तेनाभिलष्यते
Form is always desired by death, the friend of destruction and constant companion of old age, just as a bird is sought by a skilled fowler.
स्थिरतया सुखहारितया तया सततम् उज्झितम् उत्तम फल्गु च । जगति नास्ति तथा गुणवर्जितं मरणमार्जितम् आयुर् इदं यथा
This life, unstable and robbed of happiness by old age, is always abandoned by the best and the ordinary alike; in this world, there is nothing so devoid of virtue and so claimed by death as this lifespan.
मुधैवाभ्युत्थितो मोहान् मुधैव परिवर्धते । मिथ्यामयेन भीतो ऽस्मि दुरहङ्कारशत्रुणा
Delusion arises in vain and grows in vain; I am afraid of this false, illusory ego, the enemy that is hard to overcome.
अहङ्कारवशाद् एव दोषकोशः कदर्थनाम् । ददाति दीनदीनानां संसारो विविधाकृतिः
It is only because of ego that the storehouse of faults torments the utterly miserable; because of ego, the manifold forms of worldly existence arise.
अहङ्कारवशाद् आपद् अहङ्काराद् दुराधयः । अहङ्कारवशाद् ईहाप्य् अहङ्कारो महामयः
From ego come misfortunes, from ego arise diseases; even effort is due to ego—ego is the great delusion.
तम् अहङ्कारम् आश्रित्य परमं चिरवैरिणम् । न भुञ्जे न पिबाम्य् अम्भः किम् उ भोगान् भजे मुने
Relying on that ego, the supreme and ancient enemy, I neither eat nor drink water, let alone enjoy pleasures, O sage.
संसाररज्जुर् आदीर्घा मम चेतसि मोहिनी । तताहङ्कारदोषेण किरातेनेव वागुरा
The long rope of worldly existence, which deludes my mind, is woven by the fault of ego, like a snare set by a hunter.
यानि दुःखानि दीर्घाणि विषमाणि महान्ति च । अहङ्कारात् प्रसूतानि तान्य् अगात् खदिरा इव
All the long, harsh, and great sufferings that arise are born from ego; they vanish like the leaves of the khadira tree.
शमेन्दोस् सैंहिकेयास्यं गुणपद्ममहाशनिम् । ज्ञानमेघशरत्कालम् अहङ्कारं त्यजाम्य् अहम्
With the moon of tranquility, the lion-faced thunderbolt of virtue, and the autumn of the cloud of knowledge, I abandon ego.
नाहं रामो न मे वाञ्छा भावेषु च न मे मनः । शान्त आसितुम् इच्छामि स्वात्मन्य् एव जिनो यथा
I am not Rama, nor do I have desire, nor is my mind attached to objects; I wish to remain peaceful within my own self, just as a sage.
अहङ्कारवशाद् यद् यन् मया भुक्तं कृतं हृतम् । सर्वं तु तद् अवस्त्व् एव वस्त्व् अहङ्काररिक्तता
Whatever I have enjoyed, done, or taken under the sway of ego, all of that is truly unreal; reality is only the absence of ego.
अहम् इत्य् अस्ति चेद् ब्रह्मन्न् अहम् आपदि दुःखितः । सम्पत्सु सुखितस् तस्माद् अनहङ्कारिताधनः
If the thought 'I am' exists, O Brahman, then in adversity I am sorrowful, and in prosperity I am happy; therefore, wealth lies in freedom from ego.
अहङ्कारं परित्यज्य मुने शान्तमनास् तथा । अवतिष्ठे गतोद्वेगो भोगौघे ऽभङ्गुरास्पदम्
Having abandoned ego, O sage, with a peaceful mind, I remain free from agitation, in the flood of enjoyments, at the fragile foundation.
ब्रह्मन् यावद् अहङ्कारवारिदः प्रविजृम्भते । तावद् विकासम् आयाति तृष्णाकुटजमञ्जरी
O Brahman, as long as the cloud of ego expands, so long does the cluster of thirst for objects blossom.
अहङ्कारघने शान्ते तृष्णानवतडिल्लता । शान्तदीपशिखावृत्त्या क्वापि यास्यति सत्वरम्
When the dense ego has become peaceful, the vine of craving, deprived of its support, will swiftly vanish like the flame of a lamp that has been extinguished.
अहङ्कारमहाविन्ध्ये मनोमत्तमतङ्गजः । विस्फूर्जति घनास्फोटैस् स्तनितैर् इव वारिदः
Within the great mountain of ego, the mind—like a wild, intoxicated elephant—roars with thunderous crashes, just as clouds resound with thunder.
इह देहमहादर्यां घनाहङ्कारकेसरी । यो ऽयम् उल्लसति स्फारं तेनेदं जगद् आततम्
Here, in the vast cave of the body, the lion of dense ego roars mightily; by this, the entire world is pervaded.
तृष्णातन्तुलवप्रोता बहुजन्मपरम्परा । अहङ्कारोग्रशिड्गेन कण्ठे मुक्तावली कृता
Strung together with the threads of craving, extending through countless births, a necklace of pearls is made and worn at the throat by the fierce hook of ego.