पुत्रदारकलत्राणि तन्त्रं मन्त्रविवर्जितम् । प्रसारितम् अनेनेह दुरहङ्कारवैरिणा
Sons, wives, and families—these are spread out here like a web, lacking any true mantra, by this difficult enemy called ego.
प्रमार्जिते ऽहम् इत्य् अस्मिन् पदे स्वयम् अखिद्यता । प्रमार्जिता भवन्त्य् एव सर्व एव दुराधयः
When the notion 'I am' is completely wiped away, then, by that very act, all wicked afflictions are truly eradicated.
अहम् इत्य् अम्बुदे शान्ते शनैस् सुशमशालिनि । मनोमननसम्मोहमिहिका क्वापि गच्छति
When the ocean of 'I am' becomes calm and perfectly tranquil, the mist of confusion that clouds the mind gradually disappears somewhere.
निरहङ्कारवृत्तेर् मे मौर्ख्याच् छोकेन सीदतः । यत् किञ्चिद् उचितं ब्रह्मंस् तद् आख्यातुम् इहार्हसि
Since I am now free of ego, yet languishing here in ignorance and sorrow, O sage, please tell me whatever is appropriate.
सर्वापदां निलयम् अध्रुवम् अन्तरस्थम् उन्मुक्तम् उत्तमगुणेन न संश्रयामि । यत्नाद् अहङ्कृतिपदं परितो ऽतिदुःखं शेषेण मां समनुशाधि महानुभाव
I do not take refuge in that impermanent, inner abode of all misfortunes, which is unbound and not endowed with the highest virtue; O great one, earnestly instruct me, for I remain in the utterly painful state of ego-identity.
दोषैर् जर्जरतां यातं सत्कार्याद् आर्यसेवितात् । वातात्तपिञ्छलववच् चेतश् चलति चञ्चलम्
The mind, worn out by faults, though engaged in noble deeds and honored by the virtuous, is as restless and unsteady as a feather blown by the wind.
इतश् चेतश् च सुव्यग्रं व्यर्थम् एवाभिधावति । दूराद् दूरतरं दीनं ग्रामे कौलेयको यथा
The mind, greatly agitated, runs here and there in vain, becoming ever more distant and dejected, like a villager in a foreign town.
न प्राप्नोति क्वचित् किञ्चित् प्राप्तैर् अपि महाधनैः । नान्तस् सम्पूर्णताम् एति करण्डक इवाम्बुभिः
It attains nothing anywhere, even when great wealth is acquired; it never reaches fulfillment within, like a basket never filled with water.
नित्यम् एव मनश् शून्यं कदाशावागुरावृतम् । न मनाङ् निर्वृतिं याति मृगो यूथाद् इव च्युतः
The mind is always empty, ensnared by the net of desires; it does not attain even a little satisfaction, like a deer separated from its herd.
तरङ्गतरलां वृत्तिं दधद् आलूनशीर्णताम् । परित्यज्य क्षणम् अपि न मनो याति निर्वृतिम्
Possessing a nature as fleeting as waves and worn away by afflictions, the mind does not attain contentment, even for a moment, having abandoned peace.
मनो मननविक्षुब्धं दिशो दश विधावति । मन्दराहननोद्धूतं क्षीरार्णवपयो यथा
The mind, agitated by thoughts, rushes in all ten directions, like the waters of the ocean churned by the blow of Mount Mandara.
कल्लोलकलनावर्तं मायामकरमालिनम् । न निरोद्धुं समर्थो ऽस्मि मनोमोहमहार्णवम्
I am unable to restrain the great ocean of delusion in the mind, filled with waves, whirlpools, and crocodiles of illusion.
भोगदूर्वाङ्कुराकाङ्क्षी श्वभ्रपातम् अचिन्तयन् । मनोहरिणको ब्रह्मन् दूरं विपरिधावति
Desiring the tender shoots of enjoyment, not considering the fall into a pit, O Brahman, the mind-deer runs far away.
न कदाचन मे चेतस् ताम् आलूनविशीर्णताम् । त्यजत्य् आकुलया वृत्त्या चञ्चलत्वम् इवार्णवः
Never does my mind, with its restless activity, abandon that state of being plucked and scattered, like the ocean's ceaseless agitation.
चेतश् चञ्चलया वृत्त्या चिन्तानिचयचञ्चुरम् । धृतिं बध्नाति नैकत्र केसरी पञ्जरे यथा
The mind, with its restless movements, stirred by a multitude of thoughts, binds its resolve in many places, like a lion confined in a cage.
मनो मोहरथारूढं शरीराच् छमतासुखम् । हरत्य् उपगतोद्योगं हंसः क्षीरम् इवाम्भसः
The mind, mounted on the chariot of delusion, steals away the body's fleeting happiness, just as a swan extracts milk from water.
अनल्पकल्पनातल्पे निलीनाश् चित्तवृत्तयः । मुनीन्द्र न प्रबुध्यन्ते तेन तप्तो ऽहम् आकुलः
Hidden in the small bed of endless imagination, the movements of the mind do not awaken, O chief of sages; thus I am afflicted and disturbed.
क्रोडीकृतदृढग्रन्थितृष्णासूत्रोम्भितात्मना । विहगो जालकेनेव ब्रह्मन् बद्धो ऽस्मि चेतसा
With thirst tightly knotted and gathered within, O Brahman, I am bound by the mind, like a bird caught in a net.
सततामर्षधूमेन चिन्ताज्वालाबिलेन च । वह्निनेव तृणं शुष्कं मुने दग्धो ऽस्मि चेतसा
By the constant smoke of anger and the cavity of anxiety's flames, O sage, I am burned by the mind, as dry grass is burned by fire.
क्रूरेण जडतां यातस् तृष्णाभार्यानुगामिना । शवः कौलेयकेनेव ब्रह्मन् भुक्तो ऽस्मि चेतसा
Led by cruel craving, I have become dull, O Brahman; like a corpse devoured by a jackal, I am consumed by the mind.
तरङ्गतरलास्फालवृत्तिना जडरूपिणा । तटवृक्ष इवौघेन ब्रह्मन् नीतो ऽस्मि चेतसा
O Brahman, with a mind unsteady and inert, tossed about by waves, I have been carried away like a riverside tree by the current.
अवान्तरनिपाताय शून्येनाक्रमणाय च । तृणं चण्डानिलेनेव दूरे नुन्नो ऽस्मि चेतसा
I have been cast far away by my mind, empty and restless, like a blade of grass swept off by a fierce wind.
संसारजलधेर् अस्मान् नित्यम् उत्तरणोन्मुखः । सेतुनेव पयःपूरो रोधितो ऽस्मि कुचेतसा
Though always intent on crossing the ocean of worldly existence, I have been blocked by my impure mind, like a flood held back by a dam.
पातालाद् गच्छता पृष्ठं पृष्ठात् पातालगामिना । कूपकाष्ठं कुदाम्नेव वेष्टितो ह्य् अस्मि चेतसा
As something descending into the netherworld is bound from behind by another going downward, so too have I been encircled by my mind, like a log in a well by a rope.
मिथ्यैव स्फाररूपेण विचारविशरारुणा । बालो वेतालकेनेव गृहीतो ऽस्मि स्वचेतसा
By my own mind, which is falsely magnified and sharp with endless reasoning, I have been seized like a child by a goblin.
वह्नेर् उष्णतरश् शैलाद् अपि कष्टतरक्रमः । वज्राद् अपि दृढो ब्रह्मन् दुर्निग्रहमनोग्रहः
O Brahman, it is hotter than fire, more difficult to overcome than a mountain, harder than a diamond, and fiercely uncontrollable.
चेतः पतति कार्येषु विहगश् चामिषेष्व् इव । क्षणेन विरतिं याति बालः क्रीडनकाद् इव
The mind falls upon objects of action like a bird upon bait, and in a moment withdraws, like a child from a toy.
जडप्रकृतिर् आलोलो विततावर्तवृत्तिमान् । मनोऽब्धिर् ईहितव्यालो दूरान् नयति तात माम्
O Father, the mind, by nature dull yet restless, moving in wide and swirling patterns like a sea full of serpents, carries me far away.
अप्य् अब्धिपानान् महतस् सुमेरूल्लङ्घनाद् अपि । अपि वह्न्यशनात् साधो विषमश् चित्तनिग्रहः
O noble one, even drinking up the great oceans, even leaping over Mount Sumeru, even eating fire—these are easier than mastering the mind.
चित्तं कारणम् अर्थानां तस्मिन् सति जगत्त्रयम् । तस्मिन् क्षीणे जगत् क्षीणं तच् चिकित्स्यं प्रयत्नतः
The mind is the cause of all things; when it exists, the three worlds exist. When it is dissolved, the world is dissolved. Therefore, it must be carefully treated.