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.
चित्ताद् इमानि सुखदुःखशतानि नूनम् अभ्यागतान्य् अगवराद् इव काननानि । तस्मिन् विवेकवशतस् तनुतां प्रयाते मन्ये मुने निपुणम् एव गलन्ति तानि
Surely, from the mind arise these hundreds of joys and sorrows, just as forests spring from fertile ground; when, through discernment, the mind is thinned, I think, O sage, these surely subside.
सकलगुणजयाशा यत्र बद्धा महद्भिस् तम् अरिम् इह विजेतुं चित्तम् अभ्युत्थितो ऽहम् । विगतरतितयान्तर् नाभिनन्दामि लक्ष्मीं जडमलिनविशालां मेघमालाम् इवेन्दुः
Where the hope of conquering all qualities is bound by the great, to conquer that enemy—the mind—I have arisen here. With inner agitation gone, I do not delight in fortune, which is vast, inert, and impure, like the mass of clouds to the moon.
हार्दान्धकारशर्वर्या तृष्णयेह दुरन्तया । चरन्ति चेतनाकाशे दोषकौशिकपङ्क्तयः
In the sky of consciousness, during the night of inner darkness, the relentless thirst moves about as rows of the birds of fault.
अन्तर्दाहप्रदायिन्या समूढरसमार्दवः । पङ्क आदित्यदीप्त्येव शोषं नीतो ऽस्मि चिन्तया
By the burning pain within, whose essence is thoroughly matured, I am dried up by anxiety, like mud by the blazing sun.
मम चित्तमहारण्ये व्यामोहतिमिराकुले । शून्ये ताण्डविनी मत्ता भृशम् आशापिशाचिका
In the great forest of my mind, thick with the darkness of delusion, the hope-demon, intoxicated, wildly dances in the emptiness.
रजोरचितनीहारा काञ्चनावचयोज्ज्वला । नूनं विकासम् आयाति चिन्ता मे ऽशोकमञ्जरी
The mist woven of rajas, shining with golden hues, surely, my anxiety now blossoms like the ashoka flower cluster.
अलम् अन्तर् भ्रमायैषा तृष्णा कवलिताशया । आयाता विषमोल्लासम् ऊर्मिर् अम्बुनिधाव् इव
Enough of this inner confusion—this craving, which devours all intentions, has arisen with a poisonous delight, like a wave swelling in the ocean.
उद्दामकल्लोलरवा देहाद्रौ वहतीव मे । तरङ्गिततराकारा तरत्तृष्णातरङ्गिणी
It surges with the tumult of powerful waves, as if flowing down the mountain of my body; this river of craving, full of restless waves, moves with ever-changing forms.
वेगं संरोद्धुम् उदितो वात्ययेव जरत्तृणम् । नीतः कलुषया क्वापि धियायं चित्तचातकः
When I try to restrain its force, it is like dry grass before a storm; my mind, the chataka bird, is carried away somewhere by impure thoughts.
यां याम् अहम् अधीतास्थाम् आश्रयामि गुणश्रियम् । तां तां कृन्तति मे तृष्णा तन्त्रीम् इव कुमूषिका
Whatever noble quality or virtue I try to embrace, craving cuts it down, just as a mouse severs the strings of a lute.