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.
पयसीव जरत्पर्णं वायाव् इव जरत्तृणम् । नभसीव शरन्मेघश् चिन्ताचक्रे भ्रमाम्य् अहम्
Like an old leaf in water, or dry grass in the wind, or an autumn cloud in the sky, I am tossed about in the cycle of anxious thoughts.
गन्तुम् आस्पदम् आत्मीयम् असमर्थधियो वयम् । चिन्ताजाले विमुह्यामो जाले शकुनयो यथा
Unable to reach our own true ground, we are bewildered in the net of thoughts, just as birds are ensnared in a net.
तृष्णाभिधानया तात दग्धो ऽस्मि ज्वालया तथा । यथा दाहोपशमनम् आशङ्के नामृतैर् अपि
Father, I am burned by the fire called craving, so much so that I do not expect relief even from nectar.
दूरं दूरम् इतो गत्वा समेत्य च पुनः पुनः । भ्रमत्य् आशु दिगन्तेषु तृष्णोन्मत्ततुरङ्गमी
Going far, far from here, and returning again and again, the horse of my mind, mad with craving, swiftly wanders to the ends of the directions.
जडसंसङ्गिनी तृष्णा कृतोर्ध्वाधोगमागमा । क्षुब्धा ग्रन्थिमती नित्यम् अरघट्टोग्ररज्जुवत्
Craving, bound to dullness, moves ceaselessly up and down; ever agitated, knotted, like a fierce rope on a wheel without a hub.
अन्तर् ग्रथितया देहे सम्भ्रमोच्छिद्यमानया । रज्ज्वेवाशु बलीवर्दस् तृष्णया वाह्यते जनः
Within the body, a person is drawn along by craving, which is tightly bound and constantly disturbed, just as a bull is swiftly led by a rope.
पुत्रदारकलत्रादितृष्णया नित्यकृष्णया । खगेष्व् इव किरात्येह जालं लोकेषु रच्यते
Here, in this world, an ever-pulling craving for sons, wives, and family weaves a net among people, just as a fowler casts snares for birds.
भाययत्य् अपि धीरेहम् अन्धयत्य् अपि सेक्षणम् । खेदयत्य् अपि सानन्दं तृष्णा कृष्णेव शर्वरी
Craving, like a dark night, deludes even the wise, blinds even the seeing, and wearies even the joyful.
कुटिला कोमलस्पर्शा विषवैषम्यशंसिनी । दहत्य् अपि मनाक् स्पृष्टा तृष्णा कृष्णेव भोगिनी
Crooked, soft to the touch, yet hinting at the poison’s imbalance, craving, like a black serpent, burns even when barely touched.
भिनत्ति हृदयं पुंसां मायामयविधायिनी । दौर्भाग्यदायिनी दीना तृष्णा कृष्णेव राक्षसी
Craving, like a black demoness, tears the hearts of men, weaves illusions, brings misfortune, and is ever wretched.