कज्जलासिततीक्ष्णाग्रास् स्नेहदीर्घदशापराः । प्रकाशा दाहदस्पर्शास् तृष्णा दीपशिखा इव
Thirst is like the flame of a lamp: its tip is blackened with soot, its body is long with oil, it is bright, and its touch burns.
अपि मेरूपमं प्राज्ञम् अपि शूरम् अपि स्थिरम् । तृणीकरोति तृष्णैका निमेषेण नरोत्तमम्
Even a wise man as steadfast as Mount Meru, even a hero, even the most resolute among men—thirst alone can reduce him to straw in a single moment.
विस्तीर्णगहना भीमा घनजालरजोमयी । सान्धकारोग्रनीहारा तृष्णा विन्ध्यमहाटवी
Thirst is like the great Vindhya forest: vast, dense, terrifying, made of masses of clouds and dust, filled with thick, fierce darkness and heavy fog.
एकैव सर्वभुवनान्तरलब्धलक्ष्या दुर्लक्षताम् उपगतेव पुरस्स्थितैव । तृष्णा स्थिता जगति चञ्चलवीचिमाले क्षीरार्णवाम्बुपटले मधुरेव शक्तिः
Thirst alone, though present before all and perceived within every world, is difficult to discern; it stands in the world like a restless wave-garland on the surface of the milky ocean, sweet yet powerful.
आर्द्रान्त्रतन्त्रीगहनो विकारी परितापवान् । देहस् स्फुरति संसारे सो ऽपि दुःखाय केवलम्
This body, moist within, intricate in its structure, subject to change and full of suffering, moves restlessly in the world, and is only a source of pain.
अज्ञो ऽपि तज्ज्ञसदृशो वलितात्मचमत्कृतिः । युक्त्या भव्यो ऽप्य् अभव्यो मे न जडो नापि चेतनः
Though ignorant, it appears like one who knows, displaying a false sense of self; by reasoning, it may seem noble or ignoble to me, neither inert nor conscious.
जडाजडदृशोर् मध्ये दोलायितदुराशयः । न विवेकी न मूढात्मा मोहम् एव प्रयच्छति
Suspended between the states of inertness and awareness, with unsteady and uncertain hopes, it is neither discerning nor foolish, but only produces delusion.
स्तोकेनानन्दम् आयाति स्तोकेनायाति खेदिताम् । नास्ति देहसमश् शोच्यो नीचो गुणबहिष्कृतः
It experiences a little joy and a little distress; there is nothing as pitiable as the body—lowly and devoid of virtue.
आगमापायिना नित्यं दन्तकेसरशालिना । विकासिस्मितपुष्पेण प्रतिक्षणम् अलङ्कृतः
Constantly subject to coming and going, adorned with teeth and hair, decorated every moment with the blossoming smile of its opening flowers.
भुजशाखौघनमितो द्विजानुस्तम्भसुस्थितः । लोचनालिवपाक्रान्तश् शिरःपीठबृहत्फलः
Its arms are like branches, well supported by the pillars of bones, its head is the large fruit resting on the seat of the neck, and its eyes are like swarms of bees.
स्रवदस्रुरसस्रोता हस्तपादसुपल्लवः । गुल्फवान् कार्यसङ्घातविहङ्गमततास्पदम्
Its hands and feet are tender shoots, its veins are streams of blood and sap, it has ankles, and is the resting place for the birds of actions.
सच्छायो देहवृक्षो ऽयं जीवपान्थगणास्पदम् । कस्यात्मीयः कस्य पर आस्थानास्थे किलात्र के
This tree of the body, with its shadow, is the refuge for the multitude of living travelers; whose own is it, whose is it another's—who here truly belongs, and who is a stranger?
भारसन्तारणार्थेन गृहीतायां पुनः पुनः । नावि देहलतायां च कस्य स्याद् आत्मभावना
When the body is repeatedly taken up merely for carrying burdens, who would ever regard it as the self, just as no one identifies themselves with a boat or a creeper?
देहनाम्नि वने शून्ये बहुगर्तसमाकुले । तनूरुहासङ्ख्यतरौ विश्वासं को ऽधिगच्छति
In the empty forest called the body, filled with many pits and hollows, and with countless trees of hair, who could ever find trust or confidence?
चर्मस्नाय्वस्थिवलिते शरीरपटहे दृढे । मार्जारवद् अहं नान्तस् तिष्ठाम्य् अविरतध्वनौ
Within the strong fabric of the body, woven of skin, sinews, and bones, I do not remain inside like a cat, amid ceaseless noise.
संसारारण्यसंरूढो विलसच्चित्तमर्कटः । चिन्तामञ्जरिकाकारो दीर्घदुःखघुणक्षतः
The monkey of the mind, grown wild in the jungle of worldly existence, takes the form of a cluster of worries, wounded by the long-term worm of sorrow.
तृष्णाभुजङ्गमीगेहः कोपकाककृतालयः । स्मितपुष्पो द्रुमश् श्रीमाञ् शुभाशुभमहाफलः
The body is a home for the serpent of craving, a dwelling made by the crow of anger; its smile is the flower, the tree is splendid, bearing the great fruits of good and evil.
सुस्कन्धो दोर्लताजालो हस्तस्तबकसुन्दरः । पवनस्पन्दिताशेषस्वाङ्गावयवपल्लवः
Its trunk is firm, its network of arms is beautiful, its hands are like lovely clusters, and all its limbs are tender shoots stirred by the wind.
सर्वेन्द्रियखगाधारस् सुजानुस् सुत्वग् उन्नतः । सरसच्छायया युक्तः कामपान्थनिषेवितः
It is supported by all the birds of the senses, has fine knees and smooth, elevated skin, is adorned with the shade of its own lake, and frequented by travelers of desire.
मूर्ध्नि सञ्जनितादीर्घशिरोरुहतृणावलिः । अहङ्कारजरद्गृद्धकुलायसुषिरोदरः
On its head grows a long cluster of grass-like hair, and its hollow interior is the nest of the aged vulture of ego.
उद्भिन्नवासनाजालमूलत्वाद् दुर्बलाकृतिः । व्यायामविरमः कायवृक्षो ऽयं न सुखाय मे
Because it is weak in form, being rooted in the net of emerging tendencies, this tree of the body, lacking vigor, is not a source of happiness for me.
कलेवरम् अहङ्कारगृहस्थस्य महागृहम् । लुठत्व् अभ्येतु वा स्थैर्यं किम् अनेन मुने हि मे
The body is a great house for the householder called ego; whether it collapses or stands firm, what does its stability matter to me, O sage?
पङ्क्तिबद्धेन्द्रियपशु वल्गत्तृष्णागृहाङ्गनम् । रजोरञ्जितसर्वाङ्गं नेष्टं देहगृहं मम
This house of the body, with its senses lined up like cattle, its chambers filled with restless cravings, and all its limbs stained by passion, is not desirable to me.
काष्ठास्थिकाष्ठसङ्घट्टपरिसङ्कटकोटरम् । अन्त्रदामभिर् आबद्धं नेष्टं देहगृहं मम
This house of the body, cramped with the collision of bones and wood-like joints, bound together by cords of entrails, is not desirable to me.
प्रसृतस्नायुतन्त्रीकं रक्ताम्बुकृतकर्दमम् । जरामक्कोलधवलं नेष्टं देहगृहं मम
This house of the body, stretched with sinews and tendons, muddied by the red fluid of blood, and whitened by the ashes of old age, is not desirable to me.
चित्रकृत्यभृतानन्तचेष्टावष्टब्धसंस्थिति । मिथ्यामोहमहास्थूणं नेष्टं देहगृहं मम
This house of the body, filled with endless activities and postures, firmly established in vain delusion, and supported by the great pillar of false attachment, is not desirable to me.
दुःखार्भककृताक्रन्दं सुखशय्यामनोहरम् । दुरीहादग्धदासीकं नेष्टं देहगृहं मम
This house of the body, resounding with the cries caused by the sufferings of hunger and thirst, seemingly delightful as a bed of pleasure, yet with its maidservant scorched by futile desires, is not desirable to me.
मलाढ्यविषयव्यूहभाण्डोपस्करसङ्कटम् । अज्ञानक्षारवलितं नेष्टं देहगृहं मम
This house of the body, crowded with the vessels and implements of sense-objects filled with impurity, and steeped in the alkaline poison of ignorance, is not desirable to me.
गुल्फगुल्गुलुविश्रान्तजानूच्चस्तम्भमस्तकम् । दीर्घदोर्दारुसुदृढं नेष्टं देहगृहं मम
This house of the body, with its feet resting on the ankles, knees as pillars, and head as the top, with long, wooden-like, sturdy arms, is not dear to me.
प्रकटाक्षगवाक्षान्तःक्रीडत्प्रज्ञागृहाङ्गनम् । चिन्तादुहितृकं ब्रह्मन् नेष्टं देहगृहं मम
O Brahman, this house of the body, with its manifest eyes as windows, the courtyard of intellect where thoughts play, and worry as its daughter, is not dear to me.