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.
मूर्धजच्छादनच्छन्नकर्णश्रीचन्द्रशालिकम् । आदीर्घाङ्गुलिनिर्यूहं नेष्टं देहगृहं मम
This house of the body, with hair covering the head as a roof, ears as beautiful moon-shaped turrets, and long fingers as projecting beams, is not dear to me.
सर्वाङ्गकुड्यसञ्जातघनरोमयवाङ्कुरम् । संशून्यपीठपिठिरं नेष्टं देहगृहं मम
This house of the body, with dense hair sprouts growing on all its walls, and an empty seat as its back, is not dear to me.
नखोर्णनाभनिलयैश् शारम् आरणितान्तरम् । भाङ्कारकारिपवनं नेष्टं देहगृहं मम
This house of the body, with nails, bones, and navel as its foundation, the intestines as its inner wood, and the wind that produces various sounds, is not dear to me.
प्रवेशनिर्गमव्यग्रवातवेगम् अनारतम् । वितताक्षगवाक्षं च नेष्टं देहगृहं मम
This house of the body, with its windows (eyes) always open, and the restless wind of breath constantly entering and exiting, is not dear to me.
जिह्वामर्कटिकाक्रान्तवदनद्वारभीषणम् । दृष्टदन्तास्थिशकलं नेष्टं देहगृहं मम
This house of the body, with its mouth as a dreadful door occupied by the monkey-like tongue, and visible fragments of teeth and bones, is not dear to me.
त्वक्सुधालेपमसृणं यन्त्रसञ्चारचञ्चलम् । मनोऽमन्दाखुनोत्खातं नेष्टं देहगृहं मम
This house of the body, with its skin as a smooth plaster, ever restless with mechanical movements, and mind ceaselessly dug by the sharp spade of desire, is not dear to me.
स्मितदीपप्रभाभासि क्षणम् आनन्दसुन्दरम् । क्षणं व्याप्तं प्रभापूरैर् नेष्टं देहगृहं मम
For a moment, my body shines with the glow of a smiling lamp, appearing beautiful in bliss; for a moment, it is filled with floods of radiance, yet this house of flesh is not pleasing to me.
समस्तरोगायतनं वलीपलितपत्तनम् । सर्वाधिसारङ्गवनं नेष्टं मम कलेवरम्
My body is the abode of all diseases, a city of wrinkles and gray hairs, a forest teeming with every affliction; it is not dear to me.
अक्षर्क्षक्षोभविषमा शून्या निस्सारकोटरा । तमोगहनहृत्कुञ्जा नेष्टा देहाटवी मम
It is a hollow, empty cavity, disturbed by the senses and harsh, a thicket of darkness in the heart; this body-forest is not pleasing to me.
देहालयं धारयितुं न शक्तो ऽस्मि मुनीश्वराः । पङ्कमग्नं समुद्धर्तुं गजम् अल्पबलो यथा
O revered sages, I am unable to sustain this dwelling of the body, just as one with little strength cannot lift an elephant stuck in the mud.