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.
किं श्रिया किं च कायेन किं कामेन किम् ईहया । दिनैः कतिपयैर् एव कालस् सर्वं निकृन्तति
What is the use of wealth, of the body, of desire, or of striving? In just a few days, time cuts down everything.
रक्तमांसमयस्यास्य सबाह्याभ्यन्तरं मुने । नाशैकधर्मिणो ब्रूहि केव कायस्य रम्यता
O sage, this body, made of flesh and blood, inside and out, is destined only for destruction; tell me, what delight can there be in the body?
मरणावसरे काया जीवं नानुसरन्ति ये । तेषु तात कृतघ्नेषु केवास्था वत धीमतः
At the moment of death, the body does not follow the soul; so, father, what faith can the wise place in such an ungrateful thing?
मत्तेभकर्णाग्रचलः कायो लम्बाम्बुभङ्गुरः । न सन्त्यजति मां यावत् तावद् एनं त्यजाम्य् अहम्
The body, wavering like the tip of a drunken elephant's ear, fragile as a droplet of water, does not abandon me; so, I abandon it.
पवनस्पन्दतरलः पेलवः कायपल्लवः । जर्जरस् तनुवृत्तश् च नेष्टो ऽयं कटुनीरसः
This body, like a tender leaf, is shaken by the wind, frail, worn out, and thin; it is not desirable, for it is harsh and tasteless.
भुक्त्वा पीत्वा चिरं कालं बालपल्लवपेलवम् । तनुताम् एत्य यत्नेन विनाशम् अनुधावति
Having eaten and drunk for a long time, this tender, leaf-like body, with effort, becomes thin and hastens toward destruction.
तान्य् एव सुखदुःखानि भावाभावमयान्य् असौ । भूयो ऽप्य् अनुभवन् कायः प्राकृतो हि न लज्जते
This body, made of existence and non-existence, repeatedly experiences the same pleasures and pains, yet, being of nature, it does not feel shame.
सुचिरं प्रभुतां कृत्वा संसेव्य विभवश्रियम् । नोच्छ्रायम् एति न स्थैर्यं कायः किम् इति पाल्यते
Even after long enjoying power and serving the splendor of wealth, the body does not attain greatness or stability—so why should it be protected?
जराकाले जराम् एति मृत्युकाले तथा मृतिम् । समम् एवाविशेषज्ञः कायो भोगिदरिद्रयोः
At the time of old age, it becomes old; at the time of death, it dies—this body, not knowing any distinction, is the same for both the enjoyer and the destitute.
संसाराम्भोधिजठरे तृष्णाकुहरकान्तरे । सुप्तस् तिष्ठति मुक्तेहो मूको ऽयं कायकच्छपः
In the belly of the ocean of worldly existence, in the cave of craving, this mute tortoise of a body lies asleep, even though liberation is near.
दहनैकार्थयोग्यानि कायकाष्ठानि भूरिशः । संसाराब्धाव् इहोह्यन्ते कञ्चित् तेषु नरं विदुः
The logs of the body, fit only for burning, are cast again and again into the ocean of worldly existence; among them, some recognize a person.
दीर्घदौरात्म्यचलया निपातफलयानया । न देहलतया कार्यं किञ्चिद् अस्ति विवेकिनः
Because of the long-standing, unwavering misfortune whose result is downfall, for the discerning, there is nothing to be done with this mere mass of flesh.
मज्जन् कर्दमकोशेषु झगित्य् एव जरां गतः । न ज्ञायते यात्य् अचिरात् क्व कथं देहदर्दुरः
Just as one who plunges into a pit of mud quickly grows old, so too, the frog of the body departs swiftly—no one knows where or how.
निस्सारसकलारम्भाः कायाश् चपलवायवः । रजोमार्गेण गच्छन्तो दृश्यन्ते नेह केनचित्
All bodily undertakings are devoid of substance; the restless winds of the body travel along the path of dust, yet are not seen here by anyone.
वायोर् दीपस्य मनसो गच्छतो ज्ञायते गतिः । आगच्छतश् च भगवन् न शरीरशरस्य नः
O venerable one, the movement of wind, of a lamp, or of the mind can be perceived as they go or come, but not that of the arrow of the body.
बद्धाशा ये शरीरेषु बद्धाशा ये जगत्स्थितौ । तान् मोहमदिरोन्मत्तान् धिग् धिग् अस्तु पुनः पुनः
Those whose hopes are bound to bodies, those whose hopes are bound to the world—may those intoxicated by the wine of delusion be condemned again and again.
नाहं देहस्य नो देहो मम नायम् अहं तथा । इति विश्रान्तचित्ता ये ते मुने पुरुषोत्तमाः
Those whose minds are at rest, who think, 'I am not the body, nor is the body mine, nor am I this,' O sage, they are the highest among men.
मानावमानबहुला बहुलाभमनोरमाः । शरीरमात्रबद्धास्थं घ्नन्ति दोषदृशो नरम्
The faults that are abundant in honor and dishonor, and in the pleasures of manifold desires, afflict the man who is bound only to the body.
शरीरसङ्गशायिन्या पिशाच्या पेशलाङ्गया । अहङ्कारचमत्कृत्या छलेन च्छलिता वयम्
We have been deceived by the trick of self-conceit, by the alluring demoness whose beautiful limbs recline in attachment to the body.
प्रज्ञा वराकी सर्वैव कायबद्धास्थयानया । मिथ्याज्ञानकुराक्षस्या छलिता कष्टम् एकिका
All discernment, poor as it is, has been led astray by this one, who is fixed in bodily attachment, whose false knowledge is like a monkey’s eye—alas, how solitary and miserable!