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!
न किञ्चिद् अपि यस्यास्ति सत्यं तेन हतात्मना । चित्रं दग्धशरीरेण जनता विप्रलभ्यते
He whose self is destroyed and who possesses nothing true—how strange it is that people are deceived by one whose body is already burnt out.
दिनैः कतिपयैर् एव निर्झराम्बुकणो यथा । पतत्य् अयम् अयत्नेन जर्जरः कायपल्लवः
Just as a drop of water from a waterfall falls away in only a few days, so too does this frail body-leaf drop off effortlessly.
कायो ऽयम् अचिरापायो बुद्बुदो ऽम्बुनिधाव् इव । व्यर्थं कार्यपरावर्ते परिस्फुरति निष्फलः
This body, which does not last long, is like a bubble on the ocean; it moves about in vain, engaged in fruitless activities.
मिथ्याज्ञानविकारे ऽस्मिन् स्वप्नसम्भ्रमपत्तने । काये स्फुटतरापाये क्षणम् आस्था न मे द्विज
In this body, which is subject to the distortion of false knowledge and the confusion of dream-like delusion, and which is clearly perishable, I do not place my trust even for a moment, O twice-born one.
तडित्सु शरदभ्रेषु गन्धर्वनगरेषु च । स्थैर्यं येन विनिर्णीतं स विश्वसिति विग्रहे
He who has determined stability in a flash of lightning, in autumn clouds, or in the cities of the Gandharvas—he alone trusts in the body.
सततभङ्गुरकार्यपरम्पराविजयि जातजयं शठवृत्तिषु । सकलदोषम् इदं कुकलेवरं तृणम् इवाहम् उपोज्झ्य सुखं स्थितः
Having abandoned this wretched body, which is like straw, full of every fault, ever-defeated by the succession of fragile actions, and always behaving deceitfully, I remain happily established.
लब्ध्वापि तरलाकारे कार्यभारतरङ्गिणि । संसारसागरे जन्म बाल्यं दुःखाय केवलम्
Even after obtaining birth in the ocean of worldly existence, with its waves of burdensome duties and its fleeting forms, childhood brings only suffering.
अशक्तिर् आपदस् तृष्णा मूकता मूढबुद्धिता । गृध्नुता लोलता दैन्यं सर्वं बाल्ये प्रवर्तते
In childhood arise powerlessness, calamity, craving, muteness, dullness of intellect, greed, fickleness, and misery—all these manifest in childhood.
रोषरोदनरौद्रीषु दैन्यजर्जरितासु च । दशासु बन्धनं बाल्यम् आलानं करिणीष्व् इव
Childhood is bondage in states of anger, weeping, cruelty, and when worn down by misery—like chains fastened on elephants.
न मृतौ न जरारोगे न चापदि न यौवने । ताश् चिन्ता विनिकृन्तन्ति हृदयं शैशवेषु याः
Those worries that tear the heart in childhood do not cut so deeply in death, old age, sickness, misfortune, or even youth.
तिर्यग्जातिसमारम्भस् सर्वैर् एवावधीरितः । लोलो बालजनाचारो मरणाद् अपि दुःखदः
The behavior of children, restless and scorned by all as if belonging to the animal realm, brings suffering even greater than death.
प्रतिबिम्बं घनाज्ञानां नानासङ्कल्पपेलवम् । बाल्यम् आलूनसंशीर्णमनः कस्य सुखावहम्
Whose mind, torn and wounded, finds happiness in childhood—a reflection of dense ignorance, unsteady with countless thoughts?
जडश्यामलयाजस्रं जातभीत्या पदे पदे । यद् भयं शैशवे बुद्ध्या कस्याम् आपदि तद् भवेत्
The constant fear that arises at every step in childhood, from dullness and darkness, who would face such distress knowingly?
लीलासु दुर्विलासेषु दुरीहासु दुराशये । परमं मोहम् आदत्ते बालो बलवदापदम्
A child, absorbed in play, improper amusements, vain pursuits, and false hopes, falls into the greatest delusion and a powerful misfortune.
विकल्पकलिलारम्भं दुर्विलासं दुरास्पदम् । शैशवं शासनायैव पुरुषस्य न शान्तये
Childhood, with its confusion of thoughts, improper amusements, and unattainable desires, is fit only for discipline, not for peace.
ये दोषा ये दुराचारा दुष्क्रमा ये दुराधयः । ते सर्वे संस्थिता बाल्ये दुर्गर्त इव कौशिकाः
All faults, bad conduct, difficult actions, and wicked intentions—these all reside in childhood, like crocodiles in a deep pool.
बाल्यं रम्यम् इति व्यर्थबुद्धयः कथयन्ति ये । तान् मूर्खपुरुषान् ब्रह्मन् धिग् अस्तु हतचेतसः
Those who, lacking discernment, say that childhood is delightful—may such foolish, deluded people, O Brahman, be condemned.
यत्र लोलाकृति मनः परिस्फुरति वृत्तिषु । त्रैलोक्यराज्यम् अपि तत् कथं भवति तुष्टये
Where the mind, restless in form, flits among distractions—how could even the sovereignty of the three worlds bring satisfaction there?
सर्वेषाम् एव सत्त्वानां सर्वावस्थासु चैव हि । मनश् चञ्चलताम् एति बाल्ये दशगुणं मुने
For all beings, in every state, the mind becomes unsteady; but in childhood, O sage, its fickleness is tenfold.
मनः प्रकृत्यैव चलं बाल्यं च चलतावरम् । तयोस् संश्लिष्टयोस् तात केनैवान्तः कुचापले
The mind is by nature unsteady, and childhood is the peak of unsteadiness; when these two combine, my dear, who can fathom the chaos within?