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?
स्त्रीलोचनैस् तडित्पुञ्जैर् ज्वालामालैस् तरङ्गकैः । चापलं शिक्षितं ब्रह्मञ् शैशवान् मनसो ऽथ वा
With glances of women like flashes of lightning, with garlands of flames and waves, O Brahman, fickleness is learned—whether from childhood or from the mind.
शैशवं च मनश् चैव सर्वास्व् एव हि वृत्तिषु । भ्रातराव् इव लक्ष्येते सततं भङ्गुरस्थिती
Childhood and the mind, in all their activities, are always seen as brothers—constantly unstable in their existence.
सर्वाणि दुष्टभूतानि सर्वे दोषा दुराशयाः । बाल्यम् एवोपजीवन्ति श्रीमन्तम् इव मानवाः
All wicked beings, all faults, and evil intentions—these thrive on childhood, just as people depend on the wealthy.
नवं नवं प्रीतिकरं न शिशुः प्रत्यहं यदि । प्राप्नोति तद् असौ याति विषवेगस्य मूर्छनाम्
If a child does not obtain something new and pleasing each day, he falls into a swoon of poisonous agitation.
स्तोकेन वशम् आयाति स्तोकेनैति विकारिताम् । अमेध्य एव रमते बालः कौलेयको यथा
Little by little, he comes under control; little by little, he becomes disturbed; the child delights only in what is impure, just like a boy from the Kauleya tribe.
अजस्रं बाष्पवदनः कर्दमान्तर् जडाशयः । वर्षोक्षितस्य तप्तस्य स्थलस्य सदृशश् शिशुः
Constantly tearful, with a muddy heart, the child is like scorched earth soaked by rain—dull and inert within.
भयाहारपरं दीनं यथादृष्टाभिलाषि च । लोलबुद्धिर् वपुर् धत्ते बालो दुःखाय केवलम्
Frightened, focused on food, miserable, desiring whatever he sees, the child’s fickle mind and body exist only for suffering.
स्वसङ्कल्पाभिलषितान् भावान् अप्राप्य तप्तधीः । दुःखम् एत्य् अबलो बालो विनिकृत्त इवाशये
Failing to obtain the objects he longs for in his own imagination, the weak child, his mind tormented, suffers as if his heart were cut out.
दुरीहालब्धलक्ष्याणि बहुपक्षोल्वणानि च । बालस्य यानि दुःखानि मुने तानि न कस्यचित्
O sage, the sufferings of a child—whose aims are hard to achieve and who is pulled in many directions—are like no other’s.
बालो बलवताश्व् एव मनोरथविलासिना । मनसा तप्यते नित्यं ग्रीष्मेणेव वनस्थलम्
The child, strong only in fantasy, is constantly tormented in his mind, just as a forest is scorched by the summer sun.