अभावनं भावनायास् त्व् एतावान् भावनाक्षयः । एष एव मनोनाशस् त्व् अविद्यानाश उच्यते
The cessation of imagining is itself the end of imagination; this alone is called the dissolution of the mind and the destruction of ignorance.
यद् यत् संवेद्यते किञ्चित् तत्रासंवेदनं वरम् । असंवित्तिस् तु निर्वाणं दुःखं संवेदनाद् भवेत्
Wherever anything is perceived, non-perception is preferable there; non-awareness is liberation, while suffering arises from perception.
स्वेनैव तत् प्रयत्नेन पुंसस् सम्पद्यते क्षणात् । भावस्याभावनं भूत्यै तत् तस्मान् नित्यम् आहरेत्
By one's own effort, a person attains this instantly; the absence of mental constructs leads to well-being, so one should always cultivate it.
रागादयो ये मनसेप्सितास् ते बुद्ध्वैव तांस् तांस् त्वम् अवस्तुभूतान् । त्यक्त्वा तदास्थाङ्कुरम् अस्तबीजं मा हर्षशोकौ समुपैषि तृप्तः
Those passions and the like, which are desired by the mind, recognize them as unreal; abandoning their root, which is attachment, and the seedless state, you will not experience joy or sorrow, but remain content.
एषा हि वासना नित्यम् असत्य् एव यद् उत्थिता । द्विचन्द्रभ्रान्तिवत् तेन त्यक्तुं राघव युज्यते
This tendency always arises in what is unreal; like the illusion of seeing two moons, therefore, Raghava, it is proper to abandon it.
अविद्याविद्यमानैव नष्टप्रज्ञस्य विद्यते । नाम्नैवाङ्गीकृताभावा सम्यक्प्रज्ञस्य सा कुतः
Ignorance exists only for one whose wisdom is lost; it is accepted merely by name, so how can it exist for one whose wisdom is complete?
मा भवाज्ञो भव प्राज्ञस् सम्यग् राम विचारय । नास्त्य् एवेन्दुर् द्वितीयः खे भ्रान्त्या संलक्ष्यते मुधा
Do not be ignorant, be wise; examine rightly, Rama. There is not truly a second moon in the sky—it is perceived only through error.
नात्मतत्त्वाद् ऋते किञ्चिद् विद्यते वस्त्व् अवस्तु वा । ऊर्मिमालिनि विस्तीर्णे वारिपूराद् ऋते यथा
Apart from the essence of the Self, nothing exists, whether real or unreal; just as, in a vast mass of waves, nothing exists apart from the water.
स्वविकल्पकृतान् एतान् भावाभावान् असन्मयान् । नित्ये तते सिते शुद्धे मा समारोपयात्मनि
Do not impose these unreal states of existence and non-existence, created by your own imagination, upon the eternal, pure, spotless Self.
नासि कर्ता किम् एतासु क्रियासु ममता तव । एकस्मिन् विद्यमाने हि किं केन क्रियते कथम्
You are not the doer—what claim of ownership do you have in these actions? For when there is only one reality, what is done, by whom, and how?
मा चाकर्ता भव प्राज्ञ किम् अकर्तृतयेह ते । साध्यं साध्यम् उपादेयं तस्मात् स्वस्थो भवानघ
Nor should you, O wise one, become a non-doer—what use is there for you in not acting? That which is to be accomplished should be undertaken; therefore, remain composed and blameless.
कर्ता संस् त्वम् असक्तत्वाद् भवाकर्ता रघूद्वह । असक्तत्वाद् अकर्तापि कर्तृवत् स्पन्दनं कुरु
You are indeed the doer, yet due to non-attachment, you are not the doer, O descendant of Raghu. Because of non-attachment, even as a non-doer, act outwardly as a doer.
सत्यं चेत् स्याद् उपादेयं मिथ्या स्याद् धेयम् एव तत् । उपादेयैकसक्तत्वाद् युक्ता सक्तिर् हि कर्मणि
If something is true, it is to be accepted; if it is false, it is to be discarded. Attachment to what is to be accepted alone is proper, for attachment is fitting only in action.
यत्रेन्द्रजालम् अखिलं मायामयम् अवस्तुकम् । तत्र कास् ताः कथं राम हेयोपादेयदृष्टयः
Where all is an illusion, a magical display, entirely unreal, O Rama, what then are those notions of acceptance and rejection, and how can they arise there?
संसारबीजकणिका यैषाविद्या रघूद्वह । एषा ह्य् अविद्यमानैव सतीव स्फारतां गता
This ignorance, O descendant of Raghu, is the tiny seed of worldly existence; though truly non-existent, it appears as if real and becomes manifest.
येयम् आभोगिनिस्सारसंसारारम्भचक्रिका । विज्ञेया वासनैषा सा चैतसी मोहदायिनी
This revolving wheel of worldly activity, which arises from enjoyment, is to be understood as latent tendency; it is mental and gives rise to delusion.
चारुवंशलतेवान्तश्शून्यनिस्सारकोटरा । सरित्तरङ्गमालेव न व्युच्छिन्ना विनश्वरी
Like a beautiful vine whose inner hollows are empty and fruitless, or like a river’s wave that is never cut off yet perishes, so is it.
गृह्यमाणापि हस्तेन ग्रहीतुं नैव युज्यते । मृद्व्य् अप्य् अत्यन्ततीक्ष्णाग्रा निर्झरोर्मिर् इवोत्थिता
Even when seized by the hand, it cannot truly be grasped; though soft, its tip is exceedingly sharp, like a wave rising from a waterfall.
दृश्यते प्रकटाभासा सदर्थे नोपयुज्यते । तरङ्गिणी तरङ्गाभास्व् आकारपरिनिष्ठिता
It appears clearly visible, yet is of no real use; like a wave upon a river, established only in the form of a wave.
क्वचिद् वक्रा क्वचिद् ऋज्वी दीर्घा खर्वा स्थिरा चला । यत्प्रसादोद्भवा तस्माद् व्यतिरेकम् उपागता
At times crooked, at times straight, long or short, steady or unsteady; arising from its own favor, it comes to distinction from that.
अन्तश्शून्यापि सर्वत्र दृश्यते ऽसारसुन्दरी । न क्वचित् संस्थितापीह सर्वत्रैवोपलक्ष्यते
Though empty within, everywhere it is seen as a beauty without substance; though not settled anywhere, it is observed everywhere.
जडैव चिन्मयीवासाव् अन्यस्पन्दोपजीविनी । निमेषम् अप्य् अतिष्ठन्ती स्थैर्याशङ्कां प्रयच्छति
Though inert, it seems conscious, living by the movement of another; even while not lasting a moment, it gives the impression of stability.
ज्वालेव शुद्धवर्णापि मषीमलिनकोटरा । वल्गत्य् अन्यप्रसादेन क्षीयते तदवीक्षिता
Like a flame, pure in color yet dark at its core with soot; it flickers by another's favor, and fades away when not regarded.
आलोके विमले म्लाना तमस्य् अतिविराजते । मृगतृष्णेव सुस्फारा नानावर्णविलासिनी
Pale in pure light, yet shining brightly in darkness; like a mirage, it appears full and splendid, displaying many colors.
वक्रा विषमयी तन्वी मृद्वी कण्टककर्कशा । ललना चञ्चला क्षुद्धा तृष्णा जिह्वेव भोगिनः
Crooked, perilous, slender, soft yet prickly and rough; a restless, hungry maiden—craving, like the tongue of a serpent.
स्वयं दीपशिखेवाशु क्षीयते स्नेहसङ्क्षये । सिन्दूरधूलिलेखेव विना रागं न रञ्जते
Just as a lamp quickly fades when its oil is exhausted, or as a streak of vermilion dust does not shine without color, so too does it lose its luster without attachment.
क्षणप्रकाशा तरला कृतसंस्था जडाशये । मुग्धानां त्रासजननी वक्रा विद्युद् इवोदिता
Ephemeral and flickering, established in inertness, it appears suddenly and frightens the innocent, like a crooked lightning flash.
यत्नाद् गृहीत्वा दहति भूत्वा भूत्वा प्रलीयते । लभ्यते ऽपि च नान्विष्टा विद्युद्वद् अतिभङ्गुरा
Though seized with effort, it burns and repeatedly dissolves; even when found, it is not sought after, as fragile as lightning.
अप्रार्थितैवोपनता रमणीयाप्य् अनर्थदा । अकालपुष्पमालेव श्रेयसे नाभिनन्दिता
Unasked, it arrives; though delightful, it brings misfortune. Like an untimely blossom, it is not welcomed for one's welfare.
अत्यन्तविस्मृतैवातिसुखाय भ्रमदायिनी । दुस्स्वप्नकलनेवेयम् अनर्थायैव सूत्थिता
Utterly forgotten, it brings wandering joy; yet, like the creation of a bad dream, it arises only for harm.