संसारवासना चेतो यदि नाम न पूरयेत् । तज् जाग्रत्स्वप्नसंरम्भाः कं नयेयुर् इहापदम्
If the mind's inclination toward worldly existence is not fulfilled, then what harm can the agitations of waking and dreaming bring here?
दृश्यन्ते रौरवावीचिनरकानर्थशासनाः । मिथ्याज्ञाने गते वृद्धिं स्वर्गोपवनभूमिषु
Raurava, Avīci, and other hells, with their domains of suffering, are seen to increase in the celestial groves and regions when false knowledge prevails.
अनया वेधितं चेतो बिसतन्ताव् अपि क्षणात् । पश्यत्य् अखिलसंसारसागरावर्तविभ्रमम्
When the mind is pierced by this (ignorance), even a fiber of a lotus thread instantly perceives the bewildering whirlpool of the entire ocean of worldly existence.
अनयोपहते चित्ते राज्य एव हि संस्थितः । तास् ता दशा जनो याति या न योग्याश् श्वपाकिनः
When the mind is afflicted by this (ignorance), even while established in sovereignty, a person attains those very states that are not suitable even for outcastes.
तस्माद् राम परित्यज्य वासनां भवबन्धनीम् । सर्वभावमयीं तिष्ठ नीरागस् स्फटिको यथा
Therefore, O Rāma, abandoning the tendency that binds to worldly existence, remain composed of all states, unattached, like a crystal.
तिष्ठतस् तव कार्येषु मास्तु रागानुरञ्जना । स्फटिकस्येव चित्राणि प्रतिबिम्बानि गृह्णतः
While you remain engaged in your duties, let there be no coloring of attachment—just as a crystal, though reflecting various images, remains itself unchanged.
विगतकौतुकसङ्गसमिद्धया यदि करोषि सदैव हि लीलया । वरधिया जगति प्रकृतिक्रियास् तद् असि केन महान् उपमीयसे
If, with a mind free from curiosity and attachment, you always act in the world playfully, with noble understanding, performing natural actions—then, to what can your greatness be compared?
एवम् उक्तो भगवता वसिष्ठेन महात्मना । रामः कमलपत्त्राक्ष उन्मीलित इवाबभौ
Thus addressed by the venerable and great-souled Vasistha, Rama, whose eyes were like lotus petals, appeared as if awakened.
विकासितान्तःकरणश् शोभाम् अलम् उपाययौ । आश्वस्तस् तमसि क्षीणे पद्मो ऽर्कालोकवान् इव
His inner being blossomed, attaining great radiance; reassured, as darkness faded, like a lotus filled with sunlight.
बोधविस्मयसञ्जातसौम्यस्मितसिताननः । दन्तरश्मिसुधाधौताम् इमां वाचम् उवाच च
With a gentle smile born of wonder and awakening, his face shone bright, as if washed by the moon’s nectar-beams, and he spoke these words:
अहो नु चित्रं पद्मोत्थैर् बद्धास् तन्तुभिर् अद्रयः । अविद्यमाना याविद्या तया सर्वे वशीकृताः
Ah, how marvelous! Mountains are bound by threads spun from lotus stalks; by this ignorance, which does not truly exist, all are brought under its sway.
इदं तद् वज्रतां यातं रूपम् अस्मिञ् जगत्त्रये । अविद्ययापि यन् नाम सद् एवासद् इव स्थितम्
This is that form which has attained the hardness of diamond in the three worlds—though it is only ignorance, it appears as if the real exists as the unreal.
अस्यास् संसारमायाया नट्यास् त्रिभुवनाङ्गने । रूपं सदवबोधार्थं कथयानुग्रहात् पुनः
Out of compassion, please describe again the true nature of this worldly illusion—this dancer upon the stage of the three worlds—so that true understanding may arise.
अन्यच् च संशयो ऽयं मे महात्मन् हृदि वर्तते । लवणो ऽसौ महाभागः किं ताम् आपदम् आप्तवान्
And, O great soul, another doubt arises in my heart: Did that noble Lavana truly encounter such a calamity?
संश्लिष्टयोर् अहतयोर् द्वयोर् वा देहदेहिनोः । ब्रह्मन् क इव संसारी शुभाशुभफलैकभुक्
When two—body and embodied self—are joined and unharmed, O Brahman, who among them is the experiencer of worldly existence, enjoying the fruits of good and evil alone?
लवणस्य तथा दत्त्वा ताम् आपदम् अनुत्तमाम् । किं गतश् चञ्चलारम्भः कश् चासाव् ऐन्द्रजालिकः
Having thus brought upon Lavana that supreme misfortune, who was it that departed, restless in beginning—who indeed was that master of illusion?
काष्ठकुड्योपमो देहो न किञ्चन इवानघ । स्वप्नालोक इवानेन चेतसा परिकल्प्यते
The body, O stainless one, is like a wooden wall, as if it were nothing at all; it is conceived by this mind like a world seen in a dream.
चेतस् तु जीवतां यातं चिच्छक्तिपरिरूषितम् । विद्धि संसारि सुमते कपिपोतकचञ्चलम्
But the mind, endowed with the power of consciousness, attains the state of the living; know, O wise one, that it is the transmigrator—restless as a young monkey.
चेतो हि कर्मभाग् देहे नानाकारं शरीरधृत् । अहङ्कारमनोजीवनामभिः परिकथ्यते
Indeed, it is the mind that acts within the body, assuming various forms as the bearer of the body; it is described by the names ego, mind, and life-force.
तस्येमान्य् अप्रबुद्धस्य सुप्रबुद्धस्य राघव । सुखदुखान्य् अनन्तानि न शरीरस्य कानिचित्
For that mind—whether unawakened or fully awakened, O Raghava—pleasures and pains, endless in number, belong not at all to the body.
अप्रबुद्धं मनो नानासञ्ज्ञाकल्पितकल्पनम् । वृत्तीर् अनुपतच् चित्रा विचित्राकृतितां गतम्
The unawakened mind, imagining various designations, follows manifold and diverse activities, assuming forms of every kind.
अप्रबुद्धम् भवेद् यावन् निद्रान्तं तावद् एव हि । सम्भ्रमं पश्यति स्वप्ने न प्रबुद्धः कदाचन
As long as one has not awakened, sleep persists; during that time, one perceives confusion in dreams, but never upon awakening.
अज्ञाननिद्राकुलितो जीवो यावन् न बोधितः । तावत् पश्यति दुर्बोधं संसारारम्भविभ्रमम्
As long as the living being is afflicted by the sleep of ignorance and has not awakened, he perceives the bewildering and incomprehensible turmoil of worldly existence.
सम्प्रबुद्धस्य मनसस् तमस् सर्वं विलीयते । कमलस्य यथा ह्य् आन्ध्यं दिनालोकविकासिनः
When the mind is fully awakened, all darkness dissolves, just as the blindness of a lotus disappears when it opens in the daylight.
चित्ताविद्यामनोजीववासनेति कृतात्मभिः । कर्मात्मेति च यः प्रोक्तस् स देही दुःखकोविदः
Those who identify themselves with mind, ignorance, mental being, and residence, and also with karma and self, are called embodied beings who are acquainted with suffering.
जडो देहो न दुःखार्हो दुःखी जीवो ऽविचारतः । अविचारो घनाज्ञानाद् अज्ञानं दुःखकारणम्
The inert body is not subject to suffering; it is the living being who suffers due to lack of discernment. Lack of discernment arises from dense ignorance, and ignorance is the cause of suffering.
शुभाशुभानां धर्माणां जीवो विषयतां गतः । अविवेकैकदोषेण कोशे नेदं महापदम्
The living being, having become attached to the domains of virtuous and unvirtuous actions, due to the single fault of indiscrimination, does not reach this supreme state.
अविवेकामयोत्तब्धं मनो विविधवृत्तिमत् । नानाकारविहारेण परिभ्रमति चक्रवत्
The mind, bound by the disease of indiscrimination and possessing various tendencies, wanders in diverse forms of play, revolving like a wheel.
उदेति रौति हन्त्य् अत्ति याति वल्गति नन्दति । मन एव शरीरे ऽस्मिन् न शरीरं कदाचन
It arises, cries, kills, eats, goes, leaps, rejoices; it is only the mind in this body, never the body itself.
यथा गृहपतिर् गेहे रथे वा सारथिर् यथा । यथा भुजङ्गो भस्त्रायां शरीरे ऽस्मिंस् तथा मनः
Just as a householder is in his house, or a charioteer in a chariot, or a serpent in its hole, so is the mind within this body.