घटे कपालतां याते घटाकाशो न नश्यति । यथा तथा शरीरे ऽस्मिन् नष्टे त्वं न विनश्यसि
When a pot is reduced to fragments, the space within the pot is not destroyed; in the same way, when this body is lost, you are not destroyed.
मृगतृष्णातरङ्गिण्यां क्षीणायां नातपो यथा । विनश्यति तथा देहे नष्टे नात्मा विनश्यति
Just as, when the waves of a mirage have ceased, there is no more heat, so too, when the body is destroyed, the Self does not perish.
वाञ्छैवोदेति ते कस्माद् भ्रान्तिर् अन्तर् निरर्थिका । अद्वितीयो द्वितीयं तत् किं वस्त्व् आत्माभिवाञ्छतु
Why does this desire arise in you? This inner delusion is meaningless. How can the non-dual Self desire something other than itself?
श्रव्यं स्पृश्यं तथा दृश्यं रम्यं घ्रेयं च राघव । न किञ्चिद् अस्ति जगति व्यतिरिक्तं यद् आत्मनः
O Raghava, whatever is heard, touched, seen, delightful, or smelled—nothing exists in the world apart from the Self.
सर्वशक्ताव् इमास् तस्मिन्न् आत्मन्य् एवाखिलास् स्थिताः । शक्तयो वितते व्यक्ते आकाश इव शून्यताः
All these powers abide only in that Self; when manifested and spread out, these powers are like the emptiness in space.
चित्ताद् राघव रूढेयं त्रिलोकीललनोदरे । त्रिविधेन क्रमेणेह जनता जनितभ्रमा
O Raghava, when the mind is established, this universe appears within its womb; by threefold process, people here are deluded into existence.
मनःप्रशमने सिद्धे वासनाक्षयनामनि । कर्मक्षयाभिधाने च मायेयं प्रविनश्यति
When the calming of the mind is accomplished, called the extinction of tendencies, and the cessation of actions is attained, this illusion is destroyed.
संसारोग्रारघट्टे ऽस्मिन् या दृढा यन्त्रवाहिनी । रज्जुस् तां वासनाम् एतां छिन्द्धि राघव यत्नतः
In this fierce machinery of worldly existence, the strong cord that drives it is tendency; O Raghava, cut this cord of tendency with effort.
अपरिज्ञायमानैषा महामोहप्रदायिनी । परिज्ञाता त्व् अनन्ताख्यसुखदा ब्रह्मगामिनी
When not recognized, this tendency gives rise to great delusion; but when known, it bestows the bliss called infinite and leads to Brahman.
आगता ब्रह्मणो भुक्त्वा संसारम् इह लीलया । पुनर् ब्रह्मैव संस्मृत्य ब्रह्मण्य् एव विलीयते
Having come from Brahman, experiencing worldly existence here as a play, one remembers Brahman again and dissolves back into Brahman.
शिवाद् राघव नीरूपाद् अप्रमेयान् निरामयात् । सर्वभूतानि जातानि प्राकाश्यानीव तेजसः
O Raghava, from Shiva—who is formless, immeasurable, and free from all affliction—all beings arise, just as radiance comes forth from light.
रेखावृन्दं यथा पर्णे वीचिजालं यथा जले । कटकादि यथा हेम्नि तथौष्ण्यादि यथानले
Just as lines appear on a leaf, waves on water, ornaments on gold, or heat and the like in fire,
तदतद्भावभूतं हि तथेदं भुवनत्रयम् । तस्मिन्न् एव स्थितं तज्जं तस्माद् एव तद् एव च
So too, this threefold world exists as both identical and non-identical with That; it abides in That, is born from That, and is indeed That alone.
स एष सर्वभूतानाम् आत्मा ब्रह्मेति कथ्यते । तस्मिञ् ज्ञाते जगज् ज्ञातम् अज्ञाते ऽज्ञातम् एव तत्
He is called the Self—Brahman—of all beings; when That is known, the world is known; when That is not known, it remains unknown.
शास्त्रसंव्यवहारार्थं तस्यास्य वितताकृतेः । चिद् ब्रह्मात्मेति नामानि कल्पितानि कृतात्मभिः
For the sake of scripture and worldly usage, those who know have assigned names such as 'consciousness,' 'Brahman,' and 'Self' to That whose form is all-pervading.
विषयेन्द्रियसंयोगे हर्षामर्षविवर्जिता । यैषा शुद्धानुभूतिर् हि सो ऽयम् आत्मा चिदव्ययः
That pure experience, free from joy and resentment in the contact of senses and objects, is this very Self—consciousness, imperishable.
आकाशातितराच्छाच्छम् इदं तस्मिंश् चिदात्मनि । स्वाभोग एव हि जगत् पृथग्वत् प्रतिबिम्बति
This consciousness-Self is subtler and clearer than space; in That, the world appears as a separate reflection, but is only its own enjoyment.
बुद्धास् तद्व्यतिरेकेण लोभमोहादयो ऽरिताम् । यान्त्य् अथाव्यतिरेकेण बुद्धास् तस्मिंस् तदैव ते
When the intellect is separate from it, greed, delusion, and the like arise; but when there is no separation, the intellects are indeed in that alone.
अदेहस्यैव ते नाम निर्विकल्पचिदाकृतेः । लज्जाभयविषादाख्यः कुतो मोहस् समुत्थितः
For one who is bodiless, whose nature is undivided consciousness, how could confusion arise, named as shame, fear, or sorrow?
अदेहो देहजैर् दोषैर् लज्जादिभिर् असन्मयैः । किं मूर्ख इव दुर्बुद्धे विकल्पैर् अभिभूयसे
How, like a fool of dull mind, are you overcome by imaginations such as shame and the like, which are unreal and arise from the body, though you are bodiless?
अखण्डचितिरूपस्य देहे खण्डनम् आगते । असम्यग्दर्शिनो ऽप्य् अस्ति न नाशः किम् उ सन्मतेः
For one whose nature is unbroken consciousness, even when the body is destroyed, there is no destruction for one who does not see rightly—how much less for one who is truly wise?
यद् एतद् अर्कमार्गे ऽपि न विरुद्धगमागमम् । चित्त्वं राम स विज्ञेयः पुरुषो न शरीरकम्
That which, even on the path of the sun, does not come or go in opposition, O Rāma, know that to be the person, not the body.
शरीरे सत्य् असति वा पुमान् एष जगत्त्रये । ज्ञो ऽप्य् अज्ञो ऽपि स्थितो राम नष्टे देहे न नश्यति
Whether the body exists or not, this person in the three worlds, whether knowing or unknowing, remains, O Rāma; when the body is lost, he does not perish.
यानीमानि विचित्राणि दुःखानि परिपश्यसि । तानि सर्वाणि देहस्य नाग्राह्यस्य चिदात्मनः
All these various sufferings that you observe belong to the body, not to the consciousness-self, which cannot be grasped.
मनोमर्गाद् अतीतत्वाद् यासौ शून्यम् इव स्थिता । चित् कथं नाम सा दुःखैस् सुखैर् वा परिगृह्यते
Since it stands beyond the path of the mind, like emptiness, how indeed can that consciousness be affected by pain or pleasure?
संविदात्मा तद् अस्मात् तु विशिष्टाद् देहपञ्जरात् । अभ्यस्तां वासनां याति षट्पदः खम् इवाम्बुजात्
Consciousness, being the self, departs from this distinct cage of the body, carrying the impressions it has practiced, just as a bee leaves the lotus for the sky.
असच् चेद् आत्मतत्त्वं तद् अस्मिंस् ते देहपञ्जरे । नष्टे किं नाम नष्टं स्याद् राम येनानुशोचसि
If the essence of the self is unreal in this body-cage, then when it is lost, what truly is lost, Rama, for which you grieve?
सत्यं भावय तेन त्वं मा मोहम् अनुभावय । निरिच्छस्यात्मनो नेच्छाः काश्चिद् अप्य् अनघाकृतेः
Hold to the truth, and do not let delusion arise; for the pure self, there are no desires at all.
साक्षिभूते समे स्वच्छे निर्विकल्पे चिदात्मनि । स्वयं जगन्ति दृश्यन्ते सन्मणाव् इव रश्मयः
When the consciousness is witness, equal, clear, and free from distinctions, the worlds appear within it by themselves, like rays in a flawless jewel.
निरिच्छम् अभिसम्बन्धो यथा दर्पणबिम्बयोः । स्वभाववशसम्पन्नस् तथा चिज्जगतोर् अयम्
The connection without desire is like the images in a mirror; so too is the nature-born relation between consciousness and the world.