भ्रश्यंश् चैव परिभ्रष्टरूपो ऽस्मीति तलातलम् । भावयन् भूतलं याति तादृग्भावनया तया
When it is broken and loses its shape, it thinks 'I am shattered,' and by such contemplation, it becomes as it imagines, descending to the earth.
उत्थितं च बलाद् ऊर्ध्वम् उत्थितो ऽस्मीति भावितः । तैस् तैर् विकल्पैस् तद्भावं विकल्पयति साभिधम्
When it rises forcefully upward, it thinks 'I am risen,' and through various notions, it conceives itself accordingly, with those very ideas.
ससूर्यप्रतिबिम्बस् तु प्रकाशो ऽस्मीति भावितः । सरजःपुञ्जपातस् तु मलिनो ऽस्मीति भावितः
With the reflection of the sun, it contemplates 'I am radiant,' and when struck by a mass of dust, it thinks 'I am impure.'
सरत्नरश्मिजालस् तु शोभते दीप्तया श्रिया । तुषारभरविद्धस् तु शीतलो ऽस्मीति विन्दति
When adorned with a network of jewel rays, it shines with brilliant splendor; when pierced by frost, it experiences 'I am cold.'
सतटाचलदावाग्निप्रतिबिम्बोज्ज्वलद्वपुः । बिभेति वत दग्धो ऽस्मीत्य् आत्तमीनश् च कम्पते
With the reflection of wildfire on the riverbank, its form blazes; it fears, thinking 'Alas, I am burned,' and trembles like a caught fish.
प्रतिबिम्बितवेलाद्रितटपक्षिवनद्रुमः । महान् आरम्भसंरम्भसंयुतो ऽस्मीति राजते
Reflected on the shore, among mountains, birds, and trees, it shines, thinking 'I am great, endowed with effort and energy.'
विमलोल्लसनोत्पन्नध्वस्तलोलशरीरकः । खण्डशः परियातो ऽस्मीत्य् आत्ताक्रन्द इवारवी
When its body is pure, shining, arisen, destroyed, and restless, it thinks 'I am scattered in pieces,' and cries out like a wounded woman.
न चोर्मयस् ते जलधेर् व्यतिरिक्ताः पयोरसात् । न चैकं रूपम् एतेषां किञ्चित् सन्न् अप्य् असन्मयम्
The waves are not different from the ocean; they are of the same essence as water, and there is not a single form among them that truly exists apart from it.
न च ते न्यूनदैर्घ्याद्या गुणास् तेषु च तेषु ते । नोर्मयस् संस्थिता अब्धौ न च तत्र न संस्थिताः
Nor do those qualities such as shortness or length truly belong to them; the waves do not exist as separate entities in the ocean, nor are they entirely absent there.
केवलं स्वस्वभावस्थसङ्कल्पविकलीकृताः । नष्टानष्टाः पुनर् जाता जाताजाताः पुनः क्षताः
They are merely shaped and dissolved by their own inherent nature and the play of thought—destroyed and not destroyed, arising again, born and unborn, once more broken.
परस्परपरामर्शान् नानाताम् उपयान्त्य् अलम् । एकरूपाम्बुसामान्यमया एव निरामयाः
Through mutual interaction, they appear as many, yet in truth, they are of one form, composed of the same water, free from any disease or imperfection.
तथैवास्मिन् प्रवितते सिते शुद्धे निरामये । ब्रह्ममात्रैकवपुषि ब्रह्मणि स्फाररूपिणि
In the same way, in this vast, pure, stainless expanse—this single form of Brahman, which is pure consciousness and boundless—
सर्वशक्ताव् अनाद्यन्ते पृथग्वद् अपृथक्कृताः । संस्थिताश् शक्तयश् चित्रा विचित्राचारचञ्चलाः
All the various powers, though appearing as distinct, are not truly separate; they abide in that all-powerful, beginningless and endless reality, moving in diverse and wondrous ways.
नानाशक्ति हि नानात्वम् एति स्ववपुषि स्थितम् । बृंहितं ब्रह्मणि ब्रह्म पयसीवोर्मिमण्डलम्
Indeed, the diversity of powers is merely the appearance of diversity within its own being; Brahman, expanded within Brahman, is like the circle of waves in water.
नानारूपकरूपत्वाद् वैरूप्यशतकारिणी । नियतिर् नियताकारा पदार्थम् अधितिष्ठति
Because of the appearance of many forms, which create countless differences, fixed destiny, with its own definite shape, presides over all objects.
जडा जाड्यम् उपादत्ते चित्त्वम् आयाति चिन्मयी । वासनारूपिणी शक्तिस् स्वस्वरूपस्थितात्मनः
Inertness assumes inertness; consciousness arises as pure awareness; the power in the form of latent impressions abides in its own true nature.
ब्रह्मैवानघ तेनेदं स्फाराकारं विजृम्भते । नानारूपैः परिस्पन्दैः परिपूर्ण इवार्णवः
O sinless one, it is indeed Brahman by which this vast manifestation unfolds, appearing full through its various forms and movements, like the ocean with its waves.
नानातां स्वयम् आदत्ते नानाकारविहारतः । आत्मैवात्मन्य् आत्मनैव समुद्राम्भ इवाम्भसि
It does not assume diversity by itself, nor does it sport in various forms; the Self alone exists in the Self, by the Self, just as water remains in the ocean.
व्यतिरिक्ता न पयसो विचित्रा वीचयो यथा । व्यतिरिक्ता न सर्वेशात् समग्राः कलनास् तथा
Just as the diverse waves are not separate from water, so too all these manifestations are not separate from the Lord of all.
स्तम्भपुष्पलतापत्त्रफलकोरकयुक्तयः । यथैकस्मिं स्थिता बीजे तथा ब्रह्मणि शक्तयः
Just as stalk, flower, creeper, leaf, fruit, and bud exist within a single seed, so too all powers reside in Brahman.
नानाकर्तृतया नानाशक्तिता पुरुषे यथा । तथैवात्मनि सर्वज्ञे सर्वदा सर्वशक्तिता
Just as in a person there is manifold agency and various powers, so too in the all-knowing Self there is always all power.
विचित्रवर्णता यद्वद् दृश्यते कठिनातपे । विचित्रशक्तिता तद्वद् देवेशे सदसन्मयी
Just as manifold colors appear in the harsh sunlight, so too manifold powers, consisting of existence and non-existence, appear in the Lord of gods.
विचित्ररूपोदेतीयम् अविचित्रात् स्थितिश् शिवात् । एकवर्णात् पयोवाहाच् छक्रचापलता यथा
This manifold form arises from the unchanging Shiva; just as the play of lightning comes from a single color in the rain-bearing cloud.
अजडाज् जडतोदेति जाड्यभावनहेतुका । ऊर्णनाभाद् यथा तन्तुर् यथा पुंसस् सुषुप्तता
From the non-dull arises dullness, caused by the notion of dullness; just as a thread comes from the spider, or as deep sleep arises in a person.
अचित्तश् चैतसीं शक्तिं स्वबन्धायेच्छया शिवः । तनोति तान्तवं कोशं कोशकारक्रिमिर् यथा
The mindless Shiva, by his own will, extends the power of consciousness for his own bondage, just as the silkworm spins its cocoon.
स्वेच्छयात्मात्मनो ब्रह्मन् भावयित्वा स्वकं वपुः । संसारान् मोक्षम् आयाति स्वालानाद् इव वारणः
By his own will, O Brahman, the Self, having conceived his own form, attains liberation from samsara, just as an elephant frees itself from its bonds.
यद् एव भावयत्य् आत्मा सततं भावितस् स्वयम् । तयैवापूर्यते शक्त्या शीघ्रम् एव महान् अपि
Whatever the Self constantly contemplates, having contemplated it himself, he is quickly filled with that very power, even if he is great.
भाविता शक्तिर् आत्मानम् आत्मतां नयति क्षणात् । अनन्तम् अपि खं प्रावृण्मिहिका महती यथा
The power that has been contemplated leads the Self to selfhood in an instant, just as a great mist covers even the infinite sky.
या शक्तिर् उदिता शीघ्रं याति तन्मयताम् अजः । याम् एव तु स्थितिं यातस् तन्मयो भवति द्रुमः
Whatever power arises, the unborn one quickly becomes identified with it; and whatever state it attains, the tree becomes of that very nature.
न मोक्षो मोक्ष ईशस्य न बन्धो बन्ध आत्मनः । बन्धमोक्षदृशौ लोके न जाने प्रोत्थिते कुतः
There is no liberation as liberation for the Lord, nor bondage as bondage for the Self; in the world, I do not know whence the notions of bondage and liberation have arisen.