यस्योदयास्तमयसङ्कलनाकलासु चित्रासु चारुविभवासु जगद्गतासु । वृत्तिस् समैव सकलैकगतेर् अनन्ता तस्मै नमः परमबोधवते शिवाय
In whose rising and setting, in whose diverse and beautiful manifestations within the world, the activity remains equally poised, single-pointed, and boundless— to that supreme knower, to Shiva, I offer my salutations.
तस्येयं भोगमोक्षार्थं तज्ज्ञस्योपवनोपमा । सुखायैव न दुःखाय स्वशरीरमहापुरी
This great city of the body, for the purpose of enjoyment and liberation, is like a garden for the one who knows; it exists only for happiness, not for sorrow.
नगरीत्वं शरीरस्य कथं नाम महामुने । एनां चाधिवसन् योगी कथं राज्यसुखैकभाक्
O great sage, how can the body be called a city? And how does the yogi, dwelling in it, enjoy the happiness of sovereignty alone?
रम्येयं देहनगरी राम सर्वगुणान्विता । ज्ञस्यानन्तविलासाढ्या स्वालोकार्कप्रकाशिता
O Rama, this delightful city of the body is endowed with all virtues; for the knower, it is rich in infinite play and illuminated by the light of one's own awareness.
नेत्रवातायनोद्द्योतप्रकाशभुवनान्तरा । करप्रतोलीविस्तारप्राप्तपादोपजङ्गला
With windows of the eyes shining forth, and inner realms radiant, with the streets formed by the hands extending, and the feet reaching the outskirts.
रोमराजिलतागुल्मा त्वगट्टालकमालिता । गुल्फगुल्गुलुविश्रान्तजङ्घोरुस्तम्भमण्डला
Adorned with rows of hair like vines and clusters, with the skin as its walls, and resting on the pillars of ankles, calves, thighs, and knees.
रेखाविभक्तपादोग्रशिलाप्रथमनिर्मिता । चर्ममर्मसिरासारसन्धिसीमामनोरमा
Beautifully constructed with the soles marked by lines and stones, charming with boundaries of skin, vital points, veins, and joints.
ऊरुद्वयकवाटाग्रनिर्मितोपस्थनिर्गमा । कचत्कचावलीकाचदलप्रच्छादनावृता
With the gateway at the tips of her two thighs, her genitals emerging, covered by folds of skin and hair, veiled by the petals of flesh.
भ्रूललाटास्यसच्छायवदनोद्यानशोभिता । दृष्टिपातोत्पलाकीर्णकपोलविपुलस्थला
Her face is adorned by the radiance of her brows, forehead, and mouth, her broad cheeks like spacious grounds, scattered with the lotuses of her glances.
वक्षस्स्थलसरस्स्यूतकुचपङ्कजकोरका । घनरोमावलिच्छन्नस्कन्धक्रीडाशिलोच्चया
Her chest is a lake where the buds of her breasts are like lotus-buds, her shoulders rising like playful rocks, concealed by dense lines of hair.
उदरश्वभ्रनिक्षिप्तस्वन्नेष्टभक्षकर्परा । दीर्घकण्ठबिलोद्गीर्णवातसंरम्भशब्दिता
Her stomach is a chasm where her desired food is thrown and crushed, resounding with the tumult of winds expelled through the deep channel of her throat.
हृदयापणनिर्णीतयथाप्राप्तार्थभूषिता । अनारतं नवद्वारप्रवहत्प्राणनागरा
She is adorned with whatever she acquires in the marketplace of the heart, and her city of life-breaths constantly flows through nine gates.
आस्यस्फारखदादृष्टदन्तास्थिशकलाकुला । मुखस्खदाभ्रमज्जिह्वाचिल्लाचर्वितभोजना
Her mouth, wide open, reveals fragments of teeth and bone; her tongue, wandering within, chews and tastes the food she consumes.
रोमशष्पभरच्छन्नकर्णकोटरकूपका । स्फिक्कृङ्खलाञ्चितोपान्तपृष्ठविस्तीर्णजङ्गला
The wells of her ears are covered by the thicket of hair, and the expanse of her back is a wilderness, marked by the chains of her hips curving at the edges.
गुदोच्छिन्नारघट्टान्तरुद्धृतानन्तकर्दमा । चित्तोद्यानमहीवल्गदात्मचिन्तावराङ्गना
Her anus is obstructed by filth, and within it is endless mire; in the garden of her mind, the courtesan of self-reflection wanders.
धीवरत्रादृढाबद्धचपलेन्द्रियमर्कटा । वदनोद्यानहसनपुष्पोद्गममनोरमा
The city of the body is delightful, with its restless senses like monkeys firmly bound by the fisherman of intelligence, and with the charming blossoming of smiles in the garden of the mouth.
स्वशरीरपुरी ज्ञस्य सर्वसौभाग्यसुन्दरी । सुखायैव न दुःखाय परमाय हिताय च
For the wise, their own bodily city is supremely beautiful and fortunate, existing only for happiness, never for sorrow, and is of the highest benefit.
अज्ञस्येयम् अनन्तानां दुःखानां कोशपालिका । ज्ञस्य त्व् इयम् अनन्तानां सुखानां कोशपालिका
For the ignorant, this is the keeper of countless sorrows; but for the wise, it is the keeper of countless joys.
न किञ्चिद् अस्यां नष्टायां ज्ञस्य नष्टम् अरिन्दम । स्थितायां संस्थितं सर्वं तेनेयं ज्ञसुखावहा
O subduer of foes, when this is lost, nothing is lost for the wise; when it remains, everything remains—therefore, this brings happiness to the wise.
यद् एनां ज्ञस् समारुह्य संसारे विहरत्य् अलम् । अशेषभोगमोक्षार्थं तेनेयं ज्ञरथस् स्मृतः
When the wise one mounts this and moves freely in the world for the sake of experiencing and transcending all enjoyments, therefore, this is called the chariot of the wise.
शब्दरूपरसस्पर्शगन्धबन्धुश्रियो यतः । अनयैव हि लभ्यन्ते तेनेयं ज्ञस्य लाभदा
Because sound, form, taste, touch, fragrance, kin, and wealth are all obtained through this alone, therefore, this is the giver of gain to the wise.
सुखदुःखक्रियाजालं यदैषोद्वहति स्वयम् । तदैषा राम सर्वत्र सर्ववस्तुभरक्षमा
O Rama, when this itself bears the web of actions of pleasure and pain, then it is everywhere capable of bearing all things.
तस्यां शरीरपुर्यां हि राज्यं कुर्वन् गतभ्रमः । ज्ञस् तिष्ठति गतव्यग्रं स्वपुर्याम् इव वासवः
In that city of the body, the wise one, free from delusion, rules his kingdom without agitation, like Indra in his own city.
न क्षिपत्य् अवटाटोपे मनोमत्ततुरङ्गमम् । न लोभद्वन्द्वरूपाय प्रज्ञापुत्रीं प्रयच्छति
He does not cast the intoxicated horse of the mind into the pit of darkness, nor does he give his daughter, discernment, to the form of greed and duality.
अज्ञानपरराष्ट्रं च न रन्ध्रं त्व् अस्य पश्यति । संसारारिभयस्यान्तर् मूलान्य् एष निकृन्तति
He does not see any weakness in the territory of ignorance; within, he cuts off the very roots of the fearsome enemy of worldly existence.
तृष्णासारपरावर्ते कामसङ्क्षोभदुर्ग्रहे । न निमज्जति पर्यस्तसुखदुःखाक्षदेवने
He does not sink into the whirlpool of craving, the fortress of agitation by desire, or the forest of alternating pleasure and pain.
करोत्य् अविरतं स्नानं बहिर् अन्तर् अपि क्षणात् । सरित्सङ्गमतीर्थेषु मनोरथगतिः क्रमात्
He bathes constantly, both outwardly and inwardly, in an instant, at the sacred confluences of rivers, following the course of his mind’s intentions step by step.
सकलाक्षिजनादृश्यः पुरप्रेक्षापराङ्मुखः । ध्याननाम्नि सुखं नित्यं तिष्ठत्य् अन्तःपुरान्तरे
Unseen by all the senses, turning away from the spectacle of the city, he always dwells happily within the inner chamber named meditation.
सुखावहैषा नगरी नित्यं प्रमुदितात्मनः । भोगमोक्षप्रदा दिव्या शक्रस्येवामरावती
This city brings happiness to one whose heart is ever joyful; it is divine, bestowing both enjoyment and liberation, like Indra’s Amaravati.
स्थितया संस्थितं सर्वं किञ्चिन् नष्टं न नष्टया । यया पुर्या महीपस्य सा कथं न सुखावहा
By that city in which everything established remains established, and nothing perishes unless it is unsteady—how could that not bring happiness to the king?