विनष्टे देहनगरे ज्ञस्य नष्टं न किञ्चन । आक्रान्तकुम्भकोशस्य खस्य कुम्भक्षये यथा
When the city of the body is destroyed for the wise, nothing at all is lost, just as, when the pot-space is broken, the sky is not diminished.
विद्यमानं घटं वायुः किल स्पृशति नास्थितम् । यथा तथैव देही स्वां शरीरनगरीम् इमाम्
Just as the wind touches an existing pot but not one that does not exist, so too does the embodied self relate to this city of the body.
अत्रस्थ एष भगवान् आत्मा सर्वगतो ऽपि सन् । स्वविकल्पकृतां भुक्त्वा पुंस्ताम् अधिगतात्मदृक्
Here, this blessed Self, though all-pervading, remains unattached; having experienced individuality created by its own imagination, it attains the vision of its own nature.
कुर्वन्न् अपि न कुर्वाणस् सम्यक्सर्वक्रियोन्मुखः । कदाचित् प्रकृतान् सर्वान् कार्यार्थान् अधितिष्ठति
Though acting, yet not acting, ever inclined toward all actions, at times it upholds all natural activities for the sake of their results.
कदाचिल् लीलया लोलं विमानम् अधिरोहति । अनाहतगतिं कान्तं विहर्तुम् अमलं मनः
Sometimes, playfully, it ascends the restless aerial chariot—its pure mind—whose movement is unstruck, delightful, to roam about.
तत्रस्थो लोकसुन्दर्या सततं शीतलाङ्गया । रमते रामया मैत्र्या नित्यं हृदयसंस्थया
There, established, he delights constantly with the beautiful Lady of the World, whose limbs are ever cool, with Rama, with friendship ever abiding in the heart.
द्वे कान्ते तिष्ठतस् तस्य पार्श्वयोस् सत्यतैकते । इन्दोर् इव विशाखे द्वे समाह्लादितचेतसे
For him, two beloveds stand at his sides in unity of truth, like the two Viśākhā stars beside the moon, both gladdening his mind.
ज्ञ इमान् अखिलांल् लोकान् दुःखक्रकचदारितान् । वाल्मीकान् इव पीठस्थः पृष्ठाद् अर्क इवेक्षते
The knower, seated, beholds all these worlds—torn by the saw of suffering—like one on a seat observing anthills, or like the sun looking from above.
चिरं पूरितसर्वाशस् सर्वसम्पत्तिसुन्दरः । अपुनःखण्डनायेन्दुः पूर्णाङ्ग इव राजते
Long fulfilled in every desire, adorned with all prosperity, he shines like the full moon, whose orb is never again diminished.
सेव्यमानो ऽपि भोगौघो न खेदायास्य जायते । कालकूटः किलेशस्य कण्ठे प्रत्युत राजते
Even when indulged in, the multitude of pleasures does not cause him fatigue; rather, like the deadly poison Kālakūṭa worn on the neck, it shines forth.
परिज्ञायोपभुक्तो हि भोगो भवति तुष्टये । विज्ञायाश्वासितो मैत्रीम् एति चौरो न शत्रुताम्
Pleasure, when experienced with understanding, brings satisfaction; just as a thief, when recognized and reassured, becomes friendly and not an enemy.
नरनारीनटौघानां कलहे दूरगामिना । ज्ञेन यात्रेव सुभगा भोगश्रीर् अवलोक्यते
Amid the quarrels of crowds of men and women, the wise one, traveling far from conflict, beholds the prosperity of enjoyment as if on a fortunate journey.
अशङ्कितोपसम्प्राप्ता ग्रामयात्रा यथाध्वगैः । प्रेक्ष्यते तद्वद् एव ज्ञैर् व्यवहारमयी क्रिया
Just as travelers view a village procession that arrives without suspicion, so too do the wise observe actions filled with worldly dealings.
अयत्नोपनतेष्व् अक्षि दिग्द्रव्येषु यथा पुरः । नीरागम् एव पतति तद्वत् कार्येषु धीरधीः
Just as the eye naturally falls upon objects in all directions without effort, so does the mind of the wise descend upon tasks without attachment.
इन्द्रियाणां न हरति प्राप्तम् अर्थं कदाचन । न ददाति तथा प्राप्तं सम्पूर्णो ज्ञो ऽवतिष्ठते
The senses never seize the object attained, nor does he give it away; the wise, being complete, remains steadfast.
अप्राप्तचिन्तास् सम्प्राप्तसमुपेक्षाश् च सन्मतिम् । नाकम्पयन्ति तरलाः पिञ्छघाता इवाचलम्
Restless thoughts about what is not attained and indifference to what is attained do not disturb the wise mind, just as fluttering feathers do not shake a mountain.
संशान्तसर्वसन्देहो गलिताखिलकौतुकः । सङ्क्षीणवासनाजालो ज्ञस् सम्राड् इव शोभते
With all doubts calmed, all curiosity vanished, and the web of desires diminished, the wise one shines like a sovereign.
आत्मन्य् एव न मात्य् अन्तस् स्वात्मनात्मनि जृम्भते । सम्पूर्णापारपर्यन्तः क्षीरार्णव इवात्मवान्
The self does not die within itself; it expands from its own essence within itself, complete and boundless on every side, like the ocean of milk, is the one established in the Self.
भोगेच्छाकृपणाञ् जन्तून् दीनान् दीनेन्द्रियाणि च । अनुन्मत्तमनाश् शान्तो हसत्य् उन्मत्तकान् इव
The peaceful one laughs at creatures who are pitiable in their craving for enjoyment, whose senses are weak and dejected, just as a sane man laughs at those who are mad.
इच्छतो ऽन्यनिजां जायां यथैवान्येन हस्यते । इन्द्रियस्येच्छतो भोगं तथैव ज्ञेन हस्यते
Just as one laughs when another desires his own wife, so too does the wise one laugh when the senses desire enjoyment.
त्यजन्तं सुसुखं साम्यं मनो विषयविद्रुतम् । अङ्कुशेनेव नागेन्द्रं विचारेण शमं नयेत्
When the mind, fleeing toward sense objects, abandons the ease of equanimity, it should be brought to tranquility by discrimination, as an elephant is restrained by a goad.
भोगेषु प्रसरो यस्या मनोवृत्तेः प्रदीयते । साप्य् आदाव् एव हन्तव्या विषस्येवाङ्कुरोद्गतिः
If the tendency of the mind is allowed to indulge in pleasures, it must be destroyed at the very beginning, just as the sprouting of poison is cut off at its first growth.
ताडितस्य हि यः पश्चात् सम्मानस् सो ऽप्य् अनन्तकः । शालेर् ग्रीष्मोपतप्तस्य कुसेको ऽप्य् अमृतायते
Honor given afterwards to one who has been hurt is endless suffering; for rice scorched by summer heat, even a little water seems like nectar.
अनार्तेन हि सम्मानो बहुमानो न बुध्यते । पूर्णानां सरितां प्रावृट्पूरस् स्वल्पं विराजते
For one who is not afflicted, honor or high regard is not noticed; just as, when rivers are full, a small flood in the rainy season does not stand out.
पूर्णस् तूपकृतो ऽप्य् अन्यत् पुनर् अप्य् अभिवाञ्छति । जगत्पूरणयाप्य् अम्बु गृह्णात्य् एकार्णवो ऽखिलम्
But one who is full, even when benefited, desires something else again; just as the single ocean, though filled by all the waters of the world, still takes in everything.
मनसो निगृहीतस्य या पश्चाद् भागमण्डना । ताम् एवालब्धविस्तारलब्धत्वाद् बहु मन्यते
When the mind has been restrained, whatever little adornment or pleasure comes afterward, due to its not having been experienced before, is regarded as much.
बद्धमुक्तो महीपालो ग्राममात्रेण तुष्यति । परैर् अबद्धो नाक्रान्तो न राज्यं बहु मन्यते
A king who has been bound and then freed is satisfied even with a mere village; but another, who has never been bound or conquered by others, does not value even a kingdom highly.
हस्तं हस्तेन सम्पीड्य दन्तैर् दन्तान् विचूर्ण्य च । अङ्गान्य् अङ्गैर् इवाक्रम्य जय स्वेन्द्रियशात्रवान्
Crush your hand with your own hand, grind your teeth with your teeth, subdue your limbs with your limbs—so too, conquer the enemies that are your own senses.
जेतुम् अन्यं कृतोत्साहैः पुरुषैर् उद्बुभूषुभिः । पूर्वं हृदयशत्रुत्वाज् जेतव्यानीन्द्रियाण्य् अलम्
For those eager to conquer others, striving with effort, the senses—because they are the first enemies in the heart—must certainly be conquered first.
एतावति धरणितले सुभगास् ते साधुचेतनाः पुरुषाः । पुरुषकथासु च गण्या न जिता ये चेतसा स्वेन
On this earth, those men of noble mind who have not conquered their own mind are not counted among the truly fortunate, nor are they esteemed in the stories of men.