क्षणम् आन्ध्यम् इवाप्नोमि क्षणं यामि प्रकाशताम् । शान्तातपबलः प्रावृड्लोलाभ्र इव वासरः
For a moment I fall into darkness, and for a moment I come into light—like a day whose strength is subdued by the cool clouds of the rainy season.
अनन्तस्याप्रमेयस्य सर्वस्यैकस्य भास्वतः । अनस्तमितसारस्य कलना कथम् आगता
How has limitation arisen in the infinite, immeasurable, all-pervading, radiant, and ever-undiminished essence?
यथाभूतार्थवाक्यार्थास् सर्वा एव ममोक्तयः । नासमर्थविरूपार्थाः पूर्वापरविरोधदाः
All my statements express the meaning of things as they truly are; they are not powerless, distorted, or self-contradictory.
ज्ञानदृष्टौ प्रसन्नायां प्रबोधे प्रततोदये । यथावज् ज्ञास्यसि स्वस्थो मद्वाग्दृष्टिम् इमाम् अलम्
When the vision of knowledge is clear and awakening steadily arises, you will rightly know, in your own peace, this perspective of mine—enough.
उपदेश्योपदेशार्थं शास्त्रार्थप्रतिपत्तये । शब्दार्थवाक्यरचना भ्रमायेयं क्षणं तव
This composition of words, meanings, and sentences is, for a moment, a delusion for you, intended for instruction, for the understanding of the meaning of the scriptures.
यदाधुना ज्ञास्यसि तत् सत्यम् अत्यन्तनिर्मलम् । वाच्यवाचकशब्दार्थभेदं ज्ञास्यसि वै तदा
When you come to know That which is true and utterly pure, then you will indeed understand the distinction between the word and its meaning, between what is spoken and what it signifies.
भेदकृद् वाक्प्रपञ्चो ऽयम् उपदेश्येषु कल्पितः । स चाज्ञेष्व् एव न ज्ञेषु विद्यते पारमार्थिकः
This manifold play of speech, which creates divisions, is devised for those who are to be instructed; but it does not truly exist for the wise, only for the ignorant.
कलनामलम् ईहादि किञ्चिन् नात्मनि विद्यते । नीरागं ब्रह्म निर्द्वन्द्वं तद् एवेदं जगत् स्थितम्
All calculation, desire, and effort are entirely absent in the Self; Brahman is free from attachment and duality—this alone is the reality in which the world abides.
एतद् विचित्ररूपाभिर् उक्तिभिर् बहुशः पुनः । विस्तारेणैव वक्तव्यं सिद्धान्तावसरे ऽनघ
This must be explained again and again, in many ways and with various expressions, and at length, O sinless one, when the time comes for the final teaching.
वाक्प्रपञ्चं विना त्व् एतद् अज्ञानम् अतुलं तमः । भेत्तुम् अन्योऽन्यम् उदितं यत्नं कर्तुं न शक्यते
Without the manifold of speech, this incomparable darkness of ignorance cannot be broken; it is not possible for one to make effort to enlighten another without it.
अविद्ययैवोत्तमया स्वात्मनाशोद्यमोत्कया । विद्या सम्प्राप्यते राम सर्वदोषातिहारिणी
Indeed, O Rama, it is by the very highest form of ignorance, which stirs the desire for self-destruction, that knowledge is attained—knowledge which removes all faults.
शाम्यति ह्य् अस्त्रम् अस्त्रेण मलेन क्षाल्यते मलम् । शमं विषं विषेणैति रिपुणा हन्यते रिपुः
One weapon is stilled by another weapon, impurity is washed away by impurity, poison is neutralized by poison, and an enemy is slain by an enemy.
ईदृशी भूतमायेयं या स्वनाशेन हर्षदा । न लक्ष्यते स्वभावो ऽस्याः प्रेक्ष्यमाणैव नश्यति
Such is this elemental illusion: it brings joy by its own destruction; its true nature cannot be perceived, for as soon as it is observed, it vanishes.
विवेकम् आच्छादयति जगन्ति जनयत्य् अलम् । न च विज्ञायते कैषा पश्याश्चर्यम् इदं महत्
It thoroughly conceals discernment and brings forth worlds, yet it is not recognized at all—behold, what a great wonder this is!
अप्रेक्ष्यमाणा स्फुरति प्रेक्षिता तु विनश्यति । मायेयम् अपरिज्ञायमानरूपैव वल्गति
Unseen, it stirs; when observed, it vanishes. This illusion, whose true nature is never understood, dances about.
अहो नु खलु चित्रेयं माया संसारबन्धनी । असत्यैवातिसत्येव प्राज्ञान् अपि हिनस्ति या
Indeed, how marvelous is this illusion, binding to worldly existence! Though utterly unreal, it appears as most real and even harms the wise.
अत्यभिन्ने पदे तस्मिंस् तन्वाना भेदम् आततम् । संसारमाया विज्ञाता येनासौ पुरुषोत्तमः
Projecting division upon that which is utterly undivided, the one who knows this worldly illusion is the supreme person.
नास्त्य् एषा परमार्थेनेत्य् एवम्भावनयेद्धया । ज्ञो भूत्वा ज्ञेयसम्प्राप्त्या ज्ञास्यस्य् अस्यास् त्वम् आशयम्
By firmly contemplating, 'This truly does not exist,' and by becoming knowledgeable, when you attain what is to be known, you will understand the essence of this illusion.
यावत् तु न प्रबुद्धस् त्वं तावन् मद्वचसैव ते । निश्चयो भवतूद्दामो नास्त्य् अविद्येति निश्चलः
But until you awaken, let your conviction, inspired by my words, be unwavering and resolute: 'Ignorance does not exist.'
यद् इदं दृश्यतां यातं मानसं मननं महत् । असत् तद् इति यस्यान्तर् निश्चयो मोक्षभाग् असौ
Whatever appears as this great mental reflection—if one is inwardly certain that it is unreal, that person attains liberation.
यद् इदं दृश्यतां प्राप्तं मनोमात्रविजृम्भितम् । सत् तद् ब्रह्मेति यस्यान्तर् निश्चयस् सो ऽपि मोक्षभाक्
Whatever appears as this, manifesting only through the mind—if one is inwardly certain that it is real, that it is Brahman, that person too attains liberation.
चलाचला तृतीया या दृष्टिर् आबद्धभावना । सा समग्रजगद्भूतखगबन्धनवागुरा
That third mode of perception, which is both moving and unmoving, is a fixation of imagination; it is the snare that binds the entire world of beings like birds in a net.
यस् स्वप्नभ्रमवद् भ्रान्तम् असत् सद् वैकनिश्चयः । जगत् पश्यत्य् असक्तात्मा न स दुःखे निमज्जति
He who, with a detached mind, sees this world as uncertain, real and unreal, like a delusion in a dream, does not sink into suffering.
यस्येमास् स्वस्वरूपासु भावनास्व् आत्मभावनाः । अस्वरूपस्वरूपस्य तस्याविद्यैव विद्यते
For one whose self-conceptions arise within these various imagined forms, for whom the true and false natures are confused, only ignorance exists.
विकारितादयो दोषा न केचन महात्मनि । परमात्मनि विद्यन्ते पयसीवेह पांसवः
Defects such as change do not exist at all in the great Self, the supreme Self, just as dust does not remain in pure water.
भावना शब्दशब्दार्थरञ्जनेयं जगद्गता । व्यवहारार्थम् उत्पन्ना व्यतिरिक्ता न चात्मनः
This imagination, which colors the world with words and their meanings, arises for the sake of worldly dealings, and is not separate from the Self.
अनेन व्यवहारेण विनैताश् शास्त्रदृष्टयः । संस्थितिं नाधिगच्छन्ति पटा इव वितन्तवः
Without this practical engagement, the views of the scriptures do not attain stability, just as threads do not hold together without the fabric.
उह्यमानो ह्य् अविद्याध्वन्य् आत्मा नेहोपलभ्यते । आत्मज्ञानाद् ऋते तच् च शास्त्रार्थात् समवाप्यते
The Self is not found here while wandering on the path of ignorance; it is attained only through self-knowledge, and that is obtained from the meaning of the scriptures.
अविद्यासरितः पारम् आत्मलाभाद् ऋते किल । राम नासाद्यते तद् धि पदम् अक्षयम् अच्युतम्
O Rama, the far shore of the river of ignorance is not reached except by attaining the Self; for that is the imperishable, unchanging state.
यतः कुतश्चिज् जातेयम् अविद्या भ्रमदायिनी । नूनं स्थितिम् उपायाता समाच्छाद्य पदं स्थिता
This ignorance, which causes delusion, has arisen from somewhere or other; surely, it has taken hold, covering the true state and remaining established.