अहं यत्र करोमीमं समग्रं जागतं भ्रमम् । रागद्वेषक्रमस् तत्र कुतो ऽन्यस्यात्यसम्भवात्
Where I perform this entire illusory world, how can there be a sequence of attraction and aversion for another, since no one else truly exists?
यद् अन्येन शरीरं मे दग्धम् अन्येन लालितम् । स मदारम्भ एवातः कः खेदोल्लासयोः क्रमः
When my body is burned by one and cherished by another, both are my own doing; so what order can there be in pain and pleasure?
मत्सुखासुखविस्तारे जगज्जालक्षयोदये । अहं कर्तेति मत्वान्तः कः खेदोल्लासयोः क्रमः
In the expansion of my happiness and sorrow, in the arising and dissolution of the web of the world, thinking 'I am the doer,' what order can there be in pain and pleasure within?
खेदोल्लासविलासे तु स्वात्मकर्तृतयैकया । स्वयम् एव लयं याते समतैवावशिष्यते
When the play of fatigue and delight, arising from the sense of self-agency, subsides by itself, only equanimity remains.
समता सर्वभावेषु यासौ सत्या परा स्थितिः । तस्याम् अवस्थितं चित्तं न भूयो दुःखम् आप्नुयात्
That equanimity toward all things is the true, supreme state; when the mind abides in it, it no longer experiences suffering.
अथ वा सर्वकर्तृत्वम् अकर्तृत्वं च राघव । सर्वं त्यक्त्वा मनः पीत्वा यो ऽसि सो ऽसि स्थिरो भव
Or, Rāghava, renounce all notions of agency and non-agency; having abandoned everything and absorbed the mind, remain firm as you truly are.
अयं सो ऽहम् अयं नाहं करोमीदम् इदं न तु । इति भावानुसन्धानमयी दृष्टिर् न तुष्टये
The vision that dwells on thoughts such as 'This is me, this is not me; I do this, I do not do this,' is not for satisfaction.
सा कालसूत्रपदवी सा महावीचिवागुरा । सासिपत्त्रवनश्रेणी या देहो ऽहम् इति स्थितिः
The notion 'I am the body' is the path of the thread of time, the snare of the great wave, the series of sword-leaved forests.
सा त्याज्या सर्वयत्नेन सर्वनाशे ऽप्य् उपस्थिते । स्प्रष्टव्या सा न भव्येन सश्वमांसेव पुक्कसी
That notion must be abandoned with every effort, even when all else is destroyed; it should not be touched, like a piece of flesh by an outcaste.
तया सुदूरोज्झितया दृष्टौ पाटललेखया । उदेति परमा दृष्टिर् ज्योत्स्नेव विगताम्बुदा
When that notion is cast far away, like a crimson line in the vision, the supreme insight arises, like moonlight when the clouds have vanished.
कर्ता नास्मि न चायम् अस्मि स इति ज्ञात्वैवम् अन्तस् स्फुटं कर्तैवास्मि समग्रम् अस्मि तद् इति ज्ञात्वाथ वा निश्चयम् । को ऽप्य् एवास्मि न कश्चिद् एवम् इति वा निर्णीय सर्वोत्तमं तिष्ठ त्वं स्वपदे स्थिताः पदविदो यत्रोत्तमास् साधवः
Knowing clearly within, 'I am not the agent, nor am I this, nor that,' or, having resolved, 'I am the agent, I am all this,' or, 'I am someone, I am no one,'—stand in your highest state, as those who know the path and the best sages abide in their own place.
सत्यम् एतत् त्वया ब्रह्मन् यद् उक्तं सूक्तिसुन्दरम् । अकर्तैव हि कर्तात्मा भोक्ताभोक्तैव भूतभृत्
O Brahman, what you have spoken is indeed true and beautifully expressed: the self is truly the non-doer and yet the doer; the enjoyer and yet the non-enjoyer; the sustainer of all beings.
सर्वेश्वरस् सर्वमयश् चिन्मात्रम् अमलं पदम् । स्वानुभूतिवपुर् देवस् सर्वभूतान्तरस्थितः
He is the lord of all, pervading everything, pure consciousness alone, the spotless state; the divine one whose own experience is his form, dwelling within all beings.
हृदयङ्गमतां यातम् इदानीं ब्रह्म मे प्रभो । त्वदुक्तिभिर् यथा शीतं धाराभिर् भूभृतः पयः
O Lord, now Brahman has entered my heart, just as water cools the earth through streams, by your words.
औदासीन्याद् अनिच्छत्वान् न भुङ्क्ते न करोति च । समग्रालोककारित्वाद् भुङ्क्ते देवः करोति च
Because of indifference and lack of desire, he neither enjoys nor acts; yet, because he is the cause of the entire world, the divine one both enjoys and acts.
किं त्व् अयं भगवन् स्फारस् संशयो मे हृदि स्थितः । छिन्द्धि तं त्वं गिरा ब्रह्मन् दीधित्येन्दुर् यथा तमः
But, O Lord, a strong doubt remains in my heart; please dispel it with your words, O Brahman, as sunlight and moonlight dispel darkness.
इदं सत् तद् इदं चासद् अयं सो ऽहम् अयं भवान् । अयम् एको द्वितीयो ऽयम् इत्यादिकलनामलम्
This is real, and this is unreal; this is 'I', this is 'you'; this is one, this is another—such endless distinctions arise.
एकस्मिन् वितते शान्ते नीहार इव भास्करे । इदम्प्रथमम् एवाच्छे कथम् आत्मनि संस्थितम्
In the one, all-pervading, peaceful reality, like mist in the sun, how does this first notion of 'this' become established in the self?
सिद्धान्तकाल एवास्य सत्प्रश्नस्योत्तरस्थितिम् । कथयिष्यामि ते राम ज्ञास्यस्य् एनां तदैव च
At the time of conclusion, I will explain to you, O Rama, the answer to this profound question, and you will know it then.
मोक्षोपायस्य सिद्धान्तसमयं प्राप्य राघव । श्रोतुं प्रश्नोत्तराण्य् एतान्य् अलं योग्यो भविष्यसि
O Raghava, having attained the essential understanding of the means to liberation, you will then be truly fit to hear these questions and answers.
कान्तागेयगिरां राम भाजनं तरुणो यथा । प्रश्नानाम् उत्तमोक्तीनां प्राप्तदृग् भाजनं तथा
Just as a young man is suited to the sweet songs of his beloved, so too is one with awakened vision suited to the highest answers to profound questions, O Rama.
व्यर्था भवति बालेषु यथा रागमयी कथा । निरर्थकाल्पबोधेषु तथोदारोदया कथा
A tale filled with passion is wasted on children, just as exalted teachings are futile for those whose understanding is immature.
कस्मिंश्चिद् एव समये किञ्चित् पुंसो विराजते । फलम् आभाति वृक्षस्य शरद्य् एव न माधवे
At some particular time, something shines forth in a person; the fruit appears on the tree in autumn, not in spring.
उपदेशगिरो वृद्धे रञ्जना निर्मले पटे । लगन्त्य् उदारविज्ञानकथाश् चाधिगतात्मनि
Words of instruction delight the mature, like colors on a pure cloth; and the stories of noble wisdom take hold in one who has realized the Self.
प्रश्नस्यास्योत्तरं पूर्वं लेशतः कथितं मया । न विस्तरेण तेनैतन् न ज्ञातं भवता स्फुटम्
I have previously spoken to you, in brief, the answer to this question; because it was not explained in detail, you have not clearly understood it.
यदि त्वम् आत्मनात्मानम् अधिगच्छसि तत् स्वयम् । एतत् प्रश्नोत्तरं साधो जानास्य् अत्र न संशयः
If you realize the Self by your own Self, O noble one, you will know the answer to this question yourself—of this there is no doubt.
मया सिद्धान्तकाले तु प्राप्तबोधे त्वयि स्थिते । वक्तव्यो विस्तरेणैष साधो प्रश्नोत्तरक्रमः
But when, at the time of conclusion, you have attained understanding, then, O noble one, this sequence of questions and answers should be explained to you in detail by me.
जानात्य् आत्मानम् आत्मैव कृत आत्मात्मनैव हि । आत्मैव सम्प्रसन्नस् सन्न् आत्मानं प्रतिपद्यते
The self knows itself by itself, for indeed the self is established in itself; being serene, the self attains itself.
मयैतत् कथितं राम कर्त्रकर्तृविचारणम् । वासनामयनाशाय तज्ज्ञो निर्वासनो भवेत्
O Rama, I have explained to you this inquiry into doer and deed; one who understands this becomes free of tendencies and is without impressions.
बन्धो हि वासनाबन्धो मोक्षस् स्याद् वासनाक्षयः । वासनास् त्वं परित्यज्य मोक्षार्थित्वम् अपि त्यज
Bondage is truly the bondage of tendencies, and liberation is the cessation of tendencies; abandoning all tendencies, even the desire for liberation, let go.