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.
तामसीर् वासनाः पूर्वं त्यक्त्वा विषयवासिताः । मैत्र्यादिभावनानाम्नीर् गृहाणामलवासनाः
First, abandon the dark tendencies that are attached to sense objects; then, take up pure tendencies named after friendliness and similar qualities.
ता अप्य् अन्तः परित्यज्य ताभिर् व्यवहरन् बहिः । अन्तश् शान्तसमस्तेहो भव चिन्मात्रवासनः
Even those, abandon inwardly, while outwardly acting through them; within, remain with all agitation stilled, established only in the tendency of pure consciousness.
ताम् अप्य् अथ परित्यज्य मनोबुद्धिसमन्विताम् । शेषे स्थिरसमाधानो येन त्यजसि तं त्यज
Then, abandoning even that, which is accompanied by mind and intellect, remain firmly established in samadhi; whatever remains to be abandoned, abandon that as well.
चिन्मनःकलनाकालप्रकाशतिमिरादिकम् । वासनां वासितारं च प्राणस्पन्दनपूर्वकम्
Abandon completely, from the root, all imagination of consciousness and mind, all darkness of manifestation, all tendencies and their sources, along with the prior movement of breath.
समूलम् अखिलं त्यक्त्वा व्योमसोम्यः प्रशान्तधीः । यस् त्वं भवसि सद्बुद्धे स भवाश्व् अविलम्बितः
Having abandoned all completely from the root, you become like clear space, with a tranquil mind; O wise one, become that without delay.
हृदयात् सम्परित्यज्य सर्वम् एव महामतिः । यस् तिष्ठति गतव्यग्रं स मुक्तः परमेश्वरः
The great-minded one who has completely abandoned everything from the heart and remains without agitation is liberated, the supreme lord.
समाधिम् अथ कर्माणि मा करोतु करोतु वा । हृदयेनास्तसर्वार्थो मुक्त एवोत्तमाशयः
Whether he engages in meditation or in actions, or refrains from them, the one whose heart is free from all objects is liberated, possessing the highest intention.
नैष्कर्म्येण न तस्यार्थो न तस्यार्थो ऽस्ति कर्मभिः । न समाधानजप्याभ्यां यस्य निर्वासनं मनः
For him, there is no purpose in inaction, nor any purpose in actions; nor in meditation or recitation, whose mind is free from impressions.
विचारितम् अलं शास्त्रं चिरम् उद्ग्राहितं मिथः । सन्त्यक्तवासनान् मौनाद् ऋते नास्त्य् उत्तमं पदम्
Scriptures have been thoroughly examined and discussed for a long time, but apart from abandoning impressions through silence, there is no supreme state.
दृष्टं द्रष्टव्यम् अखिलं भ्रान्त्वाभ्रान्ता दिशो दश । जनाः कतिपया एव यथावस्त्व् अवलोकिनः
All that is seen and all that is to be seen has been observed, wandering through the ten directions, yet only a few people perceive things as they truly are.
यद् यद् आलोक्यते किञ्चिद् यत्र यत्र च गम्यते । ईप्सितानीप्सिताद् अन्यन् न तत्र यतते जनः
Whatever is seen, wherever one goes, apart from what is desired or undesired, a person does not strive for anything else there.
ये केचन समारम्भा ये जनस्य क्रियाक्रमाः । ते सर्वे देहमात्रार्थम् आत्मार्थं तु न किञ्चन
Whatever undertakings there are, whatever actions people perform, all are only for the sake of the body; nothing is for the sake of the self.
पाताले ब्रह्मलोके च स्वर्गे ऽथ वसुधातले । सन्तः कतिपया एव दृश्यन्ते दृष्टदृष्टयः
In the netherworld, in Brahma's realm, in heaven, or on earth, only a few saints are seen who possess true vision.
इदं हेयम् उपादेयम् इदम् इत्य् असदुत्थितौ । निश्चयौ गलितौ यस्य ज्ञस्यासाव् अतिदुर्लभः
For one whose certainty of 'this is to be rejected, this is to be accepted' has faded in the arising of the unreal, such a knower is exceedingly rare.
करोतु भुवने राज्यं विशत्व् अनलम् अम्बु वा । नात्मलाभाद् ऋते जन्तुर् विश्रान्तिम् अधिगच्छति
Let one rule the world, enter fire, or water; except for attaining the Self, a creature does not find rest.
ये महामतयस् सन्ति शूरास् स्वेन्द्रियशत्रुषु । जन्मज्वरविनाशाय त उपास्या महाधियः
Those who are great thinkers, heroes against their own sense-enemies, who destroy the fever of birth—those wise ones are to be revered.
सर्वत्र पञ्चभूतानि षष्ठं किञ्चिन् न विद्यते । पाताले भूतले व्योम्नि रतिम् एति क्व धीरधीः
Everywhere are the five elements; there is nothing else as a sixth. On earth, in the netherworld, or in the sky—where does the wise mind find delight?
युक्त्या सन्तरतो ज्ञस्य संसारो गोष्पदाकृतिः । दूरसन्त्यक्तयुक्तेस् तु महामत्तार्णवोपमः
For the knower who crosses by reasoning, the world is like the size of a cow's hoofprint; but for one who has abandoned reasoning, it is like a vast ocean of delusion.
कदम्बगोलकस्वच्छं ब्रह्माण्डं स्फारचेतसः । किं प्रयच्छति किं भुङ्क्ते प्राप्ते ऽस्मिन् सकले ऽपि सः
The universe, clear as a cluster of kadamba fruits, is the sphere of the expansive mind; what does he give, what does he enjoy, when all this is attained?
एतदर्थम् अबुद्धीनां यन् महासमरक्रियाः । तन् मन्ये राम भिक्षार्थं द्वन्द्वलक्षक्षयावहम्
Rama, I consider all these great acts of war performed by the unwise to be for the sake of begging, bringing about the destruction of the marks of duality.