कल्पमात्रेण कालेन सहसा पेलवोदरे । अस्मिन्न् अपि च यो नाशस् स वीरुधि महाशनिः
By mere time, by a single epoch, in the fragile belly of time, even here, the destruction that occurs is like a great thunderbolt to the sprout.
आत्मनो ऽंशस्य सर्वादेर् यत् तृणाद् अपि नोत्तमम् । तस्मिञ् जगत्त्रये प्राप्तं किं तद् आत्मवतो भवेत्
Of the Self, even the smallest portion is not surpassed by anything, not even a blade of grass; when the three worlds are attained in that, what could possibly be gained by one who knows the Self?
इतश् शैलशतैर् व्याप्तस् तथेतो जलराशिभिः । कियान् अस्या भुवो देहो येनोदारं प्रपूरयेत्
Though this earth be filled here with hundreds of mountains and there with oceans, how great is the body of this earth, that it could fill the vast expanse?
न तद् अस्ति जगत्य् अस्मिन् सपातालहरालये । यन् नामात्मवतो ज्ञस्य किञ्चित् कार्यकरं भवेत्
In this world, with its mountains and nether realms, there is nothing at all that could serve any purpose for the knower of the Self.
एकताम् अनुयातस्य व्योमवद् विततस्य च । स्वस्थस्यात्मवतो ज्ञस्य स्थितस्यात्मन्य् अचेतसि
For the one who has become one with all, who is expanded like space, who abides in the Self, established in consciousness—
शरीरजालनीहारधूसरा शून्यकोटरा । शान्तसञ्चारसुभगा त्रिलोकी विपुलाटवी
The three worlds, vast as a great forest, are but hollow spaces, dusted with the mist of bodily illusion, delightful in their tranquil movement.
स्फारब्रह्मामलाम्भोधिफेनास् सर्वे कुलाचलाः । चिदादित्यमहातेजोमृगतृष्णा जगच्छ्रियः
All the great mountains are but foam on the pure ocean of infinite Brahman; the splendors of the world are like mirages in the blazing sun of consciousness.
आत्मतत्त्वमहाम्भोधिवीचयस् सर्गराजयः । अनुत्तमपदाम्भोदवृष्टयश् शास्त्रदृष्टयः
The waves of the great ocean of the reality of the Self are the kings of creation; the showers from the cloud of the supreme state are the visions of the scriptures.
चन्द्रार्कतपनालोका घटकाष्ठादिसन्निभाः । प्रकाशनीयाश् चिद्दीपत्विषो भूतगणास् तथा
The lights of the moon, sun, and fire, like pots and sticks, and the radiances of the lamp of consciousness, as well as the hosts of elements, are all to be illumined.
चिरम् अन्तर्हितात्मानस् संसारवनचारिणः । कामभोगोलपग्रासा मृगा नरसुरासुराः
Long hidden are those selves wandering in the forest of worldly existence; humans, gods, and demons are like deer, devoured by the pleasures of desire.
अस्थिखण्डार्गला मूर्धपिधानास् स्नायुशृङ्खलाः । जगद्देहा जगज्जीवरत्नमांससमुद्गकाः
The bodies of the world are barred by bones, their heads covered, bound by sinews; the jewels of living beings are encased in flesh within the world’s forms.
वनबालमृगीमुग्धाः परसञ्चारितास् स्थितौ । बालबुद्धिविनोदाय योषितश् चर्मपुत्रिकाः
Like innocent young deer in the forest, led about by others, women—dolls of skin—exist for the amusement of childish minds.
एवंविधोदारमना मनाग् अपि महामतिः । न ज्ञश् चलति भोगौघैर् मुखवातैर् इवाचलः
A mind so vast and noble as this, even slightly, does not waver amidst floods of pleasures, just as a mountain does not move in the wind from a mouth.
तस्मिन् किल पदे राम ज्ञस् तिष्ठति महोन्नतौ । यस्माच् चन्द्रार्कदेशो ऽपि नः पातालम् इव स्थितः
In that lofty state, O Rama, the knower stands firm, for whom even the realms of moon and sun seem as low as the netherworld to us.
इमांल् लोकान् अनालोकाञ् जातालोकास् सुवेदिनः । सरीसृपान् वयम् इव पश्यन्त्य् ऊढान् भवार्णवे
Those who are well-versed in the worlds, both seen and unseen, perceive beings tossed in the ocean of existence as we see reptiles.
न केचन जगद्भावास् तत्त्वज्ञं रञ्जयन्त्य् अमी । नागरं नागरीकान्तं कुग्रामलटभा इव
None of these worldly states delight the knower of truth, just as the filth of a bad village does not please a city-dweller or his beloved.
न केचन जगद्भावास् तत्त्वज्ञं रञ्जयन्त्य् अमी । अप्य् अभ्याशगतास् स्फारहृदयं खम् इवाम्बुदाः
None of these worldly states delight the knower of truth, even when nearby, just as clouds do not stir the vast heart of the sky.
न केचन जगद्भावास् तत्त्वज्ञं रञ्जयन्त्य् अमी । मर्कट्य इव नृत्यन्त्यो गौरीलास्यार्थिनं हरम्
None of these worldly phenomena delight the knower of truth, just as dancing female monkeys do not please Shiva, who seeks the dance of Gauri.
न केचन जगद्भावास् तत्त्वज्ञं रञ्जयन्त्य् अमी । प्राक्तनप्रतिबिम्बश्री रत्नं कुम्भगतं यथा
None of these worldly phenomena delight the knower of truth, just as a jewel reflected in a pot does not please one who has seen the original jewel.
चक्रार्पितोपमम् असन्मयम् अम्बुभङ्गत्वङ्गत्तरङ्गकृतबिम्बम् इवावलोक्य । लोकं तदीहितसुखेषु रतिं न याति तज्ज्ञः कुशेवललवेष्व् इव राजहंसः
Having seen the world as insubstantial, like a reflection formed by a wave on the surface of water, the knower of that reality does not take pleasure in worldly enjoyments, just as a royal swan does not delight in blades of grass.
अत्रैव वस्तुन्य् उचिते शृणु राघव पूर्वजाः । कचेन गाथा या गीता बार्हस्पत्येन पावनीः
On this very subject, O Raghava, listen to the purifying verses once sung by the son of Brihaspati in ancient times.
कस्मिंश्चिन् मेरुगहने तिष्ठन् सुरगुरोस् सुतः । कदाचिद् अभ्यासवशाद् विश्रान्तिं प्रापद् आत्मनि
Once, while dwelling in a cave on Mount Meru, the son of the preceptor of the gods, through the force of practice, attained rest in the Self.
सम्यग्ज्ञानामृतापूर्णा मतिर् नारमतास्य सा । पञ्चभूतमये म्लाने दृश्ये ऽस्मिन् पेलवात्मनि
His mind, filled with the nectar of true knowledge, no longer took pleasure in this frail body composed of the five elements, nor in the fading world perceived through it.
तेन निर्विण्ण इव स आत्मतत्त्वाद् ऋते परम् । अपश्यन् समुवाचेदम् एको गद्गदया गिरा
Thus, as if disinterested in everything except the essence of the Self, he saw nothing else and spoke these words alone in a faltering voice.
किं करोमि क्व गच्छामि किं गृह्णामि त्यजामि किम् । आत्मना पूरितं विश्वं महाकल्पाम्बुना यथा
What shall I do? Where shall I go? What shall I take up or abandon? For the universe is filled with the Self, just as the world is filled with the waters of the great deluge.
दुःखम् आत्मा सुखं चैव खम् आशास् त्वम् अहं तथा । सर्वम् आत्ममयं जातं कष्टं नष्टो ऽहम् आत्मना
Suffering is the self, and happiness as well; space is the self, and so am I; all has arisen as the self—by the self I am lost, and hardship is gone.
सबाह्याभ्यन्तरं देहेष्व् अध ऊर्ध्वं च दिक्षु च । इत आत्मा तथेहात्मा नास्त्य् अनात्ममयं क्वचित्
Within and without, in bodies, below, above, and in all directions—the self is here; the self is there; nowhere is there anything not of the self.
सर्वत्रैव स्थितो ह्य् आत्मा सर्वम् आत्मनि संस्थितम् । सर्वम् एवेदम् आत्मैवम् आत्मन्य् एव नमाम्य् अहम्
Truly, the self is present everywhere, and all abides in the self; all this indeed is only the self—thus, I bow to the self within myself.
न तद् अस्ति न यत्राहं न तद् अस्ति न यन् मयि । किम् अन्यद् अभिवाञ्छामि केवलं प्रशमाम्य् अहम्
There is nothing where I am not; there is nothing not in me; what else do I desire? I simply become still.
आत्मनात्मनि येनाहं नमाम्य् आपूरितात्मना । उपशाम्यामि तेनान्तः क्वान्यत्राभिपताम्य् अहम्
By the self, in the self, with a self that is filled, I bow; by that, I become peaceful within—where else would I go?