संसारहारम् अरतिः कालव्यालविभूषणम् । त्रोटयाम्य् अहम् अक्रूरां वागुराम् इव केसरी
I will tear apart the merciless net of worldly existence—disgust, the necklace of the serpent of time—just as a lion breaks free from a snare.
नीहारं हृदयाटव्यां मनस्तिमिरम् आशु मे । केनचिज् ज्ञानदीपेन भिन्द्धि तत्त्वविदां वर
O best of those who know reality, with some lamp of knowledge, swiftly dispel the mist in the forest of my heart, the darkness of my mind.
विद्यन्त एवेह न ते महात्मन् दुराधयो न क्षयम् आप्नुवन्ति । ये सङ्गमेनोत्तममानसानां निशातमांसीव निशाकरेण
O great soul, those who possess the highest minds are not afflicted by misfortunes here; just as sharp flesh is not diminished by the moon’s rays, so too do adversities not bring them to ruin.
आयुर् वायुविघट्टिताब्जपटलीलम्बाम्बुवद् भङ्गुरं भोगा मेघवितानमध्यविलसत्सौदामिनीचञ्चलाः । लोलो यौवनलालनाजलरयश् चेत्य् आकलय्य द्रुतं मुद्रैवाद्रिदृढार्पिता ननु मया चित्ते चिरं शान्तये
Life is fragile, like a cluster of lotuses shaken by the wind; pleasures are as fleeting as lightning playing in the midst of clouds; youth, fondness, and the waves of desire are all unsteady—realizing this, I have swiftly fixed my mind, like a seal firmly set on a mountain, for lasting peace.
एवम् अभ्युत्थितानर्थसार्थसङ्कटकोटरम् । जगद् आलोक्य निर्मग्नं मनो मननकर्दमे
Seeing the world sunk in the pit of suffering, crowded with calamities, my mind is immersed in the mire of anxious thoughts.
मनो मे भ्रमतीवेदं सम्भ्रमश् चोपजायते । गात्राणि परिकम्पन्ते पत्त्राणीव जरत्तरोः
My mind wanders in confusion, and agitation arises; my limbs tremble like the leaves of an old tree.
अनाप्तोत्तमसन्तोषचर्योत्सङ्गाकुला मतिः । शून्यास्पदा बिभेतीह बालेवाल्पबलेश्वरा
My understanding, deprived of the company of supreme contentment, is disturbed; here, it fears empty places, like a child-king with little strength.
विकल्पेभ्यो लुठन्त्य् एताश् चान्तःकरणवृत्तयः । श्वभ्रेभ्य इव सारङ्ग्यस् तुच्छालम्बविडम्बिताः
These movements of the inner faculty are tossed about by doubts, like deer mocked by empty wells.
अविवेकास्पदभ्रष्टाः कष्टे रूढा न सत्पदे । अन्धकूपम् इवापन्ना वराकाश् चक्षुरादयः
Fallen from the ground of discernment, established in hardship and not in the good path, my senses—sight and others—are like the unfortunate who have fallen into a blind well.
नावस्थितिम् उपायाति न च याति यथेप्सितम् । चिन्ता जीवेश्वरायत्ता कान्तेवाप्रियसद्मनि
Worry does not settle nor proceed as desired; it depends on the lord of life, like a beloved woman in an unwelcome house.
जर्जरीकृत्य वस्तूनि त्यजन्ती बिभ्रती तथा । मार्गशीर्षान्तवल्लीव धृतिर् विधुरतां गता
Having worn out and abandoned things, and yet still bearing them, my resolve has become unsteady, like a creeper at the end of the Mārgaśīrṣa month.
अपहस्तितसर्वार्थम् अनवस्थितिर् आस्थिता । गृहीत्वोत्सृज्य चात्मानम् अवस्थितिर् अवस्थिता
All value has been cast aside, instability has taken hold; having seized and then let go of myself, even my own state is unsettled.
चलिताचलितेनान्तर् अवष्टम्भेन मे मतिः । दरिद्राच्छिन्नवृक्षस्य मूलेनेव विडम्ब्यते
My mind is mocked by its own inner support, which is both shifting and unmoving, like the root of a tree broken by poverty.
चेतश् चञ्चलम् आभोगि भुवनान्तर्विहारि च । सम्भ्रमं न जहातीदं स्वविमानम् इवामरः
The mind is restless, delighting in sense-objects, wandering through worlds, and does not abandon its confusion, like a god in his own aerial chariot.
अतो ऽतुच्छम् अनायासम् अनुपाधि गतभ्रमम् । किं तत् स्थितिपदं साधु यत्र शङ्का न विद्यते
What is that state of abiding which is not trivial, effortless, without any basis, free from confusion, and in which no doubt exists?
सर्वारम्भसमारम्भास् सुजना जनकादयः । व्यवहारपरा एव कथम् उत्तमतां गताः
All the noble ones, like Janaka and others, were engaged in all kinds of worldly activities—how did they attain the highest state?
लग्नेनापि किलाङ्गेषु बहुना बहुमानद । कथं संसारपङ्केन पुमान् इह न लिप्यते
Even when closely attached to many things and showing great respect, how does a person here not become tainted by the mire of worldly existence?
कां दृष्टिं समुपाश्रित्य भवन्तो वीतकल्मषाः । महान्तो विचरन्तीह जीवन्मुक्ता महाशयाः
Relying on what vision do these great ones, living liberated and pure of stain, move about here in this world?
लोभयन्तो भयायैव विषया भोगभोगिनः । भङ्गुराकारविभवाः कथम् आयान्ति भव्यताम्
Objects of enjoyment entice only for the sake of fear; how can those whose nature is unstable and whose wealth is fleeting ever attain auspiciousness?
मोहमातङ्गमृदिता कलङ्ककलितान्तरा । परं प्रसादम् आयाति शेमुषीसरसी कथम्
When the mind is trampled by the elephant of delusion and stained within by blemishes, how can the lake of intellect ever reach supreme clarity?
संसार एव निवसञ् जनो व्यवहरन्न् अपि । न बन्धं कथम् आयाति पद्मपत्त्रे पयो यथा
Even while living in the world and engaging in its affairs, how does a person not become bound, just as water does not adhere to a lotus leaf?
आत्मवत् तृणवद् वेदं सकलं जनयञ् जगत् । कथम् उत्तमताम् एति मनोमन्मथम् अस्पृशन्
Creating the entire world as if it were the self, or as insignificant as grass, how does one attain excellence without touching the agitation of the mind?
कं महापुरुषं पारम् उपयातं भवोदधेः । आचारेणानुसृत्यायं जनो याति न दुष्कृतम्
By following the conduct of which great person who has crossed the ocean of existence, does one avoid wrongdoing in this world?
किं तद् यद् उचितं श्रेयः किं तत् स्याद् उचितं फलम् । वर्तितव्यं च संसारे कथं नामासमञ्जसे
What is that which is proper and brings true welfare? What is that which is the right fruit? And how should one live in the world without impropriety?
तत् त्वं कथय मे किञ्चिद् येनास्य जगतः प्रभो । वेद्मि पूर्वापरां धातुश् चेष्टितस्यासमस्थितिम्
Tell me something, O Lord of the world, by which I may understand the unstable nature of the actions and the past and future states of this creation.
हृदयाकाशशशिनश् चेतसो मलमार्जनम् । यथा मे जायतां ब्रह्मंस् तथा निर्विघ्नम् आचर
May the cleansing of the stains from the moon of the heart's sky and the mind be accomplished for me, O Brahman; act so that it happens without hindrance.
किम् इह स्याद् उपादेयं किं वा हेयम् अथेतरत् । कथं विश्रान्तिम् आयातु चेतश् चपलम् अद्रिवत्
What here is worth accepting, and what, on the other hand, should be discarded? How can the restless mind find repose, like a mountain unmoved?
केन पावनमन्त्रेण दुस्संसृतिविषूचिका । शाम्यतीयम् अनायासम् आयासशतकारिणी
By what purifying mantra does this fever of difficult worldly existence, which brings countless troubles without effort, become pacified?
कथं शीतलताम् अन्तर् आनन्दतरुमञ्जरीम् । पूर्णचन्द्र इवाक्षीणां राकाम् आसादयाम्य् अहम्
How may I attain within the coolness of the cluster of blossoms of the tree of bliss, like the full moon reaching the undiminished night?
प्राप्यान्तःपूर्णताम् अन्तर् न शोचामि यथा पुनः । सन्तो भवन्तस् तत्त्वज्ञास् तथैवोपदिशन्तु माम्
Having attained inner fullness, so that I do not grieve again, let the wise who know the truth instruct me in this way.