उदेति यावद् भगवान् इन्दुर् उद्दाममण्डलः । क्षीराम्बुभिर् इवालोलैः प्लावयन् रश्मिभिर् जगत्
Until the glorious moon, with its radiant orb, rises and floods the world with its restless rays, like waves of milky water.
ततस् तेष्व् अतिरम्येषु चन्द्ररश्मिषु सा पदम् । करोति विहगी लोला वृक्षाद् वृक्षान्तरेष्व् इव
Then, in those exceedingly delightful moonbeams, that entity takes its place, moving restlessly like a bird from tree to tree.
तेभ्यो ऽपि चन्द्ररश्मिभ्यो विशत्य् ओषधिपल्लवान् । नवं कुमुदिनीषण्डं पद्मिनीभ्य इवालिनी
From those moonbeams, it enters the shoots of herbs, just as a bee enters a fresh cluster of lotuses among the lilies.
तयौषधिफलान्य् अन्तस् स्वादवन्ति भवन्त्य् अलम् । इक्षुनाल्यो रसेनेव यान्ति पीवरताम् अपि
Within those two, the fruits of the medicinal plants become thoroughly sweet, just as sugarcane stalks grow plump with their own sap.
फलेषु तेषु बध्नाति पदम् इन्दुकरच्युता । जीवाली क्षीरपूर्णेषु मातृस्तनभरेष्व् इव
In those fruits, the stream of life, full as the moon’s rays, establishes itself, just as milk fills the mother’s breasts.
ताः फलावलयः पक्वा भक्ष्यन्ते यैश् शरीरिभिः । तेष्व् एव वीर्यम् आगत्य तिष्ठन्त्य् अप्रविबोधिताः
When those rings of fruit are ripe, they are eaten by embodied beings; in them, the vital essence enters and remains, yet is not perceived.
प्रसुप्तवासनाजाला जीवश्रीर् गर्भपञ्जरम् । अधितिष्ठति बीजश्रीस् सुप्तपत्त्रा यथा घटम्
The wealth of life, veiled by the net of dormant tendencies, dwells in the cage of the womb, just as the glory of a seed rests in a pot with folded leaves.
यथा काष्ठे स्थितो वह्निर् यथा मृदि घटस् स्थितः । यथा क्षीरे स्थितं सर्पिर् वीर्ये जीवस् तथा स्थितः
As fire abides in wood, as a pot exists within clay, as ghee is present in milk, so too does the soul dwell in the vital essence.
अनेन क्रमयोगेन परागत्य महेश्वरात् । अदृष्टान्यशरीरश्रीर् जायते यो नरो भुवि
By this sequential process, one who attains from the Supreme Lord, though unseen and bodiless, is born as a human on earth.
स हि सात्त्विकजातिस् स्याद् उदारव्यवहारवान् । तेनैव मोक्षभागी चेज् जन्मना तत् स सात्त्विकः
Such a person is born of sattvic nature, endowed with noble conduct; if, by that very birth, he attains liberation, then he is truly sattvic.
अथेत्थं योनिम् आसाद्य भुक्त्वा जन्मपरम्पराम् । मोक्षार्थं प्राप्तजन्मा चेत् तत् स राजससात्त्विकः
But if, after entering such a womb and passing through a succession of births, he is born for the sake of liberation, then he is of rajas-sattva nature.
पाश्चात्यजन्मनः पुंसः क्रमं वक्ष्यामि ते ऽधुना । राम राजससत्त्वस्य मोक्षम् आयात्य् असौ यथा
Now, O Rama, I will explain to you the sequence of events after a person's death in the west, and how liberation comes to one endowed with rajas and sattva.
प्राथम्येन य आयातस् संसारम् अतिसात्त्विकः । स कदाचित् क्वचित् कश्चित् सम्भवत्य् अनघाकृते
He who enters the cycle of birth with predominant sattva, sometimes, somewhere, is born as one whose actions are pure, O sinless one.
सम्भवन्तीह पुरुषा राम राजससात्त्विकाः । प्रविचार्यास् त एवातो गन्तव्यं चेह तद्दृशा
Here, O Rama, people of rajas and sattva are born; these alone are to be examined, and among them, one should proceed accordingly.
प्राथम्येन समायाता ये पदात् परमात्मनः । दुर्लभाः पुरुषा राम ते महागुणशालिनः
Those who have come first, having reached the supreme Self, O Rama, are rare individuals, endowed with great virtues.
ये चान्ये विविधा मूका मूढास् तामसजातयः । तेषां स्थावरतुल्यानां किं तद् राम विचार्यते
And others, who are variously mute and deluded, of tamasic nature—what is there to consider about them, Rama, who are like immobile beings?
कतिपयाधिगतात्मभवान्तरः प्रकृतजन्मनि लभ्यमहापदः । अयम् इह प्रविचारणयोग्यताम् अनुगतो ननु राजससात्त्विकः
Only a few, after attaining another birth through self-realization, obtain the great state in their natural life; indeed, the one endowed with rajas and sattva is fit for such inquiry here.
ये हि राजससत्त्वस्था एता भुवि महागुणाः । ते नित्यम् एव मुदिता उदिताः ख इवेन्दवः
Those who abide in rajas and sattva, possessing great virtues on earth, are always joyful and radiant, like moons shining in the sky.
न खेदम् अधिगच्छन्ति व्योमभागा मलं यथा । नापदि म्लानिम् आयान्ति निशि हेमाम्बुजा यथा
They do not experience weariness, just as the sky is untouched by impurity; nor do they wither in adversity, like golden lotuses at night.
नेहन्ते प्राकृताद् अन्यद् दिनान्यद् भास्करो यथा । रमन्ते स्वे सदाचारे स्वार्तवे पादपा यथा
Here, nothing exists apart from the natural order, just as the sun does not bring a different day; they delight in their own proper conduct, as trees enjoy their own season.
नित्यम् आपूर्णताम् अन्तर् अक्षुब्धाम् इन्दुसुन्दरीम् । आपद्य् अपि न मुञ्चन्ति शशिनश् शीतताम् इव
They never abandon the fullness within, serene and beautiful as the moon; even when circumstances arise, they do not forsake their coolness, like the moon’s gentle light.
आकृत्यैव विराजन्ते मैत्र्यादिगुणकान्तया । नवस्तबकहासिन्या लतयेव महाद्रुमाः
They shine forth by their very nature, adorned with the charm of qualities like friendship; like great trees, radiant with fresh clusters of blossoms, they are graced by virtues.
समास् समरसास् सोम्यास् सततं साधुसाधवः । अब्धिवद् धृतमर्यादा भवन्ति वितताशयाः
They are always united, harmonious, gentle, and noble; like the ocean, they maintain their boundaries, and their intentions are expansive.
अतस् तेषां महाबाहो पदम् आपदपासनम् । सर्वदैवानुगन्तव्यं मङ्क्तव्यं नापदर्णवे
Therefore, O mighty-armed one, their state is the remover of calamity; it should always be pursued, and one should not linger in the ocean of misfortune.
तथा तथेह जगति विहर्तव्यम् अखेदिना । आत्मोदयाय वर्तन्ते यथा राजससात्त्विकाः
Thus, one should act in this world without weariness; those of royal and sattvic nature conduct themselves for the rise of the self.
अधिगम्यार्य सच्छास्त्रं विचार्य च पुनः पुनः । अनित्यतां स्वमनसा विविक्तेनाशु भावयेत्
Having attained noble scripture and repeatedly reflected upon it, one should swiftly contemplate, with a secluded mind, the impermanence of things.
आदाव् अन्ते च यन् नित्यं रूपं त्रैलोक्यवर्तिनाम् । पदार्थानां तद् एवाशु भावयेन् नेतरन् मुधा
At the beginning and end, that which is eternal—the true nature of all things in the three worlds—should be swiftly contemplated, not anything else in vain.
असम्यग्दर्शनं त्यक्त्वा व्यर्थसन्तानम् अन्तवत् । स्मर्तव्यं सम्यग् एवेदं ज्ञानसार्थम् अनन्तकम्
Abandoning incorrect perception and futile, perishable thoughts, one should remember only this, rightly, for the sake of endless knowledge.
को ऽहं कथम् इदं वेति संसारम् इदम् आततम् । प्रविचार्यं प्रयत्नेन प्राज्ञेन सह साधुना
Who am I? How has this arisen? What is this expanse of worldly existence? This must be thoroughly examined with effort by the wise, together with the good.
नाकर्मसु निमङ्क्तव्यं नानार्येण सहावसेत् । द्रष्टव्यस् सर्वविच्छेत्ता न मृत्युर् अवहेलया
One should not engage in improper actions, nor associate with the unworthy; one must see that the destroyer of all—death—is not to be disregarded.