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.
अनुत्तमानन्दपदप्रधानविश्रान्तिरिक्तं हि मनो महात्मन् । कदर्थयन्तीह भृशं विकल्पाश् श्वानो वने देहम् इवाल्पजीवम्
Indeed, apart from the supreme blissful state and its repose, the mind of the great-souled is tormented here by restless thoughts, like dogs in the forest harassing the body of a creature with little life.
प्रोच्चवृक्षचलत्पत्त्रलम्बाम्बुकणभङ्गुरे । आयुषीशानशीतांशुकलामृदुनि देहके
In the fragile body, like a droplet hanging from a moving leaf of a tall tree, governed by the lord of life and softened by the rays of the cool moon.
केदारविरटद्भेककण्ठत्वक्कोणभङ्गुरे । वागुरावलये जन्तोस् सुहृत्स्वजनसङ्गमे
In the gathering of friends and relatives, the creature is fragile as the edge of a frog’s throat skin in a dried-up field, caught in the net’s circle.
वासनावातवलितकदाशातडिति स्फुटे । मोहौघमिहिकामेघे घनं स्फूर्जति गर्जति
Driven by the wind of impressions, the thunderbolt of sudden calamity strikes clearly; in the dense cloud of delusion, the darkness roars and flashes.
नृत्यत्य् उत्ताण्डवं चण्डे लोले लोभकलापिनि । सुविकासिनि सस्फोटम् अनर्थकुटजद्रुमे
The wild, restless, greedy one dances a fierce dance, fully blossomed and resounding, in the poisonous forest of misfortune.
क्रूरे कृतान्तमार्जारे सर्वभूताखुहारिणि । अश्रुतस्पन्दसञ्चारे कुतो ऽप्य् उपरिपातिनि
Cruel, like the cat of death, seizing all living beings as mice, moving with unheard steps, descending from somewhere above.
क उपायो गतिः का वा का चिन्ता कस् समाश्रयः । केनेयम् अशुभोदर्का न भवेज् जीविताटवी
What remedy is there, what path, what thought, or what refuge? By what means might this forest of life, which leads to misfortune, not arise?
न तद् अस्ति पृथिव्यां वा दिवि देवेषु वा क्वचित् । सुधियस् तुच्छम् अप्य् एतद् यन् न याति नरम्यताम्
There is nothing on earth or among the gods in heaven, however insignificant, that does not become delightful to the wise.
अयं हि दग्धसंसारो नीरन्ध्रकलनाकुलः । कथं सुस्वादुताम् एति नीरसो मूर्खतां विना
How can this world, burned and riddled with suffering, ever become truly sweet without folly, when it is tasteless by nature?
आशाप्रतिविषा केन क्षीरस्नानेन रम्यताम् । उपैति पुष्पशुभ्रेण मधुनेव सुवल्लरी
By what nectar-bath can the vine of hope, poisoned at its root, become delightful, like a fresh creeper with honey and pure blossoms?