भोगास् त्यक्तुं न शक्यन्ते तत्त्यागेन विना धियः । प्रभवामो न विपदाम् अहो सङ्कटम् आगतम्
Enjoyments cannot be abandoned; without giving them up, we cannot overcome misfortune—alas, what a difficult predicament has come upon us!
मनोमात्रजयप्राप्यं तन्व् एवेदं प्रयोजनम् । सम्पन्नं मे गिरिगुरु मौर्ख्याद् यक्षश् शिशोर् इव
This attainment is gained only by mastery of the mind; yet, O mountain teacher, due to ignorance, I have squandered it like a child possessed by a yaksha.
कदा स्वशान्तिम् आगत्य गतसंसारसम्भ्रमा । बालेव लब्धदयिता सुखम् आप्स्यति नो मतिः
When will my mind, having reached its own peace and freed from the turmoil of worldly existence, experience happiness like a child who has found its beloved?
कदोपशान्तसंरम्भं विगताशेषकौतुकम् । अपारपदविश्रान्तं मम स्यात् पावनं मनः
When will my mind, purified, free from all agitation and curiosity, rest in the boundless path and become sanctified?
कलाकलापसम्पूर्णाच् छशाङ्काद् अपि शीतले । पदे सुरूद्ःअं विश्रम्य हसिष्यामि कदा जगत्
When, having rested firmly in a place cooler than the moon filled with the fullness of art and melody, will I laugh at the world?
कलनापेलवं रूपम् उत्सृज्यालीनम् आत्मनि । कदैष्यति मनश् शान्तिं पयसीव तरङ्गकः
When will the mind, abandoning its fragile form and merging into the Self, attain peace like a wave dissolving in water?
तृष्णातरङ्गाकुलितं मायामकरमालितम् । कदा संसारजलधिं तीर्त्वा स्याम् अहम् अज्वरः
When, crossing the ocean of worldly existence, agitated by waves of craving and adorned with the crocodile of illusion, will I become free from fever?
कदोपशान्तशुद्धासु पदवीषु विचक्षणाः । मुमुक्षूणां निवत्स्यामो निश्शोकं समदर्शनाः
When, in peaceful and pure paths, will we, wise seekers of liberation, dwell free from sorrow and with equal vision?
सन्तापितसमस्ताङ्गस् सर्वधातुभयङ्करः । संसृतिज्वर आदीर्घः कदा नश् चित्त शाम्यति
When will the fever of transmigration, which afflicts all limbs and threatens every element, finally subside in my mind?
निवातदीपलेखेव कदोषित्वा गतभ्रमम् । शमम् एष्यसि हे बुद्धे स्वप्रकाशाद् अनन्तरम्
O intellect, just as a lamp’s flame in a windless place becomes free of distortion and steady, you will attain tranquility immediately upon realizing your own radiance.
कदेन्द्रियाणि दुःखेभ्यस् सन्तरिष्यथ हेलया । दुरीहादग्धदेहानि गरुत्मन्त इवाब्धितः
When your senses, scorched by the fire of futile striving, effortlessly cross over suffering, you will be like Garuda rising from the ocean.
अयं सो ऽहम् इदं तन् मे इति व्यक्तोत्थितो भ्रमः । शरदीवासितो मेघः कदा न उपशाम्यति
This delusion—'I am this, this is mine'—arises distinctly, and like a cloud lingering in autumn, when will it ever subside?
मन्दारवनलेखासु या रतिस् सा तृणायते । यत्र तत् पदम् आत्मीयं सम्प्राप्स्यामः कदा वयम्
The pleasure found in the delicate traces of mandara groves seems trivial; when will we attain that true state which is our own?
वीतरागजनप्रोक्ता निर्मला ज्ञानदृष्टयः । कच्चित् पदं त्वयि मनः करिष्यन्तीति मे वद
Tell me, will the pure vision of knowledge spoken by those free from passion ever establish itself in your mind?
हा तात मातः पुत्रेति गिरां मा स्याम् अहं पुनः । भाजनं चित्त मद्बन्धो भोजनं दुःखभोगिनाम्
Alas, father, mother, son—may I never again be addressed by these words; O mind, you are the vessel of my bondage, the food of those who partake in suffering.
हे बुद्धे भगिनि भ्रातुर् अर्थितां पूरयाशु मे । आवयोर् दुःखमोक्षाय विचारय मुनेर् गिरः
O intellect, sister, quickly fulfill my brother’s request; for the release from our suffering, reflect upon the sage’s words.
आपद् आपतति प्रीत्या भवे सति सुतेव ते । तेन भव्ये भवच्छेदभूतये सुस्थिरा भव
Calamity approaches you with affection, as a mother does her child in existence; therefore, in what is to come, be firmly established for the destruction of worldly existence.
वसिष्ठमुनिना प्रोक्ता विरक्ताः प्रथमं गिरः । ततो मुमुक्षोर् आचार उत्पत्तीनां क्रमस् ततः
The words spoken by the sage Vasiṣṭha first described those who are detached; then, the conduct of one seeking liberation, and thereafter the sequence of their arising.
ततस् स्थितिप्रकरणं नानादृष्टान्तसुन्दरम् । विज्ञानगर्भं सकलं यथावत् स्मर हे मते
Next, the section on stability, adorned with various beautiful examples, filled with knowledge—recall it fully and properly, O wise one.
कृतम् अपि शतशो विचारितं यद् यदि तद् उपैति न मानवस्य बुद्धिः । भवति तद् अफलं शरद्घनाभं सततम् अतो मतिर् एव कार्यसारः
Even if something has been examined hundreds of times, if a person's mind does not accept it, it remains fruitless, like autumn clouds; therefore, only the mind is the essence of accomplishment.
तस्यैवम्प्रायया तत्र ततयोदारचिन्तया । सा व्यतीयाय रजनी पद्मस्येवार्ककाङ्क्षिणः
With such thoughts and noble contemplation, the night passed for him there, as it does for a lotus longing for the sun.
किञ्चित् तमःकडारासु किञ्चिद् अप्य् अरुणासु च । ततो विरलतारासु दिक्षु रामसितास्व् इव
Some darkness lingered in the corners, and some redness appeared; then, as the stars thinned in the directions, it was as if Rāma and Sītā were present.
प्रभाततूर्यघोषेण समम् इन्दुसमाननः । उत्तस्थौ राघवश् श्रीमान् पद्मः पद्माकराद् इव
With the sound of morning trumpets, the illustrious Rāghava, whose face resembled the moon, arose, like a lotus from a lotus pond.
प्रातस्तनं विधिं सर्वं सम्पाद्य भ्रातृसंयुतः । प्रमितात्मपरीवारो वसिष्ठसदनं ययौ
Having completed all morning duties, accompanied by his brothers and a measured retinue, he went to the residence of Vasiṣṭha.
समाधिसंस्थम् एकान्ते मुनिम् आत्मपरायणम् । दूराद् एव ननामासौ रामो विनतकन्धरः
He saw the sage, absorbed in meditation and devoted to the Self, sitting alone; from a distance, Rāma bowed to him with a lowered neck.
तं प्रणम्याङ्गने तस्थुस् तस्मिंस् ते विनयान्विताः । यावत् तमस् समालूनं ध्वस्तं दिङ्मुखमण्डलात्
They bowed to him and stood there, those women, filled with humility, as long as the darkness that had enveloped the directions was dispelled.
राजानो राजपुत्राश् च ऋषयो ब्राह्मणास् तथा । आययुस् सदनं मौनं ब्रह्मलोकम् इवामराः
Kings, princes, sages, and also brahmins came to the silent dwelling, like immortals to the world of Brahma.
तद् वसिष्ठस्य सदनं बभूव जनसङ्कुलम् । हस्त्यश्वरथसम्बाधं पार्थिवागारशोभनम्
That residence of Vasiṣṭha became crowded with people, filled with elephants, horses, and chariots, shining like a royal palace.
क्षणाद् वसिष्ठो भगवान् विरराम समाधितः । आचारेणोपपन्नेन जग्राह प्रणतं जनम्
In a moment, the venerable Vasiṣṭha emerged from his meditation; with proper conduct, he received the people who had bowed to him.
अथानुयातो मुनिभिर् विश्वामित्रान्वितो मुनिः । आरुरोह रथं श्रीमान् सहसाब्जम् इवाब्जजः
Then, accompanied by sages and attended by Viśvāmitra, the illustrious sage swiftly mounted his chariot, like the lotus-born god ascending a lotus.