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?
अपमृष्टमलोदेति क्षालनेनामृतद्युतिः । मनश्चन्द्रमसः केन तेन कामकलङ्किनः
By what washing is the moon of the mind, stained by desire, cleansed so that the radiance of immortality may arise?
दृष्टसंसारगतिना दृष्टादृष्टविनाशिना । केन वा व्यवहर्तव्यं संसारवनवीथिषु
By what means should one act in the forest-paths of worldly life, seeing the course of the world and the destruction of the seen and unseen?
रागद्वेषमहारोगा भोगपूर्वातिपूतयः । कथं जन्तोर् न बाधन्ते संसारारण्यचारिणः
How do the great diseases of attachment and aversion, born from indulgence, not afflict the creature wandering in the forest of worldly existence?
कथं च वीरवैराग्नौ पततापि न दह्यते । पावके पारतेनेव रसेन रसशालिना
And how is it that, even when one falls into the fierce fire of enmity, one is not burned—like gold in fire, protected by its essence?
यस्मात् किल जगत्य् अस्मिन् व्यवहारक्रियां विना । न स्थितिस् सम्भवत्य् अब्धौ पतितस्याजला यथा
For, indeed, in this world, without the activity of worldly dealings, no stability is possible—just as water cannot remain when it falls into the ocean.
रागद्वेषविनिर्मुक्ता सुखदुःखविवर्जिता । कृशानोर् दाहहीनेव शिखा नास्तीह सत्क्रिया
Those free from attachment and aversion, untouched by pleasure and pain, are like a flame without fuel; here, no proper action remains.
मनोमननमानिन्यास् सतापाभुवनत्रये । क्षयो युक्तिं विना नास्ति ब्रूत ताम् अलम् उत्तमाः
For the proud mind that constantly reflects, suffering in the three worlds does not end without skillful means; tell me that, O noble ones.
व्यवहारवतो युक्त्या दुःखं नायाति मे यया । अथ वाव्यवहारस्य ब्रूत तां गतिम् उत्तमाम्
By what reasoning does suffering not come to one engaged in worldly activity? Or else, tell me the highest path for one who abandons activity.
तत् कथं केन वा किं वा कृतम् उत्तमचेतसा । पूर्वं येनैति विश्रामं परमं पावनं मनः
How, by whom, or by what means, has the mind of the noble attained its supreme, pure rest in the past?
यथा जानासि भगवंस् तथा मोहनिवृत्तये । ब्रूहि मे साधवो येन यूयं निर्दुःखतां गताः
O revered one, as you know, tell me for the removal of delusion—by what means have you sages attained freedom from suffering?