सकलशाश्वतशास्त्रविशारद प्रसृतपुण्यजलैकमहाह्रद । भज भृशं विततव्रत सम्प्रति प्रसृततां हतकिल्बिष मां प्रति
O master of all eternal scriptures, great lake of ever-flowing waters of virtue, steadfast in manifold vows—now let your favor, free from all sin, be extended to me.
इदम् उत्तमसिद्धान्तसुन्दरं सुन्दराकृते । उपशान्तिप्रकरणं शृणुष्वावहितो हितम्
Listen attentively, O beautiful one, to this excellent and delightful section on tranquility, which is beneficial and well established in the highest doctrine.
दीर्घसंसारमायेयं राम राजसतामसैः । धार्यते पुरुषैर् नित्यं सुस्तम्भैर् इव मण्डपः
O Rāma, this long-standing illusion of worldly existence is sustained by people of rajas and tamas, just as a pavilion is held up by sturdy pillars.
सत्त्वस्थजातिभिर् वीरैस् त्वादृशैर् गुणबृंहितैः । हेलया त्यज्यते पक्वा मायेयं त्वग् इवोरगैः
But this matured illusion is easily cast off by heroic ones established in sattva, like you, who are endowed with virtues—just as a snake sheds its old skin.
ये सत्त्वजातयः प्राज्ञास् तथा राजससात्त्विकाः । विचारयन्ति ते साधो जगत् पूर्वापरं परम्
Those wise ones who are of sattvic nature, or a blend of rajas and sattva, O noble one, thoroughly examine the world—its past, future, and highest truth.
शास्त्रसज्जनसत्कारसङ्गेनापगतैनसाम् । सारावलोकिनी बुद्धिर् जायते दीपिकोपमा
Through association with scriptures, good people, and noble company, and by being free from sin, the discerning intellect arises, shining like a lamp.
स्वयम् एव विचारेण विचार्यात्मानम् आत्मना । यावन् नाधिगतं ज्ञेयं न तावद् अधिगम्यते
By self-inquiry alone, one must examine oneself with one's own mind; until the knowable is attained, it is not truly realized.
प्रज्ञावतां नयवतां धीराणां कुलशालिनाम् । जात्या राजससत्त्वानां मुख्यस् त्वं कुलनन्दन
Among the wise, the prudent, the steadfast, and those of noble lineage, you, O delight of your family, are foremost among those born of rajas and sattva.
स्वयम् आलोकय प्राज्ञ संसारारम्भदृष्टिषु । किं सत्यं किम् असत्यं वा भव सत्यपरायणः
See for yourself, O wise one, in the origins of worldly existence: what is true and what is untrue—be devoted to truth.
आदाव् अन्ते च यन् नास्ति कीदृशी तस्य सत्यता । आदाव् अन्ते च यन् नित्यं तत् सत्यं राम नेतरत्
That which does not exist in the beginning and at the end—how can that be considered real? That which is eternal at the beginning and at the end, O Rama, that alone is true, not anything else.
आद्यन्तासन्मये यस्य वस्तुन्य् आरज्यते मनः । तस्य मुग्धपशोर् जन्तोर् विवेकः केन जन्यते
If someone's mind becomes attached to an object that is unreal at its beginning and end, how can discernment arise in that deluded, ignorant being?
जायते मन एवेह मन एवेह वर्धते । सम्यग्दर्शनदृष्ट्या तु मन एव विलीयते
Here, the mind alone is born, and the mind alone grows; but through the vision of true understanding, the mind itself is dissolved.
ज्ञातम् एतन् मया ब्रह्मन् यथास्मिन् भुवनत्रये । मन एव हि संसारि जरामरणभाजनम्
This has been known by me, O Brahman, that in these three worlds, the mind alone is the transmigrator, the vessel of old age and death.
यस् तस्योत्तरणोपायस् तं मे ब्रूहि विनिश्चितम् । हार्दं तमस् त्वयार्केण राघवाणां विनाश्यते
Tell me with certainty the means for crossing over that. The inner darkness of the Raghavas is destroyed by your sun-like light.
पूर्वं राघव शास्त्रेण वैराग्येण वरेण च । तथा सज्जनसङ्गेन नीयते पुण्यतां मनः
First, O Raghava, by scripture, by the supreme virtue of dispassion, and by association with the good, the mind is led toward purity.
सौजन्यबृंहितं चेतो यदा वैराग्यम् आगतम् । तदानुगम्या गुरवो विज्ञानगुरवो हि ये
When the mind, strengthened by nobility, attains dispassion, then one should follow those teachers who are truly teachers of knowledge.
ततस् तदुपदिष्टेन कृत्वा ध्यानार्चनादिकम् । क्रमेण पदम् आप्नोति तद् यत् परमपावनम्
Then, by what has been taught by them, practicing meditation, worship, and the like, one gradually attains that state which is supremely pure.
विचारेणावदातेन पश्यत्य् आत्मानम् आत्मना । इन्दुना शीतलेनान्तर् बिम्बं स्वम् इव तेजसा
By pure inquiry, the self perceives itself with its own awareness, just as the cool moon sees its own reflection within by its own radiance.
तावद् भवमहाम्भोधौ जनस् तृणवद् उह्यते । विचारतटविश्रान्तिम् एति यावन् न चेतसा
As long as the mind does not rest in the forest of inquiry, people are tossed about in the vast ocean of existence like blades of grass.
विचारेण परिज्ञातवस्तुनो ऽस्य जनस्य धीः । सर्वान् अधः करोत्य् आधीन् सोम्याम्भ इव वालुकाः
When the nature of things is understood through inquiry, the intellect of a person brings everything under its control, like gentle water subdues sand.
इदं रुक्मम् इदं भस्म परिज्ञाते इति स्फुटम् । न यथा हेमकारस्य मोहो ज्ञातात्मनस् तथा
This is gold, this is ash—when the distinction is clearly known, there is no confusion for one who knows the self, just as a goldsmith is not deluded.
अक्षयो ऽयम् अनाशात्मा स्वात्मेत्य् अवगते चिरम् । भवतीति हि कस्येह मोहस्यावसरः कुतः
When it is long realized that this self is imperishable and devoid of longing, for whom here does delusion arise, and where is its opportunity?
अपरिज्ञातसारे हि मणौ मूल्ये विमुह्यते । ज्ञातसारे त्व् असन्दिग्धमूल्ये क्व किल मूढता
One is bewildered about the value of a gem whose essence is unknown; but when its essence is known and its value is certain, where could confusion remain?
हे जना अपरिज्ञात आत्मा वो दुःखसिद्धये । परिज्ञातस् त्व् अनन्ताय सुखायोपशमाय च
O people, the unknown self leads you to the attainment of suffering; but the known self leads to infinity, happiness, and tranquility.
मिश्रीभूतम् इवानेन देहेनोपहतात्मना । व्यस्तीकृत्य स्वम् आत्मानं स्वस्था भवत माचिरम्
Having separated your true self from this body, which mixes and obscures it, become established in your own nature without delay.
देहेनास्य न सम्बन्धो मनाग् एवामलात्मनः । हेम्नः पङ्कलवेनेव तद्गतस्यापि मानवाः
There is not even the slightest connection between the pure Self and the body, just as mud and lotus stalk do not touch the gold within them, even though people think they do.
पृथग् आत्मा पृथग् देहो जलपद्मदलोपमौ । ऊर्ध्वबाहुर् विरौम्य् एष न च कश्चिच् छृणोति मे
The Self and the body are separate, like water and a lotus leaf; I raise my arms and cry out, yet no one listens to me.
जडधर्मि मनो यावद् गर्तकच्छपवत् स्थितम् । भोगमन्दवपुर् मूढं विस्मृतात्मविचारणम्
So long as the mind, governed by inertia, remains withdrawn like a tortoise in its pit, the dull body indulges in pleasures, forgetting inquiry into the Self.
तावत् संसारतिमिरं सेन्दुनापि सवह्निना । अर्कद्वादशकेनापि मनाग् अपि न भिद्यते
Until then, the darkness of worldly existence cannot be dispelled even by the moon, fire, or twelve suns, not even slightly.
सम्प्रबुद्धे हि मनसि स्वां विवेचयति स्थितिम् । नैशम् अर्कोदय इव तमो हार्दं पलायते
But when the mind awakens and examines its own state, the inner darkness flees, just as night vanishes at sunrise.