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.
नित्यम् उत्तमबोधाय भोगशय्यागतं मनः । बोधयेद् भवभेदाय भवो ह्य् अत्यन्तदुःखदः
Always awaken the mind, which lies in the bed of enjoyment, to supreme understanding, for awakening destroys worldly existence, which brings extreme suffering.
यथा रजोभिर् गगनं यथा कमलम् अम्बुभिः । न लिप्यते ऽपि संश्लिष्टैर् देहैर् आत्मा तथैव वः
Just as the sky is not stained by dust, and the lotus by water, even when in contact, so the Self is not tainted by the body, even though united with it.
कर्दमादि यथा हेम्नश् श्लिष्टम् एव पृथक् स्थितम् । नान्तः परिणतिं याति जडो देहस् तथात्मनः
Just as mud and other substances, though attached to gold, remain separate and do not alter its interior, so the inert body does not affect the Self.
सुखदुःखानुभावित्वम् आत्मनीत्य् अवबुध्यते । असत्यम् एव गगने द्वीन्दुताम्लानते यथा
The experience of pleasure and pain is understood to be in the self, but in truth, it is as unreal as the waxing and waning of the moon in the sky.
सुखदुःखे हि देहस्य सर्वातीतस्य नात्मनः । एते ह्य् अज्ञानकस्यैव तस्मिन् नष्टे न कस्यचित्
Pleasure and pain belong to the body, not to the self, which is beyond all; these exist only for the ignorant, and when ignorance is destroyed, they belong to no one.
न कस्यचित् सुखं किञ्चिद् दुःखं च न च कस्यचित् । सर्वम् आत्ममयं शान्तम् अनन्तं पश्य राघव
No one truly possesses any happiness, nor does anyone possess any sorrow; O Raghava, see that all is pervaded by the peaceful, infinite Self.
इमा याः परिदृश्यन्ते विततास् सृष्टिदृष्टयः । पयसीव तरङ्गास् ताः पिञ्छा व्योम्नीव वात्मनि
These various visions of creation that are perceived are like waves in water, or like feathers in the sky, within the Self.
यथा मणिर् ददात्य् आत्मच्छायास् स्वयम् अकारणम् । तेजोमयीस् तथैवायम् आत्मा सृष्टीः प्रयच्छति
Just as a jewel, without cause, casts its own reflection, so too does this Self, composed of light, project creation.
आत्मा जगच् च सुमते नैकं न द्वे न चाप्य् असत् । आभासमात्रम् एवेदम् इत्थं सम्प्रति जृम्भते
O wise one, the Self and the world are not one, not two, nor are they unreal; all this appears merely as a manifestation, thus it now unfolds.
समस्तं खल्व् इदं ब्रह्म सर्वम् आत्मेदम् आततम् । अहम् अन्यद् इदं चान्यद् इति भ्रान्तिं त्यजानघ
Indeed, all this is Brahman; all this is pervaded by the Self; abandon the delusion, 'I am this, and this is other.'