ये हि पाश्चात्यजन्मानस् ते हि सुप्तं मनोमृगम् । प्रबोधयन्ति प्रथमं गुणगीतैर् महागुणाः
Indeed, those who are born in the West, being possessed of great virtues, first awaken the sleeping deer of the mind with songs of virtue.
प्रथितगुणान् सुगुरून् निषेव्य यत्नाद् अमलधिया प्रविचार्य चित्तरत्नम् । गतिम् अमलाम् उपयाति मानवो ऽस्मिञ् जगति विलोक्य चिरं प्रकाशम् अन्तः
By diligently serving renowned and noble teachers, and by thoroughly examining with a pure intellect the jewel of the mind, a person in this world attains a spotless state, having long observed the inner light.
एष तावत् क्रमः प्रोक्तस् सामान्यस् सर्वजन्तुषु । इमम् अन्यं विशेषं त्वं शृणु राजीवलोचन
Thus the general sequence has been described for all beings; now, lotus-eyed one, listen as I tell you another distinction.
अस्मिन् संसारसंरम्भे जातानां देहधारिणाम् । अपवर्गगतौ राम द्वाव् इमाव् उत्तमौ क्रमौ
In this tumult of worldly existence, for those who have taken on bodies, O Rama, there are two excellent paths toward liberation.
एकस् तावद् गुरुप्रोक्ताद् अनुष्ठानाच् छनैश् शनैः । जन्मना जन्मभिर् वापि सिद्धिदस् समुदाहृतः
One is gradual, attained through the practice taught by the teacher, slowly and steadily, over one or many lifetimes, and is known to grant perfection.
द्वितीयस् त्व् आत्मनैवाशु किञ्चिद्व्युत्पन्नचेतसः । भवति ज्ञानसम्प्राप्तिर् आकाशफलपातवत्
The second occurs swiftly, when a person gains some insight by their own mind; the attainment of knowledge happens like the sudden fall of a fruit from the sky.
नभःफलनिपाताभज्ञानसम्प्रतिपत्तये । अत्रेमं शृणु वृत्तान्तं प्राक्तनं कथयामि ते
For the understanding of this sudden attainment of knowledge, like the falling of a fruit from the sky, listen here to this ancient story I will tell you.
शृणु सुभग कथं महानुभावा व्यपगतपूर्वशुभाशुभार्गडौघाः । खपतितफलवत् परं विवेकं चरमभवा विमलं समाप्नुवन्ति
Listen, O fortunate one, how those of great stature, whose past merits and demerits have been washed away, attain supreme discernment—pure and final—like a fruit fallen from the sky.
अस्त्य् अस्तमितसर्वापद् उद्यत्सम्पद् उदारधीः । विदेहानां महीपालो जनको नाम वीर्यवान्
There was a king among the Videhas named Janaka, whose intellect was noble, whose calamities had all vanished, whose prosperity was rising, and who was endowed with great strength.
कल्पवृक्षो ऽर्थिसार्थानां मित्राब्जानां दिवाकरः । माधवो बन्धुपुष्पाणां स्त्रीणां मकरकेतनः
He was like a wish-fulfilling tree for those seeking favors, a sun among lotus-like friends, a springtime for the flowers of kinship, and the banner of love for women.
द्विजकैरवशीतांशुर् द्विषत्तिमिरभास्करः । सौजन्यरत्नजलधिर् भुवं विष्णुर् इवास्थितः
He was like the cool moon to the lilies of the twice-born, the sun dispelling the darkness of enemies, a sea of jewels of nobility, and stood on earth like Vishnu.
प्रफुल्तबाललतिके मञ्जरीपुञ्जपिञ्जरे । स कदाचिन् मधौ मत्तकोकिलोल्लासलासिनि
Once, in spring, amidst blossoming young creepers and clusters of flower buds, he wandered where intoxicated cuckoos sang joyfully.
ययौ कुसुमिताभोगं सविलासलताङ्गनम् । लीलयोपवनं कान्तं नन्दनं वासवो यथा
He entered a grove adorned with blooming vines, delightful and charming, as if Indra himself were enjoying the beautiful Nandana garden.
तस्मिन् वरवने हृद्ये केसरामोदिमारुते । दूरस्थानुचरश् चारुकुञ्जेषु विचचार ह
In that splendid and pleasing forest, with breezes fragrant with the scent of kesara flowers, he roamed through lovely bowers, his attendants remaining at a distance.
अथ शुश्राव कस्मिंश्चित् तमालवनगुल्मके । सिद्धानाम् अप्रदृश्यानां स्वप्रसङ्गाद् उदाहृताः
Then, in a thicket of tamāla trees, he heard the words of invisible siddhas, spoken among themselves.
विरक्तमनसां नित्यं शैलकन्दरचारिणाम् । इमाः कमलपत्त्राक्ष गीता गीतात्मभावनाः
O lotus-eyed one, these are the songs, filled with the essence of realization, sung by those with detached minds who always dwell in mountain caves.
द्रष्टृदृश्यसमायोगात् प्रत्ययानन्दनिश्चयः । यस् तं स्वम् आत्मतत्त्वोत्थं निष्ष्यन्दं समुपास्महे
We worship that pure essence of self, which arises from the union of seer and seen, and is the certainty of bliss born of direct knowledge.
द्रष्टृदर्शनदृश्यानि त्यक्त्वा वासनया सह । दर्शनप्रथमाभासम् आत्मानं समुपास्महे
Abandoning the seer, the seeing, and the seen, along with all impressions, we worship the self, the first light of awareness.
निर्भासनं निर्मननम् आभासमननोपमम् । अभावभावनाभोगं सदात्मानम् उपास्महे
We always worship the self, which is without appearance, without mental construction, incomparable to any manifestation, and whose experience is the contemplation of non-being.
द्वयोर् मध्यगतं नित्यम् अस्ति नास्तीति पक्षयोः । प्रकाशनं प्रकाशानाम् आत्मानं समुपास्महे
We worship that Self, the illuminator of illuminations, which always abides in the middle of the two positions—existence and non-existence.
अशिरस्कहकाराभम् अशेषाकारसंस्थितम् । अजस्रम् उच्चरन्तं तं स्वम् आत्मानम् उपास्महे
We worship our own Self, which is without head or form, established in all forms, and constantly resounds without ceasing.
सन्त्यज्य हृद्गुहेशानं देवम् अन्यं प्रयान्ति ये । ते रत्नम् अभिवाञ्छन्ति त्यक्तहस्तस्थकौस्तुभाः
Those who abandon the Lord dwelling in the cave of the heart and seek another deity are like those who desire a jewel after casting away the Kaustubha gem held in their own hand.
सर्वाशाः किल सन्त्यज्य फलम् एतद् अवाप्यते । येनाशाविषवल्लीनां मूलमाला विलूयते
Indeed, by abandoning all desires, this fruit is attained, by which the root-garland of the poisonous creepers of desire is torn up.
बुद्ध्वाप्य् अत्यन्तवैरस्यं यः पदार्थेषु दुर्मतिः । बध्नाति भावनां भूयो नरो नासौ स गर्दभः
Even after realizing the utter hostility in objects, if a foolish person again binds his mind to them, that man is not a donkey.
उत्थितानुत्थितान् एतान् इन्द्रियाहीन् पुनः पुनः । हन्याद् विवेकवज्रेण वज्रेणेव हरिर् गिरीन्
Again and again, one should destroy these senses, whether risen or not, with the thunderbolt of discrimination, just as Hari destroys mountains with a thunderbolt.
उपशमसुखम् आवहेत् पवित्रं शमवशतश् शमम् एति साधुचेतः । प्रशमितमनसस् स्वके स्वरूपे भवति सुखे स्थितिर् उत्तमा चिराय
Let the pure-hearted one, by the power of tranquility, attain the happiness of peace; with the mind pacified, abiding in one's own true nature, supreme happiness endures for a long time.
इति सिद्धगणोद्गीता गीताश् श्रुत्वा महीपतिः । विषादम् आजगामाशु भीरू रणरवाद् इव
Thus, having heard the songs sung by the hosts of perfected beings, the king quickly fell into despair, just as the timid do at the sound of battle.
जगाम परिवारं स्वम् आकर्षन् स्वगृहं प्रति । स्वतीरवृक्षानुसृतः प्रावृडोघ इवार्णवम्
He returned to his household, drawing his retinue along, like the swelling of the rainy season’s flood following the trees on the riverbank toward the ocean.
परिवारम् अशेषेण विसर्ज्यात्र स्वम् आलयम् । एक एवारुरोहाग्र्यं गृहम् अर्क इवाचलम्
Having dismissed his entire retinue there, he alone ascended to his lofty house, like the sun mounting a mountain peak.
ततः प्रोड्डयनालोलखगपक्षतिचञ्चलाः । आलोकयंल् लोकगतीर् विललापेदम् आतुरः
Then, restless, his mind fluttering like the wings of birds at dusk, he gazed upon the ways of the world and lamented in his distress: