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?
अथ वा तादृशी ब्रह्मन् युक्तिर् यदि न विद्यते । न वक्ति मम वा कश्चिद् विद्यमानाम् अपि स्फुटम्
O Brahman, if such a method does not exist, or if no one tells me clearly, even though it is present,
स्वयं चैव न चाप्नोमि तां विश्रान्तिम् अनुत्तमाम् । तद् अहं त्यक्तसर्वेहो निरहङ्कारतां गतः
and I myself do not attain that supreme rest, then, having abandoned all desires, I become free from ego.
न भोक्ष्ये न पिबाम्य् अम्बु नाहं परिदधे ऽम्बरम् । करोमि नाहं व्यापारं स्नानदानाशनादिकम्
I will not eat, nor drink water, nor wear clothes; I will not engage in any activity such as bathing, giving, or eating.
न च तिष्ठामि कार्येषु सम्पत्स्व् आपद्दशासु च । न किञ्चिद् अभिवाञ्छामि देहत्यागाद् ऋते मुने
I will not remain involved in actions, whether in prosperity or adversity; I desire nothing except the abandonment of the body, O sage.
केवलं विगताशङ्को निर्ममो गतमत्सरः । मौनम् एवेह तिष्ठामि लिपिकर्मस्व् इवार्पितः
Simply, without fear, without possessiveness, free from envy, I will remain silent here, as if assigned to writing tasks.
अथ क्रमेण सन्त्यज्य सश्वासोच्छ्वाससंविदम् । सन्निवेशं त्यजामीमम् अनर्थं देहनामकम्
Then, gradually abandoning awareness of inhalation and exhalation, I will renounce this arrangement called the body, which is useless.
नाहम् अस्य न मे देहश् शाम्याम्य् अस्नेहदीपवत् । सर्वम् एव परित्यज्य त्यजामीदं कलेवरम्
I am not of this body, nor is it mine; I become calm like a lamp without oil. Having abandoned everything, I will renounce this body.
इत्य् उक्तवान् अमलशीतकराभिरामो रामो महत्तरविवेकविकासिचेताः । तूष्णीं बभूव पुरतो महतां घनानां केकारवश्रमवशाद् इव नीलकण्ठः
Thus spoke Rama, radiant with pure, cool hands, his mind expanded by great discernment; he became silent before the great ones, like a blue-throated bird resting after its cry among the clouds.
वदत्य् एवं मनोमोहविनिवृत्तिकरं वचः । रामे राजीवपत्त्राक्षे तस्मिन् राजकुमारके
As he spoke these words, which dispel the delusion of the mind, to Rāma, whose eyes are like lotus petals, that royal youth—
सर्वे बभूवुस् तत्रस्था विस्मयोत्फुल्ललोचनाः । धृताम्बरा देहरुहैर् गिरश् श्रोतुम् इवोद्गतैः
All those present there became wide-eyed with wonder, their garments held in place, their bodies as if raised to hear the words.