प्रज्ञावान् असहायो ऽपि विशास्त्रो ऽपि विसज्जनः । उत्तरत्य् एव संसारसागराद् राम पोतवत्
Even without help, even without scriptures or companions, the wise one crosses the ocean of worldly existence, Rama, like a boat.
प्रज्ञावान् असहायो ऽपि कार्यान्तम् अधिगच्छति । दुष्प्रज्ञः कार्यम् आसाद्य प्रधानम् अपि नश्यति
Even without help, the wise one reaches the completion of his task; but the unwise, even after attaining the main objective, loses it.
शास्त्रसज्जनसंसर्गैः प्रज्ञां पूर्वं विवर्धयेत् । सेकसंरक्षणारम्भैः फलप्राप्त्यै लताम् इव
One should first cultivate wisdom through association with scriptures and noble people, as with watering and protecting a vine for the sake of its fruit.
प्रज्ञाबलबृहन्मूलः काले सत्कार्यपादपः । फलं फलत्य् अतिस्वादु मासो बिम्बम् इवैन्दवम्
The tree of noble action, whose great root is the strength of wisdom, bears its exceedingly sweet fruit in due time, like the full orb of the moon.
य एव यत्नः क्रियते बाह्यार्थोपार्जने नरैः । स एव यत्नः कर्तव्यः पूर्वं प्रज्ञाविवर्धने
The same effort that people exert in acquiring external objects should first be applied to the cultivation of wisdom.
सीमान्तं सर्वदुःखानाम् आपदां कोशम् उत्तमम् । बीजं संसारवृक्षाणां प्रज्ञामान्द्यं विवर्जयेत्
One should abandon the dullness of understanding, which is the boundary of all suffering, the treasury of calamities, and the seed of the tree of worldly existence.
यत् स्वर्गाद् यच् च पातालाद् यद् राज्यात् समवाप्यते । तत् समासाद्यते सर्वं प्रज्ञाकोशान् महामते
O wise one, whatever is attained from heaven, from the netherworld, or from sovereignty—all of it is obtained from the treasury of wisdom.
प्रज्ञयोत्तीर्यते घोराद् अस्मात् संसारसागरात् । नाचारैर् न च वा तीर्थैस् तपसा च न राघव
One crosses over this dreadful ocean of worldly existence by wisdom—not by rituals, nor by pilgrimages, nor by austerities, O Raghava.
यत् प्राप्तास् सम्पदं दैवीम् अपि भूमिचरा नराः । प्रज्ञापुष्पलतायास् तत् फलं स्वादु समुत्थितम्
Whatever divine prosperity people attain on earth arises as the sweet fruit of the flowering vine of wisdom.
प्रज्ञया नखरालूनवनवारणरक्तपाः । जम्बुकैर् विजितास् सिंहास् सिंहैर् हरिणका इव
By wisdom, lions whose claws have been cut and whose blood is drunk by jackals are conquered by jackals, just as deer are by lions.
पामरैर् अपि भूपत्वं प्राप्तं प्रज्ञावशान् नरैः । स्वर्गापवर्गयोग्यत्वं प्राज्ञस्यैवेह दृश्यते
Even men of low birth have attained kingship through the power of wisdom; here, only the wise are seen as fit for heaven or liberation.
प्रज्ञया वादिनस् सर्वे स्वविकल्पविलासिनः । जयन्ति सुगतप्रख्या रवान् अब्धिरवा इव
All those who speak with discernment, delighting in their own contemplations, shine forth like the blessed ones, just as the sun outshines the roar of the ocean.
चिन्तामणिर् इयं प्रज्ञा हृत्कोशस्था विवेकिनः । फलं कल्पलतेवैषा चिन्तितं सम्प्रयच्छति
This discernment, abiding in the heart of the wise, is like a wish-fulfilling gem; it grants whatever is contemplated, just as the wish-fulfilling vine bears its fruit.
भव्यस् तरति संसारं प्रज्ञया प्रोह्यते ऽधमः । शिक्षितः पारम् आप्नोति नावा नश्यत्य् अशिक्षितः
The noble one crosses over saṃsāra by discernment, while the inferior is cast away; the instructed reaches the far shore, but the uninstructed perishes, like a boat.
धीस् सम्यग्योजिता पारम् असम्यग्योजितापदम् । नरं नयति संसारे वहन्ती नौर् इवार्णवे
Rightly directed understanding leads a person to the far shore; wrongly directed, to misfortune—just as a boat on the ocean carries one across or brings disaster.
विवेकिनम् असम्मूढं प्राज्ञम् आशागणोत्थिताः । दोषा न परिबाधन्ते सन्नद्धम् इव सायकाः
Faults arising in multitudes, like arrows, do not trouble the discerning, undeluded wise person, just as arrows do not harm one who is well-armored.
प्रज्ञयेदं जगत् सर्वं सम्यग् एवाङ्ग दृश्यते । सम्यग्दर्शिनम् आयान्ति नापदो न च सम्पदः
O dear one, by discernment this entire world is truly seen; for one who sees rightly, neither misfortunes nor fortunes approach.
पिधानं परमार्कस्य जडात्मा विततो ऽसितः । अहङ्काराम्बुदो मत्तः प्रज्ञावातेन पाट्यते
The dark covering of the inert self, spread out as the cloud of ego, veils the supreme sun; it is torn apart by the wind of discernment.
पदम् अतुलम् उपैतुम् इच्छता स्वं प्रथमम् इयं मतिर् एव लालनीया । फलम् अभिपतता कृषीवलेन प्रथमतरं ननु कृष्यते धरैव
For one wishing to attain the incomparable state, this mind must first be carefully nurtured—just as a farmer first prepares the earth before seeking the harvest.
एवं जनकवद् राम विचार्यात्मानम् आत्मना । पदं विदितवेद्यानाम् अचिरेणाधिगच्छसि
In this way, O Rāma, by reflecting upon the self with the self, as Janaka did, you will soon attain the state known to the wise.
ये हि पाश्चात्यजन्मानः प्राज्ञा राजसजातयः । प्राप्नुवन्ति स्वयं प्राप्यं ते जना जनको यथा
For those wise ones, born in royal lineages of the West, attain for themselves what is to be attained, just as Janaka did.
तावत् तावद् विजित्यारीन् इन्द्रियाख्यान् यतेत ह । यावद् आत्मात्मनैवायम् आत्मन्य् एव प्रसीदति
One should strive to conquer the enemies called the senses, again and again, until the self, by itself, finds satisfaction in itself.
प्रसन्ने सर्वगे देवे देवेशे परमात्मनि । स्वयम् आलोकिते सर्वाः क्षीयन्ते दुःखदृष्टयः
When the all-pervading Lord, the Lord of gods, the Supreme Self, is pleased and self-revealed, all sorrowful perceptions are destroyed.
मुष्टयो मोहबीजानां वृष्टयो विविधापदाम् । कुदृष्टयः क्षयं यान्ति तस्मिन् दृष्टे परावरे
The fists of delusion's seeds and the showers of various calamities, the false perceptions, come to an end upon seeing That which is both the higher and the lower.
सदा जनकवद् राम सर्वारम्भवतात्मना । प्रज्ञयात्मानम् आलक्ष्य लक्ष्मीवान् उत्तमो भव
Always, O Rāma, like Janaka, with a mind free from all undertakings, perceiving the self by wisdom, become prosperous and excellent.
नित्यम् आत्तविचारस्य पश्यतश् चञ्चलं जनम् । जनकस्येव कालेन स्वयम् आत्मा प्रसीदति
For one who is ever engaged in inquiry and observes the restless people, as in the case of Janaka, in time the self becomes peaceful by itself.
न दैवं न च कर्माणि न धनानि न बन्धवः । शरणं भवभीतानां स्वप्रयत्नाद् ऋते नृणाम्
Neither fate, nor actions, nor wealth, nor relatives are a refuge for those who fear worldly existence, except through their own effort.
ये दैवनिष्ठाः कर्मादिकुविकल्पपरायणाः । तेषां मन्दा मतिस् तात नानुगम्या विनाशिनी
Those who are devoted to fate, absorbed in the manifold alternatives of action and the like—O dear one, their understanding is dull and not to be followed, for it leads to destruction.
विवेकं परम् आश्रित्य विलोक्यात्मानम् आत्मना । धिया विरागोद्धुरया संसारजलधिं तरेत्
By firmly relying on discernment, perceiving the Self by the Self, one should cross the ocean of worldly existence with the intellect lifted by dispassion.
एषा सा कथिता राम नभःफलनिपातवत् । सुखदा ज्ञानसम्प्राप्तिर् अज्ञानतरुशातनी
This, O Rama, is what has been described: the attainment of knowledge, which brings happiness, falls like fruit from the sky and destroys the tree of ignorance.