22. Chapter 22

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच । जन्तोः कृतविचारस्य विगलद्वृत्तिचेतसः । मननं त्यजतो ज्ञात्वा किंचित्परिणतात्मनः ॥ १ ॥

śrīvasiṣṭha uvāca | jantoḥ kṛtavicārasya vigaladvṛtticetasaḥ | mananaṃ tyajato jñātvā kiṃcitpariṇatātmanaḥ || 1 ||

Vasishtha continued:—Men of sound judgment, are freed from mental perturbation, and are perfected in their mastery over themselves, by restraining the flight of the mind, and fastening it to its inward cogitation.

दृश्यं संत्यजतो हेयमुपादेयमुपेयुषः । द्रष्टारं पश्यतो दृश्यमद्रष्टारमपश्यतः ॥ २ ॥

dṛśyaṃ saṃtyajato heyamupādeyamupeyuṣaḥ | draṣṭāraṃ paśyato dṛśyamadraṣṭāramapaśyataḥ || 2 ||

They swerve from the sight of the visibles as unworthy of their notice, and seek after the knowledge of their chief good; they behold the all-seeing God in their mental and external sights, and have no perception of the unintelligent perceptibles.

जागर्तव्ये परे तत्त्वे जागरूकस्य जीवतः । सुप्तस्य घनसंमोहमये संसारवर्त्मनि ॥ ३ ॥

jāgartavye pare tattve jāgarūkasya jīvataḥ | suptasya ghanasaṃmohamaye saṃsāravartmani || 3 ||

They are dormant amidst the thick gloom of error, overspreading the mazy paths of life, and are awake under the transcendent light (of divine knowledge), requiring the vigilance of the living.

पर्यन्तात्यन्तवैराग्यात्सरसेष्वरसेष्वपि । भोगेष्वाभोगरम्येषु विरक्तस्य निराशिषः ॥ ४ ॥

paryantātyantavairāgyātsaraseṣvaraseṣvapi | bhogeṣvābhogaramyeṣu viraktasya nirāśiṣaḥ || 4 ||

They are utterly indifferent to the sweet pleasures of this life, as also to the cheerless prospects of future enjoyments.

व्रजत्यात्माम्भसैकत्वं जीर्णंजाड्ये नभस्यलम् । गलत्यपगतासङ्गे हिमापूर इवातपे ॥ ५ ॥

vrajatyātmāmbhasaikatvaṃ jīrṇaṃjāḍye nabhasyalam | galatyapagatāsaṅge himāpūra ivātape || 5 ||

They are mixed (like salt) with the water of spiritual (divine) unity, and in the boundless ocean of omnipresence; and they melt away as the ice in a river, by their rigorous austerities, resembling the vigorous heat of the sun.

तरङ्गितासु कल्लोलजललोलान्तरासु च । शाम्यन्तीष्वथ तृष्णासु नदीष्विव घनात्यये ॥ ६ ॥

taraṅgitāsu kallolajalalolāntarāsu ca | śāmyantīṣvatha tṛṣṇāsu nadīṣviva ghanātyaye || 6 ||

All their restless desires and passions are set to rest, at the disappearance of their ignorance; as the turbulent waves of rivers subside of themselves, in the absence of stormy clouds.

संसारवासनाजाले खगजाल इवाखुना । त्रोटिते हृदयग्रन्थौ श्लथे वैराग्यरंहसा ॥ ७ ॥

saṃsāravāsanājāle khagajāla ivākhunā | troṭite hṛdayagranthau ślathe vairāgyaraṃhasā || 7 ||

The net of desires, which ensnares men as birds in their traps, is cut asunder by a spirit of dispassionateness; as the meshes of a net, are torn into twain, by the teeth of a mouse.

कातकं फलमासाद्य यथा वारि प्रसीदति । तथा विज्ञानवशतः स्वभावः संप्रसीदति ॥ ८ ॥

kātakaṃ phalamāsādya yathā vāri prasīdati | tathā vijñānavaśataḥ svabhāvaḥ saṃprasīdati || 8 ||

As the seeds of kata fruits, serve to purify the foul water;so doth philosophy tend to expurgate human nature, from all its errors.

नीरागं निरुपासङ्गं निर्द्वन्द्वं निरुपाश्रयम् । विनिर्याति मनो मोहाद्विहगः पञ्जरादिव ॥ ९ ॥

nīrāgaṃ nirupāsaṅgaṃ nirdvandvaṃ nirupāśrayam | viniryāti mano mohādvihagaḥ pañjarādiva || 9 ||

The mind that is freed from passions, from worldly connections and contentions, and from dependance on any one (person or thing); is liberated also from the bonds of ignorance and error, as a bird is set free from its imprisoning cage.

शान्ते संदेहदौरात्म्ये गतकौतुकविभ्रमम् । परिपूर्णान्तरं चेतः पूर्णेन्दुरिव राजते ॥ १० ॥

śānte saṃdehadaurātmye gatakautukavibhramam | paripūrṇāntaraṃ cetaḥ pūrṇenduriva rājate || 10 ||

When the disturbances of doubts are settled, and the wandering of curiosity is over, it is then that the full moon of internal fulness, sheds its lustre over the mind.

जनितोत्तमसौन्दर्या दूरादस्तमयोन्नता । समतोदेति सर्वत्र शान्ते वात इवार्णवे ॥ ११ ॥

janitottamasaundaryā dūrādastamayonnatā | samatodeti sarvatra śānte vāta ivārṇave || 11 ||

As the mind has its true magnanimity, after its setting from the height of its dignity and highmindedness, so it begins to have its equanimity in a state, resembling the calmness of the sea after the storm.

अन्धकारमयी मूका जाड्यजर्जरितान्तरा । तनुत्वमेति संसारवासनेवोदये क्षपा ॥ १२ ॥

andhakāramayī mūkā jāḍyajarjaritāntarā | tanutvameti saṃsāravāsanevodaye kṣapā || 12 ||

As long as the shadow of solicitude, hangs over the mind, it is darkened and stupified and broken in the heart, until the sun of inappetency rises to dispel its gloom.

दृष्टचिद्भास्करा प्रज्ञापद्मिनी पुण्यपल्लवा । विकसत्यमलोद्योता प्रातर्द्यौरिव रूपिणी ॥ १३ ॥

dṛṣṭacidbhāskarā prajñāpadminī puṇyapallavā | vikasatyamalodyotā prātardyauriva rūpiṇī || 13 ||

It is by the sunshine of the intellect, that the lotus-bed of intelligence, shines in its pure lustre; and unfolds the foliage of its virtues before the dawning light above it.

प्रज्ञा हृदयहारिण्यो भुवनाह्लादनक्षमाः । सत्त्वलब्धाः प्रवर्धन्ते सकलेन्दोरिवांशवः ॥ १४ ॥

prajñā hṛdayahāriṇyo bhuvanāhlādanakṣamāḥ | sattvalabdhāḥ pravardhante sakalendorivāṃśavaḥ || 14 ||

Intelligence is charmer of hearts and delighter of all in the world; it is fostered by the quality of goodness (sattwaguna), as the moon becomes full by her increasing digits.

बहुनात्र किमुक्तेन ज्ञातज्ञेयो महामतिः । नोदेति नैव यात्यस्तमभूताकाशकोशवत् ॥ १५ ॥

bahunātra kimuktena jñātajñeyo mahāmatiḥ | nodeti naiva yātyastamabhūtākāśakośavat || 15 ||

What more shall I say on this subject, than that he who knows the knowable (God), has his mind expanded as the sphere of heaven, which has no beginning nor end.

विचारणा परिज्ञातस्वभावस्योदितात्मनः । अनुकम्प्या भवन्तीह ब्रह्मविष्ण्विन्द्रशंकराः ॥ १६ ॥

vicāraṇā parijñātasvabhāvasyoditātmanaḥ | anukampyā bhavantīha brahmaviṣṇvindraśaṃkarāḥ || 16 ||

The mind which is enlightened by reasoning, is as exalted in its nature, as to take pity even on the great gods Hari, Hara, Brahma, and Indra.

प्रकटाकारमप्यन्तर्निरहंकारचेतसम् । नाप्नुवन्ति विकल्पास्तं मृगतृष्णामिवैणकाः ॥ १७ ॥

prakaṭākāramapyantarnirahaṃkāracetasam | nāpnuvanti vikalpāstaṃ mṛgatṛṣṇāmivaiṇakāḥ || 17 ||

They are far from tasting the happiness of the egoistic yogis, who are continually seeking to quench their thirst (after pleasure), from the waters appearing in the mirage, as the parching deer.

तरङ्गवदिमे लोकाः प्रयान्त्यायान्ति चेतसः । क्रोडीकुर्वन्ति चाज्ञं ते न ज्ञं मरणजन्मनी ॥ १८ ॥

taraṅgavadime lokāḥ prayāntyāyānti cetasaḥ | kroḍīkurvanti cājñaṃ te na jñaṃ maraṇajanmanī || 18 ||

It is the heart's desire of all beings, that subjects them to repeated births and deaths, which cause the ignorant only and not the wise, to appear and disappear like waves of the sea.

आविर्भावतिरोभावौ संसारो नेतरक्रमः । इति ताभ्यां समालोको रमते स निबध्यते ॥ १९ ॥

āvirbhāvatirobhāvau saṃsāro netarakramaḥ | iti tābhyāṃ samāloko ramate sa nibadhyate || 19 ||

The world presents no other show in its course, except that of the appearance and disappearance of bodies, which are now seen to move about at the sport of time, and now fall as a prey to it for ever.

न जायते न म्रियते कुम्भे कुम्भनभो यथा । भूषिते दूषिते वापि देहे तद्वदिहात्मवान् ॥ २० ॥

na jāyate na mriyate kumbhe kumbhanabho yathā | bhūṣite dūṣite vāpi dehe tadvadihātmavān || 20 ||

But the spiritual body (the spirit or one knowing the spirit), is neither born nor dies in this world; nor is it affected by the decoration or perdition of the material body; but remains unchanged as the vacuity of a pot, both when it is in existence or broken to pieces.

विवेक उदिते शीते मिथ्या भ्रममरूदिता । क्षीयते वासना साग्रे मृगतृष्णा मराविव ॥ २१ ॥

viveka udite śīte mithyā bhramamarūditā | kṣīyate vāsanā sāgre mṛgatṛṣṇā marāviva || 21 ||

As the understanding rises with its cooling moon-beams within us, it dispels the mist of erroneous desires rising before us like the mirage of the dreary desert.

कोऽहं कथमिदं चेति यावन्न प्रविचारितम् । संसाराडम्बरं तावदन्धकारोपमं स्थितम् ॥ २२ ॥

ko'haṃ kathamidaṃ ceti yāvanna pravicāritam | saṃsārāḍambaraṃ tāvadandhakāropamaṃ sthitam || 22 ||

So long does the pageant of the world, present its dusky appearance to our view, as we do not deign to consider the questions "what am I, and what are all these about me"

मिथ्याभ्रमभरोद्भूतं शरीरं पदमापदाम् । आत्मभावनया नेदं यः पश्यति स पश्यति ॥ २३ ॥

mithyābhramabharodbhūtaṃ śarīraṃ padamāpadām | ātmabhāvanayā nedaṃ yaḥ paśyati sa paśyati || 23 ||

He sees rightly, who sees his body as an apparition of his error, and the abode of all evils; and that it does not serve for the spiritual meditation of his soul and his maker.

देशकालवशोत्थानि न ममेति गतभ्रमम् । शरीरे सुखदुःखानि यः पश्यति स पश्यति ॥ २४ ॥

deśakālavaśotthāni na mameti gatabhramam | śarīre sukhaduḥkhāni yaḥ paśyati sa paśyati || 24 ||

He sees rightly, who sees that his body is the source of all the pain and pleasure, which betides one at different times and places, and that it does not answer his purpose of spiritual edification.

अपारपर्यन्तनभो दिक्कालादिक्रियान्वितम् । अहमेवेति सर्वत्र यः पश्यति स पश्यति ॥ २५ ॥

apāraparyantanabho dikkālādikriyānvitam | ahameveti sarvatra yaḥ paśyati sa paśyati || 25 ||

He sees rightly, who sees the Ego to pervade the infinite space and time, and as the source of all accidents and events, which incessantly take place in them.

वालाग्रलक्षभागात्तु कोटिशः परिकल्पितात् । अहं सूक्ष्म इति व्यापी यः पश्यति स पश्यति ॥ २६ ॥

vālāgralakṣabhāgāttu koṭiśaḥ parikalpitāt | ahaṃ sūkṣma iti vyāpī yaḥ paśyati sa paśyati || 26 ||

He knows rightly, who knows the Ego to be as minute as a millionth or billionth part of the point of a hair, and pervading all over the infinity of space and eternity of time.

आत्मानमितरच्चैव दृष्ट्या नित्याविभिन्नया । सर्वं चिज्ज्योतिरेवेति यः पश्यति स पश्यति ॥ २७ ॥

ātmānamitaraccaiva dṛṣṭyā nityāvibhinnayā | sarvaṃ cijjyotireveti yaḥ paśyati sa paśyati || 27 ||

He perceives rightly, who perceives the universal soul to be permeated in all the various objects of his sight; and knows them as sparks of the Intellectual Light.

सर्वशक्तिरनन्तात्मा सर्वभावान्तरस्थितः । अद्वितीयश्चिदित्यन्तर्यः पश्यति स पश्यति ॥ २८ ॥

sarvaśaktiranantātmā sarvabhāvāntarasthitaḥ | advitīyaścidityantaryaḥ paśyati sa paśyati || 28 ||

He perceives rightly, who perceives within himself the omnipotence of the infinite Spirit, to be present in all the states and conditions of beings, and the self-same Intellect to abide in and preside over all.

आधिव्याधिभयोद्विग्नो जरामरणजन्मवान् । देहोऽहमिति यः प्राज्ञो न पश्यति स पश्यति ॥ २९ ॥

ādhivyādhibhayodvigno jarāmaraṇajanmavān | deho'hamiti yaḥ prājño na paśyati sa paśyati || 29 ||

He understands rightly, who understands by his wisdom, that he is not his body, which is subject to diseases and dangers, to fears and anxieties, and to the pain and pangs of old age and death.

तिर्यगूर्ध्वमधस्ताच्च व्यापको महिमा मम । द्वितीयो न ममास्तीति यः पश्यति स पश्यति ॥ ३० ॥

tiryagūrdhvamadhastācca vyāpako mahimā mama | dvitīyo na mamāstīti yaḥ paśyati sa paśyati || 30 ||

He understands rightly, who understands his soul to stretch above and below and all about him; whose magnitude has no bounds nor an equal to it.

मयि सर्वमिदं प्रोतं सूत्रे मणिगणा इव । चित्तं तु नाहमेवेति यः पश्यति स पश्यति ॥ ३१ ॥

mayi sarvamidaṃ protaṃ sūtre maṇigaṇā iva | cittaṃ tu nāhameveti yaḥ paśyati sa paśyati || 31 ||

He knows, full well who kens his soul as a string (Sutratma), to which all things are strung as gems in a jewel; and that it is not the mind or heart, which is seated in the brain or bosom.

नाहं न चान्यदस्तीति ब्रह्मैवास्ति निरामयम् । इत्थं सदसतोर्मध्ये यः पश्यति स पश्यति ॥ ३२ ॥

nāhaṃ na cānyadastīti brahmaivāsti nirāmayam | itthaṃ sadasatormadhye yaḥ paśyati sa paśyati || 32 ||

He kens rightly, who weens neither himself nor any thing else as existent, except the imperishable Brahma; and who knows himself as living between the reality and unreality.

यन्नाम किंचित्त्रैलोक्यं स एवावयवो मम । तरङ्गोऽब्धाविवेत्यन्तर्यः पश्यति स पश्यति ॥ ३३ ॥

yannāma kiṃcittrailokyaṃ sa evāvayavo mama | taraṅgo'bdhāvivetyantaryaḥ paśyati sa paśyati || 33 ||

He is right, who beholds what they call the three worlds, to be but parts of his self, and have been rolling about him as the waves of the sea.

शोच्या पाल्या मयैवेयं स्वसेयं मे कनीयसी । त्रिलोकी पेलवेत्युच्चैर्यः पश्यति स पश्यति ॥ ३४ ॥

śocyā pālyā mayaiveyaṃ svaseyaṃ me kanīyasī | trilokī pelavetyuccairyaḥ paśyati sa paśyati || 34 ||

He is wise, who looks with pity upon the frail world, and compassionates the earth as his younger sister.

आत्मतापरते त्वत्तामत्ते यस्य महात्मनः । भवादुपरते नूनं स पश्यति सुलोचनः ॥ ३५ ॥

ātmatāparate tvattāmatte yasya mahātmanaḥ | bhavāduparate nūnaṃ sa paśyati sulocanaḥ || 35 ||

That great soul looks brightly upon the earth, who has withdrawn his mind from it, by retrenching his reliance on his egoism or tuism.

चेत्यानुपातरहितं चिद्भैरवमयं वपुः । आपूरितजगज्जालं यः पश्यति स पश्यति ॥ ३६ ॥

cetyānupātarahitaṃ cidbhairavamayaṃ vapuḥ | āpūritajagajjālaṃ yaḥ paśyati sa paśyati || 36 ||

He sees the truth, who finds his body and the whole world, filled by the colossus figure of the Intellect, without the opposition of any sensible object.

सुखं दुःखं भवो भावो विवेककलनाश्च याः । अहमेवेति वा नूनं पश्यन्नपि न हीयते ॥ ३७ ॥

sukhaṃ duḥkhaṃ bhavo bhāvo vivekakalanāśca yāḥ | ahameveti vā nūnaṃ paśyannapi na hīyate || 37 ||

He that looks on the states of misery and happiness, which attend on worldly life, to be but the fluctuating conditions of the ego, has no cause to repine or rejoice at them.

स्वात्मसत्तापरापूर्णे जगत्यंशेन वर्तिना । किं मे हेयं किमादेयमिति पश्यन्सुद्दङ्गरः ॥ ३८ ॥

svātmasattāparāpūrṇe jagatyaṃśena vartinā | kiṃ me heyaṃ kimādeyamiti paśyansuddaṅgaraḥ || 38 ||

He is the right-sighted man, who sees himself situated amidst the world, which is filled with the divine spirit (and the endless joy emanating from it); he has nothing to desire or dislike in this (or in his future) state of existence.

अप्रतर्क्यमनाभासं सन्मात्रमिदमित्यलम् । हेयोपादेयकलना यस्य क्षीणा स वै पुमान् ॥ ३९ ॥

apratarkyamanābhāsaṃ sanmātramidamityalam | heyopādeyakalanā yasya kṣīṇā sa vai pumān || 39 ||

He is the right (discerning) man, who has weakened his estimation and dislike of what is desirable and disgusting to him in the world, which is full of the essence of that being, whose nature is beyond comprehension and conception.

य आकाशवदेकात्मा सर्वभावगतोऽपि सन् । न भावरञ्जनामेति स महात्मा महेश्वरः ॥ ४० ॥

ya ākāśavadekātmā sarvabhāvagato'pi san | na bhāvarañjanāmeti sa mahātmā maheśvaraḥ || 40 ||

That great-souled man is a great god, whose soul like the all-pervading sky extends over all, and penetrates through every state of existence, without receiving the tincture of any.

तमःप्रकाशकलनामुक्तः कालात्मतां गतः । यः सौम्यः सुसमः स्वस्थस्तं नौमि पदमागतम् ॥ ४१ ॥

tamaḥprakāśakalanāmuktaḥ kālātmatāṃ gataḥ | yaḥ saumyaḥ susamaḥ svasthastaṃ naumi padamāgatam || 41 ||

I bow down to that great soul, which has passed beyond the states of light, darkness and fancy.

यस्योदयास्तमयसंकलनाकलासु चित्रासु चारुविभवासु जगद्गतासु । वृत्तिः सदैव सकलैकमतेरनन्ता तस्मै नमः परमबोधवते शिवाय ॥ ४२ ॥

yasyodayāstamayasaṃkalanākalāsu citrāsu cāruvibhavāsu jagadgatāsu | vṛttiḥ sadaiva sakalaikamateranantā tasmai namaḥ paramabodhavate śivāya || 42 ||

I bow down to that Siva, of transcendental understanding; whose faculties are wholly engrossed in the meditation of that eternal Being, who presides over the creation, destruction and preservation of the universe, and who is manifest in all the various wondrous and beauteous grandeurs of nature.