46. Chapter 46

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच । रम्ये धनेषु दारादौ शोकस्यावसरो हि कः । इन्द्रजालेक्षणाद्दृष्टे नष्टे का परिदेवना ॥ १ ॥

śrīvasiṣṭha uvāca | ramye dhaneṣu dārādau śokasyāvasaro hi kaḥ | indrajālekṣaṇāddṛṣṭe naṣṭe kā paridevanā || 1 ||

Vasishtha said:—No man knows sorrow as long as he is in possession of his pleasant home, family and wealth; but why should he be sorrowful upon their disappearance, knowing them as a short-lived enchantment and accompaniment.

गन्धर्वनगरस्यार्थे दूषिते भूषिते तथा । अविद्यांशे सुतादौ वा कः क्रमः सुखदुःखयोः ॥ २ ॥

gandharvanagarasyārthe dūṣite bhūṣite tathā | avidyāṃśe sutādau vā kaḥ kramaḥ sukhaduḥkhayoḥ || 2 ||

What pleasure or pain can one derive, either from the grandeur or destruction of his aerial castle, and what cause of joy can he have in his ignorant children, or of sorrow upon their death?

रम्ये धनेऽथ दारादौ हर्षस्यावसरो हि कः । वृद्धायां मृगतृष्णायां किमानन्दो जलार्थिनाम् ॥ ३ ॥

ramye dhane'tha dārādau harṣasyāvasaro hi kaḥ | vṛddhāyāṃ mṛgatṛṣṇāyāṃ kimānando jalārthinām || 3 ||

What joy is there in the increase of our wealth or family, seeing them as the increasing mirage of water which can never satisfy the thirsty.

धनदारेषु वृद्धेषु दुःखं युक्तं न तुष्टयः । वृद्धायां मोहमायायां कः समाश्वासवानिह ॥ ४ ॥

dhanadāreṣu vṛddheṣu duḥkhaṃ yuktaṃ na tuṣṭayaḥ | vṛddhāyāṃ mohamāyāyāṃ kaḥ samāśvāsavāniha || 4 ||

There is increase of care with the increase of wealth and family; and there is no happiness in the increase of worldly possessions and affections.

यैरेव जायते रागो मूर्खस्याधिकतागतैः । तैरेव भोगैः प्राज्ञस्य विराग उपजायते ॥ ५ ॥

yaireva jāyate rāgo mūrkhasyādhikatāgataiḥ | taireva bhogaiḥ prājñasya virāga upajāyate || 5 ||

The abundance of carnal enjoyments, which are delightsome to the ignorant voluptuary, is quite distasteful and disgusting to the abstemious, wise and learned.

नष्टे धनेऽथ दारादौ हर्षस्यावसरो हि कः । पारावलोकिनस्त्वेतैर्विरागं यान्ति साधवः ॥ ६ ॥

naṣṭe dhane'tha dārādau harṣasyāvasaro hi kaḥ | pārāvalokinastvetairvirāgaṃ yānti sādhavaḥ || 6 ||

What joy is there in the possession of temporary wealth and family to the wise, that seek their lasting welfare, and are quite indifferent about these?

अतो राघव तत्त्वज्ञो व्यवहारेषु संसृतेः । नष्टं नष्टमुपेक्षस्व प्राप्तं प्राप्तमुपाहर ॥ ७ ॥

ato rāghava tattvajño vyavahāreṣu saṃsṛteḥ | naṣṭaṃ naṣṭamupekṣasva prāptaṃ prāptamupāhara || 7 ||

Therefore, O Rama! be truly wise in thy conduct in this world; shun the transient as they are transitory, and lay hold on whatever offers of itself unto thee.

अनागतानां भोगानामवाञ्छनमकृत्रिमम् । आगतानां च संभोग इति पण्डितलक्षणम् ॥ ८ ॥

anāgatānāṃ bhogānāmavāñchanamakṛtrimam | āgatānāṃ ca saṃbhoga iti paṇḍitalakṣaṇam || 8 ||

Inappetency of what is ungotten, and enjoyment of what is in present possession; are the true characteristic of the wise and learned.

संसारसंभ्रमे ह्यस्मिंश्छन्नात्मन्याततायिनि । तथा विहर संबुद्धो यथा नायासि मूढताम् ॥ ९ ॥

saṃsārasaṃbhrame hyasmiṃśchannātmanyātatāyini | tathā vihara saṃbuddho yathā nāyāsi mūḍhatām || 9 ||

Take care of this bewildering world, where thy enemies are lurking in many a deceitful shape; and conduct thyself as the wise man, evading the dangers that wait upon the unwise.

संसाराडम्बरस्यास्य प्रपञ्चरहिते क्रमे । सम्यग्ज्ञा नानुपश्यन्ति ये हतास्ते कुबुद्धयः ॥ १० ॥

saṃsārāḍambarasyāsya prapañcarahite krame | samyagjñā nānupaśyanti ye hatāste kubuddhayaḥ || 10 ||

They are great fools who do not look deeply into the things, and think the world to be without any fraud or guile.

यया कयाचिद्युक्त्यैव दृश्याद्यस्य गता रतिः । परिमज्जति तस्यास्था न क्वचिद्विमला मतिः ॥ ११ ॥

yayā kayācidyuktyaiva dṛśyādyasya gatā ratiḥ | parimajjati tasyāsthā na kvacidvimalā matiḥ || 11 ||

Fools are led by the deceitful speech of cheats, to fall into the temptations of the world; but men of right understanding place no reliance in them, nor plunge themselves into the pit of errors.

यस्यासदिदमित्यास्था निवृत्ता सर्ववस्तुषु । क्रोडीकरोति सर्वज्ञं नाविद्या तमवास्तवी ॥ १२ ॥

yasyāsadidamityāsthā nivṛttā sarvavastuṣu | kroḍīkaroti sarvajñaṃ nāvidyā tamavāstavī || 12 ||

He who knowing the unrealities, place no reliance in anything; is said to have mastered all knowledge, and is never liable to error.

अहं जगच्चैकमिदं सर्वमेवेति यस्य धीः । आस्थानास्थे परित्यज्य संस्थिता स न मज्जति ॥ १३ ॥

ahaṃ jagaccaikamidaṃ sarvameveti yasya dhīḥ | āsthānāsthe parityajya saṃsthitā sa na majjati || 13 ||

Whoso knowing himself as frail as any thing in this frail world, has his faith in neither, is never liable to fall into the error of taking either of them for real.

शुद्धं सदसतोर्मध्यं पदं बुद्ध्याऽवलम्ब्य च । सबाह्याभ्यन्तरं दृश्यं मा गृहाण विमुञ्च मा ॥ १४ ॥

śuddhaṃ sadasatormadhyaṃ padaṃ buddhyā'valambya ca | sabāhyābhyantaraṃ dṛśyaṃ mā gṛhāṇa vimuñca mā || 14 ||

Placed between the unreality and reality of this and next life, you must have the good sense of sticking to the Truth, and neither wholly reject or stick to this or the next.

अत्यन्तविरतः स्वस्थः सर्ववासविवर्जितः । व्योमवत्तिष्ठ नीरागो राम कार्यपरोऽपि सन् ॥ १५ ॥

atyantavirataḥ svasthaḥ sarvavāsavivarjitaḥ | vyomavattiṣṭha nīrāgo rāma kāryaparo'pi san || 15 ||

Though engaged in business, yet you must remain, O Rama! quite indifferent to all things; because the apathetic and inappetent are truly happy in this world.

यस्य नेच्छा न वानिच्छा ज्ञस्य कर्मणि तिष्ठतः । न तस्य लिप्यते प्रज्ञा पद्मपत्रमिवाम्बुभिः ॥ १६ ॥

yasya necchā na vānicchā jñasya karmaṇi tiṣṭhataḥ | na tasya lipyate prajñā padmapatramivāmbubhiḥ || 16 ||

He who has nothing to desire or leave, but lives as he is obliged to live, has his intellect as unsullied as the lotus-leaf, to which the laving waters never stick.

दर्शनस्पर्शनादीनि मा करोतु करोतु च । तवेन्द्रियमनो गौणं त्वमनिच्छो भवात्मवान् ॥ १७ ॥

darśanasparśanādīni mā karotu karotu ca | tavendriyamano gauṇaṃ tvamaniccho bhavātmavān || 17 ||

Let thy accessory organs manage thy outward affairs or not; but keep thy apathetic soul quite unconcerned with all.

ममेदमित्यसद्भूतमिन्द्रियार्थे भवन्मनः । मा निमज्जत्वमग्नः सन्मा करोतु करोतु वा ॥ १८ ॥

mamedamityasadbhūtamindriyārthe bhavanmanaḥ | mā nimajjatvamagnaḥ sanmā karotu karotu vā || 18 ||

Let not thy mind be plunged in and deeply engaged with the objects of sense, by thinking them in vain to be thy properties and possessions;but manage them or not with utter indifference of thy mind.

यदा ते नेन्द्रियार्थश्रीः स्वदते हृदि राघव । तदा विज्ञातविज्ञानः समुत्तीर्णभवार्णवः ॥ १९ ॥

yadā te nendriyārthaśrīḥ svadate hṛdi rāghava | tadā vijñātavijñānaḥ samuttīrṇabhavārṇavaḥ || 19 ||

When thou comest to feel, Rama! that the sensible objects have ceased to give any relish to thy soul, then thou shalt know thyself to have reached the acme of thy spiritual edification, and got over the boisterous sea of the world.

आस्वादितेन्द्रियार्थस्य सतनोरतनोरपि । अनिच्छतोऽपि संपन्ना मुक्तिरर्थवशात्तव ॥ २० ॥

āsvāditendriyārthasya satanoratanorapi | anicchato'pi saṃpannā muktirarthavaśāttava || 20 ||

The embodied or disembodied soul whether living or dead, that has ceased to have any taste for sensuous enjoyments, has attained its liberation without its wishing for it.

उच्चैःपदाय परया प्रज्ञया वासनागणात् । पुष्पाद्गन्धमिवोदारं चेतो राम पृथक्कुरु ॥ २१ ॥

uccaiḥpadāya parayā prajñayā vāsanāgaṇāt | puṣpādgandhamivodāraṃ ceto rāma pṛthakkuru || 21 ||

Try Rama! by your superior intelligence, to separate your mind from its desires, as they extract the perfume from flowers.

संसाराम्बुनिधावस्मिन्वासनाम्बुपरिप्लुते । ये प्रज्ञा नावमारूढास्ते तीर्णा वुडिताः परे ॥ २२ ॥

saṃsārāmbunidhāvasminvāsanāmbupariplute | ye prajñā nāvamārūḍhāste tīrṇā vuḍitāḥ pare || 22 ||

They that have not been swept away by the waves of their desires, to the midst of the ocean of this world, are said to have got over it; but the others are no doubt drowned and lost in it.

क्षुरधाराप्रमितया धिया परमधीरया । प्रविचार्यात्मनस्तत्त्वं ततः स्वपदमाविश ॥ २३ ॥

kṣuradhārāpramitayā dhiyā paramadhīrayā | pravicāryātmanastattvaṃ tataḥ svapadamāviśa || 23 ||

Sharpen your understanding to the edge of a razor, erase the weeds of doubt therewith, and after scanning the nature of the soul, enter into thy spiritual state of blessedness.

यथा तत्त्वविदः प्राज्ञा ज्ञानबृंहितचेतसः । विहरन्ति तथा राम विहर्तव्यं न मूढवत् ॥ २४ ॥

yathā tattvavidaḥ prājñā jñānabṛṃhitacetasaḥ | viharanti tathā rāma vihartavyaṃ na mūḍhavat || 24 ||

Move about as those who have attained to true knowledge, and elevated their minds with true wisdom; and do not act as the ignorant worldling: who is mindful of the present state, and unmindful of the future.

जीवन्मुक्ता महात्मानो नित्यतृप्ता महाधियः । आचारैरनुगन्तव्या न भोगकृपणाः शठाः ॥ २५ ॥

jīvanmuktā mahātmāno nityatṛptā mahādhiyaḥ | ācārairanugantavyā na bhogakṛpaṇāḥ śaṭhāḥ || 25 ||

In conducting yourself in this world, you should imitate them that are liberated in their life time, who are great in their souls and understandings, and who are ever satisfied with themselves, and not follow the examples of the greedy and wicked.

न त्यजन्ति न वाञ्छन्ति व्यवहारं जगद्गतम् । सर्वमेवानुवर्तन्ते पारावारविदो जनाः ॥ २६ ॥

na tyajanti na vāñchanti vyavahāraṃ jagadgatam | sarvamevānuvartante pārāvāravido janāḥ || 26 ||

Those having the knowledge of both worlds, neither slight nor adhere to the customs of their country, but follow them like other people during their life time.

प्रभावस्याभिमानस्य गुणानां यशसः श्रियः । न क्वचित्कृपणा लोके महान्तस्तत्त्वदर्शिनः ॥ २७ ॥

prabhāvasyābhimānasya guṇānāṃ yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ | na kvacitkṛpaṇā loke mahāntastattvadarśinaḥ || 27 ||

Great men knowing the truth, are never proud of their power or good qualities, nor of their honour or prosperity like the vulgar people.

सुशून्येऽपि न खिद्यन्ते देवोद्याने नसङ्गिनः । नियतिं च न मुञ्चन्ति महान्तो भास्करा इव ॥ २८ ॥

suśūnye'pi na khidyante devodyāne nasaṅginaḥ | niyatiṃ ca na muñcanti mahānto bhāskarā iva || 28 ||

Great men are not depressed by adversity, nor elated by prosperity; but remain fixed like the sun in the sky without anything to support it.

विगतेच्छा यथाप्राप्तव्यवहारानुवर्तिनः । विचरन्ति समुन्नद्धाः स्वस्था देहरथे स्थिताः ॥ २९ ॥

vigatecchā yathāprāptavyavahārānuvartinaḥ | vicaranti samunnaddhāḥ svasthā deharathe sthitāḥ || 29 ||

Great minds like warriors ride in the chariots of their bodies, clad in the armour of their knowledge; they have no desire of their own, but conduct themselves according to the course of the time.

त्वमपि प्राप्तवान् राम विवेकमिममाततम् । प्रज्ञाबलेन चानेन ज्ञाने स्वस्थोऽसि सुन्दर ॥ ३० ॥

tvamapi prāptavān rāma vivekamimamātatam | prajñābalena cānena jñāne svastho'si sundara || 30 ||

You too Rama! have gained your extensive learning in philosophy, and it is by virtue of your prudence, that you can manage yourself with ease.

स्पष्टां दृष्टिमवष्टभ्य निर्मानो गतमत्सरः । विहरास्मिन्भुवः पीठे परां सिद्धिमवाप्स्यसि ॥ ३१ ॥

spaṣṭāṃ dṛṣṭimavaṣṭabhya nirmāno gatamatsaraḥ | viharāsminbhuvaḥ pīṭhe parāṃ siddhimavāpsyasi || 31 ||

Suppress the sight of the visibles, and avoid your pride and enmity; then roam wherever you will, and you will meet with success.

स्वस्थः सर्वेहितत्यागी दूरालोकनवाञ्छनः । परां शीतलतामन्तरादाय विहरानघ ॥ ३२ ॥

svasthaḥ sarvehitatyāgī dūrālokanavāñchanaḥ | parāṃ śītalatāmantarādāya viharānagha || 32 ||

Be sedate in all circumstances, unattached to the present, and wishing to know all other things in future; have the calm composure of your mind, and go where you will.

श्रीवाल्मीकिरुवाच । इत्थं गिरा विमलया विमलाशयस्य रामो मुनेः सपदि मृष्ट इवाबभासे । ज्ञानामृतेन मधुरेण विराजितान्तः पूर्णः शशाङ्क इव शीतलतां जगाम ॥ ३३ ॥

śrīvālmīkiruvāca | itthaṃ girā vimalayā vimalāśayasya rāmo muneḥ sapadi mṛṣṭa ivābabhāse | jñānāmṛtena madhureṇa virājitāntaḥ pūrṇaḥ śaśāṅka iva śītalatāṃ jagāma || 33 ||

Valmiki said:—Rama, being advised in this manner by the pure doctrines of the sage, brightened in his countenance; and being full within himself with the ambrosia of his knowledge;shone forth like the ambrosial moon with her cooling beams.