15. Chapter 15

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच । एतामनुसरन्राम चित्तसत्तामपावनीम् । संसारबीजकणिकां जीवबन्धनवागुराम् ॥ १ ॥

śrīvasiṣṭha uvāca | etāmanusaranrāma cittasattāmapāvanīm | saṃsārabījakaṇikāṃ jīvabandhanavāgurām || 1 ||

Vasishtha continued:—The soul by following the unholy essence of the mind, which is the source of the world, is led to fall into the snare, which is laid by it for all living beings.

आत्मा त्यक्तात्मरूपाभो मलिनामाप तद्दृशम् । चित्तं समनुसंधत्ते धत्ते च कलनामलम् ॥ २ ॥

ātmā tyaktātmarūpābho malināmāpa taddṛśam | cittaṃ samanusaṃdhatte dhatte ca kalanāmalam || 2 ||

The soul then loses the brightness of its spiritual form, and takes the gross shape of the senses: it waits upon the guidance of the mind, and indulges in its impure imaginations.

वर्धमानमहामोहदायिनी भयकारिणी । तृष्णा विषलतारूपा मूर्च्छामेव प्रयच्छति ॥ ३ ॥

vardhamānamahāmohadāyinī bhayakāriṇī | tṛṣṇā viṣalatārūpā mūrcchāmeva prayacchati || 3 ||

It falls into avarice, which like a poisonous plant makes it senseless, and spreads a fearful anesthesia over it.

यदा यदोदेति तदा महामोहप्रदायिनी । तृष्णा कृष्णानिशेवेयमनन्तात्मविकारिणी ॥ ४ ॥

yadā yadodeti tadā mahāmohapradāyinī | tṛṣṇā kṛṣṇāniśeveyamanantātmavikāriṇī || 4 ||

Avarice like a dark night, hides the soul under the gloom of oblivion, and produces endless pangs to the soul.

कल्पानलशिखादाहं सोढुं शक्ता हरादयः । तृष्णानलशिखादाहं सोढुं शक्ता न केचन ॥ ५ ॥

kalpānalaśikhādāhaṃ soḍhuṃ śaktā harādayaḥ | tṛṣṇānalaśikhādāhaṃ soḍhuṃ śaktā na kecana || 5 ||

The god Siva withstood the flame of the kalpa conflagration, but no body can withstand the fierce fire of avarice.

तीक्ष्णा कृष्णा सुदीर्घा च वहत्यङ्गं सदा निजम् । शीतलैवासुखोदर्का घोरा तृष्णाकृपाणिका ॥ ६ ॥

tīkṣṇā kṛṣṇā sudīrghā ca vahatyaṅgaṃ sadā nijam | śītalaivāsukhodarkā ghorā tṛṣṇākṛpāṇikā || 6 ||

It bears a form as formidable as that of a long, sharp and sable dagger; which is cold in appearance, but very injurious in her effects.

यान्येतानि दुरन्तानि दुर्जराण्युन्नतानि च । तृष्णावल्ल्याः फलानीह तानि दुःखानि राघव ॥ ७ ॥

yānyetāni durantāni durjarāṇyunnatāni ca | tṛṣṇāvallyāḥ phalānīha tāni duḥkhāni rāghava || 7 ||

Avarice is an evergreen plant, bearing bunches of plenteous fruits on high;which when they are obtained and tasted, prove to be bitter and galling.

अदृश्यैवात्ति मांसास्थिरुधिरादि शरीरकात् । मनोबिलविलीनैषा तृष्णावनशुनी नृणाम् ॥ ८ ॥

adṛśyaivātti māṃsāsthirudhirādi śarīrakāt | manobilavilīnaiṣā tṛṣṇāvanaśunī nṛṇām || 8 ||

Avarice is a voracious wolf, prowling in the recess of the heart; and feeding unseen on the flesh and blood and bones of its sheltering body.

क्षणमुल्लासमायाति क्षणमायाति शून्यताम् । जडा विदलयत्याशु तृष्णाप्रावृट्तरङ्गिणी ॥ ९ ॥

kṣaṇamullāsamāyāti kṣaṇamāyāti śūnyatām | jaḍā vidalayatyāśu tṛṣṇāprāvṛṭtaraṅgiṇī || 9 ||

Avarice is as a rainy stream, full of foul and muddy water now overflowing and breaking down its banks, and then leaving empty its dirty bed.

दृष्टदैन्यो हतस्वान्तो हतौजा याति नीचताम् । मुह्यते रौति पतति तृष्णयाभिहतो जनः ॥ १० ॥

dṛṣṭadainyo hatasvānto hataujā yāti nīcatām | muhyate rauti patati tṛṣṇayābhihato janaḥ || 10 ||

The man stricken with avarice, remains niggardly and broken hearted at all times; his spirits are damped, and his sordid soul is debased before mankind. He is now dejected, and now he weeps and lays himself down in despair.

न स्थिता कोटरे यस्य तृष्णाकृष्णभुजङ्गमो । तस्य प्राणानिलाः स्वस्थाः पुंसो हृदयरन्ध्रगाः ॥ ११ ॥

na sthitā koṭare yasya tṛṣṇākṛṣṇabhujaṅgamo | tasya prāṇānilāḥ svasthāḥ puṃso hṛdayarandhragāḥ || 11 ||

He who has not this black adder of greediness, burrowing in the recess of his heart, has the free play of his vital breath, which is otherwise poisoned by the breath of the viper rankling in his breast.

नूनमस्तंगतो यत्र तृष्णाकृष्णनिशाक्रमः । पुण्यानि तत्र वर्धन्ते शुक्लपक्ष इवेन्दवः ॥ १२ ॥

nūnamastaṃgato yatra tṛṣṇākṛṣṇaniśākramaḥ | puṇyāni tatra vardhante śuklapakṣa ivendavaḥ || 12 ||

The heart which is not darkened by the gloomy night of greediness, feels the rays of humanity sparkling in it, like the glancing of the bright moon-beams.

यो न तृष्णाघुणावल्ल्या क्षतः पुरुषपादपः । पुण्यप्रसूनैः स सदा दशां याति विकासिनीम् ॥ १३ ॥

yo na tṛṣṇāghuṇāvallyā kṣataḥ puruṣapādapaḥ | puṇyaprasūnaiḥ sa sadā daśāṃ yāti vikāsinīm || 13 ||

The heart that is not eaten up by the corroding cares of avarice, is as an uncankered tree, blooming with its blossoms of piety.

अनन्ताकुलकल्लोला विवर्तावर्तसंकुला । प्रवहत्याशयारण्ये तृष्णान्धानां नदी नृणाम् ॥ १४ ॥

anantākulakallolā vivartāvartasaṃkulā | pravahatyāśayāraṇye tṛṣṇāndhānāṃ nadī nṛṇām || 14 ||

The current of avarice, is ever running amidst the wilderness of human desires, with ceaseless torrents and billows, and hideous whirlpools and vortices around.

तृष्णयेमे जनाः सर्वे सूत्रयन्त्रपतत्रिवत् । भ्राम्यन्ते प्रविशीर्यन्ते संह्रियन्ते च भूरिशः ॥ १५ ॥

tṛṣṇayeme janāḥ sarve sūtrayantrapatatrivat | bhrāmyante praviśīryante saṃhriyante ca bhūriśaḥ || 15 ||

The thread of avarice, like the long line of a flying kite or tossing top, whirls and furls and pulls mankind, as its toys and playthings.

मूलान्यपि सुसूक्ष्माणि कठिनाशयकर्कशा । तृष्णा परशुधारेव वल्गन्ति विनिकृन्तति ॥ १६ ॥

mūlānyapi susūkṣmāṇi kaṭhināśayakarkaśā | tṛṣṇā paraśudhāreva valganti vinikṛntati || 16 ||

The rude, rough and hard-hearted avarice, breaks and cuts down the tender roots of virtues, with the remorseless axe of its hardihood.

निपतत्यवटे मूढस्तृष्णामनुसरज्जनः । नीलामनुपतञ्छ्वभ्रतृणशाखां यथैणकः ॥ १७ ॥

nipatatyavaṭe mūḍhastṛṣṇāmanusarajjanaḥ | nīlāmanupatañchvabhratṛṇaśākhāṃ yathaiṇakaḥ || 17 ||

Foolish men led by avarice, fall into the hell pit, like the ignorant deer into the black hole; by being enticed by the blades of grass, scattered upon its covering top.

नोन्मत्तापि जरा चक्षुस्तथा जरयति क्षणात् । यथा जरयति क्षामा तृष्णा हृदयरूपिका ॥ १८ ॥

nonmattāpi jarā cakṣustathā jarayati kṣaṇāt | yathā jarayati kṣāmā tṛṣṇā hṛdayarūpikā || 18 ||

Men are not so much blinded by their aged and decayed eyesight, as they are blinded by the invisible avarice seated in their hearts.

तृष्णयाशयकौशिक्या हृद्यमङ्गलभूतया । रूढया भगवानेष विष्णुर्वामनतां गतः ॥ १९ ॥

tṛṣṇayāśayakauśikyā hṛdyamaṅgalabhūtayā | rūḍhayā bhagavāneṣa viṣṇurvāmanatāṃ gataḥ || 19 ||

The heart which is nestled by the ominous owl of avarice, is as bemeaned as the god Vishnu, who became a dwarf in begging a bit of ground from Bali.

कयाचिदेव दैविक्या हृदि ग्रथितयानया । तृष्णया भ्राम्यते व्योम्नि रज्ज्वेवार्कोऽन्वहं किल ॥ २० ॥

kayācideva daivikyā hṛdi grathitayānayā | tṛṣṇayā bhrāmyate vyomni rajjvevārko'nvahaṃ kila || 20 ||

There is a divine power, which hath implanted this insatiable avarice in the heart of man; which whirls him about, as if tied by a rope, like the sun revolving round its centre in the sky.

सर्वदुःखमयाकारां जगतीजीवनच्छिदम् । तृष्णां परिहरेत्क्रूरामुरगीमिव दूरगः ॥ २१ ॥

sarvaduḥkhamayākārāṃ jagatījīvanacchidam | tṛṣṇāṃ pariharetkrūrāmuragīmiva dūragaḥ || 21 ||

Fly from this avarice, which is as heinous as the venomous snake. It is the source of all evils, and even of death in this mortal world.

तृष्णया वायवो वान्ति शैलास्तिष्ठन्ति तृष्णया । तृष्णयैव धरा धात्री त्रैलोक्यं तृष्णया धृतम् ॥ २२ ॥

tṛṣṇayā vāyavo vānti śailāstiṣṭhanti tṛṣṇayā | tṛṣṇayaiva dharā dhātrī trailokyaṃ tṛṣṇayā dhṛtam || 22 ||

Avarice blows on men as the wind, and it is avarice that makes them sit still as stones; avarice makes some as sedate as the earth, and avarice ransacks the three worlds in its rapid course.

सर्वैव लोकयात्रेयं प्रोता तृष्णावरत्रया । रज्जुबन्धाद्विमुच्यन्ते तृष्णाबन्धान्न केचन ॥ २३ ॥

sarvaiva lokayātreyaṃ protā tṛṣṇāvaratrayā | rajjubandhādvimucyante tṛṣṇābandhānna kecana || 23 ||

All this concourse of men, is impelled to and fro by avarice, as if they are pulled by ropes; it is easy to break the band of ropes, but not the bond of avarice.

तस्माद्राघव तृष्णां त्वं त्यज संकल्पवर्जनात् । मनस्त्वकल्पनं नास्ति निर्णीतमिति युक्तितः ॥ २४ ॥

tasmādrāghava tṛṣṇāṃ tvaṃ tyaja saṃkalpavarjanāt | manastvakalpanaṃ nāsti nirṇītamiti yuktitaḥ || 24 ||

Then Rama, get rid of avarice by forsaking your desires; because it is ascertained by the wise, that the mind dies away by want of its desires.

अयं त्वमहमित्येव प्रथमं तावदाशये । मां दुराशां महाबाहो संकल्पय तमोमयीम् ॥ २५ ॥

ayaṃ tvamahamityeva prathamaṃ tāvadāśaye | māṃ durāśāṃ mahābāho saṃkalpaya tamomayīm || 25 ||

Never observe the distinctions of my, thy and his in all thy wishes, but wish for the good of all alike; and never foster any bad desire.

एतां दुःखप्रसविनीमनात्मन्यात्मभावनाम् । न भावयसि चेद्राम तदा तज्ज्ञेषु गण्यसे ॥ २६ ॥

etāṃ duḥkhaprasavinīmanātmanyātmabhāvanām | na bhāvayasi cedrāma tadā tajjñeṣu gaṇyase || 26 ||

The thought of self in what is not the self, is the parent of all our woe; when you cease to think the not-self as the self you are then reckoned among the wise.

एतामहंभावमयीमपुण्यां छित्त्वानहंभावशलाकयैव । स्वभावनां भव्य भवान्तभूमौ भवाभिभूताखिलभूतभीतिः ॥ २७ ॥

etāmahaṃbhāvamayīmapuṇyāṃ chittvānahaṃbhāvaśalākayaiva | svabhāvanāṃ bhavya bhavāntabhūmau bhavābhibhūtākhilabhūtabhītiḥ || 27 ||

Cut off your egoism, O gentle Rama! and dwell in thy unearthly self by forgetting yourself, and by dispelling your fear from all created being.