7. Chapter 7

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच । एष तावत्क्रमः प्रोक्तः सामान्यः सर्वदेहिनाम् । इममन्यं विशेषं त्वं श्रृणु राजीवलोचन ॥ १ ॥

śrīvasiṣṭha uvāca | eṣa tāvatkramaḥ proktaḥ sāmānyaḥ sarvadehinām | imamanyaṃ viśeṣaṃ tvaṃ śrṛṇu rājīvalocana || 1 ||

Vasishtha continued:—I have told you Rama, the usual way to knowledge for mankind in general; I will now tell you of another method distinct from the other.

अस्मिन्संसारसंरम्भे जातानां देहधारिणाम् । अपवर्गक्षमौ राम द्वाविमावुत्तमौ क्रमौ ॥ २ ॥

asminsaṃsārasaṃrambhe jātānāṃ dehadhāriṇām | apavargakṣamau rāma dvāvimāvuttamau kramau || 2 ||

Now Rama! we have two ways which are best calculated for the salvation of souls, born in human bodies on earth: the one is by their attainment of heavenly bliss, and the other by that of their final beatitude.

एकस्तावद्गुरुप्रोक्तादनुष्ठानाच्छनैः शनैः । जन्मना जन्मभिर्वापि सिद्धिदः समुदाहृतः ॥ ३ ॥

ekastāvadguruproktādanuṣṭhānācchanaiḥ śanaiḥ | janmanā janmabhirvāpi siddhidaḥ samudāhṛtaḥ || 3 ||

And there are two methods of gaining these objects; the one being the observance of the instructions of the preceptor, which gradually leads one to his perfection in the course of one or reiterated births.

द्वितीयस्त्वात्मनैवाशु किंचिद्व्युत्पन्नचेतसा । भवति ज्ञानसंप्राप्तिराकाशफलपातवत् ॥ ४ ॥

dvitīyastvātmanaivāśu kiṃcidvyutpannacetasā | bhavati jñānasaṃprāptirākāśaphalapātavat || 4 ||

The second is the attainment of knowledge by intuition, or by self culture of a partly intelligent being; and this is as the obtaining of a fruit falling from heaven.

नभःफलनिपाताभज्ञानसंप्रतिपत्तये । तत्रेमं श्रृणु वृत्तान्तं प्राक्तनं कथयामि ते ॥ ५ ॥

nabhaḥphalanipātābhajñānasaṃpratipattaye | tatremaṃ śrṛṇu vṛttāntaṃ prāktanaṃ kathayāmi te || 5 ||

Hear now of the attainment of intuitive knowledge, as that of getting a fruit fallen from the sky, from the old tale which I will now recite to you.

श्रृणु सुभग कथां महानुभावा व्यपगतपूर्वशुभाशुभार्गलौघाः । खपतितफलवत्परं विवेकं चरमभवा विमलं समश्नुवन्ति ॥ ६ ॥

śrṛṇu subhaga kathāṃ mahānubhāvā vyapagatapūrvaśubhāśubhārgalaughāḥ | khapatitaphalavatparaṃ vivekaṃ caramabhavā vimalaṃ samaśnuvanti || 6 ||

Hear the happy and holy story, which removes the fetters of our good and evil deeds, and which the last born men (now living), must taste with a zest for their enlightenment, as others relish a fruit fallen from heaven for their entertainment.