73. Chapter 73

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच । एवंविचारया दृष्ट्या द्वैतत्यागेन राघव । स्वभावः प्राप्यते तज्ज्ञैस्तज्ज्ञैश्चिन्तामणिर्यथा ॥ १ ॥

śrīvasiṣṭha uvāca | evaṃvicārayā dṛṣṭyā dvaitatyāgena rāghava | svabhāvaḥ prāpyate tajjñaistajjñaiścintāmaṇiryathā || 1 ||

Vasishtha continued:—It is by reasoning in this manner, and renouncing the knowledge of duality, that the gnostic comes to know the nature of his soul; as the gods know the Divine nature which is the gem of their meditation—Chintamani.

अथेमामपरां दृष्टिं श्रृणु रामानया यथा । दृश्यस्यात्मानमचलं भविष्यसि च दिव्यदृक् ॥ २ ॥

athemāmaparāṃ dṛṣṭiṃ śrṛṇu rāmānayā yathā | dṛśyasyātmānamacalaṃ bhaviṣyasi ca divyadṛk || 2 ||

Now hear about this surpassing sight, which is the soul or in-being of all visible beings; and by sight of which you will have the keen sightedness of the gods, to get into the sight of the Divinity.

अहं खमहमादित्यो दिशोऽहमहमप्यधः । अहं दैत्या अहं देवा लोकाश्चाहमहं महः ॥ ३ ॥

ahaṃ khamahamādityo diśo'hamahamapyadhaḥ | ahaṃ daityā ahaṃ devā lokāścāhamahaṃ mahaḥ || 3 ||

Think yourself as the light of sun, and vacuum with all its ten sides and the upper and lower regions of space; and that your soul is the soul of gods and demigods, and the light of all luminous bodies.

अहं तमोऽहमभ्राणि भूः समुद्रादिकं त्वहम् । रजो वायुरथाग्निश्च जगत्सर्वमिदं त्वहम् ॥ ४ ॥

ahaṃ tamo'hamabhrāṇi bhūḥ samudrādikaṃ tvaham | rajo vāyurathāgniśca jagatsarvamidaṃ tvaham || 4 ||

Know yourself as darkness and the clouds, the earth and seas; and the air and fire and dust of the earth, and as the whole world, to be combined in thee.

जगत्त्रयेऽहं सर्वत्र य आत्मैव किलास्थितः । कोऽहं किमन्यद्देहादि द्वित्वमेकस्य कीदृशम् ॥ ५ ॥

jagattraye'haṃ sarvatra ya ātmaiva kilāsthitaḥ | ko'haṃ kimanyaddehādi dvitvamekasya kīdṛśam || 5 ||

That you are everywhere in all the three worlds together with the soul abiding in them; and that you are no other than the unity itself;nor is there any duality of any body, apart from the unity which pervades the whole.

इति निश्चयवानन्तर्भूतमात्मतया जगत् । पश्य हर्षविषादाभ्यां नावशः परिभूयसे ॥ ६ ॥

iti niścayavānantarbhūtamātmatayā jagat | paśya harṣaviṣādābhyāṃ nāvaśaḥ paribhūyase || 6 ||

Being certain of this truth, you will see the innumerable worlds situated in thy internal soul; and by this means you will escape from being subjected to, or overcome by the joys and sorrows of life.

तन्मयेऽस्मिन्किल जगत्यखिले संस्थितेऽनघ । किमात्मीयं परं किं स्यात्कमलेक्षण कथ्यताम् ॥ ७ ॥

tanmaye'sminkila jagatyakhile saṃsthite'nagha | kimātmīyaṃ paraṃ kiṃ syātkamalekṣaṇa kathyatām || 7 ||

Say, O lotus-eyed Rama! how can you call one as connected with or separate from you, when you know the whole world together with yourself, to be contained in the all-containing universal soul.

किं तज्ज्ञव्यतिरेकेण विद्यते यदुपागतम् । हर्षमेतु विषादं वा विषादे ज्ञो जगन्मयः ॥ ८ ॥

kiṃ tajjñavyatirekeṇa vidyate yadupāgatam | harṣametu viṣādaṃ vā viṣāde jño jaganmayaḥ || 8 ||

Say, do the wise live beside that being, that they should give way to joy or grief, which are the two phases of the universal soul?

अहंकारदृशावेते सात्त्विके द्वेऽतिनिर्मले । तत्त्वज्ञानात्प्रवर्तेते मोक्षदे पारमार्थिके ॥ ९ ॥

ahaṃkāradṛśāvete sāttvike dve'tinirmale | tattvajñānātpravartete mokṣade pāramārthike || 9 ||

There are two kinds of egoisms growing out of the knowledge of truth, and both of these are good and pure in their natures, and productive of spirituality and liberation of men.

परोऽणुः सकलातीतरूपोऽहं चेत्यहंकृतिः । प्रथमा सर्वमेवाहमित्यन्योक्ता रघूद्वह ॥ १० ॥

paro'ṇuḥ sakalātītarūpo'haṃ cetyahaṃkṛtiḥ | prathamā sarvamevāhamityanyoktā raghūdvaha || 10 ||

The one is the ego of the form of a minute particle, transcending all things in its minuteness; and the other is the ego of one's self. The first is that the one ego is all, and the second is the knowledge, that my or thy ego is the same one.

अहंकारदृगन्या तु तृतीया विद्यतेऽनघ । देहोऽहमिति तां विद्धि दुःखायैव न शान्तये ॥ ११ ॥

ahaṃkāradṛganyā tu tṛtīyā vidyate'nagha | deho'hamiti tāṃ viddhi duḥkhāyaiva na śāntaye || 11 ||

There is a third sort of egoism amounting to the non-ego, which takes the body for the ego, and thus becomes subject to misery, and finds no rest in this life nor in the next.

अथ चैतत्त्रयमपि त्यक्त्वा सकलसिद्धये । यच्छेषं तदुपालम्ब्य तिष्ठावष्टब्धतत्परः ॥ १२ ॥

atha caitattrayamapi tyaktvā sakalasiddhaye | yaccheṣaṃ tadupālambya tiṣṭhāvaṣṭabdhatatparaḥ || 12 ||

Now leaving all these three kinds of subjective, objective and non egoisms; he who holds fast the fourth sort—non-ego, sees the sole intellect beyond these three.

सर्वातीतस्वरूपोऽपि सर्वसत्तातिगोऽपि च । असत्तापूरितजगदस्त्येवात्मा प्रकाशकः ॥ १३ ॥

sarvātītasvarūpo'pi sarvasattātigo'pi ca | asattāpūritajagadastyevātmā prakāśakaḥ || 13 ||

This essence being above all and beyond the reach of all existence, is still the manifesting soul of the unreal world.

स्वानुभूत्यैव पश्याशु स एवासि सदोदितः । आशयं हृदयग्रन्थिं त्यज तत्त्वविदांवर ॥ १४ ॥

svānubhūtyaiva paśyāśu sa evāsi sadoditaḥ | āśayaṃ hṛdayagranthiṃ tyaja tattvavidāṃvara || 14 ||

Look into it in thy notion of it, and thou shall find thyself assimilated to it; and then get rid of all thy desires and ties of thy heart herein, and become full of divine knowledge.

नात्मास्त्यनुमया राम न चाप्तवचनादिना । सर्वदा सर्वथा सर्वं स प्रत्यक्षोऽनुभूतितः ॥ १५ ॥

nātmāstyanumayā rāma na cāptavacanādinā | sarvadā sarvathā sarvaṃ sa pratyakṣo'nubhūtitaḥ || 15 ||

The soul is neither known by any logical inference, nor from the light the revelations of the vedas; it is always best and most fully known to be present with us by our notion of it.

यदिदं स्पर्शनं स्पन्दं किंचिद्यत्संविदाद्यपि । तत्सर्वमात्मा भगवान्दृश्यदर्शनवर्जितः ॥ १६ ॥

yadidaṃ sparśanaṃ spandaṃ kiṃcidyatsaṃvidādyapi | tatsarvamātmā bhagavāndṛśyadarśanavarjitaḥ || 16 ||

All the sensations and vibrations that we have in our bodies, and all the thoughts we are conscious of in our minds, are all affections of the sovereign soul, which is beyond our vision and the visibles.

न सन्नासन्नसौ देवो नाणुर्नापि महानसौ । नाप्येतयोर्दृशोर्मध्यं स एवेदं च सर्वतः ॥ १७ ॥

na sannāsannasau devo nāṇurnāpi mahānasau | nāpyetayordṛśormadhyaṃ sa evedaṃ ca sarvataḥ || 17 ||

This Lord is no real substance, nor an unreal non-entity; He is not a minutiae nor a vast massiveness neither; He is not in the midst of these dimensions, nor is he this or that, but is always as he is.

स एव चैवं वदति स च वक्तुं न युज्यते । न तदन्यदिदं तात पश्यात्मानमनामयम् ॥ १८ ॥

sa eva caivaṃ vadati sa ca vaktuṃ na yujyate | na tadanyadidaṃ tāta paśyātmānamanāmayam || 18 ||

It is improper to tell him such and such, or that he is otherwise than this or that; know him therefore as the inexpressible and undefinable one.

नात्मायमयमप्यात्मा संज्ञाभेद इति स्वयम् । तेनैव सर्वगतया शक्त्या स्वात्मनि कल्पितः ॥ १९ ॥

nātmāyamayamapyātmā saṃjñābheda iti svayam | tenaiva sarvagatayā śaktyā svātmani kalpitaḥ || 19 ||

To say this is the soul and not the soul, is only a verbal difference of what no words can express or differentiate; it is the omnipresent power to which the soul is attributed.

संस्थितः स हि सर्वत्र त्रिषु कालेषु भास्करः । सूक्ष्मत्वात्सुमहत्त्वाच्च केवलं न विभाव्यते ॥ २० ॥

saṃsthitaḥ sa hi sarvatra triṣu kāleṣu bhāskaraḥ | sūkṣmatvātsumahattvācca kevalaṃ na vibhāvyate || 20 ||

It is present in all places, and comprehends the three times of the past, present and future in itself; and is yet invisible and incomprehensible to us, owing to its extreme rarity and immensity.

सत्स्वनन्तपदार्थेषु जीवत्वेनाभिबिम्बति । आत्मा पुर्यष्टकादर्शे स्वभाववशतः स्वतः ॥ २१ ॥

satsvanantapadārtheṣu jīvatvenābhibimbati | ātmā puryaṣṭakādarśe svabhāvavaśataḥ svataḥ || 21 ||

The soul residing in the infinity of substances, reflects itself as the living soul in animated bodies, as the sun-light reflects its rays in a prismatic glass.

पुर्यष्टकोदयादेव स्वयमात्मानुभूयते । सर्वदा सर्वसंस्थः खे घनास्पन्दादिवानिलः ॥ २२ ॥

puryaṣṭakodayādeva svayamātmānubhūyate | sarvadā sarvasaṃsthaḥ khe ghanāspandādivānilaḥ || 22 ||

It is owing to the animating power of the soul, that we have some notion of the soul (which no inanimate being can ever have). The soul though pervading all things, is most manifest in living bodies, as the air which surrounds all bodies everywhere, circulates only in the open etherial space.

चिदात्मा सर्वगो व्यापी न क्वचिन्नाम संस्थितः । यद्वत्सर्वपदार्थानां सत्ता तद्वन्महेश्वरः ॥ २३ ॥

cidātmā sarvago vyāpī na kvacinnāma saṃsthitaḥ | yadvatsarvapadārthānāṃ sattā tadvanmaheśvaraḥ || 23 ||

The intellectual soul is all pervading and ubiquious, and never stationary in any place (as in the ideal heaven or empyrian of some sects); the spirit of the Lord is co-extensive with the vast range of his creation.

सति पुर्यष्टके तस्मिञ्जीवः स्फुरति नोपले । सति वायाविव रजः सति दीप इवेक्षणम् ॥ २४ ॥

sati puryaṣṭake tasmiñjīvaḥ sphurati nopale | sati vāyāviva rajaḥ sati dīpa ivekṣaṇam || 24 ||

But the animating soul of living beings does not breathe in minerals but in animals only; as the light enlightens the eye only, and the dust flies with the winds.

इयं पुर्यष्टके स्वेच्छा स्वात्मन्येवात्मनि स्थिते । सति स्फुरत्यभ्युदिते भानाविव जनैषणा ॥ २५ ॥

iyaṃ puryaṣṭake svecchā svātmanyevātmani sthite | sati sphuratyabhyudite bhānāviva janaiṣaṇā || 25 ||

When the animating principle resides in the soul, it bursts forth with all its desires; as people pursue their callings when the sun has risen above the horizon.

यदि सूर्ये स्थिते व्योम्नि तादृशोचितसंस्थितिः । नश्यति व्यवहारोऽयं भास्करे तत्किमागतम् ॥ २६ ॥

yadi sūrye sthite vyomni tādṛśocitasaṃsthitiḥ | naśyati vyavahāro'yaṃ bhāskare tatkimāgatam || 26 ||

But as it is nothing to the sun, if people should cease from their activities, when he is shining above their heads; so it is nothing to the intellect, whether men be without their desires and actions, while it resides in the soul.

यद्यात्मनि स्थिते देवे तत्सत्ता लब्धसंस्थितिः । देहो नाशमुपायाति तत्किं नष्टमिहात्मनि ॥ २७ ॥

yadyātmani sthite deve tatsattā labdhasaṃsthitiḥ | deho nāśamupāyāti tatkiṃ naṣṭamihātmani || 27 ||

If the soul is existent by the inherence of the Lord (Intellect) in it, it suffers no loss by the absence of the frail body from it.

न जायते न म्रियते नादत्ते नाभिवाञ्छति । न मुक्तो न च बद्धोऽयमात्मा सर्वस्य सर्वदा ॥ २८ ॥

na jāyate na mriyate nādatte nābhivāñchati | na mukto na ca baddho'yamātmā sarvasya sarvadā || 28 ||

The soul is not born nor does it die, it neither receiveth nor desireth anything; it is not restrained nor liberated; but it is the soul of all at all times.

आत्माप्रबोधाभ्युदिता निरात्मन्यात्मतां गता । सर्परज्जुभ्रमाकारा भ्रान्तिर्दुःखाय केवलम् ॥ २९ ॥

ātmāprabodhābhyuditā nirātmanyātmatāṃ gatā | sarparajjubhramākārā bhrāntirduḥkhāya kevalam || 29 ||

The soul is awakened by its enlightenment, or else the soul is supposed in what is no soul for our misery only; as the supposition of a snake in a rope, leads to our error and fear.

अनादित्वान्न जातोऽयमजातत्वान्न नश्यति । आत्मात्मव्यतिरिक्तं तु नाभिवाञ्छत्यसंभवात् ॥ ३० ॥

anāditvānna jāto'yamajātatvānna naśyati | ātmātmavyatiriktaṃ tu nābhivāñchatyasaṃbhavāt || 30 ||

Being without its beginning, it is never born, and being unborn it is never destroyed; it seeks nothing save itself for lack of anything besides.

दिक्कालाद्यनवच्छेदान्न बद्धोऽयं कदाचन । बन्धाभावे क्व मुक्तिः स्यादमोक्षस्तेन संस्थितः ॥ ३१ ॥

dikkālādyanavacchedānna baddho'yaṃ kadācana | bandhābhāve kva muktiḥ syādamokṣastena saṃsthitaḥ || 31 ||

The soul being unbounded by time and space, is never confined in any place;and being always unconfined, it requires no liberation.

एवंगुणविशिष्टोऽयमात्मा सर्वस्य राघव । अविचारवशान्मूढो लोकोऽयं परिरोदिति ॥ ३२ ॥

evaṃguṇaviśiṣṭo'yamātmā sarvasya rāghava | avicāravaśānmūḍho loko'yaṃ pariroditi || 32 ||

Such, O Rama! are the qualities of the souls of all persons; and yet the ignorant deplore for its loss from their want of reason.

सम्यगालोकिताशेषपूर्वापरजगत्क्रमः । मा शोकं गच्छ सुमते मौर्ख्योपगतलोकवत् ॥ ३३ ॥

samyagālokitāśeṣapūrvāparajagatkramaḥ | mā śokaṃ gaccha sumate maurkhyopagatalokavat || 33 ||

Look thoroughly, O Rama! into the course of all things in the world;and do not lament for anything like senseless men.

द्वे एव कलने त्यक्त्वा मोक्षबन्धात्मिके यथा । विदुषा व्यवहर्तव्यं यन्त्रणेवात्ममौनिना ॥ ३४ ॥

dve eva kalane tyaktvā mokṣabandhātmike yathā | viduṣā vyavahartavyaṃ yantraṇevātmamauninā || 34 ||

Abandon the thoughts of both your imaginary confinement and liberation; and behave yourself as wise men like a dumb selfmoving machine.

न मोक्षो नभसः पृष्ठे न पाताले न भूतले । मोक्षो हि चेतो विमलं सम्यग्ज्ञानविबोधितम् ॥ ३५ ॥

na mokṣo nabhasaḥ pṛṣṭhe na pātāle na bhūtale | mokṣo hi ceto vimalaṃ samyagjñānavibodhitam || 35 ||

Liberation is a thing neither confined in this earth or in heaven above or patala below; but resides in the hearts of the wise, in their pure souls and enlightened understandings.

सकलाशास्वसंसक्त्या यत्स्वयं चेतसः क्षयः । स मोक्षनाम्ना कथितस्तत्त्वज्ञैरात्मदर्शिभिः ॥ ३६ ॥

sakalāśāsvasaṃsaktyā yatsvayaṃ cetasaḥ kṣayaḥ | sa mokṣanāmnā kathitastattvajñairātmadarśibhiḥ || 36 ||

The tenuity of the mind, by its expurgation from gross desires, is said to be its liberation by them that know the truth, and look into the workings of their souls.

यावत्प्रबोधो विमलो नोदितस्तावदेव सः । मौर्ख्याद्दीनतया राम भक्त्या मोक्षोभिवाञ्छ्यते ॥ ३७ ॥

yāvatprabodho vimalo noditastāvadeva saḥ | maurkhyāddīnatayā rāma bhaktyā mokṣobhivāñchyate || 37 ||

As long as the pure light of the intellect, does not shines forth in the sphere of the mind, so long does it long for liberation as it's chief good. Liberation or freedom from all feelings, is less meritorious than the knowledge of all things. Here the sage gives preference to knowledge (guana) above liberation.

परं प्रबोधमासाद्य चित्ते चित्तत्त्वतां गते । दश मोक्षा न वाञ्छ्यन्ते किमुतैको हि मोक्षकः ॥ ३८ ॥

paraṃ prabodhamāsādya citte cittattvatāṃ gate | daśa mokṣā na vāñchyante kimutaiko hi mokṣakaḥ || 38 ||

After the mind has got the fulness of its intellectual powers, and the intellect has been fully enlightened; it would not care for all the tenfold blessings of liberation, and far less desire its salvation also.

अयं मोक्षस्त्वयं बन्धः पेलवां कलनामिति । परित्यज्य महात्यागी स त्वमेव भवाभव ॥ ३९ ॥

ayaṃ mokṣastvayaṃ bandhaḥ pelavāṃ kalanāmiti | parityajya mahātyāgī sa tvameva bhavābhava || 39 ||

Cease O Rama, to think about the distinctions of the bondage and liberation of the soul; and believe its essence to be exempted from both.

परिगलितविकल्पनां प्रयातः सगरसुतौघनिखातमेखलाङ्कम् । अवनिवलयमन्तरस्तसङ्गश्चिरमनुपालय सर्वदोदितश्रीः ॥ ४० ॥

parigalitavikalpanāṃ prayātaḥ sagarasutaughanikhātamekhalāṅkam | avanivalayamantarastasaṅgaściramanupālaya sarvadoditaśrīḥ || 40 ||

So be freed from your thoughts of the duality (of worldly bondage and liberty), and remain steadfast to your duty of ruling the earth to its utmost limit of the sea, dug by the sons of Sagara.