26. Chapter 26

भुशुण्ड उवाच । एषा हि चित्तविश्रान्तिर्मया प्राणसमाधिना । क्रमेणानेन संप्राप्ता स्वयमात्मनि निर्मले ॥ १ ॥

bhuśuṇḍa uvāca | eṣā hi cittaviśrāntirmayā prāṇasamādhinā | krameṇānena saṃprāptā svayamātmani nirmale || 1 ||

Bhusunda continued. This is the tranquillity of the mind, which I have attained by degrees, by means of my meditation of the nature and course of the vital breath in myself.

एतां दृष्टिमवष्टभ्य संस्थितोऽस्मि महामुने । न चलामि निमेषांशमपि मेरुविचालतः ॥ २ ॥

etāṃ dṛṣṭimavaṣṭabhya saṃsthito'smi mahāmune | na calāmi nimeṣāṃśamapi meruvicālataḥ || 2 ||

I sit quiet at all times, with view fixed at the movement of my breath; and never stir a moment from my meditative mood, though the mount Meru may shake under me.

गच्छतस्तिष्ठतो वापि जाग्रतः स्वपतोऽपि वा । स्वप्नेऽपि न चलत्येष सुसमाधिर्ममात्मनि ॥ ३ ॥

gacchatastiṣṭhato vāpi jāgrataḥ svapato'pi vā | svapne'pi na calatyeṣa susamādhirmamātmani || 3 ||

Whether I am awake or asleep, or move about or remain unmoved in my seat, I am never at a loss of this meditation even in dream, nor does it slide a moment from my steadfast mind.

नित्यानित्यासु लोलासु जगत्स्थितिषु सुस्थितः । अन्तर्मुखोऽस्मि तिष्ठामि स्वकामेनात्मनात्मनि ॥ ४ ॥

nityānityāsu lolāsu jagatsthitiṣu susthitaḥ | antarmukho'smi tiṣṭhāmi svakāmenātmanātmani || 4 ||

I am always calm and quiet and ever steady and sedate, in this ever varying and unsteady world; I remain always with my face turned inward in myself, and fixed firmly in the object I have at heart.

अपि संरुध्यते वायुरपि वा सलिलं गतेः । नैतस्मात्सुसमाधानाद्विरुद्धं संस्मराम्यहम् ॥ ५ ॥

api saṃrudhyate vāyurapi vā salilaṃ gateḥ | naitasmātsusamādhānādviruddhaṃ saṃsmarāmyaham || 5 ||

The breeze may cease to blow, and the waters may stop to flow but nothing can prevent my breathing and meditation of them, nor do I remember ever to live without them.

प्राणापानानुसरणात्परमात्मावलोकनात् । अशोकमनुजातोऽस्मि पदमाद्यं महातपः ॥ ५ ॥

prāṇāpānānusaraṇātparamātmāvalokanāt | aśokamanujāto'smi padamādyaṃ mahātapaḥ || 5 ||

The breeze may cease to blow, and the waters may stop to flow but nothing can prevent my breathing and meditation of them, nor do I remember ever to live without them.

आमहाप्रलयाद्ब्रह्मन्नुन्मज्जननिमज्जनम् । अहमद्यापि भूतानां पश्यञ्जीवामि धीरधीः ॥ ७ ॥

āmahāpralayādbrahmannunmajjananimajjanam | ahamadyāpi bhūtānāṃ paśyañjīvāmi dhīradhīḥ || 7 ||

The earth has been sinking and rising repeatedly, since the great deluge, and I have been witnessing the submersion and immersion of things, and the perdition and reproduction of beings, without any change of the sedateness of my soul and mind.

न भूतं न भविष्यं च चिन्तयामि कदाचन । दृष्टिमालम्ब्य तिष्ठामि वर्तमानामिहात्मना ॥ ८ ॥

na bhūtaṃ na bhaviṣyaṃ ca cintayāmi kadācana | dṛṣṭimālambya tiṣṭhāmi vartamānāmihātmanā || 8 ||

I never think of the past and future, my sight is fixed only on the present, and my mind sees the remote past and future as ever present before it.

यथा प्राप्तेषु कार्येषु परित्यक्तफलैषणः । सुषुप्तसमया बुद्ध्या परितिष्ठामि केवलम् ॥ ९ ॥

yathā prāpteṣu kāryeṣu parityaktaphalaiṣaṇaḥ | suṣuptasamayā buddhyā paritiṣṭhāmi kevalam || 9 ||

I am employed in the business that presents itself to me, and never care for their toil nor care for their reward. I live as one in sleep and solely with myself.

भावाभावमयीं चिन्तामीहितानीहितान्विताम् । विमृश्यात्मनि तिष्ठामि चिरं जीवाम्यनामयः ॥ १० ॥

bhāvābhāvamayīṃ cintāmīhitānīhitānvitām | vimṛśyātmani tiṣṭhāmi ciraṃ jīvāmyanāmayaḥ || 10 ||

I examine all what is and is not, and what we have or have not, and consider likewise all our desires and their objects; and finding them to be but frailties and vanities, I refrain from their pursuit and remain unvexed by their cares for ever.

प्राणापानसमायोगसमयं समनुस्मरन् । स्वयमात्मनि तुष्यामि चिरं जीवाम्यनामयः ॥ ११ ॥

prāṇāpānasamāyogasamayaṃ samanusmaran | svayamātmani tuṣyāmi ciraṃ jīvāmyanāmayaḥ || 11 ||

I watch the course of my inspiration and expiration, and behold the presence of the super excellent (Brahma) at their confluence; whereby I rest satisfied in myself, and enjoy my long life without any sorrow or sickness.

इदमद्य मया लब्धमिदं प्राप्स्यामि सुन्दरम् । इति चिन्ता न मे तेन चिरं जीवाम्यनामयः ॥ १२ ॥

idamadya mayā labdhamidaṃ prāpsyāmi sundaram | iti cintā na me tena ciraṃ jīvāmyanāmayaḥ || 12 ||

This boon have I gained this day, and that better one shall I have on another, are the ruinous thoughts of mortal men, and unknown to me whereby I have so long living and unailing.

न स्तौमि न च निन्दामि क्वचित्किंचित्कदाचन । आत्मनोऽन्यस्य वा साधो तेनाहं शुभमागतः ॥ १३ ॥

na staumi na ca nindāmi kvacitkiṃcitkadācana | ātmano'nyasya vā sādho tenāhaṃ śubhamāgataḥ || 13 ||

I never praise or dispraise any act of myself or others, and this indifference of mine to all concerns;hath brought me to this happy state of careless longevity.

न तुष्यति शुभप्राप्तौ नाशुभेष्वपि खिद्यते । मनो मम समं नित्यं तेनाहं शुभमागतः ॥ १४ ॥

na tuṣyati śubhaprāptau nāśubheṣvapi khidyate | mano mama samaṃ nityaṃ tenāhaṃ śubhamāgataḥ || 14 ||

My mind is neither elated by success, nor it is depressed by adversity, but preserves its equanimity at all times, and is what has brought this happy state on me.

परमं त्यागमालम्ब्य सर्वमेव सदैव हि । जीवितादि मया त्यक्तं तेनाहं शुभमागतः ॥ १५ ॥

paramaṃ tyāgamālambya sarvameva sadaiva hi | jīvitādi mayā tyaktaṃ tenāhaṃ śubhamāgataḥ || 15 ||

I have resorted to my religious relinquishment of the world, and to my apathy to all things at all times; I have also abandoned the desire of sensuous life and sensible objects, and these have set me free from death and disease.

प्रशान्तचापलं वीतशोकं स्वस्थं समाहितम् । मनो मम मुने शान्तं तेन जीवाम्यनामयः ॥ १६ ॥

praśāntacāpalaṃ vītaśokaṃ svasthaṃ samāhitam | mano mama mune śāntaṃ tena jīvāmyanāmayaḥ || 16 ||

I have freed my mind, O great muni! from its faults of fickleness and curiosity, and have set it above sorrow and anxiety, it has become deliberate calm and quiet, and this has made me longlived and unsickly.

काष्ठं विलासिनीं शैलं तृणमग्निं हिमं नभः । समं सर्वत्र पश्यामि तेन जीवाम्यनामयः ॥ १७ ॥

kāṣṭhaṃ vilāsinīṃ śailaṃ tṛṇamagniṃ himaṃ nabhaḥ | samaṃ sarvatra paśyāmi tena jīvāmyanāmayaḥ || 17 ||

I see all things in an equal light, whether it be a beauty or a spectre, a piece of wood or stone, a straw or a rock, or whether it is the air, water or fire, and it is this equanimity of mine that has made me sane and sound in every state of life.

किमद्य मम संपन्नं प्रातर्वा भविता पुनः । इति चिन्ताज्वरो नास्ति तेन जीवाम्यनामयः ॥ १८ ॥

kimadya mama saṃpannaṃ prātarvā bhavitā punaḥ | iti cintājvaro nāsti tena jīvāmyanāmayaḥ || 18 ||

I do not think about what I have done today, and what I shall have to do tomorrow, nor do I ail under the fever of vain thoughts regarding the past and future, and this has kept me forever sound and sane.

जरामरणदुःखेषु राज्यलाभसुखेषु च । न बिभेमि न हृष्यामि तेन जीवाम्यनामयः ॥ १९ ॥

jarāmaraṇaduḥkheṣu rājyalābhasukheṣu ca | na bibhemi na hṛṣyāmi tena jīvāmyanāmayaḥ || 19 ||

I am neither afraid of death, disease or old age, nor am I elated with the idea of getting a kingdom in my possession; and this indifference of mine to aught of good or evil, is the cause of my length of my life and the soundness of my body and mind.

अयं बन्धुः परश्चायं ममायमयमन्यतः । इति ब्रह्मन्न जानामि तेन जीवाम्यनामयः ॥ २० ॥

ayaṃ bandhuḥ paraścāyaṃ mamāyamayamanyataḥ | iti brahmanna jānāmi tena jīvāmyanāmayaḥ || 20 ||

I do not regard, O Brahman! any one either in the light of a friend or foe to me; and this equality of my knowledge of all persons, is the cause of my long life and want of my complaint.

सर्वं सर्वपदाभासमनाद्यन्तमनामयम् । अहं चिदिति जानामि तेन जीवाम्यनामयः ॥ २१ ॥

sarvaṃ sarvapadābhāsamanādyantamanāmayam | ahaṃ ciditi jānāmi tena jīvāmyanāmayaḥ || 21 ||

I regard all existence as the reflection of the self-existent one, who is all in all and without his beginning and end; I know myself as the very intellect, and this is the cause of my diuturnity and want of disease and decay.

आहरन्विहरंस्तिष्ठन्नत्तिष्ठन्नुच्छ्वसन्स्वपन् । देहोऽहमिति नो वेद्मि तेनास्मि चिरजीवितः ॥ २२ ॥

āharanviharaṃstiṣṭhannattiṣṭhannucchvasansvapan | deho'hamiti no vedmi tenāsmi cirajīvitaḥ || 22 ||

Whether when I get or give away any thing, or when I walk or sit, or rise and breathe, or am asleep or awake; I never think myself as the gross body but its pure intelligence, and this made me diuturnal and durable for ever.

इमं सांसारमारम्भं सुषुप्तपदवत्स्थितः । असन्तमिव जानामि तेन जीवाम्यनामयः ॥ २३ ॥

imaṃ sāṃsāramārambhaṃ suṣuptapadavatsthitaḥ | asantamiva jānāmi tena jīvāmyanāmayaḥ || 23 ||

I think myself as quite asleep, and believe this world with all its bustle to be nothing in reality (but the false appearance of a dream); and this has made me long-lived and undecaying.

यथाकालमुपायातावर्थानर्थौ समौ मम । हस्ताविव शरीरस्थौ तेन जीवाम्यनामयः ॥ २४ ॥

yathākālamupāyātāvarthānarthau samau mama | hastāviva śarīrasthau tena jīvāmyanāmayaḥ || 24 ||

I take the good and bad accidents of life, occurring at their stated times, to be all alike to me, like my two arms both of which are serviceable to me; and has made me longeval and imperishable.

अपरिचलया शक्त्या सुदृशा स्निग्धमुग्धया । ऋजु पश्यामि सर्वत्र तेन जीवाम्यनामयः ॥ २५ ॥

aparicalayā śaktyā sudṛśā snigdhamugdhayā | ṛju paśyāmi sarvatra tena jīvāmyanāmayaḥ || 25 ||

With my fixed attention, and the cool clearness of my mental vision, I see all things in their favourable light (that they are all good, and adapted to their various uses); I see all things as even and equal, and this view of them in the same light, has made me lasting and wasteless.

आपादमस्तकान्तेऽस्मिन्न देहे ममता मम । त्यक्ताहंकारपङ्कस्य तेन जीवाम्यनामयः ॥ २६ ॥

āpādamastakānte'sminna dehe mamatā mama | tyaktāhaṃkārapaṅkasya tena jīvāmyanāmayaḥ || 26 ||

This material body of mine to which I bear my moiety, is never viewed by me in the light of my ego; and this has made me undying and undecaying.

यत्करोमि यदश्नामि तत्त्यक्त्वा तद्वतोऽपि मे । मनो नैष्कर्म्यमादत्ते तेन जीवाम्यनामयः ॥ २७ ॥

yatkaromi yadaśnāmi tattyaktvā tadvato'pi me | mano naiṣkarmyamādatte tena jīvāmyanāmayaḥ || 27 ||

Whatever I do and take to my food, I never take them to my heart; my mind is freed from the acts of my body, and this freedom of myself from action, has caused my undecaying longevity.

यदा यदा मुने किंचिद्विजानामि तदा तदा । मतिरायाति नौद्धत्यं तेन जीवाम्यनामयः ॥ २८ ॥

yadā yadā mune kiṃcidvijānāmi tadā tadā | matirāyāti nauddhatyaṃ tena jīvāmyanāmayaḥ || 28 ||

Whenever, O Sage, I come to know the truth, I never feel proud of my knowledge, but desire to learn more about it; and this increasing desire of knowledge, has increased my life without its concomitant infirmity.

करोमीशोऽपि नाक्रान्तिं परितापे न खेदवान् । दरिद्रोऽपि न वाञ्छामि तेन जीवाम्यनामयः ॥ २९ ॥

karomīśo'pi nākrāntiṃ paritāpe na khedavān | daridro'pi na vāñchāmi tena jīvāmyanāmayaḥ || 29 ||

Though possessed of power, I never use it to do wrong or injure to another; and though wronged by any one, I am never sorry for the same; and though ever so poor, I never crave any thing of any body; this hath prolonged my life and kept me safe and sound.

पश्यद्रूपे शरीरेऽस्मिन्भूतस्थात्मा चिदास्पदः । भूतवृन्दमहं साम्यात्तेन जीवाम्यनामयः ॥ ३० ॥

paśyadrūpe śarīre'sminbhūtasthātmā cidāspadaḥ | bhūtavṛndamahaṃ sāmyāttena jīvāmyanāmayaḥ || 30 ||

I see in these visible forms the intellect that abides all bodies, and as I behold all these existent bodies in an equal light, I enjoy an undecaying longevity.

आशापाशविनुन्नायाश्चित्तवृत्तेः समाहितः । संस्पर्शे न ददाम्यन्तस्तेन जीवाम्यनामयः ॥ ३१ ॥

āśāpāśavinunnāyāścittavṛtteḥ samāhitaḥ | saṃsparśe na dadāmyantastena jīvāmyanāmayaḥ || 31 ||

I am so composed in my mind, that I never allow its faculties, to be entangled in the snare of worldly desires and expectations; nor do I allow these to touch even my heart, and this conferred on me the bliss of my unfading longevity.

असत्तां जगतः सत्तामात्मनः करबिल्ववत् । सुप्तः प्रबुद्धः पश्यामि तेनास्मि चिरजीवितः ॥ ३२ ॥

asattāṃ jagataḥ sattāmātmanaḥ karabilvavat | suptaḥ prabuddhaḥ paśyāmi tenāsmi cirajīvitaḥ || 32 ||

I examine both worlds as two globes placed in my hands, and I find the non-existence of the visible world as it appears to a sleeping man; while the spiritual and invisible world appear full open to my view, as it does to a waking person, and this sight of mine has made me as immortal as the world of immortality.

जीर्णं भिन्नं श्लथं क्षीणं क्षुब्धं क्षुण्णं क्षयं गतम् । पश्यामि नववत्सर्वं तेन जीवाम्यनामयः ॥ ३३ ॥

jīrṇaṃ bhinnaṃ ślathaṃ kṣīṇaṃ kṣubdhaṃ kṣuṇṇaṃ kṣayaṃ gatam | paśyāmi navavatsarvaṃ tena jīvāmyanāmayaḥ || 33 ||

I behold the past, present and future as set before me;and I see all that is dead and decayed, and all that is gone and forgotten, as presented anew in my presence. This prospect of all keeps me alive and afresh to them alike.

सुखितोऽस्मि सुखापन्ने दुःखितो दुःखिते जने । सर्वस्य प्रियमित्रं च तेन जीवाम्यनामयः ॥ ३४ ॥

sukhito'smi sukhāpanne duḥkhito duḥkhite jane | sarvasya priyamitraṃ ca tena jīvāmyanāmayaḥ || 34 ||

I feel myself happy at the happiness of others, and am sorry to see the misery of other people; and this universal fellow feeling of mine with the weal and woe of my fellow creatures, has kept me alive and afresh at all times.

आपद्यचलधीरोऽस्मि जगन्मित्रं च संपदि । भावाभावेषु नैवास्मि तेन जीवाम्यनामयः ॥ ३५ ॥

āpadyacaladhīro'smi jaganmitraṃ ca saṃpadi | bhāvābhāveṣu naivāsmi tena jīvāmyanāmayaḥ || 35 ||

I remain unmoved as a rock in my adversity, and am friendly to every one in my prosperity; I am never moved by want or affluence, and this steadiness of mine is the cause of my undecayed longevity.

नाहमस्मि न चान्यो मे नाहमन्यस्य कस्यचित् । इति मे भावितं चित्तं तेन जीवाम्यनामयः ॥ ३६ ॥

nāhamasmi na cānyo me nāhamanyasya kasyacit | iti me bhāvitaṃ cittaṃ tena jīvāmyanāmayaḥ || 36 ||

That I am neither related to nor belong to any body, nor that any one is either related or belongeth to me; is the firm conviction that has laid hold of my mind, and made me live long without feeling sick or sorry for another.

अहं जगदहं व्योम देशकालक्रमावहम् । अहं क्रियेति मे बुद्धिस्तेन जीवाम्यनामयः ॥ ३७ ॥

ahaṃ jagadahaṃ vyoma deśakālakramāvaham | ahaṃ kriyeti me buddhistena jīvāmyanāmayaḥ || 37 ||

It is my belief that I am the one Ego with the world, and with all its space and time also, and that I am the same with the living soul and all its actions; and this faith of mine has made me longeval and undecaying.

घटश्चिच्चित्पटश्चित्खं चिद्वनं शकटं च चित् । चित्सर्वमिति मे भावस्तेन जीवाम्यनामयः ॥ ३८ ॥

ghaṭaściccitpaṭaścitkhaṃ cidvanaṃ śakaṭaṃ ca cit | citsarvamiti me bhāvastena jīvāmyanāmayaḥ || 38 ||

It is my belief that I am the same Intelligence, which shows itself in the pot and picture; and which dwells in the sky above and in the woods below. That all this is full of intelligence is my firm reliance, and this has made me long abiding and free from decay.

इत्यहं मुनिशार्दूल त्रिलोककमलालिकः । भुशुण्डो नाम काकोलः कथितश्चिरजीवितः ॥ ३९ ॥

ityahaṃ muniśārdūla trilokakamalālikaḥ | bhuśuṇḍo nāma kākolaḥ kathitaścirajīvitaḥ || 39 ||

It is thus, O great sage! that I reside amidst the receptacle of the three worlds, as a bee abides in the cell of a lotus flower, and am renowned in the world as the perennial crow Bhusunda by name.

ब्रह्मार्णवे विलुलितं त्रिजगत्तरङ्गमुत्पादनाद्यभिभवेन विभिन्नरूपम् । आलीनमुन्नमितमाकुलदृश्यदृश्यमालोकयन्प्रकलयंश्च चिरं स्थितोऽस्मि ॥ ४० ॥

brahmārṇave vilulitaṃ trijagattaraṅgamutpādanādyabhibhavena vibhinnarūpam | ālīnamunnamitamākuladṛśyadṛśyamālokayanprakalayaṃśca ciraṃ sthito'smi || 40 ||

I am destined to dwell here forever in order to behold the visible world, rising and falling in tumultuous confusion, in the infinite ocean of the immense Brahma, and assuming their various forms like the waves of the sea at their alternate rise and fall for all eternity.