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Book 1 - Vairagya Prakaranam

Chapter 16 - The Ungovernableness of the Mind

1. श्रीराम उवाच ।
दोषैर्जर्जरतां याति सत्कार्यादार्यसेवनात् ।
वातान्तःपिच्छलववच्चेतश्चलति चञ्चलम् ॥ १ ॥
Our minds are infested by evil passions and faults, and fluctuate in their observance of duty and service to superiors, as the plumes of a peacock fluttering at the breeze.
2. इतश्चेतश्च सुव्यग्रं व्यर्थमेवाभिधावति ।
दूराद्दूरतरं दीनं ग्रामे कौलेयको यथा ॥ २ ॥
They rove about at random with ardour and without rest from one place to another, like the poor village dog running afar and wide in quest of food.
3. न प्राप्नोति क्वचित्किंचित्प्राप्तैरपि महाधनैः ।
नान्तः संपूर्णतामेति करण्डक इवाम्बुभिः ॥ ३ ॥
It seldom finds any thing any where, and happening even to get a good store some where, it is as little content with it as a wicker vessel filled with water.
4. नित्यमेव मुने शून्यं कदाशावागुरावृतम् ।
न मनो निवृतिं याति मृगो यूथादिव च्युतः ॥ ४ ॥
The vacant mind, Oh sage! is ever entrapped in its evil desires, and is never at rest with itself; but roves at large as a stray deer separated from its herd.
5. तरङ्गतरलां वृत्तिं दधदालूनशीर्णताम् ।
परित्यज्य क्षणमपि हृदये याति न स्थितिम् ॥ ५ ॥
Human mind is of the nature of the unsteady wave, and as light as the minutest particle. It can therefore have no rest in spite of (the fickleness and levity of) its nature.
6. मनो मननविक्षुब्धं दिशो दश विधावति ।
मन्दराहननोद्धूतं क्षीरार्णवपयो यथा ॥ ६ ॥
Disturbed by its thoughts, the mind is tossed in all directions, like the waters of the milk-white ocean when churned by the Mandara mountain.
7. कल्लोलकलितावर्तं मायामकरमालितम् ।
न निरोद्धुं समर्थोऽस्मि मनोमयमहार्णवम् ॥ ७ ॥
I can not curb my mind, resembling the vast ocean (in its course), and running with its huge surges (of the passions), with whirlpools (of error), and beset by the whales of delusion.
8. भोगदूर्वाङ्कुराकाङ्क्षी श्वभ्रपातमचिन्तयन् ।
मनोहरिणको ब्रह्मन्दूरं विपरिधावति ॥ ८ ॥
Our minds run afar, O Brahman! after sensual enjoyments, like the deer running towards the tender blades of grass, and unmindful of falling into the pits (hid under them).
9. न कदाचन मे चेतः स्वामालूनविशीर्णताम् ।
त्यजत्याकुलया वृत्त्या चञ्चलत्वमिवार्णवः ॥ ९ ॥
The mind can never get rid of its wavering state owing to the habitual fickleness of its nature, resembling the restlessness of the sea.
10. चेतश्चञ्चलया वृत्त्या चिन्तानिचयचञ्चुरम् ।
धृतिं बध्नाति नैकत्र पञ्जरे केसरी यथा ॥ १० ॥
The mind with its natural fickleness and restless thoughts, finds no repose at any place, as a lion (has no rest) in his prison-house.
11. मनो मोहरथारूढं शरीरात्समतासुखम् ।
हरत्यपहतोद्वेगं हंसः क्षीरमिवाम्भसः ॥ ११ ॥
The mind seated in the car of delusion, absorbs the sweet, peaceful and undisturbed rest of the body, like the gander sucking up pure milk from amidst the water.
12. अनल्पकल्पनातल्पे विलीनाश्चित्तवृत्तयः ।
मुनीन्द्र न प्रबुध्यन्ते तेन तप्येऽहमाकुलः ॥ १२ ॥
O chief of sages! I grieve much to find the faculties of the mind lying dormant upon the bed of imaginary delights, from which it is hard to waken them.
13. क्रोडीकृतदृढग्रन्थितृष्णासूत्रे स्थितात्मना ।
विहगो जालकेनेव ब्रह्मन्बद्धोऽस्मि चेतसा ॥ १३ ॥
I am caught, O Brahman! like a bird in the net by the knots (of my egoism), and held fast in it by the thread of my avarice.
14. संततामर्षधूमेन चिन्ताज्वालाकुलेन च ।
वह्निनेव तृणं शुष्कं मुने दग्धोऽस्मि चेतसा ॥ १४ ॥
I burn in my mind, O sage, like the dried hay on fire, by the flame of my anxieties and under the spreading fumes of my impatience.
15. क्रूरेण जडतां यातस्तृष्णाभार्यानुगामिना ।
शवं कौलेयकेनेव ब्रह्मन्मुक्तोऽस्मि चेतसा ॥ १५ ॥
I am devoured, O Brahman! like a clod of cold meat, by the cruelty and greediness of my heart, as a carcase is swallowed by a hungry dog and its greedy mate.
16. तरङ्गतरलास्फालवृत्तिना जडरूपिणा ।
तटवृक्ष इवौघेन ब्रह्मन्नीतोऽस्मि चेतसा ॥ १६ ॥
I am borne away, O sage! by the current of my heart, as a tree on the bank is carried away by the waters and waves beating upon it.
17. अवान्तरनिपाताय शून्ये वा भ्रमणाय च ।
तृणं चण्डानिलेनेव दूरे नीतोऽस्मि चेतसा ॥ १७ ॥
I am led afar by my (greedy) mind, like a straw carried off by the hurricane, either to flutter in the air or fall upon the ground.
18. संसारजलधेरस्मान्नित्यमुत्तरणोन्मुखः ।
सेतुनेव पयःपूरो रोधितोऽस्मि कुचेतसा ॥ १८ ॥
My earthly mindedness has put a stop to my desire of crossing over the ocean of the world, as an embankment stops the course of the waters (of a stream).
19. पातालाद्गच्छता पृथ्वीं पृथ्व्याः पातालगामिना ।
कूपकाष्ठं कुदाम्नेव वेष्टितोऽस्मि कुचेतसा ॥ १९ ॥
I am lifted up and let down again by the baseness of my heart, like a log of wood tied to a rope dragging it in and out of a well.
20. मिथ्यैव स्फाररूपेण विचाराद्विशरारुणा ।
बालो वेतालकेनेव गृहीतोऽस्मि कुचेतसा ॥ २० ॥
As a child is seized by the false apparition of a demon, so I find myself in the grasp of my wicked mind, representing falsities as true.
21. वह्नेरुष्णतरः शैलादपि कष्टतरक्रमः ।
वज्रादपि दृढो ब्रह्मन्दुर्निग्रहमनोग्रहः ॥ २१ ॥
It is hard to repress the mind, which is hotter than fire, more inaccessible than a hill, and stronger than a thunder bolt.
22. चेतः पतति कार्येषु विहगः स्वामिषेष्विव ।
क्षणेन विरतिं याति बालः क्रीडनकादिव ॥ २२ ॥
The mind is attracted to its objects as a bird to its prey, and has no respite for a moment as a boy from his play.
23. जडप्रकृतिरालोलो विततावर्तवृत्तिमान् ।
मनोऽब्धिरहितव्यालो दूरं नयति तात माम् ॥ २३ ॥
My mind resembling the sea both in its dullness as well as restlessness, in its extent and fulness with whirlpools and dragons, keeps me far from advancing towards it.
24. अप्यब्धिपानान्महतः सुमेरून्मूलनादपि ।
अपि वह्न्यशनात्साधो विषमश्चित्तनिग्रहः ॥ २४ ॥
It is more difficult to subdue the mind than to drink off the ocean, or to upset the Sumeru mountain. It is ever harder than the hardest thing.
25. चित्तं कारणमर्थानां तस्मिन्सति जगत्त्रयम् ।
तस्मिन्क्षीणे जगत्क्षीणं तच्चिकित्स्यं प्रयत्नतः ॥ २५ ॥
The mind is the cause of all exertions, and the sensorium of the three worlds. Its weakness weakens all worldliness, and requires to be cured with care.
26. चित्तादिमानि सुखदुःखशतानि नूनमभ्यागतान्यगवरादिव काननानि ।
तस्मिन्विवेकवशतस्तनुतां प्रयाते मन्ये मुने निपुणमेव गलन्ति तानि ॥ २६ ॥
It is the mind from which arise our pains and pleasures by hundreds, as the woods growing in groups upon a hill; but no sooner is the scythe of reason applied to them, than they fall off one by one.
27. सकलगुणजयाशा यत्र बद्धा महद्भिस्तमरिमिह विजेतुं चित्तमभ्युत्थितोऽहम् ।
विगतरतितयान्तर्नाभिनन्दामि लक्ष्मीं जडमलिनविलासां मेघलेखामिवेन्दुः ॥ २७ ॥
I am ready to subdue my mind which is my greatest enemy in this world, for the purpose of mastering all the virtues, which the learned say depend upon it. My want of desires has made me averse to wealth and the gross pleasures it yields, which are as tints of clouds tainting the (clear disk of the) moon (of our mind).
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