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Book 1 - Vairagya Prakaranam

Chapter 31 — Rama’s Questions

श्रीराम उवाच ।
प्रोच्चवृक्षचलत्पत्रलम्बाम्बुलवभङ्गुरे ।
आयुषीशानशीतांशुकलामृदुनि देहके ।। १
I have no reliance on the durability of life, which is as transient as a drop of water that sticks to the point of a shaking leaf on a lofty tree; and as short as the cusp of the moon on
Siva
⁠
's forehead.
केदारविरटद्भेककण्ठत्वक्कोणभङ्गुरे ।
वागुरावलये जन्तोः सुहृत्सुजनसंगमे ।। २
I have no credit in the durability of life, which is transient as the swelling that take place in the pouch of a frog while it croaks in the meadow. Nor have I any trust in the company of friends, which are as dangerous as the treacherous snare of hunters.
वासनावातवलिते कदाशातडिति स्फुटे ।
मोहोग्रमिहिकामेघे घनं स्फूर्जति गर्जति ।। ३
What can we do under the misty cloud of error (overhanging our minds), and raising our tempestuous desires which flash forth in lightnings of ambition, and burst out in the thunder claps of selfishness?
नृत्यत्युत्ताण्डवं चण्डे लोले लोभकलापिनि ।
सुविकासिनि सास्फोटे ह्यनर्थकुटजद्रुमे ।। ४
How shall we save ourselves from the temptations of our desires dancing like peacocks (and displaying their gaudy train) around us; and from the bustle of the world breaking in upon us as thickly as the blossoms of the Kurchi plant.
क्रूरे कृतान्तमार्जारे सर्वभूताखुहारिणि ।
अश्रान्तस्यन्दसंचारे कुतोऽप्युपरिपातिनि ।। ५
How can we fly from the clutches of cruel Fate, who like a cat kills the living as poor mice, and falls unwearied and unexpectedly upon his prey in the twinkling of an eye.
क उपायो गतिः का वा का चिन्ता कः समाश्रयः ।
केनेयमशुभोदर्का न भवेज्जीविताटवी ।। ६
What expedient, what course, what reflections, and what refuge must we have recourse to, in order to avoid the unknown tracks of future lives?
न तदस्ति पृथिव्यां वा दिवि देवेषु वा क्वचित् ।
सुधियस्तुच्छमप्येतद्यन्नयन्ति न रम्यताम् ।। ७
There is nothing so trifling in this earth below, or in the heavens above, which ye gifted men cannot raise to consequence.
अयं हि दग्धसंसारो नीरन्ध्रकलनाकुलः ।
कथं सुस्वादुतामेति नीरसो मूढतां विना ।। ८
How can this accursed, troublesome and vapid world, be relished by one unless he is infatuated by ignorance?
आशाप्रतिविपाकेन क्षीरस्नानेन रम्यताम् ।
उपैति पुष्पशुभ्रेण मधुनेव वसुंधरा ।। ९
It is the fusion of desires, which produces the milky beverage of contentment, and fills the earth with delights as the spring adorns it with flowers.
अपमृष्टमलोदेति क्षालनेनामृतद्युतिः ।
मनश्चन्द्रमसः केन तेन कामकलङ्कितात् ।। १०
It is the fusion of desires, which produces the milky beverage of contentment, and fills the earth with delights as the spring adorns it with flowers.
दृष्टसंसारगतिना दृष्टादृष्टविनाशिना ।
केनेव व्यवहर्तव्यं संसारवनवीथिषु ।। ११
How are we to deal in this wilderness of the world, knowing well that it is destructive both of our present and future interest?
रागद्वेषमहारोगा भोगपूगा विभूतयः ।
कथं जन्तुं न बाधन्ते संसारार्णवचारिणम् ।। १२
What man is there that moves about in this ocean of the earth, who has not to buffet in the waves of his passions and diseases, and the currents of his enjoyments and prosperity.
कथं च धीरवर्याग्नौ पततापि न दह्यते ।
पावके पारदेनेव रसेन रसशालिना ।। १३
Tell me, O thou best of sages, how one may escape unburnt like mercury (in its chemical process), when fallen upon the furnace of the earth.
यस्मात्किल जगत्यस्मिन्व्यवहारक्रिया विना ।
न स्थितिः संभवत्यब्धौ पतितस्याजला यथा ।। १४
(How can one get rid of the world) when it is impossible for him to avoid dealing in it, in the same manner as it is not possible for aquatic animals to live without their native element.
रागद्वेषविनिर्मुक्ता सुखदुःखविवर्जिता ।
कृशानोर्दाहहीनेव शिखा नास्तीह सत्क्रिया ।। १५
Our good deeds even are not devoid (of their motives) of affection and hatred, pleasure and pain, similarly as no flame of fire is unaccompanied by its power of burning.
मनोमननशालिन्याः सत्ताया भुवनत्रये ।
क्षयो युक्तिं विना नास्ति ब्रूत तामलमुत्तमाम् ।। १६
As it is not possible to restrain the mind from thinking on worldly matters, without the process of right reasoning, deign to communicate to me therefore, the dictates of sound reason for my guidance.
व्यवहारवतो युक्त्या दुःखं नायाति मे यया ।
अथवा व्यवहारस्य ब्रूत तां युक्तिमुत्तमाम् ।। १७
Give me the best instruction for warding off the miseries (of the world), either by my dealing with or renouncing (the affairs of life).
तत्कथं केन वा किं वा कृतमुत्तमचेतसा ।
पूर्वं येनैति विश्रामं परमं पावनं मनः ।। १८
Tell me of that man of enlightened understanding who had attained to the highest state of holiness and tranquility of his mind of yore, and the deeds and manner by which he achieved the same.
यथा जानासि भगवंस्तथा मोहनिवृत्तये ।
ब्रूहि मे साधवो येन नूनं निर्दुःखतां गताः ।। १९
Tell me good sir, how the saints (of old) fled out of the reach of misery, that I may learn the same for suppression of my erroneous conceptions.
अथवा तादृशी युक्तिर्यदि ब्रह्मन्न विद्यते ।
न वक्ति मम वा कश्चिद्विद्यमानामपि स्फुटम् ।। २०
Or if there be no such precept (as I am in need of) in existence, or being in esse, it is not to be revealed to me by any body.
स्वयं चैव न चाप्नोमि तां विश्रान्तिमनुत्तमाम् ।
तदहं त्यक्तसर्वेहो निरहंकारतां गतः ।। २१
And should I fail of myself (by intuition) to attain that highest state of tranquility, then I must remain inactive (as I am), and avoid my sense of egoism altogether.
न भोक्ष्ये न पिबाम्यम्बु नाहं परिदधेऽम्बरम् ।
करोमि नाहं व्यापारं स्नानदानाशनादिकम् ।। २०
I will refrain from eating and drinking even of water, and from clothing myself with apparels; I will cease from all my actions of bathing and making my offerings, as also from my diet and the like.
न च तिष्ठामि कार्येषु संपत्स्वापद्दशासु च ।
न किंचिदपि वाञ्छामि देहत्यागादृते मुने ।। २३
I will attend to no duty, nor care about prosperity or calamity. I will be free from all desires except that of the abandonment of this body.
केवलं विगताशङ्को निर्ममो गतमत्सरः ।
मौन एवेह तिष्ठामि लिपिकर्मस्विवार्पितः ।। २४
I must remain aloof from all fears and sympathies, from selfish feelings and emulation, and continue to sit quietly as a figure in painting.
अथ क्रमेण संत्यज्य प्रश्वासोच्छ्वाससंविदः ।
संनिवेशं त्यजामीममनर्थं देहनामकम् ।। २५
I will gradually do away with the inspiration and respiration of my breath and outward sensations; till I part with this trifle—the seat all of troubles—this the so called body.
नाहमस्य न मे नान्यः शाम्याम्यस्नेहदीपवत् ।
सर्वमेव परित्यज्य त्यजामीदं कलेवरम् ।। २६
I do not belong to this body, nor does it belong to me, nor is any thing else mine; I shall be null and void like the oil-less lamp, and abandon every thing with this body.
श्रीवाल्मीकिरुवाच ।
इत्युक्तवानमलशीतकराभिरामो
रामो महत्तरविचारविकासिचेताः ।
तूष्णीं बभूव पुरतो महतां घनानां
केकारवं श्रमवशादिव नीलकण्ठः ।। २७
Valmiki Said:-
Then Rama who was as lovely as the moon, and whose mind was well fraught with reasoning, became silent before the assemblage of the eminent men, as the peacock ceases from his screaming before the gathering clouds in awe.
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