Yoga Vasistha

तत एते कथोपाया भरद्वाजेन धीमता । कस्मिंश्चिन् मेरुगहने ब्रह्मणो ऽग्र उदाहृताः

Then these stories, the means to liberation, were recited by the wise Bharadvāja in a certain cave on Mount Meru, at the behest of Brahmā.

अथास्य तुष्टो भगवान् ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः । वरं पुत्र गृहाणेति समुवाच महाशयः

Then the blessed Lord Brahmā, the grandsire of the worlds, being pleased, spoke to him with great kindness: 'My son, choose a boon.'

भगवन् भूतभव्येश वरो ऽयं मे ऽद्य रोचते । येनेयं जनता दुःखान् मुच्यते तद् उदाहर

Lord, ruler of past and future, this boon pleases me today: declare that by which these people may be freed from suffering.

गुरुं वाल्मीकिम् अत्राशु प्रार्थयस्व प्रयत्नतः । तेनेदं यत् समारब्धं रामायणम् अनिन्दितम्

Diligently approach the teacher Vālmīki here and request him; by him, this flawless Rāmāyaṇa has been undertaken.

तस्मिञ् ज्ञाते नरो मोहात् समग्रात् सन्तरिष्यति । सेतुनेवाम्बुधेः पारम् अपारगुणशालिना

Whoever knows this, even if deluded, will cross over all completely—like one with a bridge crosses the ocean, which is otherwise impassable and full of dangers.

इत्य् उक्त्वा स भरद्वाजं परमेष्ठी ममाश्रमम् । अभ्यागमत् समं तेन भरद्वाजेन भूतकृत्

Having spoken thus to Bharadvāja, the great creator came to my hermitage together with Bharadvāja.

तूर्णं सम्पूजितो देवस् सो ऽर्घ्यपाद्यादिना मया । अवोचन् मां महासत्त्वस् सर्वभूतहिते रतः

Quickly I honored the god with water for washing the feet and other offerings; that great soul, devoted to the welfare of all beings, spoke to me.

रामस्वभावकथनाद् अस्माद् वरमुने त्वया । नोद्योगस् सम्परित्याज्य आ समाप्तेर् अनिन्दितात्

O noble sage, in narrating the nature of Rāma, you must not abandon your effort until this blameless task is completed.

ज्ञातेनानेन लोको ऽयम् अस्मात् संसारसङ्कटात् । समुत्तरिष्यति क्षिप्रं पोतेनेवाशु सागरात्

By knowing this, the world will swiftly cross over from the peril of saṃsāra, just as one quickly crosses the ocean by means of a boat.

वक्तुं तवैतम् एवार्थम् अहम् आगतवान् अयम् । कुरु लोकहितार्थं त्वं शास्त्रम् इत्य् उक्तवान् अजः

It is for the sake of telling you this very matter that I have come; compose this scripture for the welfare of the world—so said the Unborn One.

मम पुण्याश्रमात् तस्मात् क्षणाद् अन्तर्धिम् आगतः । मुहूर्ताद् उद्यतः प्रोच्चैस् तरङ्ग इव वारिणः

From my blessed hermitage, he vanished in an instant—rising up in a moment, like a wave from the water.

तस्मिन् प्रयाते भगवत्य् अहं विस्मयम् आगतः । पुनस् तत्र भरद्वाजम् अपृच्छं स्वच्छया धिया

When that venerable one departed, I was filled with wonder; again, with a clear mind, I questioned Bharadvāja there.

किम् एतद् ब्रह्मणा प्रोक्तम् भरद्वाज वदाशु मे । इत्य् उक्तेन पुनः प्रोक्तम् भरद्वाजेन मे ऽनघ

Bharadvāja, tell me quickly what this was that Brahmā spoke; when I said this, Bharadvāja replied to me again, O sinless one.

एतद् उक्तम् भगवता यथा रामायणं कुरु । सर्वलोकहितायाशु संसारार्णवपोतकम्

This is what the Lord said: 'Compose the Rāmāyaṇa in such a way that it becomes a swift boat across the ocean of worldly existence, for the welfare of all beings.'

मह्यं च भगवन् ब्रूहि कथं संसारसङ्कटे । रामो व्यवहृतो ऽप्य् अस्मिन् भरतश् च महामनाः

O venerable one, tell me also: how did Rāma, though engaged in worldly affairs, and the high-minded Bharata, act in this difficult world?

शत्रुघ्नो लक्ष्मणश् चापि सीता चापि यशस्विनी । रामानुयायिनस् ते वा मन्त्रिपुत्रा महाधियः

And how did Śatrughna, Lakṣmaṇa, and the illustrious Sītā, as well as those great-minded sons of ministers who followed Rāma,

निर्दुःखतां कथं ते तु प्राप्तास् तद् ब्रूहि मे स्फुटम् । तथैवाहं तरिष्यामि ततो जनतया सह

How did they attain freedom from suffering? Tell me this clearly, so that I too may cross over, along with the people.

भरद्वाजेन राजेन्द्र यदेत्य् उक्तो ऽस्मि सादरम् । तदा कर्तुं विभोर् आज्ञाम् अहं वक्तुं प्रवृत्तवान्

When Bharadvāja, O king, respectfully said, 'So be it,' I then set about to carry out the command of the Lord and began to speak.

शृणु वत्स भरद्वाज यथापृष्टं वदामि ते । श्रुतेन येन सम्मोहम् अलं दूरीकरिष्यसि

Listen, dear Bharadvāja, I will tell you as you have asked; by hearing this, you will surely dispel all delusion.

तथा व्यवहर प्राज्ञ यथा व्यवहृतस् सुखी । सर्वासंसक्तया बुद्ध्या रामो राजीवलोचनः

Therefore, act wisely, just as the lotus-eyed Rama acted, with a mind unattached to all things, and thus remained happy.

लक्ष्मणो भरतश् चैव शत्रुघ्नश् च महामनाः । कौसल्या च सुमित्रा च सीता दशरथस् तथा

Likewise Lakshmana, Bharata, and the high-minded Shatrughna, as well as Kausalya, Sumitra, Sita, and also Dasharatha,

कृतास्थश् चाविरोधश् च बोधपारम् उपागतः । वसिष्ठो वामदेवश् च मन्त्रिणो ऽष्टौ तथेतरे

Having attained steadfastness and non-opposition, and having reached the highest knowledge, so too Vasistha, Vamadeva, and the eight other ministers,

घृष्टिर् विकुन्तो भामश् च सत्यवर्धन एव च । विभीषणस् सुषेणश् च हनुमान् इन्द्रजित् तथा

Ghrishti, Vikukshi, Bhama, Satyavardhana, Vibhishana, Sushena, Hanuman, and likewise Indrajit,

एते ऽष्टाविंशतिः प्रोक्तास् समनीरागचेतसः । जीवन्मुक्ता महात्मानो यथाप्राप्तानुवर्तिनः

These twenty-eight, whose minds are free from attachment, are said to be great souls liberated while living, following whatever comes to them.

एभिर् यथा हृतं दत्तं गृहीतम् उषितं स्मृतम् । तथा चेद् वर्तसे पुत्र मुक्त एवासि सङ्कटात्

If, my son, you live as they did—giving, taking, dwelling, and remembering without attachment—then you are truly free from distress.

अपारसंसारसमुद्रपाती लब्ध्वा परां युक्तिम् उदारसत्त्वः । न शोकम् आयाति न दैन्यम् एति गतज्वरस् तिष्ठति नित्यतृप्तः

One who, with noble nature, crosses the boundless ocean of worldly existence and attains supreme discipline, does not fall into sorrow or dejection, remains free from affliction, and stands ever content.

जीवन्मुक्तस्थितिं ब्रह्मन् कृत्वा राघवम् आदितः । क्रमात् कथय मे नित्यं भविष्यामि सुखी यथा

O Brahman, describe to me step by step the state of the liberated while living, as it was established in Raghava from the beginning, so that I may always be happy.

भ्रमस्य जागतस्यास्य जातस्याकाशवर्णवत् । अपुनस्स्मरणं मन्ये साधो विस्मरणं वरम्

O noble one, for this world-delusion that has arisen, colorless like space, I consider it better to forget entirely, rather than to remember it again.

दृश्यात्यन्ताभावबोधं विना तन् नानुभूयते । कदाचित् केनचिन् नाम स बोधो ऽन्विष्यताम् अतः

Without the knowledge of the absolute non-existence of the perceived, that is never truly experienced; therefore, let someone, at some time, seek out that knowledge.