Sarga 16¶
Vairāgya Prakaraṇa · On the mind (citta) (27 verses)
Sarga 16 at a glance
Śrī Rāma's speech continues: on the mind (citta).
- The mind is restless, never satisfied, never at peace, like a feather in the wind, a village dog, a lost deer (1.16.1–1.16.12).
- A lament: "by the mind I am bound, burned, cast aside, swept away, blocked, entangled, seized" (1.16.13–1.16.20).
- Restraining the mind is harder than drinking the ocean or uprooting Meru (1.16.21–1.16.24).
- The key insight: the mind is the cause of the world, and must be healed; thinned by discernment, its joys and sorrows melt away. Rāma rises to conquer it (1.16.25–1.16.27).
Verse 1.16.1¶
श्रीराम उवाच ।
दोषैर्जर्जरतां याति सत्कार्यादार्यसेवनात् ।
वातान्तःपिच्छलववच्चेतश्चलति चञ्चलम् ॥ १.१६.१ ॥
चेतः (the mind) दोषैः (by faults) जर्जरतां याति (becomes worn out); सत्-कार्यात् आर्य-सेवनात् (from good deeds and from serving the noble) वात-अन्तः-पिच्छ-लव-वत् (like a bit of feather in the wind) चञ्चलं चलति (restlessly moves away).
Translation: Śrī Rāma said: "The mind is worn out by its faults. Like a wisp of feather in the wind, it flutters restlessly away from good deeds and from the company of the noble."
Pointers for Reflection:
- चित्त, चेतस्, मनस् — the mind. After wealth, life and ego, Rāma now turns to the mind, the instrument through which all of these act on us.
- The feather in the wind. The mind is not evil; it is light and unanchored. It cannot stay with what is good.
Verse 1.16.2¶
इतश्चेतश्च सुव्यग्रं व्यर्थमेवाभिधावति ।
दूराद्दूरतरं दीनं ग्रामे कौलेयको यथा ॥ १.१६.२ ॥
[तत्] इतः च इतः च सु-व्यग्रं (very agitated, here and there) व्यर्थम् एव (in vain) दूरात् दूरतरं (farther and farther) अभिधावति (runs), ग्रामे दीनः कौलेयकः यथा (like a wretched dog in a village).
Translation: "Agitated, it runs here and there in vain, farther and farther, like a wretched village dog."
Pointers for Reflection:
- The village dog. Running from house to house for scraps, never satisfied. The mind's hunting for pleasure is pictured without flattery.
Verse 1.16.3¶
न प्राप्नोति क्वचित्किंचित्प्राप्तैरपि महाधनैः ।
नान्तः संपूर्णतामेति करण्डक इवाम्बुभिः ॥ १.१६.३ ॥
[तत्] क्वचित् किंचित् न प्राप्नोति (gains nothing anywhere); प्राप्तैः महा-धनैः अपि (even by great riches gained) अम्बुभिः करण्डकः इव (like a wicker basket by water) अन्तः सम्पूर्णतां न एति (it does not become full within).
Translation: "It gains nothing anywhere. Even with great riches gained, it is never full within — like a wicker basket that cannot hold water."
Pointers for Reflection:
- The basket that will not fill. Desire's satisfaction leaks out as fast as it is poured in.
- Manusmṛti 2.94 (also Bhāgavata 9.19.14): न जातु कामः कामानामुपभोगेन शाम्यति । हविषा कृष्णवर्त्मेव भूय एवाभिवर्धते ॥ — desire is never quenched by enjoying desires; like fire fed with ghee, it only grows.
Verse 1.16.4¶
नित्यमेव मुने शून्यं कदाशावागुरावृतम् ।
न मनो निवृतिं याति मृगो यूथादिव च्युतः ॥ १.१६.४ ॥
मुने (O sage), [इदं] मनः (this mind) नित्यम् एव शून्यं (always empty) कत्-आशा-वागुरा-आवृतम् (caught in the net of wretched hopes) यूथात् च्युतः मृगः इव (like a deer strayed from its herd) निर्वृतिं न याति (finds no peace).
Translation: "O sage, the mind is always empty, caught in the net of wretched hopes; like a deer strayed from its herd, it finds no peace."
Pointers for Reflection:
- The lost deer. Separated from its source, the mind wanders anxiously. The teaching will show the mind its 'herd': its source in consciousness.
- Reading note. The online text prints निवृतिं; the expected word is निर्वृतिं, peace. The sense is the same.
Verse 1.16.5¶
तरङ्गतरलां वृत्तिं दधदालूनशीर्णताम् ।
परित्यज्य क्षणमपि हृदये याति न स्थितिम् ॥ १.१६.५ ॥
[मनः] तरङ्ग-तरलां वृत्तिं दधत् (having a nature restless as waves) आलून-शीर्णतां [दधत्] (and broken and scattered) क्षणम् अपि परित्यज्य (abandoning [it] even for a moment) हृदये स्थितिं न याति (does not settle in the heart).
Translation: "Restless as a wave, broken and scattered, the mind does not settle in the heart even for a moment."
Pointers for Reflection:
- Gītā 6.34: चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद्दृढम् । तस्याहं निग्रहं मन्ये वायोरिव सुदुष्करम् ॥ — the mind is restless, Kṛṣṇa, turbulent, strong and stubborn; I think it as hard to restrain as the wind. Arjuna's complaint is Rāma's complaint, almost word for word (compare वातान्तःपिच्छलववत्, 1.16.1).
Verse 1.16.6¶
मनो मननविक्षुब्धं दिशो दश विधावति ।
मन्दराहननोद्धूतं क्षीरार्णवपयो यथा ॥ १.१६.६ ॥
मनन-विक्षुब्धं मनः (the mind, stirred up by thinking) मन्दर-आहनन-उद्धूतं क्षीर-अर्णव-पयः यथा (like the water of the milk ocean churned by Mount Mandara) दश दिशः विधावति (rushes in the ten directions).
Translation: "Stirred by thinking, the mind rushes in all ten directions, like the milk ocean churned by Mount Mandara."
Pointers for Reflection:
- The churning of the ocean. The gods and demons churned the milk ocean with Mount Mandara. Here the churning rod is thought itself, and the ocean is the mind.
- मनन — thinking. Recall 1.14.11: he lives whose mind does not live by thinking.
Verse 1.16.7¶
कल्लोलकलितावर्तं मायामकरमालितम् ।
न निरोद्धुं समर्थोऽस्मि मनोमयमहार्णवम् ॥ १.१६.७ ॥
कल्लोल-कलित-आवर्तं (with whirlpools formed by waves) माया-मकर-मालितम् (garlanded with the crocodiles of illusion) मनः-मय-महा-अर्णवं (the great ocean of mind) निरोद्धुं समर्थः न अस्मि (I am not able to restrain).
Translation: "This vast sea that is the mind — swirling with eddies its own waves have made, wreathed with the crocodiles of māyā — is beyond my power to hold in check."
Pointers for Reflection:
- निरोध — restraint. Patañjali defines yoga as चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः (Yoga Sūtra 1.2), the restraint of the mind's movements. Rāma says he cannot do it.
- But the Yoga Vasiṣṭha's answer is different. It will not ask Rāma to dam the ocean by force, but to see that the ocean is only consciousness. Understanding dissolves what force cannot restrain.
Verse 1.16.8¶
भोगदूर्वाङ्कुराकाङ्क्षी श्वभ्रपातमचिन्तयन् ।
मनोहरिणको ब्रह्मन्दूरं विपरिधावति ॥ १.१६.८ ॥
ब्रह्मन् (O sage), भोग-दूर्वा-अङ्कुर-आकाङ्क्षी (longing for the young grass of pleasures) श्वभ्र-पातम् अचिन्तयन् (not thinking of falling into a pit) मनः-हरिणकः (the little deer of the mind) दूरं विपरिधावति (runs far).
Translation: "O sage, the little deer of the mind, longing for the tender grass of pleasure, runs far without thinking of the pit it may fall into."
Pointers for Reflection:
- Grass at the edge of a pit. The deer sees only the grass. The mind sees only the pleasure, not the fall.
Verse 1.16.9¶
न कदाचन मे चेतः स्वामालूनविशीर्णताम् ।
त्यजत्याकुलया वृत्त्या चञ्चलत्वमिवार्णवः ॥ १.१६.९ ॥
मे चेतः (my mind) आकुलया वृत्त्या (by its agitated nature) स्वाम् आलून-विशीर्णतां (its broken, scattered state) कदाचन न त्यजति (never abandons), अर्णवः चञ्चलत्वम् इव (as the ocean [does not abandon] its restlessness).
Translation: "My mind, by its agitated nature, never gives up its broken, scattered state, just as the ocean never gives up its restlessness."
Pointers for Reflection:
- Never at rest. The ocean's waves are its nature; so the mind's restlessness seems to be its nature. The teaching will show that the mind's true nature is still consciousness, and restlessness is only the surface.
Verse 1.16.10¶
चेतश्चञ्चलया वृत्त्या चिन्तानिचयचञ्चुरम् ।
धृतिं बध्नाति नैकत्र पञ्जरे केसरी यथा ॥ १.१६.१० ॥
चिन्ता-निचय-चञ्चुरं चेतः (the mind, busy with heaps of worries) चञ्चलया वृत्त्या (by its restless nature) एकत्र धृतिं न बध्नाति (does not hold steady in one place), पञ्जरे केसरी यथा (like a lion in a cage).
Translation: "Busy with heaps of worries and restless by nature, the mind cannot hold still in one place, like a lion in a cage."
Pointers for Reflection:
- The caged lion. Pacing back and forth, powerful but confined. The mind's power is wasted in restless circling.
Verse 1.16.11¶
मनो मोहरथारूढं शरीरात्समतासुखम् ।
हरत्यपहतोद्वेगं हंसः क्षीरमिवाम्भसः ॥ १.१६.११ ॥
मोह-रथ-आरूढं मनः (the mind, mounted on the chariot of delusion) शरीरात् (from the body) अपहृत-उद्वेगं समता-सुखम् (the happiness of equanimity, free from agitation) हरति (steals), हंसः अम्भसः क्षीरम् इव (as a swan [takes] milk from water).
Translation: "Riding the chariot of delusion, the mind steals from the body the calm joy of equanimity, as a swan draws milk out of water."
Pointers for Reflection:
- The swan's discernment, reversed. The swan (हंस) was believed to separate milk from water, an emblem of विवेक. Here the mind does the opposite: it takes away the good and leaves the rest.
- The chariot — Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.3.3–4: आत्मानं रथिनं विद्धि शरीरं रथमेव तु । बुद्धिं तु सारथिं विद्धि मनः प्रग्रहमेव च ॥ — know the Self as the rider, the body as the chariot, the intellect as the charioteer, the mind as the reins. In Rāma's verse, the mind has climbed into the chariot itself, and delusion drives.
Verse 1.16.12¶
अनल्पकल्पनातल्पे विलीनाश्चित्तवृत्तयः ।
मुनीन्द्र न प्रबुध्यन्ते तेन तप्येऽहमाकुलः ॥ १.१६.१२ ॥
मुनि-इन्द्र (O lord of sages), अन्-अल्प-कल्पना-तल्पे (on the bed of endless imaginings) विलीनाः चित्त-वृत्तयः (the movements of the mind, sunk [asleep]) न प्रबुध्यन्ते (do not wake); तेन (therefore) अहम् आकुलः तप्ये (I burn in distress).
Translation: "O lord of sages, the movements of my mind lie asleep on a bed of endless imaginings and do not wake. That is why I burn in distress."
Pointers for Reflection:
- Asleep on a bed of fancies. The mind is busy and yet asleep: it is active in imagination but does not awaken to truth.
- Gītā 2.69: या निशा सर्वभूतानां तस्यां जागर्ति संयमी — what is night for all beings, in that the self-controlled one is awake.
Verse 1.16.13¶
क्रोडीकृतदृढग्रन्थितृष्णासूत्रे स्थितात्मना ।
विहगो जालकेनेव ब्रह्मन्बद्धोऽस्मि चेतसा ॥ १.१६.१३ ॥
ब्रह्मन् (O sage), क्रोडी-कृत-दृढ-ग्रन्थि-तृष्णा-सूत्रे (on the thread of craving, wound with tight knots) स्थित-आत्मना चेतसा (by the mind, set there) जालकेन विहगः इव (like a bird by a net) बद्धः अस्मि (I am bound).
Translation: "O sage, I am bound by the mind, which is fixed on the thread of craving wound with tight knots, like a bird caught in a net."
Pointers for Reflection:
- Knots of craving. Compare Muṇḍaka 2.2.8, below at 1.16.25. The knot of the heart (हृदयग्रन्थि) is what liberation cuts.
Verse 1.16.14¶
संततामर्षधूमेन चिन्ताज्वालाकुलेन च ।
वह्निनेव तृणं शुष्कं मुने दग्धोऽस्मि चेतसा ॥ १.१६.१४ ॥
मुने (O sage), सन्तत-अमर्ष-धूमेन (with constant smoke of resentment) चिन्ता-ज्वाला-आकुलेन च (and full of flames of worry) चेतसा (by the mind) वह्निना शुष्कं तृणम् इव (like dry grass by fire) दग्धः अस्मि (I am burned).
Translation: "O sage, I am burned by the mind, smoky with constant resentment and full of the flames of worry, like dry grass in a fire."
Pointers for Reflection:
- A series begins (1.16.13–1.16.20): each verse ends with चेतसा, "by the mind". Bound, burned, abandoned, carried away, blocked, entangled, seized. Read them as one lament.
Verse 1.16.15¶
क्रूरेण जडतां यातस्तृष्णाभार्यानुगामिना ।
शवं कौलेयकेनेव ब्रह्मन्मुक्तोऽस्मि चेतसा ॥ १.१६.१५ ॥
ब्रह्मन् (O sage), क्रूरेण (cruel) तृष्णा-भार्या-अनुगामिना (following its wife, craving) चेतसा (by the mind) जडतां यातः (having become dull) कौलेयकेन शवम् इव (like a corpse by a dog) मुक्तः अस्मि (I am abandoned).
Translation: "O sage, I am made dull and then cast aside by the cruel mind, which follows its wife, craving — as a dog leaves a corpse after feeding."
Pointers for Reflection:
- Craving as the mind's wife. The mind follows craving wherever she leads. Sarga 17 will be about her.
Verse 1.16.16¶
तरङ्गतरलास्फालवृत्तिना जडरूपिणा ।
तटवृक्ष इवौघेन ब्रह्मन्नीतोऽस्मि चेतसा ॥ १.१६.१६ ॥
ब्रह्मन् (O sage), तरङ्ग-तरल-आस्फाल-वृत्तिना (with a nature of restless, pounding waves) जड-रूपिणा चेतसा (by the dull mind) ओघेन तट-वृक्षः इव (like a riverbank tree by a flood) नीतः अस्मि (I am carried away).
Translation: "O sage, I am carried away by the dull mind with its restless, pounding waves, like a tree on the riverbank swept away by a flood."
Pointers for Reflection:
- The riverbank tree. Rooted, yet uprooted. Compare 1.13.2: fortune too was a flooding river.
Verse 1.16.17¶
अवान्तरनिपाताय शून्ये वा भ्रमणाय च ।
तृणं चण्डानिलेनेव दूरे नीतोऽस्मि चेतसा ॥ १.१६.१७ ॥
अवान्तर-निपाताय (to fall in between) शून्ये भ्रमणाय वा (or to wander in the void) चण्ड-अनिलेन तृणम् इव (like grass by a fierce wind) चेतसा (by the mind) दूरे नीतः अस्मि (I am carried far).
Translation: "The mind carries me far off, like grass in a fierce wind, to fall somewhere along the way or to wander in the void."
Pointers for Reflection:
- Neither here nor there. The mind does not even carry us somewhere; it drops us anywhere, or nowhere.
Verse 1.16.18¶
संसारजलधेरस्मान्नित्यमुत्तरणोन्मुखः ।
सेतुनेव पयःपूरो रोधितोऽस्मि कुचेतसा ॥ १.१६.१८ ॥
अस्मात् संसार-जलधेः (from this ocean of worldly existence) नित्यम् उत्तरण-उन्मुखः (always eager to cross) [अहं] कु-चेतसा (by the wicked mind) सेतुना पयः-पूरः इव (like a flood of water by a dam) रोधितः अस्मि (I am blocked).
Translation: "I always long to cross this ocean of worldly existence, but the wicked mind blocks me, as a dam holds back a flood."
Pointers for Reflection:
- The longing is there. Rāma wants to cross. The obstacle is not the world but his own mind.
- Gītā 12.7: तेषामहं समुद्धर्ता मृत्युसंसारसागरात् — I lift them out of the ocean of death and saṃsāra.
Verse 1.16.19¶
पातालाद्गच्छता पृथ्वीं पृथ्व्याः पातालगामिना ।
कूपकाष्ठं कुदाम्नेव वेष्टितोऽस्मि कुचेतसा ॥ १.१६.१९ ॥
पातालात् पृथ्वीं गच्छता (going from the underworld to the earth) पृथ्व्याः पाताल-गामिना (and from the earth to the underworld) कु-चेतसा (by the wicked mind) कु-दाम्ना कूप-काष्ठम् इव (like the well-pole by a bad rope) वेष्टितः अस्मि (I am entangled).
Translation: "The wicked mind, going down to the underworld and up to the earth again, entangles me as a bad rope coils round the pole of a well."
Pointers for Reflection:
- The well's rope. Up and down, up and down — rebirth in the higher and lower worlds is pictured as the endless motion of a well-bucket.
- Gītā 9.21: क्षीणे पुण्ये मर्त्यलोकं विशन्ति — when their merit is spent, they enter the mortal world again.
Verse 1.16.20¶
मिथ्यैव स्फाररूपेण विचाराद्विशरारुणा ।
बालो वेतालकेनेव गृहीतोऽस्मि कुचेतसा ॥ १.१६.२० ॥
मिथ्या एव स्फार-रूपेण (only falsely appearing vast) विचारात् विशरारुणा (falling apart under inquiry) कु-चेतसा (by the wicked mind) बालः वेतालकेन इव (like a child by a ghost) गृहीतः अस्मि (I am seized).
Translation: "I am seized by the wicked mind, which only seems vast, and falls apart under inquiry — as a child is seized by a ghost."
Pointers for Reflection:
- विचाराद्विशरारु — it falls apart under inquiry. The most important phrase in the sarga. The mind seems huge and powerful, but it dissolves when examined, as a ghost vanishes when you look closely. This is the Yoga Vasiṣṭha's method in a word: विचार, inquiry.
- Gauḍapāda's Kārikā 3.31: मनसो ह्यमनीभावे द्वैतं नैवोपलभ्यते — when the mind becomes no-mind, duality is no longer perceived.
Verse 1.16.21¶
वह्नेरुष्णतरः शैलादपि कष्टतरक्रमः ।
वज्रादपि दृढो ब्रह्मन्दुर्निग्रहमनोग्रहः ॥ १.१६.२१ ॥
ब्रह्मन् (O sage), दुर्-निग्रह-मनः-ग्रहः (the demon of the mind, hard to subdue) वह्नेः उष्णतरः (hotter than fire) शैलात् अपि कष्टतर-क्रमः (harder to cross than a mountain) वज्रात् अपि दृढः (firmer even than a thunderbolt).
Translation: "O sage, the demon of the mind, so hard to subdue, is hotter than fire, harder to cross than a mountain, and firmer than a thunderbolt."
Pointers for Reflection:
- ग्रह — demon, planet, seizer. The mind is a seizing spirit. It is hard to subdue, but not impossible (Gītā 6.35, below at 1.16.24).
Verse 1.16.22¶
चेतः पतति कार्येषु विहगः स्वामिषेष्विव ।
क्षणेन विरतिं याति बालः क्रीडनकादिव ॥ १.१६.२२ ॥
चेतः (the mind) विहगः स्व-आमिषेषु इव (like a bird on its prey) कार्येषु पतति (swoops on objects of action); बालः क्रीडनकात् इव (like a child from a toy) क्षणेन विरतिं याति (in a moment loses interest).
Translation: "The mind swoops on things like a bird on its prey, and loses interest in a moment, like a child tired of a toy."
Pointers for Reflection:
- Grasp, then boredom. The mind's cycle: eager seizing, quick disinterest. Neither brings satisfaction.
Verse 1.16.23¶
जडप्रकृतिरालोलो विततावर्तवृत्तिमान् ।
मनोऽब्धिरहितव्यालो दूरं नयति तात माम् ॥ १.१६.२३ ॥
तात (dear father), जड-प्रकृतिः (dull by nature) आलोलः (restless) वितत-आवर्त-वृत्तिमान् (full of wide whirlpools) अहित-व्यालः मनः-अब्धिः (the ocean of the mind, with its hostile serpents) मां दूरं नयति (carries me far).
Translation: "Dear father, the ocean of the mind, dull by nature, restless, full of wide whirlpools and hostile serpents, carries me far away."
Pointers for Reflection:
- तात — dear father. Rāma addresses Vasiṣṭha with affection, as a son. The student's warmth towards the teacher.
Verse 1.16.24¶
अप्यब्धिपानान्महतः सुमेरून्मूलनादपि ।
अपि वह्न्यशनात्साधो विषमश्चित्तनिग्रहः ॥ १.१६.२४ ॥
साधो (good one), महतः अब्धि-पानात् अपि (than drinking up the great ocean) सुमेरु-उन्मूलनात् अपि (than uprooting Mount Meru) वह्नि-अशनात् अपि (than eating fire) चित्त-निग्रहः विषमः (restraining the mind is harder).
Translation: "Good sir, restraining the mind is harder than drinking up the ocean, harder than uprooting Mount Meru, harder than eating fire."
Pointers for Reflection:
- A famous verse. Often quoted on the difficulty of mental discipline.
- Gītā 6.35 — Kṛṣṇa's answer to Arjuna:
- असंशयं महाबाहो मनो दुर्निग्रहं चलम् । अभ्यासेन तु कौन्तेय वैराग्येण च गृह्यते ॥
- No doubt, mighty-armed one, the mind is hard to subdue and restless. But it is held through practice and dispassion.
- Rāma even uses the Gītā's word दुर्निग्रह (1.16.21). Kṛṣṇa's twofold answer — अभ्यास and वैराग्य — is exactly what Vasiṣṭha will teach. Rāma already has the second; the teaching gives him the first.
Verse 1.16.25¶
चित्तं कारणमर्थानां तस्मिन्सति जगत्त्रयम् ।
तस्मिन्क्षीणे जगत्क्षीणं तच्चिकित्स्यं प्रयत्नतः ॥ १.१६.२५ ॥
चित्तं (the mind) अर्थानां कारणम् (is the cause of things); तस्मिन् सति (when it exists) जगत्-त्रयम् [अस्ति] (the three worlds exist); तस्मिन् क्षीणे (when it wanes) जगत् क्षीणम् (the world wanes); [तस्मात्] तत् प्रयत्नतः चिकित्स्यम् (so it must be treated with effort).
Translation: "All objects have the mind as their cause. With mind present, the three worlds are present; with mind dwindled, the world dwindles. It is the mind, then, that must be treated, and treated with care."
Pointers for Reflection:
- The key verse of the sarga. The mind is the source of the world as experienced. This is the Yoga Vasiṣṭha's central teaching, stated by Rāma himself before the teaching begins: मन एव जगत् — the world is the mind.
- चिकित्स्य — to be treated, healed. The mind is not to be killed but cured. The medical image returns (compare 1.15.3, अहंकारो ममामयः).
- Upaniṣad parallels:
- Maitri Upaniṣad 6.34: मन एव मनुष्याणां कारणं बन्धमोक्षयोः — the mind alone is the cause of bondage and liberation for human beings.
- Gītā 6.5–6: उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं… बन्धुरात्मात्मनस्तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जितः — let one lift oneself by oneself… the self is a friend to one who has conquered it.
Verse 1.16.26¶
चित्तादिमानि सुखदुःखशतानि नूनमभ्यागतान्यगवरादिव काननानि ।
तस्मिन्विवेकवशतस्तनुतां प्रयाते मन्ये मुने निपुणमेव गलन्ति तानि ॥ १.१६.२६ ॥
मुने (O sage), इमानि सुख-दुःख-शतानि (these hundreds of joys and sorrows) अग-वरात् काननानि इव (as forests from a great mountain) नूनं चित्तात् अभ्यागतानि (surely arise from the mind); विवेक-वशतः (by discernment) तस्मिन् तनुतां प्रयाते (when it becomes thin) तानि निपुणम् एव गलन्ति (they surely melt away) [इति] मन्ये (I think).
Translation: O sage, these hundreds of joys and sorrows surely arise from the mind, as forests grow on a great mountain. When the mind is thinned by discernment, I think they will all melt away completely.
Pointers for Reflection:
- A closing verse in a longer metre (vasantatilakā).
- Thinning the mind (तनुता). Not destroying it, but making it thin, transparent, by विवेक. Rāma already sees the way out.
- Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 2.2.8: भिद्यते हृदयग्रन्थिश्छिद्यन्ते सर्वसंशयाः । क्षीयन्ते चास्य कर्माणि तस्मिन्दृष्टे परावरे ॥ — the knot of the heart is cut, all doubts are destroyed, and one's karmas wane, when That, the highest and the lowest, is seen.
Verse 1.16.27¶
सकलगुणजयाशा यत्र बद्धा महद्भिस्तमरिमिह विजेतुं चित्तमभ्युत्थितोऽहम् ।
विगतरतितयान्तर्नाभिनन्दामि लक्ष्मीं जडमलिनविलासां मेघलेखामिवेन्दुः ॥ १.१६.२७ ॥
यत्र (in which) महद्भिः (by the great) सकल-गुण-जय-आशा बद्धा (the hope of winning every virtue is placed), तम् अरिं चित्तम् (that enemy, the mind) इह विजेतुम् (to conquer here) अहम् अभ्युत्थितः (I have risen up); विगत-रतितया (being without delight) अन्तः (within) जड-मलिन-विलासां लक्ष्मीं (fortune, whose play is dull and impure) न अभिनन्दामि (I do not welcome), मेघ-लेखाम् इन्दुः इव (as the moon [does not welcome] a streak of cloud).
Translation: I have risen up to conquer that enemy, the mind, on which the great rest all hope of winning every virtue. With no delight left in me, I do not welcome fortune with its dull, impure play — as the moon takes no delight in a streak of cloud.
Pointers for Reflection:
- A closing verse in a longer metre (mālinī).
- The mind as enemy, and as the key to every virtue. The same mind that binds is where all virtue is won. To conquer the mind is to win everything.
- Gītā 6.6: अनात्मनस्तु शत्रुत्वे वर्तेतात्मैव शत्रुवत् — for one who has not conquered himself, his own self acts like an enemy.
- The moon and the cloud. The moon is not harmed by the cloud, only veiled. Rāma's true nature, like the moon, is untouched.