Sarga 27¶

Vairāgya Prakaraṇa · Nothing brings rest (41 verses)

Sarga 27 at a glance

Śrī Rāma's speech continues: nothing in the world brings rest.

Childhood, household and old age pass; craving's river erodes the tree of contentment (1.27.1–1.27.7).
Great souls are rare — steady in hardship and prosperity; the true heroes are those who cross the ocean of the mind (1.27.8–1.27.12).
Family, wealth and the three aims of pleasure, wealth and duty bring no rest without the fourth (1.27.13–1.27.25).
Even "short" and "long" are unreal; the world is pervaded by consciousness — yet Rāma confesses: "I do not know how this life is to be lived" (1.27.26–1.27.41).

Verse 1.27.1¶

श्रीराम उवाच ।
अन्यच्च ताताऽतितरामरम्ये मनोरमे चेह जगत्स्वरूपे ।
न किंचिदायाति तदर्थजातं येनातिविश्रान्तिमुपैति चेतः ॥ १.२७.१ ॥

तात (dear father), अन्यत् च (and further): इह (here) अतितराम् अरम्ये मनोरमे च जगत्-स्वरूपे (in the world's nature, so unlovely and yet charming) तत् किंचित् अर्थ-जातं (any such thing) न आयाति (does not come) येन (by which) चेतः अतिविश्रान्तिम् उपैति (the mind would find complete rest).

Translation: Śrī Rāma said: "And more, dear father: in this world, so unlovely and yet so charming, nothing at all comes our way that could bring the mind to complete rest."

Pointers for Reflection:

विश्रान्ति — rest. The word Rāma keeps returning to (glossary). What he seeks is not pleasure but rest — and nothing in the world gives it.
Unlovely yet charming. The world's double face: it attracts and it disappoints.

Verse 1.27.2¶

बाल्ये गते कल्पितकेलिलोले मनोमृगे दारदरीषु जीर्णे ।
शरीरके जर्जरतां प्रयाते विदूयते केवलमेव लोकः ॥ १.२७.२ ॥

कल्पित-केलि-लोले बाल्ये गते (when childhood, restless with make-believe games, has passed) मनः-मृगे दार-दरीषु जीर्णे (when the deer of the mind has grown old in the caves of married life) शरीरके जर्जरतां प्रयाते (when the poor body has grown decrepit) लोकः केवलम् एव विदूयते (people simply suffer).

Translation: "When childhood with its make-believe games is gone, when the deer of the mind has grown old in the caves of domestic life, and the poor body has worn out — people are left only to suffer."

Pointers for Reflection:

A whole life in one verse: childhood, household, old age. Compare the stages in Sargas 19–22.
दारदरी — the caves of married life. A pun on दार (wife) and दरी (cave). Rāma speaks as one who has not yet married, seeing domestic life only as a trap. The teaching will show another way to live it.

Verse 1.27.3¶

जरातुषाराभिहतां शरीरसरोजिनीं दूरतरे विमुच्य ।
क्षणाद्गते जीवितचञ्चरीके जनस्य संसारसरोऽवशुष्कम् ॥ १.२७.३ ॥

जीवित-चञ्चरीके (when the bee of life) जरा-तुषार-अभिहतां शरीर-सरोजिनीं (the lotus-pond of the body, struck by the frost of old age) दूरतरे विमुच्य (leaving far behind) क्षणात् गते [सति] (has flown in a moment), जनस्य संसार-सरः अवशुष्कम् (a person's lake of worldly life is dried up).

Translation: "When the bee of life leaves the lotus-pond of the body, struck by the frost of old age, and flies away in a moment, that person's lake of worldly life is dried up."

Pointers for Reflection:

The bee leaves the lotus. Life departs from the body as a bee leaves a frozen flower.

Verse 1.27.4¶

यदा यदा पाकमुपैति नूनं तदा तदेयं रतिमातनोति ।
जराभराऽनल्पनवप्रसूना विजर्जरा कायलता नराणाम् ॥ १.२७.४ ॥

नराणां (of people) जरा-भर-अनल्प-नव-प्रसूना (with many new blossoms under the burden of age) विजर्जरा इयं काय-लता (this decrepit vine of the body) यदा यदा नूनं पाकम् उपैति (whenever it ripens) तदा तदा (then) रतिम् आतनोति (only extends its clinging).

Translation: "The worn-out vine of the body, covered in the new white blossoms of age, only clings the more to life as it ripens."

Pointers for Reflection:

Clinging grows with age — the paradox of 1.22.7–8 again. Compare Yoga Sūtra 2.9: स्वरसवाही विदुषोऽपि तथारूढोऽभिनिवेशः. Clinging to life flows by its own momentum, and is rooted even in the wise.

Verse 1.27.5¶

तृष्णानदी सारतरप्रवाहग्रस्ताखिलानन्तपदार्थजाता ।
तटस्थसंतोषसुवृक्षमूलनिकाषदक्षा वहतीह लोके ॥ १.२७.५ ॥

इह लोके (here in the world) तृष्णा-नदी (the river of craving) सारतर-प्रवाह-ग्रस्त-अखिल-अनन्त-पदार्थ-जाता (whose strong current has swallowed all the endless things) तट-स्थ-सन्तोष-सु-वृक्ष-मूल-निकाष-दक्षा (skilled at eroding the roots of the good tree of contentment on its bank) वहति (flows).

Translation: "Craving runs through the world like a river. Its powerful current has carried off things beyond counting, and it knows just how to wear away the roots of contentment, the good tree standing on its bank."

Pointers for Reflection:

सन्तोष — contentment. The tree on the bank of craving's river. Contentment will be one of the four 'gatekeepers' of liberation in the Mumukṣu Prakaraṇa.
Yoga Sūtra 2.42: सन्तोषादनुत्तमः सुखलाभः — from contentment comes unsurpassed happiness.

Verse 1.27.6¶

शारीरनौश्चर्मनिबन्धबद्धा भवाम्बुधावालुलिता भ्रमन्ती ।
प्रलोड्यते पञ्चभिरिन्द्रियाख्यैरधोभवन्ती मकरैरधीरा ॥ १.२७.६ ॥

चर्म-निबन्ध-बद्धा (bound with ties of skin) शारीर-नौः (the boat of the body) भव-अम्बुधौ (in the ocean of existence) आलुलिता भ्रमन्ती (tossed and wandering) अधीरा (unsteady) इन्द्रिय-आख्यैः पञ्चभिः मकरैः (by five sea-monsters called the senses) अधः भवन्ती (going under) प्रलोड्यते (is churned).

Translation: "The boat of the body, bound with ties of skin, is tossed about in the ocean of existence, and the five sea-monsters called the senses churn it and drag it down."

Pointers for Reflection:

The boat of the body — a positive image at 1.18.9; here, in the hands of the senses, it is sinking. The same boat; a different pilot.

Verse 1.27.7¶

तृष्णालताकाननचारिणोऽमी शाखाशतं काममहीरुहेषु ।
परिभ्रमन्तः क्षपयन्ति कालं मनोमृगा नो फलमाप्नुवन्ति ॥ १.२७.७ ॥

तृष्णा-लता-कानन-चारिणः (roaming in the forest of craving-vines) अमी मनः-मृगाः (these deer of the mind) काम-महीरुहेषु (in the trees of desire) शाखा-शतं परिभ्रमन्तः (wandering over a hundred branches) कालं क्षपयन्ति (waste time) फलं नो आप्नुवन्ति (and find no fruit).

Translation: "Grazing in a jungle of craving's creepers, these deer of the mind leap from branch to branch of desire's trees, a hundred of them, and spend their time without ever tasting fruit."

Pointers for Reflection:

No fruit. All the busy wandering of desire leaves one empty-handed.

Verse 1.27.8¶

कृच्छ्रेषु दूरास्तविषादमोहाः स्वास्थ्येषु नोत्सिक्तमनोभिरामाः ।
सुदुर्लभाः संप्रति सुन्दरीभिरनाहतान्तःकरणा महान्तः ॥ १.२७.८ ॥

सम्प्रति (now) महान्तः (great souls) कृच्छ्रेषु दूर-अस्त-विषाद-मोहाः (who in hardships keep dejection and delusion far away) स्वास्थ्येषु न उत्सिक्त-मनः-अभिरामाः (who in good times are not puffed up) सुन्दरीभिः अनाहत-अन्तःकरणाः (whose hearts are not struck by beautiful women) सु-दुर्लभाः (are very rare).

Translation: "Great souls are very rare now: those who in hardship keep despair and confusion far away, who in good times are not puffed up, and whose hearts are not overcome by beauty."

Pointers for Reflection:

Reading note. The online text prints सुन्दरीभिः रनाहतान्तःकरणा; corrected here to सुन्दरीभिरनाहतान्तःकरणा.
Steady in both hardship and prosperity. The theme of the reflection at 1.14.3: hard situations need not become hard experience.
Gītā 2.56: दुःखेष्वनुद्विग्नमनाः सुखेषु विगतस्पृहः । वीतरागभयक्रोधः स्थितधीर्मुनिरुच्यते ॥ — undisturbed in sorrow, without longing in pleasure, free from passion, fear and anger — such a one is called a sage of steady wisdom.

Verse 1.27.9¶

तरन्ति मातङ्गघटातरङ्गं रणाम्बुधिं ये मयि ते न शूराः ।
शूरास्त एवेह मनस्तरङ्गं देहेन्द्रियाम्भोधिमिमं तरन्ति ॥ १.२७.९ ॥

ये (those who) मातङ्ग-घटा-तरङ्गं रण-अम्बुधिं (the ocean of battle, whose waves are herds of elephants) तरन्ति (cross), ते (they) मयि (in my view) न शूराः (are not heroes); ते एव इह शूराः (they alone are heroes here) [ये] (who) इमं मनः-तरङ्गं देह-इन्द्रिय-अम्भोधिम् (this ocean of body and senses, whose waves are the mind) तरन्ति (cross).

Translation: "I do not call them heroes who cross the sea of battle, where the waves are ranks of elephants. The real heroes are those who cross this sea of body and senses, whose waves are the mind."

Pointers for Reflection:

A famous verse. Spoken by Rāma, the greatest warrior of his age, who will defeat Rāvaṇa — yet he says the real victory is over one's own mind.
Dhammapada 103 (Buddhist parallel): though one conquer a thousand times a thousand men in battle, he who conquers himself is the greatest conqueror. See how the traditions meet.
Gītā 6.6: बन्धुरात्मात्मनस्तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जितः — the self is a friend to one who has conquered himself by himself.

Verse 1.27.10¶

अक्लिष्टपर्यन्तफलाभिरामा न दृश्यते कस्यचिदेव काचित् ।
क्रियादुराशाहतचित्तवृत्तिर्यामेत्य विश्रान्तिमुपैति लोकः ॥ १.२७.१० ॥

अक्लिष्ट-पर्यन्त-फल-अभिरामा (delightful, with a final fruit free of pain) काचित् [क्रिया] (any [action]) कस्यचित् एव न दृश्यते (is seen for no one) यां एत्य (reaching which) क्रिया-दुराशा-हत-चित्त-वृत्तिः लोकः (people, their minds wounded by wrong hopes in action) विश्रान्तिम् उपैति (find rest).

Translation: "No one ever seems to find an action whose final fruit is delightful and free of pain — an action that would let people, their minds wounded by the false hopes of activity, come to rest."

Pointers for Reflection:

Rest is not reached by action. No action, however good, brings final rest, because every action has a result that passes. Rest comes from knowledge (Gītā 4.33, सर्वं कर्माखिलं पार्थ ज्ञाने परिसमाप्यते). all action, Pārtha, culminates in knowledge.

Verse 1.27.11¶

कीर्त्या जगद्दिक्कुहरं प्रतापैः श्रिया गृहं सत्त्वबलेन लक्ष्मीम् ।
ये पूरयन्त्यक्षतधैर्यबन्धा न ते जगत्यां सुलभा महान्तः ॥ १.२७.११ ॥

ये (those who) अक्षत-धैर्य-बन्धाः (whose bond of courage is unbroken) कीर्त्या जगत्-दिक्-कुहरं (with fame the hollows of the world's directions) प्रतापैः श्रिया गृहं (with valour and prosperity their homes) सत्त्व-बलेन लक्ष्मीं (with inner strength their fortune) पूरयन्ति (fill), ते महान्तः (those great ones) जगत्यां न सुलभाः (are not easy to find in the world).

Translation: "Great people whose courage never breaks — who fill the world with their fame, their homes with valour and prosperity, and their fortune with inner strength — are not easily found in the world."

Pointers for Reflection:

सत्त्व — inner strength. The worldly ideal of the great king or householder. Rāma does not despise it; he notes how rare it is.

Verse 1.27.12¶

अप्यन्तरस्थं गिरिशैलभित्तेर्वज्रालयाभ्यन्तरसंस्थितं वा ।
सर्वं समायान्ति ससिद्धिवेगाः सर्वाः श्रियः सन्ततमापदश्च ॥ १.२७.१२ ॥

गिरि-शैल-भित्तेः अन्तः-स्थम् अपि (even what lies within a mountain wall) वज्र-आलय-अभ्यन्तर-संस्थितं वा (or inside a diamond palace) सर्वं (all of it) स-सिद्धि-वेगाः सर्वाः श्रियः (all fortunes, with the speed of success) आपदः च (and calamities) सन्ततं समायान्ति (constantly reach).

Translation: "Even what lies inside a mountain wall or within a palace of diamond is reached, again and again, by every kind of fortune and every kind of calamity, swift as success itself."

Pointers for Reflection:

No hiding place. Neither good fortune nor bad can be kept out. The only safety is a mind that is not shaken by either.

Verse 1.27.13¶

पुत्राश्च दाराश्च धनं च बुद्ध्या प्रकल्प्यते तात रसायनाभम् ।
सर्वं तु तन्नोपकरोत्यथान्ते यत्रातिरम्या विषमूर्च्छनैव ॥ १.२७.१३ ॥

तात (dear father), पुत्राः च दाराः च धनं च (sons, wife and wealth) बुद्ध्या (by the mind) रसायन-आभं प्रकल्प्यते (are imagined as if they were an elixir); तु (but) अथ अन्ते (in the end) तत् सर्वं न उपकरोति (none of it helps) यत्र (when) अति-रम्या विष-मूर्च्छना एव [भवति] (there is only the 'delightful' swoon of poison).

Translation: "Dear father, sons, wife and wealth are imagined by the mind to be an elixir of life. But in the end none of it helps, when there comes only the swoon of a poison that once seemed delightful."

Pointers for Reflection:

Imagined as elixir. Again कल्पना. Family and wealth are good; the mistake is imagining they can save us from death.
Bṛhadāraṇyaka 2.4.5 (Yājñavalkya to Maitreyī): न वा अरे पत्युः कामाय पतिः प्रियो भवत्यात्मनस्तु कामाय पतिः प्रियो भवति — a husband is not dear for the husband's sake, but for the sake of the Self. All love points beyond its object to the Self.

Verse 1.27.14¶

विषादयुक्तो विषमामवस्था मुपागतः कायवयोवसाने ।
भावान्स्मरन्स्वानिह धर्मरिक्तान् जन्तुर्जरावानिह दह्यतेऽन्तः ॥ १.२७.१४ ॥

काय-वयः-अवसाने (at the end of the body's life) विषाद-युक्तः (filled with dejection) विषमाम् अवस्थाम् उपागतः (fallen into a hard state) जरावान् जन्तुः (the aged creature) इह (here) धर्म-रिक्तान् स्वान् भावान् स्मरन् (remembering his own deeds, empty of dharma) अन्तः दह्यते (burns within).

Translation: "At the end of life, the old creature, sunk in dejection and fallen into a hard state, remembers his own deeds, empty of dharma, and burns within."

Pointers for Reflection:

Regret at the end. The pain of having lived without dharma. Compare 1.20.40, पश्चात्ताप.
The reason to begin now. Rāma asks his questions at sixteen so as not to burn with regret at the end.

Verse 1.27.15¶

कामार्थधर्माप्तिकृतान्तराभिः क्रियाभिरादौ दिवसानि नीत्वा ।
चेतश्चलद्बर्हिणपिच्छलोलं विश्रान्तिमागच्छतु केन पुंसः ॥ १.२७.१५ ॥

आदौ (at first) काम-अर्थ-धर्म-आप्ति-कृत-अन्तराभिः क्रियाभिः (with actions that leave gaps, aimed at pleasure, wealth and duty) दिवसानि नीत्वा (having spent one's days), पुंसः (a person's) चलत्-बर्हिण-पिच्छ-लोलं चेतः (mind, restless as a fluttering peacock feather) केन विश्रान्तिम् आगच्छतु (by what could it come to rest)?

Translation: "After spending one's days in actions aimed at pleasure, wealth and duty, always leaving gaps — by what can a person's mind, restless as a fluttering peacock feather, ever come to rest?"

Pointers for Reflection:

The four aims of life (पुरुषार्थ): काम (pleasure), अर्थ (wealth), धर्म (duty) and मोक्ष (liberation). Rāma lists only three. The missing fourth is exactly what he is asking for. Without मोक्ष, the other three never bring rest.
कृतान्तर — leaving gaps. Every pursuit leaves a gap, an incompleteness, because its object is incomplete.

Verse 1.27.16¶

पुरोगतैरप्यनवाप्तरूपैस्तरङ्गिणीतुङ्गतरङ्गकल्पैः ।
क्रियाफलैर्दैववशादुपेतैर्विडम्ब्यते भिन्नरुचिर्हि लोकः ॥ १.२७.१६ ॥

हि (indeed) भिन्न-रुचिः लोकः (people with differing tastes) पुरः-गतैः अपि अनवाप्त-रूपैः (by things right in front of them yet never truly obtained) तरङ्गिणी-तुङ्ग-तरङ्ग-कल्पैः (like the high waves of a river) दैव-वशात् उपेतैः (that come by the force of fate) क्रिया-फलैः (by the fruits of action) विडम्ब्यते (are mocked).

Translation: "People of many tastes are mocked by the fruits of their actions, which come by the force of fate — always right in front of them, yet never really in hand, like the high waves of a river."

Pointers for Reflection:

Never really in hand. The fruit of action seems within reach but is like a wave: as soon as it rises, it falls.
Gītā 2.47: कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन — your right is to the action alone, never to its fruits.

Verse 1.27.17¶

इमान्यमूनीहि विभावितानि कार्याण्यपर्यन्तमनोरमाणि ।
जनस्य जायाजनरञ्जनेन जवाज्जरान्तं जरयन्ति चेतः ॥ १.२७.१७ ॥

इह (here) इमानि अमूनि विभावितानि (these and those carefully planned) अपर्यन्त-मनोरमाणि कार्याणि (endlessly charming undertakings) जनस्य (of people) जाया-जन-रञ्जनेन (by pleasing wife and family) जवात् (quickly) चेतः जरा-अन्तं जरयन्ति (wear the mind out to the end of old age).

Translation: "All these endlessly charming undertakings, carefully planned to please wife and family, quickly wear the mind down till old age ends it."

Pointers for Reflection:

जायाजनरञ्जनेन जवाज्जरान्तं जरयन्ति — alliteration. The repeated ज sound imitates the wearing-down of a life spent pleasing others.

Verse 1.27.18¶

पर्णानि जीर्णानि यथा तरूणां समेत्य जन्माशु लयं प्रयान्ति ।
तथैव लोकाः स्वविवेकहीनाः समेत्य गच्छन्ति कुतोऽप्यहोभिः ॥ १.२७.१८ ॥

यथा (as) तरूणां जीर्णानि पर्णानि (the old leaves of trees) जन्म समेत्य (having come to birth) आशु लयं प्रयान्ति (quickly fall away), तथा एव (just so) स्व-विवेक-हीनाः लोकाः (people without their own discernment) समेत्य (having come) अहोभिः कुतः अपि गच्छन्ति (go, somehow, with the days).

Translation: "Just as leaves on trees appear and then quickly wither and fall, so people without discernment of their own come into the world and, day by day, are gone."

Pointers for Reflection:

Leaves and generations. An image as old as Homer and as close as the Gītā: जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युः (2.27), for one who is born, death is certain. The difference lies in स्वविवेक, one's own discernment.

Verse 1.27.19¶

इतस्ततो दूरतरं विहृत्य प्रविश्य गेहं दिवसावसाने ।
विवेकिलोकाश्रयसाधुकर्म रिक्तेऽह्नि रात्रौ क उपैति निद्राम् ॥ १.२७.१९ ॥

इतः ततः दूरतरं विहृत्य (having wandered far, here and there) दिवस-अवसाने गेहं प्रविश्य (and come home at the end of the day) रिक्ते अह्नि (on a day empty of) विवेकि-लोक-आश्रय-साधु-कर्म (good deeds that shelter discerning people) [कृत्वा] (having done none) कः रात्रौ निद्राम् उपैति (who can sleep at night)?

Translation: "After wandering far and wide and coming home at the end of the day — on a day empty of the good deeds that shelter the wise — who can sleep at night?"

Pointers for Reflection:

An empty day. A gentle, searching question for any reader: was today spent in what matters?
Reading note. The sentence is compressed; the translation follows the most natural reading.

Verse 1.27.20¶

विद्राविते शत्रुजने समस्ते समागतायामभितश्च लक्ष्म्याम् ।
सेव्यन्त एतानि सुखानि यावत्तावत्समायाति कुतोऽपि मृत्युः ॥ १.२७.२० ॥

समस्ते शत्रु-जने विद्राविते (when all enemies have been routed) अभितः च लक्ष्म्यां समागतायाम् (and fortune has arrived from every side) यावत् (just when) एतानि सुखानि सेव्यन्ते (these pleasures are enjoyed), तावत् (just then) कुतः अपि मृत्युः समायाति (death arrives from somewhere).

Translation: "Just when all one's enemies are routed and fortune has come pouring in from every side, just as one begins to enjoy these pleasures — death arrives from somewhere."

Pointers for Reflection:

Death at the moment of success. A theme of the Rāmāyaṇa itself: Daśaratha dies just as Rāma's coronation is prepared.

Verse 1.27.21¶

कुतोऽपि संवर्धिततुच्छरूपैर्भावैरमीभिः क्षणनष्टदृष्टैः ।
विलोड्यमाना जनता जगत्यां नवेत्युपायातमहो न पातम् ॥ १.२७.२१ ॥

कुतः अपि सं-वर्धित-तुच्छ-रूपैः (by things of trivial form, somehow grown large) क्षण-नष्ट-दृष्टैः (seen, then lost in a moment) अमीभिः भावैः (by these things) विलोड्यमाना जनता (the people, churned about) जगत्याम् (in the world) 'नव' इति उपायातम् [मन्यते] (take it as something new); अहो (alas) न पातम् (not as a fall)!

Translation: "Churned about by trivial things that somehow grow large, appear and vanish in a moment, people in the world greet what comes as something new — alas, not as the fall it is!"

Pointers for Reflection:

Novelty. The mind mistakes change for progress. Each 'new' thing is another step in the same circle.
Reading note. The last quarter is elliptical in the online text; the translation follows the sense.

Verse 1.27.22¶

प्रियासुभिः कालमुखं क्रियन्ते जनैडकास्ते हतकर्मबद्धाः ।
यैः पीनतामेव बलादुपेत्य शरीरबाधेन न ते भवन्ति ॥ १.२७.२२ ॥

हत-कर्म-बद्धाः (bound by wretched karma) ते जन-एडकाः (those human sheep) प्रिय-असुभिः (by those who love their own lives) काल-मुखं क्रियन्ते (are delivered to the mouth of Time); यैः (by which) बलात् पीनताम् एव उपेत्य (though forcibly fattened) ते शरीर-बाधेन न भवन्ति (they do not survive the suffering of the body).

Translation: "Bound by wretched karma, people are like sheep, fattened and then delivered into the mouth of Time; however well fed, they do not survive the body's end."

Pointers for Reflection:

Fattened sheep. A stark image: a life spent feeding the body is like a sheep being fattened. Reading note: the verse is difficult and the sense given is approximate.

Verse 1.27.23¶

अजस्रमागच्छति सत्वरैवमनारतं गच्छति सत्वरैव ।
कुतोऽपि लोला जनता जगत्यां तरङ्गमाला क्षणभङ्गुरेव ॥ १.२७.२३ ॥

जगत्याम् (in the world) कुतः अपि लोला जनता (the restless people, from somewhere) अजस्रं सत्वरा एव आगच्छति (constantly come, swiftly) अनारतं सत्वरा एव गच्छति (and unceasingly go, swiftly); [सा] क्षण-भङ्गुरा तरङ्ग-माला इव (like a row of waves, breaking in a moment) [अस्ति].

Translation: "From who knows where, restless people come swiftly into the world and swiftly leave it, without pause — like a line of waves, breaking in a moment."

Pointers for Reflection:

Waves of people. The same ocean-image as 1.26.40.

Verse 1.27.24¶

प्राणापहारैकपरा नराणां मनो मनोहारितया हरन्ति ।
रक्तच्छदाश्चञ्चलषट्पदाक्ष्यो विषद्रुमालोललताः स्त्रियश्च ॥ १.२७.२४ ॥

प्राण-अपहार-एक-पराः (bent only on taking life) मनः-हारितया (by their charm) नराणां मनः हरन्ति (steal people's minds): रक्त-च्छदाः (red-leaved [plants]) चञ्चल-षट्पद-अक्ष्यः (those with eyes like restless bees) विष-द्रुम-आलोल-लताः (swaying vines on poison trees) स्त्रियः च (and women).

Translation: "These charm the minds of men while bent only on taking life: red-leaved poison plants, the bee-like glances of restless eyes, swaying vines on poison trees — and women."

Pointers for Reflection:

The same theme as Sarga 21, briefly. The point, as there, is the pull of attraction, not the worth of women (see 1.21.1).

Verse 1.27.25¶

इतोऽन्यतश्चोपगता मुधैव समानसंकेतनिबद्धभावा ।
यात्रासमासंगसमा नराणां कलत्रमित्रव्यवहारमाया ॥ १.२७.२५ ॥

नराणां कलत्र-मित्र-व्यवहार-माया (the illusion of dealings with wife and friends) इतः अन्यतः च मुधा एव उपगता (gathered from here and there for nothing) समान-सङ्केत-निबद्ध-भावा (with feelings bound by shared agreements) यात्रा-समासङ्ग-समा (is like a gathering of travellers).

Translation: "The illusion of our dealings with wife and friends — gathered from here and there for no reason, bound only by shared understandings — is like a meeting of travellers on the road."

Pointers for Reflection:

Travellers meeting on the road. A famous image in Indian thought for family and friendship: brief companions on a long journey. Not a reason to love less, but to love without clinging.
माया — the word for illusion appears again.

Verse 1.27.26¶

प्रदीपशान्तिष्विव भुक्तभूरिदशास्वतिस्नेहनिबन्धनीषु ।
संसारमालासु चलाचलासु न ज्ञायते तत्त्वमतात्त्विकीषु ॥ १.२७.२६ ॥

प्रदीप-शान्तिषु इव (as in lamps going out) भुक्त-भूरि-दशासु (whose many wicks are consumed) अति-स्नेह-निबन्धनीषु (bound by too much oil / affection) चल-अचलासु (both moving and unmoving) अतात्त्विकीषु संसार-मालासु (in the unreal garlands of worldly life) तत्त्वं न ज्ञायते (the truth is not known).

Translation: "In the unreal garlands of worldly life — moving and still, like lamps going out after burning through many wicks, bound by too much oil — the truth is not known."

Pointers for Reflection:

स्नेह — oil and affection (1.17.49). Excess attachment feeds the lamp of saṃsāra; when it burns out, the truth was never seen.

Verse 1.27.27¶

संसारसंरम्भकुचक्रिकेयं प्रावृट्पयोबुद्बुदभङ्गुरपि ।
असावधानस्य जनस्य बुद्धौ चिरस्थिरप्रत्ययमातनोति ॥ १.२७.२७ ॥

प्रावृट्-पयः-बुद्बुद-भङ्गुरा अपि (though as fragile as bubbles in monsoon rain) इयं संसार-संरम्भ-कुचक्रिका (this vicious circle of worldly busyness) असावधानस्य जनस्य बुद्धौ (in the mind of a careless person) चिर-स्थिर-प्रत्ययम् आतनोति (creates the belief that it is long-lasting and stable).

Translation: "This vicious circle of worldly busyness is as fragile as a bubble in the monsoon rain, yet in the mind of a careless person it creates the belief that it is solid and lasting."

Pointers for Reflection:

असावधान — the careless. The opposite of mindful. Freedom begins with attention.

Verse 1.27.28¶

शोभोज्ज्वला दैववशाद्विनष्टा गुणाः स्थिताः संप्रति जर्जरत्वे ।
आश्वासनादूरतरं प्रयाता जनस्य हेमन्त इवाम्बुजस्य ॥ १.२७.२८ ॥

शोभा उज्ज्वला (the bright splendour) दैव-वशात् विनष्टा (is destroyed by fate); गुणाः (virtues) सम्प्रति जर्जरत्वे स्थिताः (now stand in decay); [ते] जनस्य आश्वासनात् दूरतरं प्रयाताः (they have gone far beyond any comfort to people), हेमन्ते अम्बुजस्य इव (like those of a lotus in winter).

Translation: "Bright splendour has been destroyed by fate; virtues now stand in decay, gone far beyond any comfort for people, like the beauty of a lotus in winter."

Pointers for Reflection:

A lotus in winter — the frost image again (1.22.21).

Verse 1.27.29¶

पुनःपुनर्दैववशादुपेत्य स्वदेहभारेण कृतोपकारः ।
विलूयते यत्र तरुः कुठारैराश्वासने तत्र हि कः प्रसङ्गः ॥ १.२७.२९ ॥

यत्र (where) दैव-वशात् पुनः पुनः उपेत्य (having grown again and again by fate) स्व-देह-भारेण कृत-उपकारः (having given help with the burden of its own body) तरुः (a tree) कुठारैः विलूयते (is cut down by axes), तत्र हि (there indeed) आश्वासने कः प्रसङ्गः (what room is there for comfort)?

Translation: "Where a tree that has grown again and again, that has served others with its very body, is cut down by axes — what room is there for comfort?"

Pointers for Reflection:

The generous tree. It gives shade, fruit, wood — and is cut down. Goodness does not protect from the world's harshness. Yet the Bhāgavata (10.22.33) praises trees for exactly this generosity: to live for others is their glory.

Verse 1.27.30¶

मनोरमस्याप्यतिदोषवृत्तेरन्तर्विंघाताय समुत्थितस्य ।
विषद्रुमस्येव जनस्य सङ्गादासाद्यते संप्रति मूर्च्छनैव ॥ १.२७.३० ॥

सम्प्रति (now) मनोरमस्य अपि (though charming) अति-दोष-वृत्तेः (of very faulty conduct) अन्तः-विघाताय समुत्थितस्य जनस्य सङ्गात् (from the company of a person who has arisen to harm one within) विष-द्रुमस्य इव (as from a poison tree) मूर्च्छना एव आसाद्यते (only a swoon is gained).

Translation: "From the company of a person who is charming but of very faulty conduct, risen only to do one inner harm, one gains nothing but a swoon, as from a poison tree."

Pointers for Reflection:

Bad company. The reverse of सत्सङ्ग. Compare Gītā 2.62: from association (सङ्ग) comes desire.

Verse 1.27.31¶

कास्ता दृशो यासु न सन्ति दोषाः कास्ता दिशो यासु न दुःखदाहः ।
कास्ताः प्रजा यासु न भङ्गुरत्वं कास्ताः क्रिया यासु न नाम माया ॥ १.२७.३१ ॥

काः ताः दृशः (what sights are there) यासु दोषाः न सन्ति (in which there are no faults)? काः ताः दिशः (what regions are there) यासु दुःख-दाहः न (in which there is no burning sorrow)? काः ताः प्रजाः (what creatures are there) यासु भङ्गुरत्वं न (in which there is no fragility)? काः ताः क्रियाः (what actions are there) यासु नाम माया न (in which there is no illusion)?

Translation: "What sight is there without fault? What region without burning sorrow? What creature that does not break? What action that is free of illusion?"

Pointers for Reflection:

Four questions, one answer: none, in the world. This drives Rāma beyond it — and the answer will be found not elsewhere, but in the Self that sees all four.

Verse 1.27.32¶

कल्पाभिधानक्षणजीविनो हि कल्पौघसंख्याकलने विरिञ्चयः ।
अतः कलाशालिनि कालजाले लघुत्वदीर्घत्वधियोऽप्यसत्याः ॥ १.२७.३२ ॥

हि (indeed) विरिञ्चयः (the Brahmās) कल्प-ओघ-संख्या-कलने (when the floods of aeons are counted) कल्प-अभिधान-क्षण-जीविनः (live for a moment called a kalpa); अतः (therefore) कला-शालिनि काल-जाले (in the net of Time, made of its divisions) लघुत्व-दीर्घत्व-धियः अपि असत्याः (even the ideas of short and long are untrue).

Translation: "Even the Brahmās, counted against the floods of aeons, live only a moment that we call a kalpa. So in the net of Time with its divisions, even our ideas of 'short' and 'long' are untrue."

Pointers for Reflection:

Reading note. The online text prints विरिञ्चयाः; corrected here to विरिञ्चयः.
Time is relative. A deep observation: 'long' and 'short' are only comparisons. This prepares the later teaching (Utpatti Prakaraṇa) that Time is a construction of the mind — a moment in a dream can feel like years.

Verse 1.27.33¶

सर्वत्र पाषाणमया महीध्रा मृदा मही दारुभिरेव वृक्षाः ।
मांसैर्जनाः पौरुषबद्धभावा नापूर्वमस्तीह विकारहीनम् ॥ १.२७.३३ ॥

सर्वत्र (everywhere) महीध्राः पाषाण-मयाः (mountains are made of stone) मही मृदा (earth of clay) वृक्षाः दारुभिः एव (trees of wood only) जनाः मांसैः (people of flesh) पौरुष-बद्ध-भावाः (with natures bound by their own efforts); इह (here) विकार-हीनम् अपूर्वं न अस्ति (there is nothing new that is free of change).

Translation: "Hills are stone wherever you go; the ground is clay, trees are timber, people are flesh, each formed by their own striving. Nothing here is new, and nothing escapes change."

Pointers for Reflection:

Nothing new under the sun. Every thing is only its material in another form. Compare Chāndogya 6.1.4: वाचारम्भणं विकारो नामधेयं मृत्तिकेत्येव सत्यम्. the modification is only a name arising from speech; the truth is only clay.

Verse 1.27.34¶

आलोक्यते चेतनयाऽनुविद्धा पयोनुबद्धोऽस्तनयो नभः स्थाः ।
पृथग्विभागेन पदार्थलक्ष्म्या एतज्जगन्नेतरदस्ति किंचित् ॥ १.२७.३४ ॥

एतत् जगत् (this world) पृथक्-विभागेन पदार्थ-लक्ष्म्या (in the splendour of objects with their separate divisions) चेतनया अनुविद्धा आलोक्यते (is seen to be pervaded by consciousness); इतरत् किंचित् न अस्ति (there is nothing else).

Translation: "This world, for all the splendour of its separate objects, is seen to be pervaded by consciousness; there is nothing else."

Pointers for Reflection:

A glimpse of the truth. Amid his lament, Rāma states the central teaching himself: the world is pervaded by consciousness, and there is nothing else. He sees it, but does not yet rest in it.
Reading note. The first line is corrupt in the online text (पयोनुबद्धोऽस्तनयो नभः स्थाः); the sense of the second line is clear, and the translation follows it.
Īśa Upaniṣad 1: ईशा वास्यमिदं सर्वं यत्किञ्च जगत्यां जगत् — all this, whatever moves in the world, is pervaded by the Lord.

Verse 1.27.35¶

चमत्कृतिश्चेह मनस्विलोकचेतश्चमत्कारकरी नराणाम् ।
स्वप्नेऽपि साधो विषयं कदाचित्केषांचिदभ्येति न चित्ररूपा ॥ १.२७.३५ ॥

साधो (good sir), इह च (and here) मनस्वि-लोक-चेतः-चमत्कार-करी (that astonishes the minds of thoughtful people) नराणां चमत्कृतिः (a wonder for people) चित्र-रूपा (of marvellous form) केषांचित् (for some) स्वप्ने अपि कदाचित् विषयं न अभ्येति (never comes within reach even in a dream).

Translation: "And here, good sir, is a marvel that astonishes thoughtful minds — a wonder of extraordinary form that, for some people, never comes within reach even in a dream."

Pointers for Reflection:

The marvel some never dream of. Rāma seems to refer to the wonder of awakening, which most people never even imagine.

Verse 1.27.36¶

अद्यापि यातेऽपि च कल्पनाया आकाशवल्लीफलवन्महत्त्वे ।
उदेति नो लोभलवाहतानामुदारवृत्तान्तमयी कथैव ॥ १.२७.३६ ॥

अद्य अपि (even today) कल्पनायाः महत्त्वे (when the greatness of imagination) आकाश-वल्ली-फल-वत् यातः अपि (has become like the fruit of a vine in the sky) लोभ-लव-आहतानाम् (for those struck by even a little greed) उदार-वृत्तान्त-मयी कथा एव नो उदेति (not even a story of noble deeds arises).

Translation: "Even now, when the grand things we imagine prove to be like fruit on a vine growing in the sky, those struck by even a little greed never hear so much as a story of noble deeds."

Pointers for Reflection:

Reading note. The verse is difficult; the sense seems to be that greed shuts the mind even to inspiring stories of the great.

Verse 1.27.37¶

आदातुमिच्छन्पदमुत्तमानां स्वचेतसैवापहतोऽद्य लोकः ।
पतत्यशङ्कं पशुरद्रिकूटादानीलवल्लीफलवाञ्छयैव ॥ १.२७.३७ ॥

अद्य (today) उत्तमानां पदम् आदातुम् इच्छन् (wanting to reach the rank of the best) लोकः (people) स्व-चेतसा एव अपहतः (carried away by their own mind) पशुः आ-नील-वल्ली-फल-वाञ्छया एव (as an animal, just from longing for the fruit of a dark vine) अद्रि-कूटात् (from a mountain peak) अशङ्कं पतति (falls without hesitation).

Translation: "Today people want to reach the rank of the best, but are carried away by their own minds, and fall without a thought — like an animal that tumbles off a mountain peak reaching for the fruit of a dark vine."

Pointers for Reflection:

Ambition without wisdom. The wish for greatness, driven by the mind's craving, leads to a fall. Compare the deer at the edge of the pit (1.16.8).

Verse 1.27.38¶

अवान्तरन्यस्तनिरर्थकांशच्छायालतापत्रफलप्रसूनाः ।
शरीर एव क्षतसंपदश्च श्वभ्रद्रुमा अद्यतना नराश्च ॥ १.२७.३८ ॥

अद्यतनाः नराः च (and people of today) श्वभ्र-द्रुमाः [इव] (like trees growing in a pit) अवान्तर-न्यस्त-निरर्थक-अंश-छाया-लता-पत्र-फल-प्रसूनाः (whose shade, vines, leaves, fruit and flowers are useless parts in between) शरीरे एव क्षत-सम्पदः (whose wealth is wasted on the body alone).

Translation: "People today are like trees growing in a pit: their shade, vines, leaves, fruit and flowers are wasted down there, and all their wealth is spent on the body."

Pointers for Reflection:

Trees in a pit. Their shade and fruit help no one. A life spent only on the body gives nothing to the world.

Verse 1.27.39¶

क्वचिज्जना मार्दवसुन्दरेषु क्वचित्कठोरेषु च संचरन्ति ।
देशान्तरालेषु निरन्तरेषु वनान्तखण्डेष्विव कृष्णसाराः ॥ १.२७.३९ ॥

जनाः (people) क्वचित् मार्दव-सुन्दरेषु (sometimes in gentle and lovely places) क्वचित् कठोरेषु च (and sometimes in harsh ones) निरन्तरेषु देश-अन्तरालेषु (in continuous stretches of land) वन-अन्त-खण्डेषु इव कृष्णसाराः (like blackbuck in patches at the forest's edge) सञ्चरन्ति (wander).

Translation: "People wander sometimes through gentle, lovely places and sometimes through harsh ones, like blackbuck roaming the patches of land at the forest's edge."

Pointers for Reflection:

Gentle and harsh places. The pairs of opposites again. The deer wanders through both without choosing; so do we, through fortune and misfortune.

Verse 1.27.40¶

धातुर्नवानि दिवसं प्रति भीषणानि रम्याणि वा विलुलितान्ततमाकुलानि ।
कार्याणि कष्टफलपाकहतोदयानि विस्मापयन्ति न शवस्य मनांसि केषाम् ॥ १.२७.४० ॥

धातुः (of the Creator) दिवसं प्रति (every day) नवानि (new) भीषणानि रम्याणि वा (terrible or lovely) विलुलित-अन्त-तम-आकुलानि (disordered and confused in their outcomes) कष्ट-फल-पाक-हत-उदयानि (whose promise is ruined by the ripening of painful fruit) कार्याणि (works) केषां मनांसि न विस्मापयन्ति (whose minds do they not astonish) शवस्य [विना] (except a corpse's)?

Translation: "The Creator's new works, every day — terrible or lovely, confused in their outcomes, their promise ruined by painful results — whose mind do they not astonish, unless it be a corpse's?"

Pointers for Reflection:

A closing verse in a longer metre (vasantatilakā).
Astonishment. Wonder (विस्मय) is the beginning of philosophy. Only a corpse is not amazed by the world.

Verse 1.27.41¶

जनः कामासक्तो विविधकुकलाचेष्टनपरः स तु स्वप्नेऽप्यस्मिञ्जगति सुलभो नाद्य सुजनः ।
क्रिया दुःखासङ्गाऽविधुरविधुरा नूनमखिला न जाने नेतव्या कथमिव दशा जीवितमयी ॥ १.२७.४१ ॥

कामासक्तः (attached to desire) विविध-कु-कला-चेष्टन-परः (given to many kinds of wrong arts) सः जनः [अस्ति] (that is the person [we see]); तु (but) अस्मिन् जगति (in this world) अद्य (today) सु-जनः (a good person) स्वप्ने अपि न सुलभः (is not easy to find even in a dream); अखिला क्रिया (all action) नूनं दुःख-आसङ्ग-अविधुर-विधुरा (is surely full of distress, never free from sorrow); जीवित-मयी दशा (the state of being alive) कथम् इव नेतव्या (how is it to be lived) [इति] न जाने (I do not know).

Translation: People are attached to desire and busy with every kind of wrong; a good person is hard to find in this world today, even in a dream. All action is shot through with sorrow. I do not know how this life is to be lived.

Pointers for Reflection:

A closing verse in a longer metre (śikhariṇī).
'I do not know how this life is to be lived.' The sarga ends with Rāma's most honest confession. It is the exact point Arjuna reaches in Gītā 2.7: धर्मसंमूढचेताः — my mind is confused about my duty. Both confessions make the student ready for the teacher.