Sarga 17¶

Mumukṣu Prakaraṇa · The six books, and the freed one (50 verses)

Sarga 17 at a glance

The plan of the whole work, and the one who completes it.

The fit student is great; this text, The Means to Liberation, has 32,000 verses and gives nirvāṇa when understood, as a lamp gives light (2.17.1–2.17.9).
Its six books: Dispassion (1,500 verses), The Conduct of the Seeker (1,000), Origination (7,000), Existence (3,000), Stilling (5,000) and Nirvāṇa (the rest) (2.17.10–2.17.41).
The world as Book 3 shows it: never born, yet seeming to arise — a dream-city, a mirage, the blue of the sky, a painted fire (2.17.14–2.17.28).
For the one in whom delusion is stilled, the world remains only as a fading picture (2.17.34–2.17.40).
The completed sage: consciousness itself, at rest; the world rests on the tip of his hair; his heart is vaster than all the gods (2.17.42–2.17.50).

Verse 2.17.1¶

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।
एवमन्तर्विवेको यः स महानिह राघव ।
योग्यो ज्ञानगिरः श्रोतुं राजेव नयभारतीम् ॥ २.१७.१ ॥

राघव (O Rāghava), इह (here) यः एवम् अन्तः-विवेकः (one who has such inner discernment) सः महान् (he is great) ज्ञान-गिरः श्रोतुं योग्यः (and fit to hear words of knowledge), राजा इव नय-भारतीम् (as a king [is fit to hear] words of statecraft).

Translation: Śrī Vasiṣṭha said: "Rāghava, whoever has discernment of this inward kind is truly great; he is ready for the words of wisdom, as a king is ready for advice on statecraft."

Pointers for Reflection:

Fitness. Sargas 11–16 described the fit student. Now Vasiṣṭha describes what he will teach.

Verse 2.17.2¶

अवदातोऽवदातस्य विचारस्य महाशयः ।
जडसङ्गोज्झितो योग्यः शरदिन्दोर्यथा नभः ॥ २.१७.२ ॥

अवदातः (pure) महा-आशयः (large-hearted) जड-सङ्ग-उज्झितः (free from attachment to the dull) अवदातस्य विचारस्य योग्यः (is fit for pure inquiry), यथा नभः शरत्-इन्दोः (as the sky for the autumn moon).

Translation: "One who is pure, large-hearted and free from dull attachments is fit for pure inquiry, as the clear sky is fit for the autumn moon."

Pointers for Reflection:

Clear sky, bright moon. The moon is always bright; only a clear sky shows it fully.

Verse 2.17.3¶

त्वमेतया खण्डितया गुणलक्ष्म्या समाश्रितः ।
मनोमोहहरं वाक्यं वक्ष्यमाणमिदं श्रृणु ॥ २.१७.३ ॥

त्वम् (you) एतया अखण्डितया गुण-लक्ष्म्या समाश्रितः (endowed with this unbroken wealth of virtues) इदं मनो-मोह-हरं वक्ष्यमाणं वाक्यं शृणु (hear these words, which will remove the mind's delusion).

Translation: "You possess this wealth of virtues unbroken; so listen to the words I shall now speak, which remove the delusion of the mind."

Pointers for Reflection:

Reading note. The online text reads खण्डितया ("broken"), which contradicts the praise; read as अखण्डितया ("unbroken"), with the negative hidden by sandhi after एतया.

Verse 2.17.4¶

पुण्यकल्पद्रुमो यस्य फलभारानतः स्थितः ।
मुक्तये जायते जन्तोस्तस्येदं श्रोतुमुद्यमः ॥ २.१७.४ ॥

यस्य (whose) पुण्य-कल्प-द्रुमः (wishing tree of merit) फल-भार-आनतः स्थितः (stands bowed with the weight of its fruit), तस्य जन्तोः (for that being) मुक्तये (for liberation) इदं श्रोतुम् उद्यमः जायते (the eagerness to hear this arises).

Translation: "Only in one whose wishing tree of merit stands bowed under the weight of its fruit does the eagerness to hear this, for the sake of freedom, arise."

Pointers for Reflection:

Eagerness is earned. The wish to hear the teaching is itself a sign of past merit (2.11.2).

Verse 2.17.5¶

पावनानामुदाराणां परबोधैकदायिनाम् ।
वचसां भाजनं भूत्यै भव्यो भवति नाधमः ॥ २.१७.५ ॥

पावनानाम् उदाराणां पर-बोध-एक-दायिनां वचसां (of words that are purifying, noble, and give the highest awakening) भाजनं (a vessel) भूत्यै (for one's good) भव्यः भवति (a noble person becomes), न अधमः (not a base one).

Translation: "Only a noble person, not a base one, becomes the vessel of words that are purifying, generous and give the highest awakening."

Pointers for Reflection:

The vessel again (2.2.20–21).

Verse 2.17.6¶

मोक्षोपायाभिधानेयं संहिता सारसंमिता ।
त्रिंशद्द्वे च सहस्राणि ज्ञाता निर्वाणदायिनी ॥ २.१७.६ ॥

इयं मोक्ष-उपाय-अभिधाना संहिता (this compendium named The Means to Liberation) सार-संमिता (measured out from essence) त्रिंशत् द्वे च सहस्राणि (thirty-two thousand [verses]) ज्ञाता निर्वाण-दायिनी (when understood, gives nirvāṇa).

Translation: "This compendium, called The Means to Liberation, distilled from the essence, has thirty-two thousand verses; when it is understood, it gives nirvāṇa."

Pointers for Reflection:

The text names itself and its size. मोक्षोपाय — The Means to Liberation — and 32,000 verses (त्रिंशद् द्वे च सहस्राणि: thirty and two thousand). This is the source of the traditional count mentioned on the Home page.
When understood. Not when read, but when understood (ज्ञाता).

Verse 2.17.7¶

दीपे यथा विनिद्रस्य ज्वलिते संप्रवर्तते ।
आलोकोऽनिच्छतोऽप्येवं निर्वाणमनया भवेत् ॥ २.१७.७ ॥

यथा (as) दीपे ज्वलिते (when a lamp is lit) विनिद्रस्य (for one who is awake) अनिच्छतः अपि (even if unwilling) आलोकः संप्रवर्तते (light appears), एवम् (so) अनया (by this) निर्वाणं भवेत् (nirvāṇa will come).

Translation: "Just as, when a lamp is lit, one who is awake sees light even without wishing to, so nirvāṇa comes through this text."

Pointers for Reflection:

Light works by itself. One who is awake and near a lamp cannot help seeing. Knowledge, rightly received, frees as naturally.

Verse 2.17.8¶

स्वयं ज्ञाता श्रुता वापि भ्रान्तिशान्त्यैकसौख्यदा ।
आप्रेक्ष्य वर्णिता सद्यो यथा स्वर्गतरङ्गिणी ॥ २.१७.८ ॥

[इयं] स्वयं ज्ञाता (known by oneself) श्रुता वा अपि (or heard) भ्रान्ति-शान्ति-एक-सौख्य-दा (gives the one happiness of the stilling of delusion); आप्रेक्ष्य वर्णिता (when understood and explained) सद्यः (at once) [पवित्रयति] यथा स्वर्ग-तरङ्गिणी (like the heavenly river).

Translation: "Whether read oneself or heard from another, it gives the unique happiness of delusion stilled; once grasped and explained, it purifies at once, like the heavenly Gaṅgā."

Pointers for Reflection:

Read or heard. Both work. Many in India first met the Yoga Vasiṣṭha through recitation and discourse.

Verse 2.17.9¶

यथा रज्ज्वामहिभ्रान्तिर्विनश्यत्यवलोकनात् ।
तथैतत्प्रेक्षणाच्छान्तिमेति संसारदुःखिता ॥ २.१७.९ ॥

यथा (as) रज्ज्वाम् अहि-भ्रान्तिः (the illusion of a snake in a rope) अवलोकनात् विनश्यति (vanishes on looking), तथा (so) एतत्-प्रेक्षणात् (by examining this) संसार-दुःखिता शान्तिम् एति (the sorrow of saṃsāra comes to rest).

Translation: "As the illusion of a snake in a rope vanishes when one looks closely, so the sorrow of saṃsāra comes to rest by examining this teaching."

Pointers for Reflection:

Rope and snake again (2.8.3). Nothing has to be destroyed; only seen.

Verse 2.17.10¶

युक्तियुक्तार्थवाक्यानि कल्पितानि पृथक्पृथक् ।
दृष्टान्तसारसूक्तानि चास्यां प्रकरणानि षट् ॥ २.१७.१० ॥

अस्याम् (in this) षट् प्रकरणानि (six books) युक्ति-युक्त-अर्थ-वाक्यानि (with statements full of reasoning) दृष्टान्त-सार-सूक्तानि च (and sayings whose essence is illustration) पृथक् पृथक् कल्पितानि (are set out separately).

Translation: "In it, six books are set out one by one, made of reasoned statements and sayings whose substance is illustration."

Pointers for Reflection:

The plan of the work. Verses 10–41 give the Yoga Vasiṣṭha's own table of contents: six prakaraṇas with their verse counts. Compare the table of the six books on this site's Home page.
Reason and story. The two tools of the work: युक्ति (argument) and दृष्टान्त (illustration).

Verse 2.17.11¶

वैराग्याख्यं प्रकरणं प्रथमं परिकीर्तितम् ।
विरागो वर्धते येन सेकेनेव मरौ तरुः ॥ २.१७.११ ॥

प्रथमं प्रकरणं (the first book) वैराग्य-आख्यं परिकीर्तितम् (is called Dispassion); येन (by which) विरागः वर्धते (dispassion grows), मरौ सेकेन तरुः इव (as a tree in the desert by watering).

Translation: "The first book is called Dispassion; by it dispassion grows, as a tree in the desert grows when it is watered."

Pointers for Reflection:

Book 1, Vairāgya. Rāma's despair — now completed on this site (1,146 verses in the surviving text).

Verse 2.17.12¶

अनुबन्धेन सहितं दिष्टतत्त्वनिरूपणम् ।
सार्धं सहस्रं ग्रन्थस्य यस्मिन्हृदि विचारिते ।
प्रकाशाच्छुद्धतोदेति मणाविव सुमार्जिते ॥ २.१७.१२ ॥

अनुबन्धेन सहितं (with its connections) दिष्ट-तत्त्व-निरूपणम् (it sets out the true nature of what is given) ग्रन्थस्य सार्धं सहस्रम् (one and a half thousand verses) — यस्मिन् हृदि विचारिते (when it is reflected on in the heart) प्रकाशात् शुद्धता उदेति (purity arises from its light), मणौ सु-मार्जिते इव (as in a well-polished gem).

Translation: "With all that connects to it, it shows the true nature of what life brings; it has one and a half thousand verses. When it is reflected on in the heart, purity dawns through its light, as in a well-polished gem."

Pointers for Reflection:

1,500 verses. The surviving Vairāgya Prakaraṇa is a little shorter; texts often vary from the number they announce.

Verse 2.17.13¶

मुमुक्षुव्यवहाराख्यं ततः प्रकरणं कृतम् ।
सहस्रमात्रं ग्रन्थस्य युक्तिग्रन्थेन सुन्दरम् ॥ २.१७.१३ ॥

ततः (then) मुमुक्षु-व्यवहार-आख्यं प्रकरणं कृतम् (the book called The Conduct of the Seeker was made) — ग्रन्थस्य सहस्र-मात्रम् (only a thousand verses) युक्ति-ग्रन्थेन सुन्दरम् (lovely with its reasoned exposition).

Translation: "Then comes the book called The Conduct of the Seeker, only a thousand verses, made beautiful by its reasoning."

Pointers for Reflection:

Book 2 describes itself. The present book. Its full name is मुमुक्षुव्यवहार-प्रकरण, "the conduct of one who longs for freedom".

Verse 2.17.14¶

स्वभावो हि मुमुक्षूणां नराणां यत्र वर्ण्यते ।
अथोत्पत्तिप्रकरणं दृष्टान्ताख्यायिकामयम् ॥ २.१७.१४ ॥

यत्र हि (in which) मुमुक्षूणां नराणां स्वभावः वर्ण्यते (the nature of people longing for freedom is described); अथ (next) उत्पत्ति-प्रकरणं (the book of Origination) दृष्टान्त-आख्यायिका-मयम् (full of illustrations and stories) —

Translation: "In it the nature of those who long for freedom is described. Next comes the book of Origination, full of illustrations and stories —"

Pointers for Reflection:

Book 3, Utpatti. How the world arises — through stories like those of Līlā and Karkaṭī.

Verse 2.17.15¶

सप्तग्रन्थसहस्राणि विज्ञानप्रतिपादकम् ।
जागती द्रष्टृदृश्यश्रीरहंत्वमितिरूपिणी ॥ २.१७.१५ ॥

सप्त-ग्रन्थ-सहस्राणि (seven thousand verses) विज्ञान-प्रतिपादकम् (setting out true knowledge); [यत्र] जागती द्रष्टृ-दृश्य-श्रीः (the world's splendour of seer and seen) अहं-त्वम्-इति-रूपिणी (in the form of 'I' and 'you') —

Translation: "— seven thousand verses setting out true knowledge, in which the world's display of seer and seen, in the form of 'I' and 'you' —"

Pointers for Reflection:

Seer and seen. The Utpatti Prakaraṇa examines the split of experience into subject and object.

Verse 2.17.16¶

अनुत्पन्नैवोत्थितेव यत्रेति परिवर्ण्यते ।
यस्मिन्श्रुते जगदिदं श्रोतान्तर्बुध्यतेऽखिलम् ॥ २.१७.१६ ॥

अनुत्पन्ना एव उत्थिता इव (though never born, seems to have arisen) इति यत्र परिवर्ण्यते (is described); यस्मिन् श्रुते (on hearing which) श्रोता (the hearer) इदम् अखिलं जगत् अन्तः बुध्यते (understands this whole world within).

Translation: "— is shown to have seemingly arisen though it was never born. Hearing it, the listener comes to understand the whole world as within."

Pointers for Reflection:

Never born. The doctrine of ajātivāda, non-origination. Gauḍapāda: न कश्चिज्जायते जीवः संभवोऽस्य न विद्यते — no being is ever born; there is no origination for it (Māṇḍūkya Kārikā 3.48).

Verse 2.17.17¶

सास्मद्युष्मत्सविस्तारं सलोकाकाशपर्वतम् ।
पिण्डग्रहविनिर्मुक्तं निर्भित्तिकमपर्वतम् ॥ २.१७.१७ ॥

सा (that [world]) अस्मत्-युष्मत्-स-विस्तारं (with all its 'we' and 'you') स-लोक-आकाश-पर्वतम् (with worlds, sky and mountains) पिण्ड-ग्रह-विनिर्मुक्तं (free of solid substance) निर्भित्तिकम् (without a supporting wall) अपर्वतम् (with no real mountains) —

Translation: "That world, with all its 'we' and 'you', its realms, sky and mountains, is free of solid substance, has no wall to stand on and no real mountains —"

Pointers for Reflection:

Verses 17–27 form one long chain of similes describing the world as Book 3 will present it.

Verse 2.17.18¶

पृथ्व्यादिभूतरहितं संकल्प इव पत्तनम् ।
स्वप्नोपलम्भभावाभं मनोराज्यवदाततम् ॥ २.१७.१८ ॥

पृथ्वी-आदि-भूत-रहितं (without earth and the other elements) संकल्पे पत्तनम् इव (like a city in the imagination) स्वप्न-उपलम्भ-भाव-आभं (like things seen in a dream) मनो-राज्यवत् आततम् (spread out like a daydream kingdom) —

Translation: "— without earth or any element, like a city in the imagination, like what is seen in a dream, spread out like a kingdom in a daydream —"

Pointers for Reflection:

Dream and daydream. Gauḍapāda: स्वप्नमाये यथा दृष्टे गन्धर्वनगरं यथा । तथा विश्वमिदं दृष्टं वेदान्तेषु विचक्षणैः — as a dream, as magic, as a city of the gandharvas — so the wise of Vedānta see this world (Māṇḍūkya Kārikā 2.31).

Verse 2.17.19¶

गन्धर्वनगरप्रख्यमर्थशून्योपलम्भनात् ।
द्विचन्द्रविभ्रमाभासं मृगतृष्णाम्बुवर्तनम् ॥ २.१७.१९ ॥

गन्धर्व-नगर-प्रख्यम् (like a city of the gandharvas) अर्थ-शून्य-उपलम्भनात् (being perceived without real substance) द्वि-चन्द्र-विभ्रम-आभासं (like the illusion of two moons) मृगतृष्णा-अम्बु-वर्तनम् (behaving like mirage-water) —

Translation: "— like a city in the clouds, perceived though empty of substance, like the illusion of a double moon, like water in a mirage —"

Pointers for Reflection:

The double moon. Pressing on one eye makes the moon seem two. A classic example of error in perception.

Verse 2.17.20¶

नौयानलोलशैलाभं सत्यलाभविवर्जितम् ।
चित्तभ्रमपिशाचाभं निर्बीजमपि भासुरम् ॥ २.१७.२० ॥

नौ-यान-लोल-शैल-आभं (like mountains that seem to sway when seen from a moving boat) सत्य-लाभ-विवर्जितम् (yielding nothing real) चित्त-भ्रम-पिशाच-आभं (like a ghost of the mind's confusion) निर्बीजम् अपि भासुरम् (shining though seedless) —

Translation: "— like mountains that seem to sway seen from a moving boat, yielding nothing real; like a phantom of a confused mind, bright though it springs from no seed —"

Pointers for Reflection:

Seedless yet bright. Appearances without a real cause, yet vivid.

Verse 2.17.21¶

कथार्थप्रतिभासाभं व्योममुक्तावलीनिभम् ।
कटकत्वं यथा हेम्नि तरङ्गत्वं यथाम्भसि ॥ २.१७.२१ ॥

कथा-अर्थ-प्रतिभास-आभं (like the scenes evoked by a story) व्योम-मुक्ता-आवली-निभम् (like a string of pearls seen in the sky); हेम्नि कटकत्वं यथा (as bracelet-ness in gold) अम्भसि तरङ्गत्वं यथा (as wave-ness in water) —

Translation: "— like the scenes a story conjures, like a string of pearls seen in the sky; as a bracelet is in gold, as a wave is in water —"

Pointers for Reflection:

Gold and bracelet. A change of name and form, not of substance. The Chāndogya: वाचारम्भणं विकारो नामधेयं मृत्तिकेत्येव सत्यम् — the change is only a name, arising from speech; the truth is that it is clay (6.1.4).

Verse 2.17.22¶

यथा नभसि नीलत्वमसदेवोत्थितं सदा ।
अभित्तिरङ्गरहितमुपलब्धिमनोहरम् ॥ २.१७.२२ ॥

यथा नभसि (as in the sky) नीलत्वम् (blueness) असत् एव सदा उत्थितम् (though unreal, always appears) — अभित्ति (without a wall) अङ्ग-रहितम् (without parts) उपलब्धि-मनोहरम् (lovely to perceive) —

Translation: "— as the blue of the sky, though unreal, is always seen; without any wall to rest on, without parts, yet lovely to see —"

Pointers for Reflection:

The blue sky. The text's favourite image (1.3.2 on this site): we clearly see blue, yet there is nothing blue up there.

Verse 2.17.23¶

स्वप्ने वा व्योम्नि वा चित्रमकर्तृ चिरभासुरम् ।
अवह्निरेव वह्नित्वं धत्ते चित्रानलो यथा ॥ २.१७.२३ ॥

स्वप्ने वा व्योम्नि वा (in a dream or in the sky) चित्रम् (a picture) अकर्तृ (with no painter) चिर-भासुरम् (shining long); यथा चित्र-अनलः (as a painted fire) अवह्निः एव (not being fire) वह्नित्वं धत्ते (takes on the look of fire) —

Translation: "— like a picture in a dream or in the sky, with no painter, yet shining on; like a painted fire, which is no fire yet looks like one —"

Pointers for Reflection:

A painted fire. It looks real and cannot burn. So the world's pains, seen truly.

Verse 2.17.24¶

दधात्येवं जगच्छब्दरूपार्थमसदात्मकम् ।
तरङ्गोत्पलमालाभं दृष्टनृत्यमिवोत्थितम् ॥ २.१७.२४ ॥

एवम् (thus) जगत् (the world) असत्-आत्मकं (of unreal nature) शब्द-रूप-अर्थं दधाति (bears names, forms and meanings), तरङ्ग-उत्पल-माला-आभं (like a garland of lotuses made of waves) दृष्ट-नृत्यम् इव उत्थितम् (risen like a dance one has watched).

Translation: "— so the world, unreal in nature, bears names, forms and meanings, like a garland of lotuses made of waves, or a dance that has been watched."

Pointers for Reflection:

Name, form, meaning. नामरूप — the world as a play of names and forms.

Verse 2.17.25¶

चक्रचीत्कारपूर्णस्य जलराशिमिवोद्यतम् ।
शीर्णपत्रं भ्रष्टनष्टं ग्रीष्मे वनमिवारसम् ॥ २.१७.२५ ॥

[तत्] चक्र-चीत्कार-पूर्णस्य जल-राशिम् इव उद्यतम् (rising like the water of a creaking wheel-well) ग्रीष्मे शीर्ण-पत्रं भ्रष्ट-नष्टं वनम् इव अरसम् (dry like a summer forest whose leaves have withered and fallen) —

Translation: "It rises like water lifted by a creaking well-wheel; it is sapless like a summer forest whose leaves have withered and dropped —"

Pointers for Reflection:

The water-wheel. Buckets rise and fall endlessly: a common Indian image of saṃsāra.

Verse 2.17.26¶

मरणव्यग्रचित्ताभं शिलागृहगुहास्पदम् ।
अन्धकारगुहैकैकनृत्तमुन्मत्तचेष्टितम् ॥ २.१७.२६ ॥

मरण-व्यग्र-चित्त-आभं (like the mind of one agitated at death) शिला-गृह-गुहा-आस्पदम् (dwelling in caves of stone) अन्धकार-गुहा-एक-एक-नृत्तम् (dancing alone in a dark cave) उन्मत्त-चेष्टितम् (like the antics of the mad) —

Translation: "— like the mind of a dying man in turmoil, a dweller in caves of stone, a lone dancer in a dark cave, the antics of the mad —"

Pointers for Reflection:

A dance in the dark. Activity with no witness, no meaning — saṃsāra seen without understanding.

Verse 2.17.27¶

प्रशान्ताज्ञाननीहारं विज्ञानशरदम्बरम् ।
समुत्कीर्णमिव स्तम्भे चित्रं भित्ताविवोदितम् ॥ २.१७.२७ ॥

प्रशान्त-अज्ञान-नीहारं (where the mist of ignorance has cleared) विज्ञान-शरत्-अम्बरम् (an autumn sky of knowledge) स्तम्भे समुत्कीर्णम् इव (as if carved on a pillar) भित्तौ चित्रम् इव उदितम् (or like a painting on a wall) —

Translation: "— and for one in whom the mist of ignorance has cleared, an autumn sky of knowledge; as if carved on a pillar, or painted on a wall —"

Pointers for Reflection:

Carved on a pillar. Figures on a pillar seem alive but are only stone. The world, for the knower, is like that: form without independent life.

Verse 2.17.28¶

पङ्कादिवाभिरचितं सचेतनमचेतनम् ।
ततः स्थितिप्रकरणं चतुर्थं परिकल्पितम् ॥ २.१७.२८ ॥

पङ्कात् इव अभिरचितं (as if shaped from clay) स-चेतनम् अ-चेतनम् (both sentient and insentient). ततः (then) चतुर्थं स्थिति-प्रकरणं परिकल्पितम् (the fourth book, on Existence, has been composed).

Translation: "— moulded, as it were, out of clay, both the living and the lifeless. After that, the fourth book, on Existence, has been laid out —"

Pointers for Reflection:

Book 4, Sthiti. How the world continues once it has seemingly arisen.

Verse 2.17.29¶

त्रीणि ग्रन्थसहस्राणि व्याख्यानाख्यायिकामयम् ।
इत्थं जगदहंभावरूपस्थितिमुपागतम् ॥ २.१७.२९ ॥

त्रीणि ग्रन्थ-सहस्राणि (three thousand verses) व्याख्यान-आख्यायिका-मयम् (made of explanations and stories); इत्थं (how) जगत् अहं-भाव-रूप-स्थितिम् उपागतम् (the world has come to stand in the form of the sense of 'I') —

Translation: "— three thousand verses of explanation and story, telling how the world has come to stand as the sense of 'I' —"

Pointers for Reflection:

The world as ego. The world persists because the sense of 'I' persists.

Verse 2.17.30¶

द्रष्टृदृश्यक्रमं प्रौढमित्यत्र परिकीर्तितम् ।
दशदिङ्मण्डलाभोगभासुरोऽयं जगद्भ्रमः ॥ २.१७.३० ॥

अत्र (here) द्रष्टृ-दृश्य-क्रमं प्रौढम् इति परिकीर्तितम् (the mature order of seer and seen is set out): अयं जगत्-भ्रमः (this world-illusion) दश-दिक्-मण्डल-आभोग-भासुरः (shining across the ten directions) —

Translation: "— here the full development of seer and seen is set out: how this illusion of a world, shining across the ten directions —"

Pointers for Reflection:

Seer and seen grown up. What began as a split (Book 3) becomes a whole world (Book 4).

Verse 2.17.31¶

इत्थमभ्यागतो वृद्धिमिति तत्रोच्यते चिरम् ।
उपशान्तिप्रकरणं ततः पञ्चसहस्रकम् ॥ २.१७.३१ ॥

इत्थम् अभ्यागतः वृद्धिम् (has thus grown) इति तत्र चिरम् उच्यते (this is told there at length). ततः (then) पञ्च-सहस्रकम् उपशान्ति-प्रकरणम् (the book of Stilling, of five thousand verses) —

Translation: "— has grown in this way is told there at length. Then comes the book of Stilling, of five thousand verses —"

Pointers for Reflection:

Book 5, Upaśama. How the illusion is stilled.

Verse 2.17.32¶

पञ्चमं पावनं प्रोक्तं युक्तिसंततिसुन्दरम् ।
इदं जगदहं त्वं च स इति भ्रान्तिरुत्थिता ॥ २.१७.३२ ॥

पञ्चमं पावनं प्रोक्तम् (the fifth, called purifying) युक्ति-संतति-सुन्दरम् (lovely with its chain of reasoning): "इदं जगत् अहं त्वं च सः" इति ("this world, I, you and he") भ्रान्तिः उत्थिता (the delusion that has arisen) —

Translation: "— the fifth book, which purifies, beautiful in its unbroken line of argument, tells how the delusion 'this world, I, you, he' —"

Pointers for Reflection:

I, you, he. The pronouns of separateness.

Verse 2.17.33¶

इत्थं संशाम्यतीत्यस्मिन्कथ्यते श्लोकसंग्रहैः ।
उपशान्तिप्रकरणे श्रुते शाम्यति संसृतिः ॥ २.१७.३३ ॥

इत्थं संशाम्यति इति (thus comes to rest) अस्मिन् श्लोक-संग्रहैः कथ्यते (is told in this with collections of verses); उपशान्ति-प्रकरणे श्रुते (when the book of Stilling has been heard) संसृतिः शाम्यति (saṃsāra comes to rest).

Translation: "— comes to rest is told there in many verses. When the book of Stilling has been heard, saṃsāra comes to rest."

Pointers for Reflection:

Hearing stills. The promise of the fifth book.

Verse 2.17.34¶

प्रभ्रष्टचित्रसेनेव किंचिल्लभ्योपलम्भना ।
शतांशशिष्टा भवति संशान्तभ्रान्तरूपिणी ॥ २.१७.३४ ॥

[सा भ्रान्तिः] प्रभ्रष्ट-चित्र-सेना इव (like a painted army half rubbed off) किंचित्-लभ्य-उपलम्भना (barely perceptible) शत-अंश-शिष्टा भवति (remains as a hundredth part) संशान्त-भ्रान्त-रूपिणी (its deluding form stilled).

Translation: "The delusion then remains only as a hundredth part, barely perceptible, its deluding form stilled — like a painted army half rubbed away."

Pointers for Reflection:

Verses 34–40 describe the world as it appears to one in whom delusion is stilled: still faintly visible, but powerless.

Verse 2.17.35¶

अन्यसंकल्पचित्तस्था नगरश्रीरिवासती ।
अलभ्यवस्तुपार्श्वस्थस्वप्नयुद्धचिरारवा ॥ २.१७.३५ ॥

[सा] अन्य-संकल्प-चित्त-स्था (like something in another's imagination) असती नगर-श्रीः इव (like the unreal splendour of a city) अलभ्य-वस्तु-पार्श्व-स्थ-स्वप्न-युद्ध-चिर-आरवा (like the long din of a dream battle fought beside something unattainable).

Translation: "It is like the unreal splendour of a city that exists only in someone else's imagination; like the lingering din of a battle fought in a dream over something that cannot be had."

Pointers for Reflection:

Someone else's dream. Vivid to them, nothing to us. So the world to the knower.

Verse 2.17.36¶

शान्तसंकल्पमत्ताभ्रभीषणाशनिशब्दवत् ।
विस्मृतस्वप्नसंकल्पनिर्माणनगरोपमा ॥ २.१७.३६ ॥

शान्त-संकल्प-मत्त-अभ्र-भीषण-अशनि-शब्दवत् (like the fearsome thunder of a wild cloud that was only imagined, now stilled) विस्मृत-स्वप्न-संकल्प-निर्माण-नगर-उपमा (like a city built in a dream, now forgotten).

Translation: "It is like the dreadful thunder of an imagined storm-cloud once the imagining has stopped; like a city built in a dream and since forgotten."

Pointers for Reflection:

Forgotten dreams. No longer frightening.

Verse 2.17.37¶

भविष्यन्नगरोद्यानप्रसूवन्ध्यामलाङ्गिका ।
तस्या जिह्वोच्यमानोग्रकथार्थानुभवोपमा ॥ २.१७.३७ ॥

भविष्यत्-नगर-उद्यान-प्रसू-वन्ध्या-अमल-अङ्गिका (like the lovely body of a barren woman giving birth in the garden of a city yet to be built) तस्याः जिह्वा-उच्यमान-उग्र-कथा-अर्थ-अनुभव-उपमा (like the experience of a fierce tale being told by her tongue).

Translation: "It is like a barren woman's child born in the garden of a city not yet built; like the experience of a fierce story told by her lips."

Pointers for Reflection:

The barren woman's son. The standard example in Indian logic of the impossible (वन्ध्यापुत्र). The world, for the knower, has that status — vividly told, never real.

Verse 2.17.38¶

अनुल्लिखितचित्रस्य चित्रव्याप्तेव भित्तिभूः ।
परिविस्मर्यमाणार्थकल्पनानगरीनिभा ॥ २.१७.३८ ॥

अनुल्लिखित-चित्रस्य (of a picture not yet drawn) चित्र-व्याप्ता इव भित्ति-भूः (like a wall seemingly covered in pictures) परि-विस्मर्यमाण-अर्थ-कल्पना-नगरी-निभा (like a city of fancy whose meaning is being forgotten).

Translation: "It is like a wall that seems full of paintings before any has been drawn; like a city of fancy whose meaning is fading from memory."

Pointers for Reflection:

The blank wall. Consciousness is the wall; the world the imagined picture.

Verse 2.17.39¶

सर्वर्तुमदनुत्पन्नवनस्पन्दास्फुटाकृतिः ।
भाविपुष्पवनाकारवसन्तरसरञ्जना ॥ २.१७.३९ ॥

सर्व-ऋतु-मत्-अनुत्पन्न-वन-स्पन्द-अस्फुट-आकृतिः (with the faint form of a forest's stirring in all seasons, not yet arisen) भावि-पुष्प-वन-आकार-वसन्त-रस-रञ्जना (colored with the sap of a spring whose form is groves of flowers yet to come).

Translation: "It has the faint form of a forest stirring in every season before it has grown, coloured with the sap of a spring whose flower-groves have not yet come."

Pointers for Reflection:

Potential, not actual. The world as mere possibility.

Verse 2.17.40¶

अन्तर्लीनतरङ्गौघसौम्यवारिसरित्समा ।
निर्वाणाख्यं प्रकरणं ततः षष्ठमुदाहृतम् ॥ २.१७.४० ॥

अन्तः-लीन-तरङ्ग-ओघ-सौम्य-वारि-सरित्-समा (like a river of calm water in which a flood of waves has sunk within). ततः (then) निर्वाण-आख्यं षष्ठं प्रकरणम् उदाहृतम् (the sixth book, called Nirvāṇa, is declared).

Translation: "It is like a river of calm water, its waves sunk back within. Then the sixth book, called Nirvāṇa, is told."

Pointers for Reflection:

Book 6, Nirvāṇa. The longest book, in two halves on this site.

Verse 2.17.41¶

शिष्टो ग्रन्थः परीमाणं तस्य ज्ञानमहार्थदः ।
बुद्धे तस्मिन्भवेच्छ्रेयो निर्वाणं शान्तकल्पनम् ॥ २.१७.४१ ॥

शिष्टः ग्रन्थः (the remaining verses) तस्य परीमाणम् (are its size) ज्ञान-महा-अर्थ-दः (giving the great meaning of knowledge); तस्मिन् बुद्धे (when it is understood) श्रेयः भवेत् (the highest good comes) निर्वाणं शान्त-कल्पनम् (nirvāṇa, where all imagining is stilled).

Translation: "The rest of the verses make up its length; it gives the great meaning of knowledge. When it is understood, the highest good comes: nirvāṇa, in which all imagining is stilled."

Pointers for Reflection:

The arithmetic. 1,500 + 1,000 + 7,000 + 3,000 + 5,000 = 17,500; the rest of the 32,000 — about 14,500 verses — belongs to the Nirvāṇa Prakaraṇa.
शान्तकल्पन. Nirvāṇa as the stilling of कल्पना, mental fabrication — the same word the Buddha's tradition uses (papañca-vūpasama).

Verse 2.17.42¶

अचेत्यचित्प्रकाशात्मा विज्ञानात्मा निरामयः ।
परमाकाशकोशाच्छः शान्तसर्वभवभ्रमः ॥ २.१७.४२ ॥

[सः ज्ञानी] अचेत्य-चित्-प्रकाश-आत्मा (whose nature is the light of consciousness that is not an object) विज्ञान-आत्मा (whose nature is knowledge) निरामयः (free of affliction) परम-आकाश-कोश-अच्छः (clear as the sheath of the supreme space) शान्त-सर्व-भव-भ्रमः (with all illusion of becoming stilled) —

Translation: "The knower then is the light of a consciousness that is never an object; his nature is knowing; he is free of affliction, clear as the supreme space, with every illusion of becoming stilled —"

Pointers for Reflection:

Verses 42–49 describe the one who has completed the work. Consciousness that is never an object: येन सर्वमिदं विजानाति तं केन विजानीयात् — by what could one know that by which all is known? (Bṛhadāraṇyaka 2.4.14).

Verse 2.17.43¶

निर्वापितजगद्यात्रः कृतकर्तव्यसुस्थितः ।
समस्तजनतारम्भवज्रस्तम्भो नभोनिभः ॥ २.१७.४३ ॥

निर्वापित-जगत्-यात्रः (for whom the world's journey has come to rest) कृत-कर्तव्य-सु-स्थितः (well established, having done what was to be done) समस्त-जनता-आरम्भ-वज्र-स्तम्भः (an adamantine pillar amid all people's undertakings) नभो-निभः (like the sky) —

Translation: "— for him the journey of the world has come to rest; he stands firm, having done what was to be done, an adamantine pillar among all the busy undertakings of the people, like the sky —"

Pointers for Reflection:

कृतकृत्य. "One who has done what was to be done" — the classical term for the free. The Gītā: एतद्बुद्ध्वा बुद्धिमान्स्यात्कृतकृत्यश्च भारत (15.20). The Buddha's formula: kataṃ karaṇīyaṃ — done is what was to be done.

Verse 2.17.44¶

विनिगीर्णयथासंख्यजगज्जालातितृप्तिमान् ।
आकाशीभूतनिःशेषरूपालोकमनस्कृतिः ॥ २.१७.४४ ॥

विनिगीर्ण-यथा-संख्य-जगत्-जाल-अति-तृप्तिमान् (fully satisfied, as if having swallowed the whole net of worlds) आकाशी-भूत-निःशेष-रूप-आलोक-मनः-कृतिः (in whom all forms, perceptions and mental workings have become like space) —

Translation: "— fully satisfied, as though he had swallowed the whole net of worlds; in him every form, every perception, every working of mind has become like space —"

Pointers for Reflection:

Everything becomes space. Not destroyed, but seen through: transparent.

Verse 2.17.45¶

कार्यकारणकर्तृत्वहेयादेयदृशोज्झितः ।
सदेह इव निर्देहः ससंसारोऽप्यसंसृतिः ॥ २.१७.४५ ॥

कार्य-कारण-कर्तृत्व-हेय-आदेय-दृशा उज्झितः (free from the view of effect and cause, doership, and what to reject or accept) स-देहः इव निर्देहः (bodiless though seeming embodied) स-संसारः अपि असंसृतिः (free of saṃsāra though seeming in it) —

Translation: "— free of every notion of cause and effect, of doership, of things to reject or accept; as if embodied yet bodiless, as if in saṃsāra yet free of it —"

Pointers for Reflection:

As if. The free one looks like everyone else (2.18.31). The difference is invisible.

Verse 2.17.46¶

चिन्मयो घनपाषाणजठरापीवरोपमः ।
चिदादित्यस्तपँल्लोकानन्धकारोदरोपमः ॥ २.१७.४६ ॥

चित्-मयः (made of consciousness) घन-पाषाण-जठर-आपीवर-उपमः (solid like the inside of a great rock) चित्-आदित्यः (a sun of consciousness) लोकान् तपन् (lighting the worlds) अन्धकार-उदर-उपमः (yet like the inside of darkness) —

Translation: "— made of consciousness, yet solid like the heart of a great rock; a sun of consciousness lighting the worlds, yet like the depths of darkness —"

Pointers for Reflection:

Paradox. Full of light yet to the world like darkness — because it is not an object anyone can see. The Gītā: या निशा सर्वभूतानां तस्यां जागर्ति संयमी (2.69).
Reading note. The end of the second line is corrupt in the online text (अन्धकारोपरोपमम्); read as अन्धकारोदरोपमः, "like the inside of darkness", matching the next verse.

Verse 2.17.47¶

परप्रकाशरूपोऽपि परमान्ध्यमिवागतः ।
रुद्धसंसृतिदुर्लीलः प्रक्षीणाशाविषूचिकः ॥ २.१७.४७ ॥

पर-प्रकाश-रूपः अपि (though of the nature of supreme light) परम-आन्ध्यम् इव आगतः (as if gone into utter darkness) रुद्ध-संसृति-दुः-लीलः (the cruel play of saṃsāra halted) प्रक्षीण-आशा-विषूचिकः (the cholera of desire wholly gone) —

Translation: "— though he is supreme light, he seems to have gone into utter darkness; the cruel play of saṃsāra is halted in him, and the sickness of desire is gone —"

Pointers for Reflection:

Hidden light. The sage often looks ordinary, even dull, to the world.

Verse 2.17.48¶

नष्टाहंकारवेतालो देहवानकलेवरः ।
कस्मिंश्चिद्रोमकोट्यग्रे तस्येयमवतिष्ठते ।
जगल्लक्ष्मीर्महामेरोः पुष्पे क्वचिदिवालिनी ॥ २.१७.४८ ॥

नष्ट-अहंकार-वेतालः (the ghost of ego destroyed) देहवान् अकलेवरः (embodied yet bodiless) — तस्य (of him) कस्मिंश्चित् रोम-कोटि-अग्रे (on the tip of a single hair) इयं जगत्-लक्ष्मीः अवतिष्ठते (this whole splendour of the world rests), महा-मेरोः क्वचित् पुष्पे अलिनी इव (as a bee on some flower of mighty Meru).

Translation: "— the phantom of ego gone, he has a body and yet no body. On the point of a single hair of his, the glory of the whole world sits, like a bee on some blossom of mighty Meru."

Pointers for Reflection:

The world on a hair. The vastness of the free mind dwarfs the world. The Avataṃsaka Sūtra too speaks of whole world-systems in a single hair-tip.

Verse 2.17.49¶

परमाणौ परमाणौ चिदाकाशः स्वकोटरे ।
जगल्लक्ष्मीसहस्राणि धत्ते कृत्वाथ पश्यति ॥ २.१७.४९ ॥

चित्-आकाशः (the space of consciousness) परमाणौ परमाणौ (in every single atom) स्व-कोटरे (in its own hollow) जगत्-लक्ष्मी-सहस्राणि (thousands of world-splendours) कृत्वा धत्ते (creates and holds) अथ पश्यति (and then beholds).

Translation: "The space of consciousness, in every single atom, in its own hollow, creates and holds thousands of worlds, and then beholds them."

Pointers for Reflection:

Worlds in atoms. Consciousness is the space in which all worlds appear, at every scale. The Kaṭha: अणोरणीयान्महतो महीयान् — smaller than the small, greater than the great (1.2.20).

Verse 2.17.50¶

विततता हृदयस्य महामतेर्हरिहराब्जजलक्षशतैरपि ।
तुलनमेति न मुक्तिमतो यतः प्रविततास्ति निरुत्तमवस्तुनः ॥ २.१७.५० ॥

महा-मतेः मुक्तिमतः (of the great-minded liberated one) हृदयस्य विततता (the vastness of the heart) हरि-हर-अब्ज-ज-लक्ष-शतैः अपि (even with hundreds of thousands of Viṣṇus, Śivas and Brahmās) तुलनं न एति (cannot be compared), यतः (because) निरुत्तम-वस्तुनः प्रवितता अस्ति (it is the expanse of the unsurpassed reality).

Translation: "The vastness of the liberated sage's heart cannot be matched even by hundreds of thousands of Viṣṇus, Śivas and Brahmās, for it is the very expanse of the unsurpassed reality."

Pointers for Reflection:

The heart as the infinite. The Chāndogya: यावान्वा अयमाकाशस्तावानेषोऽन्तर्हृदय आकाशः । उभे अस्मिन्द्यावापृथिवी अन्तरेव समाहिते — as vast as this space is the space within the heart; both heaven and earth are contained in it (8.1.3).
Reading note. The online text prints हरिहराञ्जज; corrected here to हरिहराब्जज ("Hari, Hara and the lotus-born").