योगवासिष्ठम् -वैराग्यप्रकरणम्- सर्गः १६
चित्तदौरात्म्यवर्णनम्
Rama speaks to Viswamitra and other
sages about his mind, the activities of which are difficult to control, in
these verses selected from the Vairagrya Prakarana of Yogavasishtham.
sages about his mind, the activities of which are difficult to control, in
these verses selected from the Vairagrya Prakarana of Yogavasishtham.
दोषजर्जरतां याति
सत्कार्यादार्यसेवनात्
सत्कार्यादार्यसेवनात्
वातान्तः
पिच्छलववच्चेतश्चलति चञ्चलम् ॥१॥
पिच्छलववच्चेतश्चलति चञ्चलम् ॥१॥
Just like the little feather of a peacock flutters in the wind so
also this mind of mine is extremely
wavering, full of evil tendencies and turns away from doing good things and
serving good and noble people.
also this mind of mine is extremely
wavering, full of evil tendencies and turns away from doing good things and
serving good and noble people.
इतश्चेतश्च
सुव्यग्रं व्यर्थमेवाऽभिधावति
सुव्यग्रं व्यर्थमेवाऽभिधावति
दूरात् दूरतरं
दीन ग्रामे कौलेयको यथा ॥२॥
दीन ग्रामे कौलेयको यथा ॥२॥
The mind runs
about here and there, farther and farther,
vainly preoccupied and miserable, just like the street dog in a village.
about here and there, farther and farther,
vainly preoccupied and miserable, just like the street dog in a village.
न प्राप्नोति
क्वचित्किञ्चित् प्राप्तैरपि महाधनैः
क्वचित्किञ्चित् प्राप्तैरपि महाधनैः
नाऽन्तः
संपूर्णतामेति करण्डक इवाऽम्बुभिः ॥३॥
संपूर्णतामेति करण्डक इवाऽम्बुभिः ॥३॥
It does not
get anything from any where; even when it gets abundance of wealth it does not feel
filled (i.e. satisfied), just as a basket made of canes cannot be filled with
water (because the water flows out).
get anything from any where; even when it gets abundance of wealth it does not feel
filled (i.e. satisfied), just as a basket made of canes cannot be filled with
water (because the water flows out).
नित्यमेव मुने
शून्यं कदाशावागुरावृतम्
शून्यं कदाशावागुरावृतम्
न मनो
निर्वृतिं याति मृगो यथा दिवच्युतः ॥४॥
निर्वृतिं याति मृगो यथा दिवच्युतः ॥४॥
O Sage! This mind is always trapped in the net of
evil desires and never enjoys peace and calmness, just like a deer separated
from the herd (and trapped in the hunter’s net).
evil desires and never enjoys peace and calmness, just like a deer separated
from the herd (and trapped in the hunter’s net).
तरङ्गतरलां
वृत्तिं दधदलूपशीर्णताम्
वृत्तिं दधदलूपशीर्णताम्
परित्यज्य
क्षणमपि हृदये याति न स्थितिम् ॥५॥
क्षणमपि हृदये याति न स्थितिम् ॥५॥
This mind is always wavering like the waves; it never leaves its peregrinations and firmly seats itself,
even for a moment, in the heart (the supposed abode of the Self)
even for a moment, in the heart (the supposed abode of the Self)
मनो
मननविक्षुब्धं दिशो दश विधावति
मननविक्षुब्धं दिशो दश विधावति
मन्दराहननोद्धूतक्षीरार्णवपयो
यथा ॥६॥
यथा ॥६॥
Agitated and churned by the process of thoughts, it
runs in the ten directions like the waters of the milky ocean churned by the
Mandara mountain.
runs in the ten directions like the waters of the milky ocean churned by the
Mandara mountain.
अनल्पकल्पनातल्पे
विलीनाश्चित्तवृत्तयः
विलीनाश्चित्तवृत्तयः
मुनीन्द्र न
प्रबुध्यन्ते तेन तप्येऽहमाकुलः ॥७॥
प्रबुध्यन्ते तेन तप्येऽहमाकुलः ॥७॥
The mind, with its thought processes cosily ensconced in the bed
of unrestricted imagination, never wakes up to Reality. I am therefore confused and tormented.
of unrestricted imagination, never wakes up to Reality. I am therefore confused and tormented.
वह्नेरुष्णतरः
शैलादपि कष्टतरक्रमः
शैलादपि कष्टतरक्रमः
वज्रादपि दृढं
ब्रह्मन् दुर्निग्रहमनोग्रहः ॥८॥
ब्रह्मन् दुर्निग्रहमनोग्रहः ॥८॥
O Brahman! Controlling the
uncontrollable mind is hotter than fire, more difficult than scaling a mountain and harder than the vajrayudha
of Indra.
uncontrollable mind is hotter than fire, more difficult than scaling a mountain and harder than the vajrayudha
of Indra.
चेतः पतति
कार्येषु विहगः सामिषेष्विव
कार्येषु विहगः सामिषेष्विव
क्षणेन विरतिं
याति बालः क्रीडनकादिव ॥९॥
याति बालः क्रीडनकादिव ॥९॥
The mind
engages itself in its activities like a bird falling on a piece of meat. It withdraws itself from this activity the
next moment like a child playing with
its toys.
engages itself in its activities like a bird falling on a piece of meat. It withdraws itself from this activity the
next moment like a child playing with
its toys.
सकलगुणजयाशा
यत्र बद्धा महद्भिः
यत्र बद्धा महद्भिः
तमरिमिह
विजेतुं चित्तमभ्युत्थितोऽहम्
विजेतुं चित्तमभ्युत्थितोऽहम्
विगतरतितयाऽन्तर्नाऽभिनन्दामि
ल्क्ष्मीं
ल्क्ष्मीं
जडमलिनविलासां
मेघलेघामिवेन्दुः ॥१०॥
मेघलेघामिवेन्दुः ॥१०॥
Great men want
to conquer the mind and foster in themselves all good qualities. So too I have
stood up to conquer this mind, the enemy. Since I am devoid of any liking for
pleasures internally, I do not appreciate Lakshmi (wealth) whose activities are
dumb and tainted even as the moon does not appreciate the clouds (which hide
it).
to conquer the mind and foster in themselves all good qualities. So too I have
stood up to conquer this mind, the enemy. Since I am devoid of any liking for
pleasures internally, I do not appreciate Lakshmi (wealth) whose activities are
dumb and tainted even as the moon does not appreciate the clouds (which hide
it).
