योगवसिष्ठम् – वैराग्यप्रकरणम् -सर्गः १७
तृष्णाभंगवर्णनम्
In these verses selected from the Vairagrya Prakarana of Yogavasishtham
Rama speaks to Viswamitra and other sages about greed (desire)
हार्दान्धकारशर्वर्या
तृष्णयेह दुरन्तया
तृष्णयेह दुरन्तया
स्फुरन्ति चेतनाकाशे
दोषाः कौशिकपङ्क्तयः ॥१॥
दोषाः कौशिकपङ्क्तयः ॥१॥
Because of
the never ending greed, there manifest,
in the chidakasha (consciousness ), many bad qualities, like a pack of owls in a pitch dark night.
the never ending greed, there manifest,
in the chidakasha (consciousness ), many bad qualities, like a pack of owls in a pitch dark night.
अन्तर्दाहप्रदायिन्या
समूढरसमार्द्दवः
समूढरसमार्द्दवः
पङ्क आदित्यदीप्त्येव
शोषं नीतोऽस्मि चिन्तया ॥२॥
शोषं नीतोऽस्मि चिन्तया ॥२॥
The blissful rasa
of Atmajnaana is dried up by the worries (desire for
material things) which scorch my
internals just as the heat of the sun dries up mud.
of Atmajnaana is dried up by the worries (desire for
material things) which scorch my
internals just as the heat of the sun dries up mud.
मम चित्तमहारण्ये
व्यामोहतिमिराकुले
व्यामोहतिमिराकुले
शून्ये ताण्डविनी
जाता भृशमाशापिशाचिका ॥३॥
जाता भृशमाशापिशाचिका ॥३॥
The ghost of desires dances in
the great forest of my mind which is enveloped by the darkness of delusion.
the great forest of my mind which is enveloped by the darkness of delusion.
वचोरचितनीहारा
काञ्चनोपवनोज्ज्वला
काञ्चनोपवनोज्ज्वला
नूनं विकासमायाति
चिन्ताचणकमञ्जरी ॥४॥
चिन्ताचणकमञ्जरी ॥४॥
The chanaka
blossom of desires is nourished by the dew drops of tears shed by sorrowful
utterances and increased by the proximity of the garden of dhathura
flowers (काञ्चन means also gold i.e. wealth)
blossom of desires is nourished by the dew drops of tears shed by sorrowful
utterances and increased by the proximity of the garden of dhathura
flowers (काञ्चन means also gold i.e. wealth)
अलमन्तः भ्रमायैव
तृष्णा तरलिताशया
तृष्णा तरलिताशया
आयता विषमोल्लासमूर्मिरंबुनिधाविव
॥५॥
॥५॥
Greed deludes and submerges the mind just like large tumultuous
waves in the sea.
waves in the sea.
वेगं संरोद्धुमुदितो
वात्ययेव जरत्तृणम्
वात्ययेव जरत्तृणम्
नीतः कलुषया क्वाऽपि
तृष्णया चित्तचातकः ॥६॥
तृष्णया चित्तचातकः ॥६॥
Though this chataka bird of mind tries to control this turbid greed,
the latter leads the mind to a miserable condition just as strong wind blows
away dried grass.
the latter leads the mind to a miserable condition just as strong wind blows
away dried grass.
दूरदूरमितो गत्वा
समेत्य च पुनः पुनः
समेत्य च पुनः पुनः
भ्रमत्याशु दिगन्तेषु
तृष्णोन्मत्ता तुरङ्गमी ॥७॥
तृष्णोन्मत्ता तुरङ्गमी ॥७॥
Like an intoxicated mare this
greed goes farther and father, returns again and again and wanders in the ten directions.
greed goes farther and father, returns again and again and wanders in the ten directions.
पुत्रमित्रकलत्रादि
तृष्णया नित्यकष्टया
तृष्णया नित्यकष्टया
खगेष्विव किरात्येदं
जालं लोकेषु रच्यते ॥८॥
जालं लोकेषु रच्यते ॥८॥
Just like a hunter spreads his
net to trap birds, the greed for sons,
friends, wives etc. gives enough
troubles spreading its net for trapping people.
net to trap birds, the greed for sons,
friends, wives etc. gives enough
troubles spreading its net for trapping people.
अपि मेरुसमं प्राज्ञमपि
शूरमपि स्थिरम्
शूरमपि स्थिरम्
तृणीकरोति तृष्णैका
निमेषेण नरोत्तमम् ॥९॥
निमेषेण नरोत्तमम् ॥९॥
Greed (desire) can reduce to
the status of a blade of grass, in no
time, even the best of men tall as
Meru, wise, valiant and steadfast..
the status of a blade of grass, in no
time, even the best of men tall as
Meru, wise, valiant and steadfast..
