Mahārthasūtrāṇi
Aphorisms about the Great Reality
योजनं परमेश्वरीष्टमेव कल्याणं ॥१॥
Yojanaṃ parameśvarīṣṭameva kalyāṇaṃ || 1 ||
The Good Fortune (kalyāṇam) (called) ‘the Act of Union’ --i.e. yoga-- (yojanam) is desired only by the Power of the Supreme Lord (parama-īśvarī-iṣṭam). || 1 ||
धारणाध्यानाभ्यास आत्मधामावेशानुकरणमवश्यकार्यम् ॥२॥
Dhāraṇādhyānābhyāsa ātmadhāmāveśānukaraṇamavaśyakāryam || 2 ||
The repeated practice of concentration (and) meditation (dhāraṇā-dhyāna-abhyāsaḥ) is imitation of the act of entering the Abode of the Self (ātmā-dhāma-āveśa-anukaraṇam), (and) it is a necessary act to be done (avaśya-kāryam). || 2 ||
धारणा स्वप्रयत्नधरणम् ॥३॥
Dhāraṇā svaprayatnadharaṇam || 3 ||
Dhāraṇā or ‘concentration’ (dhāraṇā) is the act of maintaining one’s own effort (sva-prayatna-dharaṇam). || 3 ||
ध्याने स्वशक्त्या धरणमुपकृतम् ॥४॥
Dhyāne svaśaktyā dharaṇamupakṛtam || 4 ||
In dhyāna or ‘meditation’ (dhyāne), concentration (dharaṇam) is supported (upakṛtam) by one’s own Śakti or Power (sva-śaktyā). || 4 ||
उभयो भक्तिचोदितः ॥५॥
Ubhayo bhakticoditaḥ || 5 ||
Both (ubhayaḥ) are inspired by Devotion (bhakti-coditaḥ). || 5 ||
भक्तिर्नाथेच्छासंक्रमणं योगिने ॥६॥
Bhaktirnāthecchāsaṃkramaṇaṃ yogine || 6 ||
Devotion (bhaktiḥ) is transference of the Lord’s Will (nātha-icchā-saṃkramaṇam) to the yogin (yogine). || 6 ||
समाधिस्तयात्मावेशः स्फुटेत्पीठस्थितापराहन्ता ज्ञानम् ॥७॥
Samādhistayātmāveśaḥ sphuṭetpīṭhasthitāparāhantā jñānam || 7 ||
Samādhi (samādhiḥ) bursts open (sphuṭet) through That --i.e. through Devotion-- (tayā) as ‘Ātmāveśa’ or ‘Absorption into the Self’ (ātmā-āveśaḥ). (It is) ‘Knowledge’ (jñānam) (of) Supreme I-ness resting in the Pīṭha or the Seat of Śakti (pīṭha-sthitā-parā-ahantā). || 7 ||
स्वात्मास्मद्रूपः सर्वस्मिन्समश्चक्रेश्वरो नाथः शिवः ॥८॥
Svātmāsmadrūpaḥ sarvasminsamaścakreśvaro nāthaḥ śivaḥ || 8 ||
One’s own Self (sva-ātmā) (, Who) is the same (samaḥ) in everyone (sarvasmin), is Śiva (śivaḥ), the Lord (nāthaḥ). (He is) the Master of the Wheels (cakra-īśvaraḥ), (and) shines as the Grammatical First Person (asmad-rūpaḥ). || 8 ||
स्वशक्तिस्तस्याहंविमर्शः ॥९॥
Svaśaktistasyāhaṃvimarśaḥ || 9 ||
One’s own Śakti or Power (sva-śaktiḥ) is His (tasya) Self-awareness (aham-vimarśaḥ). || 9 ||
तस्याः प्रपञ्चो विश्वं तत्समकेन्द्रचक्राणां घनः ॥१०॥
Tasyāḥ prapañco viśvaṃ tatsamakendracakrāṇāṃ ghanaḥ || 10 ||
Her (tasyāḥ) Expansion (prapañcaḥ) is the universe (viśvam), composed (ghanaḥ) of Her concentrical Wheels (tat-samakendra-cakrāṇām). || 10 ||
प्रकाशानन्दमूर्तयः ॥११॥
Prakāśānandamūrtayaḥ || 11 ||
(These Wheels are:) ‘Prakāśa’ or ‘perception’, ‘Ānanda’ or ‘the perceived’, and ‘Mūrti’ or ‘the perceiver’ (prakāśa-ānanda-mūrtayaḥ). || 11 ||
केन्द्रप्रत्यभिज्ञा संशयाच्छेदात्मिका ॥१२॥
Kendrapratyabhijñā saṃśayācchedātmikā || 12 ||
Recognition of (their) Center (kendra-prati-abhi-jñā) is characterized by the dissolution of doubts (about one’s own Self) (saṃśaya-āccheda-ātmikā). || 12 ||
संशयो विकल्पः ॥१३॥
Saṃśayo vikalpaḥ || 13 ||
Doubt (saṃśayaḥ) is a thought (vikalpaḥ). || 13 ||
तद्वशापायो निर्विकल्पता ॥१४॥
Tadvaśāpāyo nirvikalpatā || 14 ||
Dissolution of its authority (tat-vaśa-apāyaḥ) is thoughtlessness (nirvikalpatā). || 14 ||
निर्विकल्पो’ कृत्रिमाहंभावः कृत्रिमाहम्मतिवर्जितः ॥१५॥
Nirvikalpo’ kṛtrimāhaṃbhāvaḥ kṛtrimāhammativarjitaḥ || 15 ||
Unborn I-Consciousness (akṛtrima-aham-bhāvaḥ) is thoughtless (nirvikalpaḥ), (and It is) devoid of the created idea of ‘I’ (kṛtrimā-aham-mati-varjitaḥ). || 15 ||
प्रथमावेशे प्रसादतो ज्ञानम्॥१६॥
Prathamāveśe prasādato jñānam || 16 ||
In the First Absorption (into one’s own Self) (prathama-āveśe), Knowledge (arises) (jñānam) in consequence of Grace (prasādataḥ). || 16 ||
ज्ञानविकासः स्यान्मुद्राक्रमेण ॥१७॥
Jñānavikāsaḥ syānmudrākrameṇa || 17 ||
The Expansion of Jñāna (jñāna-vikāsaḥ) takes place (syāt) through the Sequence of Mudrā-s (mudrā-krameṇa). || 17 ||
तदन्त उभयः समः ॥१८॥
Tadanta ubhayaḥ samaḥ || 18 ||
When It --i.e. Expansion of Jñāna-- is full (tat-ante), both --i.e. Jñāna and Mudrā-- (ubhayaḥ) are the same (samaḥ). || 18 ||
करङ्किण्यादिमुद्राक्रमो व्योमाचारः ॥१९॥
Karaṅkiṇyādimudrākramo vyomācāraḥ || 19 ||
The Sequence of Mudrā-s beginning with Karaṅkiṇī (karaṅkiṇī-ādi-mudrā-kramaḥ) is the Activity of Vyoma or the Supreme Sky of Consciousness (vyoman-ācāraḥ). || 19 ||
करङ्किणी ज्ञानसमावेशरूपा करणोज्झिता ॥२०॥
Karaṅkiṇī jñānasamāveśarūpā karaṇojjhitā || 20 ||
(The Mudrā-s are the following:) Karaṅkiṇī --i.e. the skeleton-- (karaṅkiṇī) appears as Absorption into Knowledge (jñāna-samāveśa-rūpā) without the senses (karaṇa-ujjhitā). || 20 ||
क्रोधिनी वामात्मिका ग्रहणान्मन्त्रनिष्कर्षिणी ॥२१॥
Krodhinī vāmātmikā grahaṇānmantraniṣkarṣiṇī || 21 ||
Krodhinī --i.e. the wrathful-- (krodhinī) extracts Mantra --i.e. I Am-- (mantra-niṣkarṣiṇī) from perception (grahaṇāt), (and She is thus) characterized by Bliss --lit. Beauty-- (vāmā-ātmikā). || 21 ||
भैरवी ग्राह्यग्राहकसामरस्यधारिण्यचिन्तासंक्रान्तिः ॥२२॥
Bhairavī grāhyagrāhakasāmarasyadhāriṇyacintāsaṃkrāntiḥ || 22 ||
Bhairavī --i.e. the Fearful Power of Bhairava-- (bhairavī) is the Holder of the Oneness of the ‘perceiver’ and the ‘perceived’ (grāhya-grāhaka-sāmarasya-dhāriṇī), (and She Herself is) the Entrance into Thoughtlessness (acintā-saṃkrāntiḥ). || 22 ||
लेलिहानी चिदग्निर्वासनारूपसंशयदाहकी ॥२३॥
Lelihānī cidagnirvāsanārūpasaṃśayadāhakī || 23 ||
Lelihānī --i.e. the frequently licking-- (lelihānī) is the Fire of Consciousness (cit-agniḥ), (Which) burns one’s doubts formed from impressions (vāsanā-rūpa-saṃśaya-dāhakī). || 23 ||
खेचरी व्यापिकानिकेतना परनादस्पन्दिनी सदा ॥२४॥
Khecarī vyāpikāniketanā paranādaspandinī sadā || 24 ||
Khecarī --i.e. Who exists in the Sky of Consciousness-- (khecarī) is All-pervading (vyāpikā) (and) Abodeless (aniketanā), (Who) is constantly throbbing with Supreme Nāda or Self-Consciousness (para-nāda-spandinī). || 24 ||
बुद्धिर्मुद्राक्रमरसपरामर्श उपयुज्यते ॥२५॥
Buddhirmudrākramarasaparāmarśa upayujyate || 25 ||
Intellect (buddhiḥ) is to be employed (upayujyate) for the sake of understanding the Essence of the Sequence of Mudrā-s (mudrā-krama-rasa-parāmarśe). || 25 ||
स्वसद्भावपरिज्ञानं तदा तत्खण्डन उदेति ॥२६॥
Svasadbhāvaparijñānaṃ tadā tatkhaṇḍana udeti || 26 ||
Then (tadā), Perfect Understanding of one’s own Essential Nature (sva-sat-bhāva-parijñānam) arises (udeti) when it --i.e. intellect-- is destroyed (tat-khaṇḍane). || 26 ||
तत्र नेत्रं चक्रेश्वरी विमर्शविकस्वरा निर्विचारत्वम् ॥२७॥
Tatra netraṃ cakreśvarī vimarśavikasvarā nirvicāratvam || 27 ||
There (tatra), Absence of investigation (nirvicāratvam) is the Eye (netram) (That is) Cakreśvarī --i.e. the Mistress of the Lord of the Wheels-- (cakra-īśvarī) (, Who) expands as Awareness (vimarśa-vikasvarā). || 27 ||
तया चक्रेश्वरः सर्वं स्पृषति ॥२८॥
Tayā cakreśvaraḥ sarvaṃ spṛṣati || 28 ||
Through Her (tayā), the Lord of the Wheels (cakra-īśvaraḥ) touches (spṛṣati) everything (sarvam). || 28 ||
चक्रेश्वरीस्फुरणं प्रत्यावृत्त्यधिकारी गुरुः ॥२९॥
Cakreśvarīsphuraṇaṃ pratyāvṛttyadhikārī guruḥ || 29 ||
The Vibration of Cakreśvarī (cakra-īśvarī-sphuraṇam) (, Which) governs the ‘Returning Process’ --i.e. Recognition-- (pratyāvṛtti-adhikārī) is the Guru (guruḥ). || 29 ||
गुरुवक्त्रादात्मावेशरसः स्वस्थूलसूक्ष्मगोचरमेव प्रतिष्ठेत् ॥३०॥
Guruvaktrādātmāveśarasaḥ svasthūlasūkṣmagocarameva pratiṣṭhet || 30 ||
From the Speech of the Guru (guru-vaktrāt), the Essence of ‘Absorption into the Self’ (ātmā-āveśa-rasaḥ) proceeds (pratiṣṭhet) towards even the spheres of one’s gross and subtle bodies (sva-sthūla-sūkṣma-gocaram…eva). || 30 ||
तदा स्वसंवेदनं सर्वत्र चिच्छक्तिविकासरूपि ॥३१॥
Tadā svasaṃvedanaṃ sarvatra cicchaktivikāsarūpi || 31 ||
Then (tadā) one’s own perception or Self-knowledge (sva-saṃvedanam) assumes the form of the Expansion of Cit-śakti, the Power of Consciousness (cit-śakti-vikāsa-rūpi) everywhere (sarvatra). || 31 ||
तदुपस्थितेर्नित्यायास्तथा परावस्थानिवेशनीया ॥३२॥
Tadupasthiternityāyāstathā parāvasthāniveśanīyā || 32 ||
Therefore (tathā), due to Its constant Existence (tat-upasthiteḥ…nityāyāḥ), the Supreme State (parā-avasthā) is ‘not to be entered’ (aniveśanīyā). || 32 ||
यतस्तस्यामावेशोल्लासः ॥३३॥
Yatastasyāmāveśollāsaḥ || 33 ||
Because (yataḥ) appearance of ‘Absorption’ (takes place) (āveśa-ullāsaḥ) in That (tasyām). || 33 ||
न कश्चित्तामावेशे’ भिघच्छति ॥३४॥
Na kaścittāmāveśe’ bhighacchati || 34 ||
In ‘Absorption’ (āveśe), no (na) one (kaścit) enters (abhighacchati) That --i.e. the Supreme State-- (tām). || 34 ||
क्षोभे तु न कश्चित्तस्याश्च्युतः ॥३५॥
Kṣobhe tu na kaścittasyāścyutaḥ || 35 ||
And (tu) in ‘confusion’ (kṣobhe), no (na) one (kaścit) falls (cyutaḥ) from That (tasyāḥ). || 35 ||
आवेशच्युती तल्लीला तत्स्वातन्त्र्यप्रथनम् ॥३६॥
Āveśacyutī tallīlā tatsvātantryaprathanam || 36 ||
‘Absorption’ (to the Supreme State) and ‘Falling’ (from That) (āveśa-cyutī) are Its Play (tat-līlā) (as) the Blossoming of Its Freedom (tat-svātantrya-prathanam). || 36 ||
तथाद्वयसेवितो योग्युभयं स्वच्छजृम्भनं बोधेत् ॥३७॥
Tathādvayasevito yogyubhayaṃ svacchajṛmbhanaṃ bodhet || 37 ||
Hence (tathā), a yogī (yogī), (who) follows non-duality (advaya-sevitaḥ), should consider (bodhet) both (ubhayam) as the Manifestation of (Such) Freedom (svaccha-jṛmbhanam). || 37 ||
तयोरभिन्नत्वं परमम् ॥३८॥
Tayorabhinnatvaṃ paramam || 38 ||
Non-difference (abhinnatvam) of (this) pair (tayoḥ) is Supreme (paramam). || 38 ||
बहिर्मुखतावर्जनं सामरस्यवशान्नान्यतः ॥३९॥
Bahirmukhatāvarjanaṃ sāmarasyavaśānnānyataḥ || 39 ||
Victory over ‘extroversion’ (bahirmukhatā-āvarjanam) (takes place) through the influence of Sāmarasya or Oneness (sāmarasya-vaśāt) and not (na) by any other means (anyataḥ). || 39 ||
स यह् पदार्थातीतोऽ पि तदाश्रयश्चोभयो न कतमापि महार्थः स्वप्रकाशितः
परमतत्त्वम् ॥४०॥
Sa yah padārthātīto' pi tadāśrayaścobhayo na katamāpi mahārthaḥ svaprakāśitaḥ paramatattvam || 40 ||
That (saḥ) which (yah) is though (api) beyond the meanings of words (pada-artha-atītaḥ), (but which) is also their resting place (tat-āśrayaḥ); and (ca) though (api) both (ubhayaḥ) (yet) none (na) of them (katama), is the Self-Effulgent (sva-prakāśitaḥ) Mahārthaḥ --i.e. Great Reality-- (maha-arthaḥ), the Supreme Principle or (It is) ‘atattva’ or ‘non-principle’, (and thus) Supreme (paramatattvam). || 40 ||
|| Iti durvāsonāmakṛtāni śrīmahārthasūtrāṇi maheśabhaktibhyo likhitāni ||
|| This (iti) is a work (called) Venerable Mahārthasūtra-s or Aphorisms about the Great Reality (śrī-mahā-artha-sūtrāni). (It is) written by someone by the name Durvāsāḥ (likhitāni…durvāsas-nāma-kṛtāni) for the devotees of the Great Lord (maha-īśa-bhaktibhyaḥ). ||
इति शिवम्
Iti śivam
