Dashak 3 · Samāsa 10

Samsāra is a great-flood; in its midst are innumerable water-beasts; serpents (black-serpents) run to strike.

Hope and possessiveness are fetters on the body; crocodiles pull apart; carry into the tight-place of sorrow and cast in.

Ego-crocodile threw [one] down; took to the nether-world, drowned; the creature cannot be released.

Kāma's crocodile-grip does not let go; contempt-attachment does not break; madness, envy do not subside — delusion has fallen.

Vāsanā-python (dhāmiṇī) fell around the neck; coils around and vomits poison; licks the tongue again and again — fearsome.

Bearing the load of prapañca on head, saying 'mine, mine'; even drowning, does not let go — swells with lineage-pride.

Fallen into the darkness of delusion; robbed by conceit-thief; the madness of ahamtā — spirit-possession — came.

Many drowned in whirlpools; creatures were swept away; those who cried out to Bhagavān by the strength of bhāva —

God himself leaped in and took them to the far shore; the rest, the faithless poor, were swept away.

Bhagavān is hungry for bhāva; on seeing it, he is enchanted; in trouble, he saves the faithful — he protects.

Whoever is loved by Bhagavān, his sorrow-knot is with God; samsāra-sorrow all vanishes — of his own servants.

Those who are the marked-ones of Īśvara — they enjoy the festivals of self-bliss; blessed indeed are they, fortunate — the faithful.

As is one's bhāva, so is one's fortune; the inner-witness knows the bhāva — of every creature.

If bhāva is illusory, God becomes the great deceiver; wonderful is his sport — as the bhāva, so God.

As one worships, so God gives composure; when bhāva has the slightest deficit, even he distances himself.

In the mirror the reflection is seen, as is the one so the reflection; its control is with oneself.

As you act, so he acts; if you stare open-eyed, he too stares [back].

Frown with anger — he too rises in anger; laugh inwardly — he too is joyful.

As the bhāva reflects, that becomes his God; he worships as he does — so [God] flows for him.

By bhāva, the paths to paramārtha flow; the markets of bhakti run; the crossroads of mokṣa are filled — with the company of the noble.

Those who have engaged in bhāva-bhajana are purified in Īśvara; by bhāvārtha-strength they uplifted — even their ancestors.

They themselves crossed; also were of use to people; by fame-hearing they became — non-devotees turned bhāvārthī.

Blessed is the mother of those engaged in Hari-bhajana; they alone fulfilled human birth in the world.

How to describe their greatness — whose protector is Bhagavān? Taking to the edge, he carries across the far shore of sorrow.

At the end of many births, for one whose struggle ceases — this human body meets with Bhagavān.

Therefore blessed are those bhāvika people who have gained the Hari-treasure; countless past lives' merit has come to fruition.

Life is a jewel-chest; within, sweet bhajana-jewels; offering to Īśvara, plunder of joy should be made.

The Hari-bhakta is small in splendour, but greater than Brahmā and others; ever-content — by the realization of non-expectation.

Holding the edge of Īśvara, they abandoned all samsāra-hope; over such devotees Jagadīśa watches within-and-without.

To whom samsāra's sorrow feels supreme-joy through discernment; those enchanted by samsāra-pleasure are paḍhat-mūrkha, fallen.

Those who have Īśvara-tenderness enjoy self-bliss-festivals; their treasure is imperishable — apart from the world.

They rejoice in imperishable joy; forget samsāra-sorrow; [they who were] dyed in sense-pleasure are dyed in Śrīranga-colour.

To them the human-body-box became useful; made it a bargain with Īśvara; the other faithless unfortunates — human-body gone.

Suddenly the treasure was found; taken in exchange of a cowrie; such the life-span departed — of the faithless.

Many austerities' store — by it he gained a parīsa-gem; yet being a born-unfortunate, he does not know how to use it.

So he came into samsāra; wrapped in māyā's net; at end, goes alone — empty-handed.

By this human-body's company, many attained the highest state; some poor ones received torment-after-torment.

By this human-body's speed, [one] should make [life] fulfilled by sat-sanga; the sorrow of lower wombs has already been experienced much.

What moment will come and how — one cannot know; like birds in ten directions, [souls] fly away.

So all splendour — who knows what moment [it will end]? Son, wife and all — are torn apart.

The moment seen is not our own; age passes; as soon as body falls — a low-womb awaits.

Dog, pig, and other low-castes — one must experience calamity; there no higher state is attained.

Earlier in the womb there was struggle; you became exhausted experiencing; from there, with great labor, by fortune you escaped.

Sorrow was experienced by your own life; where were all the 'relatives' then? So, in the future — alone you must go.

Where is mother, father, sister, brother, beloveds, wife, son-and-daughter?

Know these as māyā's; all affectionate for [their own] comfort; they are not companions of your happiness-and-sorrow.

Where is prapañca, where is kula — why do you grow anxious? Wealth, grain, Lakṣmī — all goes [departs].

Where is home, where is samsāra — why do you bear the burden? For a life-span, carrying weight, finally you leave it behind.

Where is youth, where is splendour; where are festivals and gestures — know all this as illusion, māyika māyā.

In this very moment if you die — you are separated from Raghunātha; saying 'mine, mine' [in vain].

You have experienced countless rebirths; how many such parents, wives, daughters, sons — lakhs of lakhs.

By karma-yoga they all met; born in one place; you took them as your own — how [foolishly], O paḍhat-mūrkha.

Your body is not yours; what consideration there for others? Now hold firmly to Bhagavān alone — by bhāvārtha-strength.

For one hard-to-fill [stomach], one must serve many low ones; maintain many praises and salutations, propriety.

To him who gives food for the belly, you must sell the body; how much more to Him who gave birth — how can He be forgotten?

That Bhagavān who cares day-and-night for all creatures; by whose order clouds rain; the ocean keeps its bound.

The earth is held by the supporter; manifest by the sun — such a creation by mere-command is run by Him.

Such a compassionate Deva-of-devas — whose sport is unknowable; who cares for all beings — by compassion.

Abandoning such All-Self-Śrīrāma, those who hold sense-craving are wicked-souled and base — they get what they seek.

All hope apart from Rāma — know it all as non-hope (nirāśya); 'mine, mine' said leisurely — only weariness remains.

One who feels weariness should go contemplating sense-objects; when objects are not obtained, the life throbs.

Abandoning Rāma — joy-cloud — in whose mind there is sense-contemplation — where is composure for him — desirous one?

One who wants only happiness — he should engage in Raghunātha-bhajana; renounce all kin — root of sorrow.

Where the vāsanā clings and falls, by that very misfortune, sorrow clings; therefore when sense-vāsanā breaks, one alone is happy.

The pleasure arising from sense-objects — there itself is supreme sorrow; sweet at first, grief at end — this is fixed.

Swallowing the hook feels sweet; when pulled, the throat is torn; like the poor deer — runs with the bait and is hit.

Such is the sweetness of sense-pleasure — feels sweet but is rotten; therefore cultivate love — for Raghunātha. Hearing this, the devoted one says, 'how shall fulfillment come? O Master, by what means does Yama-loka cease?'

'Where does God dwell? How shall He meet me? How is samsāra — root of sorrow — cut, O Master?'

'Make a solid attainment of Bhagavān for me — that my lower-state ceases; such an upāya, O compassion-form, for me the lowly, make.'

The teacher says: with one-pointed bhāva, do Bhagavad-bhajana; by that, naturally, composure will come.

'How shall Bhagavad-bhajana be done? Where to place the mind? The sign of Bhagavad-bhajana — tell me, please.'

Thus with sorrowful face he speaks; holds the feet firmly; throat choked, tears fell — in sorrow.

Seeing the disciple's *ananyatā* (exclusive devotion), by bhāva the Sadguru-giver inclined; self-bliss will brim over — in the next samāsa.