विचारवता पुरुषेण सकलमिदमाधिपञ्जरं सर्पेण त्वचमिव परिपक्वां सन्त्यज्य विगतज्वरेण शीतलान्तःकरणेन विनोदादिन्द्रजालमिव जगदखिलमालोक्यते सम्यग्दर्शनवता असम्यग्दर्शनवतो हि परं दुःखमिदम् ॥ १३ ॥
vicāravatā puruṣēṇa sakalamidamādhipañjaraṁ sarpēṇa tvacamiva paripakvāṁ santyajya vigatajvarēṇa śītalāntaḥkaraṇēna vinōdādindrajālamiva jagadakhilamālōkyatē samyagdarśanavatā asamyagdarśanavatō hi paraṁ duḥkhamidam || 13 ||
Translation
One who inquires casts off all this cage of mental pains, as a snake casts off its ripe skin. Free of fever, cool at heart, one with right vision looks upon the whole world as a magic show, for amusement. For one without right vision, this is sheer sorrow.
Word by word
- vicāravatā
- one who inquires
- puruṣēṇa
- by a person
- sakalam
- all
- idam
- this
- ādhi
- of mental pains
- pañjaraṁ
- cage
- sarpēṇa
- by a snake
- tvacam
- skin
- iva
- as
- paripakvāṁ
- ripe
- santyajya
- casting off
- vigata
- free of
- jvarēṇa
- fever
- śītala
- cool
- antaḥkaraṇēna
- at heart
- vinōdād
- (vinodāt) for amusement
- indrajālam
- a magic show
- jagad
- (jagat) the world
- akhilam
- whole
- ālōkyatē
- is looked upon
- samyag
- (samyak) right
- darśanavatā
- by one with vision
- asamyag
- (asamyak) without right
- darśanavatō
- (darśanavataḥ) for one with vision
- hi
- for
- paraṁ
- sheer
- duḥkham
- sorrow
Meaning
The snake's skin is the apt figure, since it is ripe: it has grown old and comes away. The snake does not tear it off, and afterwards it is the same snake. The commentary adds that the snake is left without burning and at peace. Vinodāt, for amusement, is a startling word. The world has not been abolished for the one who sees. It is seen as a conjuror's display is seen by someone who knows how it is done, with pleasure and no alarm. The last sentence is the one that matters: idam, this, one and the same world, is entertainment to one and sheer sorrow to another. The difference is in the seeing.