tātala saikate
By Śrī Vidyāpati
Impermanence
yad idaṁ manasā vācā cakṣurbhyāṁ śravaṇādibhiḥ
yad idaṁ manasā vācā cakṣurbhyāṁ śravaṇādibhiḥ |
naśvaraṁ gṛhyamāṇaṁ ca viddhi māyā-manomayam ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.7.7; cited in Paramātma Sandarbha 69)
“Know that this [world] which is perceived with the mind, speech, eyes, ears, and so forth is transitory and illusory on account of being formulated in the mind.”
yadu-pateḥ kva gatā mathurā-purī
yadu-pateḥ kva gatā mathurā-purī
raghu-pateḥ kva gatottara-kośalā |
iti vicintya kurusva manaḥ sthiraṁ
na sad idaṁ jagad ity avadhāraya ||
(Unknown source; said to be alluded to by Rūpa Gosvāmī)
”Where has the Mathurā-purī of Yadupati gone? Where has the Northern Kośalā of Raghupati gone? Reflecting on this, steady the mind. This world is not eternal. Be certain of this.’”
anityatve kṛta-matir mlāna-mālye na śocati
anityatve kṛta-matir mlāna-mālye na śocati |
nityatve kṛta-buddhis tu bhinna-bhāṇḍe’nuśocati ||
(Mahāsubhāṣita-saṅgraha)
“When the mind is fixed regarding impermanence, it does not lament over [even] a withered garland. When the mind is fixed on permanence, however, it laments over [even] a broken pot.”
kasyaikāntaṁ sukham upanataṁ duḥkham ekāntato vā
kasyaikāntaṁ sukham upanataṁ duḥkham ekāntato vā |
nīcair gacchati upari ca daśā cakranemi-krameṇa ||
(Kālidāsa’s Megha-dūta: 106)
“Who has experienced constant happiness or constant suffering? [No one.] One’s condition goes up and down like the movement of the rim of a wheel.”
dina-yāminyau sāyaṁ prātaḥ
dina-yāminyau sāyam prātaḥ
śiśira-vasantau punar āyātaḥ |
kālaḥ krīḍati gacchaty āyus
tad api na muñcaty āśā-vāyuḥ ||
(Moha-mudgāra-stotram: 12)
“Day and night, dusk and dawn,
winter and spring revolve.
Time plays on, and life passes away.
Still, the wind of desire does not let up.”
adhruveṇa śarīreṇa
adhruveṇa śarīreṇa pratikṣaṇa-vināśinā |
dhruvaṁ yo nārjayed dharmaṁ sa śocyo mūḍha-cetanaḥ ||
(Mahāsubhāṣita-saṅgraha)
“One who does not acquire imperishable dharma with the perishable body, which is subject to destruction at every moment, is pitiable and foolish.”
parīkṣya lokān karma-citān brāhmaṇo
parīkṣya lokān karma-citān brāhmaṇo
nirvedam āyān nāsty akṛtaḥ kṛtena |
tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet
samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham ||
(Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad: 1.2.12)
“Having examined the planes attained by karma, a brāhmaṇa reaches disinterest [based on the conclusion], ‘That which is unmade [Brahman] is not attained by that which is made [karma].’ To know in depth that [which is unmade, Brahman], he, with firewood in hand, should only [rather than seeking knowledge of it independently] approach a guru who is learned [in the śāstra] and fixed [exclusively] in Brahman.”
ahany ahani bhūtāni
ahany ahani bhūtāni gacchantīha yamālayam |
śeṣāḥ sthāvaram icchanti kim āścaryam ataḥ param ||
(Mahābhārata: Vana-parva, 313.116)
“Day by day, living beings here [i.e., in this world of saṁsāra] go to the abode of Yama [i.e., they die]. Those who remain [living, however,] seek permanence [i.e., they hope for, expect, and pursue a permanent life within their so evidently impermanent surroundings]. What is more astonishing than this?”
jalāntaś candra-capalaṁ
jalāntaś candra-capalaṁ jīvitaṁ khalu dehinām |
tathā-vidham iti jñātvā śaśvat-kalyāṇam ācaret ||
(Hitopadeśa: Sandhi, 136)
“Knowing the life of embodied beings to be unsteady like the reflection of the moon upon water, endeavor for your eternal welfare.”