Stanzas on Vibration
Translated by MARK S. G. DYCZKOWSKI
1. WE PRAISE THAT SANKARA WHO IS THE
SOURCE OP THE POWER OF THE WHEEL OF
ENERGIES BY WHOSE EXPANSION (UNMESA)
AND CONTRACTION (NIMESA) THE UNIVERSE
IS ABSORBED AND COMES INTO BEING.
2. THAT IN WHICH ALL THIS CREATION IS
ESTABLISHED AND FROM WHENCE IT ARISES
IS NOWHERE OBSTRUCTED BECAUSE IT IS
UNCONDITIONED BY (ITS VERY) NATURE.
3. EVEN WHEN DIVISION PREVAILS DUE TO
THE WAKING AND OTHER STATES, IT EXTENDS
THROUGH THAT WHICH IS UNDIVIDED
(TADABHINNA) BECAUSE THE PERCEIVING
SUBJECTIVITY FOREVER REMAINS TRUE TO ITS
OWN NATURE.
4. NO NOTIONS SUCH AS: 'I AM HAPPY,' 'I AM
MISERABLE' OR 'I AM ATTACHED' (EXIST
INDEPENDENTLY). THEY ALL CLEARLY RESIDE
ELSEWHERE, NAMELY, (IN THAT) WHICH
THREADS THROUGH (ALL) THE STATES OF
PLEASURE AND THE REST.
5. THAT EXISTS IN THE ULTIMATE SENSE
WHERE THERE IS NEITHER PLEASURE NOR
PAIN, SUBJECT NOR OBJECT, NOR AN ABSENCE
OF CONSCIOUSNESS.
6 - 7 . THAT PRINCIPLE SHOULD BE EXAMINED
WITH EFFORT AND REVERENCE BECAUSE THIS,
ITS UNCREATED FREEDOM, PREVAILS
EVERYWHERE. BY VIRTUE OF IT, THE SENSES,
ALONG WITH THE INNER CIRCLE, (ALTHOUGH)
UNCONSCIOUS BEHAVE AS IF CONSCIOUS IN
THEMSELVES AND MOVE TOWARDS (THEIR
OBJECTS), REST (THERE) AND WITHDRAW
(FROM THEM).
8. INDEED THE INDIVIDUAL SOUL (PURUSA)
DOES NOT ACTIVATE THE IMPULSE OF THE
WILL (WHICH DIRECTS THE BODY'S ACTIVITY)
BY HIMSELF ALONE, BUT THROUGH HIS CONÂ
TACT WITH (HIS) OWN (INNER) STRENGTH
(BALA) MADE IN SUCH A WAY THAT HE IDENTIÂ
FIES WITH IT, (THUS ACQUIRING ITS POWER).
9. AN INDIVIDUAL WHO, (THOUGH) DESIROUS
OF DOING VARIOUS THINGS, (BUT) INCAPABLE
OF DOING THEM DUE TO HIS INNATE
IMPURITY, (EXPERIENCES) THE SUPREME
STATE (PARAM PADAM) WHEN THE
DISRUPTION (KSOBHA) (OF HIS FALSE EGO)
CEASES.
10. THEN (THE SOUL REALIZES) THAT HIS
(TRUE) UNCREATED NATURE (DHARMA) IS
(UNIVERSAL) AGENCY AND PERCEIVING
SUBJECTIVITY, AND SO HE KNOWS AND DOES
WHATEVER (HE) DESIRES.
11. HOW CAN ONE WHO, AS IF ASTONISHED,
BEHOLDS HIS OWN NATURE AS THAT WHICH
SUSTAINS (ALL THINGS) BE SUBJECT TO THIS
ACCURSED ROUND OF TRANSMIGRATION?
12. NOTHINGNESS CAN NEVER BE AN OBJECT
OF CONTEMPLATION BECAUSE
CONSCIOUSNESS IS ABSENT THERE. (IT IS A
MISTAKE TO BELIEVE THAT ONE HAS
PERCEIVED NOTHINGNESS) BECAUSE WHEN
REFLECTION (SUBSEQUENTLY) INTERVENES,
ONE IS CERTAIN THAT ' IT WAS. '
13. THEREFORE CONSIDER THAT TO BE AN
ARTIFICIAL STATE SIMILAR TO DEEP SLEEP.
THAT PRINCIPLE IS FOREVER PERCEIVED AND
NOT REMEMBERED IN THIS WAY.
14. MOREOVER TWO STATES CALLED, ' 'THE
AGENT' AND ' PRODUCT OF ACTION' ABIDE
HERE. THE PRODUCT OF ACTION IS SUBJECT
TO DECAY WHEREAS AGENCY IS
IMPERISHABLE.
15. ONLY THE EFFORT DIRECTED TOWARDS
THE PRODUCT OF ACTION DISAPPEARS HERE
(IN STATES OF INTENSE INTROVERTED
CONTEMPLATION) . WHEN THAT CEASES THE
UNENLIGHTENED BELIEVES THAT HIS OWN
EXISTENCE CEASES (WITH IT).
16. THAT INNER BEING IS THE ABODE OF
OMNISCIENCE AND EVERY OTHER DIVINE
ATTRIBUTE. IT CAN NEVER CEASE TO EXIST
BECAUSE NOTHING ELSE CAN BE PERCEIVED
(OUTSIDE IT) .
17. THE FULLY AWAKENED (YOGl ' s ) PERCEPÂ
TION OF THAT (REALITY) IS CONSTANT (AND
ABIDES) UNALTERED IN ALL THREE STATES,
WHEREAS OTHERS (PERCEIVE) THAT ONLY AT
THE END OF THE FIRST (TADADYANTE).
18. THE OMNIPRESENT LORD APPEARS IN TWO
STATES IN UNION WITH (HIS) SUPREME
POWER WHOSE FORM IS KNOWLEDGE AND ITS
OBJECT. ELSEWHERE, APART FROM THESE
(TWO STATES, HE MANIFESTS) AS PURE
CONSCIOUSNESS.
19. THE STREAMS OF THE PULSATION
(SPANDA) OF THE QUALITIES ALONG WITH THE
OTHER (PRINCIPLES) ARE GROUNDED IN THE
UNIVERSAL VIBRATION (OF CONSCIOUSNESS)
AND SO ATTAIN BEING; THEREFORE THEY CAN
NEVER OBSTRUCT THE ENLIGHTENED.
2 0 . YET FOR THOSE WHOSE INTUITION SLUMÂ
BERS, (THESE VIBRATIONS OF CONSCIOUSNESS)
ARE INTENT ON DISRUPTING THEIR OWN
ABIDING STATE OF BEING (SVASTHITI ) , CASTÂ
ING THEM DOWN ONTO THE TERRIBLE PATH
OF TRANSMIGRATION SO HARD TO CROSS.
2 1 . THEREFORE HE WHO STRIVES CONSTANTLY
TO DISCERN THE SPANDA PRINCIPLE RAPIDLY
ATTAINS HIS OWN (TRUE) STATE OF BEING
EVEN WHILE IN THE WAKING STATE ITSELF.
2 2 . SPANDA IS STABLE IN THE STATE ONE
ENTERS WHEN EXTREMELY ANGRY,
INTENSELY EXCITED, RUNNING OR
WONDERING WHAT TO DO.
2 3 - 2 4 . ONCE ENTERED THAT STATE WHICH
(THE YOGI) TAKES AS HIS SUP PORT AND
FIRMLY RESOLVES THAT: ' I WILL SURELY DO
WHATEVER HE SAYS, ' BOTH THE SUN AND
MOON SET, FOLLOWING THE ASCENDING WAY,
INTO THE CHANNEL OF SUSUMNA, ONCE
ABANDONED THE SPHERE OF THE UNIVERSE.
2 5 . THEN IN THAT GREAT SKY, WHEN THE
SUN AND MOON DISSOLVE AWAY, THE DULL
MINDED (YOGI IS CAST DOWN) INTO A STATE
LIKE THAT OF DEEP SLEEP. THE AWAKENED
HOWEVER REMAINS LUCID.
2 6 . SEIZING THAT STRENGTH (BALA),
MANTRAS, ENDOWED WI TH THE POWER OF
OMNISCIENCE, PERFORM THEIR FUNCTIONS,
AS DO THE SENSES OF THE EMBODIED.
2 7 . IT IS THERE ALONE THAT THEY,
QUIESCENT AND STAINLESS, DISSOLVE AWAY
ALONG WITH THE ADEPT'S MIND AND SO
PARTAKE OF SIVA'S NATURE.
2 8 . EVERYTHING ARISES (OUT OF) THE
INDIVIDUAL SOUL, AND SO HE IS ALL THINGS
BECAUSE HE PERCEIVES HIS IDENTITY WITH
THE AWARENESS (HE HAS) OF THEM.
2 9 . THEREFORE THERE IS NO STATE IN THE
THOUGHTS OF WORDS OR (THEIR) MEANINGS
THAT IS NOT SIVA. IT IS THE ENJOYER ALONE
WHO ALWAYS AND EVERYWHERE ABIDES AS
THE OBJECT OF ENJOYMENT.
3 0 . OR, CONSTANTLY ATTENTIVE, AND
PERCEIVING THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE AS PLAY,
HE WHO HAS THI S AWARENESS (SAMVITTI ) IS
UNDOUBTEDLY LIBERATED IN THIS VERY LIFE.
31. THIS INDEED IS THE ARISING OF THAT
OBJECT OF MEDITATION IN THE MIND OF THE
MEDITATOR, NAMELY, THE ADEPT'S
REALIZATION OF HIS IDENTITY WITH IT BY
THE FORCE OF (HIS) INTENT.
3 2 . THIS ALONE IS THE ATTAINMENT OF THE
NECTAR OF IMMORTALITY, THI S INDEED IS TO
CATCH HOLD OF ONESELF, THI S IS THE
INITIATION OF NIRVANA WHICH BESTOWS
SIVA'S TRUE NATURE (SADBHAVA).
3 3 . REQUESTED BY THE WILL, THE
BENEFACTOR MAKES THE SUN AND MOON
RISE AND BESTOWS ON THE EMBODIED,
WHILE THEY WAKE, THE OBJECTS THAT ARE
IN (THEIR) HEART.
3 4 . SO ALSO IN THE DREAM STATE (SIVA) ,
RESIDING IN THE CENTER, MANIFESTS
WI THOUT EXCEPTION, ALWAYS AND MOST
VIVIDLY THE THINGS (HIS DEVOTEE) DESIRES
BECAUSE HE NEVER DESISTS FROM (HIS)
PRAYERFUL REQUEST.
3 5 . OTHERWI SE (AS HAP PENS NORMALLY) ,
THE GENERATION (OF IMAGES) WOULD BE
CONTINUOUS AND INDEPENDENT
THROUGHOUT THE WAKING AND DREAMING
STATES IN ACCORD WITH THEIR CHARACTER,
AS HAP PENS TO THE WORLDLY.
3 6 - 3 7 . JUST AS AN OBJECT WHICH IS NOT
SEEN CLEARLY AT FIRST, EVEN WHEN THE
MIND ATTENDS TO IT CAREFULLY, LATER
BECOMES FULLY EVIDENT WHEN OBSERVED
WI TH THE EFFORT EXERTED THROUGH ONE'S
OWN ( INHERENT) STRENGTH (SVABALA) ;
WHEN (THE YOGI ) LAYS HOLD OF THAT SAME
POWER IN THE SAME WAY, THEN WHATEVER
(HE PERCEIVES MANIFESTS TO HIM) QUICKLY
IN ACCORD WI TH ITS TRUE NATURE
(PARAMARTHENA), WHATEVER BE ITS FORM,
LOCUS, TIME OR STATE.
3 8 . LAYING HOLD OF THAT (STRENGTH) EVEN
A WEAK MAN ACHIEVES HIS GOAL, AND SO IN
THE SAME WAY A STARVING MAN CAN STILL
HIS HUNGER.
3 9 . WHEN THE BODY IS SUSTAINED BY THI S ,
ONE KNOWS EVERYTHING THAT HAP PENS
WI THIN IT. SIMILARLY (THIS SAME
OMNISCIENCE) WILL PREVAIL EVERYWHERE
(WHEN THE YOGI) FINDS HIS SUPPORT IN HIS
OWN NATURE.
4 0 . LASSITUDE RAVAGES THE BODY, AND
THIS ARISES FROM IGNORANCE. BUT IF IT IS
ELIMINATED BY AN EXPANSION OF
CONSCIOUSNESS (UNMESA), HOW CAN
( IGNORANCE) , DEPRIVED OF ITS CAUSE,
CONTINUE TO EXIST?
4 1 . THE EXPANSION OF CONSCIOUSNESS THAT
TAKES PLACE WHEN ONE IS ENGAGED IN A
SINGLE THOUGHT SHOULD BE KNOWN AS THE
SOURCE FROM WHENCE ANOTHER ARISES.
ONE SHOULD EXPERIENCE THAT FOR ONESELF.
4 2 . SHORTLY AFTER, FROM THAT (EXPANSION)
ARISES THE POINT (HINDU), FROM THAT
SOUND (NADA), FROM THAT FORM (RUPA), AND
FROM THAT TASTE (RASA) WHI CH DISTURB
THE EMBODIED SOUL.
4 3 . WHEN (THE YOGI 'S CONSCIOUSNESS)
PERVADES ALL THINGS BY (HIS) DESIRE TO
PERCEIVE, THEN WHY SPEAK MUCH? - HE
WILL EXPERIENCE IT FOR HIMSELF.
4 4 . AT ALL TIMES (THE YOGI ) SHOULD
REMAIN WELL AWAKE. HAVING WI TH (HIS)
PERCEPTION OBSERVED THE FIELD (OF
AWARENESS) , HE SHOULD DEPOSIT ALL IN ONE
PLACE, AND SO BE UNTROUBLED BY ANY
ALIEN (REALITY) .
4 5 . HE WHO IS DEPRIVED OF HIS POWER BY
THE FORCES OF OBSCURATION (KAIA), AND IS
A VICTIM OF THE POWERS ARISING FROM THE
MASS OF SOUNDS (SABDARASI), IS CALLED THE
FETTERED (PASU).
4 6 . OPERATING IN THE FIELD OF THE SUBTLE
ELEMENTS, THE ARISING OF MENTAL
REPRESENTATION (PRATYAYA) MARKS THE
DISAPPEARANCE OF THE FLAVOR OF THE
SUPREME NECTAR OF IMMORTALITY; DUE TO
THI S (MAN) FORFEITS HIS FREEDOM.
4 7 . MOREOVER THE POWERS (OF SPEECH) ARE
ALWAYS READY TO OBSCURE HIS NATURE AS
NO MENTAL REPRESENTATION CAN ARISE
UNPENETRATED BY SPEECH.
4 8 . THI S , SIVA'S POWER OF ACTION, RESIDING
IN THE FETTERED SOUL, BINDS IT, (BUT) WHEN
( ITS TRUE NATURE) IS UNDERSTOOD AND IT IS
SET ON ITS OWN PATH, (THIS POWER) BESTOWS
THE FRUITS OF YOGA (SIDDH1).*
4 9 - 5 0 . (THE SOUL) IS BOUND BY THE CITY OF
RIGHT (PURYASTAKA) THAT RESIDES IN THE
MIND, INTELLECT, AND EGO AND CONSISTS OF
THE ARISING OF THE (FIVE) SUBTLE ELEMENTS
(OF SENSORY PERCEPTION) . HE HELPLESSLY
SUFFERS WORLDLY EXPERIENCE (BHOGA)
WHICH CONSISTS OF THE ARISING OF MENTAL
REPRESENTATION BORN OF THAT (CITY OF
EIGHT) , AND SO ITS EXISTENCE SUBJECTS HIM
TO TRANSMIGRATION. THUS WE WILL
EXPLAIN HOW TO END THIS
TRANSMIGRATORY EXISTENCE.
51. BUT WHEN HE IS FIRMLY ESTABLISHED IN
ONE PLACE THAT IS THEN GENERATED AND
WITHDRAWN (BY HIM AT WILL) , HIS STATE
BECOMES THAT OF THE (UNIVERSAL) SUBJECT.
THUS HE BECOMES THE LORD OF THE WHEEL.
52. I REVERE THE WONDERFUL SPEECH OF
THE MASTER, WHOSE WORDS AND THEIR
MEANING ARE MARVELOUS; IT IS THE BOAT
THAT CARRIES ONE ACROSS THE FATHOMLESS
OCEAN OF DOUBT.
