Bhartruhari Sataka Trisati - Vairaagya Satakam - Telugu

భర్తృహరి's వైరాగ్య శతకం is the third part of the శతక-త్రిశతి - verses that turn the mind from restless craving toward clarity and freedom. Here వైరాగ్య is not bitterness; it is the sober strength to enjoy what is appropriate without being owned by it.

Many verses are intentionally sharp, even unsettling, because they are meant to break complacency. The poet repeatedly exposes how తృష్ణా (craving) disguises itself as "just one more" and keeps the mind running, and how వివేక (discernment) begins when we see the cost of that running.

A helpful way to read these verses is to treat them as mirrors: when a line feels exaggerated, ask what habit it is trying to correct. When a line feels difficult, pause and examine what it is touching - fear, pride, status, pleasure, or the need for control. The commentary connects the verse to daily life and, when it naturally fits, to అద్వైత and to parallel insights found in thinkers like Schopenhauer and Jiddu Krishnamurthy.

చూడోత్తంసితచంద్రచారుకలికాచంచచ్ఛిఖాభాస్వరో
లీలాదగ్ధవిలోలకామశలభః శ్రేయోదశాగ్రే స్ఫురన్ ।
అంతఃస్ఫూర్జద్అపారమోహతిమిరప్రాగ్భారం ఉచ్చాటయన్
శ్వేతఃసద్మని యోగినాం విజయతే జ్ఞానప్రదీపో హరః ॥ 3.1 ॥

ఛందః (శార్దూలవిక్రీడితం): This is in శార్దూలవిక్రీడితం (సమ-వృత్త) Chandas/Meter: 4 పాదాః, 19 అక్షరాః per పాద; లఘు/గురు pattern (per పాద) is `GGGLLGL GLLLG GGLGGLG`; యతి (pause) is after the 7th and 12th syllables in each పాద.

Meaning (పదార్థ):
చూడా - crest; topknot
ఉత్తంసిత - adorned with; worn as an ornament
చంద్ర - moon
చారు - beautiful; charming
కలికా - digit; crescent
చంచత్ - trembling; flickering; moving
శిఖా - crest/flame-like tuft
భాస్వరః - shining; radiant
చూడోత్తంసితచంద్రచారుకలికాచంచచ్ఛిఖాభాస్వరః - shining with the flickering crescent moon adorning his crest (compound)
లీలా - playfully; as a sportive act
దగ్ధ - burned
విలోల - fluttering; restless
కామ - desire (here: Cupid)
శలభః - moth
లీలాదగ్ధవిలోలకామశలభః - he who playfully burned the fluttering moth of Desire (compound)
శ్రేయః - highest good; auspiciousness
దశా - state; stage
అగ్రే - at the summit/forefront
స్ఫురన్ - shining; flashing forth
అంతః - within
స్ఫురత్ - flashing; springing up (in verse: స్ఫూర్జద్)
అపార - boundless
మోహ - delusion
తిమిర - darkness
ప్రాగ్భారః - dense mass; heavy load
ఉచ్చాటయన్ - uprooting; driving away
శ్వేతః - white; pure
సద్మన్ - abode; dwelling
యోగినాం - of yogins
విజయతే - triumphs
జ్ఞాన - knowledge
ప్రదీపః - lamp
హరః - Shiva

Translation (భావార్థ):
Shiva, the lamp of knowledge, triumphs in the pure abode of yogins: his crest shines with the flickering crescent moon; he playfully burned the fluttering moth of desire; and he uproots the dense darkness of boundless delusion that flares up within.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse presents హరః not merely as a deity "out there", but as the inner light of జ్ఞాన (clear knowing). The crescent on the head suggests cool lucidity, the "moth of కామ" suggests the restless mind that keeps flying toward glittering pleasures, and the "darkness of మోహ" points to confusion that rises from within. The central claim is simple: when awareness is steady, craving loses its glamour and delusion loses its grip.

In lived experience, the same pattern appears when we chase "just one more" - one more achievement, one more purchase, one more approval - and still feel unfinished. Schopenhauer observed that desire keeps the will in perpetual dissatisfaction; Jiddu Krishnamurti likewise emphasizes that when desire is watched without indulgence or suppression, its compulsive momentum weakens. This verse invites that kind of seeing: not fighting desire, but illuminating it. The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: when a craving rises today, pause for one minute and feel the wanting directly in the body. Ask, "What do I think this will fix in me?" and let the answer be seen quietly. You can pair the pause with the Upanishadic prayer తమసో మా జ్యోతిర్గమయ (lead me from darkness to light): let the moment of craving become a cue to return to clarity, then choose the next action deliberately.

భ్రాంతం దేశం అనేకదుర్గవిషమం ప్రాప్తం న కించిత్ఫలం
త్యక్త్వా జాతికులాభిమానం ఉచితం సేవా కృతా నిష్ఫలా ।
భుక్తం మానవివర్జితం పరగృహేష్వాశంకయా కాకవత్
తృష్ణే జృంభసి పాపకర్మపిశునే నాద్యాపి సంతుష్యసి ॥ 3.2 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
భ్రాంతం - wandered; roamed
దేశం - land; region
అనేక - many
దుర్గ - difficult; hard to traverse
విషమం - uneven; harsh
అనేకదుర్గవిషమం - many difficult and harsh (places)
ప్రాప్తం - obtained; reached
న కించిత్ఫలం - no fruit/result at all
త్యక్త్వా - having abandoned
జాతి - birth/caste
కుల - lineage
అభిమానః - pride
జాతికులాభిమానం - pride of birth and lineage
ఉచితం - proper; fitting
సేవా - service
కృతా - done
నిష్ఫలా - fruitless
భుక్తం - eaten
మాన - honor; respect
వివర్జితం - devoid of; lacking
మానవివర్జితం - without respect; without honor
పర - others'
గృహ - house
పరగృహేషు - in others' houses
ఆశంకయా - with suspicion/fear
కాకవత్ - like a crow
తృష్ణే - O thirst/craving
జృంభసి - you yawn; you keep opening wider
పాప - sinful; harmful
కర్మ - action
పిశునా - informer; betrayer; one that "tells" (drives one into wrong acts)
పాపకర్మపిశునే - O betrayer that leads to sinful deeds (vocative)
నాద్యాపి - not even now
సంతుష్యసి - are you satisfied?

Translation (భావార్థ):
I have wandered many harsh lands and gained no result; abandoned pride of birth and served appropriately yet fruitlessly; eaten in others' houses like a suspicious crow without honor - O craving, you keep yawning, betrayer that drives harmful deeds, and even now you are not satisfied.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
భర్తృహరి speaks to craving as if it were a living tyrant. Even after exhausting travel, social humiliation, and "doing the right things" outwardly, the inner demand remains unchanged. Calling it a betrayer of sinful actions is a precise psychological claim: when craving is intense, it quietly pushes people into compromises they later regret - dishonesty, flattery, boundary-violations, and self-abandonment. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

This is the hedonic treadmill: the target keeps moving. In contemporary life it shows up as overworking for status, constant comparison through feeds, or treating relationships as ladders. Schopenhauer's critique of desire fits closely here: if the inner hunger is unexamined, external wins cannot fill it; they only refresh the appetite. The verse invites వివేక (discernment) - seeing the pattern clearly, without self-justification.

Practice: define "enough" in one domain this week (money, consumption, attention, achievement) and set a concrete boundary. Replace one habit of reaching with one act of contentment: finish work at a set time, spend an evening without scrolling, or eat simply. Keep watching the mind: satisfaction grows not by getting more, but by reducing the inner demand.

ఉత్ఖాతం నిధిశంకయా క్షితితలం ధ్మాతా గిరేర్ధాతవో
నిస్తీర్ణః సరితాం పతిర్నృపతయో యత్నేన సంతోషితాః ।
మంత్రారాధనతత్పరేణ మనసా నీతాః శ్మశానే నిశాః
ప్రాప్తః కాణవరాటకోఽపి న మయా తృష్ణే సకామా భవ ॥ 3.3 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
ఉత్ఖాతం - dug up
నిధి - treasure
శంకయా - with suspicion/hope
క్షితి - earth
తలం - surface
క్షితితలం - the surface of the earth
ధ్మాతాః - blown; smelted
గిరేః - of the mountain
ధాతవః - ores; metals
నిస్తీర్ణః - crossed; passed over
సరితాం - of rivers
పతిః - lord (here: the ocean)
నృపతయాః - kings
యత్నేన - with effort
సంతోషితాః - satisfied; pleased
మంత్ర - mantra
ఆరాధన - worship; propitiation
తత్పరః - intent on; devoted to
మనసా - with the mind
నీతాః - spent; led through
శ్మశానే - in the cremation ground
నిశాః - nights
ప్రాప్తః - obtained
కాణవరాటకః - a paltry coin; a meagre gain (sandhi in verse: కాణవరాటకోఽపి = కాణవరాటకః + అపి)
అపి - even
న - not
మయా - by me
తృష్ణే - O thirst/craving
స - with
కామా - desire; wanting
సకామా - still wanting; still desireful
భవ - be; remain

Translation (భావార్థ):
I dug the earth suspecting treasure, smelted mountain ores, crossed the ocean, and labored to please kings; with a mind devoted to mantra-worship I spent nights in cremation grounds - yet I did not obtain even a paltry coin. O craving, do not remain desireful.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse stacks up extreme efforts to show the range of craving: it can drive adventure, labor, ambition, and even "spiritual" austerity. Yet the reward shrinks into a mockery - a tiny coin after enormous cost. The deeper point is not about money; it is about misdirected energy: when the motive is hunger, the mind stays hungry, no matter what the outer activity looks like. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

In everyday life, this appears when people jump from one scheme to another: speculative bets, side hustles, networking for influence, even meditation treated as a life-hack for success. Krishnamurti repeatedly warns that the mind seeks psychological security through accumulation, but that security is not produced by possessions or by ritualized striving. The verse says: if తృష్ణా (craving) is the driver, the destination will not satisfy.

Practice: before starting a new pursuit, write down your real aim (service, learning, health, freedom) and ask whether the pursuit supports it or is just another chase. Simplify one area of life and reclaim time for what genuinely nourishes you. When the urge says "one more try", remember the cremation-ground image: time is finite; spend it on what actually frees the mind.

ఖలాలాపాః సౌఢాః కథం అపి తద్ఆరాధనపరైర్నిగృహ్యాంతర్
బాష్పం హసితం అపి శూన్యేన మనసా ।
కృతో విత్తస్తంభప్రతిహతధియాం అంజలిరపి
త్వం ఆశే మోఘాశే కిమ అపరం అతో నర్తయసి మామ్ ॥ 3.4 ॥

ఛందః (మాత్రా-చందస్): This is in a మాత్రా-based Chandas/Meter (not a fixed అక్షర-count వృత్త): in this verse, the written segments carry approximately 30 + 17 + 19 + 25 మాత్రాః (total 91); treat లఘు=1 మాత్రా and గురు=2 మాత్రాః, and keep the natural pauses at the segment ends marked by `।`/`॥` (do not confuse దండ with internal యతి).

Meaning (పదార్థ):
ఖలాలాపః - foolish chatter; prattle (in verse: ఖలాలాపాః)
సౌఢః - palace; lofty mansion (in verse: సౌఢాః)
కథం అపి - somehow; by some means
తద్ - that (verse join)
ఆరాధన - worshiping/serving (here: serving the "palace" life)
పరైః - by those engaged in it
నిగృహ్య - suppressing
అంతర్ - within
బాష్పం - tears
హసితం - laughter; smile
అపి - even
శూన్యేన - with empty; hollow
మనసా - mind
కృతః - done; performed
విత్త - wealth
స్తంభః - arrogance; pride
ప్రతిహత - blocked; impeded
ధియః - minds (gen. pl.)
అంజలిః - salutation with folded hands
త్వం - you
ఆశే - O hope/expectation
మోఘ - futile; vain
కిమ అపరం - what more (is there)?
అతః - then; therefore
నర్తయసి - you make (me) dance
మాం - me

Translation (భావార్థ):
In those noisy palaces, the ones who serve them somehow suppress inner tears, and even laughter is forced by an empty mind; even salutations are offered by minds blocked by the arrogance of wealth. O vain Hope, what more is there - why do you still make me dance?

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse is a candid portrait of life lived for status: noise, performance, and the inner cost of being "managed" by wealth and power. Tears are swallowed, laughter is staged, and even respectful gestures become transactions. Then the poet turns on ఆశా (hope/expectation): it keeps the person dancing - always waiting, chasing, pleasing, and postponing dignity for a promised payoff. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

This pattern is easy to recognize today: people-pleasing, status anxiety, and constant image-curation. Jiddu Krishnamurti calls this the trap of "becoming" - psychological time where the mind is always moving toward a future self and never resting in what is true now. The verse asks a hard question: what if you stop outsourcing your peace to external validation? This is the అనిత్యతా (impermanence) reflection that Sa~gkarAcArya uses to awaken వైరాగ్య: seeing change clearly, we stop demanding permanent comfort from it.

Practice: pick one arena where you over-perform for approval. For a week, do the necessary work but drop one extra performance: stop explaining yourself, stop checking for likes, stop rehearsing speeches. Use the freed attention for quiet study, a walk, or service. The mind learns that dignity does not need an audience.

అమీషాం ప్రాణానాం తులితవిసినీపత్రపయసాం
కృతే కిం నాస్మాభిర్విగలితవివేకైర్వ్యవసితమ్ ।
యద్ఆఢ్యానాం అగ్రే ద్రవిణమదనిఃసంజ్ఞమనసాం
కృతం మావవ్రీడైర్నిజగుణకథాపాతకం అపి ॥ 3.5 ॥

ఛందః (శిఖ్హరినీ): This is in శిఖ్హరినీ (సమ-వృత్త) Chandas/Meter: 4 పాదాః, 17 అక్షరాః per పాద; లఘు/గురు pattern (per పాద) is `LGGGGG LLLLL GGLLLG`; యతి (pause) is after the 6th and 11th syllables in each పాద.

Meaning (పదార్థ):
అమీషాం - of these
ప్రాణానాం - lives; vital breaths
తులిత - comparable to; like
విసినీ - lotus (in verse: విసినీ)
పత్ర - leaf
పయస్ - water
విసినీపత్రపయసాం - water (drops) on lotus leaves (image of fragility)
కృతే - for the sake of
కిం - what?
న - not
అస్మాభిః - by us
విగలిత - slipped away; fallen
వివేకః - discernment
విగలితవివేకైః - with discernment fallen away
వ్యవసితం - undertaken; decided; done
యద్ - because/that (verse join)
ఆఢ్యానాం - of the rich
అగ్రే - before; in front
ద్రవిణ - wealth
మదః - intoxication; pride
ద్రవిణమద - pride/intoxication of wealth
అనిఃసంజ్ఞ - insensible; numb
మనసాం - of minds
మా - without
అవ్రీడైః - without shame
నిజ - one's own
గుణ - virtues
కథా - talk; narration
పాతకం - sin; wrongdoing
నిజగుణకథాపాతకం - the "sin" of praising one's own virtues
అపి - even

Translation (భావార్థ):
For these fragile lives, like water on lotus leaves, what have we not done with discernment lost? For we, shameless, have even committed the "sin" of talking about our own virtues before the rich whose minds are numbed by the intoxication of wealth.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The image of water on a lotus leaf points to how precarious life is - one gust and it slides away. Yet, with వివేక (discernment) weakened, people do many humiliating things to protect comfort and continuation. The poet then names an even subtler fall: in front of those intoxicated by wealth, we begin advertising ourselves, praising our own virtues, and bargaining for favor. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

In contemporary life, this is the pressure of self-branding: exaggerating achievements, flattering gatekeepers, bending principles to be accepted. Schopenhauer would call it the will's servitude: wherever it imagines satisfaction, it bows. The verse is a call to self-respect - do not sell inner truth for outer reward. The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: notice where you feel compelled to impress. Replace one act of boasting with one act of competence done quietly and well. If you must present yourself (interviews, proposals), keep it factual and restrained. Let your work speak, and let your mind remain free of the need to be "seen".

క్షాంతం న క్షమయా గృహోచితసుఖం త్యక్తం న సంతోషతః
సోఢో దుఃసహశీతతాపపవనక్లేశో న తప్తం తపః ।
ధ్యాతం విత్తం అహర్నిశం నిత్యమితప్రాణైర్న శంభోః పదం
తత్తత్కర్మ కృతం యదేవ మునిభిస్తైస్తైః ఫలైర్వంచితాః ॥ 3.6 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
క్షాంతం - endured; borne
న - not
క్షమయా - by forgiveness/patience
గృహ - householder life
ఉచిత - fitting; proper
సుఖం - comfort
గృహోచితసుఖం - comforts appropriate to householder life
త్యక్తం - abandoned
న - not
సంతోషతః - through contentment
సోఢః - endured; borne
దుఃసహ - hard to bear
శీత - cold
తాప - heat
పవన - wind
క్లేశః - hardship
తపః - austerity
న తప్తం - not practiced/"heated" fully
ధ్యాతం - meditated on
విత్తం - wealth
అహర్నిశం - day and night
నిత్యం - always
ఇత - measured
ప్రాణైః - with (limited) breath/life
న - not
శంభోః - of Shiva
పదం - feet; state; goal
తత్తత్ - this and that
కర్మ - actions
కృతం - done
మునిభిః - by sages
తైః తైః - by those and those
ఫలైః - fruits/results
వంచితాః - cheated; deprived

Translation (భావార్థ):
We did not truly cultivate forgiveness; we did not abandon even ordinary comforts through contentment; we endured cold, heat, wind, and hardship, yet did not practice real austerity; we meditated on wealth day and night with our limited life-breaths, not on Shiva's feet. Thus the sages who did such works were "cheated" by the very fruits they gained.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse is a review of misdirected life: one can tolerate hardship, but still not develop inner patience; one can speak of renunciation, but still cling to comfort; one can "work hard", yet aim that work at wealth rather than at freedom. "Cheated by fruits" means: effort did produce outcomes, but those outcomes did not deliver the lasting peace that was implicitly sought. Seen through వివేక (discernment), this is an invitation to let వైరాగ్య (dispassion) arise from understanding, not from bitterness.

This is a warning against intensity without orientation. People can spend decades optimizing comfort or chasing money and still feel spiritually barren. It is also a critique of spiritual practice done for ego, display, or reward: if the mind keeps clinging to objects, it does not rest in the ఆత్మ (Self). In అద్వైత, the final aim is not a new possession, but release from the need to possess.

Practice: choose one daily action that clearly reduces craving and increases clarity - a short meditation, simple eating, truthful speech, or service without applause. Do it consistently. The verse says: effort matters, but direction matters more; aim your energy at what actually frees the mind.

భోగా న భుక్తా వయం ఏవ భుక్తాస్
తపో న తప్తం వయం ఏవ తప్తాః ।
కాలో న యాతో వయం ఏవ యాతాస్తృష్ణా
న జీర్ణా వయం ఏవ జీర్ణాః ॥ 3.7 ॥

ఛందః (ఇంద్రవజ్రా): This is in ఇంద్రవజ్రా (సమ-వృత్త) Chandas/Meter: 4 పాదాః, 11 అక్షరాః per పాద; లఘు/గురు pattern (per పాద) is `GGLGGLLGLGG`.

Meaning (పదార్థ):
భోగాః - pleasures; enjoyments
న - not
భుక్తాః - enjoyed (by us)
వయం - we
ఏవ - indeed
భుక్తాః - were enjoyed/consumed
తపః - austerity
న - not
తప్తం - practiced/"heated"
వయం - we
ఏవ - indeed
తప్తాః - were burned
కాలః - time
న - not
యాతః - went/passed
వయం - we
ఏవ - indeed
యాతాః - went/passed away
తృష్ణా - thirst; craving
న - not
జీర్ణా - worn out; aged
వయం - we
ఏవ - indeed
జీర్ణాః - became aged

Translation (భావార్థ):
We did not enjoy pleasures; pleasures consumed us. We did not practice austerity; hardship burned us. Time did not pass; we passed away. Craving did not grow old; we grew old.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This is భర్తృహరి's famous reversal: the mind believes it is the master of enjoyment, but often it is the object that masters the mind. "Pleasures consumed us" means our attention, energy, and dignity were eaten up by chasing stimulation. "Time did not pass; we passed" means life is not a resource we own; it is what is being spent. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

In contemporary life, this is the feeling of being used by habits: addiction loops, compulsive productivity, endless entertainment. Schopenhauer's insight is relevant: desire is a perpetual lack, so the object seems to promise completion but the structure of craving renews itself. Krishnamurti adds that when you see the movement of craving directly, without justifying it, the spell weakens - not by force, but by understanding. The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: pick one habit where you feel "used" (phone, sugar, approval). For a week, insert a small pause before the impulse and do something simple but opposite: drink water, breathe, stand up, or delay by five minutes. Each pause restores agency. వైరాగ్య begins as repeated small acts of freedom.

బలిభిర్ముఖం ఆక్రాంతం పలితేనాంకితం శిరః ।
గాత్రాణి శిథిలాయంతే తృష్ణైకా తరుణాయతే ॥ 3.8 ॥

ఛందః (అనుష్టుభ్): This is in అనుష్టుభ్ (శ్లోక) Chandas/Meter: 4 పాదాః, 8 అక్షరాః per పాద (32 total; commonly written/recited as two 16-syllable half-verses separated by `।`); పథ్యా cadence often ends as pAda 1/3 = `x x x x L G x G`, pAda 2/4 = `x x x x L G L G`; a common యతి (pause) is after the 4th or 5th syllable in each పాద (separate from the natural pauses at `।` and `॥`). లక్షణ శ్లోక: శ్లోకే షష్ఠం గురు జ్ఞేయం సర్వత్ర లఘుపంచమమ్ । ద్విచతుష్పాదయోః హ్రస్వం సప్తమం దీర్ఘమన్యయోః ॥ - this mnemonic says the 6th syllable is గురు and the 5th is లఘు in all పాదాః; the 7th is లఘు in pAda 2/4 and గురు in pAda 1/3.

Meaning (పదార్థ):
బలిభిః - by weakness; by loss of strength (lit. "by forces" pressing down)
ముఖం - face
ఆక్రాంతం - overpowered; seized
పలితేన - by grey hair
అంకితం - marked
శిరః - head
గాత్రాణి - limbs
శిథిలాయంతే - become loose; slacken
తృష్ణా - craving; thirst
ఏకా - alone
తరుణాయతే - remains young; becomes youthful

Translation (భావార్థ):
The face is overpowered by weakness, the head is marked by grey hair, and the limbs slacken; only craving remains young.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse makes a stark observation about aging: the body visibly declines, but the inner demand of wanting refuses to decline. Many people expect time itself to cure craving; భర్తృహరి says time only weakens the instruments, not the appetite. If the mind is not trained, desire outlives strength. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

This is easy to see today when people chase the same thrills even when health suffers: overwork, late-night scrolling, compulsive consumption, or repeated relationship patterns. The verse is not condemning pleasure; it is exposing compulsion. తృష్ణా (craving) is not solved by age; it is solved by వివేక (clear discernment).

Practice: reflect on one desire that keeps repeating. Ask whether it actually brings lasting well-being or just temporary relief. Then choose one "elder" value to honor this week: simplicity, health, relationships, or inner quiet. Let actions respect the body's limits instead of fighting them.

వివేకవ్యాకోశే విదధతి సమే శామ్యతి తృషా
పరిష్వంగే తుంగే ప్రసరతితరాం సా పరిణతా ।
జరాజీర్ణైశ్వర్యగ్రసనగహనాక్షేపకృపణస్తృషాపాత్రం
యస్యాం భవతి మరుతాం అప్యధిపతిః ॥ 3.8.1 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
వివేక - discernment
వ్యాకోశః - open space; wide expanse
వివేకవ్యాకోశే - in the wide expanse of discernment
విదధతి - it becomes; it takes on (a state)
సమే - calm; even
శామ్యతి - becomes quiet; subsides
తృషా - thirst; craving
పరిష్వంగః - embrace
తుంగః - lofty; intense
పరిష్వంగే తుంగే - in a lofty/intense embrace
ప్రసరతితరాం - spreads even more
సా - that (craving)
పరిణతా - transformed; grown
జరా - old age
జీర్ణ - worn out
ఐశ్వర్య - power; wealth; lordship
గ్రసన - swallowing; devouring
గహన - dense; hard to escape
ఆక్షేపః - distraction; disturbance
కృపణః - miserly; petty-minded
తృషా - craving
పాత్రం - vessel; receptacle
యస్యాం - in which case; for whom
భవతి - becomes
మరుతాం - of the gods ("Maruts" as a collective)
అపి - even
అధిపతిః - lord (i.e., Indra)

Translation (భావార్థ):
In the wide expanse of discernment, craving becomes calm; but in an intense embrace it spreads even more. Ensnared in the dense distractions of old age and power, even the lord of the gods can become a mere vessel of thirst.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This verse contrasts two environments for the mind. In the open sky of వివేక (discernment), craving quiets down because the mind sees clearly and is not pressed by stimulation. But in the intensity of close sensual contact, craving multiplies because imagination, memory, and anticipation all get fed. Then the poet adds a warning: power and wealth do not protect; they can actually amplify distraction, so even the "lord" can become a receptacle of thirst. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

In daily living, this is why discernment feels easy in calm moments and hard in high-arousal moments. Decisions made inside excitement often over-promise and under-deliver. Krishnamurti's point is relevant: desire gains strength through images and projections; when the mind stops feeding images, desire becomes simple and manageable. The verse is asking for that inner space even in the middle of life. This is the అనిత్యతా (impermanence) reflection that Sa~gkarAcArya uses to awaken వైరాగ్య: seeing change clearly, we stop demanding permanent comfort from it.

Practice: decide your boundaries and values in a calm hour, not in the heat of attraction or anger. When you feel pulled, step back and create a little "sky": a walk, a breath, a delay, a honest conversation. Let closeness be guided by clarity and consent, not by compulsion. That is వైరాగ్య as maturity, not as denial.

నివృత్తా భోగేచ్ఛా పురుషబహుమానోఽపి గలితః
సమానాః స్వర్యాతాః సపది సుహృదో జీవితసమాః ।
శనైర్యష్ట్యుత్థానం ఘనతిమిరరుద్ధే చ నయనే
అహో మూఢః కాయస్తదపి మరణాపాయచకితః ॥ 3.9 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
నివృత్తా - has ceased; has turned away
భోగ - pleasure
ఇచ్ఛా - desire
భోగేచ్ఛా - desire for pleasure
పురుష - person
బహుమానః - self-respect; pride; honor
అపి - even
గలితః - slipped away; fallen
సమానాః - equal; alike
స్వర్యాతాః - have gone to heaven; have passed away
సుహృదః - friends
జీవిత - life
సమాః - equal to; like
శనఈః - slowly
యష్టి - staff
ఉత్థానం - getting up
ఘన - dense
తిమిర - darkness
రుద్ధే - obstructed; blocked
నయనే - in the eyes
అహో - alas!
మూఢః - foolish
కాయః - body
తదపి - even then
మరణ - death
ఆపాయ - danger; calamity
చకితః - frightened

Translation (భావార్థ):
Desire for pleasure has ceased, and even self-respect has slipped away; friends, equal to life itself, have departed. Rising now requires a staff, and the eyes are blocked by thick darkness - alas, the foolish body is still frightened of the danger of death.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse is a sober inventory of old age: pleasures no longer attract, pride no longer stands, friends are gone, eyesight dims, the body needs support. Yet fear of death remains. The irony is sharp: the body is called మూఢః (foolish) because it clings to life even when the usual reasons for clinging have already faded. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

In modern terms, this points to how fear can survive even after the "content" of life changes. People keep worrying about status after retirement, keep chasing validation after friendships thin out, keep fearing loss even when there is little left to lose. వైరాగ్య is not coldness; it is meeting reality early, so fear does not ambush you late.

Practice: do a small "death rehearsal" in a healthy way: imagine losing one attachment (a role, a possession, an image) and notice that awareness still remains. If this feels heavy, keep it gentle and short. The goal is not morbidity; it is courage - training the mind to rest in what is stable, so fear becomes smaller.

ఆశా నామ నదీ మనోరథజలా తృష్ణాతరంగాకులా
రాగగ్రాహవతీ వితర్కవిహగా ధైర్యద్రుమధ్వంసినీ ।
మోహావర్తసుదుస్తరాతిగహనా ప్రోత్తుంగచింతాతటీ
తస్యాః పరగతా విశుద్ధం అలసో నందంతి యోగీశ్వరాః ॥ 3.10 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
ఆశా - hope; expectation
నామ - called; indeed
నదీ - river
మనోరథ - imagination; wish
జలా - water (f.)
మనోరథజలా - whose water is imagination/wish
తృష్ణా - craving
తరంగ - waves
ఆకులా - turbulent; full of
రాగ - attachment; passion
గ్రాహః - crocodile
వతీ - possessing
రాగగ్రాహవతీ - having crocodiles of attachment
వితర్క - thoughts; doubts; argumentation
విహగః - bird
వితర్కవిహగాః - birds of restless thoughts
ధైర్య - steadiness; courage
ద్రుమః - tree
ధ్వంసనీ - destroying
ధైర్యద్రుమధ్వంసినీ - destroyer of the tree of steadiness
మోహ - delusion
ఆవర్తః - whirlpool
సు - very
దుస్తర - hard to cross
అతి - extremely
గహనా - deep; dense
మోహావర్తసుదుస్తరాతిగహనా - extremely deep and hard-to-cross whirlpool of delusion (compound)
ప్రోత్తుంగ - very lofty
చింతా - worry
తటీ - bank
ప్రోత్తుంగచింతాతటీ - with high banks of worry
తస్యాః - having crossed beyond it; for those who have gone beyond it
పరగతాః - crossed over; gone beyond
విశుద్ధం - pure; clear
అలసాః - effortless; relaxed; free from strain
నందంతి - rejoice
యోగీశ్వరాః - great yogins

Translation (భావార్థ):
Hope is a river whose water is imagination, turbulent with waves of craving; it has crocodiles of attachment, birds of restless thoughts, and it destroys the tree of steadiness. It is a terribly deep whirlpool of delusion with high banks of worry. Those who have crossed beyond it - the great yogins - rejoice in effortless purity.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This is one of the most vivid diagnoses of the inner life: ఆశా (hope/expectation) looks innocent, but when mixed with తృష్ణా (craving) it becomes a dangerous river. Imagination becomes "water", attachment becomes "crocodiles", thoughts become "birds", and worry becomes the high banks that keep you trapped in the same channel. The yogin is defined simply as the one who has crossed this river and can rest without strain.

In daily life, this is the mind that lives in projections: "When I get that, I will finally be okay." Schopenhauer calls this the structure of suffering in desire; Krishnamurti points out that psychological time - the future as a promise - is a subtle escape from the present. The verse does not ask you to kill hope; it asks you to see when hope has become a cage. The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: each time you notice anxious imagining, label it gently as "river-water" and return to one concrete present action. Do one small duty fully: one email, one call, one meal, one breath. Over time, this weakens చింతా (worry) and strengthens ధైర్య (steadiness). Crossing the river begins with coming back to "now" again and again.

న సంసారోత్పన్నం చరితం అనుపశ్యామి కుశలం
విపాకః పుణ్యానాం జనయతి భయం మే విమృశతః ।
మహద్భిః పుణ్యౌఘైశ్చిరపరిగృహీతాశ్చ విషయా
మహాంతో జాయంతే వ్యసనం ఇవ దాతుం విషయిణామ్ ॥ 3.11 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
న - not
సంసార - worldly life; the cycle of becoming
ఉత్పన్నం - arisen from; born of
సంసారోత్పన్నం - born of worldly life
చరితం - conduct; way of living
అనుపశ్యామి - I observe; I see
కుశలం - wholesome; auspicious; truly beneficial
విపాకః - ripening; fruit; result
పుణ్యానాం - of merits; of good deeds
జనయతి - produces; gives rise to
భయం - fear
మే - to me; in me
విమృశతః - when reflecting; on careful consideration
మహద్భిః - by great; by large
పుణ్యౌఘైః - by floods/masses of merit
చిర - long (time)
పరిగృహీతాః - acquired; obtained; held
చ - and
విషయాః - sense objects; enjoyments
మహాంతః - great
జాయంతే - arise; become
వ్యసనం - calamity; misfortune; addiction-like trouble
ఇవ - as if
దాతుం - to give
విషయిణాం - for those who indulge in objects; for sense-enjoyers

Translation (భావార్థ):
I do not see any truly safe conduct that is born of worldly life; when I reflect, even the fruits of merit produce fear in me. Sense objects obtained through great accumulated merit often become great misfortunes for those who indulge in them.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse says: there is no "safe" arrangement inside సంసార (worldly becoming). Even పుణ్య (merit) can mature into anxiety because it brings attractive objects, and attractive objects awaken attachment. What looks like a reward can become a trap: the more you have, the more you fear losing; the more you enjoy, the more you must maintain.

In contemporary terms, success often increases stress: larger responsibilities, a reputation to defend, lifestyle inflation, relationships colored by money, and the quiet fear of falling. This is why వైరాగ్య is not negativity; it is protection. It does not say "do not do good"; it says "do not bind your peace to outcomes".

Practice: keep doing good work, but regularly train non-attachment. Choose one "result" you are clinging to and loosen it: share credit, simplify a possession, or accept a smaller win without complaint. The mind learns that security does not come from holding more, but from needing less.

అవశ్యం యాతారశ్చిరతరం ఉషిత్వాపి విషయా
వియోగే కో భేదస్త్యజతి న జనో యత్స్వయం అమూన్ ।
వ్రజంతః స్వాతంత్ర్యాదతులపరితాపాయ మనసః
స్వయం త్యక్తా హ్యేతే శమసుఖం అనంతం విదధతి ॥ 3.12 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
అవశ్యం - inevitably; certainly
యాతారః - those that will go away; those that depart
చిరతరం - for a long time
ఉషిత్వా - having stayed
అపి - even
విషయాః - sense objects; enjoyments
వియోగే - in separation
కః - what?
భేదః - difference
త్యజతి - gives up; abandons
న - not
జనః - a person
యత్ - because
స్వయం - oneself
అమూన్ - these (objects)
వ్రజంతః - going away
స్వాతంత్ర్యాత్ - by their own independence
అతుల - incomparable
పరితాపాయ - for torment; for burning distress
మనసః - for the mind
స్వయం - by oneself
త్యక్తాః - abandoned
హి - indeed
ఏతే - these (objects)
శమ - calm; peace
సుఖం - happiness
అనంతం - endless
విదధతి - bestow; produce

Translation (భావార్థ):
Sense objects will inevitably depart, even if they stay a long time; in separation, what difference is there between a person giving them up and them giving up the person? When they depart of their own will they bring incomparable torment to the mind, but when one renounces them willingly they bestow endless peace.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse makes a subtle distinction: loss and renunciation look similar externally, but they feel completely different internally. When the object leaves on its own terms, the mind burns with helplessness; when the mind releases the object by choice, the mind tastes freedom. The same event can be suffering or relief depending on who is holding whom. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

This is deeply practical today. Jobs, roles, people, and health eventually change; if identity is glued to them, change feels like injury. If attachment is loosened early, change becomes a transition. The ఈశ ఉపనిషత్ captures this spirit in one line: త్యక్తేన భుఞీథాః - enjoy through renunciation; the joy is real when possession is not demanded.

Practice: pick one object of attachment and rehearse letting go in a small way. Give away one item, share one privilege, or accept one "no" without bargaining. Each deliberate release strengthens the mind's capacity for peace, so that inevitable change hurts less.

బ్రహ్మజ్ఞానవివేకనిర్మలధియః కుర్వంత్యహో దుష్కరం
యన్ముంచంత్యుపభోగభాంజ్యపి ధనాన్యేకాంతతో నిఃస్పృహాః ।
సంప్రాతాన్న పురా న సంప్రతి న చ ప్రాప్తౌ దృఢప్రత్యయాన్
వాంఛామాత్రపరిగ్రహానపి పరం త్యక్తుం న శక్తా వయమ్ ॥ 3.13 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
బ్రహ్మ - the Absolute; Brahman
జ్ఞాన - knowledge
వివేక - discernment
నిర్మల - pure; spotless
ధియః - minds (gen. pl.)
బ్రహ్మజ్ఞానవివేకనిర్మలధియః - those whose minds are purified by Brahman-knowledge and discernment
కుర్వంతి - do; perform
అహో - ah! indeed (wonder/exclamation)
దుష్కరం - difficult (thing)
యత్ - that which; because
ముంచంతి - abandon; let go
ఉపభోగ - enjoyment
భాఞ్ - granting; bringing about (in verse compound)
ధనాని - wealth; possessions
ఏకాంతతః - completely; entirely
నిఃస్పృహాః - without craving; without desire
సంప్రాత్ - now; at present
న - not
పురా - before; formerly
న సంప్రతి - not now
న చ - nor
ప్రాప్తౌ - in attainment; in the (final) getting
దృఢ - firm
ప్రత్యయాన్ - convictions; settled faith (acc. pl.)
వాంఛా - wish; longing
మాత్ర - mere; only
పరిగ్రహాన్ - graspings; acquisitions; possessions
అపి - even
పరం - completely; at all
త్యక్తుం - to abandon
న శక్తాః - are not able
వయం - we

Translation (భావార్థ):
How difficult a thing those with minds purified by Brahman-knowledge and discernment accomplish: with complete dispassion they utterly abandon wealth that enables enjoyment. But we, lacking firm conviction in past, present, or final attainment, cannot give up even mere wish-driven grasping.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse honors a high level of dispassion: letting go not because you lost, but because you are free. Such a person does not hate wealth; they simply do not need it for inner stability. Then the poet turns the mirror on us: our problem is not lack of possessions, but lack of conviction - we do not truly trust what we claim to value, so we keep clinging. Seen through వివేక (discernment), this is an invitation to let వైరాగ్య (dispassion) arise from understanding, not from bitterness.

In modern life, this is the gap between ideals and habits. We may say we want peace, but we still feed the same comparison and accumulation. Schopenhauer would say: the will keeps grasping because it has not seen its own futility clearly enough. The verse says: వివేక must become real, not rhetorical.

Practice: do not try to renounce everything at once. Choose one small "wish-based grasping" (an impulse buy, a status display, a compulsive check) and drop it for a month. Replace it with something that builds inner confidence: study, skill, service, meditation. Dispassion grows when the mind experiences a deeper satisfaction.

ధన్యానాం గిరికందరేషు వసతాం జ్యోతిః పరం ధ్యాయతామానందాశ్రు
జలం పిబంతి శకునా నిఃశంకం అంకేశయాః ।
అస్మాకం తు మనోరథోపరచితప్రాసాదవాపీతటక్రీడా
కాననకేలికౌతుకజుషాం ఆయుః పరం క్షీయతే ॥ 3.14 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
ధన్యానాం - of the blessed; of the fortunate
గిరి - mountain
కందర - cave
గిరికందరేషు - in mountain caves
వసతాం - living; dwelling
జ్యోతిః - light
పరం - supreme
ధ్యాయతాం - of those meditating on
ఆనంద - bliss
ఆశ్రు - tears
జలం - water
పిబంతి - drink
శకునాః - birds
నిఃశంకం - fearlessly; without suspicion
అంకేశయాః - sitting on the lap (those seated on the lap)
అస్మాకం - of us
తు - but
మనోరథ - imagination; wish
ఉపరచిత - constructed; built
ప్రాసాద - palace
వాపీ - pond; tank
తట - bank
క్రీడా - play; sport
కానన - grove; pleasure-forest
కేలి - amusement; play
కౌతుక - delight; curiosity
జుషాం - of those who indulge in
ఆయుః - life
పరం - greatly
క్షీయతే - is worn away; is wasted

Translation (భావార్థ):
Blessed are those who live in mountain caves meditating on the supreme light: birds perched on their laps drink the water of their tears of bliss without fear. But our lives are worn away in pleasures of imagination - playing at the banks of palace-ponds and in pleasure-groves built by wishful thoughts.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse contrasts two kinds of "worlds". One is simple and real: a yogin in a cave, meditating on the పరం జ్యోతిః (supreme light), so full of peace that even birds trust him and drink his tears of bliss. The other is elaborate but unreal: palaces and pleasure-groves built by imagination, where life gets consumed in fantasy and entertainment. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

This is strikingly modern. Many people do not live in caves, but live in mental palaces: endless scenarios, worries, and curated pleasures. The mind can spend more time "living" inside screens and projections than inside reality. Krishnamurti's warning about living in images applies directly: the image-world feels rich, but it drains life. The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: reduce one stream of imagination-fuel this week (doom-scrolling, gossip, over-planning). Use that time for one direct, grounding act: sit quietly, walk, read a few pages of a scripture, or serve someone. The verse says: the supreme light is accessed through simplicity and attention, not through ever-more stimulation.

భిక్షాశతం తదపి నీరసం ఏకబారం
శయ్యా చ భూః పరిజనో నిజదేహమాత్రమ్ ।
వస్త్రం విశీర్ణశతఖండమయీ చ కంథా
హా హా తథాపి విషయా న పరిత్యజంతి ॥ 3.15 ॥

ఛందః (వసంతతిలకా): This is in వసంతతిలకా (సమ-వృత్త) Chandas/Meter: 4 పాదాః, 14 అక్షరాః per పాద; లఘు/గురు pattern (per పాద) is `GGLGLLLGLLGLGG`.

Meaning (పదార్థ):
భిక్షా - alms
శతం - a hundred (i.e., many)
తదపి - even that
నీరసం - tasteless; without relish
ఏకబారం - once (a day)
శయ్యా - bed
చ - and
భూః - earth
పరిజనః - attendants; companions
నిజ - one's own
దేహ - body
మాత్రం - only
నిజదేహమాత్రం - one's own body alone
వస్త్రం - clothing
విశీర్ణ - torn; worn out
శత - hundred
ఖండ - pieces
శతఖండమయీ - made of a hundred pieces
కంథా - a rag; patched cloth
హా హా - alas! alas!
తథాపి - even then
విషయాః - sense objects; cravings
న - not
పరిత్యజంతి - abandon; give up

Translation (భావార్థ):
Even if one lives on tasteless alms once a day, sleeps on the earth with no companion but one's own body, and wears only a rag made of a hundred torn patches - alas, even then the cravings for sense objects do not leave.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse points to a hard fact: desire is not only about external comfort. Even when life is reduced to bare minimum, the mind can continue to crave. This is why వైరాగ్య is not merely changing lifestyle; it is changing the inner relationship to wanting. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

In modern life, you can see this when people simplify externally but keep scrolling endlessly, or when a person leaves one addiction and immediately substitutes another. Krishnamurti's insight is relevant: desire is sustained by thought and image; if images keep running, desire keeps returning. The external change is helpful, but the root is inward. The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: instead of fighting desire, observe it. When a craving arises, notice the image it brings and the promise it makes. Let the image be seen and pass without acting on it immediately. Repeated "seeing without obeying" is the beginning of inner freedom.

స్తనౌ మాంసగ్రంథీ కనకకలశావిత్యుపమితీ
ముఖం శ్లేష్మాగారం తదపి చ శశాంకేన తులితమ్ ।
స్రవన్మూత్రక్లిన్నం కరివరశిరస్పర్ధి జఘనం
ముహుర్నింద్యం రూపం కవిజనవిశేషైర్గురుకృతమ్ ॥ 3.16 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
స్తనౌ - breasts (dual)
మాంస - flesh
గ్రంథీ - knot; lump
మాంసగ్రంథీ - mere knots of flesh
కనక - gold
కలశః - pot; pitcher
ఇవ - like (in verse join)
ఉపమితీ - compared
ముఖం - face
శ్లేష్మ - phlegm
ఆగారం - house
శ్లేష్మాగారం - a house of phlegm
తదపి - even that
శశాంకేన - with the moon
తులితం - compared
స్రవత్ - flowing
మూత్ర - urine
క్లిన్నం - wet; soaked
కరివర - great elephant
శిరసః - of the head
స్పర్ధి - rivaling
జఘనం - hips/buttocks
ముహుః - again and again
నింద్యం - contemptible; blameworthy
రూపం - form; body
కవిజన - poets
విశేషైః - by the prominent/expert ones
గురు - heavy; great
కృతం - made; fashioned (as in praise)

Translation (భావార్థ):
Breasts are mere knots of flesh, yet compared to golden pots; the face is a house of phlegm, yet compared to the moon; the hips are soaked with flowing urine, yet rival an elephant's brow. Again and again this contemptible body is made "great" by poets.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This verse is a deliberate shock meant to puncture romantic illusion. భర్తృహరి is not denying beauty; he is exposing the mind's habit of covering a perishable body with poetic fantasy and then becoming enslaved by its own fantasy. By naming what the body actually is, he forces the reader to separate perception from projection. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

In daily life, this shows up when attraction blinds judgment: red flags get painted over, boundaries get crossed, and people confuse chemistry with character. ఆది శంకరాచార్య makes a similar wake-up call in భ్హజ గోవిందం: మా కురు ధన జన యౌవన గర్వం - do not be intoxicated by wealth, people, or youth. The point is not to hate, but to see clearly.

Practice: when attraction arises, add one question of discernment: "What is the person's character and conduct?" Let beauty be appreciated, but do not let it become hypnosis. If you cultivate this habit, love becomes wiser and less compulsive.

ఏకో రాగిషు రాజతే ప్రియతమాదేహార్ధహారీ హరో
నీరాగేషు జనో విముక్తలలనాసంగో న యస్మాత్పరః ।
దుర్వారస్మరబాణపన్నగవిషవ్యాబిద్ధముగ్ధో జనః
శేషః కామవిడంబితాన్న విషయాన్భోక్తుం న మోక్తుం క్షమః ॥ 3.17 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
ఏకో - one alone; only one
రాగిషు - among the passionate/attached
రాజతే - shines; stands out
ప్రియతమా - beloved (f.)
దేహ - body
అర్ధ - half
హారీ - taking/bearing
దేహార్ధహారీ - bearing half the body (allusion to ArdhanArISvara)
హరః - Shiva
నీరాగేషు - among the dispassionate
జనః - person
విముక్త - freed
లలనా - woman
సంగః - attachment
విముక్తలలనాసంగః - one free from attachment to women
న - not
యస్మాత్ - than whom
పరః - higher; greater
దుర్వార - irresistible; hard to restrain
స్మర - Cupid; desire
బాణ - arrow
పన్నగ - serpent
విష - poison
వ్యాబిద్ధ - pierced; struck through
ముగ్ధః - deluded
శేషః - the rest
కామ - desire
విడంబితః - mocked; made ridiculous
న - not
విషయాన్ - sense objects
భోక్తుం - to enjoy
న - nor
మోక్తుం - to release; to renounce
క్షమః - capable

Translation (భావార్థ):
Among the passionate, only Shiva stands out - he who bears half of his beloved's body. Among the dispassionate, none is greater than the one free from attachment to women. The rest of humanity, deluded and pierced by the poison of Cupid's serpent-like arrows, can neither truly enjoy sense objects nor truly renounce them.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse criticizes the "in-between" state: not wholehearted love, not wholehearted freedom. A person who is deeply attached is at least honest about attachment; a person who is truly dispassionate is free. But most people are mocked by desire because they oscillate - they chase, then feel guilty; they renounce, then crave; they enjoy, then fear consequences. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

This is a common modern pattern: half-commitment in relationships, half-commitment in spiritual life, half-commitment in work. The result is chronic inner friction. The verse invites clarity: either cultivate a mature, ethical love with responsibility, or cultivate inner freedom with discipline - but do not keep living in contradiction. The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: choose one axis to become consistent. If you are in a relationship, bring honesty, boundaries, and commitment. If you are stepping back, do it without bitterness and with a clear practice (study, meditation, service). Consistency is what turns both love and renunciation into strength instead of confusion.

అజానందాహాత్మ్యం పతతు శలభస్తీవ్రదహనే
స మీనోఽప్యజ్ఞానాద్బడిశయుతం అశ్నాతు పిశితమ్ ।
విజానంతోఽప్యేతే వయం ఇహ వియజ్జాలజటిలాన్
న ముంచామః కానాం అహహ గహనో మోహమహిమా ॥ 3.18 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
అజానన్ - not knowing
ఆహాత్మ్యం - nature; real character
పతతు - may fall
శలభః - moth
తీవ్ర - fierce
దహనః - fire
తీవ్రదహనే - in fierce fire
స - that
మీనః - fish
అపి - even
అజ్ఞానాత్ - from ignorance
బడిశ - hook
యుతం - attached; joined
పిశితం - flesh; bait
అశ్నాతు - may eat
విజానంతః - knowing; understanding
అపి - even
ఏతే - these
వయం - we
ఇహ - here (in this life)
వియత్ - sky
జాల - net
జటిలాన్ - tangled; net-like entanglements
న ముంచామః - we do not release; we do not let go
కానాం - (as written) of what is desired/attractive (often read as "of desires")
అహహ - alas!
గహనః - deep; hard to escape
మోహ - delusion
మహిమా - power; greatness
మోహమహిమా - the power of delusion

Translation (భావార్థ):
Not knowing the fire's true nature, a moth falls into the fierce flame; and a fish, through ignorance, swallows bait with a hook attached. But we, even knowing, do not let go of these tangled nets of attraction - alas, deep is the power of delusion.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse distinguishes ignorance from weakness of will. The moth and fish are trapped because they do not know; we are trapped even after knowing. That is why మోహ (delusion) is called deep: it is not only lack of information, it is the mind's ability to override what it knows in the name of immediate relief or pleasure. Seen through వివేక (discernment), this is an invitation to let వైరాగ్య (dispassion) arise from understanding, not from bitterness.

In modern life, this is the core of addiction loops: "I know this harms me" and yet the hand reaches. It is also seen in toxic relationships and compulsive scrolling. Krishnamurti would say that mere analysis is not transformation; transformation begins when you see the mechanism in action, without excuses. The verse is asking for that honest observation. Sa~gkarAcArya's భ్హజ గోవిందం returns to this point often: do not postpone inner clarity for outer arrangements; convert insight into a small daily discipline.

Practice: reduce the distance between knowing and doing. Remove one easy trigger (an app shortcut, a late-night routine, a tempting environment) and replace it with one supportive cue (a book, a walk, a call). Make the right action easier than the wrong one. This is practical వైరాగ్య: designing life so delusion has less room to operate.

తృషా శుష్యత్యాస్యే పిబతి సలిలం శీతమధురం
క్షుధార్తః శాల్యన్నం కవలయతి మాంసాదికలితమ్ ।
ప్రదీప్తే కామాగ్నౌ సుదృఢతరం ఆలింగతి వధూం
ప్రతీకారం వ్యాధః సుఖం ఇతి విపర్యస్యతి జనః ॥ 3.19 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
తృషా - thirst
శుష్యతి - dries up
ఆస్యే - in the mouth
పిబతి - drinks
సలిలం - water
శీత - cool
మధురం - sweet
క్షుధా - hunger
అర్తః - afflicted
క్షుధార్తః - one afflicted by hunger
శాలి - rice
అన్నం - food
కవలయతి - eats; swallows
మాంస - meat
ఆది - and so on
కలితం - mixed with; combined with
ప్రదీప్తే - when blazing
కామ - desire
అగ్నిః - fire
కామాగ్నిః - the fire of desire
సుదృఢతరం - very tightly
ఆలింగతి - embraces
వధూం - a woman; bride
ప్రతీకారం - remedy; countermeasure
వ్యాధః - disease
సుఖం - pleasure; happiness
ఇతి - thus
విపర్యస్యతి - mistakes; reverses; misconstrues
జనః - people

Translation (భావార్థ):
When thirst dries the mouth one drinks cool sweet water; when hunger bites one eats rice and meat; when the fire of desire blazes one clings tightly to a woman - people mistake the "remedy" for a disease as pleasure.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse says: hunger and thirst have true remedies that restore balance, but desire tricks the mind into treating indulgence itself as the cure. What is actually a disease-pattern is labeled as happiness. This is the difference between need and addiction: needs end when met; addictions grow when fed. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

In everyday life, this confusion is everywhere: retail therapy for emptiness, pornography for loneliness, overwork for insecurity, alcohol for stress. Schopenhauer's analysis of desire fits: the will seeks relief, but the relief is temporary and the dissatisfaction returns stronger. The verse invites వివేక to ask, "Is this a cure, or a cycle?"

Practice: when a desire spikes, do not immediately obey it. First try a true remedy for the underlying state: rest, food, water, movement, honest conversation, prayer. If desire remains after balance is restored, choose deliberately rather than compulsively. This one step breaks the confusion between relief and freedom.

తుంగం వేశ్మ సుతాః సతాం అభిమతాః సంఖ్యాతిగాః సంపదః
కల్యాణీ దయితా వయశ్చ నవం ఇత్యజ్ఞానమూఢో జనః ।
మత్వా విశ్వం అనశ్వరం నివిశతే సంసారకారాగృహే
సందృశ్య క్షణభంగురం తదఖిలం ధన్యస్తు సన్న్యస్యతి ॥ 3.20 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
తుంగం - lofty; high
వేశ్మ - house; mansion
సుతాః - children
సతాం - of good people
అభిమతాః - approved; esteemed
సంఖ్యాతిగాః - beyond counting; countless
సంపదః - wealth; prosperity
కల్యాణీ - virtuous; auspicious
దయితా - beloved; wife
వయః - age
చ - and
నవం - new; youthful
ఇతి - thus
అజ్ఞాన - ignorance
మూఢః - deluded person
జనః - person
మత్వా - thinking; believing
విశ్వం - the world
అనశ్వరం - permanent; not perishing
నివిశతే - enters; settles in
సంసార - worldly life
కారాగృహం - prison-house
సందృశ్య - having seen clearly
క్షణ - moment
భంగురం - fragile; perishable
తదఖిలం - all that
ధన్యః - blessed
తు - but
సన్న్యస్యతి - renounces; lays down

Translation (భావార్థ):
Thinking, "I have a lofty house, children, esteem among the good, countless wealth, a virtuous beloved, and youth," the ignorant person believes the world permanent and settles into the prison-house of worldly life. The blessed one, seeing all this to be momentary, renounces.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse diagnoses the root mistake: అనశ్వర (thinking things are permanent) when they are actually క్షణభంగుర (momentary). From that mistake comes the prison of సంసార: clinging, fear, and endless maintenance. The "blessed" person is not someone who hates life; it is someone who sees impermanence clearly and therefore does not build identity on what will inevitably change.

In modern life, this shows up as assuming a role, a relationship, or youth will last and then collapsing when it changes. This is why వైరాగ్య is a kindness to yourself: it prepares you. Many Upanishadic teachings point to this shift from the transient to the real; the change begins when you stop expecting permanence from what is not designed to be permanent.

Practice: do a short daily contemplation of impermanence: "This too will pass." Let it not become depression; let it become gratitude and priority. Spend more time on what deepens you (character, love, knowledge, service) and less time on what only decorates you. When you live from that clarity, the prison-door opens.

దీనా దీనముఖైః సదైవ శిశుకైరాకృష్టజీర్ణాంబరా
క్రోశద్భిః క్షుధితైర్నిరన్నవిధురా దృశ్యా న చేద్గేహినీ ।
యాచ్ఞాభంగభయేన గద్గదగలత్రుట్యద్విలీనాక్షరం
కో దేహీతి వదేత్స్వదగ్ధజఠరస్యార్థే మనస్వీ పుమాన్ ॥ 3.21 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
దీనా - distressed; miserable; wretched (f.)
దీన - poor; pitiable
ముఖ - face
దీనముఖైః - with pitiable faces
సదైవ - always
శిశుకైః - by little children
ఆకర్శిత - pulled; tugged (in verse: ఆకృష్ట)
జీర్ణ - worn-out; old
అంబరం - cloth; garment
ఆకృష్టజీర్ణాంబరా - whose worn garments are tugged at (compound)
క్రోశద్భిః - by those crying aloud
క్షుధిత - hungry (in verse: క్షుధితైః)
నిరన్న - without food
విధురా - afflicted; distressed
దృశ్యా - seen; visible
న చేత్ - if not / if (she is not) (i.e., if such a sight is not seen)
గేహినీ - housewife; wife
యాచ్ఞా - begging; petition (as in యాచ్ఞా)
భంగః - breaking; refusal (of a request)
భయేన - out of fear
గద్గద - choked; stammering
గలత్ - slipping; faltering
త్రుట్య(త్) - breaking; cracking (in verse: త్రుట్యద్)
విలీన - dissolved; lost
అక్షరం - syllable/letter (here: speech)
కః - who?
దేహీ - give!
ఇతి - thus
వదేత్ - would say
స్వ - one's own
దగ్ధ - burned; scorched
జఠరః - belly; stomach (hunger)
అర్థే - for the sake of
మనస్వీ - high-minded; self-respecting
పుమాన్ - man; person

Translation (భావార్థ):
If one's wife must be seen in utter distress - her worn clothes tugged by hungry, crying children - then who with self-respect would, merely for his own burning hunger, beg "Give (me)" in a choking, faltering voice, afraid his request will be refused?

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse is not trying to glorify suffering; it is trying to expose the hidden cost of dependency. When a household is driven into begging, the shame is not confined to the one who asks; it spills onto the spouse and children - their hunger, their tears, their dignity. Bhartruhari calls a truly strong person మనస్వీ (high-minded, self-respecting) because he refuses to let his life's choices push his family into that state. Seen through వివేక (discernment), this is an invitation to let వైరాగ్య (dispassion) arise from understanding, not from bitterness.

In everyday situations, this shows up as living beyond means and then paying for it with small humiliations: borrowing repeatedly from friends, flattering a toxic boss because the budget has no slack, or staying stuck in a harmful situation because there is no cushion. The verse is not a condemnation of seeking help in genuine crisis; it is a warning against building a life where one's desires create helplessness. The deeper point is వివేక (discernment): reduce avoidable wants early, so you never have to trade dignity for survival later.

Practice: simplify one recurring expense and build a small buffer, even if it is slow. Pair that with one skill-building effort that increases your independence. If you ever must ask for help, do it honestly and with a plan for recovery - without melodrama, without manipulation. Cultivate సంతోష (contentment) so hunger does not become a moral trap.

అభిమతమహామానగ్రంథిప్రభేదపటీయసీ
గురుతరగుణగ్రామాభోజస్ఫుటోజ్జ్వలచంద్రికా ।
విపులవిలల్లజ్జావల్లీవితానకుఠారికా
జఠరపిఠరీ దుస్పురేయం కరోతి విడంబనమ్ ॥ 3.22 ॥

ఛందః (మాత్రా-చందస్): This is in a మాత్రా-based Chandas/Meter (not a fixed అక్షర-count వృత్త): in this verse, the written segments carry approximately 22 + 22 + 21 + 20 మాత్రాః (total 85); treat లఘు=1 మాత్రా and గురు=2 మాత్రాః, and keep the natural pauses at the segment ends marked by `।`/`॥` (do not confuse దండ with internal యతి).

Meaning (పదార్థ):
అభిమత - cherished; held dear
మహామానః - great pride/self-respect
గ్రంథిః - knot
ప్రభేదః - cutting; breaking open
పటీయసీ - very skilful; adept
అభిమతమహామానగ్రంథిప్రభేదపటీయసీ - highly skilled in cutting the knot of cherished pride (compound)
గురుతర - very great; weighty
గుణ - virtue; good quality
గ్రామః - group; collection
అంభోజం - lotus
స్ఫుట - opened; blossomed
ఉజ్జ్వల - bright
చంద్రికా - moonlight
గురుతరగుణగ్రామాభోజస్ఫుటోజ్జ్వలచంద్రికా - like bright moonlight that opens the lotus of many great virtues (compound)
విపుల - abundant; luxuriant
విలసత్ - spreading; shining
లజ్జా - modesty; shame
వల్లీ - creeper
వితానం - canopy; lattice; spread
కుఠారికా - small axe; hatchet
విపులవిలల్లజ్జావల్లీవితానకుఠారికా - like a hatchet that cuts down the luxuriant lattice of modesty (compound)
జఠరః - belly; stomach
పిఠరీ - pit; cavity
దుస్పురా - hard to fill
ఇయం - this
కరోతి - makes; causes
విడంబనం - mockery; humiliation; parody

Translation (భావార్థ):
This hard-to-fill pit of the stomach makes a mockery: it is expert at cutting the knot of cherished pride, it shines like moonlight that makes virtues bloom, and it acts like an axe that fells even luxuriant modesty.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
Hunger is described as a ruthless teacher. When the జఠర (belly) demands, the mind drops its social masks: pride loosens, shame fades, and even virtues can suddenly appear - not always because the heart became noble, but because survival forced simplicity. The verse is a warning about how quickly "principles" can change when we have not built inner strength. Seen through వివేక (discernment), this is an invitation to let వైరాగ్య (dispassion) arise from understanding, not from bitterness.

We can see this around financial stress and insecurity: people who were polished become harsh; people who were generous become calculating; people who were modest become desperate for attention. It is also why we should be cautious about judging others: many compromises are made under the pressure of scarcity. Bhartruhari's point is to cultivate a life where basic needs are steady, so your ethics and dignity are not held hostage by circumstance. Sa~gkarAcArya's భ్హజ గోవిందం returns to this point often: do not postpone inner clarity for outer arrangements; convert insight into a small daily discipline.

Practice: build one layer of steadiness - a small savings buffer, a simpler diet, or a lower-cost lifestyle - so that panic does not drive choices. At the same time, keep compassion alive: support అన్న-దాన (food-giving) and speak respectfully to those who serve you. Let hunger teach humility, not bitterness.

పుణ్యే గ్రామే వనే వా మహతి సితపటచ్ఛన్నపాలీ కపాలిం
హ్యాదాయ న్యాయగర్భద్విజహుతహుతభుగ్ధూమధూమ్రోపకంఠే ।
ద్వారం ద్వారం ప్రవిష్టో వరం ఉదరదరీపూరణాయ క్షుధార్తో
మానీ ప్రాణైః సనాథో న పునరనుదినం తుల్యకుల్యేసు దీనః ॥ 3.23 ॥

ఛందః (స్రగ్ధరా): This is in స్రగ్ధరా (సమ-వృత్త) Chandas/Meter: 4 పాదాః, 21 అక్షరాః per పాద; లఘు/గురు pattern (per పాద) is `GGGGLGG LLLLLLG GLGGLGG`; యతి (pause) is after the 7th and 14th syllables in each పాద.

Meaning (పదార్థ):
పుణ్యే - in a holy place
గ్రామే - in a village
వనే - in a forest
వా - or
మహతి - vast; great
సిత - white
పటః - cloth
చ్ఛన్న - covered
పాలీ - covering/wrapper (as written)
కపాలిం - a beggar's bowl
ఆదాయ - taking (in hand)
న్యాయ - proper rite; rule
గర్భః - filled with; containing
ద్విజః - Brahmin
హుతం - offering; sacrifice
హుతభుగ్ - fire ("eater" of offerings)
ధూమ - smoke
ధూమ్ర - smoke-grey
ఉపకంఠే - on the outskirts
ద్వారం ద్వారం - door to door
ప్రవిష్టః - having entered
వరం - better
ఉదరం - belly
దరీ - cave; hollow
పూరణాయ - for filling
క్షుధార్తః - afflicted by hunger
మానీ - self-respecting
ప్రాణైః - with (only) one's life-breath
సనాథః - supported; having refuge
న పునర్ - not again
అనుదినం - day after day
తుల్య - equal; peer
కుల్యేశు - among kinsmen/companions (as written)
దీనః - wretched; humbled

Translation (భావార్థ):
Better, when hungry, to take the begging bowl covered with a white cloth and go door to door in a holy village or in a great forest whose outskirts are grey with sacrificial smoke, simply to fill the cave of the belly - than to be day after day a miserable dependent among one's peers and kinsmen.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse draws a sharp line between simple need and corrosive dependence. A renunciant's alms are asked openly, with minimal expectation, and without entanglement; but dependence among peers often comes with silent bargaining, shame, and resentment. Bhartruhari is saying: do not live in a way that turns everyday relationships into a place of hidden begging. Seen through వివేక (discernment), this is an invitation to let వైరాగ్య (dispassion) arise from understanding, not from bitterness.

In contemporary life, this could mean refusing to build a lifestyle that requires constant favors: repeated borrowing, leaning on connections to escape consequences, or staying in unhealthy arrangements because "someone will handle it." Paradoxically, taking up humble honest work - even if it feels socially "lower" - often preserves more dignity than living on subtle manipulation. This is a practical face of వైరాగ్య (dispassion): choosing freedom over appearance.

Practice: identify one dependency that makes you lose self-respect - financial, emotional, or social. Replace it with one concrete step toward self-reliance: a new income skill, a boundary, or a simpler budget. Keep gratitude for anyone who helps you, but do not build your identity on being carried.

గంగాతరంగకణశీకరశీతలాని
విద్యాధరాధ్యుషితచారుశిలాతలాని ।
స్థానాని కిం హిమవతః ప్రలయం గతాని
యత్సావమానపరపిండరతా మనుష్యాః ॥ 3.24 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
గంగా - the river Ganga
తరంగః - wave
కణః - drop; particle
శీకరః - spray; fine mist
శీతలాని - cool; soothing (n. pl.)
విద్యాధర - celestial being (a class of beings)
అధ్యుషిత - inhabited by
చారు - beautiful
శిలాతలాని - rocky plateaus
స్థానాని - places; haunts
కిం - whether?
హిమవతః - of the Himalaya
ప్రలయం - dissolution; destruction
గతాని - gone; perished
యత్ - because
సావమాన - with contempt; with insult
పర - another's
పిండః - morsel; food
రతాః - attached to; delighting in
మనుష్యాః - people

Translation (భావార్థ):
Have the cool Himalayan retreats - chilled by the Ganga's spray and graced by lovely rock-ledges - vanished into destruction, that people choose to live on others' morsels even while accepting insult?

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse uses exaggeration as a mirror: nature has not disappeared, but our imagination of "comfort" makes us forget simple sufficiency. Instead of seeking a clean, simple life, people accept humiliation for food - flattering the powerful, tolerating abuse, and surrendering freedom. Bhartruhari is asking: if the world offers even a little independence, why trade it for contempt? Seen through వివేక (discernment), this is an invitation to let వైరాగ్య (dispassion) arise from understanding, not from bitterness.

In current terms, this can look like enduring a degrading workplace only to fund status consumption, or staying trapped in a social circle where you must constantly perform for access. The verse is not prescribing that everyone must run to the Himalayas; it is pointing to an inner Himalaya: the ability to live with less so your dignity is not for sale. When desires are reduced, choices expand. Sa~gkarAcArya's భ్హజ గోవిందం returns to this point often: do not postpone inner clarity for outer arrangements; convert insight into a small daily discipline.

Practice: reduce one status-driven expense and redirect that energy to a life-giving alternative - health, learning, time in nature, or service. Notice how quickly self-respect returns when you stop buying approval. Cultivate అపరిగ్రహ (non-hoarding) as a practical way to protect your freedom.

కిం కందాః కందరేభ్యః ప్రలయం ఉపగతా నిర్ఝరా వా గిరిభ్యః
ప్రధ్వస్తా వా తరుభ్యః సరసగలభృతో వల్కలిన్యశ్చ శాఖాః ।
వీక్ష్యంతే యన్ముఖాని ప్రసభం అపగతప్రశ్రయాణాం ఖలానాం
దుఃఖాప్తస్వల్పవిత్తస్మయపవనవశానర్తితభ్రూలతాని ॥ 3.25 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
కిం - have/has (it happened that...?)
కందాః - roots; tubers
కందరేభ్యః - from caves
ప్రలయం ఉపగతాః - perished; gone to destruction
నిర్ఝరాః - streams; waterfalls
గిరిభ్యః - from mountains
ప్రధ్వస్తాః - destroyed
తరుభ్యః - from trees
సరసగలభృతః - bearing juicy fruits (compound as written)
వల్కలిన్యః - having bark (as clothing/cover)
శాఖాః - branches
వీక్ష్యంతే - (they) look at; see
యత్ - because; since
ముఖాని - faces
ప్రసభం - forcibly; against one's will
అపగత - gone; lost
ప్రశ్రయః - humility; courtesy
ఖలాః - rogues; low people
దుఃఖాప్త - obtained with difficulty
స్వల్ప - little
విత్తం - wealth
స్మయః - pride; arrogance
పవనః - wind
వశః - under the control (of)
నర్తిత - made to dance
భ్రూ - eyebrow
లతాని - creepers (metaphor)

Translation (భావార్థ):
Have cave-roots vanished, have mountain streams dried up, or have trees with juicy fruits and bark-bearing branches been destroyed - that people must, against their will, look upon the faces of insolent rogues who have lost all courtesy, their eyebrow-creepers dancing under the wind of pride from hard-won little wealth?

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse mocks the arrogance of small success. A little money earned with difficulty can intoxicate the insecure mind, producing స్మయ (pride) and cruelty. Bhartruhari's sting is that such people are not powerful in any real sense; they are simply loud - and dependence forces others to endure their faces. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

We meet this "petty power" today in many forms: a minor promotion turning into harshness, a gatekeeper mentality in bureaucracy, or someone who finally gets a little leverage and uses it to humiliate others. The verse again points to the same remedy: reduce dependence and cultivate inner dignity. It also reminds us to watch our own behavior when we get small wins - do we become more humble, or more arrogant? This is the అనిత్యతా (impermanence) reflection that Sa~gkarAcArya uses to awaken వైరాగ్య: seeing change clearly, we stop demanding permanent comfort from it.

Practice: choose one concrete step that reduces your need to appease arrogant people - diversify income, build savings, or set boundaries with a toxic authority. And in your own sphere, treat those with less power with respect. Let మాన (self-respect) express itself as courtesy, not contempt.

పుణ్యైర్మూలఫలైస్తథా ప్రణయినీం వృత్తిం కురుష్వాధునా
భూశయ్యాం నవపల్లవైరకృపణైరుత్తిష్ఠ యావో వనమ్ ।
క్షుద్రాణాం అవివేకమూఢమనసాం యత్రేశ్వరాణాం సదా
విత్తవ్యాధివికారవిహ్వలగిరాం నామాపి న శ్రూయతే ॥ 3.26 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
పుణ్యైః - with sacred; auspicious
మూల - roots
ఫ్హలైర్ - with fruits (in verse: పలైస్తథా)
తథా - and thus
ప్రణయినీం - loving; dear (f.)
వృత్తిం - livelihood; mode of living
కురుష్వ - do; adopt
అధునా - now
భూ - earth
శయ్యాం - bed
నవ - fresh; new
పల్లవైః - with tender leaves
అకృపణైః - not miserly; not mean
ఉత్తిష్ఠ - rise up
యావో - let us go
వనం - to the forest
క్షుద్రాణాం - of petty people
అవివేక - lack of discernment
మూఢ - deluded
మనసాం - minds
యత్ర - where
ఈశ్వరాణాం - of the powerful/wealthy
సదా - always
విత్త - wealth
వ్యాధి - disease
వికార - disturbance; disorder
విహ్వల - agitated; distressed
గిరాం - speech; talk
నామ - name
అపి - even
న శ్రూయతే - is not heard

Translation (భావార్థ):
Now make your livelihood lovingly with sacred roots and fruits, make the earth your bed with fresh tender leaves, and rise - let us go to the forest, where the very names of petty people with deluded minds, who forever chatter anxiously about wealth and power, are not even heard.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
Here renunciation is described as a change of environment and a change of attention. The "forest" stands for a life where basic needs are simple and the mind is not constantly stirred by the gossip of acquisition. Bhartruhari calls the obsessions of the wealthy a విత్త-వ్యాధి (disease of wealth): even after gaining, the mind remains agitated by fear, comparison, and maintenance. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

Most people do not move to literal forests, but the same medicine is available: reduce exposure to endless financial noise and status talk. If your mind is fed all day with "who has what" and "what could go wrong", your inner peace will be permanently taxed. Advaita texts repeatedly point out that freedom is not produced by possessions; it is revealed when attachment loosens and attention returns inward. The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: create a small daily "forest" window - no news, no social comparison, no shopping. Eat simply, walk, study, and sit quietly. If you cannot change your outer life immediately, change your inputs and your pace. Over time, you will see that fewer wants create more space for clarity.

ఫలం స్వేచ్ఛాలభ్యం ప్రతివనం అఖేదం క్షితిరుహాం
పయః స్థానే స్థానే శిశిరమధురం పుణ్యసరితామ్ ।
మృదుస్పర్శా శయ్యా సులలితలతాపల్లవమయీ
సహంతే సంతాపం తదపి ధనినాం ద్వారి కృపణాః ॥ 3.27 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
ఫలం - fruit
స్వ - one's own
ఇచ్ఛా - wish; desire
స్వేచ్ఛాలభ్యం - obtainable at will
ప్రతివనం - in every forest
అఖేదం - without trouble; effortlessly
క్షితిరుహాం - of trees
పయః - water
స్థానే స్థానే - in every place
శిశిర - cool
మధురం - sweet
పుణ్య - sacred; holy
సరితాం - of rivers
మృదు - soft
స్పర్శా - to the touch
శయ్యా - bed
సు - very; well
లలిత - tender; delicate
లతా - creeper
పల్లవ - fresh leaves
మయీ - made of
సహంతే - endure
సంతాపం - heat; distress
తద్ అపి - even then
ధనినాం - of the wealthy
ద్వారి - at the door
కృపణాః - wretched; miserly-minded

Translation (భావార్థ):
Fruits can be had at will in every forest, cool sweet water is found everywhere from holy rivers, and a soft bed can be made from tender leafy creepers - and yet these wretched people still endure suffering at the doors of the rich.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse points out a strange tragedy: even when simple sustenance is available, the mind chases the glitter of wealth and ends up begging for access. The real poverty is not shortage of resources; it is shortage of contentment. When desire becomes comparison, the person forgets what is enough and accepts needless humiliation. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

This is visible in lifestyle inflation: basic needs are met, but standards keep rising because of social pressure. People then tolerate unreasonable conditions - at work, in relationships, in social circles - just to maintain a certain image. The verse is a reminder that freedom often begins by lowering the "required" level of comfort and recovering the joy of sufficiency. The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: run a deliberate experiment in sufficiency. For one week, choose simple food, fewer purchases, and less social display, and notice what happens to your mood. Use the saved time for rest, learning, or service. Each time you choose "enough", you strengthen వైరాగ్య (dispassion) and reduce the need to knock on the rich person's door.

యే వర్తంతే ధనపతిపురః ప్రార్థనాదుఃఖభాజో
యే చాల్పత్వం దధతి విషయాక్షేపపర్యాప్తబుద్ధేః ।
తేషాం అంతఃస్ఫురితహసితం వాసరాణి స్మరేయం
ధ్యానచ్ఛేదే శిఖరికుహరగ్రావశయ్యానిషణ్ణః ॥ 3.28 ॥

ఛందః (మందాక్రాంతా): This is in మందాక్రాంతా (సమ-వృత్త) Chandas/Meter: 4 పాదాః, 17 అక్షరాః per పాద; లఘు/గురు pattern (per పాద) is `GGGG LLLLLG GLGGLGG`; యతి (pause) is after the 4th and 10th syllables in each పాద.

Meaning (పదార్థ):
యే - those who
వర్తంతే - live; exist
ధన - wealth
పతి - lord; master
పురః - in front of
ప్రార్థనా - begging; request
దుఃఖ - sorrow
భాజః - partakers; those who suffer
యే - those who
చ - and
అల్పత్వం - meanness; littleness
దధతి - assume; take on
విషయ - sense-objects
ఆక్షేపః - distraction; throwing about
పర్యాప్త - satisfied; content with
బుద్ధేః - minds/understanding
తేషాం - of them
అంతః - within
స్ఫురిత - arising; flashing
హసితం - laughter; smile
వాసరాణి - days
స్మరేయం - may I remember
ధ్యాన - meditation
చ్ఛేదః - break; pause
శిఖరి - mountain peak
కుహరః - cave
గ్రావ - stone
శయ్యా - bed
నిషణ్ణః - seated; resting

Translation (భావార్థ):
May I remember, with an inward smile, the days of those who suffer begging before the wealthy, and of those who embrace meanness with minds content only with sensory distraction, while I lie on a stone-bed in a mountain cave during pauses in meditation.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse captures a quiet joy that comes after stepping away from the race. When you are no longer chasing approval or distraction, the old compulsions look almost comic - not because others are "bad", but because you see how the mind once ran after things that never truly satisfied. That inward smile is a sign of freedom: you are no longer hypnotized by what hypnotizes the crowd. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

Many people experience a smaller version of this after a retreat, a period of solitude, or a serious life event: you look back at the anxiety over status, the endless bargaining with bosses or audiences, and you realize how much energy was spent to protect an image. Krishnamurti often points out that living in images is bondage; when the image drops, there is simplicity. This verse encourages that drop. The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: take one deliberate pause each day that is free from performance - no posting, no checking, no proving. Sit quietly and observe the mind's urge to "be someone". Over weeks, you will naturally begin to smile at old patterns, and that gentle amusement becomes a stable form of వైరాగ్య.

యే సంతోషనిరంతరప్రముదితస్తేషాం న భిన్నా ముదో
యే త్వన్యే ధనలుబ్ధసంకలధియస్తేసాం న తృష్ణాహతా ।
ఇత్థం కస్య కృతే కుతః స విధినా కీదృక్పదం సంపదాం
స్వాత్మన్యేవ సమాప్తహేమమహిమా మేరుర్న మే రోచతే ॥ 3.29 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
యే - those who
సంతోష - contentment
నిరంతర - uninterrupted; continual
ప్రముదితః - joyful
తేషాం - of them
న - not
భ్హిన్నా - broken; interrupted
ముదా - joy
యే - those who
తు - but
అన్యే - others
ధన - wealth
లుబ్ధః - greedy
సంకల - confused; mixed up
ధియః - minds/understanding
తేషాం - of them
న - not
తృష్ణా - craving
హతా - destroyed; killed
ఇత్థం - thus
కస్య - for whom?
కృతే - for the sake of
కుతః - why? whence?
సః - that
విధినా - by the Creator
కీదృక్ - what kind of?
పదం - state; position
సంపదాం - of riches; wealth
స్వాత్మని - in itself
ఏవ - indeed
సమాప్త - complete; ending in
హేమ - gold
మహిమా - glory
మేరుః - Mount Meru
న - not
మే - to me
రోచతే - pleases; appeals

Translation (భావార్థ):
Those whose joy is continually rooted in contentment never have their happiness broken; but those greedy for wealth, with confused minds, never have their craving destroyed. So why did the Creator fashion the mountain Meru, whose golden glory is complete in itself? It does not attract me.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse contrasts two inner states: సంతోష (contentment) produces stable joy, while greed produces endless thirst. Even if a "Meru" of riches exists, it cannot help a mind trained to want more. Bhartruhari is not denying the usefulness of wealth; he is rejecting the fantasy that wealth can finish the heart's restlessness. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

This is the modern "hedonic treadmill": income rises, expenses rise, and satisfaction remains flat. Schopenhauer's critique of desire applies here: the will chases, briefly rests, and then suffers again. When the craving mechanism is not addressed, even a mountain of gold becomes a new source of anxiety and comparison. Contentment, by contrast, is a skill - a way of relating to life. This is the అనిత్యతా (impermanence) reflection that Sa~gkarAcArya uses to awaken వైరాగ్య: seeing change clearly, we stop demanding permanent comfort from it.

Practice: define "enough" for one category (income, possessions, recognition) and set a cap. Each month, redirect one portion of surplus to దాన (generosity) or to experiences that deepen you rather than inflate you. Train the mind to enjoy simplicity; then even without Meru, you will feel rich.

భిక్షాహారం అదైన్యం అప్రతిసుఖం భీతిచ్ఛిదం సర్వతో
దుర్మాత్సర్యమదాభిమానమథనం దుఃఖౌఘవిధ్వంసనమ్ ।
సర్వత్రాన్వహం అప్రయత్నసులభం సాధుప్రియం పావనం
శంభోః సత్రం అవాయం అక్షయనిధిం శంసంతి యోగీశ్వరాః ॥ 3.30 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
భిక్షా - alms; begging (as a discipline)
ఆహారః - food; sustenance
అదైన్యం - without wretchedness; not degrading
అ - not
ప్రతి - dependent (on)
సుఖం - joy
అప్రతిసుఖం - joy that is not dependent on others' favor
భీతిచ్ఛిద్ - fear-destroying
సర్వతః - from all sides; altogether
దుర్మాత్సర్య - wicked envy
మదః - intoxication; arrogance
అభిమానః - pride; self-conceit
మథనం - churning; crushing; destroying
దుఃఖ - sorrow
ఓఘః - flood; stream
విధ్వంసనం - destruction
సర్వత్ర - everywhere
అన్వహం - day by day; always
అప్రయత్న - without great effort
సులభం - easily obtainable
సాధు - holy person; good person
ప్రియం - dear; beloved
పావనం - purifying
శంభోః - of Shiva
సత్రం - feeding hall; charity kitchen
అయం - this (in verse: అవాయం)
అక్షయ - inexhaustible
నిధిః - treasure
శంసంతి - praise; describe
యోగీశ్వరాః - great yogis

Translation (భావార్థ):
Food obtained as alms is not degrading; it gives a joy that does not depend on pleasing others, and it is free from fear. It crushes envy, arrogance, and pride, destroys the flood of suffering, is available everywhere day after day with little effort, dear to the holy and purifying. The perfected yogis praise it as Shiva's inexhaustible charity kitchen, always accessible.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This verse re-frames alms as a discipline rather than a humiliation. When taken in the right spirit, భిక్షా breaks ego - envy, pride, and the subtle belief that "I must control everything." It also removes fear, because the person learns to live with fewer demands. Calling it Shiva's సత్ర (feeding hall) suggests a sacred trust: the world provides enough for the one who is simple.

For householders, the inner lesson is larger than literal begging. Any time you reduce dependency on approval, you gain fearlessness: you can speak honestly, you can walk away from manipulative systems, and you can live within your means. The verse also quietly urges compassion: if alms are sacred, then feeding others and supporting those in transition is a form of worship. Sa~gkarAcArya's భ్హజ గోవిందం returns to this point often: do not postpone inner clarity for outer arrangements; convert insight into a small daily discipline.

Practice: keep one "simple day" each week: eat plain food, spend minimally, and reduce entertainment. Use the saved time or money for సేవ (service) - feeding someone, donating, or volunteering. This trains the mind to find joy in simplicity and gives you the confidence that life can be lived without constant bargaining.

భోగే రోగభయం కులే చ్యుతిభయం విత్తే నృపాలాద్భయం
మానే దైన్యభయం బలే రిపుభయం రూపే జరాయా భయమ్ ।
శాస్త్రే వాదిభయం గుణే ఖలభయం కాయే కృతాంతాద్భయం
సర్వం వస్తు భయాన్వితం భువి నృణాం వైరాగ్యమేవాభయమ్ ॥ 3.31 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
భోగః - enjoyment; sense-pleasure (in verse: భోగే = "in enjoyment")
రోగః - disease
భయం - fear
కులం - family; lineage (in verse: కులే)
చ్యుతిః - fall; loss of status
విత్తం - wealth; money (in verse: విత్తే)
నృపాలః - ruler; king (in verse: నృపాలాత్)
మానః - honor; esteem (in verse: మానే)
దైన్యం - humiliation; wretchedness
బలం - strength; power (in verse: బలే)
రిపుః - enemy (in verse: రిపు)
రూపం - beauty; appearance (in verse: రూపే)
జరా - old age; decay
శాస్త్రం - learning; scripture (in verse: శాస్త్రే)
వాదీ - disputant; challenger
గుణః - virtue; good quality (in verse: గుణే)
ఖ్హలః - wicked person; scoundrel
కాయః - body (in verse: కాయే)
కృతాంతః - death; the "end" (in verse: కృతాంతాత్)
సర్వం - all; everything
వస్తు - thing; object
భయాన్వితం - pervaded by fear
భువి - on earth
నృణాం - of humans
వైరాగ్యం - dispassion; non-clinging
ఏవ - alone
అభయం - fearlessness

Translation (భావార్థ):
In pleasure there is fear of illness; in family, fear of decline; in wealth, fear of rulers; in honor, fear of humiliation; in strength, fear of enemies; in beauty, fear of old age; in learning, fear of challengers; in virtue, fear of the wicked; in the body, fear of death. Everything people hold in the world is mixed with fear; only dispassion is without fear.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse makes a blunt psychological claim: fear is woven into attachment. Whatever you "have" can be lost; whatever you identify with can be threatened. The list is not pessimism for its own sake - it is meant to show that the mind cannot reach lasting safety by rearranging externals. When వైరాగ్య (non-clinging) grows, fear reduces because there is less to defend and less to lose. Notice the chain Bhartruhari is pointing at: రాగ (attachment) quietly breeds భయ (fear), because whatever you cling to becomes something you must protect; వైరాగ్య breaks that chain.

This aligns neatly with an అద్వైత insight: ద్వితీయాద్వై భయం భవతి - fear arises from "a second" (from duality, from seeing something as other-than-me). As long as we build our self on possessions, status, or roles, we must stay anxious. The movement toward inner freedom is the movement toward అభయ (fearlessness), which the Upanishads praise as the nature of the Real.

Practice: list three recurring fears (health, money, reputation, relationships) and ask which attachment fuels each one. Reduce one attachment intentionally: simplify one possession, lower one status-demand, or loosen one compulsion to control outcomes. Pair that with a short daily meditation on what does not change - steady awareness itself. Fear loosens when the inner anchor becomes stronger than the outer circumstances.

ఆక్రాంతం మరణేన జన్మ జరసా చాత్యుజ్జ్వలం యౌవనం
సంతోషో ధనలిప్సయా శమసుఖం ప్రౌఢాంగనావిభ్రమైః ।
లోకైర్మత్సరిభిర్గుణా వనభువో వ్యాలైర్నృపా దుర్జనైర్
అస్థైర్యేణ విభూతయోఽప్యపహతా గ్రస్తం న కిం కేన వా ॥ 3.32 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
ఆక్రాంతం - overrun; seized
మరణం - death (in verse: మరణేన = by death)
జన్మ - birth
జరా - old age
అతి - very
ఉజ్జ్వలం - bright; radiant
యౌవనం - youth
సంతోషః - contentment
ధన - wealth
లిప్సా - greedy longing
శమ - calmness; peace
సుఖం - happiness
శమసుఖం - the happiness of peace
ప్రౌఢా - mature; full-grown
అంగనా - woman
విభ్రమైః - by charms; by wiles
లోకైః - by people
మత్సరిభిః - envious
గుణాః - virtues; good qualities
వన - forest
భువః - tracts/lands
వ్యాలైః - wild beasts; dangerous creatures
నృపాః - kings; rulers
దుర్జనైః - wicked people
అస్థైర్యేణ - by instability; by inconstancy
విభూతయః - fortunes; prosperities
అపి - even
అపహతాః - struck down; destroyed
గ్రస్తం - swallowed; seized
న కిం - what is not?
కేన వా - by whom indeed?

Translation (భావార్థ):
Birth is seized by death, bright youth by old age; contentment by greed for wealth, and the happiness of peace by the charms of passion. Virtues are attacked by envy, forest-lands by beasts, kings by the wicked, and even prosperity by instability. What, then, is not afflicted by something or other?

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse dismantles the fantasy of a "safe" worldly arrangement. Every domain has its predator: health has illness, power has enemies, virtue has jealousy, wealth has calamity. The point is not to become paranoid; it is to stop building your identity on what is inherently vulnerable. When you see this clearly, dispassion becomes natural rather than forced. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

In daily life this shows up as the constant background hum of risk-management: protecting reputation, guarding assets, scanning for threats, keeping up appearances. None of this is wrong in moderation, but when it becomes the center of life it produces chronic tension. The verse is urging a shift from external security to inner stability - from constantly "fixing" life to understanding life. This is the అనిత్యతా (impermanence) reflection that Sa~gkarAcArya uses to awaken వైరాగ్య: seeing change clearly, we stop demanding permanent comfort from it.

Practice: simplify one fragile dependency. Reduce what you must protect: fewer commitments, fewer unnecessary possessions, fewer ego-roles. Use the freed energy to build inner steadiness through study and meditation. The more your peace depends on your own mind, the less you are shaken by the inevitable "predators" of circumstance.

ఆధివ్యాధిశతైర్జనస్య వివిధైరారోగ్యం ఉన్మూల్యతే
లక్ష్మీర్యత్ర పతంతి తత్ర వివృతద్వారా ఇవ వ్యాపదః ।
జాతం జాతం అవశ్యం ఆశు వివశం మృత్యుః కరోత్యాత్మసాత్
తత్కిం తేన నిరంకుశేన విధినా యన్నిర్మితం సుస్థిరమ్ ॥ 3.33 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
ఆధి - mental affliction; worry
వ్యాధి - physical disease
శతైః - by hundreds
జనస్య - of people
వివిధైః - of various kinds
ఆరోగ్యం - health
ఉన్మూల్యతే - is uprooted; destroyed
లక్ష్మీః - fortune; wealth
యత్ర - where
పతంతి - falls; arrives
తత్ర - there
వివృత - opened
ద్వారాః - doors
ఇవ - like
వ్యాపదః - calamities; adversities
జాతం జాతం - whatever is born, again and again
అవశ్యం - certainly
ఆశు - quickly
వివశం - helpless
మృత్యుః - death
కరోతి - makes
ఆత్మసాత్ - its own; "absorbs" into itself
తత్కిం - then what?
తేన - by that
నిరంకుశేన - uncontrolled; without a goad
విధినా - by the Creator
యత్ - what (that which)
నిర్మితం - made; created
సుస్థిరం - truly stable

Translation (భావార్థ):
Hundreds of varied ailments uproot people's health. Wherever fortune settles, misfortunes arrive as if through doors flung wide open. Whatever is born, death quickly makes helpless and claims again and again. What, then, has this uncontrolled Creator made that can be called truly stable?

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse presses the same point with sharper images. Wealth is not only unstable; it attracts new anxieties - protection, comparison, loss, and conflict. Health is fragile. And death is not negotiable. Bhartruhari calls the Creator నిరంకుశ (without a goad) to emphasize that the world is not designed to conform to our demand for permanence. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

This is why clinging hurts: we expect stability where the system offers change. Modern life adds new layers - insurance, forecasts, analytics - but the basic truth remains: nothing external is finally controllable. The verse does not ask you to become careless; it asks you to stop treating external management as the source of peace. That peace must come from a deeper ground. This is the అనిత్యతా (impermanence) reflection that Sa~gkarAcArya uses to awaken వైరాగ్య: seeing change clearly, we stop demanding permanent comfort from it.

Practice: keep your responsibilities, but loosen inner expectation. Do one short daily reflection: "What I can control is my action and attitude, not outcomes." Then invest in the stable: character, learning, and inner practice. When your center shifts, even illness or loss becomes less psychologically catastrophic.

భోగాస్తుంగతరంగభంగతరలాః ప్రాణాః క్షణధ్వంసినః
స్తోకాన్యేవ దినాని యౌవనసుఖం స్ఫూర్తిః ప్రియాసు స్థితా ।
తత్సంసారం అసారం ఏవ నిఖిలం బుద్ధ్వా బుధా బోధకా
లోకానుగ్రహపేశలేన మనసా యత్నః సమాధీయతామ్ ॥ 3.34 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
భోగాః - pleasures; enjoyments
తుంగ - high
తరంగః - wave
భ్హంగః - breaking; crash
తరలాః - fickle; unstable
ప్రాణాః - life-breaths; life
క్షణ - moment
ధ్వంసినః - perishing; being destroyed
స్తోకాని - a few; small in number
దినాని - days
యౌవన - youth
సుఖం - happiness/pleasure
స్ఫూర్తిః - thrill; zest
ప్రియాసు - in beloveds
స్థితా - situated; resting
తత్సంసారం - that worldly life
అసారం - without essence
ఏవ - indeed
నిఖిలం - entire; all
బుద్ధ్వా - having understood
బుధాః - wise people
బోధకాః - teachers; awakeners
లోక - people/world
అనుగ్రహః - welfare; compassion
పేశల - tender; gentle
మనసా - with the mind
యత్నః - effort
సమాధీయతాం - should be applied/placed (toward సమాధి)

Translation (భావార్థ):
Pleasures are fickle like the crash of tall waves; life can be destroyed in a moment; the days of youthful happiness are few, and passion's thrill rests in the beloved. Knowing this whole cycle of worldly life to be without substance, let the wise teachers, with a mind softened by compassion for the world, strive for inner absorption.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This verse is important because it refuses escapism. Bhartruhari sees impermanence clearly, but he does not turn it into cynicism; he turns it into సమాధి (inner steadiness) and లోకానుగ్రహ (care for others). When your own mind becomes stable, you naturally become more useful to the world: less reactive, less self-centered, more grounded.

In practical terms, the mind wastes enormous energy chasing waves: short-lived highs, short-lived relationships, short-lived thrills. That chase produces burnout and fragmentation. The verse suggests a better use of energy: invest in depth. Even a small daily contemplative practice produces a kind of stability that makes you kinder and more effective - at home, at work, and in service. This is the అనిత్యతా (impermanence) reflection that Sa~gkarAcArya uses to awaken వైరాగ్య: seeing change clearly, we stop demanding permanent comfort from it.

Practice: keep one fixed daily time for inner work - meditation, prayer, or study - even if it is brief. Pair it with one act of అనుకంపా (compassion): help someone quietly, without display. The combination of inner depth and outer kindness is the verse's prescription for living wisely in an impermanent world.

భోగా మేఘవితానమధ్యవిలసత్సౌదామినీచంచలా
ఆయుర్వాయువిఘట్టితాబ్జపటలీలీనాంబువద్భంగురమ్ ।
లీలా యౌవనలాలసాస్తనుభృతాం ఇత్యాకలయ్య ద్రుతం
యోగే ధైర్యసమాధిసిద్ధిసులభే బుద్ధిం విదధ్వం బుధాః ॥ 3.35 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
భోగాః - pleasures; enjoyments
మేఘ - cloud
వితానం - canopy
మధ్యే - in the middle
విలసత్ - flashing; shining
సౌదామినీ - lightning
చంచలా - fickle; unsteady
ఆయుః - lifespan
వాయుః - wind
విఘట్టిత - shaken; struck
అబ్జ - lotus
పటలీ - cluster; mass
లీన - merged; settled
అంబు - water-drop
భంగురం - fragile; perishable
లోలా - wavering; fickle
యౌవన - youth
లాలసా - longing; craving
తనుభృతాం - of embodied beings
ఇతి - thus
ఆకలయ్య - having considered
ద్రుతం - quickly
యోగే - in yoga; disciplined practice
ధైర్య - steadiness; courage
సమాధి - absorption
సిద్ధి - attainment; success
సులభే - easily obtainable
బుద్ధిం - mind; understanding
విదధ్వం - place; establish
బుధాః - wise ones

Translation (భావార్థ):
Pleasures are fickle like lightning flashing in cloud-canopies. Life is as fragile as a drop resting on a lotus petal, shaken by the wind. Youthful longings waver like a game. Seeing this clearly, wise people quickly steady the mind in disciplined practice that yields courage, inner absorption, and real attainment.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse is a call to urgency without panic. The images are meant to break procrastination: if life can change in a moment, then postponing inner work is foolish. Bhartruhari is not anti-joy; he is anti-delusion. Enjoy what is appropriate, but do not expect it to be stable, and do not delay the cultivation of what actually stabilizes the mind. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

Today this applies to how quickly conditions shift - health scares, job changes, relationship turns, even global events. Many people respond by doubling down on distraction. The verse recommends the opposite: build ధైర్య (steadiness) and సమాధి (collected attention) so you can meet change without being shattered by it.

Practice: commit to a small, non-negotiable daily discipline: 10 minutes of meditation, or 30 minutes of focused study, or a fixed prayer routine. Let the practice be simple and repeatable; intensity is less important than continuity. Over time, your mind becomes less lightning-like and more lamp-like.

ఆయుః కల్లోలలోలం కతిపయదివసస్థాయినీ యౌవనశ్రీః
అర్థాః సంకల్పకల్పా ఘనసమయతడిద్విభ్రమా భోగపూగాః ।
కంఠాశ్లేషోపగూఢం తదపి చ న చిరం యత్ప్రియాభిః ప్రణీతం
బ్రహ్మణ్యాసక్తచిత్తా భవత భవభయాంభోధిపారం తరీతుమ్ ॥ 3.36 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
ఆయుః - lifespan; life
కల్లోలః - wave
లోలం - wavering; restless
కతిపయ - a few; some
దివసాః - days
స్థాయినీ - lasting; staying
యౌవన - youth
శ్రీః - splendor; prosperity
అర్థాః - wealth; possessions
సంకల్పః - thought; imagination
కల్పాః - like; comparable to
ఘన - dense; clouded
సమయః - time; season
తడిత్ - lightning
విభ్రమాః - fleeting displays; illusions (in verse: విభ్రమా)
భోగ - enjoyment
పూగాః - heaps; clusters
కంఠః - neck
ఆశ్లేషః - embrace
ఉపగూఢం - closely hugged
తద్ అపి - even that
న చిరం - not long
యత్ - which
ప్రియాభిః - by beloveds
ప్రణీతం - bestowed; brought about
బ్రహ్మణి - in the Absolute (in verse: బ్రహ్మణ్య్)
ఆసక్త - attached; devoted
చిత్తాః - minds
భవత - become; be
భవ - worldly existence; becoming
భయ - fear
అంబోధిః - ocean
పారం - farther shore
తరీతుం - to cross

Translation (భావార్థ):
Life wavers like waves; the splendor of youth lasts only a few days. Wealth is as fleeting as a thought, and heaps of pleasures are like lightning in stormy seasons. Even a beloved's close embrace does not last long. So fix your mind on the Absolute, if you want to cross the ocean of fear that belongs to worldly existence.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This verse is a complete argument in four lines: everything external is unstable, so place love and attention on what is stable. Bhartruhari is not saying "do not love"; he is saying "do not pretend the changing can give the unchanging." When affection, wealth, and pleasure are seen as temporary, the mind stops demanding eternity from them. Notice the chain Bhartruhari is pointing at: రాగ (attachment) quietly breeds భయ (fear), because whatever you cling to becomes something you must protect; వైరాగ్య breaks that chain.

Many modern anxieties come from the mismatch between expectation and reality: expecting permanent youth, permanent romance, permanent security. When life inevitably changes, the mind feels betrayed. The verse suggests a wiser strategy: let externals be enjoyed as gifts, and let the inner anchor be భ్రహ్మ (the Absolute, pure consciousness). Then change is not a catastrophe; it is simply the nature of the world.

Practice: once a day, name one change you are resisting and consciously soften your grip. Replace one minute of worry with one minute of remembrance: "What is unchanging is awareness itself." If the mind keeps returning to demands, return it gently to steady practice. Dispassion is not dryness; it is the freedom to love without fear.

కృచ్ఛ్రేణామేధ్యమధ్యే నియమితతనుభిః స్థీయతే గర్భవాసే
కాంతావిశ్లేషదుఃఖవ్యతికరవిషమో యౌవనే చోపభోగః ।
వామాక్షీణాం అవజ్ఞావిహసితవసతిర్వృద్ధభావోఽన్యసాధుః
సంసారే రే మనుష్యా వదత యది సుఖం స్వల్పం అప్యస్తి కించిథ్ ॥ 3.37 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
కృచ్ఛ్రేణ - with difficulty; painfully
అమేధ్య - impure; filthy
మధ్యే - in the midst
నియమిత - restrained; confined
తనుభిః - with the body/limbs
స్థీయతే - one stays; one is made to remain
గర్భవాసః - dwelling in the womb
కాంతా - beloved
విశ్లేషః - separation
దుఃఖం - sorrow
వ్యతికరః - mixture; interweaving
విషమః - painful; harsh
యౌవనే - in youth
చ - and
ఉపభోగః - enjoyment
వామాక్షీణాం - of beautiful-eyed women
అవజ్ఞా - contempt
విహసిత - laughed at
వసతిః - dwelling; state
వృద్ధభవః - old age
అన్య - otherwise; further
అసాధుః - not good; unpleasant
సంసారే - in worldly life
రే - O!
మనుష్యాః - people
వదత - tell (me)
యది - whether/if
సుఖం - happiness
స్వల్పం అపి - even a little
అస్తి - exists
కించిత్ - any

Translation (భావార్థ):
In the womb one stays confined in filth and discomfort; in youth even enjoyment is bitter, tangled with the pain of separation from the beloved; in old age one lives amid contempt and laughter. O people, tell me - in such worldly life, does even a little real happiness exist?

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse forces a question we usually avoid: if we look honestly, where is the stable happiness in this cycle? Every stage has its shadow. Bhartruhari is not denying that pleasant moments exist; he is denying that they can be relied upon as the foundation of life. The purpose of this stark inventory is to redirect the seeker toward a deeper joy that does not depend on conditions. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

In modern terms, we can translate the stages: early life has constraint and dependence; adulthood has anxiety, ambition, and relational turbulence; later life has decline and social invisibility. If the mind tries to extract lasting fulfillment from these changing frames, it will keep oscillating between hope and disappointment. The verse invites a more mature relationship with pleasure - appreciation without dependence. The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: stop postponing inner depth to a "later" time. Begin now with small daily contemplations and one stabilizing habit (meditation, prayer, service). Let pleasures come and go, but let your identity shift toward what is steady: awareness, character, and truth. When the center changes, life stages lose their power to define your happiness.

వ్యాఘ్రీవ తిష్ఠతి జరా పరితర్జయంతీ
రోగాశ్చ శత్రవ ఇవ ప్రహరంతి దేహమ్ ।
ఆయుః పరిస్రవంతి భిన్నఘటాదివాంభో
లోకస్తథాప్యహితం ఆచరతీతి చిత్రమ్ ॥ 3.38 ॥

ఛందః (మాత్రా-చందస్): This is in a మాత్రా-based Chandas/Meter (not a fixed అక్షర-count వృత్త): in this verse, the written segments carry approximately 18 + 17 + 18 + 18 మాత్రాః (total 71); treat లఘు=1 మాత్రా and గురు=2 మాత్రాః, and keep the natural pauses at the segment ends marked by `।`/`॥` (do not confuse దండ with internal యతి).

Meaning (పదార్థ):
వ్యాఘ్రీ - tigress
ఇవ - like
తిష్ఠతి - stands
జరా - old age
పరితర్జయంతీ - threatening; terrifying
రోగాః - diseases
చ - and
శత్రవః - enemies
ఇవ - like
ప్రహరంతి - strike; attack
దేహం - the body
ఆయుః - life-span
పరిస్రవంతి - leaks away; flows out
భిన్న - broken; cracked
ఘటా - pot
అది - like, etc. (in verse: ఘటాదివ)
అంభో - water
లోకః - the world/people
తథాపి - even so
అహితం - harmful; not beneficial
ఆచరతి - practices; does
ఇతి - thus
చిత్రం - strange; wonder

Translation (భావార్థ):
Old age stands like a tigress, threatening; diseases attack the body like enemies; the life-span leaks away like water from a cracked pot. Yet people still act in ways that harm them - how strange.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse is astonished at human self-sabotage. With decline and death so obvious, why do we keep choosing what increases suffering - greed, addiction, cruelty, and distraction? The images are meant to wake up ప్రమాద (carelessness): old age and illness are not theoretical; they are already approaching, and life is already leaking. Seen through వివేక (discernment), this is an invitation to let వైరాగ్య (dispassion) arise from understanding, not from bitterness.

We see the same contradiction today: people know what harms them - lack of sleep, constant anger, compulsive consumption - and still repeat it. Krishnamurti would say that we live mechanically, driven by habit and image, not by understanding. Bhartruhari's "citraM" (how strange) is a nudge to break the spell of routine. This is the అనిత్యతా (impermanence) reflection that Sa~gkarAcArya uses to awaken వైరాగ్య: seeing change clearly, we stop demanding permanent comfort from it.

Practice: pick one harmful pattern you already recognize and replace it with one nourishing pattern that is equally easy to do. If scrolling is easy, make reading easy. If late-night snacking is easy, make a walk easy. The mind changes when the alternative becomes practical. This is not moralism; it is intelligent self-care in the face of time.

భోగా భంగురవృత్తయో బహువిధాస్తైరేవ చాయం భవస్తత్
కస్యేహ కృతే పరిభ్రమత రే లోకాః కృతం చేష్టతైః ।
ఆశాపాశశతాపశాంతివిశదం చేతఃసమాధీయతాం
కామోత్పత్తివశాత్స్వధామని యది శ్రద్దేయం అస్మద్వచః ॥ 3.39 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
భోగాః - pleasures; enjoyments
భంగుర - fragile; perishing
వృత్తయః - forms; patterns; ways
బహువిధాః - of many kinds
తైః ఏవ - by them alone
చ - and
అయం - this
భవః - worldly existence; becoming
తత్ - thus
కస్య - for whose sake? for what purpose?
ఇహ - here
కృతే - for the sake of
పరిభ్రమత - do you wander about
రే - O!
లోకాః - people
చేష్టితైః - by efforts; by exertions
ఆశా - hope
పాశః - noose; rope
శత - hundred
ఆపాశ - (as in verse) nooses (compound)
శాంతి - pacification; calming
విశదం - clear; bright
చేతః - mind
సమాధీయతాం - let it be placed/collected (into సమాధి)
కామ - desire
ఉత్పత్తిః - arising
వశాత్ - by force of; due to
స్వధామని - in one's own true abode (the Supreme)
యది - if
శ్రద్దేయం - worthy of trust
అస్మత్ - our
వచః - words

Translation (భావార్థ):
This worldly life is made only of many kinds of fragile pleasures. For whose sake, and to what end, do you keep roaming here in constant exertion? Let the mind be gathered into clear absorption by quieting the hundred nooses of hope that arise from desire - if my words are worth trusting.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse diagnoses the engine of restlessness: ఆశా (hope/expectation) multiplied into hundreds of ropes, each tied to a desire. The mind runs not because life demands it, but because hope keeps promising a future completion. Bhartruhari's remedy is not pessimism; it is చిత్త-సమాధి - the mind becoming collected, clear, and present.

This lands directly on modern overwork and over-stimulation. Many people are exhausted not by necessity but by mental roaming: one more goal, one more upgrade, one more recognition. When hope becomes addiction, life becomes a treadmill. The verse suggests a radical move: stop roaming and return to your "own abode" - the inner ground of awareness, where the mind can finally rest. The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: write down the top five hopes driving your week (approval, money, control, pleasure, recognition). For one day, pause each time one of these hopes pulls you, and do one breath of awareness before acting. Then choose either a necessary action or a deliberate renunciation. Over time, those hundred ropes become thinner, and the mind becomes visibly clearer.

సఖే ధన్యాః కేచిత్త్రుటితభవబంధవ్యతికరా
వనాంతే చిత్తాంతర్విషం అవిషయాశీత్విషగతాః ।
శరచ్చంద్రజ్యోత్స్నాధవలగగనాభోగసుభగాం
నయంతే యే రాత్రిం సుకృతచయచింతైకశరణాః ॥ 3.39.1 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
సఖే - O friend
ధన్యాః - blessed; fortunate
కేచిత్ - some
త్రుటిత - broken; snapped
భవ - worldly existence; becoming
బంధః - bondage
వ్యతికరః - entanglement; tangle (in verse: వ్యతికరా)
వనాంతే - in the depths of the forest
చిత్త - mind
అంతర - within
విషం - poison (inner poison of agitation)
అవిషయ - without sense-objects; non-object
ఆశీత్ - cooled; became cold (in verse compound)
విష - poison
గాతాః - gone/attained (as written: గతాః)
శరత్ - autumn
చంద్ర - moon
జ్యోత్స్నా - moonlight
ధవల - white; pure
గగన - sky
ఆభోగః - expanse
సుభగాం - beautiful; auspicious
నయంతే - spend; lead
యే - those who
రాత్రిం - the night
సుకృత - merit; good deeds
చయః - accumulation; store
చింతా - contemplation
ఏక - only
శరణాః - refuge; shelter

Translation (భావార్థ):
O friend, blessed are those few who have snapped the tangle of worldly bondage. In the forest they reach an objectless coolness that pacifies the mind's inner poison; under the beautiful expanse of an autumn-moonlit sky, they pass the night taking refuge only in contemplation of their store of virtue.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This verse celebrates the quiet happiness of solitude after detachment. The "inner poison" is the agitation of craving, comparison, and resentment; when sense-objects stop dominating attention, that poison cools. The autumn moonlight image suggests clarity: the mind becomes spacious, luminous, and simple - not because life became perfect, but because the mind stopped being pulled in a hundred directions. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

For many people today, the forest is symbolic: a space without constant inputs. When notifications stop, when entertainment is absent, when you are alone with your mind, you begin to see the toxins you were avoiding. Those few "blessed" ones are not special by birth; they are special by choice - they choose depth over distraction. The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: create a small "forest night" once a week. Turn off screens, go for a quiet walk, look at the sky, and let the mind settle. Use the time for స్వాధ్యాయ (self-study) and for remembering your own good intentions. Slowly, the inner poison cools, and clarity becomes your natural refuge.

బ్రహ్మేంద్రాదిమరుద్గణాంస్తృణకణాన్యత్ర స్థితో మన్యతే
యత్స్వాదాద్విరసా భవంతి విభవాస్త్రైలోక్యరాజ్యాదయః ।
భోగః కోఽపి స ఏవ ఏక పరమో నిత్యోదితో జృంభతే
భోః సాధో క్షణభంగురే తదితరే భోగే రతిం మా కృథాః ॥ 3.40 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
బ్రహ్మ - Brahma
ఇంద్ర - Indra
ఆది - etc.
మరుత్ - Maruts (a class of gods)
గణాః - groups/hosts
తృణ - grass
కణాని - particles; blades
అత్ర - here (in that state)
స్థితహ్ - one who is established (in verse: స్థితో)
మన్యతే - considers
యత్ - whose
స్వాదః - taste; relish
విరసాః - tasteless
భవంతి - become
విభవాః - riches; powers
త్రైలోక్య - the three worlds
రాజ్యం - sovereignty; kingdom
ఆదయః - and the like
భోగః - enjoyment
కోఽపి - some unique; a certain
సః ఏవ - that alone
ఏకః - one
పరమః - supreme
నిత్య - eternal
ఉదితః - risen; shining
జృంభతే - blossoms; expands
భోః - O!
సాధో - O good one; seeker
క్షణ - moment
భంగుర - perishing; brittle
తదితర - other than that
భోగః - pleasure
రతిః - attachment; delight
మా కృథాః - do not do; do not make

Translation (భావార్థ):
For one established there, Brahma, Indra, and the other hosts of gods seem like mere blades of grass; and even the greatest riches - like sovereignty over the three worlds - become tasteless. There is one supreme enjoyment that shines eternally. O seeker, do not cling to other pleasures that break in a moment.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse describes "taste-shift". When a deeper joy is tasted, lesser joys lose their tyranny. It is not that the world becomes ugly; it becomes proportionate. Even "divine" powers and statuses look small compared to the quiet fullness of the Real. Bhartruhari is pointing to a single enduring delight: the joy of abiding in truth. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

In real life, you may glimpse this after genuine meditation, after deep love, or after a near-miss that resets priorities: suddenly, things you once chased feel like grass. That shift is precious because it breaks addiction. The Upanishads call the Absolute రస (deep savor); when that savor is known, the mind does not beg from fragile pleasures.

Practice: do not only "fight" desires; replace their taste. Build one daily source of deeper joy - meditation, meaningful service, study, or silence. Then watch how cravings lose intensity naturally. Dispassion becomes effortless when the mind has found a higher satisfaction.

సా రమ్యా నగరీ మహాన్స నృపతిః సామంతచక్రం చ తత్
పార్శ్వే తస్య చ సా విదగ్ధపరిషత్తాశ్చంద్రబింబాననాః ।
ఉద్వృత్తః స రాజపుత్రనివహస్తే వందినస్తాః కథాః
సర్వం యస్య వశాదగాత్స్మృతిపథం కాలాయ తస్మై నమః ॥ 3.41 ॥

ఛందః (మాత్రా-చందస్): This is in a మాత్రా-based Chandas/Meter (not a fixed అక్షర-count వృత్త): in this verse, the written segments carry approximately 24 + 25 + 22 + 24 మాత్రాః (total 95); treat లఘు=1 మాత్రా and గురు=2 మాత్రాః, and keep the natural pauses at the segment ends marked by `।`/`॥` (do not confuse దండ with internal యతి).

Meaning (పదార్థ):
సా - that
రమ్యా - charming; delightful
నగరీ - city
మహాన్ - great
స - that
నృపతిః - king; ruler
సామంత - vassal; chief
చక్రం - circle; surrounding group
చ - and
తత్ - that
పార్శ్వే - at the side; nearby
తస్య - of him
విదగ్ధ - clever; refined
పరిషత్ - assembly; court
తాః - those (f. pl.)
చంద్ర - moon
బింబం - disk; orb
ఆననాః - faces
ఉద్వృత్తః - arrogant; headstrong
రాజపుత్ర - prince
నివహః - multitude; crowd
తే - those
వందినః - panegyrists; bards
తాః - those
కథాః - stories; tales
సర్వం - all
యస్య - whose
వశాత్ - under whose power
అగాత్ - went
స్మ్ఱ్తి - memory
పథం - path
కాలాయ - to Time
తస్మై - to him
నమః - salutations

Translation (భావార్థ):
That delightful city, that great king and his circle of vassals, that cultured court of moon-faced beauties, that headstrong crowd of princes, those bards, those tales - all of it has gone down the road of memory under the power of Time. Salutations to Time.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse is a bow to కాల (Time) because Time humbles every human arrangement. Cities, courts, fame, and pleasure all feel solid while we are inside them; later they become stories. Bhartruhari is not merely lamenting; he is sharpening వివేక (discernment) by reminding us that even the most impressive "world" eventually becomes a memory in someone else's mind.

This is directly relevant to how we chase status today. Titles change, platforms fade, circles dissolve, and the very things we anxiously curate become footnotes. ఆది శంకరాచార్య compresses the same truth in భ్హజ గోవిందం: కాలః క్రీడతి గచ్చతి ఆయుః - time plays, and life moves on. When we remember this, we stop investing our entire identity into what Time will certainly recycle.

Practice: once a week, imagine your current worries as a future story. Ask: "What would I want to have valued if this all becomes memory?" Then act accordingly - deepen character, relationships, and inner practice. A life aligned with what lasts is the best way to honor Time.

యత్రానేకః క్వచిదపి గృహే తత్ర తిష్ఠత్యథైకో
యత్రాప్యేకస్తదను బహవస్తత్ర నైకోఽపి చాంతే ।
ఇత్థం నేయౌ రజనిదివసౌ లోలయంద్వావివాక్షౌ
కాలః కల్యో భువనఫలకే క్రీడతి ప్రాణిశారైః ॥ 3.42 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
యత్ర - where
అనేకః - many
క్వచిద్ అపి - in some place
గృహే - in a home
తత్ర - there
తిష్ఠతి - remains
అథ - then
ఏకః - one
యత్ర అపి - where also
ఏకః - one
తద్ అను - thereafter
బహవః - many
తత్ర - there
న ఏకః అపి - not even one
చ - and
అంతే - in the end
ఇత్థం - thus
నేయౌ - "to be cast" (as dice); two (night/day) used like dice
రజని - night
దివసౌ - days
లోలయన్ - rolling; throwing
ద్వౌ - two
ఇవ - like
అక్షౌ - dice
కాలః - Time
కల్యః - clever; skilful
భువన - world
పలకం - board (as of a game)
క్రీడతి - plays
ప్రాణి - living beings
శారైహ్ - as pieces/counters (as written: శారైః)

Translation (భావార్థ):
In some house there were many, and later only one remains; where there was one, later there are many; and in the end not even one is left. Thus Time, the clever player, plays on the world-board, rolling night and day like two dice, moving living beings as the pieces.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse makes impermanence intimate: it is not only kingdoms that vanish, but households. The "game" image is not to mock suffering; it is to show that change is built into life. Friends come, family disperses, roles shift, and finally everyone exits. Seeing this truth is the beginning of వైరాగ్య (dispassion): you stop clinging and start valuing what is meaningful while it is present. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

This can transform how we live in communities today. Instead of assuming relationships are permanent and neglecting them, we become more attentive and grateful. Instead of building identity only on being "needed" by a certain group, we build inner stability, so transitions do not destroy us. Time will move the pieces; wisdom is learning how to play without losing peace. This is the అనిత్యతా (impermanence) reflection that Sa~gkarAcArya uses to awaken వైరాగ్య: seeing change clearly, we stop demanding permanent comfort from it.

Practice: reach out to one person you have taken for granted and express simple appreciation. Also, loosen one identity-role you are over-attached to. When you can love without clinging, Time's moves hurt less and teach more.

ఆదిత్యస్య గతాగతైరహరహః సంక్షీయతే జీవితం
వ్యాపారైర్బహుకార్యభారగురుభిః కాలోఽపి న జ్ఞాయతే ।
దృష్ట్వా జన్మజరావిపత్తిమరణం త్రాసశ్చ నోత్పద్యతే
పీత్వా మోహమయీం ప్రమాదమదిరాం ఉన్మత్తభూతం జగథ్ ॥ 3.43 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
ఆదిత్యః - the sun (in verse: ఆదిత్యస్య)
గత - going
ఆగత - coming
అహరహః - day after day
సంక్షీయతే - is diminished; is worn away
జీవితం - life
వ్యాపారైః - by activities; by busyness
బహు - many
కార్య - tasks
భారః - burden
గురుభిః - heavy
కాలః - time
అపి - even
న జ్ఞాయతే - is not known/recognized
దృష్ట్వా - seeing
జన్మ - birth
జరా - old age
విపత్తిః - misfortune; adversity (in verse: విపత్తి)
మరణం - death
త్రాసః - fear
చ - and
న ఉత్పద్యతే - does not arise
పీత్వా - having drunk
మోహ - delusion
మయీం - made of
ప్రమాదః - heedlessness; carelessness
మదిరా - intoxicating wine
ఉన్మత్త - maddened
భూతం - become
జగత్ - the world

Translation (భావార్థ):
With the sun's daily rising and setting, life keeps shrinking; and under the heavy burden of countless tasks, even time itself is not noticed. Though birth, aging, misfortune, and death are seen, fear does not arise, because the world has become intoxicated by the wine of delusion called heedlessness.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse points at the strangest human blindness: we watch time pass, and yet live as if it were infinite. Busyness becomes a drug. The poet calls it ప్రమాద (heedlessness) - a drunken state where urgency is lost and the mind keeps postponing what matters. Even the obvious facts of mortality do not wake us because the intoxication is comforting. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

In our era, this intoxication often takes the form of constant activity: meetings, feeds, entertainment, and endless "productive" motion. But when the mind never pauses, it cannot see. Upanishadic teaching begins with waking up: ఉత్తిష్ఠత జాగ్రత (arise, awake). This verse is a similar wake-up call, asking us to become sober about time.

Practice: create a daily pause that breaks the intoxication - 5 minutes of silence at sunrise or sunset. Use it to remember three facts: life is finite, relationships are precious, and the mind can be trained. That small sobriety changes how you use the rest of the day.

రాత్రిః సైవ పునః స ఏవ దివసో మత్వా ముధా జంతవో
ధావంత్యుద్యమినస్తథైవ నిభృతప్రారబ్ధతత్తత్క్రియాః ।
వ్యాపారైః పునర్ఉక్తభూతవిషయైరిత్థం విధేనామునా
సంసారేణ కదర్థితా వయం అహో మోహాన్న లజ్జామహే ॥ 3.44 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
రాత్రిః - night
సా ఏవ - that same
పునః - again
సః ఏవ - that same
దివసః - day
మత్వా - thinking
ముధా - vainly; uselessly
జంతవః - creatures
ధావంతి - run about
ఉద్యమినః - industrious; busy
తథా ఏవ - just the same
నిభృత - hidden; fixed (as written)
ప్రారబ్ధ - destined; begun (karma)
తత్-తత్-క్రియాః - those actions, each of them
వ్యాపారైః - by activities
పునరుక్త - repeated
భూత - become
విషయైః - by sense-objects
ఇత్థం - thus
విధేన - by this arrangement/method
అమునా - by this
సంసారేణ - by worldly life
కదర్థితాః - abused; degraded
వయం - we
అహో - alas
మోహాత్ - from delusion
న లజ్జామహే - we are not ashamed

Translation (భావార్థ):
Night is the same again, and the day is the same again; yet creatures, thinking vainly, keep running in busyness, repeating their destined actions. With activities and sense-pursuits endlessly repeated, we are degraded by this cycle of worldly life - and, alas, through delusion we feel no shame.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse is about life on autopilot. The repetition of day and night mirrors the repetition of our habits: the same worries, the same cravings, the same distractions. Bhartruhari says the tragedy is not only that we repeat, but that we do not even feel the "alarm" of shame that would make us change. Delusion normalizes the waste. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

This is why routines can be dangerous: they create the illusion of progress while the inner person remains unchanged. Many people work hard, consume hard, and distract hard, yet never ask: "What am I becoming?" When that question is absent, the cycle continues. The verse invites a conscious break in the loop. The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: change one daily loop deliberately. Break one automatic behavior (a habitual scroll, a habitual complaint, a habitual indulgence) and replace it with a conscious act (a walk, a prayer, a page of study). Small breaks are how the wheel of సంసార begins to slow.

న ధ్యానం పదం ఈశ్వరస్య విధివత్సంసారవిచ్ఛిత్తయే
స్వర్గద్వారకపాటపాటనపటుర్ధర్మోఽపి నోపార్జితః ।
నారీపీనపయోధరోరుయుగలం స్వప్నేఽపి నాలింగితం
మాతుః కేవలం ఏవ యౌవనవనచ్ఛేదే కుఠారా వయమ్ ॥ 3.45 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
న - not
ధ్యానం - meditation
పదం - feet; abode (in verse: పదం)
ఈశ్వరస్య - of the Lord
విధివత్ - properly
సంసార - worldly cycle
విచ్ఛిత్తయే - for cutting; for severing
స్వర్గ - heaven
ద్వార - gate
కపాటం - door; shutter
పాటన - breaking open
పటుః - skilled
ధర్మః - merit; virtue
అపి - even
న ఉపార్జితః - not acquired
నారీ - woman
పీన - full; firm
పయోధర - breast
ఊరు - thigh
యుగలం - pair
స్వప్నే అపి - even in a dream
న ఆలింగితం - not embraced
మాతుః - of mother
కేవలం ఏవ - only indeed
యౌవన - youth
వనం - forest (metaphor: a flourishing thicket)
చ్ఛేదః - cutting
కుఠారాః - axes
వయం - we

Translation (భావార్థ):
We have not properly meditated on the Lord's feet to cut the bondage of worldly life. We have not earned even the merit skilled enough to break open heaven's gate. We have not even in dreams embraced a woman's full breasts and thighs. We were born only to become axes that cut down our mother's forest of youth.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This is self-criticism meant to shock the lazy mind. The poet says: we did not pursue the highest (liberation), nor even the common human enjoyments in a meaningful way; we simply passed time. And the only clear "result" of our birth was that our mother aged - her youth was cut down, as if by an axe. The verse is not anti-motherhood; it is pro-gratitude and pro-purpose. The word సంసార (worldly churn of repeated becoming) is central: when వివేక (discernment) is clear, వైరాగ్య arises and the churn loses its grip.

Many people feel a modern version of this when they look back and realize they spent their best years in distraction and indecision. It is easy to consume entertainment and call it living. The verse asks for honesty: what did your life actually cultivate? In సనాతన ధర్మ, gratitude to parents is sacred - మాతృ దేవో భవ (let the mother be a deity). Wasting life without honoring that sacrifice is a deep loss.

Practice: do one concrete act of service for your parents or elders - time, care, respect, or support. Then choose one clear direction for your own life: either deepen spiritual practice, or deepen ethical worldly life - but do not drift. Purpose is the real repayment.

నాభ్యస్తా ప్రతివాదివృందదమనీ విద్యా వినీతోచితా
ఖడ్గాగ్రైః కరికుంభపీఠదలనైర్నాకం న నీతం యశః ।
కాంతాకౌంఅలపల్లవాధరరసః పీతో న చంద్రోదయే
తారుణ్యం గతం ఏవ నిష్ఫలం అహో శూన్యాలయే దీపవథ్ ॥ 3.46 ॥

ఛందః (మాత్రా-చందస్): This is in a మాత్రా-based Chandas/Meter (not a fixed అక్షర-count వృత్త): in this verse, the written segments carry approximately 27 + 25 + 28 + 26 మాత్రాః (total 106); treat లఘు=1 మాత్రా and గురు=2 మాత్రాః, and keep the natural pauses at the segment ends marked by `।`/`॥` (do not confuse దండ with internal యతి).

Meaning (పదార్థ):
న - not
అభ్యస్తా - practiced; mastered
ప్రతి - against
వాదీ - debater
వృందం - group
దమని - subduing (f.)
విద్యా - knowledge
వినీత - disciplined; trained
ఉచితా - fitting; appropriate
ఖడ్గః - sword
అగ్రః - edge; tip (in verse: ఖడ్గాగ్రైః)
కరి - elephant
కుంభః - temple of the head
పీఠం - base/seat
దలనం - splitting; crushing
యశః - fame
నాకం - heaven
న నీతం - not taken/reached
కాంతా - beloved
కౌంఅల - tender (as written)
పల్లవ - fresh sprout
అధరః - lip
రసః - nectar/taste
పీతః - drunk; tasted
న - not
చంద్రోదయే - at moonrise
తారుణ్యం - youth
గతం - gone
ఏవ - indeed
నిష్ఫలం - fruitless
అహో - alas
శూన్యాలయే - in an empty house
దీప - lamp
వత్ - like (in verse: దీపవథ్)

Translation (భావార్థ):
We have not mastered the disciplined knowledge that subdues the crowd of debaters. We have not carried fame to heaven, as if crushing an elephant's temple with a sword-point. We have not tasted at moonrise the nectar of a beloved's tender sprout-like lips. Youth has passed away fruitlessly - like a lamp in an empty house.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse again attacks waste. A lamp is valuable when it illumines a home; in an empty house it burns without benefit. Bhartruhari uses that image for youth: if it is not used for learning, love with responsibility, or inner growth, it is simply consumed by time. The poet is not demanding a specific life-script; he is demanding intentionality. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

Many people feel this after years of drifting between distractions: the mind was busy, but life did not become deeper. The remedy is not regret; it is immediate clarity. Youth may be physical, but "youth" also means energy, attention, and opportunity. Even later in life, that lamp can be turned toward what matters. The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: choose one domain to grow this month - knowledge, health, relationships, or spiritual practice - and take a concrete step daily. Reduce one time-waster that drains attention. If you do this consistently, the lamp of your life begins to illumine something real.

విద్యా నాధిగతా కలంకరహితా విత్తం చ నోపార్జితం
శుశ్రూషాపి సమాహితేన మనసా పిత్రోర్న సంపాదితా ।
ఆలోలాయతలోచనాః ప్రియతమాః స్వప్నేఽపి నాలింగితాః
కాలోఽయం పరపిండలోలుపతయా కాకైరివ ప్రేర్యతే ॥ 3.47 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
విద్యా - knowledge
న అధిగతా - not attained
కలంక - stain; blemish
రహితా - without
విత్తం - wealth
చ - and
న ఉపార్జితం - not earned
శుశ్రూషా - devoted service
అపి - even
సమాహితేన - with a collected (focused) mind
మనసా - with the mind
పిత్రోః - for the parents
న సంపాదితా - not accomplished
ఆలోలాయత - dancing; swaying
లోచనాః - eyes
ప్రియతమాః - beloveds
స్వప్నే అపి - even in dreams
న ఆలింగితాః - not embraced
కాలః - time
అయం - this
పర - others'
పిండః - morsel; food
లోలుపతా - greed
కాకైః - by crows
ఇవ - like
ప్రేర్యతే - is driven; is pushed

Translation (భావార్థ):
We have not gained blemishless knowledge, nor earned wealth; we have not even served our parents with a collected mind. We have not embraced, even in dreams, our beloveds with dancing eyes. Time drives us on, like crows pushed by greed for another's morsel.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This verse adds a moral dimension: not only was life wasted, it was spent in dependence and neglect. The crow image is sharp: crows live by picking leftovers; similarly, a person who lives without inner strength ends up living on others - approval, resources, status, or opportunities. Bhartruhari is saying: do not let time push you like that. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

In modern settings, this can look like living on borrowed attention: chasing likes, copying trends, and avoiding the slow work of building character and skill. It can also look like neglecting parents and elders while being busy with trivial pursuits. The verse is a reminder that a meaningful life includes learning, responsibility, and gratitude. This is the అనిత్యతా (impermanence) reflection that Sa~gkarAcArya uses to awaken వైరాగ్య: seeing change clearly, we stop demanding permanent comfort from it.

Practice: do one daily act of శుశ్రూషా (devoted service) - toward parents, elders, or anyone who supported you. Also, build one piece of independent competence (a skill, a habit, a discipline). When you become less crow-like, time becomes less of a whip and more of a teacher.

వయం యేభ్యో జాతాశ్చిరపరిగతా ఏవ ఖలు తే
సమం యైః సంవృద్ధాః స్మృతివిషయతాం తేఽపి గమితాః ।
ఇదానీం ఏతే స్మః ప్రతిదివసం ఆసన్నపతనా
గతాస్తుల్యావస్థాం సికతిలనదీతీరతరుభిః ॥ 3.48 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
వయం - we
యేభ్యః - from whom
జాతాః - born
చిరపరిగతాః - long since departed
ఏవ - indeed
ఖలు - truly
తే - they
సమం - together
యైః - with whom
సంవృద్ధాః - grown up
స్మ్ఱ్తి - memory
విషయతాం - into an object (of)
తే అపి - they too
గమితాః - taken; made to go
ఇదానీం - now
ఏతే స్మః - we are these (i.e., in this state)
ప్రతిదివసం - day by day
ఆసన్న - near; approaching
పతనా - falling
గతాః - gone; become
తుల్య - similar
అవస్థాం - condition/state
సికతిల - sandy
నదీ - river
తీర - bank
తరుభిః - with trees

Translation (భావార్థ):
Those who gave birth to us have long since departed. Those with whom we grew up have also been made only objects of memory. Now, day by day, we are approaching the same condition - like trees standing on the sandy bank of a river, near to falling.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse is a meditation on the thinning of life. Parents go, friends go, and soon we too stand "near to falling." The river-bank tree image is exact: it stands upright, but the ground under it is eroding. Bhartruhari is not trying to frighten; he is trying to make us honest about the direction of time. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

This is relevant when we live as if relationships and opportunities are permanent. We postpone calls, postpone apologies, postpone gratitude, and assume we can do it "later." The verse says: later is not guaranteed. When impermanence is remembered, love becomes more immediate and priorities become clearer. The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: do one act of reconciliation or appreciation today. Also, stop postponing one meaningful project that your heart knows matters. If you live as a river-bank tree, you will cling; if you live with awareness of erosion, you will use time wisely.

ఆయుర్వర్షశతం నృణాం పరిమితం రాత్రౌ తద్అర్ధం గతం
తస్యార్ధస్య పరస్య చార్ధం అపరం బాలత్వవృద్ధత్వయోః ।
శేషం వ్యాధివియోగదుఃఖసహితం సేవాదిభిర్నీయతే
జీవే వారితరంగచంచలతరే సౌఖ్యం కుతః ప్రాణినామ్ ॥ 3.49 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
ఆయుః - lifespan
వర్ష - years
శతం - hundred
నృణాం - of humans
పరిమితం - limited; measured
రాత్రౌ - in night(s)
తత్ - that
అర్ధం - half
గతం - gone
తస్య - of that
అర్ధస్య - of half
పరస్య - of the remaining
చ - and
అర్ధం - half
అపరం - another
బాలత్వ - childhood
వృద్ధత్వ - old age
యోః - in the two
శేషం - the remainder
వ్యాధి - illness
వియోగ - separation; loss
దుఃఖ - sorrow
సహితం - together with
సేవా - service
ఆదిభిః - and the like
నీయతే - is carried away/spent
జీవే - in life (loc.)
వారి - water
తరంగ - wave
చంచల - fickle
తరే - very (comparative)
సౌఖ్యం - happiness
కుతః - where/from what source?
ప్రాణినాం - for living beings

Translation (భావార్థ):
Human life is limited to a hundred years; half of it is spent in nights. Of the remaining half, another half is lost to childhood and old age. The rest is spent amid illness, separation, sorrow, and service to others. In a life more fickle than water-waves, where is lasting happiness for living beings?

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This is a time-accounting verse. When you subtract sleep, dependency, decline, sickness, and obligations, very little remains as "free life." Bhartruhari is not trying to make you despair; he is trying to make you stop wasting what remains. The problem is not that life is short; the problem is that we spend it chasing what cannot satisfy. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

The categories remain recognizably the same today: sleep, school, work, maintenance, stress, and loss. Many people then try to squeeze "happiness" out of scraps through binge consumption. The verse suggests the opposite: if time is scarce, invest it in what has depth. Inner freedom gives a happiness that does not require perfect external conditions. The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: audit one week of time and remove one low-value habit. Use that recovered time for something that strengthens you: health, relationships, learning, or contemplation. If you treat time as sacred, the quality of life rises even if the quantity is limited.

క్షణం బాలో భూత్వా క్షణం అపి యువా కామరసికః
క్షణం విత్తైర్హీనః క్షణం అపి చ సంపూర్ణవిభవః ।
జరాజీర్ణైరంగైర్నట ఇవ బలీమండితతనూర్
నరః సంసారాంతే విశతి యమధానీయవనికామ్ ॥ 3.50 ॥

ఛందః (మాత్రా-చందస్): This is in a మాత్రా-based Chandas/Meter (not a fixed అక్షర-count వృత్త): in this verse, the written segments carry approximately 23 + 20 + 23 + 23 మాత్రాః (total 89); treat లఘు=1 మాత్రా and గురు=2 మాత్రాః, and keep the natural pauses at the segment ends marked by `।`/`॥` (do not confuse దండ with internal యతి).

Meaning (పదార్థ):
క్షణం - a moment
బాలః - a child
భూత్వా - having become
క్షణం అపి - and in another moment
యువా - a youth
కామ - desire
రసికః - one who relishes; a sensualist
క్షణం - a moment
విత్తైః - with wealth
హీనః - deprived
క్షణం అపి - in another moment
సంపూర్ణ - complete
విభవః - prosperity
జరా - old age
జీర్ణ - worn-out
అంగైః - with limbs
నటః - an actor
ఇవ - like
వలీ - wrinkles
మండిత - adorned/marked
తనుః - body
నరః - man; person
సంసార - worldly life
అంతే - at the end
విశతి - enters
యమ - Yama (Lord of Death)
ధానీయ - belonging to; the abode (as written)
వనికాం - stage/curtain (as written)

Translation (భావార్థ):
For a moment one is a child, for another moment a desire-driven youth; for a moment poor, for another moment wealthy. At the end, the body worn out by age and marked by wrinkles, a person enters Death's dwelling like an actor leaving the stage.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse is a teaching on roles. We keep changing masks: student, lover, parent, worker, leader, retiree. Each role feels absolute while we inhabit it, but it is temporary. Bhartruhari's actor image is meant to loosen identification: you are not the costume. When the final curtain comes, the performance ends. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

This is where అద్వైత becomes practical. If you identify with roles, every role-change feels like death: promotions inflate, demotions crush, relationships define self-worth. But if you learn to rest as the witness - awareness that watches all roles - you gain stability. Roles can then be played sincerely, without being mistaken for the Self.

Practice: at the end of the day, recall the roles you played and consciously put them down for a minute. Say: "Role is role; I am the one who knows." This small daily de-identification makes the mind less dramatic and more free. Then, when roles change in life, you can respond with dignity rather than panic.

త్వం రాజా వయం అప్యుపాసితగురుప్రజ్ఞాభిమానోన్నతాః
ఖ్యాతస్త్వం విభవైర్యశాంసి కవయో దిక్షు ప్రతన్వంతి నః ।
ఇత్థం మానధనాతిదూరం ఉభయోరప్యావయోరంతరం
యద్యస్మాసు పరాఙ్ముఖోఽసి వయం అప్యేకాంతతో నిఃస్పృహా ॥ 3.51 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
త్వం - you
రాజా - king
వయం - we
అపి - also
ఉపాసిత - served; attended upon
గురుః - teacher
ప్రజ్ఞా - wisdom
అభిమానః - self-respect; pride (here: confidence in wisdom)
ఉన్నతాః - uplifted; elevated
ఖ్యాతః - famous
విభవైః - by riches; by prosperity
యశః - fame (in verse: యశాంసి = fame/glories)
కవయః - poets
దిక్షు - in all directions
ప్రతన్వంతి - spread; extend
నః - our
ఇత్థం - thus
మాన - honor; regard
ధన - wealth
అతిదూరం - far apart
ఉభయోః - of both
ఆవయోః - of us two
అంతరం - difference
యది - if
అస్మాసు - toward us
పరాఙ్ముఖః - turned away
అసి - you are
ఏకాంతతః - completely
నిఃస్పృహాః - desireless; indifferent

Translation (భావార్థ):
You are a king; we too, through service to our teacher, stand uplifted by confidence in wisdom. You are famed by wealth; poets spread our fame in all directions. Thus the distance between us in honor and wealth is very great. If you turn away from us, we too are entirely without desire for you.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This verse opens a dialogue where the ascetic refuses psychological dependency on power. The king has outer authority; the ascetic claims inner authority through training under the teacher. The point is not arrogance; it is స్వాతంత్ర్య (inner freedom): the seeker does not beg for royal regard because his self-worth is not purchased by status. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

In modern life, power takes many forms: titles, money, platforms, networks. It is easy to become a "courtier" of these - to shape speech and values for approval. Bhartruhari's stance is a reminder that dignity comes from inner cultivation. When you build competence and clarity, you can respect power without flattering it. The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: notice one place where you soften your principles to gain approval. Replace that with one act of honest speech or clean boundaries. Cultivate one inner asset that cannot be taken away - skill, discipline, or steady practice. Then even if someone powerful turns away, you remain whole.

అర్థానాం ఈశిషే త్వం వయం అపి చ గిరాం ఈశ్మహే యావదర్థం
శూరస్త్వం వాదిదర్పవ్యుపశమనవిధావక్షయం పాటవం నః ।
సేవంతే త్వాం ధనాఢ్యా మతిమలహతయే మాం అపి శ్రోతుకామాః ।
మయ్యప్యాస్థా న తే చేత్త్వయి మమ నితరాం ఏవ రాజన్ననాస్థా ॥ 3.52 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
అర్థః - wealth; valuables (in verse: అర్థానాం = of wealth/things)
ఈశిషే - you rule; you are lord of
గిరాః - words; speech (in verse: గిరాం)
ఈశ్మహే - we rule; we are masters of
యావదర్థం - as far as meaning/purpose goes; rightly
శూరః - brave
వాదీ - disputant; debater
దర్పః - pride
వ్యుపశమన - pacifying; subduing
విధౌ - in the method/act of
అక్షయం - inexhaustible; unfailing
పాటవం - skill; capacity
నః - our
సేవంతే - serve
త్వాం - you
ధనాఢ్యాః - the wealthy
మతి - mind; understanding
మలః - impurity; stain
హతిః - removal
మతిమలహతయే - for removing mental impurity
మాం - me
అపి - also
శ్రోతుకామాః - wishing to hear (teachings)
మయి అపి - toward me also
ఆస్థా - regard; trust
న - not
తే - to you
చేత్ - if
త్వయి - in you / toward you
మమ - my
నితరాం ఏవ - entirely indeed
అనాస్థా - lack of regard; indifference
రాజన్ - O king!

Translation (భావార్థ):
You are master of wealth; we too are masters of speech, in its true sense. You are brave; we have unfailing skill in subduing the pride of debaters. The rich serve you; and those who wish to cleanse their minds by listening come to me as well. If you have no regard for me, then, O king, I have none for you either.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse contrasts outer power with inner power. Wealth gathers servants; clarity gathers sincere listeners. The ascetic is not insulting the king; he is saying that spiritual life cannot be measured by royal favor. When knowledge is real, it stands on its own feet, and the seeker does not barter dignity for patronage. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

This is valuable in modern professional life. Many institutions reward flattery; many leaders unconsciously expect it. The verse encourages a different posture: respect without servility. If your worth depends on proximity to power, you will live in anxiety. If your worth depends on integrity and competence, you can cooperate without losing yourself. The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: speak with respect, but do not distort truth for approval. Build one form of inner authority - deep knowledge, consistent practice, or ethical steadiness - so your confidence is not borrowed. Then you can engage with hierarchy without becoming its hostage.

వయం ఇహ పరితుష్టా వల్కలైస్త్వం దుకూలైః
సమ ఇహ పరితోషో నిర్విశేషో విశేషః ।
స తు భవతు దరిద్రో యస్య తృష్ణా విశాలా
మనసి చ పరితుష్టే కోఽర్థవాన్కో దరిద్రః ॥ 3.53 ॥

ఛందః (మాత్రా-చందస్): This is in a మాత్రా-based Chandas/Meter (not a fixed అక్షర-count వృత్త): in this verse, the written segments carry approximately 19 + 20 + 19 + 19 మాత్రాః (total 77); treat లఘు=1 మాత్రా and గురు=2 మాత్రాః, and keep the natural pauses at the segment ends marked by `।`/`॥` (do not confuse దండ with internal యతి).

Meaning (పదార్థ):
వయం - we
ఇహ - here
పరితుష్టాః - content; satisfied
వల్కలైః - with tree-barks (as clothing)
త్వం - you
దుకూలైః - with fine garments
సమః - equal; alike
పరితోశః - contentment
నిర్విశేషః - without distinction; uniform
విశేషః - difference; distinction
స తు - that indeed
భవతు - let him be
దరిద్రః - poor
యస్య - whose
తృష్ణా - craving; thirst
విశాలా - vast; great
మనసి - in the mind
పరితుష్టే - when content
కః - who?
అర్థవాన్ - rich; possessing wealth
దరిద్రః - poor

Translation (భావార్థ):
We are content here with tree-barks; you with fine garments - yet contentment is the same, and the difference is insignificant. Let him be the truly poor one whose craving is vast. When the mind is content, who is rich and who is poor?

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This is one of Bhartruhari's clearest definitions of wealth: inner satisfaction. Outer possessions can differ wildly, but the inner state can be identical. The verse flips the usual labels: the truly "poor" person is the one with endless తృష్ణా (craving), because craving is a permanent sense of lack. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

This is highly relevant in a consumer economy. Two people can earn the same salary, yet one lives calmly and the other lives in chronic anxiety because of lifestyle inflation. The verse points to a practical truth: contentment is not the result of getting more, it is the skill of needing less. When that skill is present, dignity and peace do not depend on external comparisons. This is the అనిత్యతా (impermanence) reflection that Sa~gkarAcArya uses to awaken వైరాగ్య: seeing change clearly, we stop demanding permanent comfort from it.

Practice: define one "enough" boundary this month (clothes, gadgets, entertainment, spending) and stick to it. Replace one purchase with one act that grows inner wealth: learning, health, service, or silence. As సంతోష (contentment) strengthens, the mind feels rich regardless of outer differences.

ఫలం అలం అశనాయ స్వాదు పానాయ తోయం
క్షితిరపి శయనార్థం వాససే వల్కలం చ ।
నవధనమధుపానభ్రాంతసర్వేంద్రియాణాం
అవినయం అనుమంతుం నోత్సహే దుర్జనానామ్ ॥ 3.54 ॥

ఛందః (మాలినీ): This is in మాలినీ (సమ-వృత్త) Chandas/Meter: 4 పాదాః, 15 అక్షరాః per పాద; లఘు/గురు pattern (per పాద) is `LLLLLLGG GLGGLGG`; యతి (pause) is after the 8th syllable in each పాద.

Meaning (పదార్థ):
ఫలం - fruit
అలం - enough
అశనాయ - for eating; for food
స్వాదు - sweet; pleasant
పానాయ - for drinking
తోయం - water
క్షితిః - earth
అపి - also
శయనార్థం - for the purpose of sleeping; for a bed
వాససే - for clothing
వల్కలం - tree-bark
చ - and
నవ - new
ధన - wealth
మధు - honey/sweetness (here: "wine" metaphor)
పాన - drinking
భ్రాంత - bewildered; intoxicated
సర్వ - all
ఇంద్రియాణాం - of the senses
అవినయం - lack of discipline; insolence
అనుమంతుం - to approve/tolerate
న ఉత్సహే - I do not dare; I will not
దుర్జనానాం - of wicked people

Translation (భావార్థ):
Fruit is enough to eat, sweet water is enough to drink, earth is enough for a bed, and tree-bark is enough for clothing. I do not have the heart to tolerate the insolence of wicked people whose senses are bewildered by the intoxicating drink of newly gained wealth.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse ties simplicity to dignity. When needs are minimal, you do not have to submit to the rude and the corrupt. Bhartruhari points out a common moral decay: new wealth can intoxicate, making the senses and judgment wander, and producing అవినయ (insolence, lack of discipline). The ascetic says: I would rather live simply than pay the price of enduring that. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

This is a powerful modern lesson. Many people tolerate toxic environments because their lifestyle is expensive. When your basics are simple, you can say no to disrespect. The verse is not romanticizing poverty; it is highlighting a freedom that comes from reducing wants. It also reminds us to watch our own behavior when we gain money - does it make us kinder, or more arrogant? This is the అనిత్యతా (impermanence) reflection that Sa~gkarAcArya uses to awaken వైరాగ్య: seeing change clearly, we stop demanding permanent comfort from it.

Practice: reduce one "need" that is actually a luxury, and use that freedom to set a boundary with one disrespectful dynamic. Also, if your income increases, consciously practice humility: give more, speak gently, and stay grounded. Wealth becomes safe when it is governed by వినయ (discipline and humility).

అశ్నీమహి వయం భిక్షాం ఆశావాసో వసీమహి ।
శయీమహి మహీపృష్ఠే కుర్వీమహి కిం ఈశ్వరైః ॥ 3.55 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
అశ్నీమహి - we eat
వయం - we
భిక్షాం - alms; begged food
ఆశావాసః - having the sky as clothing (i.e., the sky as "garment")
వసీమహి - we wear/dwell (i.e., we will live with that)
శయీమహి - we sleep
మహీ - earth
పృష్ఠే - on the surface
కుర్వీమహి - shall we do
కిం - what?
ఈశ్వరైః - with rulers/lords

Translation (భావార్థ):
We will eat alms, wear the open sky as our clothing, and sleep on the earth. What do we need with rulers?

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse states a radical kind of independence: if your needs are simple, power loses its leverage over you. The ascetic is not being disrespectful to rulers; he is refusing to become dependent on them. When livelihood and dignity do not rely on patronage, the mind becomes fearless. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

This has a clear modern parallel. Many compromises are made not because people are evil, but because they are over-leveraged - financially, socially, emotionally. When your lifestyle is expensive, you become easy to control. Bhartruhari is pointing to the freedom that comes from reducing needs and strengthening inner resources. The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: simplify one area where you feel controlled - debt, consumption, social approval. Build a buffer and a plan so you do not have to flatter for survival. Even a small move toward simplicity creates disproportionate freedom.

న నటా నా విటా న గాయకా న చ సభ్యేతరవాదచుంచవః ।
నృపం ఈక్షితుం అత్ర కే వయం స్తనభారానమితా న యోషితః ॥ 3.56 ॥

ఛందః (మాత్రా-చందస్): This is in a మాత్రా-based Chandas/Meter (not a fixed అక్షర-count వృత్త): in this verse, the written segments carry approximately 28 + 27 మాత్రాః (total 55); treat లఘు=1 మాత్రా and గురు=2 మాత్రాః, and keep the natural pauses at the segment ends marked by `।`/`॥` (do not confuse దండ with internal యతి).

Meaning (పదార్థ):
న - not
నటాః - actors
న - not
విటాః - jesters; buffoons
న - not
గాయకాః - singers
న చ - nor
సభ్య - of the court/assembly
ఏతర - other; outside (as in సభ్యేతర)
వాదీ - debater
చుంచవః - professional talkers/chatterers (as written)
నృపం - the king
ఈక్షితుం - to see
అత్ర - here
కే - who?
వయం - we
స్తన - breast
భారః - weight
ఆనమిత - bent down
న - not
యోషితః - women

Translation (భావార్థ):
We are not actors, not jesters, not singers, nor professional court-debaters; and we are not women bent by the weight of their breasts. Then who are we, here, to go and look at the king?

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse is humorous, but the point is serious: court-life runs on performance. People go to rulers to entertain, to argue, to flatter, to seek favors, or to trade allure for advantage. The ascetic says: we are not in that business, so we have no reason to go. This is వైరాగ్య expressed as freedom from needless social orbiting. Seen through వివేక (discernment), this is an invitation to let వైరాగ్య (dispassion) arise from understanding, not from bitterness.

In modern terms, this is freedom from chasing attention. Many people spend emotional energy trying to be seen by "important" people - bosses, influencers, gatekeepers - without any real purpose except ego. The verse invites a dignified question: is this visit necessary, or is it just a need to be validated? Sa~gkarAcArya's భ్హజ గోవిందం returns to this point often: do not postpone inner clarity for outer arrangements; convert insight into a small daily discipline.

Practice: reduce one kind of attention-seeking. Stop one unnecessary meeting, one status event, or one routine of checking whether you were noticed. Use that time for something that strengthens you - skill, health, study, or silence. When you stop performing, you start living.

విపులహృదయైరీశైరేతజ్జగజ్జనితం పురా
విధృతం అపరైర్దత్తం చాన్యైర్విజిత్య తృణం యథా ।
ఇహ హి భువనాన్యన్యైర్ధీరాశ్చతుర్దశ భుంజతే
కతిపయపురస్వామ్యే పుంసాం క ఏష మదజ్వరః ॥ 3.57 ॥

ఛందః (హరిణీ): This is in హరిణీ (సమ-వృత్త) Chandas/Meter: 4 పాదాః, 17 అక్షరాః per పాద; లఘు/గురు pattern (per పాద) is `LLLLLG GGGG LGLLGLG`; యతి (pause) is after the 6th and 10th syllables in each పాద.

Meaning (పదార్థ):
విపుల - broad; generous
హృదయ - heart
ఈశైః - by rulers/kings
ఏతత్ - this
జగత్ - world
జనితం - produced; created
పురా - formerly
విధృతం - held up; sustained
అపరైః - by others
దత్తం - given away
చ - and
అన్యైః - by others
విజిత్య - having conquered
తృణం - straw
యథా - like
ఇహ హి - here indeed
భువనాని - worlds
అన్యైః - by others
ధీరాః - courageous ones; wise heroes
చతుర్దశ - fourteen
భుంజతే - enjoy
కతిపయ - a few
పుర - towns/cities
స్వామ్యే - in lordship; in rulership
పుంసాం - of men
కః - what?
ఏష - this
మద - pride
జ్వరః - fever

Translation (భావార్థ):
In earlier times this world was built up by generous kings, ruled by others, and conquered and thrown away like straw by still others. Even now, some heroes enjoy the fourteen worlds. So what is this fever of pride in people over being lord of just a few towns?

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse mocks the intoxication of small power. Kingdoms have changed hands endlessly; even the greatest empires become footnotes. Against that vast horizon, pride over a tiny territory is a kind of delusion. Bhartruhari calls it మద-జ్వర (the fever of pride): a sickness that makes the mind forget scale and forget mortality. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

This applies cleanly to modern "turf wars" - over titles, headcount, visibility, or being in charge of a small domain. People spend years fighting for a corner of an organization, only to realize it was never truly theirs. The verse suggests a healthier posture: treat authority as stewardship, not as identity, and do not sacrifice character to win a small throne. The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: if you have responsibility, use it for లోకానుగ్రహ (welfare of others), not self-glorification. If you seek power, examine why. Reduce the need to be "above" others and increase the desire to be useful. Pride-fever cools when service becomes the motive.

అభుక్తాయాం యస్యాం క్షణం అపి న యాతం నృపశతైర్
ధువస్తస్యా లాభే క ఇవ బహుమానః క్షితిభృతామ్ ।
తద్అంశస్యాప్యంశే తద్అవయలేశేఽపి పతయో
విషాదే కర్తవ్యే విదధతి జడాః ప్రత్యుత ముదమ్ ॥ 3.58 ॥

ఛందః (మాత్రా-చందస్): This is in a మాత్రా-based Chandas/Meter (not a fixed అక్షర-count వృత్త): in this verse, the written segments carry approximately 22 + 22 + 21 + 21 మాత్రాః (total 86); treat లఘు=1 మాత్రా and గురు=2 మాత్రాః, and keep the natural pauses at the segment ends marked by `।`/`॥` (do not confuse దండ with internal యతి).

Meaning (పదార్థ):
అభుక్తా - not enjoyed; not left unused (f.)
యస్యాం - in which (f.)
క్షణం అపి - even a moment
న యాతం - has not passed (without being used/enjoyed)
నృప - king
శతైః - by hundreds
ధ్రువః - fixed/certain (in verse: ధువస్)
తస్యాః - of that (earth)
లాభే - in acquisition/gain
కః ఇవ - what indeed?
బహుమానః - great honor; esteem
క్షితి - earth
భృతాం - of those who bear (i.e., kings)
తద్ - that
అంశః - share; portion
అస్య అపి అంశే - even in a fraction of it
తద్ - that
అవయ - limb/part
లేశే - in a tiny fragment
అపి - even
పతయః - lords; rulers
విషాదే - in sorrow
కర్తవ్యే - when it ought to be done
విదధతి - do; show
జడాః - dull-witted; fools
ప్రత్యుత - rather; instead
ముదం - joy

Translation (భావార్థ):
The earth is such that it has not been left un-enjoyed even for a moment by hundreds of kings. What great honor can there be for rulers in acquiring it? Yet fools, even when they get only a fraction - even a tiny fragment - feel joy when sorrow would be more appropriate.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
Bhartruhari exposes the irrational pride around possession. Land and power have been held, lost, and held again countless times. So why should acquisition inflate the ego? The verse says the correct response is not intoxicated celebration, but sober reflection - because what you gained will also be lost, and the craving to own is itself a chain. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

We can see this even outside politics. People gain a small title, a small advantage, a small possession, and immediately feel "I am someone." That joy is fragile because it rests on comparison and fear of loss. The verse invites a deeper joy that comes from inner growth, not from grabbing a tiny piece of the world. This is the అనిత్యతా (impermanence) reflection that Sa~gkarAcArya uses to awaken వైరాగ్య: seeing change clearly, we stop demanding permanent comfort from it.

Practice: when you achieve something, pause before celebrating. Ask: does this make me kinder, wiser, freer - or just louder? Celebrate growth of character more than growth of control. Pride shrinks when you measure success by depth rather than by territory.

మృత్పిండో జలరేఖయా వలయితః సర్వోఽప్యయం నన్వణుః
స్వాంశీకృత్య స ఏవ సంగరశతై రాజ్ఞాం గణా భుంజతే ।
యే దద్యుర్దదతోఽథవా కిం అపరం క్షుద్రా దరిద్రం భృశం
ధిగ్ధిక్తాన్పురుషాధమాంధనకణాన్వాంఛంతి తేభ్యోఽపి యే ॥ 3.59 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
మృత్ - earth/clay
పిండః - lump; clod
జలరేఖయా - by a line of water (i.e., the surrounding ocean)
వలయితః - encircled
సర్వః - all
అపి - even
అయం - this
నను - indeed
అణుః - atom; tiny
స్వాంశీకృత్య - having made (it) one's own
స ఏవ - that very (same earth)
సంగర - battle
శతైః - by hundreds
రాజ్ఞాం - of kings
గణాః - groups
భుంజతే - enjoy; consume
తే - they
దద్యుః - may give
అదదతః - may not give
అథవా - or
కిం అపరం - what else?
క్షుద్రాః - petty; small-minded
దరిద్రం - poor; miserly
భృశం - greatly
ధిగ్ధిక్ - shame! fie!
తాన్ - those
పురుషాధమాన్ - lowest of men
ధన - wealth
కణాన్ - particles; tiny bits (small coins)
వాంఛంతి - desire
తేభ్యః అపి - even from them
యే - who

Translation (భావార్థ):
This entire earth is only a clod of clay, ringed by a line of water - and even then it is but a tiny atom. Groups of kings claim and enjoy it after hundreds of battles. Whether they give or do not give, what else can be expected from such petty, spiritually poor people? Shame on those lowest of men who still desire even small coins from them.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse attacks two kinds of pettiness: fighting for a "clod" and begging for crumbs from the fighters. Bhartruhari shrinks the earth to its true scale to puncture pride. When you see that possession is temporary and small, the ego's hunger looks absurd. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

In modern life, this can look like sacrificing integrity for small perks: a little power, a small bonus, a minor advantage. People flatter toxic authorities for scraps, and in doing so they lose their inner wealth. The verse invites a stronger dignity: earn your living cleanly and keep your self-respect intact. The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: identify one place where you compromise for something small. Stop the bargain. Replace it with one act of self-reliance: skill-building, saving, or simplifying your needs. When you stop begging for crumbs, your mind becomes naturally more fearless.

స జాతః కోఽప్యాసీన్మదనరిపుణా మూర్ధ్ని ధవలం
కపాలం యస్యోచ్చైర్వినిహితం అలంకారవిధయే ।
నృభిః ప్రాణత్రాణప్రవణమతిభిః కైశ్చిదధునా
నమద్భిః కః పుంసాం అయం అతులదర్పజ్వరభరః ॥ 3.60 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
స - he
జాతః - born
కోఽపి - someone indeed
ఆసీత్ - was
మదన - Cupid (desire)
రిపుః - enemy (i.e., Shiva) (in verse: మదనరిపుణా)
మూర్ధ్ని - on the head
ధవలం - white
కపాలం - skull
యస్య - whose
ఉచ్చైః - high; aloft
వినిహితం - placed; set
అలంకారః - ornament
విధిః - purpose; method (in verse: విధయే = for the purpose of)
నృభిః - by men
ప్రాణ - life-breath; life
త్రాణ - protection; saving
ప్రవణ - inclined toward
మతిభిః - by minds
కైశ్చిత్ - by some people
అధునా - now
నమద్భిః - by those bowing
కః - what?
పుంసాం - of people
అయం - this
అతుల - incomparable
దర్పః - pride
జ్వరః - fever
భరః - burden

Translation (భావార్థ):
Truly someone was born whose white skull, after death, is placed high on Shiva's head as an ornament. But today, with minds bent on saving their own lives, some people bow down (to the proud). What is this unbearable burden of pride-fever among men?

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse contrasts two kinds of "life-preservation". One person lives so fearlessly and meaningfully that even death becomes a mark of honor - symbolized by the skull being an ornament for Shiva, the destroyer of desire. Others, frightened about protecting their lives, end up bowing to arrogant people and feeding their pride. Bhartruhari calls it దర్ప-జ్వర - a fever of pride that spreads through social fear. Seen through వివేక (discernment), this is an invitation to let వైరాగ్య (dispassion) arise from understanding, not from bitterness.

This is visible wherever fear drives flattery: tolerating abuse to keep a job, praising the unethical to stay safe, shrinking truth to avoid conflict. The verse is not asking for reckless rebellion; it is asking for inner courage. When the mind has వైరాగ్య (non-clinging), it can act with integrity because it is not hypnotized by loss.

Practice: identify one place where fear makes you flatter or hide truth. Take one small step toward honesty with safety: set a boundary, speak factually, or step away from a degrading dynamic. Build inner strength through steady practice, so your dignity is not hostage to external power.

పరేషాం చేతాంసి ప్రతిదివసం ఆరాధ్య బహుధా
ప్రసాదం కిం నేతుం విశసి హృదయ క్లేశకలితమ్ ।
ప్రసన్నే త్వయ్యంతఃసవయముదితచింతామణిగణో
వివిక్తః సంకల్పః కిం అభిలషితం పుష్యతి న తే ॥ 3.61 ॥

ఛందః (మాత్రా-చందస్): This is in a మాత్రా-based Chandas/Meter (not a fixed అక్షర-count వృత్త): in this verse, the written segments carry approximately 24 + 20 + 21 + 18 మాత్రాః (total 83); treat లఘు=1 మాత్రా and గురు=2 మాత్రాః, and keep the natural pauses at the segment ends marked by `।`/`॥` (do not confuse దండ with internal యతి).

Meaning (పదార్థ):
పర - others'
చేతః - mind/heart (in verse: చేతాంసి = minds)
ప్రతిదివసం - day by day
ఆరాధ్య - pleasing; propitiating
బహుధా - in many ways
ప్రసాదం - favor; satisfaction
కిం - why?
నేతుం - to bring about
విశసి - you enter
హృదయ - O heart/mind
క్లేశ - distress; misery
కలితం - filled with
ప్రసన్నే - when calm/clear
త్వయి - in you
అంతః - within
స్వయం - of itself; naturally
ఉదిత - arisen
చింతామణి - wish-fulfilling gem
గణః - group; collection
వివిక్తః - secluded; solitary
సంకల్పః - intention; resolve
కిం - what?
అభిలషితం - desired
పుష్యతి - nourishes; brings about
న - not
తే - for you

Translation (భావార్థ):
O mind, why do you enter into distress day after day, in so many ways, just to win the favor of other people's minds? When you are calm within, a whole cluster of wish-fulfilling gems arises of itself; with a clear solitary resolve, what desired thing will you not obtain?

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This is a direct critique of people-pleasing. Trying to manage others' minds every day is endless labor and endless anxiety. Bhartruhari points to a different source of power: inner clarity. When the mind is ప్రసన్న (clear and serene), good ideas, right timing, and right resolve arise naturally - like చింతామణి (wish-fulfilling gems) within.

In modern life, much burnout comes from social management: keeping everyone happy, curating an image, seeking approval, negotiating status. The verse suggests that true effectiveness comes from inward steadiness, not outward appeasement. When you stop trying to control everyone else's perception, you recover energy for what you can actually shape: your actions and your attention. The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: choose one relationship or context where you habitually appease. For a week, replace one act of appeasement with one act of clean communication. Spend the saved mental energy on quiet focus - study, meditation, or skill. The mind becomes powerful when it is not scattered across other people's approval.

సత్యాం ఏవ త్రిలోకీసరితి హరశిరశ్చుంబినీవచ్ఛటాయాం
సద్వృత్తిం కల్పయంత్యాం బటవిటపభవైర్వల్కలైః సత్ఫలైశ్చ ।
కోఽయం విద్వాన్విపత్తిజ్వరజనితరుజాతీవదుఃఖాసికానాం
వక్త్రం వీక్షేత దుఃస్థే యది హి న విభృయాత్స్వే కుటుంబేఽనుకంపామ్ ॥ 3.61.1 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
సత్యాం - when present; while it exists
ఏవ - indeed
త్రిలోకీ - the three worlds
సరిత్ - river
త్రిలోకీసరితి - in the river of the three worlds (Ganga)
హరః - Shiva
శిరః - head
చుంబినీ - kissing; touching
వత్ - as if
చ్ఛటా - spray; stream; cascade
చ్ఛటాయాం - in the spray/stream (loc.)
సత్ - good; virtuous
వృత్తిః - livelihood; way of living
సద్వృత్తిం - a good (simple/virtuous) livelihood
కల్పయంత్యాం - while providing; while arranging
వట - banyan tree
విటపః - tree; branch
ప్రభవైః - arising from; produced by
వల్కలైః - with bark-cloths
సత్ఫ్హలైః - with good fruits
చ - and
కః - who?
అయం - this
విద్వాన్ - wise person
విపత్తి - calamity; misfortune
జ్వరః - fever
జనిత - produced by
రుజా - pain; illness
అతీవ - exceedingly
దుఃకాసికానాం - of those who "cough" grief (sorrowful, miserly faces)
వక్త్రం - face
వీక్షేత - would look at
దుఃస్థే - when in distress
యది - if
హి - indeed
న - not
విభృయాత్ - would bear; would carry
స్వే - in one's own
కుటుంబే - family
అనుకంపాం - compassion

Translation (భావార్థ):
When the sacred river of the three worlds is present, its spray touching Shiva's head, and when a good livelihood can be arranged from tree-bark and good fruits, what wise person would, in distress, look at the miserable faces of those who "cough" grief as if stricken by the fever of misfortune - unless he had compassion for his own family?

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This verse sits close to the earlier themes about begging and dignity. It points out that nature provides a sufficient, even sacred, way of living: water, fruit, bark, and simplicity. So why endure the humiliation of appealing to people whose faces become pained and resentful when asked to give? The only excuse offered is అనుకంపా (compassion) for one's family - a recognition that duty can sometimes force hard choices. Seen through వివేక (discernment), this is an invitation to let వైరాగ్య (dispassion) arise from understanding, not from bitterness.

The modern application is not "run to the forest", but "reduce dependence". When your needs are inflated, you must endure miserable transactions: pleading, flattering, and dealing with resentment. When your needs are simpler, you can keep dignity and choose relationships freely. The verse also reminds us to be on the other side: do we become a దుఃకాసికా (one who coughs grief) when asked to help, or do we give with grace?

Practice: simplify one need that forces you into degrading interactions. Also, practice giving: support someone quietly, without making them feel small. Compassion should not only be for one's own family; it should expand into a culture of dignified mutual support.

పరిభ్రమసి కిం ముధా క్వచన చిత్త విశ్రామ్యతాం
స్వయం భవతి యద్యథా భవతి తత్తథా నాన్యథా ।
అతీతం అననుస్మరన్నపి చ భావ్యసంకల్పయన్నతర్కిత
సమాగమానుభవామి భోగనాహమ్ ॥ 3.62 ॥

ఛందః (మాత్రా-చందస్): This is in a మాత్రా-based Chandas/Meter (not a fixed అక్షర-count వృత్త): in this verse, the written segments carry approximately 20 + 21 + 23 + 17 మాత్రాః (total 81); treat లఘు=1 మాత్రా and గురు=2 మాత్రాః, and keep the natural pauses at the segment ends marked by `।`/`॥` (do not confuse దండ with internal యతి).

Meaning (పదార్థ):
పరిభ్రమసి - you wander about; you roam
కిం - why?
ముధా - in vain; uselessly
క్వచన - somewhere; anywhere
చిత్త - O mind
విశ్రామ్యతాం - let (it) rest; rest
స్వయం - by itself; of its own accord
యద్యథా - as (it is); in whatever way
భవతి - happens; becomes
తత్తథా - just so; accordingly
న - not
అన్యథా - otherwise (in verse: నాన్యథా)
అతీతం - the past
అననుస్మరన్ - not recalling; not brooding on
అపి - even (in verse: అననుస్మరన్నపి)
చ - and
భావ్యం - the future
సంకల్పయన్ - imagining; planning; projecting
అతర్కిత - unplanned; unexpected; not reasoned out
సమాగమాన్ - arrivals; events as they come
అనుభవామి - I experience
భోగాన్ - enjoyments; experiences (in verse: భోగనాహం = భోగాన్ అహం)
అహం - I

Translation (భావార్థ):
Mind, why wander pointlessly? Rest somewhere. Whatever happens, happens of its own accord; it cannot be otherwise. Not replaying the past and not scripting the future, I taste the enjoyments that arrive unplanned.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This verse is not laziness; it is release from useless mental roaming. The mind runs because it assumes, "If I think enough, I can control the flow." Bhartruhari says: events arise as they arise; your freedom lies not in controlling everything, but in not being dragged around by memory and projection. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

A lot of suffering today is "time-travel in thought": replaying what should have been said, and rehearsing what might go wrong. The verse points to a calmer skill: accept the present fact, respond to it, and stop paying interest on imaginary futures. This is close to the Gita's యద్ఱ్చ్చాలాభసంతుష్టః (content with what comes unasked): not passive, but unneurotic.

Practice: when you notice worry spiraling, name the direction: "past" or "future". Then return to one simple present action (one email, one apology, one walk, one page of study). If you can do something, do it; if you cannot, drop the fantasy of control. Over time, this trains ఉపేక్షా (steady equanimity) without becoming indifferent.

ఏతస్మాద్విరమేంద్రియార్థగహనాదాయాసకాదాశ్రయశ్రేయో
మార్గం అశేషదుఃఖశమనవ్యాపారదక్షం క్షణాత్ ।
స్వాత్మీభావం ఉపైహి సంత్యజ నిజాం కల్లోలలోలం గతిం
మా భూయో భజ భంగురాం భవరతిం చేతః ప్రసీదాధునా ॥ 3.63 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
ఏతస్మాత్ - therefore; from this
విరమ - stop; turn away (imperative)
ఇంద్రియ - senses
అర్థః - objects; aims
ఇంద్రియార్థః - sense-objects
గహనాత్ - from the thicket/maze; from the dense tangle
ఆయాసకాత్ - from the exhausting labor
ఆశ్రయ - take refuge in; rely on
శ్రేయః - highest good; welfare
మార్గం - path
శ్రేయోమార్గం - the path of highest good
అశేష - all; without remainder
దుఃఖ - sorrow; suffering
శమన - pacifying; removing
వ్యాపార - activity; work
దక్షం - capable; skillful
క్షణాత్ - in a moment; instantly
స్వాత్మీభావం - the state of one's own Self
ఉపైహి - approach; attain (imperative)
సంత్యజ - abandon; give up (imperative)
నిజాం - your own
కల్లోల - wave
లోలాం - restless; unsteady
గతిం - movement; course
మా - do not
భూయః - again
భజ - resort to; cling to; pursue
భంగురాం - fragile; transient
భవ - worldly existence
రతిం - delight; attachment
భవరతిం - delight in worldly existence
చేతః - O mind
ప్రసీద - be calm; be clear (in verse: ప్రసీదాధునా)
అధునా - now

Translation (భావార్థ):
Turn away from this exhausting tangle of sense-objects and take refuge in the path of true welfare, which can remove all sorrow in a moment. Attain your own deepest nature; abandon your wave-like restless course. Do not cling again to the fragile pleasures of worldly life. Be calm now, O mind.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This verse is a reset button. Sense-objects are called a "thicket" because they are not one problem but a maze: each want spawns ten new wants, each comfort demands maintenance, each thrill needs escalation. Bhartruhari recommends a different refuge: the path that quiets suffering at the root by returning attention to the Self, not by decorating the prison. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

If your mind feels constantly "in motion", it is often because your inputs are endless: notifications, comparisons, appetites, debates. The teaching here is not repression; it is వివేక (discernment): noticing what costs peace, and refusing to pay that price. Sa~gkarAcArya's భ్హజ గోవిందం warns, మూఢ జహి ధన-ఆగమ-తృష్ణాం - "O deluded one, give up the thirst for wealth" - because thirst multiplies, while contentment simplifies.

Practice: pick one sense-loop that dominates you (scrolling, snacking, gossip, impulsive shopping). For seven days, reduce it by a clear rule, and fill the freed time with one inward anchor: meditation, study, or quiet walking. The mind becomes ప్రసన్న (clear and settled) not by force, but by removing the fuel that keeps it agitated.

మోహం మార్జయ తాం ఉపార్జయ రతిం చంద్రార్ధచూడామణౌ
చేతః స్వర్గతరంగిణీతటభువాం ఆసంగం అంగీకురు ।
కో వా వీచిషు బుద్బుదేషు చ తడిల్లేఖాసు చ శ్రీషు చ
జ్వాలాగ్రేషు చ పన్నగేషు సరిద్వేగేషు చ చప్రత్యయః ॥ 3.64 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
మోహం - delusion; confusion
మార్జయ - cleanse; wipe away (imperative)
తాం - it; that
ఉపార్జయ - acquire; cultivate (imperative)
రతిం - delight; love; devotion
చంద్ర - moon
అర్ధ - half
చూడామణి - crest-jewel; crown-ornament
చంద్రార్ధచూడామణౌ - in the moon-crowned Lord (locative)
చేతః - O mind
స్వర్గ - heaven
తరంగిణీ - river
తట - bank; shore
భువః - places; grounds (in verse: భువాం)
స్వర్గతరంగిణీతటభువాం - on the banks/grounds of the heavenly river
ఆసంగం - attachment; association
అంగీకురు - accept; adopt (imperative)
కః - who?
వా - indeed; or
వీచిషు - in waves
బుద్బుదేషు - in bubbles
తడిల్ - lightning
లేఖాసు - in streaks/lines
తడిల్లేఖాసు - in streaks of lightning
శ్రీషు - in fortune; wealth; prosperity
జ్వాలా - flame
అగ్ర - tip; point
జ్వాలాగ్రేషు - in flame-tips
పన్నగేషు - in serpents
సరిత్ - river
వేగః - rush; current
సరిద్వేగేషు - in rushing currents of rivers
చ - and (in verse end: చప్రత్యయః = చ ప్రత్యయః)
ప్రత్యయః - trust; reliability; confidence

Translation (భావార్థ):
Wipe away delusion and cultivate love for the moon-crowned Lord. O mind, choose to stay by the bank of the heavenly river. For what trust can there be in waves and bubbles, streaks of lightning, fortune, flame-tips, serpents, or rushing river-currents?

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The list here is a training in perspective. Waves, bubbles, lightning, and flame-tips are not "bad"; they are simply unstable. Bhartruhari says: do not build your sense of safety on what is structurally flickering. Instead, cultivate devotion to what is steady - symbolized by the moon-crowned Shiva and the sacred river-bank, images of calm, continuity, and purification. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

This hits a common mistake: expecting permanent security from things that are, by nature, volatile - market moods, public opinion, the "high" of praise, or the thrill of novelty. When the mind keeps betting on the next surge, it lives in anxiety. The verse encourages an inner relocation: make your base in something stable - values, discipline, prayer, study - so the inevitable fluctuations do not shake you. The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: list three things you currently treat as "reliable" but that behave like waves or lightning (a trend, a person's approval, a fragile routine). Then choose one steady anchor to strengthen daily: a fixed meditation time, consistent sleep, or honest self-inquiry. వైరాగ్య (dispassion) grows when dependence on the unstable decreases.

చేతశ్చింతయ మా రమాం సకృదిమాం అస్థాయినీం ఆస్థయా
భూపాలభ్రుకుటీకుటీవిహరణవ్యాపారపణ్యాంగనామ్ ।
కంథాకంచుకినః ప్రవిశ్య భవనద్వారాణి వారాణసీరథ్యా
పంక్తిషు పాణిపాత్రపతితాం భిక్షాం అపేక్షామహే ॥ 3.65 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
చేతః - O mind
చింతయ - reflect on; think (imperative)
మా - do not
రమాం - Lakshmi; fortune; prosperity
సకృత్ - even once
ఇమాం - this
అస్థాయినీం - unstable; not staying
ఆస్థయా - with dependence; with "taking refuge" in (from ఆస్థా)
భూపాల - king
భ్రుకుటీ - eyebrow
కుటీ - wrinkle; frown
భ్రుకుటీకుటీ - the wrinkle/frown of the eyebrow
విహరణ - movement; play
వ్యాపార - business; activity
పణ్యాంగనాం - a courtesan; "woman for sale"
కంథా - patched cloak; rag
కంచుకినః - wearing a cloak/jacket
ప్రవిశ్య - entering
భవన - house
ద్వారాణి - doors
వారాణసీ - Varanasi
రథ్యా - streets
పంక్తిషు - in lines/rows
పాణి - hand
పాత్ర - bowl; vessel
పాణిపాత్ర - the hand as a bowl
పతితాం - fallen into; placed into
భిక్షాం - alms
అపేక్షామహే - we look for; we seek

Translation (భావార్థ):
Mind, do not rely even once on fickle fortune, which behaves like a courtesan at the business of a king's eyebrow-frown. Wearing rags and entering house-doors along the streets of Varanasi, let us seek the alms that fall into the hand used as a bowl.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
Fortune is personified as unstable and easily redirected: she goes where power gestures. The verse is a harsh way of saying: do not build your dignity and peace on wealth that depends on politics, moods, and the whims of others. If you must live simply - even by begging - let it be without self-deception: better a plain life with freedom than a "successful" life held hostage by constant insecurity. Seen through వివేక (discernment), this is an invitation to let వైరాగ్య (dispassion) arise from understanding, not from bitterness.

In everyday terms, this is about not designing a life that collapses if income dips or approval fades. Some people live as if their entire self-worth is tied to a salary, a title, or a social circle. When the "king" frowns - a boss changes, a market turns, a trend shifts - the mind panics. The verse pushes toward a stronger base: live below your ego, and your ego becomes less fragile. Sa~gkarAcArya's భ్హజ గోవిందం returns to this point often: do not postpone inner clarity for outer arrangements; convert insight into a small daily discipline.

Practice: build one layer of independence. Reduce one unnecessary expense, or create an emergency buffer, or learn one skill that makes you employable anywhere. Pair that with inner discipline: remind yourself daily that your worth is not your net worth. This is how వైరాగ్య (dispassion) becomes practical stability.

అగ్రే గీతం సరసకవయః పార్శ్వయోర్దాక్షిణాత్యాః
పశ్చాల్లీలావలయరణితం చామరగ్రాహిణీనామ్ ।
యద్యస్త్యేవం కురు భవరసాస్వాదనే లంపటత్వం
నో చేచ్చేతః ప్రవిశ సహసా నిర్వికల్పే సమాధౌ ॥ 3.66 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
అగ్రే - in front; before
గీతం - song; music
సరస - tasteful; delightful
కవయః - poets
పార్శ్వయోః - on both sides
దాక్షిణాత్యాః - southerners (here: skilled performers)
పశ్చాత్ - behind
లీలా - playful
వలయ - bangles
రణితం - jingling; ringing
చామర - yak-tail fan
గ్రాహిణీనాం - of those holding (women attendants)
యది - if
అస్తి - exists
ఏవం - thus
కురు - do (imperative)
భవ - worldly existence
రసః - taste; flavor
ఆస్వాదనే - in tasting/enjoying
లంపటత్వం - greed; indulgence; lust
నో - if not (no)
చేతః - O mind
ప్రవిశ - enter (imperative)
సహసా - at once; quickly
నిర్వికల్పే - without mental constructions; thought-free
సమాధౌ - in samadhi; deep absorption

Translation (భావార్థ):
If before you there is music, skilled poets at your sides, and behind you the playful jingling of bangles of women holding fans, then go ahead and indulge in tasting worldly pleasures. If not, O mind, enter at once into thought-free absorption.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse has a deliberate edge: it exposes how conditional our "enjoyment" really is. Most pleasures require an entire stage: performers, attendants, status, and constant arranging. Bhartruhari is saying: if you truly want to play that game, do it honestly. But notice how quickly the conditions collapse - and then choose the higher option. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

In real life this resembles lifestyle-chasing: the dream of perfect ambiance, perfect company, perfect attention. When reality does not provide the full set, people feel deprived and resentful. The verse suggests a better move: stop bargaining with conditions. Either accept a simple joy, or turn inward where peace does not depend on external choreography. The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: notice one pleasure you keep postponing until "everything is right" - the right weekend, the right money, the right people. Try a simpler version now. Then also practice the inward option: take ten minutes daily of silent sitting with no goals. When the mind learns that it can be content without a stage, వైరాగ్య (dispassion) becomes natural.

ప్రాప్తాః శ్రియః సకలకామదుధాస్తతః కిం
న్యస్తం పదం శిరసి విద్విషతాం తతః కిమ్ ।
సంపాదితాః ప్రణయినో విభవైస్తతః కిం
కల్పం స్థితాస్తనుభృతాం తనవస్తతః కిమ్ ॥ 3.67 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
ప్రాప్తాః - obtained; attained
శ్రియః - prosperity; wealth; success
సకల - all
కామ - desires
దుహాః - yielding like a milch-cow (in verse: దుధాః)
సకలకామదుధాః - yielding all desires (as if wish-giving)
తతః - then; after that
కిం - what? so what?
న్యస్తం - placed; set down
పదం - foot
శిరసి - on the head
విద్విషతాం - of enemies
సంపాదితాః - obtained; secured
ప్రణయినః - lovers; affectionate ones
విభవైః - through riches; by prosperity
కల్పం - for an aeon; for ages
స్థితాః - remaining; lasting
తనుభృతాం - of embodied beings
తనవః - bodies; physical frames

Translation (భావార్థ):
So what if you gain prosperity that seems to grant every desire? So what if enemies place a foot on your head? So what if lovers are obtained by wealth? So what if bodies could last for ages? What does it finally change?

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
Bhartruhari piles up extreme scenarios to expose a quiet truth: none of them ends dissatisfaction. Pleasure and pain, honor and humiliation, success and failure - they keep changing, and the mind keeps reacting. The verse invites you to stop treating outer outcomes as the final cure. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

This is a powerful tool against both arrogance and anxiety. When you win, ask, "Did this actually remove restlessness, or did it just distract it for a while?" When you lose, ask, "Was I making this the basis of my peace?" The Upanishads point in the same direction: న విత్తేన తర్పణీయో మనుష్యః - "a person is not truly satisfied by wealth." Lasting contentment comes from loosening the need for constant external confirmation.

Practice: pick one goal you are currently treating as a "final fix". Write down the emotional need behind it (safety, love, respect). Start cultivating that need directly through habits and relationships, not only through achievement. This turns success into a bonus rather than a dependency - a concrete movement toward వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

భక్తిర్భవే మరణజన్మభయం హృదిస్థం
స్నేహో న బంధుషు న మన్మథజా వికారాః ।
సంసర్జ దోషరహితా విజయా వనాంతా
వైరాగ్యం అస్తి కిం ఇతః పరమర్థనీయమ్ ॥ 3.68 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
భక్తిః - devotion; heartfelt orientation
భవే - may it be; let it be
మరణ - death
జన్మ - birth
భయం - fear
హృది - in the heart
స్థం - abiding; situated
స్నేహః - attachment; clinging affection
న - not
బంధుషు - among relatives
న - not
మన్మథ - Cupid; lust
జాః - born of
వికారాః - disturbances; modifications
సంసర్జ - social mixing/association (in verse reading: సంసర్జ)
దోష - faults; defects
రహితా - free from
విజయా - victorious; prevailing
వనాంతాః - forest-solitudes; ends of the forest
వైరాగ్యం - dispassion; renunciation
అస్తి - is
కిం - what?
ఇతః పరం - beyond this
అర్థనీయం - worth seeking; desirable

Translation (భావార్థ):
Let there be devotion, and let the awareness of birth and death sit in the heart; let there be no clinging to relatives, and no passion-born disturbances. Let solitary forest-life, free from the defects of social entanglement, prevail. What dispassion beyond this is worth seeking?

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This verse describes the inner conditions that make freedom possible. Mortality-awareness breaks casual indulgence, devotion gives the heart direction, and reduced attachment prevents the mind from being pulled into endless emotional drama. The "forest" here is also symbolic: a setting where inputs are simple and the mind is not constantly provoked. Notice the chain Bhartruhari is pointing at: రాగ (attachment) quietly breeds భయ (fear), because whatever you cling to becomes something you must protect; వైరాగ్య breaks that chain.

Most people will not - and need not - abandon all relationships. The point is to loosen compulsive dependence: love without clinging, serve without being owned, and keep the mind from being enslaved by desire. This is exactly why Advaita emphasizes సాధనచతుష్టయ (the fourfold disciplines): వివేక (discernment), వైరాగ్య (dispassion), inner steadiness, and ముముక్షుత్వ (the longing for liberation). Without some detachment, even spiritual life becomes another form of craving.

Practice: create "inner forest" time daily - a small window with no social inputs, no performance, no gossip. Use it for study, contemplation, or prayer. Also, in one relationship where attachment shows up as control, replace one controlling act with one respectful boundary. This is how renunciation becomes a living purification, not a fantasy of escape.

తస్మాదనంతం అజరం పరమం వికాసి
తద్బ్రహ్మ చింతయ కిం ఏభిరసద్వికల్పైః ।
యస్యానుషంగిణ ఇమే భువనాధిపత్యభోగాదయః
కృపణలోకమతా భవంతి ॥ 3.69 ॥

ఛందః (మాత్రా-చందస్): This is in a మాత్రా-based Chandas/Meter (not a fixed అక్షర-count వృత్త): in this verse, the written segments carry approximately 16 + 16 + 23 + 12 మాత్రాః (total 67); treat లఘు=1 మాత్రా and గురు=2 మాత్రాః, and keep the natural pauses at the segment ends marked by `।`/`॥` (do not confuse దండ with internal యతి).

Meaning (పదార్థ):
తస్మాత్ - therefore
అనంతం - endless; infinite
అజరం - unaging; undecaying
పరమం - supreme
వికాసి - expansive; ever-unfolding
తద్ - that
బ్రహ్మ - the Supreme Reality
చింతయ - contemplate (imperative)
కిం - why?
ఏభిః - with these
అసత్ - unreal; insubstantial
వికల్పైః - imaginations; mental constructions
యస్య - for whom; of whom
అనుషంగిణః - attendant; following along
ఇమే - these
భువన - world
అధిపత్య - sovereignty; lordship
భోగాదయః - pleasures and the like
కృపణ - petty; miserly; small-minded
లోక - people; world
మతాః - considered; regarded
భవంతి - become

Translation (భావార్థ):
Therefore contemplate the infinite, ageless, supremely expansive Reality - why occupy yourself with insubstantial mental fancies? For one centered in that, even sovereignty over worlds and all pleasures are regarded as trifles by ordinary people.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse names the true replacement for craving: not a new object, but a new center. When the mind tastes something deeper than pleasure - clarity, freedom, the sense of the unconditioned - the old prizes naturally shrink. That is why Bhartruhari calls worldly fantasies అసత్ (not solid): they are loud, but they do not deliver lasting fullness. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

This is psychologically visible too. When inner meaning is absent, external domination and entertainment feel necessary; when inner meaning is present, you may still act in the world, but the hunger for status fades. Schopenhauer notes that desire keeps the will in perpetual dissatisfaction; Advaita goes further by pointing to the Self as already whole. The well-known summary బ్రహ్మ సత్యం జగన్మిథ్యా is not a rejection of life; it is a refusal to mistake appearances for the final refuge.

Practice: set one daily reminder that reorients the mind before it spirals into comparison. It can be a short reading, a mantra, or a silent pause. Then, notice one recurring fantasy (power, recognition, revenge) and ask: "If I got this, would restlessness end?" Let that question weaken the spell. This is how వివేక (discernment) matures into steady వైరాగ్య.

పాతాలం ఆవిశసి యాసి నభో విలంఘ్య
దిఙ్మండలం భ్రమసి మానస చాపలేన ।
భ్రాంత్యాపి జాతు విమలం కథం ఆత్మనీనం
న బ్రహ్మ సంసరసి నిర్వృతిం ఏషి యేన ॥ 3.70 ॥

ఛందః (మాత్రా-చందస్): This is in a మాత్రా-based Chandas/Meter (not a fixed అక్షర-count వృత్త): in this verse, the written segments carry approximately 19 + 17 + 19 + 17 మాత్రాః (total 72); treat లఘు=1 మాత్రా and గురు=2 మాత్రాః, and keep the natural pauses at the segment ends marked by `।`/`॥` (do not confuse దండ with internal యతి).

Meaning (పదార్థ):
పాతాలం - the netherworld
ఆవిశసి - you enter
యాసి - you go
నభః - sky; space (in verse: నభో)
విలంఘ్య - leaping across; crossing over
దిఙ్ - directions
మండలం - circle; sphere
దిఙ్మండలం - the horizon; the sphere of directions
భ్రమసి - you roam; you wander
మానస - O mind
చాపలేన - with fickleness; restlessly
భ్రాంతి - error; delusion
అపి - even (in verse: భ్రాంత్యాపి)
జాతు - ever; at any time
విమలం - pure; stainless
కథం - how?
ఆత్మనీనం - belonging to the Self; inward
న - not
బ్రహ్మ - the Supreme Reality
సంసరసి - you roam about; you wander
నిర్వృతిం - peace; release; cessation of suffering
ఏషి - you would attain; you would go to
యేన - by which

Translation (భావార్థ):
You dive into the depths, leap into the sky, and roam the horizon with restless fickleness. Even while wandering this way, how do you not turn to the pure inner Reality by which you would attain true peace?

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse is a portrait of distraction as "spiritual travel". The mind can roam endlessly - places, ideas, arguments, ambitions - and still avoid the one direction that matters: inward. Bhartruhari calls the goal విమల (stainless) and ఆత్మనీన (belonging to the Self): it is not somewhere else, it is the clarity that is closest.

This also applies to knowledge-seeking that never becomes self-knowledge. You can read hundreds of books, scroll endless opinions, or chase novelty, and yet remain restless because the center has not been addressed. Krishnamurti often points out that the observer must be understood; without that, every outer search becomes another escape. The verse asks: are you using movement to avoid stillness? The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: once a day, replace one "search" with one "return". Instead of looking for the next argument or the next plan, sit quietly for ten minutes and watch the restlessness itself. Name it as చాపల (fickleness) and let it be seen. Over time, the mind learns the taste of నిర్వృతి (quiet release) that no travel can give.

కిం వేదైః స్మృతిభిః పురాణపఠనైః శాస్త్రైర్మహావిస్తరైః
స్వర్గగ్రామకుటీనివాసఫలదైః కర్మక్రియావిభ్రమైః ।
ముక్త్వైకం భవదుఃఖభారరచనావిధ్వంసకాలానలం
స్వాత్మానందపదప్రవేశకలనం శేసైర్వాణిగ్వృత్తిభిః ॥ 3.71 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
కిం - what? what use?
వేదైః - with the Vedas
స్మృతిభిః - with the SmRtis
పురాణ - the PurANas
పఠనైః - by reciting/reading
శాస్త్రైః - with treatises; scriptures
మహావిస్తరైః - with great elaborations
స్వర్గ - heaven
గ్రామ - region; "settlement" (here: heavenly realms)
కుటీ - hut; cottage
నివాసః - residence; dwelling
ఫల - fruit; result
దైః - giving (instrumental plural)
స్వర్గగ్రామకుటీనివాసఫలదైః - promising fruits like living in heavenly dwellings
కర్మ - ritual action
క్రియా - prescribed practices
విభ్రమైః - with bewildering bustle; with ritual "whirl"
ముక్త్వా - leaving aside; except for
ఏకం - the one
భవ - worldly existence
దుఃఖ - suffering
భార - burden
రచనా - construction; arrangement
విధ్వంస - destruction
కాల - time
అనలం - fire
కాలానలం - the "time-fire" (total destroyer)
భవదుఃఖభారరచనావిధ్వంసకాలానలం - the time-fire that destroys the burden-structure of worldly suffering
స్వాత్మ - one's own Self
ఆనంద - bliss
పద - state; abode
ప్రవేశ - entry
కలనం - bringing about; enabling
శేశైః - with the rest
వాణిగ్వృత్తిభిః - speech used as trade/livelihood

Translation (భావార్థ):
What use are the Vedas, Smritis, Puranas, vast treatises, and the dizzying rituals that promise heavenly enjoyments, if they do not deliver the one thing: the fire that destroys the burden of worldly suffering and opens entry into the bliss of the Self? Everything else is just speech made into a trade.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This is not an insult to scripture; it is a demand for its real purpose. Bhartruhari says: do not confuse means with the end. If study and ritual do not reduce bondage - the weight of fear, craving, and sorrow - then they have become decoration. The one "result" worth insisting on is inner freedom that burns the root of suffering. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

The same mistake is common today in a different form: collecting information instead of being transformed by it. You can read endlessly about meditation, philosophy, and psychology, yet remain unchanged in anger, attachment, and anxiety. Advaita calls this difference పరోక్ష (indirect knowledge) versus అపరోక్ష (direct, lived knowing). Texts point, but the seeing must happen in you.

Practice: reduce spiritual shopping. Pick one small daily discipline that directly weakens craving and strengthens clarity - self-inquiry, meditation, honest reflection, or service. Measure progress by inner signs: less reactivity, fewer compulsions, more steadiness. Let books and rituals support that fire, not replace it.

నాయం తే సమయో రహస్యం అధునా నిద్రాతి నాథో యది
స్థిత్వా ద్రక్ష్యతి కుప్యతి ప్రభురితి ద్వారేషు యేషాం వచః ।
చేతస్తానపహాయ యాహి భవనం దేవస్య విశ్వేశితుర్
నిర్దౌవారికనిర్దయోక్త్య్అపరుషం నిఃసౌంఅశర్మప్రదమ్ ॥ 3.71.1 ॥

ఛందః (మాత్రా-చందస్): This is in a మాత్రా-based Chandas/Meter (not a fixed అక్షర-count వృత్త): in this verse, the written segments carry approximately 26 + 24 + 25 + 24 మాత్రాః (total 99); treat లఘు=1 మాత్రా and గురు=2 మాత్రాః, and keep the natural pauses at the segment ends marked by `।`/`॥` (do not confuse దండ with internal యతి).

Meaning (పదార్థ):
న - not
అయం - this
తే - for you
సమయః - time; occasion (in verse: సమయో)
రహస్యం - secret
అధునా - now
నిద్రాతి - sleeps
నాథః - the Lord; master
యది - if
స్థిత్వా - having waited; having stood
ద్రక్ష్యతి - will see
కుప్యతి - will become angry
ప్రభుః - the master
ఇతి - thus
ద్వారేషు - at the doors
యేషాం - of whom
వచః - words
చేతః - O mind
తాన్ - those
అపహాయ - leaving aside
యాహి - go (imperative)
భవనం - abode; house
దేవస్య - of the Lord
విశ్వేశితుః - of the Lord of the universe (విశ్వేశ్వర)
నిర్ - without
దౌవారిక - doorkeeper; gatekeeper
నిర్దౌవారికం - without gatekeepers
నిర్దయ - merciless; heartless
ఉక్తి - speech; words
నిర్దయోక్త్యా - by merciless words (in verse: నిర్దయోక్త్య్)
అపరుషం - not harsh; gentle
సౌమ్య - gentle; soothing (in verse: సౌంఅ)
శర్మ - refuge; comfort
ప్రదం - granting; giving

Translation (భావార్థ):
This is not your time, and it is no secret: "If the Lord is sleeping now, he will wake, see you, and get angry," say those who stand at the doors. O mind, leave them and go to the Lord of the universe, whose house has no gatekeepers, no harsh words, and gives gentle refuge.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse mocks gatekeeping in devotion. Some people build an entire business of "access": they decide when you may approach, how you must behave, and they keep you anxious with threats. Bhartruhari says: do not let your mind be bullied. Go to the true source - the విశ్వేశ్వర (Lord of all) - where there is no cruelty, only refuge. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

This applies far beyond temples. Many goals in life have "door-people": social circles, bureaucracies, inner critics, and even family voices that say, "Not now, you will be punished." Sometimes these warnings are practical; often they are just control. The verse recommends courage: do not hand over your direction to those who thrive on your hesitation. The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: identify one gatekeeper voice in you - a fear that keeps you from prayer, study, or a needed life change. Write it down. Then take one small direct step that does not require anyone's permission: a sincere prayer, a ten-minute sit, an honest conversation, a job application. అనుసంధాన becomes real when you stop waiting at the wrong doors.

యతో మేరుః శ్రీమాన్నిపతతి యుగాంతాగ్నివలితః
సముద్రాః శుష్యంతి ప్రచురమకరగ్రాహనిలయాః ।
ధరా గచ్ఛత్యంతం ధరణిధరపాదైరపి ధృతా
శరీరే కా వార్తా కరికలభకర్ణాగ్రచపలే ॥ 3.72 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
యతః - when; since
మేరుః - Mount Meru
శ్రీమాన్ - glorious; splendid
నిపతతి - falls
యుగ - age; world-cycle
అంత - end
అగ్ని - fire
యుగాంతాగ్నివలితః - surrounded by the end-of-age fire
సముద్రాః - oceans
శుష్యంతి - dry up
ప్రచుర - abundant; full of
మకర - crocodiles (aquatic monsters)
గ్రాహ - sharks; sea-creatures
నిలయాః - abodes; homes
ప్రచురమకరగ్రాహనిలయాః - whose homes are full of crocodiles and sharks
ధరా - the earth
గచ్ఛతి - goes
అంతం - to the end
ధరణి - earth
ధర - mountain; "holder"
పాదైః - by the feet
అపి - even
ధృతా - held up
శరీరే - in/for the body
కా - what?
వార్తా - news; story; certainty
కరి - elephant
కలభ - baby elephant
కర్ణ - ear
అగ్ర - tip
చపల - unsteady; fickle
కరికలభకర్ణాగ్రచపలే - fickle like the tip of a baby elephant's ear

Translation (భావార్థ):
When even the glorious Meru falls at the end of an age, when oceans dry up despite being homes to countless sea-creatures, and when the earth itself reaches its end though supported by mountains - what certainty can there be about this body, fickle as the tip of a baby elephant's ear?

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
Bhartruhari uses cosmic imagery to make one point unavoidable: impermanence is not an exception; it is the rule. If the grandest structures dissolve, then the body - delicate, aging, easily injured - cannot be treated as a permanent refuge. The verse is meant to loosen the instinct to cling. Seen through వివేక (discernment), this is an invitation to let వైరాగ్య (dispassion) arise from understanding, not from bitterness.

This does not mean neglecting health; it means right-sizing it. Much anxiety comes from treating the body as identity and the world as a guarantee. The verse encourages a wiser investment: care for the body as an instrument, but place your deepest trust in what is not destroyed by time - clarity, character, and inner freedom. This is the అనిత్యతా (impermanence) reflection that Sa~gkarAcArya uses to awaken వైరాగ్య: seeing change clearly, we stop demanding permanent comfort from it.

Practice: do one action that respects the body (sleep, food, movement) and one action that prepares for its impermanence (forgiveness, simplification, spiritual practice). Keep a short daily reminder: "Everything changes; what will I build that remains?" This is the seed of వైరాగ్య (dispassion) without despair.

గాత్రం సంకుచితం గతిర్విగలితా భ్రష్టా చ దంతావలిర్
దృష్టిర్నక్ష్యతి వర్ధతే బధిరతా వక్త్రం చ లాలాయతే ।
వాక్యం నాద్రియతే చ బాంధవజనో భార్యా న శుశ్రూషతే
హా కష్టం పురుషస్య జీర్ణవయసః పుత్రోఽప్యమిత్రాయతే ॥ 3.73 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
గాత్రం - limbs; body
సంకుచితం - contracted; shriveled
గతిః - gait; movement
విగలితా - slipped; weakened; faltering
భ్రష్టా - fallen; broken down
చ - and
దంతావలిః - row of teeth (in verse-sandhi: దంతావలిర్)
దృష్టిః - eyesight (in verse-sandhi: దృష్టిర్)
నక్ష్యతి - will decay; will be lost
వర్ధతే - increases
బధిరతా - deafness
వక్త్రం - mouth
చ - and
లాలాయతే - drools
వాక్యం - speech; words
న - not (in verse: నాద్రియతే = న ఆద్రియతే)
ఆద్రియతే - is respected; is valued
బాంధవ - relative; kinsman
జనః - people (in verse: బాంధవజనో)
భార్యా - wife
న - not
శుశ్రూషతే - serves; attends
హా - alas!
కష్టం - misery; hard condition
పురుషస్య - of a man
జీర్ణ - old; worn out
వయసః - of age
పుత్రః - son (in verse-sandhi: పుత్రో)
అపి - even (in verse: ఽప్య్)
అమిత్రాయతే - becomes hostile; turns into an enemy

Translation (భావార్థ):
The limbs shrink, the gait falters, the teeth fail; eyesight decays, deafness grows, and the mouth drools. One's words are ignored, relatives do not value you, the wife does not attend - alas, in old age even the son can turn hostile.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This verse is intentionally blunt so that we stop fantasizing about permanence. It shows old age not only as physical decline, but as social loneliness: the world that once depended on you can easily forget you, and relationships can become strained when roles reverse. Bhartruhari is not shaming the old; he is warning the young. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

For daily life, the lesson is preparation and humility. Do not build your identity on being useful, admired, or feared, because those supports can vanish quickly. Invest early in inner resources: skills, friendships based on character, and spiritual steadiness. Also, treat elders with dignity; today's youth is tomorrow's decline. The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: if you are young, begin one discipline now that your future self will thank you for: savings, health, learning, and a daily spiritual anchor. If you care for elders, offer respect without impatience. The deeper practice is to cultivate అనాసక్తి (non-clinging) so that your peace does not depend on how others respond to you.

వర్ణం సితం శిరసి వీక్ష్య శిరోరుహాణాం
స్థానం జరాపరిభవస్య తదా పుమాంసమ్ ।
ఆరోపితాంస్థిశతకం పరిహృత్య యాంతి
చండాలకూపం ఇవ దూరతరం తరుణ్యః ॥ 3.74 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
వర్ణం - color
సితం - white
శిరసి - on the head
వీక్ష్య - seeing; having seen
శిరోరుహాణాం - of the hairs on the head
స్థానం - state; condition
జరా - old age
పరిభవః - humiliation; distressing decline
జరాపరిభవస్య - of the humiliation/decline of old age
తదా - then
పుమాంసం - a man
ఆరోపిత - mounted; placed; characterized by
అస్థి - bone
శతకం - a hundred
ఆరోపితాంస్థిశతకం - "covered with" hundreds of bones
పరిహృత్య - abandoning; leaving behind
యాంతి - they go
చండాలకూపం - an outcaste's well
ఇవ - as if; like
దూరతరం - very far
తరుణ్యః - young women

Translation (భావార్థ):
Seeing white hair on a man's head and the onset of the humiliations of old age, young women abandon him and go far away - as if he were an outcaste's well ringed with bones.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse is an unsentimental reminder that attraction is often conditional. Youth is drawn to youth; beauty is drawn to beauty. When signs of aging appear, the mind that was once enchanted can become repelled. Bhartruhari uses an extreme image to break romantic illusions and push the seeker toward a more stable source of fulfillment. Seen through వివేక (discernment), this is an invitation to let వైరాగ్య (dispassion) arise from understanding, not from bitterness.

This applies in subtler forms today as well: ageism, status shifts, and changing social attention. If your self-worth is tied to being desired, admired, or socially "in", you will suffer as time moves. The antidote is to build relationships on character and shared values, and to build your inner life on something time cannot take. This is the అనిత్యతా (impermanence) reflection that Sa~gkarAcArya uses to awaken వైరాగ్య: seeing change clearly, we stop demanding permanent comfort from it.

Practice: notice where you depend on being seen a certain way. Strengthen one quality that does not age: kindness, integrity, or skill. If you are in relationship, invest in companionship beyond appearance - shared service, shared learning, shared silence. This is how వైరాగ్య (dispassion) becomes maturity rather than cynicism.

యావత్స్వస్థం ఇదం శరీరం అరుజం యావచ్చ దూరే జరా
యావచ్చేంద్రియశక్తిరప్రతిహతా యావత్క్షయో నాయుషః ।
ఆత్మశ్రేయసి తావదేవ విదుషా కార్యః ప్రయత్నో మహాన్
సందీప్తే భవనే తు కూపఖననం ప్రత్యుద్యమః కీదృశః ॥ 3.75 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
యావత్ - as long as
స్వస్థం - healthy; well
ఇదం - this
శరీరం - body
అరుజం - free from illness/infirmity
యావత్ - as long as
చ - and
దూరే - far away
జరా - old age
యావత్ - as long as
ఇంద్రియ - senses
శక్తిః - strength; capacity
అప్రతిహతా - unobstructed; unimpaired
యావత్ - as long as
క్షయః - decline; waning
న - not
ఆయుషః - of life
ఆత్మ - the Self
శ్రేయసి - in the highest good
తావతేవ - only until then
విదుషా - by the wise
కార్యః - should be done
ప్రయత్నః - effort
మహాన్ - great
సందీప్తే - when blazing
భవనే - in the house
తు - but
కూప - well
ఖననం - digging
ప్రత్యుద్యమః - effort; attempt
కీదృశః - what kind? what use?

Translation (భావార్థ):
As long as this body is healthy and free from infirmity, as long as old age is far, as long as the senses are unimpaired and life has not begun to wane - only till then should the wise make great effort toward the highest good. What use is digging a well when the house is on fire?

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This verse is urgency with compassion. Bhartruhari says: do the essential work while you still have strength. Waiting for a perfect time is self-deception; crisis arrives suddenly. The "well" symbolizes all last-minute remedies and late spiritual regrets that come when the house is already burning. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

In daily life, this applies to health, relationships, and inner freedom. People postpone medical care, honest conversations, and spiritual practice until problems become emergencies. The verse asks for a reversal: treat the present as the right time. In the language of వివేక (discernment), do the highest-priority work first.

Practice: choose one "highest good" action you keep delaying - meditation, study, repairing a relationship, or simplifying life. Do a small version today, not tomorrow. Then schedule it into your week as non-negotiable. వైరాగ్య grows not from dramatic renunciation, but from consistent priority.

తపస్యంతః సంతః కిం అధినివసామః సురనదీం
గుణోదారాందారానుత పరిచరామః సవినయమ్ ।
పిబామః శాస్త్రౌఘానుతవివిధకావ్యామృతరసాన్
న విద్మః కిం కుర్మః కతిపయనిమేషాయుషి జనే ॥ 3.76 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
తపస్యంతః - practicing austerity; disciplined striving
సంతః - good people; seekers
కిం - what?
అధినివసామః - shall we live/dwell?
సురనదీం - the heavenly river
గుణ - virtues
ఉదారాన్ - noble; generous
దారాన్ - wives
ఉత - or else
పరిచరామః - shall we serve?
సవినయం - humbly; with respect
పిబామః - shall we drink?
శాస్త్ర - scripture
ఓఘః - flood; stream; multitude
శాస్త్రౌఘ్హాన్ - streams/multitude of scriptures
ఉత - or
వివిద - various
కావ్య - poetry
అమృత - nectar
రస - essence; taste
కావ్యామృతరసాన్ - the nectar-essences of poetry
న - not
విద్మః - we know
కిం - what
కుర్మః - shall we do?
కతిపయ - a few
నిమేష - eye-blink
ఆయుషి - in the lifespan
జనే - in life; in this world

Translation (భావార్థ):
We ascetics do not know what to do in this life that lasts only a few blinks: should we dwell by the heavenly river, or serve our virtuous wives with humility, or drink the streams of scriptures, or the nectar-essence of various poems?

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse captures a very human dilemma: too many worthy options, too little time. One can imagine a life of solitude, a life of devoted household responsibility, a life of study, or a life of refined enjoyment of art. Bhartruhari's sting is in the last line: life is only a few నిమేషాః (eye-blinks). Indecision itself becomes the loss. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

This is also a modern problem of abundance. With endless content and endless "paths", people keep sampling and never committing. The verse suggests that the right response to short life is not frantic consumption but clear prioritization: choose what actually frees the mind and let other goods support that choice, not replace it. The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: pick one primary aim for the next 30 days (spiritual practice, service, study, or health). Commit to a daily minimum. Allow other activities, but only after the minimum is done. This simple ordering transforms scattered effort into తపస్ (disciplined heat) that produces real change.

దురారాధ్యాశ్చామీ తురగచలచిత్తాః క్షితిభుజో
వయం తు స్థూలేచ్ఛాః సుమహతి ఫలే బద్ధమనసః ।
జరా దేహం మృత్యుర్హరతి దయితం జీవితం ఇదం
సఖే నాన్యచ్ఛ్రేయో జగతి విదుషేఽన్యత్ర తపసః ॥ 3.77 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
దురారాధ్యాః - hard to please; difficult to propitiate
చ - and
అమీ - these
తురగ - horse
చల - moving; restless
చిత్తాః - minds
క్షితిభుజాః - kings; rulers
వయం - we
తు - however
స్థూల - gross; coarse
ఇచ్ఛాః - desires
సుమహతి - very great
ఫలే - in the result
బద్ధ - bound; tied
మనసః - minds
జరా - old age
దేహం - body
మ్ఱ్త్యుః - death
హరతి - takes away
దయితం - dear; beloved
జీవితం - life
ఇదం - this
సఖే - O friend
న - not
అన్యత్ - other
శ్రేయః - good; welfare
జగతి - in the world
విదుషే - for the wise
అన్యత్ర - other than; except
తపసః - austerity; disciplined practice

Translation (భావార్థ):
These rulers are hard to please, their minds as restless as a moving horse; and we, with coarse desires, keep our minds bound to huge results. Old age takes the body, death takes this dear life. Friend, for the wise there is no better good in the world than disciplined striving.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse is brutally practical. Chasing the favor of kings (or any powerful person) is exhausting because their minds are restless and their approval is unstable. At the same time, our own desires are "sthUla" (coarse) in the sense that they demand large outcomes. Meanwhile, time is doing its work: old age takes the body, death takes life. So the one reliable investment is తపస్ - disciplined practice that builds inner strength and reduces dependence. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

In contemporary settings, this often shows up as career and social anxiety: living for performance reviews, networking, and the fickle moods of gatekeepers. The verse does not say "quit life"; it says stop making your dignity depend on approval. When you cultivate discipline, skill, and inner steadiness, you become harder to manipulate and easier to respect - including by yourself. This is the అనిత్యతా (impermanence) reflection that Sa~gkarAcArya uses to awaken వైరాగ్య: seeing change clearly, we stop demanding permanent comfort from it.

Practice: identify one place where you flatter, compromise values, or overwork just to be liked. Replace one such action with one act of తపస్ (disciplined heat): a boundary, a truthful statement, or consistent practice. Add a daily anchor (study, meditation, exercise) that you do regardless of praise. This trains freedom in the only way it can be trained: by repetition.

మానే మ్లాయిని ఖండితే చ వసుని వ్యర్థే ప్రయాతేఽర్థిని
క్షీణే బంధుజనే గతే పరిజనే నష్టే శనైర్యౌవనే ।
యుక్తం కేవలం ఏతదేవ సుధియాం యజ్జహ్నుకన్యాపయఃపూతాగ్రావ
గిరీంద్రకందరతటీకుంజే నివాసః క్వచిథ్ ॥ 3.78 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
మానే - when honor/pride
మ్లాయిని - withers; fades
ఖండితే - is broken; ruined
చ - and
వసుని - when wealth
వ్యర్థే - becomes useless; is squandered
ప్రయాతే - has gone
అర్థిని - when the seeker/supplicant (flatterer) departs (in verse: ప్రయాతేఽర్థిని)
క్షీణే - dwindled
బంధుజనే - when friends/kinsmen are diminished
గతే - have gone
పరిజనే - when attendants/dependents have gone
నష్టే - are lost
శనైర్ - slowly
యౌవనే - when youth is lost
యుక్తం - proper; fitting
కేవలం - only
ఏతదేవ - just this
సుధియాం - for the wise
యత్ - that which
జహ్నుకన్యా - the Ganga ("daughter of Jahnu")
పయః - water
పూత - purified
గ్రావ - rocks
పూతాగ్రావ - rocks purified (by that water)
గిరీంద్ర - king of mountains (Himalayas)
కందర - cave
తటీ - slope; bank; hillside
కుంజే - in a grove/thicket
నివాసః - dwelling; residence
క్వచిత్ - somewhere

Translation (భావార్థ):
When honor fades, wealth is ruined, and those who once sought you disappear; when friends diminish, dependents depart, and youth slowly vanishes - the wise have only one fitting course: to live somewhere in a Himalayan cave-grove whose rocks are sanctified by the waters of the Ganga.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This verse describes the collapse of the usual props of identity: pride, money, admirers, companions, and youth. When these fade, a person is forced to see what was real and what was borrowed. Bhartruhari says the wise do not wait for collapse; they pre-empt it by choosing simplicity and inner anchoring. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

For many people today, this happens as burnout, retirement, or a sudden change in status. When the "crowd" is gone, you discover whether you have a life or only a performance. The Himalaya and Ganga imagery points to an alternative: return to what is pure, quiet, and essential. Even if you cannot relocate physically, you can relocate psychologically by reducing dependence on applause. The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: create one simple refuge in your week - a "cave time" with no social validation seeking: nature walk, meditation, study, or quiet service. Also, reduce one status-expense that forces you into exhausting comparison. This is how వైరాగ్య becomes freedom rather than bitterness.

రమ్యాశ్చంద్రమరీచయస్తృణవతీ రమ్యా వనాంతస్థలీ
రమ్యం సాధుసమాగమాగతసుఖం కావ్యేషు రమ్యాః కథాః ।
కోపోపాహితబాష్పబిందుతరలం రమ్యం ప్రియాయా ముఖం
సర్వం రమ్యం అనిత్యతాం ఉపగతే చిత్తే న కించిత్పునః ॥ 3.79 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
రమ్యాః - delightful; charming
చంద్ర - moon
మరీచయః - rays
తృణవతీ - grassy
వనాంతస్థలీ - forest ground/region
రమ్యం - delightful
సాధు - saintly person
సమాగమ - meeting; company
ఆగత - obtained; arising from
సుఖం - joy
కావ్యేషు - in poetry
రమ్యాః - delightful
కథాః - stories; narratives
కోప - indignation; anger
ఉపాహిత - accompanied by; suffused with
బాష్ప - tears
బిందు - drops
తరలం - shimmering; tremulous
ప్రియాయాః - of the beloved
ముఖం - face
సర్వం - all
రమ్యం - delightful
అనిత్యతాం - impermanence
ఉపగతే - when it has been realized; when it has entered
చిత్తే - in the mind
న - not
కించిత్ - anything
పునః - again

Translation (భావార్థ):
Moonbeams on grass are charming; the forest is charming; the joy of meeting the wise is charming; stories in poetry are charming; even a beloved's face shimmering with tear-drops of indignation is charming. But once the mind has truly absorbed impermanence, nothing charms it again in the same way.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This verse describes a shift of taste. When impermanence is only an idea, the world remains intoxicating. When impermanence becomes a felt recognition, the same things lose their spell. This is not necessarily sadness; it can be sobriety - the mind stops being bribed by surfaces. Seen through వివేక (discernment), this is an invitation to let వైరాగ్య (dispassion) arise from understanding, not from bitterness.

Many people experience this after loss, illness, or deep disappointment: pleasures remain pleasant, but they no longer feel ultimate. The verse warns against clinging to charm as if it were meaning. When the mind matures, it asks for something deeper than aesthetic or emotional stimulation. This is the అనిత్యతా (impermanence) reflection that Sa~gkarAcArya uses to awaken వైరాగ్య: seeing change clearly, we stop demanding permanent comfort from it.

Practice: notice one "charm" you chase to escape discomfort - entertainment, romance, gossip, even poetic nostalgia. Enjoy it if appropriate, but do not lean on it as a refuge. Add a daily contemplation of change: remind yourself that every experience passes. Over time, this produces వైరాగ్య without becoming cold.

రమ్యం హర్మ్యతలం న కిం వసతయే శ్రవ్యం న గేయాదికం
కిం వా ప్రాణసమాసమాగమసుఖం నైవాధికప్రీతయే ।
కింతు భ్రాంతపతంగక్షపవనవ్యాలోలదీపాంకురచ్ఛాయా
చంచలం ఆకలయ్య సకలం సంతో వనాంతం గతాః ॥ 3.80 ॥

ఛందః (మాత్రా-చందస్): This is in a మాత్రా-based Chandas/Meter (not a fixed అక్షర-count వృత్త): in this verse, the written segments carry approximately 22 + 27 + 27 + 21 మాత్రాః (total 97); treat లఘు=1 మాత్రా and గురు=2 మాత్రాః, and keep the natural pauses at the segment ends marked by `।`/`॥` (do not confuse దండ with internal యతి).

Meaning (పదార్థ):
రమ్యం - pleasant; delightful
హర్మ్య - mansion; palace
తలం - terrace; floor
న - not
కిం - what? (as "is it not?")
వసతయే - for living
శ్రవ్యం - pleasant to hear
గేయ - singable; music
ఆదికం - and so on
కిం వా - or what?
ప్రాణ - life
సమా - equal to
సమాగమ - company; meeting
సుఖం - joy
ప్రాణసమాసమాగమసుఖం - the joy of company as dear as life
న - not
ఏవ - indeed
అధిక - great; excessive
ప్రీతయే - for pleasure
కింతు - but
భ్రాంత - delirious; deluded; hovering
పతంగ - moth
క్షపా - night
వన - forest
పవన - wind
క్షపవనపవన - the forest-wind of the night (in verse compound)
వ్యాలోల - shaken; wavering
దీప - lamp
అంకుర - sprout; flame
దీపాంకుర - lamp-flame
చ్ఛాయా - shadow
చంచలం - fickle; unsteady
ఆకలయ్య - having understood; having realized
సకలం - all
సంతః - wise ones
వనాంతం - to the forest
గతాః - went

Translation (భావార్థ):
Isn't living on a palace-terrace delightful? Isn't music delightful? Isn't the joy of company as dear as life the greatest pleasure? Yet the wise, realizing that all this is as fickle as the shadow of a lamp-flame shaken by a night-forest wind around a hovering moth, have gone to the forest.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse concedes that comfort, music, and intimate company are genuinely pleasant. The problem is not pleasure; the problem is its instability and the dependence it creates. Bhartruhari says the wise leave not because they hate life, but because they have seen how quickly the "palace" mood collapses - like a shadow flickering with every gust in a dark forest night. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

In present-day terms, this describes the treadmill of lifestyle upgrades. People build a life that requires constant stimulation and constant income, and then feel trapped by the very comforts they chased. The verse points to another kind of wealth: స్వాతంత్ర్య (inner freedom). When needs are simpler, the mind has room to become quiet, and choices become less fear-driven.

Practice: run an experiment in sufficiency. For one week, reduce optional entertainment and spending, and add a daily period of quiet (walk, reading, meditation). Observe whether your nervous system becomes calmer. If it does, you have found the direction of సంతోష (contentment) that the verse is pointing to.

ఆ సంసారాత్త్రిభువనం ఇదం చిన్వతాం తాత్తాదృఙ్నైవాస్మాకం
నయనపదవీం శ్రోత్రమార్గం గతో వా ।
యోఽయం ధత్తే విషయకరిణో గాఢగూఢాభిమానక్షీవస్యాంతః
కరణకరిణః సంయమాలానలీలామ్ ॥ 3.81 ॥

ఛందః (మాత్రా-చందస్): This is in a మాత్రా-based Chandas/Meter (not a fixed అక్షర-count వృత్త): in this verse, the written segments carry approximately 29 + 18 + 30 + 17 మాత్రాః (total 94); treat లఘు=1 మాత్రా and గురు=2 మాత్రాః, and keep the natural pauses at the segment ends marked by `।`/`॥` (do not confuse దండ with internal యతి).

Meaning (పదార్థ):
ఆ - from; since
సంసారాత్ - from the beginning of worldly existence
త్రిభువనం - the three worlds
ఇదం - this
చిన్వతాం - of those searching
తాత - dear one; O son (in verse: తాత్ within తాత్తాదృఙ్)
తాదృఙ్ - like that; of that kind
న - not
ఏవ - indeed
అస్మాకం - of us; for us
నయన - eyes
పదవీం - range; path
శ్రోత్ర - ear
మార్గం - path; range
గతః - has gone; has reached
వా - or
యః - which
అయం - this (in verse: యోఽయం)
ధత్తే - holds; bears; places
విషయ - sense-objects
కరిణీ - she-elephant (feminine elephant)
విషయకరిణీ - the she-elephant of sense-objects (metaphor for temptations)
గాఢ - deep
గూఢ - hidden
అభిమాన - ego; pride
క్షీవ - intoxicated
గాఢగూఢాభిమానక్షీవః - intoxicated by deep-hidden ego
అంతఃకరణ - inner instrument; mind
కరి - elephant
అంతఃకరణకరి - the "inner elephant" (the mind)
సంయమ - restraint; self-control
ఆలాన - an elephant-post/stake (used to tie/control elephants)
లీలాం - sport; play; function
సంయమాలానలీలాం - the play/function of being a restraint-stake

Translation (భావార్థ):
From the beginning of worldly life, searching all three worlds, dear one, we have not seen or heard anything like this: the worship that acts like a restraint-stake for the inner mind, intoxicated by deep-hidden ego and drawn by the she-elephant of sense-objects.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This verse (traditionally introduced as శివార్చనం, "worship of Shiva") praises devotion as a technology of mind-training. The mind is compared to an elephant: powerful, stubborn, and easily intoxicated by విషయ (sense-objects). The key image is ఆలాన - the post that can steady an elephant. Worship, done sincerely, becomes that steadying center.

In everyday life, the mind also needs an ఆలాన. Without a center, it runs toward cravings, anxieties, and status games. A stable practice - prayer, meditation, mantra, or disciplined values - creates a "post" that the mind can return to when it is pulled. Advaita does not deny devotion; it refines it: worship becomes a way to purify attention so that self-knowledge can dawn.

Practice: choose one simple daily act of devotion and make it non-negotiable (a short chant, a lamp, a few minutes of meditation). When you feel pulled by temptation or ego, return to that anchor immediately instead of negotiating. Over time, you will notice the elephant-mind becomes less intoxicated and more trainable - which is the practical beginning of వైరాగ్య.

యదేతత్స్వచ్ఛందం విహరణం అకార్పణ్యం అశనం
సహార్యైః సంవాసః శ్రుతం ఉపశమైకవ్రతఫలమ్ ।
మనో మందస్పందం బహిరపి చిరస్యాపి విమృశన్న
జానే కస్యైషా పరిణతిరుదారస్య తపసః ॥ 3.82 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
యత్ - that which
ఏతత్ - this
స్వచ్ఛందం - free-willed; at one's own pleasure
విహరణం - wandering; moving about
అకార్పణ్యం - without miserliness; without meanness
అశనం - eating
సహ - with
ఆర్యైః - noble/saintly people
సంవాసః - dwelling together; company
శ్రుతం - what is heard; sacred teaching; wisdom
ఉపశమ - quieting; cessation of agitation
ఏక - one
వ్రత - vow
ఫలం - fruit; result
ఉపశమైకవ్రతఫలం - the fruit of the single vow of tranquility
మనః - mind
మందస్పందం - gently pulsing; with little movement (calm)
బహిః - outwardly; externally
అపి - even
చిరస్య - for a long time
విమృశన్ - reflecting; considering
న - not
జానే - I know
కస్య - whose
ఏషా - this
పరిణతిః - culmination; outcome
ఉదారస్య - of a great one; of lofty austerity
తపసః - of austerity

Translation (భావార్థ):
This free wandering, this eating without meanness, this company of the noble, and this learning - all yield the single fruit of tranquility. Even after long reflection, I cannot tell whose great austerity has ripened into such an outcome.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse observes that the fruit of a well-ordered life is a calm mind. Freedom of movement, simple generosity in food, good company, and study are not "luxuries"; they are conditions that reduce friction. When the mind is not constantly provoked, ఉపశమ (quieting) becomes natural. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

This is an important lesson in practice: peace is not only a mystical event; it is also the result of environment and habit. If your days are full of noise, greed, and bad company, meditation will feel like wrestling. If your days are simple, honest, and supported by wise inputs, meditation becomes easier. Spiritual life is not only about willpower; it is about choosing the right conditions. The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: redesign one part of your day to favor ఉపశమ. Reduce one noisy input, eat a simpler meal without guilt, and spend time with one "arya" influence (a teacher, a good book, a calm friend). The mind becomes మందస్పంద (less agitated) when you stop feeding agitation.

జీర్ణా ఏవ మనోరథాశ్చ హృదయే యాతం చ తద్యౌవనం
హంతాంగేషు గుణాశ్బంధ్యఫలతాం యాతా గుణజ్ఞైర్వినా ।
కిం యుక్తం సహసాభ్యుపైతి బలవాన్కాలః కృతాంతోఽక్షమీ
హా జ్ఞాతం మదనాంతకాంఘ్రియుగలం ముక్త్వాస్తి నాన్యో గతిః ॥ 3.83 ॥

ఛందః (మాత్రా-చందస్): This is in a మాత్రా-based Chandas/Meter (not a fixed అక్షర-count వృత్త): in this verse, the written segments carry approximately 27 + 26 + 26 + 26 మాత్రాః (total 105); treat లఘు=1 మాత్రా and గురు=2 మాత్రాః, and keep the natural pauses at the segment ends marked by `।`/`॥` (do not confuse దండ with internal యతి).

Meaning (పదార్థ):
జీర్ణాః - worn out
ఏవ - indeed
మనోరథాః - fantasies; longings
చ - and
హృదయే - in the heart
యాతం - has gone
చ - and
తత్ - that
యౌవనం - youth
హంతా - alas!
అంగేషు - in the limbs/body
గుణాః - virtues
బంధ్య - barren
ఫల - fruit
బంధ్యఫలతాం - barrenness/fruitlessness
యాతాః - have become
గుణజ్ఞైః - by those who recognize virtue
వినా - without
కిం - what?
యుక్తం - proper
సహసా - suddenly; quickly
అభ్యుపైతి - approaches; comes near
బలవాన్ - powerful
కాలః - time
కృతాంతః - death; the end-maker
అక్షమీ - unforgiving; relentless
హా - alas!
జ్ఞాతం - known; realized
మదన - Cupid; desire
అంతక - destroyer
అంఘ్రి - feet
యుగలం - pair
మదనాంతకాంఘ్రియుగలం - the pair of feet of the Destroyer of desire (Shiva)
ముక్త్వా - leaving aside; except for
అస్తి - there is
న - not
అన్యా - other
గతిః - way; refuge

Translation (భావార్థ):
Desires have worn out and youth has departed; virtues have become fruitless when there are no people who recognize them. Relentless death approaches quickly - what is the right course? Alas, apart from taking refuge at the feet of the Destroyer of desire, there is no other way.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse describes the pain of late realization: when the body weakens and time accelerates, old longings lose their sweetness. Even "virtue" can feel fruitless if it was secretly done for recognition. Bhartruhari then points to a refuge that does not depend on health, youth, or applause: devotion that turns the mind toward what is beyond change. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

This is also a warning to not postpone the essential. Time is అక్షమీ (unforgiving) - it does not negotiate. If you wait for old age to seek depth, you may find the mind too tired and habits too strong. The verse is not fatalistic; it is urgent: begin now, while strength and clarity are available.

Practice: do one act of "recognition-free" virtue this week - help without being seen, speak truth without winning applause. Also, establish a daily refuge practice (chanting, meditation, prayer) so that devotion is not a last-minute emergency. This turns మదనాంతక (the destroyer of desire) into a lived inner principle: desire loses power when the mind has a higher sweetness.

మహేశ్వరే వా జగతాం అధీశ్వరే
జనార్దనే వా జగద్అంతరాత్మని ।
న వస్తుభేదప్రతిపత్తిరస్తి మే
తథాపి భక్తిస్తరుణేందుశేఖరే ॥ 3.84 ॥

ఛందః (వంశస్థ): This is in వంశస్థ (సమ-వృత్త) Chandas/Meter: 4 పాదాః, 12 అక్షరాః per పాద; లఘు/గురు pattern (per పాద) is `LGLGGLLGLGLG`.

Meaning (పదార్థ):
మహేశ్వరే - in Maheshvara (Shiva)
వా - or
జగతాం - of the worlds
అధీశ్వరే - in the Lord
జనార్దనే - in Janardana (Vishnu)
వా - or
జగత్ - world
అంతరాత్మని - in the inner Self
న - not
వస్తు - thing; reality
భేద - difference
ప్రతిపత్తిః - cognition; understanding
అస్తి - is
మే - for me
తథాపి - even so
భక్తిః - devotion
తరుణ - young
ఇందు - moon
శేకరః - crested; crowned
తరుణేందుశేఖరే - in the moon-crested Lord (Shiva)

Translation (భావార్థ):
Whether it is Maheshvara, the Lord of worlds, or Janardana, the inner Self of the universe, I perceive no difference of reality. And yet my devotion is to the moon-crested one.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This is a beautiful meeting of non-duality and devotion. The speaker says: whether you call the Supreme Maheshvara, Janardana, or the inner Self of the universe, the reality is one - there is no "thing-difference" in truth. Yet devotion still needs a form, and his heart naturally leans to the moon-crested Shiva. Seen through వివేక (discernment), this is an invitation to let వైరాగ్య (dispassion) arise from understanding, not from bitterness.

In lived religion, this prevents two common errors: sectarian rigidity and vague universalism. Non-duality does not require you to reject personal devotion; it invites you to see your chosen form as a doorway to the formless. At the same time, it protects you from contempt toward other forms, because the essence is not divided. Sa~gkarAcArya's భ్హజ గోవిందం returns to this point often: do not postpone inner clarity for outer arrangements; convert insight into a small daily discipline.

Practice: keep one ఇష్టదేవతా (chosen form of devotion) and be steady in practice. Alongside, cultivate the vision that the same Reality shines through different names and symbols. This combination - steadiness in practice and breadth in understanding - matures devotion into wisdom.

స్ఫురత్స్ఫారజ్యోత్స్నాధవలితతలే క్వాపి పులినే
సుఖాసీనాః శాంతధ్వంతిసు రజనీషు ద్యుసరితః ।
భవాభోగోద్విగ్నాః శివ శివ శివేత్యుచ్చవచసః
కదా యాస్యామోఽతర్గతబహులబాష్పాకులదశామ్ ॥ 3.85 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
స్ఫురత్ - shining; flashing
స్ఫార - abundant; widespread
జ్యోత్స్నా - moonlight
ధవలిత - whitened; bathed (in light)
తలే - on the surface/ground
స్ఫురత్స్ఫారజ్యోత్స్నాధవలితతలే - on ground whitened by spreading moonlight
క్వాపి - somewhere
పులినే - on a sandbank/river-bank
సుఖ - comfort; happiness
ఆసీనాః - sitting
సుఖాసీనాః - seated happily
శాంత - quiet; peaceful
ధ్వని - sound
శాంతధ్వంతిసు - when sounds are quiet (in very peaceful nights)
రజనీషు - in the nights
ద్యు - heaven
సరిత్ - river
ద్యుసరితః - of the heavenly river
భవ - worldly existence
భోగ - experiences; pleasures
ఉద్విగ్నాః - distressed; disillusioned
ఉచ్చావచ - high and low; loud and soft; varied
వచః - utterances
శివ - Shiva (repeated in the verse)
ఉచ్చవచసః - uttering in varied tones
కదా - when?
యాస్యామః - shall we reach?
అంతర్ - within
గత - arisen; gone inside
బహుల - abundant; profuse
బాష్ప - tears
ఆకుల - flooded; agitated
దశాం - state
అంతర్గతబహులబాష్పాకులదశాం - the state flooded with abundant inner tears

Translation (భావార్థ):
When will we, weary of worldly experience, sit happily on some moonlit river-bank in silent nights, repeating "Shiva, Shiva" in varied tones, and reach that inner state flooded with abundant tears?

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This is the voice of longing, not of complaint. The verse describes a heart that has tasted the world and is no longer satisfied by it, and therefore turns with intensity toward the Divine. The moonlit river-bank and quiet nights are not only scenic; they are symbols of a mind that has become calm enough for devotion to deepen. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

The "abundant tears" are not sentimentality; they are a sign of inner softening. When the ego loosens, the heart becomes capable of gratitude, surrender, and honest feeling. In Advaita, even devotion has a purpose: it purifies the mind so that knowledge can become steady. Tears here mark the melting of resistance. The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: create a small, steady devotional setting: a quiet time, a simple chant, and a space with minimal noise. Do not chase emotion; chase sincerity. When the mind is tired of life's noise, let it return to the simple repetition of the name. Over time, this becomes అనుసంధాన (continuous inner recollection), not a passing mood.

మహాదేవో దేవః సరిదపి చ సైషా సురసరిద్గుహా
ఏవాగారం వసనం అపి తా ఏవ హరితః ।
సుహృదా కాలోఽయం వ్రతం ఇదం అదైన్యవ్రతం ఇదం
కియద్వా వక్ష్యామో వటవిటప ఏవాస్తు దయితా ॥ 3.85.1 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
మహాదేవః - Mahadeva (Shiva)
దేవః - the deity; the Lord
సరిత్ - river
అపి - also
చ - and
సా - that
ఏశా - this
సురసరిత్ - the divine river
గుహా - cave
ఏవ - indeed
ఆగారం - house; home
వసనం - clothing
అపి - also
తా - those
ఏవ - indeed
హరితః - green (leaves/trees)
సుహృదా - as a friend
కాలః - time
అయం - this
వ్రతం - vow; discipline
ఇదం - this
అదైన్య - without poverty/humiliation; without begging
అదైన్యవ్రతం - the vow of dignified non-begging
కియత్ - how much?
వా - else
వక్ష్యామః - shall we say?
వట - banyan tree
విటపః - tree; branch
ఏవ - indeed
అస్తు - let it be
దయితా - beloved

Translation (భావార్థ):
Mahadeva is our God, this river is the divine river, the cave itself is our home, and the green leaves and trees themselves are our clothing. Time is our friend; this is our vow of dignified non-begging. What more is there to say? Let the banyan tree itself be our beloved.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This verse shows renunciation as a change of definition. "Wealth" becomes water, shade, and shelter; "companionship" becomes time and a tree; "security" becomes the absence of dependency. The heart that can speak this way has stepped out of the marketplace of status. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

In modern life, the forms will differ, but the principle is the same: define happiness in terms that do not require constant bargaining. When you reduce needs, you reduce fear. When you stop depending on other people's approval and money's whims, you recover dignity. This is the social side of వైరాగ్య: less dependence means more freedom.

Practice: choose one dependency that makes you anxious (a luxury, a habit, a social validation). Replace it with one simple support you can sustain anywhere: basic routines, nature, learning, prayer. Then treat time as a friend by using it deliberately. The mind becomes rich when it stops demanding the world to prove its worth.

వితీర్ణే సర్వస్వే తరుణకరుణాపూర్ణహృదయాః
స్మరంతః సంసారే విగుణపరిణామాం విధిగతిమ్ ।
వయం పుణ్యారణ్యే పరిణతశరచ్చంద్రకిరణాస్
త్రియామా నేస్యామో హరచరణచింతైకశరణాః ॥ 3.86 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
వితీర్ణే - having distributed; having given away
సర్వస్వే - all one's possessions
తరుణ - youthful; tender
కరుణా - compassion
పూర్ణ - full
హృదయాః - hearts
స్మరంతః - remembering
సంసారే - in worldly life
విగుణ - undesirable; sorrowful
పరిణామం - outcome; result (in verse: పరిణామాం)
విధి - fate; the order of things
గతిం - course; movement
వయం - we
పుణ్య - holy
ఆరణ్యే - in the forest
పరిణత - matured; ripened
శరత్ - autumn
చంద్ర - moon
కిరణాః - rays
పరిణతశరచ్చంద్రకిరణాః - like mellow autumn moonbeams
త్రియామా - night
నేస్యామః - we shall spend
హర - Shiva
చరణ - feet
చింతా - contemplation
ఏక - only
శరణాః - refuge; shelter

Translation (భావార్థ):
After giving away everything, with hearts full of tender compassion, remembering the sorrowful outcomes of worldly life and the course of fate, let us spend the nights in holy forests, mellow like autumn moonbeams, taking refuge only in contemplation of Shiva's feet.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This verse unites renunciation with compassion. Giving away possessions is not portrayed as anger toward the world, but as release from burden, so that the heart can become కరుణాపూర్ణ (full of compassion). The mature seeker remembers how quickly worldly life turns and chooses a quieter rhythm, where devotion becomes the only shelter. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

It also corrects a misunderstanding: వైరాగ్య is not dryness. When desire drops, kindness often grows because attention is no longer trapped in self-centered demand. The autumn moon imagery suggests a mind that is cooled, luminous, and steady - not burning with agitation.

Practice: simplify one possession-load (donate, declutter, reduce commitments). Use the freed space to do one compassionate act without display. Then sit for a few minutes in quiet recollection of your chosen refuge. When compassion and devotion move together, renunciation becomes wholesome rather than harsh.

కదా వారాణస్యాం అమరతటినీరోధసి వసన్
వసానః కౌపీనం శిరసి నిదధానోఽంజలిపుటమ్ ।
అయే గౌరీనాథ త్రిపురహర శంభో త్రినయన
ప్రసీదేత్యాక్రోశన్నిమిషం ఇవ నేష్యామి దివసాన్ ॥ 3.87 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
కదా - when?
వారాణస్యాం - in Varanasi
అమర - heavenly; of the gods
తటినీ - river
రోధస్ - bank; shore
అమరతటినీరోధసి - on the banks of the celestial river
వసన్ - dwelling
వసానః - wearing
కౌపీనం - loincloth
శిరసి - on the head
నిదధానః - placing; holding
అంజలిపుటం - folded hands
అయే - O!
గౌరీనాథ - Lord of Gauri (Shiva)
త్రిపురహర - slayer of Tripura (Shiva)
శంభో - O Shambho
త్రినయన - three-eyed
ప్రసీద - be gracious
ఇతి - thus
ఆక్రోశన్ - crying out; calling loudly
నిమిషం - an eye-blink
ఇవ - like
నేష్యామి - shall I spend
దివసాన్ - days

Translation (భావార్థ):
When will I live in Varanasi on the banks of the celestial river, wearing only a loincloth, holding folded hands above my head, and crying out, "O Lord of Gauri, slayer of Tripura, Shambho, three-eyed one, be gracious" - spending my days as if they were only a moment?

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This is a longing for a life where the main activity is remembrance. The outer images - Kashi, the river-bank, the loincloth, the folded hands - are symbols of inward surrender. The verse is not about tourism; it is about converting the whole day into prayer. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

In practical life, most people will not relocate to Varanasi. But the deeper invitation remains: simplify, reduce distractions, and make devotion central. When Bhartruhari says a day becomes like a నిమిష (blink), he points to absorption - the mind is no longer weighed down by endless craving and worry.

Practice: create a daily "Kashi" window: a fixed time when you do not bargain with the mind. Sit, pray, chant, or contemplate - and let other tasks wait. Use the strongest name-forms that move your heart, and keep them alive through repetition. Over time, the day becomes lighter because the mind stops carrying unnecessary burdens.

ఉద్యానేషు విచిత్రభోజనవిధిస్తీవ్రాతితీవ్రం తపః
కౌపీనావరణం సువస్త్రం అమితం భిక్షాటనం మండనమ్ ।
ఆసన్నం మరణం చ మంగలసమం యస్యాం సముత్పద్యతే
తాం కాశీం పరిహృత్య హంత విబుధైరన్యత్ర కిం స్థీయతే ॥ 3.87.1 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
ఉద్యానేషు - in gardens
విచిత్ర - varied; wonderful
భోజన - food
విధిః - manner; arrangement
విచిత్రభోజనవిధిః - the variety of food-arrangements
తీవ్ర - intense
అతితీవ్రం - exceedingly intense
తపః - austerity
కౌపీన - loincloth
ఆవరణం - covering
సువస్త్రం - good garment
అమితం - limitless; abundant
భిక్షాటనం - begging for alms
మండనం - ornament
ఆసన్నం - near; imminent
మరణం - death
చ - and
మంగల - auspicious
సమం - equal to
యస్యాం - in which
సముత్పద్యతే - arises; happens
తాం - that
కాశీం - Kashi (Varanasi)
పరిహృత్య - having abandoned
హంత - alas!
విబుధైః - by the wise
అన్యత్ర - elsewhere
కిం - what?
స్థీయతే - can one stay?

Translation (భావార్థ):
In Kashi, even gardens feel like intense austerity, varied foods become a form of discipline, a loincloth counts as fine clothing, begging becomes an ornament, and death itself feels auspicious when it draws near. Alas, after leaving such Kashi, where else can the wise even stay?

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This verse praises a sacred environment that makes renunciation easier. In a place where death is visible and spirituality is the air, values invert: the simplest life feels rich, and what scares the worldly mind becomes auspicious. Bhartruhari is saying that surroundings shape mind; a holy atmosphere supports వైరాగ్య. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

The deeper meaning is psychological: if you live among constant consumption and distraction, even basic discipline feels painful. If you live among reminders of impermanence and purpose, discipline becomes natural. Kashi here represents a culture where the "final" questions are not hidden. This is the అనిత్యతా (impermanence) reflection that Sa~gkarAcArya uses to awaken వైరాగ్య: seeing change clearly, we stop demanding permanent comfort from it.

Practice: you may not live in Kashi, but you can create a Kashi-like field. Spend time near what reminds you of truth: nature, elders, sacred texts, places of service. Reduce inputs that glamorize craving. When the environment supports remembrance, the mind needs less force to turn inward.

స్నాత్వా గాంగైః పయోభిః శుచికుసుమఫలైరర్చయిత్వా విభో త్వా
ధ్యేయే ధ్యానం నివేశ్య క్షితిధరకుహరగ్రావపర్యంకమూలే ।
ఆత్మారామః ఫలాశీ గురువచనరతస్త్వత్ప్రసాదాత్స్మరారే
దుఃఖం మోక్ష్యే కదాహం సమకరచరణే పుంసి సేవాసముత్థమ్ ॥ 3.88 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
స్నాత్వా - after bathing
గాంగైః - of the Ganga
పయోభిః - with waters
శుచి - pure
కుసుమ - flowers
ఫలైః - with fruits
అర్చయిత్వా - having worshipped; having offered
విభో - O Lord
త్వా - you
ధ్యేయే - in the object of meditation
ధ్యానం - meditation
నివేశ్య - placing; fixing
క్షితిధర - mountain
కుహర - cave
గ్రావ - rock
పర్యంక - bed
మూలే - at the base
క్షితిధరకుహరగ్రావపర్యంకమూలే - at the root of a rock-bed in a mountain cave
ఆత్మారామః - rejoicing in the Self; self-content
ఫలాశీ - living on fruits
గురు - teacher
వచన - words; instruction
రతః - devoted to; delighting in
త్వత్ప్రసాదాత్ - by your grace
స్మరారే - O enemy of Cupid (Shiva)
దుఃఖం - sorrow
మోక్ష్యే - will I be freed?
కదా - when?
అహం - I
సమ - equal
కర - hand
చరణ - foot
సమకరచరణే - in a mere human ("having hands and feet") (in verse)
పుంసి - in a man/person
సేవా - service
సముత్థం - arising from

Translation (భావార్థ):
After bathing in the waters of the Ganga and worshipping you with pure flowers and fruits, fixing meditation on you while seated on a rock-bed in a mountain cave, rejoicing in the Self, living on fruits, and delighting in the teacher's words - O enemy of desire, when will you free me by your grace from the sorrow that comes from serving a mere mortal?

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse contrasts two kinds of service: dependence on worldly power versus devotion to the Divine. Serving the "person with hands and feet" means serving a mere mortal - especially the rich and influential - and the sorrow comes from dependence, insecurity, and compromise. Bhartruhari longs for a life where worship, meditation, and simplicity replace that dependence. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

This is highly relevant today in the language of "selling your soul". Many people endure humiliating workplaces or relationships because their needs are inflated and their identity depends on approval. The verse recommends a different refuge: reduce needs, increase inner joy, and let devotion become the center. When the mind tastes ఆత్మారామ (self-contentment), it becomes less available for exploitation.

Practice: identify one relationship or context where you feel forced to serve against your values. Reduce one dependency that fuels that fear (expense, status need, people-pleasing). Add one daily devotion practice and one self-inquiry question: "What am I afraid will happen if I stop chasing approval?" Let that clarity loosen the knot that creates దుఃఖ.

ఏకాకీ నిఃస్పృహః శాంతః పాణిపాత్రో దిగంబరః ।
కదా శంభో భవిష్యామి కర్మనిర్మూలనక్షమః ॥ 3.89 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
ఏకాకీ - alone; solitary
నిఃస్పృహః - without craving; desireless
శాంతః - peaceful; calm
పాణి - hand
పాత్రః - vessel; bowl
పాణిపాత్రః - hand as bowl
దిగంబరః - sky-clad; unclothed
కదా - when?
శంభో - O Shambho (Shiva)
భవిష్యామి - will I become?
కర్మ - action; karmic residue
నిర్మూలన - uprooting; rooting out
క్షమః - capable

Translation (భావార్థ):
When, O Shambho, will I become solitary, desireless, and peaceful - using my hand as a bowl, the sky as clothing, and capable of uprooting the roots of action?

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This verse expresses the ideal of radical simplicity. The outer images - hand as bowl, sky as clothing - symbolize a life with minimal dependence and minimal distraction. The deeper goal is not poverty; it is కర్మనిర్మూలన - uprooting the compulsive patterns that keep producing bondage. Seen through వివేక (discernment), this is an invitation to let వైరాగ్య (dispassion) arise from understanding, not from bitterness.

Most people cannot live like this literally, but the principle is adaptable: reduce the number of things your peace depends on. When your wants are fewer, your mind becomes lighter; when your identity is less tied to possessions, you become less fearful. A calmer mind is the real "digambara" - spacious and uncluttered. Sa~gkarAcArya's భ్హజ గోవిందం returns to this point often: do not postpone inner clarity for outer arrangements; convert insight into a small daily discipline.

Practice: choose one form of voluntary simplicity for a month: fewer purchases, fewer entertainments, or a simpler diet. Pair it with a daily sit and a review of one recurring compulsion. Each time you weaken a compulsion, you do a small నిర్మూలన (uprooting) of కర్మ in the sense intended here.

పాణిం పాత్రయతాం నిసర్గశుచినా భైక్షేణ సంతుష్యతాం
యత్ర క్వాపి నిషీదతాం బహుతృణం విశ్వం ముహుః పశ్యతామ్ ।
అత్యాగేఽపి తనోరఖండపరమానందావబోధస్పృశా
మధ్వా కోఽపి శివప్రసాదసులభః సంపత్స్యతే యోగినామ్ ॥ 3.90 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
పాణిం - the hand
పాత్రయతాం - let it be used as a vessel
నిసర్గ - nature
శుచినా - by what is pure; naturally pure
భైక్షేణ - by alms
సంతుష్యతాం - let (one) be content
యత్ర - where
క్వాపి - anywhere
నిషీదతాం - let (one) sit/rest
బహు - much; only
తృణం - a blade of grass
విశ్వం - the world
ముహుః - again and again; constantly
పశ్యతాం - let (one) see
అతి - even
త్యాగే - in renunciation; even in giving up
అపి - even
తనుః - body
అఖండ - unbroken
పరమ - supreme
ఆనంద - bliss
అవబోధ - realization
స్పృశా - by the touch/contact
అఖండపరమానందావబోధస్పృశా - by the touch of unbroken supreme bliss-realization
మధ్వా - sweetly; pleasantly
కో - some
అపి - (in verse: కోఽపి)
శివ - of Shiva
ప్రసాద - grace
సులభః - easily obtained
సంపత్స్యతే - will arise; will come about
యోగినాం - for yogis

Translation (భావార్థ):
Let the hand be used as a bowl, and let one be content with naturally pure alms; let one sit anywhere, constantly seeing the world as no more than a blade of grass. Even before the body is fully given up, a taste of unbroken supreme joy can arise - and, for such yogis, a sweet grace of Shiva makes liberation easy to attain.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This verse describes how freedom becomes simple when dependence becomes simple. Contentment with basic alms, the ability to sit anywhere, and the vision that the world is "grass-like" are not nihilism; they are a release from exaggerated importance. When the mind stops treating every object as a life-or-death matter, it becomes capable of deep joy that does not require acquisition. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

In modern life, the biggest source of suffering is often not lack but endless wanting. The verse recommends training the mind to see most things as "not worth the price". When you can say no to unnecessary wants, you recover time, attention, and dignity. That inner space is what allows the touch of అఖండ (unbroken) peace.

Practice: practice "grass-vision" once a day. When you feel pulled into drama or craving, ask: "Will this matter in a year?" If not, treat it as తృణ (grass) and let it go. Combine this with one voluntary simplicity habit. Over time, you will see that grace feels "easy" when the mind is not constantly complicated by wants.

కౌపీనం శతఖండజర్జరతరం కంథా పునస్తాదృశీ
నైశ్చింత్యం నిరపేక్షభైక్ష్యం అశనం నిద్రా శ్మశానే వనే ।
స్వాతంత్ర్యేణ నిరంకుశం విహరణం స్వాంతం ప్రశాంతం సదా
స్థైర్యం యోగమహోత్సవేఽపి చ యది త్రైలోక్యరాజ్యేన కిమ్ ॥ 3.91 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
కౌపీనం - loincloth
శత - hundred
ఖండ - pieces
జర్జరతరం - very tattered; more torn
శతఖండజర్జరతరం - tattered into a hundred rags
కంథా - patched cloak; rag
పునర్ - again; further
తాదృశీ - of that kind; similarly
నైశ్చింత్యం - freedom from anxiety
నిరపేక్ష - without expectation; without dependence
భైక్ష్యం - food from alms
అశనం - eating
నిద్రా - sleep
శ్మశానే - in a cremation ground
వనే - in a forest
స్వాతంత్ర్యేణ - with freedom
నిరంకుశం - unrestrained; without a goad
విహరణం - roaming; moving about
స్వాంతం - one's own mind
ప్రశాంతం - very calm
సదా - always
స్థైర్యం - steadiness
యోగ - yoga; union; absorption
మహోత్సవే - in the great celebration (in verse: యోగమహోత్సవే)
అపి - even
చ - and
యది - if
త్రైలోక్య - the three worlds
రాజ్యేన - by kingship; by sovereignty
కిం - what (use)?

Translation (భావార్థ):
If a person wears only a loincloth tattered into a hundred rags and a similarly worn cloak, lives free of anxiety, eats alms without expectation, sleeps in a forest or cremation ground, roams freely, keeps the mind always calm, and remains steady even in the great joy of yoga - then what value is ruling the three worlds?

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This verse flips the usual definition of greatness. The world calls greatness "power"; Bhartruhari calls greatness "freedom". The ascetic's wealth is నైశ్చింత్య (fearlessness of mind), స్వాతంత్ర్య (independence), and ప్రశాంత (inner quiet). When those are present, the fantasy of dominion becomes small.

The modern equivalent is easy to see: many people trade freedom for lifestyle, status, or control. They become anxious managers of appearances. The verse is a corrective: if you can live simply and keep your mind steady, you possess something better than a kingdom - you possess yourself. This is the అనిత్యతా (impermanence) reflection that Sa~gkarAcArya uses to awaken వైరాగ్య: seeing change clearly, we stop demanding permanent comfort from it.

Practice: reduce one "kingdom" impulse - the need to control outcomes, impress others, or own more. Replace it with one freedom practice: fewer commitments, fewer purchases, or more quiet time. Then notice the inner result: less anxiety and more steadiness. That steadiness is the real prosperity.

బ్రహ్మాండం మండలీమాత్రం కిం లోభాయ మనస్వినః ।
శఫరీస్ఫుర్తేనాబ్ధిః క్షుబ్ధో న ఖలు జాయతే ॥ 3.92 ॥

ఛందః (మాత్రా-చందస్): This is in a మాత్రా-based Chandas/Meter (not a fixed అక్షర-count వృత్త): in this verse, the written segments carry approximately 21 + 21 మాత్రాః (total 42); treat లఘు=1 మాత్రా and గురు=2 మాత్రాః, and keep the natural pauses at the segment ends marked by `।`/`॥` (do not confuse దండ with internal యతి).

Meaning (పదార్థ):
బ్రహ్మాండం - the universe
మండలీ - a circle/sphere
మాత్రం - only; merely
కిం - what for?
లోభాయ - for greed
మనస్వినః - for the noble-minded; for the strong-minded
శఫరీ - a small fish
స్పూర్త - darting; movement
శఫరీస్ఫుర్తేన - by the darting of a small fish
అబ్ధిః - ocean
క్షుబ్ధః - agitated; disturbed
న - not
ఖలు - indeed
జాయతే - becomes

Translation (భావార్థ):
For the noble-minded, this universe is only a small sphere - why greed? The ocean does not become turbulent because a tiny fish darts about in it.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
Greed comes from a contracted sense of self. When the mind feels small and insecure, it tries to expand itself through possession. Bhartruhari says: if your mind is truly large, the whole universe looks like a "small circle" - not worth the agitation of craving. Notice the chain Bhartruhari is pointing at: రాగ (attachment) quietly breeds భయ (fear), because whatever you cling to becomes something you must protect; వైరాగ్య breaks that chain.

This is a powerful everyday perspective. Most desires feel urgent only because the mind forgets scale: a bigger salary, a bigger house, a bigger reputation. From a wider view, these are small ripples. The verse asks you to become ocean-like: steady, not shaken by every little motion. Upanishadic teaching repeatedly ties freedom with అభయ (fearlessness): when identity stops leaning on change, fear naturally reduces.

Practice: when you feel greed or comparison rising, widen the frame. Remember one bigger reality: time, mortality, the vastness of the world, or the quiet of your own awareness. Then choose one act of contentment. The mind becomes మనస్విన్ (strong and expansive) by repeatedly refusing smallness.

మాతర్లక్ష్మి భజస్వ కంచిదపరం మత్కాంక్షిణీ మా స్మ భూర్
భోగేషు స్పృహయాలవస్తవ వశే కా నిఃస్పృహాణాం అసి ।
సద్యః స్యూతపలాశపత్రపుటికాపాత్రైః పవిత్రీకృతైర్
భిక్షావస్తుభిరేవ సంప్రతి వయం వృత్తిం సమీహామహే ॥ 3.93 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
మాతర్ - O mother
లక్ష్మి - Lakshmi; fortune
భజస్వ - go to; devote yourself to
కంచిత్ - someone
అపరం - other; someone else
మత్ - me
కాంక్షిణీ - desiring; longing for
మా స్మ భూః - do not be
భోగేషు - in pleasures
స్పృహా - craving
ఆలవః - greedy; addicted (in verse: స్పృహయాలవః)
తవ - your
వశే - under control
కా - what?
నిఃస్పృహాణాం - of those without craving
అసి - are you?
సద్యః - immediately
స్యూత - stitched
పలాశ - palasha leaves
పత్ర - leaf
పుటికా - pouch
పాత్ర - vessel
స్యూతపలాశపత్రపుటికాపాత్రైః - with stitched leaf-pouch vessels
పవిత్రీకృతైః - purified; made sacred
భిక్షా - alms
వస్తుభిః - by means/things
ఏవ - only
సంప్రతి - now
వయం - we
వృత్తిం - livelihood
సమీహామహే - we seek; we desire

Translation (భావార్థ):
Mother Lakshmi, go elsewhere; do not long for me. Those who crave pleasures are under your sway - what are you to those without craving? Now we seek livelihood only through alms, gathered and purified in quickly made leaf-pouch bowls.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This verse is a deliberate renunciation of wealth's seduction. Bhartruhari speaks to Lakshmi as if she were a person who tries to attach herself, and he dismisses her: you only rule those who crave. If craving ends, wealth loses its power to command the mind. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

In modern terms, this is the freedom of not being bought. Money is useful, but the mind becomes miserable when it measures self-worth in currency. The verse encourages a radical inner stance: keep your needs simple and your heart independent, so wealth cannot become your master. The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: notice where money is controlling your behavior - fear, status, overwork, compromise. Reduce one craving that feeds that control, and build one stable livelihood habit that does not depend on hype. The goal is not poverty; it is నిఃస్పృహతా (lack of craving) - the condition in which wealth becomes a tool, not a tyrant.

మహాశయ్యా పృథ్వీ విపులం ఉపధానం భుజలతాం
వితానం చాకాశం వ్యజనం అనుకూలోఽయం అనిలః ।
శరచ్చంద్రో దీపో విరతివనితాసంగముదితః
సుఖీ శాంతః శేతే మునిరతనుభూతిర్నృప ఇవ ॥ 3.94 ॥

ఛందః (మాత్రా-చందస్): This is in a మాత్రా-based Chandas/Meter (not a fixed అక్షర-count వృత్త): in this verse, the written segments carry approximately 22 + 22 + 21 + 22 మాత్రాః (total 87); treat లఘు=1 మాత్రా and గురు=2 మాత్రాః, and keep the natural pauses at the segment ends marked by `।`/`॥` (do not confuse దండ with internal యతి).

Meaning (పదార్థ):
మహా - great
శయ్యా - bed
పృథ్వీ - the earth
విపులం - large
ఉపధానం - pillow
భుజలతాం - of the arms
వితానం - canopy; covering
చ - and
ఆకాశం - the sky
వ్యజనం - fan
అనుకూలః - favorable; gentle
అనిలః - breeze; wind
శరత్ - autumn
చంద్రః - moon
దీపః - lamp
విరతి - renunciation
వనితా - woman
సంగ - union; companionship
ఉదితః - arisen; delighted
విరతివనితాసంగముదితః - rejoicing in the companionship of "renunciation"
సుఖీ - happy
శాంతః - tranquil
శేతే - lies down; sleeps
మునిః - sage
అతనుభూతిః - without possessions/wealth
నృప ఇవ - like a king

Translation (భావార్థ):
With the earth as a great bed, the arms as a large pillow, the sky as a canopy, a gentle breeze as a fan, the autumn moon as a lamp, and renunciation as conjugal delight - the sage sleeps happily and peacefully, like a king, though without possessions.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This verse is joyful, not grim. It shows how contentment can make a simple life feel royal. The sage has redefined comfort: nature provides all the essentials, and the mind is so unburdened that sleep itself becomes sweet. "Renunciation as a beloved" means that giving up craving is not loss; it is intimacy with peace. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

For modern life, this is a reminder that comfort is partly psychological. Many people have beds and roofs yet cannot sleep because the mind is noisy. The verse suggests that the greatest luxury is a quiet conscience and a quiet mind. When attachment drops, even ordinary things feel sufficient. The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: reduce one mental "possession" that keeps you awake - resentment, worry, or unfinished cravings. Do a simple evening ritual: gratitude, a short reading, and one breath practice. Over time, you will see that serenity makes life feel spacious, as if the whole sky were your roof.

భిక్షాసీ జనమధ్యసంగరహితః స్వాయత్తచేష్టః సదా
హానాదానవిరక్తమార్గనిరతః కశ్చిత్తపస్వీ స్థితః ।
రథ్యాకీర్ణవిశీర్ణజీర్ణవసనః సంప్రాప్తకంథాసనో
నిర్మానో నిరహంకృతిః శమసుఖాభోగైకబద్ధస్పృహః ॥ 3.95 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
భిక్షాసీ - living on alms
జన - people
మధ్య - midst
సంగ - association
రహితః - free from
జనమధ్యసంగరహితః - free from crowded company
స్వాయత్త - self-governed; under one's own control
చేష్టః - conduct; activity
సదా - always
హాన - loss
ఆదాన - gain; taking
విరక్త - detached
మార్గ - path
నిరతః - engaged in; devoted to
కశ్చిత్ - a certain
తపస్వీ - ascetic; one practicing austerity
స్థితః - stands; dwells
రథ్యా - street
ఆకీర్ణ - strewn; filled
విశీర్ణ - torn
జీర్ణ - old
వసనః - clothing
రథ్యాకీర్ణవిశీర్ణజీర్ణవసనః - wearing old torn rags found in streets
సంప్రాప్త - obtained by chance
కంథా - blanket; rag-cloth
ఆసనః - seat
నిర్మానః - without pride
నిరహంకృతిః - without ego-sense
శమ - calmness
సుఖ - happiness
భోగ - enjoyment
ఏక - only
బద్ధ - bound
స్పృహః - desire
శమసుఖాభోగైకబద్ధస్పృహః - desiring only the enjoyment of calm joy

Translation (భావార్థ):
A certain ascetic lives on alms, free from crowded company, always acting in self-reliance, devoted to a path detached from gain and loss. Wearing worn-out rags found in the streets and sitting on a cloth obtained by chance, he is without pride and ego, desiring only the joy of a calm, controlled mind.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse describes a person who has stopped negotiating for social status. Freedom here is inner: not being shaken by honor or insult, gain or loss, praise or blame. The ascetic's one "desire" is for శమ (calmness) - the stable joy that comes when the mind is not constantly grabbing. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

In modern life, we can translate this as emotional independence. Many people live as if their inner state must be approved by the crowd. When you stop depending on external validation, you become less reactive and more truthful. This is not isolation; it is clarity. The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: notice one situation where you perform for approval. Replace it with one act of self-reliant integrity: do the right thing quietly, without announcing it. Reduce one comparison habit. Over time, the mind begins to taste శమసుఖ (equanimous happiness) that does not require an audience.

చండాలః కిం అయం ద్విజాతిరథవా శూద్రోఽథ కిం తాపసః
కిం వా తత్త్వవివేకపేశలమతిర్యోగీశ్వరః కోఽపి కిమ్ ।
ఇత్యుత్పన్నవికల్పజల్పముఖరైరాభాష్యమాణా జనైర్
న క్రుద్ధాః పథి నైవ తుష్టమనసో యాంతి స్వయం యోగినః ॥ 3.96 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
చండాలః - outcaste
కిం - what? is it?
అయం - this (person)
ద్విజాతిః - twice-born
అథవా - or else
శూద్రః - shudra
అథ - or
తాపసః - ascetic
కిం వా - or perhaps
తత్త్వ - truth
వివేక - discernment
పేశల - skilled; refined
మతిః - intellect
తత్త్వవివేకపేశలమతీ - mind refined by discernment of truth
యోగీశ్వరః - lord among yogis
కో - who?
అపి - (in verse: కోఽపి)
ఇతి - thus
ఉత్పన్న - arisen
వికల్ప - doubts; alternatives
జల్ప - chatter
ముఖరైః - by talkative mouths
ఆభాష్యమాణా - being addressed/spoken to
జనైః - by people
న - not
క్రుద్ధాః - angry
పథి - on the path
న ఏవ - nor indeed
తుష్ట - pleased
మనసః - in mind
యాంతి - go
స్వయం - by themselves
యోగినః - yogis

Translation (భావార్థ):
"Is he an outcaste, a twice-born, a shudra, an ascetic - or perhaps some lordly yogi whose mind is refined by discernment of truth?" When people chatter like this, debating and labeling, the yogis themselves walk on, neither angry nor pleased.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This verse shows the yogi's immunity to social labeling. The crowd cannot resist categorizing: it needs to know "what" you are so it can decide how to treat you. Bhartruhari says the yogi does not accept the crowd's game. He keeps moving, untouched by insult or flattery. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

Today, labels come faster than ever: profession, ideology, caste, status, and online identity. Many people become trapped by them - either trying to fit, or trying to rebel. The yogi's freedom is subtler: he does not outsource his self-understanding to other people's chatter. The GItA frames this steadiness as సమత్వ (even-mindedness): action continues, but the inner demand for guaranteed outcomes is relaxed.

Practice: notice one label you cling to or fear (successful, spiritual, respected, rebel). Watch how it shapes your decisions. Then do one action that is aligned with your values but indifferent to how it will be labeled. This trains ఉపేక్షా (equanimity) and protects inner practice from social noise.

హింసాశూన్యం అయత్నలభ్యం అశనం ధాత్రా మరుత్కల్పితం
వ్యాలానం పశవస్తృణాంకురభుజస్తుష్టాః స్థలీశాయినః ।
సంసారార్ణవలంఘనక్షమధియాం వృత్తిః కృతా సా నృణాం
తాం అన్వేషయతాం ప్రయాంతి సతతం సర్వం సమాప్తిం గుణాః ॥ 3.97 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
హింసా - violence
శూన్యం - free from; devoid of
అయత్న - without effort
లభ్యం - obtainable
అశనం - food
ధాత్రా - by the creator
మరుత్ - air; wind
కల్పితం - arranged; provided
వ్యాలానాం - of snakes
పశవః - beasts; animals
తృణ - grass
అంకుర - sprouts
భుజః - eaters (in verse compound)
తుష్టాః - satisfied
స్థలీ - ground
శాయినః - lying down; sleeping
సంసార - worldly existence
అర్ణవ - ocean
లంఘన - crossing
క్షమ - capable
ధియః - of those with intellect
సంసారార్ణవలంఘనక్షమధియాం - of those whose intellect can cross the ocean of worldly existence
వృత్తిః - livelihood; means of living
కృతా - made; arranged
సా - that
నృణాం - of humans
తాం - that
అన్వేషయతాం - of those seeking
ప్రయాంతి - go to; reach
సతతం - always
సర్వం - all
సమాప్తిం - end; cessation
గుణాః - qualities; tendencies (gunas)

Translation (భావార్థ):
The creator has arranged for snakes to live on air as food, obtained without violence or effort; beasts are content eating grass-sprouts and sleeping on the ground. Likewise, for people whose intellect can cross the ocean of worldly existence, such a way of living has been provided. Those who seek it can bring their restless qualities to cessation.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse argues that nature already provides a simple template for living. Complex living is not necessary for survival; it is often driven by ego and craving. If liberation is the goal, then a livelihood that is non-violent, low-effort, and simple supports the mind by reducing agitation and guilt. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

In modern settings, this can be read as ethical minimalism. Choose food and work that minimize harm, and do not inflate needs. When life becomes simpler, the mind has more space for contemplation. The phrase "ending the qualities" points to reducing the turbulence of గుణాః (habitual tendencies) so that clarity can prevail.

Practice: simplify one area that generates unnecessary harm and stress: consumption, diet, or livelihood. Replace one harmful habit with one gentle one. Pair that with a daily stillness practice. Over time, you will feel the mind's "waves" reducing - a lived sign that the గుణాః are moving toward సమాప్తి (quieting).

గంగాతీరే హిమగిరిశిలాబద్ధపద్మాసనస్య
బ్రహ్మధ్యానాభ్యసనవిధినా యోగనిద్రాం గతస్య ।
కిం తైర్భావ్యం మమ సుదివసైర్యత్ర తే నిర్విశంకాః
కండూయంతే జరఠహరిణాః స్వాంగం అంగే మదీయే ॥ 3.98 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
గంగా - river Ganga
తీర - bank; shore
గంగాతీరే - on the bank of the Ganga (locative)
హిమ-గిరి - the Himalayas
శిలా - rock; stone
బద్ధ - fixed; made firm; bound
పద్మ - lotus
ఆసన - seat; posture
పద్మాసనస్య - of one seated in lotus posture
హిమ-గిరి-శిలా-బద్ధ-పద్మాసనస్య - of one seated in lotus posture fixed on a Himalayan rock
బ్రహ్మ - supreme reality; pure consciousness
ధ్యాన - meditation
అభ్యసన - practice; repeated exercise
విధి - method; discipline
విధినా - by the method (instrumental)
బ్రహ్మ-ధ్యాన-అభ్యసన-విధినా - by the discipline of practicing meditation on the supreme reality
యోగ - yoga; absorption
నిద్రా - sleep; deep stillness
యోగనిద్రాం - yogic sleep; deep absorption (సమాధి)
గతస్య - of one who has entered; attained
కిం - what/when
తైః - by those; with those
భావ్యం - to happen; destiny; what is to be
మమ - for me
సు-దివసైః - with auspicious/happy days (instrumental plural)
యత్ర - where
తే - those
నిర్-విశంకాః - fearless; free from suspicion
కండూయంతే - rub; scratch (to relieve itching)
జరఠ - old; aged
హరిణాః - deer
జరఠ-హరిణాః - old deer
స్వాంగం - their own limbs/body
అంగే - on the body/limb
మదీయే - my; on mine (locative)

Translation (భావార్థ):
Seated in lotus posture on a Himalayan rock on the bank of the Ganga, and entering yogic sleep through steady practice of meditation on the supreme reality - when will such blessed days come to me, when fearless old deer rub and scratch their bodies upon my limbs?

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This is a picture of a life so quiet and harmless that even the forest trusts you. Bhartruhari imagines a steady seat by the Ganga, the mind absorbed in యోగనిద్రా (deep meditative stillness), and the world no longer perceived as threat or temptation. The old deer are not frightened; they come close enough to scratch themselves against him - a sign that his presence is free from హింసా (harm) and inner agitation.

In ordinary life we often want peace while still feeding the mind constant noise - news, argument, ambition, and comparison. This verse points to a deeper peace: నిర్విశంకతా (fearlessness and non-suspicion) that spreads outward. When the mind is no longer grasping or judging, the body's posture and eyes soften, and even people around you relax. This is why seekers traditionally went to అరణ్య (forests): not to escape duties, but to stop feeding the machinery of restlessness.

Practice: create a small "Ganga-bank" daily. Sit at the same time and place, keep the seat simple, and do 10-20 minutes of silent ధ్యాన (meditation) or mantra. Pair it with one act of gentleness each day - a speech you soften, a craving you do not indulge, a harm you avoid. Over time, you will notice the mind becomes less startling to itself, and calm begins to feel natural.

జీర్ణాః కంథా తతః కిం సితం అమలపటం పట్టసూత్రం తతః కిం
ఏకా భార్యా తతః కిం హయకరిసుగణైరావృతో వా తతః కిమ్ ।
భక్తం భుక్తం తతః కిం కదశనం అథవా వాసరాంతే తతః కిం
వ్యక్తజ్యోతిర్న వాంతర్మథితభవభయం వైభవం వా తతః కిమ్ ॥ 3.98.1 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
జీర్ణః - worn out; old
కంథా - patched cloak; ragged garment
తతః కిం - so what? what then?
సితం - white
అమల - spotless
పటం - cloth
పట్ట - silk
సూత్రం - thread; woven cloth
పట్టసూత్రం - silk cloth
ఏకా - one
భార్యా - wife
హయ - horse
కరి - elephant
సుగణైః - with excellent groups
హయ-కరి-సుగణైః - with excellent groups of horses and elephants
ఆవృతహ్ - surrounded; encompassed
భక్తం - food; meal
భుక్తం - eaten
కదశనం - eating once (a single meal)
అథవా - or
వాసర-అంతే - at the end of the day
వ్యక్త - clear; manifest
జ్యోతిః - light; inner radiance
వ్యక్త-జ్యోతిః - manifest inner light
న వా - or else; or not
అంతః - within
మథిత - churned; agitated
భవ - worldly existence; repeated becoming
భయం - fear
భవ-భయం - fear of worldly existence / fear of repeated birth
అంతః-మథిత-భవ-భయం - fear of existence churning within
వైభవం - prosperity; splendor

Translation (భావార్థ):
So what if the cloak is worn, or if the cloth is spotless white silk? So what if there is one wife, or an entourage of horses and elephants? So what if you have eaten, or if you eat only once at the end of the day? Whether your splendor is evident, or your heart is churned by fear of worldly existence - what does such prosperity amount to?

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
Bhartruhari is not merely praising poverty; he is puncturing a deeper confusion: we keep switching outer arrangements hoping the inside will finally settle. One person changes to luxury, another to austerity; one seeks "one relationship", another seeks a crowd. The refrain తతః కిం ("so what?") insists that the decisive factor is inner freedom. If fear of భవ (repeated becoming in the world) is still churning within, then neither silk nor rags can give peace; and if inner light is clear, then both become secondary.

In day-to-day life, this shows up as lifestyle debates that never touch the root: "If I buy this, I will relax"; "If I simplify enough, I will feel safe"; "If my status changes, I will be confident." But the anxiety often comes from a deeper place - the insecurity of a self built on externals. The Upanishadic warning is sharp: ద్వితీయాద్వై భ్హయం భవతి - fear arises when we live as though we are separate from the whole. External changes do not dissolve that split by themselves.

Practice: pick one recurring fear that drives your choices (status-loss, insecurity, aging, loneliness). Name it plainly, then ask what belief it rests on. Add a small daily discipline that addresses the root: a few minutes of ఆత్మవిచార (self-inquiry: "who is afraid?"), and one deliberate act of non-dependence (saying no to an unnecessary purchase, or not seeking approval). Let outer life be simple, but let the inner work be real.

పాణిః పాత్రం పవిత్రం భ్రమణపరిగతం భైక్ష్యం అక్షయ్యం అన్నం
విస్తీర్ణం వస్త్రం ఆశాదశకం అచపలం తల్పం అస్వల్పం ఉర్వీమ్ ।
యేషాం నిఃసంగతాంగీకరణపరిణతస్వాంతసంతోషిణస్తే
ధన్యాః సంన్యస్తదైన్యవ్యతికరనికరాః కర్మ నిర్మూలయంతి ॥ 3.99 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
పాణిః - hand
పాత్రం - vessel; bowl
పవిత్రం - pure; sacred
భ్రమణ - wandering
పరిగతం - obtained; acquired (by going around)
భైక్ష్యం - alms
అక్షయ్యం - inexhaustible; never running short
అన్నం - food
విస్తీర్ణం - vast; spread out
వస్త్రం - garment
ఆశ - direction
దశకం - group of ten
ఆశాదశకం - the ten directions (the sky as "clothing")
అచపలం - steady; unmoving
తల్పం - bed
అస్వల్పం - not small; spacious
ఉర్వీం - earth
యేషాం - for whom; whose
నిఃసంగతా - solitude; freedom from association
అంగీకరణ - acceptance; taking up
పరిణత - matured; ripened
స్వాంత - inner mind; heart
సంతోషిణః - contented; fulfilled
నిఃసంగతా-అంగీకరణ-పరిణత-స్వాంత-సంతోషిణః - those whose hearts mature into contentment by accepting solitude
తే - they
ధన్యాః - blessed; fortunate
సంన్యస్త - renounced; given up
దైన్య - pettiness; humiliating dependence
వ్యతికర - mingling; entangling contact
నికరాః - multitudes; heaps
సంన్యస్త-దైన్య-వ్యతికర-నికరాః - those who have renounced the multitude of humiliating entanglements
కర్మ - action (and its binding residue)
నిర్మూలయంతి - uproot; remove at the root

Translation (భావార్థ):
Blessed are those whose hands serve as a sacred bowl, whose inexhaustible food is alms gathered while wandering, whose garment is the wide expanse of the ten directions, and whose steady, spacious bed is the earth. By accepting solitude their hearts ripen into contentment; abandoning humiliating entanglements, they uproot karma at its very root.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This verse is a manifesto of inner independence. The "equipment" of the renunciate is not special; it is what is already present: the hand becomes the bowl, the directions become the garment, the earth becomes the bed. The point is not self-torture; it is reducing dependence. When life does not require constant negotiation, flattery, or compromise, the mind becomes lighter and more available for truth. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

In contemporary life, the same principle can be practiced without copying the outer form. Many of our stresses come from over-commitment and over-dependence: debts, status games, and social obligations we cannot afford to lose. Bhartruhari calls that దైన్య - the smallness of a mind that has to bend for comfort. When you simplify needs and reduce entanglements, you regain dignity and quiet.

Practice: choose one dependency that makes you compromise your values (a purchase you cannot really afford, a relationship sustained only by approval, a habit that drains time). Reduce it deliberately, and replace it with one stabilizing discipline: daily study, prayer, or meditation. As outer demands shrink, notice how inner space grows - that is the beginning of కర్మనిర్మూలనం (uprooting the binding momentum of action).

త్రైలోక్యాధిపతిత్వం ఏవ విరసం యస్మిన్మహాశాసనే
తల్లబ్ధ్వాసనవస్త్రమానఘటనే భోగే రతిం మా కృథాః ।
భోగః కోఽపి స ఏక ఏవ పరమో నిత్యోదితా జృంభనే
యత్స్వాదాద్విరసా భవంతి విసయాస్త్రైలోక్యరాజ్యాదయః ॥ 3.99.1 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
త్రైలోక్య - the three worlds
అధిపతిత్వం - sovereignty; lordship
త్రైలోక్యాధిపతిత్వం - lordship over the three worlds
ఏవ - indeed
విరసం - tasteless; insipid
యస్మిన్ - in which
మహా - great
శాసనే - in the rule/command/realm (locative of శాసన)
మహాశాసనే - in that great rule/realm
తత్ - that
లబ్ధ - obtained
తత్-లబ్ధ - obtained from that
ఆసన - seat; throne
వస్త్ర - garment
మాన - honor; status
గటనే - in the arrangement; in the collection (locative)
ఆసన-వస్త్ర-మాన-గటనే - in the collection of throne, clothing, and honors
భోగే - in enjoyment
రతిం - delight; attachment
మా కృథాః - do not make; do not place
భోగః - enjoyment; pleasure
కః అపి - some; a certain
సః - that
ఏకః ఏవ - only one
పరమః - supreme
నిత్య - ever; perpetual
ఉదిత - arisen; rising
జృంభనే - in blossoming; in expansion
నిత్యోదితా-జృంభనే - in the ever-rising blossoming
యత్ - whose
స్వాదాత్ - from the taste
విరసా - tasteless
భవంతి - become
విషయాః - sense objects
త్రైలోక్య-రాజ్య-ఆదయః - world-kingdoms and the like

Translation (భావార్థ):
Even sovereignty over the three worlds becomes tasteless in that higher realm; do not place your delight in pleasures that come from thrones, fine clothes, and honors. There is only one supreme enjoyment: the ever-rising blossoming of inner joy. By tasting it, all sense objects - even world-kingdoms and the rest - become insipid.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This verse teaches the logic of a higher taste. The mind lets go of a lower pleasure not by force, but when it finds a deeper fulfillment. Bhartruhari says: compared to that inner blossoming of joy, even త్రైలోక్యాధిపతిత్వ (dominion over the three worlds) feels flat. The point is not moral scolding; it is a practical diagnosis of how freedom actually happens. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

This aligns closely with the GItA's insight: పరం దృష్ట్వా నివర్తతే - by seeing the higher, the pull of objects weakens. When a person has tasted calm, clarity, and self-respect, many cravings lose their glamour. In everyday terms, it is the difference between chasing status for a temporary rush and feeling steady enough that you do not need the rush.

Practice: instead of fighting every desire, strengthen one inner source of joy: meditation, honest self-inquiry, or devotional remembrance. Keep a short log of what leaves you peaceful after it ends versus what leaves you restless. Over time, let that observation guide you. వైరాగ్య (dispassion) becomes stable when the heart has something higher to return to.

మాతర్మేదిని తాత మారుతి సఖే తేజః సుబంధో జల
భ్రాతర్వ్యౌంఅ నిబద్ధ ఏష భవతాం అంత్యః ప్రణామాంజలిః ।
యుష్మత్సంగవశోపజాతసుకృతస్ఫారస్ఫురన్నిర్మలజ్ఞానాపాస్త
సమస్తమోహమహిమా లీనే పరబ్రహ్మణి ॥ 3.100 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
మాతర్ - O mother
మేదిని - earth
తాత - O father
మారుతి - wind
సఖే - O friend
తేజః - fire; radiance
సుబంధో - O good relative
జల - water
భ్రాతర్ - O brother
వ్యౌంఅ - sky; space
నిబద్ధః - bound; dedicated; connected
ఏష - this
భవతాం - to you all; of you all
అంత్యః - last; final
ప్రణామ - salutation
అంజలిః - folded hands; joined palms
ప్రణామాంజలిః - a salutation with folded hands
యుష్మత్ - your
సంగ - association; company
వశ - under the influence; by the force
ఉపజాత - arisen; born
సుక్ఱ్త - merit; good deeds
స్ఫారస్ఫురత్ - widely shining; abundantly resplendent
నిర్మల - pure; spotless
జ్ఞాన - knowledge
అపాస్త - removed; dispelled
సమస్త - all; entire
మోహ - delusion
మహిమా - power; majesty
లీయే - I merge; I dissolve
పరబ్రహ్మణి - in the supreme reality

Translation (భావార్థ):
O Mother Earth, Father Wind, Friend Fire, dear relative Water, and Brother Sky - this is my final salutation with folded hands to you all. Through my association with you, merits arose and shone forth as pure knowledge that dispelled the full power of delusion. May I now dissolve into the supreme reality.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
This closing verse has the tenderness of gratitude and the courage of release. Bhartruhari bows to the five elements not as gods to bargain with, but as the very supports of embodied life. They carried him: earth held him, wind breathed him, fire warmed and digested, water nourished, space gave room. Now, with that debt acknowledged, he turns from the elements to what they point toward - the unconditioned. Seen through వివేక (discernment), this is an invitation to let వైరాగ్య (dispassion) arise from understanding, not from bitterness.

Seen through అద్వైత, the move is natural: the elements are forms within experience, while the goal is the awareness in which all forms rise and set. Gratitude keeps the heart soft; insight keeps it free. Many modern anxieties come from forgetting both: we treat nature as disposable, and we treat our body as an identity. This verse corrects the posture - respect the world, but do not cling to it as "me".

Practice: once a day, do a short "five-elements gratitude" reflection. Feel the support of the ground, the breath, the warmth of the body, the flow of water, and the openness of space. Then ask, "what is aware of all this?" Rest for a minute in that awareness. Let gratitude become humility, and let humility mature into freedom.

శయ్యా శైలశిలాగృహం గిరిగుహా వస్త్రం తరుణాం త్వచః
సారంగాః సుహృదో నను క్షితిరుహాం వృత్తిః ఫలైః కౌంఅలైః ।
యేసాం నిర్ఝరం అంబుపానం ఉచితం రత్యై తు విద్యాంగనా
మన్యే తే పరమేశ్వరాః శిరసి యరి బద్ధో న సేవాంజలిః ॥ 3.101 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
శయ్యా - bed
శైల - mountain; rock
శిలా - stone slab
గృహం - house; dwelling
శైలశిలాగృహం - a rock-slab house
గిరి - mountain
గుహా - cave
గిరిగుహా - mountain cave
వస్త్రం - clothing
తరుణాం - of trees
త్వచః - bark; skin
సారంగాః - deer/antelopes
సుహృదః - friends
నను - indeed
క్షితిరుహాం - of trees
వృత్తిః - livelihood; means of living
ఫలైః - with fruits
కౌంఅలైః - tender; soft
నిర్ఝరం - a waterfall; spring
అంబు - water
పానం - drinking
అంబుపానం - drinking water
ఉచితం - proper; fitting
రత్యై - for delight; for love/pleasure (dative)
తు - and indeed
విద్యా - knowledge
అంగనా - maiden; bride
విద్యాంగనా - knowledge as the beloved
మన్యే - I consider
తే - they
పరమేశ్వరాః - supreme lords
శిరసి - on the head
యైః - by whom; for whom
బద్ధః - bound
సేవా - service; servitude
అంజలిః - folded hands
సేవాంజలిః - the folded hands of servitude (compelled service)
న - not

Translation (భావార్థ):
For those whose bed is a rock-slab, whose home is a mountain cave, whose clothing is the bark of trees; for whom deer are friends and whose livelihood is tender fruits from trees; for whom drinking waterfall water is fitting, and whose delight is the "bride" of knowledge - I consider them the true lords, for they do not have servile folded hands bound upon their head.

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
Bhartruhari redefines lordship. A lord is not someone who is served; it is someone who does not have to sell their inner freedom. The renunciate's life is described almost playfully: rocks and caves as home, fruit and spring-water as sustenance, deer as friends. The most telling line is విద్యాంగనా - knowledge as beloved. Pleasure is not rejected; it is refined into intimacy with truth. Seen through వివేక (discernment), this is an invitation to let వైరాగ్య (dispassion) arise from understanding, not from bitterness.

In our world, servitude often looks respectable: we become bound by lifestyle, debt, and the constant need to impress. The "folded hands of service" can be a metaphor for a mind always negotiating for approval. This verse invites a different kind of success: live lightly enough that your dignity is not hostage to anyone's mood, and cultivate a joy that comes from learning, reflection, and inner steadiness. This is the అనిత్యతా (impermanence) reflection that Sa~gkarAcArya uses to awaken వైరాగ్య: seeing change clearly, we stop demanding permanent comfort from it.

Practice: reduce one form of "bondage" this month - an unnecessary subscription, a debt-driven purchase, or an obligation you keep only for image. Use that freed time for స్వాధ్యాయ (self-study): read one good text, reflect, and write a few lines daily. When knowledge becomes a companion, outer dependence naturally loosens.

ధైర్యం యస్య పితా క్షమా చ జననీ శాంతిశ్చిరం గేహినీ
సత్యం మిత్రం ఇదం దయా చ భగినీ భ్రాతా మనఃసంయమః ।
శయ్యా భూమితలం దిశోఽపి వసనం జ్ఞానామృతం భోజనం
హ్యేతే యస్య కుటుంబినో వద సఖే కస్మాద్భయం యోగినః ॥ 3.102 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
ధైర్యం - courage; steadiness
యస్య - whose
పితా - father
క్షమా - forgiveness; forbearance
చ - and
జననీ - mother
శాంతిః - peace
చిరం - long; enduring
గేహినీ - wife; household companion
సత్యం - truth
మిత్రం - friend
ఇదం - this
దయా - compassion
భగినీ - sister
భ్రాతా - brother
మనః - mind
సంయమః - restraint; discipline
మనఃసంయమః - self-control of the mind
శయ్యా - bed
భూమితలం - the ground
దిశః - directions
అపి - even
వసనం - clothing
జ్ఞాన - knowledge
అమృతం - nectar; immortality-giving
జ్ఞానామృతం - the nectar of knowledge
భోజనం - food
హి - indeed
ఏతే - these
కుటుంబినః - family members
వద - tell
సఖే - O friend
కస్మాత్ - why; from what
భయం - fear
యోగినః - for the yogi

Translation (భావార్థ):
For the yogi whose father is courage, mother is forgiveness, wife is enduring peace, friend is truth, sister is compassion, and brother is self-control; whose bed is the earth, whose clothing is the directions, and whose food is the nectar of knowledge - tell me, friend, what fear can remain for him?

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse builds an alternative family tree of virtues. When your closest companions are courage, forgiveness, peace, truth, compassion, and self-restraint, you are not easily shaken by circumstance. Such a yogi sleeps on the ground and wears the directions - meaning, he is not picky about comfort or display. His nourishment is జ్ఞానామృత, the "nectar" of knowledge that keeps the mind from starving in emptiness. Notice the chain Bhartruhari is pointing at: రాగ (attachment) quietly breeds భయ (fear), because whatever you cling to becomes something you must protect; వైరాగ్య breaks that chain.

In practical terms, this is a reminder that security is more internal than external. Many people have possessions but lack patience; they have contacts but lack truth; they have comfort but lack peace. Then fear remains. When virtues become your household, you become resilient: loss does not destroy you, praise does not intoxicate you, and uncertainty does not paralyze you. Upanishadic teaching repeatedly ties freedom with అభయ (fearlessness): when identity stops leaning on change, fear naturally reduces.

Practice: choose one virtue from this list each week. Treat it like a family member you must honor: if you chose క్షమా (forbearance), practice forgiving one small irritation; if you chose మనఃసంయమ (self-restraint), limit one impulse daily. Keep a short nightly review. Fear reduces when the inner home becomes strong.

అహో వా హారే వా బలవతి రిపౌ వా సుహృది వా
మణౌ వా లోష్ఠే వా కుసుమశయనే వా దృషది వా ।
తృణే వా స్త్రైణే వా మమ సమదృశో యాంతి దివసాః
క్వచిత్పుణ్యారణ్యే శివ శివ శివేతి ప్రలపతః ॥ 3.103 ॥

Meaning (పదార్థ):
అహో - indeed; ah!
వా - or
హారే - in a necklace/garland
బలవతి - strong; powerful
రిపౌ - in an enemy
సుహృది - in a friend
మణౌ - in a jewel
లోష్ఠే - in a clod of earth
కుసుమ - flower
శయనం - bed; couch
కుసుమశయనే - in a bed of flowers
దృషది - on stone
తృణే - in grass; on straw
స్త్రైణే - among women; in sensual pleasure
మమ - my
సమ - equal
దృశః - vision; outlook
సమదృశః - with equal vision; equanimous
యాంతి - pass; go
దివసాః - days
క్వచిత్ - somewhere
పుణ్య - holy; meritorious
అరణ్యే - in a forest (locative)
పుణ్యారణ్యే - in a holy forest
శివ శివ శివేతి - "Siva, Siva, Siva" thus
ప్రలపతః - muttering; repeating; lamenting

Translation (భావార్థ):
Whether with a necklace or without, whether with a strong enemy or a friend, whether with a jewel or a clod, whether on a bed of flowers or on bare stone, whether among grass or women - my days pass in the same way, as I wander somewhere in a sacred forest, repeating "Siva, Siva, Siva."

Commentary (అనుసంధాన):
The verse is a statement of radical equanimity. Ornament or no ornament, enemy or friend, jewel or clod, softness or hardship, sensuality or simplicity - none of these opposites dictate the quality of his day. The outer scene changes, but the inner axis remains: remembrance of శివ, the auspicious reality that stands for what is beyond change. Here తృష్ణా (craving-thirst) is the hidden engine: it grows by feeding and keeps the mind in motion; the antidote is వివేక (discernment) maturing into వైరాగ్య (dispassion).

This is not dullness; it is freedom from compulsive preference. A life driven by craving is constantly negotiating: "more comfort, less pain; more praise, less blame." Here, Bhartruhari suggests that peace comes when the mind stops leaning toward one pole and recoiling from the other. The GItA captures the same ideal: సమలోష్టాశ్మకాంచనహ్ - one who sees clod, stone, and gold with equal regard. In a world of endless comparison, that equal vision is priceless.

Practice: pick one pair of opposites that usually controls you (comfort/discomfort, praise/blame, attention/neglect). For a week, observe your reactions without immediately obeying them. Add one anchor that returns you to the center - a short జప (repetition) like "Siva Siva" or a few mindful breaths. Equanimity grows when you train the pause between stimulus and response.

Browse Related Categories: