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The Great Liberation Tantra · Chapter 1

The Great Liberation Tantra — Chapter 1

महानिर्वाणतन्त्र

Mahānirvāṇatantra

Chapter 1 72 verses

Begin reading Verse 1
  1. 1 girīndraśikhare ramye nānāratnopaśobhite . nānāvṛkṣalatākīrṇe nānāpakṣiravairyute .. 1 … On the delightful peak of the lord of mountains, adorned with manifold jewels, strewn…
  2. 2 sarvartukusumāmodamodite sumanohare . śaityasaugandhyamāndyāḍhyamarudbhirupavījite .. 2 .. made fragrant by the perfume of flowers of every season, most charming, fanned by breezes…
  3. 3 apsarogaṇasaṅgītakaladhvanininādite . sthiracchāyadrumacchāyācchādite snigdhamañjule .. 3 .. resounding with the sweet melodious song of the host of apsarases, shaded by trees of…
  4. 4 mattakokilasandohasaṅghuṣṭavipināntare . sarvadā svagaṇaiḥ sārddhamṛturājaniṣevite .. 4 .. in a forest-interior resonant with throngs of intoxicated cuckoos, ever attended by the…
  5. 5 siddhacāraṇagandharvagāṇapatyagaṇairvṛte . tatra maunadharaṃ devaṃ carācarajagadgurum .. 5 … there, surrounded by hosts of Siddhas, Cāraṇas, Gandharvas, and Gaṇapatya attendants, the…
  6. 6 sadāśivaṃ sadānandaṃ karuṇāmṛtasāgaram . karpūrakundadhavalaṃ śuddhasattvamayaṃ vibhum .. … Sadāśiva, ever-blissful, the ocean of the nectar of compassion, white as camphor and…
  7. 7 digambaraṃ dīnanāthaṃ yogīndraṃ yogivallabham . gaṅgāśīkarasaṃsiktajaṭāmaṇḍalamaṇḍitam .. 7 … sky-clad, protector of the wretched, lord and beloved of yogins, adorned with a coil of…
  8. 8 vibhūtibhūṣitaṃ śāntaṃ vyālamālaṃ kapālinam . trilocanaṃ trilokeśaṃ triśūlavaradhāriṇam … adorned with sacred ash, tranquil, garlanded with serpents, the skull-bearer, three-eyed,…
  9. 9 āśutoṣaṃ jñānamayaṃ kaivalyaphaladāyakam . nirvikalpaṃ nirātaṅkaṃ nirviśeṣaṃ nirañjanam … quickly pleased, made of pure knowledge, giver of the fruit of liberation, free of all…
  10. 10 sarveṣāṃ hitakartāraṃ devadevaṃ nirāmayam . prasannavadanaṃ vīkṣya lokānāṃ … the benefactor of all, god of gods, free of all ill, serene of face—gazing upon him, out…
  11. 11 śrīpārvatyuvāca . devadeva jagannātha mannātha karuṇānidhe . tvadadhīnā'smi … The revered Pārvatī said: O god of gods, lord of the world, my lord, treasury of…
  12. 12 vinā'jñayā mayā kiñcidbhāṣituṃ naiva śakyate . kṛpāvaleśo mayi … Without your permission I can say nothing at all.
  13. 13 tvadanyaḥ saṃśayasyā'sya kastrilokyāṃ maheśvara . chettā bhavitumarho vā … Other than you, O great lord, who in the three worlds is fit to be the dispeller of this…
  14. 14 śrīsadāśiva uvāca . kimucyate mahāprājñe kathyatāṃ prāṇavallabhe . … The revered Sadāśiva said: What is there to ask, O greatly wise one?
  15. 15 tavāgre kathayiṣyāmi sugopyamapi yadbhavet . kimasti triṣu lokeṣu … I will tell you, even what is most secret, whatever it be.
  16. 16 mama rūpā'si devi tvaṃ na bhedo'sti tvayā mama … You are my very form, O goddess;
  17. 17 iti devavacaḥ śṛtvā pārvatī hṛṣṭamānasā . vinayāvanatā sādhvī … Having heard the god's words thus, Pārvatī, with delighted mind, the virtuous lady, bowed…
  18. 18 śrī ādyovāca . bhagavan sarvabhūteśa sarvadharmavidāṃ vara . … The revered Ādyā said: O Blessed One, lord of all beings, best of those who know all the…
  19. 19 prakāśitāścaturvedāḥ sarvadharmopavṛṃhitāḥ . varṇāśramādiniyamā yatra caiva pratiṣṭhitāḥ .. … the four Vedas were revealed, replete with all the dharmas, wherein too the rules of…
  20. 20 taduktayogayajñādyaiḥ karmabhirbhuvi mānavāḥ . devān pitṝn prīṇayantaḥ puṇyaśīlāḥ … In the Kṛta age, by the rites—the yoga, sacrifices, and the rest enjoined therein—human…
  21. 21 svādhyāyadhyānatapasā dayādānairjitendriyāḥ . mahābalā mahāvīryayā mahāsattvaparākramāḥ .. 21 … By recitation, meditation, and austerity, by compassion and giving, they conquered the…
  22. 22 devāyatanagā martyā devakalpā dṛḍhavratāḥ . satyadharmaparāḥ sarve sādhavaḥ … Mortals frequented the temples of the gods—godlike, firm in their vows, devoted to truth…
  23. 23 rājānaḥ satyasaṅkalpāḥ prajāpālanatatparāḥ . mātṛvat parayoṣitsu putravat parasūnuṣu … Kings were true in resolve and intent on protecting their subjects, regarding others'…
  24. 24 loṣṭavat paravitteṣu paśyanto mānavāstadā . āsan svadharmaniratāḥ sadā … Regarding the wealth of others as a clod of earth, people in that age were ever devoted…
  25. 25 na mithyābhāṣiṇaḥ kecit na pramādaratāḥ kvacit . na … None were speakers of falsehood, none given to heedlessness anywhere;
  26. 26 na matsarā nātiruṣṭā nātilubdhā na kāmukāḥ . sadantaḥkaraṇāḥ … None were envious, over-angry, over-greedy, or lustful;
  27. 27 bhūmayaḥ sarvaśasyāḍhyāḥ parjjanyāḥ kālavarṣiṇaḥ . gāvo'pi dugdhasampannāḥ pādapāḥ … The lands were rich in every crop, the rain-clouds rained in their season, the cows too…
  28. 28 nā'kālamṛtyustatrāsīt na durbhikṣaṃ na vā rujaḥ . hṛṣṭāḥ … There was no untimely death, no famine, no disease;
  29. 29 brāhmaṇāḥ kṣatriyā vaiśyāḥ śūdrāḥ svācāravartinaḥ . svaiḥ svairdharmairyajantaste … Brāhmaṇas, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, and Śūdras, abiding in their own proper conduct and…
  30. 30 kṛte vyatīte tretāyāṃ dṛṣṭvā dharmavyatikramam . vedoktakarmabhirmartyā na … When the Kṛta age had passed, in the Tretā age—seeing the transgression of dharma—mortals…
  31. 31 bahukleśakaraṃ karma vaidikaṃ bhūrisādhanam . kartuṃ na yogyā … The Vedic rite, causing much hardship and requiring abundant means—humankind, their minds…
  32. 32 tyaktuṃ kartuṃ na cārhanti sadā kātaracetasaḥ . vedārthayuktaśāstrāṇi … and, ever of distressed mind, could neither abandon it nor perform it.
  33. 33 tadā tvaṃ prakaṭīkṛtya tapaḥ svādhyāyadurbalān . lokānatārayaḥ pāpāt … Then, having made (these) manifest, you delivered—through austerity—those weak in…
  34. 34 tvāṃ vinā ko'sti jīvānāṃ ghorasaṃsārasāgare . bharttā pātā … Without you, who is there for living beings in the fearsome ocean of saṃsāra—as…
  35. 35 tato'pi dvāpare prāpte smṛtyuktasukṛtojjhite . dhamārddhalope manuje ādhivyādhisamākule … And thereafter, when the Dvāpara age arrived—when the good deeds enjoined by Smṛti were…
  36. 36 āyāte pāpini kalau sarvadharmavilopini . durācāre duṣprapañce duṣṭakarmapravartake … Now that the sinful Kali age has come—destroyer of all dharma, of evil conduct, a wicked…
  37. 37 na vedāḥ prabhavastatra smṛtīnāṃ smaraṇaṃ kutaḥ . nānetihāsayuktānāṃ … therein the Vedas are of no avail;
  38. 38 bahulānāṃ purāṇānāṃ vināśo bhavitā vibho . tadā lokā … Of the many Purāṇas there will be destruction, O all-pervading lord;
  39. 39 ucchṛṅkhalā madonmattāḥ pāpakarmaratāḥ sadā . kāmukā lolupāḥ krūrā … They will be lawless, maddened with intoxication, ever given to sinful deeds, lustful,…
  40. 40 svalpāyurmandamatayo rogaśokasamākulāḥ . niḥśrīkā nirbalā nīcā nīcācāraparāyaṇāḥ .. … of very short life, dull of intellect, afflicted by disease and grief, devoid of…
  41. 41 nīcasaṃsarganiratāḥ paravittāpahārakāḥ . paranindāparadrohaparivādaparāḥ khalāḥ .. 41 .. They will delight in low company, seize the wealth of others, be bent on slandering,…
  42. 42 parastrīharaṇe pāpaśaṅkābhayavivarjitāḥ . nirdhanā malinā dīnā daridrāścirarogiṇaḥ .. … In carrying off others' wives they will feel no qualm or fear of sin—penniless, filthy,…
  43. 43 viprāḥ śūdrasamācārāḥ sandhyāvandanavarjitāḥ . ayājyayājakā lubdhā durvṛttāḥ pāpakāriṇaḥ … Brāhmaṇas will behave like Śūdras, neglecting the twilight prayers, officiating for those…
  44. 44 asatyabhāṣiṇo mūrkhā dāmbhikā duṣprapañcakāḥ . kanyāvikrayiṇo vrātyāstapovrataparāṅmukhāḥ .. … speakers of untruth, fools, hypocrites, of wicked dealings, sellers of their daughters,…
  45. 45 lokapratāraṇārthāya japapūjāparāyaṇāḥ . pāṣaṇḍāḥ paṇḍitammanyāḥ śraddhābhaktivivarjitāḥ .. 45 … intent on muttered prayer and worship only to deceive people—frauds who think themselves…
  46. 46 kadāhārāḥ kadācārā bhṛtakāḥ śūdrasevakāḥ . śūdrānnabhojinaḥ krūrā vṛṣalīratikāmukāḥ … eaters of impure food, of vile conduct, hirelings, servants of Śūdras, eaters of a…
  47. 47 dāsyanti dhanalobhena svadārānnīcajātiṣu . brāhmaṇyacihnametāvat kevalaṃ sūtradhāraṇam .. … Out of greed for wealth they will give their own wives to men of low caste;
  48. 48 naiva pānādiniyamo bhakṣyābhakṣyavivecanam . dharmaśāstre sadā nindā sādhudrohī … There will be no rule at all about drink and the like, no discrimination of what may and…
  49. 49 satkathālāpamātrañca na teṣāṃ manasi kvacit . tvayā kṛtāni … Not even the mere talk of holy discourse will ever be in their minds.
  50. 50 nigamāgamajātāni bhuktimuktikarāṇi ca . devīnāṃ yatra devānāṃ mantrayantrādisādhanam … the Tantras arisen as Nigamas and Āgamas, granting both enjoyment and liberation, wherein…
  51. 51 baddhapadmāsanādīni gaditānyapi bhūriśaḥ . paśuvīradivyabhāvā devatā mantrasiddhidāḥ .. … The locked lotus-posture and the rest were also abundantly declared, the three…
  52. 52 śavāsanaṃ citāroho muṇḍasādhanameva ca . latāsādhanakarmāṇi tvayoktāni sahasraśaḥ … The corpse-seat, the mounting of the pyre, the rite with the skull, and the rites of the…
  53. 53 paśubhāvadivyabhāvau svayameva nivāritau . kalau na paśubhāvo'sti divyabhāvaḥ … The paśu and divya dispositions were both set aside by you yourself;
  54. 54 patraṃ puṣpaṃ phalaṃ toyaṃ svayamevāharet paśuḥ . na … The paśu should himself fetch a leaf, a flower, fruit, and water;
  55. 55 divyaśca devatāprāyaḥ śuddhāntaḥkaraṇaḥ sadā . dvandvātīto vītarāgaḥ sarvabhūtasamaḥ … The divya is almost a deity, ever of pure inner faculty, beyond the pairs of opposites,…
  56. 56 kalikalmaṣayuktānāṃ sarvadā'sthiracetasām . nidrālasyaprasaktānāṃ bhāvaśuddhiḥ kathaṃ bhavet .. … For those tainted with the impurity of Kali, ever unsteady of mind, addicted to sleep and…
  57. 57 vīrasādhanakarmāṇi pañcatattvoditāni ca . madyaṃ māṃsaṃ tathā matsyamudrāmaithunameva … The rites of the vīra-sādhana, declared with the five tattvas—wine, meat, fish, parched…
  58. 58 kalijā mānavā lubdhāḥ śiśnodaraparāyaṇāḥ . lobhāttatra patiṣyanti na … Human beings born in the Kali age, greedy, devoted to belly and genitals, will out of…
  59. 59 indriyāṇāṃ sukhārthāya pītvā ca bahulaṃ madhu . bhaviṣyanti … For the pleasure of their senses they will drink wine in abundance and become maddened…
  60. 60 parastrīdharṣakāḥ keciddasyavo - bahavo bhuvi . na kariṣyanti … Some will violate others' wives;
  61. 61 atipānādidoṣeṇa rogiṇo bahavaḥ kṣitau . śaktihīnā buddhihīnā bhūtvā … Through the fault of excessive drinking and the like, many on earth will become diseased,…
  62. 62 hrade gartte prāntare ca prāsādāt parvatādapi . patiṣyanti … and, reeling with intoxication, will fall into a lake, a pit, a wasteland, or even from a…
  63. 63 kecidvivādayiṣyanti gurubhiḥ svajanairapi . kecinmaunā mṛtaprāyā apare bahujalpakāḥ … Some will quarrel even with their elders and their own kin;
  64. 64 akāryakāriṇaḥ krūrā dharmamārgavilopakāḥ . hitāya yāni karmāṇi kathitāni … doers of forbidden deeds, cruel, destroyers of the path of dharma.
  65. 65 manye tāni mahādeva viparītāni mānave . ke vā … I think, O Mahādeva, those will turn out contrary for humankind.
  66. 66 stotrapāṭhaṃ yantralipiṃ puraścaryāṃ jagatpate . yugadharmaprabhāveṇa svabhāvena kalau … As for the recitation of hymns, the drawing of yantras, and the preparatory observance, O…
  67. 67 teṣāmupāyaṃ dīneśa kṛpayā kathaya prabho . āyurārogyavarcasyaṃ balavīryavibarddhanam … O lord of the wretched, in your compassion tell them a means, O lord—one that grants long…
  68. 68 vidyābuddhipradaṃ nṝṇāmaprayatnaśubhaṅkaram . yena lokā bhaviṣyanti mahābalaparākramāḥ .. … bestowing learning and intellect on human beings, effortlessly auspicious, by which…
  69. 69 śuddhacittāḥ parahitā mātāpitroḥ priyaṅkarāḥ . svadāraniṣṭhāḥ puruṣāḥ parastrīṣu … (a means by which) men will be pure of mind, devoted to others' welfare, dear to their…
  70. 70 devatāgurubhaktāśca putrasvajanapoṣakāḥ .. 70 .. devoted to the deity and the guru, and supporters of their children and kin.
  71. 71 brahmajñā brahmavidyāśca brahmacintanamānasāḥ . siddhyarthaṃ lokayātrāyāḥ kathayasva hitāya … (by which they become) knowers of Brahman, possessed of the knowledge of Brahman, with…
  72. 72 kartavyaṃ yadakartavyaṃ varṇāśramavibhedataḥ . vinā tvāṃ sarvalokānāṃ kastrātā … What is to be done and what is not to be done, according to the distinctions of caste and…