Shloka 1
अन्तर्वन-विद्यारण्योपमा
The Allegory of the Inner Forest of Knowledge
/ है अर ० छा | अ-क्राछ सप्तविशो< ध्याय: अध्यात्मविषयक महान् वनका वर्णन ब्राह्मण उवाच संकल्पदंशमशकं शोकहर्षहिमातपम् । मोहान्धकारतिमिरं लोभव्याधिसरीसूपम्
brāhmaṇa uvāca | saṅkalpa-daṁśa-maśakaṁ śoka-harṣa-himātapam | mohāndhakāra-timiraṁ lobha-vyādhi-sarīsṛpam ||
Wika ng Brahmana: “Minamahal, may isang dako na doo’y ang mga balisang hangarin ay tila mga kawan ng lamok at dapulak; doo’y ang dalamhati at galak ay nagpapalit-palit na parang lamig at init; doo’y ang dilim ng kamangmangan ay kumakalat na gaya ng gabi; at doo’y ang kasakiman at karamdaman ay gumagala na parang mga ahas. Matapos tawirin ang mahirap daanang landas ng buhay-mundo—landas na kailangang lakaran nang mag-isa, at doo’y ang pagnanasa at poot ay nakahimpil bilang mga kaaway—ngayon ay pumasok na ako sa dakilang gubat ng Brahman, ang panloob na saklaw ng espirituwal na katotohanan.”
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
Worldly existence (saṁsāra) is portrayed as a perilous path filled with mental agitation (saṅkalpa), emotional extremes (śoka/harṣa), delusion (moha), and destructive tendencies like greed and illness. The implied ethical-spiritual counsel is to transcend these inner afflictions through detachment and move toward Brahman—stable, liberating self-knowledge.
A Brahmin addresses a beloved listener and uses vivid metaphors to describe the dangers of saṁsāra. He declares that he has crossed that difficult worldly route—where one must proceed alone and face enemies like desire and anger—and has entered the ‘great forest of Brahman,’ indicating a turn toward renunciation and spiritual realization.