[Advaita-l] Madalasa Song

[V Subrahmanian]

The song of Madalasa is stated to be in the Markandeya Purana:  It is full
of teaching generating dispassion and instilling Advaitic relization:

Strophe 1 Madalasa Upadesha
शुद्धोसि बुद्धोसि निरँजनोऽसि
सँसारमाया परिवर्जितोऽसि
सँसारस्वप्नँ त्यज मोहनिद्राँ
मँदालसोल्लपमुवाच पुत्रम्।
śuddhosi buddhosi niraɱjano'si
saɱsāramāyā parivarjito'si
saɱsārasvapnaɱ tyaja mohanidrāɱ
maɱdālasollapamuvāca putram|
shuddhosi buddhosi niranjano'si
samsaramaya parivarjito'si
samsarasvapnam tyaja mohanidram
mandalasollapamuvacha putram|
Madalasa says to her crying son: "You are pure, Enlightened, and spotless.
Leave the illusion of the world and wake up from this deep slumber of
delusion."

Strophe 2 Madalasa Upadesha
शुद्धोऽसि रे तात न तेऽस्ति नाम
कृतँ हि तत्कल्पनयाधुनैव।
पच्चात्मकँ देहँ इदँ न तेऽस्ति
नैवास्य त्वँ रोदिषि कस्य हेतो॥
śuddho'si re tāta na te'sti nāma
kṛtaɱ hi tatkalpanayādhunaiva|
paccātmakaɱ dehaɱ idaɱ na te'sti
naivāsya tvaɱ rodiṣi kasya heto||
shuddho'si re tata na te'sti nama
kritam hi tatkalpanayadhunaiva|
pachchatmakam deham idam na te'sti
naivasya tvam rodishi kasya heto||
My Child, you are Ever Pure! You do not have a name. A name is only an
imaginary superimposition on you. This body made of five elements is not
you nor do you belong to it. This being so, what can be a reason for your
crying ?

Strophe 3 Madalasa Upadesha
न वै भवान् रोदिति विक्ष्वजन्मा
शब्दोयमायाध्य महीश सूनूम्।
विकल्पयमानो विविधैर्गुणैस्ते
गुणाश्च भौताः सकलेन्दियेषु॥
na vai bhavān roditi vikṣvajanmā
śabdoyamāyādhya mahīśa sūnūm|
vikalpayamāno vividhairguṇaiste
guṇāśca bhautāḥ sakalendiyeṣu||

na vai bhavan roditi vikshvajanma
shabdoyamayadhya mahisha sunum|
vikalpayamano vividhairgunaiste
gunascha bhautah sakalendiyeshu||
The essence of the universe does not cry in reality. All is a maya of
words, oh Prince! Please understand this. The various qualities you seem to
have are are just your imaginations, they belong to the elements that make
the senses (and have nothing to do with you).

Strophe 4 Madalasa Upadesha
भूतनि भूतैः परिदुर्बलानि
वृद्धिँ समायाति यथेह पुँसः।
अन्नाम्बुपानादिभिरेव तस्मात्
न तेस्ति वृद्धिर् न च तेस्ति हानिः॥
bhūtani bhūtaiḥ paridurbalāni
vṛddhiɱ samāyāti yatheha puɱsaḥ|
annāmbupānādibhireva tasmāt
na testi vṛddhir na ca testi hāniḥ||
bhutani bhutaih paridurbalani
vriddhim samayati yatheha pumsah|
annambupanadibhireva tasmat
na testi vriddhir na cha testi hanih||
The Elements [that make this body] grow with accumulation of more elements
or reduce in size if some elements are taken away. This is what is seen in
a body's growing in size or becoming lean depending upon the consumption of
food, water etc. You do not have growth or decay.

Strophe 5 Madalasa Upadesha
त्वम् कँचुके शीर्यमाणे निजोस्मिन्
तस्मिन् देहे मूढताँ मा व्रजेथाः।
शुभाशुभौः कर्मभिर्देहमेतत्
मृदादिभिः कँचुकस्ते पिनद्धः॥
tvam kaɱcuke śīryamāṇe nijosmin
tasmin dehe mūḍhatāɱ mā vrajethāḥ|
śubhāśubhauḥ karmabhirdehametat
mṛdādibhiḥ kaɱcukaste pinaddhaḥ||
tvam kamchuke shiryamane nijosmin
tasmin dehe mudhatam ma vrajethah|
shubhashubhauh karmabhirdehametat
mridadibhih kamchukaste pinaddhah||
You are in the body which is like a jacket that gets worn out day by day.
Do not have the wrong notion that you are the body. This body is like a
jacket that you are tied to, for the frutification of the good and bad
karmas.

Strophe 6 Madalasa Upadesha
तातेति किँचित् तनयेति किँचित्
अँबेति किँचिद्धयितेति किँचित्।
ममेति किँचित् न ममेति किँचित्
त्वम् भूतसँघँ बहु म नयेथाः॥
tāteti kiɱcit tanayeti kiɱcit
aɱbeti kiɱciddhayiteti kiɱcit|
mameti kiɱcit na mameti kiɱcit
tvam bhūtasaɱghaɱ bahu ma nayethāḥ||
tateti kimchit tanayeti kimchit
ambeti kimchiddhayiteti kimchit|
mameti kimchit na mameti kimchit
tvam bhutasamgham bahu ma nayethah||
Some may refer to you are Father and some others may refer to you a Son or
some may refer to you as mother and some one else may refer to you as wife.
some say "you are mine" and some others say "you are not mine" These are
all references to this "Combination of Physical Elements", Do not identify
with them.

Strophe 7 Madalasa Upadesha
सुखानि दुःखोपशमाय भोगान्
सुखाय जानाति विमूढचेताः।
तान्येव दुःखानि पुनः सुखानि
जानाति विद्धनविमूढचेताः॥
sukhāni duḥkhopaśamāya bhogān
sukhāya jānāti vimūḍhacetāḥ|
tānyeva duḥkhāni punaḥ sukhāni
jānāti viddhanavimūḍhacetāḥ||
sukhani duhkhopashamaya bhogan
sukhaya janati vimudhachetah|
tanyeva duhkhani punah sukhani
janati viddhanavimudhachetah||
The deluded look at objects of enjoyments as giving happiness by removing
the unhappiness. The wise clearly see that the same object which gives
happiness now will become a source of unhappiness.


Strophe 8 Madalasa Upadesha
यानँ चित्तौ तत्र गतश्च देहो
देहोपि चान्यः पुरुषो निविष्ठः।
ममत्वमुरोया न यथ तथास्मिन्
देहेति मात्रँ बत मूढरौष।
yānaɱ cittau tatra gataśca deho
dehopi cānyaḥ puruṣo niviṣṭhaḥ|
mamatvamuroyā na yatha tathāsmin
deheti mātraɱ bata mūḍharauṣa|
yanam chittau tatra gatascha deho
dehopi chanyah purusho nivishthah|
mamatvamuroya na yatha tathasmin
deheti matram bata mudharausha|
The vehicle that moves on the ground is different from the person in it
similarly this body is also different from the person who is inside! The
owner of the body is different from the body! Ah how foolish it is to think
I am the body!