Shloka
ब्रह्मानन्दनिधिर्महाबलवताहङ्कारघोराहिना
संवेष्ट्यात्मनि रक्ष्यते गुणमयैश्चण्डैस्त्रिभिर्मस्तकैः ।
विज्ञानाख्यमहासिना द्युतिमता विच्छिद्य शीर्षत्रयं
निर्मूल्याहिमिमं निधिं सुखकरं धीरोऽनुभोक्तुं क्षमः ॥ ३०३ ॥
brahmānandanidhirmahābalavatāhaṅkāraghorāhinā
saṃveṣṭyātmani rakṣyate guṇamayaiścaṇḍaistribhirmastakaiḥ ;
vijñānākhyamahāsinā dyutimatā vicchidya śīrṣatrayaṃ
nirmūlyāhimimaṃ nidhiṃ sukhakaraṃ dhīro’nubhoktuṃ kṣamaḥ . 303 .
Anvaya
- ब्रह्म–आनन्द–निधिःbrahma–ānanda–nidhiḥ
- The treasure called the bliss of Brahman
- रक्ष्यतेrakṣyate
- is guarded (shielded)
- अहङ्कार–घोर–अहिनाahaṅkāra–ghora–ahinā
- by the terrible serpent called ego
- महा–बलवताmahā–balavatā
- immensely strong
- संवेष्ट्यsaṃveṣṭya
- having coiled round
- आत्मनिātmani
- within one’s Self
- चण्डैः त्रिभिः मस्तकैःcaṇḍaiḥ tribhiḥ mastakaiḥ
- by the three fierce heads
- गुणमयैःguṇamayaiḥ
- called the three guṇa–s
- विच्छिद्यvicchidya
- Having cut off
- विज्ञानाख्य–महा–असिनाvijñānākhya–mahā–asinā
- with the mighty sword of knowledge
- द्युतिमताdyutimatā
- shining in nature
- शीर्ष–त्रयंśīrṣa–trayaṃ
- the three heads
- निर्मूल्यnirmūlya
- having eradicated
- अहिम् इमंahim imaṃ
- this serpent
- निधिंnidhiṃ
- the treasure
- सुखकरंsukhakaraṃ
- pleasurable
- धीरःdhīraḥ
- the wise one
- अनुभोक्तुं क्षमःanubhoktuṃ kṣamaḥ
- becomes capable to experience it
Translation
The immensely strong, terrible serpent called ego, by its three fierce heads – sattva, rajas and tamas – shields the treasure called the bliss of Brahman, having coiled around it within one’s Self. Having cut off the three heads with the mighty and shining sword of knowledge forged by scripture, the wise person becomes capable (equipped) to experience the pleasurable treasure (the bliss).
Annotation
1) The serpent has grown strong by experiencing sense objects incessantly (Jagadguru). In the Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana Rama kills Trisirasa, a demon with three heads. The commentators have explained the symbolism as in the present verse.