1.
The universe is like a reflection within a mirror, appearing to be a city in oneself, like a dream within one's sleep, but through the illusory power of Maya seems to be manifested externally instead.
The one who witnesses reality at the moment of awakening is one’s own nondual Self. Salutations to the blessed teacher in the form of that all-knowing Shiva who faces the south, holy Dakshinamurti.
2.
Bibliography
Dakshinamurti and Manasollasa by John M. Denton
Reflections on Dakshinamurti Stotram by Swami Sarvapriyananda
Hymn to Dakshinamoorthy by Swami Chinmayananda
Hymn to Dakshinamurti (from The Hymns of Sankara) by TMP Mahadevan
other trans of 1a
in which the Self alone plays as the universe of names and forms, like a city seen in a mirror, due to the māyā power, as though produced outside, as in a dream ~Chinmayananda
The universe is like a reflection seen in a mirror, appearing like a city within one’s own Self, but seeming to be outside, through the illusory power of Māyā, as if dreaming in a sleep. ~Denton
who by mayā as by dream, sees within Himself the universe which is inside Him, like unto a city that is seen in a mirror, (but) which is manifes-ted as if without ~Mahadevan
through the illusion of the Ātman as through sleep, sees the universe existing within himself like a city reflected in a mirror, as though it were manifested externally. ~Sarvapriyananda
Chinmayananda 1
viśvaṁ darpaṇa-dṛśyamāna-nagarī-tulyaṁ nijāntargataṁ paśyannātmani māyayā bahirivodbhūtaṁ yathā nidrayā, yaḥ sākṣāt-kurute prabodha-samaye svātmānamevādvayaṁ tasmai śrī-guru-mūrtaye nama idaṁ śrī-dakṣiṇāmūrtaye. (1) विश्वं – the universe of names and forms; दर्पणदृश्यमाननगरीतुल्यं – like a city seen in a mirror; निजान्तर्गतं – within one’s own Self; पश्यन् – recognising; आत्मनि – in the Self; मायया – due to the power of māyā; बहिः – outside; इव – as though; उद्भूतं – produced; यथा – as; निद्रया – in dream; यः – he who; साक्षात् कुरुते – experiences directly; प्रबोधसमये – at the time of Realisation; स्वात्मानम् – his own Self; एव – alone; अद्वयं – non dual (immutable); तस्मै – to Him; श्रीगुरुमूर्तये – the divine Teacher; नमः – prostration; इदं – this; श्रीदक्षिणामूर्तये – to Śrī Dakṣiṇāmūrti 1. He who experiences, at the time of Realisation, his own immutable Self, in which the Self alone plays as the universe of names and forms, like a city seen in a mirror, due to the māyā power, as though produced outside, as in a dream, to Him, the divine Teacher, Śrī Dakṣiṇāmūrti, is this prostration.
Chinmayananda 2
bījasyāntarivāṅkuro jagadidaṁ prāṅ-nirvikalpaṁ punaḥ māyā-kalpita-deśakāla-kalanā vaicitrya-citrīkṛtam, māyāvīva vijṛmbhayatyapi mahāyogīva yaḥ svecchayā tasmai śrī-guru-mūrtaye nama idaṁ śrī-dakṣiṇāmūrtaye. (2) बीजस्य – of the seed; अन्तः – within; इव – like; अङ्कुरः – the future tree (the embryos); जगत् – universe; इदं – this; प्राक् – before; निर्विकल्पं – unmanifest; पुनः – again, later on; मायाकल्पित – created by māyā (delusory); देशकालकलना – due to the play of time and space; वैचित्र्यचित्रीकृतम् – projected himself out to be the world of endless; मायावी – juggler/magician; इव – like; विजृम्भयति – unrolls; अपि – also; महायोगी – a great yogī; इव – like; यः – He who; स्वेच्छया – by His own free will; तस्मै – to Him; श्रीगुरुमूर्तये – the divine Teacher; नमः – prostration; इदं – this; श्रीदक्षिणामूर्तये – to Śrī Dakṣiṇāmūrti 2. He who, like a juggler or a great yogī, unrolls this universe just out of His own free will – the universe, which, before creation, remained unmanifest like the future tree in a seed and later on, He has projected Himself out to be the world of endless variety, due to the delusory play of time and space, both the products of māyā – to Him, the divine Teacher, Śrī Dakṣiṇāmūrti, is this prostration.
Chinmayananda 3
yasyaiva sphuraṇaṁ sadātmakam-asat-kalpārthakaṁ bhāsate sākṣāt-tat-tvam-asīti veda-vacasā yo bodhayatyāśritān, yat-sākṣāt-karaṇād-bhavenna punarāvṛttirbhavāmbho-nidhau tasmai śrī-guru-mūrtaye nama idaṁ śrī-dakṣiṇāmūrtaye. (3) यस्य – (he) whose; एव – alone; स्फुरणं – manifestation; सदात्मकम् – nothing but the Reality; असत्कल्पार्थकं – as delusory objects; भासते – appears; साक्षात् – direct (enlightenment); तत् – That; त्वम् – thou; असि – art; इति – thus; वेदवचसा – with the great statement of the Vedas; यः – he who; बोधयति – imparts enlightenment; आश्रितान् – to those who have surrendered to Him; यत्साक्षात्करणात् – after the direct experience of which; भवेत्न – never shall; पुनः – again; आवृत्तिः – return to; भवाम्भोनिधौ – the ocean of worldly existence; तस्मै – to Him; श्रीगुरुमूर्तये – the divine Teacher; नमः – prostration; इदं – this; श्रीदक्षिणामूर्तये – to Śrī Dakṣiṇāmūrti 3. He whose manifestations, which are themselves nothing but the Reality, appear as the objects of the world; He who imparts to those who have surrendered to Him, direct enlightenment, through the commandment of the Vedas ‘That thou art’ and after the direct experience of which, there is no more any return to the ocean of worldly existence; to Him, the divine Teacher, Śrī Dakṣiṇāmūrti, is this prostration.
Mahadevan 1
To Him who by mayā as by dream, sees within Himself the universe which is inside Him, like unto a city that is seen in a mirror, (but) which is manifes-ted as if without: to Him who apprehends, at the time of awakening. His own non-dual Self: to Him, of the form of the Preceptor, the blessed Dakshinamurti may this obeisance be!
Mahadevan 2
To Him who, like a magician or even like a great Yogin, displays, by His own will, this universe which at the beginning is undifferentiated like the sprout in the seed, but which is made again differentiated under the varied conditions of space and time posit-ed by maya: to Him, of the form of the Preceptor the blessed Dakshinamurti may this obeisance be!
Mahadevan 3
To Him whose luminosity alone, which is of the nature of Existence, shines forth entering the objective world which is like unto the non-existent: toHim who instructs those who resort to him through the Vedic text That thou art': to Him by realising whom there will be no more return to the ocean of transmigration to Him, of the form of the Preceptor, the blessed Daksinamurti, may this obeisance be!
