रज्ज्वज्ञानाद्भुजङ्गस्तदुपरि सहसा भाति मन्दान्धकारेस्वात्माज्ञानात्तथासौ भृशमसुखमभूदात्मनो जीवभावः ।आप्तोक्त्याहिभ्रमान्ते स च खलु विदिता रज्जुरेका तथाहंकूटस्थो नैव जीवो निजगुरुवचसा साक्षिभूतः शिवोऽहम् ॥ ९४ ॥
In plain words
A snake appears on a dimly seen rope because the rope is not known. Likewise Ātma-ajñāna, ignorance of one's own Self, produces the painful sense of Jīva, a separate individual. A trusted word ends the snake-error and leaves the single rope known as it is. My Guru's teaching likewise reveals: I am Kūṭastha, the changeless witness, not Jīva; I am Śiva, auspicious and free.
Close to the Sanskrit
Ignorance of a rope makes a snake suddenly appear upon it in dim darkness. In the same way, from Ātma-ajñāna—not knowing one's own Self—the painful Jīva-state arises for Ātma. When a trustworthy word ends the snake-error, the one rope is known. So, through my Guru's word, I am Kūṭastha, the immutable witness, never the Jīva. I am Śiva, the auspicious one.