तदात्मद्रव्यमायुष्मन्देहसंश्रयणान्वितम्। करणाधिष्ठितं भोगानुपभुङ्क्ते यथाविथि
Then, endowed with its own substance, life, and the support of the body, governed by the senses, one experiences enjoyments according to their proper course.
ज्ञानं चैवात्र बुद्धिश्च कमश्च भरतर्षभ। तस्य भोगाधिकरणे करणानि निबोध मे
Here, O best of the Bharatas, knowledge, intellect, and desire—these are present; now hear from me about the senses that are the instruments for experiencing enjoyment.
मनसा तात पर्येति क्रमशो विषयानिमान्। विषयायतनत्वेन भूतात्मा क्षेत्रविष्ठितः
O dear one, the mind proceeds among these objects in order; as the seat of the objects, the embodied self, situated in the field (body), moves among them.
तत्रचापि नरव्याघ्र मनो जन्तोर्विधीयते। तस्माद्युगपदत्रास्य ग्रहणं नोपपद्यते
And there, O tiger among men, the mind of a creature is arranged; therefore, it is not possible for it to grasp all objects at once.
स आत्मा पुरुषव्याघ्र भ्रुवोरन्तरमाश्रितः। बुद्धिं द्रव्येषु सृजति विविधेषु परावराम्
That self, O best of men, dwelling between the brows, projects the intellect toward various objects, both high and low.
बुद्धेरुत्तरकालं च वेदना दृश्यते बुधैः। एष वै राजशार्दूल विधिः क्षेत्रज्ञभावनः
After the intellect, perception is observed by the wise; this, O tiger among kings, is the process by which the knower of the field is established.
मनसश्चापि बुद्धेश्च ब्रूहि मे लक्षणं परम्। एतदध्यात्मविदुषां परं कार्यं विधीयते
Tell me, too, the supreme characteristics of mind and intellect; this is the highest task prescribed for those who know the inner self.
बुद्धिरात्मानुगाऽतीव उत्पातेन विधीयते। तदाश्रिता हि सा ज्ञेया बुद्धिस्तस्यैषिणी भवेत्
The intellect, closely following the self, arises through its prompting; for it is to be understood that the intellect, dependent on that, seeks after it.
बुद्धिरुत्पद्यते कार्यान्मनस्तूत्पन्नमेव हि। बुद्धेर्गुणविधानेन मनस्तद्गुणवद्भवेत्
The intellect arises from action, and the mind indeed arises from the intellect; by the disposition of the intellect’s qualities, the mind becomes endowed with those same qualities.
एतद्विशेषणं तात मनोबुद्ध्योर्मयेरितम्। त्वमप्यत्राभिसंबुद्धः कथं वा मन्यसे स्वयम्
This distinction, dear one, between mind and intellect has been explained; you too, being awakened to this, what do you yourself think?
अहो बुद्धिमतांश्रेष्ठ शुभा बुद्धिरियं तव। विदितं वेदितव्यं ते कस्मान्नहुष पृच्छसि
Ah, O best of the wise, your intellect is auspicious indeed; all that is to be known is known to you—why, O Nahusha, do you question me?
सर्वज्ञं त्वां कथं मोह आविशत्स्वर्गवासिनम्। एवमद्भुतकर्माणमिति मे संशयो महान्
How could delusion seize you, who dwell in heaven and know all things, who perform such wondrous deeds? This is my great doubt.
सुप्रज्ञमपि चेच्छूरमृद्धिर्मोहयते नरम्। वर्तमानः सुखे सर्वो नावैतीति मतिर्मम
Even a wise and valiant man may be deluded by prosperity; when one is enjoying happiness, no one truly perceives it—this is my view.
सोहमैश्वर्यमोहेन मदाविष्टो युधिष्ठिर। पतितः प्रतिसंबुद्धस्त्वां तु संबोधयाम्यहम्
I, overcome by the pride of sovereignty, was deluded, O Yudhishthira; having fallen, I have regained awareness, and now I awaken you.
कृतंकार्यं महाराज त्वया मम परंतप। क्षीणः शाप सुकृच्छ्रो मे त्वया संभाष्य साधुना
O great king, you have accomplished my highest purpose, scorcher of foes; my severe curse is ended, having been spoken with you, a virtuous man.
अहं हि दिवि दिव्येन विमानन चरन्पुरा। अभिमानेन मत्तः सन्कंचिन्नान्यमचिन्तयम्
Once, I traveled in heaven in a divine chariot; intoxicated with pride, I thought of nothing else.
ब्रह्मर्षिदेघगन्धर्वयक्षराक्षसपन्नगाः। वरं मम प्रयच्छन्ति सर्वे त्रैलोक्यवासिनः
All the Brahmarshis, gods, Gandharvas, Yakshas, Rakshasas, and serpents—indeed, all the dwellers of the three worlds—granted me boons.
चक्षुषा यं प्रपश्यामि प्राणिनं पृथिवीपते। तस्य तेजो हराम्याशु तद्धि दृष्टेर्बलं मम
O lord of the earth, whomever I beheld with my eyes among living beings, I would swiftly take away their energy, for such was the power of my gaze.
ब्रह्मर्षीणां सरस्रं हि उवाह शिबिकां मम। कस मामपनयो राजन्भ्रंशयामास वै श्रियः
Indeed, I bore the palanquin of the Brahmarshis; but, O King, the yoke pressed upon me and caused me to lose my splendor.
तत्र ह्यगस्त्यः पादेन वहन्स्पृष्टो महामुनिः। अगस्त्येन ततोस्म्युक्तो ध्वंस सर्पेति वैरुषा
There, as I was carrying, the great sage Agastya touched me with his foot; then, out of anger, Agastya spoke to me: 'Perish, become a serpent!'
ततस्तस्माद्विमानाग्र्यात्प्रच्युतश्च्युतलक्षणः। प्रपतन्बुबुधेऽऽत्मानं व्यालीभूतमधोमुखम्
Then, from that excellent celestial vehicle, I fell, losing my auspicious marks; as I was falling, I realized I had become a serpent, facing downward.
अयाचं तमहं विप्रं शापस्यान्तो भवेदिति। प्रमादात्संप्रमूढस्य भगवन्क्षन्तुमर्हसि
I begged that Brahmin, 'May there be an end to this curse; O venerable one, please forgive the error of my bewildered mind.'
ततः स मामुवाचेदं प्रपतन्तं कृपानवितः। युधिष्ठिरो धर्मराजः शापात्त्वां मोक्षयिष्यति
Then, as I was falling, he spoke to me with compassion: 'Yudhishthira, the king of righteousness, will release you from this curse.'
अभिमानस्य वै तस्य बलस्य च नराधिप। फले क्षीणे महाराज फलं पुण्यमवाप्स्यसि
O great king, when the fruit of that pride and strength of his is exhausted, you will obtain the blessed result.
ततो मे विस्मयो जातस्तद्दृष्ट्वा तपसो बलम्। ब्रह्म च ब्राह्मणत्वं च येन त्वाऽहमचूचुदम्
Then I was amazed, seeing the power of asceticism—by which I had been touched—of Brahman and the state of a Brahmin.
सत्यं दमस्तपो योगमहिंसा ज्ञाननित्यता। साधकानि सतां पुंसां न जातिर्नकुलं नृप
Truth, self-restraint, austerity, yoga, nonviolence, and constancy in knowledge—these are the means of the virtuous, O king, not birth or lineage.
अरिष्ट कएष ते भ्राता मुक्तो बीमो महाभुज। स्वस्ति तेऽस्तु महाराज गमिष्यामि दिवं पुनः
Your brother, the mighty-armed Bhima, is unharmed and freed; may good fortune be yours, O great king, I shall now return to heaven.
स चायं पुरुषव्याघ्र कालः पुण्य उपागतः। तदस्मात्कारणात्पार्थ कार्यं तन्मे महत्कृतम्
And now, O best of men, the auspicious time has arrived; therefore, O Partha, because of this, my great task has been accomplished.
ततस्तस्मिन्मुहूर्ते तु विमानं कामगामि वै। अवपातेन महता तत्रावाप तदुत्तमम्
Then, at that very moment, the wish-fulfilling celestial vehicle descended there with a great sound and reached that excellent place.
इत्युक्त्वाऽऽजगरं देहं मुक्त्वा स नहुषो नृपः। दिव्यं वपुः समास्थाय गतस्त्रिदिवमेव ह
Having spoken thus, King Nahusha cast off the serpent body, assumed a divine form, and departed to the heavenly realm.