शरीरं तु न पश्यामि तव चैवात्मनश्च ह। पदेपदे तु पश्यामि शरीरादग्निमुत्थितम्
I do not see your body, nor my own; at every step, I see fire arising from the body.
स मे निर्वाप्य सहसा चक्षुषी शाम्यते पुनः। तन्नियच्छ महावेगं गमने विनतात्मज
That fire suddenly extinguishes my sight again; restrain your great speed, O son of Vinatā.
न मे प्रयोजनं किंचिद्गमने पन्नगाशन । संनिवर्त महाभाग न वेगं विषहामि ते
I have no purpose in this journey, O eater of serpents; turn back, O great one, for I cannot endure your speed.
गुरवे संश्रुतानीह शतान्यष्टौ हि वाजिनाम् । एकतःश्यामकर्णानां शुभ्राणां चन्द्रवर्चसाम्
Here, for my teacher, I have pledged hundreds and eight horses—dark-eared, bright, shining like the moon.
तेषां चैवापवर्गाय मार्गं पश्यामि नाण्डज। ततोऽयं जीवितत्यागे दृष्टो मार्गोमयाऽऽत्मनः
But, O egg-born one, I see no path for their release; therefore, I perceive the path of self-sacrifice before me.
नैव मेऽस्ति धनं किंचिन्न धनेनान्वितः सुहृत् । न चार्थेनापि महता शक्यमेतद्व्यपोहितुम्
I have no wealth at all, nor a friend endowed with wealth; nor can this be resolved even with great riches.
एवं बहु च दीनं च ब्रुवाणं गालवं तदा। प्रत्युवाच व्रजन्नेव प्रहसन्विनतात्मजः
Thus, as Gālava spoke much and in distress, the son of Vinatā, smiling, replied as he journeyed on.
नातिप्रज्ञोऽसि विप्रर्षे योत्मानं त्युक्तुमिच्छसि । न चापि कृत्रिमः कालः कालो हि परमेश्वरः
You are not very wise, O best of seers, if you wish to abandon yourself; nor is time artificial—time is indeed the supreme lord.
किमहं पूर्वमेवेह भवता नाभिचोदितः। उपायोऽत्र महानस्ति येनैतदुपपद्यते
Why did you not urge me earlier here? There is a great means by which this can be accomplished.
तदेष ऋषभो नाम पर्वतः सागरान्तिके। अत्र विश्रम्य भुक्त्वा च निवर्तिष्याव गालव
This is the mountain called Ṛṣabha, near the ocean; here, let us rest and eat, O Gālava, and then we shall return.
ऋषभस्य ततः शृङ्गं निपत्य द्विजपक्षिणौ। शाण्डिलीं ब्राह्मणीं तत्र ददृशो तपोन्विताम्
Then, descending to the peak of Ṛṣabha, the twice-born bird and Gālava saw there the ascetic brāhmaṇī, Śāṇḍilī.
अभिवाद्य सुपर्णस्तु गालवश्चाभिपूज्य ताम्। तया च स्वागतेनोक्तौ विष्टरे सन्निषीदतुः
Suparṇa greeted her, and Gālava honored her; she welcomed them, and they sat down on a seat.
सिद्धमन्नं तया दत्तं बलिमन्त्रोपबृंहितम् । भुक्त्वा तृप्तावुभौ भूमौ सुप्तौ तावनुमोहितौ
She gave them prepared food, sanctified with offerings and mantras; having eaten and been satisfied, both lay down on the ground, overcome by sleep.
मुहूर्तात्प्रतिबुद्धस्तु सुपर्णो गमनेप्सया । ` तां दृष्ट्वा चारुसर्वाङ्गी तापसीं ब्रह्मचारिणीम्
After a moment, Suparṇa awoke, desiring to depart; seeing the ascetic maiden, beautiful in all limbs, observing celibacy,
ग्रहीतुं हि मनश्चक्रे रूपात्साक्षादिव श्रियम् ।' अथ भ्रष्टतनूजाङ्गमात्मानं ददृशे खगः
He wished in his mind to possess her, as if she were the goddess of fortune herself; then the bird saw himself deprived of his serpent-body.
मांसपिण्डोपमोऽभूत्स मुखपादान्वितः खगः। गालवस्तं तथा दृष्ट्वा विमनाः पर्यपृच्छत
The bird became like a lump of flesh, with only a mouth and feet; seeing him thus, Gālava, disturbed, questioned him.
किमिदं भवता प्राप्तमिहागमनजं फलम्। वासोऽयमिह कालं तु कियन्तं नौ भविष्यति
What is this result you have obtained by coming here? How long shall our stay here be?
किं नु ते मनसा ध्यातमशुभं धर्मदूषणम् । न ह्ययं भवतः स्वल्पो व्यभिचारो भविष्यति
What impure or unrighteous thought did you contemplate? For this is no slight transgression on your part.
सुपर्णोऽथाब्रवीद्विप्रं प्रध्यातं वै मया द्विज । इमां सिद्धामितो नेतुं तत्र यत्र प्रजापतिः
Then Suparna spoke to the Brahmin: 'O twice-born, I have meditated upon this. I will take this accomplished one from here to the place where Prajapati resides.'
यत्र देवो महादेवो यत्र विष्णुः सनातनः । यत्र धर्मश्च यज्ञश्च तत्रेयं निवसेदिति
Where the god Mahadeva is, where Vishnu the eternal dwells, where Dharma and Sacrifice are—there, let her abide.
सोऽहं भगवतीं याचे प्रणतः प्रियकाम्यया। मयैतन्नाम प्रध्यातं मनसा शोचसा किल
Thus, bowing with desire to please, I beseech the blessed one. This name has been meditated upon by me, indeed with sorrow in my mind.
तदेवं बहुमानात्ते मयेहानीप्सितं कृतम् । सुकृतं दुष्कृतं वा त्वं माहात्म्यात्क्षन्तुमर्हसि
Therefore, out of respect for you, I have done here what you wished. Whether good or bad, you should forgive it by your greatness.
सा तौ तदाऽब्रवीत्तुष्टा पतगेन्द्रद्विजर्षभौ। न भेतव्यं सुपर्णोऽसि सुपर्ण त्यज संभ्रमम्
Then, pleased, she spoke to the king of birds and the foremost Brahmin: 'Do not fear, Suparna. Suparna, abandon your anxiety.'
निन्दितास्मि त्वया वत्स न च निन्दां क्षमाम्यहम् । लोकेभ्यः सपदि भ्रश्येद्यो मां निन्देत पापकृत्
You have reviled me, child, and I do not tolerate revilement. Whoever, being wicked, reviles me will instantly fall from the worlds.
हीनयाऽलक्षणैः सर्वैस्तथाऽनिन्दितया मया। आचारं प्रतिगृह्णन्त्या सिद्धिः प्राप्तेयमुत्तमा
By all inferior marks and by my being reviled thus, the highest accomplishment has been attained by me, accepting proper conduct.
आचारः फलते धर्ममाचारः फलते धनम् । आचाराच्छ्रियमाप्नोति आचारो हन्त्यलक्षणम्
Conduct yields righteousness; conduct yields wealth. By conduct one attains prosperity; conduct destroys bad marks.
तदायुष्मन्खगपते यथेष्टं गम्यतामितः । न च ते गर्हणीयाऽहं गर्हितव्याः स्त्रियः क्वचित्
Therefore, O long-lived king of birds, go from here as you wish. I am not to be blamed by you, nor should women ever be blamed.
यदि त्वमात्मनो ह्यर्थे मां चैवादातुमिच्छसि। तदेव नष्टदेहस्तु स्या वै त्वं पन्नगाशन
If you wish, for your own sake, to give me, then, O eater of serpents, you would become one whose body is lost.
तस्यैव हि प्रसादेन देवदेवस्य चिन्तनात् । त्वं तु साङ्गस्तु सञ्जातः पुनरेव भविष्यसि
By his favor alone, and by contemplation of the god of gods, you have become whole, and you will become so again.
बभूवतुस्ततस्तस्य पक्षौ द्रविणवत्तरौ
Then his two wings became exceedingly rich in wealth.