भर्ता तस्याः समागत्य तां ददर्श महाधनाम्
Her husband, having arrived, saw her endowed with great wealth.
पुनर्जगाम सा हृष्टा गोरथेन स्वमाश्रमम् तेनानंतप्रभावेण शुभगोधनसंकुलः
She, delighted, returned to her own hermitage in a cow-drawn chariot, surrounded by auspicious cattle, through the power of Ananta.
गृहाश्रमः श्रिया युक्तो धनधान्यसमायुतः
The household hermitage was endowed with prosperity, filled with wealth and grain.
सापि माणिक्यकाञ्चीभिर्मुक्ताहारविभूषिता
She was adorned with jeweled girdles and pearl necklaces.
कदाचिदुपविष्टेन दृष्टं बद्धं सुदोरकम्
Once, while seated, he saw the thread tied firmly.
तेन कर्मविपाकेण तस्य सा श्रीः क्षयं गता
Due to the result of that action, her prosperity came to an end.
यद्यदेवागतं गेहे तत्र तत्रैव नश्यति
Whatever has come into the house, in each place, it perishes there.
अनंताक्षेपदोषेण दारिद्र्यं पतितं गृहे
Because of the fault of endless reproach, poverty has fallen upon the household.
ततो जगाम कौंडिन्यो निर्वेदाद्वनगह्वरम्
Then Kaundinya, out of disillusionment, went into the depths of the forest.
व्रतं निरशनं गृह्य ब्रह्मचर्यं जपन्हरिम्
Taking up the vow of fasting, practicing celibacy, he recited the name of Hari.
तत्रापश्यन्महावृक्षं फलितं पुष्पितं तथा तद्ब्रूहि सोप्युवाचेदं नानंतं वेद्म्यहं द्विज
There he saw a great tree, bearing fruit and flowers; he said, 'Tell me,' and the tree replied, 'I do not know the infinite, O twice-born.'
एवं निरीक्षितस्तेन गां ददर्श सवत्सकाम्
Thus observed by him, he saw a cow with her calf.
सोब्रवीद्धेनुके ब्रूहि यद्यनंतस्त्वयेक्षितः
He spoke to the cow, 'Tell me if you have seen the infinite.'
ततो जगामाथ वने गोवृषं शाद्वले स्थितम्
Then he went into the forest and saw a bull standing on the green grass.
गोवृषस्तमुवाचाथ नानन्तो वीक्षितो मया
The bull spoke to him, 'I have not seen the infinite.'
अन्योन्यजलकल्लोलवीचिभिः परिशोभितम्
Adorned with waves and ripples of mutual water-play.
सेवितं भ्रमरैर्हंसैश्चक्रैः कारंडवैर्बकैः
Attended by bees, swans, chakras, karandavas, and cranes.
ऊचतुः पुष्करिण्यौ तं नानंतं विद्वहे द्विज
The two lotus ponds said to him, 'We do not know the infinite, O twice-born.'
तावप्युक्तौ सुमंतेन तस्यापि विनिवेदितम्
Those two also spoke to Sumanta, and he too reported it.
तस्मिन्क्षणे मुनिवरे कौंडिन्ये ब्राह्मणोत्तमे
At that moment, the eminent sage Kaundinya, the foremost among Brahmins,
वृद्धब्राह्मणरूपेण इत एहीत्युवाच तम्
In the form of an aged Brahmin, said to him, 'Come here.'
तां पुरीं दर्शयामास दिव्यनारीनरैर्युताम्
He showed him that city, filled with divine women and men.
पार्श्वस्थशंखचक्रासिगदागरुडशोभितम्
Adorned at the side with conch, discus, sword, mace, and Garuda.
विभूतिभेदैश्चानन्तमनन्तं परमेश्वरम्
With various manifestations, the infinite, the endless, the supreme Lord.
पापोहं पापकर्माहं पापात्मा पापसम्भवः
I am sinful, my actions are sinful, my soul is sinful, and I am born of sin.
अद्य मे सफलं जन्म जीवितं च सुजीवितम् गर्दभं कुञ्जरं चैव देव मे ब्रूहि तत्त्वतः
Today my birth is fruitful, and my life has been well-lived; O god, tell me truly about the donkey and the elephant.
विद्यादानं नोपकुर्वञ्छिष्येभ्यस्तरुतां गतः
Having not given the gift of knowledge to my students, I have attained the state of a tree.
सा गौर्वसुन्धरा दृष्टा निष्फला या त्वयेक्षिता
That cow or earth which you have seen is fruitless, having been looked upon by you.
धर्माधर्मव्यवस्थानं तच्च पुष्करिणीद्वयम् ब्राह्मणोसावनंतोहं गुहासंसारगह्वरे
The arrangement of righteousness and unrighteousness, and those two sacred ponds, and I am that endless Brahmin in the cave-like abyss of worldly existence.
इत्युक्तं ते मया सर्वं विप्र गच्छ पुनर्गृहम्
Thus everything has been told to you by me; O Brahmin, return again to your home.