शार्ङ्गबाणधरं देवं ज्वलत्तेजोतिमण्डलम् युगान्तादित्यवर्णाभं नीलवैदूर्यसंनिभम्
He saw the god bearing the bow Śārṅga and arrows, surrounded by a blazing aura, resembling the sun at the end of an age, and shining like blue beryl.
सुपर्णांसे तम् आसीनं षोडशार्धभुजं शुभम् स चास्मै प्राब्रवीद् धीराः साधु राजन् महामते
Seated on Garuḍa's wing, with sixteen and a half beautiful arms, he addressed the king with calm words: 'Well done, O wise and noble king.'
क्रतुनानेन दिव्येन तथा भक्त्या च श्रद्धया तुष्टो ऽस्मि ते महीपाल वृथा किम् अनुशोचसि
'By this divine sacrifice, as well as by your devotion and faith, I am pleased with you, O king. Why do you grieve in vain?'
यद् अत्र प्रतिमा राजञ् जगत्पूज्या सनातनी यथा सा प्राप्यते भूप तदुपायं ब्रवीमि ते
'As for the eternal image here, O king, worshipped by the world—how it is to be obtained, I will tell you the means, O ruler of the earth.'
गतायाम् अद्य शर्वर्यां निर्मले भास्करोदिते सागरस्य जलस्यान्ते नानाद्रुमविभूषिते
'When this night has passed and the spotless sun has risen, at the edge of the ocean, adorned with various trees, and at the end of the sea's waters—'
जलं तथैव वेलायां दृश्यते तत्र वै महत् लवणस्योदधे राजंस् तरङ्गैः समभिप्लुतम्
'There, at the shore, you will see water, O king, greatly agitated by the waves of the salt ocean.'
कूलान्ते हि महावृक्षः स्थितः स्थलजलेषु च वेलाभिर् हन्यमानश् च न चासौ कम्पते द्रुमः
'At the edge of the bank stands a great tree, among the land and water, struck by the tides, yet that tree does not tremble.'
परशुम् आदाय हस्तेन ऊर्मेर् अन्तस् ततो व्रज एकाकी विहरन् राजन् स त्वं पश्यसि पादपम्
'Taking an axe in your hand, go within the waves; wandering there alone, O king, you will see that tree.'
ईदृक् चिह्नं समालोक्य छेदय त्वम् अशङ्कितः छेद्यमानं तु तं वृक्षं प्रातर् अद्भुतदर्शनम्
'Observing such a sign, cut the tree without hesitation; when you cut that tree in the morning, you will witness a wondrous sight.'
दृष्ट्वा तेनैव संचिन्त्य ततो भूपाल दर्शनात् कुरु तां प्रतिमां दिव्यां जहि चिन्तां विमोहिनीम्
'Having seen it, reflect upon it; then, O king, from that vision, make the divine image and cast off your bewildering anxiety.'
एवम् उक्त्वा महाभागो जगामादर्शनं हरिः स चापि स्वप्नम् आलोक्य परं विस्मयम् आगतः
Having spoken thus, the illustrious Hari became invisible; and he, after seeing that dream, was filled with great wonder.
तां निशां स समुद्वीक्ष्य स्थितस् तद्गतमानसः व्याहरन् वैष्णवान् मन्त्रान् सूक्तं चैव तदात्मकम्
He spent the night, his mind absorbed in that vision, reciting Vaishnava mantras and hymns related to it.
प्रगतायां रजन्यां तु उत्थितो नान्यमानसः स स्नात्वा सागरे सम्यग् यथावद् विधिना ततः
When the night had passed, he arose with his mind unwavering, bathed properly in the ocean according to the prescribed rite.
दत्त्वा दानं च विप्रेभ्यो ग्रामांश् च नगराणि च कृत्वा पौर्वाह्णिकं कर्म जगाम स नृपोत्तमः
He gave gifts and villages to the Brahmins, performed the morning rituals, and then departed, that foremost king.
न चाश्वो न पदातिश् च न गजो न च सारथिः एकाकी स महावेलां प्रविवेश महीपतिः
Neither horse, nor foot-soldier, nor elephant, nor charioteer accompanied him; alone, the king entered the great shore.
तं ददर्श महावृक्षं तेजस्वन्तं महाद्रुमम् महातिगमहारोहं पुण्यं विपुलम् एव च
He saw a great tree, radiant and mighty, with vast height and girth, sacred and immense.
महोत्सेधं महाकायं प्रसुप्तं च जलान्तिके सान्द्रमाञ्जिष्ठवर्णाभं नामजातिविवर्जितम्
It was towering, massive, lying dormant near the water, dense in color like madder, without name or species.
नरनाथस् तदा विप्रा द्रुमं दृष्ट्वा मुदान्वितः परशुना शातयाम् आस निशितेन दृढेन च
Then the lord of men, joyful upon seeing the tree, began to cut it with a sharp and sturdy axe.
द्वैधीकर्तुमनास् तत्र बभूवेन्द्रसखः स च निरीक्ष्यमाणे काष्ठे तु बभूवाद्भुतदर्शनम्
Intending to split it in two, Indra's friend stood there; as he gazed at the wood, a marvelous sight appeared.
विश्वकर्मा च विष्णुश् च विप्ररूपधराव् उभौ आजग्मतुर् महाभागौ तदा तुल्याग्रजन्मनौ
Visvakarma and Vishnu, both assuming the form of Brahmins, arrived together, illustrious and of equal birth.
ज्वलमानौ स्वतेजोभिर् दिव्यस्रगनुलेपनौ अथ तौ तं समागम्य नृपम् इन्द्रसखं तदा
Radiant with their own brilliance, adorned with divine garlands and ointments, they approached the king, Indra's friend.
ताव् ऊचतुर् महाराज किम् अत्र त्वं करिष्यसि किमर्थं च महाबाहो शातितश् च वनस्पतिः
The two said, 'O great king, what are you doing here? For what reason, mighty-armed one, have you cut down this tree?'
असहायो महादुर्गे निर्जने गहने वने महासिन्धुतटे चैव कथं वै शातितो द्रुमः
'Alone, in this vast wilderness, in the dense forest by the great riverbank, how is it that you have felled this tree?'
तयोः श्रुत्वा वचो विप्राः स तु राजा मुदान्वितः बभाषे वचनं ताभ्यां मृदुलं मधुरं तथा
Hearing their words, the king, filled with joy, spoke to them gently and sweetly.
दृष्ट्वा तौ ब्राह्मणौ तत्र चन्द्रसूर्याव् इवागतौ नमस्कृत्य जगन्नाथाव् अवाङ्मुखम् अवस्थितः
Seeing those two Brahmins, who appeared like the moon and sun, he bowed to the lords of the world and stood with his head lowered.
देवदेवम् अनाद्यन्तम् अनन्तं जगतां पतिम् आराधयितुं प्रतिमां करोमीति मतिर् मम
'To worship the god of gods, the beginningless, endless, lord of the worlds, I wish to make an image.'
अहं स देवदेवेन परमेण महात्मना स्वप्नान्ते च समुद्दिष्टो भवद्भ्यां श्रावितं मया
'I have been instructed by that supreme, divine one at the end of a dream, and you both have made it known to me.'
राज्ञस् तु वचनं श्रुत्वा देवेन्द्रप्रतिमस्य च प्रहस्य तस्मै विश्वेशस् तुष्टो वचनम् अब्रवीत्
Hearing the king's words about the image of Indra, the lord of the universe smiled, pleased, and spoke to him.
साधु साधु महीपाल यद् एतन् मतम् उत्तमम् संसारसागरे घोरे कदलीदलसंनिभे
Excellent, excellent, O king, is this supreme opinion of yours, in the dreadful ocean of worldly existence, which is like a banana leaf.
निःसारे दुःखबहुले कामक्रोधसमाकुले इन्द्रियावर्तकलिले दुस्तरे रोमहर्षणे
In this insubstantial, sorrow-filled world, overwhelmed by desire and anger, tangled in the whirlpool of the senses, difficult to cross, and causing one's hair to stand on end,