सम्पश्यन्विविधान्देशाँल्लोकांश्च वित्तधर्मिणः । वनानि पादपांश्चैव क्षेत्राणि फलितानि च
Observing various lands and people devoted to wealth and righteousness, forests, trees, and cultivated fields bearing fruit,
तापसांस्तप्यमानांश्च याजकान्दीक्षयान्वितान् । योगाभ्यासरतान्योगिवानप्रस्थान्वनौकसः
He saw ascetics practicing austerities, priests engaged in rituals, yogis devoted to yoga, forest-dwellers, and those in the vanaprastha stage.
शैवान्पाशुपतांश्चैव सौराञ्छाक्तांश्च वैष्णवान् । वीक्ष्य नानाविधान्धर्माञ्जगामातिस्मयन्मुनिः
He saw followers of Śiva, Pāśupatas, Sauras, Śāktas, and Vaiṣṇavas—various paths of dharma—and the sage marveled greatly.
वर्षद्वयेन मेरुं च समुल्लङ्घ्य महामतिः । हिमाचलं च वर्षेण जगाम मिथिलां प्रति
In two years, the great-minded one crossed Mount Meru, and in another year, he reached Mithilā after crossing the Himalayas.
प्रविष्टो मिथिलां मध्ये पश्यन्सर्वर्द्धिमुत्तमाम् । प्रजाश्च सुखिताः सर्वाः सदाचाराः सुसंस्थिताः
Entering the midst of Mithila, he saw its supreme prosperity, and all the people happy, well-conducted, and firmly established in good conduct.
क्षत्रा निवारितस्तत्र कस्त्वमत्र समागतः । किं ते कार्यं वदस्वेति पृष्टस्तेन न चाब्रवीत्
There, a guard stopped him, saying: 'Who are you who has come here? What is your business? Speak!'—but he did not reply.
निःसृत्य नगरद्वारात्स्थितः स्थाणुरिवाचलः । विस्मितोऽतिहसंस्तस्थौ वचो नोवाच किञ्चन
Having left through the city gate, he stood motionless like a pillar, astonished and deeply thoughtful, and spoke not a word.
प्रतीहार उवाच ब्रूहि मूकोऽसि किं ब्रह्मन्किमर्थं त्वमिहागतः । चलनं च विना कार्यं न भवेदिति मे मतिः
The gatekeeper said: 'Speak! Are you mute, O Brahmin? For what purpose have you come here? In my view, no task can be accomplished without movement.'
राजाज्ञया प्रवेष्टव्यं नगरेऽस्मिन्सदा द्विज । अज्ञातकुलशीलस्य प्रवेशो नात्र सर्वथा
'By the king's order, O twice-born, entry into this city is always regulated. One whose family and conduct are unknown is never permitted entry here.'
तेजस्वी भासि नूनं त्वं ब्राह्मणो वेदवित्तमः । कुलं कार्यं च मे ब्रूहि यथेष्टं गच्छ मानद
'You appear radiant—surely you are a Brahmin, learned in the Vedas. Tell me your lineage and purpose; then, O honorable one, go as you wish.'
शुक उवाच यदर्थमागतोऽस्म्यत्र तत्प्राप्तं वचनात्तव । विदेहनगरं द्रष्टुं प्रवेशो यत्र दुर्लभः
Śuka said: 'The purpose for which I have come here has been fulfilled by your words: to see the city of Videha, where entry is difficult.'
मोहोऽयं मम दुर्बुद्धेः समुल्लङ्घ्य गिरिद्वयम् । राजानं द्रष्टुकामोऽहं पर्यटन्समुपागतः
'This delusion of mine, born of poor judgment, has led me to cross two mountains. Wishing to see the king, I have wandered and arrived here.'
वञ्चितोऽहं स्वयं पित्रा दूषणं कस्य दीयते । भ्रामितोऽहं महाभाग कर्मणा वा महीतले
'I have been deceived by my own father—who is to blame for this? O fortunate one, I have been made to wander the earth by fate or by my own actions.'
धनाशा पुरुषस्येह परिभ्रमणकारणम् । सा मे नास्ति तथाप्यत्र सम्प्राप्तोऽस्मि भ्रमात्किल
'The desire for wealth is the cause of a man's wandering in this world. I do not have that, yet still I have come here, apparently out of confusion.'
निराशस्य सुखं नित्यं यदि मोहे न मज्जति । निराशोऽहं महाभाग मग्नोऽस्मिन्मोहसागरे
'For one without hope, happiness is constant—if he does not sink into delusion. I am without hope, O fortunate one, yet I am submerged in this ocean of delusion.'
क्व मेरुर्मिथिला क्वेयं पद्भ्यां च समुपागतः । परिश्रमफलं किं मे वञ्चितो विधिना किल
'Where is Mount Meru, where is Mithila, and how have I come here on foot? What is the fruit of my effort? Surely I have been deceived by fate.'
प्रारब्धं किल भोक्तव्यं शुभं वाप्यथवाशुभम् । उद्यमस्तद्वशे नित्यं कारयत्येव सर्वथा
'Surely, what has been set in motion must be experienced, whether good or bad. All effort is always subject to that destiny.'
न तीर्थं न च वेदोऽत्र यदर्थमिह मे श्रमः । अप्रवेशः पुरे जातो विदेहो नाम भूपतिः
'There is no sacred place, nor the Veda here—why have I labored thus? Entry to the city is denied; the king is called Videha.'
इत्युक्त्या विररामाशु मौनीभूत इव स्थितः । ज्ञातो हि प्रतिहारेण ज्ञानी कश्चिद्द्विजोत्तमः
Having spoken thus, he quickly fell silent, standing as if mute; for the gatekeeper recognized him as a certain wise and eminent Brahmin.
सामपूर्वमुवाचासौ तं क्षत्ता संस्थितं मुनिम् । गच्छ भो यत्र ते कार्यं यथेष्टं द्विजसत्तम
With gentle words, the gatekeeper addressed the sage who stood there: 'Go, sir, wherever your business takes you, as you wish, O best of Brahmins.'
अपराधो मम ब्रह्मन्यन्निवारितवानहम् । तत्क्षन्तव्यं महाभाग विमुक्तानां क्षमा बलम्
'It is my fault, O Brahmin, that I stopped you. Forgive me, O fortunate one; forgiveness is the strength of those who are free.'
शुक उवाच किं तेऽत्र दूषणं क्षत्तः परतन्त्रोऽसि सर्वदा । प्रभुकार्यं प्रकर्तव्यं सेवकेन यथोचितम्
Śuka said: 'What fault is yours here, O gatekeeper? You are always under another's authority. A servant must properly carry out the master's command.'
न भूपदूषणं चात्र यदहं रक्षितस्त्वया । चोरशत्रुपरिज्ञानं कर्तव्यं सर्वथा बुधैः
There is no fault of the king here, for I was protected by you; the wise must always be vigilant regarding thieves and enemies.
ममैव सर्वथा दोषो यदहं समुपागतः । गमनं परगेहे यल्लघुतायाश्च कारणम्
The fault is entirely mine for having come here; it is my own doing that I entered another's house, and this is the cause of my disgrace.
प्रतीहार उवाच किं सुखं द्विज किं दुःखं किं कार्यं शुभमिच्छता । कः शत्रुर्हितकर्ता को ब्रूहि सर्वं ममाद्य वै
The doorkeeper said: O twice-born, what is happiness, what is sorrow, what should one do who desires good? Who is an enemy, who is a benefactor? Tell me all of this today.
शुक उवाच द्वैविध्यं सर्वलोकेषु सर्वत्र द्विविधो जनः । रागी चैव विरागी च तयोश्चित्तं द्विधा पुनः
Śuka said: In all the worlds there is duality; everywhere people are of two kinds: those with attachment and those without; and their minds are likewise divided in two.
विरागी त्रिविधः कामं ज्ञातोऽज्ञातश्च मध्यमः । रागी च द्विविधः प्रोक्तो मूर्खश्च चतुरस्तथा
The detached are of three kinds: those who know, those who do not know, and those who are intermediate; the attached are said to be of two kinds: the foolish and the clever.
चातुर्यं द्विविधं प्रोक्तं शास्त्रजं मतिजं तथा । मतिस्तु द्विविधा लोके युक्तायुक्तेति सर्वथा
Cleverness is said to be of two kinds: that which comes from scripture and that which arises from intellect; and intellect, in all the world, is of two kinds: proper and improper.
प्रतीहार उवाच यदुक्तं भवता विद्वन्नार्थज्ञोऽहं द्विजोत्तम । तत्सर्वं विस्तरेणाद्य यथार्थं वद सत्तम
The doorkeeper said: O learned one, as you have spoken, I do not understand the meaning; O best of the twice-born, explain all this to me in detail, as it truly is.
शुक उवाच रागो यस्यास्ति संसारे स रागीत्युच्यते ध्रुवम् । दुःखं बहुविधं तस्य सुखं च विविधं पुनः
Śuka said: He who has attachment in this world is certainly called 'attached'; for him there is manifold suffering and, again, various kinds of happiness.