गजाश्च तुरगाः सर्वे दुर्बला भक्ष्यवर्जिताः । जाताः स्युर्नात्र संदेहः शत्रुणा परिपीडिताः
'All the elephants and horses, deprived of proper food, will become weak, no doubt, being tormented by the enemy.'
सेवका मम सर्वे ते शत्रूणां वशवर्तिनः । दुःखिता एव जाताः स्युः पालिता ये मया पुरा ॥ धनं मे सुदुराचारैरसद्व्ययपरैः परैः । द्यूतासवभुजिष्यादिस्थाने स्यात्प्रापितं किल
'All my servants are now under the control of the enemies; those whom I once protected will surely be miserable. My wealth will be squandered by those of evil conduct, addicted to improper expenditures, gambling, and drinking.'
कोशक्षयं करिष्यन्ति व्यसनैः पापबुद्धयः । न पात्रदाननिपुणा म्लेच्छास्ते मन्त्रिणोऽपि मे
'They will bring about the depletion of the treasury through their vices, these wicked-minded ones. Even my ministers, being foreigners, are not skilled in giving to the deserving.'
इति चिन्तापरो राजा वृक्षमूलस्थितो यदा । तदाजगाम वैश्यस्तु कश्चिदार्तिपरस्तथा
Thus, as the king, absorbed in worry, sat at the root of a tree, a certain merchant, also afflicted by distress, arrived there.
नृपेण पुरतो दृष्टः पार्श्वे तत्रोपवेशितः । पप्रच्छ तं नृपः कोऽसि कुत एवागतो वनम्
Seeing him, the king had him sit nearby and asked, 'Who are you? From where have you come to this forest?'
कोऽसि कस्माच्च दीनोऽसि हरितः शोकपीडितः । ब्रूहि सत्यं महाभाग मैत्री साप्तपदी मता
'Who are you, and why are you so miserable, pale, and afflicted by sorrow? Tell me the truth, O fortunate one; friendship is established by walking seven steps together.'
व्यास उवाच। तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं राज्ञस्तमुवाच विशोत्तमः । उपविश्य स्थिरो भूत्वा मत्वा साधुसमागमम्
Vyāsa said: Hearing the king’s words, the best of the wise addressed him. Sitting down firmly, recognizing the meeting as auspicious—
वैश्य उवाच। मित्राहं वैश्यजातीयः समाधिर्नाम विश्रुतः । धनवान्धर्मनिपुण: सत्यवागनसूयकः
The Vaiśya said: I am a friend, born in the merchant caste, known by the name Samādhi. I am wealthy, skilled in righteousness, truthful in speech, and not deceitful.
पुत्रदारैर्निरस्तोऽहं धनलुब्धैरसाधुभिः । “कृपणेति मिषं कृत्वा त्यक्त्वा मायां सुदुस्त्यजाम्” स्वजनेन च संत्यक्तः प्राप्तोऽस्मि वनमाशु वै
I have been cast out by my own sons and wife, greedy for wealth and unrighteous. Calling me 'wretched' falsely, they abandoned me, along with that most difficult-to-renounce attachment. Forsaken by my own people, I have quickly come to this forest.
कोऽसि त्वं भाग्यवान्भासि कथयस्व प्रियाधुना । राजोवाच। सुरथो नाम राजाऽहं दस्युभिः पीडितोऽभवम्
Who are you, who appear so fortunate? Please tell me now, dear one. The king said: I am a king named Suratha, oppressed by bandits.
प्राप्तोऽस्मि गतराज्योऽत्र मंत्रिभिः परिवंचितः । दिष्ट्या त्वमत्र मित्रं मे मिलितोऽसि विशोत्तम
Deprived of my kingdom, deceived by ministers, I have come here. By good fortune, O best of the wise, you have become my friend here.
सुखेन विहरिष्यावो वनेऽत्र शुभपादपे । शोकं त्यज महाबुद्धे स्वस्थो भव विशोत्तम
Let us live happily here in the forest, beneath these auspicious trees. Abandon sorrow, O great-minded one, and be at ease, O best of the wise.
"अत्रैव च यथाकामं सुखं तिष्ठ मया सह । " वैश्य उवाच। कुटुम्बं मे निरालंबं मया हीनं सुदुःखितम् । भविष्यति च चिन्तार्तं व्याधिशोकोपतापितम्
"Here, as you wish, stay happily with me." The Vaiśya said: My family, left without support and deprived of me, will be greatly distressed, afflicted by anxiety, disease, and sorrow.
भार्यादेहे सुखं नो वा पुत्रदेहे न वा सुखम् । इति चिन्तातुरं चेतो न मे शाम्यति भूमिप
There is no happiness for me in my wife’s body, nor in my son’s. Thus, my mind, tormented by worry, does not find peace, O king.
कदा द्रक्ष्ये सुतं भार्यां गृहं स्वजनमेव च । स्वस्थं न मन्मनो राजन्गृहचिन्ताकुलं भृशम्
When will I see my son, my wife, my home, and my own people? My mind is not at ease, O king, being greatly disturbed by thoughts of home.
राजोवाच। यैर्निरस्तोऽसि पुत्राद्यैरसद्वृत्तैः सुबालिशैः । तान्दृष्ट्वा किं सुखं तेऽद्य भविष्यति महामते
The king said: Those sons and others, who have cast you out with wicked conduct and foolishness—what happiness would you have today, O wise one, seeing them again?
हितकारी वरः शत्रुर्दुःखदाः सुहृदः कुतः । तस्मात्स्थिरं मनः कृत्वा विहरस्व मया सह
An enemy who does good is better; where are friends who bring sorrow? Therefore, steady your mind and dwell here with me.
वैश्य उवाच। मनो मे न स्थिरं राजन्भवत्यद्य सुदुःखितम् । चिन्तयाऽत्र कुटुम्बस्य दुस्त्यजस्य दुरात्मभिः
The Vaiśya said: My mind is not steady, O king, and is greatly troubled today, thinking of my family, so hard to abandon, though they are wicked.
राजोवाच। ममापि राज्यजं दुःखं दुनोति किल मानसम् । पृच्छावोऽद्य मुनिं शांतं शोकनाशनमौषधम्
The king said: Sorrow born of the loss of my kingdom also torments my mind. Today, let us ask the peaceful sage, the remedy for the destruction of sorrow.
व्यास उवाच। इति कृत्वा मतिं तौ तु राजा वैश्यश्च जग्मतुः । मुनिं तौ विनयोपेतौ प्रष्टुं शोकस्य कारणम्
Vyāsa said: Thus deciding, the king and the merchant went. Approaching the sage with humility, they sought to ask the cause of their sorrow.
गत्वा तं प्रणिपत्याह राजा ऋषिमनुत्तमम् । आसीनं सम्यगासीनः शांतं शांतिमुपागतः
Having gone there, bowing down, the king addressed the supreme sage, who was seated properly, tranquil, and established in peace.
अथ त्रयस्त्रिंशोऽध्यायः राजोवाच। मुने वैश्योऽयमधुना वने मे मित्रतां गतः । पुत्रदारैर्निरस्तोऽयं प्राप्तोऽत्र मम संगमम्
Chapter Thirty-Three. The king said: O sage, this merchant has now become my friend in the forest. Cast out by his sons and wife, he has come here and met with me.
निष्कारणं च मे चिंता हृदयान्न निवर्तते । हया मे दुर्बलाः स्युः किं गजाः शत्रुवशं गताः
And for no reason, worry does not depart from my heart. My horses may become weak, or my elephants may fall into the hands of enemies.
भृत्यवर्गस्तथा दुःखी जातः स्यात्तु मया विना । कोशक्षयं करिष्यंति रिपवोऽतिबलात्क्षणात्
Likewise, my group of servants may become distressed without me; and my powerful enemies may quickly bring about the loss of my treasury.
इत्येवं चिंतयानस्य च मे निद्रा तनौ सुखम् । जानामीदं जगन्मिथ्या स्वप्नवत्सर्वमेव हि
As I was thinking in this way, sleep came gently upon my body; I know that this entire world is false, truly like a dream.
जानतोऽपि मनो भ्रांतं न स्थिरं भवति प्रभो । कोऽहं केऽश्वा गजाः केऽमी न ते मे च सहोदराः ॥ न पुत्रा न च मित्राणि येषां दुःखं दुनोति माम् । भ्रमोऽयमिति जानामि तथापि मम मानसः
Even knowing this, my mind is confused and does not remain steady, O Lord; who am I, who are these horses and elephants, who are these others—they are not my brothers, nor sons, nor friends, those whose suffering pains me; I know this is delusion, yet still my mind is thus.
मोहो नैवापसरति किं तत्कारणमद्भुतम् । स्वामिंस्त्वमसि सर्वज्ञः सर्वसंशयनाशकृत्
Delusion does not depart—what is the wondrous cause of this? O Master, you are all-knowing, the destroyer of all doubts.
कारणं ब्रूहि मोहस्य ममास्य च दयानिधे । व्यास उवाच। इति पृष्टस्तदा राज्ञा सुमेधा मुनिसत्तमः
Tell me the cause of this delusion of mine, O ocean of compassion. Vyāsa said: Thus questioned by the king, the wise sage Sumedhas spoke.
तमुवाच परं ज्ञानं शोकमोहविनाशनम् । ऋषिरुवाच। शृणु राजन्प्रवक्ष्यामि कारणं बन्धमोक्षयोः
He spoke supreme knowledge, which destroys grief and delusion. The sage said: Listen, O King, I will explain the cause of bondage and liberation.
महामायेति विख्याता सर्वेषां प्राणिनामिह । ब्रह्मा विष्णुस्तथेशानस्तुराषाड्वरुणोऽनिलः
She is known as Mahāmāyā, who rules over all beings here—Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Īśāna, the guardians of the directions, Varuṇa, and Vāyu.