निष्पादितो मया यागः सम्यक् त्वदुपदेशतः
The sacrifice has been properly completed by me, indeed through your instruction.
इत्युक्तो मन्त्रयामास स भूयो मन्त्रिभिः सह
Thus addressed, he again took counsel with his ministers.
तमूचुर्मन्त्रिणो गज्यमशेषं याच्यतामयम्
The ministers said to him, 'Ask him for the elephant, all of it, without remainder.'
प्राहस्य तानाह नृपः स खाण्डिक्यो महापतिः
The great king Khāṇḍikya laughed and said to them,
एतमेतद्भंवतो ऽत्र स्वार्थ साधनमन्त्रिणः
'This, O ministers, is indeed the means for your own benefit here.'
इत्युक्त्वा समुपेत्यैंनं स तु केशिध्वजं नृपम्
Having said this, he approached that king Keśidhvaja.
बाढमित्येव तेनोक्तः खाण्डिक्यस्तमथाब्रवीत्
When he replied, 'So be it,' Khāṇḍikya then said to him:
यदि चेद्दीयते मह्यं भवता गुरुनिष्क्रयः
If you will give me the teacher's fee,
न प्रार्थितं त्वया कस्मान्मम राज्यमकण्टकम्
Why did you not ask for my kingdom, free from obstacles?
केशिध्वज निबोध त्वं मया न प्रार्थितं यतः
Keśidhvaja, understand why I did not ask for it from you.
क्षत्रियाणामयं धर्मो यत्प्रजापरिपालनम्
This is the duty of kṣatriyas: the protection of their subjects.
यत्राशक्तस्य मे दोषो नैवास्त्यपकृते त्वया
Where I am powerless, there is no fault of mine if you act wrongly.
जन्मोपर्भागलिप्सार्थमियं गज्यस्पृहा मम
This desire for sovereignty in me is for the sake of gaining a share of birth and fortune.
न याच्ञा क्षत्रबन्धूनां धर्मायैतत्सतां मतम्
Requesting from fellow kṣatriyas is not considered righteous by the virtuous.
राज्यं गृध्नन्ति विद्वांसो ममत्वाकृष्टचेतसः
The learned, whose minds are drawn by attachment, covet kingship.
अहं च विद्यया मृत्युं तर्तुकामः करोमि वै
And I, wishing to cross over death by knowledge, indeed act.
तदिदं ते मनो दिष्ट्या विवेकैश्चर्यतां गतम्
Therefore, by fortune, your mind has attained discernment and wonder.
अनात्मन्यात्मबुद्धिर्या ह्यस्वे स्वविषया मतिः
That understanding which sees the self in the non-self, and regards what is not one's own as one's own—
पञ्चभूतात्मके देहे देही मोहतमोवृत्तः
The embodied soul, enveloped in the darkness of delusion, dwells in a body composed of the five elements.
आकाशवाय्वग्रिजलपृथिवीभिः पृथक् स्थिते
Space, air, fire, water, and earth exist separately.
कलेवरोपभोग्यं हि गृहक्षेत्रादिकं च यत्
Whatever is enjoyed by the body, such as house, land, and so on—
इत्थं च पुत्रपौत्रेषु तद्देहोत्पादितेषु च
Thus, in sons and grandsons, and in those produced from that body—
सर्वदेहोपभोगाय कुरुते कर्म मानवः
A person performs actions for the enjoyment of all bodies.
मृण्मयं हि यथा गेहं लिप्यते वै मृदं भसा
Just as a house made of clay is smeared with clay and cow-dung—
पञ्चभोगात्मकैर्भोगैः पञ्चभोगात्मकं वपुः
The body, composed of five enjoyments, is enjoyed by pleasures of fivefold nature.
अनेकजन्मसाहस्त्रं ससारपदवीं व्रजन्
Traversing the path of transmigration through many thousands of births—
प्रक्षाल्यते यदा सौम्य रेणुर्ज्ञानोष्णवारिणा
When, O gentle one, the dust is washed away by the warm water of knowledge—
मोहश्रमे शमं याते स्वच्छान्तःकरणः पुमान्
When the fatigue of delusion subsides, a man attains a mind that is clear and tranquil.
निर्वाणमय एवायमात्मा ज्ञानमयो ऽमलः
This self is composed of liberation, is made of knowledge, and is pure.
जलस्य नाग्निना संगः स्थालीसंगात्तथापि हि
Just as water does not mix with fire, yet it touches the vessel.