ततः सा सिंहसन्नादादुत्प्लुता निम्नगातटम्
Then, startled by a lion's roar, she leapt to the riverbank.
तमुह्यमानं वेगेन वीचिमालापरिप्लुतम्
Swept away by the current, engulfed by waves, he was carried off.
गर्भप्रच्युतिदुःखेन प्रोत्तुङ्गाक्रणेन च
With the pain of miscarriage and her body raised high.
हरिणीं तां विलोक्याथ विपन्नां नृपतापसः
Seeing the deer, now lost and distressed, the royal ascetic was moved.
चकारानुदिनं चासौ मृगपोतस्य वै नृपः
Day by day, the king cared for the young fawn.
चचाराश्रमपर्यन्तं तृणानि गहनेषु सः
He wandered the hermitage's outskirts, gathering grass in the thickets.
प्रातर्गत्वादिदूरं च सायमायात्यथाश्रमम्
In the morning he would go far away, and in the evening he would return to the hermitage.
तस्यतस्मिन्मृगे दूरसमीपपरिवर्तिनि
There, as that deer wandered sometimes near, sometimes far,
विमुक्तराज्यतनयः प्रोज्झिताशेषबान्धवः
He, having abandoned his kingdom and sons, forsaking all his relatives,
किं वृकैभक्षितो व्याघ्नैः किं सिंहेन निपातितः
Did a wolf devour him? Was he struck down by tigers? Or did a lion kill him?
प्रीतिप्रसन्नवदनः पार्श्वस्थे चाभवन्मृगे
With a face bright with joy and affection, he would remain beside the deer.
कालेन गच्छता सो ऽथ कालं चक्रे महीपतिः
As time passed, that king met his end.
मृगमेव तदाद्राक्षीत्त्यजन्प्राणानसावपि
At that time, as he beheld the deer, he too gave up his life.
जाति स्मरत्वादुद्विग्नः संसारस्य द्विजोत्तम
Because of remembering his former birth, he was agitated by the world, O best of twice-born.
शुष्कैस्तृणैस्तथा पर्णैः स कुर्वन्नात्मपोषणम्
There, sustaining himself with dry grass and leaves,
तत्र चोत्सृष्टदेहो ऽसौ जज्ञे जातिस्मरो द्विजः
There, after casting off that body, he was born as a twice-born who remembered his previous birth.
सर्वविज्ञान संपन्नः सर्वशास्त्रार्थतत्त्ववित्
Endowed with all knowledge, knowing the true meaning of all the scriptures,
आत्मनोधिगतज्ञानाद्द्वेवादीनि महामुने
Because of knowledge attained by his own self, O great sage, he knew both the beginning and the end.
न पपाठ गुरुप्रोक्तं कृतोपनयनः श्रुतम्
Though his initiation was performed, he did not recite the teachings spoken by his teacher.
उक्तो ऽपि बहुशः किञ्चिज्जण्ड वाक्यमभाषत
Even when addressed repeatedly, he spoke only a few dull words.
अपद्धस्तवपुः सो ऽपि मलिनांबरधृङ् मुने
He too, O sage, had a misshapen body and wore soiled garments.
संमानेन परां हानिं योगर्द्धेः कुरुते यतः
Because honor brings great loss to the power of yoga,
तस्माञ्चरेत वै योगी सतां धर्ममदूषयन्
Therefore, a yogi should act without corrupting the dharma of the virtuous.
हिरण्यगर्भवचनं विचिन्त्येत्थं महामतिः
Reflecting thus on the words of Hiranyagarbha, the great-minded one...
भुङ्क्ते कुल्माषवटकान् शाकं त्रन्यफलं कणान्
He eats coarse grain cakes, vegetables, wild fruit, and seeds.
पितर्युपरते सो ऽथ भ्रातृभ्रातृव्यबान्धवैः
When his father has passed away, he remains with brothers, cousins, and relatives.
सरूक्षपीनावयवो जडकारी च कर्मणि
His limbs are rough and swollen, and he acts sluggishly in his tasks.
तं तादृशमसंस्कारं विप्राकृतिविचेष्टितम्
Such a person, lacking proper refinement, behaves in a manner unbefitting a Brahmin.
स राजा शिबिकारूढो गन्तुं कृतमतिर्द्विज
That king, mounted on a palanquin, resolved to depart, O Brahmin.
श्रेयः किमत्र संसारे दुःखप्राये नृणामिति
He pondered, 'What is the highest good in this world, which is mostly full of suffering for people?'