मिथ्या तदप्यत्र भवान् शृणोतु वचनं मम
Even that is false; but you, sir, listen to my words.
ऊरु जङ्घाद्वयावस्थौ तदाधारं तथोदरम्
The thighs and the two shanks are the supports, as is the abdomen.
स्कन्धाश्रितयें शिबिका ममाधारो ऽत्र किङ्कृतः
This palanquin is supported by the shoulders; what role do I play here as its bearer?
तत्र त्वमहमप्यत्रेत्युच्यते चेदमन्यथा
If it is said that you and I are both present here, then this must be explained differently.
गुणप्रवाहपतितो भूतवर्गो ऽपि यात्ययम्
Even the multitude of beings, caught in the current of qualities, proceeds in this way.
अविद्यासंचितं कर्मतश्चाशेषेषु जन्तुषु
Because of ignorance and actions accumulated, countless beings are thus bound.
प्रवृद्ध्यपचयौ न स्त एकस्याखिलजन्तुषु
Increase and decrease do not occur in the same way for all beings.
तदापि बालिशो ऽसि त्वं कया युक्त्या त्वयेरितम्
Still, you are childish; by what reasoning have you spoken thus?
शिबिकेयं यदा स्कन्धे तदा भारः समस्त्वया
When this palanquin is on your shoulder, then the burden is entirely yours.
शैलद्रुमगृहोत्थो ऽपि पृथिवीसंभवो ऽपि च
Whether it is made of mountain, tree, or house, or even if it arises from the earth,
सोढव्यः सुमहान्भारः कतमो नृप ते मया
Which great burden among these, O king, have I not borne?
भवतो मे ऽखिलस्यास्य समत्वेनोपबृंहितः
By you, the entirety of this has been equally increased for me.
सो ऽपि राजावतीर्योर्व्यां तत्पादौ जगृहे त्वरन्
Then the king quickly descended to the earth and grasped his feet.
कथ्यतां को भवानत्र जाल्मरुपधरः स्थितः
Tell me, who are you here, standing in the guise of a servant?
तत्सर्वं कथ्यतां विद्वन्मह्यं शुश्रूषवे त्वया
Tell me all of this, O wise one, for I am eager to hear from you.
उपयोगनिमित्तं च सर्वत्रागमनक्रिया
The reason for coming and acting everywhere is for the sake of utility.
धर्माधर्मोद्भवौ भोक्तुं जन्तुर्देहादिमृच्छति
A being desires to obtain body and so on, to experience the results of virtue and vice.
धर्माधर्मौं यतस्तस्मात्कारणं पृच्छ्यते कुतः
Since virtue and vice arise from that, the cause is asked: from where?
उपभोगनिमित्तं च देहाद्देहान्तरागमः
The transmigration from one body to another is for the purpose of enjoyment.
वक्तुं न शक्यते श्रोतुं तन्ममेच्चा प्रवर्तते
It cannot be spoken or heard; yet my desire to know arises.
आत्मन्येव न दोषाय शब्दो ऽहमिति यो द्विजा
The word 'I am' does not bring fault when applied to oneself, O twice-born.
अनात्मन्यात्मविज्ञानं शब्दो वा श्रुतिलक्षणः
Knowledge of the self in what is not the self, or the word as defined by scripture, is not proper.
एतेनाहं यतः सर्वे वाङ्निष्पादनहेतवः
By this, I am the cause of all speech production.
तथापि वागहमेद्वक्तुमित्थं न युज्यते
Still, to say 'I am speech' or 'I am the speaker' is not appropriate.
ततो ऽहमिति कुत्रैनां संज्ञां राजन्करोम्यहम्
Therefore, where do I, the king, assign this designation 'I am'?
न देहो ऽहमयं चान्ये वक्तुमेवमपीष्यते
This body is not 'I', nor are others; even so, it is desired to speak thus.
तददा हि को भवान्को ऽहमित्येतद्विफलं वचः
Then, who are you and who am I? Such speech is fruitless.
अयं च भवतो लोको न सदेतन्नृपोच्यते
And this world of yours, O king, is not real; so it is said.
क्व वृक्षसंज्ञा वै तस्या दारुसंज्ञाथवा नृप
Where is the designation 'tree' for it, or the designation 'wood', O king?
न च दारुणि सर्वस्त्वां ब्रवीति शिबिकागतम्
And in the wood, no one calls you the one who has entered the palanquin.