अवश्यं तु मया ज्ञेया सरसोस्य विनिष्क्रिया। यावदेवं स्थितश्चाहं चिंतयानो रघूत्तम
But I must certainly understand the circumstances of this lake; as I stood thus, thinking in this way, O best of the Raghus—
अथापश्यं मूहूर्तात्तु दिव्यमद्भुतदर्शनम्। विमानं परमोदारं हंसयुक्तं मनोजवम्
Then, after a moment, I saw a wondrous, divine vision: a splendid celestial chariot, swift as thought, yoked with swans.
पुरस्तत्र सहस्रं तु विमानेप्सरसां नृप। गंधर्वाश्चैव तत्संख्या रमयंति वरं नरम्
In front of it, O king, there were a thousand celestial nymphs in the chariot; and Gandharvas, equal in number, delighted that excellent man.
गायंति दिव्यगेयानि वादयंति तथा परे। अथापश्यं नरं तस्माद्विमानादवरोहितम्
Some sang divine songs, others played instruments; then I saw a man descend from that chariot.
शवमांसं भक्षयन्तं च स्नात्वा रघुकुलोद्वह। ततो भुक्त्वा यथाकामं स मांसं बहुपीवरम्
He ate the flesh of the corpse, and after bathing, O best of the Raghu line, he then ate his fill of that abundant, rich meat as he wished.
अवतीर्य सरः शीघ्रमारुरोह दिवं पुनः। तमहं देवसंकाशं श्रिया परमयान्वितम्
Descending quickly into the lake, he then ascended again to the heavens; I saw him, godlike, endowed with supreme splendor.
भो भो स्वर्गिन्महाभाग पृच्छामि त्वां कथं त्विदम्। जुगुप्सितस्तवाहारो गतिश्चेयं तवोत्तमा
"O you, blessed one of heaven! I ask you: how is it that your food is so repugnant, yet your destination so exalted?"
यदि गुह्यं न चैतत्ते कथय त्वद्य मे भवान्। कामतः श्रोतुमिच्छामि किमेतत्परमं वचः
"If this is not a secret, please tell me today; I wish to hear, of my own accord, what this supreme matter is."
को भवान्वद संदेहमाहारश्च विगर्हितः। त्वयेदं भुज्यते सौम्य किमर्थं क्व च वर्तसे
"Who are you? Resolve my doubt. Why do you eat such detestable food, gentle one? For what reason, and where do you dwell?"
कस्यायमैश्वरोभावः शवत्वेन विनिर्मितः। आहारं च कथं निंद्यं श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वतः
"Whose is this divine state, fashioned in the form of a corpse? And why is your food so blameworthy? I wish to hear the truth of this."
श्रुत्वा च भाषितं तत्र मम राम सतां वर। प्रांजलिः प्रत्युवाचेदं स स्वर्गी रघुनंदन
Hearing my words there, O Rama, best of the virtuous, that heavenly being, with joined palms, replied to me, descendant of Raghu.
शृणुष्वाद्य यथावृत्तं ममेदं सुखदुःखजम्। कामो हि दुरितक्रम्यः शृणु यत्पृच्छसे द्विज
"Listen now to the true account of my joys and sorrows; for desire, when pursued wrongly, brings misfortune—hear what you ask, O twice-born one."
पुरा वैदर्भको राजा पिता मे हि महायशाः। वासुदेव इति ख्यातस्त्रिषु लोकेषु धार्मिकः
Long ago, my father was the illustrious king of Vidarbha, known as Vāsudeva, righteous among the three worlds.
तस्य पुत्रद्वयं ब्रह्मन्द्वाभ्यां स्त्रीभ्यामजायत। अहं श्वेत इति ख्यातो यवीयान्सुरथोऽभवत्
He had two sons, born from two women; I am known as Śveta, and the younger was Suratha.
पितर्युपरते तस्मिन्पौरा मामभ्यषेचयन्। तत्राहंकारयन्राज्यं धर्मे चासं समाहितः
When my father passed away, the citizens anointed me as king; but in ruling, I became proud and was not steadfast in righteousness.
एवं वर्षसहस्राणि बहूनि समुपाव्रजन्। मम राज्यं कारयतः परिपालयतः प्रजाः
Thus, many thousands of years passed as I governed the kingdom and protected the people.
सोहं निमित्ते कस्मिंश्चिद्वैराग्येण द्विजोत्तम। मरणं हृदये कृत्वा तपोवनमुपागमम्
Then, O best of twice-born, at some point, through detachment, I fixed my mind on death and went to the forest of ascetics.
सोहं वनमिदं रम्यं भृशं पक्षिविवर्जितम्। प्रविष्टस्तप आस्थातुमस्यैव सरसोंतिके
I entered this delightful forest, free from birds, to undertake austerity beside this very lake.
राज्येऽभिषिच्य सुरथं भ्रातरं तं नराधिपम्। इदं सरः समासाद्य तपस्तप्तं सुदारुणम्
Having installed my brother Suratha as king, I reached this lake and performed severe austerity.
दशवर्षसहस्राणि तपस्तप्त्वा महावने। शुभं तु भवनं प्राप्तो ब्रह्मलोकमनामयम्
After practicing austerity for ten thousand years in the great forest, I attained a splendid abode, the flawless world of Brahmā.
स्वर्गस्थमपि मां ब्रह्मन्क्षुत्पिपासे द्विजोत्तम। अबाधेतां भृशं चाहमभवं व्यथितेंद्रियः
Yet, O brāhmin, even in heaven, hunger and thirst afflicted me greatly, and my senses became tormented.
ततस्त्रिभुवनश्रेष्ठमवोचं वै पितामहम्। भगवन्स्वर्गलोकोऽयं क्षुत्पिपासा विवर्जितः
Then I spoke to the Grandfather, the best in the three worlds: 'Lord, this heavenly realm is said to be free from hunger and thirst.'
कस्येयं कर्मणः पक्तिः क्षुत्पिपासे यतो हि मे। आहारः कश्च मे देव ब्रूहि त्वं श्रीपितामह
'For what action is this result, that I still feel hunger and thirst? O revered Grandfather, tell me what my food is.'
ततः पितामहः सम्यक्चिरं ध्यात्वा महामुने। मामुवाच ततो वाक्यं नास्ति भोज्यं स्वदेहजम्
Then the Grandfather, having meditated for a long time, spoke to me: 'There is no food here that is not of your own body.'
ॠते ते स्वानि मांसानि भक्षय त्वं तु हि नित्यशः। स्वशरीरं त्वया पुष्टं कुर्वता तप उत्तमम्
'Except for your own flesh, you must always eat that; by nourishing your own body, you will perform supreme austerity.'
नादत्तं जायते तात श्वेत पश्य महीतले। आग्रहाद्भिक्षमाणाय भिक्षापि प्राणिने पुरा
'O Śveta, see on earth: nothing arises from what is not given; even alms for a supplicant once came only through insistence.'
न हि दत्ता गृहे भ्रांत्या मोहादतिथये तदा। तेन स्वर्गगतस्यापि क्षुत्पिपासे तवाधुना
'If, through confusion or delusion, one does not give to a guest at home, then, even in heaven, hunger and thirst afflict you now.'
स त्वं प्रपुष्टमाहारैः स्वशरीरमनुत्तमम्। भक्षयस्व च राजेंद्र सा ते तृप्तिर्भविष्यति1.36.
'Therefore, O king, eat your own excellent body, well-nourished by food; thus you will find satisfaction.'
एवमुक्तस्ततो देवं ब्रह्माणमहमुक्तवान्। भक्षिते च स्वके देहे पुनरन्यन्न मे विभो
Thus addressed, I said to Lord Brahmā: 'Having eaten my own body, O Lord, I have no other food.'
क्षुधानिवारणं नैव देहस्यास्य विनौदनं। खादामि ह्यक्षयं देव प्रियं मे न हि जायते
'There is no relief from hunger without food for this body; I eat my own inexhaustible flesh, but I find no pleasure in it.'