दिवारात्रौ न निद्रास्ति नास्ति सुखस्य साधनम् । तस्माद्दुःखमयं तात न यास्ये गुरुमंदिरम्
There is no sleep by day or night, nor any means to happiness; therefore, father, I will not go to the teacher’s house, which is full of suffering.
विद्याकार्यं करिष्ये न क्रीडार्थमहमुत्सुकः । भोक्ष्ये स्वप्स्ये प्रसादात्ते करिष्ये क्रीडनं पितः
I will do the work of learning, not eager for play; I will eat, sleep, and play only with your permission, father.
डिंभैः सार्द्धं सुखेनापि दिवारात्रमतंद्रितः । मामुवाच स धर्मात्मा मूढं ज्ञात्वा सुदुःखितः
Even though I stayed day and night without weariness, happily with the other boys, that righteous one, knowing me to be foolish and deeply distressed, spoke to me.
विद्याधर उवाच- मा पुत्र साहसं कार्षीर्विद्यार्थमुद्यमं कुरु । विद्यया प्राप्यते सौख्यं यशः कीर्तिस्तथातुला
The Vidyādhara said: My son, do not act rashly; strive for learning. Through knowledge, happiness, fame, and incomparable glory are attained.
ज्ञानं स्वर्गश्च मोक्षश्च तस्माद्विद्यां प्रसाधय । पूर्वं सुदुःखमूला तु पश्चाद्विद्या सुखप्रदा
Knowledge, heaven, and liberation are gained thereby; therefore, pursue learning. Though at first it is rooted in great suffering, later knowledge brings happiness.
तस्मात्साधय पुत्र त्वं विद्यां गुरुगृहं व्रज । पितुर्वाक्यमकुर्वाणो अहमेवं दिनदिने
Therefore, my son, pursue learning and go to the teacher’s house. Not following my father’s words, I, day by day—
यत्रयत्र स्थितो नित्यमर्थहानिं करोम्यहम् । उपहासः कृतो लोकैर्ममविप्र प्रकुत्सनम्
Wherever I stayed, I always caused loss of wealth; I was mocked by people, O brāhmaṇa, and scorned.
मम लज्जा समुत्पन्ना जीवनाशकरी तदा । विद्यार्थमुद्यतो विप्र कं गुरुं प्रार्थयाम्यहम्
Shame arose in me then, enough to destroy life; desiring knowledge, O brāhmaṇa, I wondered which teacher I should seek.
इति चिंतापरो जातो दुःखशोकसमाकुलः । कथं विद्यामहं जाने कथं विंदाम्यहं गुणान्
Thus, absorbed in thought, overwhelmed by sorrow and grief, I wondered: How shall I gain knowledge? How shall I obtain virtues?
कथं मे जायते स्वर्गः कथं मोक्षं व्रजाम्यहम् । इत्येवं चिंतयन्विप्र वार्द्धक्यमगमं पुनः
How will heaven come to me? How will I attain liberation? Thinking thus, O brāhmaṇa, I again reached old age.
देवतायतने दुःखी उपविष्टस्त्वहं कदा । मद्भाग्यैः प्रेरितः कश्चित्सिद्ध एकः समागतः
Once, as I sat sorrowful in a temple, driven by my fate, a certain accomplished sage came to me.
निराश्रयो जिताहारः सदानंदस्तु निःस्पृहः । एकांतमास्थितो विप्र योगयुक्तो जितेंद्रियः
He was without support, restrained in food, always blissful, free from desire, sitting apart, O brāhmaṇa, united with yoga, with senses subdued.
परब्रह्मणि संलीनो ज्ञानध्यानसमाधिमान् । तमहं संश्रितो विप्र ज्ञानरूपं महामतिम्
Absorbed in the Supreme Brahman, established in knowledge, meditation, and concentration, I took refuge in him, O brāhmaṇa, that great-minded one, embodiment of knowledge.
अहं शुद्धेन भावेन भक्त्या नमितकंधरः । नमस्कृत्य महात्मानं पुरतस्तस्य संस्थितः
With pure intent, devotion, and bowed head, I saluted that great soul and stood before him.
दीनरूपो ह्यहं जातो मंदभाग्यस्तथा पुनः । तेनाहं पृच्छितो विप्र कस्माद्भवान्प्रशोचति
I appeared wretched, of poor fortune once more; then he asked me, O brāhmaṇa, 'Why are you grieving?'
केनाभिप्रायभावेन दुःखमेव भुनक्ति वै । तेनेत्युक्तोस्मि विप्रेंद्र ज्ञानिना योगिना तदा
'With what intention do you suffer so much?' Thus I was asked, O best of brāhmaṇas, by that wise yogin.
सुमूढेन मया तस्य पूर्ववृत्तांतमेव हि । तमेवं श्रावितं सर्वं सर्वज्ञत्वं कथं व्रजेत्
Being very deluded, I told him all my past story; I recounted everything, asking how omniscience might be attained.
एतदर्थं महादुःखी भवान्मम गतिः सदा । स चोवाच महात्मा मे सर्वं ज्ञानस्य कारणम्
For this reason, being greatly afflicted, you have always been my refuge; and that great soul said to me, 'All this is the cause of knowledge.'
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने गुरुतीर्थमाहात्म्ये च्यवनचरित्रे द्वाविंशत्यधिकशततमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the one hundred twenty-second chapter in the Bhūmikhaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Purāṇa, in the story of Vena, concerning the greatness of the Guru Tīrtha and the account of Cyavana.
सिद्ध उवाच- श्रूयतामभिधास्यामि ज्ञानरूपं तवाग्रतः । ज्ञानस्य नास्ति वै देहो हस्तौ पादौ च चक्षुषी
The Siddha said: Listen, I will explain to you the nature of knowledge before you. Knowledge has no body, no hands, no feet, nor eyes.
नासाकर्णौ न ज्ञानस्य नास्ति चैवास्थिसंग्रहः । केन दृष्टं तु वै ज्ञानं कानि लिंगानि तस्य वै
Knowledge has neither nose nor ears, nor any collection of bones. By what is knowledge perceived, and what are its marks?
आकारैर्वर्जितं नित्यं सर्वं वेत्ति स सर्ववित् । दिवाप्रकाशकः सूर्यो रात्रौ प्रकाशयेच्छशी
It is always devoid of form, yet knows everything; it is the all-knower. The sun illuminates the day, the moon illumines the night.
गृहं प्रकाशयेद्दीपो लोकमध्ये स्थिता अमी । तत्पदं केन वै धाम्ना दृश्यते शृणु सत्तम
A lamp lights up a house; these shine in the midst of the world. By what radiance is that supreme state seen? Listen, O noble one.
न विंदंति हि मूढास्ते मोहिता विष्णुमायया । कायमध्ये स्थितं ज्ञानं ध्यानदीप्तमनौपमम्
Those deluded by Viṣṇu's Māyā do not find it; knowledge, unmatched and bright as meditation, dwells within the body.
तत्पदं तेन दृश्येत चंद्रसूर्यादिभिर्न च । हस्तपादौ विना ज्ञानमचक्षुः कर्णवर्जितम्
That supreme state cannot be seen by the sun, moon, or others. Knowledge is without hands, feet, eyes, or ears.
तस्य सर्वत्र गतिरस्ति सर्वं गृह्णाति पश्यति । सर्वमाघ्राति विप्रेंद्र शृणोत्येवं न संशयः
It moves everywhere, grasps everything, and sees all. It smells everything, O best of Brāhmaṇas, and hears all, without doubt.
नास्ति ज्ञानसमो दीपः सर्वांधकारनाशने । स्वर्गे भूमौ च पाताले स्थाने स्थाने च दृश्यते
There is no lamp equal to knowledge for destroying all darkness. It is seen in heaven, on earth, in the netherworld, and in every place.
कायमध्ये स्थितं ज्ञानं न विंदंति कुबुद्धयः । ज्ञानस्थानं प्रवक्ष्यामि यस्माज्ज्ञानं प्रजायते
Those of poor understanding do not find the knowledge residing within the body. I will declare the place of knowledge, from which it arises.
प्राणिनां हृदये नित्यं निहितं सर्वदा द्विज । कामादीन्सुमहाभोगान्महामोहादिकांस्तथा
It is always established in the heart of living beings, O twice-born. It burns up all great enjoyments like desire, and also great delusions.
विवेकवह्निना सर्वान्दिधक्षति सदैव यः । सर्वशांतिमयोभूत्वा इंद्रियार्थं प्रमर्द्दयेत्
Whoever always burns them with the fire of discernment, having become full of peace, crushes the objects of the senses.