ततस्तु जायते ज्ञानं सर्वतत्त्वार्थदर्शकम् । तत्त्वमूलमिदं ज्ञानं निर्मलं सर्वदर्शकम्
Then knowledge arises, seeing the meaning of all principles. This knowledge, rooted in truth, is pure and sees all.
तस्माच्छांतिं कुरुष्व त्वं सर्वसौख्यप्रवर्द्धिनीम् । समः शत्रौ च मित्रे च यथात्मनि तथापरे
Therefore, cultivate peace, which increases all happiness. Be equal toward enemy and friend, as toward yourself and others.
भव स्वनियतो नित्यं जिताहारो जितेंद्रियः । मैत्रं नैव प्रकर्तव्यं वैरं दूरे परित्यजेत्
Always be self-controlled, moderate in food, and master of the senses. Do not make friendship, and abandon enmity far away.
निःसंगो निःस्पृहो भूत्वा एकांतस्थानमाश्रितः । सर्वप्रकाशको ज्ञानी सर्वदर्शी भविष्यसि
Be free from attachment and desire, taking refuge in a solitary place. You will become a knower who illumines all, seeing everything.
एकस्थानस्थितो वत्स त्रैलोक्ये यद्भविष्यति । वृत्तांतं वेत्स्यसि त्वं तु मत्प्रसादान्न संशयः
Remaining in one place, O child, whatever happens in the three worlds, you will know it by my grace, without doubt.
कुंजल उवाच- सिद्धेन तेन मे विप्र ज्ञानरूपं प्रकाशितम् । तस्य वाक्ये स्थितो नित्यं तद्भावेनापि भावितः
Kuñjala said: O Brāhmaṇa, by that Siddha, the nature of knowledge was revealed to me. Abiding always in his words, I am imbued with his spirit.
त्रैलोक्ये वर्त्तते यद्यदेकस्थाने स्थितो ह्यहम् । तत्तदेव प्रजानामि प्रसादात्तस्य सद्गुरोः
Whatever exists in the three worlds, wherever I am situated in one place, I know all of it by the grace of that true teacher.
एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातमात्मवृत्तांतमेव हि । अन्यत्किं ते प्रवक्ष्यामि तद्ब्रूहि द्विजसत्तम
All this has been told to you—my own account indeed; what else should I say to you? Speak, O best of twice-born.
च्यवन उवाच- कीरयोनिं कथं प्राप्तो भवाञ्ज्ञानवतां वरः । तन्मे त्वं कारणं ब्रूहि सर्वसंदेहनाशनम्
Cyavana said: How did you, O foremost among the wise, come to be born in a bird's womb? Tell me that cause, which dispels all doubts.
कुंजल उवाच- संसर्गाज्जायते पापं संसर्गात्पुण्यमेव हि । तस्माद्विवर्जयेच्छुद्धो भव्यं विरुद्धमेव च
Kunjala said: From association arises sin, and from association arises merit; therefore, the pure should avoid what is contrary and unworthy.
लुब्धकेनापि पापेन केनाप्येकः शुकः शिशुः । बंधयित्वा समानीतो विक्रयार्थं समुद्यतः
By a greedy sinner, a young parrot was captured and brought, prepared for sale.
चाटुकांर सुरूपं तं पटुवाक्यं समीक्ष्य च । गृहीतो ब्राह्मणैकेन मम प्रीत्या समर्पितः
Seeing that charming, beautiful, and eloquent bird, a Brahmin took it and, out of affection, offered it to me.
ज्ञानध्यानस्थितो नित्यमहमेव द्विजोत्तम । समे बालस्वभावेन कौतुकात्करसंस्थितः
Always established in knowledge and meditation, O best of Brahmins, I, with the nature of a child, out of curiosity, kept it in my hand.
तस्य कौतुकवाक्यैर्वा मुग्धोऽहं द्विजसत्तम । शुकस्य पुत्ररूपस्य नित्यं तत्परमानसः
By its words of curiosity, I was captivated, O best of twice-born; my mind was always absorbed in that parrot, appearing as a son.
मामेवं वदते सोपि ताततातेति आस्यताम् । स्नातुं गच्छ महाभाग देवमर्चय सांप्रतम्
He would speak to me thus: 'Father, father, please sit; go bathe, O fortunate one, and worship the gods now.'
इत्यादिचाटुकैर्वाक्यैर्मामेवं परिभाषयेत् । तस्यवाक्यविनोदेन विस्मृतं ज्ञानमुत्तमम्
With such charming words, he would address me in this way; through the delight of his speech, my supreme knowledge was forgotten.
पुष्पार्थं फलभोगार्थं गतोहं वनमेव च । नीतः शुको बिडालेन मम दुःखस्य हेतवे
For the sake of flowers and enjoying fruits, I went to the forest; the parrot was taken by a cat, the cause of my sorrow.
मम संसर्गिभिः सर्वैर्वयस्यैः साधुचारिभिः । बिडालेन हतः पक्षी तेनैव भक्षितो हि सः
Among all my companions, who were virtuous in conduct, the bird was killed by the cat and was indeed eaten by it.
श्रुत्वा मृत्युं गतं विप्र शुकं तं चाटुकारकम् । महता दुःखभावेन असुखेनातिदुःखितः
Hearing that the parrot, the charming speaker, had died, O Brahmin, I was greatly afflicted with intense sorrow and unhappiness.
तस्य दुःखेन मुग्धोस्मि तीव्रेणापि सुपीडितः । महता मोहजालेन बद्धोऽहं द्विजपुंगव
By his sorrow I was bewildered, severely tormented; bound by a great net of delusion, O foremost of Brahmins.
प्रालपं रामचंद्रेति शुकराजेति पंडित । श्लोकराजेति तं विप्र मोहाच्चलितमानसः
I kept uttering 'Rama,' 'Shuka,' 'Scholar,' 'King of verses,' O Brahmin, my mind shaken by delusion.
ततोऽहं दुःखसंतप्तः संजातः स्वेनकर्मणा । वियोगेनापि विप्रेंद्र शुकस्य शृणु सांप्रतम्
Then, afflicted by sorrow, I was born by my own karma; also by separation, O chief of Brahmins, listen now about the parrot.
विस्मृतं तन्मया ज्ञानं सिद्धेनापि प्रकाशितम् । संस्मरञ्छोकसंतप्तस्तं शुकं चाटुकारकम्
That knowledge, revealed even by a perfected being, was forgotten by me; remembering that charming parrot, I was scorched by grief.
वत्सवत्सेति नित्यं वै प्रलपञ्छृणु भार्गव । गद्यपद्यमयैर्वाक्यैः संस्कृताक्षरसंयुतैः
Always uttering 'child, child,' listen, O Bhargava; with words composed in prose and verse, adorned with Sanskrit syllables.
त्वां विना कश्च मां वत्स बोधयिष्यति सांप्रतम् । कथाभिस्तु विचित्राभिः पक्षिराजप्रसाद्य माम्
Without you, my child, who would instruct me now, charming me with wondrous tales and winning me over by the favor of the king of birds?
अस्मिन्सुनिर्जनोद्याने विहाय क्व गतो भवान् । केन दोषेण लिप्तोस्मि तन्मे कथय सांप्रतम्
In this utterly deserted garden, where have you gone, leaving me behind? By what fault have I been tainted? Tell me this now.
एवंविधैरहं वाक्यैः करुणैस्तैस्तु मोहितः । एवमादि प्रलप्याहं शोकेनापि सुपीडितः
With such words, filled with sorrow, I was bewildered; speaking thus and more, I was overwhelmed by grief.
मृतोहं तेन मोहेन तद्भावेनापि मोहितः । मरणे यादृशो भावो मतिश्चासीच्च यादृशी
I died in that delusion, bewildered by that very state; and the disposition and thought I had at death—
तादृशेनापि भावेन जातोऽहं द्विजसत्तम । गर्भवासो मया प्राप्तो ज्ञानस्मृतिविधायकः
By that very disposition, O best of twice-born, I was reborn; I entered the womb, endowed with the faculty of knowledge and memory.
स्मृतं पूर्वकृतं कर्म स्वयमेव विचेष्टितम् । मया पापेन मूढेन किं कृतं ह्यकृतात्मना
I remembered the deeds I had done before, performed by my own misguided self; what sinful act did I commit, being so deluded and undisciplined?