मायामरालो ददृशे तेजःस्तंभस्यपार्श्वतः
A magical swan appeared beside the pillar of light.
प्रागत्यगादुत्पततां ततोऽध्वानं पयोमुचाम्
He first crossed the path of the clouds as he soared upward.
तेजसां यानि धामानि ह्यत्युच्चान्यूर्ध्वचारिणाम्
He passed through the realms of light belonging to those who dwell high above.
मरुतो मनसो वापि जवः सूक्ष्मतराकृतेः
The speed of wind or mind is subtle, but his form was even more so.
यथायथा चोत्पपात सुदूरं श्रमितच्छदः
As he rose higher and higher, his leaf-covering, worn out, fell far behind.
अतीत्य मरुतां स्कंधान्सप्त संप्राप्तविस्मयः
Passing beyond the seven hosts of the winds, he was filled with astonishment.
कथं वाऽदृष्टमूलस्य स्थातव्यं पुरतो हरेः 1.3.2.12.
How can one stand before Hari, whose root is unseen?
अनिर्व्यूढप्रतिज्ञस्य दीर्घैः किं वा ममासुभिः
What use are my long years of life, when my vow remains unfulfilled?
अतिसंधित्सतो विष्णुं कस्सहायो भविष्यति
Who will be an ally to one who seeks to surpass Viṣṇu?
छद्मना वा तिरस्कुर्यान्माना हि महतां धनम्
Or, by some trick, could he conceal it? For pride is the wealth of the great.
आकाशे ददृशे नातिदूरे किमपि निर्मलम्
In the sky, not far away, he saw something pure and clear.
यद्वा मृणालं तत्सिंधौ वियत्यस्यां कुतस्तु सः
Is it a stalk of lotus in the sea, or in the sky? How could it be there?
अबोधि केतकीबर्हमिति राजीवजन्मना
Born from the lotus, he realized it was a ketakī leaf.
हिरण्यगर्भो विमलमगृह्णात्केतकच्छदम्
Hiraṇyagarbha took up the spotless ketakī leaf.
वर्षाणां शतसाहस्रमुत्पत्यैवं विहायसा
For a hundred thousand years he soared thus through the sky.
अचिंतयत्पद्मसूतिरत्यंतं विहताशयः
The lotus-born, his hopes dashed, pondered deeply.
अनिर्व्यूढप्रतिज्ञावान्नीचतामपि संश्रितः 1.3.2.12.
With his vow unfulfilled, he had even taken refuge in lowliness.
अहमेतत्परीक्षायां क्व परिच्छिन्न पौरुषः प्रध्वंसंत इवांगानि पतामीवाहमप्यधः
In this trial, where is my limited strength? My limbs seem to be falling apart, as if I too am collapsing downward.
किं वान्यद्बहुनोक्तेन सह निश्वासवायुभिः
What more is there to say with many words, along with these sighing breaths?
अहंकारमदग्रंथिरयं त्रुटतु चित्ततः
Let this knot of pride and arrogance be broken from my mind.
यदेष रोदःकुहरपरिणाहाधिकोद्यमः
For this effort, surpassing the measure of the cavity of the world—
तदस्य तेजसां राशेर्नाहं नारायणोऽथवा
Of this mass of splendor, I am neither Nārāyaṇa nor anyone else.
इतो नोत्पतितुं शक्तिरस्ति मे तन्निवर्त्तये
I do not have the power to rise from here and turn that back.
प्रत्यभाषत तं कस्त्वं कुतो वा प्राप्तवानिति
He addressed him: 'Who are you, and from where have you come?'
केतकच्छद एवासं सचैतन्यः शिवाज्ञया
By Śiva’s command, I was a ketaka leaf, endowed with consciousness.
भूलोक इच्छया वस्तुं ततः संप्राप्तवानहम्
Desiring to dwell on earth, I have now arrived here.
इत्थं श्रुत्वा केतकीबर्हवाचं लब्ध्वाश्वासं तं किलांभोजभूतिः 1.3.2.12.
Hearing thus the words of the ketaka leaf, the lotus-born gained reassurance.
ईदृश्यः परितो लग्ना यस्मिन्ब्रह्मांडकोटयः
Countless universes are attached all around to this one.
चतुर्युगायुतैर्यातं ततो निपततो मम
Having passed through forty thousand yugas, I then fell down.
इति ब्रुवाणमेनं च नमस्कृत्य सरोजभूः
Thus, as he was speaking, the lotus-born bowed to him.