पितर्युपरते सोऽथ भ्रातृ-भ्रातृव्य-बान्धवैः । कारितः क्षेत्रकर्मादि कदन्नाहारपोषितः
After his father passed away, he was made to work in the fields and other tasks by his brothers, cousins, and relatives, and was sustained with coarse food.
स तूक्षपीनावयवो जद़कारी च कर्मणि । सर्वलोकोपकरणां बभूवाहारवेतनः
Though his limbs were thin and he acted as if dull, he performed all tasks for the benefit of others, receiving only food as his wage.
[तं तादृशमसंस्कारं विप्राकृविचेष्टितम् । क्षत्ता पृषतराजस्य काल्यै पशुमकल्पयत्
The chamberlain, seeing him in such a state, unrefined and behaving like a non-Brahmin, prepared him as a sacrificial animal for the goddess Kālī on the order of the king.
रात्रौ तं समलङकृत्य वैशसस्य विधानतः । अधिष्ठितं महाकाली ज्ञात्वा योगेश्वरं तथा
At night, after adorning him according to the prescribed rites for a Vaiśasa sacrifice, the goddess Mahākālī, knowing that the Yogeshvara was present, took her place.
ततः खड गं समादाय निशितं निशि सा तथा । क्षत्तार क्रूरकर्माणमच्छिनत् कण्ठमूलतः । स्वपार्षदयुता देवी पपौ रुधिरमुल्वणम्
Then, in the night, she took up a sharp sword and, together with her attendants, cruelly severed the chamberlain's neck at its root and drank the copious blood.
ततः सौवीरराजस्य प्रयातस्य महात्मनः । विष्टिकर्ताथ मन्येत विष्टियोग्योऽयमित्यपि
After that, when the great-souled king of Sauvīra set out, the collector of forced labor considered, 'This one is fit for forced labor.'
तं तादृशं महात्मानं भस्मच्छन्नमिवानलम् ।]* *[ एतदाकारबन्धनीदूयान्तर्गतबागः सर्वत्र पुस्तके न दृश्यते । श्रीधरेणाप्यस्य व्याख्या न कृता, अतः सर्वसम्मति शून्यत्वादयं बागो बन्धनीदूयगर्मै स्थापितः ।] तं तादृशमसंस्कारं विप्राकृतिविचेष्टितम् । क्षत्ता सौवीरराजस्य विष्टियोग्यममन्यत
That great-souled one, covered with ashes like fire, was regarded by the collector of forced labor as suitable for such work, seeing his unrefined state and non-Brahmin behavior.
स राजा शिविकारूढो गन्तूं कृतमतिर्द्रिज ! बभूवेक्षुमतीतीरे कपिलर्षेर्वराश्रमम्
The king, determined to go, mounted his palanquin, O twice-born, and proceeded to the excellent hermitage of the sage Kapila on the bank of the Ikṣumatī river.
श्रेयः किमत्र संसारे दुः खप्राये नृणामिति । प्रष्टुं तं मोक्षधर्मज्ञ कपिलाख्यं महामुनिम्
He wished to ask that great sage named Kapila, who knew the dharma of liberation, 'What is the highest good in this world, so full of suffering for men?'
उवाह शिविकां तस्य क्षत्तुर्वचनचोदितः । नृणां विष्टिगृहीतानामन्येषां सोऽपि मध्यगः
Urged by the words of the collector, he carried the king's palanquin, joining the other men who had been pressed into forced labor.
गृहीतो विष्टिना विप्रः सर्वज्ञानैकभाजनम् । जातिस्मणेऽसौ पापस्य क्षयकाम उवाह ताम्
The Brahmin, who was the sole vessel of all knowledge and remembered his past births, took up the palanquin, wishing for the destruction of his sin, after being seized for forced labor.
ययौ जड़गतिः सोऽथ युगमात्रवलोकनः । कुर्वन् मतिमतां श्रेष्ठस्तदन्ये त्वरितं ययुः
He moved with the gait of an old man, looking only for a moment at a time; but the others, being the best among the wise, went quickly.
विलोक्य नृपतिः सोऽथ विषमां शिबिकागतिम् । किमेतदित्याह समं गम्यतां शिबिकावहाः
The king, seeing the uneven movement of the palanquin, said, 'What is this? Carry the palanquin evenly, bearers!'
पुनस्तथैव शिबिकां विलोक्य विषमां हि सः । नृपः किमेतदित्याह भवद भिर्गम्यतेऽन्यथा
Again, seeing the palanquin moving unevenly, the king said, 'What is this? Why are you not carrying it properly?'
भूपतेर्वदतस्तस्य श्रुत्वेत्थं बहुशो वचः । शिबिकावाहकाः प्रोचुरयं यातीत्यसत्वरम्
Hearing the king repeatedly say this, the palanquin bearers replied, 'This one is going slowly.'
किं श्रान्तोऽस्यल्पमद्वानं त्वयोढा शिहिका मम । किमायाससहो न त्वं पीनानसि निरीक्ष्यसे
'Are you tired from carrying my palanquin only a short distance? Or are you unable to bear the effort, though you appear strong?'
नाहं पीवान्न चैवोढा शिबिका भवतो मया । न श्रान्तोऽस्मि न चायासः सोञव्योऽस्ति महीपते
'I am not strong, nor am I the one carrying your palanquin. I am not tired, nor do I feel any strain, O king.'
प्रत्यक्षं दृश्यसे पीवानद्यांपि शिबिका त्वयि । श्रमश्व भारोदूहने भवत्येव हि देहिनाम्
'You are seen to be strong, and the palanquin is indeed upon you now. For embodied beings, fatigue does arise from bearing a load.'
प्रत्यक्ष भवता भूप ! यदू दृष्ट मम तदूद । बलवानबलश्चेति वाच्यं पश्वादू विशेषणम्
'O king, what you see directly in me—whether I am strong or weak—should be spoken of as a quality of cattle, not of the self.'
त्वयोढ़ा शिबिका चेति त्वय्यद्यापि च संस्थिता । मिथ्यैतदत्र तु भवाञ्छृणोतु वचनं मम
'If the palanquin belongs to you and is placed upon you, even so, this is mistaken; but listen to my words on this matter.'
भूमौ पादयुगस्यास्था जह्घ पाददूये स्थिते । ऊरू जङ्घादूयावस्थौ तदाधारं तथोदरम्
When the pair of feet is placed on the ground, the shanks and feet are in contact with the earth; the thighs are above the shanks, and above them is the abdomen, which serves as their support.
वक्षः स्थलं तथा बाहू स्कन्धौ चोदरसंस्थितौ । स्कन्धाश्रितेयं शिबिका मम भारोऽत्र किकृतः
The chest and arms, as well as the shoulders, are positioned above the abdomen; this palanquin rests upon the shoulders, and thus its burden is borne here.
शिबिकायां स्थितं चेदं वपुस्त्वदुपलक्षितम् । तत्र त्वमहमप्यत्र प्रोच्यते चेदमन्यथा
This body, which you perceive as situated in the palanquin, if it is spoken of as 'you' or 'I' in this context, then it is otherwise (not truly so).
अहं त्वञ्च तथान्ये च भूतैरुह्माम पार्थिव । गुणप्रवाहपतितो भूतवर्गोऽपि यात्ययम्
You, I, and others as well, O king, are all borne by the elements; and this collection of beings, fallen into the current of qualities, also passes away.
कर्मवश्या गुणाश्चैते सत्त्वाद्या- पृथिवीपते ! अविद्यासञ्चितं कर्म्म तज्वाशेषेषु जन्तुषु
These qualities, such as sattva and the rest, O lord of the earth, are subject to karma; and the karma accumulated by ignorance attaches to all living beings.
आत्मा शुद्धोऽक्षरः शान्तो निर्गुणः प्रकृतेः परः । प्रवृद्धयपचयौ नास्य एकस्याखिलजन्तुषु
The self is pure, imperishable, peaceful, without qualities, and beyond nature; for this one, among all beings, there is neither growth nor decay.
यदा नोपचयस्तस्य न चैवापचये नृप! तदा पीवानसीतीत्थं कया युत्तया त्वयेरितम्
When there is neither increase nor decrease for that (self), O king, then by what reasoning did you say, 'He is stout or lean'?
भू-पाद-जङ्घा-क्ठ्यूरु-जठरादिषु संस्थिते । शिबिकेयं यता स्कन्धे तथा भारः समस्त्वया
As the palanquin rests upon the shoulders, with the feet, shanks, thighs, abdomen, and so on, so too is the burden borne by you.
तदान्यैर्जन्तुभर्भूप ! शिबिकोढा न केवलम् । लै-द्रुम-गृहोत्थोऽपि पृथिवीसम्भवोऽपि वा
O king, this palanquin is not borne by you alone, but also by other beings; it may be made from wood, trees, houses, or even from the earth.
यदा पुसः पृथग्भावः प्राकृतैः कारणौर्नृप ! सोढव्यस्तु तदायासः कथं वा नृपते । मया
When the distinction of the bearer arises from natural causes, O king, then that exertion must be endured; how, then, can it be by me?