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?
यदूद्रव्या शिबिका चेयं तदूद्रव्यो भूतसंग्रहः । भवतो मेऽखिलस्यास्य ममत्वेनोपबृ हितः
This palanquin is made of matter, and so is the collection of beings; all this, belonging to you or to me, is supported only by a sense of possession.
एवमुक्त्वाभवन्मैनी स वहञ्छिबिकां द्रिज ! सोऽपि राजावतीर्य्योर्व्यं तत्पादौ जगृहे त्वरन्
Having spoken thus, the wise one continued to carry the palanquin, O twice-born; and that king, descending quickly to the earth, grasped his feet.
भो भो विसृज्य शिबिकां प्रसादं कुरु मे द्रिज! कथ्यतां को भवानत्र जालमरूपधरः स्थितः
"O, O! Release the palanquin and show me your favor, O twice-born! Tell me, who are you here, standing in this mysterious form?"
यो भवान् यन्निमित्तं वा यदागमनकारण्म् । तत्सर्वं कथ्यतां विदून् ! मह्म शुश्रूषवे त्वया
"Who are you, for what reason, and why have you come? Let all this be told, O wise one, for I am eager to hear from you."
श्रूयतां कोऽहमित्येतदूक्तुं भूप! न शक्यते । उपभोगनिमित्तञ्च सर्वत्र गमनक्रिया
Hear this, O king: it is not possible to say who I am; and in all cases, movement is undertaken for the sake of enjoyment.
सुखदुः खोपभोगौ तु तौ देहाद्यु पपादकौ । धर्माधर्मोद्भवौ भोक्तु जन्तुर्देहादिमृच्छति
Pleasure and pain are experienced through the body and the rest; arising from righteousness and unrighteousness, the living being obtains body and so on in order to enjoy them.
सर्वस्यैव हि बूपाल ! जन्तोः सर्वत्र कारणम् । धर्माधर्मौ यतः कस्मात् कारणां पृच्छयते त्वया
For every being, O protector of the earth, righteousness and unrighteousness are the cause of everything; so why do you ask about the cause?
धर्माधमां न सन्देहः सर्वकार्य्येषु कारणम् । उपभोगनिमित्तञ्च देहाद्द हान्तरागमः
There is no doubt that righteousness and unrighteousness are the cause of all actions; and for the sake of enjoyment, the body is obtained and then relinquished.
यत्त्वैतद भवता प्रोक्त कोऽहमित्येतदात्मनः । वक्तु न शक्यते श्रोतु तन्ममेच्छा प्रवर्त्तते
That which you have spoken—'Who am I?'—this concerning the self cannot be expressed or heard; yet, the desire to know this arises in me.
योऽस्ति सोऽहमिति ब्रह्मन्! कथं वक्तुं न शक्यते । आत्मन्येष न दोषाय शब्दोऽहमिति यो द्रिज
O Brahman! If one exists, then 'I am he'—how can this not be spoken? In regard to the self, the word 'I am' is not faulty, O twice-born one.