वेणुरन्ध्रप्रभेदेन भेदः षङ्जादिसंज्ञितः । अभेदव्यापिनोवायोस्तथास्य परमात्मनः ॥ २,१४.
Just as the differences in the notes of a flute arise from the holes, yet the air pervades without distinction, so it is with the supreme self.
एकस्वरूपभेदश्च ब्राह्मकर्मावृतिप्रजः । देवादिभेदेऽपध्वस्ते नास्त्येवावरणे हि सः ॥ २,१४.
The apparent differences in the one true nature arise from coverings of action and birth; when distinctions such as gods and others are removed, he remains, without any covering.
पराशर उवाच । इत्युक्ते मौनिनं भूयश्विन्तयानं महीपतिम् । प्रत्युवाचाथ विप्रोऽसावदू तौन्तर्गतां कथाम्
Parāśara said: When this was spoken, the sage, reflecting again, addressed the king, who was deep in thought, and began to relate the story that had been previously mentioned.
श्रूयतां नृपशाद्दूल! यदूगोतमृबुणा पुरा । अवबोधं जनयता निदाघस्य महात्मनः
Listen, O best of kings, to what was formerly done by the illustrious Ṛbhu of the Yadu lineage, who awakened the great-souled Nidāgha.
ऋभुर्नामाभवत् पुत्रो ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः । विज्ञाततत्त्वसद्रावो निसर्गादेव भूपते
There was a son of Brahmā, the supreme lord, named Ṛbhu, who, O king, was naturally endowed with knowledge of the true reality.
तस्य शिष्यो निदाघोऽबूत् पुलस्त्यतनयः पुरा । प्रादादशेषविज्ञानं स तस्मै परया मुदा
In former times, Nidāgha, the son of Pulastya, became his disciple; and Ṛbhu, with supreme joy, imparted to him all knowledge without remainder.
अवाप्यज्ञानत्त्वस्य न तस्यादूतैवासनाम । स ऋभुस्तर्कयामास निदाघस्य नरेश्वर
But, having attained knowledge, Nidāgha did not realize its essence; so Ṛbhu, O king, began to reflect upon Nidāgha.
देविकायास्तटे वीरनगरं नाम वै पुरम् । समृद्धमतिरम्यं च पुलस्त्येन निवेशितम्
On the bank of the Devikā river stood a city named Vīranagara, prosperous and exceedingly delightful, established by Pulastya.
रम्योपवनपर्य्यन्ते स तस्मिन् पार्थिवोत्तम ! निदाघो नाम योगज्ञ ऋभुशिष्योऽवसत् पुरा
In that city, at the edge of a beautiful grove, Nidāgha, the knower of yoga and disciple of Ṛbhu, once resided, O best of kings.
दिव्येवर्षसहस्त्रे तु समतीतेऽस्य तत्पुरम् । जगाम स ऋभुः शिष्यं निदाघमवलोककः
When a thousand divine years had passed in that city, Ṛbhu came to see his disciple Nidāgha.
स तस्य वैश्वदेवान्ते द्रारालोकनगोचरे । स्थितस्तेन गृहीतार्घ्यो निजवेश्म प्रवेशितः
At the end of the Vaiśvadeva rite, when Nidāgha was within sight, Ṛbhu stood there; Nidāgha welcomed him, offered water for his feet, and led him into his own house.
पर्क्षालिताङ घ्रिपाणिं च कृतासनपरिग्रहम् । उवाच स द्रिजश्वेष्ठो भूज्यतामिति सादरम्
After washing his feet and hands and having him seated comfortably, Nidāgha, the best of twice-born, respectfully said, 'Please eat.'
ऋभुरुवाच । भो विप्रवर्य्य! भोक्तव्यं यदन्नं भवतो गृहे । तत् कथ्यतां कदन्नेषु न प्रीतिः सतत मम
Ṛbhu said: O excellent Brāhmaṇa, please tell me what food is to be eaten in your house; for I do not always take pleasure in every kind of food.
निदाघ उवाच । भक्त-यावक-वाठ्यानामपूपानाञ्च मे गृहे । यदू रोचते द्रिजश्रेष्ठ!तत् त्वं भुङ श्र्व यथेच्छया
Nidāgha said: Of cooked rice, barley, cakes, and other foods in my house, O best of Brāhmaṇas, eat whatever pleases you, as you wish.
ऋभुरुवाच । कदन्नानि द्रिजैतानि मृष्टमन्नं प्रयच्छ मे । संयाव-पायसादीनि द्रप्स्यफाणितावन्ति च
Ṛbhu said: These are all foods made from rice; give me some fine food—such as semolina, milk-rice, and others, as well as curdled milk with sugar.
निदाघ उवाच । हे हे शालिनि मदगेहे यत किञ्चिदतिशोभनम् । भक्ष्योपसाधनं मष्टं तेनास्यान्नां प्रसाधय
Nidāgha said: O wife, whatever excellent ingredients for food are in my house, prepare the meal with those for this guest.
ब्राह्मण उवाच । इत्युक्ता तेन सा पत्री मृष्टमन्नं द्रिजस्य यत् । प्रसाधितवती तदू वै भर्त्तुर्वचनगौरवात्
The Brāhmaṇa said: Thus instructed by him, the lady prepared fine food for the Brāhmaṇa, out of respect for her husband's words.
तं भुक्तवन्तमिच्छातो मृष्टमन्नं महामुनिम् । निदाघः प्राह भूपाल! प्रश्रयावनतः स्थितः
When the great sage had eaten the fine food as he wished, Nidāgha, standing with humility, addressed him, O king.
निदाघ उवाच । अपि ते परमा तृप्तिरुत्पन्ना तुष्टिरेव च । अपि ते मानसं खस्थमाहारेण कृतं द्रिज
Nidāgha said: Has the highest satisfaction arisen for you? Are you truly content? Has your mind been pleased by the meal, O Brāhmaṇa?
क्क निवासो भवान् विप्र ! क्क च गन्तु समुद्यतः । आगम्यते च भवता यतस्तज्व द्रिजोच्यताम्
Where is your residence, O Brāhmaṇa? And where are you intending to go? Please tell me from where you have come.
ऋबुरुवाच । क्षुदू यस्य तस्य भुक्तेऽन्ने तृप्तिर्ब्राह्मण! जायते । न मे क्षु न्नाभवत् तृप्तिः कस्मान्मां परिपृच्छसि
Ṛbhu said: O Brāhmaṇa, satisfaction arises from eating food for one who is hungry; but as I did not feel hunger, I did not experience satisfaction—so why do you question me?
वह्निना पार्थिवे धातौ क्षयिते क्षु त्सनुद्भवः । भवत्यम्भांस च क्षीणो नृणां तृड़पि जायते
Hunger arises when the element of earth is consumed by fire; and when the waters in the body are depleted, thirst arises in people.
क्षुत्तृषौ देहधर्म्माख्ये न ममैते यतो द्रिज । ततः क्षु त्सम्भवाभावात् तृप्तिरस्त्येव मे सदा
O twice-born, hunger and thirst are known as bodily conditions, but these do not pertain to me; therefore, as there is no arising of hunger for me, I am always satisfied.
मनसः स्वस्थता तुष्टिश्वित्तधर्म्माविमौ द्रिज । चेतसो यस्य तत् पृच्छ पुमानेबिर्न युज्यते
O Brāhmaṇa, the contentment of the mind and the satisfaction of desires are two qualities of the mind; ask about these, for a person is not bound by anything else.
क्व निवासस्तवेत्युक्तं क्व गन्तासि स यत् त्वया । कु तश्वागम्यते तत्र त्रितयेऽपि निबोध मे
When you ask, 'Where is your dwelling? Where will you go? From where have you come?'—listen to my answer regarding these three.
पुमान् सर्व्वगतो व्यापा आकाशवदयं यतः । कुतः कुत्र क्व गन्तासीत्येतदप्यर्थवत् कथम्
Since the person is all-pervading and spreads everywhere like space, how can questions like 'from where, to where, where will you go?' have any real meaning?
नाहं गन्ता न चागन्ता नैकदेशनिकेतनः । त्वं चान्येच न च त्वं त्वं नान्ये नैवाहमप्यहम्
I am neither a goer nor one who comes, nor am I confined to any one place; you are not another, nor are you yourself, nor am I another, nor am I myself.
मष्टं न मष्टमप्येषा जिज्ञासा मे कृता तव । किं वक्ष्यसीति तत्रापि श्रूयतां द्रिजसत्तम
You have asked this inquiry about 'mine' and 'not mine'; now hear, O best of Brāhmaṇas, what I will say in response.
किमस्वादूथवा मृष्टं भुञ्जतोऽन्नं द्रिजोत्तम । मृष्टमेव यदामृष्टं तदैवोदू गकारकम्
O best of Brāhmaṇas, when one eats food, is it tasteless or delicious? What is delicious becomes tasteless when it is no longer desired.
अमृष्टं जायते मृष्टं मृष्टादुद्रिजते जनः । आदिमध्यावसानेषु किमन्नं रुचिकारकम्
What is tasteless becomes delicious, and from the delicious, people turn away; at the beginning, middle, and end, what is it that makes food appealing?