एकदा सो ऽमलप्रज्ञो मेराव् एकान्तसंस्थितम् । पप्रच्छ पितरं भक्त्या कृष्णद्वैपायनं मुनिम्
Once, that pure-minded one, while staying alone on Mount Meru, respectfully asked his father, the sage Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana, with devotion.
संसाराडम्बरम् इदं कथम् अभ्युत्थितं मुने । कथं च प्रशमं याति कियत् कस्य कदेति च
O sage, how has this display of worldly existence arisen? How does it come to rest, and for how long, for whom, and when?
इति पृष्टेन मुनिना व्यासेनाखिलम् आत्मजे । यथावद् अमलं प्रोक्तं वक्तव्यं विदितात्मना
Thus questioned by his son, the sage Vyāsa, who knew the Self, spoke to him everything pure and appropriate that ought to be said.
अज्ञासिषं पूर्वम् एतद् अहम् इत्य् अथ तत्पितुः । स शुकश् शुद्धया बुद्ध्या न वाक्यं बह्व् अमन्यत
I had previously learned this from my father, but Śuka, with his pure intellect, did not regard those words as many or significant.
व्यासो ऽपि भगवान् बुद्ध्वा पुत्राभिप्रायम् ईदृशम् । प्रत्युवाच पुनः पुत्रं नाहं जानामि तत्त्वतः
The venerable Vyāsa, understanding his son's intention, replied again to him: 'I do not know this truly.'
जनको नाम भूपालो विद्यते वसुधातले । यथावद् वेत्त्य् असौ वेद्यं तस्मात् सर्वम् अवाप्स्यसि
There is a king named Janaka on earth; he knows the subject thoroughly. From him, you will obtain everything.
पित्रेत्य् उक्तश् शुकः प्रायात् सुमेरोर् वसुधातलम् । विदेहनगरीं प्राप जनकेनाभिपालिताम्
Thus addressed by his father, Śuka departed from the slopes of Mount Sumeru and reached the city of Videha, which was ruled by Janaka.
आवेदितो ऽसौ याष्टीकैर् जनकाय महात्मने । द्वारि व्याससुतो राजञ् शुको ऽत्र स्थितवान् इति
He was announced by the gatekeepers to the great-souled Janaka: 'O King, the son of Vyāsa, Śuka, is standing at the gate.'
जिज्ञासार्थं शुकस्यासाव् आस्ताम् एवेत्य् अवज्ञया । उक्त्वा बभूव जनकस् तूष्णीं सप्तदिनान्य् अपि
Desiring to test Śuka, Janaka, with a sense of disregard, said, 'Let him wait,' and remained silent for seven days.
ततः प्रवेशयाम् आस जनकश् शुकम् अङ्गनम् । तत्राहानि स सप्तैव तथैवावसद् उन्मनाः
Then Janaka had Śuka brought into the courtyard, where he stayed, absorbed in thought, for another seven days in the same manner.
अथ प्रवेशयाम् आस जनको ऽन्तःपुरं शुकम् । राजा न दृश्यते तावद् इति सप्तदिनानि तम्
After that, Janaka brought Śuka into the inner chambers, but for seven days he did not appear before him.
तत्रोन्मदाभिः कान्ताभिर् भोजनैर् भोगसञ्चयैः । जनको लालयाम् आस शुकं शशिसमाननम्
There, Janaka entertained Śuka—whose face was like the moon—with delightful women, food, and various enjoyments.
ते भोगास् तानि दुःखानि व्यासपुत्रस्य तन् मनः । न जह्रुर् मन्दपवनो बद्धपीठम् यथाचलम्
But those pleasures were like sorrows to the mind of Vyāsa's son; they did not move him, just as a gentle breeze does not stir a firmly anchored mountain.
केवलं सशमस् स्वच्छो मौनी मुदितमानसः । अतिष्ठद् अत्र स शुकस् सम्पूर्ण इव चन्द्रमाः
He remained there, tranquil, pure, silent, and with a joyful mind—like the full moon, complete in itself.
परिज्ञातस्वभावं तं शुकं स जनको नृपः । आनीय मुदितात्मानम् अवलोक्य ननाम ह
King Janaka, having understood the true nature of Śuka, had him brought in, and seeing him, bowed with a joyful heart.
निश्शेषितजगत्कार्य प्राप्ताखिलमनोरथ । किम् ईप्सितं तवेत्य् आशु कृतस्वागतम् आह तम्
Having accomplished all worldly duties and attained every desire, he quickly welcomed him and asked, 'What is it that you wish for?
संसाराडम्बरम् इदं कथम् अभ्युत्थितं गुरो । कथं प्रशमम् आयाति यथावत् कथयाशु मे
O teacher, how has this display of worldly existence arisen, and how does true peace come about? Tell me this clearly and without delay.
जनकेनेति पृष्टेन शुकस्य कथितं तथा । तद् एव यत् पुरा प्रोक्तं तस्य पित्रा महात्मना
When questioned by Janaka in this way, Śuka replied just as his noble father had previously explained to him.
स्वयम् एव मया पूर्वम् एतज् ज्ञातं विवेकतः । एतावद् एव पृष्टेन पित्रा मे समुदाहृतम्
I myself had already discerned this through my own understanding, and when my father questioned me, I answered only this much.
भवताप्य् एष एवार्थः कथितो वाग्विदां वर । एष एव च वाक्यार्थश् शास्त्रेषु परिदृश्यते
O best of speakers, you too have spoken this very meaning, and this is exactly what is found in the scriptures.
यथायं स्वविकल्पोत्थस् स्वविकल्पपरिक्षयात् । क्षीयते दग्धसंसारो निस्सार इति निश्चयः
Just as this world, arising from one's own imagination, is dissolved by the cessation of that imagination, so is the certainty that the burned-out world is empty of essence.
तत् किम् एतन् महाबाहो सत्यं ब्रूहि ममामलम् । त्वत्तो विश्रामम् आप्नोति चेतो मा भ्रमताज् जगत्
Therefore, O mighty-armed one, tell me truly and purely: from you my mind finds rest—let it not wander in the world.
नातः परतरः कश्चिन् निश्चयो ऽस्त्य् अपरो मुने । स्वयम् एतत् त्वया ज्ञातं गुरुतश् च पुनश् श्रुतम्
There is no higher or further certainty than this, O sage; you have known this yourself, and have also heard it again from your teacher.
अव्युच्छिन्नश् चिदात्मैकः पुमान् अस्तीह नेतरत् । स सङ्कल्पवशाद् बद्धो निस्सङ्कल्पश् च मुच्यते
Here, only the undivided consciousness-self exists, not anything else; he is bound by the force of thought, and freed when thought ceases.
येन त्व् एतत् स्फुटं ज्ञातं ज्ञेयं तस्य महात्मनः । भोगेभ्यो विरतिर् जाता दृश्याद् वा सकलाद् इह
By whom this is clearly known, that great soul gains dispassion from all enjoyments or from all that is seen here.
तव चालं महावीर मतिर् विरतिम् आगता । भोगेभ्यो दीर्घरोगेभ्यः किम् अन्यत् परिपृच्छसि
And for you as well, O mighty hero, your mind has attained dispassion from enjoyments and from long-lasting afflictions; what else do you seek to ask?
न तथा पूर्णता जाता सर्वज्ञानमहानिधेः । तिष्ठतस् तपसि स्फारे पितुस् तव यथा तव
Such fullness has not arisen even for your father, who remains in vast austerity, though he is a great treasure of all-knowingness, as it has for you.
व्यासाद् अधिक एवाहं व्यासशिष्यो ऽपि तत्सुतः । भोगेच्छातानवेनेह मत्तो ऽप्य् अभ्यधिको भवान्
I am even greater than Vyasa, though I am his disciple and his son; yet, because your desire for enjoyment is so diminished, you surpass even me here.
प्राप्तं प्राप्तव्यम् अखिलं भवता पूर्णचेतसा । न दृश्ये पतसि ब्रह्मन् मुक्तस् त्वं भ्रान्तिम् उत्सृज
You have attained everything to be attained, with a mind fully complete; you do not fall into the visible, O Brahman, you are liberated—abandon delusion.
अनुशिष्टस् स इत्य् एवं जनकेन महात्मना । विशश्राम शुकस् तूष्णीं स्वच्छे परमवस्तुनि
Thus instructed by the great-souled Janaka, Shuka rested silently in the pure, supreme reality.