हूनमण्डलपर्यन्तग्रामोपान्तनिवासिनाम् । श्वपचानां स्त्रियो गर्भे स्थितम् आत्मानम् आकुलम्
He saw his soul, troubled, residing in the womb of a woman among the outcastes living at the edge of the village, within the circle of the cremation ground.
गर्भवासभयाक्रान्तं पीडितं पेलवाङ्गकम् । श्वपचीहृदये सुप्तं श्वविष्ठायाम् इवाङ्कुरम्
He saw himself afflicted by the fear of dwelling in the womb, tormented, with a frail body, sleeping in the heart of a woman of the outcastes, like a sprout in dog excrement.
शनैः पक्वतया काले प्रसूतं मेचकच्छविम् । श्वपच्या प्रावृषेवाब्दं श्यावम् आवलितं मलैः
Gradually, as time ripened, he was born with a pale complexion, covered in filth, from the outcaste woman, like a rain cloud in autumn, dark and smeared with dirt.
सम्पन्नं श्वपचागारे शिशुं श्वपचवल्लभम् । इतश् चेतश् च गच्छन्तम् उत्पीडम् इव यामुनम्
In the dwelling of the outcaste, a child beloved by the outcaste, moving here and there, like the Yamuna agitated by waves.
द्वादशाब्ददशां यातं संस्थितं षोडशाब्दिकम् । पीवरांसम् उदाराङ्गं पयोदम् इव मेदुरम्
Having reached twelve years of age, then settled at sixteen, broad-shouldered, with a noble body, robust like a dense rain cloud.
सारमेयपरीवारं विहरन्तं वनाद् वनम् । निघ्नन्तं मृगलक्षाणि पौलिन्दीं स्थितिम् आस्थितम्
Surrounded by dogs, wandering from forest to forest, slaying herds of deer, established in the lifestyle of the tribal people.
तमालं लतयेवाथ श्रितं श्वपचकान्तया । स्तनस्तबकशालिन्या नवपल्लवहस्तया
Then, like a tamala tree embraced by a vine, he was joined by the outcaste's daughter, whose hands were like fresh shoots and whose breasts were like clusters.
श्यामया कलिकाजालदशनामलमालया । नववल्लभया भूरिविलासवलिताङ्गया
By a dark-skinned maiden, adorned with a garland of flower buds, whose teeth were pure, with a new lover, her limbs graceful with playful movements.
विलसन्तं वनान्तेषु तया सह नवेष्टया । श्यामलं श्यामया भृङ्गं भृङ्ग्येव कुसुमर्द्धिषु
Sporting at the edge of the forest with her, his new companion, the dark one with the dark maiden, like a black bee with a female bee among blossoming flowers.
नवपर्णलतापत्त्रवसनं व्यसनान्तरम् । विन्ध्यकान्तारम् आकारम् अभ्यागतम् इवोद्भटम्
Clad in garments of fresh leaves and creepers, with a different kind of hardship, appearing like a wild figure newly arrived in the Vindhya wilderness.
विश्रान्तं वनकुञ्जेषु सुप्तं गिरिदरीषु च । निलीनं पत्त्रकुञ्जेषु गुल्मकेषु कृतालयम्
Resting in the forest groves, sleeping in mountain caves, concealed in leafy bowers, making his home among thickets.
किङ्किरातावतंसाढ्यं यूथिकास्रग्विभूषितम् । केतकोत्तंससुभगं सहकारस्रगाकुलम्
Adorned with a garland of kinkirata flowers, decorated with a necklace of jasmine, charming with a ketaka blossom tucked in its hair, and crowded with a wreath of sahakara flowers.
लुलितं पुष्पशय्यासु भ्रान्तम् अब्धितटेषु च । तज्ज्ञं काननकोशेषु बहुज्ञं मृगमारणे
Tossed about on beds of flowers, wandering along riverbanks, knowledgeable in the secrets of the forest, and skilled in hunting animals.
प्रासूत सो ऽथ शैलेषु पुत्रान् निजकुलाङ्कुरान् । अत्यन्तविषमोदर्कान् खदिरः कण्टकान् इव
Then, in the mountains, he produced sons—shoots of his own lineage—who were exceedingly harsh in their outcome, like the thorns of the khadira tree.
कलत्रवन्तं सम्पन्नं स्थितं प्रक्षीणयौवनम् । शनैर् जर्जरतां यातं वृष्टिहीनम् इव स्थलम्
Possessing a wife, prosperous, settled with youth depleted, he gradually entered a state of decrepitude, like land deprived of rain.
ततो हूनहतग्रामं जन्मदेशम् उपेत्य तम् । संस्थितं मठिकां पर्णैः कृत्वा दूरे मुनीन्द्रवत्
Then, returning to his birthplace—a village ruined by plunder—he built a hut with leaves at a distance, like a great sage.
जराजरढतां यातं स्वदेहसमपुत्रकम् । जीर्णप्रायरसश्वभ्रतमालतरुसन्निभम्
Having entered the state of old age and decay, with his own body and sons, resembling a worn-out hollow in the ground or a withered māla tree.
प्रौढं श्वपचगार्हस्थ्यं कुर्वाणं बहुबान्धवम् । करञ्जकुञ्जवनवत् परां वृद्धिम् उपागतं
Having attained maturity in the household of outcasts, surrounded by many relatives, he reached the highest stage of old age, like a grove of karañja trees.
अथापश्यद् असौ गाधिर् यावत् तस्य कलत्रिणः । जरढश्वपचेशस्य स्वात्मनो भ्रमकारिणः
Then Gadhi saw, as long as that old outcaste with a wife lived, his own self wandering, causing confusion.
तत् कलत्रम् अशेषेण नीतम् आदृतमन्युना । आसारपवनेनाशु वनपर्णगणो यथा
His wife was completely carried away by the wind of misfortune, just as a cluster of forest leaves is swiftly swept away by a worthless breeze.
प्रलपत्य् एक एवासाव् अटव्यां दुःखकर्षितः । वियूथ इव सारङ्गो विगतास्थो ऽस्रुलोचनः
He wandered alone in the forest, tormented by sorrow, lamenting like a deer separated from its herd, his eyes filled with tears.
दिनानि कतिचित् तत्र नीत्वा शोकपरीतधीः । जहौ स्वदेशं संशुष्कपद्मं सर इवाण्डजः
After spending a few days there, his mind overwhelmed by grief, he abandoned his homeland like a waterfowl leaving a pond whose lotuses have withered.
विजहार बहून् देशान् अनास्थश् चिन्तयान्वितः । प्रेर्यमाण इवान्येन वातनुन्न इवाम्बुदः
He roamed through many lands, indifferent, absorbed in thought, as if driven by another, like a cloud pushed along by the wind.
एकदा प्राप कीराणां मण्डले श्रीमतीं पुरीम् । खे ऽनूरुर् विहरञ् शून्ये सद्विमानम् इवामरः
One day, wandering like a bird in the sky, he reached a splendid city encircled by flocks of parrots, empty as if an immortal were moving through a deserted celestial palace.
नृत्यद्रत्नांशुकच्छन्नमार्गवृक्षलताङ्गनाम् । आगुल्फं कीर्णकुसुमां नन्दनान्तरसुन्दरीम्
He saw streets adorned with dancing women, veiled in jeweled silks, lined with trees and creepers, their anklets scattered with flowers, beautiful as the inner groves of paradise.
सामन्तैर् ललनाभिश् च नागरैश् च निरन्तरम् । स्वर्गमार्गोपमं राजमार्गम् अस्याम् अवाप सः
There, he entered a royal road, ceaselessly crowded with nobles, women, and city-dwellers, resembling the path to heaven.
मणिरत्नकृतागारं तत्र मङ्गलहस्तिनम् । ददर्शामलशैलेन्द्रम् इव सञ्चारचञ्चलम्
In that place, he saw an auspicious elephant, its house made of gems and jewels, moving restlessly like a dark mountain in motion.
मृते राजनि राजार्थं विहरन्तम् इतस् ततः । रत्नज्ञम् इव रत्नोर्व्यां चिन्तामणिदिदृक्षया
After the king died, he wandered here and there for the sake of the kingdom, like a connoisseur of gems searching the earth for a wish-fulfilling jewel.
तम् असौ श्वपचो नागं कौतुकोदारया दृशा । चिरम् आलोकयाम् आस स्पन्दयुक्ताचलोपमम्
A Śvapaca, with eyes wide in curiosity, gazed at that elephant for a long time, as if he were a motionless mountain endowed with life.
आलोकयन्तम् आदाय तं करेण स वारणः । स्वकटे ऽयोजयन् मेरुस् तटे ऽर्कम् इव सादरम्
The elephant, seeing him gazing, gently took him with his trunk and seated him on his own back, just as Mount Meru would respectfully place the sun upon its summit.