राज्यसज्जनसम्पर्कपवित्रीकृतधीरधीः । गवलश् चिन्तयाम् आस शोकव्याकुलचेतनः
In that state, Gavala, whose mind had been purified by association with the virtuous in the kingdom, began to reflect, his heart overwhelmed by grief.
मदर्थम् अत्यनर्थो ऽयं देशे ऽस्मिन् स्थितिम् आगतः । अकालकल्पान्तसमस् सर्वनायकनाशनः
For my sake, this immense misfortune has come to abide in this place—like the end of an age arriving untimely, destroying all leaders.
किं मे दुःखितजीवेन मरणं मे महोत्सवः । लोकनिन्द्यस्य दुर्जन्तोर् जीवितान् मरणं वरम्
What use is there for me in a life filled with suffering? Death would be a great festival for me. For one despised by the world and wicked, death is better than life.
इति निश्चित्य गवलो ज्वलिते ज्वलने पुरः । पतङ्गवद् अनुद्वेगम् अकरोद् आहुतिं वपुः
Thus resolved, Gavala, without agitation, offered his body into the blazing fire before him, like a moth.
तस्मिन् बलाद् गवलनाम्नि हुताशराशौ देहे पतत्य् अवयवाकुलतां प्रयाते । स्वाङ्गावदाहदहनस्फुरणानुरोधाद् अन्तर्जले झगिति बोधम् अवाप गाधिः
As Gavala's body fell by force into the mass of fire called Gavala, and as his limbs became disordered, Gadhi instantly attained awareness in the water, in accordance with the sudden burning sensation from his own body.
इत्य् उक्तवत्य् अथ मुनौ दिवसो जगाम सायन्तनाय विधये ऽस्तम् इनो जगाम । स्नातुं सभा कृतनमस्करणा जगाम श्यामाक्षये रविकरैश् च सहाजगाम
When the sage had spoken thus, the day moved toward evening, and the sun set. The assembly, having offered their salutations, went to bathe at the riverbank, accompanied by the sun's rays.
मुहूर्तद्वितयेनाथ गाधेर् आधिभरभ्रमात् । प्रशशामाकुलीभावो वेलावत्त्वम् इवाम्बुधेः
Then, within two moments, Gadhi's agitation from the burden of distress subsided, like the ebbing of the tide in the ocean.
पयोनिर्माणसम्मोहात् तस्मात् स विरराम ह । कल्पान्तसमये ब्रह्मा जगद्विरचनाद् इव
Because of the bewilderment created by the water, he ceased from that state, just as Brahma ceases from creating the world at the end of an age.
बोधम् आप शनैश् शान्तस् स्वम् एवोन्निद्रधीरधीः । क्षीवतायां प्रशान्तायां यथा परिणतासवः
He gradually regained awareness, his own mind awakening peacefully, like a matured wine settling down when its fermentation is spent.
अयं सो ऽहम् इदं कार्यम् इदं नेति ददर्श ह । निशाव्यपगमे लोको यथा क्षीणतमःपटे
He saw clearly: 'This is myself, this is my task, this is not,' just as the world is seen when the darkness is dispelled at night’s end.
स्मृतस्वरूपो वदनम् उद्दध्रे स जलान्तरात् । शिशिरान्ते प्रबुद्धात्मा सरोजम् इव माधवः
Remembering his true nature, he raised his face from the water, awakened in spirit at winter’s close, like a lotus at the coming of spring.
वनवारिककुब्व्योमवतीं वसुमतीम् इमाम् । अन्याम् एव पुरः पश्यन् परं विस्मयम् आययौ
Beholding this earth before him as if it were another, like the sky reflected in a forest pool, he was filled with profound wonder.
को ऽहं किम् इव पश्यामि किम् अकार्षम् अहं किल । एवं विचारयंश् चित्रं सभ्रूभङ्गम् अभूत् क्षणम्
Who am I? What is it that I see? What have I done?—thus he reflected, his brow furrowed in amazement for a moment.
एतन्मुहूर्तमात्रेण सम्भ्रमं दृष्टवान् अहम् । इति विज्ञाय सलिलाद् उदस्थाद् उदयार्कवत्
Within that brief instant, I saw confusion; realizing this, he rose from the water like the rising sun.
चिन्तयाम् आस च तटे क्व मे माता क्व मे प्रिया । यद् अहं मृतिम् आयातो मध्ये मातृमहेलयोः
Standing on the shore, he thought: Where is my mother, where is my beloved—since I came to death between my mother and stepmother?
बालस्य मातापितरौ नष्टौ किल ममामतेः । वातनीतस्य पत्त्रस्य वल्लीवृक्षाव् इवाग्निना
As a child, I lost both my parents, my mind confused—like two vines consumed by fire when a leaf is carried away by the wind.
अविवाहो ऽस्मि जानामि न स्वरूपम् अपि स्त्रियः । दुष्टायाः क्षोभकारिण्या मदिराया इव द्विजः
I am unmarried, I know not even the nature of a woman—like a twice-born man ignorant of the effects of wicked, agitating wine.
तस्माद् एतद् असद्भूतम् अहं किं नाम दृष्टवान् । विविधारम्भसंरम्भं गन्धर्वो नगरं यथा
Therefore, this is unreal—what have I truly seen? It is merely a flurry of various beginnings, like a city of gandharvas.
तद् आस्ताम् एतद् एषा हि बन्धुमध्यमृतस्थितिः । माया मोहे मनाग् अस्मिन् न सत्यम् उपलभ्यते
Let it be; this is merely a fleeting existence among relatives. In this illusion and confusion, not even a trace of truth is found.
नित्यम् एवम् अनन्तासु भ्रमदृष्टिषु देहिनाम् । चेतो भ्रमति शार्दूलो वनराजिष्व् इवोन्मदः
Always, in countless wandering perceptions of embodied beings, the mind roams like a wild tiger among forests, intoxicated.
अवधीर्येति तं चित्तमोहं गाधिर् निनाय सः । दिनानि कतिचित् तस्मिन् स्वक एवाश्रमे तदा
Disregarding that delusion of mind, Gadhi remained for several days then in his own hermitage.
एकदा गाधिम् आगच्छत् कश्चिद् अन्नप्रियो ऽतिथिः । ब्रह्माणम् इव दुर्वासास् स विशश्राम सश्रमः
One day, a guest fond of food came to Gadhi; he, weary, rested there like Durvasa visiting Brahma.
परमां तृप्तिम् आनीतः फलपुष्परसाशनैः । सो ऽतिथिर् गाधिना तेन वसन्तेनेव पादपः
That guest, brought to utmost satisfaction by eating fruits, flowers, and nectar, was like a tree nourished by spring, thanks to Gadhi.
अथ वन्दितसन्ध्यौ तौ कृतजप्याव् उभाव् अपि । क्रमाच् छयनम् आसाद्य तस्थतुर् मृदुपल्लवम्
Then, both having honored the evening and performed their recitations, gradually reached their beds and rested on soft leaves.
ततः प्रववृते शान्ता तयोस् तापसयोः कथा । स्वव्यापारोचिता पुष्पश्रीर् इवर्तुस् स्वमासयोः
Afterwards, a peaceful conversation began between the two ascetics, suited to their own pursuits, like the blossoming of flowers in their respective seasons.
पप्रच्छाथातिथिं गाधिः प्रसङ्गापतितं वचः । किम् ब्रह्मन् सुकृशाङ्गस् त्वं किम् इति श्रमवान् असि
Then Gadhi questioned the guest, who had come by chance, saying: 'O Brahmin, why are you so thin of limb, and why do you appear so weary?'
ममातिकार्श्यश्रमयोर् भगवञ् शृणु कारणम् । कथयामि यथाभूतं वयं नासत्यवादिनः
O venerable one, listen to the reason for my extreme thinness and fatigue; I will tell you the truth as it is, for we do not speak falsehood.
अस्त्य् अस्मिन् वसुधापीठे उत्तराशानिकुञ्जके । कीरो नामातिविख्यातश् श्रीमाञ् जनपदो महान्
On this earth, in a grove to the north, there is a very renowned and prosperous region called Kira, a great land.
तत्राहम् अवसं मासं पूज्यमानः पुरे जनैः । अनन्तास्वादलोलात्मचित्तवेतालमोहितः
There I stayed for a month, honored by the people of the city, my mind deluded by the endless taste for pleasure and the intoxication of self-indulgence.
एकदैकेन तत्रोक्तं कथाप्रस्तावतः क्वचित् । इहाभूच् छ्वपचो राजा वर्षाण्य् अष्टौ द्विजेति मे
One day, in the course of a conversation, someone there happened to say: 'Here, a dog-eater was king for eight years, O Brahmin.'