अत्रोड्डयनलोलानां काकभासपतत्रिणाम् । धृतानाम् अन्यघातार्थं ग्रथितं वंशपञ्जरम्
Here, for the restless crows, cranes, and birds, a bamboo cage was constructed, woven for the purpose of holding them or killing others.
एवम्प्रायास् स्मरन् गाधिः प्राक्तनीश् श्वपचक्रियाः । विस्मयोत्कम्पितशिरा धातुश् चेष्टाः परामृशन्
Thus reflecting in this way, Gādhi recalled his previous actions as a dog-eater; his head trembled with wonder as he considered those bodily activities.
चचाल तस्माद् दीर्घेण देशात् कालेन कार्यवित् । हूनमण्डलम् उत्सृज्य प्राप देशान्तरं क्रमात्
Then, after a long time, the wise one departed from that region, leaving behind the land of the outcastes, and gradually reached another country.
समुल्लङ्घ्य नदीशैलमण्डलारण्यसन्ततिम् । आससाद तुषाराद्रिलग्नं कीरजनास्पदम्
Crossing over rivers, mountains, clusters of forests, and wilderness, he arrived at a settlement of Kīra people situated near the snowy mountain.
तत्र प्राप महीपालनगरं नगसन्निभम् । जगद्भ्रमणखिन्नात्मा स्वर्लोकम् इव नारदः
There he reached a city ruled by a king, grand as a mountain, and, his mind weary from wandering the world, he entered it like Nārada entering heaven.
अथात्मनानुभूतानि दृष्टान्य् आसेवितानि च । स्थानानि नगरे पश्यन् पप्रच्छ जनम् आदृतः
There, seeing the places in the city that he had experienced, seen, and frequented before, he respectfully questioned the people.
साधो स्मरसि कच्चित् त्वम् इह श्वपचम् ईश्वरम् । यदि जानासि तत् तन् मे कथयाशु यथाविधि
Good sir, do you by chance remember here a dog-eater who was a ruler? If you know, please tell me everything properly and without delay.
अभूद् इहाष्टौ वर्षाणि श्वपचो भूमिपो द्विज । राजत्वम् अर्पितं यस्य नवमङ्गलहस्तिना
O twice-born, there was here for eight years a dog-eater who became king, to whom the royal power was given by the elephant named Navamaṅgala.
अन्ते स सम्परिज्ञातस् सम्प्रविष्टो हुताशनम् । अत्र द्वादशवर्षाणि समतीतानि तापस
In the end, when he was recognized, he entered the fire; twelve years have passed here since then, O ascetic.
यं यं पृच्छत्य् असौ गाधिर् जनं जातकुतूहलः । तस्य तस्य मुखाद् एवं शृणोत्य् अनुभवत्य् अपि
Whatever person Gādhi, filled with curiosity, questions, from each one's mouth he hears and even experiences accordingly.
अथापश्यत् पुरे तस्मिन् नृपं सबलवाहनम् । देवं चक्रधरं द्रष्टुं मन्दिरान् निर्गतं बहिः
Then, in that city, he saw a king with his army and vehicles, who had come out from his palace to see the god bearing the discus.
तं दृष्ट्वा स्थगिताकाशं बलरेणुपयोधरैः । प्राक्तनीं राजताम् स्मृत्वा स्वाम् उवाचातिविस्मितः
Seeing him, with the sky obscured by clouds of dust raised by the troops, he remembered his former sovereignty and, greatly astonished, spoke to himself.
इमास् ताः कीरकामिन्यः पद्मगर्भोपमत्वचः । कनकद्रववर्णिन्यो लोलनीलोत्पलेक्षणाः
These are the royal courtesans, their skin like the inside of a lotus, golden in hue, with restless blue-lotus eyes.
चामरौघा इमे चन्द्रकरसम्पिण्डपाण्डुराः । स्थिरनिर्झरसङ्काशाः काशपुष्पचया इव
These are clusters of fly-whisks, pale as clumps of moonbeams, steady and resembling streams, like heaps of kāśa flowers.
कान्ताभिर् अवधूयन्ते वालव्यजनराशयः । इमास् ता नववल्लीभिः कुसुमानाम् इवर्द्धयः
These masses of yak-tail fans are being waved by lovely women, just as new creepers bear clusters of flowers.
इमास् ता मत्तमातङ्गघटा घटितमन्दिराः । सकल्पपादपा मेरोर् इव श्र्ङ्गपरम्पराः
These are the intoxicated elephants, their groups like constructed mansions, resembling the rows of peaks on Mount Meru with wish-fulfilling trees.
एते ते यमशर्वेन्द्रकुबेरप्रतिमौजसः । सामन्ता वासवस्येव लोकपाला महीभृतः
These are the vassal kings, whose might equals Yama, Śakra, and Kubera, like the guardians of the worlds for Indra, the lord of the earth.
इमास् तास् सर्वरत्नाढ्यास् सर्वाभिमतदास् तताः । कल्पवृक्षलताकुञ्जसुन्दर्यो गृहपङ्क्तयः
Here are those rows of houses, adorned with every kind of jewel, fulfilling every desire, lovely as bowers of wish-fulfilling trees and creepers.
इदं तत् कीरजनताराज्यं प्राग् भुक्तम् अद्य मे । आत्मजन्मान्तराचार इव प्रत्यक्षतां गतम्
This is that very kingdom of the parrots, once enjoyed by me; now it appears before me as vividly as the experiences of my own past lives.
सत्यस्वप्न इवेदं मे जाग्रतो ऽपि पुरस् स्थितम् । न जाने किं कृतोत्थाना मायेयं प्रविजृम्भते
This stands before me, even while awake, like a true dream; I do not know by what cause this illusion is unfolding.
अहो नु खलु दीर्घेण मनोमोहेन जृम्भता । वैवश्यम् उपनीतो ऽहं जालेनेव शकुन्तकः
Alas, truly, by this long-standing delusion of the mind, I have been led into helplessness, like a bird caught in a net.
हा धिक् कष्टम् अबुद्धं मे मनो वासनया हतम् । पश्यतो भ्रमजालानि वितनोति शिशोर् इव
Alas, how pitiable! My mind, overcome by latent tendencies and ignorance, spreads webs of confusion before my very eyes, just as for a child.
एषा हि माया महती तेन मे चक्रपाणिना । दर्शितेत्य् अधुना साधु मया स्मृतम् अखण्डितम्
Indeed, this great illusion was shown to me by that wielder of the discus; now, at last, I remember it clearly and without break.
तद् इदानीं तथा यत्नं करिष्ये गिरिकन्दरे । यथातिसम्भ्रमस्यास्य जाने मर्म यथास्थितम्
Therefore, now I shall make such effort in the mountain cave as will reveal to me the innermost truth of this overwhelming confusion.
इति सञ्चिन्त्य नगराद् गाधिस् तप्तुं जगाम ह । कन्दरं प्राप्य शैलस्य तस्थौ सुश्रान्तसिंहवत्
Having resolved thus, Gadhi left the city to perform austerity; reaching a cave in the mountain, he remained there like a lion at rest.
तत्र संवत्सरं सार्धं पयश्चुलकभोजनः । तपश् चक्रे महातेजास् तुष्टये शार्ङ्गधन्वनः
There, for a year and a half, subsisting on only a handful of milk, he performed austerities with great energy for the satisfaction of the wielder of the Śārṅga bow.
अथास्य पुण्डरीकाक्षः पयोमूर्तिर् उपाययौ । प्रसादम् उत्पलश्यामश् शरदीव महाह्रदः
Then, the lotus-eyed one, whose form was of milk, approached him, radiant as a dark blue lotus, serene like a great lake in autumn.
तम् आजगाम शैलेन्द्रकन्दरं द्विजमन्दिरम् । पयोधरवद् आत्माच्छच्छविर् व्योमन्य् अथावसत्
He came to the mountain cave, the dwelling of the twice-born, and, shining like a rain cloud, dwelled in the sky with a pure radiance.
गाधे कच्चित् त्वया दृष्टा माया मम गरीयसी । दृष्टं त्वया जगज्जालचेष्टितं वेष्टितात्मकम्
Gādhi, have you seen my mighty illusion? You have witnessed the world’s web of activity, encircling the self.
चित्ताभिमत एतस्मिन् प्राप्ते सम्यग् अनिन्दित । तपो गिरितटे कुर्वन् किम् अन्यद् अभिवाञ्छसि
Now that you have attained what your mind desired, blameless one, performing austerities on the mountain slope, what else do you wish for?