निद्राव्युपशमे तस्य भावयाम् आस तन् मनः । व्योम श्यामलदृग् जन्तुर् नभसीव शिखण्डकम्
When sleep subsided, his mind began to contemplate, like a bird with dark eyes in the sky, or a peacock in the heavens.
पयोद इव तापिञ्छं नीहारम् इव मारुतः । तमो दीप इवाच्छात्मा तद् अप्य् आशु ममार्ज सः
Just as a cloud dispels the red glow, or wind scatters the mist, or a lamp removes darkness, so too did the pure Self swiftly wipe that away.
व्योमसंविदि भग्नायां मूढं तस्याभवन् मनः । निद्रायां प्रविलीनायां मैरेयमदवान् इव
When the awareness of space was broken, his mind became confused; as when sleep dissolves, like those intoxicated by wine.
मोहम् अप्य् एष मनसस् तं ममार्ज महाशयः । यामिनीजनितं जाड्यं भुवनाद् इव भास्करः
That great soul also cleansed the delusion of the mind, just as the sun removes the dullness of night from the world.
ततस् तेजस्तमोनिद्रामोहादिपरिवर्जितम् । काम् अप्य् अवस्थाम् आसाद्य विशश्राम मनः क्षणम्
Then, having reached a state free from radiance, darkness, sleep, and delusion, the mind rested for a moment.
विश्रम्याशु पपाताङ्गसंविदं चित्स्वरूपिणीम् । सेतुरुद्धं सरोवारि प्रतीपं स्वम् इवास्पदम्
After resting, it quickly fell into bodily awareness, which is of the nature of consciousness—like water held back by a dam returning to its own reservoir.
चिरानुसन्धानवशात् स्वदनाच् च स्वसंविदः । ततश् चिन्मयताम् आगाद् धेम नूपुरताम् इव
Through long contemplation and savoring its own awareness, it then attained the state of pure consciousness, like gold taking the form of anklets.
चित्तत्वम् अथ सन्त्यज्य चित्तं चित्त्वं ततं गतं । अन्यद् एव बभूवाशु पङ्कः कुम्भस्थिताव् इव
Then, abandoning the state of mind, the mind dissolved into pure consciousness; it became something entirely different, like mud left behind in a pot.
चेत्यं सन्त्यज्य चिच् छुद्धा चित्सामान्यम् अथाययौ । त्यक्तवीच्यादिभेदे ऽब्धौ वार्सामान्यम् इवैकधीः
Abandoning the knowable, pure consciousness attained the universal consciousness, just as, when the waves and other distinctions are left behind, the mind becomes one with the ocean’s undivided water.
त्यक्तभूतौघमननं ततो विश्वम्भरं बृहत् । चिदाकाशं ततं शुद्धं सो ऽभवद् बोधिम् आगतः
Having abandoned the multitude of thoughts about beings, he then became vast like the earth; pure consciousness-space spread forth, and he attained awakening.
तत्र प्राप महानन्दं दृश्यदर्शनवर्जितम् । अनन्तम् उत्तमास्वादं रसायनम् इवार्णवम्
There he experienced supreme bliss, free from both seeing and the seen; infinite, of the highest taste, like an ocean of nectar.
शरीरात् समतीतो ऽसौ काम् अप्य् अवनिम् आगतः । सत्तासामान्यरूपात्मा बभूवानन्दसागरः
He transcended the body and even the earth itself; his essence became the universal form of existence, an ocean of bliss.
द्विजचेतनहंसो ऽसाव् आनन्दसरसि स्थिरे । अतिष्ठच् छरदच्छे खे कलापूर्ण इवोडुपः
That twice-born swan of consciousness remained in the steady lake of bliss, like a full moon in the clear autumn sky.
बभूवावातदीपाभो लिपिकर्मार्पितोपमः । वीतवेलाम्बुधिप्रख्यो वृष्टमूकाम्बुदस्थितिः
He became like a lamp undisturbed by wind, like a scribe absorbed in his work; resembling a shoreless ocean, like a cloud resting in the silent sky.
अथैतस्मिन् महालोके तिष्ठन्न् उद्दालकश् चिरम् । अपश्यद् व्योमगान् सिद्धान् अमरान् इव भूरिशः
Then, abiding for a long time in that vast world, Uddalaka saw countless siddhas moving through the sky, like immortals.
आगतानि विचित्राणि सिद्धजालानि चाभितः । शक्रार्कपददातॄणि नीरन्ध्राण्य् अप्सरोगणैः
He saw various wondrous nets of siddhas all around, givers of Indra’s and the sun’s realms, seamless, filled with hosts of apsaras.
तानि नादरयां चक्रे सिद्धवृन्दानि स द्विजः । गम्भीरमतिर् अक्षुब्धो विलासान् इव शैशवान्
He, the twice-born, paid no heed to those groups of siddhas; his mind deep and undisturbed, as if they were childish amusements.
सिद्धसार्थम् अनादृत्य तस्मिन् स्वानन्दमन्दिरे । अतिष्ठद् अथ षण्मासान् दिक्तटे ऽर्क इवोत्तरे
Disregarding the assembly of accomplished beings, he remained for six months in that temple of his own bliss, like the sun in the northern quarter.
जीवन्मुक्तपदं तत् तद् यत् स सम्प्राप्तवान् द्विजः । तत्र सिद्धास् सुरास् साध्यास् स्थिता ब्रह्महरादयः
That twice-born one attained the state of liberation while living; there, the accomplished ones, gods, Sādhyas, Brahma, Hara, and others were present.
आनन्दपरिणामित्वाद् अनानन्दपदं गताः । नानन्दे न निरानन्दे ततस् तत्संविद् आबभौ
Because of the transformation into bliss, they reached a state beyond bliss; neither in bliss nor in non-bliss, that awareness alone shone forth.
क्षणं वर्षसहस्रं वा तत्र लब्ध्वा स्थितिं मनः । रतिम् एति न भोगौघे दृष्टस्वर्ग इवावनौ
Whether for a moment or a thousand years, having attained that state, the mind finds no delight in a flood of enjoyments, just as one who has seen heaven finds none on earth.
तत् पदं सा गतिश् शान्ता तच् छ्रेयश् शाश्वतं शिवम् । तत्र विश्रान्तिम् आप्तस्य न भूयो जायते श्रमः
That state is the peaceful path, the highest good, the eternal auspiciousness; for one who has attained repose there, fatigue never arises again.
तत् पदं साधवः प्राप्य दृश्यदृष्टिम् इमां पुनः । न यान्ति खदिरोद्यानं लब्धचैत्ररथा इव
Having reached that state, the virtuous do not return to this vision of the seen and the seer, just as those who have gained Chaitraratha do not return to the garden on the mountain peak.
तां महानन्दपदवीं चित्तान्य् आसाद्य देहिनाम् । दृश्यं न बहु मन्यन्ते राजानो दीनताम् इव
Having attained that path of supreme bliss, the minds of embodied beings no longer value the visible, just as kings do not esteem poverty.
चेतस् तत्पदविश्रान्तं बुद्धं दृश्यदशां प्रति । कदर्थाद् बोधम् आयाति न यात्य् एवाथ वानघ
The mind, having found rest in that state and become awakened, regards the condition of the seen with indifference; sometimes it attains knowledge, or sometimes, O sinless one, it does not.
उद्दालको ऽथ षण्मासान् दूरोत्सारितसिद्धभूः । उषित्वोन्मिषतो ऽम्भोदकोशाद् अर्को मधाव् इव
Then Uddālaka, after six months, having been kept away from the realm of the perfected, dwelled as the sun emerges from the ocean’s womb in spring.
ददर्श सम्प्रबुद्धात्मा पुनः परमतेजसः । प्रणामलालसान् सिद्धांश् चन्द्रबिम्बवपुर्धरान्
With his awakened mind, he again beheld those radiant beings, bowing in reverence, whose bodies shone like the disc of the moon.
रमणीर् गौरमन्दाररेण्वभ्रामलचामराः । स्फुरत्पताकापटला द्युविमानपरम्पराः
He saw delightful women, fair as moonlight, with fans made of white mandāra pollen, fluttering banners, and a succession of celestial chariots.
अस्मदादीन् मुनीन् दर्भपवित्राङ्ककराम्बुजान् । विद्याधरीभिर् वलितान् विद्याधरपतीन् अपि
He saw sages like himself, holding darbha grass for purification in their lotus-like hands, surrounded by Vidyādharī women, and even the lords of the Vidyādharas.
ते तम् ऊचुर् महात्मानम् उद्दालकमुनिं तदा । प्रसादेन प्रणामान् नो भगवन्न् अवलोकय
Those beings then addressed the great sage Uddālaka, saying: 'By your grace, O revered one, look upon our respectful salutations.'