जीवस्य जीवितं ज्ञानं ज्ञतायां जीवजीवने । अणुर् अप्य् अस्ति नो भेदो विरूपत्वे ज्ञजीवयोः
The life of the living being is knowledge, in the knowing of the living being's existence; even the smallest atom has no difference or distortion between the knower and the living being.
यथा ज्ञजीवयोर् नास्ति भेदो राम तथैतयोः । भेदो ऽस्ति न ज्ञजगतोर् विद्धि शान्तम् अखण्डितम्
Just as there is no difference between the knower and life, O Rama, so too between these two; know that any distinction between the knower and the world is imagined—peaceful and indivisible is the truth.
सर्वं प्रशान्तम् अजम् एकम् अनादिमध्यम् आभासनं स्वदनमात्रम् अचेत्यचिह्नम् । सर्वं प्रशान्तम् अति शब्दमयी तु दृष्टिर् बोधार्थम् एव हि मुधैव तद् ॐ इतीदम्
All is tranquil, unborn, one, without beginning or middle, appearing only as a taste of itself, unmarked by thought or sign; all is peaceful, and perception, though full of sound, exists only for the sake of knowledge—otherwise, it is merely the utterance 'Om.'
अत्रैवोदाहरन्तीमम् इतिहासं पुरातनम् । किरातेशस्य सुरघोर् वृत्तान्तं विस्मयप्रदम्
Here they recount this ancient tale—a wondrous episode of the lord of the Kirātas and the fierce gods.
उत्तरस्या दिशो मेदः कर्पूरपटलं भुवः । सम्भृतं हसनं शार्वं शुक्लो वा चान्द्र आतपः
In the northern direction, the earth is covered with a sheet of camphor—whether it is the laughter of Shiva, the whiteness of the moon, or the radiance of moonlight.
हिमाद्रेश् शृङ्गम् अस्तीह कैलासो नाम पर्वतः । शैलजालस्य सन्मुक्ताकलापस्येव नायकः
Here stands a peak of the Himalayas, a mountain called Kailāsa, leader among the cluster of mountains, like a garland of pearls.
विष्णोः क्षीरोदक इव स्वर्गस् सुरपतेर् इव । अब्जजस्येव नाभ्यब्जं गृहं यश् शशिमौलिनः
It is like the ocean of milk for Vishnu, like heaven for the lord of the gods, like the lotus-navel for the lotus-born; it is the abode of the moon-crested one.
रुद्राक्षवृन्ददोलाभिस् साप्सरोभिर् विभाति यः । लोलरत्नशलाकाभिर् लहरीभिर् इवार्णवः
It shines with swings of rudrākṣa beads and with celestial nymphs, like the ocean with its waves of moving jewel-tipped reeds.
गणाङ्गनानाम् अनिशं मत्तानां चरणैर् हताः । अशोका इव राजन्ते यत्राशोका विकासिनः
There, the blossoming ashoka trees are ever struck by the feet of intoxicated attendants of Shiva, and they shine like flourishing ashoka trees.
सञ्चरच्छङ्करे दिक्षु भृगुष्व् इन्दुमणिद्रवैः । निवर्तन्ते प्रवर्तन्ते यत्राजस्रं च निर्झराः
In that region, the streams ceaselessly flow and recede in all directions, their waters shining with the radiance of moon-gems among the slopes and valleys.
यो लतागुल्मवृक्षौघवापीह्रदनदीनदैः । मृगपक्षिगणैर् भीतैर् ब्रह्माण्डवद् इहावृतः
There, like a cosmic egg, it is enclosed by dense growths of creepers, bushes, and trees, by ponds, lakes, and rivers, and by herds of frightened animals and birds.
तस्य हेमजटा नाम किरातास् संस्थितास् तले । पिपीलका वरतरोर् मूलकोशगता इव
At the base of that splendid tree, a people called the Hemajatas, like ants dwelling at the roots of a great tree, have settled.
कैलासपादारण्यान्यां जटालायां सुगुल्मकैः । वसन्ति यौकवत् क्षुद्रास् ते तन्निकटजीविनः
In the forested foothills of Kailasa, thick with undergrowth, those humble dwellers live nearby, like insects in a matted thicket.
आसीत् तेषाम् उदारात्मा राजा परपुरञ्जयः । जयलक्ष्म्या भुज इव यः प्रजायाश् च दक्षिणः
Among them was a noble-souled king, conqueror of enemy cities, who was like the right arm of victory and the protector of his people.
सुरघुर् नाम बलवान् सुरघोरारिदर्पहा । मूर्तः पराक्रम इव मूर्तिमान् इव मारुतः
His name was Suraghura, powerful and destroyer of the pride of fierce enemies, manifesting valor itself, embodied like the wind.
जिनो वैराग्यविभवैर् धनैर् गुह्यकनायकः । शतक्रतुगुरुर् बोधैः काव्यैर् असुरदैशिकः
He, the chief of the Guhyakas, was a master of renunciation and wealth, a teacher to Indra by wisdom, and a guide to the demons by poetry.
स चक्रे राजकार्याणि निग्रहानुग्रहक्रमैः । यथाप्राप्तान्य् अखिन्नात्मा दिनानीव दिवाकरः
He performed the duties of a king, alternating discipline and favor as appropriate, tireless like the sun carrying out the days.
तज्जाभ्यां सुखदुःखाभ्याम् अथ तस्याभ्यभूयत । सुमतिर् वागुराबन्धैश् श्लिष्टैर् ग्रीवेव पक्षिणः
Then, through the happiness and sorrow born from that, his good sense became ensnared, as if by the tight knots of a snare around a bird’s neck.
किम् आर्तं पीडयाम्य् एनं तिलयन्त्रम् इवौजसा । सर्वेषाम् एव भूतानां ममेवार्तिः प्रजायते
Why do I torment this suffering one, as if crushing with the force of an oil-press? The pain of all beings arises only in me.
धनम् अस्मै प्रयच्छामि धनेनानन्दवाञ् जनः । भवत्य् अहम् इवाशेषस् तद् अलं मे विनिग्रहैः
I will give him wealth, for with wealth a person becomes joyful; let all become as I am—enough, then, of my restraining him.
अथ वा निग्रहं प्राप्तं करोम्य् एतेन वै विना । वर्तते न प्रजैवेयं विना वारि सरिद् यथा
Or, if restraint is required, I will accomplish it without him; for this world does not continue without him, just as a river cannot flow without water.
हा कष्टम् एष निग्राह्यो दिष्ट्यानुग्राह्य एष मे । दिष्ट्याद्य सुखवान् अस्मि कष्टम् अद्यास्मि दुःखवान्
Alas, it is hard that he must be restrained; by fortune, he is to be favored by me. By fortune, today I am happy; alas, today I am miserable.
इति दोलायितं चेतो न विशश्राम भूपतेः । एकत्राम्बुमहावर्ते चिरं तृणम् इव भ्रमत्
Thus, the king’s mind, tossed back and forth, found no rest, whirling for a long time like a blade of grass in a great eddy of water.
अथैकदा गृहं तस्य माण्डव्यो मुनिर् आययौ । भ्रान्ताशेषककुप्कुञ्जो वासवस्येव नारदः
Then, one day, the sage Mandavya came to his house, wandering through every mountain cave, like Narada to Indra’s abode.
तम् असौ पूजयाम् आस पप्रच्छ च महामुनिम् । सन्देहदुर्द्रूमस्तम्भपरशुं सर्वकोविदम्
He honored him and questioned the great sage, who was like an axe to the tree of doubt, skilled in all knowledge.
भवदागमनेनास्मि मुने निर्वृतिम् आगतः । परमां वसुधापीठं सम्प्राप्त इव माधवे
O sage, by your arrival I have found peace, as if I have attained the supreme seat of the earth in spring.
अद्य तिष्ठाम्य् अहं नाथ धन्यानां धुरि धर्मतः । विकासि रविणेवाब्जं यत् त्वयास्मि विलोकितः
Today, O master, I stand at the forefront of the blessed by virtue of righteousness, just as a lotus blooms when beheld by the rising sun.
भगवन् सर्वधर्मज्ञ चिरं विश्रान्तवान् असि । तद् इमं संशयं छिन्द्धि ममार्कस् तिमिरं यथा
Lord, knower of all dharma, you have long rested; therefore, dispel this doubt of mine, as the sun removes darkness.
महतां सङ्गमेनार्तिः कस्य नाम न नश्यति । सन्देहं तु पराम् आर्तिम् आहुर् आर्तिविदो जनाः
By the company of the great, whose suffering is not destroyed? Yet those who know affliction say that doubt is the highest pain.
मन्निग्रहानुग्रहजा मद्भृत्यवपुषि स्थिताः । कषन्ति माम् अलं चिन्ता गजं हरिनखा इव
The worries arising from your restraint or favor, residing in the form of my servant, torment me greatly, like lion’s claws tormenting an elephant.