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.
तद् यथा समतोदेति सूर्यांशुर् इव सर्वगा । मतौ मम मुने मान्य तथा करुणया कुरु
Therefore, O venerable sage, by your compassion, make equanimity arise in my mind as the sun’s rays arise everywhere.
स्वायत्तेन स्वसंस्थेन स्वेनोपायेन भूपते । एषा मनःपेलवता हिमवत् प्रविलीयते
O king, by its own power, abiding in itself and by its own means, this mind, like snow, melts away on Mount Meru.
स्वविचारणयैवाशु शाम्यत्य् अन्तर् मनोज्वरः । शरदागममात्रेण मिहिका महती यथा
By self-inquiry alone, the fever of the mind quickly subsides, just as great mist vanishes at the mere arrival of autumn.
स्वेनैव मनसा स्वानि स्वशरीरगतानि च । विचारयेन्द्रियाण्य् अन्तः कीदृशान्य् अथ कानि वा
With your own mind, examine your own senses, including those residing in your body: what are they like, and what are they?
को ऽहं कथम् इदं किं वा कथं मरणजन्मनी । विचारयान्तर् एतत् त्वं महत्ताम् अलम् एष्यसि
Who am I? How is this? What is this? How do birth and death occur? Reflect inwardly on these matters, and you will attain greatness.
विचारेण परिज्ञातस्वभावस्य सतस् तव । हर्षामर्षदृशश् चेतस् तोलयिष्यन्ति नाचलम्
When you have understood your true nature through inquiry, your mind will not be disturbed by feelings of joy or resentment.
मनस् स्वं रूपम् उत्सृज्य शमम् एष्यति विज्वरम् । भूतपूर्ववपुर् भूत्वा तरङ्गः पयसीव ते
Your mind, having abandoned its own form, will reach peace free from affliction, becoming like a wave that returns to its previous state in water.
तिष्ठद् एव मनो रूपं परित्यक्ष्यति ते ऽनघ । कलङ्कविकलं काल ऋत्वन्तरगताव् इव
Even while the mind remains, it will relinquish its form, O sinless one, just as time leaves behind its blemished and incomplete seasons.
अनुकम्प्या भविष्यन्ति श्रीमन्तस् सर्व एव ते । दृष्टतत्त्वस्य तुष्टस्य जनाः पितुर् इवावनौ
All the prosperous people will become compassionate toward you, as people are toward a satisfied father who has seen the truth.
विवेकदीपदृष्टात्मा मेर्वब्धिनभसाम् अपि । अधः करिष्यसि नृप महत्ताम् उत्तमार्थदाम्
With the lamp of discernment seeing the Self, you will bring even Mount Meru, the ocean, and the sky below you, O king, attaining supreme greatness.