जनस्य तस्य दुःखं स दृष्ट्वा सकललोककृत् । जगाम करुणाम् ईशः पुत्रदुःखाद् यथा पिता
Seeing the suffering of those people, the Lord, creator of all worlds, was moved to compassion, just as a father is by the sorrow of his children.
क एतेषां हताशानां दुःखस्यान्तो हतायुषाम् । स्याद् इति क्षणम् एकाग्रश् चिन्तयाम् आस भूतपः
The Lord of beings, focused for a moment, pondered: 'How can there be an end to the suffering of these hopeless, short-lived ones?'
इति सञ्चिन्त्य भगवान् ससर्ज पुनर् ईश्वरः । तपो धर्मं च दानं च सत्यं तीर्थानि चैव ह
Thus reflecting, the blessed Lord again created austerity, righteousness, charity, truth, and holy places.
एतत् सृष्ट्वा पुनर् देवश् चिन्तयाम् आस भूतकृत् । पुंसां नानेन सर्वस्य दुःखस्यान्त इति स्वयम्
Having created these, the divine creator of beings thought: 'By these alone, the end of all suffering for people is not attained.'
निर्वाणं नाम परमं सुखं येन पुनर् जनः । न जायते न म्रियते तज् ज्ञानाद् एव लभ्यते
Nirvana is called the supreme happiness, by which a person is neither born nor dies; it is attained only through knowledge.
संसारोत्तरणे जन्तोर् उपायो ज्ञानम् एव हि । तपो दानं तथा तीर्थम् अणूपायः प्रकीर्तितः
For crossing over worldly existence, knowledge alone is the means for a living being; austerity, charity, and pilgrimage are declared to be minor aids.
तत् तावद् दुःखमोक्षार्थं जनस्यास्य महात्मनः । प्रत्यग्रं तरणोपायम् आशु प्रकटयाम्य् अहम्
Therefore, for the liberation from suffering of this noble humanity, I shall promptly reveal the direct means for crossing over.
इति सञ्चिन्त्य भगवान् ब्रह्मा कमलसंस्थितः । मनसा परिसङ्कल्प्य माम् उत्पादितवान् इमम्
Thus reflecting, the blessed Brahma, seated upon the lotus, conceived me in his mind and brought me forth.
कुतो ऽप्य् उत्पन्न एवाशु ततो ऽहं समुपस्थितः । पितुस् तस्य पुरश् शीघ्रम् ऊर्मेर् ऊर्मिर् इवानघ
Having arisen from somewhere, I quickly appeared before my father, like one wave following another, O sinless one.
कमण्डलुधरो नाथस् सकमण्डलुना मया । साक्षमालस् साक्षमालं स प्रणम्याभिवादितः
The Lord held a water pot, and I too held a water pot; he wore a rosary, and I too wore a rosary; having bowed, I greeted him.
एहि पुत्रेति माम् उक्त्वा स स्वाब्जस्योत्तरे दले । शुक्ले ऽभ्र इव शीतांशुं योजयाम् आस पाणिना
Calling me, 'Come, my son,' he joined me with his hand to the northern petal of his own lotus, like a white cloud joining the moon.
मृगकृत्तिपरीधानो मृगकृत्तिनिजाम्बरम् । माम् उवाच पिता ब्रह्मा स हंसस् सारसं यथा
Clad in a deer skin, wearing his own garment of deer skin, my father Brahma, like a swan to a lotus, spoke to me.
मुहूर्तमात्रं ते पुत्र चेतो वानरचञ्चलम् । अज्ञानम् अभ्याविशतु शशश् शशधरं यथा
For a moment, my son, let your mind, restless as a monkey, be enveloped in ignorance, as the moon is covered by a hare.
इति तेनाशु शप्तस् सन् विचारसमनन्तरम् । अहं विस्मृतवान् सर्वं स्वरूपम् अमलं द्विजः
Thus, being quickly cursed by him, immediately after reflection, I, the twice-born, forgot all my pure nature.
अथाहं दीनतां यातस् स्थितस् सम्बुद्धया धिया । दुःखशोकाभिसन्तप्तो जातो जन इवाधमः
Then I became dejected, remaining with an awakened mind, tormented by sorrow and pain, like a lowly person among people.
कष्टं संसारनामायं दोषः कथम् इवागतः । इति चिन्तितवान् अन्तस् तूष्णीम् एव व्यवस्थितः
How did this fault called 'worldly existence' come about? Thus I pondered inwardly, remaining silent.
अथाभ्यधात् स मां तातः पुत्र किं दुःखवान् असि । दुःखोपघातं मां पृच्छ सुखी नित्यं भविष्यसि
Then my father addressed me: 'Son, why are you sorrowful? Ask me the remedy for sorrow, and you will always be happy.'
ततः पृष्टस् स भगवान् मया सकललोककृत् । हैमपद्मदलस्थेन संसारव्याधिभेषजम्
Then, questioned by me, the blessed one, creator of all worlds, seated on a golden lotus petal, gave the medicine for the disease of worldly existence.
कथं नाम महद् दुःखम् अयं संसार आगतः । कथं च क्षीयते जन्तोर् इति पृष्टेन तेन मे
He asked me: How has this great suffering called worldly existence arisen, and how is it brought to an end for a living being?
तज् ज्ञानं सुबहु प्रोक्तं यज् ज्ञात्वा पावनं परम् । अहं पितुर् अपि प्रायः किलाधिक इव स्थितः
That knowledge, which is purifying and supreme, has been explained in great detail; by knowing it, I have become, it seems, even greater than my father.
ततो विदितवेद्यं मां निजप्रकृतिम् आस्थितम् । स उवाच जगत्कर्ता वक्ता सकलकारणम्
Then, having understood what was to be known and established in my own nature, the creator of the world, the speaker and cause of all, addressed me.
शापेनाज्ञपदं नीत्वा पृच्छकस् त्वं मया कृतः । पुत्रास्य ज्ञानसारस्य समस्तजनसिद्धये
By a curse, you were brought to the state of ignorance; I made you the questioner, so that the essence of knowledge might be imparted to your sons for the accomplishment of all people.
इदानीं शान्तशापस् त्वं परं बोधम् उपागतः । संस्थितो ऽहम् इवैकात्मा कनकं कनकाद् इव
Now, freed from the curse, you have attained supreme awakening; I am established as one with myself, like gold from gold.
गच्छेदानीं महीपीठे जम्बुद्वीपान्तरस्थितम् । साधो भारतवर्षं त्वं लोकानुग्रहहेतुना
Go now to the seat of the earth, to the region within Jambudvīpa; O noble one, go to Bhāratavarṣa for the sake of benefiting the world.
तत्र क्रियाकाण्डपरास् त्वया पुत्र महाधियः । उपदेश्याः क्रियाकाण्डक्रमेण क्रमशालिनः
There, O wise son, you should instruct those devoted to ritual acts, who are orderly in the sequence of ritual practices.
विरक्तचित्ताश् च तथा महाप्रज्ञा विरागिणः । उपदेश्यास् त्वया साधो ज्ञानेनानन्ददायिना
Likewise, those whose minds are detached, who possess great wisdom and are free from passion, O noble one, you should instruct with knowledge that bestows bliss.
इति तेन नियुक्तो ऽहं पित्रा कमलयोनिना । इह राघव तिष्ठामि यावद् भूतपरम्परा
Thus, commanded by my father, the lotus-born, I remain here, O Raghava, until the succession of beings is complete.
कर्तव्यम् अस्ति मम नेह हि किञ्चिद् एव स्थातव्यम् इत्य् अभिमना भुवि संस्थितो ऽस्मि । संशान्तया सततसुप्तधियेव वृत्त्या कार्यं करोमि न च किञ्चिद् अहं करोमि
I have a duty to perform; there is nothing here for me except to remain as long as necessary. With this conviction, I stay in the world. With a mind always tranquil and as if perpetually asleep, I carry out my tasks, yet I do nothing at all.
एतत् ते कथितं सर्वं ज्ञानावतरणं भुवि । मया स्वम् ईहितं चैव कमलोद्भवकल्पितम्
All this has been told to you—the descent of knowledge upon earth—by me, according to my own intention and as imagined by the lotus-born.
तद् इदं परमं ज्ञानं श्रोतुम् अद्य तवानघ । भृशम् उत्कण्ठितं चेतो महतस् सुकृतोदयात्
Now, O sinless one, you are to hear this supreme knowledge today; your mind is greatly eager, arising from the fruits of great virtue.