व्यपगतमदमोहो मानमात्सर्यमुक्तश् चिरतरम् उदितात्मा शान्तशोकश् चिरेण । पुनर् असुखम् अगच्छन् स्वच्छयैकान्तबुद्ध्या वदसि यद् असि साधो तत् करिष्ये विशङ्कम्
Long freed from pride, delusion, arrogance, and envy, with the self arisen, sorrow stilled after a long time, not turning again to suffering, with pure and unwavering understanding, O noble one, I will do without hesitation whatever you instruct.
सम्यग्ज्ञानविलासेन वासनाविलयोदये । जीवन्मुक्तपदे ब्रह्मन् वद विश्रम्यते कथम्
O Brahman, tell me: when the play of true knowledge brings about the dissolution of tendencies, and the state of liberation while living is attained, how does one abide in rest?
संसारोत्तरणे युक्तिर् योगशब्देन कथ्यते । तां विद्धि द्विप्रकारां त्वं चित्तोपशमधर्मिणीम्
The method for crossing over worldly existence is described by the term 'yoga'; know that it is of two kinds, both characterized by the calming of the mind.
आत्मज्ञानं प्रकारो ऽस्या एकः प्रकथितो भुवि । द्वितीयः प्राणसंरोधश् शृणु सो ऽयं मयोच्यते
Self-knowledge is said to be one form of this; the second is restraint of the breath—listen, I will now explain it.
सुलभत्वाद् अदुःखत्वात् कतरश् शोभनो ऽनयोः । येनावगतमात्रेण भूयः क्षोभो न बाधते
Of these two, the one that is easy and free from suffering is superior; by merely attaining it, further agitation does not trouble one.
प्रकारौ द्वाव् अपि प्रोक्तौ योगशब्देन यद्य् अपि । तथापि रूढिम् आयातः प्राणयुक्ताव् असौ भृशम्
Although both forms are referred to by the word 'yoga', the one involving the breath has become especially established in usage.
एवं योगस् तथा ज्ञानं संसारोत्तरणक्रमे । समाव् उपायौ द्वाव् एव प्रोक्ताव् एकफलप्रदौ
Thus, yoga and knowledge are both means for crossing over worldly existence; only these two methods are taught, and both yield the same result.
असाध्यः कस्यचिद् योगः कस्यचिज् ज्ञाननिश्चयः । मम त्व् अभिमतस् साधो सुसाधो ज्ञानजः क्रमः
For some, yoga is unattainable; for others, certainty in knowledge is difficult; but for me, O noble one, the path arising from knowledge is most easily accomplished.
यज् ज्ञातं न तद् अज्ञातं स्वप्नेष्व् अपि पुनर् भवेत् । ज्ञानं सर्वास्व् अवस्थासु नित्यम् एव प्रवर्तते
What is known does not become unknown again, even in dreams; knowledge operates constantly in all states.
धारणासनदेशादिसाध्यत्वेन सुसाधतां । नायाति योगो ह्य् अथ वा विकल्पो नैष शोभनः
Yoga, being dependent on concentration, posture, place, and so forth, does not attain ease of practice; moreover, this alternative is not truly excellent.
द्वाव् एव किल यत्नोत्थौ ज्ञानयोगौ रघूद्वह । तत्रोक्तं भवतो ज्ञानम् अन्तस्स्थज्ञेयनिर्मलम्
There are indeed only two disciplines arising from effort, O descendant of Raghu: the yoga of knowledge and the yoga of practice. Of these, the knowledge spoken by you is pure, free from inner objects to be known.
प्राणापानरथारूढो गूढदेहगुहाशयः । अनन्तसिद्धिदस् साधो योगो ऽयं प्रोच्यते शृणु
Mounted upon the chariot of prāṇa and apāna, dwelling secretly within the cave of the body, this yoga, O sage, bestows endless accomplishments; listen as it is declared.
मुखानिलस्फुरणनिरोधसम्भवे स्थितिं गते नृपसुत चेतसः क्षये । समाहितस्थितिर् इह योगयुक्तितः परे पदे विगलितभीर् निवत्स्यसि
When, through the cessation of the movement of breath from the mouth, the mind attains stillness and is dissolved, O prince, then, established in concentration by yoga, you will abide in the supreme state, freed from fear.
अस्ति तावद् अनन्तस्य खस्य क्वचिद् अयं किल । जगद्रूपः परिस्पन्दो मृगतृष्णा मराव् इव
There exists, at some place, the infinite sky; and within it, this world-form, a mere vibration, like a mirage in the desert.
तत्र कारणतां यातो ब्रह्मा कमलसम्भवः । स्थितः पितामहत्वेन सृष्टभूतभरभ्रमः
Within that, Brahmā, born from the lotus, has assumed the role of cause; established as the grandfather, he sustains the burden of created beings.
तस्याहं मानसः पुत्रो वसिष्ठश् श्रेष्ठचेष्टितः । ऋक्षचक्रे ध्रुववृते निवसामि युगं प्रति
I am his mind-born son, Vasiṣṭha, foremost in action; I dwell in the circle of the stars, revolving with Dhruva, through each age.
सो ऽहं कदाचिद् आस्थाने स्वर्गे तिष्ठञ् शतक्रतोः । श्रुतवान् नारदादिभ्यः कथां सुचिरजीविनाम्
Once, while residing in the court of Indra in heaven, I heard from Nārada and others the stories of those who live long.
कथाप्रसङ्गे कस्मिंश्चिद् अथ तत्राभ्युवाच ह । शातातपो नाम मुनिर् मौनी मानी महामतिः
During the course of those stories, there, a certain sage named Śātātapa, silent, proud, and of great intellect, spoke.
मेरोर् ईशानकोणस्थपद्मरागमये दिवि । अस्ति कल्पतरुश् श्रीमाञ् शृङ्गे चूड इति श्रुतः
In the sky at the northeastern peak of Mount Meru, there is a splendid wish-fulfilling tree, made of padmarāga gem, known as Cūḍa.
तस्य कल्पतरोर् मूर्ध्नि दक्षिणस्कन्धकोटरे । कलधौतलताप्रान्ते विद्यते विहगालयः
At the crown of that wish-fulfilling tree, in a hollow of its southern branch, at the tip of a silver-creeper, there exists a bird's dwelling.
तस्मिन् निवसति श्रीमान् भुसुण्डो नाम वायसः । वीतरागो बृहत्कोशे ब्रह्मेव निजपङ्कजे
There resides the illustrious Bhusuṇḍa, a crow by name, free from passion, possessing vast knowledge, like Brahmā in his own lotus.
स यथा जगतः कोशे जीवतीह सुराश् चिरम् । चिरजीवी तथा स्वर्गे न भूतो न भविष्यति
Just as the gods live long in the cosmic egg, so too does he live for ages in heaven; there has never been, nor will there be, another so long-lived.
स दीर्घायुस् स नीरोगस् स श्रीमान् स महामतिः । स विश्रान्तमतिश् शान्तस् स कान्तः कालकोविदः
He is long-lived, free from disease, prosperous, of great intelligence, with a mind at rest, peaceful, charming, and wise in the ways of time.
स यथा जीवति खगस् तथेह यदि जीव्यते । तद् भवेज् जीवितं पुंसां दीर्घं चादेयम् एव च
If one were to live in this world as that bird lives, then human life would be both long and truly worthy.
इति तेन भुसुण्डो ऽसौ भूयःपृष्टेन वर्णितः । यथावद् एव देवानां सभायां सत्यमूर्तिना
Thus, Bhusuṇḍa was described in detail by Satyamūrti, when asked again, in the assembly of the gods.
कथावसरसंशान्ताव् अथ याते सुरव्रजे । भुसुण्डविहगं द्रष्टुम् अहं यातः कुतूहलात्
Then, when the gathering of gods had dispersed at the end of the story, I went out of curiosity to see Bhusuṇḍa the bird.
भुसुण्डस् संस्थितो यत्र मेरोश् शृङ्गं तद् उन्नतम् । सम्प्राप्तवान् क्षणेनाहं पद्मरागमयं बृहत्
There, where Bhusunda resides, I swiftly reached the lofty peak of Meru, vast and made of padmarāga gem.
द्रुतगैरिककान्तेन तेजसा वह्निवर्चसा । मध्वासवरसेनेव रञ्जयन् ककुभां गणम्
With a brilliance like quicklime, radiant as fire, it colored the quarters as if with the finest honey-wine.
कल्पान्तज्वलनज्वालापिण्डाद्रिम् इव सञ्चितम् । इन्द्रनीलशिलाधूमम् आलोकारुणिताम्बरम्
It was gathered like a mountain of flames at the end of an age, its sky reddened by the smoke of sapphire stones.
सर्वेषाम् एव रागाणां राशिम् अद्राव् इव स्थितम् । सर्वसन्ध्याभ्रजालानां घनम् एकम् इवाकरम्
It stood as if it were the heap of all red hues, like the single source of all the clouds of every twilight.