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.
उत्क्रान्तिं कुर्वतो मेरोर् ब्रह्मनाड्येव निर्गतम् । मूर्धानम् आगतं कान्तं वाडवं जठरानलम्
Like the upward surge of Meru, as if the fire of the submarine volcano had emerged through its summit, beautiful and bright.
सुमेरुवनदेव्येव नवालक्तकरञ्जितम् । लीलयादातुम् इन्दुं खे नीतं हस्तं शिखाङ्गुलिम्
As if the goddess of Sumeru forest had playfully dipped her finger in fresh red dye to seize the moon in the sky.
ज्वालाभिर् इव मालाभिर् अरुणाभिः पयोमुचाम् । खं गन्तुम् इव सस्पन्दं शैलस्थम् इव वाडवम्
Like a wreath of crimson flames, or the fiery submarine blaze poised on the mountain, trembling as if to ascend the sky.
तारास् स्प्रष्टुम् इवाकाशम् अङ्गुलीभिर् इवाश्रिभिः । कचदंशुनखाग्राभिः परिचुम्बद् इवोन्नतम्
As if the stars, with their shining fingers, were reaching to touch the sky, caressing the lofty peak with the tips of their hair and nails.
कचद्रत्नशिलाश्वभ्रं भास्वत्कनककन्दरम् । सरत्कुसुमरेण्वभ्रं भ्रमद्विद्याधरामरम्
There were crystal rocks, jewel-studded caves, radiant golden grottos, mountain streams veiled in flower pollen, and celestial beings wandering about.
क्वणद्वंशलसद्वातं नृत्यद्रत्नलताङ्गनम् । गर्जज्जीमूतमुरजं भूभृतो नाट्यमण्डपम्
There was the gentle wind playing through bamboo reeds, jewel-creeper maidens dancing, thunderclouds resounding like drums, and the mountain itself like a stage for divine performance.
हसत्कुसुमगुच्छाढ्यं ध्वनत्षट्पदपेटकम् । दन्ततालं दलावल्या परिहासाद् इव स्फुटम्
Clusters of laughing flowers adorned the place, bees hummed melodiously, and the leaves clapped together as if in playful applause.
दोलालोलाप्सरोवृन्दम् उद्दाममदमन्मथम् । शिलाविश्रान्तविबुधं मिथुनाश्रितकन्दरम्
Groups of apsarases swung on vines, intoxicated with love and passion; gods rested on rocks, and couples sought shelter in the caves.
वराम्बराजिनं शुभ्रं गङ्गायज्ञोपवीति च । तापसं पिङ्गलम् इव वेणुदण्डधरं स्थितम्
There stood a sage, clad in fine bark and white deerskin, with the Ganges as his sacred thread—tawny, staff in hand, as if he were an ascetic himself.
गङ्गानिर्झरनिर्ह्रादि लतागृहगतामरम् । गन्धर्वगीतसुभगम् आमोदिमधुरानिलम्
Celestials dwelled in leafy bowers, with the roar of Ganges waterfalls, sweet with the songs of gandharvas and fragrant, delightful breezes.