सुरकिन्नरगन्धर्वविद्याधरवरान्वितम् । जगद्वार्क्षीम् इव गतं दशाम् आकाशपूरणीम्
It was filled with the best among gods, kinnaras, gandharvas, and vidyadharas, as if the world-tree had reached a state that pervaded the sky.
नीरन्ध्रकलिकाजालं नीरन्ध्रमृदुपल्लवम् । नीरन्ध्रविकसत्पुष्पं नीरन्ध्रफलमालितम्
Its clusters of buds were seamless, its tender shoots unbroken, its blossoming flowers without gaps, and its fruits closely set together.
नीरन्ध्रमञ्जरीपुञ्जं नीरन्ध्रमणिगुच्छकम् । नीरन्ध्रांशुकरत्नाढ्यं लताविकसनाकुलम्
Its bunches of flower-clusters were unbroken, its groups of jewels uninterrupted, its spreading creepers dense and adorned with seamless threads and gems.
सर्वर्तुकुसुमापूरैस् सर्वर्तुफलपल्लवैः । सर्वामोदरजःपुञ्जैः परं वैचित्र्यम् आगतम्
It had the utmost variety, with masses of flowers blooming in every season, shoots and fruits of all times, and clouds of fragrance everywhere.
तस्य कच्छेषु कुञ्जेषु लतापत्त्रेषु पर्वसु । पुष्पेष्व् आलयसंलीनान् विहगान् दृष्टवान् अहम्
In its groves, on the banks, among the creeper-leaves and branches, and within the flowers, I saw birds dwelling in their nests.
निशानाथकलाखण्डमृणालशकलैधितान् । अजनाभ्यब्जिनीकन्दभोजनान् ब्रह्मसारसान्
There were Brahma-swans, their beaks shining like fragments of the crescent moon and stalks of lotus-fibers, feeding on the roots of the lotus from the navel of the unborn.
विरिञ्चरथहंसानां पोतकान् सामगायिनः । ओंकारवेदसुहृदो ब्राह्मपद्मबिसाशिनः
There were the young ones of the swans of Brahma’s chariot, singing the Sāma hymns, friends of the Vedas and Om, eating the stalks of the divine lotus.
उद्गीर्णमन्त्रनिचयान् स्वाहाकारनिजस्वनान् । सुस्थिरैकतडित्पुञ्जनीलमेघसमोपमान्
They uttered collections of mantras, their own calls of svāhā, and resembled stable masses of blue clouds streaked with single flashes of lightning.
देवान् इवाज्यपान् नित्यं यज्ञवेदीलतादलान् । शुकान् कार्शानवाञ् श्यामाञ् शिशूञ् शिखिशिखाशिखान्
Like gods, I saw those who constantly drink the sacred soma, those who are as the creepers of the sacrificial altar, parrots, slender and dark ones, children, and those with peacock crests.
गौरीरक्षितबर्हौघान् कौमारान् वरबर्हिणः । स्कन्दोपन्यस्तनिश्शेषशैवविज्ञानकोविदान्
I saw flocks of young peacocks guarded by Gauri, noble peacocks in their youth, those skilled in all the knowledge imparted by Skanda, and those thoroughly versed in Shaiva wisdom.
व्योम्न्य् एव जातनष्टानां महतां व्योमपक्षिणाम् । बन्धून् आबद्धनिलयाञ् शरदभ्रसमाकृतीन्
I saw, in the sky itself, the great celestial birds who were born and vanished there, their kin whose abodes were fixed, resembling autumn clouds in form.
विरिञ्चहंसजान् अन्यान् अन्यान् अग्निशुकोद्भवान् । कौमारबर्हिजान् अन्यान् अन्यान् अम्बरपक्षिजान्
I saw others born from the swan of Brahma, others born from the fire-parrot, others born from the peacock of Kumara, and yet others who were born as sky-dwelling birds.
द्वितुण्डांश् चाथ भारुण्डान् हेमचूडान् विहङ्गमान् । कलविङ्कान् बकान् गृध्रान् कोकिलान् क्रौञ्चकुक्कुटान्
I saw birds with two beaks, then the mighty Bharunda birds, those with golden crests, kalavinka birds, herons, vultures, cuckoos, cranes, and cocks.
भासचाषबलाकादीन् बहून् अन्यांश् च राघव । भूतौघाञ् जगतीवाहं दृष्टवांस् तत्र पक्षिणः
I saw many others, O Raghava, such as crows, sparrows, cranes, and many other hosts of beings in bird form that carry the world.
दक्षिणस्कन्धशाखायां स्थितायां खे दवीयसि । अथाहं दृष्टवान् पुष्टपत्त्रायाम् अम्बरस्थितः
When I was standing on the branch of the southern shoulder, high in the sky, then I saw, in a flourishing-leaved tree, one who was established in the sky.
कालकाकोलवलयं मञ्जरीजालमालितम् । लोकालोकाचलारण्ये कल्पाभ्रौघम् इव स्थितम्
I saw a circle of black cuckoos, adorned with clusters of blossoms, standing like a mass of clouds at the edge of the Lokāloka mountain in the forest.
तत्र पश्याम्य् अहं यावद् एकत्र स्कन्धकोटरे । विचित्रकुसुमास्तीर्णे विविधामोदशालिनि
There I saw, within the hollow of a single tree, a place strewn with wondrous flowers, filled with various delightful fragrances.
शक्रानिलयमार्केन्दुगृहबल्युपजीविनः । पुण्यकृद्योषितां स्वर्गे प्रियसूचकवाशिताः
There, the wives of the virtuous, who dwell in heaven and are sustained by the offerings made to Indra, Wind, Sun, and Moon, were singing songs that revealed their affection.
अपरिक्षुभिताकारास् सभायां वायसास् स्थिताः । विभेद्यमेघा वातेन समेनेव प्रसारिताः
Unperturbed in appearance, they sat together in an assembly, like crows gathered, spread out as clouds are scattered by the wind.
तेषां मध्ये स्थितश् श्रीमान् भुसुण्डः प्रोन्नताकृतिः । मध्ये सत्काचखण्डानाम् इन्द्रनील इवोन्नतः
In their midst stood the illustrious Bhusunda, tall in form, rising among the noble ones like a sapphire among precious gems.
परिपूर्णमना मानी समस् सर्वाङ्गसुन्दरः । प्राणस्पन्दावधानेन नित्यम् अन्तर्मुखस् सुखी
His mind was completely fulfilled, dignified, equally beautiful in every limb; ever inwardly content, attentive to the movement of breath.
चिरजीवीति विख्यातश् चिरजीवितया तया । जगद्विदितदीर्घायुस् स भुसुण्ड इति श्रुतः
Renowned as long-lived because of his great longevity, he is known throughout the world as Bhusunda, famed for his enduring life.
युगागमापायदशादर्शनप्रौढमानसः । प्रतिकल्पं च गणयन् खिन्नश् शक्रपरम्पराम्
His mind was matured by witnessing the coming and passing of ages; in every cosmic cycle, he counted the weary succession of Indras.
जन्मनां लोकपालानां शौरिशक्रगरुत्मताम् । संस्मर्ता समतीतानां सुरासुरमहीभृताम्
He remembers the births of the guardians of the worlds—Vishnu, Indra, Garuda—and recalls the past of gods, demons, and kings of the earth.
प्रसन्नगम्भीरमनाः पेशलस्निग्धमुग्धवाक् । अवक्रवक्ता ज्ञाता च निर्ममो निरहङ्कृतिः
With a mind serene and profound, speech graceful, gentle, and innocent; one who speaks without crookedness, is knowledgeable, free from possessiveness, and devoid of ego.
सुहृद् दान्तस् तथा मित्रं भृत्यः पुत्रो गुरुः प्रभुः । सर्वदा सर्वथा नित्यं सर्वं सर्वस्य संस्तवे
A friend, restrained, likewise a companion, servant, son, teacher, master—always, in every way, at all times, everything, for everyone, in praise.
सोम्यः प्रसन्नमधुरो रसवान् महात्मा हृद्यस् सरोवर इवान्तर् अखण्डशैत्यः । हृत्पुण्डरीककुहरव्यवहारवेत्ता गाम्भीर्यम् अच्छम् अजहत् प्रकटाशयश्रीः
Pleasant, serene, sweet, endowed with essence, great-souled, delightful—like a lake within, possessing unbroken coolness; one who knows the workings of the heart’s lotus-cave, whose depth is clear, unwavering, and whose manifest intentions are radiant.
अथ तस्याहम् अपतं दीप्यमानवपुः पुरः । किञ्चिद्विक्षोभितसभं खान् नक्षत्रम् इवाचले
Then I approached him, my form shining before him, disturbing the assembly slightly, like a star in the sky disturbing the stillness.
चुक्षोभ वायसास्थाननीलोत्पलसरः क्षणं । मत्पातमन्दवातेन भूकम्पेनेव सागरः
For a moment, the blue-lotus lake where the crow dwelled was disturbed, as if by the gentle wind of my arrival, like the ocean shaken by an earthquake.
अशङ्कितम् अपि प्राप्ताद् दर्शनात् समनन्तरम् । भुसुण्डस् तु वसिष्ठो ऽयं प्राप्त इत्य् अवबुद्धवान्
Though unafraid, upon my immediate arrival and sight, Bhusunda instantly recognized: 'This is Vasistha who has come.'