सर्वम् एव धियस् त्यक्त्वा यदि तिष्ठसि निश्चलः । तद् अहङ्कारविलयी त्वम् एव परमं पदम्
If, having abandoned all thoughts, you remain unmoving, then you alone, with the dissolution of ego, attain the supreme state.
शान्ताशेषविशेषणो विगतभीस् सन्त्यक्तसर्वैषणो गत्वा नूनम् अकिञ्चनत्वम् अरिषु त्यक्त्वा समग्रां श्रियम् । शान्ताहङ्कृतिर् अस्तदेहकलनस् तेष्व् एव भिक्षाम् अटन् माम् अप्य् उज्झितवान् अलं यदि भवस्य् उच्चैस् तद् उच्चैर् असि
One who is free from all distinctions, devoid of fear, having abandoned all desires, truly attains destitution among enemies, having renounced all prosperity; with a tranquil ego and the dissolution of bodily notions, wandering among them for alms, even if he abandons me, if you become supremely exalted, then you are truly exalted.
अथ तस्य गुरोर् वक्त्राद् इत्य् आकर्ण्य भगीरथः । मनस्य् आहितकर्तव्यस् स्वव्यापारपरो ऽभवत्
Then, having heard this from the mouth of his teacher, Bhagiratha, fixing his mind on what was to be done, became intent on his own activity.
ततः कतिपयेष्व् एव वासरेषु गतेष्व् असौ । अग्निष्टोममखं चक्रे सर्वत्यागैकसिद्धये
Then, after only a few days had passed, he performed the Agniṣṭoma sacrifice for the sole purpose of complete renunciation.
गोभूम्यश्वहिरण्यादि ददौ धनम् अशेषतः । द्विजदेवार्तबन्धुभ्यो गुण्यगुण्यविचारवान्
He gave away all his wealth—cows, land, horses, gold, and more—to brahmins, gods, the afflicted, and relatives, with discernment regarding virtue and vice.
दिवसत्रयमात्रेण सर्वम् एवं परित्यजन् । स्ववस्त्रमात्रशेषो ऽसाव् आसीद् राजा भगीरथः
In just three days, having thus renounced everything, King Bhagiratha was left with only his own garment.
अथ सर्वार्थरिक्तं तं खिन्नप्रकृतिपौरकम् । सीमान्तिने तृणम् इव राज्यं स्वम् अरये ददौ
Then, having been stripped of all possessions and with his people and ministers distressed, he gave his kingdom, as if it were a blade of grass, to his enemy at the border.
आक्रान्ते द्विषता राज्ये पुरे सद्मनि मण्डले । अधोवासोऽवशेषो ऽसौ निर्जगाम स्वमण्डलात्
When his kingdom was seized by the enemy—his city, palace, and realm—he departed from his domain with only his lower garment remaining.
यत्र न ज्ञायते नाम्ना यत्र न ज्ञायते मुखात् । तत्र ग्रामेष्व् अरण्येषु दूरेषूवास धैर्यवान्
With steadfastness, he dwelled in villages or forests, in distant places where he was not recognized by name or by face.
इत्य् अल्पेनैव कालेन प्रशान्तसकलैषणः । परमेण शमेनासौ प्राप विश्रान्तिम् आत्मनि
Thus, in a short time, all his desires subsided, and through supreme tranquility he attained rest within himself.
भ्रमन् द्वीपानि भूपीठे कदाचित् कालयोगतः । भूपेन शत्रुणा प्राप्तं स्वम् एव प्राप तत् पुरम्
Wandering among the islands of the earth, it happened by the course of time that he came again to his own city, which had been taken by his enemy.
तान् एवारींश् च तत्रासौ प्रवाहापतितक्रमम् । पौरांश् च मन्त्रिणश् चैव शमी भिक्षाम् अयाचत
There, from those very enemies, as well as from the townspeople and ministers, he, now at peace, begged for alms in the order of those who had fallen into misfortune.
विविदुस् ते ऽरयः पौरा मन्त्रिणश् च भगीरथम् । पूजयाम् आसुर् अथ तं सविषादास् सपर्यया
The citizens, ministers, and others honored Bhagiratha with worship, though their hearts were heavy with sorrow.
प्रभो राज्यं गृहाणेति प्रार्थितो ऽप्य् अरिणा मुनिः । नाददे ऽनादृताशेषस् तृणम् अप्य् अशनाद् ऋते
Even when entreated by his enemy to accept the kingdom, the sage did not take it, disregarding everything except what was necessary for food.
कतिचिद् दिवसांस् तत्र नीत्वान्यत्र जगाम सः । भगीरथो ऽयं हा कष्टम् इति लोकेन शोचितः
After spending a few days there, he departed elsewhere, and the people lamented, 'Alas, this is Bhagiratha—how unfortunate!'
अथान्यत्रोपशान्तात्मा परिविश्रान्तधीस् सुखी । आत्मारामः कदाचित् तु स प्राप त्र्युत्तुलं गुरुम्
Then, with his mind at peace and intellect at rest, content within himself, he at some point met a guru of incomparable greatness.
स्वम् एव स्वागतं कृत्वा तेन सार्धं भगीरथः । कञ्चित् कालम् उवासाद्रौ वने ग्रामे पुरे जने
Bhagiratha welcomed him as his own and, together with him, dwelled for some time on a mountain, in a forest, in a village, or among people in a city.
समताम् उपयातौ तौ गुरुशिष्यौ समौ स्थितौ । कलयाम् आसतुस् स्वस्थौ विनोदं देहधारणम्
The two, teacher and disciple, attained equanimity and remained together, maintaining themselves in well-being and sustaining the body as a pastime.
किम् अयं धार्यते देहः किम् अनेनोज्झितेन नः । यथाक्रमं यथाचारं तिष्ठत्व् एष यथास्थितम्
'Why is this body maintained? What is lost if it is abandoned by us? Let it remain as it is, according to its nature and custom.'
इति निश्चित्य तिष्ठन्तौ तौ वनाद् वनगामिनौ । ननन्दतुर् अनानन्दं न सुखं न च मध्यमम्
Having resolved thus, the two remained, wandering from forest to forest, rejoicing in that which is beyond joy, neither happiness nor its opposite nor anything in between.
धनानि नारीर् विभवान् ऐश्वर्यं चाष्टधोदितम् । सिद्धैर् अप्य् अर्पितं तुष्टैर् मेनाते जर्जरं तृणम्
Even when offered by satisfied siddhas, wealth, women, prosperity, and the eightfold lordship are regarded as mere dry grass.
स्वकर्मणैव देहो ऽयं यावदन्तम् अनिच्छया । धारणीय इति स्वेन कर्मणैवाथ तस्थतुः
This body, produced by one's own actions, must be sustained without desire until its end; thus, by one's own actions, it remains.
अभिननन्दतुर् आगतम् उत्तमौ निजसमाचरणक्रमजं मुनी । सुखम् असौख्यम् अपीप्सितवर्जितौ समसमौ खसमौ शमिनौ स्वतः
Those two noble sages welcomed whatever came, whether happiness or suffering, without desire for either, remaining equal, tranquil, and self-composed like the sky.
अथैकदा पुरश्रेष्ठे कस्मिंश्चिन् मण्डलान्तरे । अनपत्यं नृपं मृत्युर् अहरत् स्वम् इवामिषम्
Then, once, in a certain region within a great city, Death took away a childless king as if seizing his own prey.
तत्र प्रकृतयः खिन्ना नष्टदेशक्रमा नृपम् । अन्विष्यन्ति स्म संयुक्तं गुणलक्ष्म्या विशालया
There, the ministers, distressed and having lost the order of the land, sought a king endowed with great qualities and fortune.
ता भगीरथम् आसाद्य स्थितं भिक्षाशनं पुरे । परिज्ञाय समानीय सैन्यं चक्रुर् महीपतिम्
They, finding Bhagiratha living in the city on alms, recognized him, brought him forth, and made him king with an army.
भगीरथः क्षणेनैव प्रावृषीवाम्बुना सरः । धूलितस् सेनया गुर्व्या झगित्य् आरोपितो गजे
Bhagiratha, in a moment, was covered with the dust of the great army, like a lake by rainwater in the rainy season, and was swiftly mounted on an elephant.
भगीरथो जगन्नाथो जयतीति घनारवैः । नीरन्ध्रताम् उपाजग्मुर् गिरीन्द्राणां महागुहाः
As the shouts of 'Victory to Bhagiratha, Lord of the World!' thundered, the great caves of the mountain lords became completely filled.
तत्र तत् पालयन्तं तं राज्यं राजानम् आदृताः । आजग्मुः प्राक्प्रकृतयः प्राहुर् इत्थं मृताधिपाः
There, as he was ruling that kingdom, the former ministers, honoring the king, approached and spoke thus on behalf of the deceased rulers:
राजन्न् अस्माकम् अधिपो यस् त्वया स पुरा कृतः । मृत्युना विनिगीर्णो ऽसौ मत्स्येनेवामिषं मृदु
O King, the lord who was formerly appointed over us by you has been swallowed by death, just as a fish swallows tender bait.