तथा श्रुतोपदेशेन स्वात्मज्ञानम् अवाप्यते । अन्यद् अन्विष्यते चान्यल् लभ्यते हि गुरुक्रमात्
So too, through the teaching heard, one attains knowledge of the Self; seeking something else, something else is obtained by the teacher's method.
ब्रह्म सर्वेन्द्रियातीतं श्रुतादीन्द्रियसंविदा । तेनोपदेशाद् अनघ नात्मतत्त्वम् अवाप्यते
Brahman is beyond all senses, known through the awareness of hearing and other senses; by that teaching, O sinless one, the essence of the Self is not attained.
गुरूपदेशं च विना नात्मतत्त्वागमो भवेत् । केन चिन्तामणिर् लब्धः कपर्दान्वेषणं विना
Without the instruction of a teacher, there can be no realization of the truth of the Self; how can a wish-fulfilling gem be obtained without searching for cowries?
तत्त्वस्यास्य महार्घस्य गुरूपकथनं गतम् । अकारणं कारणतां मणेर् इव कपर्दकः
The teaching of the teacher has conveyed this supremely precious truth; just as a cowrie, without cause, cannot take on the value of a gem.
पश्य राघव मायेयं मोहनी महताम् अपि । अन्यद् अन्विष्यते यत्नाद् अन्यद् आसाद्यते फलम्
See, Raghava, this is the power of illusion—it deludes even the great: one seeks something with effort, but attains a different result.
अन्यत् करोति पुरुषः फलम् अन्यद् एव प्राप्नोति वस्तुनियतिश् च विलोक्यते च । तस्माद् अनन्तविभवस्य जगत्क्रमस्य श्रेयो ऽतिवाहनम् असङ्गम् अवज्ञयैव
A person does one thing, yet obtains a completely different outcome; the order of things is observed to be thus. Therefore, in this world of infinite manifestations, the best course is to transcend attachment, regarding it with indifference.
ततश् शिखिध्वजो राजा तत्त्वज्ञानपदं विना । आजगाम परं मोहं यामान्ध्यम् इव भूतलम्
Then King Shikhidhvaja, lacking the attainment of true knowledge, fell into deep delusion, as if the earth were plunged into the darkness of night.
दुःखाग्निदीपितमना मनाग् अपि विभूतिषु । तास्व् अपीष्टोपनीतासु न रेमे ऽग्निशिखास्व् इव
His mind, scorched by the fire of sorrow, found no delight in any of his possessions, even those most desired, just as one finds no pleasure in flames.
एकान्तेषु दिगन्तेषु निर्झरेषु गुहासु च । आजगाम रतिं जन्तुमुक्तेषु व्यसनी यथा
He sought solace in solitary places, at the ends of the directions, by waterfalls, and in caves, like a man addicted to pleasures who finds joy only in places free from people.
राघव त्वम् इवाशेषास् सान्त्वानुनयचोदनैः । प्रार्थितः कार्यते भृत्यैर् महीपो दिवसक्रियाः
Raghava, just as you are compelled by your attendants to perform daily duties through all manner of persuasion and encouragement, so too is a king made to act.
नित्यम् उद्दामवैराग्यः परिव्राड् इव शान्तधीः । निन्दन्न् एव महाभोगान् अभोक्तैव श्रियां स्थितः
Always possessing intense dispassion, with a tranquil mind like a wandering ascetic, he remained amidst great enjoyments, condemning them yet not partaking in them.
ददाव् अतितरां दानं गोभूमिकनकादिकम् । देवेभ्यो ब्राह्मणेभ्यश् च स्वजनेभ्यश् च मानदः
He gave exceedingly generous gifts—cows, land, gold, and more—bestowing honor upon gods, Brahmins, and his own people.
चचार च तपः कर्तुं कृच्छ्रचान्द्रायणादिकम् । परिबभ्राम तीर्थानि वनान्य् आयतनानि च
He undertook austerities, performing difficult rites such as the Chandrayana, and wandered through sacred places, forests, and shrines.
स तथापि विशोकत्वं मनाग् अपि न लब्धवान् । अनिधानां खनन् भूमिं निधानार्थी निधिं यथा
Yet even so, he did not attain even the slightest freedom from sorrow, like one digging earth for treasure but not finding it.
रात्रिन्दिनम् अनन्तेन शुष्यञ् शोककृशानुना । चिन्तया चिन्तयाम् आस संसारव्याधिभेषजम्
Day and night, worn thin by endless grief and dryness, he pondered and pondered the remedy for the disease of worldly existence.
चिन्तापरवशो दीनो राज्यं पश्यन् विषोपमम् । महाविभवम् अप्य् अग्रे नापश्यत् खिन्नया धिया
Overcome by anxiety and dejection, seeing his kingdom as poison, he could not perceive its great wealth before him, his mind weighed down.
अथैकदैकान्तगतां चूडालाम् अङ्कम् आगताम् । इदं मधुरया वाचा समुवाच शिखिध्वजः
Then, once, when Chudala had come to him in solitude and sat upon his lap, Shikhidhvaja spoke these words to her in a gentle voice.
भुक्तं राज्यं चिरं कालं भुक्ता विभवभूमयः । अधुनास्मि विरागेण युक्तो गच्छामि काननम्
I have enjoyed the kingdom for a long time, and have tasted its riches; now, endowed with dispassion, I shall go to the forest.
न सुखानि न दुःखानि नापदो न च सम्पदः । क्रोडीकुर्वन्ति भूतानि मुनिं वननिवासिनम्
Pleasures and pains, misfortunes and prosperities—none of these affect the sage who dwells in the forest.
न देशभङ्गसम्मोहो न सङ्ग्रामजनक्षयः । राज्याद् अप्य् अधिकं मन्ये सुखं वननिवासिनः
Neither the confusion of exile nor the destruction caused by war; I consider the happiness of the forest-dweller to be greater even than that of a kingdom.
स्तबकस्तनधारिण्यो रक्तपल्लवपाणयः । मञ्जरीजालहासिन्यो लोलशुभ्राम्बुदांशुकाः
With clusters of blossoms for breasts, crimson shoots for hands, smiling with garlands of buds, and draped in the fluttering white veils of gentle clouds—
स्वपरागाङ्गहारिण्यः कृतकौसुममण्डनाः । सुसेव्यकाञ्चनशिलानितम्बतटशोभनाः
Adorned with natural fragrance, captivating with their pollen-tinted limbs, beautifully arrayed with floral ornaments, their golden rocky hips inviting to serve—
तरङ्गमौक्तिकप्रोतसरिन्मुक्तालतावृताः । लतावयस्यावलिता मुग्धमुग्धमृगात्मजाः
Decked with strings of pearls from the waves, entwined with the garlands of riverine creepers, accompanied by their vine companions, charming as the gentle fawns of the forest—
स्वभावोद्दामसौगन्ध्या वितीर्णफलभोजनाः । षट्पदश्रेणिनयनाः पुष्पापूरनताङ्गिकाः
With their innate, intense fragrance, offering abundant fruits for food, their eyes formed by lines of bees, their bodies bent beneath the weight of blossoms—
आश्वासास्पदतां याताश् शीतलामलगात्रिकाः । रमयन्ति त्वम् इव मां वनवीथ्यो वरानने
Having become a place of comfort, with cool and spotless limbs, the forest paths delight me, O lovely-faced one, just as you do.
यथा विविक्तम् एकान्ते मनो भवति निर्वृतम् । न तथा शशिबिम्बेषु न च ब्रह्मेन्द्रसद्मसु
The mind finds true contentment in solitary seclusion—not in the radiance of the moon, nor in the palaces of Brahma or Indra.
अस्मिन् मत्प्रणये तन्वि न विघ्नं कर्तुम् अर्हसि । भर्तुर् विघटयन्तीच्छां न स्वप्ने ऽपि कुलस्त्रियः
O slender one, in this matter of my affection, you ought not to create any obstacle; noble women do not oppose the wishes of their husbands, not even in dreams.
प्राप्तकालं कृतं कार्यं राजते नाथ नेतरत् । वसन्ते राजते पुष्पं फलं शरदि राजते
An action performed at the proper time shines, O lord, not otherwise; a flower blooms in spring, and fruit ripens in autumn.
जराजरढदेहानां युक्तं वनसमाश्रयः । न यूनां त्वादृशाम् एव तेनैतन् मे न रोचते
For those whose bodies are worn and aged, it is fitting to seek the forest; but not for the young like you—therefore, this does not please me.
यौवनेन महाराज न यावद् वयम् उज्झिताः । पुष्पौघेनेव तरवस् तावच् छोभामहे गृहे
O great king, as long as we are not deprived of youth, we adorn the house like trees adorned with a multitude of blossoms.