अथ यातेषु बहुषु वर्षेषु जरसा वृते । शिखिध्वजे महाशैलतटकोटरवासिनि
Then, after many years had passed and old age had come, Śikhidhvaja dwelled in a cave on the slope of a great mountain.
भर्तुः कषायपाकं तद् आलक्ष्य फलितं चिरात् । तदा तस्यात्मकार्यस्य भवितव्यतया तया
Observing that her husband's austerities had finally matured and borne fruit after a long time, she recognized that the destined time for his spiritual purpose had arrived.
भर्तुस् समीपगमने मम कालो ऽयम् इत्य् अपि । सञ्चिन्त्य मन्दरोपान्तं गन्तुं बुद्धिं चकार सा
Thinking, 'Now is the time for me to approach my husband,' she resolved to go to the vicinity of Mount Mandara.
चचालान्तःपुराद् रात्रौ ततार च नभःपथम् । जगाम वातस्कन्धेन गच्छन्ती खे ददर्श च
She left the inner chambers at night, traversed the path of the sky, and, carried by the wind, saw those who moved through the air.
कल्पवृक्षांशुकच्छन्ना रत्नस्तबकभूषिताः । नन्दनोद्याननिलया रक्तास् सिद्धाभिसारिकाः
She saw women adorned with garlands of jewels, draped in garments of wish-fulfilling trees, dwelling in the gardens of Nandana, passionately seeking the company of perfected beings.
परामृष्टेन्दुशकलान् प्रालेयकणकर्षिणः । सिद्धोत्तंसात्तसौगन्ध्यान् स्पर्शयाम् आस मारुतान्
She touched breezes fragrant with the perfumes worn by the siddhas, cool with the touch of moon-crested locks, and carrying the chill of snowflakes.
चन्द्रबिम्बामृताम्भोधिमहावीचिपरम्पराम् । अपश्यन् निर्मलां ज्योत्स्नाम् अम्बराम्बरतां गताम्
She beheld the pure moonlight, like a succession of great waves from the ocean of nectar in the moon's orb, spreading as a garment across the sky.
मेघान्तरेण गच्छन्ती मेघलग्नाश् च विद्युतः । अभियुक्ता स्वभर्त्रा सा भूयो भूयो व्यलोकयत्
Passing between clouds and seeing lightning clinging to them, she, intent on her husband, looked again and again.
उवाच चात्मनैवाहो यावज्जीवं शरीरिणाम् । न स्वभावश् शमं याति ममाप्य् उत्कण्ठते मनः
He said: For as long as beings live, their nature does not come to rest; even my mind is restless.
कदा मृगेन्द्रस्कन्धं तं प्रणयप्रवणं पुरः । पश्यामि कान्तम् इत्य् अन्तर् ममाप्य् उत्कण्ठितं मनः
When shall I see before me that beloved, with lion-like shoulders, inclined to affection? My mind too is restless within.
मञ्जरीत्वं लतात्वं वा वरम् एतास् तरुं पतिम् । न मुञ्चन्ति क्षणम् अपि ममाप्य् उत्कण्ठितं मनः
These creepers do not leave their tree-lord even for a moment, whether as blossoms or as vines; my mind too is restless.
यथेयम् अग्रगं कान्तम् एति सिद्धाभिसारिका । तथा कदाहम् एष्यामि ममापीति मनस् स्थितम्
Just as this accomplished lover goes to her beloved at the front, so too, when shall I go? This thought remains in my mind.
इमे मन्दारमरुत एते च शशिनः कराः । वनराजय एताश् च माम् अप्य् उत्कण्ठयन्त्य् अहो
These gentle breezes of the coral tree, these rays of the moon, and these rows of forest trees—all these, indeed, make me restless.
हे चित्ताज्ञवद् एवान्तः किं त्वं ताण्डवितं स्थितम् । सा व्योमनिर्मला साधो क्व ते याता विवेकिता
O mind, why do you remain agitated within, as if disobedient? Where has your clarity gone, O noble one, that was once pure as the sky?
अथ वा चित्त भर्तारं स्वं प्रत्य् उत्कण्ठसे सखे । तिष्ठोत्कण्ठाविवलितं किम् अनुत्कण्ठितेन ते
Or perhaps, O mind, you long for your own lord, my friend; why remain in restless longing, when there is nothing left to long for?
किं किलोत्कण्ठसे वापि भर्ता यातो जरां भवेत् । तपस्वी कृशगात्रश् च भवेन् निर्वासनस् तथा
Why do you long, or for what? The lord may have grown old, become ascetic, emaciated in body, and gone forth without possessions.
मत्तो राज्याच् च भोगेभ्यो मन्ये ऽस्यामूलतां गता । वासना लतिका प्रावृण्नदीतटगता यथा
I think that, for him, the desire-creeper for kingdom and pleasures has been uprooted, just as a creeper on the riverbank is swept away by the monsoon flood.
एकान्तमतिर् एकात्मा नीरसश् शान्तवासनः । मन्ये भवति मे भर्ता शुष्कवृक्षसमस्थितिः
His mind is wholly turned inward, he is self-absorbed, without taste for anything, his desires at peace; I think my husband now stands like a withered tree.
तथापि चित्त कोत्कण्ठा भव वोत्कण्ठयान्वितम् । पतिम् उद्बोध्य योगेन श्लेषयिष्याम्य् अहं गले
Yet, my heart still longs, and I am filled with yearning; I will awaken my husband through yoga and embrace him around the neck.
प्रमृष्टवासनं भर्तुस् समीकृत्य मनो मुनेः । राज्य एव नियोक्ष्यामि निवत्स्यावस् सुखं चिरम्
Once I see that my husband's mind is cleansed of desires, O sage, I will settle him in the kingdom, and we will dwell there happily for a long time.
अहो नु चिरकालेन मनोरथम् इमं शुभम् । अहम् आसादयिष्यामि यद् भर्त्रा समचित्तता
Ah, after such a long time, I will attain this auspicious wish of mine: to be of equal mind with my husband.
समग्रानन्दवृन्दानाम् एतद् एवोपरि स्थितम् । यत् समानमनोवृत्तिसङ्गम् आस्वादने सुखम्
This alone stands above all gatherings of complete bliss: the happiness of union in which the movements of mind are alike.
इति चिन्तावती व्योम्ना चूडालोल्लङ्घ्य पर्वतान् । देशान् अब्दान् दिगन्तांश् च प्राप मन्दरकन्दरम्
Thinking thus, Chudala soared through the sky, crossing mountains, lands, oceans, and horizons, and reached the cave of Mount Mandara.
अदृश्यैव नभस्स्थैव प्रविवेश वनान्तरम् । वात्येव पादपलतास्पन्दचिह्नगमागमा
Invisible and moving through the air, she entered the forest, her coming and going marked only by the trembling of creepers in the wind.
वनैकदेशे कस्मिंश्चित् कृतपर्णोटजे पतिम् । दृष्ट्वा योगेन बुबुधे देहान्तरम् इवास्थितम्
In a certain part of the forest, she saw her husband, who had made a hut of leaves, and through yogic insight, she perceived him as if he had taken on another body.
हारकेयूरकटककुण्डलादिविभूषितः । अभवन् मेरुकान्तिर् यस् तम् एवात्र ददर्श सा
He, who once shone like Mount Meru, adorned with necklaces, armlets, bracelets, earrings, and other ornaments—she saw him there in that very place.
कृशाङ्गं कृष्णवर्णं च जीर्णपर्णम् इव स्थितम् । कज्जलाम्बुभरस्नातं भृङ्गीशम् इव निस्सहम्
Emaciated in body, dark in complexion, sitting as if he were an old, withered leaf, bathed in the dust and soot of the forest, he resembled a powerless bee-lord.
चीराम्बरधरं शान्तम् एकाकिनम् अवस्थितम् । स्थले निषण्णं पुष्पाणि ग्रथयन्तं जरां गतम्
Clad in bark garments, tranquil, dwelling alone, seated on the ground, stringing flowers together, he had come to the state of old age.
तम् आलोक्यानवद्याङ्गी चूडाला पीवरस्तनी । किञ्चिज्जातविषादेदम् उवाचात्मनि चेतसा
Beholding him, Cūḍālā—faultless in form, full-bosomed—felt a slight sorrow and spoke thus within her own mind:
अहो नु विषमं मौर्ख्यं यद् अनात्मज्ञतात्मकम् । एवंविधास् समायान्ति दशा मौर्ख्यप्रसादतः
Alas, how grievous is the folly that arises from ignorance of the Self! Such states as this come about due to the favor of ignorance.