साधो सो ऽयम् अहं पौत्रः कुम्भो ऽहं पद्मजन्मनः । पुत्रो ऽहं नारदमुनेः कुम्भनामास्मि कुम्भजः
O noble one, I am that grandson—Kumbha, born of the lotus-born, son of the sage Nārada, called Kumbha, born from a pot.
निवसाम्य् अब्जजपुरे पित्रा सह यथासुखम् । चत्वारस् सुहृदो वेदा मम लीला विलासिनी
I dwell happily with my father in the city of the lotus-born; the four Vedas are my dear friends, and my play is with delight.
मातृष्वसा मे गायत्री माता मम सरस्वती । ब्रह्मलोके मम गृहं पौत्रस् तत्रास्मि सुस्थितः
Gayatri is my maternal aunt, Sarasvati is my mother; my home is in the world of Brahma, and I am well established there as a grandson.
यथाकामम् अशेषाणि जगन्ति विहराम्य् अहम् । लीलया परिपूर्णत्वान् न तु कार्येण केनचित्
I roam through all the worlds as I wish, in play and fullness, not compelled by any duty.
राजर्षे तेन मे पादौ पततो मे न भूतले । रजस् स्पृशति नाङ्गानि ग्लानिं नायाति मे वपुः
O royal sage, for this reason my feet do not touch the ground; dust does not cling to my limbs, nor does my body experience fatigue.
अद्याकाशपथा गच्छन् दृष्टवांस् त्वाम् अहं पुरः । इह तेनागतो ऽस्म्य् अङ्ग सर्वं कथितवान् इति
Today, as I was traveling the path of the sky, I saw you before me; thus I have come here, O dear one, and have told you everything.
एषो ऽहम् इत्य् अखिलम् एव यथानुभूतं ते वर्णितं ननु मया वनवासतज्ज्ञ । सन्तो ह्य् असङ्कथनम् आर्यसमागमेषु निन्दन्त्य् अलं सुभग संव्यवहारदक्षाः
All this, as I have experienced it, I have described to you, saying, 'This is who I am.' For indeed, noble ones skilled in conduct do not approve of withholding one's story in the company of the virtuous.
इत्य् उक्तवत्य् अथ मुनौ दिवसो जगाम सायन्तनाय विधये ऽस्तम् इनो जगाम । स्नातुं सभा कृतनमस्करणा जगाम श्यामाक्षये रविकरैश् च सहाजगाम
Having spoken thus, when the sage was present, the day moved toward evening and the sun set; she went to bathe, having offered salutations in the assembly, and departed along with the rays of the setting sun.
सर्गे स्फुरद्भिर् मत्पुण्यैर् मन्ये सम्प्रेषितो भवान् । अलक्ष्यैस् सम्भृतैर् अद्रौ प्रावृड्वातैर् इवाम्बुदः
I think you have been sent to me in this creation by my own shining merits, gathered unseen, like a rain cloud driven to the mountain by the winds of the monsoon.
अद्य तिष्ठाम्य् अहं साधो धन्यानां धुरि धर्मतः । अमृतस्यन्दवचसा यत् त्वयास्मि समागतः
Today I stand, O noble one, at the forefront of the blessed, by virtue of righteousness, because I have met you, whose words flow with the nectar of immortality.
न केचन तथा भावाश् चेतश् शीतलयन्ति मे । राज्यलाभादयो ऽप्य् एते यथा साधुसमागमः
No experiences cool my mind as much as the company of the virtuous, not even gaining a kingdom or similar achievements.
निरर्गलतया यत्र साम्यम् एव विजृम्भते । मुक्तरागादिमननं तन् न कस्य सुखावहम्
Where pure equanimity expands without obstruction, contemplation free from attachment and passion brings happiness to none.
एवंवादिन एवास्य वाक्यम् आक्षिप्य भूपतेः । भूयः प्रोवाच चूडाला मुनिदारकरूपिणी
As he was speaking thus, the king’s words were interrupted, and Cudāla, disguised as a young sage, spoke again.
आस्ताम् एषा कथा तावत् सर्वं ते वर्णितं मया । त्वं मे कथय हे साधो कस् त्वम् अद्रौ करोषि किम्
Let this story rest for now; I have described everything to you. Tell me, O noble one, who are you and what are you doing in the mountains?
कियत्पर्यवसानेयं तव वा वनवासिता । सत्यं कथय नासत्यं वक्तुं जानाति तापसः
How long has your dwelling in the forest lasted? Speak the truth, for an ascetic knows not to utter falsehood.
देवपुत्रो ऽसि जानासि सर्वम् एव यथास्थितम् । लोकवृत्तान्ततज्ज्ञो ऽसि किम् अन्यत् कथयाम्य् अहम्
You are a divine being; you know everything as it truly is. You are aware of the world’s events—what else should I tell you?
संसारभयभीतत्वान् निवसामि वनान्तरे । जानतो ऽपि हि हासाय कथयाम्य् एव ते मनाक्
Out of fear of the dangers of worldly existence, I dwell in the forest. Though you already know, I tell you this for the sake of conversation.
शिखिध्वजो ऽहं भूपालस् त्यक्त्वा राज्यम् इह स्थितः । भृशं भीतो ऽस्मि तत्त्वज्ञ संसृतौ जन्मनः पुनः
I am Śikhidhvaja, a king who has abandoned his kingdom and resides here. I am greatly afraid, O knower of truth, of rebirth in the cycle of existence.
पुनस् सुखं पुनर् दुःखं पुनर् मरणजन्मनी । भवतस् तेन तप्ये ऽहं सर्वज्ञ वनवीथिषु
Again happiness, again sorrow, again birth and death—thus I wander, and for this I am tormented, O all-knowing one, in the forest paths.
भ्रमन्न् अपि दिगन्तांश् च चरन्न् अपि परं तपः । नासादयामि विश्रान्तिम् एकां निधिम् इवाधनः
Though I roam to the ends of the directions, though I practice the highest austerity, I do not attain any rest, like a poor man unable to find a single treasure.
अपत्त्रो ऽप्य् अफलो ऽप्य् एको नीरसो ऽप्य् अस्तसङ्गतिः । शुष्याम्य् एव वने साधो घुणक्षुण्ण इव द्रुमः
Without leaves, without fruit, alone, sapless, and without any connection, I dry up here in the forest, O holy one, like a tree gnawed by worms.
इमाम् अखण्डितां सम्यक् क्रियां सम्पादयन्न् अपि । दुःखाद् गच्छामि दुःखौघम् अमृतं मे विषं स्थितम्
Even while perfectly performing this unbroken practice, I go from one wave of suffering to another; for me, nectar has become poison.
पितामहम् अहं पूर्वं कदाचित् पृष्टवान् इदम् । यत् क्रियाज्ञानयोर् एकं श्रेयस् तद् ब्रूहि मे विभो
Once, I asked the Grandsire (Brahma) this question: which is superior—action or knowledge? Tell me that, O Lord.
ज्ञानं हि परमं श्रेयः क इवैतन् न वेत्त्य् अलम् । कालातिवाहनायैव विनोदायोचिता क्रिया
Knowledge is indeed the highest good—who does not know this well? Action is suitable only for passing time or diversion.
अलब्धज्ञानदृष्टीनां क्रियामुत्र परायणम् । यस्य नास्त्य् अम्बरं पट्टं कम्बलं किं त्यजत्य् असौ
For those who have not attained the vision of knowledge, action is the highest aim here and hereafter; but if one has neither cloth, silk, nor blanket, what does he have to renounce?
वासनामात्रसारत्वाद् अज्ञस्य सफलाः क्रियाः । सर्वा एवाफला ज्ञस्य वासनामात्रसङ्क्षयात्
Because the ignorant are sustained only by latent tendencies, their actions bear fruit; but for the knower, all actions are fruitless, for his tendencies are entirely destroyed.
सर्वा हि वासनाभावे प्रयान्त्य् अफलतां क्रियाः । सुशुभाः फलवत्यो ऽपि सेकाभावे लता इव
All actions, when devoid of latent tendencies, become fruitless—even the most auspicious and fruitful ones, like vines without water.
ऋत्वन्तरे यथा याति विलयं पूर्वम् आर्तवम् । तथैव वासनानाशे नाशम् एति क्रियाफलम्
Just as, with the change of season, the previous season's flowers wither away, so too, when latent tendencies are destroyed, the fruits of actions perish.
न स्वभावेन फलति यथा शरलता फलम् । क्रिया निर्वासनामुत्र फलं फलति नो तथा
Just as a tree does not bear fruit by its nature alone, so too, action without latent tendencies does not yield results in this world.
सयक्षवासनो बालो यक्षं पश्यति नान्यथा । सदुःखवासनो मूढो दुःखं पश्यति नान्यथा
A child with a tendency toward spirits sees a spirit, not otherwise; one deluded by a tendency toward suffering sees only suffering, not otherwise.