साधूनां समदृष्टीनां परिप्रश्नेन सेवया । सङ्गमेन च सा युक्तिर् लभ्यते मुच्यते यया
By questioning, service, and association with the noble who see equally, that method is obtained by which one is liberated.
मा नराधमवद् ग्रासं भुञ्जानो वनकोटरे । तिष्ठावष्टब्धदुश्चेष्टो धराविवरकीटवत्
Do not, like the lowest of men, eat food in a forest cave and remain motionless with impaired activity, like an insect in the crevice of the earth.
कान्तया देवरूपिण्या तयैवं प्रतिबोधितः । अस्रुपूर्णमुखो वाक्यं शिखिध्वज उवाच ह
Thus awakened by her, the goddess-like beloved, Śikhidhvaja, his face filled with tears, spoke these words:
अहो ऽवबोधितो ऽस्म्य् अद्य चिरात् सुरसुत त्वया । मौर्ख्याद् आर्यसमासङ्गमुक्तो ऽहम् अवसं वने
Ah, O divine maiden, after so long I have been awakened by you; through my folly I was deprived of noble company and helpless in the forest.
अहो नु मे क्षयं यातं मोहध्वान्तम् अशेषतः । यत् त्वम् एवं समागत्य सम्प्रबोधयसीह माम्
Truly, all the darkness of my delusion has been completely dispelled, since you have come thus and awakened me here.
गुरुस् त्वं मे पिता त्वं मे मित्रं त्वं मे वरानन । शिष्यो नमस्करोम्य् अग्रे पादौ तव कृपां कुरु
You are my teacher, you are my father, you are my friend, O beautiful-faced one; as your disciple I bow before you—show me your compassion.
यद् उदारतमं वेत्सि यस्मिञ् ज्ञाते न शोच्यते । भवामि निर्वृतो येन तद् ब्रह्मोपदिशाशु मे
That most exalted knowledge which you know, by knowing which there is no more sorrow, and by which one becomes fulfilled—please quickly instruct me in that Brahman.
घटज्ञानादयो ज्ञानविभवास् सन्त्य् अनेकशः । ज्ञानानां परमं ज्ञानं कतरत् तारकं भवेत्
There are many kinds of knowledge, such as the knowledge of a pot and so on; among all these, which is the supreme knowledge, the one that leads to liberation?
यद्य् उपादेयवाक्यो ऽहं राजर्षे तद् वदामि ते । यथाज्ञानम् इदं किञ्चिन् न वक्ष्ये स्थाणुकाकवत्
If I am one worthy of instruction, O royal sage, then I will tell you; otherwise, I will not speak anything, like a tree or a stone.
अनुपादेयवाक्यस्य वक्तुः पृष्टस्य लीलया । फलन्त्य् अफलतां वाचस् तमसीवाक्षिसंविदः
When one is asked playfully to speak words that are not to be accepted, the speech of the speaker bears no fruit, just as the awareness of a blind man in darkness.
यद् वक्षि तद् अनुष्ठेयं मया विधिर् इव श्रुतेः । अविकारितम् एवाशु सत्यम् एतद् व्रतं मम
Whatever you say, that I must do, just as a rule is to be followed from the scripture; this is my vow—unwavering and true.
यथा बालः पितुर् वाक्यं मुक्तहेतूपपादनम् । आदत्ते हि तथैवेदं गृहाण त्वं वचो मम
Just as a child accepts his father's words without seeking reasons or explanations, in the same way, you should accept my words.
श्रवणानन्तरं बुद्ध्या शुभम् इत्य् एव भावयन् । शृणु गीतम् इव त्यक्त्वा हेत्वर्थित्वं वचो मम
After hearing, simply hold in your mind that it is good; listen to my words as you would a song, setting aside the search for reasons.
स्वचरितसदृशं तवोदयन्त्याश् चिरसमयेन विबोधनं च बुद्धेः । भवभयभिदुरं महाकवीनां शृणु कथयामि यथाक्रमं मनोज्ञम्
I will narrate, in due order and with charm, an account that matches your own conduct and will awaken your understanding in time—a tale of great poets that shatters the fear of worldly existence; listen.
अस्ति कश्चित् पुमाञ् श्रीमान् स्थानं नित्यविरुद्धयोः । गुणलक्ष्म्योर् अशेषेण यथाब्धिर् वडवाम्बुनोः
There is a certain man, prosperous, whose station is ever between two opposing qualities—just as the ocean is between the submarine fire and the waters.
कलावाञ् शास्त्रकुशलो व्यवहारे विचक्षणः । सर्वसङ्कल्पसीमान्तं न तु जानात्य् अजं पदम्
He is skilled in the arts, learned in the scriptures, and discerning in worldly affairs; yet he does not know the unborn state, the ultimate limit of all intentions.
अनन्तयत्नसंसाध्ये स चिन्तामणिसाधने । प्रवृत्तो वाडवो वह्निर् अब्धिसंशोषणे यथा
He engages with endless effort in seeking the wish-fulfilling gem, just as the submarine fire strives to dry up the ocean.
तस्य यत्नेन महता कालेनाध्यवसायिनः । सिद्धश् चिन्तामणिः किं वा न सिध्यत्य् उन्नतात्मनाम्
Through great effort and perseverance over time, he attains the wish-fulfilling gem; for those of noble spirit, what cannot be accomplished?
प्रवृत्तिम् उद्यमं प्रज्ञां प्रयुङ्क्ते चेद् अखेदवान् । अकिञ्चनो ऽपि शक्रत्वं तद् अवाप्नोत्य् अविघ्नतः
If one applies activity, effort, and discernment without weariness, even if possessing nothing, he attains the station of Indra without hindrance.
मणिम् अग्रे स्थितं प्राप्तं हस्तप्राप्यं ददर्श सः । मेरोर् उदयशृङ्गस्थो मुनिर् इन्दुम् इवोदितम्
He saw the jewel placed before him, within reach of his hand, like a sage standing on the eastern peak of Mount Meru beholding the risen moon.
बभूव मणिराजेन्द्रे न तु निश्चयवान् असौ । राज्ये झगिति सम्प्राप्ते सुदीन इव पामरः
The jewel became the lord of jewels, yet he himself was not resolute—when the kingdom suddenly arrived, he was as dejected as a wretched man.
इदं सञ्चिन्तयाम् आस मनसा स्मयशालिना । सम्प्राप्तोपेक्षया दीर्घदुःखसम्भ्रमभाविना
He began to reflect in his mind, with a smile, on this sudden attainment, expecting long confusion and sorrow to follow.
अयं मणिर् मणिर् नायं मणिश् चेत् तद् भवेन् न सः । स्पृशामि न स्पृशाम्य् एनं कदाचित् स्पर्शतो व्रजेत्
Is this a jewel, or is it not a jewel? If it is a jewel, then it is not that; sometimes I touch it, sometimes I do not—perhaps by touch it will depart.
नैतावतैव कालेन मणीन्द्रः किल सिध्यति । यत्नेनाजीवितान्तेन सिध्यतीत्य् आगमक्रमः
It is said that a lord of jewels is not attained in such a short time; according to tradition, it is achieved only by effort extending to the end of life.
क्रियानिकूणितेनाक्ष्णा लोलालाततलोपमम् । रत्नालोकं प्रपश्यामि द्विचन्द्रत्वम् इव भ्रमात्
With eyes narrowed in action, his brow restless, I see the jewel's radiance—like the illusion of two moons.
कुत एतावती स्फीता भाग्यसम्पन् ममातता । अधुनैव यद् आप्नोमि मणीन्द्रं सर्वसिद्धिदम्
How has such abundant fortune come to me, that I now obtain this lord of jewels, bestower of all accomplishments?
केचिद् एव महान्तस् ते महाभाग्या भवन्ति हि । येषाम् अल्पेन कालेन प्रयान्त्य् अभिमुखं श्रियः
Indeed, only a few among them are truly great and highly fortunate, for whom prosperity approaches directly in a short time.
अहम् अल्पतपास् साधुर् वराको मानुषः किल । सिद्धयः कथम् आयान्ति माम् अभाग्यैकभाजनम्
I am a person of little austerity, an ordinary human being, it is said; how could attainments come to me, who am but a vessel of misfortune?
एवं विकल्पसङ्कल्पैश् चिरम् अज्ञः परामृशन् । न मणिग्रहणे यत्नम् अकरोन् मौर्ख्यमोहितः
Thus, for a long time, the ignorant one, absorbed in such doubts and thoughts, did not make any effort to obtain the jewel, being deluded by foolishness.
न यदा येन लब्धव्यं न तत् प्राप्नोत्य् असौ तदा । चिन्तामणिर् अवाप्तो ऽपि दुर्धिया हेलयोज्झितः
When something is not to be obtained at a certain time or by a certain means, one does not attain it then; even if the wish-fulfilling jewel is acquired, it is disregarded and cast aside by a dull mind.