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.
इति तस्मिन् स्थिते यातो मणिर् उड्डीय सिद्धयः । त्यजन्ति ह्य् अवमन्तारं शरा गुणम् इवोज्झिताः
So, while he remained there, the jewel flew away, and the attainments departed; indeed, powers abandon one who disrespects them, just as arrows fall away when the bowstring is released.
हृत्वा प्राक्सम्पदः पुंसस् स यातस् सिद्धयः किल । आगतास् सम्प्रयच्छन्ति सर्वं याता हरन्त्य् अलम्
Having previously taken away a person's wealth, those attainments departed; when they arrive, they bestow everything, but when they leave, they take it all away.
पुमान् भूयः क्रियायत्नं चक्रे रत्नेन्द्रसाधने । नोद्विजन्ते हि कार्येषु जना अध्यवसायिनः
The man once again made efforts and actions to obtain the supreme jewel; for people of determination are not disheartened in their undertakings.
ददर्शाथ कचद्रूपं काचखण्डम् अपण्डितः । हसद्भिर् वञ्चकैस् सिद्धैः पुरस् त्यक्तम् अलक्षितैः
Then, the unwise man saw a piece of glass in the form of a gem, which had been discarded by the accomplished ones, who, laughing, had left it behind unnoticed.
अयं चिन्तामणिर् इति मूढस् तस्मिन् स वस्तुताम् । बुबुधे मोहितो ह्य् अज्ञो मृदं हेमेति पश्यति
The deluded fool, thinking 'this is a wish-fulfilling gem,' is bewildered and ignorant; he sees mere clay and calls it gold.
अष्टौ षष्टिं द्विषन् मित्रं रज्जुं सर्पं स्थलं जलम् । चन्द्रौ द्वौ कुरुते चित्ते शिशोर् मोहो ऽमृतं विषम्
In the mind of a child, eight becomes sixty-eight, an enemy becomes a friend, a rope becomes a snake, dry land becomes water; two moons appear, nectar is seen as poison, and delusion reigns.
तं दग्धमणिम् आदाय प्राक्तनीं स श्रियं जहौ । सर्वं चिन्तामणेर् अस्मात् प्राप्यते किं धनैर् इति
Taking that burnt gem, he abandoned his former wealth, thinking, 'Everything can be obtained from this wish-fulfilling gem—what need is there for riches?'
देशो ऽयम् असुखो रूक्षो जनैः पापिभिर् आवृतः । किं तद् गेहं हतप्रायं के नाम मम बन्धवः
This land is unpleasant and harsh, filled with sinful people; what is that house, nearly destroyed, and who indeed are my relatives?
दूरं गत्वा यथाकामं सुखं तिष्ठामि सम्पदा । इत्य् आदाय मणिं मूढश् शून्यं काननम् आययौ
Going far away, I will live happily as I please, with prosperity—so thinking, the fool took the gem and went to an empty forest.
तत्र काचदलेनासौ तेन ताम् आपदं ययौ । कज्जलाद्रेर् इव निशा मौर्ख्यस्यैवाङ्ग या समा
There, because of that glass fragment, he fell into misfortune, just as night falls on a mountain of soot—such is the darkness of folly.
दुःखानि मौर्ख्यविभवेन भवन्ति यानि नैवापदा न च जरामरणेन तानि । सर्वापदां शिरसि तिष्ठति मौर्ख्यम् एकं कृष्णं जनस्य वपुषाम् इव केशजालम्
The sufferings that arise from the wealth of folly do not come from calamity, nor from old age or death; folly alone sits atop all misfortunes, black as a mass of hair on the bodies of people.
अथेमम् अपरं रम्यं वृत्तान्तं शृणु भूपते । परं प्रबोधनं बुद्धेस् साधो सदृशम् आत्मनः
Now, O king, listen to this other delightful tale, which is supremely awakening for the mind and worthy of a noble soul like yourself.
अस्ति विन्ध्यवने हस्ती महायूथपयूथपः । अगस्त्यरुद्धया वृद्ध्या विन्ध्येनेवैधितस् स्वतः
In the Vindhya forest there is an elephant, the chief of a great herd, who, like the Vindhya mountain halted by Agastya, has grown vast by his own nature.
वज्राश्रिविषमौ दीर्घौ स्तस् तस्य दशनौ शितौ । कल्पानलशिखातुल्यौ सुमेरून्मूलनक्षमौ
His two long tusks are sharp as thunderbolts and poisonous snakes, resembling the blazing tongues of the fire at the end of an age, capable of uprooting Mount Sumeru.
स बद्धो लोहजालेन हस्तिपेन च्छलादितः । मुनीन्द्रेणेव विन्ध्याद्रिर् उपेन्द्रेणेव वा बडिः
He was bound with iron chains and deceived by the elephant-keeper, just as the Vindhya mountain was restrained by the great sage, or the demon Baḍi was subdued by Upendra.
निबद्धो यन्त्रणापाशशस्त्रकुम्भार्पितो गजः । तां जगाम व्यथां वीरो न वाग्गोचरम् एति या
Imprisoned by fetters, ropes, and weapons, the elephant was placed in a pen; the suffering he endured was so great that it cannot be described in words.
रिपौ हस्तिपके दूराद् गुप्तं पश्यति वारणः । अयस्समुद्गके तस्मिन् निनाय दिवसत्रयम्
From a distance, the elephant saw his enemy, the keeper, hidden away; confined in that iron enclosure, he spent three days.
खेदान् निगडनिर्भेदयत्नवान् स झणज्झणम् । चकार किङ्किणीक्वाणम् उपोद्घातै रथो यथा
Straining to break the shackles, he made a jingling sound like anklets, as a chariot does when struck, from his efforts to shatter the iron bonds.
दन्ताभ्यां यत्नतस् ताभ्यां मुहूर्तद्वितयेन सः । बभञ्ज शृङ्खलाजालं स्वर्गार्गडम् इवासुरः
With both tusks, exerting himself, in the span of two moments, he broke the network of chains, as a demon would shatter the gates of heaven.
तं तस्य निगडच्छेदम् अपश्यद् दूरतो रिपुः । बडेस् स्वर्गावदलनं हरिर् मेरुतटाद् इव
From afar, his enemy saw him break the shackles, just as Hari beheld the demon Baḍi breaking through the gates of heaven from the slopes of Mount Meru.