सवृक्षादिवनश्वभ्राद् विपिनाद् अपि वासना । परित्यक्ता मया नूनं सर्वत्यागस् स्थितो मम
Indeed, I have abandoned all desires even for forests with trees, caves, and wilderness; I have established myself in complete renunciation.
अद्रेस् तटवनं श्वभ्रं सलिलं पादपास् स्थलम् । इत्यादि तव नो सर्वं सर्वत्यागः कथं तव
The mountain, the forest on its slopes, the cave, the water, the ground beneath the trees—if all this remains for you, how can you claim complete renunciation?
तवास्त्य् एवापरित्यक्तस् सर्वस्माद् भाग उत्तमः । तं परित्यज्य निश्शेषं पराम् आयास्य् अशोकताम्
There still remains for you an excellent portion that has not been renounced; by abandoning that entirely, you will attain supreme, sorrowless peace.
एतच् चेन् मम नो सर्वं तत् सर्वं स्वाश्रमो मुने । वापीस्थलोटजयुतस् तम् एवाशु त्यजाम्य् अहम्
If, O sage, all this is not mine, then my hermitage—together with its well, ground, and hut—I shall at once abandon that as well.
इति राम वदन्न् एव कुम्भवाक्यप्रचोदितः । निमेषध्यानमात्रेण वशी वीरश् शिखिध्वजः
Thus speaking to Rama, prompted by Kumbha’s words, the self-controlled and heroic Shikhidhvaja, in the span of a single meditative blink,
प्रममार्जाश्रमास्थां तां संविदा शुद्धया हृदि । स्फुरन्तीं स्फुरणेनैव रजोरेखाम् इवानिलः
With pure awareness in his heart, he swept away his attachment to the hermitage, as the wind erases a line of dust by its mere movement.
सवृक्षोटजवीरुत्काद् वासना स्वाश्रमाद् अपि । परित्यक्ता मया नूनं सर्वत्यागस् स्थितो मम
Indeed, I have abandoned all desires for trees, huts, creepers, and even my own hermitage; I have established myself in complete renunciation.
वृक्षो वापी स्थलं गुल्म उटजं व्रततीवृतिः । इति किञ्चिन् न ते सर्वं सर्वत्यागः कुतस् तव
Tree, well, ground, bush, hut, ascetic observance, or any such thing—if any of these remain for you, how can you claim complete renunciation?
तवास्त्य् अन्यो ऽपरित्यक्तस् सर्वस्माद् भाग उत्तमः । तं परित्यज्य निश्शेषं पराम् आयास्य् अशोकताम्
You possess another supreme portion, not yet relinquished from everything; abandon it completely and attain the highest state free from sorrow.
एतच् चेन् मम नो सर्वं तत् सर्वं भाजनादि मे । चर्मकुट्यक्षसूत्रादि तत् तावत् सन्त्यजाम्य् अहम्
If all this is not mine, then all these vessels and such belong to me; leather pouch, rosary, thread and so on—I now renounce them all.
इत्य् उक्त्वा स समुत्तस्थाव् अविक्षुब्धमनाश् शमी । विष्टराद् अवदातात्मा शृङ्गाद् इव शरद्घनः
Having spoken thus, he rose up with a mind undisturbed, tranquil; from his seat, his pure self shone forth like a cloud in autumn from a mountain peak.
कुम्भस् त्व् आलोकयन्न् एव तत्क्रियां संस्थितस् समाम् । आसने लोककार्येषु स्वे स्यन्दन इवांशुमान्
Kumbha, simply observing that act, remained steady in his seat, engaged in worldly duties like the sun in his chariot.
यत् करोति करोत्व् एतद् अस्यैतत् पावनं परम् । इति तूष्णीं स्थितः कुम्भश् शिखिध्वजम् अवैक्षत
Let him do whatever he does, for this is his supreme purification; thus, Kumbha stood silently, watching Śikhidhvaja.
शिखिध्वजस् तु तत् सर्वं भाण्डोपस्करम् आश्रमात् । एकत्रैवानयाम् आस भुवो वार्य् अब्धिभूर् इव
Śikhidhvaja gathered all the vessels and implements from the hermitage together in one place, as the ocean brings water to the earth.
तत् संस्थाप्येन्धनैश् शुष्कैर् ज्वलयाम् आस पावकम् । करसञ्चारवान् अर्कस् सूर्यकान्ततटं यथा
He arranged dry fuel and kindled the fire, moving his hands like the sun’s rays touching the edge of a crystal.
भाण्डोपस्करजातं तद् अग्नौ त्यक्तुं विवेश सः । बृसिकायां जगद् दग्धुं मेरुशृङ्गे यथा रविः
He entered the fire to cast away all the vessels and implements, as the sun on Mount Meru would burn the world in a blade of grass.
एतावन्तं मया कालं वृतो यत् त्वं व्रतिप्रिय । अजातबुद्धिभेदेन तेनैवानृण्यम् अस्तु ते
For all this time, O lover of vows, you have been kept by me, with an undivided mind; by this, may you be free from any obligation.
भ्रान्तौ तु विनिवर्तिन्यां नाधुनोपकरोषि मे । देवपुत्रप्रसादेन दण्डकाष्ठ नमो ऽस्तु ते
But now, as delusion has been dispelled, you no longer serve me; by the grace of the divine child, O staff of vows, salutations to you.
इत्य् उक्त्वा वैणवं दण्डं चिक्षेपाग्नौ शिखिध्वजः । गाङ्गं प्रवाहम् आदीर्घं वडवाग्नाव् इवार्णवः
Having spoken thus, Śikhidhvaja cast the Vaiṣṇava staff into the fire, as the ocean pours the long-flowing Ganges into the submarine fire.
प्रसङ्ख्यातान्य् असङ्ख्यानि जन्मानीव त्वया मया । सखि मन्त्रपदान्य् अद्य याहि नोपकरोषि मे
Countless mantra-words have been recited by you and me, like innumerable births, O friend; now go, you no longer serve me.
मन्त्राटव्यां चिरं भ्रान्तं विहृतं कार्यवर्त्मसु । दृष्टानि धर्मस्थानानि विश्राम्याम्य् अधुना सखि
Long have I wandered in the forest of mantras, moving along the paths of duty; the abodes of righteousness have been seen—now, friend, I rest.
इत्य् अक्षमालां ज्वलने चिक्षेपोक्त्वा शिखिध्वजः । कल्पान्ताग्नाव् इव व्योमतारालीं पवनो ऽमलाम्
Thus speaking, Śikhidhvaja cast the rosary into the fire, as the wind scatters a spotless cluster of stars into the fire at the end of an age.
मया नरमृगेण त्वं चिरं वनमृगच्युतम् । अबोधेन धृतं वृत्त्या दययेव मृगाजिन
For a long time, O rosary, you have been held by me, a human-animal, with unknowing persistence, as one keeps a deerskin out of compassion for the deer.
इदानीं गच्छ सच्छाय पन्थानस् सन्तु ते शिवाः । वह्निना व्योमतां गच्छ सतारं व्योम ते समम्
Now go, with your true shadow; may your paths be auspicious. Enter the sky by fire, and may the sky with stars be with you.
उन्मोच्याङ्गात् कराभ्यां च धृत्वा चर्म जहाव् इति । नृपो ऽग्नाव् अम्बुदं वातो दववह्नाव् इवाचलात्
Having loosened it from his body and taken it with his hands, the king cast off the skin, just as wind removes a cloud from fire, or fire removes a mountain in a forest blaze.
मया धृतेन भवता त्वया वारि धृतं मम । साधो कमण्डलो सम्यक्कृते प्रतिकृतं कृतम्
The water you have held was held by me, and what I have done, you have done, O noble one; the water pot has been rightly used, and what was to be done has been accomplished.
सौहृदस्य मनोज्ञस्य सौजन्यस्य स्थिरस्य च । साधुत्वस्य च सर्वस्य त्वम् एकः परमास्पदम्
You alone are the supreme abode of all friendliness, charm, steadfast nobility, and complete virtue.
येनैव वह्निना देहं संशोध्याभ्यागतो ऽसि माम् । तेनैव गच्छ हे मित्र पन्थानस् सन्तु ते शिवाः
By the very fire through which you have purified your body and come to me, O friend, go by that same path; may your ways be auspicious.
इत्य् उक्त्वा श्रोत्रियायैष कमण्डलुम् अदात् तदा । अग्नये महते वापि दातव्यं साधु यद् भवेत्
Having spoken thus, he gave the water pot to the learned brahmin; whatever is good should be given either to the great fire or to a worthy person.
मूर्खस्येव मतिर् गुप्ते नित्यम् एव वसस्य् अधः । उचिता ते गतिः केव बृसिके भस्मतां व्रज
Just as the mind of a fool always dwells in secrecy, so your proper course is to become ash, O Keva, O staff; go to ashes.