एवं स्थिते महासत्त्व प्राणेश हृदयप्रिय । किम् इदानीं प्रभो ब्रूहि रोचते ते महामते
Thus established, O great-souled lord of life, beloved of my heart, what now shall I say, O wise one, that pleases you?
प्रतिषेधं न जानामि न जानाम्य् अभिवाञ्छनम् । यद् आचरसि तन्वि त्वं कदाचिद् वेद्मि तन् न वा
I do not know rejection, nor do I know desire; whatever you do, slender one, sometimes I know it, sometimes not.
मन्मनो नाशकलनां तथा स्थितिकलां प्रिये । न काञ्चिद् अनुसन्धातुं जानात्य् अम्बरसुव्रतम्
My mind does not know how to form thoughts of destruction or of continuance, dear one; it cannot pursue anything, like the vow-bound sky.
यद् एव किञ्चिज् जानासि तद् एव कुरु सुन्दरि । तद् एव धारयिष्यामि प्रतिबिम्बं यथा मणिः
Whatever you know, beautiful one, do just that; I will hold only that, as a jewel reflects only what is before it.
चेतसा विगतेच्छेन यथाप्राप्तम् अनिन्दिते । न स्तौमि न च निन्दामि यद् इच्छसि तद् आचर
With a mind free of desire, O blameless one, I neither praise nor blame whatever comes; do as you wish.
यद्य् एवं तन् महाभाग समाकर्णय मन्मतम् । आकर्ण्य जीवन्मुक्तात्मंस् तद् एवाहर्तुम् अर्हसि
If this is so, O highly fortunate one, then listen to my thought; having heard it from one who is liberated while living, you should accept just that.
सर्वत्रैक्यावबोधेन मौर्ख्यक्षयभुवाधुना । निरिच्छास् तावद् आकाशविशदास् संस्थिता वयम्
Now, by the destruction of ignorance through the realization of oneness everywhere, we remain as pure as the clear sky, free from all desire.
यादृग् एषणम् अस्माकम् तादृग् एतद् अनेषणम् । एषणानेषणे भेदश् चिन्मात्रोल्लसने हि कः
Just as is our pursuit, so is this absence of pursuit; in the radiance of pure consciousness, what distinction is there between seeking and non-seeking?
तस्माद् आद्यन्तमध्येषु ये वयं पुरुषोत्तम । मौर्ख्यम् एव परित्यज्य त एवेमे स्थिता इह
Therefore, O best of men, those of us who, at the beginning, middle, and end, have abandoned only ignorance—these alone remain established here.
साम्प्रतं प्रकृतेनेमं कालं नीत्वा क्रमेण वै । विदेहतां प्रयास्यामः प्रभो कालेन केनचित्
Now, following the natural course, we shall pass this time gradually, and, O Lord, by some means or other, attain the state beyond the body.
वयम् आद्यन्तमध्येषु कीदृशास् तरले वद । मोहम् एकं परित्यज्य तिष्ठामः कथम् एव वा
Tell me, what kind of beings are we, existing in the beginning, middle, and end, who, having abandoned delusion alone, remain in whatever way?
वयम् आद्यन्तमध्येषु राजानो राजसत्तम । मोहम् एकं परित्यज्य तिष्ठामः पुनर् एव ते
O best of kings, we, existing in the beginning, middle, and end, having abandoned delusion alone, remain again for you.
स्व एव नगरे राजा भव त्वं स्वासने स्थितः । ललामभूता कान्तानां महिषी ते भवाम्य् अहम्
You, seated on your own throne, be the king in your own city; and I shall be your chief queen, adorned among beloved women.
सनृपा मत्तवास्तव्या नृत्यन्नववराङ्गना । सपताका ध्वनत्तूर्या पुष्पप्रकरिणी पुरी
The city will be filled with kings, intoxicated residents, dancing courtesans, fluttering banners, resounding instruments, and showers of flowers.
लसद्वल्ल्या समञ्जर्या रणत्षट्पदया समा । मधुमासवनावल्या चिराद् भवतु नः प्रभो
O Lord, may we for long enjoy the blossoming creeper, adorned with flowers, resounding with humming bees, and the garland of springtime wine.
इति चूडालया प्रोक्ते विहस्य स शिखिध्वजः । प्रोवाच मधुरं वाक्यम् अक्षुब्धं विगतत्वरम्
When Cūḍālā had spoken thus, Śikhidhvaja laughed and replied with gentle words, undisturbed and without haste.
एवं चेत् तद् विशालाक्षि स्वायत्ता नस् त्रिविष्टपे । सिद्धभोगभुवस् तासु निवसामो न किं प्रिये
If it is so, O wide-eyed one, and those realms of enjoyment in heaven are within our reach, why should we not dwell there, my dear?
न राजन् मम भोगेषु वाञ्छा न च विभूतिषु । स्वभावस्य वशाद् एव यथाप्राप्ते रमे नृप
O king, I have no desire for pleasures or for greatness; I simply delight in whatever comes, according to my own nature.
न सुखाय मम स्वर्गो न राज्यं नापि नाकिता । यथास्थितम् अविक्षुब्धं तिष्ठामि स्वस्थचेष्टिता
Heaven is not happiness for me, nor is kingship, nor even the world of the gods; I remain as I am, undisturbed, acting according to my own nature.
इदं सुखम् इदं नेति मनने क्षयम् आगते । समम् एव पदे शान्ते तिष्ठामीह यथासुखम्
When thoughts of 'this is happiness' or 'this is not' have come to an end, I abide equally in the peaceful state here, as is pleasing.
युक्तम् उक्तं विशालाक्षि त्वयैतत् समया धिया । को वार्थः किल राज्यस्य ग्रहे त्यागे ऽपि वा भवेत्
What you have said, O wide-eyed one, is fitting and spoken with wise understanding; for what purpose, indeed, is there in gaining or renouncing a kingdom?
सुखदुःखदशाचिन्तां त्यक्त्वा विगतमत्सरम् । यथासंस्थानम् एवेमौ तिष्ठावस् स्वस्थतां गतौ
Abandoning thoughts of pleasure and pain, free from envy, let us remain as we are, established in our own well-being.
इति तत्र कथालापकथनेन तयोर् द्वयोः । कान्तयोश् चिरदम्पत्योर् वासरस् तनुतां ययौ
Thus, as the two lovers, long united in marriage, engaged in conversation and storytelling there, the day gradually came to its close.
अथोत्थाय दिनाचारं यथाप्राप्तम् अनिन्दितौ । सोत्कण्ठाव् अप्य् अनुत्कण्ठौ चक्रतुः कार्यकोविदौ । स्वर्गसिद्धिम् अनादृत्य तस्थतुः पूर्णचेतसौ
Then, rising up, the blameless pair performed their daily duties as appropriate; though longing for each other, they were also free from longing, skilled in action, and, disregarding attainment of heaven, they remained with minds fulfilled.
एकस्मिन्न् एव शयने तैस् तैः प्रणयचेष्टितैः । सा व्यतीयाय रजनी तयोर् जीवद्विमुक्तयोः
On a single bed, through various gestures of affection, the night passed for those two, liberated while living.
तद् भोगमोक्षसुखम् उत्तमयोस् तयोस् स्वम् आचेततोः प्रणयवाक्यविलासगर्भम् । उत्कण्ठितं प्रणयिनोर् घनतां नयन्ती दीर्घा मुहूर्तवद् असौ रजनी जगाम
That night, filled with the supreme joy of enjoyment and liberation belonging to those two self-possessed lovers, rich with playful words of affection, and intensifying the longing of the loving pair, passed slowly, seeming as long as many hours.
ततस् समुदिते सूर्ये वितमस्य् अम्बरे स्थिते । समुद्गकाद् इव जगन्मणाव् अस्मिन् विनिर्गते
Then, when the sun had risen and the darkness had departed from the sky, as if the jewel of the world had emerged from its casket,
विकसत्य् अरुणोपान्ते चक्षुषीवाम्बुजाकरे । आचारेष्व् इव लोकेषु प्रसृतेष्व् अर्करश्मिषु
As the red dawn blossomed at the sun's edge, like a lotus-bed opening to the eye, and as the sun's rays spread everywhere, just as proper conduct spreads among people,
दम्पती तौ समुत्थाय कृतसन्ध्याक्रमौ स्थितौ । पत्त्रासने मृदुस्निग्धे कान्तौ काञ्चनकन्दरे
The two lovers rose, performed the sandhyā rites, and sat together on a soft, pleasant leaf-seat in the golden cave, radiant in beauty.
अथोत्थायात्र चूडाला रत्नकुम्भं करस्थितम् । .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Then, rising there, Cūḍālā held a jeweled pitcher in her hand...