पताकाध्वजसम्बाधं मुक्ताजालमनोरमम् । नृत्तगीतपरस्त्रीकं स्वर्गं भूमाव् इव च्युतम्
Crowded with banners and flags, enchanting with strings of pearls, filled with dancing, singing, and courtesans, it seemed as if heaven itself had descended to earth.
प्रविश्याथ गृहं तैस् तैस् संयुतं नृपमङ्गलैः । सम्यक् सम्मानयाम् आस प्रणतं प्रकृतिव्रजम्
Then, entering his house, adorned with all auspicious royal emblems, he duly honored the assembly of his subjects who bowed before him.
पुरोत्सवं भृशं कृत्वा दिनसप्तकम् उत्तमम् । अकरोद् राजकार्याणि मानितान्तःपुरो नृपः
After holding a grand festival for seven excellent days, the king, honored by the inner court, attended to royal duties.
दशवर्षसहस्राणि राज्यं कृत्वा महीतले । सह चूडालया राजा विरतो देहधारणात्
Having ruled the earth for ten thousand years together with Cūḍālā, the king renounced the maintenance of the body.
देहम् उत्सृज्य निर्वाणम् अस्नेह इव दीपकः । अपुनर्जन्मने राम जगामेति महामतिः
Casting off the body, the great-minded one attains liberation, like a lamp without oil, O Rama, and does not return to birth again.
दशवर्षसहस्राणि समदृष्टितया तया । राज्यं तथानुशिष्यासौ निर्वाणपदम् आप्तवान्
For ten thousand years, with that even vision, he ruled the kingdom, and afterwards attained the state of liberation.
विगतभयविषादो मानमात्सर्यमुक्तः प्रकृतसहजकर्मा सक्तनीरागबुद्धिः । इति स सुसमदृष्टिर् मृत्युम् आर्यो ऽथ जित्वा दशशिशिरसहस्राण्य् एकराज्यं चकार
Free from fear and sorrow, devoid of pride and envy, acting according to his natural disposition, with a mind unattached to passions, thus, with perfect equanimity, the noble one conquered death and ruled a single kingdom for ten thousand years.
भुक्त्वा भोगान् अनन्तान् भुवि सकलमही पालचूडामणित्वे स्थित्वा वै दीर्घकालं परम् अमृतपदं प्राप्तवांस् तद् यथैषः । एवं रामागतं त्वं प्रकृतम् अनुसरन् कार्यजातं विशोकस् तिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ स्वयत्नात् प्रसभम् अनुभवन् भोगमोक्षाग्र्यलक्ष्मीम्
Having enjoyed countless pleasures on earth, having long held the diadem of universal sovereignty, he attained the supreme immortal state; just so, O Rama, you too should follow this example, performing your duties without sorrow, rise up, and by your own effort boldly experience the highest fortune of both enjoyment and liberation.
एतत् ते सर्वम् आख्यातं शिखिध्वजकथानकम् । अनेन गच्छ मार्गेण न कदाचन खिद्यसे
All this, the story of Śikhidhvaja, has been told to you; follow this path, and you will never be troubled.
एतां दृष्टिम् अवष्टभ्य राघवाघविघातिनीम् । नित्यं नीरागया बुद्ध्या तिष्ठावष्टब्धतत्पदः
Holding to this vision, O Rāghava, which destroys the afflictions of sin, always remain established in that state with a mind free from attachment.
यथा शिखिध्वजो राज्यं कृतवान् एवम् ईदृशः । राम व्यवहरन् राज्ये भोगमोक्षमयो भव
Just as Śikhidhvaja ruled his kingdom, so too, O Rāma, act in your realm and be one who embodies both enjoyment and liberation.
शिखिध्वजक्रमेणैव यथा बोधम् अवाप्तवान् । कचो बृहस्पतेः पुत्रस् तथा बुध्यस्व राघव
In the same way that Kaca, the son of Bṛhaspati, attained knowledge by following the path of Śikhidhvaja, so too, O Rāghava, you should understand.
बृहस्पतेर् भगवतः पुत्रो ऽसौ भगवान् कचः । यथा प्रबुद्धो भगवन् समासेन तथा वद
O venerable one, Kaca, the illustrious son of the revered Brihaspati, has awakened; please tell, in brief, how he attained awakening.
शृणु राजन् कथं श्रीमाञ् शिखिध्वजवद् एव सः । प्रबोधं परमं यातो देवदैशिकजः कचः
Hear, O King, how that blessed Kaca, son of the divine teacher, attained supreme awakening, just as Shikhidhvaja did.
बालभावात् समुत्तीर्णस् संसारोत्तरणोन्मुखः । कचः पदपदार्थज्ञो बृहस्पतिम् अभाषत
Having passed beyond childhood and intent on crossing the ocean of worldly existence, Kaca, who understood the meaning of words and their objects, spoke to Brihaspati.
भगवन् सर्वधर्मज्ञ कथं संसृतिपञ्जरात् । अस्मान् निर्गम्यते ब्रूहि जन्तुना जीवतन्तुना
O venerable one, knower of all dharmas, tell me how a living being, bound by the thread of life, may escape from the cage of transmigration.
अनर्थमकरागाराद् अस्मात् संसारसागरात् । उत्तीर्यते निरुद्वेगं सर्वत्यागेन पुत्रक
O son, one crosses beyond this ocean of worldly existence, which is a house producing misfortune, calmly and without distress, by complete renunciation.
इत्य् आकर्ण्य कचो वाक्यं पितुः परमपावनम् । सर्वम् एव परित्यज्य जगामैकान्तकाननम्
Hearing these supremely purifying words of his father, Kaca renounced everything and went to a solitary forest.
बृहस्पतेस् तद्गमनं नोद्वेगाय बभूव ह । संयोगे च वियोगे च महान्तो हि समाशयाः
Brihaspati was not disturbed by Kaca’s departure, for the great-souled are equanimous in union and separation.
अथ वर्षेषु यातेषु त्रिषु पञ्चसु चानघ । पुनः प्राप महारण्ये कस्मिंश्चित् पितरं कचः
Then, after three and five years had passed, O sinless one, Kaca again met his father in a certain great forest.
परिपूज्याभिवन्द्यैनं समालिङ्गितपुत्रकम् । अपृच्छद् वाक्पतिं भूयस् स कचः क्लान्तया गिरा
Having worshipped and respectfully greeted him, embracing his son, Kaca again questioned the lord of speech with a weary voice.
अद्येदम् अष्टमं वर्षं सर्वत्यागः कृतो मया । तथापि तात विश्रान्तिं नाधिगच्छाम्य् अनिन्दिताम्
Today marks the eighth year since I renounced everything; yet, father, I have not attained blameless peace.
एवम् आर्तमनस्य् अस्मिन् कचे वदति कानने । सर्वम् एव त्यजेत्य् उक्त्वा वाक्पतिर् दिवम् उद्ययौ
As Kaca, his mind afflicted, spoke thus in the forest, the lord of speech, saying only 'Renounce everything,' ascended to heaven.
गते तस्मिन् कचो देहाद् वल्कलाद्य् अप्य् अशेषतः । तत्याजाम्बुदवर्षादि शरदीव नभस्तलम्
When he had departed, Kaca abandoned even his body coverings and all else completely, like the autumn sky sheds clouds, rain, and lightning.
उवासैको दिगन्तेषु शान्तश् शून्यवपुश् श्वसन् । गतेन्द्वभ्रार्कतारेण शरद्व्योम्ना समोपमः
He dwelt alone at the edges of the directions, tranquil, with an empty form, breathing—like the autumn sky, free from moon, clouds, sun, and stars.
पुनर् वर्षत्रयेणैष कस्मिंश्चित् काननान्तरे । दूयमानमनाः प्राप तम् एव पितरं गुरुम्
After three more years, in another part of the forest, with a mind still troubled, he again approached that very father and teacher.
कृतपूजाक्रमो भक्त्या समालिङ्गितपुत्रकम् । अपृच्छत् तम् असौ भूयः खेदगद्गदया गिरा
Having performed the proper worship with devotion, embracing his son, he again questioned him with a voice choked by weariness.
तात सर्वं परित्यक्तं कन्थावेणुलताद्य् अपि । तथापि नास्ति विश्रान्तिस् स्वपदे किं करोम्य् अहम्
Father, I have abandoned everything—even my garment of bark and creepers—yet still there is no rest in my own self; what should I do?
चित्तं सर्वम् इति प्राहुस् तत् त्यक्त्वा पुत्र राजसे । चित्तत्यागं विदुस् सर्वत्यागं त्यागविदो जनाः
They say that mind is everything; having abandoned that, O son, one becomes royal. Those who know the abandonment of mind understand the abandonment of all; such people are truly knowers of renunciation.
इत्य् उक्त्वा वाक्पतिः पुत्रं पुप्लुवे तरसा नभः । अन्वियेष कचश् चित्तं परित्यक्तुम् अखिन्नधीः
Having spoken thus, the lord of speech swiftly soared into the sky; Kaca, with unwavering mind, sought to abandon the mind.