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.
चिन्तयन्न् अप्य् असौ चित्तं यदा वेद न कानने । तदा सञ्चिन्तयाम् आस धियेदम् अविषण्णया
Even while reflecting on the mind, when he did not perceive it in the forest, then, with undisturbed intellect, he began to contemplate thus.
पदार्थवृन्दं देहादि न सर्वम् इति कथ्यते । तद् एतत् किं क्व वा व्यर्थं निरागस्कं त्यजाम्य् अहम्
It is said that the collection of objects, such as the body, is not everything; so what is this, and where? Why should I abandon something devoid of passion and useless?
पितुस् सकाशं गच्छामि ज्ञातुं चित्तमहारिपुम् । ज्ञात्वा च तत् त्यजाम्य् आशु ततस् तिष्ठामि विज्वरम्
I will go to my father to know the great enemy, the mind; having known it, I will quickly abandon it, and then I shall remain free from affliction.
इति सञ्चिन्त्य स कच उत्ततार त्रिविष्टपम् । वाक्पतिं प्राप्य सस्नेहं ववन्दे प्रणनाम च
Thinking thus, Kaca ascended to heaven; having reached the lord of speech, he respectfully greeted him with affection and bowed down.
पप्रच्छ चैनम् एकान्ते किं चित्तं भगवन् मम । स्वरूपं ब्रूहि चित्तस्य येनैतत् सन्त्यजाम्य् अहम्
He asked him privately, 'O venerable one, what is my mind? Tell me the true nature of the mind, so that I may abandon it.'
चित्तं निजम् अहङ्कारं विदुश् चित्तविदो जनाः । अन्तर् यो ऽयम् अहम्भावो जन्तोस् तच् चित्तम् उच्यते
Those who know the mind say that one's own mind is the ego; the inner sense of 'I' in a being is called the mind.
मन्ये ऽस्य दुष्करस् त्यागो न सिद्धिम् उपगच्छति । कथम् एष किल त्यक्तुं युज्यते योगिनां वर
I think that renunciation of this is difficult and does not lead to attainment; how indeed can this be abandoned by the best among yogis?
अपि पुष्पावदलनाद् अपि लोचनमीलनात् । सुकरो ऽहङ्कृतित्यागो न क्लेशो ऽत्र मनाग् अपि
Renunciation of the ego is as easy as plucking a flower or closing the eyes; there is not the slightest hardship in this.
त्रयस्त्रिंशन्महाकोटीप्रमाणस्य महामते । गुरो गीर्वाणवृन्दस्य कथम् एतद् वदाशु मे
O wise one, for the guru of the host of celestial beings, whose measure is thirty-three great crores, how is this so? Tell me quickly.
यथैतद् एव तनय तथा शृणु वदामि ते । अज्ञानमात्रसंसिद्धं वस्तु ज्ञानेन नश्यति
Just as it is, my son, listen as I speak to you: a thing established only by ignorance is destroyed by knowledge.