इति गगनगतस् त्रिलोकनाथो गगनगसिद्धगृहीतसिद्धमन्त्रः । गत इभगतशक्रवन्द्यमानो निजपुरम् अक्षयम् अग्र्यम् उज्ज्वलश्रि
Thus, the Lord of the three worlds, moving through the sky, with the mantra perfected and received from the accomplished ones of the sky, honored by Indra and others, returned to his own imperishable, supreme, and radiant city.
अथ वैडूर्यशृङ्गाभा सा महाकृष्णा राक्षसी । कज्जलाम्बुदलेखेव तानवं गन्तुम् उद्यता
Then that great black demoness, shining like the peak of a cat's-eye gem, poised to become thin, appeared like a streak of lampblack cloud.
बभूवाभ्रोपमाकारत्यागे विटपिरूपिणी । पुम्प्रमाणा ततो ऽप्य् आसीत् ततो ऽभूद् धस्तमात्रकम्
She took the form of a tree, abandoning her previous cloud-like shape; then she became the size of a man, and after that, the size of a hand.
ततः प्रादेशमात्राभा ततो ऽप्य् अङ्गुलरूपिणी । ततो माषशिमीतुल्या ततस् सूची बभूव ह
Then it became the size of a span, then took the form of a finger; then it was like a grain of lentil, and after that, it became a needle.
ततः कौशेयसूचीत्वं पद्मकेसरसुन्दरम् । प्राप्ता सा शिखराकारा सङ्कल्पाद्रिर् इवातता
Then it attained the state of a silken needle, beautiful like the filament of a lotus, and stood upright, resembling the peak of a mountain of thought.
रराज सूचिका कृष्णा श्लक्ष्णायसकलामयी । पुर्यष्टकेन वलिता व्योमगा वातवाहिनी
The black needle shone, entirely smooth and flawless, coiled by the subtle body, moving through the sky, carried by the wind.
सूचिर् दृश्यत एवासौ न त्व् अयो नाम विद्यते । संविद्भ्रमकलैवैषा स्वप्नसूचीव लक्ष्यते
That needle was indeed visible, yet there was no substance of iron; it was only a play of consciousness, appearing like a needle in a dream.
रत्नसूचीव मसृणा मनोमननसंयुता । वैडूर्यरश्मिलेखेव दण्डसन्तानसुन्दरी
Smooth as a jeweled needle, joined with the mind's imagination, beautiful like a line of beryl's radiance, graceful as a string of rods.
कज्जलाम्भोजकिञ्जल्कलतेव पवनाहृता । सूक्ष्मरन्ध्रेक्षणस्वच्छदृष्टव्योमकनीनिका
Like a tendril of a black-lotus stamen carried by the wind, with a tiny, clear aperture, it was as if a pupil of the sky, subtle and transparent to sight.
स्वमुखग्राह्यसूत्रेण श्लक्ष्णपुच्छशिखाणुना । दृश्या वैपुल्यशान्त्यर्थं परं मौनव्रतं गता
With a thread grasped by its own tip, with a smooth tail and shining point, it became visible for the sake of vast tranquility, entering a supreme vow of silence.
सुदूराद् दीपवद् दृष्टं सुतन्मात्रत्वम् आगतम् । दूराद् एव मनोज्ञेन प्रोद्गिरन्ती मुखेन खम्
Seen from afar like a lamp, it attained the state of pure being; from a distance, with a charming mouth, it seemed to utter forth into the sky.
कुञ्चितेक्षणसन्दृश्यदीर्घदीपांशुकोमला । सद्यस्स्नानसमुच्छूनभालबालविलासिनी
With eyes half-closed, she resembled a delicate lamp-flame, her hair soft as silk, her forehead still moist from a recent bath, appearing as a playful young woman.
तन्तुर् बिसाद् इवोड्डीना बाह्यसञ्चारकौतुकात् । ब्रह्मनाडिर् इवोद्युक्ता बहिर् इन्द्वंशसुन्दरी
Her thread, rising like a lotus-fiber out of curiosity for the world outside, was poised like the chief channel, beautiful as a moonbeam extending outward.
नियतेन्द्रियशक्तिस् स्वा जीवेनेव बहिष्कृता । बौद्धतीर्थिकविज्ञानसन्तानवद् अलक्षिता
With her senses restrained, her own life-force seemed to move outward, unnoticed like the stream of awareness in a Buddhist ascetic.
शून्यसिद्धान्तशिसिका रन्ध्रानिललवाभया । क्षीणदीपांशुसूच्येव तीक्ष्णयानुपलभ्यया
Her understanding, subtle as the doctrine of emptiness, was like a faint breath of wind through a crevice, or a needle with its light nearly gone, sharp yet imperceptible.
ग्रासार्थं सूचितां याता स चास्या नोपयुज्यते । विचारितं तया नैतद् अहो मौर्ख्यविजृम्भितम्
She had been pointed out for the sake of being seized, but he did not make use of her; she herself did not consider this—ah, how ignorance displays itself!
साग्रा सञ्चिन्तयाम् आस न सूची तुच्छरूपताम् । चैत्तम् ईहितम् एवैकं पश्यन्त्य् आस्ते यथासुखम्
With the tip of the needle, she reflected not on its emptiness, but simply gazed at her own mental intention, sitting at ease.
अविचार्यैव सूचित्वं तया मूढधियार्थितम् । नानार्थबुद्धेस् स्फुरति पूर्वापरविचारणा
Without any reflection, the needle’s purpose was desired by her dull mind; for one whose mind is scattered among various objects, prior and subsequent reasoning does not arise.
सार्थक्रियो ऽग्र्यसामर्थ्यो याति भावनयान्यताम् । पदार्थो ऽभिमतार्थाढ्यां निश्श्वासेनेव दर्पणः
A thing, though capable and effective, takes on a different nature through imagination; just as a mirror, filled with the forms one wishes, is altered by a breath.
सूचीभावं प्रपन्नायास् त्यजन्त्याः पीवरं वपुः । महामरणम् अप्य् अस्या राक्षस्यास् सुसुखं स्थितम्
For this rakshasi, who had assumed the form of a needle and abandoned her ample body, even great death was experienced as perfectly pleasant.
एकवस्त्वनुरागाणाम् अहो नु विषमा गतिः । देहो ऽपि तृणवत् त्यक्तो राक्षस्या निजयेच्छया
Indeed, how difficult is the fate of those attached to a single object! The rakshasi, by her own will, cast off her body as if it were mere straw.
एकवस्त्वतिगर्वेण नश्यन्त्य् अन्या हि संविदः । राक्सस्या ग्रासगर्वेण देहनाशो ऽपि नेक्षितः
Other minds perish through excessive pride in a single object; but the rakshasi, proud of her power to devour, did not even notice the destruction of her body.
नाशो ऽपि सुखयत्य् अज्ञम् एकवस्त्वतिरागिणम् । सूचीभूता विदेहापि परितुष्टैव राक्षसी
Even destruction brings pleasure to the ignorant who are excessively attached to one thing; the rakshasi, though bodiless and needle-formed, remained entirely satisfied.
अन्या बभूव तल्लग्ना सा तथा जीवसूचिका । व्योमात्मिका निराकारा व्योमवृत्तिशरीरका
Another entity became attached to that (needle), thus arose the living needle: of the nature of space, formless, with the activity of space as her body.
तेजस्तन्तुप्रवाहाभा प्राणतन्तुमयात्मिका । शूलसंवेदनाकारा तद्रन्ध्रार्कांशुसुन्दरी
She appeared as a stream of radiant threads, her essence made of vital threads, having the form of a sharp pain, beautiful like a sunbeam shining through that aperture.
पृथक्स्थेवासिधारा सा परमाण्वावलीव च । कौसुमी गन्धलेखेव कलाकलनरूपिणी
She was like a separate edge of a sword, or a row of atoms; like a streak of floral fragrance, assuming the form of subtle art.
पापात्मिका मनोवृत्तिस् सा हि तस्यास् तथा स्थिता । परप्राणदशावेधपरमार्थपरायणा
She was of sinful nature, a movement of mind, and thus remained there; intent on the ultimate reality of piercing the state of another's life.
एवम् अस्यास् तनुर् जाता सूचिद्वयमयी हि सा । नीवारशूकवत् तन्वी कर्पासांशुसुपेलवा
In this way, her body arose, composed of two needles; slender like the husk of wild rice, delicate as a strand of cotton.
तनुद्वयेन तेनासौ प्रविश्य हृदयं नृणाम् । वेधयन्ती ततः क्रूरा प्रबभ्राम दिशो दश
With that double needle form, she entered the hearts of men, piercing them; then, fierce, she wandered in all ten directions.
सर्वस् स्वसङ्कल्पवशाल् लघुर् भवति वा गुरुः । कर्कट्योग्रं वपुस् त्यक्त्वा सूचीत्वम् उररीकृतम्
By the force of her own intention, she becomes light or heavy; abandoning her fierce crab-like form, she assumed the state of a needle.