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.
तुच्छो ऽप्य् अर्थो ऽल्पसत्त्वानां यात्य् अतिप्रार्थनीयताम् । सूचीवृत्तपिशाचीत्वं राक्षस्या तपसार्जितम्
Even a trivial thing becomes highly coveted by those of little strength; the needle-like ghosthood was attained by the demoness through austerity.
अपि पुण्यशरीराणां जातिबन्धो न शाम्यति । अनुसूचि पिशाचीत्वं राक्षस्या समुपार्जितम्
Even for those with meritorious bodies, the bondage of birth does not cease; the demoness acquired needle-like ghosthood as a result of her actions.
तस्यां दिगन्तभ्रमणे प्रवृत्तायां सहानिलैः । तत्रैव सा तनुस् स्थूला गलिता शारदाभ्रवत्
As she began to roam to the ends of the directions, carried by the winds, that gross body of hers dissolved there itself, like an autumn cloud.
कस्यचिद् विवशाङ्गस्य क्षीवस्य विपुलस्य वा । प्रविश्यान्तर् वातसूची भवत्य् अति विषूचिका
Entering the body of someone helpless, emaciated, or corpulent, the wind-needle within becomes an intense cholera-like affliction.
कस्यचित् तनुदेहस्य स्वच्छस्य सुधियो ऽपि च । प्रविश्य जीवसूचित्वे भवत्य् अन्तर् विषूचिका
Entering the subtle body of someone pure and wise, the needle of life within becomes an internal cholera-like disease.
एवं क्वचित् तृप्यति सा दुर्बुद्धिहृदयस्थिता । क्वचिद् उच्छिद्यते पुण्यैर् मन्त्रौषधिकृतक्रमैः
Thus, sometimes that misguided heart finds satisfaction; sometimes it is destroyed by virtue, through rituals of mantra and medicine.
आसीद् बहूनि वर्षाणि भ्रमणैकपरायणा । देहद्वयेन गच्छन्ती व्योम्नि भूमितले तथा
For many years, it wandered, devoted solely to roaming, moving with two bodies both in the sky and upon the earth.
रजस्तिरोहिता भूमौ हस्ते ऽङ्गुलितिरोहिता । प्रभातिरोहिता व्योम्नि वस्त्रे सूत्रतिरोहिता
On the ground, it is concealed by dust; in the hand, hidden by the finger; in the sky, veiled by radiance; in cloth, obscured by thread.
अन्तस्स्था स्नायुसरिति दुर्भगे पांसुपाण्डुनि । शुष्करेखासरित्खाते सूक्ष्मरेखाजरत्तृणे
Within, it dwells in the sinew-stream, in the unfortunate, pale dust; in the dry-lined riverbed, in the subtle-lined old grass.
अर्थहीने गतच्छाये शून्ये उच्छ्वासकारिणि । मक्षिकावातहरणे श्रीवृक्षपरिवर्जिते
In the meaningless, shadowless, empty, breath-giving place; where flies are swept by the wind, where the auspicious tree is absent.