विहृतं रुधिरेष्व् अन्तर् द्रवशक्त्येव वारिषु । अब्धिष्व् आवर्तवृत्त्येव जठरेषु विवल्गितम्
She moves within the blood, like the power of fluid in water; in the oceans, like the motion of whirlpools; in the belly, she writhes and turns.
सुप्तं मेदस्सु शुभ्रेषु शेषाङ्गेष्व् इव शौरिणा । स्वादितस् स्वामगन्धो ऽन्तर् वातशक्त्यामृतं यथा
As the fragrance of camphor lies dormant within pure substances, or as nectar is hidden within the power of the wind, so too is the innate scent tasted within by the one who possesses it.
तरुगुल्मौषधादीनां हृत्स्थारण्यानिलश्रिया । परिभुक्तान्य् अशक्तानि हिंसया वीक्षितानि च
The inner forest of trees, bushes, and herbs is enjoyed by the wind that resides in the heart; yet, when consumed, they become powerless, and when struck, they are merely observed.
अहं जीवमयी सूची स्याम् इतीच्छावरेण सा । सम्पन्ना मानसी सूचिश् चेतनी पावनी शिता
The desire, 'May I become a needle made of living consciousness,' arises; thus, the mental needle is formed—conscious, pure, and sharp.
अदृश्यया तया तेन मारुतोग्रतुरङ्गया । अयस्सूचीनिलयया विहृतं दिक्षु रुद्धया
With that invisible, exceedingly swift, wind-like needle, whose abode is air, movement is made in all directions, yet it remains concealed.
पीतं भुक्तं विलसितं हसितं दत्तम् आहृतम् । नर्तितं गीतम् उषितम् अनन्तैः प्राणिदेहकैः
Drinking, eating, playing, laughing, giving, taking, dancing, singing, and staying awake—all these are performed by countless embodied beings.
अदृश्यया शरीरिण्या मनः पवनदेहया । कृतम् आकाशरूपिण्या न तद् अस्ति न यत् तया
By the invisible embodied one, whose body is mind and wind, all acts are accomplished in the form of space; there is nothing that is not done by it.
मत्तयाशक्तया स्वादुरसांश् चर्वितुम् एतया । बालयालानम् आश्रित्य करिण्येव विवल्गितम्
By this intoxicated, powerless one, delighting in sweet tastes, wandering is done, taking support of the play of children, like a female elephant in heat.
कल्लोलबहलाद्यूनदेहदुष्टनदीष्व् अलम् । वेगैर् वैधुर्यकारिण्या मत्तया मकरायितम्
In rivers that are impure, diminished, or agitated by waves, this intoxicated one, whose speed brings about faintness, becomes like a crocodile.
अशक्तया निगिरितुं मेदोमांसं तया हृदि । दूनं सुचिरम् अर्थाढ्यवृद्धातुरधिया यथा
Unable to restrain the fat and flesh within the heart, she suffers for a long time, like one whose mind is weakened by abundance of wealth and old age.
गजोष्ट्रमृगहस्त्यश्वसिंहादिहृदि नर्तितम् । नर्तक्येव चिरं रङ्गे वेल्लयन्त्याङ्गम् अङ्गके
Elephants, camels, deer, horses, lions, and others dance within her heart, just as a dancer moves her limbs for a long time on the stage.
बहिर् अन्तश् च वायूनाम् एकत्वम् अनुयातया । गन्धलेखिकयेवान्तस्स्थितं दुर्लक्ष्ययानया
By following the unity of the winds both outside and inside, she becomes difficult to perceive, like a fragrance-writer whose presence is hidden within.
मन्त्रौषधतपोदानदेवपूजादिभिर् हिता । वल्गद्गिरिनदीतुङ्गतरङ्गवद् अपद्रुता
Benefited by mantras, herbs, austerities, gifts, worship of gods, and the like, she rushes forth like the lofty waves of a mountain river.
दीपप्रभेवाविज्ञातगतिर् गत्वाशु लीयते । अयस्सूच्यां मातरीव तत्र निवृतिम् एति सा
Like the light of a lamp whose movement is unknown, she quickly merges, just as a needle enters its sheath and finds rest there.
स्ववासनानुसारेण सर्व आस्पदम् ईहते । सूचित्वम् एव राक्षस्या सूचित्वेनास्पदीकृतम्
According to her own tendencies, she seeks every abode; the indication itself is the demoness, and by indication, the abode is established.
सर्वो विहृत्यापि दिशस् स्वम् एवास्पदम् आपदि । जीवसूची लोहसूचीम् इवायाति जडो जनः
Even after wandering through all directions, everyone ultimately reaches their own abode; the living needle comes to the iron needle, just as the dull person returns.
एवं प्रयतमाना सा विहरन्ती दिशो दश । मानसीं तृप्तिम् आयाति न शारीरीं कदाचन
Thus, striving and wandering through the ten directions, she attains mental satisfaction, but never bodily satisfaction.
सति धर्मिणि धर्मा हि सम्भवन्तीह नासति । शरीरं दृश्यते यस्य तस्य तत् किल तृप्यति
Indeed, qualities arise only when their substratum exists, not when it does not; the body is seen to belong to someone, and it is that which becomes satisfied.
अथ तृप्तस्य देहस्य स्मरणात् प्राक्तनस्य सा । बभूव दुःखिता स्वादुपूर्णोदरसुखार्थिनी
Then, because of remembering her previous body, she who had a satisfied body became distressed, desiring the pleasure of a full and sweet stomach.
ततः प्राक्तनदेहार्थं करोमि विपुलं तपः । इति सञ्चिन्त्य तपसे देशं निर्णीय चात्मना
Therefore, thinking, 'I will perform great austerity for the sake of my former body,' she determined upon a place for ascetic practice by her own will.
विवेशाकाशगृध्रस्य हृदयं तरुणस्य सा । प्राणमारुतमार्गेण खं मृगेव खखेलगा
She entered the heart of a young sky-vulture by the path of the life-breath, like a creature of the air moving in the sky.
स गृध्रस् ताम् अयस्सूचीं काञ्चिद् एवंसमाश्रिताम् । चिता तयेरितश् चञ्च्वा वृत्तिं मन इवादधे
That vulture, having taken up a certain iron needle in this way, placed it on the funeral pyre with his beak, just as the mind sets its activity in motion.
सूचीम् आदाय गृध्रो ऽसौ ययौ तच्चिन्तितं गिरिम् । अन्तस् सूचीपिशाच्याशु नुन्नो ऽब्द इव वायुना
Taking the needle, that vulture went to the mountain she had thought of, quickly impelled within by the needle-demon, as a cloud is by the wind.
तत्राजने महारण्ये स्थापयाम् आस ताम् असौ । सर्वसङ्कल्परहिते पदे योगीव चेतनाम्
There, in a deserted great forest, he placed her in a spot devoid of all intentions, like a yogi placing consciousness in a state free from all resolve.
एकेनैवाणुना तेन पादप्रान्तेन मूर्छिता । सा प्रतिष्ठापितेवाद्रेर् मूर्ध्नि गृध्रेण देवता
She, being merged with that single atom at the tip of the foot, seemed to be established by the vulture on the summit of the mountain, like a deity.
रजःकणबृहच्छृङ्गशिरस्य् एकेन साणुना । पादेनातिष्ठद् उद्ग्रीवं शिखेव गिरिमूर्धनि
With one sharp end of the iron needle, she pressed her foot firmly upon the broad, high peak, as if placing a crest upon the summit of a great mountain.
उत्थितां स्थापितां सूचीं गृध्रान्तर् जीवसूचिका । दृष्ट्वा बहिर् विनिर्गन्तुं खगदेहात् प्रचक्रमे
Seeing the vital needle, which had been raised and set within the vulture, she began to move outward, seeking to depart from the bird’s body.
गृध्रप्राणान् निर्जगाम सूची प्रोन्मुखचेतना । पवनाद् गन्धलेखेव घ्राणवातलवोन्मुखी
The vital needle left the vulture’s life, intent on emerging, like a wisp of fragrance rising toward the nostrils, carried by the wind.
जगाम गृध्रस् स्वं देशं भारं त्यक्त्वेव भारिकः । निवृत्तव्याधिर् इव स बभूवान्तरनाकुलः
The vulture, having cast off its burden, returned to its own place, like a porter relieved of his load, and became inwardly calm, as one freed from disease.
अयस्सूचितयाधारस् तपसे परिकल्पितः । दृढस्य सदृशो ऽर्थानां विनियोगो हि राजते
The iron needle was set as a support for ascetic practice; for the proper use of a firm foundation is indeed fitting for undertakings.