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.
न ह्य् अमूर्तस्य सिध्यन्ति विनाधारं किल क्रियाः । इत्य् आधारैकनिष्ठत्वम् आश्रित्यासौ तपस्स्थिता
For actions of the formless truly do not succeed without a support; thus, relying on a single foundation, she remained steadfast in her austerity.
जीवसूची लोहसूचीं पिशाची शिंशपाम् इव । सर्वतो वलयाम् आस वात्येवामोदलेखिकाम्
The vital needle encircled the iron needle on all sides, like a demoness embracing a shimshapa tree, or like a breeze winding around a garland of fragrance.
ततस् ततःप्रभृत्य् एषा सूची दीर्घतपस्विनी । अरण्यान्यां स्थिता शक्र तत्र वर्षगणान् बहून्
From that time onward, O Indra, this needle, devoted to long austerity, remained there in another forest for many years.
तस्या वरार्थं यत्नं त्वं कुरु कर्तव्यकोविद । चिरेण सम्भृतं लोकम् अलं दग्धुं हि तत्तपः
For her noble purpose, you should exert yourself with skill in duty; for the ascetic power accumulated over a long time is indeed sufficient to burn the world.
इति नारदतश् श्रुत्वा शक्रस् सूचिनिरीक्षणे । मारुतं प्रेषयाम् आस दशदिङ्मण्डलान्य् अथ
Hearing this from Narada, Shakra, with keen observation, sent the wind to the ten directions.
जगामाथ मरुत्संविद् आत्मना तां निरीक्षितुम् । अवमुच्य नभोमार्गं विचचार त्वरान्वितः
Then, in accord with the wind, he went himself to observe her, swiftly traversing the sky-path with haste.
सा वातसंवित् क्षिप्रा वै नैव सर्वगता सती । परमा चिद् इवाविघ्नं सहसैव ददर्श ह
That wind-consciousness, being quick and all-pervading, suddenly saw her without obstruction, just as the supreme consciousness perceives.
भूमेस् सप्तसमुद्रान्ते निबद्धां विपुलस्थले । लोकालोकाद्रिरशनां नानामणिमयोपलाम्
At the edge of the earth's seven oceans, on a vast plain, bound by the mountain belt of Lokāloka, adorned with various jewel-stones, he saw her.
स्वादूदकाब्धिवलयं सकोटरककुब्गणम् । पुष्करद्वीपवलयं तदन्तर्गिरिमण्डलम्
He saw the ring of the sweet-water ocean, with its mountain ranges, the circle of the Pushkara continent, and the mountain region within it.
मदिराम्भोधिवलयं तज्जलेचरसंस्थितम् । गोमेधद्वीपकटकं तन्मध्यविषयव्रजम्
He saw the ring of the wine ocean, inhabited by creatures of its waters, the shore of the Gomeda continent, and the realm at its center.