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.
इक्षूदकाब्धिपरिखां सान्तर्गिरिगणान्तराम् । क्रौञ्चद्वीपोर्वरापीठं सान्तर्गतगिरिक्रमम्
He saw the moat of the sugar-water ocean, with its inner mountain groups, the eastern plateau of the Krauncha continent, and the sequence of mountains within it.
क्षीराब्धिमुक्तावलयं समध्यगतनायकम् । श्वेताख्यद्वीपवलयं सभूतप्रतिभागकम्
Encircled by the ocean of milk, with its central lord, surrounded by the island called Śveta, and accompanied by its elemental counterparts.
भूमेर् घृतोदवलनं सान्तस्थामरमन्दिरम् । कुशद्वीपवृतिव्यासं सुमहाशैलकोटरम्
With the earth girdled by clarified butter, containing the celestial dwellings within, the expanse of Kuśa island as its radius, and vast mountain caverns.
दध्यम्भोराशिरशनां सान्तश् चरपुरोदराम् । शाकद्वीपोर्वराकारं सान्तस्स्थविषयान्तरम्
Girdled by the ocean of curds, with moving cities within, shaped like the eastern part of the Śāka island, and containing inner realms.
क्षाराम्भोराशिपरिखां सान्तस्स्थपुरपर्वताम् । जम्बुद्वीपमहामेरुं कुलपर्वतसङ्कुलम्
Moated by the ocean of brine, with inner cities and mountains, the great Meru of Jambudvīpa crowded with its range of family mountains.
वातस्कन्धेभ्य एवादौ पतत्य् अनिलवेल्लना । क्रमेणानेन पर्यन्ते तेनैव प्रसृतेह सा
At first, by the gusts of wind, it falls, tossed about by the air; in this way, it proceeds gradually to the end, carried along by that very force.
वायुर् आलोकयन्न् इत्थं जम्बुद्वीपं निरीक्ष्य च । तत् प्राप हिमवच्छृङ्गं यत्र सूचिस् तपस्विनी
Thus, the wind, observing Jambudvīpa, beheld it and reached the peak of the Himalayas, where Sūcī, the ascetic, was engaged in austerity.
शृङ्गमूर्ध्नि महत्य् उग्रे सो ऽरण्यानीम् अवाप ताम् । द्वितीयाकाशविततां वर्जितां प्राणिकर्मभिः
On the lofty, formidable summit, he found her, the forest-dweller, spread out in the second sky, untouched by the actions of living beings.
असञ्जाततृणव्यूहां निकटत्वाद् विवस्वतः । रजोमयीम् एव ततां संसाररचनाम् इव
With no growth of grass yet arisen, due to its nearness to the sun, she was pervaded only by dust, like the construction of saṃsāra itself.
मृगतृष्णानदीसार्थपूरणीयाब्धितां गताम् । शक्रकोदण्डसङ्काशमृगतृष्णासरिच्छताम्
Having reached the state of a river of mirage, filled as if with the waters of an ocean, resembling Indra’s bow, and appearing as a stream of mirage.