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.
अमितोपान्तपर्यन्तां लोकपालेक्षितैर् अपि । केवलं पवनस्पन्दप्रचलद्धूलिकुण्डलाम्
Boundless at its edges, even when observed by the guardians of the world, it is merely a whirl of dust stirred by the movement of the wind.
सूर्यांशुकुङ्कुमैर् लिप्तां लग्नचन्द्रांशुचन्दनाम् । विलासिनीम् इव व्योम्नो वातशीत्कारगायनाम्
Smeared with saffron rays of the sun, adorned with sandalwood-like beams of the moon, she shines like a celestial maiden, singing in the sky with the coolness brought by the wind.
सप्तद्वीपसमुद्रमुद्रणसमुच्छूनैकदेशाश्रयं भूपीठं परितो विहृत्य पवनो दीर्घाध्वना जर्जरः । तां प्राप्याग्रगिरिस्थलीम् अलिवपुर्व्योमाङ्गलग्नाम् इव व्यात्तानन्तदिगन्तपूरकबृहद्देहो विशश्राम सः
The wind, worn out by its long journey, wandered around the earth, which holds the marks of the seven continents and oceans, and finally rested upon the summit of the foremost mountain, as if its vast body filled the endless directions, like a swarm of bees settling in the sky.
तत्र तस्योर्ध्वशृङ्गस्य तस्यां मूर्धमहावनौ । ददर्श मध्ये तां सूचीं प्रोत्थितां सशिखाम् इव
There, on the lofty peak, in the great forest atop the mountain, he saw at its center a needle-like form rising up, as if with a tuft.
एकपादं तपस्यन्तीं शुष्यन्तीं चिरम् ऊष्मपाम् । सततानशनाच् छुष्कां पिण्डीभूतोदरत्वचम्
Practicing austerity on one foot, enduring heat for a long time, always fasting, she had become dry, her skin and belly shriveled into a lump.
सकृद्विकासिनास्येन गृहीत्वैव तम् आनिलम् । पश्चात् त्यजन्तीं हृदये ऽप्य् एव मान्तीम् अनारतम्
With a single, wide-open mouth she would take in the wind, then release it, never letting it go from her heart, doing this constantly.
शुष्कां चण्डांशुकिरणैर् जर्जरां वनवायुभिः । अचलन्तीं निजात् स्थानात् स्नपिताम् इन्दुरश्मिभिः
Dry, battered by fierce sun rays, worn by the forest winds, unmoving from her place, she was bathed by the beams of the moon.
पूर्वं रजोऽणुनैकेन समधिष्ठितमस्तकाम् । कृतार्थत्वं कलयता ददतान्यस्य नास्पदम्
Previously, the mind, established by a single atom of passion, perceiving fulfillment, does not grant a place to another.
अरण्येनेव दत्तार्घां चिराज् जातशिखाम् इव । मूर्ध्नीव स्थापितप्राणां जटाकूटवतीम् इव
Like one who offers water in the wilderness, or one whose hair has grown after a long time, or one whose breath is placed upon the head like a tangled mass of locks.
तां वीक्ष्य पवनस् सूचीं विस्मयाकुलचेतनः । प्रणम्यालोक्य चरितं भीतभीत इवाग्रतः
Seeing that needle, the wind, his mind filled with astonishment, bowed and observed her conduct, standing before her as if fearful.
महातपस्विनी सूचि किमर्थं तप्यसे तपः । नेति वक्तुं शशाकासौ तत्तेजोराशिनिर्जितः
O great ascetic needle, for what purpose do you perform austerity? He was unable to speak, overcome by her radiant energy.
भगवत्या महासूच्या अहो चित्रं महत् तपः । इत्य् एव केवलं ध्यायन् मारुतो गगनं ययौ
Marvelous indeed is the great austerity of the venerable needle! Thus, only contemplating this, the wind departed into the sky.
समुल्लङ्घ्याभ्रमार्गं तु वातस्कन्धान् अतीत्य च । सिद्धवृन्दान्य् अधः कृत्वा सूर्यमार्गम् उपेत्य च
Leaping over the path of clouds, passing beyond the currents of wind, placing the hosts of siddhas below, he approached the path of the sun.
ऊर्ध्वम् एत्य विचारेभ्यः प्राप शक्रपुरान्तरम् । सूचिदर्शनपुण्यं तम् आलिलिङ्ग पुरन्दरः
Ascending upward from his wanderings, he reached the inner city of Indra; Purandara embraced him for the merit of seeing the needle.
पृष्टश् च कथयाम् आस दृष्टं सर्वं मयेत्य् असौ । सहदेवनिकायाय शक्रायास्थानवासिने
Questioned, he began to recount: 'I have seen everything,' to Sahadeva's retinue and to Indra, the lord of the abode.
जम्बुद्वीपे ऽस्ति शैलेन्द्रो हिमवान् नाम सून्नतः । जामाता यस्य भगवान् साक्षाच् छशिकलाधरः
In Jambudvīpa there is a great mountain named Himavat, lofty and vast, whose son-in-law is the blessed one who bears the crescent moon.
तस्योत्तरे महाशृङ्गपृष्ठे परमरूपिणी । स्थिता तपस्विनी सूची तपश् चरति दारुणम्
On its northern high peak dwells a most beautiful ascetic woman, Sūcī by name, engaged in severe austerities.
बहुनात्र किम् उक्तेन वाताद्यशनशान्तये । तया स्वोदरसौषिर्यं पिण्डीकृत्य निवारितम्
Why say much here? To overcome hunger caused by wind and such, she has closed the cavity of her stomach, compressing it tightly.
शान्तसङ्कोचम् ऊष्मार्थं विकास्यास्यं रजोऽणुना । तयाद्य स्थगितं शीतवाताशननिवृत्तये
To calm contraction and for warmth, she has opened her mouth and, by inhaling dust particles, has now blocked the cold wind and hunger.
तस्यास् तीव्रेण तपसा तुहिनाकारम् उत्सृजन् । अग्न्याकारम् अगो गृह्णन् देवदुस्सेव्यतां गतः
By her intense austerity, abandoning the nature of cold and taking on the nature of fire, she has become difficult even for the gods to approach.