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.
तद् उत्तिष्ठाशु गच्छामस् सर्व एव पितामहम् । तद्वरार्थम् अनर्थाय विद्धि तद्दुस्सहं तपः
So, let us all quickly go to the grandsire; know that her severe austerity is for the sake of a boon, which may bring misfortune.
इति वातेरितश् शक्रस् सह देवगणेन सः । जगाम ब्रह्मणो लोकं प्रार्थयाम् आस तं प्रभुम्
Thus urged by the wind, Indra, along with the assembly of gods, went to the world of Brahmā and sought out that lord.
सूच्या अहं वरं दातुं गच्छामि हिमवच्छिरः । ब्रह्मणेति प्रतिज्ञाते शक्रस् स्वर्गम् उपाययौ
Sūcī said, 'I am going to the summit of Himavat to receive a boon from Brahmā.' When Brahmā agreed, Indra returned to heaven.
एतावताथ कालेन सा बभूव च पावनी । सूची निजतपस्तापतापितामरमन्दिरा
In due course, she became purified, the needle, scorched by her own ascetic heat, dwelling in the abode of immortals.
मुखरन्ध्रस्थितार्कांशुदृशा स्वच्छाययैव सा । विस्मयिन्या विवर्तिन्या आदिनान्तम् उपेक्षिता
With eyes like sunbeams shining from the eye of the needle, she, with her own clear shadow, observed with wonder the ever-changing, from beginning to end.
कौशेयसूच्या तृणवन् मेरुस् स्थैर्येण निर्जितः । मज्जनित्र्येति वृद्ध्येव युक्तयाद्यन्तयोर् दिने
With a silken needle, she surpassed Mount Meru in steadiness, and, like an old woman, she was skilled in immersing herself at the beginning and end of the day.
मध्याह्ने तापभीत्येव विशन्त्या मातुर् अन्तरम् । अन्यदा गौरवाद् दृष्ट्या दूरतः प्रेक्ष्यमाणया
At midday, out of fear of the heat, she would enter her mother's interior; at other times, out of respect, she would watch from a distance with a reverent gaze.
सा ताम् अवेक्षिते ऽक्ष्णारात् तापाद् अङ्गे निमज्जति । सङ्कटे विस्मरत्य् एव जनो गौरवसत्क्रियाम्
When watched by that eye, she would plunge her body into the heat; in distress, people forget the proper respect due to dignity.
छायासूचिस् तापसूचिस् तयेत्य् आत्मतृतीयया । त्रिकोणं तपसा पूतं वाराणस्यास् समं कृतम्
With the shadow-needle, the ascetic-needle, and herself as the third, the triangle was sanctified by asceticism, made equal to Varanasi.
गतास् तेन त्रिकोणेन त्रिवर्णपरिखावता । वायवः पांसवो ये ऽपि ते परां मुक्तिम् आगताः
By that triangle, bordered by three-colored moats, even the winds and dust attained supreme liberation.