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.
विदितपरमकारणाथ जाता स्वयम् अनु चेतनसंविदं विचार्य । स्वमननकलनानुसार एकस् त्व् इह हि गुरुः परमो न राघवान्यः
Having realized the ultimate cause, one is born through self-awareness and reflection; according to one's own contemplation and reasoning, here truly the supreme teacher is the Self—there is no other, O Raghava.
अथ वर्षसहस्रेण तां पितामह आययौ । वरं पुत्रि गृहाणेति व्याजहार नभस्तलात्
Then, after a thousand years, her grandfather arrived and spoke from the sky: 'Take a boon, daughter.'
सूची कर्मेन्द्रियाभावाज् जीवमात्रकलावती । न किञ्चिद् व्याजहारास्मै चिन्तयाम् आस केवलम्
Sūcī, possessing only the subtle faculty of life and lacking the organs of action, said nothing to him, but simply reflected inwardly.
पूर्णास्मि गतसन्देहा किं वरेण करोम्य् अहम् । शाम्यामि परिनिर्वामि सुखम् आसे च केवलम्
I am fulfilled and free from doubt; what would I do with a boon? I will rest, I will attain final peace, and simply sit in happiness.
ज्ञातं ज्ञातव्यम् अखिलं शान्तास् सन्देहजालिकाः । स्वविवेको विकसितः किम् अन्येन प्रयोजनम्
All that is to be known has been known; the net of doubts is quieted; my own discernment has blossomed—what need is there for anything else?
यथा स्थितेयम् अस्मीह सन्तिष्ठेयं तथैव हि । सत्यासत्यकलाम् एव त्यक्त्वा किम् इतरेण मे
Just as I am established here, so I shall remain; having abandoned the subtlety of truth and untruth, what use have I for anything else?
एतावन्तम् अहं कालम् अविवेकेन बाधिता । स्वसङ्कल्पसमुत्थेन वेतालेनेव बालिका
For all this time, I was troubled by lack of discernment, like a young girl bound by her own imagination.
इदानीम् उपशान्तो ऽसौ स्वविचारणया स्वयम् । ईप्सितानीप्सितैर् अर्थः को भवेत् कल्पितैर् मम
Now, I am at peace through my own contemplation; what purpose would imagined desirable or undesirable things serve for me?
इति निश्चययुक्तां तां सूचीं कर्मेन्द्रियोज्झिताम् । तूष्णीं स्थितां स नियतेस् सम्पश्यन् भगवान् स्थितिम्
Thus, seeing Sūcī, endowed with resolve and devoid of the organs of action, standing silent, the blessed one observed her state.
ब्रह्मा पुनर् उवाचेमां वीतरागां प्रसन्नधीः । वरं पुत्रि गृहाण त्वं कञ्चित् कालं च भूतले
Brahmā, with a mind free from passion and clear, spoke again: 'Daughter, choose a boon for yourself and remain on earth for some time.'