आभ्यां प्रायः परिज्ञातो मम भावो ऽनयोर् मया । न विनाश्यौ मयेमौ वा स्वयम् एवाविनाशिनौ
By these two, my own disposition has been mostly discerned; and by me, theirs. These two are not to be destroyed by me, nor am I by them, for we are all inherently indestructible.
मन्ये भवत आत्मज्ञौ नात्मज्ञानाद् ऋते मतिः । प्रमृष्टसदसद्भावा भवत्य् अस्तभया मृतेः
I think these two possess self-knowledge; without self-knowledge, there is no true understanding. When the sense of existence and non-existence is cleansed, fear of death ceases.
तद् एतौ परिपृच्छामि कञ्चित् सन्देहम् उत्थितम् । प्राप्यं प्राप्य न पृच्छन्ति ये किञ्चित् ते नराधमाः
Therefore, I shall ask these two about a certain doubt that has arisen. Those who, having attained the opportunity, do not inquire about anything are the lowest of men.
इति सञ्चिन्त्य पृच्छायै तन् नानावसरं ततम् । अकालकल्पाभ्ररवं हासं संयम्य साब्रवीत्
Having thus reflected, she prepared to ask her question at an appropriate moment, restraining her untimely, cloud-like laughter, and spoke:
कौ भवन्तौ नरौ वीरौ कथ्यताम् इति मे ऽनघौ । जायते दर्शनाद् एव मैत्री विषदचेतसाम्
Who are you two, O sinless and heroic men? Please tell me. For, upon seeing those with pure hearts, friendship arises at once.
अयं राजा किरातानाम् अस्याहं मन्त्रितां गतः । उद्यतौ रात्रिचारेण त्वादृग्जनविनिग्रहे
This king is the ruler of the Kiratas, and I have attained the position of his minister; we are engaged in night patrols to restrain people like you.
राज्ञो रात्रिन्दिनं धर्मो दुष्टभूतविनिग्रहः । स्वधर्मत्यागिनो ये तु ते विनाशानलेन्धनम्
The king's duty, day and night, is to subdue wicked beings; but those who abandon their own duty become fuel for the fire of destruction.
राज्ञस् त्वम् असि दुर्मन्त्री दुर्मन्त्रित्वाद् अराड् अयम् । सद्भूपस्य भवेन् मन्त्री राजा सन्मन्त्रिणा भवेत्
You are a misguided minister to the king, and because of your poor counsel, this Arada has come; a good minister belongs to a virtuous king, and a king becomes noble through wise ministers.
राजैवादौ विवेकेन योजनीयस् सुमन्त्रिणा । तेनार्यताम् उपायाति यथा राजा तथा प्रजाः
At first, the king should be guided with discernment by a wise minister; through this, he attains nobility—just as is the king, so are his subjects.
समग्रगुणजालानाम् अध्यात्मज्ञानम् उत्तमम् । तद्वद् राजा भवेद् राजा तद्वन् मन्त्री च मन्त्रवित्
The highest knowledge of the Self is the collection of all virtues; likewise, a king should be a true king, and a minister should be one who knows counsel.
प्रभुत्वं समदृष्टित्वं तच् च स्याद् राजविद्यया । ताम् एव यो न जानाति नासौ मन्त्री न सो ऽधिपः
Authority and impartial vision arise from royal wisdom; whoever does not know this is neither a minister nor a ruler.
भवन्तौ तद्विदौ साधू यदि तच् छ्रेय आप्स्यथः । नो चेद् अनर्थदौ स्वस्याः प्रकृतेर् नाद्म्य् अहं युवाम्
If you both possess that knowledge, you are virtuous and will attain the highest good; otherwise, you bring harm, and I do not accept you as belonging to my nature.
एकोपायेन मत्पार्श्वाद् बालकाव् उत्तरिष्यथः । मत्प्रश्नपञ्जरं सारं चेद् विचारयथो धिया
By a single means, you two boys will cross over from my side, if you thoughtfully examine the essence of my cage of questions.
प्रश्नानि मां कथय पार्थिव नाथ मन्त्रिन्न् अत्रार्थिनी भृशम् अहं परिपूरयार्थम् । अङ्गीकृतार्थम् अददत् क इवास्ति लोके दोषेण सङ्क्षयकरेण न युज्यते यः
O king, tell me your questions; I am eager to fulfill your wishes. Who in this world, having accepted a request, does not grant it, unless hindered by some fault that brings decline?
इत्य् उक्त्वा राक्षसी प्रश्नान् सा वक्तुम् उपचक्रमे । उच्यताम् इति राज्ञोक्ते तान् इमाञ् शृणु राघव
Having spoken thus, the demoness began to ask her questions. When the king said, 'Speak,' listen now, O Raghava, to these questions.
एकस्यानेकसङ्ख्यस्य कस्याणोर् अम्बुधेर् इव । अन्तर् ब्रह्माण्डलक्षाणि लीयन्ते बुद्बुदा इव
In the one, in the countless, in the minute, as in the ocean—within, countless universes dissolve like bubbles.
किम् आकाशम् अनाकाशं नकिञ्चित् किञ्चिद् एव किम् । को ऽहम् एवापि सम्पन्नः को भवान् अप्य् अहं स्थितः
What is space, what is non-space, what is nothing, and what is something? Who am I, truly fulfilled, and who are you, and who am I that stands here?
गच्छन् न गच्छति च कः को ऽतिष्ठन्न् एव तिष्ठति । कश् चेतनो ऽपि पाषाणः कश् चिद्व्योमनि चित्रकृत्
Who moves yet does not move, who stands yet remains standing? Who is conscious yet like a stone, and who creates wonders in the sky?
वह्निताम् अजहच् चैव कश् च वह्निर् न दाहकः । अवह्नेर् जायते वह्निः कस्माद् राजन् निरन्तरम्
Who is fire that does not abandon its fiery nature, and who is fire that does not burn? From the non-fire, how does fire arise, O king, continually?
अचन्द्रार्काग्नितारो ऽपि को ऽविनाशः प्रकाशकः । अनेत्रलभ्यात् कस्माच् च प्रकाशश् च प्रवर्तते
Who is the imperishable illuminator, even without moon, sun, fire, or stars? And from what, though not perceived by the eyes, does light manifest?
लतागुल्माङ्कुरादीनां जात्यन्धानां तथैव च । अन्येषाम् अप्य् अनक्षाणाम् आलोकः क इवोत्तमः
For creepers, bushes, sprouts, and those born blind, and likewise for others without eyes, what is the highest source of light?
जनकः को ऽम्बरादीनां सत्तायाः कस् स्वभावदः । को जगद्रत्नकोशस् स्यात् कस्य कोशे मणेर् जगत्
Who is the origin of space and other elements, who gives them their nature? Who is the treasure chest of the world's jewels, and in whose treasury is the world a gem?
को ऽणुस् तमः प्रकाशश् च को ऽणुर् अस्ति च नास्ति च । को ऽणुर् दूरे ऽप्य् अदूरे च को ऽणुर् एव महागिरिः
What is the atom that is darkness and light, that both exists and does not exist? What is the atom that is distant yet not distant, and that itself is a great mountain?
निमेष एव कः कल्पः कः कल्पो ऽपि निमेषकः । किं प्रत्यक्षम् असद्रूपं किं चेतनम् अचेतनम्
What is a moment that is an age, and what is an age that is a moment? What is apparent yet unreal, and what is conscious yet unconscious?
कश् चावायुश् च वायुश् च कश् शब्दो ऽशब्द एव च । कस् सर्वं च नकिञ्चिद् च को ऽहं नाहं च किं भवेत्
What is both airless and air, what is sound and soundlessness? What is everything and nothing, who am I and who am I not, and what can that be?
किं प्रयत्नशतप्राप्तं लब्ध्वापि बहुजन्मभिः । लब्धं नकिञ्चिद् भवति ननु सर्वं च लभ्यते
What is gained through hundreds of efforts and many lifetimes, yet when attained is nothing, and yet everything is attainable?
स्वस्थेन जीवतैवोच्चैः केन स्वात्मापहारितः । केनाणुनान्तर् व्रियते मेरुस् त्रिभुवनं तृणम्
By whom is one's own self taken away, even while living in one's own nature? By what atom is the Meru mountain, the three worlds, and a blade of grass contained within?
केनाणुकणमात्रेण पूरिता शतयोजनी । को ऽणुर् एव भवन् माति न योजनशतेष्व् अपि
By what atom is a hundred-yojana expanse filled? What atom alone becomes a world, yet not even in a hundred yojanas?
केनालोकनमात्रेण जगद्बालः प्रनाट्यते । कस्याणोर् अन्तरे सन्ति कुलावनिभृतां घटाः
By what mere act of seeing is the world-play enacted? Within which atom are the pots that hold the families of mountains?
अणुत्वम् अजहत् को ऽणुर् मेरोस् स्थूलतराकृतिः । वालाग्रशतभागात्मा को ऽणुर् उच्चैश् शिलोच्चयः
What is the atom that does not abandon its minuteness, yet appears in the massive form of Meru? What is the atom that is the hundredth part of a hair’s tip, and what is the towering mountain?