मनो यन्निश्चयं याति तत् तद् भवति नान्यथा । तेन काल्पनिको नास्ति बन्धः कथम् इव प्रभो
Whatever determination the mind arrives at, that alone comes to be, and not otherwise; therefore, O Lord, since bondage is only imagined, how could it truly exist?
मिथ्याकाल्पनिकैवेयं मूर्खाणां बन्धकल्पना । मिथ्यैवाभ्युदिता तेषाम् इतरा मोक्षकल्पना
This conception of bondage is a false imagination of the ignorant; and for them, the notion of liberation that arises is equally false.
एवम् अज्ञानकलने बन्धमोक्षदृशौ स्मृते । वस्तुतस् तु न बन्धो ऽस्ति न मोक्षो ऽस्ति महामते
Thus, in the reckoning of ignorance, the views of bondage and liberation are remembered; but in reality, O wise one, there is neither bondage nor liberation.
कल्पनाया अवस्तुत्वं सम्प्रबुद्धमतिं प्रति । रज्ज्वहेर् इव हे प्राज्ञ न त्व् अबुद्धमतिं प्रति
The unreality of imagination is evident to one whose mind is awakened—just as with a rope and a snake, O wise one—but not to one whose mind is unawakened.
बन्धमोक्षादिसम्मोहो न प्राज्ञस्यास्ति कश्चन । सम्मोहो बन्धमोक्षादिर् अज्ञस्यैवास्ति राघव
For the wise, there is no confusion regarding bondage, liberation, and the like; such confusion about bondage and liberation exists only for the ignorant, O Raghava.
आदौ मनस् तदनु बन्धविमोक्षदृष्टी पश्चात् प्रपञ्चरचना भुवनाभिधाना । इत्यादिका स्थितिर् इयं हि गता प्रतिष्ठाम् आख्यायिका भवति बालजनोचितेव
First comes the mind, then the vision of release from attachment, and afterwards the creation of the world and the naming of realms; such is the initial sequence, which, having reached its foundation, becomes a tale suited for children.
किम् उच्यते मुनिश्रेष्ठ बालकाख्यायिकाक्रमः । क्रमेण कथयैतन् मे मनोवर्णनकारणम्
O best of sages, why is the sequence of the children's tale being told? Please narrate it to me in order, along with the reason for describing the mind.
मुग्धमुग्धमतिर् बालो धात्रीं पृच्छति राघव । काञ्चित् कर्णपथायातां वर्णयाख्यायिकाम् इति
A child, with a mind both simple and naive, asks his nurse, 'Tell me a story you have heard somewhere.'
सा बालस्य विनोदाय धात्री तस्य महामते । आख्यायिकां कथयति प्रसन्नमधुराक्षराम्
For the child's amusement, the nurse—who is wise—tells him a story, using words that are clear and sweet.
क्वचित् सन्ति महात्मानो राजपुत्रास् त्रयश् शुभाः । विस्तीर्णे शून्यनगरे व्योम्नीवोज्ज्वलतारकाः
Once, there were three noble princes, great-souled and virtuous, in a vast and empty city, shining like stars in the sky.
द्वौ न जातौ तथैकश् च गर्भ एव हि न स्थितः । शुभाचाराश् शुभाकारा इति भान्तीन्दवो यथा
Of these, two were never born, and the third did not even remain in the womb; yet they appeared pure in conduct and form, shining like moons.
अथात्युत्तमलाभार्थम् एकदा समवायतः । निर्बन्धवः खिन्नमुखाश् शोकोपहतचेतसः
Then, once, seeking the highest attainment, they gathered together—friendless, with downcast faces, their minds afflicted by sorrow.
ते तस्माच् छून्यनगरान् निर्गता विकृताननाः । गगनाद् इव संश्लिष्टा बुधशुक्रशनैश्चराः
Leaving that empty city, their faces distorted, they departed—like Mercury, Venus, and Saturn conjoined in the sky.
शिरीषसुकुमाराङ्गाः पृष्ठतो ऽर्केण तापिताः । मार्गे ग्लानिं गता ग्रीष्मतापार्त्या पल्लवा इव
With limbs as delicate as the silk tree, scorched from behind by the sun, they became weary on the road, like tender leaves afflicted by the heat of summer.
सन्तप्तमार्गसिकतादग्धपादसरोरुहाः । हा ताताम्बेति शोचन्तो मृगा यूथच्युता इव
Their lotus-like feet burned by the heated sand of the path, they lamented, 'Alas, father! Alas, mother!' like deer separated from their herd.
दर्भाग्रभिन्नचरणास् तापस्विन्नाङ्गसन्धयः । उल्लङ्घ्य दूरम् अध्वानं धूलिधूसरमूर्तयः
With feet wounded by blades of grass and joints slick with sweat, their bodies covered in dust after traversing a long distance, they pressed on.
मञ्जरीजालजटिलं फलपल्लविताम्बरम् । मृगपक्षिगणाधारं प्रापुर् मार्गे तरुत्रयम्
On the way, they reached a cluster of three trees, thick with sprays of blossoms, adorned with fruit and new leaves, sheltering flocks of deer and birds.
तस्मिन् वृक्षत्रये वृक्षौ द्वौ न जातौ मनाग् अपि । बीजम् एव तृतीयस्य स्वारोहस्य न विद्यते
Of those three trees, two had not grown at all, and the third, though climbed, had no seed.
विश्रान्तास् ते परिश्रान्तास् तत्रैकस्य तरोर् अधः । पारिजाततले स्वर्गे शक्रानिलयमा इव
Exhausted, they rested beneath one of the trees, as if in Indra’s own abode in heaven, under the shade of a celestial tree.
फलान्य् अमृतसृष्टानि भुक्त्वा पीत्वा च तद्रसम् । कृत्वा गुलुच्छकैर् मालाश् चिरं विश्रम्य ते ययुः
They ate fruits created like nectar, drank their juice, made garlands from the clusters, and after resting for a long time, they set out again.
पुनर् दूरतरं गत्वा मध्याह्ने समुपस्थिते । सरित्त्रितयम् आसेदुस् तरङ्गतरलारवम्
After traveling further, when midday arrived, they reached three rivers, their waves resounding with lively noise.
तत्रैका परिशुष्कैव मनाग् अप्य् अम्बु न द्वयोः । विद्यते सरितोर् दृष्टिर् अन्धलोचनयोर् इव
There, one river was completely dried up, and neither of the two had even a trace of water—just as the sight of the blind is absent.
परिशुष्का भृशं यासौ तस्यां ते सस्नुर् आदृताः । घर्मार्ता दिवि गङ्गायां विष्णुब्रह्महरा इव
In that thoroughly dried river, they bathed eagerly, as those tormented by heat would in the heavenly Ganges, like Vishnu, Brahma, and Shiva.
चिरं कृत्वा जलक्रीडां पीत्वामृतसमं पयः । जग्मुस् ते राजतनयाः प्रहृष्टमनसस् सुखम्
After playing in the water for a long time and drinking water as sweet as nectar, the princes departed joyfully and content.
अथासेदुर् दिनस्यान्ते लम्बमाने दिवाकरे । भविष्यन् नवनिर्माणं नगरं नगसन्निभम्
Then, as the day drew to a close and the sun hung low, they sat down before a city about to be newly constructed, resembling a mountain.
पताकापद्मिनीव्याप्तनीलाम्बरजलाशयम् । दूरश्रुतिसमुल्लासगायन्नगरमण्डलम्
It was a city adorned with banners and lotus ponds, its blue waters shining, and its fame resounding far, with circles of singing and celebration.
ददृशुस् तत्र रम्याणि त्रीणि सद्विभवानि ते । मणिकाञ्चनगेहानि शृङ्गाणीव महागिरेः
There they saw three splendid mansions, beautiful and prosperous, with walls of jewels and gold, like the peaks of a great mountain.
अनिर्मिते द्वे सदने एकं निर्भित्ति तत्र वै । अभित्तिमन्दिरं चारु प्रविष्टास् ते नरास् त्रयः
Of these, two houses were unfinished, and one stood without walls; the three men entered the charming house without walls.
सम्प्रविश्योपविश्याशु विहरन्तो वराननाः । प्रापुस् स्थालीत्रयं तत्र तप्तकाञ्चननिर्मितम्
Entering and quickly sitting down, the noble-faced men enjoyed themselves and found there three golden bowls, heated and shining.
यत्र कर्परतां याते द्वे एका चूर्णतां गता । जगृहुश् चूर्णरूपां तां स्थालीं ते दीर्घबुद्धयः
When the two had become fragments and one had turned to powder, those wise ones took up the vessel in its powdered form.