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.
द्रोणैर् नवनवत्या तैस् तस्यां द्रोणेन चान्धसः । तत्र द्रोणशतं हीनं रन्धितं बहुभोजिभिः
With ninety-nine measures, and one more of food, there, a hundred measures were lacking, consumed by many eaters.
ततो भुक्तं जनशतैर् ब्राह्मणानां शतैस् तथा । त्रिभिस् तै राजपुत्रैश् च परां निर्वृतिम् आगतैः
Then, hundreds of people ate, as did hundreds of Brahmins, and those three princes, having attained supreme satisfaction.
भविष्यन्नगरे तस्मिन् राजपुत्रास् त्रयो ऽपि ते । सुखम् अद्य स्थिताः पुत्र मृगयाव्यवहारिणः
In that future city, those three princes remain happily today, my son, engaged in hunting and their affairs.
आख्यायिकैषा कथिता मया रम्या तवानघ । एतां हृदि कुरु प्राज्ञ विदग्धस् त्वं भविष्यसि
This delightful tale has been told to you, O sinless one; keep it in your heart, wise one, and you will become discerning.
धात्र्येति कथिता राम बालायाख्यायिका शुभा । तुष्टिं जगाम बालश् च शुभाख्यायिकयानया
Thus, O Rama, the nurse told this auspicious children's story; and the child was pleased by this auspicious tale.
एषा हि कथिता राम चित्ताख्यानकथां प्रति । बालकाख्यायिका तुभ्यं मया कमललोचन
This, O lotus-eyed Rama, is the children's story I have narrated to you, in relation to the tale of the mind.
इयं संसाररचना स्थितिम् एवम् उपागता । बालकाख्यायिकेवोग्रैस् सङ्कल्पैर् व्यर्थकल्पितैः
This creation of the world has come to this state, just as in the children's story, through intense and futile imaginations.
विकल्पजालिकैवेयं प्रतिभासात्मिकानघ । बन्धमोक्षादिकलनारूपेण प्रविजृम्भते
O sinless one, this is but a web of imagination, consisting of appearances, which unfolds itself in the forms of bondage, liberation, and so on.
सङ्कल्पमात्राद् इतरद् विद्यते नेह किञ्चन । सङ्कल्पवशतः किञ्चिन् नकिञ्चित् किञ्चिद् एव वा
Here, apart from mere thought-constructs, nothing else exists; by the power of thought, something appears, or nothing at all, or only a certain thing.
द्यौः क्षमा वायुर् आकाशः पर्वतास् सरितो दिशः । सङ्कल्पकलितं सर्वम् एतत् स्वप्नवद् आत्मनः
Heaven, earth, wind, space, mountains, rivers, and directions—all this is shaped by thought, like a dream within oneself.