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.
राजपुत्रास् त्रयो नद्यो भविष्यन्नगरं तथा । यथा सङ्कल्परचना तथेयं त्रिजगत्स्थितिः
Just as the three princes, the rivers, and the city-to-be were creations of imagination, so too is the existence of the three worlds.
सङ्कल्पमात्रम् अभितः परिस्फुरति चञ्चलम् । पयोमात्रात्मको ऽम्भोधिर् अम्भसीवात्मनात्मनि
Only thought, ever restless, shines forth all around; just as the ocean is nothing but water, so too is everything, in essence, the Self within the Self.
सङ्कल्पमात्रम् उत्पन्नं प्रथमं परमात्मनि । तद् इदं स्फारतां यातं व्यापारैर् दिवसं यथा
Thought alone first arises in the Supreme Self; this then expands into activity, just as the day unfolds.
सङ्कल्पजालकलनैव जगत् समग्रं सङ्कल्पम् एव ननु विद्धि विलासि चेत्यम् । सङ्कल्पमात्रम् अलम् उत्सृज निर्विकल्पम् आश्रित्य निश्चयम् अवाप्नुहि राम शान्तिम्
The entire world is but a web of thought-constructs; know indeed that all is only thought, O playful one. Abandon mere thought, take refuge in the thought-free state, and, with certainty, attain peace, O Rama.
स्वसङ्कल्पवशान् मूढो मोहम् एति न पण्डितः । अयक्षे यक्षसङ्कल्पान् मुह्यते शिशुनैव हि
The deluded one, under the sway of his own thoughts, falls into confusion, not the wise; just as a non-spirit is bewildered by the thoughts of a spirit, like a child.
को ऽसौ सङ्कल्पितः केन यक्षो ब्रह्मविदां वर । असतैव महामोहं येनादत्ते सदैव हि
Who is this imagined being, this yakṣa, considered foremost among knowers of Brahman? By whom is this great delusion, which is truly unreal, always taken up?
अमुना भूतसङ्गेन यक्षो ऽहङ्काररूपधृत् । वेतालश् शिशुनेवेह मिथ्यैव परिकल्पितः
By this association with elements, the yakṣa, taking the form of ego, is falsely conceived here, like a goblin imagined by a child.
एकस्मिन्न् एव सर्वस्मिन् स्थिते परमवस्तुनि । कुतः को ऽयम् अहं नाम कथं नाम किलोदितः
When the supreme reality alone abides in all, how, from where, and in what manner does this so-called 'I' arise?
वस्तुतो नास्त्य् अहङ्कारः परमात्मन्य् अभेदतः । असम्यग्दर्शनान् मार्गी सरित् तीव्रातपे यथा
In truth, there is no ego, for there is no difference in the supreme Self; just as a traveler, due to imperfect vision, sees water in the intense heat.
मनोमणिर् महारम्भस् संसार इति लक्ष्यते । आत्मनात्मानम् आश्रित्य स्फुरत्य् अम्बु यथाम्बुना
The jewel of the mind, with its great activity, is designated as saṃsāra; relying on the Self, the Self shines forth, just as water glistens through water.