स ननाम महीपालं शिखरोदारकन्धरम् । पादोपान्तगतः कान्तं शैलं फलतरुर् यथा
He bowed to the king, whose neck was noble as a mountain peak, standing at his feet like a fruit-laden tree before a lovely mountain.
सच्छायस्योन्नतांसस्य फलिनः पुष्पधारिणः । संविवेश पुरो राज्ञस् तरोर् अग्रे कपिर् यथा
Like a monkey before a tree bearing shade, high branches, fruit, and flowers, he took his place before the king.
चपलो लम्पटो ऽर्थानां सामोदसुखमारुतम् । उवाचोत्कन्धरं भूपं स पद्मम् इव षट्पदः
Restless and greedy for rewards, he addressed the king, whose neck was raised, like a bee speaking to a lotus in the gentle, joyful breeze.
विलोकय विभो तावद् एकाम् इह खरोलिकाम् । पीठस्थ एव साश्चर्यां व्योम्नश् चन्द्र इवावनिम्
Then, O Lord, behold here a single dice, wondrous even while resting on the board, like the moon upon the earth from the sky.
इत्य् उक्त्वा भ्रमिता तेन पिञ्छिका भ्रमदायिनी । नानाविरचनाबीजं मायेव परमात्मना
Having said this, he spun the dice-spindle that causes the dice to whirl, as if the Supreme Self itself were spinning the seed of manifold creations, like Māyā.
तां ददर्श महीपालस् तेजोरेखाविराजिताम् । शक्रस् सुरविमानस्थस् स्वकार्मुकलताम् इव
The king beheld it, radiant with a streak of light, like Indra standing in his celestial chariot, holding his own bow.
सभां सैन्धवसामन्तो विवेशास्मिन् क्षणे तदा । तारापतिकराकीर्णां व्योमवीथीम् इवाम्बुदः
At that very moment, the king, with his Sindhu vassals, entered the assembly, like a cloud entering a sky-road crowded with stars and planets.
तं चैवानुजगामाश्वश् शस्यः परमवेगवान् । देवलोकोन्मुखस् त्व् अब्धेश् शक्रम् उच्चैश्श्रवा इव
And that swift and excellent horse followed him, as if intent on reaching the world of the gods, like Uccaiḥśravas following Indra, lord of the ocean.
स तम् अश्वम् उपादाय पार्थिवं समुवाच ह । सोच्चैश्श्रवा इव क्षीरसागरो मरुतां पतिम्
Taking that horse, he addressed the king, just as the ocean, possessing Uccaiḥśravas, would speak to Indra, lord of the winds.
इदम् उच्चैश्श्रवःप्रख्यं हयरत्नं महीपते । जवे जयनशीले तु मूर्तिमान् इव मारुतः
O king, this jewel among horses, resembling Uccaiḥśravas, is swift and victorious in speed, as if the wind itself had taken form.
अश्वो ऽयम् अस्मत्प्रभुणा प्रभो सम्प्रहितस् त्वयि । राजते हि पदार्थश्रीर् महताम् अर्पणाच् छुभा
This horse, O Lord, has been sent to you by my master; indeed, the splendor of objects shines brightly when offered by the great.
इत्य् उक्तवति तस्मिंस् तु प्रत्युवाचैन्द्रजालिकः । जलदस्तनिते शान्ते चातको भूधरं यथा
When he had spoken thus, the magician replied, like a chataka bird turning to the mountain after the thunder of clouds has ceased.
सदश्वम् एनम् आरुह्य भुवनं विहर प्रभो । स्वप्रतापाहितानल्पशोभाम् उर्वीं रविर् यथा
Mount this excellent horse and roam the world, O Lord, as the sun graces the earth with its own radiant splendor.
अश्वम् आलोकयाम् आस तेनोक्त इति पार्थिवः । निर्ह्रादसूचितं मेघं स मयूर इवोत्सुकः
The king gazed at the horse, thinking on the magician’s words, like an eager peacock watching a cloud signaled by its rumble.
अथानिमेषया दृष्ट्या राजा चित्रोपमाकृतिः । बभूवालोकयन्न् अश्वं लिपिकर्मार्पितोपमम्
Then, with unblinking eyes, the king—whose form was as wondrous as a painting—stood looking at the horse, as if he were a figure set in a painted scene.
क्षणम् आलोक्य पिञ्छाश्वौ तस्थौ स स्थगितेक्षणः । दृष्टक्षुब्धसमुद्राद्रिर् भीरुर् एकतरो यथा
After gazing for a moment at the horse with its plume-like tail, he stood motionless, his eyes concealed, like a timid mountain before a stormy sea.
तस्थौ मुहूर्तयुग्मं तु ध्यानासक्त इवात्मनि । वीतरागो मुनिर् बुद्धः परानन्द इव स्थितः
He stood there for two moments, absorbed as if in meditation on his own self, like a sage free from passion, or the awakened one abiding in supreme bliss.
बोधितः केनचिन् नासौ स्वप्रतापजितोर्जितः । भयात् काम् अप्य् अयं भूपश् चिन्तां चिन्तयतीति ह
No one roused him, for he was subdued by his own majesty; yet perhaps, out of fear, this king was lost in anxious thought.
बभूवुः केवलं तत्र निस्स्पन्दसितचामराः । चामरिण्यो हि शर्वर्यस् स्तम्भितेन्दुकरा इव
There, only the yak-tail whisks remained utterly still, as if the night itself had become motionless, like the hands of the moon frozen in place.
विरेजुर् विस्मयापूर्णा निस्स्पन्दास् ते सभासदः । निस्स्पन्दकिञ्जल्कदलाः पद्माः पङ्ककृता इव
Those assembled in the hall shone, filled with astonishment and motionless, like lotuses whose petals are still, made so by the mud.
प्रशशाम सभास्थाने जनकोलाहलश् शनैः । प्रशान्तप्रावृषो व्योम्नस् साम्भोदम् इव गर्जितम्
Gradually, the commotion of people in the assembly subsided, like the thunder of clouds in the sky quiets after the rains have ceased.
सन्देहसागरोन्मग्ना जग्मुश् चिन्तां सुमन्त्रिणः । विषीदति गदापाणाव् असुराजाव् इवामराः
The wise ministers, plunged into the ocean of doubt, fell into anxious thought, like the gods when the demon king with the mace is despondent.
विततविस्मयजिह्मतया तया जनतया भवमोहनिषण्णया । स्तिमितचक्षुषि भूमिपतौ स्थिते मुकुलिताब्जवनस्य धृता द्युतिः
With the people bent by wonder and twisted by the delusion of worldly existence, while the king sat with unmoving gaze, the radiance of the lotus grove seemed subdued.
मुहूर्तद्वितयेनाथ बोधम् आप महीपतिः । प्रावृषेण्याम्बुनिर्मुक्तम् अम्भोरुहम् इवोत्तमम्
After two moments, the king regained consciousness, like a splendid lotus freed from the waters of the rainy season.
आसनात् साङ्गदोत्तंसः प्रबुद्धो ऽसाव् अकम्पत । सवनाभोगशृङ्गाग्रो भूकम्प इव पर्वतः
Awakening, adorned with armlets and crest-jewel, he trembled as he rose from his seat, like a mountain peak with forested slopes quivering in an earthquake.
बभाव् अर्धप्रबुद्धो ऽसाव् आसने परिकम्पितः । विक्षुब्ध इव पातालावरणे मन्दराचलः
Half-awake, he sat on his seat, trembling, like Mount Mandara shaken when the underworld is disturbed.
पतन्तं धारयाम् आसुस् तं पुरोगा नृपं भुजैः । मेरुं प्रलयविक्षुब्धं कुलशैलास् तटैर् इव
His attendants supported the falling king with their arms, as the ridges of neighboring mountains support Mount Meru shaken by the tumult of dissolution.
पुरोगैर् धार्यमाणो ऽसौ पर्याकुलमतिर् नृपः । वीचिविक्षोभितस्येन्दोर् बभार वदने श्रियम्
Supported by his attendants, that king, his mind greatly disturbed, bore on his face a luster like the moon agitated by waves.
को ऽयं प्रदेशः कस्येयं सभेति स नृपश् शनैः । दध्वान मज्जदम्भोजकोशस्थ इव षट्पदः
‘What is this place? Whose assembly is this?’—the king slowly wondered, like a bee lingering in the calyx of a lotus, uncertain where to settle.
अथोवाच सभा देव किम् एतद् इति सादरम् । रणन्मधुकरी भानुं दृष्टराहुम् इवाब्जिनी
Then the assembly respectfully asked the king, ‘O lord, what is this?’—like a humming bee questioning the sun, or a lotus gazing at the sun after the eclipse has passed.