शुभभाववशात् सो ऽथ किञ्चिज् ज्ञानम् अवाप्तवान् । जज्ञे नृपतनुं त्यक्त्वा गुरुस् सर्वोपदेशकः
Then, due to the force of virtuous disposition, he attained some knowledge, and, having abandoned the kingly body, was born as a guru, teacher of all.
मन्त्रसाधितसिद्धिर् हि सो ऽथ विद्याधरो ऽभवत् । कल्पम् एकं तु बुभुजे ततो वैद्याधरीं पुरीम्
By the accomplishment gained through mantra practice, he then became a Vidyādhara; for one aeon he enjoyed the city of the Vidyādharas.
कल्पावसानसमयं नीत्वा पवनरूपया । तन्वा सृष्टौ प्रवृत्तायां भूयो जातो मुनेस् सुतः
When the end of the aeon arrived, taking on a form like the wind, as creation commenced again, he was born once more as the son of a sage.
ततो मुनीनां सम्पर्कात् तपस्य् उग्रे व्यवस्थितः । अवसन् मेरुगहने मन्वन्तरम् अनिन्दितः
Then, through association with sages, he engaged in intense austerity, dwelling blamelessly for a manvantara in the caves of Mount Meru.
तत्र तस्य समुत्पन्नो मृग्याः पुत्रो नराकृतिः । तत्स्नेहेन परं मोहं पुनर् अभ्याययौ क्षणात्
There, a son was born to him from a deer, in human form; out of affection for him, he was again overtaken by deep delusion in an instant.
पुत्रस्यास्य धनं मे ऽस्तु गुणाश् चायुश् च शाश्वतम् । इत्य् अनारतचिन्ताभिर् जहौ सत्याम् अवस्थितिम्
With constant thoughts such as, 'May my son have wealth, virtues, and eternal life,' he abandoned his steadfastness in truth.
धर्मचिन्तापरिभ्रंशात् पुत्रार्थं भोगचिन्तनात् । क्षीणायुषं तम् अहरन् मृत्युस् सर्प इवानिलम्
Because he fell away from thoughts of righteousness, and was absorbed in thoughts of enjoyment for his son's sake, death seized him—like a serpent snatching the wind—when his lifespan was spent.
भोगैकचिन्तया सार्धं स समुत्क्रान्तचेतनः । प्राप्य मद्रेशपुत्रत्वम् आसीन् मद्रमहीपतिः
With his mind fixed solely on enjoyment, as his consciousness departed, he was born as the son of the king of Madra, and became the ruler of the Madra land.
मद्रदेशे चिरं कृत्वा राज्यम् उच्छिन्नशात्रवः । जराम् अभ्याजगामात्र हिमाशनिर् इवाम्बुजम्
Having ruled for a long time in the land of Madra, with all enemies subdued, old age came upon him there, like frost upon a lotus.
मद्रराजतनुं तां तु तपोवासनया सह । तत्याज तेन जातो ऽसौ तपस्वी तापसात्मजः
He abandoned that body of the Madra king, along with the ascetic's garb; thus, he became an ascetic, the son of a sage.
समङ्गाया महानद्यास् तटम् आसाद्य तापसः । तपस् तेपे महाबुद्धिस् स राम विगतज्वरः
The ascetic, possessing great wisdom and free from affliction, reached the bank of the great river Samaṅgā and engaged in austerities there, O Rama.
विविधजन्मदशाविवशाशयस् समनुसृत्य शरीरपरम्पराम् । सुखम् अतिष्ठद् असौ भृगुनन्दनो वरनदीसुतटे दृढवृक्षवत्
Having followed the succession of bodies, compelled by the various conditions of birth, the son of Bhṛgu dwelt happily on the bank of the excellent river, firm as a sturdy tree.
अथ कालेन महता पवनातपजर्जरः । कायस् तस्य पपातोर्व्यां छिन्नमूल इव द्रुमः
Then, after a long time, his body, worn by wind and sun, fell to the earth like a tree whose root has been severed.
मनस् तु चञ्चलाभोगं तासु तासु दशासु च । बभ्रामातिविचित्रासु वनराजिष्व् इवैणकः
His mind wandered through restless enjoyments and various states, roaming among the diverse forests like a deer.
भ्रान्तम् उद्भ्रान्तम् अभितश् चक्रार्पितम् इवाकुलम् । मनस् तस्य विशश्राम समङ्गासरितस् तटे
His mind, confused and agitated, wandered everywhere like a wheel set spinning, but finally found rest on the bank of the Samaṅgā river.
अनन्तवृत्तान्तघनां पेलवां सुदृढाम् अपि । तां संसृतिदशां शुक्रो विदेहो ऽनुभवन् स्थितः
Śukra, though bodiless, remained experiencing that state of transmigration, dense with endless events, subtle yet firm.
मन्दराचलसानुस्था सा तनुस् तस्य धीमतः । तापप्रसरसंशुष्का चर्मशेषा बभूव ह
That body of the wise one, situated on the slope of Mount Mandara, dried up from the spread of ascetic heat, leaving only the skin.
शारीररन्ध्रप्रवहद्वातशीत्काररूपया । चेष्टादुःखक्षयानन्दात् काकल्येव स्म गायति
With the coolness of wind flowing through the body's apertures, she sings like a crow, from the joy of the end of the pain of movement.
प्राणानुस्मरणोच्छ्वासम् इव बाष्पं स्म मुञ्चति । चण्डानिलविलासेन लुलित्वा वनभूमिषु
She sheds tears as if exhaling while remembering the breath of life, tossed about on the forest floor by the play of fierce winds.
मनोवराकम् अवटे लुठितं भवभूमिषु । हसन्तीवातिशुभ्राभ्रसितया दन्तमालया
Her mind, wretched, lies fallen in the pit on the ground of existence, as if laughing with a row of teeth shining whiter than bright clouds.
दर्शयन्ती स्वकं शून्यं वपुर् अक्ष्णोर् अकृत्रिमम् । मुखारण्यजरत्कूपरूपया गर्तशोभया
She reveals her own emptiness—her unfeigned form—by the gaping hollowness of her eyes, like a well in the wilderness with a mouth wide open.
तापोपतप्ता संसिक्ता वर्षाजलभरेण सा । पांसुना पवनोत्थेन दुष्कृतेनेव रूषिता
Scorched by heat, she is drenched by the weight of rainwater, and covered with dust raised by the wind, as if stained by misdeeds.
शुष्ककाष्ठवद् आलोला पातेषु कृतझाङ्कृता । धारानिकरपातेन विनुन्ना जलदागमे
Swaying like dry wood, she rattles when falling, battered by the downpour at the coming of the clouds.
प्रावृण्निर्झरपूरेण प्लुता गिरिनदीतटे । तारमारुतशीत्कारा वनोपल इव स्थिता
Flooded by the torrent of monsoon streams on the riverbank of the mountain, she stands like a forest stone, chilled by the sharp wind.
वक्रा शुष्कान्त्रतन्त्री च पूता झाङ्कारकारिणी । अरण्यलक्ष्मीवीणेव शून्यचर्ममयोदरी
Crooked, with dried entrails as strings, pure yet producing a rattling sound, she is like the veena of the goddess of the forest, her belly made of empty hide.
रागद्वेषविहीनत्वात् तस्य पुण्याश्रमस्य तु । महातपस्त्वाच् च भृगोर् न भुक्ता मृगपक्षिभिः
Because that sacred hermitage was free from attachment and aversion, and due to the great austerity of Bhrigu, it was not consumed by beasts or birds.
यमनियमकृशीकृताङ्गयष्टेश् चरति तपस् स्म भृगूद्वहस्य चेतः । तनुर् अथ पवनापनीतरक्ता चिरम् अलुठन् महतीषु सा शिलासु
The mind of Bhrigu, whose body was made lean by observance of restraint and discipline, wandered in austerity; and his body, with its blood removed by the wind, lay for a long time upon the great rocks.
नापश्यद् अग्रे तनयं तं नयावनताननम् । सीमान्तं गुणसीमायाः पुण्यं मूर्तम् इव स्थितम्
He did not see his son ahead, whose face was bowed in humility; he saw only the boundary of virtue, standing as if virtue itself had taken form.
अपश्यत् केवलं कालं कङ्कालं पुरतो महत् । देहयुक्तम् इवाभाग्यं दारिद्र्यम् इव मूर्तिमत्
He saw only time, a skeleton, vast and before him; misfortune embodied, as if poverty had taken form with a body.
तापशुष्कवपुः कृत्तिरन्ध्रस्फुरिततित्तिरि । संशुष्कान्त्रोदरगुहाछायाविश्रान्तदर्दुरम्
With a body dried by heat, skin torn, joints protruding, and a parched frog resting in the shadow of its hollow, dried-up belly.