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.
नेत्रगर्तकसंसुप्तप्रसूनवनकीटकम् । मक्षिकापञ्जरप्रोतकोशकारक्रिमिव्रजम्
In the hollow of the eye, sleeping forest insects; a swarm of silk-producing worms, woven into the cage of flies.
प्राक्तनीम् उपभोगेहाम् इष्टानिष्टफलप्रदाम् । धाराधौतान्तया तन्वा हसच् छुष्कास्थिमालया
The former abode of enjoyment, which gave fruits both pleasant and unpleasant, now washed clean by streams, with a dry heap of bones laughing.
शिरोघटेन शुभ्रेण सम्पन्नेनेन्दुवर्चसा । विडम्बयच् च कर्पूरप्लुतलिङ्गशिरश्श्रियम्
With a pure skull, shining with the radiance of the moon, it mocked the glory of a Shiva-linga head anointed with camphor.
ऋज्वा संशुष्कसितया स्वास्थिमात्रावशेषया । ग्रीवयात्मानुसृतया दीर्घीकुर्वद् इवाकृतिम्
With a neck straight, dried and ashen, leaving only the barest remnant of flesh, following the line of the self, as if elongating the form.
मृणालिकापाण्डुरया धारावधुतमांसया । नासास्थिलतया वक्त्रं कृतसीमाक्रमं दधत्
With a neck pale as clay, the flesh washed away in a stream, the face marked only by the nasal bone, bearing the boundary of its former shape.
दीर्घकन्धरया नूनम् उत्तानीकृतवक्त्रया । प्रेक्षमाणम् इव प्राणान् उत्क्रान्तान् अम्बरोदरे
With a long neck, the face turned upward, as if watching the departing breaths vanish into the hollow of the sky.
जङ्घोरुजानुदोर्दण्डैर् द्विगुणं दीर्घतां गतैः । प्रमिमाणम् इवाशान्तं दीर्घाध्वश्रमभीतितः
With shins, knees, and arms doubled in length, as if measuring the endless expanse, worn out by the fatigue and fear of a long journey.
उदरेणातिनिम्नेन चर्मशेषेण शोषिणा । प्रदर्शयद् इवाज्ञस्य हृदयस्यातिशून्यताम्
With a deeply sunken belly, the remaining skin shriveled, as if displaying to the ignorant the utter emptiness of the heart.
प्रेक्ष्य तच् छुष्ककङ्कालम् आलानम् इव दन्तिनः । पूर्वापरपरामर्शम् अकुर्वन् भृगुर् उत्थितः
Seeing that dried skeleton, like an elephant's frame, Bhrigu rose, not recalling past or future contact.
आलोकसमकालं हि प्रतिभातं ततो भृगोः । चिरम् उत्क्रान्तजीवः किं मत्पुत्रो ऽयम् इति क्षणात्
At the very moment of seeing, it appeared to Bhrigu: 'Is this my son, whose life departed long ago?'—so he thought in an instant.