दाशूराख्यायिकेवेयं नाम संसारचक्रिका । कल्पनारचिताकारा वस्तुशून्येति किं प्रभो
This cycle of worldly existence is like the tale of Dāśūra—constructed by imagination, devoid of substance; what more need be said, O Lord?
जगन्मायास्वरूपस्य वर्णनाव्यपदेशतः । दाशूराख्यायिकां राम वर्ण्यमानां मया शृणु
Now, Rāma, listen as I narrate to you the story called Dāśūra, as an illustration and description of the true nature of the world's illusion.
अस्त्य् अस्मिन् वसुधापीठे विचित्रकुसुमद्रुमः । मगधा नाम विख्यातश् श्रीमाञ् जनपदो महान्
On this earth, there is a great and renowned land called Magadha, adorned with wondrous trees and flowers.
कदम्बवनविस्तारी तालावलितजङ्गलः । विचित्रविहगव्यूहस् सर्वाश्चर्यमनोहरः
Expansive with kadamba groves, interspersed with palm-covered wilderness, adorned by flocks of wondrous birds, it was a marvel, delightful to behold.
सस्यसङ्कटसीमान्तः पुरोपवनमण्डितः । कमलोत्पलकल्हारपूर्णसर्वसरित्तटः
Bordered by fields thick with crops, embellished with city gardens, and with every riverbank filled with lotuses, blue lilies, and water-lilies.
उद्यानदोलाविलसल्ललनागेयघुङ्घुमी । निशोपभुक्तकुसुमनीरन्ध्रविशिखावनिः
Resounding with the jingling of women's ornaments as they played on garden swings, and with the fragrance of night-blooming flowers enjoyed in the moonlit groves.
तत्रैकस्मिन् गिरितटे कर्णिकारसमाकुले । कदलीषण्डनीरन्ध्रे नीपगुल्मविराजिते
There, on the slope of a certain mountain, thick with karṇikāra trees, in the shade of banana clusters and radiant with nīpa shrubs.
कूजच्चकोरचमरे ध्वनन्निर्झरवारिणि । फुल्लचूतलताजाले प्रगीतकलकोकिले
Where partridges cooed in the thickets, the water of waterfalls resounded, mango creepers bloomed, and cuckoos sang melodious songs.
पुलिन्दलीलालुलिते तालावृतनभस्तले । उत्फुल्लपद्मिनीशारे जीवजीवकजीविते
Where wild tribal women played, the sky was covered by palm leaves, and the ponds, filled with blooming lotuses, teemed with living creatures.
पुष्पौघस्फूर्जदनिले केसरारुणधूलिनि । कारण्डवकृतारावे सरत्सरससारसे
Where the wind, stirring clouds of pollen from masses of flowers, was tinged with saffron dust, and the cries of waterfowl echoed over the autumnal lakes.
तस्मिन् नगवरे पुण्ये विचित्रविहगद्रुमे । कश्चित् परमधर्मात्मा मुनिर् आसीन् महातपाः
In that noble and sacred mountain, amidst wondrous bird-filled trees, there dwelled a certain sage of supreme righteousness and great austerity.
दाशूरनामा महता तपोयोगेन संयुतः । कदम्बपृष्ठवास्तव्यो वीतरागो महामतिः
There was a sage named Dashura, endowed with great ascetic discipline, who lived on the branch of a kadamba tree, free from passion and of great intellect.
ऋषिस् तपस्वी भगवन् विपिने केन हेतुना । कथं वाप्य् अवसत् पृष्ठे कदम्बस्य महातरोः
O venerable one, for what reason did this ascetic sage dwell in the forest, and how did he come to reside on the branch of the great kadamba tree?
शरलोमेति विख्यातः पिता तस्य बभूव ह । नाम्नापर इव ब्रह्मा तस्मिन्न् एवावसद् गिरौ
His father was known as Sharaloma, and was renowned by that name; he was like another Brahma, and lived on that very mountain.
तस्यासाव् एकपुत्रो ऽभूत् कचो देवगुरोर् इव । तेन सार्धं स पुत्रेण नीतवाञ् जीवितं वने
He had only one son, just as Kacha was to the preceptor of the gods; with that son, he spent his life in the forest.
अथासौ शरलोमात्र भुक्त्वा युगगणं ययौ । त्यक्तदेहस् सुरागारं त्यक्तनीडः खगो यथा
Then, after passing many ages, Sharaloma departed, having abandoned his body, to the abode of the gods, like a bird leaving its nest.
एक एव वने तस्मिन् दाशूरः प्ररुरोद ह । दशापनीतपितृकः करुणं कुररो यथा
In that forest, Dashura wept alone, bereft of his father, lamenting pitifully like a kurara bird deprived of its parent.
मातापितृवियोगेन शोकसन्तापिताशयः । म्लानिम् अभ्याययौ नूनं हेमन्त इव पङ्कजम्
Afflicted in his heart by the sorrow of losing his parents, he withered away, just as a lotus fades in the winter.
बालो ऽसाव् अथ दीनात्मा वनदेवतया वने । इत्थम् आश्वासितो राम तदादृश्यशरीरया
Then, that boy, his spirit dejected, was thus comforted in the forest by a forest deity, whose body was not visible, O Rama.
ऋषिपुत्र महाप्राज्ञ किम् अज्ञ इव रोदिषि । संसारस्य न कस्मात् त्वं स्वरूपं वेत्सि चञ्चलम्
O son of a sage, great in wisdom, why do you weep like one ignorant? Do you not know the restless nature of worldly existence?
सर्वदैवेदृशी साधो संसारी संसृतिश् चला । जायते जीवते पश्चाद् अवश्यं च विनश्यति
O noble one, always is the worldly person thus; the cycle of existence is unstable: one is born, lives, and must inevitably perish.
यद् यत् किञ्चिद् दृशोर् दृश्यं ब्रह्मादिकम् इदं मुने । गन्तव्यस् तेन सर्वेण विनाशो नात्र संशयः
Whatever is seen by the eyes—be it Brahma or anything else, O sage—all of it is destined to pass away; of this there is no doubt.
तदर्थं मा कृथा व्यर्थं विषादं मरणे पितुः । अवश्यभाव्य् अस्तमयो जातस्याहर्पतेर् इव
Therefore, do not indulge in useless sorrow at your father's death; for what is born must surely set, just as the sun must set.
अशरीराम् इति श्रुत्वा गिरम् आरक्तलोचनः । धैर्यम् आसादयाम् आस शिखण्डी स्तनिताद् इव
Hearing the words, 'He is bodiless,' with eyes reddened by grief, Śikhaṇḍin regained his composure, like one calmed by thunder.
उत्थायावश्यकं कृत्वा पाश्चात्यं पितुर् आदृतः । चकार तपसे बुद्धिं दृढाम् उत्तमसिद्धये
Rising up, having performed the necessary rites for his father with reverence, he firmly resolved to undertake austerity for the highest attainment.
ब्राह्मेण कर्मणा तस्य विपिने चरतस् तपः । अनन्तसङ्कल्पमयं श्रोत्रियत्वं बभूव ह
Through his Brahmanical actions, as he practiced austerity in the forest, he attained the state of a learned sage, composed of endless resolve.
अज्ञातज्ञेयबुद्धेस् तु सुश्रोत्रियतया तया । न विशश्राम चेतो ऽस्य पवित्रे ऽपि धरातले
Yet, though endowed with such noble learning, his mind, with its knowledge of the known and unknown, did not find rest even on this pure earth.
केवलं सर्वम् एवेदम् अपि शुद्धं धरातलम् । अशुद्धम् इव पश्यन् स न रेमे क्वचिद् एव हि
Indeed, all this earth is pure alone; yet, seeing it as impure, he found no delight anywhere.
अथ सङ्कल्पयाम् आस स्वसङ्कल्पनयैव सः । वृक्षाग्रम् एव संशुद्धं स्थितिर् अत्रोचिता मम
Then, by his own resolve, he determined: 'Let my dwelling be only upon the purified treetop.'
तद् इदानीं तपस् तप्स्ये तपसा येन शाखिषु । खगवत् स्थितिम् आप्नोमि शाखासु च दलेषु च
Now I shall undertake austerity, by which, through penance, I may attain the state of a bird, abiding on branches and leaves.