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.
इति सञ्चिन्त्य सञ्ज्वाल्य हुताशम् अतिभास्वरम् । जुहाव तस्मिन् प्रोत्कृत्य मांसं स्वं स्कन्धभित्तितः
Thinking thus, he kindled a blazing sacrificial fire, and, cutting flesh from his own shoulder, offered it into that fire.
अथ गीर्वाणवृन्दस्य समग्रा गलभित्तयः । मन्मुखस्थेन मा यान्तु विप्रमांसेन भस्मसात्
Then, the throats of the entire host of celestials spoke from my mouth: 'Let not the flesh of the brahmin be reduced to ashes.'
इति सञ्चिन्त्य भगवान् सप्तार्चिस् तस्य देहवान् । पुरो बभूव दीप्तांशुर् दीप्तांशुर् वाक्पतेर् इव
Thinking thus, the divine seven-flamed Fire, assuming form, appeared before him, radiant like the lord of speech.
उवाच वचनं वीरकुमाराभिमतं वरम् । गृहाण स्थापितं साधो कोशकोशान् मणिं यथा
He spoke these words: 'O noble one, accept the boon you desire, established and ready, as one takes a jewel from a casket.'
इत्य् उक्तवन्तम् अनलम् अर्घपुष्पोपशोभिना । सम्पूज्य स्तुतिवादेन प्राह विप्रकुमारकः
When the Fire thus spoke, adorned with an offering of flowers and water, the young brahmin, having worshipped him with praise, replied:
भगवन् भूतपूर्णाया भुवः पावनम् अङ्गनम् । नाप्नोमि तेन वृक्षाणाम् उपरि स्थितिर् अस्तु मे
O Lord, the ground of this earth, filled with beings, is sacred; yet I cannot reach it. Therefore, may my dwelling be upon the trees.
इत्य् उक्ते मुनिपुत्रेण सर्वदेवमुखं शिखी । एवम् अस्तु तम् इत्य् उक्त्वा जगामान्तर्धिम् ईश्वरः
When the sage's son spoke thus, Śikhī, the lord whose face is all the gods, replied, 'So be it,' and then vanished from sight.
तस्मिन्न् अन्तर्हिते देवे क्षणात् सान्ध्य इवाम्बुदे । पूर्णकामः कुमारो ऽसाव् आपूर्णेन्दुर् इवाबभौ
When that god disappeared, the boy, his desires fulfilled, shone like the full moon, as the evening cloud fades away.
अधिगताभिमताननमण्डलद्युतिजवेन जहास स तुष्टिमान् । शशिनम् आप्तकलाकुलम् अम्बुजं विकसितं च सितं स्मितशोभिना
Having attained his cherished wish, his face radiant with the glow of joy, he laughed contentedly, resembling the moon surrounded by its full digits, a blooming white lotus, and a smile bright with shining teeth.
अथ काननमध्यस्थं चुम्बिताम्बुदमण्डलम् । मध्याह्नखिन्नसूर्याश्वसेवितस्कन्धमण्डपम्
Then, in the midst of the forest, where the circle of clouds was kissed, and the midday sun's horses, weary, found shade beneath the pavilion of tree trunks—