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—
मिमानम् इव दिक्कुक्षीर् दीर्घैर् विटपबाहुभिः । आलोकयन्तं ककुभो विकासिकुसुमेक्षणैः
As if measuring the womb of the directions with their long, branch-like arms, the trees gazed upon the quarters with eyes of blossoming flowers.
वातावलुलितानल्पभ्रमद्भ्रमरकुन्तलम् । प्रमार्जयन्तम् आशानां मुखं पल्लवपाणिभिः
With crowns tousled by the wind and swarming with restless bees, they seemed to wipe the face of the sky with their leafy hands.
कच्छैर् उरुगुलुच्छाच्छमञ्जरीपुञ्जपिञ्जरैः । आस्यैर् इव सताम्बूलैर् हसन्तम् अलिमालितैः
With their hair—the thick clusters of long, yellowish flower sprays—like mouths adorned with fresh betel, they appeared to laugh, swarming with bees.
लताविलासनोल्लासिपुष्पकेसरधूलिभिः । आबद्धमण्डलाभोगं पूर्णेन्दुम् इव दीप्तिभिः
With circles formed by the dust of stamens from the playful blossoms of the vines, it shone like the full moon with its radiance.
सङ्कटं विटपावल्या कुञ्जकूजच्चकोरया । गायत्किन्नरया सिद्धवीथ्येव जगद् उच्चया
Dense with rows of branches, resounding with the cooing of partridges in the groves and the singing of kinnara, it rose like the celestial path of the perfected beings.
लतापीठोपविष्टानाम् अधोलम्बैः कलापिनाम् । कलापैश् शोभितं व्योम सेन्द्रचापैर् इवाम्बुदैः
Adorned by the clusters of peacocks hanging below, as they sat upon the leafy seats, the sky was beautified as if with Indra's bows and clouds.
मग्नोन्मग्नैः प्रतिस्कन्धं चामरैर् भासितं सितैः । चकोरानुगतैः पूर्णैस् संवत्सरम् इवेन्दुभिः
Illuminated at every slope by white chowries, raised and lowered, and by full moons followed by partridges, as if the year itself were filled with moons.
कपिञ्जलकलालापैः कलकोकिलकूजितैः । जीवजीवविरावैश् च प्रगायन्तम् इवोर्जितैः
With the chatter of francolins, the sweet calls of cuckoos, and the resonant cries of jīvajīva birds, it seemed to be singing in full voice.
कादम्बककदम्बैश् च कुलायकृतकेलिभिः । स्वर्गकोटरविश्रान्तैस् सिद्धैर् जगद् इवावृतम्
With flocks of kadamba birds playing at their nests, it was surrounded by siddhas resting in the hollows of heaven, as if the world itself were encircled.
प्रवालारुणहस्ताभिर् अलिनेत्राभिर् आश्रितम् । अप्सरोभिर् इव स्वर्गं मञ्जरीभिर् इतस् ततः
Embraced here and there by clusters of blossoms with coral-red stems and bee-like eyes, like heaven attended by apsarases.
सेन्द्रचापं विलोलेन कुसुमोत्कररेणुना । मञ्जरीपिञ्जरं श्यामं विद्युत्वन्तम् इवाम्बुदम्
With the restless pollen from heaps of flowers, bearing an Indra's bow, the dark mass of blossoms appeared like a raincloud with lightning.
सहस्रभुजशाखाढ्यं पूरिताकाशकोटरम् । विश्वरूपम् इवोन्नृत्तं चन्द्रार्ककृतकुण्डलम्
With a thousand-armed branches, filling the expanse of the sky, it appeared as if the cosmic form itself were dancing, adorned with earrings of the moon and sun.
तले निषण्णनागेन्द्रं व्योम्नि तारागणाकुलम् । लतापुष्पमयं मध्ये भूमण्डलम् इवापरम्
At its base sat a great king of mountains, while above, the sky was crowded with stars; in the midst, it resembled another earth, woven of flowering vines.
पितामहम् इवाशेषशैलकाननशाखिनाम् । फलपल्लवपुष्पाणां कोशम् एकम् इवावनौ
Like the grandsire of all the trees and forests, it was a single repository on earth for fruits, tender shoots, and blossoms.
दधानं कलिकाजालं स्थगितं पुष्पधूलिभिः । कच्छेष्व् अर्ककरच्छन्नताराजालम् इवाम्बरम्
It bore clusters of buds, concealed by the dust of flowers, like the sky in the riverbanks veiled by the sun's rays and a network of stars.
विलोलविहगैस् स्कन्धैः कुलायकुलसङ्कुलैः । वलितं भूतलं लोललोकैर् जनपदैर् इव
Its branches, swaying with restless birds and crowded with nests, made the earth appear as if it were filled with lively villages of people.
मञ्जरीसुपताकाढ्यं लतामण्डपमण्डितम् । पुष्पमक्कोलधवलं पुष्पप्रकरपूरितम्
Adorned with banners of blossoming sprays and festooned with bowers of vines, it shone white with masses of flowers, overflowing with heaps of blossoms.
कूजच्चकोरचमरशुककोकिलशारिकम् । घनस्तबकसञ्छन्नकुहराग्रगवाक्षकम्
Filled with the calls of partridges, antelopes, parrots, cuckoos, and starlings, its hollowed branches were like windows hidden beneath dense clusters of flowers.
सञ्चरत्पक्षिजनतं मदमन्थरकोटरम् । सर्वासां वनदेवीनाम् अन्तःपुरम् इवोत्तमम्
Its hollows, languid with the intoxication of birds moving within, were like the finest inner chambers of all the woodland goddesses.
ब्रुडद्भृङ्गतरङ्गौघैः पुष्पकेसरराशिभिः । राजमानं पतन्तीभिस् सरिद्भिर् इव पर्वतम्
With swarms of bees and waves of fragrance, and heaps of flower-pollen, it shone, as if mountain streams were cascading down a mountain.