नवपुष्पलतादोलालीलयालसलासिना । आपादमस्तकप्रान्तं ससमस्तलतालयम्
Where, reclining lazily in the gentle sway of new-blossomed creepers, the entire abode from head to foot is adorned with vines,
वृन्देन वनदेवीनां कोकिलालापशालिना । सन्दिग्धमञ्जरीजालम् अलिनेत्रेण हासिना
Where groups of forest goddesses, accompanied by the songs of cuckoos, and with smiling, bee-like eyes, gaze at the dense clusters of uncertain buds,
अवश्यायोपशमितरतिखेदैर् मदालसैः । पुष्पधूलिसमारब्धैर् आलब्धैर् निबिडं मिथः
Where the weariness of love is soothed by the gentle dew, and the air is thick with the dust of flowers, mingling closely together,
पुष्पान्तरान्तःपुरगैः किम् अपि प्रणयोचितम् । ध्वनद्भिर् अभितस् स्वच्छं मत्तालियुगलैर् वृतम्
Where, within the inner chambers of flowers, some kind of intimate play unfolds, surrounded on all sides by the clear humming of intoxicated pairs of bees,
काननोपान्तनगरीघुङ्घुमाकर्णनेच्छया । क्षणम् उत्कर्णम् आशान्तचारुचर्वणटाङ्कृतैः
Where, eager to hear the distant hum of the forest city's outskirts, for a moment they raise their ears, their chewing of tender shoots momentarily stilled,
क्षणं दलाश्रिविश्रान्तमुग्धमुग्धशिरस्तया । पश्यद्भिर् इन्द्वंशुकचज्जलाम् अर्णवमेखलाम्
Where, for a moment, with their charming heads resting on the edge of a leaf, they gaze at the waves of moonlight shimmering like a girdle upon the sea,
वनस्थलीनां तनयैर् नयैर् मूर्तिम् इवास्थितैः । सुप्तैः पत्त्रपुटेष्व् अन्तर् मृगैश् शारलतान्तरम्
Where the daughters of the forest glades, standing as if embodying grace, and deer sleeping between the shoots of grass, rest within the folds of leaves,
नीडश्वसत्सुविश्वस्तसुप्तसार्भकपक्षिणम् । पाकच्युतफलोपान्तवृत्तलम्बिकमण्डलम्
A circle of branches where birds, trusting and at ease, sleep with their young, and where ripe fruit, having fallen, lies nearby.
सन्दिग्धमूकभ्रमरं गुच्छेष्व् अब्जाक्षसूत्रकैः । श्यामलीकृतपर्यन्तं नीलैः पल्लवमण्डलैः
There, among the clusters, dumb bees wander uncertainly, and the edges are darkened by blue clusters of young leaves, strung together like lotus-eyed threads.
सुगन्धिताशेषवनं पुष्पमेघीकृताम्बुदम् । धूलीकदम्बशबलं फलार्थिवलितं तले
The entire grove is fragrant, the clouds above turned into masses of blossoms, the ground below speckled with dust, and bent by those seeking fruit.
बहुनात्र किम् उक्तेन न किञ्चिद् अपि विद्यते । पत्त्रं तत्र तरोर् यत्र नोष्यते वा न भुज्यते
What more need be said here? There is not a single leaf on that tree which is not either eaten or enjoyed.
पत्त्रे पत्त्रे मृगास् सुप्ता विश्रान्तास् सुघने घने । कच्छे कच्छे खगा लीनास् तस्य भूरुहभूपतेः
On every leaf, deer lie sleeping, resting in the dense shade; in every hollow, birds are nestled, on that lord of trees.
एवंगुणविशिष्टं तं ममालोकयतस् तरुम् । महोत्सवेन सदृशी सा बभूव तमस्वती
As I gazed upon that tree, endowed with such qualities, my joy became like a great festival.
ततः कथाभिर् अन्याभिस् स तस्य तनयो मया । विज्ञानालोकरम्याभिर् नीतो बोधं परं पुनः
Then, through other stories, delightful with the light of knowledge, I once again led his son to supreme awakening.
आवयोस् तत्र चित्राभिः कथाभिर् इतरेतरम् । शर्वरी सा व्यतीयाय मुहूर्त इव कान्तयोः
There, as we exchanged wondrous tales with each other, that night passed by like a moment for lovers.
प्रातः प्रतनुतां याते द्युघर्मजलजालके । खकाननाङ्कुरोद्गारे तारकानिकरे शनैः
As morning approached, when the dew of night began to thin, and the stars slowly faded with the first stirrings of the birds in the sky,
आकदम्बनभोभागम् अनुयातं सुतान्वितम् । अहं विसर्ज्य दाशूरं हराचलनदीं गतः
I left the city of Dashura with my children, following the path through the sky, and went to the river at Mount Hara.
तत्राभिमतम् आसाद्य स्नानम् एत्य नभस्तलम् । प्रविश्य खं मुनीनां च मध्यं स्वस्थम् अवस्थितः
There, after performing the desired bath, I entered the sky and, joining the assembly of sages, remained at ease.
दाशूराख्यायिकैषा ते कथिता रघुनन्दन । जगतः प्रतिबिम्बाभा सत्याकाराप्य् असन्मयी
O delight of the Raghu lineage, this tale called 'Dashura' has been told to you; though it appears as the reflection of the world, it is unreal despite its seeming reality.
दाशूराख्यायिकैवेयम् इत्य् एतत् कथितं मया । तुभ्यं राघव घोराघजगद्रूपनिरूपणे
This very story called 'Dashura' has been narrated by me to you, Raghava, to illustrate the terrifying and illusory form of the world.
तस्माद् अवास्तवीं त्यक्त्वा वास्तवीम् अपि रञ्जनाम् । दाशूरसिद्धान्तधिया सदोदारो भवात्मवान्
Therefore, abandoning both the unreal and even the attractive aspects of the real, always remain broad-minded and self-possessed with the understanding of the Dashura doctrine.
अनेन गच्छामरसुन्दरत्वं कदम्बदाशूरकथारथेन । आसादयिष्यस्य् अचिरात् पुरं तद् भविष्यसीशो भुवनेषु येन
By means of this chariot of the story of Kadamba and Dashura, you will soon attain that city by which you will become lord of the worlds to come.
नास्तीदम् इति निर्णीय सर्वतस् त्यज रञ्जनाम् । यन् नास्ति तत् प्रति किल कैवास्थेह विचारिणाम्
Having determined that 'this does not exist,' abandon all attachment everywhere; for what does not exist, indeed, holds no place for those who inquire.
दृश्यमानम् अथेदं चेद् अस्ति तत् तव किं गतम् । तिष्ठत्व् आत्मनि बध्नासि त्वं किलात्र किम् आत्मताम्
If this which is seen truly exists, what has departed from you? Let it remain in the self; why do you bind yourself here, as if this were your own self?
अथ चेद् अस्ति नास्तीदम् इति निश्चयवान् असि । तथापि भावनासङ्गः कथं युक्तश् चलाचले
But if you are certain that this does not exist, still, how can attachment to contemplation persist in what is stable and unstable?
नेदम् अस्ति जगद् राम न च नास्ति महामते । केवलं स्वोत्थम् एवेत्थमाभानम् इदम् ईदृशम्
This world neither exists, O Rama, nor does it not exist, O wise one; it is merely an appearance arising from oneself, manifesting in this way.
नेदं कर्तृकृतं किञ्चिन् न चाकर्तृकृतक्रमम् । स्वयम् आभासते चेदं कर्त्रकर्तृपदं गतम्
Nothing here is made by a doer, nor does it follow the sequence of actions by a non-doer; it shines forth by itself, having transcended the notions of doer and deed.
अकर्तृकं जगज्जालं भवत्व् अथ सकर्तृकम् । मा त्वम् एतेन सम्बन्धं भावयानघ चेतसि
Let this web of the world be either without a doer or with a doer; do not associate your pure mind with it in any way.
सर्वेन्द्रियविहीनात्मा कर्तेह स जडोपमः । अकर्त्र् एव तदा मन्ये काकतालीयवज् जगत्
The self, devoid of all senses, is like an inert thing in action here; I consider it as non-doer, and the world as arising by mere coincidence.
काकतालीययोगेन जातं यत् किञ्चिद् एव यत् । तस्मिन् भावानुसन्धानं बालो बध्नाति नेतरः
Whatever arises by the coincidence of circumstances, in any way whatsoever, only a child binds himself to it through contemplation, not the wise.