101. Chapter 101

श्रीराम उवाच । किमुच्यते मुनिश्रेष्ठ बालकाख्यायिकाक्रमः । क्रमेण कथयैतन्मे मनोवर्णनकारणम् ॥ १ ॥

śrīrāma uvāca | kimucyate muniśreṣṭha bālakākhyāyikākramaḥ | krameṇa kathayaitanme manovarṇanakāraṇam || 1 ||

Rama said:—Relate to me, O chief of sages! the tale of the boy, in illustration of the Mind.

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच । कोऽपि मुग्धमतिर्बालो धात्रीं पृच्छति राघव । कांचिद्विनोदिनीं धात्रि वर्णयाख्यायिकामिति ॥ २ ॥

śrīvasiṣṭha uvāca | ko'pi mugdhamatirbālo dhātrīṃ pṛcchati rāghava | kāṃcidvinodinīṃ dhātri varṇayākhyāyikāmiti || 2 ||

Vasishtha replied:—Hear me Rama, tell you the tale of a silly and jolt-headed boy, who once asked his nurse, to recite to him some pretty story for his amusement.

सा बालस्य विनोदाय धात्री तस्य महामते । आख्यायिकां कथयति प्रसन्नमधुराक्षरम् ॥ ३ ॥

sā bālasya vinodāya dhātrī tasya mahāmate | ākhyāyikāṃ kathayati prasannamadhurākṣaram || 3 ||

The Nurse then began to relate her fine wrought story for the pleasure of the boy, with a gladsome countenance, and in accents sweet as honey.

क्वचित्सन्ति महात्मानो राजपुत्रास्त्रयः शुभाः । धार्मिकाः शौर्यमुदिता अत्यन्तासति पत्तने ॥ ४ ॥

kvacitsanti mahātmāno rājaputrāstrayaḥ śubhāḥ | dhārmikāḥ śauryamuditā atyantāsati pattane || 4 ||

There were once on a time, some three highminded and fortunate young princes; in a desolate country, who were noted for their virtues and valour.

विस्तीर्णे शून्यनगरे व्योम्नीव जलतारकाः । द्वौ न जातौ तथैकस्तु गर्भ एव न संस्थितः ॥ ५ ॥

vistīrṇe śūnyanagare vyomnīva jalatārakāḥ | dvau na jātau tathaikastu garbha eva na saṃsthitaḥ || 5 ||

They shone in that vast desolate land resembling the spacious sky, like stars in the expanse of the waters below. Two of them were unbegotten and increate, and third was not born of the mother's womb.

अथात्युत्तमलाभार्थं कदाचित्समवायतः । विबन्धवः खिन्नमुखाः शोकोपहतचेतसः ॥ ६ ॥

athātyuttamalābhārthaṃ kadācitsamavāyataḥ | vibandhavaḥ khinnamukhāḥ śokopahatacetasaḥ || 6 ||

It happened once on a time, that these three, started together from their dreary abode (of vacuum), for the purpose of finding a better habitation somewhere else. They had no other companion with them, and were sorrowful in their minds, and melancholic in their countenances; as if they were transported from their native country.

ते तस्माच्छून्यनगरान्निर्गता वितताननाः । गगनादिव संश्लिष्टा बुधशुक्रशनैश्चराः ॥ ७ ॥

te tasmācchūnyanagarānnirgatā vitatānanāḥ | gaganādiva saṃśliṣṭā budhaśukraśanaiścarāḥ || 7 ||

Having come out of that desert land, they set forth with their faces looking forward; and proceeded onward like the three planets Mercury, Venus and Jupiter in their conjunction.

शिरीषसुकुमाराङ्गाः पृष्ठतोऽर्केण तापिताः । मार्गेऽहनि गता ग्रीष्मतापार्ताः पल्लवा इव ॥ ८ ॥

śirīṣasukumārāṅgāḥ pṛṣṭhato'rkeṇa tāpitāḥ | mārge'hani gatā grīṣmatāpārtāḥ pallavā iva || 8 ||

Their bodies which were as delicate as Sirisha flowers, were scorched by the powerful sun shining on their backs; and they were dried like leaves of trees by the heat of the summer day on their way.

संतप्तमार्गसिकतादग्धपादसरोरुहाः । हा तात चेति शोचन्तो मृगा यूथच्युता इव ॥ ९ ॥

saṃtaptamārgasikatādagdhapādasaroruhāḥ | hā tāta ceti śocanto mṛgā yūthacyutā iva || 9 ||

Their lotus like feet were singed by the burning sands of their desert path, and they cried aloud like some tender fawns, going astray from their herd saying:—“O Father save us”

दर्भाग्रभिन्नचरणास्तापखिन्नाङ्गसंधयः । उल्लङ्घ्य दूरमध्वानं धूलिधूसरमूर्तयः ॥ १० ॥

darbhāgrabhinnacaraṇāstāpakhinnāṅgasaṃdhayaḥ | ullaṅghya dūramadhvānaṃ dhūlidhūsaramūrtayaḥ || 10 ||

The soles of their feet were bruised by the blades of grass, and the joints of their bodies, were weakened by the heat of the sun; while their fair forms were covered with dust flying from the ground on their lonesome journey.

मञ्जरीजालजटिलं फलपल्लवमालितम् । मृगपक्षिगणाधारं प्रापुर्मार्गे तरुत्रयम् ॥ ११ ॥

mañjarījālajaṭilaṃ phalapallavamālitam | mṛgapakṣigaṇādhāraṃ prāpurmārge tarutrayam || 11 ||

They saw the clump of a leash of trees by the way side, which were braided with tufts of spikes upon them, and loaded with fruits and flowers hanging downward; while they formed a resort for flights of the fowls of air, and flocks of the fauna; of the desert, resting both above and around them.

यस्मिन्वृक्षत्रये वृक्षौ द्वौ न जातौ मनागपि । बीजमेव तृतीयस्य स्वारोहस्य न विद्यते ॥ १२ ॥

yasminvṛkṣatraye vṛkṣau dvau na jātau manāgapi | bījameva tṛtīyasya svārohasya na vidyate || 12 ||

The two first of these trees did not grow of themselves (but were reared by men); and the third which was easy of ascent, bore no seeds to produce other plants in future.

विश्रान्तास्ते परिश्रान्तास्तत्रैकस्य तरोरधः । पारिजाततले स्वर्गे शक्रानिलयमा इव ॥ १३ ॥

viśrāntāste pariśrāntāstatraikasya taroradhaḥ | pārijātatale svarge śakrānilayamā iva || 13 ||

They were refreshed from the fatigue of their journey, under the shade of these trees; and they halted there like the three Deities Indra, Vaya and Yama, under the umbrage of the Parijata arbour of Paradise.

फलान्यमृतकल्पानि भुक्त्वा पीत्वा च तद्रसम् । कृत्वा गुलुच्छकैर्मालां चिरं विश्रम्य ते ययुः ॥ १४ ॥

phalānyamṛtakalpāni bhuktvā pītvā ca tadrasam | kṛtvā gulucchakairmālāṃ ciraṃ viśramya te yayuḥ || 14 ||

They eat the ambrosial fruits of these trees; and drank their nectarious juice to their fill; and after decorating themselves with guluncha chaplets, they retook themselves to their journey.

पुनर्दूरतरं गत्वा मध्याह्ने समुपस्थिते । सरित्त्रितयमासेदुस्तरङ्गतरलारवम् ॥ १५ ॥

punardūrataraṃ gatvā madhyāhne samupasthite | sarittritayamāsedustaraṅgataralāravam || 15 ||

Having gone a long way, they met at the mid-day a confluence of three rivers, running with its rapid currents and swelling waves.

तत्रैका परिशुष्कैव मनागप्यम्बु न द्वयोः । विद्यते सरितोर्दृष्टिरन्धलोचनयोरिव ॥ १६ ॥

tatraikā pariśuṣkaiva manāgapyambu na dvayoḥ | vidyate saritordṛṣṭirandhalocanayoriva || 16 ||

One of these was a dry channel and the other two were shallow and with little water in them; and they looked like the eyes of blind men with their blinded eye-balls.

परिशुष्का भृशं यासौ तस्यां ते सस्नुरादृताः । घर्मार्ता इव गङ्गायां ब्रह्मविष्णुहरा इव ॥ १७ ॥

pariśuṣkā bhṛśaṃ yāsau tasyāṃ te sasnurādṛtāḥ | gharmārtā iva gaṅgāyāṃ brahmaviṣṇuharā iva || 17 ||

The princes who were wet with perspiration, bathed joyfully in the almost dried up channel; as when the three gods Brahma, Vishnu and Siva lave their sweating limbs, in the limpid stream of Ganges.

चिरं कृत्वा जलक्रीडां पीत्वा क्षीरोपमं पयः । जग्मुस्ते राजतनयाः प्रहृष्टमनसः स्वयम् ॥ १८ ॥

ciraṃ kṛtvā jalakrīḍāṃ pītvā kṣīropamaṃ payaḥ | jagmuste rājatanayāḥ prahṛṣṭamanasaḥ svayam || 18 ||

They sported a long while in the water, and drank some draughts of the same, which was as sweet as milk, and cheered their spirits with full satisfaction of their hearts.

अथासेदुर्दिनस्यान्ते लम्बमाने दिवाकरे । भविष्यन्नवनिर्माणं नगरं नगसन्निभम् ॥ १९ ॥

athāsedurdinasyānte lambamāne divākare | bhaviṣyannavanirmāṇaṃ nagaraṃ nagasannibham || 19 ||

They resumed their journey, and arrived at the end of the day and about sunset, to their future abode of a new-built city, standing afar as on the height of a hill.

पताकापद्मिनीव्याप्तं नीलाकाशजलाशयम् । दूरश्रुतसमुल्लापगायन्नागरमण्डलम् ॥ २० ॥

patākāpadminīvyāptaṃ nīlākāśajalāśayam | dūraśrutasamullāpagāyannāgaramaṇḍalam || 20 ||

There were rows of flags fluttering like lotuses, in the limpid lake of the azure sky; and the loud noise of the songs of the citizens was heard at a distance.

ददृशुस्तत्र रम्याणि त्रीणि सद्भवनानि ते । मणिकाञ्चनगेहानि श्रृङ्गाणीव महागिरेः ॥ २१ ॥

dadṛśustatra ramyāṇi trīṇi sadbhavanāni te | maṇikāñcanagehāni śrṛṅgāṇīva mahāgireḥ || 21 ||

Here they saw three beautiful and goodly looking houses, with turrets of gold and gems shining afar, like peaks of mount Meru under the blazing sun.

अनिर्मिते द्वे सदने एकं निर्भित्ति तत्र वै । अभित्तिमन्दिरं चारु प्रविष्टास्ते नरास्त्रयः ॥ २२ ॥

anirmite dve sadane ekaṃ nirbhitti tatra vai | abhittimandiraṃ cāru praviṣṭāste narāstrayaḥ || 22 ||

Two of these were not the works of art, and the third was without its foundation; and the three princes entered at last into the last of these.

संप्रविश्योपविश्याशु विहरन्तो वराननाः । प्रापुः स्थालीत्रयं तत्र तप्तकाञ्चनकल्पितम् ॥ २३ ॥

saṃpraviśyopaviśyāśu viharanto varānanāḥ | prāpuḥ sthālītrayaṃ tatra taptakāñcanakalpitam || 23 ||

They entered this house, and sat and walked about in it with joyous countenances; and chanced to get three pots as bright as gold therein.

तत्र कर्परतां याते द्वे एका चूर्णतां गता । जगृहुश्चूर्णरूपां तां स्थालीं ते दीर्घबुद्धयः ॥ २४ ॥

tatra karparatāṃ yāte dve ekā cūrṇatāṃ gatā | jagṛhuścūrṇarūpāṃ tāṃ sthālīṃ te dīrghabuddhayaḥ || 24 ||

The two first broke into pieces upon their lifting, and the third was reduced to dust at its touch. The far sighted princes however, took up the dust and made a new pot therewith? It means, that though these sheaths are as volatile as air, yet it is possible to employ the vital principle to action.

द्रोणैर्नवनवत्या तैस्तस्यां द्रोणेन चान्धसः । तत्र द्रोणशतं हीनं रन्धितं बहुभोजिभिः ॥ २५ ॥

droṇairnavanavatyā taistasyāṃ droṇena cāndhasaḥ | tatra droṇaśataṃ hīnaṃ randhitaṃ bahubhojibhiḥ || 25 ||

Then these gluttonous princes cooked in it a large quantity of corn for their food; amounting to a hundred dronas minus one, for subsistence of their whole life-time.

निमन्त्रितास्त्रयस्तैस्तु ब्राह्मणा राजसूनुभिः । द्वौ निर्देहावथैकस्य मुखमेव न विद्यते ॥ २६ ॥

nimantritāstrayastaistu brāhmaṇā rājasūnubhiḥ | dvau nirdehāvathaikasya mukhameva na vidyate || 26 ||

The princes then invited three Brahmans (childhood, youth and age) to the fare prepared by them, two of whom (childhood and youth) were bodiless; and the third (i. e. old age) had no mouth wherewith to eat.

निर्मुखेनान्धसस्तत्र भुक्तं द्रोणशतं सुत । विप्रभुक्तावशेषं तु भुक्तमन्धो नृपात्मजैः ॥ २७ ॥

nirmukhenāndhasastatra bhuktaṃ droṇaśataṃ suta | viprabhuktāvaśeṣaṃ tu bhuktamandho nṛpātmajaiḥ || 27 ||

The mouthless Brahman took a hundred dronas of the rice and eat it up, because he devoured the child and youth, and the princes took the remainder of the Brahman's food for their diet.

त्रिभिस्ते राजपुत्राश्च परां निर्वृतिमागताः । भविष्यन्नगरे तस्मिन् राजपुत्रास्त्रयो हि ते । सुखमद्य स्थिताः पुत्र मृगयाव्यवहारिणः ॥ २८ ॥

tribhiste rājaputrāśca parāṃ nirvṛtimāgatāḥ | bhaviṣyannagare tasmin rājaputrāstrayo hi te | sukhamadya sthitāḥ putra mṛgayāvyavahāriṇaḥ || 28 ||

The three princes having refreshed themselves with the relics of the Brahman's food; took their rest in the same house of their next abode, and then went out in their journey of hunting after new abodes.

आख्यायिकैषा कथिता मया रम्या तवानघ । एतां हृदि कुरु प्राज्ञ विदग्धस्त्वं भविष्यसि ॥ २९ ॥

ākhyāyikaiṣā kathitā mayā ramyā tavānagha | etāṃ hṛdi kuru prājña vidagdhastvaṃ bhaviṣyasi || 29 ||

Thus I have related to you, O Rama! the whole of the story of the boy and princes; now consider well its purport in your mind, and you will become wise thereby.

धात्र्येति कथिता राम बालकाख्यायिका शुभा । तुष्टिं जगाम बालश्च शुभाख्यायिकयानया ॥ ३० ॥

dhātryeti kathitā rāma bālakākhyāyikā śubhā | tuṣṭiṃ jagāma bālaśca śubhākhyāyikayānayā || 30 ||

After the nurse had finished her relation of the pretty parable, the boy seemed glad at what he had heard.

एषा हि कथिता राम चित्ताख्यानकथां प्रति । बालकाख्यायिका तुभ्यं मया कमललोचन ॥ ३१ ॥

eṣā hi kathitā rāma cittākhyānakathāṃ prati | bālakākhyāyikā tubhyaṃ mayā kamalalocana || 31 ||

I have told you this story, O Rama! in connection with my lecture on the subject of the mind; and it will serve to explain to you, the fabrication of the mind of this imaginary being of the world.

इयं संसाररचना स्थितिमेवमुपागता । बालकाख्यायिकेवोग्रैः संकल्पैर्दृढकल्पितैः ॥ ३२ ॥

iyaṃ saṃsāraracanā sthitimevamupāgatā | bālakākhyāyikevograiḥ saṃkalpairdṛḍhakalpitaiḥ || 32 ||

This air-built castle of the world, which has come to be taken for a reality, is like the story of the body, but a false fabrication of the old nurse's imagination.

विकल्पजालकैवेयं प्रतिभासात्मिकानघ । बन्धमोक्षादिकलनारूपेण परिजृम्भते ॥ ३३ ॥

vikalpajālakaiveyaṃ pratibhāsātmikānagha | bandhamokṣādikalanārūpeṇa parijṛmbhate || 33 ||

It is the representation of the various thoughts and ideas of our minds, which exhibit themselves to view, according to the notions we have of them in our states of bondage and liberation.

संकल्पमात्रादितरद्विद्यते नेह किंचन । संकल्पवशतः किंचिन्न किंचित्किंचिदेव वा ॥ ३४ ॥

saṃkalpamātrāditaradvidyate neha kiṃcana | saṃkalpavaśataḥ kiṃcinna kiṃcitkiṃcideva vā || 34 ||

Nothing is really existent except the creations of our imagination, and it is our fancy which fashions all the objects in their peculiar fantastic forms.

द्यौः क्षमा वायुराकाशं पर्वताः सरितो दिशः । संकल्पकचितं सर्वमेवं स्वप्नवदात्मनः ॥ ३५ ॥

dyauḥ kṣamā vāyurākāśaṃ parvatāḥ sarito diśaḥ | saṃkalpakacitaṃ sarvamevaṃ svapnavadātmanaḥ || 35 ||

The heavens, earth, sky and air, as also the rivers, mountains and the sides and quarters of the sky, are all creations of our fancy, like the visions in our dreams; which join and disjoin and fashion the views in their phantastic forms.

राजपुत्रास्त्रयो नद्यो भविष्यन्नगरे यथा । यथा संकल्परचना तथेयं हि जगत्स्थितिः ॥ ३६ ॥

rājaputrāstrayo nadyo bhaviṣyannagare yathā | yathā saṃkalparacanā tatheyaṃ hi jagatsthitiḥ || 36 ||

As the princes, the rivers and the future city, were mere creations of the nurse's imagination, so the existence of the visible world, is but a production of the imaginative power of man.

संकल्पमात्रमभितः परिस्फुरति चञ्चलः । पयोमात्रात्मकोऽम्भोधिरम्भसीवात्मनात्मनि ॥ ३७ ॥

saṃkalpamātramabhitaḥ parisphurati cañcalaḥ | payomātrātmako'mbhodhirambhasīvātmanātmani || 37 ||

The imaginative power manifests all things all around, as the moving waters, show the rise and fall of the waves in the sea. “It gives a shape of airy nothing”. “It is the power of apprehending ideas and combining them into new forms and assemblages”.

संकल्पमात्रं प्रथममुत्थितं परमात्मनः । तदिदं स्फारतां यातं व्यापारैर्दिवसं यथा ॥ ३८ ॥

saṃkalpamātraṃ prathamamutthitaṃ paramātmanaḥ | tadidaṃ sphāratāṃ yātaṃ vyāpārairdivasaṃ yathā || 38 ||

It was this imaginative power of God, which raised the ideas of things in his omniscient and all comprehensive soul; and these ideals were afterwards manifested as real by his omnipotence; just as things lying in the dark are brought to view by the light of the day.

संकल्पजालकलनैव जगत्समग्रं संकल्पमेव ननु विद्धि विलासचेत्यम् । संकल्पमात्रमलमुत्सृज निर्विकल्पमाश्रित्य निश्चयमवाप्नुहि राम शान्तिम् ॥ ३९ ॥

saṃkalpajālakalanaiva jagatsamagraṃ saṃkalpameva nanu viddhi vilāsacetyam | saṃkalpamātramalamutsṛja nirvikalpamāśritya niścayamavāpnuhi rāma śāntim || 39 ||

Know hence, O Rama! the whole universe to be the net-work of imagination, and your fancy to be the most active power of the mind. Therefore repress the thickening phantoms of your fleeting fancy, and obtain your tranquillity by your sole reliance on the certainty of the immutable soul of souls.