29. Chapter 29

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच । तत्र ते पेततुर्देव्यौ ग्रामेऽन्तःशीतलात्मनि । भोगमोक्षश्रियौ शान्ते पुंसीव विदितात्मनि ॥ १ ॥

śrīvasiṣṭha uvāca | tatra te petaturdevyau grāme'ntaḥśītalātmani | bhogamokṣaśriyau śānte puṃsīva viditātmani || 1 ||

The two goddesses then alighted in that cooling village seat, as the two states of felicity and liberation, meet in the tranquil spirit of the man knowing the Divine spirit.

कालेनैतावता लीला तेनाभ्यासेन साभवत् । शुद्धज्ञानैकदेहत्वात्त्रिकालामलदर्शिनी ॥ २ ॥

kālenaitāvatā līlā tenābhyāsena sābhavat | śuddhajñānaikadehatvāttrikālāmaladarśinī || 2 ||

Lila, who had by this time, become personified to the form of pure intelligence, by her knowledge of yoga, now became a seer of the three times presenting themselves before her.

अथ सस्मार सर्वास्ताः प्राक्तनीः संसृतेर्गतीः । सा स्वयं स्वरसेनैव प्राग्जन्ममरणादिकाः ॥ ३ ॥

atha sasmāra sarvāstāḥ prāktanīḥ saṃsṛtergatīḥ | sā svayaṃ svarasenaiva prāgjanmamaraṇādikāḥ || 3 ||

She remembered the whole course of her past life, and derived pleasure in relating the events of her former life and death.

लीलोवाच । देवि देशमिमं दृष्ट्वा त्वत्प्रसादात्स्मराम्यहम् । इह तत्प्राक्तनं सर्वं चेष्टितं चेष्टितान्तरम् ॥ ४ ॥

līlovāca | devi deśamimaṃ dṛṣṭvā tvatprasādātsmarāmyaham | iha tatprāktanaṃ sarvaṃ ceṣṭitaṃ ceṣṭitāntaram || 4 ||

Lila said:—I recollect by thy favour, O goddess! and by sight of this place, all what I did and thought of in my past life.

इहाभूवमहं जीर्णा शिरालाङ्गी कृशा सिता । ब्राह्मणी शुष्कदर्भाग्रभेदरूक्षकरोदरा ॥ ५ ॥

ihābhūvamahaṃ jīrṇā śirālāṅgī kṛśā sitā | brāhmaṇī śuṣkadarbhāgrabhedarūkṣakarodarā || 5 ||

Here I had grown up to old age, and here I had withered and become lean and thin as a skeleton. I was a Brahmani here, and had my body scratched by the dried sacrificial grass (kusa), which I had to meddle with.

भर्तुः कुलकरी भार्या दोहमन्थानशालिनी । माता सकलपुत्राणामतिथीनां प्रियंकरी ॥ ६ ॥

bhartuḥ kulakarī bhāryā dohamanthānaśālinī | mātā sakalaputrāṇāmatithīnāṃ priyaṃkarī || 6 ||

I was the legal wife of my lord, and producer of his race, and was employed in the acts of milking the kine, and churning the curd (for butter and ghee). I had been mother of many sons, and a kind hostess to my guests.

देवद्विजसतां भक्ता सिक्ताङ्गी घृतगोरसैः । भर्जनी चरुकुम्भादिभाण्डोपस्करशोधिनी ॥ ७ ॥

devadvijasatāṃ bhaktā siktāṅgī ghṛtagorasaiḥ | bharjanī carukumbhādibhāṇḍopaskaraśodhinī || 7 ||

I was devoted to the service of the gods, Brahmans and good people, and rubbed my body with cow milk and ghee: I was employed in cleaning the frying pans and the boiling kettles of the house.

नित्यमन्नलवाक्तैककाचकम्बुप्रकोष्ठका । जामातृदुहितृभ्रातृपितृमातृप्रपूजनी ॥ ८ ॥

nityamannalavāktaikakācakambuprakoṣṭhakā | jāmātṛduhitṛbhrātṛpitṛmātṛprapūjanī || 8 ||

I boiled the food daily with a single bracelet of glass and one of conch-shell in my wrists; and served my father, mother, brother and daughters and sons-in-law with their daily victuals.

आदेहं सद्मभृत्यैव प्रक्षीणदिनयामिनी । वाचं चिरं चिरमिति वादिन्यनिशमाकुला ॥ ९ ॥

ādehaṃ sadmabhṛtyaiva prakṣīṇadinayāminī | vācaṃ ciraṃ ciramiti vādinyaniśamākulā || 9 ||

I was emaciated in my body like a domestic servant, by working all day and night; and 'haste and hasten,' were the words I used to repeat to myself.

काहं क इव संसार इति स्वप्नेऽप्यसंकथा । जाया श्रोत्रियमूढस्य तादृशस्यैव दुर्धियः ॥ १० ॥

kāhaṃ ka iva saṃsāra iti svapne'pyasaṃkathā | jāyā śrotriyamūḍhasya tādṛśasyaiva durdhiyaḥ || 10 ||

Being thus busied and employed, I was so silly and ignorant, that I never thought within myself, even in a dream, about what I was and what was this world, although I had been the wife of a Brahman.

एकनिष्ठा समिच्छाकगोमयेन्धनसंचये । म्लानकम्बलसंवीतशिरालकृशगात्रिका ॥ ११ ॥

ekaniṣṭhā samicchākagomayendhanasaṃcaye | mlānakambalasaṃvītaśirālakṛśagātrikā || 11 ||

Wholly engaged in the collection of fuel, cow-dung, and sacrificial wood and vegetables, I became emaciated in my body, which was wrapt in a worn out blanket.

तर्णकीकर्णजाहस्थकृमिनिष्कासतत्परा । गृहशाकायनासेकसत्वराहूतकर्परा ॥ १२ ॥

tarṇakīkarṇajāhasthakṛminiṣkāsatatparā | gṛhaśākāyanāsekasatvarāhūtakarparā || 12 ||

I used to pick out the worms from the ears of the milch cow, and was prompt to water the garden of greens with watering pots in hand.

नीलनीरतरङ्गान्ततृणतर्पिततर्णिका । प्रतिक्षणं गृहद्वारकृतलेपनवर्णका ॥ १३ ॥

nīlanīrataraṅgāntatṛṇatarpitatarṇikā | pratikṣaṇaṃ gṛhadvārakṛtalepanavarṇakā || 13 ||

I used to go to the swelling lake every day, and get the fresh green grass for the fodder of my tender calves. I used to wash and clean the house every morning, and paint the doorway with the white tints of pasted and powdered rice (gundi].

नीत्यर्थं गृहभृत्यानामादीनकृतवाच्यता । मर्यादानियमादब्धेर्वेलेवानिशमच्युता ॥ १४ ॥

nītyarthaṃ gṛhabhṛtyānāmādīnakṛtavācyatā | maryādāniyamādabdhervelevāniśamacyutā || 14 ||

I had to correct my domestics with gentle rebukes, and tell them to keep within their bounds like the billows in the rivers.

जीर्णपर्णसवर्णैककर्णदोलाधिरूढया । काष्ठताड्यजराभीतजीववृत्त्येव चिह्निता ॥ १५ ॥

jīrṇaparṇasavarṇaikakarṇadolādhirūḍhayā | kāṣṭhatāḍyajarābhītajīvavṛttyeva cihnitā || 15 ||

With my infirm body and ears shaking as dried leaves of trees, and supporting myself on a stick, I lived here under the dread of old age.

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच । इत्युक्त्वा संचरन्ती सा शिखरिग्रामकोटरे । संचरन्त्याः सरस्वत्या दर्शयामास सस्मयम् ॥ १६ ॥

śrīvasiṣṭha uvāca | ityuktvā saṃcarantī sā śikharigrāmakoṭare | saṃcarantyāḥ sarasvatyā darśayāmāsa sasmayam || 16 ||

As she was speaking in this manner, and walking in company with Sarasvati about the village, in the valley of the mountain, she was astonished to see her former seats of pleasure, and showed them to the goddess.

इयं मे पाटलाखण्डमण्डिता पुष्पवाटिका । इयं मे पुष्पितोद्यानमण्डपाशोकवाटिका ॥ १७ ॥

iyaṃ me pāṭalākhaṇḍamaṇḍitā puṣpavāṭikā | iyaṃ me puṣpitodyānamaṇḍapāśokavāṭikā || 17 ||

This was my flowery arbour, decorated by these torn patala plants, and this was my garden alcove of flowering Asokas.

इयं पुष्कीरणीतीरद्रुमाऽऽग्रन्थिततर्णका । इयं सा कर्णिकानाम्नी तर्णिका मुक्तपर्णिका ॥ १८ ॥

iyaṃ puṣkīraṇītīradrumā''granthitatarṇakā | iyaṃ sā karṇikānāmnī tarṇikā muktaparṇikā || 18 ||

This is the bank of the pond where the calves were loosely tied to the trees; and this is my pet calf Karnika, which has refrained from browzing the leaves.

इयं सा मेऽलसाकीर्णा वराकी जलहारिका । अद्याष्टमं दिनं बाष्पक्लिन्नाक्षी परिरोदिति ॥ १९ ॥

iyaṃ sā me'lasākīrṇā varākī jalahārikā | adyāṣṭamaṃ dinaṃ bāṣpaklinnākṣī pariroditi || 19 ||

This is my watering woman, now so languid and dirty in her appearance; and weeping these eight days in my absence, with her eyes daubed in tears.

इह देवि मया भुक्तमिहोषितमिह स्थितम् । इह सुप्तमिहापीतमिह दत्तमिहाहृतम् ॥ २० ॥

iha devi mayā bhuktamihoṣitamiha sthitam | iha suptamihāpītamiha dattamihāhṛtam || 20 ||

This, O goddess, is the place, where I used to eat and sit, and where I slept and walked; and these are the places where I gave and received the things to and from my attendants.

एष मे ज्येष्ठशर्माख्यः पुत्रो रोदिति मन्दिरे । एषा मे जङ्गले धेनुर्दोग्ध्री चरति शाद्वलम् ॥ २१ ॥

eṣa me jyeṣṭhaśarmākhyaḥ putro roditi mandire | eṣā me jaṅgale dhenurdogdhrī carati śādvalam || 21 ||

This is my eldest son Jyeshtha Sarma, weeping in the house; and this is my milch cow, now grazing on the grassy plain in the forest.

गृहे वसन्तदाहाय रूक्षक्षारविधूसरम् । स्वदेहमिव पञ्चाक्षं पश्येमं प्रघणं मम ॥ २२ ॥

gṛhe vasantadāhāya rūkṣakṣāravidhūsaram | svadehamiva pañcākṣaṃ paśyemaṃ praghaṇaṃ mama || 22 ||

I see this portico and these windows, once dear to me as my person, and besmeared with the dry powder of the huli festival of the vernal season.

तुम्बीलताभिरुग्राभिः पुष्टाभिरिव वेष्टितम् । महानसस्थानमिदं मम देहमिवापरम् ॥ २३ ॥

tumbīlatābhirugrābhiḥ puṣṭābhiriva veṣṭitam | mahānasasthānamidaṃ mama dehamivāparam || 23 ||

I see these pulpy plants of gourd planted with my own hands, and dear to me as myself, now spreading themselves over the oven place.

एते रोदनताम्राक्षा बन्धवो भुवि बन्धनम् । अङ्गदार्पितरुद्राक्षा आहरन्त्यनलेन्धनम् ॥ २४ ॥

ete rodanatāmrākṣā bandhavo bhuvi bandhanam | aṅgadārpitarudrākṣā āharantyanalendhanam || 24 ||

I see these relatives of mine, who had been the bonds of my life before, now smoking in their eyes with tears, and carrying the fuel for fire, with beads of rudraksha seeds on their bodies.

अनारतं शिलाकच्छे गुच्छाच्छोटनकारिभिः । तरङ्गैः स्थगिताकारं स्पृष्टतीरलतादलैः ॥ २५ ॥

anārataṃ śilākacche gucchācchoṭanakāribhiḥ | taraṅgaiḥ sthagitākāraṃ spṛṣṭatīralatādalaiḥ || 25 ||

I see that stony shore, baffling the force of the waves, which have been pelting their pebbles against it, now covered by bushes of the beach.

सीकराकीर्णपर्यन्तशाद्वलस्थलसल्लतैः । शिलाफलहकास्फालफेनिलोत्पलसीकरैः ॥ २६ ॥

sīkarākīrṇaparyantaśādvalasthalasallataiḥ | śilāphalahakāsphālaphenilotpalasīkaraiḥ || 26 ||

The verdant meadows were full of leafy plants, with pendant dew drops on their tips; and the plains were whitened by the hailstones falling on them in showers.

तुषारीकृतमध्याह्नदिवाकरकरोत्करैः । फुल्लपुष्पोत्करासारप्रणादोत्कतटद्रुमैः ॥ २७ ॥

tuṣārīkṛtamadhyāhnadivākarakarotkaraiḥ | phullapuṣpotkarāsārapraṇādotkataṭadrumaiḥ || 27 ||

The mid-day was mantled by sun beams, as by a white mist of frost, and the arbours resounded with the humming of bees, fluttering about their clustering flowers.

विद्रुमैरिव संक्रान्तफुल्लकिंशुककान्तिभिः । व्याप्तया पुष्पराशीनां समुल्लासनकारिभिः ॥ २८ ॥

vidrumairiva saṃkrāntaphullakiṃśukakāntibhiḥ | vyāptayā puṣparāśīnāṃ samullāsanakāribhiḥ || 28 ||

The blooming palasa glowing as reddish corals, had covered the trees and the land with heaps of crimson flowers.

उह्यमानफलापूरसुव्यग्रग्रामबालया । महाकलकलावर्तमत्तया ग्रामकुल्यया ॥ २९ ॥

uhyamānaphalāpūrasuvyagragrāmabālayā | mahākalakalāvartamattayā grāmakulyayā || 29 ||

The village rill was flowing with the floating fruits, which it bore from shore to shore; and the rustic lads jumbled together with loud noise, eager to lay hold on them.

वेष्टितस्तरलास्फालजलधौततलोपलः । घनपत्रतरुच्छन्नच्छायासततशीतलः ॥ ३० ॥

veṣṭitastaralāsphālajaladhautatalopalaḥ | ghanapatratarucchannacchāyāsatataśītalaḥ || 30 ||

The cool shady beach of the rill, was strewn over with pebbles, washed and carried away by the current, and covered by leaves falling from the trees.

अयमालक्ष्यते फुल्ललतावलनसुन्दरः । दलद्गुलुच्छकाच्छन्नगवाक्षो गृहमण्डपः ॥ ३१ ॥

ayamālakṣyate phullalatāvalanasundaraḥ | daladgulucchakācchannagavākṣo gṛhamaṇḍapaḥ || 31 ||

There I see the altar of my house, which is so beautifully ornamented with the flowering creepers, and which is overhung on its windows by clusters of fruits and flowers.

अत्र मे संस्थितो भर्ता जीवाकाशतयाऽकृतिः । चतुःसमुद्रपर्यन्तमेखलाया भुवः पतिः ॥ ३२ ॥

atra me saṃsthito bhartā jīvākāśatayā'kṛtiḥ | catuḥsamudraparyantamekhalāyā bhuvaḥ patiḥ || 32 ||

Here lived my husband, whose life has fled to the sky in its aerial form, and became afterwards the lord of the earth, reaching to the surrounding seas.

आ स्मृतं पूर्वमेतेन किलासीदभिवाञ्छितम् । शीघ्रं स्यामेव राजेति तीव्रसंवेगधर्मिणा ॥ ३३ ॥

ā smṛtaṃ pūrvametena kilāsīdabhivāñchitam | śīghraṃ syāmeva rājeti tīvrasaṃvegadharmiṇā || 33 ||

I remember, how he had fostered the fond wish of obtaining royal dignity, and how ardently he looked forward on its attainment.

दिनैरष्टभिरेवासौ तेन राज्यं समृद्धिमत् । चिरकालप्रत्ययदं प्राप्तवान्परमेश्वरि ॥ ३४ ॥

dinairaṣṭabhirevāsau tena rājyaṃ samṛddhimat | cirakālapratyayadaṃ prāptavānparameśvari || 34 ||

I see, O goddess! his royal dignity of eight days, which had seemed to be of so long a duration (as eighty years) before.

अत्रासौ भर्तृजीवो मे स्थितो व्योम्नि गृहे नृपः । अदृश्यः खे यथा वायुरामोदो वानिले यथा ॥ ३५ ॥

atrāsau bhartṛjīvo me sthito vyomni gṛhe nṛpaḥ | adṛśyaḥ khe yathā vāyurāmodo vānile yathā || 35 ||

I see the soul of my Lord, residing in the empty space of this mansion, as in his former kingly state; although it is invisible to all as the current air in the sky, and as the odours borne by the winds.

इहैवाङ्गुष्ठमात्रान्ते तद्व्योम्न्येव पदं स्थितम् । मद्भर्तृराज्यं समवगतं योजनकोटिभाक् ॥ ३६ ॥

ihaivāṅguṣṭhamātrānte tadvyomnyeva padaṃ sthitam | madbhartṛrājyaṃ samavagataṃ yojanakoṭibhāk || 36 ||

It is in this vacuous space, that his soul is contained in the form of a thumb; which contains in its bosom, the whole extent of the realm of my lord, stretching to thousands of leagues in its circumference.

आवां खमेव स्वस्थं च भर्तृराज्यं ममेश्वरि । पूर्णं सहस्रैः शैलानां महामायेयमातता ॥ ३७ ॥

āvāṃ khameva svasthaṃ ca bhartṛrājyaṃ mameśvari | pūrṇaṃ sahasraiḥ śailānāṃ mahāmāyeyamātatā || 37 ||

I see also O goddess! the spacious kingdom of my lord, in the space of my intellect, which makes room for thousands of mountains by the miraculous power of God, styled as illusion.

तद्देवि भर्तृनगरं पूनर्गन्तुं ममेप्सितम् । तदेहि तत्र गच्छावः किं दूरं व्यवसायिनाम् ॥ ३८ ॥

taddevi bhartṛnagaraṃ pūnargantuṃ mamepsitam | tadehi tatra gacchāvaḥ kiṃ dūraṃ vyavasāyinām || 38 ||

I wish now, O Goddess! to see the earthly city of my lord again;let us therefore turn our course that way, as no place is distant to the resolute.

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच । इत्युक्त्वा प्रणता देवीं सा प्रविश्याशु मण्डपम् । विहंगीव तया साकं पुप्लुवे सिनिभं नमः ॥ ३९ ॥

śrīvasiṣṭha uvāca | ityuktvā praṇatā devīṃ sā praviśyāśu maṇḍapam | vihaṃgīva tayā sākaṃ pupluve sinibhaṃ namaḥ || 39 ||

Vasishtha said:—Having said so, she bowed down to the goddess and entered into the shrine, and then like a bird, she flew into the air with the goddess.

भिन्नाञ्जनचयप्रख्यं सौम्यैकार्णवसुन्दरम् । नारायणाङ्गसदृशं भृङ्गपृष्ठामलच्छवि ॥ ४० ॥

bhinnāñjanacayaprakhyaṃ saumyaikārṇavasundaram | nārāyaṇāṅgasadṛśaṃ bhṛṅgapṛṣṭhāmalacchavi || 40 ||

It was a region devoid of darkness, and as fair as a sea of moonlight. And then it was as azure as the person of Narayana, and as bright as the back of a locust.

मेघमार्गमतिक्रम्य वातस्कन्धावनिं तथा । सौरमार्गमथाक्रम्य चन्द्रमार्गमतीत्य च ॥ ४१ ॥

meghamārgamatikramya vātaskandhāvaniṃ tathā | sauramārgamathākramya candramārgamatītya ca || 41 ||

They passed above the regions of the clouds and winds, as also beyond the spheres of the orbits of the sun and moon.

धुवमार्गोत्तरं गत्वा साध्यानां मार्गमेत्य च । सिद्धानां समतीत्योर्वीमुल्लङ्घ्य स्वर्गमण्डलम् ॥ ४२ ॥

dhuvamārgottaraṃ gatvā sādhyānāṃ mārgametya ca | siddhānāṃ samatītyorvīmullaṅghya svargamaṇḍalam || 42 ||

They passed beyond the path of the north polar star, and the limits of the circuits of the sadhyas and siddhas and other celestial beings.

ब्रह्मलोकोत्तरं गत्वा तुषितानां च मण्डलम् । गोलोकं शिवलोकं च पितृलोकमतीत्य च ॥ ४३ ॥

brahmalokottaraṃ gatvā tuṣitānāṃ ca maṇḍalam | golokaṃ śivalokaṃ ca pitṛlokamatītya ca || 43 ||

Thence they ascended to the higher heavens of Brahma and the Tushita divinities, and then upward to the sphere of Golaka (the zodiac); and thence again to the Sivaloka, and the sphere of the Pitris or the departed souls of the dead.

विदेहानां सदेहानां लोकानुत्तीर्य दूरगम् । दूराद्दूरमथो गत्वा किंचिद्बुद्धा बभूव सा ॥ ४४ ॥

videhānāṃ sadehānāṃ lokānuttīrya dūragam | dūrāddūramatho gatvā kiṃcidbuddhā babhūva sā || 44 ||

Passing thus beyond the spheres of the embodied living beings, and bodiless souls of the dead, they proceeded far and farther to the unknown regions of empty space.

पश्चादालोकयामास समतीतं नभस्थलम् । यावन्न किंचिच्चन्द्रार्कताराद्यालक्ष्यते ह्यधः ॥ ४५ ॥

paścādālokayāmāsa samatītaṃ nabhasthalam | yāvanna kiṃciccandrārkatārādyālakṣyate hyadhaḥ || 45 ||

Having passed the etherial sphere, they beheld nothing there, except the sun, moon and the stars shining below them.

तमस्तिमितगम्भीरमाशाकुहरपूरकम् । एकार्णवोदरप्रख्यं शिलोदरघनं स्थितम् ॥ ४६ ॥

tamastimitagambhīramāśākuharapūrakam | ekārṇavodaraprakhyaṃ śilodaraghanaṃ sthitam || 46 ||

There was only a deep darkness to be seen, filling the whole vacuity of space, and appearing as the basin of the waters of universal deluge, and as compact as the impenetrable cavity of a rock.

लीलोवाच । तद्देवि भास्करादीनां क्वाधस्तेजो गतं वद । शिलाजठरनिष्पन्दं मुष्टिग्राह्यं तमः कुतः ॥ ४७ ॥

līlovāca | taddevi bhāskarādīnāṃ kvādhastejo gataṃ vada | śilājaṭharaniṣpandaṃ muṣṭigrāhyaṃ tamaḥ kutaḥ || 47 ||

Lila said:—Tell me, O goddess! what became of the light of the sun and other luminaries, and whence came this dense darkness as to be compressed under the fist.

श्रीदेव्युवाच । एतावतीमिमां व्योम्नः पदवीमागतासि भोः । अर्कादीन्यपि तेजांसि यतो दृश्यन्त एव नो ॥ ४८ ॥

śrīdevyuvāca | etāvatīmimāṃ vyomnaḥ padavīmāgatāsi bhoḥ | arkādīnyapi tejāṃsi yato dṛśyanta eva no || 48 ||

The goddess replied: you have got to a spot so remote from the spheres of heaven, that the light of the luminaries can never reach to it.

यथा महान्धकूपाधः खद्योतो नावलोक्यते । पृष्ठगेन तथेहातो नाधः सूर्योऽवलोक्यते ॥ ४९ ॥

yathā mahāndhakūpādhaḥ khadyoto nāvalokyate | pṛṣṭhagena tathehāto nādhaḥ sūryo'valokyate || 49 ||

And as one in a deep dark pit, can see no light of a fire fly flitting over it; so the solar light is invisible to one behind the great belt of heaven.

लीलोवाच । अहो नु पदवीं दूरमावामेतामुपागते । सूर्योऽप्यधोणुकणवन्न मनागपि लक्ष्यते ॥ ५० ॥

līlovāca | aho nu padavīṃ dūramāvāmetāmupāgate | sūryo'pyadhoṇukaṇavanna manāgapi lakṣyate || 50 ||

Lila said:—Oh! the great distance that we have come to, whence the great luminary of the sun also, appears as small as an atom below.

इत उत्तरमन्या स्यात्पदवी का नु कीदृशी । कथं च मातरेतव्या कथ्यतामिति देवि मे ॥ ५१ ॥

ita uttaramanyā syātpadavī kā nu kīdṛśī | kathaṃ ca mātaretavyā kathyatāmiti devi me || 51 ||

Tell me mother, what sort of a place is that which lies beyond this region, and how can we come to it after traversing this gloomy expanse.

श्रीदेव्युवाच । इत उत्तरमग्रे ते ब्रह्माण्डपुटकर्परम् । यस्य चन्द्रादयो नाम धूलिलेशाः समुत्थिताः ॥ ५२ ॥

śrīdevyuvāca | ita uttaramagre te brahmāṇḍapuṭakarparam | yasya candrādayo nāma dhūlileśāḥ samutthitāḥ || 52 ||

Sarasvati said:—Behind this is the great pole of the universe, which is scattered over with innumerable nebular stars in the form of the particles of dust.

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच । इति प्रकथयन्त्यौ ते प्राप्ते ब्रह्माण्डकर्परम् । भ्रमर्याविव शैलस्य कुड्यं निबिडमण्डपम् ॥ ५३ ॥

śrīvasiṣṭha uvāca | iti prakathayantyau te prāpte brahmāṇḍakarparam | bhramaryāviva śailasya kuḍyaṃ nibiḍamaṇḍapam || 53 ||

Vasishtha said:—As they were talking in this manner, they glided imperceptibly to that pole, as the bee saunters over the solitary hut on the height of a mountain.

अक्लेशेनैव ते तस्मान्निर्गते गगनादिव । निश्चयस्थं हि यद्वस्तु तद्वज्रगुरु नेतरत् ॥ ५४ ॥

akleśenaiva te tasmānnirgate gaganādiva | niścayasthaṃ hi yadvastu tadvajraguru netarat || 54 ||

They then were at no pains to come down from that precipice, as there is no pains to effect what must certainly come to pass in the end, though it appeared difficult at first. (Or) that which is certain must come to pass, however hard it might seem at first.

निरावरणविज्ञाना सा ददर्श ततस्ततम् । जलाद्यावरणं पारे ब्रह्माण्डस्यातिभासुरम् ॥ ५५ ॥

nirāvaraṇavijñānā sā dadarśa tatastatam | jalādyāvaraṇaṃ pāre brahmāṇḍasyātibhāsuram || 55 ||

They saw the system of the universe, laid naked to their sight, as the bold navigator beholds a world exposed to his view beyond the wide expanse of waters.

ब्रह्माण्डाद्दशगुणतस्तोयं तत्र व्यवस्थितम् । आस्थितं वेष्टयित्वा तु त्वगिवाक्षोटपृष्ठगा ॥ ५६ ॥

brahmāṇḍāddaśaguṇatastoyaṃ tatra vyavasthitam | āsthitaṃ veṣṭayitvā tu tvagivākṣoṭapṛṣṭhagā || 56 ||

They saw the watery expanse to be ten times greater than the earth, and enveloping it in the shape of the crust of the walnut fruit.

तस्माद्दशगुणो वह्निस्तस्माद्दशगुणोऽनिलः । ततो दशगुणं व्योम ततः परममम्बरम् ॥ ५७ ॥

tasmāddaśaguṇo vahnistasmāddaśaguṇo'nilaḥ | tato daśaguṇaṃ vyoma tataḥ paramamambaram || 57 ||

Then there is a latent heat which is ten times as great as the water, and the circumambient air which is as much greater than the water; and then the all encompassing vacuum of which there is no end.

तस्मिन्परमके व्योम्नि मध्याद्यन्तविकल्पनाः । न काश्चन समुद्यन्ति वन्ध्यापुत्रकथा इव ॥ ५८ ॥

tasminparamake vyomni madhyādyantavikalpanāḥ | na kāścana samudyanti vandhyāputrakathā iva || 58 ||

There is no beginning, middle or end of that infinite space; and it is productive of nothing, like a barren woman of her offspring.

केवलं विततं शान्तं तदनादि गतभ्रमम् । आद्यन्तमध्यरहितं महत्यात्मनि तिष्ठति ॥ ५९ ॥

kevalaṃ vitataṃ śāntaṃ tadanādi gatabhramam | ādyantamadhyarahitaṃ mahatyātmani tiṣṭhati || 59 ||

It is only an extended expanse, infinite, calm and without beginning, middle or end, and is situated in the Supreme spirit.

आकल्पमुत्तमबलेन शिला पतेच्चेत्तस्मिन्बलात्पतगराडपि चोत्पतेच्चेत् । तद्योजनं न लभते विमलेऽम्बरेऽन्तर्माकल्पमेकजवगोऽप्यथ मारुतोऽपि ॥ ६० ॥

ākalpamuttamabalena śilā pateccettasminbalātpatagarāḍapi cotpateccet | tadyojanaṃ na labhate vimale'mbare'ntarmākalpamekajavago'pyatha māruto'pi || 60 ||

Its immensity is as immeasurable as if a stone is flung with full force from its top, or if the phoenix would fly up to it with all his might, or if he would traverse through it in full velocity, it is impossible for him to reach from one end to the other, in a whole Kalpa age.