10. Chapter 10

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच । इति चिन्तयतस्तस्य पुरः संप्रविवेश ह । प्रतीहारः परो भानोः स्यन्दनाग्र इवारुणः ॥ १ ॥

śrīvasiṣṭha uvāca | iti cintayatastasya puraḥ saṃpraviveśa ha | pratīhāraḥ paro bhānoḥ syandanāgra ivāruṇaḥ || 1 ||

Vasishtha related:—While Janaka was thus musing in his mind, there entered the chamberlain before him, in the manner of Aruna standing before the chariot of the sun.

प्रतीहार उवाच । देव दोःस्तम्भविश्रान्तसमस्तवसुधाभर । संपादयोत्तिष्ठ दिनव्यापारं नृपतोचितम् ॥ २ ॥

pratīhāra uvāca | deva doḥstambhaviśrāntasamastavasudhābhara | saṃpādayottiṣṭha dinavyāpāraṃ nṛpatocitam || 2 ||

The chamberlain said:—O sire! thy realm is safe under thy protecting arms; now rise to attend to the daily rites, as it becomes your majesty.

एताः कुसुमकर्पूरकुङ्कुमाम्बुघटाः स्त्रियः । स्नानभूमौ स्थिताः सज्जा नद्यो मूर्तियुता इव ॥ ३ ॥

etāḥ kusumakarpūrakuṅkumāmbughaṭāḥ striyaḥ | snānabhūmau sthitāḥ sajjā nadyo mūrtiyutā iva || 3 ||

There the maidservants are waiting with their water pots, filled with water perfumed with flowers, camphor and saffron for your bathing, as the nymphs of the rivers, have presented themselves in person before you.

एताः कमलकह्लारकाननभ्रान्तषट्पदाः । कृताः कमलिनीपाशरचितांशुकमण्डपाः ॥ ४ ॥

etāḥ kamalakahlārakānanabhrāntaṣaṭpadāḥ | kṛtāḥ kamalinīpāśaracitāṃśukamaṇḍapāḥ || 4 ||

The temples are decorated with lotuses and other flowers, with the bees fluttering upon them; and hung over with fine muslin, as white as the fibers of lotus stalks.

एताः कमलिनीतीरभुवश्छत्रैः प्रपूरिताः । सचामररथेभाश्वैः स्नानावसरसेविनाम् ॥ ५ ॥

etāḥ kamalinītīrabhuvaśchatraiḥ prapūritāḥ | sacāmararathebhāśvaiḥ snānāvasarasevinām || 5 ||

समग्रसुमनःपूर्णैरन्नौषधिपूरिप्लुतैः । सज्जीकृताः पटलकैर्देवार्चनगृहास्तथा ॥ ६ ॥

samagrasumanaḥpūrṇairannauṣadhipūriplutaiḥ | sajjīkṛtāḥ paṭalakairdevārcanagṛhāstathā || 6 ||

The altars are filled with heaps of flowers, aromatic drugs and rice; and adorned with every decoration in the princely style.

स्नातः पवित्रहस्तश्च परिजप्याघमर्षणः । त्वामेव प्रेक्षते देव दक्षिणार्हो द्विजव्रजः ॥ ७ ॥

snātaḥ pavitrahastaśca parijapyāghamarṣaṇaḥ | tvāmeva prekṣate deva dakṣiṇārho dvijavrajaḥ || 7 ||

The Brahmans are waiting there for your majesty's presence, after making their sacred ablution and purifications, and offering their prayers for the remission of sins; and are expecting to get their worthy gifts from thee.

लसच्चामरहस्ताभिः पाल्यते परमेश्वर । सज्जीकृतास्ते कान्ताभिः शीता भोजनभूमयः ॥ ८ ॥

lasaccāmarahastābhiḥ pālyate parameśvara | sajjīkṛtāste kāntābhiḥ śītā bhojanabhūmayaḥ || 8 ||

The hand-maids are attending to their duties, graced with flappers (chamaras) in their hands; and the feasting ground is cleansed with sandal paste and water.

शीघ्रमुत्तिष्ठ भद्रं ते नियतं कार्यमाचर । न कालमतिवर्तन्ते महान्तः स्वेषु कर्मसु ॥ ९ ॥

śīghramuttiṣṭha bhadraṃ te niyataṃ kāryamācara | na kālamativartante mahāntaḥ sveṣu karmasu || 9 ||

Rise therefore from thy seat, and be it well with thee to perform the prescribed duties; because it does not become the best of men, to be belated in the discharge of their duties.

प्रतीहारपतावित्थमुक्तवत्यथ पार्थिवः । तथैव चिन्तयामास चित्रां संसारसंस्थितिम् ॥ १० ॥

pratīhārapatāvitthamuktavatyatha pārthivaḥ | tathaiva cintayāmāsa citrāṃ saṃsārasaṃsthitim || 10 ||

Though thus besought by the head chamberlain, yet the king remained in his meditative mood, thinking on the wonderful phenomena of nature.

कियन्मात्रमिदं नाम राज्यं सुखमिति स्थितम् । न प्रयोजनमेतेन ममेह क्षणभङ्गिना ॥ ११ ॥

kiyanmātramidaṃ nāma rājyaṃ sukhamiti sthitam | na prayojanametena mameha kṣaṇabhaṅginā || 11 ||

This royalty and these duties of mine, said he, are for a very short time; I do not require these things that are so transitory in their nature.

सर्वमेव परित्यज्य मिथ्याशम्बरडम्बरम् । एकान्त एव तिष्ठामि संशान्त इव वारिधिः ॥ १२ ॥

sarvameva parityajya mithyāśambaraḍambaram | ekānta eva tiṣṭhāmi saṃśānta iva vāridhiḥ || 12 ||

I must leave these things, that are at best but waters of the mirage; and remain close to myself in my lonesome seclusion, like a calm and solitary lake or sea.

अलमेभिरसत्प्रायैर्मम भोगविजृम्भितैः । त्यक्त्वा सर्वाणि कर्माणि सुखं तिष्ठामि केवलम् ॥ १३ ॥

alamebhirasatprāyairmama bhogavijṛmbhitaiḥ | tyaktvā sarvāṇi karmāṇi sukhaṃ tiṣṭhāmi kevalam || 13 ||

These pleasures of the world, that are displayed around us, are entirely useless to me; I will leave them with promptness on my part, and remain in my happy retirement.

चित्त चातुर्यमेतस्माद्भोगाभ्यासकुसंभ्रमात् । त्यज जन्मजराजाड्यजालजम्बालशान्तये ॥ १४ ॥

citta cāturyametasmādbhogābhyāsakusaṃbhramāt | tyaja janmajarājāḍyajālajambālaśāntaye || 14 ||

Abandon, O my heart! thy shrewdness in pursuing after the objects of thy desire; in order to avoid the snares of disease and death.

दशासु स्वासु यास्वेव संभ्रमं चित्त पश्यसि । ताभ्य एवाभिरचितं परमं दुःखमेष्यसि ॥ १५ ॥

daśāsu svāsu yāsveva saṃbhramaṃ citta paśyasi | tābhya evābhiracitaṃ paramaṃ duḥkhameṣyasi || 15 ||

In whatever state or condition of life, the heart is set to hanker for its delight; it is sure to meet with some difficulty, distress or disappointment coming out of the same.

प्रवृत्तं सन्निवृत्तं सद्भूयोभूयश्चिरंचिरम् । भोगभूमिषु सर्वासु चित्तं तृप्तिं न गच्छति ॥ १६ ॥

pravṛttaṃ sannivṛttaṃ sadbhūyobhūyaściraṃciram | bhogabhūmiṣu sarvāsu cittaṃ tṛptiṃ na gacchati || 16 ||

Whether your heart is engaged in, or disengaged from the objects of sense, you will never find any one of them, either in act or thought, conducing to the true happiness of your soul.

तस्मात्पापालमनया तुच्छया भोगचिन्तया । भवत्यकृत्रिमा तृप्तिर्येनाभिपत तं ततः ॥ १७ ॥

tasmātpāpālamanayā tucchayā bhogacintayā | bhavatyakṛtrimā tṛptiryenābhipata taṃ tataḥ || 17 ||

Forsake therefore the thoughts of the vile pleasure of your senses, and betake yourself to those thoughts, which are fraught with the true happiness of the soul.

इति संचिन्त्य जनकस्तूष्णीमेव बभूव ह । शान्तचापलचेतस्त्वाल्लिपिकर्मार्पितोपमः ॥ १८ ॥

iti saṃcintya janakastūṣṇīmeva babhūva ha | śāntacāpalacetastvāllipikarmārpitopamaḥ || 18 ||

Thinking in this manner, Janaka remained in mute silence, and his restless mind became as still, as it made him sit down like a picture in a painting or as a statue.

प्रतीहारोऽपि नोवाच गौरवेण भयेन च । पुनर्वाक्यं महीपानां चित्तवृत्तिषु शिक्षितः ॥ १९ ॥

pratīhāro'pi novāca gauraveṇa bhayena ca | punarvākyaṃ mahīpānāṃ cittavṛttiṣu śikṣitaḥ || 19 ||

The chamberlain uttered not a word any more, but stood silent in mute respect through fear of his master, from his knowledge of the dispositions of kings.

तूष्णीमथ क्षणं स्थित्वा जनको जनजीवितम् । पुनः संचिन्तयामास मनसा शमशालिना ॥ २० ॥

tūṣṇīmatha kṣaṇaṃ sthitvā janako janajīvitam | punaḥ saṃcintayāmāsa manasā śamaśālinā || 20 ||

Janaka in his state of silent meditation, reflected again on the vanity of human life, with cool calmness of his mind, and said:—

किमुपादेयमस्तीह यत्नात्संसाधयाम्यहम् । कस्मिन्वस्तुनि बध्नामि धृतिं नाशविवर्जिते ॥ २१ ॥

kimupādeyamastīha yatnātsaṃsādhayāmyaham | kasminvastuni badhnāmi dhṛtiṃ nāśavivarjite || 21 ||

Now must I be diligent to find out the best and most precious treasure in the world, and know what is that imperishable thing, to which I shall bind my soul as its surest anchor.

किं मे क्रियापरतया किं मे निष्क्रिययापि वा । न तदस्ति विनाशेन वर्जितं यत्किलोदितम् ॥ २२ ॥

kiṃ me kriyāparatayā kiṃ me niṣkriyayāpi vā | na tadasti vināśena varjitaṃ yatkiloditam || 22 ||

What is the good of my acts or my cessation from them, since nothing is produced of anything, which is not perishable in its nature.

क्रियावानक्रियो वास्तु कायोऽयमसदुत्थितः । समस्थितस्य शुद्धस्य चितः का नाम मे क्षतिः ॥ २३ ॥

kriyāvānakriyo vāstu kāyo'yamasadutthitaḥ | samasthitasya śuddhasya citaḥ kā nāma me kṣatiḥ || 23 ||

It matters not whether the body is active or inactive, since all its actions end in utter inaction at last as all force is reduced to rest. It is the pure intellect within me that is always the same (i.e. ever active and undecaying), and which loses nothing from the loss of the body or by want of bodily actions.

नाभिवाञ्छाम्यसंप्राप्तं संप्राप्तं न त्यजाम्यहम् । स्वस्थ आत्मनि तिष्ठामि यन्ममास्ति तदस्तु मे ॥ २४ ॥

nābhivāñchāmyasaṃprāptaṃ saṃprāptaṃ na tyajāmyaham | svastha ātmani tiṣṭhāmi yanmamāsti tadastu me || 24 ||

I do not wish to have what I have not, nor dare leave what I have already got; I am content with myself; so let me have what is mine and what I have.

न ममेह कृतेनार्थो नाकृतेनेह कश्चन । क्रिययाऽक्रियया वापि यत्प्राप्तं तदसन्मयम् ॥ २५ ॥

na mameha kṛtenārtho nākṛteneha kaścana | kriyayā'kriyayā vāpi yatprāptaṃ tadasanmayam || 25 ||

I get no real good by my acts here, nor lose anything by refraining from them. What I get by my acts or want of action, is all Nil and Null of Vanity or Vanities, and nothing to my purpose or liking.

अकुर्वतः कुर्वतो वा युक्तायुक्ताः क्रिया मम । नाभिवाञ्छितमस्तीह यदुपादेयतां गतम् ॥ २६ ॥

akurvataḥ kurvato vā yuktāyuktāḥ kriyā mama | nābhivāñchitamastīha yadupādeyatāṃ gatam || 26 ||

Whether I am doing or not doing, and whether my acts are proper or improper; I have nothing to desire here, nor anything desirable that I have to expect from them.

तदुत्थाय क्रमप्राप्तां कायोऽयं प्रकृतां क्रियाम् । करोत्वस्पन्दिताङ्गस्तु किमयं साधु शुष्यति ॥ २७ ॥

tadutthāya kramaprāptāṃ kāyo'yaṃ prakṛtāṃ kriyām | karotvaspanditāṅgastu kimayaṃ sādhu śuṣyati || 27 ||

I have got what was due to my past actions, and this body is the result of my former acts. It may be in its motion and action, or it may be still and fade away, which is the same thing to me.

स्थिते मनसि निष्कामे समे विगतरञ्जने । कायावयवजौ कार्यौ स्पन्दास्पन्दौ फले समौ ॥ २८ ॥

sthite manasi niṣkāme same vigatarañjane | kāyāvayavajau kāryau spandāspandau phale samau || 28 ||

The mind being set at ease by want of its action or passion, the actions of the body and its members, are alike in their effects to those of not doing them.

कर्मजासु फलश्रीषु मनसा कर्तृभोक्तृते । तस्मिन्प्रशान्तिमायाते कृतमप्यकृतं नृणाम् ॥ २९ ॥

karmajāsu phalaśrīṣu manasā kartṛbhoktṛte | tasminpraśāntimāyāte kṛtamapyakṛtaṃ nṛṇām || 29 ||

The acts of men are reckoned as no acts of theirs, which happen to take place as the results of their destiny or previous actions.

यो निश्चयोऽन्तः पुरुषस्य रूढः क्रियास्वसौ तन्मयतामुपैति । अनामयं मे पदमाहता धीरधीरतामन्तरलं त्यजामि ॥ ३० ॥

yo niścayo'ntaḥ puruṣasya rūḍhaḥ kriyāsvasau tanmayatāmupaiti | anāmayaṃ me padamāhatā dhīradhīratāmantaralaṃ tyajāmi || 30 ||

The impression which the inward soul bears of its past actions and passions, the same gives its colour to the nature and character of the actions of men afterwards. Now that my soul has obtained its imperishable state of spirituality, I am freed from the mutabilities of the transmigrations of my body and mind.