87. Chapter 87

शिखिध्वज उवाच । सर्गे स्फुरद्भिर्मत्पुण्यैर्मन्ये संप्रेषितो भवान् । अलक्ष्यैः संभृतैरद्रौ बृहद्वातैरिवाम्बुदः ॥ १ ॥

śikhidhvaja uvāca | sarge sphuradbhirmatpuṇyairmanye saṃpreṣito bhavān | alakṣyaiḥ saṃbhṛtairadrau bṛhadvātairivāmbudaḥ || 1 ||

Sikhidvaja said:—Sir, it appears to me that the hoarded merits of all my former lives, have brought you today to my presence here; as an unforeseen hurricane drives the waters of the sea on the dry mountain tops.

अद्य तिष्ठाम्यहं साधो धन्यानां धुरि धर्मतः । अमृतस्यन्दिवचसा यत्त्वयास्मि समागतः ॥ २ ॥

adya tiṣṭhāmyahaṃ sādho dhanyānāṃ dhuri dharmataḥ | amṛtasyandivacasā yattvayāsmi samāgataḥ || 2 ||

I reckon myself as highly blest among the blessed today to be thus favoured by your presence, and cooled by your speech distilling as ambrosial dews from your lips.

न केचन तथा भावाश्चेतः शीतलयन्ति मे । राज्यलाभादयोऽप्येते यथा साधुसमागमः ॥ ३ ॥

na kecana tathā bhāvāścetaḥ śītalayanti me | rājyalābhādayo'pyete yathā sādhusamāgamaḥ || 3 ||

Never did a more sensible speech, touch and cool my soul to such a degree as yours ere this; wherefore I deem your holy presence as more precious to me, than the gaining of a kingdom.

निरर्गलरसो यत्र सामान्येन विजृम्भते । मुक्तरागादिमननं तत्कल्पनसुखावहम् ॥ ४ ॥

nirargalaraso yatra sāmānyena vijṛmbhate | muktarāgādimananaṃ tatkalpanasukhāvaham || 4 ||

The unrestrained delight which is felt in general (from the words of the wise), which are free from self-interest and selfish motives; is far superior to the self-restricted pleasure of sovereignty, which is delightful once in imagination only.

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच । एवंवादिनि सैवास्य वाक्यमाक्षिप्य भूपतेः । भूयः प्रोवाच चूडाला मुनिदारकरूपिणी ॥ ५ ॥

śrīvasiṣṭha uvāca | evaṃvādini saivāsya vākyamākṣipya bhūpateḥ | bhūyaḥ provāca cūḍālā munidārakarūpiṇī || 5 ||

Vasishtha said:—As the prince was uttering these encomiums, the Brahman boy Kumbha passed over them in silence; and interrupted him by saying:—

चूडालोवाच । आस्तामेषा कथा तावत्सर्वं ते वर्णितं मया । त्वं मे कथय हे साधो कस्त्वमद्रौ करोषि किम् ॥ ६ ॥

cūḍālovāca | āstāmeṣā kathā tāvatsarvaṃ te varṇitaṃ mayā | tvaṃ me kathaya he sādho kastvamadrau karoṣi kim || 6 ||

Chudala said:—Please put a stop, sir, to these words of yours, and give me an account of yourself as I have given mine to you; and tell me who you are, and what you do in this lonely mountain.

कियत्पर्यवसानेयं भवतो वनवासिता । सत्यं कार्यं च नोऽसत्यं वक्तुं जानन्ति तापसाः ॥ ७ ॥

kiyatparyavasāneyaṃ bhavato vanavāsitā | satyaṃ kāryaṃ ca no'satyaṃ vaktuṃ jānanti tāpasāḥ || 7 ||

How long is it that you have passed in this forester's life of yours, and what is your main object in view. Tell me the bare truth, because it is beyond the probity of an ascetic, to utter anything but the plain truth.

शिखिध्वज उवाच । देवपुत्रोऽसि जानासि सर्वमेव यथास्थितम् । लोकवृत्तान्ततज्ज्ञोऽसि किमन्यत्कथयाम्यहम् ॥ ८ ॥

śikhidhvaja uvāca | devaputro'si jānāsi sarvameva yathāsthitam | lokavṛttāntatajjño'si kimanyatkathayāmyaham || 8 ||

Sikhidvaja replied:—Lord as you are the offspring of a God, everything must be well known to you; and as the Gods are full well acquainted with the secrets and circumstances of all people, I have very little to relate to you about me.

संसारभयभीतत्वान्निवसामि वनान्तरे । जानतोपि हि मामार्य कथयाम्येव ते मनाक् ॥ ९ ॥

saṃsārabhayabhītatvānnivasāmi vanāntare | jānatopi hi māmārya kathayāmyeva te manāk || 9 ||

It is from my fear of the world (and its temptations), that I have abandoned it and taken my abode amidst this forest; and this though you well know, will I now briefly state unto you.

शिखिध्वजोऽहं भूपालस्त्यक्त्वा राज्यमिहास्थितः । भृशं भीतोस्मि तत्त्वज्ञ संसृतौ जन्मनः पुनः ॥ १० ॥

śikhidhvajo'haṃ bhūpālastyaktvā rājyamihāsthitaḥ | bhṛśaṃ bhītosmi tattvajña saṃsṛtau janmanaḥ punaḥ || 10 ||

I am Sikhidvaja the ruler of a country, which I have long relinquished for a seat in the forest; and know, O knower of all truths, that it is my fear of the trap-doors of the world and future transmigration in it, that has driven me to this retired wilderness.

सुखं पुनः पुनर्दुःखं पुनर्मरणजन्मनी । भवतस्तेन तप्येऽहं तत्त्वज्ञ वनवीथिषु ॥ ११ ॥

sukhaṃ punaḥ punarduḥkhaṃ punarmaraṇajanmanī | bhavatastena tapye'haṃ tattvajña vanavīthiṣu || 11 ||

It is no more than the reiteration of pain and pleasure, and of life and death in this accursed world; and it is to evade all these, that I have betaken myself to my austerities in these solitary woods.

भ्रमन्नपि दिगन्तेषु चरन्नपि परंतपः । नासादयामि विश्रान्तिमेकां निधिमिवाधनः ॥ १२ ॥

bhramannapi diganteṣu carannapi paraṃtapaḥ | nāsādayāmi viśrāntimekāṃ nidhimivādhanaḥ || 12 ||

I wander about on all sides, and perform my rigorous austerities without any respite; and I give no rest to myself, but keep my vigils like a miser over his little stock.

अयत्नोऽप्यफलोऽप्येको ह्यपूर्णोऽप्यस्तसंगतिः । शुष्याम्यत्र वने साधो घुणक्षुण्ण इव द्रुमः ॥ १३ ॥

ayatno'pyaphalo'pyeko hyapūrṇo'pyastasaṃgatiḥ | śuṣyāmyatra vane sādho ghuṇakṣuṇṇa iva drumaḥ || 13 ||

I am without any effort or attempt, and so without any fruit and fruition also; I am lonely, and so helpless likewise; I am poor and therefore friendless also, and know me Divine personage! to be pining in this forest like a withered tree perforated by worms.

इमामखण्डितां सम्यक् क्रियां संपादयन्नपि । दुःखाद्गच्छामि दुःखौघममृतं मे विषं स्थितम् ॥ १४ ॥

imāmakhaṇḍitāṃ samyak kriyāṃ saṃpādayannapi | duḥkhādgacchāmi duḥkhaughamamṛtaṃ me viṣaṃ sthitam || 14 ||

I observe strictly all my sacred rites without any fail or failure, and yet I fall from one sorrow into a sea of sorrows; and have grown too pensive, that even the ambrosial draught is unpleasant to me.

चूडालोवाच । पितामहमहं पूर्वं कदाचित्पृष्टवानिदम् । यत्क्रियाज्ञानयोरेकं श्रेयस्तद्ब्रूहि मे प्रभो ॥ १५ ॥

cūḍālovāca | pitāmahamahaṃ pūrvaṃ kadācitpṛṣṭavānidam | yatkriyājñānayorekaṃ śreyastadbrūhi me prabho || 15 ||

Chudala said:—It was once on a time that I had my great progenitor (Brahma) to tell me which of the two, the observance of duties or their non-observance for the sake of knowledge (i.e. whether practice or theoretical knowledge); is the more useful to and preferable by mankind.

ब्रह्मोवाच । ज्ञानं हि परमं श्रेयः कैवल्यं तेन वेत्त्यलम् । कालातिवाहनायैव विनोदायोदिता क्रिया ॥ १६ ॥

brahmovāca | jñānaṃ hi paramaṃ śreyaḥ kaivalyaṃ tena vettyalam | kālātivāhanāyaiva vinodāyoditā kriyā || 16 ||

Brahma replied:—Knowledge is no doubt the supreme Good, as it leads to ones acquaintance with the unity of the Deity and the oneness of himself; but action is inculcated to man at the duty of his life, both for the pleasure and passing of his life time.

अलब्धज्ञानदृष्टीनां क्रिया पुत्रपरायणम् । यस्य नास्त्यम्बरं पट्टं कम्बलं किं त्यजत्यसौ ॥ १७ ॥

alabdhajñānadṛṣṭīnāṃ kriyā putraparāyaṇam | yasya nāstyambaraṃ paṭṭaṃ kambalaṃ kiṃ tyajatyasau || 17 ||

Let them that have not acquired their intellectual light and the sight of the soul, be employed in their duties by their offsprings and fellow creatures; for who that is devoid of a silken robe, will go about naked and not wrap himself with a blanket or coarse cloth.

वासनामात्रसारत्वादज्ञस्य सफलाः क्रियाः । सर्वा एवाफला ज्ञस्य वासनामात्रसंक्षयात् ॥ १८ ॥

vāsanāmātrasāratvādajñasya saphalāḥ kriyāḥ | sarvā evāphalā jñasya vāsanāmātrasaṃkṣayāt || 18 ||

The ignorant that are actuated by their desires and live upon their hopes, meet with their objects as the reward of their action;but the knowing and speculative theorist, having neither any desire in his mind nor action of his body, meets with no reward of either.

सर्वा हि वासनाभावे प्रयान्त्यफलतां क्रियाः । अशुभाः फलवन्त्योपि सेकाभावे लता इव ॥ १९ ॥

sarvā hi vāsanābhāve prayāntyaphalatāṃ kriyāḥ | aśubhāḥ phalavantyopi sekābhāve latā iva || 19 ||

An action without its object goes to naught and for nothing, as the fruit bearing plants become fruitless and die away without being properly watered in their time.

ऋत्वन्तरे यथा याति विलयं पूर्वमार्तवम् । तथैव वासनानाशे नाशमेति क्रियाफलम् ॥ २० ॥

ṛtvantare yathā yāti vilayaṃ pūrvamārtavam | tathaiva vāsanānāśe nāśameti kriyāphalam || 20 ||

As the effect of a certain season on plants &c., is displaced by that of the succeeding one; so the fruit of an action, is frustrated by its want of its desire.

न स्वभावेन फलति यथा शरलता फलम् । क्रिया निर्वासना पुत्र फलं फलति नो तथा ॥ २१ ॥

na svabhāvena phalati yathā śaralatā phalam | kriyā nirvāsanā putra phalaṃ phalati no tathā || 21 ||

As it is the nature of kusa-grass never to fructify, though they bear the flowers in time; so my son, no action can produce any fruit without the desire of the main object.

सयक्षवासनो बालो यक्षं पश्यति नान्यथा । सदुःखवासनो मूढो दुःखं पश्यति नान्यथा ॥ २२ ॥

sayakṣavāsano bālo yakṣaṃ paśyati nānyathā | saduḥkhavāsano mūḍho duḥkhaṃ paśyati nānyathā || 22 ||

As the boy possest the idea of a ghost in his mind, sees the apparition of a devil before him; and as a sick man having hypochondria of his malady, is soon attacked by it.

आकारभासुरात्युच्चैर्न ददाति फलं क्रिया । शुभाशुभा वा तज्ज्ञस्य फुल्ला शरलता यथा ॥ २३ ॥

ākārabhāsurātyuccairna dadāti phalaṃ kriyā | śubhāśubhā vā tajjñasya phullā śaralatā yathā || 23 ||

As the kusa-grass presents the fair flowers to view, without ever bearing their fruits; so does the speculative theorist meditate on the beauty of his theory, without producing its results by its practice.

वासना चेह नास्त्येव साहंकारादिरूपिणी । असत्यैवोदिता मौर्ख्यान्मरुभूमाविवाम्बुधिः ॥ २४ ॥

vāsanā ceha nāstyeva sāhaṃkārādirūpiṇī | asatyaivoditā maurkhyānmarubhūmāvivāmbudhiḥ || 24 ||

Sikhidvaja said:—But it is said that all human desire is vain, and its accompanying egoism is a fallacy; and that they are the creatures of our ignorance, like our error of a sea in the burning sands of a desert.

यस्य मौर्ख्यं क्षयं यातं सर्वं ब्रह्मेति भावनात् । नोदेति वासना तस्य प्राज्ञस्येवाम्बुधिर्मरौ ॥ २५ ॥

yasya maurkhyaṃ kṣayaṃ yātaṃ sarvaṃ brahmeti bhāvanāt | nodeti vāsanā tasya prājñasyevāmbudhirmarau || 25 ||

So it is to the gnostic theist, whose ignorance is altogether removed by his knowledge of all things as the Divine spirit; such a man of course has no desire rising in his mind, as there is no appearance of the sea in the sands before the eyes of the wise.

वासनामात्रसंत्यागाज्जरामरणवर्जितम् । पदं भवति जीवोऽन्तर्भूयो जन्मविवर्जितम् ॥ २६ ॥

vāsanāmātrasaṃtyāgājjarāmaraṇavarjitam | padaṃ bhavati jīvo'ntarbhūyo janmavivarjitam || 26 ||

It is by forsaking his desires, that a person is freed from his bonds of his disease and death; and his internal soul arriving to the perfection of the Deity, is exempted from future birth.

सवासनं मनो ज्ञेयं ज्ञानं निर्वासनं मनः । ज्ञानेन ज्ञेयमभ्येत्य पुनर्जीवो न जायते ॥ २७ ॥

savāsanaṃ mano jñeyaṃ jñānaṃ nirvāsanaṃ manaḥ | jñānena jñeyamabhyetya punarjīvo na jāyate || 27 ||

But know the human mind to be fraught with desires, from which the learned few are only exempt; it is by their transcendental knowledge of the knowable one, that the Divinely wise alone are exempted from their regeneration in this mortal world.

चूडालोवाच । ज्ञानमेव परं श्रेय इति ब्रह्मादयोऽपि ते । प्राहुर्महान्तो राजर्षे त्वं किमज्ञानवान्स्थितः ॥ २८ ॥

cūḍālovāca | jñānameva paraṃ śreya iti brahmādayo'pi te | prāhurmahānto rājarṣe tvaṃ kimajñānavānsthitaḥ || 28 ||

Chudala replied:—It is true, O princely sage! that knowledge is said to be the chief good (summum bonum), by the Gods Brahma and others and also by all sapient sages; and notwithstanding thy knowing of this, why is it that thou remainest in this state of thy gross ignorance?

इतः कमण्डलुरितो दण्डकाष्ठमितो बृसी । इत्यनर्थविलासेऽस्मिन्रमसे किं महीपते ॥ २९ ॥

itaḥ kamaṇḍalurito daṇḍakāṣṭhamito bṛsī | ityanarthavilāse'sminramase kiṃ mahīpate || 29 ||

What mean these pots and staffs, these wooden stools and those seats of kusa-grass; and why is it, O royal prince! that you delight in these false playings of fools?

कोऽहं कथमिदं जातं कथं शाम्यति चेति भोः । राजन्नावेक्षसे कस्मात्किमज्ञ इव तिष्ठसि ॥ ३० ॥

ko'haṃ kathamidaṃ jātaṃ kathaṃ śāmyati ceti bhoḥ | rājannāvekṣase kasmātkimajña iva tiṣṭhasi || 30 ||

Why is it that you do not employ your mind to inquire into the questions as to what thou art, and how has this world came to existence, and how and when will cease to exist (in your consciousness of reality). Instead of making inquiries in these solemn truths, you are passing your time like the ignorant in your fooleries only?

कथं बन्धः कथं मोक्ष इति प्रश्रानुदाहरन् । पारावारविदां पादान्कस्माद्राजन्न सेवसे ॥ ३१ ॥

kathaṃ bandhaḥ kathaṃ mokṣa iti praśrānudāharan | pārāvāravidāṃ pādānkasmādrājanna sevase || 31 ||

Why don't you discuss about the natures of bondage and liberation in the company of the learned, and pay your homage at their venerable feet?

दुःस्पन्दसंविदा शैलकोटरे क्रिययानया । जीवितं क्षिपयन्किं त्वं शिलाकीटवदास्थितः ॥ ३२ ॥

duḥspandasaṃvidā śailakoṭare kriyayānayā | jīvitaṃ kṣipayankiṃ tvaṃ śilākīṭavadāsthitaḥ || 32 ||

Do you want, O prince to pass your life in the discharge of your painful austerities, as some insects finish their days in perforating the stones in which they live?

साधूनां समदृष्टीनां परिप्रश्नेन सेवया । संगमेन च सा युक्तिर्लभ्यते मुच्यते यया ॥ ३३ ॥

sādhūnāṃ samadṛṣṭīnāṃ paripraśnena sevayā | saṃgamena ca sā yuktirlabhyate mucyate yayā || 33 ||

You can easily obtain the delight you seek, if you will but betake yourself to the service of holy man; and keep company with the tolerant and wise souls, arguing with them on spiritual subjects.

साधुनैव समं ग्रासं भुञ्जानो वनकोटरे । तिष्ठावष्टब्धदुश्चेष्टो धराविवरकीटवत् ॥ ३४ ॥

sādhunaiva samaṃ grāsaṃ bhuñjāno vanakoṭare | tiṣṭhāvaṣṭabdhaduśceṣṭo dharāvivarakīṭavat || 34 ||

Or you may continue to remain in your grotto, in this forest living on the simple food of holy men; and by forsaking the evil propensities of your mind, abide here as an insect in a hole under the ground.

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच । कान्तया देवरूपिण्या तयैवं प्रतिबोधितः । अश्रुपूर्णमुखो वाक्यं शिखिध्वज उवाच ह ॥ ३५ ॥

śrīvasiṣṭha uvāca | kāntayā devarūpiṇyā tayaivaṃ pratibodhitaḥ | aśrupūrṇamukho vākyaṃ śikhidhvaja uvāca ha || 35 ||

Vasishtha related:—

Being thus awakened to sense by his wife said:—the Divine boy—Sikhidvaja, melted into tears; and with his face bathed in water, spoke to the lad as follows:—

शिखिध्वज उवाच । अहो नु बोधितोऽस्म्यद्य चिरात्सुरसुत त्वया । मौर्ख्यादार्यसमासङ्गं मुक्त्वाहमवसं वने ॥ ३६ ॥

śikhidhvaja uvāca | aho nu bodhito'smyadya cirātsurasuta tvayā | maurkhyādāryasamāsaṅgaṃ muktvāhamavasaṃ vane || 36 ||

Sikhidvaja said:—O Divine child! it is after a long time, that I am awakened by thee to my senses; and I perceive now that it was my weak-headedness, which drove me from the society of respectable to this lonely forest.

अहो नु मे क्षयं यातं मन्ये पापमशेषतः । यत्त्वमेव समागत्य संप्रबोधयसीह माम् ॥ ३७ ॥

aho nu me kṣayaṃ yātaṃ manye pāpamaśeṣataḥ | yattvameva samāgatya saṃprabodhayasīha mām || 37 ||

Ah! I find now that my mind is purged to-day of its endless sins, which has brought thee to my presence here, and remonstrate with me on my past misconduct.

गुरुस्त्वं मे पिता त्वं मे मित्रं त्वं मे वरानन । शिष्यो नमस्करोम्यद्य पादौ तव कृपां कुरु ॥ ३८ ॥

gurustvaṃ me pitā tvaṃ me mitraṃ tvaṃ me varānana | śiṣyo namaskaromyadya pādau tava kṛpāṃ kuru || 38 ||

O beauteous boy! I deem thee henceforward as my monitor and father and my best friend forever, and acknowledge myself as thy pupil; wherefore I bow down at thy feet and pray thee to take piety on me.

यदुदारतमं वेत्सि यस्मिन् ज्ञाते न शोच्यते । भवामि निर्वृतो येन तद्ब्रह्मोपदिशाशु मे ॥ ३९ ॥

yadudāratamaṃ vetsi yasmin jñāte na śocyate | bhavāmi nirvṛto yena tadbrahmopadiśāśu me || 39 ||

Please admonish me now on the subject of Divine knowledge, as you are best acquainted with it; and whereby I may be freed from all my sorrows, and be settled with perfect peace and bliss of my mind.

घटज्ञानादयो ज्ञाने विभागाः सन्त्यनेकशः । ज्ञानानां परमं ज्ञानं कतरत्तारकं भवेत् ॥ ४० ॥

ghaṭajñānādayo jñāne vibhāgāḥ santyanekaśaḥ | jñānānāṃ paramaṃ jñānaṃ katarattārakaṃ bhavet || 40 ||

You said at first, that knowledge is the supreme bliss or summum bonum of mankind; now tell me, which is that knowledge which saves us from misery; whether it is the knowledge of particulars which lead us to the acquaintance of specials, or that of the general which brings as to the transcendental.

चूडालोवाच । यद्युपादेयवाक्योऽहं राजर्षे तद्वदामि ते । यथा ज्ञानमिदं किंचिन्न वक्ष्ये स्थाणुकाकवत् ॥ ४१ ॥

cūḍālovāca | yadyupādeyavākyo'haṃ rājarṣe tadvadāmi te | yathā jñānamidaṃ kiṃcinna vakṣye sthāṇukākavat || 41 ||

Chudala replied:—I will tell thee prince as far as I know about it, and what may be best acceptable to thee; and not throw away my words in vain, like crowing ravens about a headless trunk.

अनुपादेयवाक्यस्य वक्तुः पृष्टस्य लीलया । व्रजन्त्यफलतां वाचस्तमसीवाक्षसंविदः ॥ ४२ ॥

anupādeyavākyasya vaktuḥ pṛṣṭasya līlayā | vrajantyaphalatāṃ vācastamasīvākṣasaṃvidaḥ || 42 ||

Because the words that are uttered to the impertinent questions of a person and not heeded by him, are thrown in vain; and become as useless to him, as her eye sight in the dark.

शिखिध्वज उवाच । यद्वक्षि तदुपादेयं मया विधिरिव श्रुतेः । अविचारितमेवाशु सत्यमेतद्वचो मम ॥ ४३ ॥

śikhidhvaja uvāca | yadvakṣi tadupādeyaṃ mayā vidhiriva śruteḥ | avicāritamevāśu satyametadvaco mama || 43 ||

Sikhidvaja said:—Sir, your words are as acceptable to me as the ordinances of veda (gospel truth); and though you utter them without previous meditation (extempore), yet I have full faith in them.

चूडालोवाच । यथा बालः पितुर्वाक्यं मुक्तहेतूपपादनम् । आदत्ते हि तथैव त्वं गृहाणैतद्वचो मम ॥ ४४ ॥

cūḍālovāca | yathā bālaḥ piturvākyaṃ muktahetūpapādanam | ādatte hi tathaiva tvaṃ gṛhāṇaitadvaco mama || 44 ||

Chudala replied:—As a boy obeys the words of his father, knowing it to be pronounced for his certain good; so must you receive my words.

श्रवणानन्तरं बुद्ध्या शुभमित्येव भावयन् । श्रृणु गीतमिव त्यक्त्वा हेत्वर्थित्वं वचो मम ॥ ४५ ॥

śravaṇānantaraṃ buddhyā śubhamityeva bhāvayan | śrṛṇu gītamiva tyaktvā hetvarthitvaṃ vaco mama || 45 ||

Think my advices to be all good for you, after you hear them with proper attention; and hear unto my words, as you hear music without inquiring into their reason or rhyme.

स्वचरितसदृशं तथोदयन्त्याश्चिरसमयेन विबोधनं च बुद्धेः । भवभयसुतरं महामतीनां श्रृणु कथयामि कथाक्रमं मनोज्ञम् ॥ ४६ ॥

svacaritasadṛśaṃ tathodayantyāścirasamayena vibodhanaṃ ca buddheḥ | bhavabhayasutaraṃ mahāmatīnāṃ śrṛṇu kathayāmi kathākramaṃ manojñam || 46 ||

Hear me now relate to you an interesting story of a certain person, whose conduct and character resembled in every way to thine; and who was brought back to his sense after his long aberration. This is a tale to dispel the worldly cares and fears of the intelligent.