Shuka Resolves to Seek Liberation and Leaves for Kailasa

Verse 1 (12.339.1)

सुखदुःखविपर्यासो यदा समनुपद्यते । नैनं प्रज्ञा सुनीतं वा त्रायते नापि पौरुषम् ॥

sukhaduḥkhaviparyāso yadā samanupadyate | nainaṃ prajñā sunītaṃ vā trāyate nāpi pauruṣam

When pleasure and pain are reversed, neither wisdom, nor sound policy, nor manly effort can protect a man.

Note on the text: Adhyaya note: the page is the right adhyaya (65 table rows; colophon एकोनचत्वारिंशदधिकत्रिशततमोऽध्यायः । 339), and the text is the critical edition's 12.318.1-63 (the CE numbers this adhyaya 318). The page prints the speaker heading नारद उवाच (labelled "12-339-1x"), which the input carried through all 65 rows. Narada's speech ends with verse 45; from verse 46 the text is narration (the CE heads 12.318.46 भीष्म उवाच, though the page prints no heading there), so verses 46-65 are given to भीष्म, and Shuka's unspoken reflections (verses 47-60) stay with the narrator. The heading line (नारदवचनाज्जातवैराग्येण … कैलासशिखरारोहणम्) and the variant-reading notes after the colophon are not added. No Appendix I passage occurs here and the page is not a stray copy.

Verse 2 (12.339.2)

स्वभावाद्यत्नमातिष्ठेद्यत्नवान्नावसीदति । जरामरणरोगेभ्यः प्रियमात्मानमुद्धरेत् ॥

svabhāvādyatnamātiṣṭhedyatnavānnāvasīdati | jarāmaraṇarogebhyaḥ priyamātmānamuddharet

By his nature a man should take up effort; the man who makes effort does not sink. He should lift up from old age, death and disease the self that is dear to him.

Verse 3 (12.339.3)

रुजन्ति हि शरीराणि रोगाः शारीरमानसाः । सायका इव तीक्ष्णाग्राः प्रयुक्ता दृढधन्विभिः ॥

rujanti hi śarīrāṇi rogāḥ śārīramānasāḥ | sāyakā iva tīkṣṇāgrāḥ prayuktā dṛḍhadhanvibhiḥ

Diseases of body and mind pierce bodies like sharp-pointed arrows shot by strong archers.

Verse 4 (12.339.4)

व्यथितस्य विधित्साभिस्त्रस्यतो जीवितैषिणः । अवशस्य विनाशाय शरीरमपकृष्यते ॥

vyathitasya vidhitsābhistrasyato jīvitaiṣiṇaḥ | avaśasya vināśāya śarīramapakṛṣyate

For a man who is tormented, driven by cravings, trembling, longing to live and helpless, the body is dragged along to its destruction.

Verse 5 (12.339.5)

स्रवन्ति न निवर्तन्ते स्रोतांसि सरितामिव । आयुरादाय मर्त्यानां रात्र्यहानि पुनः पुनः ॥

sravanti na nivartante srotāṃsi saritāmiva | āyurādāya martyānāṃ rātryahāni punaḥ punaḥ

The currents of rivers flow on and do not return; so the nights and days, taking away the lifespan of mortals, pass again and again.

Verse 6 (12.339.6)

व्यत्ययो ह्ययमत्यन्तं पक्षयोः शुक्लकृष्णयोः । जातान्मर्त्याञ्जरयति निमेषान्नावतिष्ठते ॥

vyatyayo hyayamatyantaṃ pakṣayoḥ śuklakṛṣṇayoḥ | jātānmartyāñjarayati nimeṣānnāvatiṣṭhate

This alternation of the bright and dark fortnights is utterly relentless: it ages mortals who are born, and does not halt even for a twinkling.

Verse 7 (12.339.7)

सुखदुःखानि भूतानामजरो जरयत्यसौ । आदित्यो ह्यस्तमभ्येति पुनः पुनरुदेति च ॥

sukhaduḥkhāni bhūtānāmajaro jarayatyasau | ādityo hyastamabhyeti punaḥ punarudeti ca

He who never ages makes the pleasures and pains of beings age: the sun sets, and rises again and again.

Verse 8 (12.339.8)

अदृष्टपूर्वानादाय भावानपरिशङ्कितान् । इष्टानिष्टान्मनुष्याणामस्तं गच्छन्ति रात्रयः ॥

adṛṣṭapūrvānādāya bhāvānapariśaṅkitān | iṣṭāniṣṭānmanuṣyāṇāmastaṃ gacchanti rātrayaḥ

Bringing for men things never seen before, unforeseen, welcome and unwelcome, the nights go to their setting.

Verse 9 (12.339.9)

योयदिच्छेद्यथाकाममयत्नाच्च तदाप्नुयात् । यदि स्यान्न पराधीनं पुरुषस्य क्रियाफलम् ॥

yoyadicchedyathākāmamayatnācca tadāpnuyāt | yadi syānna parādhīnaṃ puruṣasya kriyāphalam

Whatever a man wished, as he wished, he would obtain even without effort, if the fruit of a man's action were not dependent on another.

Verse 10 (12.339.10)

संयताश्च हि दक्षाश्च मतिमन्तश्च मानवाः । दृश्यन्ते निष्फलाः सन्तः प्रहीणाः सर्वकर्मभिः ॥

saṃyatāśca hi dakṣāśca matimantaśca mānavāḥ | dṛśyante niṣphalāḥ santaḥ prahīṇāḥ sarvakarmabhiḥ

Men who are self-controlled, capable and intelligent are seen to be fruitless, cut off from the results of all their works.

Verse 11 (12.339.11)

अपरे बालिशाः सन्तो निर्गुणाः पुरुषाधमाः । अशुभैरपि संयुक्ता दृश्यन्ते सर्वकामिनः ॥

apare bāliśāḥ santo nirguṇāḥ puruṣādhamāḥ | aśubhairapi saṃyuktā dṛśyante sarvakāminaḥ

Others, foolish, without merit, the lowest of men, though joined with inauspicious things, are seen to have every desire fulfilled.

Verse 12 (12.339.12)

भूतानामपरः कश्चिद्धिंसायां सततोत्थितः । वञ्चनायां च लोकस्य स सुखेष्वेव जीर्यते ॥

bhūtānāmaparaḥ kaściddhiṃsāyāṃ satatotthitaḥ | vañcanāyāṃ ca lokasya sa sukheṣveva jīryate

Another, ever intent on harming living beings and on cheating the world, grows old in nothing but comforts.

Verse 13 (12.339.13)

अचेष्टमानमासीनं श्रीः कंचिदुपतिष्ठते । कश्चित्कर्मानुसृत्यान्यो नाप्राप्यमधिगच्छति ॥

aceṣṭamānamāsīnaṃ śrīḥ kaṃcidupatiṣṭhate | kaścitkarmānusṛtyānyo nāprāpyamadhigacchati

To one man, sitting idle and making no effort, Fortune comes; another follows his work and still does not gain what is not his to gain.

Verse 14 (12.339.14)

अपराधं समाचक्ष्व पुरुषस्य स्वभावतः । शुक्रमन्यत्र संभूतं पुनरन्यत्र गच्छति ॥

aparādhaṃ samācakṣva puruṣasya svabhāvataḥ | śukramanyatra saṃbhūtaṃ punaranyatra gacchati

Tell me where the fault lies in a man, given his nature: the seed formed in one place goes again to another.

Verse 15 (12.339.15)

तस्य योनौ प्रसक्तस्य गर्भो भवति वा न वा । आम्रपुष्पोपमा यस्य निर्वृत्तिरुपलभ्यते ॥

tasya yonau prasaktasya garbho bhavati vā na vā | āmrapuṣpopamā yasya nirvṛttirupalabhyate

For him who is engaged in the womb, a conception may come or not; his success is seen to be like the blossom of a mango tree.

Verse 16 (12.339.16)

केषांचित्पुत्रकामानामनुसन्तानमिच्छताम् । सिद्धौ प्रयतमानानां न चाण्डमुपजायते ॥

keṣāṃcitputrakāmānāmanusantānamicchatām | siddhau prayatamānānāṃ na cāṇḍamupajāyate

Of some who long for sons and wish for a line of descendants, and who strive for success, not even an egg is formed.

Verse 17 (12.339.17)

गर्भाच्चोद्विजमानानां क्रुद्धादाशीविषादिव । आयुष्माञ्जायते पुत्रः कथं प्रेतः पितेव ह ॥

garbhāccodvijamānānāṃ kruddhādāśīviṣādiva | āyuṣmāñjāyate putraḥ kathaṃ pretaḥ piteva ha

Yet to some who shrink from pregnancy as from an angry viper, a long-lived son is born. How then does he come to be, like his father, one who has passed away?

Verse 18 (12.339.18)

देवानिष्ट्वा तपस्तप्त्वा कृपणैः पुत्रगृद्धिभिः । दश मासान्परिधृता जायन्ते कुलपांसनाः ॥

devāniṣṭvā tapastaptvā kṛpaṇaiḥ putragṛddhibhiḥ | daśa māsānparidhṛtā jāyante kulapāṃsanāḥ

After worshipping the gods and practising austerities, wretched men eager for sons carry them for ten months, and they are born as the disgrace of the family.

Verse 19 (12.339.19)

अपरे धनधान्यानि भोगांश्च पितृसंचितान् । विपुलानभिजायन्ते लब्धास्तैरेव मङ्गलैः ॥

apare dhanadhānyāni bhogāṃśca pitṛsaṃcitān | vipulānabhijāyante labdhāstaireva maṅgalaiḥ

Others are born to abundant wealth, grain and enjoyments gathered by their fathers, gained by those same auspicious means.

Verse 20 (12.339.20)

अन्योन्यं समभिप्रेत्य मैथुनस्य समागमे । उपद्रव इवाविष्टो योनिं गर्भः प्रपद्यते ॥

anyonyaṃ samabhipretya maithunasya samāgame | upadrava ivāviṣṭo yoniṃ garbhaḥ prapadyate

Two come together in union, each desiring the other; and the embryo, as though seized by some calamity, enters the womb.

Verse 21 (12.339.21)

शीर्णं परशरीराणि च्छिन्नबीजं शरीरिणम् । प्राणिनं प्राणंसरोधे मांसश्लेष्मविचेष्टितम् ॥

śīrṇaṃ paraśarīrāṇi cchinnabījaṃ śarīriṇam | prāṇinaṃ prāṇaṃsarodhe māṃsaśleṣmaviceṣṭitam

Withered in other bodies, severed from its seed, an embodied living being, stirred by flesh and phlegm in the stopping of the breath,

Verse 22 (12.339.22)

निर्दग्धं परदेहेऽपि परदेहं चलाचलम् । विनश्यन्तं विनाशान्ते भावि नावमिवाहितम् ॥

nirdagdhaṃ paradehe'pi paradehaṃ calācalam | vinaśyantaṃ vināśānte bhāvi nāvamivāhitam

burnt up in another body, itself another body, shifting and unsteady, perishing, and destined to be at the end of its destruction, like a boat laid upon a boat.

Verse 23 (12.339.23)

सङ्गत्या जठरे न्यस्तं रेतोबिन्दुमचेतनम् । केन यत्नेन जीवन्तं गर्भं त्वमिह पश्यसि ॥

saṅgatyā jaṭhare nyastaṃ retobindumacetanam | kena yatnena jīvantaṃ garbhaṃ tvamiha paśyasi

A drop of seed without consciousness, placed in the belly by union: by what effort do you suppose a living embryo is kept here?

Verse 24 (12.339.24)

अन्नपानानि जीर्यन्ते यत्र भक्षाश्च भक्षिताः । तस्मिन्नेवोदरे गर्भः किं नान्नमिव जीर्यते ॥

annapānāni jīryante yatra bhakṣāśca bhakṣitāḥ | tasminnevodare garbhaḥ kiṃ nānnamiva jīryate

In the very belly where food and drink are digested and all that is eaten, why is the embryo not digested like food?

Verse 25 (12.339.25)

गर्भे मूत्रपुरीषाणां स्वभावनियता गतिः । धारणे वा विसर्गे वा न कर्ता विद्यतेऽवशः ॥

garbhe mūtrapurīṣāṇāṃ svabhāvaniyatā gatiḥ | dhāraṇe vā visarge vā na kartā vidyate'vaśaḥ

In the womb the course of urine and faeces is fixed by nature; in holding or in discharging, there is no one who acts, for the being is not in control.

Verse 26 (12.339.26)

स्रवन्ति ह्युदराद्गर्भा जायमानास्तथा परे । आगमेन तथाऽन्येषां विनाश उपपद्यते ॥

sravanti hyudarādgarbhā jāyamānāstathā pare | āgamena tathā'nyeṣāṃ vināśa upapadyate

Embryos slip away from the womb, and others as they are being born; and for yet others destruction befalls on their arrival.

Verse 27 (12.339.27)

एतस्माद्योनिसंबन्धाद्यो जीवः परिमुच्यते । प्रजां च लभते कांचित्पुनर्द्वन्द्वेषु सज्जति ॥

etasmādyonisaṃbandhādyo jīvaḥ parimucyate | prajāṃ ca labhate kāṃcitpunardvandveṣu sajjati

When a living being is freed from this bond of the womb, he obtains some offspring and then clings again to the pairs of opposites.

Verse 28 (12.339.28)

स तस्य सहजातस्य सप्तमीं नवमीं दशाम् । प्राप्नुवन्ति ततः पञ्च न भवन्ति शतायुषः ॥

sa tasya sahajātasya saptamīṃ navamīṃ daśām | prāpnuvanti tataḥ pañca na bhavanti śatāyuṣaḥ

Of those born together with him, they reach the seventh, the ninth and the tenth stages of life; thereafter five remain, and none of them lives to a hundred years.

Verse 29 (12.339.29)

नाभ्युत्थाने मनुष्याणां योगाः स्युर्नात्र संशयः । व्याधिभिश्च विमथ्यन्ते व्याधैः क्षुद्रमृगा इव ॥

nābhyutthāne manuṣyāṇāṃ yogāḥ syurnātra saṃśayaḥ | vyādhibhiśca vimathyante vyādhaiḥ kṣudramṛgā iva

Men's powers do not serve them in their exertions, there is no doubt of it; they are crushed by diseases as small deer are by hunters.

Verse 30 (12.339.30)

व्याधिभिर्भक्ष्यमाणानां त्यजतां विपुलं धनम् । वेदनां नापकर्षन्ति यतमानाश्चिकित्सकाः ॥

vyādhibhirbhakṣyamāṇānāṃ tyajatāṃ vipulaṃ dhanam | vedanāṃ nāpakarṣanti yatamānāścikitsakāḥ

Those who are eaten by diseases and give up great wealth are not relieved of their pain by the physicians, though the physicians try.

Verse 31 (12.339.31)

ते चापि निपुणा वैद्याः कुशलाः संभृतौषधाः । व्याधिभिः परिकृष्यन्ते मृगा व्याधैरिवार्दिताः ॥

te cāpi nipuṇā vaidyāḥ kuśalāḥ saṃbhṛtauṣadhāḥ | vyādhibhiḥ parikṛṣyante mṛgā vyādhairivārditāḥ

Even those skilled and expert physicians, with their medicines gathered, are dragged down by diseases like deer harassed by hunters.

Verse 32 (12.339.32)

ते पिबन्तः कषायांश्च सर्पीषि विविधानि च । दृश्यन्ते जरया भग्ना नगा नागैरिवोत्तमैः ॥

te pibantaḥ kaṣāyāṃśca sarpīṣi vividhāni ca | dṛśyante jarayā bhagnā nagā nāgairivottamaiḥ

Drinking decoctions and various medicated ghees, they are seen broken by old age, like trees by the mightiest elephants.

Verse 33 (12.339.33)

के वा भुवि चिकित्सन्ते रोगार्तान्मृगपक्षिणः । श्वापदानि दरिद्रांश्च प्रायो नार्ता भवन्ति ते ॥

ke vā bhuvi cikitsante rogārtānmṛgapakṣiṇaḥ | śvāpadāni daridrāṃśca prāyo nārtā bhavanti te

Who on earth treats the deer and birds afflicted by disease, or the beasts of prey, or the poor? Yet for the most part they are not afflicted.

Verse 34 (12.339.34)

पौरानपि दुराधर्षान्नृपतीनुग्रतेजसः । आक्रम्य खादन्ते रोगाः पशून्पशुपचा इव ॥

paurānapi durādharṣānnṛpatīnugratejasaḥ | ākramya khādante rogāḥ paśūnpaśupacā iva

Even city folk hard to assail, and kings of fierce splendour, diseases attack and devour, as butchers do beasts.

Verse 35 (12.339.35)

इति लोकमनाक्रन्दं मोहशोकपरिप्लुतम् । स्रोतसा सहसा क्षिप्तं ह्रियमाणं बलीयसा ॥

iti lokamanākrandaṃ mohaśokapariplutam | srotasā sahasā kṣiptaṃ hriyamāṇaṃ balīyasā

Thus the world, too stunned by pain to cry out, drowned in delusion and sorrow, is swept suddenly along and carried off by the stronger current.

Verse 36 (12.339.36)

न धनेन न राज्येन नोग्रेण तपसा तथा । स्वभावमतिवर्तन्ते ये नियुक्ताः शरीरिणः ॥

na dhanena na rājyena nogreṇa tapasā tathā | svabhāvamativartante ye niyuktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ

Neither by wealth, nor by kingdom, nor by fierce austerity can embodied beings who are so appointed overcome their nature.

Verse 37 (12.339.37)

न म्रियेरन्न जीर्येरन्सर्वे स्युः सर्वकामिनः । नाप्रियं प्रतिपश्येयुरुत्थानस्य फले सति ॥

na mriyeranna jīryeransarve syuḥ sarvakāminaḥ | nāpriyaṃ pratipaśyeyurutthānasya phale sati

If effort bore its fruit, no one would die and no one would age; all would have every desire, and none would meet with what is unwelcome.

Verse 38 (12.339.38)

उपर्युपरि लोकस्य सर्वो भवितुमीहते । यतते च यथाशक्ति न च तद्वर्तते तथा ॥

uparyupari lokasya sarvo bhavitumīhate | yatate ca yathāśakti na ca tadvartate tathā

Everyone longs to rise higher and higher in the world and strives as far as his strength allows, but it does not turn out so.

Verse 39 (12.339.39)

ऐश्वर्यमदमत्तांश्च मत्तान्मद्यमदेन च । अप्रमत्ताश्च शूराश्च विक्रान्ताः पर्युपासते ॥

aiśvaryamadamattāṃśca mattānmadyamadena ca | apramattāśca śūrāśca vikrāntāḥ paryupāsate

Men intoxicated with the pride of power and with the drunkenness of wine are waited upon by the vigilant, the brave and the valiant.

Verse 40 (12.339.40)

क्लेशाः प्रतिनिवर्तन्ते केषांचिदसमीक्षिताः । स्वंस्वं न पुनरन्येषां न किंचिदधिगम्यते ॥

kleśāḥ pratinivartante keṣāṃcidasamīkṣitāḥ | svaṃsvaṃ na punaranyeṣāṃ na kiṃcidadhigamyate

For some, troubles turn back without their even being looked for; but others do not get what is their own, and nothing is attained.

Verse 41 (12.339.41)

महच्च फलवैपम्यं दृश्यते कर्मसिद्धिषु । वहन्ति शिविकामन्ये यान्त्यन्ये शिविकागताः ॥

mahacca phalavaipamyaṃ dṛśyate karmasiddhiṣu | vahanti śivikāmanye yāntyanye śivikāgatāḥ

A great disparity of results is seen in the success of works: some carry the palanquin, others ride in it.

Verse 42 (12.339.42)

सर्वेषामृद्धिकामानामन्ये रथपुरःसराः । मनुजाश्च गतस्त्रीकाः शतशो विविधाः स्त्रियः ॥

sarveṣāmṛddhikāmānāmanye rathapuraḥsarāḥ | manujāśca gatastrīkāḥ śataśo vividhāḥ striyaḥ

Of all who long for prosperity, some have chariots going before them; others are men bereft of wives, and there are hundreds of women of every kind.

Verse 43 (12.339.43)

द्वन्द्वारामेषु भूतेषु गच्छन्त्येकैकशो नराः । इदमन्यत्परं पश्य माऽत्र मोहं करिष्यसि ॥

dvandvārāmeṣu bhūteṣu gacchantyekaikaśo narāḥ | idamanyatparaṃ paśya mā'tra mohaṃ kariṣyasi

Among creatures who delight in pairs, people depart one by one. Look upon this other, higher truth, and do not be deluded in this matter.

Verse 44 (12.339.44)

त्यज धर्ममधर्मं च उभे सत्यानृते त्यज । उभे सत्यानृते त्यक्त्वा येन त्यजसि तं त्यज ॥

tyaja dharmamadharmaṃ ca ubhe satyānṛte tyaja | ubhe satyānṛte tyaktvā yena tyajasi taṃ tyaja

Abandon dharma and adharma; abandon both truth and falsehood. Having abandoned both truth and falsehood, abandon that by which you abandon.

Verse 45 (12.339.45)

एतत्ते परमं गुह्यमाख्यातमृषिसत्तम । येन देवाः परित्यज्य मर्त्यलोकं दिवं गताः ॥

etatte paramaṃ guhyamākhyātamṛṣisattama | yena devāḥ parityajya martyalokaṃ divaṃ gatāḥ

This is the supreme secret, O best of sages, that I have told you, by which the gods left the mortal world and went to heaven.

Verse 46 (12.339.46)

नारदस्य वचः श्रुत्वा शुकः परमबुद्धिमान् । संचिन्त्य मनसा धीरो निश्चयं नाध्यगच्छत ॥

nāradasya vacaḥ śrutvā śukaḥ paramabuddhimān | saṃcintya manasā dhīro niścayaṃ nādhyagacchata

Hearing Narada's words, Shuka, of supreme intelligence and steadfast, pondered in his mind and could not arrive at a decision.

Note on the text: Speaker changed from नारद (carried over in the input) to भीष्म: from here the text is narration; the CE prints भीष्म उवाच at 12.318.46, the page prints no heading.

Verse 47 (12.339.47)

पुत्रदारैर्महान्क्लेशो विद्याम्नाये महाञ्छ्रमः । किंनु स्याच्छाश्वतं स्थानमल्पक्लेशं महोदयम् ॥

putradārairmahānkleśo vidyāmnāye mahāñchramaḥ | kiṃnu syācchāśvataṃ sthānamalpakleśaṃ mahodayam

Great is the toil with sons and wives, and great the labour in the study of learning. What could be an eternal state, with little toil and great reward?

Verse 48 (12.339.48)

ततो मुहूर्तं संचिन्त्य निश्चितां गतिमात्मनः । परावरज्ञो धर्मस्य परां नैःश्रेयसीं गतिम् ॥

tato muhūrtaṃ saṃcintya niścitāṃ gatimātmanaḥ | parāvarajño dharmasya parāṃ naiḥśreyasīṃ gatim

Then, after reflecting for a moment, he who knew the higher and the lower in dharma turned to the settled course for himself, the supreme path of final liberation.

Verse 49 (12.339.49)

कथं त्वहमसंश्लिष्टो गच्छेयं गतिमुत्तमाम् । नावर्तेयं यथा भूयो योनिसंसारसागरे ॥

kathaṃ tvahamasaṃśliṣṭo gaccheyaṃ gatimuttamām | nāvarteyaṃ yathā bhūyo yonisaṃsārasāgare

How can I go to the highest goal, unattached, so that I never again return into the ocean of birth and wandering?

Verse 50 (12.339.50)

परं भावं हि काङ्क्षामि यत्र नावर्तते पुनः । सर्वसङ्गान्परित्यज्य निश्चितो मनसा गतिम् ॥

paraṃ bhāvaṃ hi kāṅkṣāmi yatra nāvartate punaḥ | sarvasaṅgānparityajya niścito manasā gatim

I long for that supreme state from which one does not return; I have resolved in my mind, giving up all attachments, upon that goal.

Verse 51 (12.339.51)

तत्र यास्यामि यत्रात्मा शर्म मेऽधिगमिष्यति । अक्षयश्चाव्ययश्चैव यत्र स्थास्यामि शाश्वतः ॥

tatra yāsyāmi yatrātmā śarma me'dhigamiṣyati | akṣayaścāvyayaścaiva yatra sthāsyāmi śāśvataḥ

I shall go where my self will find peace, where I shall abide imperishable, undecaying and eternal.

Verse 52 (12.339.52)

न तु योगमृते शक्त्या प्राप्नुयां परमां गतिम् । अनुबन्धो विमुक्तस्य कर्मभिर्नोपपद्यते ॥

na tu yogamṛte śaktyā prāpnuyāṃ paramāṃ gatim | anubandho vimuktasya karmabhirnopapadyate

But without yoga I could not reach the highest goal by my own power alone; for one who is liberated, no further bond through actions can arise.

Verse 53 (12.339.53)

यस्माद्योगं समास्थाय त्यक्त्वा गृहकलेवरम् । वायुभूतः प्रवेक्ष्यामि तेजोराशिं दिवाकरम् ॥

yasmādyogaṃ samāsthāya tyaktvā gṛhakalevaram | vāyubhūtaḥ pravekṣyāmi tejorāśiṃ divākaram

Therefore, taking up yoga and leaving this house of a body, I shall become wind and enter the sun, the mass of radiance.

Verse 54 (12.339.54)

न ह्येष क्षयतां याति सोमः सुरगणैर्यथा । कम्पितः पतते भूमिं पुनश्चैवाधिरोहति ॥

na hyeṣa kṣayatāṃ yāti somaḥ suragaṇairyathā | kampitaḥ patate bhūmiṃ punaścaivādhirohati

For the moon does not simply go to destruction, as the hosts of gods do; shaken, it falls to the earth and climbs up again.

Note on the text: Corrected ह्येप → ह्येष (misprint in Wikisource; ष is mistyped as प; CE 12.318.54 has hy eṣa). The alignment found no match. Lines 1-2 are CE 12.318.54ac (Wikisource क्षयतां याति for the CE's kṣayam āpnoti, a recension variant, kept; the page's verse numbering runs ahead of the CE's from here, verse 56 = CE 12.318.55).

Verse 55 (12.339.55)

क्षीयते हि सदा सोमः पुनश्चैवाभिपूर्यते । नेच्छाम्येवं विदित्वैते ह्रासवृद्धी पुनः पुनः ॥

kṣīyate hi sadā somaḥ punaścaivābhipūryate | necchāmyevaṃ viditvaite hrāsavṛddhī punaḥ punaḥ

The moon wanes always and is filled again. Knowing this waxing and waning, again and again, I do not wish for it.

Note on the text: The alignment found no match. Line 1 is CE 12.318.54e (kṣīyate hi sadā somaḥ punaś caivābhipūryate); line 2 is the CE star line 12.318.54f*0795_01 (necchāmy evaṃ viditvaite hrāsavṛddhī punaḥ punaḥ), which the CE prints in its apparatus.

Verse 56 (12.339.56)

रविस्तु संतापयते लोकान्रश्मिभिरुल्बणैः । सर्वतस्तेज आदत्ते नित्यमक्षयमण्डलः ॥

ravistu saṃtāpayate lokānraśmibhirulbaṇaiḥ | sarvatasteja ādatte nityamakṣayamaṇḍalaḥ

But the sun scorches the worlds with his fierce rays; on every side he takes up radiance, his orb forever undiminished.

Verse 57 (12.339.57)

अतो मे रोचते गन्तुमादित्यं दीप्ततेजसम् । अत्र वत्स्यामि दुर्धर्षो निःसङ्गेनान्तरात्मना ॥

ato me rocate gantumādityaṃ dīptatejasam | atra vatsyāmi durdharṣo niḥsaṅgenāntarātmanā

Therefore it pleases me to go to the blazing sun. There I shall dwell, unassailable, with an inner self free from attachment.

Verse 58 (12.339.58)

सूर्यस्य सदने चाहं निक्षिप्येदं कलेवरम् । ऋषिभिः सह वत्स्यामि सौरं तेजोऽतिदुःसहं ॥

sūryasya sadane cāhaṃ nikṣipyedaṃ kalevaram | ṛṣibhiḥ saha vatsyāmi sauraṃ tejo'tiduḥsahaṃ

Having laid down this body in the abode of the sun, I shall dwell with the sages in the solar radiance that is so hard to bear.

Note on the text: Corrected सूर्यस्यर → सूर्यस्य (misprint in Wikisource; a stray र; CE 12.318.57 has sūryasya).

Verse 59 (12.339.59)

आपृच्छामि नगान्नागान्गिरीनुर्वी दिशो दश । देवदानवगन्धर्वान्पिशाचोरगराक्षसान् ॥

āpṛcchāmi nagānnāgāngirīnurvī diśo daśa | devadānavagandharvānpiśācoragarākṣasān

I take leave of the trees, the serpents, the mountains, the earth, the ten quarters, and the gods, Danavas, Gandharvas, Pishachas, Uragas and Rakshasas.

Verse 60 (12.339.60)

लोकेषु सर्वभूतानि प्रवेक्ष्यामि न संशयः । पश्यन्तु योगवीर्यं मे सर्वे देवाः सहर्षिभिः ॥

lokeṣu sarvabhūtāni pravekṣyāmi na saṃśayaḥ | paśyantu yogavīryaṃ me sarve devāḥ saharṣibhiḥ

I shall enter all beings in the worlds, without doubt. Let all the gods with the sages behold the power of my yoga.

Verse 61 (12.339.61)

अथानुज्ञाप्य तमृषिं नारदं लोकविश्रुतम् । तस्मादनुज्ञां संप्राप्य जगाम पितरं प्रति ॥

athānujñāpya tamṛṣiṃ nāradaṃ lokaviśrutam | tasmādanujñāṃ saṃprāpya jagāma pitaraṃ prati

Then, having taken leave of the sage Narada, renowned in the worlds, and having received his permission, he went to his father.

Verse 62 (12.339.62)

सोऽभिवाद्य महात्मानं कृष्णद्वैपायनं मुनिम् । शुकः प्रदक्षिणं कृत्वा कृष्णमापृष्टवान्मुनिम् ॥

so'bhivādya mahātmānaṃ kṛṣṇadvaipāyanaṃ munim | śukaḥ pradakṣiṇaṃ kṛtvā kṛṣṇamāpṛṣṭavānmunim

He saluted the great-souled sage Krishna Dvaipayana, and Shuka, having circled him with reverence, took leave of the sage Krishna.

Verse 63 (12.339.63)

श्रुत्वा चर्षिस्तद्वचनं शुकस्य । प्रीतो महात्मा पुनराह चैनम् । भोभो पुत्र स्थीयतां तावदद्य । यावच्चक्षुः प्रीणयामि त्वदर्थे ॥

śrutvā carṣistadvacanaṃ śukasya | prīto mahātmā punarāha cainam | bhobho putra sthīyatāṃ tāvadadya | yāvaccakṣuḥ prīṇayāmi tvadarthe

Hearing those words of Shuka, the sage, great-souled and pleased, spoke to him again: "My son, stay here for today, until I have feasted my eyes on you."

Verse 64 (12.339.64)

निरपेक्षः शुको भूत्वा निःस्नेहो मुक्तसंशयः । मोक्षमेवानुसंचिन्त्य गमनाय मनो दधे ॥

nirapekṣaḥ śuko bhūtvā niḥsneho muktasaṃśayaḥ | mokṣamevānusaṃcintya gamanāya mano dadhe

Shuka, becoming indifferent, without affection and free from doubt, thought only of liberation and set his mind on departing.

Note on the text: The alignment found no match. This is CE 12.318.63ac (Wikisource मुक्तसंशयः for the CE's muktabandhanaḥ, a recension variant, kept).

Verse 65 (12.339.65)

पितरं स परित्यज्य जगाम मुनिसत्तमः । कैलासपृष्ठं विपुलं सिद्धसङ्घनिषेवितम् ॥

pitaraṃ sa parityajya jagāma munisattamaḥ | kailāsapṛṣṭhaṃ vipulaṃ siddhasaṅghaniṣevitam

Leaving his father, that best of sages went to the broad summit of Kailasa, haunted by hosts of Siddhas.

Note on the text: The alignment found no match. Line 1 is CE 12.318.63e (Wikisource मुनिसत्तमः for the CE's dvijasattamaḥ, a recension variant, kept); line 2 is the CE star line 12.318.63f*0798_01 (kailāsapṛṣṭhaṃ vipulaṃ siddhasaṃghair niṣevitam), printed in the CE apparatus.