Shuka Rises into the Sky

Verse 1 (12.340.1)

गिरिशृङ्गं समारुह्य सुतो व्यासस्य भारत । समे देशे विविक्ते स निःशलाक उपाविशत् ॥

giriśṛṅgaṃ samāruhya suto vyāsasya bhārata | same deśe vivikte sa niḥśalāka upāviśat

Climbing a mountain peak, Vyasa's son, O Bharata, sat down on level, secluded ground, free of thorns and blades of grass.

Note on the text: Adhyaya note: the page is the right adhyaya (30 table rows; colophon चत्वारिंशदधिकत्रिशततमोऽध्यायः । 340), and the text is the critical edition's 12.319.1-29 (the CE numbers this adhyaya 319). The page prints the headings भीष्म उवाच (before verse 1) and शुक उवाच (before verse 8, "12-340-8x"); the input carried शुक through verses 8-30. Only verse 8 is Shuka's speech; the other verses are given as described in the individual notes (narration to भीष्म; unheaded speeches to the speakers named in the text). The two heading lines (शुकेन कैलासशिखरादन्तरिक्षोत्पतनम् …) and the two footnotes printed after the colophon (12-340-1, 12-340-16) are not added. No Appendix I passage occurs here and the page is not a stray copy.

Verse 2 (12.340.2)

धारयामास चात्मानं यथाशास्त्रं यथाविधि । पादप्रभृतिगात्रेषु क्रमेण क्रमयोगवित् ॥

dhārayāmāsa cātmānaṃ yathāśāstraṃ yathāvidhi | pādaprabhṛtigātreṣu krameṇa kramayogavit

According to the rules and the proper procedure, he who was skilled in the order of yoga composed himself, placing his mind in each limb in turn, beginning with the feet.

Verse 3 (12.340.3)

ततः स प्राङ्भुखो विद्वानादित्ये नाचिरोदिते । पाणिपादं समाधाय विनीतवदुपाविशत् ॥

tataḥ sa prāṅbhukho vidvānāditye nācirodite | pāṇipādaṃ samādhāya vinītavadupāviśat

Then the wise one, facing east when the sun had only just risen, composed his hands and feet and sat down like a humble pupil.

Verse 4 (12.340.4)

न तत्र पक्षिसंपातो न शब्दो नापि दर्शनम् । यत्र वैयासकिर्धीमान्योक्तुं समुपचक्रमे ॥

na tatra pakṣisaṃpāto na śabdo nāpi darśanam | yatra vaiyāsakirdhīmānyoktuṃ samupacakrame

In the place where Vyasa's wise son set about practising yoga, there was no alighting of birds, no sound, and nothing to be seen.

Verse 5 (12.340.5)

स ददर्श तदाऽऽत्मानं सर्वसङ्गविनिःसृतम् । प्रजहास ततो हासं शुकः संप्रेक्ष्य तत्परम् ॥

sa dadarśa tadā''tmānaṃ sarvasaṅgaviniḥsṛtam | prajahāsa tato hāsaṃ śukaḥ saṃprekṣya tatparam

He saw his own self, wholly freed of all attachment, and Shuka, gazing at that Supreme, then broke into laughter.

Verse 6 (12.340.6)

स पुनर्योगमास्थाय मोक्षमार्गोपलब्धये । महायोगेश्वरो भूत्वा सोऽत्यक्रामद्विहायसम् ॥

sa punaryogamāsthāya mokṣamārgopalabdhaye | mahāyogeśvaro bhūtvā so'tyakrāmadvihāyasam

Taking up yoga again, to find the path of liberation, he became a great lord of yoga and rose into the sky.

Verse 7 (12.340.7)

ततः प्रदक्षिणं कृत्वा देवर्षिं नारदं ततः । निवेदयामास च तं स्वं योगं परमर्षये ॥

tataḥ pradakṣiṇaṃ kṛtvā devarṣiṃ nāradaṃ tataḥ | nivedayāmāsa ca taṃ svaṃ yogaṃ paramarṣaye

Then he circled the divine sage Narada in reverence, and reported his yoga to that supreme sage.

Note on the text: Corrected देवर्षि नारदं → देवर्षिं नारदं (misprint in Wikisource; the accusative anusvara of देवर्षिम् is dropped; CE 12.319.7 has devarṣiṃ).

Verse 8 (12.340.8)

दृष्टो मार्गः प्रवृत्तोस्मि स्वस्ति तेऽस्तु तपोधन । त्वत्प्रसादाद्गमिष्यामि गतिमिष्टां महाद्युते ॥

dṛṣṭo mārgaḥ pravṛttosmi svasti te'stu tapodhana | tvatprasādādgamiṣyāmi gatimiṣṭāṃ mahādyute

"The path has been seen; I have set out. May it be well with you, O wealth of austerity. By your grace I shall go to the goal I desire, O greatly radiant one."

Verse 9 (12.340.9)

नारदेनाभ्यनुज्ञातः शुको द्वैपायनात्मजः । अभिवाद्य पुनर्योगमास्थायाकाशमाविशत् ॥

nāradenābhyanujñātaḥ śuko dvaipāyanātmajaḥ | abhivādya punaryogamāsthāyākāśamāviśat

With Narada's leave, Shuka, son of Dvaipayana, saluted him, took up yoga again and entered the sky.

Note on the text: Speaker changed from शुक (carried over in the input) to भीष्म: Shuka's speech ends with verse 8, and from here the text is narration.

Verse 10 (12.340.10)

कैलासपृष्ठादुत्पत्य स पपात दिवं तदा । अन्तरिक्षचरः श्रीमान्व्यासपुत्रः सुनिश्चितः ॥

kailāsapṛṣṭhādutpatya sa papāta divaṃ tadā | antarikṣacaraḥ śrīmānvyāsaputraḥ suniścitaḥ

Springing up from the summit of Kailasa, he soared into the sky; the glorious son of Vyasa, moving through the air, was firmly resolved.

Verse 11 (12.340.11)

तमुद्यन्तं द्विजश्रेष्ठं वैनतेयसमद्युतिम् । ददृशुः सर्वभूतानि मनोमारुतरंहसम् ॥

tamudyantaṃ dvijaśreṣṭhaṃ vainateyasamadyutim | dadṛśuḥ sarvabhūtāni manomārutaraṃhasam

All beings saw that best of the twice-born as he rose, shining like Garuda, swift as mind and wind.

Note on the text: Corrected मनोऽमारुतरंहसम् → मनोमारुतरंहसम् (misprint in Wikisource; a stray avagraha makes मनोऽमारुत meaningless; CE 12.319.11 has manomārutaraṃhasam, "swift as mind and wind").

Verse 12 (12.340.12)

व्यवसायेन लोकांस्त्रीन्सर्वान्सोऽथ विचिन्तयन् । आस्थितो दिव्यमध्वानं पावकार्कसमप्रभः ॥

vyavasāyena lokāṃstrīnsarvānso'tha vicintayan | āsthito divyamadhvānaṃ pāvakārkasamaprabhaḥ

Contemplating all three worlds with resolve, he took to the divine way, bright as fire and the sun.

Verse 13 (12.340.13)

तमेकमनसं यान्तमव्यग्रमकुतोभयम् । ददृशुः सर्वभूतानि जङ्गमानीतराणि च ॥

tamekamanasaṃ yāntamavyagramakutobhayam | dadṛśuḥ sarvabhūtāni jaṅgamānītarāṇi ca

All beings, moving and unmoving, saw him going with a single mind, untroubled and fearless.

Verse 14 (12.340.14)

यथाशक्ति यथान्यायं पूजयांचक्रिरे तदा । पुष्पवर्षैश्च दिव्यैस्तमलंचक्रुर्दिवौकसः ॥

yathāśakti yathānyāyaṃ pūjayāṃcakrire tadā | puṣpavarṣaiśca divyaistamalaṃcakrurdivaukasaḥ

Then, as best they could and as was proper, they honoured him, and the dwellers of heaven adorned him with showers of divine flowers.

Note on the text: Corrected पुष्पवर्षेश्च → पुष्पवर्षैश्च (misprint in Wikisource; the instrumental plural of वर्ष is वर्षैः; CE 12.319.14 has puṣpavarṣaiś).

Verse 15 (12.340.15)

तं दृष्ट्वा विस्मिताः सर्वे गन्धर्वाप्सरसां गणाः । ऋषयश्चैव संसिद्धाः परं विस्मयमागताः ॥

taṃ dṛṣṭvā vismitāḥ sarve gandharvāpsarasāṃ gaṇāḥ | ṛṣayaścaiva saṃsiddhāḥ paraṃ vismayamāgatāḥ

Seeing him, all the hosts of Gandharvas and Apsarases, and the sages and perfected ones, were struck with the utmost wonder.

Verse 16 (12.340.16)

अन्तरिक्षगतः कोऽयं तपसा सिद्धिमागतः । अधः कायोर्ध्ववक्त्रश्च नेत्रैः समतिवाह्यते ॥

antarikṣagataḥ ko'yaṃ tapasā siddhimāgataḥ | adhaḥ kāyordhvavaktraśca netraiḥ samativāhyate

"Who is this, moving through the sky, who has won perfection by austerity? His body is below and his face turned upward, and he is borne along by his gaze."

Note on the text: Corrected वक्रश्च → वक्त्रश्च (misprint in Wikisource; the त्र of वक्त्र is lost; CE 12.319.16 has ūrdhvavaktraś, and the page's own footnote glosses it as the face turned toward the sun). Speaker changed from the carried-over शुक: this is what the Gandharvas, Apsarases and sages say on seeing him (verse 15), with no printed heading.

Verse 17 (12.340.17)

ततः परमधर्मात्मा त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतः । भास्करं समुदीक्षन्स प्राङ्भुखो वाग्यतोऽगमत् । शब्देनाकाशमखिलं पूरयन्निव सर्वशः ॥

tataḥ paramadharmātmā triṣu lokeṣu viśrutaḥ | bhāskaraṃ samudīkṣansa prāṅbhukho vāgyato'gamat | śabdenākāśamakhilaṃ pūrayanniva sarvaśaḥ

Then he of supremely righteous soul, renowned in the three worlds, went on facing east, silent, gazing at the sun, as though filling the whole sky with sound.

Verse 18 (12.340.18)

तमापतन्तं सहसा दृष्ट्वा सर्वाप्सरोगणाः । संभ्रान्तमनसो राजन्नासन्परमविस्मिताः । पञ्चचूडाप्रभृतयो भृशमुत्फुल्ललोचनाः ॥

tamāpatantaṃ sahasā dṛṣṭvā sarvāpsarogaṇāḥ | saṃbhrāntamanaso rājannāsanparamavismitāḥ | pañcacūḍāprabhṛtayo bhṛśamutphullalocanāḥ

Seeing him suddenly approaching, O king, all the hosts of Apsarases, Panchachuda and the rest, were bewildered in mind and utterly amazed, their eyes wide open.

Verse 19 (12.340.19)

दैवतं कतमं ह्येतदुत्तमां गतिमास्थितम् । सुनिश्चितमिहायाति विमुक्तमिव निःस्पृहम् ॥

daivataṃ katamaṃ hyetaduttamāṃ gatimāsthitam | suniścitamihāyāti vimuktamiva niḥspṛham

"What deity is this, who has attained the highest goal? Fully resolved, he comes this way as though liberated and free of desire."

Note on the text: Speaker changed from the carried-over शुक: this is what the Apsarases say (verse 18), with no printed heading.

Verse 20 (12.340.20)

ततः समभिचक्राम मलयं नाम पर्वतम् । उर्वशी पूर्वचित्तिश्च यं नित्यमुपसेवतः ॥

tataḥ samabhicakrāma malayaṃ nāma parvatam | urvaśī pūrvacittiśca yaṃ nityamupasevataḥ

Then he passed over the mountain called Malaya, which Urvashi and Purvachitti always frequent.

Note on the text: The alignment found no match. Lines 1-2 are CE 12.319.20ac (Wikisource उपसेवतः for the CE's upasevate, a form of the dual, kept).

Verse 21 (12.340.21)

तस्य ब्रह्मर्षिपुत्रस्य विस्मयं ययतुः परम् । अहो बुद्धिसमाधानं वेदाभ्यासरते द्विजे ॥

tasya brahmarṣiputrasya vismayaṃ yayatuḥ param | aho buddhisamādhānaṃ vedābhyāsarate dvije

The two were filled with great amazement at the son of the brahmin sage: "Ah, the steadiness of mind in a twice-born devoted to the study of the Veda!

Note on the text: The alignment found no match. Line 1 is CE 12.319.20e (Wikisource तस्य … ययतुः for the CE's te sma … yayatuḥ, a recension variant, kept); line 2 is CE 12.319.21a. Line 1 is narration and line 2 begins the speech of Urvashi and Purvachitti, which continues in the next two verses; the verse stays with the narrator.

Verse 22 (12.340.22)

अचिरेणैव कालेन नभश्चरति चन्द्रवत् । पितृशुश्रूषया बुद्धिं संप्राप्तोऽयमनुत्तमाम् ॥

acireṇaiva kālena nabhaścarati candravat | pitṛśuśrūṣayā buddhiṃ saṃprāpto'yamanuttamām

In so short a time he ranges the sky like the moon! Through service to his father he has attained a mind beyond compare."

Note on the text: The alignment found no match. This is CE 12.319.21c and 21e (Wikisource बुद्धिं for the CE's siddhiṃ, a recension variant, kept). Speaker changed from the carried-over शुक: the speech is Urvashi's (verse 24 says "having heard Urvashi's words").

Verse 23 (12.340.23)

पितृभक्तो दृढतपाः पितुः सुदयितः सुतः । अनन्यमनसा तेन कथं पित्रा विसर्जितः ॥

pitṛbhakto dṛḍhatapāḥ pituḥ sudayitaḥ sutaḥ | ananyamanasā tena kathaṃ pitrā visarjitaḥ

"Devoted to his father, firm in austerity, dearly loved by his father: how has such a son been sent away by the father, whose mind was fixed on him alone?"

Note on the text: Speaker changed from the carried-over शुक: this is Urvashi's speech (see verse 24). The CE has a star line after 12.319.22a (22b*0799_01, kṛtāñjalipuṭāḥ sarve tuṣṭuvur hṛṣṭamānasāḥ) which Wikisource does not print.

Verse 24 (12.340.24)

उर्वश्या वचनं श्रुत्वा शुकः परमधर्मवित् । उदैक्षत दिशः सर्वा वचने गतमानसः ॥

urvaśyā vacanaṃ śrutvā śukaḥ paramadharmavit | udaikṣata diśaḥ sarvā vacane gatamānasaḥ

Hearing Urvashi's words, Shuka, who knew supreme dharma, looked toward all the directions, his mind on her speech.

Note on the text: Speaker changed from the carried-over शुक to narration (भीष्म).

Verse 25 (12.340.25)

सोऽन्तरिक्षं महीं चैव सशैलवनकाननाम् । विलोकयामास तदा सरांसि सरितस्तथा ॥

so'ntarikṣaṃ mahīṃ caiva saśailavanakānanām | vilokayāmāsa tadā sarāṃsi saritastathā

He then looked over the sky and the earth with its mountains, forests and groves, and over the lakes and the rivers.

Verse 26 (12.340.26)

ततो द्वैपायनसुतं बहुमानात्समन्ततः । कृताञ्जलिपुटाः सर्वा निरीक्षन्ते स्म देवताः ॥

tato dvaipāyanasutaṃ bahumānātsamantataḥ | kṛtāñjalipuṭāḥ sarvā nirīkṣante sma devatāḥ

Then all the deities, with palms joined, gazed at Dvaipayana's son from every side with deep regard.

Verse 27 (12.340.27)

अब्रवीत्तास्तदा वाक्यं शुकः परमधर्मवित् । पिता यद्यनुगच्छेन्मां क्रोशमानः शुकेति वै ॥

abravīttāstadā vākyaṃ śukaḥ paramadharmavit | pitā yadyanugacchenmāṃ krośamānaḥ śuketi vai

Shuka, who knew supreme dharma, then said to them: "If my father follows me, crying out 'Shuka!',

Note on the text: Corrected क्रोशमान शुकेति → क्रोशमानः शुकेति (misprint in Wikisource; the visarga of the nominative क्रोशमानः is dropped; CE 12.319.26 has krośamānaḥ). Speaker changed from the carried-over शुक to narration (भीष्म): line 1 is narration; line 2 begins Shuka's speech, which continues in the next verse.

Verse 28 (12.340.28)

तस्य प्रतिवचो देयं सर्वैरेव समाहितैः । एतन्मे स्नेहतः सर्वे वचनं कर्तुमर्हथ ॥

tasya prativaco deyaṃ sarvaireva samāhitaiḥ | etanme snehataḥ sarve vacanaṃ kartumarhatha

"then all of you, with attention, must give him a reply. Out of affection for me, all of you should do as I ask."

Note on the text: Corrected स्नेहनः → स्नेहतः (misprint in Wikisource; स्नेहनः does not agree with सर्वे and gives no sense; CE 12.319.27 has snehataḥ, "out of affection"). Speaker शुक is correct (his own words, with no printed heading); Wikisource reads तस्य प्रतिवचो देयं where the CE has tataḥ prativaco deyaṃ (recension variant, kept).

Verse 29 (12.340.29)

शुकस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा दिशः सजलकाननाः । समुद्राः सरितः शैलाः प्रत्यूचुस्तं समन्ततः ॥

śukasya vacanaṃ śrutvā diśaḥ sajalakānanāḥ | samudrāḥ saritaḥ śailāḥ pratyūcustaṃ samantataḥ

Hearing Shuka's words, the quarters with their waters and woods, the oceans, rivers and mountains replied to him from every side.

Note on the text: Corrected वचन श्रुत्वा → वचनं श्रुत्वा (misprint in Wikisource; the anusvara of the object वचनम् is lost; CE 12.319.28 has vacanaṃ).

Verse 30 (12.340.30)

यथा ज्ञापयसे विप्र बाढमेवं भविष्यति । ऋषेर्व्याहरतो वाक्यं प्रतिवक्ष्यामहे वयम् ॥

yathā jñāpayase vipra bāḍhamevaṃ bhaviṣyati | ṛṣervyāharato vākyaṃ prativakṣyāmahe vayam

"As you instruct us, O brahmin, so it shall be. When the sage calls out, we shall answer him."

Note on the text: Speaker changed from the carried-over शुक: this is the reply of the quarters, oceans, rivers and mountains (verse 29), with no printed heading.