Shuka Reaches the Supreme State; Rudra Consoles Vyasa

Verse 1 (12.341.1)

इत्येवमुक्त्वा वचनं ब्रह्मर्षिः सुमहातपाः । प्रातिष्ठत शुकः सिद्धिं हित्वा दोषांश्चतुर्विधान् ॥

ityevamuktvā vacanaṃ brahmarṣiḥ sumahātapāḥ | prātiṣṭhata śukaḥ siddhiṃ hitvā doṣāṃścaturvidhān

Having spoken these words, Shuka, the brahmin sage of great austerity, set out for perfection, leaving behind the four kinds of faults.

Note on the text: Line 2 reads दोषांश्चतुर्विधान् (CE lokāṃś caturvidhān; the page's footnote cites another reading), a recension variant, kept.

Verse 2 (12.341.2)

तमो ह्यष्टगुणं हित्वा जहौ पञ्चविधं रजः । ततः सत्वं जहौ धीमांस्तदद्भुतमिवाभवत् ॥

tamo hyaṣṭaguṇaṃ hitvā jahau pañcavidhaṃ rajaḥ | tataḥ satvaṃ jahau dhīmāṃstadadbhutamivābhavat

Leaving behind darkness with its eight qualities, he abandoned the five kinds of passion; then the wise one gave up even goodness, and that was a marvel.

Note on the text: Line 1 reads तमो ह्यष्टगुणम् (CE tamo hy aṣṭavidham), a recension variant, kept.

Verse 3 (12.341.3)

ततस्तस्मिन्पदे नित्ये निर्गुणे लिङ्गवर्जिते । ब्रह्मणि प्रत्यतिष्ठत्स विधूमोऽग्निरिव ज्वलन् ॥

tatastasminpade nitye nirguṇe liṅgavarjite | brahmaṇi pratyatiṣṭhatsa vidhūmo'gniriva jvalan

Then, in that eternal state, free of qualities and free of any mark, he took his stand in Brahman, blazing like a fire without smoke.

Verse 4 (12.341.4)

उत्कापाता दिशां दाहो भूमिकम्पस्तथैव च । प्रादुर्भूताः क्षणे तस्मिंस्तदद्भुतमिवाभवत् ॥

utkāpātā diśāṃ dāho bhūmikampastathaiva ca | prādurbhūtāḥ kṣaṇe tasmiṃstadadbhutamivābhavat

At that moment meteors fell, the quarters burned and the earth shook, and it was a marvel.

Verse 5 (12.341.5)

द्रुमाः शाखाश्च मुमुचुः शिखराणि च पर्वताः । निर्घातशब्दैर्गुरुभिर्भूमिर्व्यादीर्यतेव ह ॥

drumāḥ śākhāśca mumucuḥ śikharāṇi ca parvatāḥ | nirghātaśabdairgurubhirbhūmirvyādīryateva ha

Trees shed their branches and mountains their peaks; with heavy crashes of thunder the earth seemed to be splitting open.

Note on the text: Line 2 reads भूमिर्व्यादीर्यतेव ह (CE nirghātaśabdaiś ca girir himavān dīryatīva ha; the page's footnote cites the CE-like reading as a variant), a recension variant, kept.

Verse 6 (12.341.6)

न बभासे सहस्रांशुर्न जज्वाल च पावकः । ह्रदाश्च सरितश्चैव चुक्षुभुः सागरास्तथा ॥

na babhāse sahasrāṃśurna jajvāla ca pāvakaḥ | hradāśca saritaścaiva cukṣubhuḥ sāgarāstathā

The thousand-rayed sun did not shine, the fire did not blaze, and lakes, rivers and oceans were churned up.

Verse 7 (12.341.7)

ववर्ष वासवस्तोयं रसवच्च सुगन्धि च । ववौ समीरणश्चापि दिव्यगन्धवहः शुचिः ॥

vavarṣa vāsavastoyaṃ rasavacca sugandhi ca | vavau samīraṇaścāpi divyagandhavahaḥ śuciḥ

Indra poured down rain that was flavourful and fragrant, and the pure wind blew, carrying divine scents.

Verse 8 (12.341.8)

स शृङ्गेऽप्रतिमे दिव्ये हिमवन्मेरुसंनिभे । संश्लिष्टे श्वेतपीते द्वे रुक्मरूप्यमये शुभे ॥

sa śṛṅge'pratime divye himavanmerusaṃnibhe | saṃśliṣṭe śvetapīte dve rukmarūpyamaye śubhe

He saw two matchless, divine, beautiful peaks, like the Himalaya and Meru, joined together, one white and one yellow, made of silver and of gold,

Note on the text: Corrected स्वतेपीते → श्वेतपीते (misprint in Wikisource; CE śvetapīte, 'white and yellow'). Line 1 हिमवन्मेरुसंनिभे (CE merusaṃbhave) is a recension variant, kept.

Verse 9 (12.341.9)

शतयोजनविस्तारे तिर्यगूर्ध्वं च भारत । उदीचीं दिशमास्थाय रुचिरे संददर्श ह ॥

śatayojanavistāre tiryagūrdhvaṃ ca bhārata | udīcīṃ diśamāsthāya rucire saṃdadarśa ha

Each a hundred yojanas in extent, across and upward, O Bharata, lying in the northern quarter, lovely.

Verse 10 (12.341.10)

सोऽविशङ्केन मनसा तथैवाभ्यपतच्छुकः ॥

so'viśaṅkena manasā tathaivābhyapatacchukaḥ

With an unhesitating mind Shuka flew straight at them.

Note on the text: Numbering: the page prints this single line as its own verse (12-341-10); in the CE it is the first line (10a) of the three-line verse 12.320.10, whose lines c and e are the next verse here. Kept as the page divides it.

Verse 11 (12.341.11)

ततः पर्वतशृङ्गे द्वे सहसैव द्विधाकृते । अदृश्येतां महाराज तदद्भुतमिवाभवत् ॥

tataḥ parvataśṛṅge dve sahasaiva dvidhākṛte | adṛśyetāṃ mahārāja tadadbhutamivābhavat

Then the two mountain peaks were suddenly cleft in two and passed out of sight, O great king, and it was a marvel.

Note on the text: Numbering: the two lines are CE 12.320.10c and 10e (the rest of the three-line CE verse 12.320.10 begun in the previous verse); kept as the page divides it.

Verse 12 (12.341.12)

ततः पर्वतशृङ्गाभ्यां सहसैव विनिःसृतः । न च प्रतिजघानास्य स गतिं पर्वतोत्तमः ॥

tataḥ parvataśṛṅgābhyāṃ sahasaiva viniḥsṛtaḥ | na ca pratijaghānāsya sa gatiṃ parvatottamaḥ

Then he came out suddenly between the two peaks, and that best of mountains did not obstruct his course.

Verse 13 (12.341.13)

ततो महानभूच्छब्दो दिवि सर्वदिवौकसाम् । गन्धर्वाणामृषीणां च ये च शैलनिवासिनः ॥

tato mahānabhūcchabdo divi sarvadivaukasām | gandharvāṇāmṛṣīṇāṃ ca ye ca śailanivāsinaḥ

Then a great clamour arose in the sky from all the dwellers in heaven, from the Gandharvas and the sages and those who live in the mountains.

Verse 14 (12.341.14)

दृष्ट्वा शुकमतिक्रान्तं पर्वतं च द्विधा कृतम् । साधुसाध्विति तत्रासीन्नादः सर्वत्र भारत ॥

dṛṣṭvā śukamatikrāntaṃ parvataṃ ca dvidhā kṛtam | sādhusādhviti tatrāsīnnādaḥ sarvatra bhārata

Seeing Shuka pass beyond and the mountain split in two, a cry of 'Well done! Well done!' rose everywhere, O Bharata.

Verse 15 (12.341.15)

स पूज्यमानो देवैश्च गन्धर्वैर्ऋषिभिस्तथा । यक्षराक्षससङ्घैश्च विद्याधरगणैस्तथा ॥

sa pūjyamāno devaiśca gandharvairṛṣibhistathā | yakṣarākṣasasaṅghaiśca vidyādharagaṇaistathā

He was honoured by the gods, the Gandharvas and the sages, by hosts of Yakshas and Rakshasas and bands of Vidyadharas.

Note on the text: Corrected ऋशिभिः → ऋषिभिः (misprint in Wikisource; CE ṛṣibhis).

Verse 16 (12.341.16)

दिव्यैः पुष्पैः समाकीर्णमन्तरिक्षं समन्ततः । आसीत्किल महाराज शुकाभिपतने तदा ॥

divyaiḥ puṣpaiḥ samākīrṇamantarikṣaṃ samantataḥ | āsītkila mahārāja śukābhipatane tadā

At Shuka's flight then, O great king, the sky is said to have been strewn all around with divine flowers.

Verse 17 (12.341.17)

ततो मन्दाकिनीं रम्यामुपरिष्टादभिव्रजन् । शुको ददर्श धर्मात्मा पुष्पितद्रुमकाननाम् ॥

tato mandākinīṃ ramyāmupariṣṭādabhivrajan | śuko dadarśa dharmātmā puṣpitadrumakānanām

Then, passing above the lovely Mandakini, with her groves of flowering trees, the righteous Shuka saw her.

Verse 18 (12.341.18)

तस्यां क्रीडन्त्यभिरताः स्नान्ति चैवाप्सरोगणाः । शून्याकारं निराकाराः शुकं दृष्ट्वा विवाससः ॥

tasyāṃ krīḍantyabhiratāḥ snānti caivāpsarogaṇāḥ | śūnyākāraṃ nirākārāḥ śukaṃ dṛṣṭvā vivāsasaḥ

Hosts of Apsarases were there, delighting in their play and bathing, unclothed; and seeing Shuka, who looked like emptiness itself, they showed no change in their manner.

Verse 19 (12.341.19)

तं प्रक्रामन्तमाज्ञाय पिता स्नेहसमन्वितः । उत्तमां गतिमास्थाय पृष्ठतोऽनुससार ह ॥

taṃ prakrāmantamājñāya pitā snehasamanvitaḥ | uttamāṃ gatimāsthāya pṛṣṭhato'nusasāra ha

Knowing that he was departing, his father, full of affection, took the highest way and followed close behind him.

Verse 20 (12.341.20)

शुकस्तु मारुतादूर्ध्वं गतिं कृत्वान्तरिक्षगाम् । दर्शयित्वा प्रभावं स्वं सर्वभूतोऽभवत्तदा ॥

śukastu mārutādūrdhvaṃ gatiṃ kṛtvāntarikṣagām | darśayitvā prabhāvaṃ svaṃ sarvabhūto'bhavattadā

Shuka, having made his path through the sky above the wind and shown his power, then became one with all beings.

Verse 21 (12.341.21)

महायोगगतिं त्वग्र्यां व्यासोत्थाय महातपाः । निमेषान्तरमात्रेण शुकाभिपतनं ययौ ॥

mahāyogagatiṃ tvagryāṃ vyāsotthāya mahātapāḥ | nimeṣāntaramātreṇa śukābhipatanaṃ yayau

Vyasa, the great ascetic, rose by the supreme path of great yoga and in the space of a blink reached the spot where Shuka had gone through the peak.

Verse 22 (12.341.22)

स ददर्श द्विधा कृत्वा पर्वताग्रं शुकं गतम् । शशंसुर्ऋषयस्तत्र कर्म पुत्रस्य तत्तदा ॥

sa dadarśa dvidhā kṛtvā parvatāgraṃ śukaṃ gatam | śaśaṃsurṛṣayastatra karma putrasya tattadā

He saw the mountain top split in two and Shuka gone; and there the sages told him of that deed of his son.

Note on the text: Line 2 reads शशंसुर्ऋषयस्तत्र … तत्तदा (CE śaśaṃsur ṛṣayas tasmai … tat tadā), a recension variant, kept.

Verse 23 (12.341.23)

ततः शुकेति दीर्घेण शब्देनाक्रन्दितस्तदा । स्वयं पित्रा स्वरेणोच्चैस्त्रीँल्लोकाननुनाद्य वै ॥

tataḥ śuketi dīrgheṇa śabdenākranditastadā | svayaṃ pitrā svareṇoccaistrīm̐llokānanunādya vai

Then Vyasa himself cried out 'Shuka!' with a long and loud voice, making the three worlds ring.

Note on the text: Corrected त्रील्लोँकान(ननुनाद्य) → त्रीँल्लोकान(ननुनाद्य) (misplaced candrabindu in Wikisource; CE trīṃl lokān). Line 1 शब्देनाक्रन्दितः (CE śaikṣeṇākranditaḥ; the page's footnote cites शौक्ष्येण) is a recension variant, kept.

Verse 24 (12.341.24)

शुकः सर्वगतो भूत्वा सर्वात्मा सर्वतोमुखः । प्रत्यभाषत धर्मात्मा भोःशब्देनानुनादयन् ॥

śukaḥ sarvagato bhūtvā sarvātmā sarvatomukhaḥ | pratyabhāṣata dharmātmā bhoḥśabdenānunādayan

Shuka, now all-pervading, the Self of all, facing every direction, the righteous one, answered him with the syllable 'Bho', making everything resound.

Verse 25 (12.341.25)

तत एकाक्षरं नादं भोरित्येव समीरयन् । प्रत्याहरञ्जगत्सर्वमुच्चैः स्थावरजङ्गमम् ॥

tata ekākṣaraṃ nādaṃ bhorityeva samīrayan | pratyāharañjagatsarvamuccaiḥ sthāvarajaṅgamam

Then, uttering the single-syllable cry 'Bho' and nothing else, he made the whole world, moving and unmoving, give it back aloud.

Verse 26 (12.341.26)

ततःप्रभृति चाद्यापि शब्दानुच्चारितान्पृथक् । गिरिगह्वरपृष्ठेषु व्याहरन्ति शुकं प्रति ॥

tataḥprabhṛti cādyāpi śabdānuccāritānpṛthak | girigahvarapṛṣṭheṣu vyāharanti śukaṃ prati

From that time to this day, the sounds that are uttered are called back separately in the hollows and ridges of the mountains, in answer to Shuka.

Note on the text: Line 2 reads व्याहरन्ति (CE vyājahāra), a recension variant, kept.

Verse 27 (12.341.27)

अन्तर्हितः प्रभावं तु दर्शयित्वा शुकस्तदा । गुणान्संत्यज्य शब्दादीन्पदमभ्यगमत्परम् ॥

antarhitaḥ prabhāvaṃ tu darśayitvā śukastadā | guṇānsaṃtyajya śabdādīnpadamabhyagamatparam

Having vanished after showing his power, Shuka then abandoned the qualities beginning with sound and reached the supreme state.

Verse 28 (12.341.28)

महिमानं तु तं दृष्ट्वा पुत्रस्यामिततेजसः । निषसाद गिरिप्रस्थे पुत्रमेवानुचिन्तयन् ॥

mahimānaṃ tu taṃ dṛṣṭvā putrasyāmitatejasaḥ | niṣasāda giriprasthe putramevānucintayan

Seeing the greatness of his son of boundless radiance, Vyasa sat down on the mountain slope, thinking of his son alone.

Verse 29 (12.341.29)

ततो मन्दाकिनीतीरे क्रीडन्तोऽऽप्सरसां गणाः । आसाद्य तमृषिं सर्वाः संभ्रान्ता गतचेतसः ॥

tato mandākinītīre krīḍanto''psarasāṃ gaṇāḥ | āsādya tamṛṣiṃ sarvāḥ saṃbhrāntā gatacetasaḥ

Then the troops of Apsarases who were sporting on the bank of the Mandakini came upon that sage, and all of them, flustered, lost their composure.

Verse 30 (12.341.30)

जले निलिल्यिरे काश्चित्काश्चिद्गुल्मान्प्रपेदिरे । वसनान्याददुः काश्चित्तं दृष्ट्वा मुनिसत्तमम् ॥

jale nililyire kāścitkāścidgulmānprapedire | vasanānyādaduḥ kāścittaṃ dṛṣṭvā munisattamam

Some hid in the water, some took refuge in the thickets, and some snatched up clothes, seeing that best of sages.

Verse 31 (12.341.31)

तां मुक्ततां तु विज्ञाय मुनिः पुत्रस्य वै तदा । सक्ततामात्मनश्चैव प्रीतोऽभूद्बीडितश्च ह ॥

tāṃ muktatāṃ tu vijñāya muniḥ putrasya vai tadā | saktatāmātmanaścaiva prīto'bhūdbīḍitaśca ha

Realizing the freedom of his son and his own attachment, the sage was both pleased and ashamed.

Verse 32 (12.341.32)

तं देवगन्धर्ववृतो महर्षिगणपूजितः । पिनाकहस्तो भगवानभ्यागच्छत शंकरः ॥

taṃ devagandharvavṛto maharṣigaṇapūjitaḥ | pinākahasto bhagavānabhyāgacchata śaṃkaraḥ

Then the blessed Shankara, wielding the Pinaka, came to him, attended by gods and Gandharvas and honoured by hosts of great sages.

Verse 33 (12.341.33)

तमुवाच महादेवः सान्त्वपूर्वमिदं वचः । पुत्रशोकाभिसंतप्तं कृष्णद्वैपायनं तदा ॥

tamuvāca mahādevaḥ sāntvapūrvamidaṃ vacaḥ | putraśokābhisaṃtaptaṃ kṛṣṇadvaipāyanaṃ tadā

Mahadeva spoke these words, beginning with comfort, to Krishna Dvaipayana, who was tormented with grief for his son.

Verse 34 (12.341.34)

अग्नेर्भूमेरपां वायोरन्तरिक्षस्य चैव ह । वीर्येण सदृशः पुत्रः पुरा मत्तस्त्वया वृतः ॥

agnerbhūmerapāṃ vāyorantarikṣasya caiva ha | vīryeṇa sadṛśaḥ putraḥ purā mattastvayā vṛtaḥ

'Long ago you chose from me a son equal in power to fire, earth, water, wind and space.

Note on the text: Speaker: Mahadeva's address to Vyasa begins here (the page prints no heading); it runs through verse 38. Line 2 reads पुरा मत्तस्त्वया वृतः (CE putras tvayā mattaḥ purā vṛtaḥ), a variant order, kept.

Verse 35 (12.341.35)

स तथालक्षणो जातस्तपसा तव संभृतः । मम चैव प्रसादेन ब्रह्मतेजोमयः शुचिः ॥

sa tathālakṣaṇo jātastapasā tava saṃbhṛtaḥ | mama caiva prasādena brahmatejomayaḥ śuciḥ

He was born with just such marks, built up by your austerity and, by my grace, made of the radiance of Brahman and pure.

Verse 36 (12.341.36)

स गतिं परमां प्राप्तो दुष्प्रापामजितेन्द्रियैः । दैवतैरपि विप्रर्षे तं त्वं किमनुशोचसि ॥

sa gatiṃ paramāṃ prāpto duṣprāpāmajitendriyaiḥ | daivatairapi viprarṣe taṃ tvaṃ kimanuśocasi

He has reached the highest state, hard to reach even for gods who have not mastered their senses. Why do you grieve for him, O brahmin sage?

Verse 37 (12.341.37)

यावत्स्थास्यन्ति गिरयो यावत्स्थास्यन्ति सागराः । तावत्तवाक्षया कीर्तिः सपुत्रस्य भविष्यति ॥

yāvatsthāsyanti girayo yāvatsthāsyanti sāgarāḥ | tāvattavākṣayā kīrtiḥ saputrasya bhaviṣyati

As long as the mountains stand and as long as the oceans stand, so long will your fame, and your son's with it, never perish.

Verse 38 (12.341.38)

छायां स्वपुत्रसदृशीं सर्वतोऽनपगां सदा । द्रक्ष्यसे त्वं च लोकेऽस्मिन्मत्प्रसादान्महामुने ॥

chāyāṃ svaputrasadṛśīṃ sarvato'napagāṃ sadā | drakṣyase tvaṃ ca loke'sminmatprasādānmahāmune

And in this world, by my favour, great sage, you will always see a shadow like your son, never leaving you on any side.'

Verse 39 (12.341.39)

सोऽनुगीतो भगवता स्वयं रुद्रेण भारत । छायां पश्यन्परावृत्तः स मुनिः परया मुदा ॥

so'nugīto bhagavatā svayaṃ rudreṇa bhārata | chāyāṃ paśyanparāvṛttaḥ sa muniḥ parayā mudā

Thus comforted by the blessed Rudra himself, O Bharata, the sage turned back with the highest joy, looking at the shadow.

Note on the text: Line 1 reads सोऽनुगीतः (CE so 'nunītaḥ) and line 2 परावृत्तः (CE samāvṛttaḥ), recension variants, kept.

Verse 40 (12.341.40)

इति जन्म गतिश्चैव शुकस्य भरतर्षभ । विस्तरेण समाख्याता यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि ॥

iti janma gatiścaiva śukasya bharatarṣabha | vistareṇa samākhyātā yanmāṃ tvaṃ paripṛcchasi

In this way, O best of the Bharatas, the birth and the final journey of Shuka have been told at length, as you asked me.

Note on the text: Line 2 reads समाख्याता (CE mayākhyātaṃ), a recension variant, kept.

Verse 41 (12.341.41)

एतदाचष्ट मे राजन्देवर्षिर्नारदः पुरा । व्यासश्चैव महायोगी संजल्पेषु पदेपदे ॥

etadācaṣṭa me rājandevarṣirnāradaḥ purā | vyāsaścaiva mahāyogī saṃjalpeṣu padepade

Devarshi Narada told this to me long ago, O king, and so did the great yogin Vyasa, again and again in our conversations.

Verse 42 (12.341.42)

इतिहासमिमं पुण्यं मोक्षधर्मार्थसंहितम् । धारयेद्यः शमपरः स गच्छेत्परमां गतिम् ॥

itihāsamimaṃ puṇyaṃ mokṣadharmārthasaṃhitam | dhārayedyaḥ śamaparaḥ sa gacchetparamāṃ gatim

Whoever, intent on peace, keeps in mind this sacred ancient account, which holds the dharma of liberation, will reach the highest state.