The Teaching of Ribhu to Nidagha

Verse 1 (vishnu.2.15.1)

पराशर उवाच । इत्य् उक्ते मौनिनं भूयश् चिन्तयानं महीपतिम् । प्रत्युवाचाथ विप्रोऽसाव् अद्वैतान्तर्गतां कथाम्

parāśara uvāca ity ukte mauninaṁ bhūyaś cintayānaṁ mahīpatim pratyuvācātha vipro'sāv advaitāntargatāṁ kathām

Parashara said: Having spoken thus, seeing the king again lost in thought and silent, that brahmin then began to tell a story concerning non-duality.

Verse 2 (vishnu.2.15.2)

ब्राह्मण उवाच । श्रूयतां नृपशार्दूल यद् गीतम् ऋभुणा पुरा । अवबोधं जनयता निदाघस्य द्विजन्मनः

brāhmaṇa uvāca śrūyatāṁ nṛpaśārdūla yad gītam ṛbhuṇā purā avabodhaṁ janayatā nidāghasya dvijanmanaḥ

The brahmin said: Listen, O tiger among kings, to what was sung of old by Ribhu, when he awakened understanding in the twice-born Nidagha.

Verse 3 (vishnu.2.15.3)

ऋभुर् नामाभवत् पुत्रो ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः । विज्ञाततत्त्वसद्भावो निसर्गाद् एव भूपते

ṛbhur nāmābhavat putro brahmaṇaḥ parameṣṭhinaḥ vijñātatattvasadbhāvo nisargād eva bhūpate

O king, Ribhu was a son named after Brahma Parameshthin, who, by his very nature, had realized the true reality of all things.

Verse 4 (vishnu.2.15.4)

तस्य शिष्यो निदाघोऽभूत् पुलस्त्यतनयः पुरा । प्रादाद् अशेषविज्ञानं स तस्मै परया मुदा

tasya śiṣyo nidāgho'bhūt pulastyatanayaḥ purā prādād aśeṣavijñānaṁ sa tasmai parayā mudā

Nidagha, the son of Pulastya, was formerly his disciple; to him, with the greatest joy, he imparted the whole of knowledge.

Verse 5 (vishnu.2.15.5)

अवाप्तज्ञानतत्त्वस्य न तस्याद्वैतवासनाम् । स ऋभुस् तर्कयाम् आस निदाघस्य नरेश्वर

avāptajñānatattvasya na tasyādvaitavāsanām sa ṛbhus tarkayām āsa nidāghasya nareśvara

O lord of men, Ribhu suspected that, though Nidagha had attained knowledge of the truth, the true disposition of non-duality had not settled in him.

Verse 6 (vishnu.2.15.6)

देविकायास् तटे वीरनगरं नाम वै पुरम् । समृद्धम् अतिरम्यं च पुलस्त्येन निवेशितम्

devikāyās taṭe vīranagaraṁ nāma vai puram samṛddham atiramyaṁ ca pulastyena niveśitam

On the bank of the Devika river there was a prosperous and most delightful city called Viranagara, founded by Pulastya.

Verse 7 (vishnu.2.15.7)

रम्योपवनपर्यन्ते स तस्मिन् पार्थिवोत्तम । निदाघो नाम योगज्ञ ऋभुशिष्योऽवसत् पुरा

ramyopavanaparyante sa tasmin pārthivottama nidāgho nāma yogajña ṛbhuśiṣyo'vasat purā

O best of kings, at the edge of a lovely grove there, that Nidagha, knower of yoga, Ribhu's disciple, dwelt formerly.

Verse 8 (vishnu.2.15.8)

दिव्ये वर्षसहस्रे तु समतीतेऽस्य तत् पुरम् । जगाम स ऋभुः शिष्यं निदाघम् अवलोकितुम्

divye varṣasahasre tu samatīte'sya tat puram jagāma sa ṛbhuḥ śiṣyaṁ nidāgham avalokitum

When a thousand divine years had passed, Ribhu went to that city to see his disciple Nidagha.

Verse 9 (vishnu.2.15.9)

स तस्य वैश्वदेवान्ते द्वारालोकनगोचरे । स्थितस् तेन गृहीतार्घो निजवेश्मप्रवेशितः

sa tasya vaiśvadevānte dvārālokanagocare sthitas tena gṛhītārgho nijaveśmapraveśitaḥ

He stood there, at the end of Nidagha's evening rites, within sight of the gate; Nidagha, receiving him with the guest-offering, brought him into his house.

Verse 10 (vishnu.2.15.10)

प्रक्षालिताङ्घ्रिपाणिं च कृतासनपरिग्रहम् । उवाच स द्विजश्रेष्ठो भुज्यताम् इति सादरम्

prakṣālitāṅghripāṇiṁ ca kṛtāsanaparigraham uvāca sa dvijaśreṣṭho bhujyatām iti sādaram

Having had his feet and hands washed, and having offered him a seat, that foremost of the twice-born respectfully said, 'Please eat.'

Verse 11 (vishnu.2.15.11)

ऋभुर् उवाच । भो विप्रवर्य भोक्तव्यं यद् अन्नं भवतो गृहे । तत् कथ्यतां कदन्नेषु न प्रीतिः सततं मम

ṛbhur uvāca bho vipravarya bhoktavyaṁ yad annaṁ bhavato gṛhe tat kathyatāṁ kadanneṣu na prītiḥ satataṁ mama

Ribhu said: O best of brahmins, tell me what food in your house is fit to eat; I do not always take pleasure in poor food.

Verse 12 (vishnu.2.15.12)

निदाघ उवाच । सक्तुयावकवाट्यानाम् अपूपानां च मे गृहे । यद् रोचते द्विजश्रेष्ठ तत् त्वं भुङ्क्ष्व यथेच्छया

nidāgha uvāca saktuyāvakavāṭyānām apūpānāṁ ca me gṛhe yad rocate dvijaśreṣṭha tat tvaṁ bhuṅkṣva yathecchayā

Nidagha said: In my house there are sattu-gruel, barley-porridge, garden vegetables, and cakes; O best of the twice-born, whatever pleases you, eat as you wish.

Verse 13 (vishnu.2.15.13)

ऋभुर् उवाच । कदन्नानि द्विजैतानि मिष्टम् अन्नं प्रयच्छ मे । संयावपायसादीनि द्रप्सफाणितवन्ति च

ṛbhur uvāca kadannāni dvijaitāni miṣṭam annaṁ prayaccha me saṁyāvapāyasādīni drapsaphāṇitavanti ca

Ribhu said: O twice-born, these are poor foods; give me sweet food — such as samyava, payasa, and things with drops of sugar-syrup and molasses.

Verse 14 (vishnu.2.15.14)

निदाघ उवाच । हे हे शालिनि मद्गेहे यत् किंचिद् अतिशोभनम् । भक्ष्योपसाधनं मिष्टं तेनास्यान्नं प्रसाधय

nidāgha uvāca he he śālini madgehe yat kiṁcid atiśobhanam bhakṣyopasādhanaṁ miṣṭaṁ tenāsyānnaṁ prasādhaya

Nidagha said: 'Ho, ho, my dear wife! Whatever is most excellent in my house, prepare sweet food for him with that.'

Verse 15 (vishnu.2.15.15)

ब्राह्मण उवाच । इत्य् उक्ता तेन सा पत्नी मिष्टम् अन्नं द्विजस्य यत् । प्रसाधितवती तद् वै भर्तुर् वचनगौरवात्

brāhmaṇa uvāca ity uktā tena sā patnī miṣṭam annaṁ dvijasya yat prasādhitavatī tad vai bhartur vacanagauravāt

The brahmin [narrator] said: Thus instructed, his wife, out of respect for her husband's word, prepared that sweet food.

Verse 16 (vishnu.2.15.16)

तं भुक्तवन्तम् इच्छातो मिष्टम् अन्नं महामुनिम् । निदाघः प्राह भूपाल प्रश्रयावनतः स्थितः

taṁ bhuktavantam icchāto miṣṭam annaṁ mahāmunim nidāghaḥ prāha bhūpāla praśrayāvanataḥ sthitaḥ

O king, when that great sage had eaten the sweet food to his satisfaction, Nidagha, bowing in humility, said to him —

Verse 17 (vishnu.2.15.17)

निदाघ उवाच । अपि ते परमा तृप्तिर् उत्पन्ना तुष्टिर् एव च । अपि ते मानसं स्वस्थम् आहारेण कृतं द्विज

nidāgha uvāca api te paramā tṛptir utpannā tuṣṭir eva ca api te mānasaṁ svastham āhāreṇa kṛtaṁ dvija

Nidagha said: 'Has supreme satisfaction and contentment arisen for you? Has your mind, O twice-born, become at ease through this meal?'

Verse 18 (vishnu.2.15.18)

क्वनिवासो भवान् विप्र क्व च गन्तुं समुद्यतः । आगम्यते च भवता यतस् तच् च द्विजोच्यताम्

kvanivāso bhavān vipra kva ca gantuṁ samudyataḥ āgamyate ca bhavatā yatas tac ca dvijocyatām

'Where, O brahmin, is your dwelling? And where are you setting out to go? And from where have you come — may you, O twice-born, tell me this too.'

Verse 19 (vishnu.2.15.19)

ऋभुर् उवाच । क्षुद् यस्य तस्य भुक्तेऽन्ने तृप्तिर् ब्राह्मण जायते । न मे क्षुद् अभवत् तृप्तिं कस्मान् मां परिपृच्छसि

ṛbhur uvāca kṣud yasya tasya bhukte'nne tṛptir brāhmaṇa jāyate na me kṣud abhavat tṛptiṁ kasmān māṁ paripṛcchasi

Ribhu said: 'O brahmin, satisfaction arises for one who eats when he is hungry; I had no hunger — why then do you ask me about satisfaction?'

Verse 20 (vishnu.2.15.20)

वह्निना पार्थिवे धातौ क्षपिते क्षुत्समुद्भवः । भवत्य् अम्भसि च क्षीणे नृणां तृड् अपि जायते

vahninā pārthive dhātau kṣapite kṣutsamudbhavaḥ bhavaty ambhasi ca kṣīṇe nṛṇāṁ tṛḍ api jāyate

'When the fire in a man's body consumes the earthy element, hunger arises; and when the water element is diminished, thirst too arises in men.'

Verse 21 (vishnu.2.15.21)

क्षुत्तृष्णे देहधर्माख्ये न ममैते यतो द्विज । ततः क्षुत्संभवाभावात् तृप्तिर् अस्त्य् एव मे सदा

kṣuttṛṣṇe dehadharmākhye na mamaite yato dvija tataḥ kṣutsaṁbhavābhāvāt tṛptir asty eva me sadā

'O twice-born, since hunger and thirst, called properties of the body, are not mine, therefore, hunger never having arisen, I am indeed always satisfied.'

Verse 22 (vishnu.2.15.22)

मनसः स्वस्थता तुष्टिश् चित्तधर्माव् इमौ द्विज । चेतसो यस्य तत् पृच्छ पुमान् एभिर् न युज्यते

manasaḥ svasthatā tuṣṭiś cittadharmāv imau dvija cetaso yasya tat pṛccha pumān ebhir na yujyate

'O twice-born, ease of mind and contentment are both properties of the mind; ask this of one who has a mind — the true Person is not bound by these.'

Verse 23 (vishnu.2.15.23)

क्व निवासस् तवेत्य् उक्तं क्व गन्तासि च यत् त्वया । कुतश् चागम्यते तत्र त्रितयेऽपि निबोध मे

kva nivāsas tavety uktaṁ kva gantāsi ca yat tvayā kutaś cāgamyate tatra tritaye'pi nibodha me

'As for what you asked — “where is your dwelling,” “where will you go,” and “from where have you come” — understand this from me regarding all three —'

Verse 24 (vishnu.2.15.24)

पुमान् सर्वगतो व्यापी आकाशवद् अयं यतः । कुतः कुत्र क्व गन्तासीत्य् एतद् अप्य् अर्थवत् कथम्

pumān sarvagato vyāpī ākāśavad ayaṁ yataḥ kutaḥ kutra kva gantāsīty etad apy arthavat katham

'The Person is all-pervading, present everywhere like space itself — so how then can “from where,” “where,” “where will you go” have any meaning at all?'

Verse 25 (vishnu.2.15.25)

सोऽहं गन्ता न चागन्ता नैकदेशनिकेतनः । त्वं चान्ये च न च त्वं च नान्ये नैवाहम् अप्य् अहम्

so'haṁ gantā na cāgantā naikadeśaniketanaḥ tvaṁ cānye ca na ca tvaṁ ca nānye naivāham apy aham

'I am neither a goer nor a non-goer, nor one dwelling in a single place; I am you and I am others too, and I am not you, nor others, nor even myself.'

Verse 26 (vishnu.2.15.26)

मृष्टं न मृष्टम् इत्य् एषा जिज्ञासा मे कृता तव । किं वक्ष्यतीति तत्रापि श्रूयतां द्विजसत्तम

mṛṣṭaṁ na mṛṣṭam ity eṣā jijñāsā me kṛtā tava kiṁ vakṣyatīti tatrāpi śrūyatāṁ dvijasattama

'This inquiry you made of me — “was it tasty or not” — hear too, O best of the twice-born, what may be said on this.'

Verse 27 (vishnu.2.15.27)

किम् अस्वाद्व् अथ वा मृष्टं भुञ्जतोऽन्नं द्विजोत्तम । मृष्टम् एव यदामृष्टं तद् एवोद्वेगकारणम्

kim asvādv atha vā mṛṣṭaṁ bhuñjato'nnaṁ dvijottama mṛṣṭam eva yadāmṛṣṭaṁ tad evodvegakāraṇam

'O foremost of the twice-born, whether the food eaten is tasteless or tasty — when the very tasty becomes distasteful, that itself becomes the cause of distress.'

Verse 28 (vishnu.2.15.28)

अमृष्टं जायते मृष्टं मृष्टाद् उद्विजते जनः । आदिमध्यावसानेषु किम् अन्नं रुचिकारकम्

amṛṣṭaṁ jāyate mṛṣṭaṁ mṛṣṭād udvijate janaḥ ādimadhyāvasāneṣu kim annaṁ rucikārakam

'What is tasteless becomes tasty, and man becomes distressed by the very tasty; at beginning, middle, and end, what food is there that produces lasting delight?'

Verse 29 (vishnu.2.15.29)

मृण्मयं हि गृहं यद्वन् मृदा लिप्तं स्थिरं भवेत् । पार्थिवोऽयं तथा देहः पार्थिवैः परमाणुभिः

mṛṇmayaṁ hi gṛhaṁ yadvan mṛdā liptaṁ sthiraṁ bhavet pārthivo'yaṁ tathā dehaḥ pārthivaiḥ paramāṇubhiḥ

'As an earthen house, plastered with clay, becomes firm, so too this earthy body is made of earthy atoms.'

Verse 30 (vishnu.2.15.30)

यवगोधूममुद्गादि घृतं तैलं पयो दधि । गुडं फलादीनि तथा पार्थिवाः परमाणवः

yavagodhūmamudgādi ghṛtaṁ tailaṁ payo dadhi guḍaṁ phalādīni tathā pārthivāḥ paramāṇavaḥ

'Barley, wheat, mung beans and the like, ghee, oil, milk, curd, molasses, and fruits too — these are all earthy atoms.'

Verse 31 (vishnu.2.15.31)

तद् एतद् भवता ज्ञात्वा मृष्टामृष्टविचारि यत् । तन् मनः समतालम्बि कार्यं साम्यं हि मुक्तये

tad etad bhavatā jñātvā mṛṣṭāmṛṣṭavicāri yat tan manaḥ samatālambi kāryaṁ sāmyaṁ hi muktaye

'Having known this, the mind that discriminates between tasty and tasteless should take refuge in equanimity; for equanimity alone is the cause of liberation.'

Verse 32 (vishnu.2.15.32)

ब्राह्मण उवाच । इत्य् आकर्ण्य वचस् तस्य परमार्थाश्रितं नृप । प्रणिपत्य महाभागो निदाघो वाक्यम् अब्रवीत्

brāhmaṇa uvāca ity ākarṇya vacas tasya paramārthāśritaṁ nṛpa praṇipatya mahābhāgo nidāgho vākyam abravīt

The brahmin said: O king, having heard those words of his, resting upon the supreme truth, that greatly fortunate Nidagha, bowing down, spoke these words —

Verse 33 (vishnu.2.15.33)

प्रसीद मद्धितार्थाय कथ्यतां यस् त्वम् आगतः । नष्टो मोहस् तवाकर्ण्य वचांस्य् एतानि मे द्विज

prasīda maddhitārthāya kathyatāṁ yas tvam āgataḥ naṣṭo mohas tavākarṇya vacāṁsy etāni me dvija

'Be gracious to me, and for my welfare tell me who you are, who have come here; O twice-born, hearing these your words, my delusion has been destroyed.'

Verse 34 (vishnu.2.15.34)

ऋभुर् उवाच । ऋभुर् अस्मि तवाचार्यः प्रज्ञादानाय ते द्विज । इहागतोऽहं यास्यामि परमार्थस् तवोदितः

ṛbhur uvāca ṛbhur asmi tavācāryaḥ prajñādānāya te dvija ihāgato'haṁ yāsyāmi paramārthas tavoditaḥ

Ribhu said: 'O twice-born, I am Ribhu, your teacher, who came here to bestow wisdom upon you; having now declared to you the supreme truth, I shall depart.'

Verse 35 (vishnu.2.15.35)

एवम् एकम् इदं विद्धि न भेदि सकलं जगत् । वासुदेवाभिधेयस्य स्वरूपं परमात्मनः

evam ekam idaṁ viddhi na bhedi sakalaṁ jagat vāsudevābhidheyasya svarūpaṁ paramātmanaḥ

'Know this world as thus one, entirely undivided — this is the true nature of the Supreme Self called Vasudeva.'

Verse 36 (vishnu.2.15.36)

ब्राह्मण उवाच । तथेत्य् उक्त्वा निदाघेन प्रणिपातपुरःसरम् । पूजितः परया भक्त्या इच्छातः प्रययाव् ऋभुः

brāhmaṇa uvāca tathety uktvā nidāghena praṇipātapuraḥsaram pūjitaḥ parayā bhaktyā icchātaḥ prayayāv ṛbhuḥ

The brahmin said: Having said 'so be it,' worshipped by Nidagha with prostration and the deepest devotion, Ribhu departed as he wished.