Paumacariya 117

English (machine translation) 117

Language: English

117.1

The blessed Baladeva, whose passions and envy were stilled,
undertook severe asceticism, most auspicious with its various spiritual disciplines.

117.2

Engaging in two-day and three-day fasts, he wandered in that forest to beg for alms,
greatly revered by the forest-dwellers and by the wives of gods.

117.3

Endowed with vows, circumspections, and restraints, equanimous, conqueror of his senses, with passions subdued,
devoted to study and meditation, he was endowed with diverse supernatural powers.

117.4

Somewhere on a rock-slab, with fixed mind in the cross-legged posture,
he stood with hanging arms, somewhere motionless like a pillar.

117.5

Performing such great asceticism in this manner, in due course he reached
the Koṭiśilā, which was touched on that occasion by the abode of Lakṣmī.

117.6

Then having climbed onto it at night, joined in mind, speech, and body,
the steadfast one stood in the pratimā posture, with the intent of destroying karma.

117.7

Now, as he was immersed in meditation, by previous affection the lord of Acyuta,
beholding him through the range of clairvoyance, felt intense love and affection.

117.8

Recognizing his own cycle of births and the greatness of the Jina's asceticism,
the lord of Acyuta was instantly struck with wonder.

117.9

Reflecting, he realized: "This is the plow-bearer, the delight of the world,
who was my husband in the human world when I was a woman!

117.10

This indeed is the wonder of karma's variety: that a soul,
having attained the female state, is born again as a human male!

117.11

Lakṣmaṇa, having untamed thirst for sensual pleasures, has attained an evil rebirth,
while this Lord Rāma himself has fallen into separation from his brother.

117.12

Unto this Rāma who has ascended the annihilating ladder, I shall act in such a way
that, having become a celestial god, he will become my friend.

117.13

Then, having enjoyed affection and bliss with him, I, being joyful,
shall revere all the caitya-temples standing upon Mount Mandara and elsewhere.

117.14

Having brought Saumitri, who went to hell, to attain enlightenment and right belief,
together with the divine Rāma, behold their joys and sorrows!"

117.15

Having reflected thus, the foremost among gods descended from his vimāna
and swiftly arrived at the world of humans where Padma was.

117.16

A wind carrying the pollen of many flowers was created forthwith by the god,
and the forest was made resonant with the sweet warbling of flocks of birds.

117.17

The park was filled with clusters of mangoes and kiṁśukas bursting with young tree sprouts and blossoms,
with sweet singing of cuckoos, and humming with black bees.

117.18

Having thus made such a forest, the god assumed the form of Jānakī
and went before Rāma out of tender affection.

117.19

Appearing suddenly as Sītā, she said: "I have come into your presence!
O Rāghava, afflicted by separation, I have now attained sorrow alone!

117.20

Approaching his side, she said: "I, who consider myself wise, while wandering as a nun
before you, have been attended by Vidyādhara maidens.

117.21

Then I was told by the Vidyādhara maidens: 'Show us Rāghava!
By your command, O Sītā, choose that very one as your husband!'

117.22

In that moment, there suddenly arrived amorous women,
adorned with various ornaments, magically created by the lord of gods.

117.23

"Having placed myself before you, enjoy supreme pleasures with these [maidens],
O lord, as much as you desire, like the lord of the gods in Ayodhyā!

117.24

The twenty-two hardships, beginning with hunger, are exceedingly harsh, O great soul!
Because of these, many men have broken down in the battle of self-restraint, O Rāghava!"

117.25

Meanwhile, a song charming to the ears was commenced by the celestial maidens,
and a dance was begun, full of seductive glances from the corners of their eyes.

117.26

One woman, displaying her bosom adorned with saffron paste,
danced in a manner that agitates the minds of men with unstable resolve.

117.27

Another spoke sweetly: "O master, severely harassed
by these young women, O great soul, I have swiftly come to you for refuge!"

117.28

A woman arrived making a quarrel with her female companions
and asked: "Tell us, O Rāghava, which one among us is the most pleasing to hear?"

117.29

Stretching out her arms toward a distant Aśoka creeper,
one woman gathered a bunch of flowers, displaying her pair of breasts.

117.30

Amidst these and other seductive actions there, Padma, firm of mind,
was not agitated at all, but rather entered into even deeper meditation.

117.31

When his meditation was not disturbed by the god's magical manifestations outside,
then the army of karma-enemies of Padma was entirely destroyed.

117.32

In the bright fortnight of Māgha, during the final watch on the twelfth night,
unobscured omniscience arose for Padma.

117.33

Knowing that omniscience had arisen in this way, the foremost among the gods,
with all their retinues, came into the presence of Rāma.

117.34

Alighting from their elephants, horses, bulls, lions, vehicles, and aerial palanquins,
the gods bowed to Padma, circumambulating him thrice.

117.35

Then the lord of Saudharma too, having performed the celebration of omniscience there,
bowed down to the Baladeva sage, reciting hundreds of hymns of praise:

117.36

"Full of the water of abundant suffering, infested with the sea-monsters of passions, a whirlpool of existence—
having boarded the ship of self-restraint, you have crossed the great ocean of saṁsāra!

117.37

Fanned by the wind of meditation, blazing high with the great fuel of diverse penances,
by the fire of knowledge, O Rāghava, you have burnt down the forest of rebirth!"

117.38

With the club of detachment, the cage of affection was quickly crushed to dust, / and the enemy Delusion was struck down with the spear of tranquil forbearance by the resolute one.

The god said in the assembly of sages: "For me, who wanders in the great forest of saṃsāra, / O you who have obtained the supreme excellence of omniscience, you are my refuge, the destroyer of worldly existence!

117.40

This river of saṃsāra is filled with billows and whirlpools of manifold suffering; / drowning in this, O Rāghava, rescue [me] with the hand of knowledge!"

117.41

Then the bull of sages spoke: "Abandon this attachment, the abode of faults! / One free of attachment truly attains bliss, but the attached wanders in saṃsāra.

117.42

Just as the ocean cannot at all be crossed by the arms alone, O lord of gods, / so too the ocean of worldly existence cannot be crossed by those devoid of good conduct.

117.43

Crossing the ocean of saṃsāra is accomplished solely by the boat of dharma, / made of the timber of knowledge and firmly bound by the ropes of austerities and vows.

117.44

A person freed from attachment and aversion, engaged in austerities, vows, and self-restraint, / whose state of being is born solely of meditation, attains perfection—of this there is no doubt."

117.45

Hearing these words of the sage, the deity Sītā was exceedingly pleased; / bowing down to the ocean of heroes, he swiftly departed to his own heavenly vehicle.

117.46

Thus the gods and asuras praised the omniscient one in succession and departed; / and the great sage roamed about, his body pure as the immortal nectar and resembling the clustered rays of the moon.

117.47

Thus ends the one hundred and seventeenth chapter in the Paümacariya, entitled 'The Manner of the Arising of Padma's Omniscience'.

Linked texts (1)

Paümacariya — Vimalasūri, Māhārāṣṭrī Prakrit