Passage 1
लक्ष्मण उवाच— इत्युदीर्य शुको नाम योगीन्द्रः परमोहभित्। द्योतयन् हरितः कान्त्या जगाम जनकालयात्॥१॥
Lakṣmaṇa said: Having spoken thus, Śuka—the foremost yogi and destroyer of supreme delusion—left Janaka's palace, illumining the directions with his radiance.
Passage 2
तमनुप्रययुः केचिन्मुनयस्तत्त्वदृष्टयः। आ साकेतपरं धाम व्रजत्येष महामुनिः। आ च शेषालयमधो जगत्कल्याणदायकः॥२॥
Some truth-seeing sages followed him, thinking: “This great sage, benefactor of the world, travels as far as the supreme abode Sāketa and also downward as far as the dwelling of Śeṣa.” Source note: The edition compacts the opening of the second line as आसाकेतपरं. It is spaced here as आ साकेतपरं to make the directional construction legible without changing the printed letters.
Passage 3
तदानतात्परिज्ञाय रामतत्त्वं परात्परम्। कृतकृत्योऽभवद्राजा नेमिचन्द्रः समात्मवित्॥३॥
Having fully understood that supreme reality of Rāma, higher than the highest, King Nemicandra became fulfilled and established in knowledge of the Self. Source note: The compact printed reading तदानतात्परिज्ञाय is retained. Its sense is taken from the governing verb परिज्ञाय, “having fully understood that.”
Passage 4
भुवमप्सु समावेश्य तास्तेजसि मरुत्सु तत्। मरुतो व्योमनि व्योम मनस्तत्त्वे प्रवेश्य च॥४॥
He merged earth into water, water into fire, fire into wind, wind into ether, and ether into the principle of mind.
Passage 5
मनो बुद्धौ च बुद्धिं तामहंकृतिगतां स्मरन्। अहंकृतिं स्मरेच्चित्ते चित्तं विज्ञानगं स्मरन्॥५॥
He contemplated mind as entering intellect, intellect as entering egoity, egoity as entering the inner consciousness, and that consciousness as entering discriminative awareness.
Passage 6
विज्ञानं महति प्राप्य महत् प्रकृतिगं स्मरन्। प्रकृतिं बहिरङ्गायां मायाशक्तौ प्रवेश्य च॥६॥
He brought discriminative awareness into Mahat, contemplated Mahat as entering Prakṛti, and merged Prakṛti into the outward Māyā-power.
Passage 7
मायाशक्तिं च पुरुषे पुरुषं चाक्षरे परे। अक्षरं चित्स्वरूपायां सहजायां परात्मनि॥७॥
He merged the Māyā-power into Puruṣa, Puruṣa into the supreme imperishable, and the imperishable into Sahajā—the supreme Self whose nature is consciousness.
Passage 8
सहजां भावयन् रामे पुरुषोत्तमशब्दिते। परमे ब्रह्मणि सदा पूर्णानन्दे विपश्चिता॥८॥
With discerning awareness he contemplated Sahajā eternally in Rāma, called Puruṣottama: the supreme Brahman, complete bliss.
Passage 9
तद्रूपभाविताभावात्सदा तद्रूपभावितः। ततः सप्रमोदवनगुहायां निहितं च तत्॥९॥
Because his whole state was suffused with that form, he remained forever permeated by it; then he placed all of that within the cave of Pramodavana.
Passage 10
भावयानः परं ब्रह्म भूयो न व्युदतिष्ठत। गच्छञ्जल्पञ्जगत् पश्यन् बाधिताकारमात्मनि॥१०॥
Contemplating the supreme Brahman, he never again rose out of that awareness. Walking, speaking, and seeing the world, he beheld its apparent forms as sublated within the Self.
Passage 11
कुर्वन् विविधकर्माणि लोकयात्रावहान्यपि। जिघ्रंश्च रसयन्नश्नन् स्पृशन्निन्द्रियगोचरान्॥११॥
He performed the many actions that sustain worldly life—smelling, tasting, eating, and touching the objects of the senses—
Passage 12
न व्यवच्छिद्यत ततो वस्तुनः परमार्थिकात्। निर्दिष्टं यच्छुकेनास्मै सहजानन्दिनीपदम्॥१२॥
yet he was never separated from that ultimate reality: the state of Sahajānandinī that Śuka had indicated to him.
Passage 13
ध्यानधारणयोगेन यच्चानेन स्थिरीकृतम्। आत्मनीषच्चिदानन्दसम्पर्कानुमितं बलात्॥१३॥
What he had made steady through meditation and concentration, and had until then only faintly inferred within himself from a touch of consciousness and bliss—
Passage 14
ईक्षाञ्चक्रे तदप्येष प्रकटं दिव्यचक्षुषा। एकदा क्षुधिता बाला मातुस्तन्यपिपासया॥१४॥
that too he now saw manifest with divine sight. Once the little girl was hungry and thirsty for her mother's milk.
Passage 15
न गृहीता जवादेत्य मात्रा गौर्यर्चनस्थया। तावज्जनक आगत्य स्वापत्यस्नेहकातरः॥१५॥
Her mother, occupied in worshiping Gaurī, did not come quickly to pick her up. Just then Janaka arrived, overcome with tenderness for his child.
Passage 16
उत्थाप्यैनां निजाङ्कस्थां कर्तुं समकरोन्मतिम्। तावद्दर्शयामास परमेश्वर्यमात्मनः॥१६॥
He resolved to lift her and place her upon his lap; at that very moment she revealed her own supreme sovereignty.
Passage 17
यत्रानेकरवीन्दुमण्डलचयं वह्नित्रयं दृष्ट्वा इन्द्राद्यान् दशदिक्पतींश्च बहुधा ब्रह्मादिकाँल्लोकपान्। अन्यान् स्थावरजङ्गमस्थविषयग्रामान् जगच्चाखिलं- स्थूलं सूक्ष्ममथो परं च सकलं तस्याः शरीरस्थितम्॥१७॥
There he saw hosts of suns and moons, the three fires, Indra and the other guardians of the ten directions, Brahmā and the many protectors of the worlds, all other domains of the moving and unmoving, and the entire universe—gross, subtle, and transcendent—abiding within her body. Source note: The scan runs इन्द्राद्यान् दशदिक्पतींश्च together across the metrical line. Word spacing is normalized; no letters are supplied beyond the visible construction.
Passage 18
अपश्यत्तामेव कञ्चन पुरुषं पीतवसनं परं सुद्विभुजं धनुर्बाणधरं किरीटिनम्। अलौकिक्या कान्त्या त्रिभुवनपरिव्याप्ततमया तपन्तं श्रीरामाह्वयमयमथो तां च महिषीम्॥१८॥
He saw there a supreme person clothed in yellow, beautifully two-armed, bearing bow and arrow and wearing a crown. With supernatural radiance that completely pervaded the three worlds shone that one named Śrī Rāma—and she herself as his queen.
Passage 19
कदाचित्पुरुषाकारं स्त्र्याकारं च कदाचन। दृष्ट्वा महो विचित्रं तन्निश्चेतुं नाशकन्नृपः॥१९॥
Seeing that wondrous splendor now in a male form and now in a female form, the king could not determine its limit or fixed identity.
Passage 20
उज्ज्वलोज्ज्वलमत्यर्थं प्रसृत्वरमनन्तकम्। विश्वव्यापकमात्मैकं महस्तदतिनिर्मलम्॥२०॥
That radiance was intensely brilliant, ever expanding and endless, all-pervading, the one Self, and utterly pure.
Passage 21
त्रयस्त्रिंशत्कोटिसंख्यत्रिदशालयसंश्रयम्। अपूर्वमपराबाह्यमनन्तरमनश्वरम्॥२१॥
It was the support of the abodes of the thirty-three crores of gods: unprecedented, with nothing beyond or outside it, without inner limit, and imperishable.
Passage 22
चिदेकाकारविस्फूर्जदूर्जस्वलमुदित्वरम्। विश्वप्रवाहरूपत्वं प्रत्यग् वीक्ष्य मुमोद सः॥२२॥
Looking inward, he rejoiced to behold it as the very flow of the universe: one in form with consciousness, flashing with vigorous power and rising in splendor.
Passage 23
आसीच्च विस्मितप्रायो भूयो भूयो विलोकयन्। कालोऽस्यास्तनावेक्षिष्ट संवर्तः प्रलयात्मकः॥२३॥
He remained almost overwhelmed with wonder as he looked again and again. Within her body he saw Time as Saṃvarta, the power of cosmic dissolution.
Passage 24
महच्च भूतमतुलमुदग्रसर्वसाम्यवत्। पञ्चभूतान्यहंकारो मात्राश्चैव पृथक् पृथक्। समष्टिं चैव व्यष्टिं च सविशेषमुदैक्षत॥२४॥
He beheld the incomparable and exalted Mahat, holding all in equilibrium; the five elements, egoity, and the subtle elements each distinctly; and both the collective and individual creation with all their differentiations.
Passage 25
वेदांश्च चतुरस्तत्र स्तुवतः शब्दरूपिणः। परं चैवापरं विश्वं विलोक्यैष विसिस्मिये॥२५॥
He saw there the four Vedas, embodied as sound and singing praise, together with the higher and lower universe; beholding it all, he marveled.
Passage 26
यावती धीविकल्पाख्या शब्दार्थव्याप्तिगोचरा। तावती सा बभूवास्य स्फुटमेनां प्रपश्यतः॥२६॥
As vast as the domain of conceptual thought extending through word and meaning, so vast did she become clearly manifest to him as he gazed upon her.
Passage 27
ततो विस्मृतयोगोऽसौ बहिःप्रत्ययभाङ् नृपः। चिदानन्दं परं धाम ज्ञात्वा तुष्टाव तुष्टिमान्॥२७॥
Then the king forgot his yogic absorption and returned to outward awareness. Knowing her as the supreme abode of consciousness and bliss, he joyfully praised her.
Passage 28
जनक उवाच— त्वं वै न देवा न च मर्त्यतिर्यङ् न स्त्री न षण्डो न पुमान्न जन्तुः। नायं गुणः कर्म न सन्न चासन्निषेधशेषा जयतात्पराचित्॥२८॥
Janaka said: You are neither god, mortal, nor animal; neither woman, sexless being, man, nor creature. You are no quality or action, neither being nor nonbeing. Victory to you, supreme consciousness that remains when every category is negated. Source note: The edition visibly prints देवा in the opening negation. The translation follows the categorical sense of the verse rather than silently emending it to a gendered nominative.
Passage 29
इदं महन्मूलमरोषबीजं सत्यं चिदानन्दमयं चकास्ति। विष्वक्समुद्भासि महोऽत्युदग्रं गुणाद्भुतं चापि गुणातिगं च॥२९॥
This great root and passionless seed shines as reality made of consciousness and bliss. Its radiance blazes everywhere, supremely exalted, wondrous through its qualities and yet beyond all qualities.
Passage 30
एतत्समालम्बितुमस्त्यनर्हा मच्चित्तवृत्तिर्विषयानुशीला। अदर्शि यच्चापि तया स्फुटं तदेवानुकम्पा दयनीयजन्तौ॥३०॥
My mind, trained to follow sense objects, is unfit to grasp this. Whatever it nevertheless saw clearly was solely your compassion toward a pitiable creature.
Passage 31
यस्यास्तनौ संततमेतदोतं प्रोतं च विश्वं प्रतिभाति सम्यक्। प्रत्यक् चितिं तां जगदेककर्त्रीं भर्त्रीं च हर्त्रीं प्रणतोऽस्मि नित्यम्॥३१॥
I bow forever to that inward consciousness in whose body this universe appears perfectly woven lengthwise and crosswise—to the sole creator, sustainer, and dissolver of the world.
Passage 32
यदाह मेऽसौ भगवान् मुनीन्द्रः शुकोऽखिलाचार्यगुरुर्गुरुर्मे। व्यलोकि तत्सर्वमिहाप्रमेयमूर्तौ चिदानन्दपदे तथैव॥३२॥
All that the blessed Śuka—lord of sages, teacher of every teacher, and my own guru—told me, I have now beheld here within this immeasurable form, this state of consciousness and bliss.
Passage 33
किमत्र शक्यं करणीयमन्यदस्मादृशे जीवितमेव धातुम्। इति प्रविज्ञाय नतोऽस्मि नित्यं प्रेमैकवश्येत हृदा प्रपन्नः॥३३॥
What else can one such as I possibly do here but sustain this life? Knowing this fully, I bow forever, surrendered in heart to her who is governed by love alone.
Passage 34
सहजानन्दिनीमेतां श्रीरामाभिन्नमूर्तिकाम्। मुहुः परमया भक्त्या नतोऽस्मि प्रणतोऽस्मि च॥३४॥
Again and again, with supreme devotion, I bow and prostrate to this Sahajānandinī, whose form is nondifferent from Śrī Rāma.
Passage 35
न यस्यादिर्न वा मध्यं नान्तं कुत्रापि दृश्यते। तदहं प्रणतोऽस्म्येतच्चिदानन्दमयं महः॥३५॥
I bow to this splendor made of consciousness and bliss, in which no beginning, middle, or end is seen anywhere.
Passage 36
न कर्म न तपो ज्ञानं न वा योगस्तथा व्रतम्। साधनं खलु सम्पूर्णं फलेनैवानुमीयते॥३६॥
Neither ritual action, austerity, knowledge, yoga, nor vow is itself the complete means; a means is truly known only through its fruit.
Passage 37
अथवैककृपामात्राद् दृश्यते मे दृशा महः। निःसाधनानां स्वीकारे हीदमेव निदर्शनम्॥३७॥
Or rather, it is by your grace alone that this splendor is visible to my eyes. This itself is the proof that you accept even those who possess no spiritual means.
Passage 38
लक्ष्मण उवाच— इति स्तुवत एवास्य प्रणिपत्य मुहुर्मुहुः। तद्रूपमुपसंजह्रे सहजानुग्रहात्मकम्॥३८॥ Lakṣmaṇa said: As he praised her thus and bowed again and again, Sahajā withdrew that graciously revealed form. **इति श्रीमदादिरामायणे ब्रह्मभुशुण्डसंवादे पश्चिमखण्डे भरतलक्ष्मणीये सीताजन्मोत्सवे एकोनसप्ततितमोऽध्यायः॥६९॥
** Thus ends Chapter Sixty-nine, during the celebration of Sītā's birth, in the Bharata-Lakṣmaṇa section of the Paścima-khaṇḍa of the glorious Ādi Rāmāyaṇa, in the dialogue of Brahmā and Bhuśuṇḍa.