Prapathaka 1

1.1 Om. There was a king named Bṛhadratha. He entrusted the kingdom to his eldest son, reflected that this body does not endure, and, freed from attachment, departed into the forest. There he entered upon the highest austerity, standing with arms uplifted and eyes upon the sun. When a thousand had passed, a sage drew near: the blessed Śākāyanya, knower of the Self, like a smokeless fire, seeming to consume all with his radiance. “Rise, rise! Choose a boon,” he told the king. Bowing before him, the king answered, “Blessed one, I do not know the Self. We hear that you know reality. Teach us.” “What you have chosen is beyond what can be granted. Do not ask this question, descendant of Ikṣvāku. Choose other desires.” Clasping Śākāyanya's feet, the king uttered this song:

1.2 “Blessed one, what pleasure can desires give in this body—stained with bone, skin, sinew, marrow, flesh, seed, blood, mucus, tears; a reeking, hollow heap of dung, urine, wind, bile, and phlegm?

1.3 “What pleasure can desires give in this body, assailed by longing, anger, greed, fear, despondency, envy, loss of what is loved, union with what is hated, hunger, thirst, age, death, sickness, sorrow, and all the rest?

1.4 “We see that everything here must perish. These biting flies, mosquitoes, and their kind spring up and vanish like grass, born only to be destroyed.

1.5 “But why speak of these? Others were mighty archers, rulers of the whole earth: kings such as Sudyumna, Bhūridyumna, Indradyumna, Kuvalayāśva, Yauvanāśva, Vaddhiyāśva, Aśvapati, Śaśabindu, Hāriścandra, Ambarīṣa, Nanūkta, Svayāti, Yayāti, Anaraṇya, Ukṣasena, Uttha, Marutta, and Bharata. Before the eyes of their assembled kin, they surrendered vast splendor and passed from this world to the next.

1.6 “But why speak of these? We see an end even to Gandharvas, Asuras, Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, hosts of spirits, Piśācas, serpents, possessing powers, and the rest.

“But why speak of these? Great oceans wither; mountain peaks fall; the pole star stirs; trees stand rooted; the earth sinks; the gods depart their stations. Here am I, in such a round of existence. What pleasure can desires give, when those who shelter in them are seen returning here again and again? Lift me out. In this round of existence I am a frog in a blind well. Blessed one, you are our passage. You are our passage.” 1.7Here ends the first Prapathaka.

1.1 Om. There was a king named Bṛhadratha. Having put his eldest son in charge of the kingdom, he considered this body impermanent, became detached from it, and went into the forest. There he undertook the most intense discipline, standing with his arms raised and looking at the sun. At the end of a thousand, a sage came to him: the blessed Śākāyanya, who knew the Self. Like smokeless fire, his radiance seemed to burn everything. He said to the king, “Rise, rise! Choose a gift.” The king bowed to him and said, “Sir, I do not know the Self. We hear that you know reality. Tell us about it.” “What you chose before is impossible. Do not ask this question, descendant of Ikṣvāku. Choose other things you want.” Touching Śākāyanya's feet, the king spoke these verses:

1.2 “Sir, this body is fouled by bones, skin, tendons, marrow, flesh, semen, blood, mucus, and tears. It is a mass of feces, urine, wind, bile, and phlegm, foul-smelling and without substance. What use is enjoying desires in it?

1.3 “This body is struck by desire, anger, greed, fear, despair, envy, separation from what is loved, contact with what is disliked, hunger, thirst, old age, death, disease, grief, and the rest. What use is enjoying desires in it?

1.4 “We see that all this will decay. These biting flies, mosquitoes, and the rest disappear like grass: they come into being and are destroyed.

1.5 “But why speak of them? There are others, great bowmen and universal rulers: kings such as Sudyumna, Bhūridyumna, Indradyumna, Kuvalayāśva, Yauvanāśva, Vaddhiyāśva, Aśvapati, Śaśabindu, Hāriścandra, Ambarīṣa, Nanūkta, Svayāti, Yayāti, Anaraṇya, Ukṣasena, Uttha, Marutta, and Bharata. While their relatives look on, they leave their great splendor behind and pass from this world to the other.

1.6 “But why speak of them? We see that even the Gandharvas, Asuras, yakshas, demons, hosts of spirits, ghouls, serpents, possessing powers, and the rest come to an end.

“But why speak of them? Great oceans dry up; mountains fall; the pole star moves; trees stand in their places; the earth sinks; gods are displaced. Here I am, in a cycle of existence like this. What use is enjoying desires, when those who rely on them are seen to return here again and again? You must lift me out. I am like a frog in a dark well in this cycle of existence. Sir, you are our way out. You are our way out.” 1.7Here ends Prapathaka 1.