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भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। संवादं भरतश्रेष्ठ शल्मलेः पवनस्य च ॥१२-१५०-१॥
Here too, O best of the Bharatas, an ancient story is told: the dialogue between Śalmali and the Wind.
हिमवन्तं समासाद्य महानासीद्वनस्पतिः। वर्षपूगाभिसंवृद्धः शाखास्कन्धपलाशवान् ॥१२-१५०-२॥
Upon reaching the Himalaya, there stood a great tree, grown over many years, with branches, trunks, and leaves.
तत्र स्म मत्ता मातङ्गा धर्मार्ताः श्रमकर्शिताः। विश्रमन्ति महाबाहो तथान्या मृगजातयः ॥१२-१५०-३॥
O mighty-armed one, there, intoxicated elephants afflicted by righteousness and worn out by fatigue rest, as do other species of deer.
नल्वमात्रपरीणाहो घनच्छायो वनस्पतिः। शुकशारिकसङ्घुष्टः फलवान्पुष्पवानपि ॥१२-१५०-४॥
A tree, though having only the circumference of a reed, with dense shade, resounded by parrots and mynas, is fruitful and also bears flowers.
सार्थिका वणिजश्चापि तापसाश्च वनौकसः। वसन्ति वासान्मार्गस्थाः सुरम्ये तरुसत्तमे ॥१२-१५०-५॥
Caravan-leaders, merchants, ascetics, and forest-dwellers, those who travel the path, reside in the delightful shade of the excellent tree.
तस्या ता विपुलाः शाखा दृष्ट्वा स्कन्धांश्च सर्वतः। अभिगम्याब्रवीदेनं नारदो भरतर्षभ ॥१२-१५०-६॥
Nārada, O best of the Bharatas, having seen all those great branches and trunks on every side, approached and spoke to him.
अहो नु रमणीयस्त्वमहो चासि मनोरमः। प्रीयामहे त्वया नित्यं तरुप्रवर शल्मले ॥१२-१५०-७॥
Indeed, you are truly beautiful and charming. O excellent śalmali tree, we are always delighted by you.
सदैव शकुनास्तात मृगाश्चाधस्तथा गजाः। वसन्ति तव संहृष्टा मनोहरतरास्तथा ॥१२-१५०-८॥
O dear one, always birds, deer, and elephants below dwell joyfully in your abode, and they are most delightful.
तव शाखा महाशाख स्कन्धं च विपुलं तथा। न वै प्रभग्नान्पश्यामि मारुतेन कथञ्चन ॥१२-१५०-९॥
I do not see your branch, great branch, or large trunk broken in any way by the wind.
किं नु ते मारुतस्तात प्रीतिमानथ वा सुहृत्। त्वां रक्षति सदा येन वनेऽस्मिन्पवनो ध्रुवम् ॥१२-१५०-१०॥
Is it that your son of the wind, dear one, is affectionate or a friend? Surely, it is by him that you are always protected in this forest.
विवान्हि पवनः स्थानाद्वृक्षानुच्चावचानपि। पर्वतानां च शिखराण्याचालयति वेगवान् ॥१२-१५०-११॥
Indeed, the swift wind, moving from its place, shakes even the tall and short trees and the peaks of mountains.
शोषयत्येव पातालं विवान्गन्धवहः शुचिः। ह्रदांश्च सरितश्चैव सागरांश्च तथैव ह ॥१२-१५०-१२॥
The pure wind, which carries scents, truly dries up the netherworld, the sky, lakes, rivers, and even the oceans in the same way.
त्वां संरक्षेत पवनः सखित्वेन न संशयः। तस्माद्बहलशाखोऽसि पर्णवान्पुष्पवानपि ॥१२-१५०-१३॥
There is no doubt that, as a friend, the wind will protect you; therefore, you are full of branches, leaves, and flowers.
इदं च रमणीयं ते प्रतिभाति वनस्पते। यदिमे विहगास्तात रमन्ते मुदितास्त्वयि ॥१२-१५०-१४॥
O tree, this place also appears beautiful to you, for these birds, dear one, are joyfully delighting in you.
एषां पृथक्समस्तानां श्रूयते मधुरः स्वरः। पुष्पसंमोदने काले वाशतां सुमनोहरम् ॥१२-१५०-१५॥
A sweet sound is heard from all of them, both individually and together; at the time when the flowers are fragrant, their cries are very delightful.
तथेमे मुदिता नागाः स्वयूथकुलशोभिनः। घर्मार्तास्त्वां समासाद्य सुखं विन्दन्ति शल्मले ॥१२-१५०-१६॥
Thus, these joyful serpents, shining among their own groups, scorched by the heat, come to you and find comfort on the silk-cotton tree.
तथैव मृगजातीभिरन्याभिरुपशोभसे। तथा सार्थाधिवासैश्च शोभसे मेरुवद्द्रुम ॥१२-१५०-१७॥
Just as you are adorned by other species of deer and others, so too you shine with the inhabitants of the caravan, O tree, like Mount Meru.
ब्राह्मणैश्च तपःसिद्धैस्तापसैः श्रमणैरपि। त्रिविष्टपसमं मन्ये तवायतनमेव ह ॥१२-१५०-१८॥
I truly consider your abode, which is revered by Brāhmaṇas, perfected ascetics, and monks, to be equal to heaven.
बन्धुत्वादथ वा सख्याच्छल्मले नात्र संशयः। पालयत्येव सततं भीमः सर्वत्रगोऽनिलः ॥१२-१५०-१९॥
Whether through kinship or friendship, even with deceit, there is no doubt here; Bhima, the wind who moves everywhere, always protects.
न्यग्भावं परमं वायोः शल्मले त्वमुपागतः। तवाहमस्मीति सदा येन रक्षति मारुतः ॥१२-१५०-२०॥
You have come to the supreme humility of Vāyu on the śalmali tree. The wind-god always protects the one who says, 'I am yours.'
न तं पश्याम्यहं वृक्षं पर्वतं वापि तं दृढम्। यो न वायुबलाद्भग्नः पृथिव्यामिति मे मतिः ॥१२-१५०-२१॥
I do not see any tree or mountain or anything else on earth so firm that it is not broken by the force of the wind; this is my opinion.
त्वं पुनः कारणैर्नूनं शल्मले रक्ष्यसे सदा। वायुना सपरीवारस्तेन तिष्ठस्यसंशयम् ॥१२-१५०-२२॥
You are always protected by various causes on the silk-cotton tree; certainly, you remain there with your family by the wind, without any doubt.
शल्मलिरुवाच॥
The silk-cotton tree said.
न मे वायुः सखा ब्रह्मन्न बन्धुर्न च मे सुहृत्। परमेष्ठी तथा नैव येन रक्षति मानिलः ॥१२-१५०-२३॥
O Brāhmaṇa, Vāyu is not my friend, nor my relative, nor my well-wisher. Likewise, Parameṣṭhī is not, nor anyone by whom Mānila protects.
मम तेजोबलं वायोर्भीममपि हि नारद। कलामष्टादशीं प्राणैर्न मे प्राप्नोति मारुतः ॥१२-१५०-२४॥
O Nārada, even the terrible strength of Vāyu, with all his vital energies, does not attain even to the eighteenth sixteenth part of my splendor and strength.
आगच्छन्परमो वायुर्मया विष्टम्भितो बलात्। रुजन्द्रुमान्पर्वतांश्च यच्चान्यदपि किञ्चन ॥१२-१५०-२५॥
As the supreme wind approached, I forcefully restrained it, breaking trees, mountains, and anything else in its path.
स मया बहुशो भग्नः प्रभञ्जन्वै प्रभञ्जनः। तस्मान्न बिभ्ये देवर्षे क्रुद्धादपि समीरणात् ॥१२-१५०-२६॥
He, the breaker, has been broken many times by me, O divine sage; therefore, I do not fear even the angry wind.
नारद उवाच॥
Nārada said.
शल्मले विपरीतं ते दर्शनं नात्र संशयः। न हि वायोर्बलेनास्ति भूतं तुल्यबलं क्वचित् ॥१२-१५०-२७॥
On the śalmali tree, your appearance is contrary; there is no doubt about this. Truly, by the power of the wind, there is no being anywhere that is equal in strength.
इन्द्रो यमो वैश्रवणो वरुणश्च जलेश्वरः। न तेऽपि तुल्या मरुतः किं पुनस्त्वं वनस्पते ॥१२-१५०-२८॥
Indra, Yama, Vaiśravaṇa, Varuṇa, and the lord of waters are not even equal to you; how much more so, O lord of trees?
यद्धि किञ्चिदिह प्राणि शल्मले चेष्टते भुवि। सर्वत्र भगवान्वायुश्चेष्टाप्राणकरः प्रभुः ॥१२-१५०-२९॥
Whatever living being moves here, whether on the silk-cotton tree or on the earth, everywhere the revered Wind, the lord, is the cause of movement and life.
एष चेष्टयते सम्यक्प्राणिनः सम्यगायतः। असम्यगायतो भूयश्चेष्टते विकृतो नृषु ॥१२-१५०-३०॥
This functions properly for a living being who is properly extended; but for one who is not properly extended, it acts repeatedly in a distorted manner among people.
स त्वमेवंविधं वायुं सर्वसत्त्वभृतां वरम्। न पूजयसि पूज्यं तं किमन्यद्बुद्धिलाघवात् ॥१२-१५०-३१॥
You do not worship Vāyu, who is such, the best among the supporters of all beings, the one worthy of worship—him. Why else would this be, except due to lack of understanding?
असारश्चासि दुर्बुद्धे केवलं बहु भाषसे। क्रोधादिभिरवच्छन्नो मिथ्या वदसि शल्मले ॥१२-१५०-३२॥
You are insubstantial and, O dull-witted one, you only talk excessively. Shrouded by anger and similar faults, you speak falsely, O Śalmala.
मम रोषः समुत्पन्नस्त्वय्येवं सम्प्रभाषति। ब्रवीम्येष स्वयं वायोस्तव दुर्भाषितं बहु ॥१२-१५०-३३॥
My anger has arisen because of your words; thus I speak. O Vāyu, I myself declare that much of what you have said is improper.
चन्दनैः स्पन्दनैः शालैः सरलैर्देवदारुभिः। वेतसैर्बन्धनैश्चापि ये चान्ये बलवत्तराः ॥१२-१५०-३४॥
With sandalwood, spandan, śāla, sarala, devadāru trees, vetasa canes, and bindings, as well as others who are stronger.
तैश्चापि नैवं दुर्बुद्धे क्षिप्तो वायुः कृतात्मभिः। ते हि जानन्ति वायोश्च बलमात्मन एव च ॥१२-१५०-३५॥
O evil-minded one, Vāyu was not hurled in this way by those of controlled self. For they alone truly know both Vāyu's strength and their own.
तस्मात्ते वै नमस्यन्ति श्वसनं द्रुमसत्तमाः। त्वं तु मोहान्न जानीषे वायोर्बलमनन्तकम् ॥१२-१५०-३६॥
Therefore, the best among trees indeed bow to the wind; but you, due to delusion, do not know the infinite strength of the wind.
