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bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam। saṃvādaṃ bharataśreṣṭha śalmaleḥ pavanasya ca ॥12-150-1॥
Here too, O best of the Bharatas, an ancient story is told: the dialogue between Śalmali and the Wind.
himavantaṃ samāsādya mahān āsīd vanaspatiḥ। varṣapūgābhi-saṃvṛddhaḥ śākhā-skandha-palāśa-vān ॥12-150-2॥
Upon reaching the Himalaya, there stood a great tree, grown over many years, with branches, trunks, and leaves.
tatra sma mattā mātaṅgā dharmārtāḥ śramakarśitāḥ। viśramanti mahābāho tathānyā mṛgajātayaḥ॥12-150-3॥
O mighty-armed one, there, intoxicated elephants afflicted by righteousness and worn out by fatigue rest, as do other species of deer.
nalvamātraparīṇāho ghanacchāyo vanaspatiḥ। śukaśārikasaṅghuṣṭaḥ phalavānpuṣpavānapi ॥12-150-4॥
A tree, though having only the circumference of a reed, with dense shade, resounded by parrots and mynas, is fruitful and also bears flowers.
sārthikā vaṇijaścāpi tāpasāśca vanaukasaḥ। vasanti vāsānmārgasthāḥ suramye tarusattame ॥12-150-5॥
Caravan-leaders, merchants, ascetics, and forest-dwellers, those who travel the path, reside in the delightful shade of the excellent tree.
tasyā tā vipulāḥ śākhā dṛṣṭvā skandhāṃś ca sarvataḥ। abhigamyābravīdenaṃ nārado bharatarṣabha ॥12-150-6॥
Nārada, O best of the Bharatas, having seen all those great branches and trunks on every side, approached and spoke to him.
aho nu ramaṇīyastvam aho cāsi manoramaḥ। prīyāmahe tvayā nityaṃ tarupravara śalmale ॥12-150-7॥
Indeed, you are truly beautiful and charming. O excellent śalmali tree, we are always delighted by you.
sadāiva śakunās tāta mṛgāś cādhastathā gajāḥ। vasanti tava saṃhṛṣṭā manoharatarās tathā ॥12-150-8॥
O dear one, always birds, deer, and elephants below dwell joyfully in your abode, and they are most delightful.
tava śākhā mahāśākhā skandhaṃ ca vipulaṃ tathā। na vai prabhagnān paśyāmi mārutena kathaṃcana॥12-150-9॥
I do not see your branch, great branch, or large trunk broken in any way by the wind.
kiṁ nu te mārutastāta prītimānatha vā suhṛt। tvāṁ rakṣati sadā yena vane'smin pavano dhruvam ॥12-150-10॥
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.
vivān hi pavanaḥ sthānād vṛkṣān uccāvacān api। parvatānāṃ ca śikharāṇi ācalayati vegavān ॥12-150-11॥
Indeed, the swift wind, moving from its place, shakes even the tall and short trees and the peaks of mountains.
śoṣayaty-eva pātālaṃ vivān-gandhavahaḥ śuciḥ। hradāṃś-ca saritaś-caiva sāgarāṃś-ca tathaiva ha ॥12-150-12॥
The pure wind, which carries scents, truly dries up the netherworld, the sky, lakes, rivers, and even the oceans in the same way.
tvāṃ saṃrakṣeta pavanaḥ sakhitvena na saṃśayaḥ। tasmādbahalaśākho'si parṇavānpuṣpavānapi ॥12-150-13॥
There is no doubt that, as a friend, the wind will protect you; therefore, you are full of branches, leaves, and flowers.
idaṃ ca ramaṇīyaṃ te pratibhāti vanaspate। yadime vihagāstāta ramante muditāstvayi ॥12-150-14॥
O tree, this place also appears beautiful to you, for these birds, dear one, are joyfully delighting in you.
eṣāṃ pṛthaksamastānāṃ śrūyate madhuraḥ svaraḥ। puṣpasaṃmodane kāle vāśatāṃ sumanoharam ॥12-150-15॥
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.
tatheme muditā nāgāḥ svayūthakulaśobhinaḥ। gharmārtāstvāṃ samāsādya sukhaṃ vindanti śalmale ॥12-150-16॥
Thus, these joyful serpents, shining among their own groups, scorched by the heat, come to you and find comfort on the silk-cotton tree.
tathaiva mṛgajātībhir anyābhir upaśobhase। tathā sārthādhivāsaiś ca śobhase meruvad druma ॥12-150-17॥
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.
brāhmaṇaiś ca tapaḥsiddhais tāpasaiḥ śramaṇair api। triviṣṭapasamaṃ manye tavāyatanam eva ha ॥12-150-18॥
I truly consider your abode, which is revered by Brāhmaṇas, perfected ascetics, and monks, to be equal to heaven.
bandhutvād atha vā sakhyāc chalmale nātra saṃśayaḥ। pālayaty eva satataṃ bhīmaḥ sarvatrago'nilaḥ॥12-150-19॥
Whether through kinship or friendship, even with deceit, there is no doubt here; Bhima, the wind who moves everywhere, always protects.
nyagbhāvaṃ paramaṃ vāyoḥ śalmale tvamupāgataḥ। tavāhamasmīti sadā yena rakṣati mārutaḥ ॥12-150-20॥
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.'
na taṃ paśyāmyahaṃ vṛkṣaṃ parvataṃ vāpi taṃ dṛḍham। yo na vāyu-balād-bhagnaḥ pṛthivyām-iti me matiḥ ॥12-150-21॥
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.
tvaṃ punaḥ kāraṇair nūnaṃ śalmale rakṣyase sadā। vāyunā saparīvāras tena tiṣṭhasi asaṃśayam ॥12-150-22॥
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.
śalmaliruvāca॥
The silk-cotton tree said.
na me vāyuḥ sakhā brahmann bandhur na ca me suhṛt। parameṣṭhī tathā naiva yena rakṣati mānilaḥ ॥12-150-23॥
O Brāhmaṇa, Vāyu is not my friend, nor my relative, nor my well-wisher. Likewise, Parameṣṭhī is not, nor anyone by whom Mānila protects.
mama tejobalaṃ vāyorbhīmamapi hi nārada। kalāmaṣṭādaśīṃ prāṇairna me prāpnoti mārutaḥ ॥12-150-24॥
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.
āgacchan paramo vāyur mayā viṣṭambhito balāt। rujan drumān parvatāṁś ca yat ca anyad api kiñcana॥12-150-25॥
As the supreme wind approached, I forcefully restrained it, breaking trees, mountains, and anything else in its path.
sa mayā bahuśo bhagnaḥ prabhañjanvai prabhañjanaḥ। tasmānna bibhye devarṣe kruddhādapi samīraṇāt ॥12-150-26॥
He, the breaker, has been broken many times by me, O divine sage; therefore, I do not fear even the angry wind.
nārada uvāca॥
Nārada said.
śalmale viparītaṃ te darśanaṃ nātra saṃśayaḥ। na hi vāyorbalenāsti bhūtaṃ tulyabalaṃ kvacit ॥12-150-27॥
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.
indro yamo vaiśravaṇo varuṇaś ca jaleśvaraḥ। na te'pi tulyā marutaḥ kiṃ punas tvaṃ vanaspate ॥12-150-28॥
Indra, Yama, Vaiśravaṇa, Varuṇa, and the lord of waters are not even equal to you; how much more so, O lord of trees?
yaddhi kiñcid iha prāṇi śalmale ceṣṭate bhuvi। sarvatra bhagavān vāyuś ceṣṭāprāṇakaraḥ prabhuḥ ॥12-150-29॥
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.
eṣa ceṣṭayate samyak-prāṇinaḥ samyag-āyataḥ। asamyag-āyato bhūyaś ceṣṭate vikṛto nṛṣu ॥12-150-30॥
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.
sa tvam evaṃ-vidhaṃ vāyuṃ sarva-sattva-bhṛtāṃ varam। na pūjayasi pūjyaṃ taṃ kim anyad buddhi-lāghavāt ॥12-150-31॥
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?
asāraś cāsi durbuddhe kevalaṃ bahu bhāṣase। krodhādibhir avacchanno mithyā vadasi śalmale ॥12-150-32॥
You are insubstantial and, O dull-witted one, you only talk excessively. Shrouded by anger and similar faults, you speak falsely, O Śalmala.
mama roṣaḥ samutpannastvayyevaṃ samprabhāṣati। bravīmyeṣa svayaṃ vāyostava durbhāṣitaṃ bahu ॥12-150-33॥
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.
candanair spandanair śālaiḥ saralair devadārubhiḥ। vetasair bandhanaiś cāpi ye ca anye balavattarāḥ॥12-150-34॥
With sandalwood, spandan, śāla, sarala, devadāru trees, vetasa canes, and bindings, as well as others who are stronger.
taiś cāpi naivaṃ durbuddhe kṣipto vāyuḥ kṛtātmabhiḥ। te hi jānanti vāyoś ca balam ātmana eva ca ॥12-150-35॥
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.
tasmātte vai namasyanti śvasanaṃ drumasattamāḥ। tvaṃ tu mohānna jānīṣe vāyorbalamanantakam ॥12-150-36॥
Therefore, the best among trees indeed bow to the wind; but you, due to delusion, do not know the infinite strength of the wind.
