And so, prodded on by his fate, he went to the sanyasi, fell at his feet, and pleaded with him…
“Oh revered one, if you are really pleased with me, the poor soul who has sought refuge with you, then please teach me the mantras by which this magic happens everyday…”
इति ब्रुवाणं निर्बन्धात् तं प्रत्याह स तापसः ।
असाध्या तव विद्येयं साध्यते ऽन्तर्जले ह्य् असौ ॥ १२,२५.५० ॥
तत्र चैषा सृजत्य् आशु जपतः साधकस्य तत् ।
मायाजालं विमोहाय येन सिद्धिं न सो ऽश्नुते ॥ १२,२५.५१ ॥
स हि तत्र पुनर् जातं बालम् आत्मानम् ईक्षते ।
ततो युवानम् उद्व्यूढदारं जातात्मजं तथा ॥ १२,२५.५२ ॥
सुहृन् मे ऽयम् अयं शत्रुर् इति मिथ्या स मुह्यति ।
न च स्मरति जन्मेदं न विद्यासाधने क्रियाम् ॥ १२,२५.५३ ॥
यस् तु त्रिरष्टवर्षः सन् गुरुविद्याप्रबोधितः ।
जन्म स्मृत्वा विदित्वा तद् धीरो मायाविजृम्भितम् ॥ १२,२५.५४ ॥
तद्वशो ऽप्य् अत्र कुरुते तथैवाग्निप्रवेशनम् ।
परमार्थं जलोत्तीर्णः सिद्धविद्यः स पश्यति ॥ १२,२५.५५ ॥
अन्यस्य न परं विद्या शिष्यस्यैषा हि सिध्यति ।
अस्थानार्पणतो यावद् गुरोर् अपि विनश्यति ॥ १२,२५.५६ ॥
मत्सिद्ध्यैव फले सिद्धे किं ग्रहेणामुना तव ।
मत्सिद्धिहान्या मा जातु तवैतद् अपि नङ्क्ष्यति ॥ १२,२५.५७ ॥
When Candrasvāmin persisted, the sanyasi said to him…
“You will not be able to master this technique…these mantras have to be recited continuously while sitting inside water. And when chanting these mantras under water, strange illusions will occur, in order to dissuade the person from being successful in completing the process…”
“One may find oneself born again, and become a boy, and then a young man, and then getting married. He may then see himself having a son, and then be deluded into thinking that one of his friends turns into his enemy…”
“This way, one will even forget one’s present birth, and the tapasya that one undertakes to reach the goal of mastery of this very art!”
“However, if one persists for twenty-four years, he then remembers his present birth, understands the Maya that was dissuading him from his practice, and then under the same illusion, enters fire and emerges from the water after becoming a master.”
“But this is possible only for a true shishya. If taught to a wrong person, or one who is not dedicated enough to complete the process, then the art is lost to the guru as well, since he taught it to someone who was unfit.”
“Keeping all this in mind, and knowing that you can still enjoy every night though the powers that I have, why do you insist on learning it yourself and putting my own vidya in danger, and your enjoyment as well?”
एवं तपस्विनोक्ते ऽपि चन्द्रस्वामी ग्रहेण सः ।
शिक्ष्यामि सर्वं मा भूद् वश् चिन्तात्रेति तम् अब्रवीत् ॥ १२,२५.५८ ॥
ततो ऽस्मै प्रतिपेदे तां विद्यां दातुं स तापसः ।
बताश्रितानुरोधेन किं न कुर्वन्ति साधवः ॥ १२,२५.५९ ॥
ततो नीत्वा नदीतीरं स तं स्माह महाव्रती ।
वत्स विद्यां जपन् मायां यदि द्रक्ष्यसि तां तदा ॥ १२,२५.६० ॥
मायाग्निम् एव प्रविशेर् विध्यया बोधितो मया ।
अहं च तावत् स्थास्यामि तवेहैव नदीतटे ॥ १२,२५.६१ ॥
इत्य् उक्त्वाध्यापयामास तम् आचान्तं शुचिं शुचिः ।
स चन्द्रस्वामिनं विद्यां सम्यक् तां व्रतिनां वरः ॥ १२,२५.६२ ॥
ततस् तीरे स्थिते तस्मिन् गुरौ मूर्ध्ना प्रणम्य तम् ।
चन्द्रस्वामी स रभसान् नदीम् अवततार ताम् ॥ १२,२५.६३ ॥
Though the sanyasi explained this in detail, Candrasvāmin still persisted and said…
“I promise you that I will be able to do everything that is required of me. Please don’t worry – I will not give up!”
The kind-hearted sanyasi finally relented and taught him the secret mantras. It is said…
बताश्रितानुरोधेन किं न कुर्वन्ति साधवः
What will not good men do for the sake of those who seek refuge with them?
The sanyasi then went to the river bank, and instructed Candrasvāmin.
“My son, when, while repeating this mantra, you see the illusion, I will recall you to consciousness by the power of my mind. You must enter the sacred fire that you see in your illusion. I will wait here for you, until you return.”
Candrasvāmin prostrated before the sanyasi, and rinsed his mouth with water three times before receiving the mantras.
He then boldly plunged into the river, while the sanyasi remained on the river bank…
to be continued…