ततः शशाङ्कतिलकः कपर्दी परमार्तवत् उवाच नन्दिनं भक्तः स मयो ऽद्य विनङ्क्ष्यति
Then, the moon-crested, matted-haired one, deeply moved, spoke to Nandi: 'That Maya, though devoted, will perish today.'
अथ नन्दीश्वरस्तूर्णं मनोमारुतवद्बली शरे त्रिपुरमायाति त्रिपुरं प्रविवेश सः
Thereupon, Nandi, swift and powerful as the wind of the mind, went toward Tripura and entered the city.
स मयं प्रेक्ष्य गणपः प्राह काञ्चनसंनिभः विनाशस्त्रिपुरस्यास्य प्राप्तो मय सुदारुणः अनेनैव गृहेण त्वम् अपक्राम ब्रवीम्यहम्
Seeing Maya, the golden-hued leader of the hosts said: 'A terrible destruction has come upon this Tripura, O Maya. Leave this house at once, I tell you.'
श्रुत्वा तन्नन्दिवचनं दृढभक्तो महेश्वरे तेनैव गृहमुख्येण त्रिपुराद् अपसर्पितः
Hearing Nandi's words, that steadfast devotee of Maheshvara departed from Tripura by the main gate.
सो ऽपीषुः पत्त्रपुटवद् दग्ध्वा तन्नगरत्रयम् त्रिधा इव हुताशश्च सोमो नारायणस्तथा
Then, like a leaf in a flame, he burned the three cities; and as if split in three, the fire, the moon, and Narayana did likewise.
शरतेजःपरीतानि पुराणि द्विजपुंगवाः दुष्पुत्रदोषाद्दह्यन्ते कुलान्यूर्ध्वं यथा तथा
O best of twice-born, the cities, filled with the brilliance of the arrow, were consumed, just as lineages are destroyed above due to the fault of a wicked son.
मेरुकैलासकल्पानि मन्दराग्रनिभानि च सकपाटगवाक्षाणि बलिभिः शोभितानि च
They were like Meru and Kailasa, resembling the peaks of Mandara, adorned with doors and windows, splendid with offerings.
सप्रासादानि रम्याणि कूटागारोत्कटानि च सजलानि समाख्यानि सावलोकनकानि च
With beautiful palaces, towering mansions, rain-filled reservoirs, and renowned halls fit for viewing, they were magnificent.
बद्धध्वजपताकानि स्वर्णरौप्यमयानि च गृहाणि तस्मिंस्त्रिपुरे दानवानामुपद्रवे दह्यन्ते दहनाभानि दहनेन सहस्रशः
The houses in Tripura, adorned with banners and flags of gold and silver, belonging to the Danavas, were burned by fire in thousands, blazing like fire itself.
प्रासादाग्रेषु रम्येषु वनेषूपवनेषु च वातायनगताश्चान्याश् चाकाशस्य तलेषु च
In the lovely palaces, in the forests and groves, and in the upper chambers and open spaces, others too were present.
रमणैरुपगूढाश्च रमन्त्यो रमणैः सह दह्यन्ते दानवेन्द्राणाम् अग्निना ह्यपि ताः स्त्रियः
Embraced by their lovers, delighting together, the wives of the Danava lords were consumed by fire, even as they clung to their beloveds.
काचित्प्रियं परित्यज्य अशक्ता गन्तुमन्यतः पुरः प्रियस्य पञ्चत्वं गताग्निवदने क्षयम्
One, unable to go elsewhere, abandoned her beloved and, before his eyes, perished in the mouth of the fire, meeting her end.
उवाच शतपत्त्राक्षी सास्राक्षीव कृताञ्जलिः हव्यवाहन भार्याहं परस्य परतापन धर्मसाक्षी त्रिलोकस्य न मां स्प्रष्टुमिहार्हसि
The lotus-eyed woman, with tearful eyes and hands joined in supplication, said: 'O Fire, I am the wife of another, O tormentor of foes. Witness of righteousness for the three worlds, you should not touch me here.'
शायितं च मया देव शिवया च शिवप्रभ परेण प्रैहि मुक्त्वेदं गृहं च दयितं हि मे
'I have lain with another, O god, and with Shiva's radiance. Go elsewhere, leaving this house and my beloved to me.'
एका पुत्रमुपादाय बालकं दानवाङ्गना हुताशनसमीपस्था इत्युवाच हुताशनम्
One Danava woman, taking her young son, stood near the fire and spoke to the fire-god.
बालो ऽयं दुःखलब्धश्च मया पावक पुत्रकः नार्हस्येनमुपादातुं दयितं षण्मुखप्रिय
'This boy, O Fire, is my son, born of sorrow. You should not take him, O beloved of Shanmukha, my dear one.'
काश्चित्प्रियान्परित्यज्य पीडिता दानवाङ्गनाः निपतन्त्यर्णवजले सिञ्जमानविभूषणाः
Some Danava women, abandoning their beloveds and afflicted, fell into the ocean's waters, their ornaments tinkling.
तात पुत्रेति मातेति मातुलेति च विह्वलम् चक्रन्दुस्त्रिपुरे नार्यः पावकज्वालवेपिताः
Crying out 'Father, son!' and 'Mother!' in distress, the women in Tripura wailed, trembling in the flames of fire.
यथा दहति शैलाग्निः साम्बुजं जलजाकरम् तथा स्त्रीवक्त्रपद्मानि चादहत्त्रिपुरे ऽनलः
Just as fire on a mountain burns the lotuses and the creatures of the water, so too did the fire in Tripura burn the lotus-like faces of the women.
तुषारराशिः कमलाकराणां यथा दहत्यम्बुजकानि शीते तथैव सो ऽग्निस्त्रिपुराङ्गनानां ददाह वक्त्रेक्षणपङ्कजानि
Just as a mass of frost burns the lotuses in a pond with its cold, in the same way that fire burned the lotus-like faces and eyes of the women of Tripura.
शराग्निपातात् समभिद्रुतानां तत्राङ्गनानाम् अतिकोमलानाम् बभूव काञ्चीगुणनूपुराणाम् आक्रन्दितानां च रवो ऽतिमिश्रः
When the rain of fiery arrows fell upon those exceedingly delicate women, the mingled cries of their girdles and anklets, as they wailed, became overwhelming.
दग्धार्धचन्द्राणि सवेदिकानि विशीर्णहर्म्याणि सतोरणानि दग्धानि दग्धानि गृहाणि तत्र पतन्ति रक्षार्थमिवार्णवौघे
There, mansions with half-burnt crescent-shaped domes and altars, shattered palaces with gateways, and burning houses fell as if into a flood, seeking protection.
गृहैः पतद्भिर्ज्वलनावलीढैर् आसीत्समुद्रे सलिलं प्रतप्तम् कुपुत्रदोषैः प्रहतानुविद्धं यथा कुलं याति धनान्वितस्य
With burning houses falling and swallowed by flames, the water in the ocean became heated, just as a wealthy family is ruined and afflicted by the faults of a wicked son.
गृहप्रतापैः क्वथितं समन्तात् तदार्णवे तोयमुदीर्णवेगम् वित्रासयामास तिमीन्सनक्रांस् तिमिङ्गिलांस्तत्क्वथितांस्तथान्यान्
The water of the ocean, boiled all around by the heat of the burning houses, surged violently and terrified the fishes, crocodiles, and great sea-monsters that dwelled there.
सगोपुरो मन्दरपादकल्पः प्राकारवर्यस्त्रिपुरे च सो ऽथ तैरेव सार्धं भवनैः पपात शब्दं महान्तं जनयन्समुद्रे
Then, the city of Tripura, with its grand gateways and mountain-like ramparts, collapsed together with its mansions, crashing into the ocean with a tremendous sound.
सहस्रशृङ्गैर् भवनैर् यदासीत् सहस्रशृङ्गः स इवाचलेशः नामावशेषं त्रिपुरं प्रजज्ञे हुताशनाहारबलिप्रयुक्तम्
When the city, with its thousand-peaked palaces, stood like a lord of mountains, only the name 'Tripura' remained, consumed by the fire as an offering to destruction.
प्रदह्यमानेन पुरेण तेन जगत् सपातालदिवं प्रतप्तम् दुःखं महत्प्राप्य जलावमग्नं यस्मिन्महान्सौधवरो मयस्य
With that city burning, the whole world, along with the underworld and the heavens, was scorched; plunged into great distress, it was submerged in water, where Maya's great palace stood.
तद्देवेशो वचः श्रुत्वा इन्द्रो वज्रधरस्तदा शशाप तद्गृहं चापि मयस्यादितिनन्दनः
Hearing the words of the Lord of the gods, Indra, wielder of the thunderbolt, then cursed that house of Maya, son of Diti.
असेव्यमप्रतिष्ठं च भयेन च समावृतम् भविष्यति मयगृहं नित्यमेव यथानलः
The house of Maya shall always be unfit for dwelling, without foundation, and surrounded by fear, just like fire.
यस्य यस्य तु देशस्य भविष्यति पराभवः द्रक्ष्यन्ति त्रिपुरं खण्डं तत्रेदं नाशगा जनाः तदेतदद्यापि गृहं मयस्यामयवर्जितम्
Wherever there is defeat for any land, people will see the ruins of Tripura there; and even today, Maya's house remains free from disease.