गिरिकूटनिभास्तत्र प्रासादारत्नभूषिताः । पतंत्यनलनिर्दग्धा निस्तोया जलदा इव
There, palaces adorned with jewels, resembling mountain peaks, fall down, burned by fire, like waterless clouds.
सह स्त्रीबालवृद्धेषु गोषु पक्षिषु वाजिषु । निर्दयो दहते वह्निर्हरकोपेन प्रेरितः
The fire, impelled by Śiva's wrath, mercilessly burns women, children, the old, cows, birds, and horses together.
सपत्नीकाश्चैव सुप्ताः संसुप्ता बहवो जनाः । पुत्रमालिंग्यते गाढं दह्यंते त्रिपुरारिणा
Many people, sleeping with their wives, are burned as they tightly embrace their sons, by the enemy of Tripura.
अथ तस्मिन्पुरे दीप्ते स्त्रियश्चाप्सरसोपमाः । अग्निज्वालाहतास्तत्र पतंति धरणीतले
Then, in that blazing city, women, equal to celestial nymphs, struck by tongues of fire, fall to the earth.
काचिद्बाला विशालाक्षी मुक्तावलि विभूषिता । धूमेनाकुलिता सा तु प्रतिबुद्धा शिखार्द्दिता
A certain young girl, wide-eyed and adorned with a pearl necklace, awakened and enveloped in smoke, is scorched by the flames.
सुतं संचिंत्यमाना सा पतिता धरणीतले । काचित्सुवर्णवर्णाभा नीलरत्नैर्विभूषिता
Thinking of her son, she falls to the ground; another, shining like gold and adorned with blue gems,
धूमेनाकुलिता सा तु पतिता धरणीतले । अन्या गृहीतहस्ता तु सखी दहति बालकैः
Enveloped in smoke, she too falls to the earth; another, holding her friend's hand, is burned along with her children.
अनेन दिव्यरूपान्यादृष्टा मदविमोहिता । शिरसा प्रांजलिं कृत्वा विज्ञापयति पावकम्
Among them, one of divine beauty, bewildered by passion, with joined palms and bowed head, appeals to the fire.
यदि त्वमिच्छसे वैरं पुरुषेष्वपकारिषु । स्त्रियः किमपराध्यंते गृहपंजरकोकिलाः
If you seek enmity with men who have done wrong, why do you harm women, the cuckoos confined in the cages of their homes?
पापनिर्दय निर्ल्लज्ज कस्ते कोपः स्त्रियोपरि । न दाक्षिण्यं न ते लज्जा न सत्यं शौचवर्जितः
O ruthless, merciless, shameless one—why is your anger directed at women? You have no kindness, no shame, no truth, devoid of purity.
अनेकरूपवर्णाढ्या उपलभ्या वदस्व ह । किं त्वया न श्रुतं लोके अवध्याः सर्वयोषितः
You, possessed of many forms and colors, tell me truly: have you not heard in the world that all women are not to be slain?
किं तु तुभ्यं गुणा ह्येते दहनस्त्र्यर्दनं प्रति । न कारुण्यं दया वापि दाक्षिण्यं वा स्त्रियोपरि
Are these your virtues, O fire, in the destruction of women? There is no compassion, no mercy, no gentleness towards women.
दयां कुर्वंति म्लेच्छापि दहनं प्रेक्ष्य योषितः । म्लेच्छानामपि कष्टोसि दुर्निवार्यो ह्यचेतनः
Even foreigners show pity when they see women burned; but you, fire, are harsh even to foreigners, difficult to restrain, and without sense.
एते चैव गुणास्तुभ्यं दहनोत्सादनं प्रति । आसामपि दुराचार स्त्रीणां किं विनिपातसे
These, indeed, are your qualities in the destruction of women; but even if these women are of bad conduct, why do you cast them down?
दुष्ट निर्घृण निर्लज्ज हुताश मंदभाग्यक । निराशस्त्वं दुराचार बालान्दहसि निर्दय
You are wicked, cruel, shameless, O Fire, bringer of misfortune; hopeless, evil-doer, you mercilessly burn children.
एवं प्रलपमानास्ता जल्पमाना बहुस्वरम् । अन्याः क्रोशंति संक्रुद्धा बालशोकेन मोहिताः
Thus, as they lamented and cried out in many voices, others wailed in anger, bewildered by grief for their children.
दहते निर्दयो वह्निः संक्रुद्धः सर्वशत्रुवत् । पुष्करिण्यां जले ज्वाला कूपेष्वपि तथैव च
The merciless fire, enraged and like an enemy to all, burns even in the water of the lotus pond and likewise in wells.
अस्मान्संदह्य म्लेच्छ त्वं कां गतिं प्रापयिष्यसि । एवं प्रलपतां तासां वह्निर्वचनमब्रवीत्
Having burned us, O outcaste, what fate will you attain? As they spoke thus, the fire addressed them.
वैश्वानर उवाच-। स्ववशो नैव युष्माकं विनाशं तु करोम्यहम् । अहमादेशकर्ता वै नाहं कर्त्तास्म्यनुग्रहम्
Vaiśvānara said: I do not destroy you by my own will; I am only the agent of command, not the giver of grace.
अत्र क्रोधसमाविष्टो विचरामि यदृच्छया । ततो बाणो महातेजास्त्रिपुरं वीक्ष्य दीपितम्
Here, overcome by anger, I move about as I please; then Bāṇa, of great brilliance, saw Tripura set ablaze.
आसनस्थोऽब्रवीदेवमहं देवैर्विनाशितः । अल्पसारैर्दुराचारैरीश्वरस्य निवेदितः
Seated, he spoke to the gods: 'I have been destroyed by the gods, by the wicked and insignificant, offered up to the Lord.'
अपरीक्ष्य ह्यहं दग्धः शंकरेण महात्मना । नान्यः शत्रुस्तु मां हंतुं वर्ज्जयित्वा महेश्वरम्
Without examination, I was burned by the great-souled Śaṅkara; no other enemy can slay me except Maheśvara.
उत्थितः शिरसा कृत्वा लिगं त्रिभुवनेश्वरम् । निर्गतः स पुरद्वारात्परित्यज्य सुहृत्स्वयम्
Rising up, having placed the liṅga of the Lord of the three worlds upon his head, he departed from the city gate, abandoning his friends of his own accord.
रत्नानि सुविचित्राणि स्त्रियो नानाविधास्तथा । गृहीत्वा शिरसा लिंगं न्यस्तं नगरमंडले
Taking the splendid jewels and women of various kinds, he placed the liṅga upon his head and set it in the center of the city.
स्तुवते देवदेवेशं त्रैलोक्याधिपतिं शिवम् । हर त्वयाहं निर्दग्धो यदि वध्योसि शंकर
He praised Śiva, Lord of gods, ruler of the three worlds: 'O Hara, if I am burned by you, then you are to be slain, O Śaṅkara.'
त्वत्प्रसादान्महादेव मा मे लिंगं विनश्यतु । अर्चितं हि महादेव भक्त्या परमया सदा
By your grace, O great god, may my liṅga not be destroyed; for it has always been worshipped with supreme devotion, O great god.
त्वया यद्यपि वध्योहं मा मे लिंगं विनश्यतु । प्राप्यमेतन्महादेव त्वत्पादग्रहणं मम
Even if I am to be slain by you, may my liṅga not perish; let me attain this, O great god—grasping your feet.
जन्मजन्म महादेव त्वत्पादनिरतो ह्यहम् । तोटकच्छंदसा देवं स्तुत्वा तु परमेश्वरम्
Birth after birth, O great god, I am devoted to your feet; having praised the supreme Lord in the Toṭaka meter—
ॐशिवशंकरसर्वकराय नमो भवभीममहेशशिवाय नमः । कुसुमायुध देहविनाशकर त्रिपुरांतकरांधक चूर्णकर
Om, homage to Śiva, Śaṅkara, doer of all; homage to Bhava, Bhīma, Maheśa, Śiva; destroyer of Kāma, destroyer of bodies, ender of Tripura, crusher of Andhaka.
प्रमदाप्रियकामविभक्त नमो हि नमः सुरसिद्धगणैर्नमितः । हयवानरसिंहगजेंद्रमुखैरति ह्रस्वसुदीर्घमुखैश्च गणैः
Homage, indeed, to you who are divided as beloved of women and desire; bowed to by hosts of gods and siddhas; by troops with faces of horses, monkeys, lions, elephants, and by those with very short and very long faces.