तत्रान्योन्यं महीपाला युयुधुर्वसुधातले
In that age, kings fought one another upon the earth.
ततः कलियुगं घोरं चतुर्थं तु प्रव र्त्तते
Then, the dreadful Kali Yuga, the fourth, begins.
कृष्णवर्णो भवेद्विष्णुः पापाधिक्यं प्रवर्तते
Viṣṇu becomes dark in color, and the prevalence of sin arises.
अर्थलुब्धास्तथा भूपा लोभमोहशतान्विताः
Kings become greedy for wealth, filled with hundreds of desires and delusions.
अल्पक्षीरास्तथा गावः सत्यहीना द्विजातयः
Cows yield little milk, and the twice-born are devoid of truth.
सत्यहीनास्तथा पापा भविष्यंति कलौ युगे
Likewise, in the Kali Yuga, the wicked will be devoid of truth.
नार्यो द्वादशमे वर्षे भविष्यंति सुगर्भिताः
In the twelfth year, women will become pregnant.
एकाकारा भविष्यंति सर्ववर्णाश्रमाश्च वै
All castes and stages of life will become indistinguishable.
व्यर्थानि तत्र तीर्थानि म्लेच्छस्पृष्टानि सर्वशः 7.3.10.
There, the sacred fords will be rendered useless, entirely defiled by foreigners.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा ततो वाक्यं ब्रह्मणोऽव्यक्तजन्मनः
Hearing this, they then spoke these words to Brahmā, the one of unmanifest birth:
स्थानं नो ब्रूहि देवेश स्थातव्यं च सदैव हि
O Lord of the gods, tell us a place where we should always remain.
अतस्तत्र च गंतव्यं तीर्थैरायतनैः सह
Therefore, it is necessary to go there, together with the sacred fords and shrines.
अपि कृत्वा महत्पापमर्बुदं प्रेक्षते तु यः
Even one who has committed great sin, if he beholds Arbuda,
ततः सर्वाणि तीर्थानि गतानि च कलौ युगे
Therefore, all the sacred fords departed in the Kali age,
भूमावर्बुदशैलेन्द्रे संस्थितानि कलेर्भयात्
And took their place on Mount Arbuda, the lord of mountains, out of fear of Kali.
कुरुक्षेत्रं प्रभासं च ब्रह्मावर्तं तथैव च
Kurukshetra, Prabhasa, and likewise Brahmavarta,
तेषां वासश्च सञ्जातः पर्वतेऽर्बुदसंज्ञिके
Their residence was established on the mountain called Arbuda.
तत्र शांता नराः सम्यक्परं निर्वाणमाप्नुयुः
There, peaceful men will truly attain supreme liberation.
शृणु तत्राभवत्पूर्वं यदाश्चर्यं महामते 7.3.10.
Listen, O wise one, to the wondrous event that happened there in ancient times.
तपस्तेपे सुधर्मात्मा कामक्रोधविवर्जितः
A man of righteous nature performed austerity there, free from desire and anger.
पित्तं प्रपतितं तत्र तच्च रक्तमयं बभौ
There, his bile fell, and it shone with a reddish hue.
सिद्धोऽहमिति विज्ञाय ततो नृत्यं चकार सः
Realizing, 'I am accomplished,' he then began to dance.
तत्र संक्षोभमापन्नं सागरा अपि चुक्षुभुः
At that time, even the oceans were agitated and disturbed.
तस्यैवं नृत्यमानस्य सर्वे लोका नृपोत्तम
O best of kings, as he was thus dancing, all the worlds—
ततो देवगणाः सर्वे गत्वा कामनिषूदनम्
Then all the hosts of gods went to the destroyer of desire.
अथ ब्राह्मणरूपेण शंभुनोक्तो द्विजोत्तमः
Then, in the form of a Brahmin, the best of twice-born was addressed by Shambhu.
संजातं सिद्धिमापन्नो रक्तं पित्तं यतो मम
A power has arisen and been attained, from which my blood has become bile.
एतस्मात्कारणाद्धर्षाद्द्विज नृत्यं करोम्यहम्
For this reason, O twice-born, out of excitement I am dancing.
तर्जन्या ताडयामास स्वांगुष्ठं नृपसत्तम 7.3.10.
With his forefinger, O best of kings, he struck his own thumb.
ततो मंकणकं प्राह पश्य विप्र करान्मम
Then he said to Mankanaka, 'Look, Brahmin, at my hand.'