कशाभिरिव हैमीभिर्विद्युद्भिरभिताडितम्। अन्तःस्तनितनिर्घोषं सवेदनमिवाम्बरम्
The sky, struck by golden flashes of lightning like whips, and echoing with the thunder within, seems to tremble in pain.
नीलमेघाश्रिता विद्युत् स्फुरन्ती प्रतिभाति मे। स्फुरन्ती रावणस्याङ्के वैदेहीव तपस्विनी
The lightning, flashing upon dark clouds, appears to me like Sita, the ascetic, trembling in Ravana’s lap.
इमास्ता मन्मथवतां हिताः प्रतिहता दिशः। अनुलिप्ता इव घनैर्नष्टग्रहनिशाकराः
These directions, once dear to lovers, are now blocked, as if smeared with clouds, their moon and stars lost.
क्वचिद् बाष्पाभिसंरुद्धान् वर्षागमसमुत्सुकान्। कुटजान् पश्य सौमित्रे पुष्पितान् गिरिसानुषु। मम शोकाभिभूतस्य कामसंदीपनान् स्थितान्
See, Saumitri, on the mountain slopes, the kuṭaja trees in bloom—some, choked by tears and longing for the rains, stand as if kindling my own grief and desire.
रजः प्रशान्तं सहिमोऽद्य वायु- र्निदाघदोषप्रसराः प्रशान्ताः। स्थिता हि यात्रा वसुधाधिपानां प्रवासिनो यान्ति नराः स्वदेशान्
Today the dust has settled, the wind is gentle, the oppressive heat has abated; the journeys of kings are halted, and travelers return to their homelands.
सम्प्रस्थिता मानसवासलुब्धाः प्रियान्विताः सम्प्रति चक्रवाकाः। अभीक्ष्णवर्षोदकविक्षतेषु यानानि मार्गेषु न सम्पतन्ति
Now, the chakravaka birds, eager to return to their lake homes and joined with their mates, have set out; on roads washed by frequent rains, carriages do not travel.
क्वचित् प्रकाशं क्वचिदप्रकाशं नभः प्रकीर्णाम्बुधरं विभाति। क्वचित् क्वचित् पर्वतसंनिरुद्धं रूपं यथा शान्तमहार्णवस्य
The sky, scattered with clouds, appears bright in some places, dark in others; sometimes blocked by mountains, it resembles the calm surface of a great ocean.
व्यामिश्रितं सर्जकदम्बपुष्पै- र्नवं जलं पर्वतधातुताम्रम्। मयूरकेकाभिरनुप्रयातं शैलापगाः शीघ्रतरं वहन्ति
The mountain streams, mingled with sarja and kadamba blossoms and tinged red by minerals, swiftly flow, accompanied by the cries of peacocks.
रसाकुलं षट्पदसंनिकाशं प्रभुज्यते जम्बुफलं प्रकामम्। अनेकवर्णं पवनावधूतं भूमौ पतत्याम्रफलं विपक्वम्
The ripe jambu fruit, rich in juice and swarming with bees, is eagerly enjoyed; the wind-shaken, many-colored, fully ripened mangoes fall to the ground.
विद्युत्पताकाः सबलाकमालाः शैलेन्द्रकूटाकृतिसंनिकाशाः। गर्जन्ति मेघाः समुदीर्णनादा मत्ता गजेन्द्रा इव संयुगस्थाः
Clouds, adorned with lightning banners and garlands of cranes, resembling the peaks of great mountains, roar with resounding thunder like intoxicated elephants standing ready for battle.
वर्षोदकाप्यायितशाद्वलानि प्रवृत्तनृत्तोत्सवबर्हिणानि। वनानि निर्वृष्टबलाहकानि पश्यापराह्णेष्वधिकं विभान्ति
The forests, their grasslands refreshed by the rainwater and filled with peacocks beginning their joyous dances, shine even more beautifully in the afternoons when the rain clouds have passed.
समुद्वहन्तः सलिलातिभारं बलाकिनो वारिधरा नदन्तः। महत्सु शृङ्गेषु महीधराणां विश्रम्य विश्रम्य पुनः प्रयान्ति
The clouds, bearing a heavy burden of water and echoing with the cries of cranes, rest again and again upon the lofty summits of mountains before moving on.
मेघाभिकामा परिसम्पतन्ती सम्मोदिता भाति बलाकपंक्तिः। वातावधूता वरपौण्डरीकी लम्बेव माला रुचिराम्बरस्य
A line of cranes, eager to reach the clouds and delighted, appears like a splendid garland of white lotuses blown by the wind, hanging in the radiant sky.
बालेन्द्रगोपान्तरचित्रितेन विभाति भूमिर्नवशाद्वलेन। गात्रानुपृक्तेन शुकप्रभेण नारीव लाक्षोक्षितकम्बलेन
The earth, adorned with fresh green grass speckled with young shoots and the red of indragopa insects, glows with a sheen like a woman draped in a shawl dyed with lac, touched by the pale hue of parrots.
निद्रा शनैः केशवमभ्युपैति द्रुतं नदी सागरमभ्युपैति। हृष्टा बलाका घनमभ्युपैति कान्ता सकामा प्रियमभ्युपैति
Sleep slowly comes upon Keśava; the river swiftly approaches the ocean; the joyful crane seeks out the cloud; and the loving woman, her desire fulfilled, goes to her beloved.
जाता वनान्ताः शिखिसुप्रनृत्ता जाताः कदम्बाः सकदम्बशाखाः। जाता वृषा गोषु समानकामा जाता मही सस्यवनाभिरामा
The forest edges are alive with peacocks dancing splendidly; the kadamba trees are flourishing with their branches; the bulls, their desires matching those of the cows, have arisen; and the earth is adorned with delightful fields of crops.
वहन्ति वर्षन्ति नदन्ति भान्ति ध्यायन्ति नृत्यन्ति समाश्वसन्ति। नद्यो घना मत्तगजा वनान्ताः प्रियाविहीनाः शिखिनः प्लवंगमाः
Rivers, clouds, intoxicated elephants, and forest edges all flow, pour, roar, and shine; they contemplate, they dance, they find rest—while peacocks and monkeys, deprived of their beloveds, are left longing.
धारानिपातैरभिहन्यमानाः कदम्बशाखासु विलम्बमानाः। क्षणार्जितं पुष्परसावगाढं शनैर्मदं षट्चरणास्त्यजन्ति
Struck by falling rain, clinging to the branches of kadamba trees, the six-legged ones (bees), having quickly gathered the deep nectar from the newly blossomed flowers, slowly abandon their intoxication.
अङ्गारचूर्णोत्करसंनिकाशैः फलैः सुपर्याप्तरसैः समृद्धैः। जम्बूद्रुमाणां प्रविभान्ति शाखा निपीयमाना इव षट्पदौघैः
The branches of the jambu trees, laden with abundant, ripe fruits resembling heaps of red powder and rich in juice, stand out as if being drained by swarms of six-legged bees.
तडित्पताकाभिरलंकृताना- मुदीर्णगम्भीरमहारवाणाम्। विभान्ति रूपाणि बलाहकानां रणोत्सुकानामिव वारणानाम्
The forms of the clouds, adorned with banners of lightning and resounding with deep, tumultuous roars, shine like elephants eager for battle.
मार्गानुगः शैलवनानुसारी सम्प्रस्थितो मेघरवं निशम्य। युद्धाभिकामः प्रतिनादशङ्की मत्तो गजेन्द्रः प्रतिसंनिवृत्तः
A great elephant, following its path through the mountains and forests, hears the thunder of clouds, and, eager for battle yet wary of the echo, turns back in intoxication.
क्वचित् प्रगीता इव षट्पदौघैः क्वचित् प्रनृत्ता इव नीलकण्ठैः। क्वचित् प्रमत्ता इव वारणेन्द्रै- र्विभान्त्यनेकाश्रयिणो वनान्ताः
In some places, the forest edges appear as if sung to by swarms of bees; in others, as if danced upon by blue-throated peacocks; elsewhere, as if intoxicated by lordly elephants—these forests display many forms of life.
कदम्बसर्जार्जुनकन्दलाढ्या वनान्तभूमिर्मधुवारिपूर्णा। मयूरमत्ताभिरुतप्रनृत्तै- रापानभूमिप्रतिमा विभाति
The forest floor, rich with kadamba, sāl, and arjuna shoots and filled with honeyed water, shines like a tavern floor, with peacocks intoxicated by the rain dancing and calling.
मुक्तासमाभं सलिलं पतद् वै सुनिर्मलं पत्रपुटेषु लग्नम्। हृष्टा विवर्णच्छदना विहंगाः सुरेन्द्रदत्तं तृषिताः पिबन्ति
The water, falling pure and clear like strings of pearls and caught in the cups of leaves, is eagerly drunk by thirsty birds with faded plumage, as if it were a gift from the lord of the gods.
षट्पादतन्त्रीमधुराभिधानं प्लवंगमोदीरितकण्ठतालम्। आविष्कृतं मेघमृदङ्गनादै- र्वनेषु संगीतमिव प्रवृत्तम्
The sweet sounds of the bees' strings, the rhythmic calls of monkeys, and the drumbeats of thunder in the clouds together reveal a music in the forests, as if a concert has begun.
क्वचित् प्रनृत्तैः क्वचिदुन्नदद्भिः क्वचिच्च वृक्षाग्रनिषण्णकायैः। व्यालम्बबर्हाभरणैर्मयूरै- र्वनेषु संगीतमिव प्रवृत्तम्
In the forests, with peacocks sometimes dancing, sometimes calling loudly, and sometimes perched atop trees with their trailing, jeweled tails, it seems as if music itself has arisen.
स्वनैर्घनानां प्लवगाः प्रबुद्धा विहाय निद्रां चिरसंनिरुद्धाम्। अनेकरूपाकृतिवर्णनादा नवाम्बुधाराभिहता नदन्ति
Awakened by the sounds of the clouds, the monkeys, leaving behind their long-held sleep, cry out in many forms, shapes, and voices, struck by the new torrents of rain.
नद्यः समुद्वाहितचक्रवाका- स्तटानि शीर्णान्यपवाहयित्वा। दृप्ता नवप्रावृतपूर्णभोगा- दृतं स्वभर्तारमुपोपयान्ति
The rivers, carrying away the sheldrakes that have taken refuge in them, sweep their banks clean and, swollen with the fresh rains, swiftly approach their ocean lord.
नीलेषु नीला नववारिपूर्णा मेघेषु मेघाः प्रतिभान्ति सक्ताः। दवाग्निदग्धेषु दवाग्निदग्धाः शैलेषु शैला इव बद्धमूलाः
On the blue mountains, the blue clouds, filled with new water, appear attached; on the forests scorched by wildfire, the clouds seem like fire; on the mountains, they stand rooted like the mountains themselves.
प्रमत्तसंनादितबर्हिणानि सशक्रगोपाकुलशाद्वलानि। चरन्ति नीपार्जुनवासितानि गजाः सुरम्याणि वनान्तराणि
The elephants roam the delightful forest interiors, fragrant with kadamba and arjuna blossoms, where the peacocks call out in intoxicated delight and the grass is thick with indragopa insects.