बान्धवाक्रन्दसंरम्भकोलाहलगता गिरः । स्नेहभावविचारार्थं शृण्वन्तम् इव यत्नतः
It listened intently, as if striving to discern the voices of relatives, tumultuous with wailing, seeking the meaning of their bonds of affection.
अथ तत्कालकल्लोलप्रलापाकुलचेष्टितैः । सोरस्ताडनम् उच्छूननेत्रवारिभिर् आप्लुतैः
Then, amid the agitated gestures and delirious words of that moment, it was drenched with tears streaming from eyes swollen by the blows of sorrow.
क्रमेण स्वजनैः क्षुब्धैस् ताराक्रन्दितघर्घरैः । निष्कालितम् अमङ्गल्यम् अपुनर्दर्शनाय तैः
Gradually, by its distraught kin, with star-like cries and hoarse wailing, it was carried away—unblessed, never to be seen again.
नीतं श्मशानम् आश्यानवसापङ्ककलङ्कितम् । शुष्काशुष्कजरत्क्लिन्नकङ्कालशतसङ्कुलम्
It was taken to the cremation ground, stained with fat and mud, crowded with hundreds of dry, decayed, and damp skeletons.
गृध्राभ्रच्छन्नसूर्यांशु चिताज्वलननिस्तमः । शिवाशतमुखज्वालाजालपल्लवितावनि
The sun’s rays were obscured by clouds of vultures; the darkness was pierced by the flames of the funeral pyre, the earth blossoming with the tongues of fire from the mouths of countless jackals.
वहद्रक्तसरित्स्नातमद्गुकङ्कोग्रवायसम् । रक्तार्द्रतन्त्रीप्रसरजालबद्धजरत्खगम्
The aged bird, bathed in the great river of blood, bound in a net of blood-soaked, moist sinews, is pecked by the maggot, the vulture, the crow, and the jackal.
तत्र ते ज्वलने दीप्ते चक्रुस् तं भस्मसाच् छवम् । बान्धवास् सलिलापूरं समुद्रा इव वाडवे
There, in the blazing fire, the relatives made that corpse into ashes, as the oceans fill with water from the rain clouds.
चितिश् चटचटास्फोटैश् शवम् आशु ददाह तम् । शुष्केन्धनवद् उच्छूनज्वालाजालजटावती
The funeral pyre, with crackling sounds, quickly burned that corpse, its flames rising like tangled locks, as dry fuel is consumed.
अत्युल्लसच्चटचटारवमुक्तगन्धव्याप्ताम्बुवाहपटलो ऽस्थिचयं हुताशः । दन्ती विरन्ध्रम् इव वेणुवनं समन्ताद् उद्वान्तमेदुररसं दलयां चकार
The roaring fire, releasing fragrances, enveloped the heap of bones in a sheet of smoke, and, like an elephant crushing a bamboo grove, scattered the marrow and juices all around.
अथापश्यद् असौ गाधिस् स्वाधिपीवरया धिया । अन्तर्जलस्थ एवान्तर् आत्मनात्मन्य् अनिर्मले
Then Gadhi, with his own noble mind, saw himself within himself, as if submerged in water, in a state of impurity.
हूनमण्डलपर्यन्तग्रामोपान्तनिवासिनाम् । श्वपचानां स्त्रियो गर्भे स्थितम् आत्मानम् आकुलम्
He saw his soul, troubled, residing in the womb of a woman among the outcastes living at the edge of the village, within the circle of the cremation ground.
गर्भवासभयाक्रान्तं पीडितं पेलवाङ्गकम् । श्वपचीहृदये सुप्तं श्वविष्ठायाम् इवाङ्कुरम्
He saw himself afflicted by the fear of dwelling in the womb, tormented, with a frail body, sleeping in the heart of a woman of the outcastes, like a sprout in dog excrement.
शनैः पक्वतया काले प्रसूतं मेचकच्छविम् । श्वपच्या प्रावृषेवाब्दं श्यावम् आवलितं मलैः
Gradually, as time ripened, he was born with a pale complexion, covered in filth, from the outcaste woman, like a rain cloud in autumn, dark and smeared with dirt.
सम्पन्नं श्वपचागारे शिशुं श्वपचवल्लभम् । इतश् चेतश् च गच्छन्तम् उत्पीडम् इव यामुनम्
In the dwelling of the outcaste, a child beloved by the outcaste, moving here and there, like the Yamuna agitated by waves.
द्वादशाब्ददशां यातं संस्थितं षोडशाब्दिकम् । पीवरांसम् उदाराङ्गं पयोदम् इव मेदुरम्
Having reached twelve years of age, then settled at sixteen, broad-shouldered, with a noble body, robust like a dense rain cloud.
सारमेयपरीवारं विहरन्तं वनाद् वनम् । निघ्नन्तं मृगलक्षाणि पौलिन्दीं स्थितिम् आस्थितम्
Surrounded by dogs, wandering from forest to forest, slaying herds of deer, established in the lifestyle of the tribal people.
तमालं लतयेवाथ श्रितं श्वपचकान्तया । स्तनस्तबकशालिन्या नवपल्लवहस्तया
Then, like a tamala tree embraced by a vine, he was joined by the outcaste's daughter, whose hands were like fresh shoots and whose breasts were like clusters.
श्यामया कलिकाजालदशनामलमालया । नववल्लभया भूरिविलासवलिताङ्गया
By a dark-skinned maiden, adorned with a garland of flower buds, whose teeth were pure, with a new lover, her limbs graceful with playful movements.
विलसन्तं वनान्तेषु तया सह नवेष्टया । श्यामलं श्यामया भृङ्गं भृङ्ग्येव कुसुमर्द्धिषु
Sporting at the edge of the forest with her, his new companion, the dark one with the dark maiden, like a black bee with a female bee among blossoming flowers.
नवपर्णलतापत्त्रवसनं व्यसनान्तरम् । विन्ध्यकान्तारम् आकारम् अभ्यागतम् इवोद्भटम्
Clad in garments of fresh leaves and creepers, with a different kind of hardship, appearing like a wild figure newly arrived in the Vindhya wilderness.
विश्रान्तं वनकुञ्जेषु सुप्तं गिरिदरीषु च । निलीनं पत्त्रकुञ्जेषु गुल्मकेषु कृतालयम्
Resting in the forest groves, sleeping in mountain caves, concealed in leafy bowers, making his home among thickets.
किङ्किरातावतंसाढ्यं यूथिकास्रग्विभूषितम् । केतकोत्तंससुभगं सहकारस्रगाकुलम्
Adorned with a garland of kinkirata flowers, decorated with a necklace of jasmine, charming with a ketaka blossom tucked in its hair, and crowded with a wreath of sahakara flowers.
लुलितं पुष्पशय्यासु भ्रान्तम् अब्धितटेषु च । तज्ज्ञं काननकोशेषु बहुज्ञं मृगमारणे
Tossed about on beds of flowers, wandering along riverbanks, knowledgeable in the secrets of the forest, and skilled in hunting animals.
प्रासूत सो ऽथ शैलेषु पुत्रान् निजकुलाङ्कुरान् । अत्यन्तविषमोदर्कान् खदिरः कण्टकान् इव
Then, in the mountains, he produced sons—shoots of his own lineage—who were exceedingly harsh in their outcome, like the thorns of the khadira tree.
कलत्रवन्तं सम्पन्नं स्थितं प्रक्षीणयौवनम् । शनैर् जर्जरतां यातं वृष्टिहीनम् इव स्थलम्
Possessing a wife, prosperous, settled with youth depleted, he gradually entered a state of decrepitude, like land deprived of rain.
ततो हूनहतग्रामं जन्मदेशम् उपेत्य तम् । संस्थितं मठिकां पर्णैः कृत्वा दूरे मुनीन्द्रवत्
Then, returning to his birthplace—a village ruined by plunder—he built a hut with leaves at a distance, like a great sage.
जराजरढतां यातं स्वदेहसमपुत्रकम् । जीर्णप्रायरसश्वभ्रतमालतरुसन्निभम्
Having entered the state of old age and decay, with his own body and sons, resembling a worn-out hollow in the ground or a withered māla tree.
प्रौढं श्वपचगार्हस्थ्यं कुर्वाणं बहुबान्धवम् । करञ्जकुञ्जवनवत् परां वृद्धिम् उपागतं
Having attained maturity in the household of outcasts, surrounded by many relatives, he reached the highest stage of old age, like a grove of karañja trees.
अथापश्यद् असौ गाधिर् यावत् तस्य कलत्रिणः । जरढश्वपचेशस्य स्वात्मनो भ्रमकारिणः
Then Gadhi saw, as long as that old outcaste with a wife lived, his own self wandering, causing confusion.
तत् कलत्रम् अशेषेण नीतम् आदृतमन्युना । आसारपवनेनाशु वनपर्णगणो यथा
His wife was completely carried away by the wind of misfortune, just as a cluster of forest leaves is swiftly swept away by a worthless breeze.