क्षणादिकल्पपर्यन्तस् तेजस्तिमिररञ्जनात् । कालेन किञ्चिद् आलक्ष्यस् स्वकाय उररीकृतः
From a moment up to the end of an aeon, through the interplay of light and darkness, time is perceived only slightly, having embraced its own body.
शीतवातातपप्रौढाः प्रोल्लसत्पुष्पदीप्तयः । फलप्रदाश् चरन्तीह कालखे षडृतुग्रहाः
The six seasonal planets, matured by cold, wind, and heat, shining with blossoming flowers, wander here, bestowing fruit in time.
ब्रह्माण्डभैक्षभाण्डे ऽसौ काली भगवती क्रिया । स्वयं दत्त्वैव दत्त्वैव भूतभिक्षां जिघृक्षति
In the vessel of the universe, that divine action called Kāli, having herself given and given again the alms of beings, seeks to seize them.
पयःपटलविश्रान्तत्रैलोक्याम्भोजकोटरे । करोति घुङ्घुमं भूरि भूतभ्रमरपेटकः
In the hollow of the lotus of the three worlds, resting upon layers of milk, the swarm of beings, like bees, produces a loud buzzing.
तिमिरानीलकवरी अर्केन्दुचपलेक्षणा । ब्रह्मोपेन्द्रहरेन्द्रादिधरागिरिवराङ्गिका
She has dark blue tresses like darkness, her eyes flicker like the sun and moon, and her limbs are adorned with the splendor of Brahma, Indra, Hari, and the best of mountains.
ब्रह्मतत्त्वैकपितृका लम्बमानपयोधरा । चिच्छक्तिमातृका स्थूला तरला घनचापला
She has the one essence of Brahman as her father, her breasts hang full, she is the mother of consciousness-power, massive, restless, and intensely active.
तारकाजालदशना सन्ध्यारुणतराधरा । समस्तपद्मिनीहस्ता शतक्रतुपुरानना
Her teeth are a cluster of stars, her lips are redder than the twilight, she holds all lotuses in her hands, and her face resembles the city of a hundred sacrifices.
सप्ताब्धिमुक्तालतिका नीलाम्बरपरावृता । जम्बुद्वीपमहानाभिर् वनश्रीरोमराजिका
She is a garland of pearls from the seven oceans, wrapped in dark blue garments, her navel is the great center of Jambudvīpa, and her body hair is the beauty of the forest.
भूत्वा भूत्वा विनश्यन्ती त्रिलोकीवृद्धकामिनी । असकृज् जायते नष्टा भूरिविभ्रमकारिणी
Again and again she arises and perishes, the aged courtesan of the three worlds; repeatedly born and lost, she is the cause of endless bewilderment.
मग्नम् अन्यैर् अथोन्मग्नं भीमे कालमहार्णवे । प्रतिकल्पक्षणं क्षीणैर् ब्रह्माण्डस्फुटबुद्बुदैः
Now submerged, now emerging by others, in the terrible great ocean of time, at every moment of the aeon, with the bursting bubbles of exhausted universes.
कालागाधसरस्यां तु स्थित्वा स्थित्वा पुनः पुनः । कल्पमात्रनिमेषेण डीनं संसारसारसैः
Abiding again and again in the unfathomable lake of time, in the blink of an aeon she is deprived of the essence of worldly existence.
उत्पत्योत्पत्य नाशिन्यस् सन्ततास् सृष्टिविद्युतः । कालमेघे स्फुरन्त्य् एताश् चित्प्रकाशमनोरमाः
Rising and perishing, these continuous lightnings of creation flash in the cloud of time, delightful with the radiance of consciousness.
प्रध्वनद्भूतविहगाः पतन्त्य् अविरतद्रुताः । कालतालात् किलोत्तालाद् ब्रह्माण्डफलपालयः
Birds born from the thunderous sound fly swiftly and ceaselessly; from the rhythm of time and the force of the wind, the guardians of the cosmic egg arise.
उन्मेषकृतवैरिञ्चसृष्टयो देवनायकाः । निमेषकृतसंहारास् सन्ति केचन कुत्रचित्
The creations of Brahma, brought forth by the opening of the eyes, are divine leaders; by the closing of the eyes, some destructions occur in certain places.
निमेषोन्मेषसङ्क्षीणकल्पजालास् सहस्रशः । रुद्राः केचन विद्यन्ते कस्मिंश्चित् परमे पुरे
Thousands of worlds, diminished by the alternation of opening and closing the eyes, exist; in some supreme city, certain Rudras are present.
ते ऽपि यस्य निमेषेण भवन्ति न भवन्ति वा । तादृशो ऽप्य् अस्ति देवेशो ह्य् अनन्तेयं क्रियास्थितिः
Even those, by whose blinking they come into being or cease to be, have a lord of gods whose activity and existence are endless.
अनन्तसङ्कल्पमये शून्ये च ब्रह्मणः पदे । न सम्भवन्ति का नाम शक्तयश् चित्रयुक्तयः
In the state of Brahman, which is empty and filled with infinite intentions, what powers, adorned with variety, could possibly arise?
एवम् अक्षीणसङ्कल्पकल्पार्थभरभास्वरा । जागती कलना येयं तद् अज्ञानविजृम्भितम्
Thus, this world-process, which shines with the weight of endless intentions and cycles, is merely the expansion of ignorance.
यत् सम्पदो यद् उत सन्ततम् आपदश् च यद् बाल्ययौवनजरामरणोपतापाः । यन् मज्जनं च सुखदुःखपरम्पराभिर् अज्ञानतीव्रतिमिरस्य विभूतयस् ताः
Whatever wealth, whatever constant misfortune, whatever afflictions of childhood, youth, old age, and death, whatever immersion in the succession of pleasure and pain—all these are manifestations of the intense darkness of ignorance.
संसारवनषण्डे ऽस्मिंश् चित्पर्वततटस्थिते । कीदृशी खल्व् अविद्याख्या लता विकसिता तता
In this forest of samsara, on the slopes of the mountain of consciousness, what kind of creeper called ignorance has blossomed and spread?
बृहत्पर्वतपर्वाढ्या ब्रह्माण्डत्वक्परावृता । देहयष्टिर् इयं यस्यास् त्रिलोकी लोकलासिनी
This body, whose form is adorned with great mountain ranges and enveloped by the shell of the universe, is the one by which the three worlds are consumed.
सुखं दुःखं भवो भावो ज्ञानम् अज्ञानम् एव च । अत्रैतान्य् उरुवृत्तानि मूलानि च फलानि च
Pleasure, pain, existence, feeling, knowledge, and ignorance—all these have extensive manifestations here, along with their roots and fruits.
सुखाद् अविद्योदेत्य् उच्चैस् तद् एवान्ते प्रयच्छति । दुःखाद् अविद्योदेत्य् उच्चैस् तद् एवान्ते फलत्य् अलम्
From pleasure, ignorance arises strongly and ultimately bestows the same; from pain, ignorance arises strongly and ultimately produces its own fruit.
भवाद् अविद्योदेत्य् एषा तम् एव फलति स्फुटम् । भावात् सत्ताम् अवाप्नोति तम् एव फलति क्षणात्
From existence, ignorance arises and clearly yields its own fruit; from feeling, it attains being and instantly produces its own fruit.
अज्ञानाद् वृद्धिम् आयाति तद् एवास्याः फलं स्मृतम् । ज्ञानेन याति संवित्तिं तद् एवान्ते प्रयच्छति
From ignorance, it grows, and that is considered its fruit; through knowledge, it attains awareness and ultimately bestows the same.
नानाविधोल्लासवती वासनामोददायिनी । घनप्रवालपटला तनुर् अस्या विजृम्भते
Her body expands, full of various delights and giving the fragrance of desires, like a dense mass of shoots and leaves.
दिवसव्यूहकुसुमा यामिनीलोलषट्पदा । अजस्रं स्पन्दमानैषा प्रपतद्भूतपल्लवा
She is adorned with the flowers of daytime arrangements and restless bees of the night; she is ever-vibrant, with falling sprouts of beings.
आगत्यागत्य तरसा विवेककरिणा क्वचित् । विधूयते धूतरजःप्रसरा पुनर् एति च
Sometimes, with the swift approach and departure of discernment, she is shaken, her dust dispersed, but then she returns again.
जायमानप्रवालाढ्या सञ्जाताङ्कुरदन्तुरा । सर्वर्तुकुसुमोपेता समग्ररसशालिनी
Rich with newly sprouted shoots, adorned with emerging buds, bearing blossoms of every season, she is abundant in all flavors.
जन्मपर्वालिनीरन्ध्रा विनाशच्छिद्रदद्रुला । भोगाभोगरसापूर्णा विचारैकघुणक्षता
Her body is riddled with the cavities of birth and decay, marked by the cracks of destruction; filled with the tastes of pleasure and pain, yet wounded by the worm of inquiry alone.