उत्क्रान्तिं कुर्वतो मेरोर् ब्रह्मनाड्येव निर्गतम् । मूर्धानम् आगतं कान्तं वाडवं जठरानलम्
Like the upward surge of Meru, as if the fire of the submarine volcano had emerged through its summit, beautiful and bright.
सुमेरुवनदेव्येव नवालक्तकरञ्जितम् । लीलयादातुम् इन्दुं खे नीतं हस्तं शिखाङ्गुलिम्
As if the goddess of Sumeru forest had playfully dipped her finger in fresh red dye to seize the moon in the sky.
ज्वालाभिर् इव मालाभिर् अरुणाभिः पयोमुचाम् । खं गन्तुम् इव सस्पन्दं शैलस्थम् इव वाडवम्
Like a wreath of crimson flames, or the fiery submarine blaze poised on the mountain, trembling as if to ascend the sky.
तारास् स्प्रष्टुम् इवाकाशम् अङ्गुलीभिर् इवाश्रिभिः । कचदंशुनखाग्राभिः परिचुम्बद् इवोन्नतम्
As if the stars, with their shining fingers, were reaching to touch the sky, caressing the lofty peak with the tips of their hair and nails.
कचद्रत्नशिलाश्वभ्रं भास्वत्कनककन्दरम् । सरत्कुसुमरेण्वभ्रं भ्रमद्विद्याधरामरम्
There were crystal rocks, jewel-studded caves, radiant golden grottos, mountain streams veiled in flower pollen, and celestial beings wandering about.
क्वणद्वंशलसद्वातं नृत्यद्रत्नलताङ्गनम् । गर्जज्जीमूतमुरजं भूभृतो नाट्यमण्डपम्
There was the gentle wind playing through bamboo reeds, jewel-creeper maidens dancing, thunderclouds resounding like drums, and the mountain itself like a stage for divine performance.
हसत्कुसुमगुच्छाढ्यं ध्वनत्षट्पदपेटकम् । दन्ततालं दलावल्या परिहासाद् इव स्फुटम्
Clusters of laughing flowers adorned the place, bees hummed melodiously, and the leaves clapped together as if in playful applause.
दोलालोलाप्सरोवृन्दम् उद्दाममदमन्मथम् । शिलाविश्रान्तविबुधं मिथुनाश्रितकन्दरम्
Groups of apsarases swung on vines, intoxicated with love and passion; gods rested on rocks, and couples sought shelter in the caves.
वराम्बराजिनं शुभ्रं गङ्गायज्ञोपवीति च । तापसं पिङ्गलम् इव वेणुदण्डधरं स्थितम्
There stood a sage, clad in fine bark and white deerskin, with the Ganges as his sacred thread—tawny, staff in hand, as if he were an ascetic himself.
गङ्गानिर्झरनिर्ह्रादि लतागृहगतामरम् । गन्धर्वगीतसुभगम् आमोदिमधुरानिलम्
Celestials dwelled in leafy bowers, with the roar of Ganges waterfalls, sweet with the songs of gandharvas and fragrant, delightful breezes.
फुल्लहेमाम्बुजोत्तंसं तारारत्नविभूषितम् । व्योम्नः पारम् इव प्राप्तं पिङ्गलं मैरवं शिरः
Golden lotuses bloomed as ornaments, stars and jewels adorned the scene, and the tawny Meru peak rose as if it had reached the farthest edge of the sky.
सितहरितपीतपाटलधवलैर् मणिकुसुमराशिनवरङ्गैः । विधिविहितामलचित्रं लीलाचलम् अमरयुवतिलोकस्य
With terraces of crystal, green, yellow, red, and white, decked with heaps of jewels and flowers, the mountain appeared as a wondrous, pure creation—like the playful realm of the celestial maidens.
कुसुमापूर्णकल्पाभ्रकुन्तले तस्य मूर्धनि । कल्पागम् अहम् अद्राक्षं शिखाचक्रम् इव स्थितम्
Upon his head, crowned with clouds full of blossoms, I beheld the circle of ages, poised like a crest-jewel.
पुष्परेण्वभ्रवलितं रत्नस्तबकदन्तुरम् । उत्सेधनिर्जिताकाशं शृङ्गे शृङ्गम् इवार्पितम्
It was adorned with sprays of flowers, streaked with cloud-like hues, studded with clusters of gems, towering above the sky, set peak upon peak.
ताराद्विगुणपुष्पौघं मेघद्विगुणपल्लवम् । रश्मिद्विगुणरेण्वभ्रं तडिद्द्विगुणपिञ्जरम्
It bore a multitude of flowers surpassing the stars, foliage denser than clouds, dust brighter than rays, and a golden glow more vivid than lightning.
स्कन्धेषु किन्नरीगीतद्विगुणभ्रमरीस्वनम् । दोलालोलाप्सरोलोकद्विगुणीकृतसल्लतम्
On its slopes, the hum of bees doubled the songs of Kinnara maidens, and the swinging groves of Apsaras seemed twice as lush.
सिद्धगन्धर्वसङ्घातद्विगुणाग्र्यविहङ्गमम् । रत्नकान्त्यच्छनीहारद्विगुणत्वग्वृतांशुकम्
There, flocks of Siddhas and Gandharvas were outnumbered by the choicest birds, and the brilliance of gems outshone the finest silken garments.
चन्द्रबिम्बसमाश्लेषद्विगुणाग्र्यबृहत्फलम् । मूकसंलीनकल्पाभ्रद्विगुणीकृतपर्वकम्
Its great fruits, embracing the moon's orb, were twice as splendid, and its peaks, veiled in silent clouds, appeared doubled in majesty.
सुरसंवलितस्कन्धं पत्त्रविश्रान्तकिन्नरम् । निकुञ्जकूजज्जीमूतं कच्छसुप्तसुरार्भकम्
Its slopes were embraced by divine beings, Kinnaras rested on its leaves, clouds echoed in its groves, and young gods slept in its hollows.
स्वाकारविपुलान् भृङ्गान् उत्सार्य वलयस्वनैः । अप्सरोभ्रमरीभिश् च गृहीतकुसुमान्तरम्
The bees, vast as themselves, were driven away by the ringing of bangles, while Apsaras-bees seized the flowers within.
सुरकिन्नरगन्धर्वविद्याधरवरान्वितम् । जगद्वार्क्षीम् इव गतं दशाम् आकाशपूरणीम्
It was filled with the best among gods, kinnaras, gandharvas, and vidyadharas, as if the world-tree had reached a state that pervaded the sky.
नीरन्ध्रकलिकाजालं नीरन्ध्रमृदुपल्लवम् । नीरन्ध्रविकसत्पुष्पं नीरन्ध्रफलमालितम्
Its clusters of buds were seamless, its tender shoots unbroken, its blossoming flowers without gaps, and its fruits closely set together.
नीरन्ध्रमञ्जरीपुञ्जं नीरन्ध्रमणिगुच्छकम् । नीरन्ध्रांशुकरत्नाढ्यं लताविकसनाकुलम्
Its bunches of flower-clusters were unbroken, its groups of jewels uninterrupted, its spreading creepers dense and adorned with seamless threads and gems.
सर्वर्तुकुसुमापूरैस् सर्वर्तुफलपल्लवैः । सर्वामोदरजःपुञ्जैः परं वैचित्र्यम् आगतम्
It had the utmost variety, with masses of flowers blooming in every season, shoots and fruits of all times, and clouds of fragrance everywhere.
तस्य कच्छेषु कुञ्जेषु लतापत्त्रेषु पर्वसु । पुष्पेष्व् आलयसंलीनान् विहगान् दृष्टवान् अहम्
In its groves, on the banks, among the creeper-leaves and branches, and within the flowers, I saw birds dwelling in their nests.
निशानाथकलाखण्डमृणालशकलैधितान् । अजनाभ्यब्जिनीकन्दभोजनान् ब्रह्मसारसान्
There were Brahma-swans, their beaks shining like fragments of the crescent moon and stalks of lotus-fibers, feeding on the roots of the lotus from the navel of the unborn.
विरिञ्चरथहंसानां पोतकान् सामगायिनः । ओंकारवेदसुहृदो ब्राह्मपद्मबिसाशिनः
There were the young ones of the swans of Brahma’s chariot, singing the Sāma hymns, friends of the Vedas and Om, eating the stalks of the divine lotus.
उद्गीर्णमन्त्रनिचयान् स्वाहाकारनिजस्वनान् । सुस्थिरैकतडित्पुञ्जनीलमेघसमोपमान्
They uttered collections of mantras, their own calls of svāhā, and resembled stable masses of blue clouds streaked with single flashes of lightning.
देवान् इवाज्यपान् नित्यं यज्ञवेदीलतादलान् । शुकान् कार्शानवाञ् श्यामाञ् शिशूञ् शिखिशिखाशिखान्
Like gods, I saw those who constantly drink the sacred soma, those who are as the creepers of the sacrificial altar, parrots, slender and dark ones, children, and those with peacock crests.
गौरीरक्षितबर्हौघान् कौमारान् वरबर्हिणः । स्कन्दोपन्यस्तनिश्शेषशैवविज्ञानकोविदान्
I saw flocks of young peacocks guarded by Gauri, noble peacocks in their youth, those skilled in all the knowledge imparted by Skanda, and those thoroughly versed in Shaiva wisdom.