एवंगुणविशिष्टस्य कैलासवनकुञ्जके । तपः प्रचरतो राम मम कालो ऽत्यवर्तत
O Rama, thus endowed with such qualities, while practicing austerities in a grove of the Kailasa forest, my time passed by.
अथैकदा कदाचित् तु बहुलस्याष्टमे दिने । गते श्रावणपक्षस्य रात्र्यर्धे क्षयम् आगते
Then, once, on the eighth day of the dark fortnight, when half the night of the month of Shravana had passed away,
दिक्षु संशान्तरूपासु काष्ठमौनस्थितास्व् इव । खड्गच्छेद्यान्धकारेषु कुञ्जेषु गहनेषु च
When the directions appeared tranquil, as if established in deep silence, and in the thickets and dense groves where darkness could be cut by a sword,
अवश्यायलसन्मुक्ताहासे सरति मारुते । आलवालोपधानेषु मृगेष्व् आश्रमशायिषु
As the wind moved, adorned with the gentle smile of dew, among the grass-beds and among the animals lying in the hermitage,
अमृतांशुकरस्यन्दम् आत्मनः परिवृद्धये । लिहत्सु शशिरश्मिभ्यः पल्लवेष्व् अमृतद्रवम्
As the nectarous rays of the moon, for the growth of themselves, were licked up from the leaves as the immortal essence by the moonbeams,
कुमुद्वतीष्व् ओषधीषु चकोरीषु लतासु च । पिबन्तीष्व् अमृतस्यन्दं करैर् आकीर्णम् ऐन्दवम्
As the nectar flow, scattered with lunar beams, was drunk by the lotuses, the herbs, the chakora birds, and the creepers,
शैलविश्रान्तनीलाभ्रपल्लवस्य विसारिणः । कृत्तिकागुच्छके व्योमतापिञ्छस्य त्रिभागगे
Like the spreading tuft of blue clouds resting upon a mountain, or a cluster of Krittika stars, or a plume of the sky divided into three parts—
तारौघप्रतिबिम्बेन गिरौ स्फटिकभूमिषु । विकासिपुष्पप्रकरे द्विगुणत्वम् उपागते
By the reflection of the multitude of stars on the crystal slopes of the mountain, the blossoming array of flowers appears doubled in its radiance.
मयि पल्लवपल्यङ्कगते मुक्तेहया धिया । चिन्तयत्य् अमलाभासम् आत्मतत्त्वम् अविप्लुतम्
As I recline upon a couch of tender leaves, with a mind freed from desire, I contemplate the pure, undisturbed essence of the Self.
द्वितीयमद्देहवति व्योम्नि सप्तर्षिमण्डले । मदर्थम् इव ताम् एव दिशम् आपततीव च
In the sky, within the constellation of the Seven Sages, there seems to be a second body, as if hastening toward that very direction for my sake.
तारकात्रितये व्योम्नो गृहमूर्धनि मध्यगे । मृगत्रये किरातात्ते सदा भ्रमम् इवागते
Among the three stars in the middle of the sky, above the mountain’s summit, the three stars of Orion appear to wander perpetually, as if hunted by a forester.
उत्फुल्लकुमुदामोदद्विगुणोद्दाममन्मथे । चक्रवाकगणे शैलसरसीष्व् अन्यतां गते
When the fragrance of blooming lotuses, intensified by the night, stirs the passion of wild geese, their flocks move to other mountain lakes.
शिलाशिखोपविष्टासु शैलोत्कीर्णास्व् इवाभितः । पिबन्तीषु चकोरीषु शीतं शशिकरामृतम्
Seated upon rocky peaks, as if carved from the mountain itself, the chakorī birds all around drink the cool nectar of the moon’s rays.
वहति मधुरमारुते वने ऽन्तश् शशिकरशीकरवर्षणैकशीते । दलचयचलनोत्थशब्दगीते कुमुदवधूप्रथमाभिसारिणीव
In the forest, where the gentle wind carries the sweet sound of rustling leaves, and the moon showers its cool dewdrops, the lotus maidens set out for their first secret tryst, as if drawn by the music of the night.
एतस्मिन् समये तत्र यामार्धे प्रथमे गते । समाधिं तनुतां नीत्वा स्थितो ऽहं बाह्यलग्नदृक्
At that time, when the first half of the night had passed, I remained there, having brought my mind into samadhi, my gaze fixed outward.
अपश्यं कानने तेजो झगित्य् एव समुत्थितम् । मन्दराहननोद्धूतक्षुब्धक्षीरोदभासुरम्
I saw in the forest a radiance suddenly arise, shining like the churning of the ocean of milk by the Mandara mountain.
शुभ्राभ्रशतसङ्काशं नृत्यदिन्दुगणोपमम् । चण्डानिलबलोद्धूतं हिमराशिम् इवाचलम्
It resembled a hundred masses of bright clouds, like a host of dancing moons, tossed up by a fierce wind, like a mountain of snow.
युगान्ततापगलितं सुस्फाटिकम् इवाचलम् । नावनीतम् इवाम्भोदं केतकौघम् इवोत्थितम्
It was like a mountain of pure crystal, melted by the heat of the end of an age; like a cloud of clarified butter, or a cluster of ketaka flowers suddenly arisen.
शङ्खशौक्ल्यम् इवोड्डीनं शुभ्राभ्रम् इव सम्भृतम् । क्षीरफेनम् इवोत्फालं मुक्तासारम् इवोद्धतम्
It was as white as an upraised conch, gathered like a bright cloud, foaming like churned milk, and shining like a string of pearls tossed up.
गङ्गातरङ्गभरवत् प्रविष्टं कन्दरान्तरम् । पिण्डहार्यं सुदधिवच् छार्वं हासम् इवाततम्
It entered the cave like the waves of the Ganges, solid as a lump of curd, beautiful as the ocean, and spread out like a smile.
प्रकटीकृतदिक् तेजस् तद् आलोक्य मया स्मयात् । अन्तःप्रकाशशालिन्या बुद्धिदृष्ट्यावलोकितम्
Seeing that manifest radiance filling the directions, I observed it with the inner vision of my illumined intellect, smiling within.
यावत् पश्यामि तं सानुं लीलयैव यदृच्छया । विहरन् स्वगिरौ हृद्ये तावच् चन्द्रकलाधरः
As long as I watched that peak, wandering there at will, I saw the moon-crested one delighting on his own beloved mountain.
पाश्चात्यगुल्मान्तरितगणजालोपमालितः । गौरीकरार्पितकरो नन्दिप्रोत्सारिताग्रगः
He was adorned like a cluster of people hidden among western bushes, his hand placed in Gauri's, with Nandi urging him forward.
पश्चात्परिक्रान्तवृषस् सर्वरात्रिचरावृतः । कल्हारदामवलितो मन्दारकृतशेखरः
Behind him circled the bull, surrounded by all the night-roaming beings, garlanded with kalhara flowers, and crowned with a mandara blossom.
जटामौलीन्दुकलिको भोगीन्द्रकृतकुण्डलः । चलत्तुषारशैलाभस् सर्वसङ्कल्पितार्थदः
His matted hair was adorned with the crescent moon, his earrings formed by the king of serpents, his form like a moving snowy mountain, granting all that is imagined.
मनोदृष्टस् स भगवान् मनसैव ततो मया । दत्तमन्दारपुष्पेण प्रणतेनाभिवन्दितः
That Lord, seen by the mind, was then worshipped by me in thought, with a mandara flower offered and with my head bowed.
इति कृत्वा मया देहः पर्यङ्कशयनाद् अयम् । क्षणाद् उत्थापितस् तस्माद् भूतेनेव महाशवः
Having done this, my body was at once raised from the couch where it lay, as if by some spirit, like a great corpse.
शिष्यान् उद्बोध्य तत्रस्थान् गृहीत्वार्घं सुसंयतः । अगमं लोकनाथस्य दृष्टिपूतम् अहं पुरः
Awakening the disciples present there, and having taken the arghya with full composure, I went before the Lord of the world, purified by his gaze.
तत्र पुष्पाञ्जलिं दत्त्वा दूराद् एव त्रिलोचनः । दत्तार्घेण मया देवस् स प्रणम्याभिवन्दितः
There, from a distance, I offered a handful of flowers; to the three-eyed God, I presented the arghya and bowed in reverence.
ततश् चन्द्रप्रभामृद्व्या ऋज्व्या शीतलया तया । दृशा सर्वार्तिहारिण्या सरण्या शाश्वते पदे
Then, with her gentle, straight, and cool gaze, radiant as moonlight, which removes all suffering, she led me to the eternal abode.