सुविस्मृतविलासासु स्थितासु ललनास्व् अपि । चित्रभित्ताव् इव न्यस्ते समस्ते राजसद्मनि
Even the women, usually lively and playful, stood still, as if all were painted upon a mural in the royal palace.
मुहूर्तशेषम् अभवद् दिवसं मधुरातपम् । व्यवहारो रविकरैस् सह तानवम् आययौ
A short time remained of the day, with gentle sunlight; daily activities, together with the sun's rays, gradually diminished.
ववुर् उत्फुल्लकमलप्रकरोन्मदमांसलाः । वायवो मधुरस्पन्दं श्रवणार्थम् इवागताः
The winds, fragrant and heavy with the scent of blooming lotuses, blew softly, as if they had come to listen.
श्रुतं चिन्तयितुं भानुर् इवाहोरचनाभ्रमम् । तत्याजैकान्तम् अगमच् छून्यम् अस्तगिरेस् तटम्
The sun, as if contemplating what had been heard, abandoned its usual course and moved toward the empty slope of the western mountain.
उत्तस्थुर् मिहिकारम्भश्यामता वनभूमिषु । विज्ञानश्रवणाद् अन्तश्शीतलाश् शान्तता इव
A dusky darkness rose upon the forest grounds, as if inner coolness and tranquility had arisen from the hearing of wisdom.
बभूवुर् अल्पसञ्चारा जना दशसु दिक्ष्व् अपि । सावधानतया श्रोतुम् इव सन्त्यक्तचेष्टिताः
People moved little in all ten directions, as if, out of careful attention to listening, they had abandoned all activity.
छाया दीर्घत्वम् आजग्मुर् वासिष्ठं वर्णनक्रमम् । इव श्रोतुम् अशेषाणां वस्तूनां दीर्घकन्धराः
Their shadows grew long, as if their necks were extended, eager to hear Vasiṣṭha's detailed exposition of all matters.
प्रतीहारः पुरः प्रह्वो भूत्वाह वसुधाधिपम् । देव स्नानद्विजार्चासु कालो ह्य् अतिगतो भृशम्
Then the chamberlain, bowing before the king, said: 'O Lord, the time for bathing and worshipping the twice-born has long passed.'
ततो वसिष्ठो भगवान् संहृत्य मधुरां गिरम् । अद्य तावन् महाराज श्रुतम् एतावद् अस्तु वः
Thereupon, the venerable Vasiṣṭha, withdrawing his sweet speech, said: 'Great King, let this much be heard by you all for today.'
प्रातर् अन्यद् वदिष्याम इत्य् उक्त्वा मौनवान् अभूत् । इत्य् आकर्ण्यैवम् अस्तूक्त्वा भूपतिर् भूतिवृद्धये
Saying, 'Tomorrow morning I shall speak further,' he became silent; and the king, having heard this, replied 'So be it,' for the increase of prosperity.
पुष्पार्घ्यपाद्यसम्मानदक्षिणादानपूजया । सदेवर्षिमुनीन् विप्रान् पूजयाम् आस सादरम्
With offerings of flowers, water for washing, respectful greetings, gifts, and worship, he honored the gods, seers, sages, and especially the brāhmaṇas with devotion.
अथोत्तस्थौ सभा सर्वा सराजमुनिमण्डला । कुण्डलाकीर्णरश्म्योघपरिवेशावृतानना
Then the entire assembly, with the king, sages, and seers, rose up, their faces encircled by the radiance of earrings and garlands.
परस्परांससङ्घट्टरणत्केयूरकङ्कणा । हारभाराहतस्वर्णपट्टाभोरस्तटान्तरा
As they moved, the armlets and bracelets on their arms clashed together, and the golden borders of their garments, struck by the weight of their necklaces, shone at the edges of their chests.
शेखरोत्सङ्गविश्रान्तप्रबुद्धमधुपस्वनैः । सघुङ्घुमशिरोभागा पतद्भिर् इव मूर्धजैः
With the gentle humming of bees resting on their headdresses, and the soft rustling of their falling hair, their heads resounded with a low murmur.
काञ्चनाभरणोद्द्योतकनकीकृतदिङ्मुखाः । बुद्धिस्थमुनिवागर्थसंशान्तेन्द्रियवृत्तयः
With golden ornaments shining, making the directions appear golden, their senses calmed, the sages’ minds and speech established in wisdom.
जग्मुर् नभश्चरा व्योम भूचरा भूमिमण्डलम् । चक्रुर् दिनसमाचारं स्वं सर्वे स्वेषु वेश्मसु
Those who move in the sky went to the sky, those who dwell on earth to the earth’s expanse; all returned to their own abodes, following their daily routines.
एतस्मिन्न् अन्तरे श्यामा यामिनी समदृश्यत । जनसङ्घातनिर्मुक्ते गृहे बालाङ्गना यथा
Meanwhile, the dark night appeared, like a young maiden in a house emptied of crowds.
देशान्तरं भासयितुं ययौ दिवसनायकः । सर्वत्रालोककर्तृत्वम् एव सात्पुरुषं व्रतम्
The lord of the day departed to illuminate another land; everywhere, the true vow of the noble is to bring light.
उदभूद् अभितस् सन्ध्या तारानिकरधारिणी । उत्फुल्लकिंशुकवना वसन्तश्रीर् इवोदिता
All around, twilight arose, adorned with clusters of stars, like the splendor of spring emerging in a grove of blossoming kimshuka trees.
चूतनीपकदम्बाग्रग्रामचैत्यगृहोदरे । निलिल्यिरे खगाश् चित्ते तदा ता वृत्तयो यथा
Birds hid within the hollows of mango, kadamba, and nipa trees, and in the sanctuaries of village shrines, just as those tendencies withdrew into the mind.
भानोर् भासा भूषितैर् मेघलेशैः किञ्चित् किञ्चित् कुङ्कुमच्छाययेव । पाश्चात्यो ऽद्रिः पीतवासास् तमोऽब्धेस् ताराहारश्रीयुतः खं समेतः
The western mountain, adorned by the sun’s radiance and tinged here and there with clouds, appeared as if draped in yellow robes, joined with the sky, splendid with a necklace of stars, like the sea of darkness.
पूजाम् आदाय सन्ध्यायां प्रयातायां यथागतम् । अन्धकारास् समुत्तस्थुर् वेतालवलया इव
When the twilight worship was completed and it departed as it had come, darkness rose up everywhere, like circles of ghosts.
अवश्यायकणस्यन्दी हेलाविधुतपल्लवः । कोमलः कुमुदाशंसी ववाव् आशीतलो ऽनिलः
A gentle, cool breeze, carrying the scent of necessity, playfully stirred the tender leaves and seemed to promise the coming of the water-lily.
परमान्ध्यम् उपाजग्मुर् दिशो ऽपि स्फुटतारकाः । लम्बदीर्घतमःकेश्यो विधवा इव योषितः
The directions, bright with shining stars, fell into deep darkness, like widowed women with their long, hanging tresses.
आययौ भुवनं तेजःक्षीरपूरेण पूरयन् । रसायनमयाकारश् शशिक्षीरार्णवो नभः
A radiance, filling the world with a flood of milky light, arose; the sky became like an ocean of moon’s nectar, appearing as the very form of ambrosia.
जग्मुस् तिमिरसङ्घाताः पलाय्य क्वाप्य् अदृश्यताम् । श्रुतज्ञानगिरश् चित्तान् महीपानाम् इवाज्ञताः
Masses of darkness fled and vanished somewhere, just as the ignorance of kings disappears upon hearing the words of knowledge.
ऋषयो भूमिपालाश् च मुनयो ब्राह्मणास् तथा । चेतसीव विचित्रार्थास् स्वास्पदेषु विशश्रमुः
Sages, kings, ascetics, and brahmins, each rested in their own abodes, like diverse thoughts settling in the mind.
यमकायोपमा श्यामा ययौ तिमिरमांसला । आययौ मिहिकाकारा तत्र तेषाम् उषा शनैः
Night, dark and thick as the body of Yama, advanced, heavy with darkness; and there, slowly, dawn appeared in the form of mist.
अलक्ष्यताम् उपाजग्मुस् तारा नभसि भासुराः । प्रभातपवनेनेव हृताः कुङ्कुमवृष्टयः
Brilliant stars became invisible in the sky, as if swept away by the morning breeze, like showers of saffron dust.
दृश्यताम् आजगामार्कप्रभोन्मीलितलोचना । विवेकवृत्तिर् महतां मनसीव नवोद्गता
The dawn, with eyes opened by the sun’s light, became visible, like the newly arisen discernment in the minds of the great.