प्रलुण्ठितवनव्यूहलूनकाननिताम्बराः । सपक्षपर्वताकारतरङ्गापूरिताम्बराः
With forests plundered and groves stripped bare, their leafy coverings torn away; the sky filled with waves shaped like mountains with wings.
महारवमरुद्भिन्नकलोलाचलचालिताः । चञ्चत्तीरगिरिव्रातपतत्तटरटज्जलाः
Shaken by the great roar of the wind, the restless mountains are set in motion; the waters leap upon the trembling banks and the slopes of the hills.
उल्ललद्विपुलावर्तप्रोत्क्षिप्तमकरोत्कराः । निमज्जन्निस्तलावर्तनिगीर्णगिरिकन्दराः
With vast, surging whirlpools tossing up crowds of crocodiles; swallowing the caves of mountains as they sink and rise in the eddies.
दरीदलनसम्प्राप्तदृषद्दशनदन्तुराः । शृङ्गलम्बिदरीप्रोतमग्नवीचिजलेभकाः । व्यालोलवलनाक्रान्तविटपिप्रोतकच्छपाः
With waves whose jagged crests resemble the teeth of rocks entering the mountain clefts; elephants of the water plunging into caves hanging from the peaks; and turtles clinging to the branches, swept along by the swirling currents.
यमेन्द्रवसुधावाहैर् उत्कर्णैर् भयविह्वलैः । श्रूयमाणपतच्छैलतटीकटकटारवाः
With the tumult of the earth’s rivers, raised and agitated by Yama and Indra, echoing with the fearful crash of falling mountains and the clatter of collapsing banks.
मत्स्यपुच्छच्छटाच्छिन्नमग्नोन्मग्नद्रुताद्रयः । नीलालूनवनव्यूहशेवालाशारवारयः
With mountains swiftly sinking and rising, their forms broken by the flashing tails of fish; the waters dark, filled with scattered forests and masses of green algae.
प्रज्वलद्वडवावह्निज्वालाचलमिलज्जलाः । स्वरसेन विभोर् नाशे विशन्तीव महानलम्
The waters, mingled with the blazing flames of the submarine fire, seemed to enter the great fire of dissolution by their own nature, as if drawn in.
मिलच्छिखरिमातङ्गजलमातङ्गयोधिनः । नृत्यन्तीव तरङ्गौघैर् जलावलनवेधिनः
The waters, agitated by the peaks of mountains and the force of elephant warriors, appeared to dance with waves, striking and overturning all that opposed them.
जलाचलाचलान्योऽन्यसङ्घट्टास्फोटपण्डिताः । वहद्गिरिवनव्रातप्राणिमण्डलमण्डिताः
The moving waters and the immovable mountains, skilled in the art of collision, adorned the earth with clusters of living beings carried along like forests and hills.
उड्डामररवेभेन्द्रभेरीरसनभासुरैः । आसुरैर् इव पातालाẖ कल्लोलैर् अलम् आकुलाः
With the tumultuous sounds of roaring clouds, thunder, and drums, the waves, like demons, filled the nether regions with confusion and uproar.
अथोदपतद् उन्नासदिङ्नागवदनध्वनिः । पातालतलताल्वन्तर्विस्फोटामोटनोद्भटः
Then arose a tremendous noise, like the roaring of serpents with uplifted heads, bursting forth from the depths of the earth, echoing from the hollow of the netherworld.
चञ्चलाचलकीलोर्वी चचाल जलचालिता । लोलशेवालवल्लीव व्यालोलाम्भोधिलङ्घिता
The earth, shaken by the movement of the waters and the trembling of the mountains, quivered like a swaying creeper, tossed by the surging ocean.
अथ दुर्वारनिर्घोषनिर्घाताडम्बरान्विता । पुस्फोटेव पतन्तीव द्यौर् दिशाम् अमरारवैः
Then, accompanied by an unbearable tumult and thunderous clamor, the sky seemed to burst and fall, resounding with the cries of the gods from every direction.
आवर्तवलनाकाराẖ केतवḫ पेतुर् अम्बरात् । हेमरत्नमहीमुक्तास् सिन्दूरभुजगा इव
Banners, shaped like whirling eddies, fell from the sky, golden and jeweled, resembling red serpents released from the earth.
ककुब्भ्यो नभसो भूमेर् उदगुर् दग्धदिक्तटाः । वलज्ज्वालाजटाटोपा विविधोत्पातपङ्क्तयः
From the quarters of the sky and the earth arose scorched, bitter winds; rows of various calamities appeared, with the tumult of blazing, tangled tongues of flame.
पृथ्व्यादीन्य् अमरादीनि ब्रह्मोन्मुक्तानि सर्वतः । द्विविधानि महाभूतान्य् अलं सङ्क्षोभम् आययुः
The elements—earth and the rest—and the realms of the gods, all released from Brahma, became agitated everywhere; the great elements manifested in twofold forms, bringing utter turmoil.
चन्द्रार्कानिलशक्राग्निलोका हलहलाकुलाः । परिपातपरा आसन् ब्रह्मलोकगतेश्वराः
The worlds of the moon, sun, wind, Indra, and fire were in turmoil, overwhelmed by confusion; their rulers, having gone to the world of Brahma, were intent only on preservation.
कम्पैẖ कटकटारावैḫ पतत्पादपपङ्क्तयः । भूमेर् अन्वभवन् भूरिदोलान्दोलनम् अद्रयः
With trembling and rattling sounds, rows of trees fell; the mountains on earth experienced great swaying, as if rocked by a mighty swing.
भूकम्पलोलकैलासमेरुमन्दरकन्दराः । पेतुẖ कल्पतरून्मुक्तरत्नस्तबकवृष्टयः
The caves of Kailasa, Meru, and Mandara shook with the earthquake; showers of jewel clusters, released from the wish-fulfilling trees, fell down.
लोकान्तराद्रिपुरवारिधिकाननानाम् उत्पातकल्पपवनेन मिथो हतानाम् । कोलाहलैर् जगद् अभूत् प्रविकीर्णशीर्णं पूर्णार्णवे त्रिपुरपूर इवाभिपाती
The worlds, mountains, cities, oceans, and forests, struck against each other by the storm of calamity, resounded with tumult; the universe became scattered and broken, like the flooding of Tripura into a full ocean.
अथाकृष्टवति प्राणान् स्वयम्भुवि नभोभुवः । विराडात्मनि तत्याज वातस्कन्धस्थितिं स्थिराम्
Then, as the vital airs were drawn into the Self-born, the firm support of the wind in the cosmic body departed from the sky and the earth.
ते हि तस्य किल प्राणास् तेनाक्रान्तेषु तेष्व् अपि । ऋक्षचक्रस्थितिं को ऽन्यश् चक्रे भूतैकधारिणीम्
For when his vital airs were thus withdrawn, and those supports were overcome, who else could maintain the wheel of the stars and the unity of the elements?
वातस्कन्धे समाक्रान्ते ब्रह्मणा प्राणमारुते । शमं गन्तुं परित्यज्य संस्थितिं क्षोभम् आगते
When the wind-bearing ether, infused with the vital air of Brahman, is disturbed and loses its composure, stability gives way to agitation.
निराधारास् सवाताग्निदेहोल्मुकवद् आपतन् । व्योम्नस् तारास् तरोḫ पुष्पनिकरा इव भूतले
Unsupported, they fell with wind and fire, like sparks from a blazing flame, or like stars from the sky, or clusters of flowers from trees to the earth.
कालपाकगलन्मूला जगत्षण्डफलादयः । प्रशान्तपवनाधारा विमानावलयो ऽपतन्
When the roots matured by time dissolved, the worlds, the fruits and others of the cosmic tree, and the circles of celestial abodes, fell as the supporting wind grew calm.
प्रशमोन्मुखतां याते ब्राह्मे सङ्कल्पनेन्धने । सिद्धानां गतयश् शेमुर् इद्धानाम् अर्चिषाम् इव
When the fire of Brahman’s resolve turned toward quiescence, the movements of the perfected beings came to rest, like the flames of a blazing fire subsiding.
प्रभ्रमन्त्यो ऽम्बरे कल्पमारुतैस् तनुतूलवत् । स्वशक्त्यपचये मूकास् सिद्धसन्ततयो ऽपतन्
Tossed about in the sky by the winds of dissolution, like tufts of cotton, the lineages of perfected beings, their own power spent, fell silent and mute.
सकल्पद्रुमजालानि सेन्द्रादिनगराणि च । पेतुर् भूकम्पलोलस्य शिरांस्य् अमरभूभृतः
The forests of wish-fulfilling trees, along with the cities of Indra and others, fell, as the heads of the lords of immortals trembled with the quaking of the earth.
वक्षि सङ्कल्पमात्रात्मा विराड् ब्रह्मा जगद्वपुः । किम् अङ्गं तस्य भूलोकẖ किं स्वर्गẖ किं रसातलम्
Tell me, the universal form, Virāṭ Brahmā, whose essence is mere thought—what part of him is the earth, what is heaven, and what is the netherworld?
कथम् एतानि चाङ्गानि ब्रह्मंस् तस्य स्थितानि वा । कथं वा सो ऽन्तरे तस्य स्वस्यैव वपुषस् स्थितः
How, O Brahman, are these limbs of his established, or how does he himself abide within his own body?