जज्वलुर् वनजालानि पुराणि नगराणि च । मण्डलद्वीपदुर्गाणि जङ्गलानि स्थलानि च
Forests, ancient cities, fortified islands, wild tracts, and plains all blazed with fire.
सर्वखानि महाकाशम् आशा दश दिवश् शिरः । श्वभ्रकूपारघट्टाट्टघट्टनोड्डारदिक्तटाः
All the mines, the vast sky, the ten directions, the head of heaven, mountain caves, wells, and the edges of the quarters—everything was struck, battered, and swept away.
शृङ्गाणि सिद्धवृन्दानि गिरयस् सागरार्णवाः । सरस्सरस्यस् सरितो देवासुरनरोरगाः
Mountain peaks, gatherings of perfected beings, mountains, oceans, lakes, rivers, gods, demons, humans, and serpents—all were consumed.
आशाश् शनशनाशब्दैḫ पुरुषैर् अशिवार्चिषाम् । आसन् क्ष्वेडाकुराक्षस्यो ज्वालाजालोज्ज्वलोर्ध्वजाः
The directions, filled with the hissing sounds of men and the unholy flames, became like banners blazing with masses of fire, as the Rakshasas howled and roared.
भं भं भम् इति भाङ्कारैर् भीषणैर् भूरिभस्मभिः । ज्वालाश् श्वभ्राद्रिभूमीनां गुहाभ्यḫ परिनिर्ययुः
With terrifying sounds of 'bhaṃ bhaṃ bhaṃ' and abundant ashes, flames emerged from the caves of the earth, mountains, and hollows.
ज्वालोदरस्था अरुणास् समस्ता भूतजातयः । स्थलपद्मोदरालीनाम् आजह्रुश् श्रियम् अश्रियः
All living beings, crimson within the bellies of the flames, seized the wealth of those who dwelled in the lotus hollows of the land, though themselves were destitute.
सद्योनिस्सृतरक्ताभैस् सिन्दूराम्भोदसुन्दरैः । धग् धग् धग् इति गायद्भिर् ज्वालाजालैर् जगद्गतैः
Suddenly released, streams of flame, red as blood and beautiful as vermilion clouds, sang 'dhag dhag dhag' as they spread throughout the world.
आसीद् रक्तांशुकैẖ कीर्णं सन्ध्याभ्रैर् इव वा नभः । उत्फुल्लकिंशुकवनैर् उड्डीनैर् इव वावृतम्
The sky was strewn with red rays, like evening clouds, and covered as if by blooming forests of kimshuka trees flying upward.
और्वेण वावृता आसन् फुल्लाशोकवना इव । स्थलाब्जवलिता रावविरावा इव चार्णवाः
The land was enveloped by Aurva's fire, like forests of blossoming ashoka trees, and the oceans shone with lotuses, echoing with roaring sounds.
नानावर्णज्वलज्ज्वालाधूमविन्यासबन्धवान् । रूढवान् हिमवान् धातुचित्रसौधतलश्रियम्
Mount Himavat was adorned with arrangements of multicolored blazing flames and smoke, displaying the splendor of its mineral-encrusted palace terraces.
अनन्तवनविन्यासनवयौवनपावकः । उदयास्तमयाद्रिभ्यो विन्ध्यो विधुरताम् अगात्
The Vindhya mountain, scorched by the fire of endless forests and youthful flames, became desolate from the rising and setting peaks.
अङ्गारकल्पविटपैर् ज्वालावनविवल्गनैः । शरैर् ईश इव क्षुब्धस् सह्यो ऽसह्यत्वम् आययौ
With trees resembling embers and forests of leaping flames, the Sahya mountain, agitated like a lord by arrows, became unbearable.
मध्यमध्यकचत्कार्ष्ण्यं भ्रमद्धूमालिमालितम् । चलज्ज्वालाब्जम् अनिलैर् मृष्टं सर इवाम्बरम्
The middle of the sky was darkened by swirling smoke, blackened and veiled, as if the sky were a lake disturbed by winds, its surface rippling with moving flames like lotuses.
खे ऽद्रीणां शिखरोर्व्यो ऽग्निशिखाशिखरशेखराः । ननृतुर् नीरसा राम नर्तक्यẖ केतुकुन्तलाः
In the sky, the peaks of mountains appeared crowned with crests of fire, and, O Rama, the banners with their streaming locks danced like lifeless dancers.
तलाहितानलज्वाला ब्रह्माण्डोर्ध्वकवाटभूः । भर्जनप्रोत्फलद्भूतधानागाद् भ्राष्ट्रभूमिकाम्
The ground, scorched by the flames set at its base, became like the upper door of the cosmic egg, a furnace floor where beings, swelling and bursting, were roasted.
द्वीपाब्धिकङ्कणश्रेणी मृज्जलाङ्गाग्निनारुणा । हृत्प्रकोष्ठे जगल्लक्ष्म्यास् सावतीर्णाभवत् तदा
Then, in the heart's inner chamber of the world's fortune, there descended a circle of islands and oceans, reddened by the fire and water, glowing with heat.
शैलाश् चटचटास्फोटैर् वृक्षाẖ कटकटारवैः । देशा हलहलोल्लासैर् अलं विदलनं ययुः
Mountains resounded with crackling bursts, trees with harsh rattling noises, and the lands with the tumult of hissing—enough to shatter everything.
अब्धयẖ क्वथिताकाराḫ फेनिलोल्लोलमांसलाः । वीचीकरतलाघातांश् चक्रुर् अर्कमुखे नु खे
The oceans took on a boiling appearance, frothing, surging, and thick, and their waves struck the face of the sun in the sky with the force of their palms.
अन्योऽन्यवेल्लितैर् लोलभूतलाङ्गारपर्वतान् । जह्रुर् वीचिकरैर् मोहजडाḫ प्रकुपिता इव
The waves, as if enraged and stupefied by delusion, seized the trembling, coal-like mountains on the earth, tossing them about with their own agitation.
आशाकाशाशिनाम् एषां गुहागुलगुलारवान् । प्रपन्नश् शब्द आग्नेयो ज्वालाभडभडोद्भटः
The fiery sound, loud as the roaring of caves and the tumult of the sky, arose from these, bursting forth with the explosive crackle of flames.
लोकपालपुरापातभग्नाङ्गारादिभित्तयः । दिशो दशापि वैवश्यम् अयुर् उन्मुक्तवृत्तयः
The walls of the cities of the guardians of the world, made of embers and the like, were shattered; and all ten directions became bewildered, their usual order abandoned.
काञ्चनद्रवसान्द्रार्द्रद्रुमाङ्गारगुहागृहः । शनैẖ खर्वाकृतिर् मेरुर् आसीद् धिमम् इवातपे
The caves and houses of Mount Meru, with trees moist and dense as molten gold, gradually shrank in form, like snow under the sun.
क्षणेनैवानलात् तस्माद् धिमवान् व्यद्रवद् द्रुतः । सर्वान्तश्शीतलश् शुद्धो दुर्जनाद् इव सज्जनः
In a moment, from that fire, the great mountain swiftly melted away, becoming entirely cool and pure within, like a good person departing from the wicked.
तस्याम् अपि दशायां तु मलयो ऽमलसौरभः । आसीत् त्यजत्य् उदारात्मा न नाशे ऽप्य् उत्तमं गुणम्
Yet even in that state, the Malaya mountain retained its pure fragrance; for one of noble nature does not abandon their highest quality, even in destruction.
नश्यन्न् अपि महान् ह्लादं न खेदं सम्प्रयच्छति । चन्दनं दग्धम् अप्य् आसीद् आनन्दायैव जीवताम्
Even as it perished, the great sandalwood did not bring distress but delight; even when burned, sandalwood remained a source of joy for the living.
न कदाचन संयाति वस्तूत्तमम् अवस्तुताम् । प्रलयानलनिर्दग्धम् अपि हेम न नष्टवत्
The highest substance never becomes unsubstantial; even when gold is burned by the fire of dissolution, it does not perish.
द्वे हेमनभसी तस्मिन् न नष्टे प्रलयानले । तयोर् एव वपुश् श्लाघ्यं सर्वनाशे ऽप्य् अनाशयोः
When the fire of dissolution destroyed everything, only two remained: gold and space; and of these two, their forms alone are praised, for they are indestructible even in universal destruction.
नभो विभुतयानाशि हेमोत्कृष्टतयाक्षयम् । सत्त्वम् एकं सुखं मन्ये न रजो न च वा तमः
Space is imperishable by its all-pervading nature, and gold is undecaying by its excellence; I consider only that which is pure existence to be true happiness—not rajas, nor indeed tamas.
चलदुच्चवनापातविकीर्णाङ्गारवर्षणः । दग्धाब्दाद्रिर् महाधूमजालो ऽभूद् वह्निवारिदः
A rain of embers scattered by the gusts of wind fell, and the fire-cloud became a mass of great smoke, burning oceans and mountains.
रसनिस्सरणार्तानां शून्यानां स्फारदेहिनाम् । शुष्कानां व्योमविटपिपत्त्राणां पात्ररूपिणाम्
For those empty ones, whose bodies were vast but dry, whose sap had departed, the leaves of the sky-trees became mere vessels in form.