भूतले भूतलेशांशवर्जिते वह्निभर्जिते । पातालम् अपि पाताले गते किम् अपि कालतः
On earth, bereft of its rulers and scorched by fire, even the netherworld had descended into some unknown state of time.
दिवि चाविद्यमानायां विशीर्णे सर्गवर्गके । लोके व्यपगतालोके शोकौकसि ककुब्गणे
In the sky, now nonexistent, with the hosts of creation shattered, in a world where the world itself had vanished, in the quarters filled with the house of sorrow.
कुतो ऽप्य् आकाशकुहराद् दृप्तदैत्यगणा इव । पुष्करावर्तका मेघाश् चक्रुर् गुलगुलारवम्
From somewhere within the hollow of the sky, clouds like proud hosts of demons created a tumultuous, roaring sound like swirling lotuses.
ब्रह्मविस्फोटितस्वाण्डकुड्यविस्फोटनोद्भटम् । अन्योऽन्यास्फालनोत्तालमत्तार्णवरवाबिलम्
With a terrible noise like the bursting of the cosmic egg by Brahma, and the shattering of the shell of the universe, the clouds, clashing with each other, roared like maddened, mighty sea-monsters.
लोकान्तरपुरोद्गीर्णघनकोलाहलोल्बणम् । पतत्कुलाचलस्कन्धबद्धोग्ररवघर्घरम्
Resounding with the tumultuous clamor of worlds being cast forth, and filled with the dreadful, roaring thunder of mountain peaks collapsing.
ब्रह्माण्डशङ्खजठरपूरणावर्तमन्थरम् । स्वर्लोकरोधḫपातालतलाततिसगुल्मकम्
Churning with the whirlpool that fills the cosmic shell’s cavity, obstructing the heavens and densely overgrown with thickets reaching down to the netherworlds.
समस्तदूरदिग्भित्तिहेलाहननहर्षुलम् । महाप्रलयसम्मत्तपानकापानतर्षुलं
Joyful in shattering the distant walls of all directions with its force, and thirsting for the drink of the great dissolution’s intoxicating wine.
प्रसृतप्रलयाख्येन्द्रमत्तैरावणबृंहितम् । आकल्पक्षुब्धमेघाब्धिनिर्ह्रादम् इव सम्भृतम्
Augmented by the trumpeting of intoxicated Airavata elephants, unleashed by the lord of dissolution, gathered like the deep roar of stormy, agitated clouds.
महाप्रलयसङ्क्षुब्धक्षीरोदमथनारवम् । ब्रह्माण्डोग्रारघट्टे ऽस्मिन् वार्यन्त्रम् इव सारवम्
Echoing with the tumult of the churning of the ocean of milk, agitated by the great dissolution, resounding within this fierce collision of universes like the grinding of a mighty waterwheel.
अथास्मिन् सति कल्पाग्नौ स्थितिम् एति कथं घनः । इति विस्मितवान् अस्मि दृशं दिग्दशके ऽत्यजम्
Then, as this fire of dissolution blazed, I wondered in amazement, gazing in all directions: how can this dense mass persist?
यावन् न क्वचिद् एवाभ्रं पश्याम्य् आशासु केवलम् । तरन्ति तरलास्फालम् उल्मुकाशनिवृष्टयः
Before I could see a single cloud anywhere in the quarters, torrents of blazing meteors and fiery showers surged forth, swift and unrestrained.
तेन ज्वलनतापेन बहुयोजनकोटिषु । पदार्था भस्मतां यान्ति दूरे दिक्षु दशस्व् अपि
By that burning heat, over many millions of leagues, all things in the ten directions were reduced to ashes, even at a great distance.
अनन्तरं क्षणाद् व्योम्नि दूरे ऽहम् अनुभूतवान् । ऊर्ध्वतश् शीतलं वातम् अधस्ताद् वानलोपमम्
Immediately after, in the distant sky, I experienced above a cool wind, and below, a heat like fire.
एतावति नभोमार्गे दूरे कल्पाम्बुदास् स्थिताः । यस् तेषाम् अग्नितापानां विषयो न च मद्दृशाम्
At that distance along the path of the sky, there stood clouds of the aeons, whose fiery heat does not affect those like me.
अथ वारुणदिग्भागाद् आययौ कल्पमारुतः । यस्मिंस् तृणवद् उह्यन्ते विन्ध्यमेरुहिमाद्रयः
Then from the region of the west came a cosmic wind, by which even the Vindhya, Meru, and Himalayan mountains are carried like blades of grass.
तेन ज्वालाचलाḫ प्रान्तडीनाङ्गारविहङ्गमाः । लोलोल्मुकवनाक्रान्ता जग्मुर् अग्निदिशं द्रुतम्
By that wind, mountains of flame, flocks of embers, and forests seized by blazing fire swiftly moved toward the direction of fire.
सन्ध्याभ्रसदृशाकारास् तेरुर् अङ्गारवारिदाः । भ्रेमुर् भस्मभराभ्राणि प्रोताङ्गाररजांसि खे
Clouds of embers, shaped like twilight clouds, poured down; clouds heavy with ash whirled, scattering dust of embers in the sky.
स ज्वालाचलसङ्घातो दृष्टो ऽनलदिशं व्रजन् । हेमाद्रीणां सपक्षाणाम् अनीकं द्रवताम् इव
That mass of flaming mountains, seen advancing toward the region of fire, appeared like a host of golden mountains with wings, melting away.
धराद्रिमण्डलाभोगे ऽसोम्याङ्गारभरात्मनि । ज्वालाचलघने याते भाति तेजसि भास्वताम्
As the dense mass of flaming mountains, filled with embers, moved across the expanse of the earth’s mountain circle, it shone with the radiance of the brilliant ones.
अर्णवेष्व् अनलार्णस्सु क्वथनोत्फालवारिषु । वनेष्व् अस्मृतपर्णेषु दीप्ताग्नितरुवारिषु
In the oceans, in the fiery waves, in the boiling, surging waters, and in the forests with withered leaves and blazing trees, the water was aflame.
ब्रह्मलोकस्थनाथेषु लोकपालपुरेष्व् अधः । साङ्गनाबालवृद्धेषु दग्धेषु निपतत्सु खात्
When the cities of the guardians of the worlds, situated in Brahmaloka, along with their women, children, and elders, were burned and fell down below,
कल्पान्तानलपद्मिन्या ब्रह्माण्डोग्रसरोवरे । ज्वालापल्लवशालिन्यास् सबीजायास् सहोल्मुकैः
In the fierce lake of the universe, which is the lotus of the fire at the end of the aeon, whose flaming shoots bear seeds and upraised stalks,
अनलात्मसु मूलेषु नागेषु च नगेषु च । आपातालं निमग्नेषु महत्य् अङ्गारकर्दमे
When the roots, which are the very essence of fire, and the mountains and serpents, were submerged down to the netherworld in the vast mire of embers,
उष्ट्रसैन्यम् इवालक्ष्यगतिर् मन्निकटं नभः । आययाव् अञ्जनश्यामẖ कल्पाम्बुदगणẖ क्षणम्
Then, like an army of camels with an indistinct course, a mass of clouds dark as collyrium swiftly approached the sky for a moment,
स्थिरकल्पानलज्वालातुल्यविद्युन्मयाचलः । एककोणकविश्रान्तसप्ताम्बुधिपयोभरः
A mountain, solid as the flames of the aeonic fire, filled with lightning, resting at one corner, bearing the waters of the seven oceans,
भित्तिभासुरनीहारभारनिर्भरदिक्तटः । ब्रह्माण्डकुड्यनिबिडमण्डलास्फोटपण्डितः
Its slopes heavy with dense, shining mist, its circumference packed like the wall of the cosmic egg, skilled in bursting forth,
कल्पान्ते क्षुभितो ऽम्भोधिर् वर्तुलावर्तवृत्तिमान् । तडिज्जलेचरस् स्फारनिर्ह्रादẖ खम् इवागतः
At the end of the aeon, the ocean, agitated, took on a circular, whirling form, and, with the loud roar of surging waves and lightning, seemed to rise into the sky,
मृतो दग्धो निशानाथलोको द्विगुणशीतलः । अन्यम् आकारम् आश्रित्य परलोकम् इवागतः
The world, dead and burned in the night, became twice as cool, and, assuming another form, appeared as if it had entered another realm.
हिमसम्भाररूपेण हिमाचलम् इवाखिलम् । जाड्यस्तम्भितनिश्शेषजलकाष्ठाचलं दधत्
With the mass of frost, the entire mountain resembled the Himalayas, bearing a range of icy peaks, where all water and wood stood immobilized by cold.
अथ ब्रह्माण्डविस्फोटकठिनास्फाटिताम्बरम् । प्राक् कृत्वोद्भटतुष्कारं कष्टा वृष्टिḫ पपात ह
Then, with the sky torn open by the hard explosion of the cosmic egg, a fierce shower of hail fell, scattering sharp fragments everywhere.