ब्रह्मेन्द्रविष्णुहरवह्निरवीन्दुपूर्वा देवासुराḫ परिविवृत्तिभिर् आपतन्तः । अन्योऽन्यम् एव विविधा उपयान्ति यान्ति वातावधूतमषकाशनिविभ्रमेण
Brahma, Indra, Vishnu, Shiva, Agni, the Sun, the Moon, gods and demons—all rush forth in endless cycles, each approaching and departing from one another, like swarms of mosquitoes scattered by the wind.
संहारसर्गसुखदुẖखभवाभवेहानीहानिषेधविधिजन्ममृतिभ्रमाद्याः । सार्धं पृथक् च विलसन्ति सदैव सर्वे व्यामिश्रताम् उपगता अपि तत्र भावाः
Destruction, creation, pleasure, pain, existence, non-existence, effort, inactivity, prohibition, prescription, birth, death, delusion—all these, together and separately, always manifest; even when mingled, their distinct natures remain.
भावोद्भवस्थितिविपत्करणभ्रमाणां संहारसर्गभुवनावनिविभ्रमाणाम् । मिथ्यैव खे प्रकचतां खशरीरकाणां संलक्ष्यते ऽत्र न मनाग् अपि नाम सङ्ख्या
The arising, sustaining, and dissolution of states, the confusion of causes, the creation and destruction of worlds—all these are merely apparent in the sky-like bodies, and here, not even the slightest trace of real enumeration is found.
उत्पातशान्तिमरणोत्सवयुद्धसाम्यविद्वेषरागभयविश्वसनादि तत्र । एकत्र कोश इव रत्नचयो विभाति नानारसाप्रतिघसर्गपरम्परं तत्
Calamity, peace, death, celebration, war, equality, enmity, attachment, fear, trust, and so forth—all shine together in one place like a treasury of jewels, an unending succession of diverse flavors without obstruction.
तस्याश् चिदम्बरमये वपुषि स्वभावभूतास् स्फुटानुभवभावजगद्व्यवस्थाः । सर्गक्षया मलिनदृक्कलिताम्बरस्थकेशोण्डुकस्फुरणवत् परितस् स्फुरन्ति
Within that form made of the sky of consciousness, the manifest experiences and arrangements of the world, which are its own nature, flash all around, like the flickering of dust motes in a sunbeam, tainted by creation and destruction.
जगत् सङ्क्सुब्धम् अक्षुब्धं दृश्यते ऽस्थितिसंस्थिति । सञ्चाल्यमानमकुरप्रतिबिम्ब इव स्थितम्
The world appears agitated and unagitated, with both movement and stillness, like the reflection of a moving monkey in a mirror, yet remaining unmoved.
नृत्तस्थपूता अप्य् अन्तर् जगदर्थाḫ प्रतिक्षणम् । स्थितिं त्यजन्ति गृह्णन्ति बालसङ्कल्पसर्गवत्
Even those entities that seem to dance, stand, or be purified within, continually abandon and assume their states, just as the creations of a child's imagination do.
क्रियाशक्तिशरीरे ऽन्तḫ पूयमाना अनारतम् । राशीभूय विशीर्यन्ते जगन्मुद्गकणोत्कराः
Within the body of action and power, constantly purified, the clusters of the world, like heaps of grain, form and then scatter endlessly.
क्षणम् आलक्ष्यते किञ्चिन् न किञ्चिद् अपि सा क्षणम् । क्षणम् अङ्गुष्ठमात्रैव क्षणम् आकाशपूरिणी
For a moment she is perceived as something, then for a moment as nothing at all; for a moment she is the size of a thumb, for a moment she fills all space.
यस्मात् सा कलना देवी संविच्छक्तिर् जगन्मयी । अनन्ता परमाकाशकोशशुद्धशरीरिणी
Because she is that measuring power, the goddess, the energy of consciousness, pervading the universe—endless, with a body pure as the supreme expanse.
कालत्रयस्थितजगत्त्रितयाम्बराङ्गी चित् सा तथा कचति तेन तथास्थितेन । रूपेण चित्रकृदुदारमनस्स्थचित्रसंसारजालसदृशेन कचज्जवेन
Consciousness, thus, abides as the sky-clad one of the three worlds existing in the three times; by that mode, she acts, her form like the wondrous creations of a painter’s mind, resembling the swift play of the web of worldly existence.
सर्गात्मकं वपुर् अनेकचिदात्मकत्वात् संशान्तखैकवपुर् एकविदात्मकत्वात् । एकं निमेषणसमुन्मिषितैकरूपं सा बिभ्रती वपुर् अनन्तम् अनादि भाति
Her form is the essence of creation, because of her manifold consciousness; yet, as the one tranquil sky, her form is singular; she appears as the one form that opens and closes the eyes in a moment, shining as the infinite, beginningless form.
तस्यां विभाति तद् अनन्तशिलात्मकोशलेखाब्जचक्ररचनादिवद् एव दृश्यम् । व्योमात्मकं गगनमात्रशरीरवत्यां चित्त्वाद् द्रवाज् जलधिकोश इवोर्मिलेखाः
Within her shines that infinite, crystalline core, like the patterns of lines, lotuses, and circles; in her whose body is only space, consciousness appears as wave-traces on the ocean, as forms in the sky.
महती भैरवी देवी नृत्यतḫ पूरिताम्बरा । तस्य कल्पान्तरुद्रस्य सा पुरो भैरवाकृतेः
The great, terrifying goddess dances, filling the sky; before the Rudra of the end of the age, she stands in a fearsome form.
सिरामर्माश्रितोग्राग्निदग्धस्थाणुवनावनिः । कल्पान्तवातव्याधूता वनमालेव नृत्यति
Her veins and vital points scorched by fierce fire, she dances like a forest at the end of an age, shaken by the wind of dissolution, with trees and earth burned to stumps.
कुणालोलूखलबृसीहलशूर्पकरण्डकैः । मुसुलोदञ्चनस्थालीकुम्भस्रग्दामधारिणी
She bears broken mortars, pestles, ploughs, winnowing baskets, and trays; she holds up a pestle, a pan, a pot, and garlands of vessels.
एवंविधानां स्रग्दामजालानां कुसुमोत्करम् । किरन्ती संसृजन्ती च नृत्तक्षुब्धाक्षयं ततम्
Garlands and chains of flowers of such kind, scattering and weaving clusters of blossoms, spread out in the agitation of the dance.
वन्द्यमानस् तया सो ऽपि तथैवाकाशभैरवः । तथैव वितताकारस् तदोच्चैḫ परिनृत्यति
As she is being worshipped, so too is the Bhairava of the sky; in the same way, with his form expanded, he dances with great vigor.
डिम्बं डिम्बं कुडिम्बं पच मन डुह मा झम् प्रझम् प्रं प्रझम् प्रं तृल्लं तृल्लं तृतृल्लं तृखलु खलुमयं खङ्खमं खङ्खमङ्खम् । गुं हं गुं हं तु गुं हं गुडुलडुडुमुडं डाडिमाडिं डुडेति नृत्यन्ती शब्दवाद्यैḫ प्रलयपितृवने श्रेयसे वो ऽस्तु काली
Dimba dimba kudimba, cook, mind, duha, do not jham, prajham pram prajham pram, trilla trilla tritrilla, trkhalu khalumaya, khankhamam khankhamankham; gum ham gum ham, and gum ham guduladudumuda, dadimadi dudeti—she dances with these sounds and instruments in the forest of dissolution and ancestors; may Kali bring you auspiciousness.
बद्ध्वा खट्वाङ्गशृङ्गे कपिलम् उरुजटामण्डलं पद्मयोनेẖ कृत्वा दैत्योत्तमाङ्गैस् स्रजम् उरसि शिरश्शेखरं तार्क्ष्यपक्षैः । पूर्णं रक्तासवानां यममहिषमहाशृङ्गम् आदाय पाणौ पायाद् वो वन्द्यमानḫ प्रलयमुदितया भैरवẖ कालरात्र्या
Binding a tawny mass of matted hair to the spike of the skull-staff, making a garland on her chest from the heads of demons and a crown from Garuda's wings, taking in her hand the full horn of Yama's buffalo filled with blood-wine, may the Bhairava, worshipped and rejoicing in dissolution with Kalaratri, protect you.
किम् एतद् भगवन् सर्वनाशे नृत्यति केव सा । किं शूर्पहलकुम्भाद्यैस् तस्यास् स्रग्दामधारणम्
What is this, O revered one, who dances at the destruction of all? Who is she? Why does she wear garlands made of winnowing baskets, shields, pots, and such things?
किं नष्टं त्रिजगद् भूयẖ किं काल्या देहसंस्थितम् । परिनृत्यति निर्वाणं कथं पुनर् उपागतम्
Has the three worlds been destroyed again? Is Kali established in the body? How does she dance, and how has liberation returned once more?
नासौ पुमान् न चासौ स्त्री न तन् नृत्तं न ताव् उभौ । तथाभूते तथाचारे आकृती न च ते तयोः
She is neither male nor female, nor is that a dance, nor are they both; in such a state and conduct, there is no form belonging to either.
अनादि चिन्मात्रनभो यत् तत् कारणकारणम् । अनन्तं शान्तम् आभासमात्रम् आततम् अव्ययम्
That which is beginningless, pure consciousness-space, the cause of causes, infinite, peaceful, mere appearance, all-pervading, and imperishable.
शिवं तत् स शिवस् साक्षाल् लक्ष्यते भैरवाकृतिः । तथास्थितो जगच्छान्तौ परमाकाश एव सः
That which is auspicious, that very Shiva, is directly perceived as the form of Bhairava; thus established in the peace of the universe, he is indeed the supreme space.
चेतनत्वात् तथाभूतस् स्वभावविभवाद् ऋते । स्थातुं न युज्यते तस्य यथा हेम्नो निराकृतेः
Apart from his nature as consciousness and the power of his own being, it is not possible for him to remain, just as gold cannot exist without its form.
कथम् आस्तां वद प्राज्ञ चिन्मात्रं चेतनं विना । कथम् आस्तां वद प्राज्ञ मरिचं तिक्ततां विना
How can pure consciousness exist, O wise one, without awareness? Tell me. How can bitterness exist in a chili without its own pungency?
कटकादि विना हेम कथम् आस्तां विलोक्यताम् । कथं स्वभावेन विना पदार्थस्य भवेत् स्थितिः
How can gold appear without things like bracelets? Observe this. How can the existence of an object be without its own nature?
विना तिष्ठति माधुर्यं कथयेक्षुरसẖ कथम् । निर्माधुर्यश् च यश् चेक्षुरसो न हि स तद्रसः
Tell me, how can sweetness remain without sugarcane juice? And that juice which is without sweetness is certainly not that juice.
अचेतनं यच् चिन्मात्रं न तच् चिन्मात्रम् उच्यते । न च चिन्मात्रनभसो नष्टं क्वचन युज्यते
That which is pure consciousness but is insentient is not called pure consciousness; nor is it possible for the sky of pure consciousness to ever be destroyed.