अन्धकारस्य दैन्यस्य समस्तगुणनाशिनः । अदृश्यं दृश्यम् अनिशं सर्वस्य गुणशालिनः
The misery of darkness, which destroys all virtues, is unseen and yet always seen, for it is ever present in all things rich in qualities.
तमस्तमालपरशुḫ परशुद्धिकरं पदम् । सुवर्णमणिमाणिक्यमुक्तादिजनजीवितम्
The supreme state, which is the axe that cuts through the darkness of ignorance, brings perfect purity; it is the life of gold, jewels, pearls, and all precious beings.
शुक्लकृष्णारुणादीनां भित्त्यङ्गोत्सङ्गशायिनाम् । पुत्राणाम् इव वर्णानां सर्वेषां देहदḫ पिता
Of all colors—white, black, red, and others—resting on walls, limbs, and laps, it is like the father of all hues, as the body is to its sons.
घनस्नेहदशं पृथ्व्या रक्षितानिलवेधनम् । गृहं प्रति घनानन्दैर् धृतदीपकपुत्रकम्
The earth’s dense, nourishing moisture, protected from the wind’s piercing, each home was filled with deep joy, holding lamps like beloved children.
दृष्टं पातालकेष्व् ईषत् तमोरूपिषु पावनम् । अर्धदृष्टं रजोरूपे भूतले भूतमालिते
It was seen in the netherworlds, faintly purifying the forms of darkness; half-seen in the forms of dust, it illuminated the earth and its beings.
सत्त्वात्मसु महासत्त्वं नित्यस्थं देवसद्मसु । जगज्जीर्णकुटीदीपẖ कूपो ऽन्धतमसो महान्
Among beings of sattva, the great sattva dwells eternally in the abodes of the gods; like a lamp in a worn-out hut of the world, it is a great well of deep darkness.
दिग्वधूविमलादर्शो निशानीहारमारुतः । सत्त्वं चन्द्रार्कवह्नीनां कुङ्कुमालेपनं दिवः
The spotless mirror of the quarters’ bride, the night’s mist-dispelling wind, the essence of moon, sun, and fire, the saffron ointment of the sky—
केदारं दिनसस्यानां तमोऽम्बूनाम् अवग्रहः । नभẖकाचबृहत्पात्रक्षालनाम्बु समुल्लसत्
The field for the day’s crops, the gathering of darkness-clouds, the sky’s great vessel washed by the rainwater streaming forth—
सत्ताप्रदतयार्थानां प्रकाशकतयापि च । चिन्मात्रपरमार्थस्य सहोदर इवानुजः
By granting existence to things and by revealing them, it is like a younger brother to pure consciousness, whose very essence is the highest reality.
क्रियाकमलिनीभानुर् भूतलोदरजीवितम् । रूपालोकमनस्कारचमत्कारे चितिर् यथा
Like the sun to the lotus of action, the life within the earth’s womb, the wonder of form, light, and mind—so is consciousness.
नभस्तलगतासङ्ख्यनक्षत्रमणिमालितः । दिनर्तुवत्सरावर्तो वाडवाग्न्यादिफेनिलः
Adorned with a garland of countless stars set in the sky, swirling with days, seasons, and years, foaming with submarine fire and the like—
चन्द्रार्कादितरङ्गो ऽन्तरजडो ऽपङ्किलो महान् । बृहद्ब्रह्माण्डखातस्थो नित्यम् एकार्णवो ऽक्षयः
With waves of moon and sun, inwardly inert yet unstained, vast, abiding in the great cavity of the universe, ever the one inexhaustible ocean—
हेमादिषु सुवर्णत्वं नरादिषु पराक्रमः । काचकच्यं च रत्नादिष्व् अर्कादिष्व् अवभासनम्
Gold among metals, valor among men, transparency among gems, brilliance among the sun and others—
ज्योत्स्ना मुखेन्दुबिम्बेषु पक्ष्मलेक्षणलक्ष्मसु । स्रवत्स्नेहामृतापूरो हासस् सौहार्दभासनम्
Moonlight in the orbs of faces, in the lashes of eyes, the overflowing nectar of affection, the radiance of friendliness in a smile—
कपोलबाहुनेत्राक्षिभ्रूकरालकलासकः । निजो ऽजेयतया जातो विलासẖ कामिनीजने
The charm of women arises from their own unconquerable nature, consisting in the graceful play of cheeks, arms, eyes, brows, and curling locks.
तृणीकृतत्रिभुवनं चपेटास्फोटितद्विषम् । शिरस्सु वज्रीकरणं वीर्यं सिंहादिचेतसि
Their courage, in the minds of lions and the like, makes the three worlds seem as nothing, strikes enemies with a slap, and renders their heads like adamant.
कटुकङ्कटकुट्टाकखड्गसङ्घट्टटाङ्कृतेः । पटुस्फुटास्फोटरटि भटेष्व् अटनम् उद्भटम्
Their bold wandering among warriors is marked by the sharp, resounding clash of harsh swords, the loud crack of blows, and the tumult of battle.
देवेषु दानवारित्वं सुरारित्वं सुरारिषु । सर्वभूतेषु सौजस्त्वम् उन्नामस् स्थावरादिषु
Among the gods, they are the restraint of demons; among the demons, the enmity of gods; in all beings, they are vigor; and among immovable things, they are the upward growth.
अथ हेम भवन् भास्वांस् तत्राहम् अनुभूतवान् । जगदाकाशकोशेषु तेषु तामरसेक्षण
Then, O golden one, O radiant one, I experienced you there, O lotus-eyed, within those cosmic spaces of the universe.
दिगन्तदशकास्तीर्णैẖ करजालैर् जगत्खगम् । गृह्णद् अद्र्यङ्गम् अर्कत्वं ग्रामवद्दृष्टभूतलम्
With rays stretching to the ten horizons, grasping the world like a bird with its net of fingers, embracing the mountain's form, becoming the sun, and seeing the earth as one sees a village.
व्योमोत्पले कोशचक्रं वाडवं तिमिरार्णवे । ब्रह्माण्डसदने दीपो वृक्षो दिनफलावलेः
A wheel of lotuses in the sky, a submarine fire in the ocean of darkness, a lamp in the abode of the cosmic egg, a tree bearing the fruits of day.
रसायनह्रदाकारम् इन्दुत्वं वदनं दिवः । निशानिशाचरीहासो विकासो रजनीदिशाम्
The moon is the face of the sky, shaped like a lake of nectar; the night is the blossoming smile of the night-wandering goddess, the unfolding of the directions of night.
जगल्लावण्यलक्ष्मीनां सर्वासाम् उपमास्पदम् । रजनीरोहिणीनारीकैरवाणां परं प्रियम्
The very model of all the world's beauty and fortune, supremely dear to the night, to Rohiṇī, to women, and to the night-blooming lilies.
नेत्रवृन्दं खशक्रस्य द्युलतापुष्पजालकम् । स्वर्गौकोमषकव्यूहं तारकापटलं पृथु
The host of stars is the multitude of eyes of the sky, a web of celestial creeper-blossoms, a vast array of heaven's gentle insects, a broad cluster of constellations.
वणिङ्मार्गे वणिग्घस्ततलतोलनदोलितम् । रत्नत्वं जलकल्लोलहस्तान्दोलितम् अब्धिभिः
On the merchant's path, the merchant's hand weighs and swings it; in the ocean, the waves of water toss it as a jewel.
अब्दाब्धौ शफरावर्तम् अब्दागे मञ्जरीगणः । अब्दाद्रौ दावदहनो वैद्युतं द्योतनं तरौ
In the ocean, it is the whirl of small fish; on the river, a cluster of blossoms; on the mountain, a wildfire; on the tree, a flash of lightning.
दारुदारुणदुर्वारं दीप्तं ज्वलनचालनम् । यज्ञाग्निदाहकल्पान्तविस्फोटकठिनारवम्
A fierce, unrestrainable blaze, burning and whirling, with a roar as harsh as the explosion of the sacrificial fire at the end of an age.
कचत्काञ्चनमाणिक्यमुक्तामणिमयं महः । तमस्तां नीतम् आक्षिप्य पाण्डित्यम् इव पामरैः
A radiance of gold, rubies, pearls, and gems, seized and carried away into darkness, like learning snatched away by the ignorant.
विश्रान्तं स्तनतुङ्गेषु मुक्ताहारतया मया । असुरोरगगन्धर्वनरनायकयोषिताम्
I have seen it resting on the high breasts of women, as a string of pearls, among the wives of asuras, serpents, gandharvas, and human lords.
पादाहतिशतं मार्गे तिलकत्वं वधूमुखे । खद्योतेन मया लब्धं पश्यावस्थासु चापलम्
A hundred footfalls on the path make it a tilaka on a bride's face; by the firefly I have seen its fickleness in various states.