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.
क्वचिद् विद्युत्तयाभ्रेषु शफर्येवार्णवेष्व् इह । खस्थेषु विहृतं चारु वार्यावर्तविराविषु
At times, like lightning in the clouds or a minnow in the ocean, here, it moves gracefully among the sky, amidst the swirling eddies of water.
क्वचिद् दीपतया नीपकलिकाकोमलाङ्गया । अन्तḫपुरेषु कान्तानां सुरतालोकनं कृतम्
Elsewhere, by the glow of a lamp and the tender limbs of a young woman, the sight of lovers’ union is revealed within the inner chambers.
क्वचित् कज्जलजालस्य ज्वालात्वेन कचाकृतेः । खे ऽन्तर् निलीनं कूर्माङ्गसङ्घेनेव स्वकोटरे
Sometimes, within the mass of kohl, as the flame of a hair ornament, it is hidden in the sky, like a cluster of turtle bodies concealed in their own burrow.
कल्पान्तेषु क्वचित् सर्वजगद्ग्रासघनश्रमात् । खे कज्जलासिते लीनं रुद्धे ऽभ्र इव विद्युता
At the end of an age, exhausted by the dense effort of consuming the entire world, it is absorbed in the blackness of the sky, like lightning blocked by a cloud.
क्वचिद् आकल्पम् आपीय वडवाग्नितया जलम् । जगत्सु गगनेनेव न तृप्तं जलराशिषु
Sometimes, having drunk up all the water as the submarine fire, the sky, though filled with oceans, is not satisfied by the abundance of water in the worlds.
क्वचिद् उल्मुकदन्तेन मया ज्वालाभुजात्मना । विलोलधूमावर्तोग्रकुन्तलेनाकुलौजसा
Elsewhere, with flaming teeth and a fiery nature, I, with wild whirling smoke and fierce, tangled locks, am agitated with intense energy.
पुरपल्वलवाहेषु कवलीकृतजन्तुना । कृताष् टकाराẖ काष्ठादिपदार्थास्वादनोदिताः
In the streams flowing through city marshes, having swallowed living creatures, the sounds of 'ṭa' are uttered, prompted by the tasting of wood and other substances.
हतेन शस्त्रपाषाणैर् अयḫपिण्डादिवासिना । हन्तृदाहार्थम् उद्गीर्णाẖ कणाẖ कोपलवाẖ क्वचित्
Sometimes, struck by weapons or stones, or by one dwelling in an iron lump, particles are expelled for burning the slayer, as sparks of anger.
क्वचिन् महाशिलाकोशे पाषाणमणिना मया । समस्तभूतादृश्येन स्थितं युगशतान्य् अपि
At one time, within a great cavern of stone, I remained for hundreds of ages, unseen by all beings, like a gem embedded in rock.
मुने तस्याम् अवस्थायाम् अनुभूतं त्वया सुखम् । उत दुẖखम् इति ब्रूहि बोधाय मम मानद
O sage, in that state, did you experience happiness or sorrow? Tell me, O giver of honor, for my understanding.