पश्चिमाब्धितटीलोकवर्णितास्तमयक्रमम् । असङ्ख्यबद्धभूपालकराकीर्णाखिलाजिरम्
On the western shore, in a city described as the place where the sun sets, stood an ancient palace crowded with countless kings and their retinues.
यज्ञवाटपठद्विप्रजिततूर्योग्रनिस्स्वनम् । वन्दिकोलाहलोल्लासप्रतिश्रुद्घनकन्दरम्
The avenues leading to the sacrificial grounds resounded with the deep, victorious tones of musical instruments, and the caves echoed with the jubilant clamor of bards and singers.
गेयवाद्योद्यतध्वानप्रध्वनद्गगनान्तरम् । हयहस्तिरथावारिरजोमेघघनाम्बरम्
The sky was filled with the rising sounds of singing and instrumental music, and clouds of dust, stirred by horses, elephants, and chariots, hung thick like heavy clouds.
पुष्पकर्पूरधूमोत्थगन्धामोदितपर्वतम् । सर्वमण्डलसम्भाररचितानेकशासनम्
Mountains were perfumed with the fragrance of flowers, camphor, and incense smoke; everywhere, various edicts and decrees were established for the order of the entire realm.
यशःकर्पूरजलधिसुशुक्लाम्बरपर्षदम् । रोदसीस्तम्भभूतैकस्वप्रभावजितार्ककम्
The assembly was adorned with attendants dressed in garments as white as camphor and ocean foam, and its radiance, like a pillar between earth and sky, surpassed even the brilliance of the sun.
आरम्भमन्थरोदारकार्यसंव्यग्रभूमिपम् । नानानगरनिर्माणसोद्योगस्थपतीश्वरम्
The king was wholly engaged in grand undertakings, surrounded by master architects intent on constructing many different cities.
पपाताथ महारम्भां सा तां नरपतेस् सभाम् । व्योमात्मिका व्योममयीं मिहिकेवाम्बराटवीम्
Then, that great and wondrous assembly, celestial and made of sky itself, descended like a misty forest in the heavens.
भ्रमन्तीं तत्र ताम् अग्रे ददृशुस् ते न केचन । अन्यसङ्कल्परचितां पुरुषाः कामिनीम् इव
As it moved there, none of the people saw it before them, for it was created by another's imagination, like a woman seen only in dreams.
तथा ते तां न ददृशुस् सञ्चरन्तीं पुरोगताम् । अन्यसङ्कल्परचितां मध्ये स्वनगरीं यथा
In the same way, they did not see her moving ahead, as she was fashioned by another's imagination, just as one does not see one's own city while in the midst of it.
प्राक्तनान् एव तान् सर्वान् सा ददर्श पुरोगतान् । भूभृतैव समं प्राप्तान् नगरान् नगरान्तरम्
She saw all those who had gone ahead, just as a king, upon arriving at another city, sees those who have arrived together with him.
तद्वेशांस् तन्मयाचारांस् तथा तान् एव बालकान् । ता एव बालवनितास् तांस् तान् एव च मन्त्रिणः
She saw the same children with the same appearance and conduct, the same young women, the same ministers as before.
तान् एव भुवि भूपालांस् तांस् तान् एव च पण्डितान् । तान् एव नर्मसचिवान् भृत्यांस् तान् एव तादृशान्
She saw the same kings on earth, the same scholars, the same close companions, the same servants, and others of that kind.
अथान्यान् अन्यपूर्वांश् च पण्डितान् सुहृदस् तथा । व्यवहारांस् तथा चान्यान् पौरान् अन्यांस् तथैव च
Then she saw other new scholars, friends, various officials, and other citizens as well.
मध्याह्नकालं दिवसं घनघर्माकुला दिशः । अन्तरिक्षं सचन्द्रार्कं साम्भोदपवनध्वनि
She saw the midday hour, the day, the directions overwhelmed by intense heat, the sky with the moon and sun, with the sounds of clouds, water, and wind.
महीं ह्रदनदीशैलपुरपत्तनमण्डिताम् । नानानगरविन्यासजङ्गलग्रामसङ्कुलाम्
She saw the earth adorned with lakes, rivers, mountains, cities, and towns, crowded with various cities, forests, and villages.
द्विर् अष्टवर्षं भूपालं प्राक्तन्या जरसोज्झितम् । प्राक्तनीं जनतां सर्वां समस्तान् ग्रामवासिनः
She saw the king, twice eight years old, freed from previous old age, the former people, and all the village dwellers as before.
सा तान् आलोक्य ललना चिन्तापरवशाभवत् । ते ऽस्मिन् नगरवास्तव्याः कष्टं सर्वे मृता इति
Seeing them, the lady became overwhelmed by anxiety, thinking, 'All the residents of this city have suffered greatly and died.'
पुनःप्रज्ञप्तिबोधेन प्राक्तनान्तःपुरान्तरम् । आजगाम ददर्शात्र सार्धरात्रं तथैव तत्
Then, regaining awareness, she entered her former inner chambers, and there, in the middle of the night, she saw everything just as before.
शवरूपं स्वभर्तारं पुष्पसम्भारगोपितम् । निद्राकुलं परिजनसन्निवेशं तथैव तम्
She saw her husband in the form of a corpse, covered with a heap of flowers, and the attendants lying there, all overcome by sleep.
अथ सोत्थापयाम् आस निद्राक्रान्तं सखीजनम् । आह चातीव मे दुःखम् आस्थानं दीयताम् इति
Then she began to awaken her companions, who were seized by sleep, and said, 'I am greatly distressed; let me be taken to the royal court.'
भर्तुस् सिंहासनस्यास्य पार्श्वे तिष्ठाम्य् अहं यदि । पश्यन्ती सभ्यसङ्घातं तत् प्रजीवामि नान्यथा
If I stand beside my husband's throne, seeing the assembly of courtiers, then I will survive; otherwise, I will not.
स राजपरिवारो ऽथ तयेत्य् उक्तो यथाक्रमम् । आसीद् अनिद्रस् सुव्यग्रस् सर्वस् सर्वस्वकर्मसु
Then, as she said this, the royal attendants, each according to their role, became sleepless, highly alert, and engaged in all their duties.
पौरान् सभ्यान् समानेतुं ययुर् याष्टीकपङ्क्तयः । व्यवहारं कलयितुम् उर्वीम् अर्ककरा इव
The lines of gatekeepers went forth to summon the citizens and courtiers, to arrange the proceedings, like rays of the sun spreading over the earth.
आस्थानभूमिं भृत्याश् च मार्जयाम् आसुर् आदृताः । प्रावृट्पयोदमलिनं खं शरद्वासरा इव
The devoted servants began to clean the audience hall, like autumn days clearing the sky stained by the clouds of the rainy season.
अङ्गनं प्रति दीपौघास् तस्थुः पीततमोऽम्भसः । आश्चार्यदर्शनायेव प्राप्ता नक्षत्रपङ्क्तयः
Rows of lamps, shining with water cleared of darkness, stood around the hall, as if the lines of stars had come down for a wondrous display.
जनताः पूरयाम् आसुः पूरैर् अजिरभूमिकाः । अब्धीन् प्रलयसंशुष्कान् पुरासर्गे इवाम्भसा
Crowds of people filled the courtyards with their throngs, just as water fills the ocean beds that had dried up in the cosmic dissolution, now at the dawn of creation.
आजग्मुर् मन्त्रिसामन्तास् स्वं स्वं स्थानम् अनिन्दिताः । त्रैलोक्ये पुनर् उत्पन्ने लोकपाला यथा दिशः
The ministers and nobles, blameless, returned each to their own place, like the guardians of the worlds resuming their quarters when the three worlds are restored.
ववुर् आकीर्णकर्पूरसान्द्रा मलयशीतलाः । उत्फुल्लकुसुमोद्वान्तमांसलामोदिनो ऽनिलाः
Cool breezes from Malaya, thick with the scent of scattered camphor, blew, carrying the fragrance of blossoming flowers, their air heavy with sweetness.
पर्यन्तेषु प्रतीहारास् तस्थुर् धवलवाससः । वृष्टमूकार्कतापान्तमेघमाला इवाद्रिषु
At the entrances stood the doorkeepers, clad in white garments, like rows of clouds at the mountain peaks, ending the heat of the sun and the roar of rain.
प्रभापीततमःपुञ्जाः पेतुः पुष्पोत्करा भुवि । मेघमारुतविध्वस्तास् तारकानिकरा इव
Clusters of flowers, their darkness dispelled by the radiance, fell to the ground, like groups of stars scattered by the wind and clouds.