किम् इदं भगिनि व्योम पलालभरितं स्थितम् । नेदं पलालं वीराणाम् एते शरभराम्बुदाः
Sister, what is this sky, filled with straw, that stands here? This is not straw, O brave one—these are clouds laden with arrows.
यावन्तो भुवि शाम्यन्ति रुधिरैर् अणुरेणवः । तावन्त्य् अब्दसहस्राणि भटानाम् आस्पदं दिवि
As many particles of dust as are quenched on earth by blood, for that many thousands of years the warriors' abode remains in the sky.
मा भैष्ट नैते निस्त्रिंशा नीलोत्पलदलत्विषः । अमी वीरावलोकिन्या लक्ष्म्या नयनविभ्रमाः
Do not fear—these are not swords with the sheen of blue lotus petals; these are the playful glances of Lakshmi, the observer of heroes.
वीरालिङ्गनलोलानां नितम्बे सुरयोषिताम् । मेखलाश् शिथिलीकर्तुं प्रवृत्तः कुसुमायुधः
The god of love, eager to loosen the girdles of heavenly women longing for the embrace of heroes, has set forth.
ललद्भुजलतालोलरक्तपल्लवपाणयः । मञ्जरीमत्तनयना मध्वामोदसुगन्धयः
With arms shining like waving lotus stalks, hands like red buds, eyes intoxicated like flower clusters, and sweet fragrance of honeyed blossoms.
याचन्त्यो मधुरालापैर् नन्दनोद्यानदेवताः । तवागमनम् आशङ्क्य प्रवृत्ताः परिनर्तितुम्
The goddesses of Nandana grove, hoping for your arrival, begin to dance, inviting you with sweet words.
प्रत्यनीकं भिनत्त्य् अन्तः कुठारैः कठिनैर् इयम् । सेना ग्राम्येव वनिता दयितं दुष्टचेष्टितैः
This army, like a village woman with wicked deeds, breaks the enemy within with hard axes, harming her beloved.
हा पितुर् मम भल्लेन शिरो ज्वलितकुण्डलम् । सूर्यस्य निकटं नीतं कालेनेवाष्टमो ग्रहः
Alas, my father's head, with blazing earrings, was carried near the sun by an arrow, as if by Time, like the eighth planet.
आपादं शृङ्खलाप्रोतभ्रमत्स्थूलोपलद्वयम् । भ्रमयंश् चित्रदण्डाख्यं चक्रम् ऊर्ध्वभुजो जवात्
With both arms raised swiftly, he spins the wheel called 'Citradaṇḍa', which is fastened with a chain at his feet and revolves two massive stones.
योधो यम इवायामी याम्याद् आयाति दिक्तटात् । सर्वतस् संहरन् सेनाम् एहि यामो यथागतम्
The warrior, tall as Yama, comes from the southern direction, gathering the army from all sides, saying, 'Come, let us return as we came, like Yama.'
सद्यश्छिन्नशिरश्श्वभ्रमज्जत्कङ्ककुलाकुलाः । कबन्धाः पश्य नृत्यन्ति तालोत्ताला रणाङ्गने
See, headless bodies, their heads freshly severed, swarming with vultures and jackals, dance wildly on the battlefield, their arms flailing.
गीर्वाणगणगोष्ठीषु प्रवृत्ता सङ्कथा मिथः । वद लोकान्तरं वीराः कथं यास्यन्ति के कुतः
In the gatherings of the hosts of gods, lively discussions arise: 'Tell, to which other world will these heroes go? Who will go, and from where?'
निगिरन्त्य् आगतास् सेनास् स्रवन्तीर् इव सागराः । समत्स्यमकरव्यूहा अहो नु विषमा भटाः
The armies that have arrived are being swallowed up like rivers by the ocean, their formations like fish and crocodiles—indeed, the warriors are in dire straits.
कटेषु करिणां कीर्णा धारानाराचराशयः । पतिता इव सम्पूर्णाश् शृङ्गसङ्घेषु वृष्टयः
The ground is strewn with elephants, their bodies pierced by spears, as if full rains had fallen and gathered among clusters of mountain peaks.
हा कुन्तेन शिरो नीतं ममेत्य् एवं विवक्षतः । शिर आनीतम् इत्य् एव खे खगेनेव वाशितम्
'Alas, my head has been taken by a spear!'—so they try to say, but only their severed heads utter, 'The head has been taken,' echoing in the sky like birds.
यन्त्रपाषाणवर्षेण येनास्मान् परिषिञ्चति । सेनास्यां शृङ्खलाजालवलना क्रियतां बलात्
By whom we are being drenched with a shower of mechanical stones, let a net of chains be forcefully cast over this army.
सर्वान् समग्रतो मूढान् नयतार्धमृतान् नरान् । निजान् पादप्रहारेण मैतान् मारयताधमाः
Let all these utterly deluded, half-dead men—your own—be struck down and killed by you, the most wicked, with a blow of your foot.
धम्मिल्लवलनाव्यग्रे घनोत्कण्ठाप्सरोगणे । भटो दिव्यशरीरेण पार्श्वं प्राप्तो विलोक्यताम्
Amid the throng of celestial nymphs, their braided hair tossing in eager excitement, a warrior with a divine body has arrived at your side—behold him.
फुल्लहेमारविन्दासु च्छायाशीतजलानिलैः । स्वर्गनद्यास् तटीष्व् एवं दूरायातं विलोकय
See, on the banks of the heavenly river, among blooming golden lotuses, in the cool shade and gentle breeze of the water, one approaches from afar.
विविधायुधसङ्घट्टखण्डितोग्राद्रिकोटयः । खे चरन्त्यो झणत्कारैः प्रमृतास् तारका इव
The peaks of mighty mountains, shattered by the clash of various weapons, roam the sky with a clamor, like fallen stars.
व्योम्नि शून्यनदीवाहे वहत्सायकवारिणि । चक्रावर्तिनि गच्छन्ति गिरयो ऽप्य् अणुपङ्कताम्
In the sky, where the empty river of space flows, bearing arrows as its waters and swirling like a wheel, even mountains are reduced to tiny rows.
भ्रमद्भिर् ग्रहमार्गेषु शिरोभिर् वीरभूभृताम् । आयुधांशुलतानाललग्नासिदलकण्टकैः
On the paths of the planets, the severed heads of heroic kings whirl about, pierced and adorned with the points and barbs of weapons.
केतुपट्टमृणालाङ्कतलैर् लग्नशिलीमुखैः । वहद्वातललत्पद्मं नभः पद्मसरः कृतम्
With banners and lotus-stalks as their ornaments, and arrows stuck fast, the sky has become a lake of lotuses, with the wind as its rippling water.
मृतमातङ्गसङ्घाते गिराव् इव पिपीलिकाः । भीरवः परिलीयन्ते स्त्रियः पुंवक्षसीव वा
In the heap of dead elephants, the fearful women vanish like ants among mountains, or like women in the embrace of men.
अपूर्वोत्तमसौन्दर्यकान्तसङ्गमशंसिनः । वान्ति विद्याधरस्त्रीणाम् अलकोल्लासिनो ऽनिलाः
The winds playfully toss the flowing locks of the Vidyādhara women, who proclaim the joy of a meeting adorned with unprecedented and supreme beauty.
छत्त्रेषूड्डीय यातेषु छिन्नेषु व्योमचन्द्रिकाम् । इन्दुनैत्य यशोमूर्त्या कृता शुभ्रातपत्रता
When the parasols are cast away and torn, the moonlight in the sky becomes their white canopy, fashioned by the ever-glorious form of the moon.
भटो मरणमूर्छान्ते निमेषेणामरं वपुः । स्वकल्पशिल्पिरचितं प्राप्तस् स्वप्नपुरं यथा
At the end of the faintness of death, the warrior instantly attains an immortal body, crafted by his own imagination, just as one enters a city in a dream.
शूलशक्त्यृष्टिचक्राणां वृष्टयो मुक्तमुष्टयः । व्योमाब्धौ मत्स्यमकरकुलीराश् शूरवत् स्थिताः
Showers of spears, lances, arrows, and discs are hurled in volleys, standing in the sky-ocean like groups of fish, sharks, and alligators—undaunted.
शरोत्कृत्तपतच्छत्त्रकलहंसैर् नभस्तलम् । भाति सञ्चितपूर्णेन्दुबिम्बलक्षैर् इवावृतम्
The sky, filled with broken parasols and fans cut by arrows, shines as if covered with clusters of full moons gathered together.
क्रियते गगनोड्डीनैश् चामरैश् चारुघर्घरैः । वातावधूतसारावतरङ्गनिकरद्युतिः
The sky is adorned by parasols tossed aloft and by beautiful, humming fans, their radiance like waves of white geese stirred by the wind.