तमांस्य् अपीतकार्याणि भूतानि चाखिलान्य् अलम् । पयांसीव विसेरूनि प्रसृतानि दिशं प्रति
The darkness, having consumed its purpose, and all beings, spread out in every direction like water flowing forth.
आसीद् रणाङ्गनं गायद्वेतालकुलसङ्कुलम् । क्वणत्कङ्कालकण्ठस्थकङ्ककाकोलकेलिमत्
The battlefield was crowded with singing ghosts and spirits, resounding with the rattling of bones and the playful cries of crows and vultures.
रथकाष्टचितिज्वालासताराम्बरभासुरम् । पचत्पचपचाशब्दमेदोमांसमयानलम्
Brilliant with the glow of flames rising from funeral pyres made of chariot wood, it blazes with sparks, and the fire is fed by the fat and flesh, crackling with the sound 'paca-paca.'
शवाङ्गास्थिस्फुटास्फोटलुठच्चितिचयोल्मुकम् । वेतालललनारब्धजललीलातिरोहितम्
Fragments of corpses' bones burst and scatter, heaps of bodies are strewn about, and ghouls begin their watery games, concealed in the play of the cremation ground.
श्वकाकयक्षवेतालतालकोलाहलोल्बणम् । समागमेन भूतानां समुड्डीनवनोपमम्
Filled with the tumult of dogs, crows, yakṣas, and ghosts, it is as noisy as a forest where all manner of beings have gathered and are stirred up together.
रक्तमांसवसामेदोहरणव्यग्रडाकिनम् । चर्वितासृग्वसामांसस्रवत्सृक्विपिशाचकम्
Frenzied ḍākinīs snatch away blood, flesh, fat, and marrow, while piśācas chew and suck the oozing blood, fat, and flesh.
सभ्यमध्यचितालोकप्रकटासृक्शवव्रजम् । खरूपिकानीयमानाश्वसन्न्यस्तमहाशवम्
In the midst of the assembly, the cremation ground is revealed, with streams of blood and heaps of corpses; a great corpse, brought by the undertakers, is laid down, with a horse left beside it.
उत्ताण्डवोग्रकुम्भाण्डमण्डलोड्डामरोदरम् । छमच्छमिविलापान्तं मेदोऽसृग्बाष्पसाम्बुदम्
The place is filled with the dreadful dance of skulls and bones, with gaping bellies, ending in the wailing of jackals, and clouds of fat, blood, and tears.
वहद्रक्तनदीरंहोरूढभूचररूपिकम् । वेतालाकुलकङ्कालकर्षणाकुलकाककम्
A river of flowing blood rushes forth, inhabited by spirits of the dead, while crows are agitated, snatching at skeletons, and the place is crowded with ghouls.
मृतेभोदरमञ्जूषासुप्तवेतालबालकम् । विविक्तैकतरूद्देशपानक्रीडास्थराक्षसम्
Within the hollow chests of corpses, young ghouls sleep; in a lonely spot beneath a single tree, a demon lingers, intent on his drinking games.
मत्तवेतालकलहे चितालातरणोज्ज्वलम् । वहद्रक्तवसामिश्रगन्धबन्धुरमारुतम्
In the quarrel of drunken ghosts, the cremation ground blazed, carrying winds thick with the scent of blood and fat.
रूपिकापेटके वेगरणद्रुटरुटारवम् । अर्धपक्वशवास्वादलुब्धयक्षोल्लसत्किलि
With the clatter of coins and dice, the swift, harsh cries resounded, as yakṣas eager for the taste of half-cooked corpses exulted.
तुङ्गवङ्गकलिङ्गाङ्गतङ्गनाङ्गलगत्खगम् । तारापातोपमभवत्संमुखज्वालरूपिकम्
There were swords in the hands of women from Bengal and Kaliṅga, and the flames before them shone like the fall of stars.
पतद्वेतालसोल्लासमध्यस्थासृक्सुरूपिकम् । पिशाचाकर्णिताभ्यर्णयोगिनीगणगायनम्
In the midst of the revelry of falling ghosts, blood flowed, while bands of yogis sang nearby, heard by the piśācas.
प्रसृतान्त्रमहातन्त्रीप्रायसम्पन्नवादनम् । पिशाचवासनोत्क्रान्तपिशाचीभूतमानवम्
The music was mostly played on great stringed instruments, and men, possessed by the impulses of piśācas, became like piśācīs themselves.
रूपिकालोकनापूर्वत्रासार्धमृतसद्भटम् । क्वचिद्वेतालरक्षोभिर् अहनीवोन्नमद्रणम्
Some warriors, never before frightened by the sight of ghosts, now stood half-dead with fear, while at times the ground rose up with ghosts and demons.
खरूपिकास्कन्धपतच्छवत्रस्तनिशाचरम् । नभस्सङ्घटितापूर्वभूतपेटकसङ्कटम्
Some night-wanderers, terrified by the falling corpses thrown from the shoulders of ghosts, crowded into the narrow spaces of the sky, packed with ghostly chests.
अतिप्रयत्नापहृतम्रियमाणनराधिपम् । सुभक्षापेक्षियक्षेक्षाविक्षिप्तशवराशिमत्
Some dying kings were carried off with great effort, while heaps of Śavaras were scattered, disturbed by yakṣas eager for good food.
शिवामुखानलशिखाखण्डैश् छमितनक्तगैः । समुड्डीननवाशोकपुष्पगुच्छम् इवाभितः
With the fragments of flames from the mouths of ghosts, the darkness of night is dispelled, as if clusters of fresh ashoka flowers are scattered all around.
कबन्धकन्धराबद्धव्यग्रवेतालबालकम् । यक्षरक्षःपिशाचाजिकचदाकाशगोल्मुकम्
There are children with the heads of trunks, bound to the necks of headless bodies, and the sky is filled with yakṣas, rākṣasas, piśācas, ajas, cāḍas, and globular spirits.
आकाशभूधरनिकुञ्जगुहान्तराल पिण्डोपमस्थिततमोऽम्बुदपीठपूरम् । व्यालोलभूतरभसाकुलकल्पवात व्याधूतलोककरकाण्डकवाटकल्पम्
Within the spaces between the caves of mountains in the sky, darkness stands like a mass, filling the seat of the cloud, while the wind—like the wild play of spirits—shakes the gates of the world as if they were the stalks of trees.
एवं निशाचराचारचिरघोरे रणाङ्गने । उल्लसन्तीषु वेतालक्ष्वेडासूड्डामरारवैः
Thus, in the battlefield, long haunted by the dreadful wanderings of night-roaming beings, the howls of vetālas and the cries of owls rise up.
नभःप्रेक्षकसेनासु प्रगतासु यथागतम् । विश्रान्तेष्व् इव भूपेषु रथादिषु निजास्पदे
As the armies of sky-gazers depart as they came, and the kings rest in their chariots and other places, each in their own abode, as if at ease.
महासरोजल इव जने दृश्ये रणाङ्गने । अहनीव जनाचारे स्थिते श्यामाचरेहिते
On the battlefield, visible like a great lake, people stand as in the day, while the dark ones have withdrawn, as if night has ceased its course among men.
हस्तहार्यतमःपिण्डस्फुटकुड्ये निशागृहे । लाभोत्सवोच्छलच्चित्ते भूतसङ्घे प्रनृत्यति
In the house of night, with walls made clear by handfuls of darkness, the host of spirits dances joyfully, as the mind swells with the festival of gain.
निश्शब्दशान्तसञ्चारे निद्रामुद्रे ककुब्गणे । लीलापतिर् उदारात्मा किञ्चित् खिन्नमना इव
In the quarters of the sky, where movement is silent and peaceful, the lord of play, noble in spirit, appears somewhat weary in mind, as if in the gesture of sleep.
प्रातःकार्यं विचार्याशु मन्त्रिभिर् मन्त्रकोविदैः । दीर्घचन्द्रसमाकारे शयने हिमशीतले
In the early morning, the affairs of state were swiftly deliberated by ministers skilled in counsel, while he reclined on a bed cool as moonlight and long as the crescent moon.
चन्द्रोदयनिभे वासगृहे शिशिरकोटरे । निद्रां मुहूर्तम् अगमन् मुद्रितेक्षणपुष्करः
In a chamber resembling the rising moon, within a cool and sheltered retreat, he entered sleep for a short while, his lotus-like eyes gently closed.
अथ ते ललने व्योम तत् परित्यज्य तद् गृहम् । रन्ध्रैर् विविशतुर् वातलेखो ऽब्जमुकुलं यथा
Then, O lovely one, leaving that house behind, they entered the sky—just as a breeze slips through the openings of a lotus bud.
इयन्मात्रम् इदं स्थूलं शरीरं वाग्विदां वर । रन्ध्रेण तन्तुतनुना कथं प्रविशति प्रभो
O foremost of the learned, how can this gross body, which is only so much, enter through an opening as slender as a thread, O Lord?