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?
आधिभौतिकदेहो ऽयम् इति यस्य मतिभ्रमः । तस्यासाव् अणुरन्ध्रेण गन्तुं शक्नोति नानघ
O sinless one, he whose mind is deluded into thinking, 'This is a physical body,' cannot pass through a tiny opening.
रोधितो ऽहम् अनेनेति न माम्य् अत्रेति यस्य धीः । अनुभूतानुभविनी भवतीत्य् अनुभूयते
For one whose understanding is not confined by the thought, 'I am obstructed by this,' or 'I am not here,' experience itself becomes the experiencer.
येनानुभूतं पूर्वार्धं गच्छामीति स तत्क्रियः । कथं भवति पश्चार्धगमनोन्मुखचेतनः
By whomsoever the first half (of experience) is perceived, saying, 'I will go,' that very one performs the act—how then does consciousness turn toward proceeding to the latter half?
वारि नैवोर्ध्वम् आयाति नाधो गच्छति पावकः । या यथैव प्रवृत्ता चित् सा तथैवावतिष्ठते
Water does not rise upward, nor does fire go downward; just as each proceeds according to its nature, so too does consciousness remain as it is set in motion.
छायायाम् उपविष्टस्य कुतस् तापानुभूतयः । अन्यसंवेदनो ऽन्योऽर्थः केनचिन् नानुभूयते
How could one seated in the shade experience heat? The experience of one is not felt by another in any way.
या यथा सम्प्रवृत्ता चित् सा तथैव स्थितिं गता । परमेण प्रयत्नेन नीयते ऽन्यां दशां पुनः
Whatever way the mind has proceeded, in that very way it remains; only by supreme effort is it brought again to another state.
सर्पैकप्रत्ययो रज्ज्वाम् असत्यप्रत्ययाद् बलात् । निवर्तते ऽन्यथा त्व् एष तिष्ठत्य् एव यथास्थितम्
The notion of a snake in a rope, arising from a false perception, is dispelled by force; otherwise, it remains just as it is.
यथा संवित् तथा चित्तं यथा चित्तं तथेहितम् । बालं प्रत्य् अपि संसिद्धम् एतत् को नानुभूयते
As is awareness, so is the mind; as is the mind, so is action. This is evident even to a child—who does not experience this?
यः पुनस् स्वप्नसङ्कल्पपुरुषप्रतिमाकृतिः । आकाशमात्रकाकारस् स कथं केन रोध्यते
But that which is merely the form of a person in dream, imagination, or image—having only the shape of space—how and by whom could it be restrained?
चित्तमात्रशरीरं तु सर्वस्यैव हि सर्वतः । विद्यते वेदनात्वे तत् क्वचिद् एतीव हृद्गतात्
Indeed, for everyone, everywhere, the body is only mind; it is experienced as sensation, but sometimes it seems to arise from the heart.