बलाद् आकृष्टकर्णानां धनुषां शरवर्षिणाम् । बृहतां मत्तमत्तानां कुञ्जराणां तरस्विनाम्
There is the forceful drawing of bows raining arrows, and the loud trumpeting of huge, intoxicated, powerful elephants.
पुरे चटचटास्फोटैर् वेल्लतां जातवेदसाम् । पौराणां दग्धदाराणां महाहलहलारवैः
Within the city, with crackling bursts from the leaping flames, the cries of citizens whose wives have been burned resound in great distress.
तरताम् अग्निखण्डानां ष्वक्कारकठिनारवम् । ज्वलन्तीनां परिस्पन्दाद् ध्वगध्वगिति चार्चिषाम्
The fragments of fire, with their harsh, crackling roar, blazed forth, their flames flickering with a sound like 'dhvaga-dhvaga.'
अथ वातायनाद् देव्यौ मन्त्री राजा विदूरथः । ददृशुः प्रोन्नमन्नादं महानिशि महापुरम्
Then, through the window, the two queens, the minister, and King Viduratha beheld the city in the deep of night, rising up with a tremendous roar.
प्रलयानिलसङ्क्षुब्धपूर्णैकार्णवरंहसा । पूर्णं परबलेनोग्रहेतिमेघतरङ्गिणा
It was filled with the force of a single, vast ocean, agitated by the winds of dissolution, and surging with waves of dense, ominous clouds, driven by a supreme power.
कल्पान्तवह्निविगलन्देहभूधरभासुरैः । दह्यमानं महाज्वालाजालैर् अम्बरपूरकैः
The city was being consumed by great masses of flame, as bright as the bodies of mountains dissolving in the fire at the end of an age, filling the sky.
मुष्टिग्राह्यमहामेघगर्जसन्तर्जनोर्जितैः । घोरं कलकलारावैर् मांसलैर् मन्त्रिजल्पितैः
Terrifying, tumultuous cries resounded, mingled with the thunder of massive clouds that seemed close enough to grasp, and the fleshly mutterings of incantations.
पुष्करावर्तसङ्काशधूमाभ्रपिहिताम्बरम् । प्रोड्डीनहेमाभ्रनिभज्वालापुञ्जैर् निरन्तरम्
The sky was veiled by clouds of smoke, swirling like the eddies of a lotus pond, and ceaselessly lit by masses of flames resembling golden clouds.
तरदुल्मुकखण्डोघतारातरलिताम्बरम् । अन्योऽन्यदेहसद्मौघप्रज्वलज्ज्वालनाकुलम्
The sky flickered with the glow of meteor fragments and shooting stars, while the multitude of burning bodies illuminated the scene with blazing fire.
हतसैन्यपुरापातधूताङ्गाराभ्रकोटरम् । कर्कशाक्रन्दनिर्दग्धलोकपूरोग्रगर्जितम्
The city, its armies destroyed, was filled with heaps of embers and clouds of ash, resounding with harsh, dreadful wails and the fierce roar of worlds being burned.
कृशानुकणनाराचनिरन्तरतराम्बरम् । बृहदग्निशिखाजाललुठद्दग्धपुरोत्करम्
The sky was filled with the ceaseless flight of arrows, like a forest consumed by fire, and the ground was strewn with heaps of blazing flames that rolled and burned down rows of houses.
रणद्द्विरदसङ्घट्टकुट्टितोद्भटसद्भटम् । विद्रवत्तस्करच्छेदमार्गकीर्णमहाधनम्
There were fierce warriors struck down by the crashing of elephants in battle, and the great wealth scattered along the paths where fleeing thieves were cut down.
अङ्गारराशिनिपतन्नरनार्युग्ररोदनम् । स्फुटच्चटचटाशब्दप्रलुठत्प्लुष्टकाष्टकम्
The cries of men and women grew intense as showers of embers fell, and the crackling sound of burning wood resounded as the flames consumed everything.
विपुलालातचक्रौघशतसूर्यनभस्तलम् । अङ्गारशिखराकीर्णसमस्तवसुधातलम्
The sky was filled with countless wheels of chariots and hundreds of suns, while the entire earth was covered with peaks of burning coals.
दग्धाग्निकाष्ठक्रेङ्काररणज्ज्वलनवैणिकम् । दग्धजन्तुपराक्रन्दरुदत्सकलसैरिभम्
The crackling of burning logs rang out like the sound of a veena, and the cries of all the animals being burned, including elephants, rose in lamentation.
पटविश्रान्तराजस्त्रीवृद्धोत्सन्नहृताशनम् । सकलग्रसनारम्भसोद्योगाग्निमहाशिखम्
The food of kings, queens, and elders rested on mats was destroyed, and the great flames eagerly began to consume everything in their path.
कटच्छाक्कारदुक्कारकठिनाग्निरणद्गृहम् । अनन्तजन्तुभोज्यान्नवह्निमुक्तेन्धनस्पृहम्
The houses echoed with the harsh crackling and roaring of the fire, and the flames, freed from fuel, longed to devour the endless food of countless creatures.
अथ शुश्राव तत्रासौ गिरो राजा विदूरथः । योधानां दह्यमानानां पश्यताम् अभिधावताम्
Then, King Viduratha heard there the voices of his soldiers, who, while being burned, cried out as they ran and watched the destruction.
हा मत्तमरुद् ऊर्ध्वस्थान् अङ्गारगृहपादपान् । रणत्खगवरलीनज्वलनान् पातयन् स्थितः
Alas! The maddened wind, standing above, is casting down burning embers from the roofs and trees of houses, blazing with the clamor of clashing swords.
हा खड्गधारा प्रालेयशीता देहेषु दन्तिनाम् । लग्ना मनस्सु महताम् इव विज्ञानसूक्तयः
Alas! The edges of swords, cold as snow, are stuck in the bodies of elephants, just as the sayings of wisdom are fixed in the minds of the great.
हा तात हेतयो लग्नास् तरुणीकवरीतृणे । ज्वलन्ति शुष्कपर्णौघा इव वीरानलेरिताः
Alas, father! The causes of death are lodged in the tender grass of youth, burning like heaps of dry leaves set ablaze by a hero’s fire.
आवर्तवर्तिनी दीर्घा वहत्य् ऊर्ध्वं तरङ्गिनी । पश्येयं धूमयमुना व्योमगङ्गां प्रधावति
A long, swirling, upward-flowing river of smoke is rushing forth; I see the Ganges of the sky, filled with smoke, surging ahead.
वहदुल्मुककाष्टौर्ध्वगामिनी धूमनिम्नगा । वैमानिकान् अन्धयति पश्याग्निकणबुद्बुदा
The smoke-river, rising with burning logs, blinds the celestial beings; look, fire-sparks and bubbles are seen within it.
अस्य माता पिता भ्राता जामाता तनयस् सुता । अस्मिन् सद्मनि निर्दग्धा दग्धैषाम् अन्तम् इच्छति
His mother, father, brother, son-in-law, son, and daughter have all been burned in this house; now, the fire seeks to consume the rest of them.
हा हा हा गच्छ भोश् शीघ्रम् एतद् अङ्गारमन्दिरम् । इतः प्रवृत्तं पतितुं सुमेरोश् शिखरं यथा
Alas! Alas! Alas! Go quickly, sir, from this house of embers; it is about to collapse, just like the summit of Mount Meru falling down.
अहो शरशिलाशक्तिकुन्तप्रासासिहेतयः । ज्वालासन्ध्यभ्रपटलं विशन्ति शलभा इव
Ah! Arrows, stones, spears, javelins, and swords—these weapons enter the mass of blazing, smoke-filled clouds like moths rushing into fire.
हेतिप्रवाहा ज्वलनं नभस् सर्वे विशन्त्य् अहो । वडवानलम् उज्ज्वालम् अर्णःपूरा इवार्णवात्
All the winds enter the blazing fire in the sky, just as the surging waves of the ocean enter the fierce submarine fire.
धूमायन्ते महाभ्राणि ज्वालाशिखरकोटिषु । सरसान्य् अपि शुष्यन्ति हृदयानीव रागिनाम्
Great clouds become smoky at the tips of the tongues of flame, and even lakes dry up, like the hearts of those consumed by passion.
आलानत्वरुषैवैता दन्तिभिर् वृक्षपङ्क्तयः । स्फुटत्कटकटारावं पात्यन्ते कृतपीत्कृतैः
Rows of trees, scorched and angry, are struck down by elephants, their cracking branches resounding loudly as they are felled by those who have already eaten their fill.
प्लुष्टपुष्पफलस्कन्धगन्धश्रीका गृहद्रुमाः । गता निर्दग्धसर्वस्वा गृहस्था इव दीनताम्
The household trees, once fragrant with blossoms and fruit, now burned and stripped of all, have become desolate, like householders deprived of everything.