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.
मातापितृविनिर्मुक्ता बालकास् तिमिरावलीः । मथ्नन्तो ऽङ्गेषु रथ्यासु कुड्यपातेन हा हताः
Children, bereft of mother and father, wander through the darkness, beaten and destroyed in the streets by the collapse of walls.
वत विद्रावितान्धस्य करिणो रणमूर्धनि । पतदङ्गारकागारभारिणः कटुकूजितम्
The elephants, driven away by the blind, roar harshly in the midst of battle, their bodies heavy with falling embers and burning coals.
हा कष्ठम् असिनिर्भिन्नस्कन्धे सन्नदृढोल्मुके । पतितो यन्त्रपाषाणः पुरुषस्याशनिर् यथा
Alas, the stone, split by the sword and firmly embedded in the shoulder, falls upon a man like a thunderbolt from a machine.
गवाश्वमहिषाजोष्ट्रश्वशृगालवृकैर् अहो । घोरो रण इहारब्धो मार्गरोधक आकुलैः
Cows, horses, buffaloes, camels, dogs, and wolves—how terrible is the battle here, begun by those blocking the roads in confusion.
पटैः पटपटाशब्दैर् ज्वलज्ज्वालालिमारुतैः । आक्रन्दिन्यस् स्त्रियो यान्ति स्थलपद्माचिता इव
With the crackling sounds of burning cloths and the winds of blazing flames, the wailing women go forth, as if adorned with ground lotuses.
स्त्रीणां ज्वालालवाः पश्य लिहन्त्य् अलकवल्लरीः । कुर्वन्तो ऽशोकपुष्पाभां करभा इव पन्नगीः
See how the tongues of flame from the women lick at their flowing locks, making them resemble the blossoms of the ashoka tree, like elephants playing with serpents.
हा हा हरिणशावाक्ष्याः पक्ष्मलेक्षणपक्ष्मसु । कुशाग्रेष्व् इव विश्रान्तिम् एति कार्षाणवी शिखा
Alas, the slender flame, resting on the blades of grass, reaches the eyelash-fringed eyes of the doe-eyed women.
दह्यमानो ऽपि निर्याति न कलत्रं विना नरः । अहो बत दुरुच्छेदाः प्राणिनां स्नेहवागुराः
Even while burning, a man does not depart without his wife; ah, how hard to break are the snares of affection for living beings.
करी रभसनिर्भिन्नज्वलदङ्गारपादपैः । प्लुष्टपुष्करकः कोपान् मथ्नात्य् उत्पुष्करं सरः
The elephant, agitated, shatters the flaming trees with force; enraged, he churns the pond, already filled with withered lotuses, with his trunk.
धूमोऽम्बुदपदं प्राप्य लोलालाततडिल्लतम् । ज्वलदङ्गारनाराचनिकरं परिवर्षति
The smoke, reaching the place of the clouds, with its restless, broad flashes, rains down a multitude of blazing, fiery arrows.