गर्भवासम् इवापन्नं तेनासीत् तन्महापुरम् । मूर्खत्वं यौवनेनेव घनताम् आययौ तमः
That great city became as if enclosed in a womb; darkness grew dense, like ignorance swelling in youth.
प्रययुः क्वापि दीपौघा दिवसेनेव तारकाः । आययुर् बलम् आलोला नैशभूतपरम्पराः
Somewhere, the clusters of lamps departed, like stars vanishing by day; restless hosts of night-beings gathered their strength.
ददृशुस् तन्महायुद्धं द्वे लीले सा कुमारिका । प्रस्फुरद्धृदयेनैता देवीदत्तमहादृशा
Those two maidens witnessed that great battle, their hearts trembling, their vision vast as bestowed by the goddess.
प्रशेमुर् अथ गेहेषु प्रोद्यत्कटकटारवाः । एकार्णवपयःपूरैर् वाडवा इव वह्नयः
Then, in the houses, arose the clamor of weapons, resounding like fires in a single ocean overflowing with water.
शरैस् सेनां समाकर्षन् राजा परबलान्तरम् । विवेश पक्षप्रोड्डीनो मेरुर् एकम् इवार्णवम्
Drawing the enemy army with arrows, the king, propelled by his wings, entered the opposing force like Mount Meru entering a single ocean.
अथोदभूद् गुणध्वानश् चटच्चटद् इति स्फुटम् । रचितात्ममयाम्भोदास् तेरुश् शरपरम्पराः
Then arose the distinct sound of qualities, crackling sharply, as the rows of arrows, made of self-fashioned clouds, formed a ship.
ययुर् अम्बरम् आश्रित्य नानाहेतिविहङ्गमाः । प्रसस्रुर् अलम् आशासु मिहिकाश् शस्त्रदीप्तयः
Various weapons, like birds of many kinds, took to the sky; in all directions, mists shone with the brilliance of weapons.
बभ्रमुश् शस्त्रसङ्घट्टज्वलना उल्मुकाग्निवत् । जगर्जुश् शरधारौघान् वर्षन्तो वीरवारिदाः
Weapons, blazing from their clashes like torches of fire, whirled about; the clouds of warriors thundered, pouring down streams of arrows.
विलेगुः कङ्कवत्क्रूरा वीराङ्गेषु च हेतयः । पेतुः पटपटारावं हेतिनिष्पिष्टयो ऽम्बरे
Cruel missiles, like vultures, darted at the bodies of heroes; some fell with crackling sounds, crushed by weapons in the sky.
जग्मुश् शमं तमांस्य् आशु शस्त्रज्वलनदीपकैः । बभूवुर् अखिलास् सेना नवनाराचरोमशाः
The darkness quickly vanished, dispelled by the shining flames of weapons; the entire army appeared as if covered with the fine hair of new women.
उत्तस्थुर् नृत्तयात्रायां कबन्धनटपङ्क्तयः । जगुर् उच्चै रणद्रोहं पिशाच्यो रणदारिकाः
Headless bodies rose up in the dance procession; demon maidens sang loudly of the treachery of battle.
उदगुर् मत्तसङ्घट्टत्क्रेङ्कारा दन्तिनां बले । ऊहुः क्षेपणपाषाणमत्तनद्यो नभस्तले
The army of elephants, maddened and colliding, trumpeted loudly; intoxicated rivers carried hurled stones across the sky.
पेतुश् च रथसङ्घातास् संशुष्कवनपर्णवत् । निर्ययुर् लोहिता नद्यो रणाद्रेर् मृतिवर्षिणः
Chariots crashed down like dried leaves from a forest; red rivers flowed forth from the mountain of battle, raining the dead.
प्रशेमुः पांसवो रक्तैस् तमांस्य् आयुधवह्निभिः । युद्धैकध्यानतश् शब्दा भयानि मृतिनिश्चयैः
Dust clouds, darkened with blood, were subdued by the fires of weapons; the sounds of battle, focused solely on war, brought terror with the certainty of death.
अभवत् केवलं युद्धं सशब्दम् असमं भ्रमम् । अनाकुलाम्बुवाहाभखड्गवीचिसझाङ्कृतम्
There arose only a tumultuous, discordant battle, resounding with noise and confusion, churned up by the waves of swords, yet the clouds above remained undisturbed.
षवषवरवसंवहच्छरौघं कटकटरवसंपतद्भुसुण्डि । झणझणरवसंमिलन्महास्त्रं निशि नवरणम् आस सुप्तवत् तत्
The clash of armies was like the rattling of funeral biers, the crackling of arrows fell like a torrent, and the meeting of mighty weapons rang out sharply; yet in the night, all seemed veiled, as if in sleep.
एतस्मिन् वर्तमाने तु घोरे समरसम्भ्रमे । लीलाद्वयम् उवाचेदं ज्ञप्तिं भगवतीं पुरः
While this dreadful, tumultuous battle was raging, the goddess of Knowledge playfully addressed her own manifestation standing before her.
देवि कस्माद् अकस्मान् नो भर्ता जयति नो रणे । वद त्वय्य् अपि तुष्टायाम् अस्मिन् विद्रुतवारणे
"Goddess, why is it that our lord neither wins nor loses in this battle? Tell me, even though you are pleased, in this war where elephants flee."
चिरम् आराधितानेन विदूरथनृपारिणा । अहं प्रतिजयार्थेन न विदूरथभूभुजा
"For a long time, I have been worshipped by this king Viduratha, but not by the ruler Viduratha for the sake of victory."
तेनासाव् एव जयति जीयते न विदूरथः । ज्ञप्तिर् अन्तर्गता संविद् एषासौ यद् यथा यदा
"Therefore, only he is victorious; Viduratha does not prevail. This awareness, this inner consciousness, is what determines everything, as and when it occurs."
चोदयत्य् आशु तत् तस्य तदा सम्पादयाम्य् अहम् । यो यथा चोदयति मां तस्य तिष्ठामि तत्फला
"Whatever he prompts me to do, I quickly accomplish that. However one invokes me, I grant the fruit accordingly."
न स्वभावोद्यतं धत्ते वह्नेर् औष्ण्यम् इवैष मे । जयस् स्यान् मम संग्राम इत्य् अनेनास्मि पूजिता
"I do not act on my own, just as fire does not possess heat by itself; I am honored by him with the thought, 'May I have victory in battle.'"
प्रतिमारूपिणी तेन फलम् आप्नोत्य् असौ तथा । विदूरथेनैतम् अर्थं असञ्चिन्त्यास्मि बोधिता
By taking on the form of an image, he attains the result in that way; Viduratha, without considering this matter, was instructed by me.
अनेन चैव मुक्तस् स्याम् अहम् इत्य् अस्मि भाविता । तस्माद् विदूरथो देहं तं प्राप्य सह भार्यया
And with this, I was resolved that I would be liberated; therefore, Viduratha, having obtained that body together with his wife—
त्वयानया च कालेन बाले मुक्तो भविष्यति । एतदीयस् त्व् अयं शत्रुस् सिन्धुनाम महीपतिः । हत्वैनं वसुधापीठे जयी राज्यं करिष्यति
And by you, in due time, the young one will be liberated; this one’s enemy is the king named Sindhu; after slaying him upon the throne of the earth, he will become victorious and rule the kingdom.
चेलुस् तिमिरसंघाता बलानीवालिरूपिणः । असृजीव शवान्य् आसन् सन्ध्यायां तारका दिवि
Masses of darkness moved, like armies in the form of Bali; lifeless bodies were cast forth, and in the twilight, stars appeared in the sky.
शनैर् विकटतां जग्मू रणाकाशाद्रिभूमयः । भुवनं कज्जलाम्भोधेर् इवोत्क्षिप्तम् अराजत
Gradually, the battlefield’s mountainous terrain became grim; the world shone as if lifted from an ocean of black ink.
पेतुः कनकनिष्ष्यन्दसुन्दरा रविरश्मयः । शैलेषु वरवीरेषु रणरक्तच्छटा इव
The sun’s rays, beautiful like streams of gold, fell upon the mountains and noble warriors, resembling the glow of blood in battle.
अदृश्यत ततो व्योम तथा रणमहीतलम् । बाहुभिर् भ्रान्तभुजगं प्रभाभिः कीर्णकाञ्चनम्
Then the sky and the battlefield appeared, adorned with arms like wandering serpents, and with radiance scattered like gold.
कुण्डलैः कीर्णरत्नौघं शिरोभिर् वृद्धपङ्कजम् । आयुधैः खगनीरन्ध्रं शरैश् शरभनिर्भरम्
With earrings, the multitude of gems was scattered; with heads, the field was like a pond of aged lotuses; with weapons, the sky was pierced, and with arrows, it was filled like a herd of deer.