समानवैपरीत्येन समानसमगामिनी । उदानविपरीतत्वाद् उदानसमगामिनी
By the opposition of samāna, it moves along with samāna; by the reversal of udāna, it moves along with udāna.
व्यानस्था व्याधिजननी सर्वाङ्गरसचारिणी । हृत्कण्टशूलोत्प्लवनवैवर्ण्योन्मादकारिणी
Situated in vyāna, the generator of disease, it circulates through all the limbs’ essence, causing pain in the heart and throat, swelling, discoloration, and madness.
प्रायस् सौचिकहस्तस्था सुप्तोर्णागण्डकोटरे । बालहस्ते ऽङ्गुलीतल्पवेधनैकविलासिनी
Mostly found in the hand of the cleaner, asleep in the hollow of the nails, it delights solely in piercing the fingertip of a child’s hand.
पादप्रविष्टा रुधिरपानपाजिरविस्तृता । तुष्यत्य् अतितरां तुच्छभोजना तुच्छभोजनैः
Entering the foot, spreading through the blood and the channels of excretion, it is excessively satisfied by trivial food, with trivial food.
शेते कर्दमकोशस्था चिरकालम् अधोमुखी । इच्छानुरूपम् आसाद्य क इवास्पदम् उज्झति
It lies in the muddy cavity, face down for a long time; having attained what it desires, who abandons such a dwelling place?
क्रौर्येणापहृतात्मानं दर्शयत्य् उपवेधनैः । उत्सवाद् अपि नीचानां कलहो हि सुखायते
One whose mind is seized by cruelty displays it through various means; for even in celebrations, conflict brings pleasure to the base.
कपर्दिका वलभ्यान्तरात्मानं बहु मन्यते । दुरुच्छेदा हि भूतानाम् अहङ्कारचमत्कृतिः
A person who treasures a coin hidden in a box esteems it greatly; for the marvel of ego is difficult to uproot from beings.
श्वेतिकायुग्मलभ्येन साहृतेनात्मना नृणाम् । मृतिम् आधास्यते चित्रा स्वार्थे नोदेति मूढता
With a mind captivated by a pair of dice, a person brings about their own ruin; yet, in pursuit of self-interest, folly does not arise in the clever.
वस्त्रतन्तुविभेदेन परमारणम् आशु मे । इदं सम्पद्यत इति भवत्य् अत्यन्तनिर्मला
By the breaking of a thread in cloth, I quickly obtain the ultimate destruction; thus, this thought arises, utterly pure.
स्थापिता मलम् आदत्ते सूची यद् घर्षणं विना । परापवेधविरहाद् व्याधिस् सो ऽस्याः प्रवर्तते
A needle, when set aside, gathers dirt without friction; in the absence of external piercing, disease arises in it.
सूक्ष्मदृश्या वेधदात्री क्षणाद् विस्मृतिम् एति वा । तीक्ष्णा भेदकरी क्रूरा सूचिचेष्टेव दैविकी
Subtle, barely visible, the piercer may bring forgetfulness in an instant; sharp, penetrating, and cruel, it acts like a divine needle.
तन्तुवेधनमात्रेण हतो ऽन्य इति तोषिता । दुर्जनो येन तेनैव नाशितो वेत्ति दुष्टताम्
Satisfied when another is harmed merely by piercing a thread, the wicked person knows only that by which he destroys, not his own wickedness.
पङ्के मज्जति याति खे विहरति व्योमानिलैर् दिक्तटाञ् शेते पांसुषु भूतले पथि गृहे हट्टे वने ऽन्तःपुरे । हस्ते श्रोत्रसरोरुहे ऽथ मृदुनि स्वस्थोर्णिकागण्डके रन्ध्रे काष्ठमृदां च नाडिहृदये द्रव्यात्मसत्तैव सा
It sinks in mud, moves through the sky, plays with the winds of space, lies on the ground, on the road, in the house, in the market, in the forest, in the inner chamber; in the hand, in the lotus of the ear, or in soft woolen balls at home, in holes, in wood or clay, in the channels of the heart—such is the very substance of things.
इत्य् उक्तवत्य् अथ मुनौ दिवसो जगाम सायन्तनाय विधये ऽस्तम् इनो जगाम । स्नातुं सभा कृतनमस्करणा जगाम श्यामाक्षये रविकरैश् च सहाजगाम
After the sage had spoken thus, the day drew to its evening close; the sun set, and the assembly, having offered their salutations, departed to bathe, accompanied by the sun's fading rays.
अथ सा बहुकालेन कर्कटी नाम राक्षसी । सर्वेषां नरमांसानां नूनं तृप्तिम् उपाययौ
Then, after a long time, the demoness named Karkati truly attained satisfaction from consuming all human flesh.
पूर्वेणैव किलाह्ना सा तृप्ता रुधिरबिन्दुना । सूच्यां किम् इव मात्य् अन्तस् तृष्णासूचिस् तु दुर्भरा
Indeed, on the previous day she had been satisfied by a mere drop of blood; but how can the needle of thirst be filled within, when it is so hard to endure?
चिन्तयाम् आस हा कष्टं किम् इदं सूचितां गता । सूक्ष्मास्मि हतशक्तिश् च मयि ग्रासो न माति च
She thought, 'Alas, how wretched is this state I have reached, reduced to a needle's form! I am subtle, my strength is gone, and I cannot even consume a morsel.'
क्व मे तानि विशालानि गतान्य् अङ्गानि दुर्धियः । कालमेघविलासानि वने शीर्णानि पर्णवत्
Where have my vast limbs gone, O foolish mind? Like leaves withered in the forest by the play of dark clouds, they have vanished.
मय्य् अस्यां मन्दभाग्यायां मनाग् अपि न माति च । स्वादुमांसरसग्रासो वसावासित आसवः
In me, so unfortunate, not even a trace remains of the delight in consuming sweet, juicy flesh or the intoxication of fat and blood.
पङ्के ऽन्तर् विनिमज्जामि पतामि धरणीतले । हतास्मि जनपदौघैस् तस्करैर् दलितास्मि च
I sink into the mire, I fall upon the ground; I am destroyed by the multitudes of people, I am crushed by thieves.
हा हताहम् अनाथाहम् अनाश्वासा निरास्पदा । दुःखाद् दुःखे निमज्जामि सङ्कटात् सङ्कटे ऽपि च
Alas, I am ruined, I am helpless, I have no comfort, no refuge; I sink from sorrow into deeper sorrow, from hardship into even greater hardship.
न मे सखी न मे दासी न मे माता न मे पिता । न मे बन्धुर् न मे भृत्यो न मे भ्राता न मे सुतः
I have no friend, no servant, no mother, no father; I have no relative, no attendant, no brother, no son.
न मे देहो न मे स्थानं न मे कश्चित् समाश्रयः । नैकस्थानसमाश्वासो भ्रमामि वनपर्णवत्
I have no body, no dwelling, no one at all to rely upon; I wander, trusting in no single place, like a leaf in the forest.
आपदां धुरि तिष्ठामि निविष्टास्मि सुदारुणे । अभावम् अभिवाञ्छामि सो ऽपि सम्पद्यते न मे
I bear the burden of calamities, settled in great distress; I long for nonexistence, yet even that does not come to me.
स्वको देहः परित्यक्तो मूढचेतनया मया । काचबुद्ध्या विमूढेन हस्ताच् चिन्तामणिर् यथा
My own body was abandoned by me in deluded consciousness, with a mind clouded, like a fool letting a wish-fulfilling gem slip from his hand.
आपतन्ती मनोमोहं पूर्वम् आपत् प्रयच्छति । पश्चाद् अनर्थविस्ताररूपेण प्रविजृम्भते
Misfortune first brings delusion to the mind, then arrives itself; afterwards, it expands in the form of ever-increasing adversity.
बुसेषु परिसुप्तास्मि मार्गेषु लुलितास्मि च । व्रणेषु प्रेषितास्म्य् अन्तर् हा मे दुःखपरम्परा
I have slept on the ground, I have been tossed along the roads, I have been thrust into wounds within—alas, my endless succession of sorrows!
परप्रेष्यकरी नित्यं परसञ्चारचारिणी । परं कार्पण्यम् आयाता जाता परवशास्म्य् अहम्
Always serving others, always moving about for others, I have reached utter wretchedness; I have become subject to others’ will.
भृतिं करोमि तुच्छैव सापि वेधनरूपिणी । अहो ममाल्पभाग्याया दौर्भाग्यम् अपि दुर्लभम्
I earn a meager wage, and even that is marked by hardship; alas, for one as unfortunate as I am, even misfortune is hard to come by.
उत्थितस् स्फारवेतालः कुर्वन्त्याश् शान्तिम् एव मे । सर्वनाशो धनादाने प्रवृत्ताया ममोदितः
The fierce Vetala has arisen, bringing me only destruction as I attempt to find peace; ruin has come upon me as I set out to give away my wealth.