क्षणेन पक्कणं प्राप्तास् सन्ध्यायां दीर्घजङ्गलात् । श्मशानाद् इव वेतालाश् श्मशानम् इतरन् महत्
In a moment, at twilight, we reached the village from the vast jungle, as if ghosts from a cremation ground had arrived at another great cremation ground.
विकर्तितवराहाश्वकपिकुक्कुटवायसम् । रक्तसिक्तोर्वराभागप्रभ्रमन्मक्षिकागणम्
There were crowds of flies swarming over blood-soaked portions of earth, and the remains of boars, horses, monkeys, fowl, and crows scattered about.
शोषार्थप्रसृतार्द्रान्त्रतन्द्रीजालपतत्खगम् । निष्कुटास्थितजम्बीरषण्डलग्नश्वजाघनि
Birds hovered over nets of moist intestines laid out for drying, and the legs of dogs clung to clusters of lemons set in the alleys.
शुष्यद्गुरुवसापिण्डपूर्णालिन्दलसत्खगम् । दृतिप्रसक्तरक्ताक्तचर्मस्रवदसृग्लवम्
Birds perched on heaps of dried, heavy lumps of fat, and their eyes were fixed on skins soaked in blood, dripping with flesh and gore.
बालहस्तस्थितक्रव्यपिण्डारणितमक्षिकम् । जर्जरज्येष्ठचण्डालतर्जितारटितार्भकम्
Children held pieces of raw flesh in their hands, attracting buzzing flies, while elder outcastes, ragged and fierce, shouted at the crying infants.
तत् प्रविष्टा वयं कीर्णशिरोऽन्त्रं भीमपक्कणम् । मृतभूतं जगत् कल्पे कृतान्तानुचरा इव
We entered that place, its floor strewn with scattered skulls and entrails, a dreadful, foul-smelling abode, as if we were attendants of Death in a world at the end of an age.
सम्भ्रमोपहितानल्पकदलीदलपीठके । अहम् आस्थितवांस् तत्र नवे श्वशुरमन्दिरे
There, in the new house of my father-in-law, I sat anxiously on a small seat made of banana leaves.
श्वश्र्वा मे केकराक्ष्यास् तु तेनास्रुलवचक्षुषा । जामातायम् इति प्रोक्तं तया तद् अभिनन्दितम्
My mother-in-law, whose eyes were moist with tears, addressed me, her son-in-law, and welcomed me with those words.
अथ विश्रम्य चण्डालभोजनान्य् अजिनासने । सञ्चितान्य् उपभुक्तानि दुष्कृतानीव भूरिशः
Then, after resting on a deerskin seat, I consumed the food of outcastes that had been gathered there, as if partaking of accumulated misdeeds in abundance.
अनन्तदुःखबीजानि नमनोज्ञतराण्य् अपि । तानि प्रणयवाक्यानि श्रुतान्य् असुभगान्य् अलम्
Even the affectionate words spoken there, though seemingly pleasant, were seeds of endless sorrow and, in truth, entirely inauspicious.
निरभ्राम्बरनक्षत्रे कस्मिंश्चिन् दिवसे ततः । तैस् तैर् आरम्भसंरम्भैस् तैर् वस्त्रविभवार्पणैः
Then, on a certain day when the sky was clear, adorned with stars, with various ceremonies, bustling activities, and offerings of garments and wealth,
दत्ताथ तेन सा मह्यं कुमारी भयदायिनी । सुकृष्णा कृष्णवर्णेन दुष्कृतेनेव शासना
That man then gave me his daughter, a maiden who inspired fear, dark-skinned as if she were a punishment for evil deeds.
सरभसम् अभितो विनेदुर् अत्र प्रसृतमहामदिरासवाश् श्वपाकाः । हतपटुपटहा विलासवन्तस् स्वयम् इव दुष्कृतराशयो महान्तः
There, the outcastes, intoxicated with strong liquor, roared loudly all around; the great ones, their minds intent on evil, themselves seemed like the very embodiment of accumulated misdeeds, delighting in the beating of drums and wild revelry.
बहुनात्र किम् उक्तेन स्वोत्सवावर्जिताशयः । ततःप्रभृति तत्राहं सम्पन्नः पुष्टपुक्कसः
What need is there to say much here? From that time onward, with my mind devoid of any joy, I became a wretched and emaciated outcaste.
सप्तरात्रोत्सवस्यान्ते क्रमान् मासाष्टकं गतम् । पुष्पिता साथ सम्पन्ना स्थिता गर्भवती ततः
After the seven-day festival ended, gradually eight months passed; then she became fruitful and pregnant, standing as if bearing a child.
प्रासूत दुःखदां कन्यां विपद् दुःखक्रियाम् इव । सा कन्या ववृधे शीघ्रं मूर्खचिन्तेव पीवरी
She gave birth to a daughter who brought suffering, like a misfortune that brings pain; that girl quickly grew, stout like foolish anxiety.
पुनः प्रासूत सा वर्षैस् त्रिभिः पुत्रम् अशोभनम् । अनर्थम् इव दुर्बुद्धिर् आशापाशविधायकम्
Again, after three years, she gave birth to a son, unattractive, like misfortune itself, dull-witted and bound by the cords of hope.
पुनः प्रासूत कन्यां च पुनर् अप्य् अर्भकं ततः । कलत्रवान् अहं जातो वने जरढपुक्कसः
Again, she gave birth to a daughter, and then once more to a child; thus, I became a husband in the forest, an aged and decrepit outcaste.
तया सह समास् तत्र मया बह्व्यो ऽतिवाहिताः । नरके चिन्तया सार्धं ब्रह्मघ्नेनेव नश्यता
With her, many years passed by for me there; together with worry, like one perishing with the guilt of killing a Brahmin in hell.
शीतवातातपक्लेशविवशेन वनान्तरे । चिरं विलुलितं वृद्धकच्छपेनेव पल्वले
Overcome by the torment of cold, wind, and heat in the depths of the forest, I was tossed about for a long time, like an old turtle in a marsh.
कलत्रचिन्ताहतया धिया सन्दह्यमानया । दृष्टाः कष्टसमारम्भा दिशः प्रज्वलिता इव
Struck by anxiety for my wife, my mind burning within, I saw all directions as if ablaze, filled with painful undertakings.
क्षौमानेकसमाक्षीणपटखण्डकधारिणा । काष्ठभारो वने व्यूढो यो मूर्तम् इव दुष्कृतम्
Wearing a garment patched with many pieces of linen, carrying a load of wood in the forest, he appeared as if the embodiment of misfortune.
यौककीर्णजरक्लिन्नगन्धिकौपीनवाससा । आढ्यास्पदवलीकानां तले नीता घनागमाः
Clad in a loincloth, damp and foul-smelling from old age and filth, he was led beneath the homes of the wealthy, where dense clouds gathered.
कलत्रापूरणोत्केन जर्जरेण हिमानिलैः । हेमन्ते दुर्दुरेणेव निलीनं वनकुक्षिषु
With his wife, worn out and shivering in the cold winds of winter, he was hidden in the depths of the forest, as if in a desolate place.
नानाकलहकल्लोलतापप्रसरविद्रुताः । बाष्पव्याजेन निर्मुक्ता नेत्राभ्यां रक्तबिन्दवः
Driven by the tumult of various quarrels and the heat of discord, drops of blood were released from his eyes under the guise of tears.
यामिन्यो विपिने क्लिन्नवराहामिषभोजिना । शिलातलकुटीकोणे नीता जलदविप्लुताः
The women, soaked and eating the meat of wild boar in the forest, were taken to the corners of huts on stone floors, overwhelmed by the rain clouds.
काले क्षयं गते स्नेहे कलत्रे ऽघनतां गते । असौहार्देन बन्धूनां कलहैश् चातिसन्ततैः
When affection faded with time and the wife became unresponsive, due to the lack of friendliness among relatives and the constant quarrels,
सर्वत्र जातशङ्केन कुलीलामुखरार्भके । मया कृपणचित्तेन नीताः परगृहे समाः
With suspicion everywhere, and children chattering like young birds, I, with a miserable heart, spent years in the homes of others.
चण्डालीकलहोद्विग्नचण्डचण्डालतर्जनैः । मुखं जर्जरतां यातम् इन्दू राहुरदैर् इव
Disturbed by the quarrels of outcasts and their fierce rebukes, my face became worn and battered, like the moon scarred by Rahu's jaws.
चर्विताः खर्वितोष्ठेन द्वीपीपिशितपेशयः । नरकाहृतविक्रीता नारक्यो रसना इव
Chewed with a crushed lip, the shreds of leopard flesh—like tongues of hell-dwellers, bought and consumed in hell.