आक्रुष्टम् उद्धतरवं रुदितं विपत्सु भुक्तं कदन्नम् उषितं हतपक्कणेषु । कालान्तरं बहु मयोपहतेन तत्र दुर्वासनानिगडबन्धगतेन सभ्याः
There, bound by the chains of bad habits, I endured much: being shouted at, harsh words, weeping in misfortune, eating poor food, and sleeping in ruined huts, O noble ones.
अथ गच्छति काले ऽत्र जराजर्जरितायुषि । तुषारपूर्णशष्पौघसमश्मश्रुधृते मयि
Then, as time passes here, with my life worn out by old age, my hair white as frost, and my body frail like grass filled with dew,
कर्मवातावनुन्नेषु सरसेष्व् अरसेष्व् अपि । पतत्सु वासरौघेषु शीर्णपर्णगणेष्व् इव
When actions are tossed about by the winds of karma, in lakes both clear and turbid, as days fall away like clusters of dried leaves,
आजाव् इव शरौघेषु सुखदुःखेष्व् अनारतम् । कलहेष्व् अथ कार्येषु आगच्छत्सु व्रजत्सु च
Just as arrows gather on a battlefield, so do pleasures and pains come ceaselessly, as do conflicts and duties, arriving and departing,
विकल्पकलनावर्तवर्तिनीव जगद्भ्रमे । समुद्र इव कल्लोलभरे भ्रमति चेतसि
Like the whirlpool of thoughts spinning in the world’s illusion, the mind wanders, as the ocean swirls with waves,
चलं चिन्ताचितं चक्रम् आरूढे भ्रान्त आत्मनि । प्रोह्यमाने तृण इव सावर्ते कालसागरे
The restless wheel of thoughts, built from worries, turns in the confused self, tossed about like a blade of grass in the whirlpool of the ocean of time,
विन्ध्योर्वीव्रणकीटस्य ग्रामैकशरणस्य च । द्विबाहोर् गर्दभस्यात्र क्षीण इत्थं समागणे
Like the insect in a wound on the Vindhya mountain, or a donkey with only two legs, or one who has only a single village for refuge, so am I, weakened in this gathering,
विस्मृते मम भूपत्वे शवस्येव महाज्वरे । चण्डालत्वे स्थिरीभूते छिन्नपक्ष इवाचले
With my kingship forgotten, like a corpse in a great fever, settled in the state of an outcaste, like a bird with broken wings on a mountain,
संसारम् इव कल्पान्तो दावाग्निर् इव काननम् । सागरोर्मिस् तटम् इव शुष्कवृक्षम् इवाशनिः
Like the end of an age for the world, like a forest consumed by wildfire, like a dry tree struck by lightning, or a wave crashing on the shore,
अकाण्डमरणोड्डीनचण्डचण्डालमण्डलम् । निरन्नतृणपत्त्राम्बु विन्ध्यकच्छं तदा ययौ
Then, the Vindhya region became a desolate expanse, with a fierce, unbroken ring of death, devoid of food, grass, leaves, or water.
न वर्षति घनव्राते दृष्टनष्टे क्वचित् स्थिते । पूताङ्गारकणोन्मिश्रगतौ वहति मारुते
No rain fell from the massed clouds, which vanished from sight and did not return; the wind carried only ashes mixed with glowing embers.
शीर्णमर्मरपर्णासु दावाग्निवलितासु च । वनस्थलीषु शून्यासु चिरप्रव्रजितास्व् इव
In the forests, leaves were shriveled and rustling, scorched by wildfire, and the groves stood empty, as if abandoned long ago.
अकाण्डम् अभवद् भीमम् उद्दामदवपावकम् । शोषिताशेषगहनं भस्मशेषतृणोलपम्
A dreadful, uncontrolled blaze arose without warning, drying up every thicket, leaving only ashes and remnants of grass.
पांसुधूसरसर्वाङ्गं क्षुधिताशेषमानवम् । निरन्नतृणपानीयदेशोद्यद्दावमण्डलम्
All bodies were covered in dust, and every person was hungry; the land, lacking food, grass, and water, was encircled by wildfire.
कचन्मरुमरीच्यम्बुमज्जन्महिषमण्डलम् । वातोत्थसैकतव्यूहवारिवाहावृताम्बरम्
The region was filled with buffaloes sinking into mirages and sand, while the wind raised heaps of sand and clouds covered the sky.
पानीयशब्दमात्रैकश्रवणोत्कनरव्रजम् । आतपाद् अतिसंशोषसीदत्सकलमानवम्
Crowds of people, longing only to hear the sound of water, suffered from the intense heat, which dried up all life.
पुत्रग्रसनसंरब्धक्षुधितोज्झितजीवितम् । स्वाङ्गचर्वणसंरम्भलुठद्दशनमण्डलम्
Driven by hunger, some lost their lives in a frenzy to devour their own children; others, in desperation, gnawed at their own limbs, their teeth sunk deep as they writhed.
मांसशङ्कानिगीर्णोग्रखदिराग्निकणोत्करम् । मण्डूकाशावशग्रस्तवनपाषाणखण्डकम्
A place strewn with fragments of meat, bones, and sharp splinters of khadira wood, with embers scattered about, and stones gnawed by famished frogs.
अन्योऽन्यद्रुतसंसक्तमातृपुत्रपितृव्रजम् । गृध्रोदररटत्साग्रनिगीर्णवनशारिकम्
There, mothers, sons, and fathers, all mingled together, are swiftly seized by one another; the forest mynas are swallowed whole by vultures with roaring bellies.
परस्पराङ्गविच्छेदरक्तसिक्तधरातलम् । हरिग्रसनसंरब्धमत्तक्षुभितवारणम्
The ground is soaked with blood from the severed limbs of creatures attacking each other, while maddened elephants, agitated by the frenzy of lions, are fiercely devoured.
दरीनिगिरणैकोत्कसिंहभ्रमणभीषणम् । अन्योऽन्यग्रसनोद्युक्तलोकमल्लकृताहवम्
It is a terrifying scene of lions wandering about, swallowing deer in a single gulp, and people engaged in mutual slaughter, like wrestlers locked in deadly combat.
निष्पत्त्रपादपोड्डीनपूताङ्गारमयानिलम् । रक्तपानोत्कमार्जारलीढधातुतलावनि
The trees stand stripped of leaves, their trunks scorched and blackened, the air thick with ashes; the ground is smeared with the remains licked by blood-drinking cats.
ज्वालाघनघनाटोपसावतंसवनानिलम् । सर्वस्खलज्ज्वलद्वह्निपुञ्जपिञ्जरजङ्गलम्
The forest winds are adorned with the tumult of dense, blazing flames; everywhere, the jungle is tinged yellow by the leaping clusters of fire that stumble and flare.
दग्धाजगरकुञ्जोत्थधूममांसलगुल्मकम् । मारुतावलितज्वालासन्ध्याभ्रवलिताम्बरम्
From the burned dens of serpents, columns of smoky, fleshy clumps arise; the sky is streaked with clouds colored by the wind-driven tongues of flame.
उड्डामरमरुद्भ्रान्तभास्मनस्तम्भमण्डलम् । साक्रन्दनरदन्ताग्रशीर्णार्भककृतारवम्
The air is filled with whirling pillars of ash, tossed by wild winds; the cries of children with their teeth bitten off echo amidst the wailing of men.
सम्भ्रान्तपुरुषव्यूहदन्तकृत्तमहाशवम् । मांसभोगजवग्रस्तरक्तरक्तनिजाङ्गुलि
A great corpse, its teeth torn out by the tumult of men, its flesh devoured swiftly by packs of blood-soaked fingers.
नीलपत्त्रलताशब्दपीतधूमघनच्छवि । भ्रमद्गृध्रनिगीर्णोग्रनभोभ्रान्तोल्मुकामिषम्
Its complexion was darkened by smoke, yellowed by the sound of rustling leaves and creepers, as fierce vultures circled and devoured its flesh, while meteors roamed the sky.
इतरेतरभिन्नाङ्गलोकविद्रवणाकुलम् । ज्वलिताग्निटनत्कारविदीर्णहृदयोदरम्
Limbs torn apart by one another, the place was thrown into panic, its heart and belly split open by the crackling of blazing fire.
गतमारुतभाङ्कारभीमदावाग्निवल्गनम् । भीताजगरफूत्कारपतदङ्गारपादपम्
The terrifying forest fire, roaring with the sound of rushing wind, leapt about; trees fell like burning coals at the hiss of frightened serpents.
तद् अकाण्डं स्फुटं प्राप्य स देशश् शुष्ककोटरः । द्वादशार्काग्निदग्धस्य जगतो ऽनुकृतिं ययौ
That region, hollow and dry, having reached such utter ruin, resembled the world scorched by twelve suns’ fire.