ज्वलदनलजटालवृक्षषण्डः प्रसृतमरुत्प्रसरापनुन्नलोकः । ज्वलनतपनभास्करात्मजानां रमणगृहानुकृतिं जगाम देशः
The forest, with its blazing, flame-haired trees and winds sweeping all before them, became like the burning pleasure-houses of the sun’s own children.
तस्मिंस् तदा वर्तमाने कष्टे विधिविपर्यये । अकालोल्बणकल्पान्ते नितान्तातपदायिनि
At that time, in that place, under such harsh and calamitous conditions, at the end of a terrible age, the heat was relentless.
जनाः केचन निष्क्रम्य सकलत्रसुहृज्जनाः । गता देशान्तरं व्योम्नश् शरदीव पयोधराः
Some people, with all their wives and friends, departed from there to another land, like clouds dispersing from the sky in autumn.
देहावयवसंलीनपुत्रदाराग्र्यबान्धवाः । शीर्णाः केचन तत्रैव च्छिन्ना इव वने द्रुमाः
Some, merged with their bodies and limbs, sons, wives, and closest kin, perished there, like trees cut down in a forest.
भुक्ताः केचन दिग्व्याघ्रैर् निर्गच्छन्तस् स्वमन्दिरात् । अजातपक्षकाश् श्येनैः खगा नीडोद्गता इव
Some were devoured by wild beasts as they left their homes, like fledgling birds seized by hawks when leaving their nests.
प्रविष्टाः केचिद् अनलं ज्वलितं शलभा इव । केचिच् छ्वभ्रेषु पतिताश् शिलाश् शैलच्युता इव
Some entered blazing fire like moths, and some fell into chasms like rocks tumbling from mountains.
अहं तु तान् परित्यज्य श्वशुरादीन् स्वकाञ् जनान् । कलत्रमात्रम् आदाय कृच्छ्राद् देशाद् विनिर्गतः
But I, abandoning my relatives such as in-laws and my own people, departed from that land with only my wife, and with great difficulty.
अनलान् अनिलांश् चैव रक्षकान् भक्षकान् अपि । वञ्चयित्वा भयान् मृत्योस् सदारो ऽहं विनिर्गतः
Evading fires, winds, guards, and even predators, I escaped the terrors of death, departing with my wife.
प्राप्य तद्देशपर्यन्तं तत्र तालतरोस् तले । अवरोप्य सुतान् स्कन्धात् तान् अनर्थान् इवोल्बणान्
Having reached the border of that land, beneath a palm tree, I set down my children from my shoulders, as if laying aside burdensome misfortunes.
विश्रान्तो ऽस्मि चिरश्रान्तो रौरवाद् इव निर्गतः । ग्रीष्मदावनिदाघार्तो ग्रीष्मे पद्म इवाजलः
Exhausted from long toil, I rested, as one freed from hell, scorched by the summer forest fire, like a lotus deprived of water in the heat.
अथ चण्डालकन्यायां विश्रान्तायां तरोस् तले । सुप्तायां शीतलच्छाये द्वौ समालिङ्ग्य दारकौ
Then, as the daughter of a caṇḍāla rested beneath the tree, sleeping in the cool shade, two children embraced her.
थुत्थको नाम तनयो ममैकः पुरतस् स्थितः । अत्यन्तवल्लभो ऽस्माकं कनीयान् कान्तिमान् इति
A son of mine named Thutthaka stood before me; he was our youngest, exceedingly dear to us, and radiant in appearance.
स माम् उवाच दीनात्मा बाष्पपूर्णविलोचनः । आप्त देह्य् आशु मे मांसं पानं च रुधिरं क्षणात्
He, with a sorrowful heart and eyes brimming with tears, said to me: 'Give me flesh quickly, and let me drink blood at once.'
पुनः पुनर् वदन्न् एवं स बालस् तनयो मम । प्राणान्तिकीं दशां प्राप्तस् साक्रन्दो हि पुनः क्षुधा
Again and again, my young son kept saying this, and, crying out from hunger, he reached a state near death.
तस्योक्तं हि मया पुत्र मांसं नास्तीति भूरिशः । तथापि मांसं देहीति वदत्य् एव सुदुर्मतिः
I told him repeatedly, 'Son, there is no flesh,' but still, in his great folly, he kept insisting, 'Give me flesh from your body.'
अथ वात्सल्यमूढेन मया दुःखातिभारिणा । तस्योक्तं पुत्र मन्मांसं पक्वं सम्भुज्यताम् इति
Then, overwhelmed by affection and weighed down by intense sorrow, I said to him, 'Son, eat my cooked flesh.'
तद् अप्य् अङ्गीकृतं तेन देहीति वदता पुनः । मन्मांसभक्षणं क्षीणवृत्तिना श्लथकृत्तिना
Even that he accepted, again saying, 'Give me your flesh,' and, with his strength exhausted and limbs slack, he ate my flesh.
सर्वदुःखापनोदाय स्नेहकारुण्यमोहितः । मरणायात्तमित्राय ततो ऽहं सहसोत्थितः
Desiring to remove all suffering, deluded by love and compassion, I then quickly rose for the sake of my son, who was near death.
ग्रीष्मतापोपतप्तानि काष्ठान्य् आहृत्य जङ्गलात् । मरणायात्मनस् तत्र चिता विरचिता मया
Bringing wood from the forest, scorched by the heat of summer, I built a funeral pyre there for myself, intending to die.
लेलिहानानलज्वाला चिता प्रज्वालिताथ सा । क्षणाच् चटचटास्फोटैस् स्थिता मदभिकाङ्क्षिणी
Then the funeral pyre was kindled, its flames licking upward, and in a moment it stood there, crackling and snapping, eager for my body.
मयोक्तं तनयास्यां तु चितायां पतितात् पुनः । उत्कृत्योत्कृत्य भोक्तव्यं मत्तो मांसं क्षणात् त्वया
My daughter said to me: 'When you fall upon this pyre, you must quickly tear off and eat your own flesh, piece by piece.'
इत्य् उक्त्वा यावद् आत्मानं स्वं चितायां क्षिपाम्य् अहम् । लुठितो ऽस्मि जवात् तावद् अस्मात् सिंहासनान् नृपः
Having said this, as I was about to throw myself onto the pyre, I suddenly tumbled down from this very throne, O King.
ततस् तूर्यनिनादेन जयशब्देन चाभितः । भृशम् एव प्रबुद्धो ऽहं स्मृत्या च वलितस् स्थितः
Then, surrounded by the sound of drums and cries of victory, I awoke abruptly, regaining my senses and awareness.
इति शाम्बरिकेणेह मोह उत्पादितो मम । अज्ञानेनेव जीवस्य दशाशतसमन्वितः
Thus, by the power of Shambarika, I was plunged into delusion, just as a living being is enveloped by ignorance, experiencing countless states.
आत्मोदन्तं भवत्स्व् इत्थम् एनं कथितवान् अहम् । मार्काण्डेय इवानन्तं कल्पदुःखं सुराजसु
In this way, I have recounted to you the story of my own self, just as Markandeya once told the endless suffering of a cosmic age to the kings of the gods.
इत्य् उक्तवति राजेन्द्रे लवणे भूरितेजसि । अन्तर्धानं जगामासौ तत्र शाम्बरिकः क्षणात्
When the illustrious King Lavana had spoken thus, Shambarika instantly vanished from that place.
अथेदम् ऊचुस् ते सभ्या विस्मयाकुलचेतसः । अन्योऽन्यालोकनव्यग्रपद्मपत्त्रनिभेक्षणाः
Then those assembled there, their minds filled with astonishment, looked at one another with eyes wide as lotus petals and spoke these words:
अहो नु खलु चित्रेयं माया ननु विलक्षणा । को नु शाम्बरिको नाम क्व चासाव् अग्रतो गतः
Ah, truly, how marvelous and extraordinary is this illusion! Who indeed is this so-called Shambarika, and where has he gone ahead?
सर्वशक्तेर् विचित्रा हि शक्तयश् शतशो विधेः । यद् विवेकिमनो ऽप्य् एष विमोहयति मायया
Indeed, the powers of the Creator are wondrous and manifold; for even a discerning mind is bewildered by this illusion.
विज्ञातलोकवृत्तान्तः क्व नामायं महीपतिः । क्व सामान्यमनोवृत्तियोग्या विपुलसम्भ्रमाः
This king, who knows the affairs of the world—where is he now? And where are those great confusions fit only for ordinary minds?