जराजीर्णबकी यावत् कासक्रेङ्कारकारिणी । रौति रोगोरगाकीर्णा कायद्रुमशिरस्स्थिता
As long as the old, decrepit crane of age, causing coughs and croaks, cries out, afflicted by the serpents of disease, perched atop the tree of the body—
तावद् आगत एवाशु कुतो ऽपि परिदृश्यते । घनान्धतिमिराकाङ्क्षी मुने मरणकौशिकः
So long, swiftly, from somewhere, the owl of death, longing for dense, blind darkness, is seen approaching, O sage.
सायंसन्ध्या प्रजातैव तमस् समनुधावति । जरा वपुषि दृष्टैव मृतिं समनुधावति
Just as evening twilight, once arisen, pursues darkness, so, when old age is seen in the body, death pursues it.
जराकुसुमितं देहद्रुमं दृष्ट्वैव दूरतः । मृतिभृङ्गी द्रुतं ब्रह्मन् नरस्यायाति सूत्सुका
When the tree of the body is seen from afar blossoming with old age, O Brahman, the bee of death quickly and eagerly approaches the man.
शून्यं नगरम् आभाति भाति च्छिन्नलतो द्रुमः । भात्य् अनावृष्टिमान् देशो न जराजर्जरं वपुः
An empty city appears, a tree with its branches cut appears, a land without rain appears—but not the body battered by old age.
क्षणान् निगिरणायैव कासक्वणितकारिणी । गृध्रीवामिषम् आदत्ते तरसैव नरं जरा
In an instant, to devour, old age, making the sound of coughing, seizes a man with force, just as a vulture snatches flesh.
दृष्ट्वैव सोत्सुकेवाशु प्रगृह्य शिरसि क्षणात् । प्रलुनाति जरा देहं कुमारी कैरवं यथा
Old age, seeing the body with eagerness, swiftly seizes the head in an instant and destroys the body, just as a maiden plucks a waterlily.
सीत्कारकारिणी पांसुपरुषा परिजर्जरम् । शरीरं शातयत्य् एषा वात्येव तरुपल्लवम्
It makes a hissing sound, rough with dust, and shreds the worn-out body, as a storm tears at the tender leaves of a tree.
जरसोपहतो देहो धत्ते जर्जरतां गतः । तुषारनिकराकीर्णपरिम्लानाम्बुजश्रियम्
Struck by old age, the body becomes ruined, resembling a lotus whose beauty has faded, covered with frost and clusters of ice.
जराज्योत्स्नोदितैवेयं शिरश्शिखरिपृष्ठतः । विकासयति संरब्धवातां कासकुमुद्वतीम्
This old age, rising like moonlight, spreads from the crown of the head, unfolding a feverish wind of coughs, like the night-blooming lotus.
परिपक्वं समालोक्य जराक्षारविधूसरम् । शिरःकुष्माण्डकं भुङ्क्ते पुंसः कालः किलेश्वरः
When time, the lord of affliction, sees the head like a ripe gourd, pale with the ashes of old age, he devours it.
जराजह्नुसुतोद्युक्ता मूलान्य् अस्य निकृन्तति । शरीरतीरवृक्षस्य चलस्यायूंषि सत्वरम्
Old age, aided by the daughter of the river (the goddess of death), swiftly cuts the roots of the body-tree, causing the vital forces to waver.
जरामार्जारिका भुक्तयौवनाखुतयैधिता । परम् उल्लासम् आयाति शरीरामिषगर्धिनी
Old age, the sweeper, having consumed youth and kindled the fire of suffering, comes to supreme delight, greedy for the flesh of the body.
काचिद् अस्ति जगत्य् अस्मिन् नामङ्गलकरी तथा । यथा जराक्रोशकरी देहजङ्गलजम्बुकी
There is nothing in this world so inauspicious as old age, the jackal of the body-forest, howling with lamentation.
कासश्वासससीत्कारा दुःखधूमतमोमयी । जराज्वाला ज्वलत्य् एषा ययासौ दग्ध एव हि
Coughs, breathlessness, and sighs, with the smoke and darkness of suffering—this flame of old age burns, by which that one is indeed scorched.
जरसा वक्रताम् एति शुक्लावयवपल्लवा । तात तन्वी तनुर् नॄणां लता पुष्पानता यथा
By old age, the slender body of people, once white and fresh like tender shoots, becomes bent, O dear one, just as a flower-laden vine droops.
जराकर्पूरधवलं देहकर्पूरपादपम् । मुने मरणमातङ्गो नूनम् उद्धरति क्षणात्
The body, white as camphor from the camphor-tree of old age, is surely lifted away in an instant by the elephant of death, O sage.
मरणस्य मुने राज्ञो जराधवलचामरा । आगच्छतो ऽग्रे निर्याति स्वाधिव्याधिपताकिनी
For death, O sage, is a king; the white fan of old age precedes him, and the banner of disease goes forth ahead as he approaches.
न जिताश् शत्रुभिस् सङ्ख्ये ये निष्पिष्टाद्रिकोटयः । ते जराजीर्णराक्षस्या पश्याशु विजिता मुने
Those who were not conquered by enemies in battle, whose mountain fortresses were crushed, see how swiftly they are defeated by the demoness of old age, O sage.
जरातुषारधवले शरीरसदनान्तरे । शक्नुवन्त्य् अक्षशिशवस् स्पन्दितुं न मनाग् अपि
Within the body’s dwelling, whitened by the frost of old age, even the eyes’ pupils cannot move in the slightest.
संसारसंसृतेर् अस्या गन्धकुट्याश् शिरोगता । देहयष्ट्या जरानाम्नी चामरश्रीर् विराजते
In this fragrant chamber of worldly existence, upon the head of the body’s stalk, the splendor of the fan named old age shines forth.
जराचन्द्रोदयसिते शरीरनगरे स्थिते । क्षणाद् विकासम् आयाति मुने मरणकैरवम्
When the moonrise of old age appears in the city of the body, O sage, the lotus of death blooms in an instant.
जरासुधालेपसिते शरीरान्तःपुरान्तरे । अशक्तिर् आर्तिर् आपच् च तिष्ठन्ति सुखम् अङ्गनाः
Within the palace of the body, smeared with the ointment of old age, helplessness, pain, and calamity stand as its companions of pleasure.
अभावाग्रेसरा यत्र जरा जयति जन्तुषु । कस् तत्रेह समाश्वासो मम मन्दमतेर् मुने
Where old age, leading the way, prevails among creatures, O sage, what comfort can there be for me, whose mind is dull?
किं तेन दुर्जीवितदुर्ग्रहेण जरां गतेनापि हि जीव्यते यत् । जरा जगत्याम् अजिता नराणां सर्वैषणास् तात तिरस्करोति
What is gained by clinging to this difficult, unpleasant life, even after succumbing to old age? For old age, unconquered among men in the world, casts aside all desires, O father.
विकल्पकल्पनानल्पकल्पितैर् अल्पबुद्धिभिः । भेदैर् उद्धुरतां नीतस् संसारकुहकभ्रमः
The delusion of worldly existence, driven to agitation by the divisions imagined by those of little understanding, arises from the endless fabrications of thought.
सतां कथम् इवास्थेह जायते जालपञ्जरे । बाला एवात्तुम् इच्छन्ति फलं मकुरबिम्बितम्
How does attachment arise here for the wise, as if in a cage of netting? Only children desire to eat fruit reflected in a mirror.
इहापि विद्यते यैषा पेलवा सुखभावना । आखुस् तन्तुम् इवाशेषं कालस् ताम् अपि कृन्तति
Even here, that frail notion of happiness exists; but time, like a mouse, cuts through every thread of it.
न तद् अस्तीह यद् अयं कालस् सकलघस्मरः । ग्रसते न जगज्जातं महाब्धिम् इव वाडवः
There is nothing here that time, the devourer of all, does not consume; it swallows all that is born in the world, like the submarine fire drinks the ocean.
समस्तसामान्यतया भीमः कालो महेश्वरः । दृश्यसत्ताम् इमां सर्वां कवलीकर्तुम् उद्यतः
Time, dreadful and supreme, by its universal power, is poised to swallow all this visible existence.