अस्योड्डामरलीलस्य दूरास्तसकलापदः । संसारे राजपुत्रस्य कालस्याकलितौजसः
All the steps of this grand play are far removed from the prince in the world, whose strength has not been measured by time.
अस्मिन्न् आचरतो दीनैर् मुग्धैर् भूतमृगव्रजैः । आखेटकं जर्जरिते जगज्जङ्गलजालके
In this, as he acts, with the herds of bewildered, miserable creatures, the world, worn out, becomes a hunting ground in the thicket of existence.
एकदेशोल्लसच्चारुवडवानलपङ्कजा । क्रीडापुष्करिणी रम्या कल्पकालमहार्णवः
In one place, a beautiful lotus of submarine fire arises; a delightful lake of play, the great ocean of the age of dissolution.
कटुतिक्ताम्ब्लभूताढ्यैस् सदधिक्षीरसागरैः । तैर् एव तैः पर्युषितैर् जगद्भिः कालवर्तनम्
The course of time in the world is filled with those very beings, aged in the sour, bitter, and salty seas of existence.
चण्डी चतुरसञ्चारा सर्वमातृगणान्विता । संसारवनविन्यस्तनरैणाकर्षणी वृकी
The fierce one, moving in all directions, accompanied by all the hosts of mothers, is the she-wolf in the forest of existence, drawing the deer of men.
पृथ्वी करतले पृथ्वी पानपात्री रसान्विता । कमलोत्पलकल्हारलोलजालकमालिता
The earth is on her palm, the earth is a drinking vessel filled with flavors, adorned with nets of swaying lotuses, water-lilies, and garlands of flowers.
विरावी विकटास्फालो नृसिंहो भुजपञ्जरे । सटाविकटपीनांसः कान्तः क्रीडाशकुन्तकः
Roaring, striking fiercely, the man-lion in the cage of arms, with a mane broad and muscular, is the beloved playful bird.
अलाबुवीणामधुरश् शरद्व्योमामलच्छविः । देवः किल महाकालो लीलाकोकिलबालकः
Sweet as the music of a gourd-vina, with the pure radiance of the autumn sky, the god, indeed, is Mahakala, the playful young cuckoo.
अजस्रस्फूर्जिताकारो वान्तदुःखशराशनिः । अभावनामकोदण्डः परिस्फुरति सर्वतः
With a form that constantly roars, casting away the arrows of suffering, wielding the bow named 'non-conception', it vibrates everywhere.
अनुत्तमस्फुरितविलासवर्धितो भ्रमन् हरन् परिविलसन् विदारयन् । जरज्जगज्जरढविलोलमर्कटः परिस्फुरद्वपुर् इह काल ईहते
Enhanced by the supreme play of vibration, wandering, seizing, whirling, tearing apart, this aged, world-worn, restless monkey—here, time—makes its body pulse.
अत्रैव दुर्विलासानां चूडामणिर् इवापरः । करोत्य् अस्तीति लोकेन दैवं कालश् च कथ्यते
Here, among these difficult pleasures, another jewel appears; the world calls it fate and time, believing it to act.
क्रियामात्राद् ऋते यस्य स्वपरिस्पन्दरूपिणः । नान्यद् आलक्ष्यते रूपं कर्मणो न समीहितम्
Apart from mere activity, nothing else is perceived of karma, whose nature is only its own vibration; no intended form is found.
तेनेयम् अखिला भूतसन्ततिर् नित्यपेलवा । तापेन हिममालेव नीता विधुरतां भृशम्
By this, the entire succession of beings remains ever frail, and, like snow under heat, is thoroughly driven into distress.
यद् इदं दृश्यते किञ्चिज् जगदाभोगिमण्डलम् । तत् तस्य नर्तनागारम् इहासाव् अभिनृत्यति
Whatever is seen here—the sphere of the world's enjoyment—is his dance hall; here, he dances.
तृतीयं च कृतान्तेति नाम बिभ्रत् सुदारुणम् । कापालिकवपुर् मत्तं दैवं जगति नृत्यति
The third, bearing the dreadful name 'Death', with a skull-bearing body, intoxicated, fate dances in the world.
नृत्यतो हि कृतान्तस्य नितान्तम् अविरामिणः । नित्यं नियतिकान्ताया मुने परमकामिनः
For, as Death dances ceaselessly, always with his beloved, Lady Destiny, O sage, the supreme lover.
शेषश् शशिकलाशुभ्रो गङ्गावाहश् च तौ त्रिधा । उपवीते अवीताभे उभे संसारवक्षसि
The remainder, pure as a crescent moon, and the Ganga-bearing one—these two, in threefold form, as the sacred thread upon the chest of worldly existence, both shine with the radiance of the thread and the threadless.
चन्द्रार्कमण्डले हेमकटके करमूलयोः । लीलासरसिजं हस्ते ब्राह्मं ब्रह्माण्डकर्णिकम्
The orbs of the moon and sun, golden bracelets at the bases of the hands, the playful lotus in the hand, and the divine lotus-heart of the cosmic egg—these adorn.
ताराबिन्दुचितं लोलपुष्करावर्तपल्लवम् । एकार्णवपयोधौतम् एकम् अम्बरम् अम्बरम्
Adorned with stars and drops, with the trembling petals of a lotus whirl, washed by the waters of the single ocean—one sky, only sky.
एवंरूपस्य तस्याग्रे नियतिर् नित्यकामिनी । अनस्तमितसंरम्भम् आरम्भैः परिनृत्यति
Before such a form, Destiny, ever desirous, dances with unceasing passion, with beginnings that never cease.
तस्या नर्तनलोलाया जगन्मण्डपकोटरे । अरुद्धस्पन्दरूपाया आगमापायचञ्चुरे
Within the pavilion of the world, for her who delights in dancing, whose form is unrestrained vibration, ever flickering with the coming and going of events.
चारुभूषणम् अङ्गेषु देवलोकान्तरावली । आपातालं नभो लम्बं कवरीमण्डलं बृहत्
The beautiful ornaments upon her limbs are the rows of other worlds; her vast hair-circlet hangs from the sky down to the nethermost underworld.
नरकाली च मञ्जीरमाला कलकलाकुला । प्रोता दुष्कृतसूत्रेण पातालचरणे चला
The anklet-garland of hell, resounding with jingling sounds, is strung on the thread of evil deeds, and trembles upon her netherworldly foot.
कस्तूरिकातिलककं क्रियासख्योपकल्पितम् । चित्रितं चित्रगुप्तेन यामे वदनपट्टके
The musk-mark upon her brow is fashioned by the friend of ritual acts, painted by Citragupta on the band of her forehead during the night.
कालीरूपम् उपस्थाय कल्पान्तेषु क्रियाकुलम् । नृत्यत्य् एषा पुनर् देवी स्फुटच्छैलघनारवम्
Assuming the form of Kali, bustling with activity at the end of the aeons, this goddess dances again, her thunderous cries echoing from the peaks of the mountains.
पश्चात्प्रलम्बविभ्रान्तकौमाररथबर्हिभिः । नेत्रत्रयबृहद्रन्ध्रभूरिभाङ्कारभीषणैः
Behind her, wild and swinging, are youthful chariots adorned with peacock feathers, and her three eyes glare fiercely, terrifying with their vast and dreadful gaze.
लम्बलोलशरच्चन्द्रवितीर्णहरमूर्धजैः । उच्चरच्चारुमन्दारगौरीकवरिचामरैः
Her hair, loose and flowing like the autumn moonlight, is scattered across her head; she waves beautiful white mandara flowers and the pale yak-tail fans of Gauri.
उत्ताण्डवाचलाकारभैरवोदरतुम्बकैः । रणत्सहस्ररन्ध्रेन्द्रदेहभिक्षाकपालकैः
She brandishes drums shaped like the belly of Bhairava, echoing the wild dance; she rattles skull bowls taken from Indra's body, each with a thousand holes.
शुष्का शरीरखट्वाङ्गभङ्गैर् आपूरिताम्बरम् । भाययत्य् आत्मनात्मानम् अपि कृष्णैर् घनासितम्
The sky is filled with the dry, broken fragments of bodies and clubs; she herself appears, even to herself, as black as dense clouds.
विश्वरूपशिरश्चक्रचारुपुष्करमालया । ताण्डवेषु विवल्गन्ती महाकल्पेषु राजते
Adorned with garlands of lotus flowers and wheels made from the heads of all beings, she shines forth, whirling in her dance during the great aeons.