अयम् अहम् इति निश्चयो वृथा यस् तम् अलम् अपास्य महामते सुबुद्ध्या । यद् इतरद् अवलम्ब्य तत् पदं त्वं व्रज पिब भुङ्क्ष्व न बध्यसे ऽमनस्कः
O wise one, abandon completely the false conviction, 'I am this,' with true discernment; relying on that which is other, reach that state, drink, eat, and remain unbound, free from mental agitation.
अस्मिन् विहरतो लोके लोकारामस्य धीमतः । श्रेयसे तिष्ठतो यत्नम् उत्तमार्थाभिपातिनः
While living in this world, enjoying its pleasures with wisdom, strive for what is best, aiming for the highest purpose, even as you remain established in what is beneficial.
दामव्यालकटन्यायो मा ते भवतु राघव । भीमभासद्रुटस्थित्या तवास्त्व् अतिविशोकता
Let the analogy of the rope, snake, and stick not arise in you, O Raghava; let there be for you an extreme freedom from sorrow, with a steadfastness like a tree scorched by a fierce light.
दामव्यालकटन्यायो मा भवत्व् इत्य् उदाहृतम् । ब्रह्मन् किम् एतद् भवता भवतापापहारिणा
The analogy of the rope, snake, and stick is cited as 'let it not arise'; O Brahman, what is this, spoken by you, the remover of worldly suffering?
उदारयैतया शुद्धं सम्प्रबोधय मां गिरा । घनतापापहारिण्या प्रावृषेव कलापिनम्
By this noble and pure speech, awaken me; like the raincloud dispelling intense heat, awaken me as the peacock is awakened in the rainy season.
दामव्यालकटन्यायं भीमभासद्रुटस्थितिम् । श्रुत्वा राघव तत् पश्चाद् यद् इष्टं तत् समाचर
O Raghava, having heard the analogy of the rope, snake, and stick, and the steadfastness like a tree scorched by fierce light, afterwards do whatever you desire.
आसीत् पातालकुहरे सर्वाश्चर्यमनोहरे । शम्बरो नाम दैत्येन्द्रो मायामणिमहार्णवः
There once lived in a cave in the netherworld, wondrous and enchanting, a king of demons named Shambara, an ocean of magical gems.
आकाशनगरोद्यानरचितासुरमन्दिरः । कृत्रिमोत्तमचन्द्रार्कभूषितात्मीयमण्डलः
He had built temples for the gods in cities and gardens made of sky, and his own realm was adorned with artificial moons and suns of the highest kind.
शिलाशकलसम्भूतपद्माढ्यरमणाचलः । अनन्तविभवारम्भपरिपूरितदानवः
He possessed delightful mountains filled with lotuses formed from precious stones, and his wealth was endless, overflowing with every kind of treasure.
गृहरत्नाङ्गनागेयजितामरवधूध्वनिः । चन्द्रबिम्बफलापूर्णक्रीडोपवनपादपः
The music of the women in his jeweled palaces surpassed the melodies of celestial nymphs, and the trees in his pleasure gardens bore fruits as full as the moon.
फुल्लनीलोत्पलव्यूहजटालरमणालयः । रत्नहंससमाहूतहेमाम्बुरुहसारसः
His lovely abodes were surrounded by clusters of blooming blue lotuses, and golden swans summoned flocks of golden lotuses and waterfowl.
हेमपादपशाखाग्रकृताम्भोरुहकुट्मलः । करञ्जजालजनितमन्दारकुसुमोत्करः
The tips of his golden trees bore buds of lotuses, and groves of karanja trees produced showers of mandara blossoms.
सर्वर्तुकुसुमोद्यानजितनन्दननन्दनः । मायासर्पहृतव्यालमलयाचलचन्दनः
His gardens, blooming in all seasons, surpassed even Nandana, the gods’ own paradise, and sandalwood from Malaya was guarded from illusory serpents and wild beasts.
हेमस्त्रीलोकलावण्यजिह्मितान्तःपुराङ्गनः । क्रीडार्थस्पर्धयेशानहतचक्रगदाधरः
The women of his golden inner chambers outshone the beauty of all three worlds, and even the gods with discus and mace could not rival him in play.
अजस्रोड्डीनरत्नौघताराढ्यस्वपुराम्बरः । नानाकुसुमसम्भारजानुदघ्नकृताङ्गनः
His own city was adorned with countless rising streams of jewels like stars, and the women, decked in various flowers, had their knees touched by the abundance.
निशास्व् अखिलपातालशतचन्द्रनभस्तलः । स्वसालभञ्जिकालोकगीतिगीतगुणोत्करः
In the nights, the sky of the netherworlds shone with hundreds of moons, resounding with the melodious songs and music of its own celestial women.
मायैरावणनागेन्द्रविद्रुतामरवारणः । त्रैलोक्यविभवोत्कर्षपूरितान्तःपुरान्तरः
The mighty elephant of the gods, Airavata, was driven away by the illusion of the lord; the inner chambers were filled with the splendor and wealth of the three worlds.
सर्वसम्पत्तिसुभगस् सर्वैश्वर्यसमन्वितः । समस्तदैत्यसामन्तवन्दिताग्र्यानुशासनः
He was endowed with all prosperity and supreme lordship, his commands honored by all the chiefs of the demons.
महाभुजवनच्छायाविश्रान्तासुरमण्डलः । सर्वाम्बुधिगुहासाररत्नकुण्डलमण्डितः
The assembly of gods found rest in the shade of his mighty arms, and he was adorned with earrings of gems drawn from the essence of all oceanic caves.
तस्योत्सादितदेवस्य कठिनोड्डामराकृतेः । बभूव विपुलं सैन्यम् आसुरं सुरनाशनम्
For that god, who had been driven out, there arose a vast and formidable army of demons, fierce in form, intent on the destruction of the gods.
तस्मिन् मायाबले सुप्ते देशान्तरगते तथा । तत्सैन्यान्तरम् आजग्मुश् छिद्रं प्राप्य किलामराः
While that master of illusion slept, having gone to another land, the gods found an opening and entered the midst of his army.
अथ शम्बरदैत्येन दुद्रिकह्वद्रुमादयः । रक्षार्थं मत्तसामन्तास् स्वसेनासु नियोजिताः
Then, by the demon Shambara, powerful chiefs like Dudrika and Hvadrumā were appointed to guard his forces.
तान् अप्य् अन्तरम् आसाद्य जघ्नुर् गीर्वाणनायकाः । व्योमान्तरचराश् श्येनाः कलविङ्कान् इवाकुलान्
But the leaders of the gods, seizing the opportunity, attacked them as hawks attack flocks of bewildered finches flying in the sky.
सेनापतीन् पुनश् चान्यांश् चकारासुरसत्तमः । चपलान् उद्भटारावांस् तरङ्गान् इव सागरः
The foremost of asuras again appointed other commanders, restless and loud-voiced, like waves upon the sea.
देवास् तान् अपि तस्याशु जघ्नुस् तेन स कोपवान् । जगामामरनाशाय परिपूर्णस् त्रिविष्टपम्
The gods swiftly slew them as well, which made him furious; filled with wrath, he advanced toward the celestial realm, intent on its destruction.
तत्रास्य मायाभीतास् ते सुरा अन्तर्धिम् आययुः । मेरुकाननकुञ्जेषु मृगा गौरीगुरोर् इव
There, the gods, frightened by his magic, vanished from sight, like deer fleeing into the groves of Mount Meru at the approach of a tawny lion.
क्रन्दत्क्षुद्रामरगणं बाष्पक्लिन्नसुरीमुखम् । शून्यं ददर्श स स्वर्गं कल्पक्षीणजगत्समम्
He saw heaven empty, with the faces of the gods wet with tears, and the hosts of lesser immortals wailing—like a world at the end of an age.
विहृत्य कुपितस् तत्र लब्धम् आहृत्य शम्बरः । लोकपालपुरीर् दग्ध्वा जगामात्मीयम् आलयम्
After raging there, Shambara seized what he could, burned the cities of the guardians of the worlds, and returned to his own abode.
एवं दृढतरीभूते द्वेषे दानवदेवयोः । देवास् स्वर्गं परित्यज्य दिक्षु जग्मुर् अदर्शनम्
Thus, as the enmity between gods and demons grew ever stronger, the gods abandoned heaven and disappeared in all directions.
अथ शम्बरदैत्येन ये ये सेनाधिनायकाः । क्रियन्ते यत्नतस् तांस् ताञ् जघ्नुर् यत्नपरास् सुराः
Then, whichever commanders Shambara the demon appointed with great effort, those very ones the gods, striving earnestly, slew.