पुनः कार्यक्रियापक्षैस् संसारारम्भनामकम् । किञ्चित् पटपटं कृत्वा याति कालकपिञ्जलः
Again, with the wings of action and its results, called the beginning of worldly existence, the bird of time, making a slight flutter, departs.
पुनर् इन्द्रालिके याते राज्यम् आस्वाद्य केसरम् । आयात्य् अपरदेवेन्द्रषट्पदस् स्वर्गपङ्कजम्
Again, when the Indra-like bee, having tasted the royal pollen, departs, another lord of gods approaches the heavenly lotus.
पुनः कालं कृतापूतं कलुषीकुरुते कलिः । सचक्रिणम् इवाम्भोधिं प्रवृद्धो ऽवकरानिलः
Again, time, once purified, is corrupted by the age of strife, just as a swelling wind stirs up mud in the ocean, even when it is clear.
पुनः कालकुलालेन कृतभूतशरावकम् । चक्रम् आवर्तते वेगाद् अजस्रं कालनामकम्
Again, by the potter of time, the vessel of beings is made, and the wheel called time turns swiftly and ceaselessly.
पुनर् नीरसताम् एति जगद् ध्वस्तशुभस्थिति । अभ्याशीभूतकल्पान्तं संशुष्कम् इव काननम्
Again, the world becomes devoid of essence, its auspicious state destroyed, as the end of an age draws near, like a forest dried up.
पुनर् अर्कगणांश्वग्निदग्धानन्तकलेवरम् । सर्वभूतास्थिसम्पूर्णं जगद् एति श्मशानताम्
Again, when the hosts of suns and fires burn up the bodies at the end of time, the world, filled with the bones of all beings, becomes like a cremation ground.
पुनः कुलाचलाकारपुष्करावर्तवर्षणैः । नृत्यद्भस्मबृहत्फेनां यात्य् एकार्णवतां जगत्
Again, by the torrents from the whirlpools of mountain-like lotuses, the world, with great foaming ashes dancing, becomes a single ocean.
पुनस् संशान्तवाय्वम्बु रिक्तं सकलवस्तुभिः । तदपूर्वम् इवाकाशं जगद् आयाति शून्यताम्
Again, when the winds and waters are stilled and all things are emptied, the world returns to emptiness, as if space itself were unprecedented.
पुनः कतिपया भुक्त्वा समास् समरसाशयः । जीवितं जीर्णया तन्वा ब्रह्माध्यात्मनि लीयते
Then, after enjoying a few moments, with a mind at rest in equanimity, life is worn out and dissolves into the supreme Self, like a worn-out body.
पुनर् अन्येन कालेन तथैव जगतां गणम् । मनस् तनोति वै शून्ये गन्धर्वो नगरं यथा
Once more, after some time, the mind projects the multitude of worlds into the void, just as a celestial musician conjures a city in the sky.
पुनस् सर्गसमारम्भः पुनः प्रलयसम्भवः । सर्वं पुनर् इदं राम चक्रवत् परिवर्तते
Again there is the beginning of creation, again the occurrence of dissolution; all this, O Rama, revolves repeatedly like a wheel.
किम् एतस्मिन् महामायाडम्बरे दीर्घशम्बरे । राम सत्यम् असत्यं वा निर्णीय यद् इहोच्यते
In this grand spectacle of great illusion, with its long display, O Rama, what here can truly be called real or unreal, once it is examined?
दाशूराख्यायिकेवेयं राम संसारचक्रिका । कल्पनारचिताकारा वस्तुशून्या तु वस्तुतः
O Rama, this cycle of worldly existence is like a tale about a servant; its forms are fashioned by imagination, but in reality, it is devoid of substance.
अविरलम् इदम् आततं विकल्पैर् असदुदिताकृतिभिर् द्विचन्द्रकल्पैः । विरचितम् असता तु यन् न सत् तज् जगद् इह तेन विमूढता किमुत्था
This, spread out without interruption, is made by imaginations—forms conjured by what is unreal, like the illusion of two moons; what is created by unreality is not real—so why should there be confusion about this world?
क्रियाविशेषबहुला भोगैश्वर्यहताशयाः । नावेक्षन्ते यदा सत्यं न पश्यन्ति शठास् तदा
When people are absorbed in various actions and their minds are clouded by enjoyment and the pursuit of power, they do not perceive the truth; at that time, the deceitful do not see it.
ये तु पारं गता बुद्धेर् इन्द्रियैर् न वशीकृताः । त एतां जागतीं मायां पश्यन्ति करबिल्ववत्
But those who have crossed beyond the intellect and are not controlled by the senses, they see this worldly illusion as one sees a fruit in the hand.
ननु तां जागतीं मायां जीवो दृष्ट्वा विचारवान् । अहङ्कारमयीं आस्थां त्यजत्य् अहिर् इव त्वचम्
Indeed, when the embodied soul, endowed with discernment, perceives this worldly illusion, he abandons the identification with ego, just as a serpent sheds its skin.
असक्ततां ततो ऽभ्येत्य पुनर् नाम न जायते । क्षेत्रे ऽपि सुचिरं तिष्ठद् बीजं दग्धम् इवाग्निना
Having thus attained detachment, he is not born again; even if he remains long in the body, he is like a seed scorched by fire in a field.
आधिव्याधिपरीताय प्रातर् वाद्य विनाशिने । प्रयतन्ते शरीराय हितम् अज्ञास् तु नात्मने
The ignorant strive for the welfare of the body, afflicted by ailments and destined for destruction, but not for the Self.
त्वम् अप्य् अज्ञवद् अज्ञस्य शरीरस्य समीहितम् । मा सम्पादय दुःखाय भवात्मैकपरायणः
You too, do not, like the ignorant, labor for the aims of the body, which brings suffering; be devoted solely to the Self.
दाशूराख्यायिकेवेयं नाम संसारचक्रिका । कल्पनारचिताकारा वस्तुशून्येति किं प्रभो
This cycle of worldly existence is like the tale of Dāśūra—constructed by imagination, devoid of substance; what more need be said, O Lord?
जगन्मायास्वरूपस्य वर्णनाव्यपदेशतः । दाशूराख्यायिकां राम वर्ण्यमानां मया शृणु
Now, Rāma, listen as I narrate to you the story called Dāśūra, as an illustration and description of the true nature of the world's illusion.
अस्त्य् अस्मिन् वसुधापीठे विचित्रकुसुमद्रुमः । मगधा नाम विख्यातश् श्रीमाञ् जनपदो महान्
On this earth, there is a great and renowned land called Magadha, adorned with wondrous trees and flowers.
कदम्बवनविस्तारी तालावलितजङ्गलः । विचित्रविहगव्यूहस् सर्वाश्चर्यमनोहरः
Expansive with kadamba groves, interspersed with palm-covered wilderness, adorned by flocks of wondrous birds, it was a marvel, delightful to behold.
सस्यसङ्कटसीमान्तः पुरोपवनमण्डितः । कमलोत्पलकल्हारपूर्णसर्वसरित्तटः
Bordered by fields thick with crops, embellished with city gardens, and with every riverbank filled with lotuses, blue lilies, and water-lilies.
उद्यानदोलाविलसल्ललनागेयघुङ्घुमी । निशोपभुक्तकुसुमनीरन्ध्रविशिखावनिः
Resounding with the jingling of women's ornaments as they played on garden swings, and with the fragrance of night-blooming flowers enjoyed in the moonlit groves.
तत्रैकस्मिन् गिरितटे कर्णिकारसमाकुले । कदलीषण्डनीरन्ध्रे नीपगुल्मविराजिते
There, on the slope of a certain mountain, thick with karṇikāra trees, in the shade of banana clusters and radiant with nīpa shrubs.
कूजच्चकोरचमरे ध्वनन्निर्झरवारिणि । फुल्लचूतलताजाले प्रगीतकलकोकिले
Where partridges cooed in the thickets, the water of waterfalls resounded, mango creepers bloomed, and cuckoos sang melodious songs.
पुलिन्दलीलालुलिते तालावृतनभस्तले । उत्फुल्लपद्मिनीशारे जीवजीवकजीविते
Where wild tribal women played, the sky was covered by palm leaves, and the ponds, filled with blooming lotuses, teemed with living creatures.
पुष्पौघस्फूर्जदनिले केसरारुणधूलिनि । कारण्डवकृतारावे सरत्सरससारसे
Where the wind, stirring clouds of pollen from masses of flowers, was tinged with saffron dust, and the cries of waterfowl echoed over the autumnal lakes.