12217001a punar eva tu taM zakraH prahasann idam abravIt
12217001c nizHzvasantaM yathA nAgamM pravyAhArAya bhArata 'Once more, laughing at vAlin who was sighing like a snake, zakra addressed him for saying something more pointed than what had said before.
note: nIla says that pravyAhArAya means prakRSToktaye "to elaborate on what he had said earlier"
12217002a yat tad yAnasahasreNa jJAtibhiH parivAritaH 3 'zakra said, 'Formerly, surrounded by kinsmen and thousands of vehicles,
12217002c lokAn pratApayan sarvAn yAsy asmAn avitarkayan thou usedst to make thy progresses, scorching all the worlds with thy splendour and regarding us as nought.
12217003a dRSTvA sukRpaNAJM cemAm avasthAm Atmano bale Beholding this miserable plight that has overtaken thee,
12217003c jJAtimitraparityaktazH zocasy Aho na zocasi deserted by both kinsmen and friends, dost thou or dost thou not indulge in grief?
12217004a prItimM prApyAtulAmM pUrvaM lokAMz cAtmavaze sthitAn Formerly, all the worlds were under thy sway and great was thy joy.
12217004c vinipAtam imaJM cAdya zocasy Aho na zocasi I ask, dost thou or dost thou not indulge in grief now, for this fall of thine in respect of external splendour?'
12217005 balir uvAca 'vAlin said,
12217005a anityam upalakSyedaGM kAlaparyAyam AtmanaH 'Considering all this to be transitory,--due, indeed, to the course of time,--
12217005c tasmAc chakra na zocAmi sarvaM hy evedam antavat I do not, O zakra, indulge in grief. These things have an end.
12217006a antavanta ime dehA bhUtAnAm amarAdhipa These bodies that creatures have, O chief of celestials, are all transitory.
12217006c tena zakra na zocAmi nAparAdhAd idamM mama For that reason, O zakra, I do not grieve (for this asinine form of mine). Nor is this form due to any fault of mine.
12217007a jIvitaJM ca zarIraJM ca pretya vai saha jAyate The animating principle and the body come into existence together, in consequence of their own nature.
12217007c ubhe saha vivardhete ubhe saha vinazyataH They grow together, and meet with destruction together.
12217008a tad IdRzam idamM bhAvam avazaH prApya kevalam Having obtained this form of existence I have not been permanently enslaved by it.
12217008c yady evam abhijAnAmi kA vyathA me vijAnataH Since I know this, I have no cause for sorrow in consequence of that knowledge.
12217009a bhUtAnAnM nidhananM niSThA srotasAm iva sAgaraH As the final resting-place of all rivers is the ocean, even so the end of all embodied creatures is death.
12217009c naitat samyag vijAnanto narA muhyanti vajrabhRt Those persons that know this well are never stupefied, O wielder of the thunderbolt!
12217010a ye tv evanM nAbhijAnanti rajomohaparAyaNAH They, however, who are overwhelmed with Passion and loss of judgment, do not know this,
12217010c te kRcchramM prApya sIdanti buddhir yeSAmM praNazyati they whose understanding is lost, sink under the weight of misfortune.
12217011a buddhilAbhe hi puruSasH sarvanM nudati kilbiSam A person who acquires a keen understanding succeeds in destroying all his sins.
12217011c vipApmA labhate sattvaM sattvasthasH samMprasIdati A sinless person acquires the attribute of Goodness, and having acquired it becomes cheerful.
12217012a tatas tu ye nivartante jAyante vA punaH punaH
12217012c kRpaNAH paritapyante te 'narthaiH paricoditAH They, however, that deviate from the attribute of Goodness, and obtain repeated rebirths, are obliged to indulge in sorrow and grief, led on by desire and the objects of the senses.
12217013a arthasiddhim anarthaJM ca jIvitamM maraNanM tathA Success or the reverse, in respect of the attainment of all objects of desire, life or death,
12217013c sukhaduHkhaphalaM caiva na dveSmi na ca kAmaye the fruits of action that are represented by pleasure or pain, I neither dislike nor like.
12217014a hataM hanti hato hy eva yo naro hanti kaJM cana
12217014c ubhau tau na vijAnIto yaz ca hanti hataz ca yaH When one slays another, one slays only that other's body. That man, who thinks that it is he who slays another, is himself slain. Indeed, both of them are ignorant of the truth, viz., he who slays and he who is slain.
12217015a hatvA jitvA ca maghavan yaH kaz cit puruSAyate That person, O Maghavat, who having killed or vanquished any one brags of his manliness,
12217015c akartA hy eva bhavati kartA tv eva karoti tat should know that he is not the actor but the act (of which he boasts) has been accomplished by a real agent (who is different).
12217016a ko hi lokasya kurute vinAzaprabhavAv ubhau When the question comes as to who is it that causes the creation and the destruction of things in the world,
12217016c kRtaM hi tat kRtenaiva kartA tasyApi cAparaH it is generally regarded that some person (who has himself been caused or created) has caused the act (of creation or destruction). Know, however, that the person who is so regarded has (as already said) a creator.
12217017a pRthivI vAyur AkAzam Apo jyotiz ca paJcamam Earth, light, space, water, and wind constituting the fifth --
12217017c etadyonIni bhUtAni tatra kA paridevanA from these all creatures spring. (When this is known to me) what sorrow can I feel (for this change in my condition)?
12217018a mahAvidyo 'lpavidyaz ca balavAn durbalaz ca yaH One that is possessed of great learning, one that has not much of learning, one that is possessed of strength, one that is destitute of strength,
12217018c darzanIyo virUpaz ca subhago durbhagaz ca yaH one that is possessed of personal beauty, and one that is very ugly, one that is fortunate and one that is not blessed by fortune,
12217019a sarvaGM kAlasH samAdatte gambhIrasH svena tejasA are all swept away by Time, which is too deep to be fathomed, by its own energy.
12217019c tasmin kAlavazamM prApte kA vyathA me vijAnataH When I know that I have been vanquished by Time, what sorrow can I feel (for this alteration in my circumstances)?
12217020a dagdham evAnudahati hatam evAnuhanti ca One that burns anything burns a thing that has been already burnt.
12217020c nazyate naSTam evAgre labdhavyaM labhate naraH One that slays, only slays a victim already slain. One that is destroyed has been before destroyed. A thing that is acquired by a person is that which is already arrived and intended for his acquisition.
12217021a nAsya dvIpaH kutaH pAraM nAvAraH saMpradRzyate This Time is like an ocean. There is no island in it.
12217021c nAntam asya prapazyAmi vidher divyasya cintayan Where, indeed, is its other shore? Its boundary cannot be seen. Reflecting even deeply, I do not behold the end of this continuous stream that is the great ordainer of all things and that is certainly celestial.
12217022a yadi me pazyataH kAlo bhUtAni na vinAzayet If I did not understand that it is Time that destroys all creatures,
12217022c syAn me harSaz ca darpaz ca krodhaz caiva zacIpate then, perhaps, I would have felt the emotions of joy and pride and wrath, O lord of zacI!
12217023a tuSabhakSanM tu mAJM jJAtvA Having ascertained that I now subsist upon chaff
12217023b praviviktajane gRhe and am in a lonely spot remote from the habitations of men,
12217023c bibhrataGM gArdabhaM rUpam bearing the form of an ass
12217023d Adizya parigarhase hast thou come here to condemn me?
12217024a icchann ahaM vikuryAM hi rUpANi bahudhAtmanaH If I wish, even now I can assume various awful forms
12217024c vibhISaNAni yAnIkSya palAyethAs tvam eva me beholding any one of which thou wouldst beat a hasty retreat from my presence.
note: IkSya for IkSitvA, me for mattas.
12217025a kAlasH sarvaM samAdatte kAlasH sarvamM prayacchati It is Time that gives everything and again takes away everything.
12217025c kAlena vidhRtaM sarvamM mA kRthAzH zakra pauruSam It is Time that ordains all things. Do not, O zakra, brag of thy manliness.
12217026a purA sarvamM pravyathate mayi kruddhe puranMdara Formerly, O Purandara, when I was angry all the world trembled.
12217026c avaimi tv asya lokasya dharmaM zakra sanAtanam I am acquainted, however, O zakra, with the eternal attributes of all things in the world.
12217027a tvam apy evam apekSasva mAtmanA vismayaGM gamaH Do thou also know the truth. Do not suffer thyself to be filled with wonder!
12217027c prabhavaz ca prabhAvaz ca nAtmasaMsthaH kadA cana Birth-status and power are never under one's control.
12217028a kaumAram eva te cittanM tathaivAdya yathA purA Thy mind seems to be like that of a child. It is the same as it was before.
12217028c samavekSasva maghavan buddhiM vindasva naiSThikIm Open thy eyes, O Maghavat, and adopt an understanding established on certitude and truth.
12217029a devA manuSyAH pitaro gandharvoragarAkSasAH The gods, men, the pitRs, the gandharvas, the snakes, and the rAkSasas,
12217029c Asan sarve mama vaze tat sarvaM vettha vAsava were all under my sway in days gone by. Thou knowest this, O vAsava!
12217030a namas tasyai dize 'py astu yasyAM vairocano baliH 'Salutations to that point of the compass whither Virochana's son vAlin may now be staying!'
12217030c iti mAm abhyapadyanta buddhimAtsaryamohitAH -- saying that, with their understandings stupefied by ignorance, all creatures used to flatter me.
12217031a nAhanM tad anuzocAmi nAtmabhraMzaM zacIpate O husband of zacI, I do not at all grieve when I think of that honour (which is no longer paid to me). I feel no sorrow for this fall of mine.
12217031c evamM me nizcitA buddhizH zAstus tiSThAmy ahaM vaze My understanding is firm in this respect, viz., that I will live obedient to the sway of the Ordainer.
12217032a dRzyate hi kule jAto darzanIyaH pratApavAn
12217032c duHkhaM jIvan sahAmAtyo bhavitavyaM hi tat tathA It is seen that some one of noble birth, possessed of handsome features, and endued with great prowess, lives in misery, with all his counsellors and friends. This happens because of its having been ordained.
12217033a dauSkuleyas tathA mUDho durjAtazH zakra dRzyate 1 Similarly, some one born in an ignoble race, devoid of knowledge, and with even a stain on his birth, is seen, O zakra,
12217033c sukhaJM jIvan sahAmAtyo bhavitavyaM hi tat tathA to live in happiness with all his counsellors and friends. This also happens because of its having been ordained.
12217034a kalyANI rUpasamMpannA durbhagA zakra dRzyate An auspicious and beautiful woman, O zakra, is seen to pass her life in misery.
12217034c alakSaNA virUpA ca subhagA zakra dRzyate Similarly, an ugly woman with every inauspicious mark is seen to pass her days in great happiness.
12217035a naitad asmatkRtaM zakra naitac chakra tvayA kRtam That we have now become so is not due to any act of ours, O zakra!
12217035c yat tvam evaGMgato vajrin yad vApy evaGMgatA vayam That thou art now so is not due, O wielder of the thunderbolt, to any act of thine.
12217036a na karma tava nAnyeSAGM kuto mama zatakrato Thou hast not done anything, O thou of hundred sacrifices,
12217036c Rddhir vApy atha vA na rddhiH paryAyakRtam eva tat in consequence of which thou art now enjoying this affluence. Nor have I done anything in consequence of which I have now been divested of affluence, Affluence and its reverse come one after another.
12217037a pazyAmi tvA virAjantanM devarAjam avasthitam I now behold thee blazing with splendour, endued with prosperity,
12217037c zrImantanM dyutimantaJM ca garjantaJM ca mamopari possessed of beauty, placed at the head of all the deities, and thus roaring at me.
12217038a etac caivanM na cet kAlo mAm Akramya sthito bhavet This would never be but for the fact of Time standing near after having assailed me.
12217038c pAtayeyam ahanM tvAdya savajram api muSTinA Indeed, if Time had not assailed me I might have today killed thee with only a blow of my fists notwithstanding the fact of thy being armed with the thunder.
12217039a na tu vikramakAlo 'yaGM kSamAkAlo 'yam AgataH This, however, is not the time for putting forth my prowess. On the other hand, the time that has come is for adopting a behaviour of peace and tranquillity.
12217039c kAlasH sthApayate sarvaGM kAlaH pacati vai tathA It is Time that establishes all things. Time works upon all things and leads them to their final consummation.
12217040a mAJM ced abhyAgataH kAlo dAnavezvaram Urjitam 1 I was the worshipped lord of the dAnavas.
12217040c garjantamM pratapantaJM ca kam anyanM nAgamiSyati Burning all with my energy, I used to roar in strength and pride.
12217041a dvAdazAnAM hi bhavatAm AdityAnAmM mahAtmanAm Formerly, singly I bore the energy of all the twelve illustrious Adityas with thyself amongst them,
12217041c tejAMsy ekena sarveSAnM devarAja hRtAni me O chief of the deities. When Time hath assailed even myself, who is there whom he will not assail?
12217042a aham evodvahAmy Apo visRjAmi ca vAsava It was I that used to bear up water and then to shower it as rain, O vAsava!
12217042c tapAmi caiva trailokyaM vidyotAmy aham eva ca It was I that used to give both light and heat unto the three worlds.
12217043a saMrakSAmi vilumpAmi dadAmy aham athAdade It was I that used to protect and it was I that used to destroy.
12217043c saMyacchAmi niyacchAmi lokeSu prabhur IzvaraH It was I that gave and it was I that took. It was I that used to bind and it was I that used to unbind. In all the worlds I was the one puissant master.
12217044a tad adya vinivRttamM me prabhutvam amarAdhipa That sovereign sway which I had, O chief of the celestials, is no more.
12217044c kAlasainyAvagADhasya sarvanM na pratibhAti me I am now assailed by the forces of Time. Those things, therefore, are no longer seen to shine in me.
12217045a nAhaGM kartA na caiva tvanM nAnyaH kartA zacIpate I am not the doer (of acts that are apparently done by me) Thou art not the doer (of acts done by thee). None else, O lord of zacI,
12217045c paryAyeNa hi bhujyante lokAzH zakra yadRcchayA is the doer (of those acts). It is Time, O zakra, that protects or destroys all things. 2 Persons conversant with the Vedas say that Time (Eternity) is brahmA.
12217046a mAsArdhamAsavezmAnam ahorAtrAbhisaMvRtam The fortnights and months are his body. That body is invested with days and nights as its robes.
12217046c RtudvAraM varSamukham Ahur vedavido janAH The seasons are his senses. The year is his mouth.
12217047a AhusH sarvam idaJM cintyaJM janAH ke cin manISayA Some people, in consequence of their superior intelligence, say that all this (the entire universe) should be conceived as brahmA.
12217047c asyAH paJcaiva cintAyAH paryeSyAmi ca paJcadhA The Vedas, however, teach, that the five sheaths that invest the Soul should be regarded as brahmA.
12217048a gambhIraGM gahanamM brahma mahat toyArNavaM yathA brahmA is deep and inaccessible like a vast ocean of waters.
12217048c anAdinidhanaJM cAhur akSaramM param eva ca It hath been said that it hath neither beginning nor end, and that it is both indestructible and destructible.
12217049a sattveSu liGgam Avezya naliGgam api tat svayam 3 Though it is without attributes by itself, yet it enters all existent objects and as such assumes attributes.
12217049c manyante dhruvam evainaM ye narAs tattvadarzinaH Those persons that see the truth regard brahmA as eternal.
12217050a bhUtAnAnM tu viparyAsamM manyate gatavAn iti
12217050c na hy etAvad bhaved gamyanM na yasmAt prakRteH paraH Through the action of Ignorance, brahmA causes the attributes of materiality to invest the Chit or Soul which is immaterial spirit (having knowledge only for its attribute). That materiality, however, is not the essential attribute of the Soul, for upon the appearance of a knowledge of the true cause of everything, that materiality ceases to invest the Soul. 1 brahmA in the form of Time is the refuge of all creatures.
12217051a gatiM hi sarvabhUtAnAm agatvA kva gamiSyasi Where wouldst thou go transcending that Time?
12217051c yo dhAvatA na hAtavyas tiSThann api na hIyate Time or brahmA, indeed, cannot be avoided by running nor by staying still.
12217051e tam indriyANi sarvANi nAnupazyanti paJcadhA All the five senses are incapable of perceiving brahmA.
12217052a Ahuz cainaGM ke cid agniGM ke cid AhuH prajApatim Some have said that brahmA is Fire; some that he is Prajapati;
12217052c RtumAsArdhamAsAMz ca divasAMs tu kSaNAMs tathA some that he is the Seasons; some that he is the Month; some that he is the Fortnight; some that he is the Days; some that he is the Hours;
12217053a pUrvAhNam aparAhNaJM ca madhyAhnam api cApare some that he is the Morning; some that he is the Noon; some that he is the Evening;
12217053c muhUrtam api caivAhur ekaM santam anekadhA and some that he is the Moment. Thus diverse people speak diversely of him who is single.
12217053e taGM kAlam avajAnIhi yasya sarvam idaM vaze Know that he is Eternity, under whose sway are all things.
12217054a bahUnIndrasahasrANi samatItAni vAsava Many thousands of indras have passed away, O vAsava,
12217054c balavIryopapannAni yathaiva tvaM zacIpate each of whom was possessed of great strength and prowess. Thou also, O lord of zacI, shalt have to pass away after the same manner.
12217055a tvAm apy atibalaM zakranM devarAjamM balotkaTam Thee, too, O zakra, that art possessed of swelling might and that art the chief of the deities,
12217055c prApte kAle mahAvIryaH kAlaH saMzamayiSyati when thy hour comes, all-powerful Time will extinguish!
12217056a ya idaM sarvam Adatte tasmAc chakra sthiro bhava Time sweeps away all things. For this reason, O zakra, do not brag.
12217056c mayA tvayA ca pUrvaiz ca na sa zakyo 'tivartitum Time is incapable of being quieted by either thee or me or by those gone before us.
12217057a yAm etAmM prApya jAnISe rAjazriyam anuttamAm This regal prosperity that thou hast attained and that thou thinkest to be beyond comparison,
12217057c sthitA mayIti tan mithyA naiSA hy ekatra tiSThati had formerly been possessed by me. It is unsubstantial and unreal. She does not dwell long in one place.
12217058a sthitA hIndrasahasreSu tvad viziSTatameSv iyam Indeed, she had dwelt in thousands of indras before thee, all of whom, again, were very much superior to thee.
12217058c mAJM ca lolA parityajya tvAm agAd vibudhAdhipa Unstable as she is, deserting me she hath now approached thee, O chief of the deities!
12217059a maivaM zakra punaH kArSIH zAnto bhavitum arhasi Do not, O zakra, indulge in such brag again. It behoveth thee to become tranquil.
12217059c tvAm apy evaGMgatanM tyaktvA kSipram anyaGM gamiSyati Knowing thee to be full of vanity, she will very soon desert thee.''
