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Book 1 - Vairagya Prakaranam

Chapter 25 — The Play of Death

1. श्रीराम उवाच
अत्रैव दुर्विलासानां चूडामणिरिहापरः ।
करोत्यत्तीति लोकेऽस्मिन्दैवं कालश्च कथ्यते ॥ १ ॥
Sri Rama Said:
Time stands the foremost of all deceitful players in this world. He acts the double parts of creation and destruction, and of action and fate (utility and fatality).
2. क्रियामात्रादृते यस्य स्वपरिस्पन्दरूपिणः ।
नान्यदालक्ष्यते रूपं न कर्म न समीहितम् ॥ २ ॥
Time has no other character but those of action and motion by which its existence is known to us, and which bind all beings (in the succession of thoughts and acts).
3. तेनेयमखिला भूतसंततिः परिपेलवा ।
तापेन हिममालेव नीता विधुरतां भृशम् ॥ ३ ॥
Fate is that which frustrates (the necessary consequences of) the acts of all created beings, as the solar heat serves to dissolve the accumulation of snows.
4. तेनेयमखिला भूतसंततिः परिपेलवा ।
तापेन हिममालेव नीता विधुरतां भृशम् ॥ ३ ॥
This wide world is the stage wherein the giddy mob dance about (in their appointed times).
5. तृतीयं च कृतान्तेति नाम बिभ्रत्सुदारुणम् ।
कापालिकवपुर्मत्तं दैवं जगति नृत्यति ॥ ५ ॥
Time has a third name of a terrifying nature known as Kritantah (Fate), who in the form of a Kapalika (one holding human skulls in his hand), dances about in the world.
6. नृत्यतो हि कृतान्तस्य नितान्तमिव रागिणः ।
नित्यं नियतिकान्तायां मुने परमकामिता ॥ ६ ॥
This dancing and loving Kritantah (Fate), is accompanied by his consort called Destiny to whom he is greatly attached (as his colleague).
7. शेषः शशिकलाशुभ्रो गङ्गावाहश्च तौ त्रिधा ।
उपवीते अवीते च उभौ संसारवक्षसि ॥ ७ ॥
Time (as Siva), wears on his bosom of the world, the triplicate white and holy thread composed of the serpent named Ananta and the stream of Ganges, and the digit of the moon on his forehead (to measure his course). (Viz:—the Zodiacal belt; the milky way, and the lunar mansions).
8. चन्द्रार्कमण्डले हेमकटकौ करमूलयोः ।
लीलासरसिजं हस्ते ब्रह्मन्ब्रह्माण्डकर्णिका ॥ ८ ॥
The sun and the moon are the golden armlets of time, who holds in his palm the mundane world as the paltry plaything of a nosegay.
9. ताराबिन्दुचितं लोलपुष्करावर्तपल्लवम् ।
एकार्णवपयोधौ तमेकमम्बरमम्बरम् ॥ ९ ॥
The firmament with its stars appears like a garment with coloured spots in it; the clouds called Pushkara and Avarta are as the skirts of that garment, which are washed by Time in the waters of the universal deluge.
10. एवंरूपस्य तस्याग्रे नियतिर्नित्यकामिनी ।
अनस्तमितसंरम्भमारम्भैः परिनृत्यति ॥ १० ॥
Before him, dances his beloved Destiny with all her arts for ever, to beguile the living that are fond of worldly enjoyments.
11. तस्या नर्तनलोलाया जगन्मण्डपकोटरे ।
अरुद्धस्पन्दरूपाया आगमापायचञ्चुरे ॥ ११ ॥
People hurry up and down to witness the dance of Destiny, whose unrestrained motion keeps them at work, and causes their repeated births and deaths.
12. चारुभूषणमङ्गेषु देवलोकान्तरावली ।
आपातालं नभोलम्बं कबरीमण्डलं बृहत् ॥ १२ ॥
The people of all the worlds are studded about her person as her ornaments, and the sky stretching from the heaven of gods to the infernal regions, serves for the veil on her head.
13. नरकाली च मञ्जीरमाला कलकलोज्ज्वला ।
प्रोता दुष्कृतसूत्रेण पातालचरणे स्थिता ॥ १३ ॥
Her feet are planted in the infernal regions, and the hell-pits ring at her feet like trinkets, tied by the string of evil deeds or sins (of men).
14. कस्तूरिकातिलककं क्रियासंख्योपकल्पितम् ।
चित्रितं चित्रगुप्तेन यमे वदनपट्टके ॥ १४ ॥
She is painted all over from head to foot by the god Chitra Gupta with ornamental marks prepared by her attendants (the deeds of men), and perfumed with the essence of those deeds.
15. कालास्यं समुपादाय कल्पान्तेषु किलाकुला ।
नृत्यत्येषा पुनर्देवी स्फुटच्छैलघनारवम् ॥ १५ ॥
She dances and reels at the nod of her husband at the end of the Kalpas, and makes the mountains crack and crash at her foot-falls.
16. पश्चात्प्रालम्बविभ्रान्तकौमारभृतबर्हिभिः ।
नेत्रत्रयवृहद्रन्ध्रभूरिभाङ्कारभीषणैः ॥ १६ ॥
Behind her dance the peacocks of the god Kumara; and Kala the god of death staring with his three wide open eyes, utters his hideous cries (of destruction).
17. लम्बलोलजटाचन्द्रविकीर्णहरमूर्धभिः ।
उच्चरच्चारुमन्दारगौरीकबरचामरैः ॥ १७ ॥
Death dances about in the form of the five headed Hara, with the loosened braids of hair upon him; while Destiny in the form of Gauri, and her locks adorned with Mandara flowers keeps her pace with him.
18. उत्ताण्डवाचलाकारभैरवोदरतुम्बकैः ।
रणत्सशतरन्ध्रेन्द्रदेहभिक्षाकपालकैः ॥ १८ ॥
This Destiny in her war-dance, bears a capacious gourd representing her big belly, and her body is adorned with hundreds of hollow human skulls jingling like the alms-pots of the Kapali mendicants.
19. शुष्कशारीरखट्वाङ्गभरैरापूरिताम्बरम् ।
भीषयत्यात्मनात्मानं सर्वसंहारकारिणी ॥ १९ ॥
She has filled (reached) the sky with the emaciated skeleton of her body, and gets terrified at her all destructive figure.
20. विश्वरूपशिरश्चक्रचारुपुष्करमालया ।
ताण्डवेषु विवल्गन्त्या महाकल्पेषु राजते ॥ २० ॥
The skulls of the dead of various shapes adorn her body like a beautiful garland of lotuses, which keep hanging to and fro during her dance at the end of a Kalpa age.
21. प्रमत्तपुष्करावर्तडमरोड्डामरारवैः ।
तस्याः किल पलायन्ते कल्पान्ते तुम्बुरादयः ॥ २१ ॥
The horrible roaring of the giddy clouds Pushkara and Avarta at the end of the Kalpa, serves to represent the beating of her Damaru drum, and put to flight the heavenly choir of Tumburu.
22. नृत्यतोऽन्तः कृतान्तस्य चन्द्रमण्डलभासिनः ।
तारकाचन्द्रिकाचारुव्योमपिच्छावचूलिनः ॥ २२ ॥
As death dances along, the moon appears like his ear-ring, and the moon-beams and stars appear like his crest made of peacocks’ feathers.
23. एकस्मिञ्छ्रवणे दीप्ता हिमवानस्थिमुद्रिका ।
अपरे च महामेरुः कान्ता काञ्चनकर्णिका ॥ २३ ॥
The snow-capt Himalaya, appears like a circlet of bones in the upper loop of his right ear, and the mount Meru as a golden areola in that of the left.
24. अत्रैव कुण्डले लोले चन्द्रार्कौ गण्डमण्डले ।
लोकालोकाचलश्रेणी सर्वतः कटिमेखला ॥ २४ ॥
Under their lobes are suspended the moon and the sun, as pendant ear-rings glittering over his cheeks. The mountain ranges called the lokaloka are fastened like chains around his waist.
25. इतश्चेतश्च गच्छन्ती विद्युद्वलयकर्णिका ।
अनिलान्दोलिता भाति नीरदांशुकपट्टिका ॥ २५ ॥
The lightnings are the bracelets and armlets of Destiny, which move to and fro as she dances along. The clouds are her wrappers that fly about her in the air.
26. मुसलैः पट्टिशैः प्रासैः शूलैस्तोमरमुद्गरैः ।
तीक्ष्णैः क्षीणजगद्वान्तकृतान्तैरिव संभृतैः ॥ २६ ॥
Death is furnished with many weapons, as clubs, axes, missiles, spears, shovels, mallets and sharp swords, all of which are sure weapons of destruction.
27. संसारबन्धनादीर्घे पाशे कालकरच्युते ।
शेषभोगमहासूत्रप्रोते मालास्य शोभते ॥ २७ ॥
Mundane enjoyments are no other than long ropes dropped down by the hand of death, and keeping all mankind fast bound to the world; while the great thread of infinity (ananta) is worn by him as his wreath of flowers.
28. जीवोल्लसन्मकरिकारत्नतेजोभिरुज्ज्वला ।
सप्ताब्धिकङ्कणश्रेणी भुजयोरस्य भूषणम् ॥ २८ ॥
The belts of the seven oceans are worn about the arms of Death as his bracelets resplendent with the living sea-animals, and the bright gems contained in their depths.
29. व्यवहारमहावर्ता सुखदुःखपरम्परा ।
रजःपूर्णतमःश्यामा रोमाली तस्य राजते ॥ २९ ॥
The great vortices of customs, the successions of joy and grief, the excess of pride and the darkness of passions, form the streaks of hair on Time’s body.
30. एवंप्रायः स कल्पान्ते कृतान्तस्ताण्डवोद्भवाम् ।
उपसंहृत्य नृत्येहां सृष्ट्वा सह महेश्वरम् ॥ ३० ॥
After the end of the world, he ceases to dance, and creates anew all things from the lowest animal that lives in the earth, to the highest Brahma and Rudra (when he resumes his dance).
31. पुनर्लास्यमयीं नृत्यलीलां सर्गस्वरूपिणीम् ।
तनोतीमां जराशोकदुःखाभिभवभूषिताम् ॥ ३१ ॥
Destiny as an actress, acts by turns her parts of creation and destruction, diversified by scenes of old age, sorrow and misery.
32. भूयः करोति भुवनानि वनान्तराणि लोकान्तराणि जनजालककल्पनां च ।
आचारचारुकलनामचलां चलां च पङ्काद्यथार्भकजनो रचनामखिन्नः ॥ ३२ ॥
Time repeatedly creates the worlds and their woods, with the different abodes and localities teeming with population. He forms the moveable and immovable substances, establishes customs and again dissolves them, as boys make their dolls of clay and break them soon afterwards.
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