नैषधीयचरितम् — द्वाविंशः सर्गः

उपास्य सांध्यं विधिमन्तिमाशा-
रागेण कान्ताधरचुम्बिचेताः ।
अवाप्तवान्सप्तमभूमिभागे
भैमीधरं सौधमसौ धरेन्द्रः ॥

Summary AI That lord of the earth (Nala), his mind eager to kiss his beloved's lips with the passion of the evening twilight, having performed the evening rites, reached the palace that held Bhima's daughter on the seventh floor.

२२.२

प्रत्युद्व्रजन्त्या प्रियया विमुक्तं
पर्यङ्कमङ्कस्थितसज्जशय्यम् ।
अध्यास्य तामप्यधिवास्य सोऽयं
संध्यामुपश्लोकयति स्म सायम् ॥

Summary AI He, having occupied the couch which had been left by his beloved who came forward to receive him and which had a ready bed placed upon it, and having seated her there as well, began to praise the evening.

२२.३

विलोकनेनानुगृहाण ताव-
द्दिशं जलानामधिपस्य दारान् ।
अक्षालि लाक्षापयसेव येय-
मपूरि पङ्कैरिव कुङ्कुमस्य ॥

Summary AI 'First, favor with your glance the direction which is the wife of the lord of the waters (the West). This direction seems to have been washed with lac-juice and filled with the paste of saffron.'

२२.४

उच्चैस्तरादम्बरशैलमौले-
श्च्युतो रविर्गैरिकगण्डशैलः ।
तस्यैव पातेन विचूर्णितस्य
संध्यारजोराजिरिहोज्जिहीते ॥

Summary AI The sun, fallen from the very high peak of the sky-mountain, is like a boulder of red chalk. Here, the row of evening dust (the twilight glow) rises from the fall of that very sun, as if it were pulverized.

२२.५

अस्ताद्रिचूडालयपक्कणालि-
च्छेकस्य किं कुक्कुटपेटकस्य ।
यामान्तकूजोल्लसितैः शिखौघै-
र्दिग्वारुणी द्रागरुणीकृतेयम् ॥

Summary AI Has this western direction been quickly reddened by the multitude of crests, flaring up with the end-of-the-watch crowing, of a flock of clever cocks from the row of tribal hamlets situated on the peak of the sunset mountain?

२२.६

पश्य द्रुतास्तंगतसूर्यनिर्य-
त्करावलीहैङ्गुलवेत्रयात्र ।
निषिध्यमानाहनि संध्ययापि
रात्रिप्रतीहारपदेऽधिकारम् ॥

Summary AI Look! The day, whose journey is marked by a vermilion cane which is the ray-cluster of the quickly setting sun, is being denied its authority in the post of night's doorkeeper, even by the twilight.

२२.७

महानटः किं नु सभानुरागे
संध्याय संध्यां कुनटीमपीशाम् ।
तनोति तन्वावियतापि तार-
श्रेणिस्रजा सांप्रतमङ्ग हारम् ॥

Summary AI O dear, is it that the great actor (Time), having meditated on the divine evening twilight with its redness as a subordinate actress, now performs a graceful gesture (angahara) with the garland of the star-cluster, however small it may be?

२२.८

भूषास्थिदाम्नस्त्रुटितस्य नाट्या-
त्पश्योडुकोटीकपटं वहद्भिः ।
दिग्मण्डलं मण्डयतीह खण्डैः
सायंनटस्तारकराट्किरीटः ॥

Summary AI Behold! The moon, the crown of the evening-dancer Shiva, adorns the circle of directions with its fragments. These fragments, carrying the guise of crores of stars, appear like pieces of a bone-garland ornament that broke during his cosmic dance.

२२.९

कालः किरातः स्फुटपद्मकस्य
वधं व्यधाद्यस्य दिनद्विपस्य ।
तस्येव संध्या रुचिरास्रधारा
ताराश्च कुम्भस्थलमौक्तिकानि ॥

Summary AI The hunter, Time, has killed the day-elephant (the sun), which had distinct lotus-like marks. The beautiful stream of its blood is this evening twilight, and the stars are the pearls scattered from its frontal globes.

२२.१०

संध्यासरागः ककुभो विभागः
शिवाविवाहे विभुनायमेव ।
दिग्वाससा पूर्वमवैमि पुष्प-
सिन्दूरिकापर्वणि पर्यधायि ॥

Summary AI I believe that during Shiva's wedding, in the 'pushpa-sindurika' ceremony, this very reddish part of the sky was previously worn by the lord Shiva, who is clothed in the directions themselves.

२२.११

सतीमुमामुद्वहता च पुष्प-
सिन्दूरिकार्थं वसने सुनेत्रे ।
दिशौ द्विसंधीमभि रागशोभे
दिग्वाससोभे किमलम्भिषाताम् ॥

Summary AI O beautiful-eyed one, were not both these directions, beautiful with the redness of the two twilights (dawn and dusk), obtained as garments by Shiva, who is clothed in directions, for the 'pushpa-sindurika' ceremony when he married the chaste Uma?

२२.१२

आदाय दण्डं सकलासु दिक्षु
योऽयं परिभ्राम्यति भानुभिक्षुः ।
अब्धौ निमज्जन्निव तापसोऽयं
संध्याभ्रकाषायमधत्त सायम् ॥

Summary AI This sun-mendicant, who wanders in all directions carrying his staff of rays, this ascetic, as if sinking into the ocean in the evening, has put on the saffron robe of the evening clouds.

२२.१३

अस्ताचलेऽस्मिन्निकषोपलाभे
संध्याकषोल्लेखपरीक्षितो यः ।
विक्रीय तं हेलिहिरण्यपिण्डं
तारावराटानियमादित द्यौः ॥

Summary AI The sky, having tested the lump of sun-gold on this western mountain that resembles a touchstone with the streak of the evening twilight, sold it and in exchange, according to the price, received these cowrie-shell-like stars.

२२.१४

पचेलिमं दाडिममर्कबिम्ब-
मुत्तार्य संध्या त्वगिवोज्झितास्य ।
तारामयं बीजभुजादसीयं
कालेन निष्ठ्यूतमिवास्थियूथम् ॥

Summary AI The evening twilight, having peeled off the sun's disc like a ripe pomegranate, has been discarded like its skin. This collection of stars seems like the multitude of seeds (bones) spat out by Time, the eater of the seeds.

२२.१५

ताराततिर्बीजमिवादमाद-
मियं निरष्ठेवि यदस्थियूथम् ।
तन्निष्कुलाकृत्य रविं त्वगेषा
संध्योज्झिता पाकिमदाडिमं वा ॥

Summary AI This cluster of stars is like the seeds; the collection of bones (seeds) which was spat out after being eaten repeatedly. Or, having peeled the sun, that ripe pomegranate, this evening twilight was discarded like the skin.

२२.१७

इत्थं ह्रिया वर्णनजन्मनेव
संध्यामपक्रान्तवतीं प्रतीत्य ।
तारातमोदन्तुरमन्तरिक्षं
निरीक्षमाणः स पुनर्बभाषे ॥

Summary AI Realizing that the evening twilight had departed, as if out of shame born from his descriptions, Nala, watching the sky now uneven with stars and darkness, spoke again.

२२.१८

रामेषुमर्मव्रणनार्तिवेगा-
द्रत्नाकरः प्रागयमुत्पपात ।
ग्राहौघकिर्मीरितमीनकम्बु
नभो न भोः कामशरासनभ्रु ॥

Summary AI O you whose eyebrows are like Kama's bow! This is not the ocean that formerly leaped up from the force of pain when its vital parts were pierced by Rama's arrow. This is the sky, variegated with fish (constellations) and conches (moon), amidst a multitude of crocodiles (darkness).

२२.१९

मोहाय देवाप्सरसां विमुक्ता-
स्ताराः शराः पुष्पशरेण शङ्के ।
पञ्चास्यवत्पञ्चशरस्य नाम्नि
प्रपञ्चवाची खलु पञ्चशब्दः ॥

Summary AI I suspect that these star-arrows have been released by Kamadeva to delude the gods and Apsaras. Indeed, in the name 'Panchashara' (five-arrowed), the word 'five', just as in 'Panchasya' (five-faced Shiva), signifies 'multitude', not just the number five.

२२.२०

नभोनदीकूलकुलायचक्री-
कुलस्य नक्तं विरहाकुलस्य ।
दृशोरपां सन्ति पृषन्ति ताराः
पतन्ति तत्संक्रमणानि धाराः ॥

Summary AI At night, the stars are the teardrops from the eyes of the flock of Chakravaka birds, nested on the banks of the sky-river (Milky Way) and distressed by separation. The streams (of meteors) that fall are those drops flowing together.

२२.२१

अमूनि मन्येऽमरनिर्झरिण्या
यादांसि गोधा मकरः कुलीरः ।
तत्पूरखेलत्सुरभीतिदूरो
मग्नान्यधः स्पष्टमितः प्रतीमः ॥

Summary AI I think these constellations—the Iguana, the Crocodile (Capricorn), the Crab (Cancer)—are aquatic animals of the celestial river. Being far from the fear of the gods who play in its floods, we perceive them clearly from here below as if they were submerged.

२२.२२

स्मरस्य कम्बुः किमयं चकास्ति
दिवि त्रिलोकीजयवादनीयः ।
कस्यापरस्योडुमयैः प्रसूनै-
र्वादित्रशक्तिर्घटते भटस्य ॥

Summary AI Is this Kamadeva's conch, meant to be sounded at his victory over the three worlds, that shines in the sky? For what other warrior is the power of a musical instrument possible with flowers made of stars?

२२.२३

किं योगिनीयं रजनी रतीशं
याजीजिवत्पद्मममूमुहच्च ।
योगर्द्धिमस्या महतीमलग्न-
मिदं वदत्यम्बरचुम्बि कम्बु ॥

Summary AI Is this night a Yogini, who revived Kamadeva and made the lotuses close? This sky-kissing, unattached conch (the moon) speaks of her great yogic power.

२२.२४

प्रबोधकालेऽहनि बाधितानि
ताराः खपुष्पाणि निदर्शयन्ती ।
निशा ह शून्याध्वनि योगिनीयं
मृषा जगद्दृष्टमपि स्फुटाभम् ॥

Summary AI This Yogini, the Night, showing the stars to be like unreal sky-flowers that are negated at dawn, demonstrates that on the path of emptiness (Shunyavada), even the clearly perceived world is ultimately false.

२२.२५

एणः स्मरेणाङ्कमयः सपत्रा-
कृतो भवद्भ्रूयुगधन्वना यः ।
मुखे तवेन्दौ लसता स तारा
पुष्पालिबाणानुगतो गतोऽयम् ॥

Summary AI The deer, which is the spot on the moon, was turned into a feathered arrow by Kamadeva, who uses your pair of eyebrows as his bow. That very arrow, followed by a swarm of star-flowers, has now gone to your shining moon-like face.

२२.२६

लोकाश्रयो मण्डपमादिसृष्टि-
ब्रह्माण्डमाभात्यनुकाष्ठमस्य ।
स्वकान्तिरेणूत्करवान्तिमन्ति
घुणव्रणद्वारनिभानि भानि ॥

Summary AI The universe-egg of the original creation, the support of all worlds, shines like a pavilion. In every direction of it, the stars, resembling holes made by woodworms, shine, possessing heaps of dust which are their own light.

२२.२७

शचीसपत्न्यां दिशि पश्य भैमी
शक्रेभदानद्रवनिर्झरस्य ।
पोप्लूयते वासरसेतुनाशा-
दुच्छृङ्खलः पूर इवान्धकारः ॥

Summary AI O Bhaimi, look! In the eastern direction, the co-wife of Shachi, the unrestrained darkness, freed by the destruction of the day-dam, is rapidly spreading like a flood of ichor from Indra's elephant, Airavata.

२२.२८

रामालिरोमावलिदिग्विगाहि
ध्वान्तायते वाहनमन्तकस्य ।
यद्वीक्ष्य दूरादिव बिभ्यतः स्वा-
नश्वान्गृहीत्वापसृतो विवस्वान् ॥

Summary AI The darkness, pervading the directions like a line of hair on a beautiful woman, acts like the vehicle of Yama (the buffalo). It is as if the sun, fearing it, has retreated from afar, taking his own horses with him.

२२.२९

पक्वं महाकालफलं किलासी-
त्प्रत्यग्गिरेः सानुनि भानुबिम्बम् ।
भिन्नस्य तस्यैव दृषन्निपाता-
द्बीजानि जानामितमां तमांसि ॥

Summary AI The sun's disc on the western mountain's peak was indeed like a ripe Mahakala fruit. I fully believe that the spreading darknesses are the seeds of that very fruit, which has been shattered by falling on a stone (the horizon).

२२.३०

पत्युर्गिरीणामयशः सुमेरु-
प्रदक्षिणाद्भास्वदनादृतस्य ।
दिशस्तमश्चैत्ररथान्यनाम-
पत्रच्छटाया मृगनाभिशेभि ॥

Summary AI The darkness spreading in all directions was like the infamy of the Himalayas, lord of mountains, who is disregarded by the sun because it circumambulates Mount Meru. This darkness possessed the splendor of musk, which is another name for the leaves of Kubera's garden (Chaitraratha).

२२.३१

ऊर्ध्वं धृतं व्योम सहस्ररश्मे-
र्दिवा सहस्रेण करैरिवासीत् ।
पतत्तदेवांशुमता विनेदं
नेदिष्ठतामेति कुतस्तमिस्रम् ॥

Summary AI During the day, the sky seemed to be held up by the thousand rays (hands) of the sun. Without the sun, that very sky is now falling and coming closer. So, where is this darkness from? (Implying the descending sky itself is the darkness).

२२.३२

ऊर्ध्वार्पितन्युब्जकटाहकल्पे
यद्व्योम्नि दीपेन दिनाधिपेन ।
न्यधायि तद्भूममिलद्गुरुत्वं
भूमौ तमः कज्जलमस्खलत्किम् ॥

Summary AI In the sky, imagined as an inverted cauldron placed overhead, the sun acted as a lamp. Has the soot (darkness) produced by this sun-lamp, having gained weight by mixing with earthly elements, now fallen to the ground?

२२.३३

ध्वान्तैणनाभ्या शितिनाम्बरेण
दिशः शरैः सूनशरस्य तारैः ।
मन्दाक्षलक्ष्या निशि मामनिन्दौ
सेर्ष्या भवायान्त्यभिसारिकाभाः ॥

Summary AI With the sky darkened by musk-like darkness and pierced by the star-arrows of Kamadeva, the directions, appearing like jealous female messengers who are barely visible due to shame, approach me at night to cause me torment, even in the presence of the flawless moon.

२२.३४

भास्वन्मयीं मीलयतो दृशं द्रा-
ङ्मिथोमिलद्व्यञ्चलमादिपुंसः ।
आचक्ष्महे तन्वि तमांसि पक्ष्म
श्यामत्वलक्ष्मीविजितेन्दुलक्ष्म ॥

Summary AI O slender one, we consider this darkness to be the eyelashes of the Primeval Being (Vishnu) as He quickly closes His sun-like eye. These eyelashes, with their two ends meeting, possess a beauty of blackness that surpasses the spot on the moon.

२२.३५

विवस्वतानायिषतेव मिश्राः
स्वगोसहस्रेण समं जनानाम् ।
गावोऽपि नेत्रापरनामधेया-
स्तेनेदमान्ध्यं खलु नान्धकारैः ॥

Summary AI It seems as if the Sun, along with his own thousand rays ('go'), has also taken away the 'rays' ('go') of people, which are also known as eyes. Therefore, this is blindness, not something caused by darkness.

२२.३६

ध्वान्तस्य वामोरु विचारणायां
वैशेषिकं चारु मतं मतं मे ।
औलूकमाहुः खलु दर्शनं
तत्क्षमं तमस्तत्त्वनिरूपणाय ॥

Summary AI O you with beautiful thighs, in considering the nature of darkness, I find the beautiful doctrine of the Vaisheshika school agreeable. They call that philosophy 'Auluka' (related to owls), and indeed, it is capable of ascertaining the true nature of darkness, just as owls can see in it.

२२.३७

म्लानिस्पृशः स्पर्शनिषेधभूमेः
सेयं त्रिशङ्कोरिव संपदस्य ।
न किंचिदन्यत्प्रति कौशिकीये
दृशौ विहाय प्रियमातनोति ॥

Summary AI This state of darkness—which is fading and cannot be touched—is like the condition of Trishanku, suspended between worlds. It brings pleasure to nothing else except the two eyes of the owls.

२२.३८

मूर्धाभिषिक्तः खलु यो ग्रहाणां
तद्भासमास्कन्दत ऋक्षशोभम् ।
दिवान्धकारं स्फुटलब्धरूप-
मालोकतालोकमुलूकलोकः ॥

Summary AI Let the moon, who is indeed the crowned king of the planets, attack the splendor of the stars with its own light. Let the community of owls now behold the world, which is like daylight for them, as the darkness has taken a distinct form.

२२.३९

दिने मम द्वेषिणि कीदृगेषां
प्रचार इत्याकलनाय चारीः ।
छाया विधाय प्रतिवस्तुलग्नाः
प्रावेशयत्प्रष्टुमिवान्धकारः ॥

Summary AI It was as if the Darkness, to ascertain 'What is the conduct of things during the day, my enemy?', sent in shadows attached to every object as spies to inquire and report back.

२२.४०

ध्वान्तस्य तेन क्रियमाणयेत्थं
द्विषाः शशी वर्णनयाऽथ रुष्टः ।
उद्यन्नुपाश्लोकि जपारुणश्री-
र्नराधिपेनानुनयेच्छयेव ॥

Summary AI Then, the moon, the enemy of darkness, seemingly angered by this description of darkness being made by Nala, was praised by the king as it was rising. The rising moon, with its reddish glow like a Japa flower, was praised as if with a desire to appease it.

२२.४१

पश्यन्वृतोऽप्येष निमेषमद्रे-
रधित्यकाभूमितिरस्करिण्या ।
प्रवर्षति प्रेयसि चन्द्रिकामि-
श्चकोरचञ्चूचुलुकप्रमिन्दुः ॥

Summary AI O beloved, look! This moon, though hidden for a moment by the curtain of the mountain's plateau, is showering moonlight in quantities that can be held in the cupped beaks of the Chakora birds.

२२.४२

ध्वान्ते द्रुमान्तानभिसारिकास्त्वं
शङ्कस्व सङ्केतनिकेतमाप्ताः ।
छायाच्छलादुज्झितनीलचेला
ज्योत्स्नानुकूलैश्चरिता दुकूलैः ॥

Summary AI Imagine the dark edges of the trees to be female messengers (abhisarika) who have reached their meeting place. Under the pretext of being shadows, they have cast off their dark garments and are now clad in fine white silks suitable for the moonlight.

२२.४३

त्वदास्यलक्ष्मीमुकुरं चकोरैः
स्वकौमुदीमादयमानमिन्दुम् ।
दृशा निशेन्दीवरचारुभासा
पिबोरु रम्भातरुपीवरोरु ॥

Summary AI O you whose thighs are as plump as banana stems, drink in deeply with your eyes, which have the lovely glow of a night-lotus, the moon—which is a mirror for the beauty of your face and is being enjoyed by the Chakora birds as its own moonlight.

२२.४४

असंशयं सागरभागुदस्था-
त्पृथ्वीधरादेव मथः पुरायम् ।
अमुष्य यस्मादधुनापि सिन्धौ
स्थितस्य शैलादुदयं प्रतीमः ॥

Summary AI Undoubtedly, this moon, which was once part of the ocean, first arose from the churning mountain (Mandara) long ago. This is because even now, we perceive its rise from a mountain (Udayagiri) while it is situated in the sky (which is also called 'sindhu').

२२.४५

निजानुजेनातिथितामुपेतः
प्राचीपतेर्वाहनवारणेन ।
सिन्दूरसान्द्रे किमकारि मूर्ध्नि
तेनारुणश्रीरयमुज्जिहीते ॥

Summary AI Having been received as a guest by its younger brother, Airavata, the elephant vehicle of Indra, what was done by him to the moon's head, which was thick with vermilion? For this moon now rises with a reddish glow, implying Airavata applied the color.

२२.४६

यत्प्रीतिमद्भिर्वदनैः स्वसाम्या-
दचुम्बि नाकाधिपनायिकानाम् ।
ततस्तदीयाधरयावयोगा-
दुदेति बिम्बारुणबिम्ब एषः ॥

Summary AI Because it was kissed with affectionate faces by the celestial ladies, due to its resemblance to their own faces, this moon now rises with its disc red like a Bimba fruit, from contact with the red lac-dye on their lips.

२२.४७

विलोमिताङ्कोत्किरणाद्दुरूह-
दृगादिना दृश्यविलोचनादि ।
विधिर्विधत्ते विधुना वधूनां
किमाननं काञ्चनसञ्चकेन ॥

Summary AI The Creator uses the moon—which has its features reversed (dark spot, bright rays) and whose own 'eyes' are imperceptible—to create the faces of women with visible eyes and other features. What need, then, does He have for a golden mirror?

२२.४८

अनेन वेधा विपरीतरूप-
विनिर्मिताङ्कोत्किरणाङ्गकेन ।
त्वदाननं दृश्यदृगाद्यलक्ष्य-
दृगादिनैवाकृत सञ्चकेन ॥

Summary AI The Creator made your face using this very mirror (the moon), which has its parts—the dark spot and bright rays—created in reverse forms. Thus, your face possesses visible eyes and other features, while the corresponding features on the moon-mirror are invisible.

२२.५०

तानीव गत्वा पितृलोकमेन-
मरञ्जयन्यानि स जामदग्न्यः ।
छित्त्वा शिरोस्त्राणि सहस्रबाहो-
र्विस्राणि विश्राणितवान्पितृभ्यः ॥

Summary AI The spots on the moon, which is considered to be in the world of the ancestors, pleased it, just as Parashurama pleased his ancestors by offering them the foul-smelling blood from the thousand heads of Sahasrabahu that he had severed.

२२.५१

अकर्णनासस्त्रपते मुखं ते
पश्यन्न सीतास्यमिवाभिरामम् ।
रक्तोस्रवर्षी बत लक्ष्मणाभि-
भूतः शशी शूर्पणखामुखाभः ॥

Summary AI Alas! The moon, resembling the face of Shurpanakha overpowered by Lakshmana, with its red glow like tears of blood, is not ashamed of its own 'earless and noseless' (spotted) face, even while looking at your face, which is as beautiful as Sita's.

२२.५२

आदत्त दीप्रं मणिमम्बरस्य
दत्त्वा यदस्मै खलु सायधूर्तः ।
रज्यत्तुषारद्युतिकूटहेम
तत्पाण्डु जातं रजतं क्षणेन ॥

Summary AI The rogue of the evening (twilight), having given the moon counterfeit gold in the form of its initial reddish glow, took in exchange the shining gem of the sky, the sun. Indeed, that counterfeit gold quickly turned into pale silver as the moon became white.

Other texts to read

योगवासिष्ठम् वाल्मीकिः

किरातार्जुनीयम् भारविः

About

Resources