Passage 1
ब्रह्मोवाच— वेधास्तमागतं वीक्ष्य कालं लोकभयङ्करम्। श्यामं कठिनसर्वाङ्गं लेलिहानं समन्ततः॥१॥
Brahmā said: The Creator saw Time arrive, terror of the worlds—dark, hard in every limb, and licking all around him. Source note: The edition's compact adjective before सर्वाङ्गं is visually difficult; कठिनसर्वाङ्गं gives the visible letters and the physical sense without altering the line's syntax.
Passage 2
घोरास्यं दीर्घनिःश्वासं घोरनासातिभीषणम्। विद्युदुद्द्योतिरसनं तीव्रचित्तं ज्वलन्मुखम्॥२॥
His face was dreadful, his breath long, and his terrible nose exceedingly fearsome; his tongue flashed like lightning, his intent was fierce, and his mouth blazed.
Passage 3
ज्वलन्तं सर्वतो वक्त्रं गृह्णन्तमिव पावकम्। सहस्रवदनं घोरं सहस्राक्षशिरोधरम्॥३॥
His mouths burned everywhere as though seizing fire itself. He was dreadful, with a thousand faces and heads bearing a thousand eyes.
Passage 4
सहस्रपादोरुभुजं कोटिजिह्वाभयानकम्। करालभ्रुकुटीयुग्मं दुष्प्रेक्षं त्रिदशैरपि॥४॥
He had a thousand feet, thighs, and arms, and was terrifying with ten million tongues. His pair of grimly knotted brows was difficult even for the gods to behold.
Passage 5
समुत्तुङ्गतनुं दीर्घं महान्तं विपुलं गुरुम्। तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्राकरालास्यं विमुञ्चन्तं स्फुलिङ्गकान्॥५॥
His towering body was long, immense, vast, and heavy; his mouth was grim with sharp fangs and cast forth sparks.
Passage 6
महोल्कारोमकूपाढ्यं महावायुसुवेगिनम्। धावन्तं विश्वतो दीप्तं ग्रासीकृतजगत्त्रयम्॥६॥
His pores bristled with great meteors, and he moved with the speed of a mighty wind, rushing forth, blazing throughout the universe, as though the three worlds were already swallowed.
Passage 7
विरूपसर्वावयवं कोटिव्याघ्रभयानकम्। महावेगनदीपूरजविनं जरया युतम्॥७॥
Every limb was misshapen, and he was as terrifying as ten million tigers; joined with old age, he sped like the flood of a violently rushing river.
Passage 8
महाकालसर्पनिभं गम्भीरवनसंनिभम्। दंष्ट्राकरालविपुलशब्दब्रह्माण्डभेदिनम्॥८॥
He resembled the great serpent of Time and the depths of a dark forest; the vast roar from his fang-filled grim mouth seemed to split the cosmic egg.
Passage 9
ऊर्ध्वकेशातिजटिलं दुष्पूरजठरं सदा। ब्रह्माण्डैकग्रासकरं विकटं विद्युदाननम्॥९॥
His hair rose upward in dense matted locks, his belly could never be filled, and his monstrous lightning-like mouth could devour the entire universe in one bite.
Passage 10
ऊर्ध्वग्रीवं ज्वलद्वक्त्रैर्विद्योतन्तं दिशो दश। समाह भगवान् वेधाः कालं भुवनभीषणम्॥१०॥
His neck stretched upward, and his blazing mouths illuminated the ten directions. The blessed Creator summoned this Time who terrified the worlds.
Passage 11
विधिरुवाच— गच्छ त्वं काल साकेतनगरे भुविभूषणे। यत्र रामः स्वयं भाति सीतया भ्रातृभिः सह॥११॥
Vidhi said: Go, Time, to the city of Sāketa, ornament of the earth, where Rāma himself shines with Sītā and his brothers.
Passage 12
जानकीशः समस्तेशः परमात्मा स्वयं प्रभुः। तवापि स नियन्तेति प्रार्थनीयस्त्वया विभुः॥१२॥
The Lord of Jānakī is Lord of all, the supreme Self and sovereign himself. Because he is even your controller, you must address your request to that all-pervading Lord.
Passage 13
अवतारचरित्राणि कृतानि भगवंस्त्वया। अतः परं निजं धाम प्रमोदविपिनाभिधम्॥१३॥
Say to him: “Blessed Lord, you have completed the deeds of your avatāra. Now return to your own abode called Pramodavana.
Passage 14
अभ्यायाहि महाराज न हि ते व्यक्तिरन्यथा। धृतस्त्वया त्रयीधर्मो रक्षिता द्विजदेवताः॥१४॥
Come back to it, great King, for your manifestation has no other purpose. You have upheld the dharma of the threefold Veda and protected brāhmaṇas and the gods.
Passage 15
किमर्थमधुना देव स्थीयते भवता प्रभो। न हि ते समवस्थानं प्रकटं भुवि सर्वदा॥१५॥
For what reason, divine Lord, do you remain here now? It is not your way to abide visibly upon earth forever.
Passage 16
धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय व्यक्तिस्तव युगे युगे। कृतानि देवकृत्यानि समस्तानां हितानि च॥१६॥
Age after age your manifestation establishes dharma. You have performed the gods' tasks and accomplished the welfare of all.
Passage 17
प्रमोदवनमागच्छ राम त्वमधुना प्रभो। निवारय व्रजस्त्रीणां वेदनां विरहोद्भवाम्॥१७॥
Come now to Pramodavana, Lord Rāma, and end the pain born from separation among the women of Vraja.
Passage 18
पुत्रस्नेहातिवश्याया माङ्गल्यायाः सुखं कुरु। सुखितस्य गवेन्द्रस्य दुःखं हर वियोगजम्॥१८॥
Bring happiness to Māṅgalyā, utterly overcome by love for her son, and remove the pain of separation from the cowherd king who once dwelt in joy.
Passage 19
इति सम्प्रार्थ्य संस्तूय रामं त्रिभुवनेश्वरम्। यथाऽज्ञापयते देवस्तथा कुरु च सत्वरम्॥१९॥
After petitioning and praising Rāma, Lord of the three worlds, quickly do whatever the Lord commands you.
Passage 20
इत्युक्तः स जगत्कालः प्रणम्य वेधसं प्रभुम्। अयोध्यामागमद्यत्र रामस्तत्र विभीषणः॥२०॥
Thus instructed, Time of the universe bowed to Lord Brahmā and came to Ayodhyā, where Rāma was present in a fearsome majesty. Source note: The closing विभीषणः functions descriptively in the printed line; the context does not introduce the person Vibhīṣaṇa here.
Passage 21
ददर्श तत्र प्रासादे रामं सिंहासनोपरि। कोटिकालारिनदुर्धर्षं कोटिकोलाकवर्चसम्॥२१॥
There in the palace he saw Rāma upon the throne, invincible beyond hosts of Time's enemies and blazing with the splendor of countless cosmic fires. Source note: The two compressed “crore” compounds are retained from the edition. Their cumulative force is comparative and cosmic; the English does not force uncertain lexical divisions.
Passage 22
कोटिकालघनश्यामं कोटिकालाब्धिभीषणम्। कोटिकालातिदुर्धर्षं कोटिदंष्ट्राभयानकम्॥२२॥
He was dark as ten million clouds of Time, terrible as ten million oceans at the end of Time, more unassailable than ten million Times, and fearsome with ten million fangs.
Passage 23
कोटिभ्रूकुटिकौटिल्याद्वमन्तं कालकूटकम्। कोटिजिह्वाज्वलद्वक्त्रं कोटिज्वालाजटाधरम्॥२३॥
From the crookedness of ten million knitted brows he poured forth the poison Kālakūṭa; ten million tongues blazed in his mouths, and he bore matted locks of ten million flames.
Passage 24
संवर्तानलसंदोहविस्फुलिङ्गकणानि च। मुञ्चन्तं कोटिनयनं दुर्धर्षं दुःसहप्रभम्॥२४॥
His ten million eyes cast off particles of sparks from masses of the Saṃvarta fire; he was invincible, with a radiance impossible to endure.
Passage 25
करालविग्रहं चोग्रं कोटिरुद्रातिकोपनम्। ज्वालामालापरिव्याप्तत्रैलोक्यस्थिरजङ्गमम्॥२५॥
His form was grim and fierce, surpassing the wrath of ten million Rudras; garlands of flame enveloped everything moving and unmoving throughout the three worlds.
Passage 26
कालकालं भीमभीमं घोरघोरतमं नृणाम्। कोटिब्रह्मकृतग्रासं कोटिनारायणाशिनम्॥२६॥
He was the death of Time, terror beyond terror, and to human beings the most dreadful of the dreadful—one who devoured ten million Brahmās and consumed ten million Nārāyaṇas.
Passage 27
कोटिरुद्रभुजं कोटिवसिष्ठादिविनाशकम्। कोटिदेवेन्द्रविलयं कोटिदेवभवं तथा॥२७॥
He possessed the arms of ten million Rudras, destroyed ten million Vasiṣṭhas and other sages, dissolved ten million Indras, and brought forth ten million gods.
Passage 28
आधिदैविकमध्यात्ममाधिभौतिकमेव च। अक्षरं त्रिगुणातीतं त्रिभवं त्रिभवातिगम्॥२८॥
He encompassed the divine, inward, and material orders; he was imperishable, beyond the three guṇas, source of the threefold world and beyond all three states of becoming.
Passage 29
त्रिविष्टपेशसम्पूज्यं ब्रह्मरुद्रादिभीषणम्। एवंविधं प्रभुं रामं दृष्ट्वा कालो व्यकम्पत॥२९॥
He was worshiped by the lord of heaven and terrified Brahmā, Rudra, and the others. Seeing Lord Rāma in such a form, Time trembled.
Passage 30
न्यमीलयद्दृशौ भीत्या द्रष्टुं नाशकदीश्वरम्। स्थातुं च नाशकत् स्थानेऽपलायत दिशो दश॥३०॥
In fear he closed his eyes, unable to look upon the Lord. Unable even to remain in that place, he fled through the ten directions.
Passage 31
नतः सौम्यतरो भूत्वा कथंचित्पुनराययौ। धैर्यं बद्ध्वा दृढं धीरो निदेशं ब्रह्मणः स्मरन्॥३१॥
Then, becoming gentler, he somehow returned. The resolute one gathered firm courage and remembered Brahmā's command.
Passage 32
स्फुटीचकार सहजानात्मनः सकलान् गुणान्। सिषेच पुरवीथीश्च शीतलैश्चन्दनोदकैः॥३२॥
He made manifest all the auspicious qualities natural to his being, and the city streets seemed sprinkled with cool sandal water.
Passage 33
प्रफुल्लकुमुदाम्भोजमकाण्डमभवत्सरः। अकाले चाग्निहोत्राणि हव्यगन्धानि जज्वलुः॥३३॥
Without seasonal cause, the lake filled with blooming water lilies and lotuses; at an unexpected time the Agnihotra fires blazed with the fragrance of oblations.
Passage 34
ववुर्वाताः सुखस्पर्शाः सुनक्षत्रमभून्नभः। ऋतुराजः प्रादुरासीत्प्रोत्फुल्लकुसुमाकरः॥३४॥
Pleasantly touching breezes blew, the sky became auspicious with stars, and spring, king of the seasons, appeared as a mine of fully opened flowers.
Passage 35
केकीशुकपिकध्वानचकोरीध्वनिमञ्जुलः। श्रियमाकालिकीं वीक्ष्य मेने कालकृतं विभुः॥३५॥
Peacocks, parrots, cuckoos, and cakora birds sounded sweetly. Seeing this untimely splendor, the Lord understood it to be Time's doing.
Passage 36
अद्य कालः समायास्यन् कुरुते मे प्ररोचनम्। फलस्तावितदेहे च कर्मकाण्डेऽतिदुष्करे॥३६॥
“Time is about to arrive today and is announcing himself to me; the fruit has ripened in this embodied and exceedingly difficult course of action.” Source note: The second pāda is tightly printed as फलस्तावितदेहे च कर्मकाण्डेऽतिदुष्करे. Its completed-action sense is translated closely without conjecturally replacing the visible compound.
Passage 37
ततः पार्श्वस्थितं शेषं लक्ष्मणं लोकमङ्गलम्। प्रतिहारपदं दत्त्वा स्थापयद्द्वारि राघवः॥३७॥
Then Rāghava appointed Lakṣmaṇa—Śeṣa himself, standing at his side and bringing welfare to the world—as doorkeeper and stationed him at the entrance.
Passage 38
तत एकान्तगं दूरे रामं भुवनभूषणम्। आजगाम स्वयं कालः कालकालं कृपानिधिम्॥३७॥
When Rāma, ornament of the worlds, had withdrawn alone to a distant place, Time himself approached that treasury of compassion who is the death of Time. Source note: The edition repeats printed marker ३७ for this independently presented passage and then resumes at ३९. It is therefore canonical passage 38 without altering its printed marker.
Passage 39
अतिसौम्यं वपुः कृत्वा कोटिचन्द्रसुशीतलम्। सुवेशं सुमुखं स्वक्षं सुरूपं सुन्दरोत्तमम्॥३९॥
Time assumed an exceedingly gentle body, cool as ten million moons, beautifully dressed, pleasant-faced, lovely-eyed, well formed, and supremely handsome.
Passage 40
सोऽपश्यन्मणिपीठस्थं रामचन्द्रं जगद्धितम्। प्रावृषेण्यघनश्यामं सुधावर्षिणमद्भुतम्॥४०॥
He saw Rāmacandra, benefactor of the world, seated upon a jeweled throne—dark as a rain-season cloud, wondrous, and showering nectar.
Passage 41
फुल्लेन्दीवरसंकाशं मनोज्ञकरुणेक्षणम्। कोटिकन्दर्पलावण्यं कौस्तुभोद्भासितं गले॥४१॥
He resembled a fully opened blue lotus and cast enchanting, compassionate glances. His beauty equaled ten million Cupids, and the Kaustubha jewel shone at his neck.
Passage 42
पादाङ्गुलिनखद्योतपराभूतेन्दुमण्डलम्। शुद्धारमिव मूर्त्याढ्यं प्रेमाणमिव भासुरम्॥४२॥
The radiance of his toenails humbled the orb of the moon. Richly embodied, he shone like pure delight itself and like love made visible. Source note: The edition's opening word in the second pāda is visually compact; शुद्धारमिव is retained and translated by its clear comparison to pure, radiant delight.
Passage 43
साक्षाच्छ्रीसहजाकान्तं पादपङ्कजकोमलम्। दूरादेव प्रभुं दृष्ट्वा साष्टाङ्गं प्रणनाम ह॥४३॥
He was visibly the beloved of Śrī Sahajā, tender as a lotus at his feet. Seeing the Lord from afar, Time bowed flat with all eight limbs.
Passage 44
तुष्टाव चाञ्जलिं बद्ध्वा भक्त्या नमितमस्तकः॥४४॥ With palms joined and head bowed in devotion, he began to praise him. **इति श्रीमदादिरामायणे ब्रह्मभुशुण्डसंवादे उत्तरखण्डे कालदमनोपाख्याने द्वितीयोऽध्यायः॥२॥
** Thus ends Chapter Two in the episode of the subduing of Time, in the Uttara-khaṇḍa of the glorious Ādi Rāmāyaṇa, in the dialogue of Brahmā and Bhuśuṇḍa.