यत्र शिलाशिताऽसिशातः पात उपलताडनमग्निदाहो हिमावसेकोऽङ्गावकर्त्तनं चन्दनचर्चा तरुवनानि घुणवृत्तान्तः परिवेषोऽङ्गपरिमार्जनमनवरतानलविचलितसमरनाराचनिपातो निदाघविनोदनं धारागृहसीकरवर्षणं शिरश्छेदः सुखनिद्रा मूकीकरणमाननमुद्राबान्धुर्यं महानुपचयः ॥ १६ ॥
yatra śilāśitā’siśātaḥ pāta upalatāḍanamagnidāhō himāvasēkō’ṅgāvakarttanaṁ candanacarcā taruvanāni ghuṇavṛttāntaḥ parivēṣō’ṅgaparimārjanamanavaratānalavicalitasamaranārācanipātō nidāghavinōdanaṁ dhārāgṛhasīkaravarṣaṇaṁ śiraśchēdaḥ sukhanidrā mūkīkaraṇamānanamudrābāndhuryaṁ mahānupacayaḥ || 16 ||
Translation
There, the eating of stones, the cut of swords, the fall from a height, the battering with rocks and the burning in fire are a sprinkling of snow. The hacking of limbs is an anointing with sandal paste. The forests of sword-leaved trees, the worm's lot, and the winding with chains are a rubbing of the body. The ceaseless rain of war-arrows blown on by flame is a pleasure of the hot season, the spray of a fountain house. Beheading is sweet sleep. To be struck dumb is a seal on the lips. To be maimed is great increase.
Word by word
- yatra
- there
- śilā
- of stones
- śita
- the eating
- asi
- of swords
- śātaḥ
- the cut
- pāta
- (pātaḥ) the fall
- upala
- with rocks
- tāḍanam
- the battering
- agni
- in fire
- dāhō
- (dāhaḥ) the burning
- hima
- of snow
- avasēkō
- (avasekaḥ) a sprinkling
- aṅga
- of limbs
- avakarttanaṁ
- the hacking
- candana
- with sandal paste
- carcā
- an anointing
- taru
- of trees
- vanāni
- the forests
- ghuṇa
- the worm's
- vṛttāntaḥ
- lot
- parivēṣō
- (pariveṣaḥ) the winding
- parimārjanam
- a rubbing
- anavarata
- ceaseless
- anala
- by flame
- vicalita
- blown on
- samara
- of war
- nārāca
- of arrows
- nipātō
- (nipātaḥ) the rain
- nidāgha
- of the hot season
- vinōdanaṁ
- a pleasure
- dhārāgṛha
- of a fountain house
- sīkara
- the spray
- varṣaṇaṁ
- the shower
- śiraś
- (śiraḥ) of the head
- chēdaḥ
- cutting
- sukha
- sweet
- nidrā
- sleep
- mūkīkaraṇam
- to be struck dumb
- ānana
- on the lips
- mudrā
- a seal
- bāndhuryaṁ
- to be maimed
- mahān
- great
- upacayaḥ
- increase
Meaning
A long verse, and one of the darkest in the work. It can be read two ways, and the commentary gives both. On the first, it simply lists the hells, and adds that sweet sleep and the rest are never had there. On the second, which the construction of the Sanskrit favours and which this rendering follows, every item pairs a torment with a comfort: this is what passes in such a place for snow, for sandal paste, for sleep. Each cruelty is the ordinary ease of the place. The irony is the point. It is a picture of a state so far gone that the worst now counts as relief, and readers who have watched an addiction take a person may feel it is less far from everyday life than the mythology suggests. The verse is not offered as geography. Verse 17 will say why it is told: so that inquiry is not neglected.