निर्जराक्रन्दकारिण्यो मुक्ताम्बरपयोधराः । तप्तनिःश्वासविध्वस्ताः परं कार्श्यमिता दिशः ॥ २७ ॥
nirjarākrandakāriṇyō muktāmbarapayōdharāḥ | taptaniḥśvāsavidhvastāḥ paraṁ kārśyamitā diśaḥ || 27 ||
Translation
The directions, crying out to the immortals, their cloud-breasts bared of their sky-garment, struck down by hot sighs, have grown utterly thin.
Word by word
- nirjara
- to the immortals
- ākranda
- crying out
- kāriṇyō
- (kāriṇyaḥ) making
- mukta
- bared
- ambara
- of their sky-garment
- payōdharāḥ
- their cloud-breasts
- tapta
- hot
- niḥśvāsa
- by sighs
- vidhvastāḥ
- struck down
- paraṁ
- utterly
- kārśyam
- thin
- itā
- have grown
- diśaḥ
- the directions
Meaning
A pun runs through the verse: payodhara is both cloud and breast, ambara both sky and garment. The directions are pictured as women in mourning, beating their bared breasts.