करकङ्कटकुट्यङ्कखड्गसङ्घट्टटाङ्कृतैः । कालरात्र्या प्रनृत्यन्त्या रणवीणेव वाद्यते ॥ ४३ ॥
karakaṅkaṭakuṭyaṅkakhaḍgasaṅghaṭṭaṭāṅkṛtaiḥ | kālarātryā pranṛtyantyā raṇavīṇēva vādyatē || 43 ||
Translation
"With the twang of swords clashing on hands and armour, as on the frame and body of a lute, Kālarātri, dancing, plays on the lute of battle."
Word by word
- kara
- hands
- kaṅkaṭa
- armour
- kuṭya
- as the frame
- aṅka
- and body
- khaḍga
- of swords
- saṅghaṭṭa
- clashing
- ṭāṅkṛtaiḥ
- with the twang
- kālarātryā
- by Kālarātri
- pranṛtyantyā
- dancing
- raṇa
- of battle
- vīṇā
- the lute
- iva
- as it were
- vādyatē
- is played
Meaning
Kālarātri, the Night of Time, the dark goddess of destruction, dances on the field, and the battle is her lute. Hands and armour are its frame and strings, and the swords striking them its notes. Both commentaries give the lute; the exact parts named are uncertain.