DESCENTE AUX ENFERS

81* Agratô dêvadûtas tu yayau râjâca pfsthatas,

panthânam açubham durgam, sêvitam pâpakarmabhis, tamasâ sanvf tam ghôram, kêça-çaivala-çâdvalam ; yuktam pâpakftâm gandhair, mânsa-çônita-kardamam, asthi-kêça-samâkirnam, kfmi-kîta-samâkulam, jvalanêna pradîptêna samantât parivêstitam ; ayômukhaiç ca kâkâdyair gfdhraiç ca samabhidrutam? sucîmukhais tathâ prêtair Vindhyaçailôpamair vftam*

Sa tat kunapa-durgandham, açivam, lôma-harsanam Jagâma râjâ dharmâtmâ madhyê bahu vicintayan. dadarçô" snôdakais kîrnâm nadîm câpi sudurgamâm? asipatra-vanam caiva niçitaksura-samvftam; karambhavâ-lukân taptân, âyusîç caçilâs pfthak, lôhakumbhânç ca tailasya kvâthyamânân samantatas, kûta-çâlmalikam câpi dusspfçam tiksna-kantakam ; dadarça câpi Kauntêyô yâtanâs pâpakarmanâm

Nuntius antevolat, sequitur Pandavius héros, horrendum per iter, septum pallentibus umbris omnigenûm scelerum, praeceps immane barathrum ; torpet ubi fetor vitii, morbique, necisque, ssevit ubi flammœ strepitus, dum vermibus atris, vulturibus, corvisque, ululisque abrepta feruntur ossa, caro, crines miserorum, et gurgite toto monstra cruenta vorant humanse stragis acervos.

Ille cadaveribus mediis horrore silenti progreditur, tristes volvens sub pectore curas, pone fluit minitans xmdis torrentibus amnis,

ensiferumque nemus falces protendit acutas ; fcrrea saxa sonant, strident fornacibus imis lac oleurnque tumens artus esura nocentes ; undique putre solum spinis scatet, ignibus aer, terribilesque rcis intentant omnia pœnas.

Bhar. XVflL