Sarga 25¶

Vairāgya Prakaraṇa · The dance of Fate and Death (32 verses)

Sarga 25 at a glance

Śrī Rāma's speech continues: Fate, Death and Destiny as cosmic dancers.

Fate and Time "make and devour"; their form is pure activity, and the world is their dance-hall (1.25.1–1.25.4).
Kṛtānta, Death, dances like a skull-bearing ascetic, in love with his bride Niyati, Destiny (1.25.5–1.25.10).
Destiny's dance: the heavens are her ornaments, the hells her anklet; at the end of the aeons she takes the face of Time (1.25.11–1.25.21).
Death adorned with mountains, sun and moon, oceans; after the dance of destruction, he begins again the gentle dance of creation, like a child playing with mud (1.25.22–1.25.32).

Verse 1.25.1¶

श्रीराम उवाच ।
अत्रैव दुर्विलासानां चूडामणिरिहापरः ।
करोत्यत्तीति लोकेऽस्मिन्दैवं कालश्च कथ्यते ॥ १.२५.१ ॥

अत्र एव (right here) इह (in this world) दुर्विलासानां चूडामणिः (the crest-jewel of wicked sports) अपरः (another one) [अस्ति]; अस्मिन् लोके (in this world) 'करोति अत्ति' इति ('it makes and it eats') दैवं कालः च कथ्यते (is called Fate and Time).

Translation: Śrī Rāma said: "Here in this world there is another crest-jewel of wicked sport: that which 'makes and devours', called Fate and Time."

Pointers for Reflection:

Reading note. The online text prints चूडमणि; corrected here to चूडामणि.
दैव — Fate. Time is now joined by Fate (दैव), Death (कृतान्त) and Destiny (नियति). Sarga 25 is a great cosmic dance of these powers, drawn in the imagery of Śiva's तांडव.
Is Fate real? In the Mumukṣu Prakaraṇa Vasiṣṭha will answer at length: 'fate' is only the momentum of one's own past effort, and present effort (पौरुष) can overcome it.

Verse 1.25.2¶

क्रियामात्रादृते यस्य स्वपरिस्पन्दरूपिणः ।
नान्यदालक्ष्यते रूपं न कर्म न समीहितम् ॥ १.२५.२ ॥

स्व-परिस्पन्द-रूपिणः यस्य (of which, whose form is its own vibration) क्रिया-मात्रात् ऋते (apart from mere activity) अन्यत् रूपं न आलक्ष्यते (no other form is seen) न कर्म न समीहितम् (no deed, no intention).

Translation: "Its very form is its own movement. Apart from sheer activity, it has no other form to be seen — no particular deed, no intention."

Pointers for Reflection:

स्पन्द — vibration. The key word of Kashmir Śaivism: consciousness as pure pulsation. Here Fate is pure activity without a doer or purpose.

Verse 1.25.3¶

तेनेयमखिला भूतसंततिः परिपेलवा ।
तापेन हिममालेव नीता विधुरतां भृशम् ॥ १.२५.३ ॥

तेन (by it) इयम् अखिला परिपेलवा भूत-सन्ततिः (this whole, very fragile line of beings) तापेन हिम-माला इव (as a wreath of snow by heat) भृशं विधुरतां नीता (is brought to great distress).

Translation: "By it this whole fragile line of beings is brought to ruin, as a wreath of snow melts in the heat."

Pointers for Reflection:

Snow in heat. Compare 1.3.9, the mind melting like ice. Here it is the beings themselves that melt.

Verse 1.25.4¶

यदिदं दृश्यते किंचिज्जगदाभोगि मण्डलम् ।
तत्तस्य नर्तनागारमिहासावतिनृत्यति ॥ १.२५.४ ॥

यत् इदं किंचित् आभोगि जगत्-मण्डलं दृश्यते (whatever of this vast world-sphere is seen), तत् तस्य नर्तन-आगारम् (that is its dance-hall); इह असौ अतिनृत्यति (here it dances wildly).

Translation: "This whole vast sphere of the world that we see is its dance-hall; here it dances wildly."

Pointers for Reflection:

The world as a dance-hall. The image that runs through the whole sarga: the cosmos as the stage of a divine dance.

Verse 1.25.5¶

तृतीयं च कृतान्तेति नाम बिभ्रत्सुदारुणम् ।
कापालिकवपुर्मत्तं दैवं जगति नृत्यति ॥ १.२५.५ ॥

च तृतीयं (and a third) सु-दारुणं कृतान्त इति नाम बिभ्रत् (bearing the dreadful name Kṛtānta, 'the ender') कापालिक-वपुः (in the form of a skull-bearing ascetic) मत्तं दैवं (drunken Fate) जगति नृत्यति (dances in the world).

Translation: "And a third, bearing the dreadful name Kṛtānta, 'the one who makes an end', dances drunken in the world in the form of a skull-carrying ascetic."

Pointers for Reflection:

Kṛtānta — Death, 'the ender'. Pictured as a Kāpālika, an ascetic of a Śaiva sect who carried a skull-bowl. The image is of Śiva as Bhairava.

Verse 1.25.6¶

नृत्यतो हि कृतान्तस्य नितान्तमिव रागिणः ।
नित्यं नियतिकान्तायां मुने परमकामिता ॥ १.२५.६ ॥

मुने (O sage), हि (indeed) नृत्यतः (as he dances) नितान्तम् इव रागिणः कृतान्तस्य (of Kṛtānta, who is utterly passionate) नियति-कान्तायां (for his beloved, Destiny) नित्यं परम-कामिता [अस्ति] (there is always the greatest love).

Translation: "O sage, as Kṛtānta dances, full of passion, he is always deeply in love with his beloved, Niyati, Destiny."

Pointers for Reflection:

Niyati — Destiny, the fixed order. Kṛtānta and Niyati are a divine couple, like Śiva and Śakti. In Kashmir Śaivism, नियति is one of the five 'coverings' (कञ्चुक) that limit pure consciousness into an individual: the sense of a fixed causal order.

Verse 1.25.7¶

शेषः शशिकलाशुभ्रो गङ्गावाहश्च तौ त्रिधा ।
उपवीते अवीते च उभौ संसारवक्षसि ॥ १.२५.७ ॥

शशि-कला-शुभ्रः शेषः (Śeṣa, white as the crescent moon) गङ्गा-वाहः च (and the stream of the Gaṅgā) तौ उभौ (both of them) संसार-वक्षसि (on the chest of the world) त्रिधा (in three strands) उपवीते अवीते च (as his sacred thread, worn and unworn) [स्तः] ([are]).

Translation: "On the chest of the world, Śeṣa the serpent, white as the crescent moon, and the stream of the Gaṅgā hang in three strands as his sacred thread."

Pointers for Reflection:

The sacred thread. Kṛtānta is dressed like a cosmic brāhmaṇa; his sacred thread is made of Śeṣa and the Gaṅgā — again the imagery of Śiva, who wears the serpent and the Gaṅgā.

Verse 1.25.8¶

चन्द्रार्कमण्डले हेमकटकौ करमूलयोः ।
लीलासरसिजं हस्ते ब्रह्मन्ब्रह्माण्डकर्णिका ॥ १.२५.८ ॥

ब्रह्मन् (O sage), चन्द्र-अर्क-मण्डले (the discs of moon and sun) कर-मूलयोः (at his wrists) हेम-कटकौ (are golden bracelets); हस्ते (in his hand) ब्रह्माण्ड-कर्णिका (with the cosmic egg as its centre) लीला-सरसिजम् (is a play-lotus).

Translation: "O sage, the discs of the sun and moon are golden bracelets on his wrists; in his hand is a play-lotus whose seed-pod is the cosmic egg."

Pointers for Reflection:

The universe as a toy lotus. The cosmic egg (ब्रह्माण्ड) is only the centre of a flower he twirls in his hand.

Verse 1.25.9¶

ताराबिन्दुचितं लोलपुष्करावर्तपल्लवम् ।
एकार्णवपयोधौ तमेकमम्बरमम्बरम् ॥ १.२५.९ ॥

एक-अर्णव-पयोधौ (in the single ocean of the deluge) तारा-बिन्दु-चितम् (dotted with stars) लोल-पुष्कर-आवर्त-पल्लवम् (with fringes of swirling clouds) तम् एकम् अम्बरम् (that one sky) [तस्य] अम्बरम् (is his garment).

Translation: "In the single ocean of the deluge, the one sky, dotted with stars and fringed with swirling clouds, is his garment."

Pointers for Reflection:

अम्बरम् अम्बरम् — a pun. अम्बर means both sky and garment. The sky is his robe — as Śiva is दिगम्बर, 'clothed in the directions'.

Verse 1.25.10¶

एवंरूपस्य तस्याग्रे नियतिर्नित्यकामिनी ।
अनस्तमितसंरम्भमारम्भैः परिनृत्यति ॥ १.२५.१० ॥

एवं-रूपस्य तस्य अग्रे (before him of such a form) नित्य-कामिनी नियतिः (Destiny, ever in love) अनस्तमित-संरम्भम् (with unceasing zeal) आरम्भैः (with her undertakings) परिनृत्यति (dances all around).

Translation: "Before him, so adorned, Destiny, his ever-loving bride, dances all around with unceasing zeal, through all her undertakings."

Pointers for Reflection:

Niyati dances. The fixed order of causes and effects is her dance. Everything that happens 'by fate' is a step of her dance.

Verse 1.25.11¶

तस्या नर्तनलोलाया जगन्मण्डपकोटरे ।
अरुद्धस्पन्दरूपाया आगमापायचञ्चुरे ॥ १.२५.११ ॥

नर्तन-लोलायाः (eager to dance) अरुद्ध-स्पन्द-रूपायाः (whose nature is unchecked movement) आगम-अपाय-चञ्चुरे (skilled in coming and going) तस्याः (of her) जगत्-मण्डप-कोटरे (in the hollow of the world-pavilion) …

Translation: "Of her, eager in her dance, whose very nature is unchecked movement, skilled in bringing and taking away, dancing in the hall of the world …"

Pointers for Reflection:

आगमापाय — coming and going. The Gītā's word for the transient (2.14). Destiny's whole art is making things come and go. The sentence runs on.

Verse 1.25.12¶

चारुभूषणमङ्गेषु देवलोकान्तरावली ।
आपातालं नभोलम्बं कबरीमण्डलं बृहत् ॥ १.२५.१२ ॥

[तस्याः] अङ्गेषु (on her limbs) देव-लोक-अन्तर-आवली (the series of heavenly worlds) चारु-भूषणम् (is a lovely ornament); आपातालं नभः-लम्बं (from the underworld to the sky) बृहत् कबरी-मण्डलम् (is her great mass of braided hair).

Translation: "… the heavenly worlds are the lovely ornaments on her limbs, and her great braid of hair stretches from the underworld to the sky."

Pointers for Reflection:

The cosmos as her body. As in the Gītā's universal form (11.7, इहैकस्थं जगत्कृत्स्नं पश्याद्य सचराचरम्). See here the whole world in one place, in my body.

Verse 1.25.13¶

नरकाली च मञ्जीरमाला कलकलोज्ज्वला ।
प्रोता दुष्कृतसूत्रेण पातालचरणे स्थिता ॥ १.२५.१३ ॥

नरक-आली च (and the row of hells) दुष्कृत-सूत्रेण प्रोता (strung on the thread of evil deeds) कल-कल-उज्ज्वला (bright and jingling) मञ्जीर-माला (an anklet) पाताल-चरणे स्थिता (rests on her foot, the underworld).

Translation: "The row of hells, strung on the thread of evil deeds, jingles brightly as an anklet on her foot, the underworld."

Pointers for Reflection:

Hells strung on the thread of deeds. Even hell is only the jingling of Destiny's anklet — its thread is our own misdeeds.

Verse 1.25.14¶

कस्तूरिकातिलककं क्रियासंख्योपकल्पितम् ।
चित्रितं चित्रगुप्तेन यमे वदनपट्टके ॥ १.२५.१४ ॥

यमे वदन-पट्टके (on Yama's forehead) चित्रगुप्तेन (by Citragupta) क्रिया-संख्या-उपकल्पितं (made from the count of deeds) कस्तूरिका-तिलककं चित्रितम् (a musk mark is painted).

Translation: "On the forehead of Yama, Citragupta paints a musk mark made from the tally of all deeds."

Pointers for Reflection:

Citragupta is Yama's scribe, who records every person's deeds. The ledger of karma is a cosmetic mark on Death's face.

Verse 1.25.15¶

कालास्यं समुपादाय कल्पान्तेषु किलाकुला ।
नृत्यत्येषा पुनर्देवी स्फुटच्छैलघनारवम् ॥ १.२५.१५ ॥

कल्प-अन्तेषु (at the ends of the aeons) किल आकुला (frenzied) एषा देवी (this goddess) काल-आस्यं समुपादाय (taking on the face of Time) स्फुटत्-शैल-घन-आरवं (with the roar of splitting mountains and clouds) पुनः नृत्यति (dances again).

Translation: "At the ends of the aeons this goddess, frenzied, takes on the face of Time and dances again, to the roar of splitting mountains and thundering clouds."

Pointers for Reflection:

Kālī. The goddess who takes the face of Time (काल) is Kālī — Destiny becomes Time, and Time becomes the dancer of dissolution.

Verse 1.25.16¶

पश्चात्प्रालम्बविभ्रान्तकौमारभृतबर्हिभिः ।
नेत्रत्रयबृहद्रन्ध्रभूरिभाङ्कारभीषणैः ॥ १.२५.१६ ॥

पश्चात् (behind) प्रालम्ब-विभ्रान्त-कौमार-भृत-बर्हिभिः (with the peacocks of Kumāra, dangling and whirling) नेत्र-त्रय-बृहत्-रन्ध्र-भूरि-भाङ्कार-भीषणैः (fearsome with booming from the great openings of three eyes) …

Translation: "Behind her whirl the peacocks of Kumāra, and terrible booming comes from the great openings of three eyes …"

Pointers for Reflection:

Reading note. The online text prints वृहद्; corrected here to बृहद्.
A catalogue of ornaments (1.25.16–1.25.19). Her ornaments are the gods themselves: Kumāra's peacock, Śiva's heads, Indra's skull. The sentence runs on to verse 19.
Reading note. These verses are densely compressed; the translation gives the general picture rather than every detail.

Verse 1.25.17¶

लम्बलोलजटाचन्द्रविकीर्णहरमूर्धभिः ।
उच्चरच्चारुमन्दारगौरीकबरचामरैः ॥ १.२५.१७ ॥

लम्ब-लोल-जटा-चन्द्र-विकीर्ण-हर-मूर्धभिः (with Hara's heads, from whose long swaying locks the moon is scattered) उच्चरत्-चारु-मन्दार-गौरी-कबर-चामरैः (with whisks made of Gaurī's braids, from which mandāra flowers fall) …

Translation: "… with Śiva's heads, the moon tumbling from their long swaying locks, and with whisks made of Gaurī's braids, shedding mandāra flowers …"

Pointers for Reflection:

Śiva and Gaurī as ornaments. At the dissolution even Śiva and Pārvatī are part of the dancer's adornment.

Verse 1.25.18¶

उत्ताण्डवाचलाकारभैरवोदरतुम्बकैः ।
रणत्सशतरन्ध्रेन्द्रदेहभिक्षाकपालकैः ॥ १.२५.१८ ॥

उत्ताण्डव-अचल-आकार-भैरव-उदर-तुम्बकैः (with gourds made from Bhairava's mountain-like belly, dancing wildly) रणत्-स-शत-रन्ध्र-इन्द्र-देह-भिक्षा-कपालकैः (with begging skull-bowls made from Indra's body, ringing through its hundred holes) …

Translation: "… with gourds made from the mountainous belly of Bhairava, dancing wildly, and begging-bowls made from Indra's body, ringing through its hundred holes …"

Pointers for Reflection:

Indra's hundred holes. Indra is called 'thousand-eyed'; here his body becomes a skull-bowl that rings through its many openings. Grotesque, but the point is clear: no god is beyond dissolution.

Verse 1.25.19¶

शुष्कशारीरखट्वाङ्गभरैरापूरिताम्बरम् ।
भीषयत्यात्मनात्मानं सर्वसंहारकारिणी ॥ १.२५.१९ ॥

सर्व-संहार-कारिणी (the destroyer of all) शुष्क-शारीर-खट्वाङ्ग-भरैः (with heaps of skull-staffs made of dry bodies) आपूरित-अम्बरं [यथा भवति तथा] (filling the sky) आत्मना आत्मानं भीषयति (frightens herself by herself).

Translation: "… she who destroys all, filling the sky with heaps of skull-staffs made of dried bodies, frightens even herself."

Pointers for Reflection:

आत्मनात्मानं — she frightens herself. There is no one else. At the dissolution only the One remains, and its terror is only its own reflection.
Bṛhadāraṇyaka 1.4.2: सोऽबिभेत् … यन्मदन्यन्नास्ति कस्मान्नु बिभेमीति — He was afraid … then he thought: since there is nothing other than me, of what am I afraid?

Verse 1.25.20¶

विश्वरूपशिरश्चक्रचारुपुष्करमालया ।
ताण्डवेषु विवल्गन्त्या महाकल्पेषु राजते ॥ १.२५.२० ॥

[सा] महा-कल्पेषु ताण्डवेषु (in the wild dances of the great aeons) विवल्गन्त्या (leaping) विश्वरूप-शिरः-चक्र-चारु-पुष्कर-मालया (with a lovely lotus-garland of the heads of Viśvarūpa) राजते (shines).

Translation: "In the wild dances at the end of great aeons, she shines with a leaping garland of lotuses — the heads of Viśvarūpa."

Pointers for Reflection:

ताण्डव — the cosmic dance. Śiva's dance of destruction. Here performed by Destiny, Time's bride.

Verse 1.25.21¶

प्रमत्तपुष्करावर्तडमरोड्डामरारवैः ।
तस्याः किल पलायन्ते कल्पान्ते तुम्बुरादयः ॥ १.२५.२१ ॥

कल्प-अन्ते (at the end of the aeon) तस्याः (of her) प्रमत्त-पुष्कर-आवर्त-डमरु-उड्डामर-आरवैः (by the terrible sounds of her ḍamaru-drums, the frenzied Puṣkarāvarta clouds) तुम्बुरु-आदयः (Tumburu and the other celestial musicians) किल पलायन्ते (flee).

Translation: "At the end of an aeon, even Tumburu and the heavenly musicians flee from the terrible drumming of her ḍamaru — the frenzied clouds of the deluge."

Pointers for Reflection:

The ḍamaru. Śiva's small drum, whose sound creates and destroys worlds. Even the gods' own musicians cannot bear its rhythm.

Verse 1.25.22¶

नृत्यतोऽन्तः कृतान्तस्य चन्द्रमण्डलभासिनः ।
तारकाचन्द्रिकाचारुव्योमपिच्छावचूलिनः ॥ १.२५.२२ ॥

चन्द्र-मण्डल-भासिनः (shining like the moon's disc) तारका-चन्द्रिका-चारु-व्योम-पिच्छ-अवचूलिनः (with a crest of sky-feathers lovely with stars and moonlight) अन्तः नृत्यतः कृतान्तस्य (of Kṛtānta, dancing within) …

Translation: "Of Kṛtānta, dancing within, shining like the moon, wearing a crest of sky-feathers lit with stars and moonlight …"

Pointers for Reflection:

Back to Kṛtānta. The description turns from the bride to the bridegroom (1.25.22–1.25.29). The sentence runs on.

Verse 1.25.23¶

एकस्मिञ्छ्रवणे दीप्ता हिमवानस्थिमुद्रिका ।
अपरे च महामेरुः कान्ता काञ्चनकर्णिका ॥ १.२५.२३ ॥

एकस्मिन् श्रवणे (in one ear) दीप्ता हिमवान् (the shining Himālaya) अस्थि-मुद्रिका (is a bone ear-ring); अपरे च (and in the other) महा-मेरुः (great Meru) कान्ता काञ्चन-कर्णिका (is a lovely golden ear-ring).

Translation: "… from one ear hangs the gleaming Himālaya as a bone earring; from the other, great Meru, a beautiful earring of gold."

Pointers for Reflection:

Mountains as earrings. White Himālaya, golden Meru — the two great mountains of Indian cosmology adorn Death's ears.

Verse 1.25.24¶

अत्रैव कुण्डले लोले चन्द्रार्कौ गण्डमण्डले ।
लोकालोकाचलश्रेणी सर्वतः कटिमेखला ॥ १.२५.२४ ॥

अत्र एव (here too) गण्ड-मण्डले (on his cheeks) चन्द्र-अर्कौ (moon and sun) लोले कुण्डले (are swaying pendants); सर्वतः (all around) लोकालोक-अचल-श्रेणी (the Lokāloka mountain range) कटि-मेखला (is his girdle).

Translation: "The moon and sun are swaying pendants on his cheeks, and the Lokāloka range, which rings the world, is his girdle."

Pointers for Reflection:

Lokāloka — the mountain range believed to encircle the world, dividing the lit from the unlit. Death wears the edge of the world as his belt.

Verse 1.25.25¶

इतश्चेतश्च गच्छन्ती विद्युद्वलयकर्णिका ।
अनिलान्दोलिता भाति नीरदांशुकपट्टिका ॥ १.२५.२५ ॥

इतः च इतः च गच्छन्ती (moving here and there) अनिल-आन्दोलिता (swung by the wind) विद्युत्-वलय-कर्णिका (with lightning for its bracelets and ear-rings) नीरद-अंशुक-पट्टिका (a sash of cloud-cloth) भाति (shines).

Translation: "A sash of cloud, swung by the wind this way and that, with lightning for its jewels, shines on him."

Pointers for Reflection:

Clouds and lightning as his clothing. The weather of the world is only Death's dress.

Verse 1.25.26¶

मुसलैः पट्टिशैः प्रासैः शूलैस्तोमरमुद्गरैः ।
तीक्ष्णैः क्षीणजगद्वान्तकृतान्तैरिव संभृतैः ॥ १.२५.२६ ॥

[सः] मुसलैः पट्टिशैः प्रासैः शूलैः तोमर-मुद्गरैः (with clubs, axes, lances, tridents, javelins and hammers) तीक्ष्णैः (sharp) क्षीण-जगत्-वान्त-कृतान्तैः इव (like Deaths that have spat out the exhausted worlds) सम्भृतैः (heaped) [शोभते] (shines).

Translation: "He is laden with sharp clubs, axes, lances, tridents, javelins and hammers — weapons like so many Deaths, which have devoured the worlds and spat them out."

Pointers for Reflection:

Weapons of every kind. Every way of dying is a weapon in Death's hands.

Verse 1.25.27¶

संसारबन्धनादीर्घे पाशे कालकरच्युते ।
शेषभोगमहासूत्रप्रोते मालास्य शोभते ॥ १.२५.२७ ॥

अस्य (his) माला (garland) संसार-बन्धना-दीर्घे (long with the bonds of worldly existence) काल-कर-च्युते (fallen from the hand of Time) शेष-भोग-महा-सूत्र-प्रोते (strung on the great thread of Śeṣa's coils) पाशे [इव] (like a noose) शोभते (shines).

Translation: "His garland shines like a noose, long with the bonds of worldly life, dropped from the hand of Time and strung on the great thread of Śeṣa's coils."

Pointers for Reflection:

The noose (पाश) of Death. Yama is pictured carrying a noose to draw out the life of the dying. Here the bonds of saṃsāra themselves are that noose.

Verse 1.25.28¶

जीवोल्लसन्मकरिकारत्नतेजोभिरुज्ज्वला ।
सप्ताब्धिकङ्कणश्रेणी भुजयोरस्य भूषणम् ॥ १.२५.२८ ॥

जीव-उल्लसत्-मकरिका-रत्न-तेजोभिः उज्ज्वला (bright with the light of jewelled sea-creatures alive within them) सप्त-अब्धि-कङ्कण-श्रेणी (the row of the seven oceans as bracelets) अस्य भुजयोः भूषणम् (is the ornament of his arms).

Translation: "The seven oceans, gleaming with the living jewels of their sea-creatures, are the bracelets on his arms."

Pointers for Reflection:

The seven oceans of Purāṇic cosmology (compare 1.24.4) — mere bracelets on Death's arms.

Verse 1.25.29¶

व्यवहारमहावर्ता सुखदुःखपरम्परा ।
रजःपूर्णतमःश्यामा रोमाली तस्य राजते ॥ १.२५.२९ ॥

तस्य (his) व्यवहार-महा-आवर्ता (with the great whirlpool of worldly dealings) सुख-दुःख-परम्परा (the succession of joys and sorrows) रजः-पूर्ण-तमः-श्यामा (dark with rajas and tamas) रोम-आली (line of hair) राजते (shines).

Translation: "The line of hair on his belly is the chain of joys and sorrows, dark with rajas and tamas, swirling with the whirlpool of worldly affairs."

Pointers for Reflection:

Joy and sorrow as one line. They are not opposites but a single chain. Compare Gītā 2.38, सुखदुःखे समे कृत्वा. treating joy and sorrow alike.

Verse 1.25.30¶

एवंप्रायः स कल्पान्ते कृतान्तस्ताण्डवोद्भवाम् ।
उपसंहृत्य नृत्येहां सृष्ट्वा सह महेश्वरम् ॥ १.२५.३० ॥

सः कृतान्तः (that Kṛtānta) एवं-प्रायः (of such a kind) कल्प-अन्ते (at the end of the aeon) ताण्डव-उद्भवाम् नृत्य-ईहाम् (the wish to dance the wild tāṇḍava) उपसंहृत्य (withdrawing) महेश्वरं सह सृष्ट्वा (and creating along with Maheśvara) …

Translation: "Such is Kṛtānta. At the end of an aeon he withdraws his wish for the wild tāṇḍava, and creating once more together with Maheśvara …"

Pointers for Reflection:

From तांडव to लास्य. After the dance of destruction comes the gentle dance of creation (next verse). The cycle continues.

Verse 1.25.31¶

पुनर्लास्यमयीं नृत्यलीलां सर्गस्वरूपिणीम् ।
तनोतीमां जराशोकदुःखाभिभवभूषिताम् ॥ १.२५.३१ ॥

पुनः (again) लास्य-मयीं सर्ग-स्वरूपिणीं (gentle, in the form of creation) जरा-शोक-दुःख-अभिभव-भूषिताम् (adorned with old age, grief, sorrow and defeat) इमां नृत्य-लीलां (this dance-play) तनोति (performs).

Translation: "… again he performs this gentle dance that is creation itself — adorned with old age, grief, sorrow and defeat."

Pointers for Reflection:

लास्य — the gentle dance. Creation is a softer dance than destruction, but it too is adorned with sorrow. The cycle of saṃsāra is a never-ending performance.

Verse 1.25.32¶

भूयः करोति भुवनानि वनान्तराणि लोकान्तराणि जनजालककल्पनां च ।
आचारचारुकलनामचलां चलां च पङ्काद्यथार्भकजनो रचनामखिन्नः ॥ १.२५.३२ ॥

[सः] भूयः (again) भुवनानि वन-अन्तराणि लोक-अन्तराणि (worlds, forests and other realms) जन-जालक-कल्पनां च (and the fashioning of crowds of people) आचार-चारु-कलनाम् अचलां चलां च रचनां (a creation of fair customs, both fixed and moving) अखिन्नः (untiring) पङ्कात् अर्भक-जनः यथा (as a child [makes things] from mud) करोति (makes).

Translation: Again and again, untiring, he makes worlds, forests, other realms and crowds of people — a creation of fixed and moving things with fine customs — the way a child makes things out of mud.

Pointers for Reflection:

A closing verse in a longer metre (vasantatilakā).
Like a child playing with mud. The final image of the sarga: all creation is a child's game with mud. It is made and unmade without weariness or purpose. This is लीला, the play that the teaching will reveal as the nature of the world.
Brahma Sūtra 2.1.33: लोकवत्तु लीलाकैवल्यम् — [creation is] mere play, as in the world. The Lord creates not from need, but as play.