The
Kings and Chiefs drawn in,
That gaping gorge within;
The best of both these armies torn and riven! Between Thy jaws they
lie Mangled full bloodily, Ground into dust and death! Like streams
down-driven With helpless haste, which go In headlong furious
flow Straight to the gulfing deeps of th' unfilled ocean, So to that
flaming cave Those heroes great and brave Pour, in unending streams,
with helpless motion!
Like moths which in the night Flutter towards a light, Drawn to
their fiery doom, flying and dying, So to their death still throng,
Blind, dazzled, borne along Ceaselessly, all those multitudes, wild
flying!
Thou, that hast fashioned men, Devourest them again, One
with another, great and small, alike! The creatures whom Thou mak'st,
With flaming jaws Thou tak'st, Lapping them up! Lord God! Thy
terrors strike From end to end of earth, Filling life full,
from birth To death, with deadly, burning, lurid dread!
Ah, Vishnu! make me know Why is Thy
visage so? Who art Thou, feasting thus upon Thy dead? Who?
awful Deity! I bow myself to Thee, Namostu Te, Devavara!
Prasad! O Mightiest Lord! rehearse Why hast Thou face so fierce?
Whence doth this aspect horrible proceed?
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