526 Translation of the " Vichitra Ndtak." [No. 7'. 



Thy girdle and thy gong are loud, 

 Spirits and mortals all marvel at thee. 



Thy wheel revolves throughout all space 

 And none can check, or hasten on, its course. 

 Thy mandates who can disobey 

 Amongst the dwellers of the earth, the sea ? 



Time's wheel perambulates the whole universe j who is there that 

 can disobey Him ? To what Fort, however strong, can we flee to escape 

 Him 1 Oh Time ! thou dancest perpetually round all. 



If Time chooseth to consume you, plan what you please, you cannot 

 avert the stroke. You may wear a thousand armlets, and mutter as 

 many charms, they will be of no use without Time's assistance. 



Time destroyeth men who incessantly deal in charms ; men have 

 spent their lives in searching for charms, and at last have found 

 nothing ! have effected nothing ! 



There are many who hold their noses* when they pray, and adopt 

 other absurd religious customs which are all perfectly useless : no good 

 can result from them. 



Madhkitab was a powerful demon, but he became subservient to 

 Time. There were also Sumb, Nisamb and Anaut-bij, whom Time 

 hath destroyed. 



There were the Rajas Prith and Mandhata, the Lords of the earth, 

 whose chariot wheels traversed the world, also the Rajas Bhoj, Bhim 

 and Bharat who conquered the remainder; but Time hath subdued 

 them all. 



Where are the mighty who proclaimed their orders to the world ? The 

 powerful who wrested the dominion of the earth from the Ch'hettris ? 

 Whose sacrificial rites were pompous and imposing, and whose fame 

 was notorious ? They have all yielded to Time. 



How many strong Forts have been taken, how many strongholds 

 destroyed 1 Brave men's praises have been sung, and the history of 

 great battles recorded. How insignificant are all compared with one 

 blow from the hand of Time ! 



In past ages there were mighty Monarchs, who revelled in every 



* A. common custom amongst the Hindus, as an attitude of prayer. 



