सोऽशपत्कुपितोऽस्मांस्तु ब्राह्मणः क्षत्रियर्षभ। ग्राहभूता जले यूयं चरिष्यथ शतं समाः
'Angered, that Brahmin cursed us, O bull among Kshatriyas: "You shall become aquatic beings and dwell in water for a hundred years."'
ततो वयं प्रव्यथिताः सर्वा भारतसत्तम। अयाम शरणं विप्रं तं तपोधनमच्युतम्
Then, greatly distressed, O best of Bharatas, we all sought refuge with that Brahmin, rich in austerity and unwavering.
रूपेण वयसा चैव कन्दर्पेण च दर्पिताः। अयुक्तं कृतवत्यः स्म क्षन्तुमर्हसि नो द्विज
'Proud of our beauty, youth, and charm, we acted improperly; forgive us, O Brahmin.'
एष एव वधोऽस्माकं स्वयं प्राप्तस्तपोधन। यद्वयं संशितात्मानं प्रलोब्धुं त्वामिहागताः
'This punishment has come to us of itself, O ascetic; for we came here to tempt one whose soul is steadfast.'
अवध्यास्तु स्त्रियः सृष्टा मन्यन्ते धर्मचारिणः। तस्माद्धर्मेण वर्ध त्वं नास्मन्हिंसितुमर्हसि
'Righteous men consider women to be inviolable; therefore, grow in virtue and do not harm us.'
सर्वभूतेषु धर्मज्ञ मैत्रो ब्राह्मण उच्यते। सत्यो भवतु कल्याण एष वादो मनीषिणाम्
'A Brahmin is called friendly to all beings and knowledgeable of righteousness; let this be the truth, O blessed one, for this is the teaching of the wise.'
शरणं च प्रपन्नानां शिष्टाः कुर्वन्ति पालनम्। शरणं त्वां प्रपन्नाः स्म तस्मात्त्वं क्षन्तुमर्हसि
'The virtuous protect those who seek refuge; we have sought refuge with you, therefore you ought to forgive us.'
एवमुक्तः स धर्मात्मा ब्राह्मणः शुभकर्मकृत्। प्रसादं कृतवान्वीर रविसोमसमप्रभः
Thus addressed, that righteous Brahmin, performer of auspicious deeds, granted mercy, O hero, shining like the sun and moon.
शतं शतसहस्रं तु सर्वमक्षय्यवाचकम्। परिमाणं शतं त्वेतन्नेदमक्षय्यवाचकम्
A hundred, a hundred thousand, all are called inexhaustible; but the measure here is a hundred, and this is not termed inexhaustible.
यदा च वो ग्राहभूता गृह्णन्तीः पुरुषाञ्जले। उत्कर्षति जलात्तस्मात्स्थलं पुरुषसत्तमः
When you, having become grasping spirits, seize men with your hands, then the best of men lifts them from the water onto land.
तदा यूयं पुनः सर्वाः स्वं रूपं प्रतिपत्स्यथ। अनृतं नोक्तपूर्वं मे हसतापि कदाचन
Then all of you will regain your own forms; I have never spoken falsehood, not even in jest.
तानि सर्वाणि तीर्थानि ततः प्रभृति चैव ह। नारीतीर्थानि नाम्नेह ख्यातिं यास्यन्ति सर्वशः। पुण्यानि च भविष्यन्ति पावनानि मनीषिणां
From that time onward, all those sacred places will be known here by the name 'women's tirthas'; they will become holy and purifying for the wise.
ततोऽभिवाद्य तं विप्रं कृत्वा चापि प्रदक्षिणम्। अचिन्तयामोऽपसृत्य तस्माद्देशात्सुदुःखिताः
Then, having saluted that Brahmin and circumambulated him, we departed from that place, deeply distressed.
क्व नु नाम वयं सर्वाः कालेनाल्पेन तं नरम्। समागच्छेम यो नस्तद्रूपमापादयेत्पुनः
Where indeed might we, all together, in such a short time, meet the man who could restore us to our former state?
ता वयं चिन्तयित्वैव मुहूर्तादिव भारत। दृष्टवत्यो महाभागं देवर्षिमुत नारदम्
Having pondered thus for a moment, O Bharata, we beheld the illustrious divine sage Narada.
संप्रहृष्टाः स्म तं दृष्ट्वा देवर्षिममितद्युतिम्। अभिवाद्य च तं पार्थ स्थिताः स्म व्रीडिताननाः
Seeing that divine sage of immeasurable radiance, we were delighted; we saluted him, O Partha, and stood with faces ashamed.
स नोऽपृच्छद्दुःखमूलमुक्तवत्यो वयं च तम्। श्रउत्वा तत्र यथावृत्तमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्
He asked us the cause of our sorrow, and we told him; hearing all that had happened, he spoke these words.
दक्षिणे सागरानूपे पञ्च तीर्थानि सन्ति वै। पुण्यानि रमणीयानि तानि गच्छत मा चिरं
On the southern shore of the ocean, there are five sacred places, holy and beautiful; go there without delay.
तत्राशु पुरुषव्याघ्रः पाण्डवेयो धनञ्जयः। मोक्षयिष्यति शुद्धात्मा दुःखादस्मान्न संशयः
There, the tiger among men, Dhananjaya of the Pandavas, pure in soul, will free us from sorrow, without doubt.
इत्युक्त्वा नारदः सर्वास्तत्रैवान्तरधीयत।' तस्य सर्वा वयं वीर श्रुत्वा वाक्यमितो गताः। तदिदं सत्यमेवाद्य मोक्षिताहं त्वयाऽनघ
Having said this, Narada vanished from sight; O hero, hearing his words, we departed from there. Today, I have truly been freed by you, O sinless one.
एतास्तु मम ताः सख्यश्चतस्रोऽन्या जले श्रिताः। कुरु कर्म शुभं वीर एताः सर्वा विमोक्षय
These are my companions, four others remain in the water; perform a noble deed, O hero, and free them all.
ततस्ताः पाण्डवश्रेष्ठः सर्वा एव विशांपते। `अवगाह्य च तत्तीर्थं गृहीतो ग्राहिभिस्तदा
Then, O foremost of the Pandavas, having entered that sacred place, he was seized by the grasping spirits.
ग्राहीभिश्चोत्तताराशु तरयामास तत्क्षणात्। सा चाप्सरा बभूवाशु सर्वाभरणभूषिता
Seized by the spirits, he quickly emerged and rescued them at that very moment; and she at once became an apsaras adorned with all ornaments.
एवं क्रमेण ताः सर्वा मोक्षयामास वीर्यवान्
In this manner, the mighty one freed them all, one by one.
उत्थाय च जलात्तस्मात्प्रतिलभ्य वपुः स्वकम्। तास्तदाऽप्सरसो राजन्नदृश्यन्त यथा पुरा
Rising from the water and regaining their own forms, those apsarases, O king, appeared as before.
तीर्थानि शोधयित्वा तु तथानुज्ञाय ताः प्रभुः। चित्राङ्गदां पुनर्द्रष्टुं मणलूरं पुनर्ययौ
Having purified the sacred places and given them leave, the lord went again to Maṇalūra to see Citrāṅgadā.
तस्यामजनयत्पुत्रं राजानं बभ्रुवाहनम्। तं दृष्ट्वा पाण्डवो राजंश्चित्रवाहनमब्रवीत्
In her, the king begot a son, named Babruvahana; seeing him, the Pandava king addressed Citravahana.
चित्राङ्गदायाः शुल्कं त्वं गृहाण बभ्रुवाहनम्। अनेन च भविष्यामि ऋणान्मुक्तो नराधिप
Take Babruvahana as the bride-price for Citrangada; by this, O king, I shall be freed from my obligation.
चित्राङ्गदां पुनर्वाक्यमब्रवीत्पाण्डुनन्दनः। इहैव भव भद्रं ते वर्धेथा बभ्रुवाहनम्
The son of Pandu again spoke to Citrangada: Remain here, may you prosper; let Babruvahana grow up.
इन्द्रपस्थनिवासं मे त्वं तत्रागत्य रंस्यसि। कुन्ती युधिष्ठिरं भीमं भ्रातरौ मे कनीयसौ
When you come to Indraprastha, you will enjoy yourself there; Kunti, Yudhishthira, Bhima, my younger brothers—