ब्रह्मप्रोक्तां कथां पुण्यां श्रुत्वा तु ऋषिपुंगवाः प्रशशंसुस् तदा हृष्टा रोमाञ्चिततनूरुहाः
Having heard the auspicious tale spoken by Brahma, the foremost sages praised it, thrilled and with their hairs standing on end.
अहो देवस्य माहात्म्यं त्वया शंभोः प्रकीर्तितम् दक्षस्य च सुरश्रेष्ठ यज्ञविध्वंसनं तथा
Ah! The greatness of the god Shambhu has been proclaimed by you, as well as the destruction of Daksha’s sacrifice, O best of gods.
एकाम्रकं क्षेत्रवरं वक्तुम् अर्हसि सांप्रतम् श्रोतुम् इच्छामहे ब्रह्मन् परं कौतूहलं हि नः
You ought now to speak of the excellent field of Ekamra; O Brahman, we wish to hear, for our curiosity is supreme.
तेषां तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा लोकनाथश् चतुर्मुखः प्रोवाच शंभोस् तत् क्षेत्रं भूतले दुष्कृतच्छदम्
Hearing their words, the lord of the worlds, four-faced Brahma, spoke: That field of Shambhu on earth is the destroyer of evil deeds.
शृणुध्वं मुनिशार्दूलाः प्रवक्ष्यामि समासतः सर्वपापहरं पुण्यं क्षेत्रं परमदुर्लभम्
Hear, O tiger among sages, I shall briefly describe the most auspicious field, which removes all sins and is exceedingly rare.
लिङ्गकोटिसमायुक्तं वाराणसीसमं शुभम् एकाम्रकेति विख्यातं तीर्थाष्टकसमन्वितम्
It is adorned with millions of lingas, equal in sanctity to Varanasi, auspicious and renowned as Ekamra, endowed with eight holy bathing places.
एकाम्रवृक्षस् तत्रासीत् पुरा कल्पे द्विजोत्तमाः नाम्ना तस्यैव तत् क्षेत्रम् एकाम्रकम् इति श्रुतम्
There once stood the Ekamra tree in ancient times, O best of twice-born; from its name, that field is known as Ekamra.
हृष्टपुष्टजनाकीर्णं नरनारीसमन्वितम् विद्वांसगण भूयिष्ठं धनधान्यादिसंयुतम्
It is filled with joyful and prosperous people, men and women together, abundant with learned groups and rich in wealth and grain.
गृहगोपुरसंबाधं त्रिकचाद्वारभूषितम् नानावणिक्समाकीर्णं नानारत्नोपशोभितम्
The city was crowded with houses and gateways, adorned with three-arched entrances, filled with merchants of every kind, and beautified by various precious gems.
पुराट्टालकसंयुक्तं रथिभिः समलंकृतम् राजहंसनिभैः शुभ्रैः प्रासादैर् उपशोभितम्
It was furnished with lofty towers and turrets, splendidly decorated with chariots, and graced by shining palaces resembling royal swans.
मार्गगद्वारसंयुक्तं सितप्राकारशोभितम् रक्षितं शस्त्रसंघैश् च परिखाभिर् अलंकृतम्
It was equipped with roads and gateways, adorned with white ramparts, guarded by bands of armed men, and encircled by moats.
सितरक्तैस् तथा पीतैः कृष्णश्यामैश् च वर्णकैः समीरणोद्धताभिश् च पताकाभिर् अलंकृतम्
It was decorated with flags of white, red, yellow, black, and dark hues, fluttering vigorously in the wind.
नित्योत्सवप्रमुदितं नानावादित्रनिस्वनैः वीणावेणुमृदङ्गैश् च क्षेपणीभिर् अलंकृतम्
There, constant festivals brought joy, with the sounds of various musical instruments—vīṇās, flutes, and drums—adorned with cymbals.
देवतायतनैर् दिव्यैः प्राकारोद्यानमण्डितैः पूजाविचित्ररचितैः सर्वत्र समलंकृतम्
It was adorned everywhere with divine temples, ramparts, and gardens, and decorated with wondrous arrangements for worship.
स्त्रियः प्रमुदितास् तत्र दृश्यन्ते तनुमध्यमाः हारैर् अलंकृतग्रीवाः पद्मपत्त्रायतेक्षणाः
There, joyful women with slender waists were seen, their necks adorned with necklaces, and their eyes long like lotus petals.
पीनोन्नतकुचाः श्यामाः पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननाः स्थिरालकाः सुकपोलाः काञ्चीनूपुरनादिताः
They had full, high breasts, dark complexions, faces like the full moon, steady locks of hair, beautiful cheeks, and jingling girdles and anklets.
सुकेश्यश् चारुजघनाः कर्णान्तायतलोचनाः सर्वलक्षणसंपन्नाः सर्वाभरणभूषिताः
With lovely hair and charming hips, their eyes extended to their ears, endowed with all auspicious marks, and adorned with every ornament.
दिव्यवस्त्रधराः शुभ्राः काश्चित् काञ्चनसंनिभाः हंसवारणगामिन्यः कुचभारावनामिताः
Some wore divine, radiant garments, some shone like gold, moving with the grace of swans and elephants, their bodies bent by the weight of their breasts.
दिव्यगन्धानुलिप्ताङ्गाः कर्णाभरणभूषिताः मदालसाश् च सुश्रोण्यो नित्यं प्रहसिताननाः
Their limbs were anointed with divine fragrances, their ears adorned with ornaments, languid from delight, with beautiful hips and ever-smiling faces.
ईषद्विस्पष्टदशना बिम्बौष्ठा मधुरस्वराः ताम्बूलरञ्जितमुखा विदग्धाः प्रियदर्शनाः
Their teeth were slightly visible, lips red as bimba fruit, voices sweet, mouths stained with betel, clever and pleasing to behold.
सुभगाः प्रियवादिन्यो नित्यं यौवनगर्विताः दिव्यवस्त्रधराः सर्वाः सदा चारित्रमण्डिताः
They were fortunate, spoke lovingly, always proud of their youth, all wore divine garments, and were ever adorned with good conduct.
क्रीडन्ति ताः सदा तत्र स्त्रियश् चाप्सरसोपमाः स्वे स्वे गृहे प्रमुदिता दिवा रात्रौ वराननाः
Those women, resembling celestial nymphs, always played there, joyful in their own homes, day and night, with beautiful faces.
पुरुषास् तत्र दृश्यन्ते रूपयौवनगर्विताः सर्वलक्षणसंपन्नाः सुमृष्टमणिकुण्डलाः
There, men were seen, proud of their beauty and youth, endowed with all auspicious marks, and adorned with polished jeweled earrings.
ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रिया वैश्याः शूद्राश् च मुनिसत्तमाः स्वधर्मनिरतास् तत्र निवसन्ति सुधार्मिकाः
O best of sages, there dwelled Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras, devoted to their own duties, and righteous in conduct.
अन्याश् च तत्र तिष्ठन्ति वारमुख्याः सुलोचनाः घृताचीमेनकातुल्यास् तथा समतिलोत्तमाः
There also stood other chief courtesans with beautiful eyes, equal to Ghritachi and Menaka, and even surpassing Tilottama.
उर्वशीसदृशाश् चैव विप्रचित्तिनिभास् तथा विश्वाचीसहजन्याभाः प्रम्लोचासदृशास् तथा
Some resembled Urvashi, some Vipracitti, some were like the natural daughters of Vishvachi, and some resembled Pramlocha.
सर्वास् ताः प्रियवादिन्यः सर्वा विहसिताननाः कलाकौशलसंयुक्ताः सर्वास् ता गुणसंयुताः
All those women speak affectionately, all have smiling faces, all are skilled in the arts, all are endowed with virtues.
एवं पण्यस्त्रियस् तत्र नृत्यगीतविशारदाः निवसन्ति मुनिश्रेष्ठाः सर्वस्त्रीगुणगर्विताः
Thus, there, the courtesans are expert in dance and song; they dwell there, O best of sages, proud of all the qualities of women.
प्रेक्षणालापकुशलाः सुन्दर्यः प्रियदर्शनाः न रूपहीना दुर्वृत्ता न परद्रोहकारिकाः
They are skilled in glances and conversation, beautiful, pleasing to behold; none are lacking in beauty, none are of bad conduct, none are given to harming others.
यासां कटाक्षपातेन मोहं गच्छन्ति मानवाः न तत्र निर्धनाः सन्ति न मूर्खा न परद्विषः
By the mere casting of their sidelong glance, men fall into delusion; there, none are poor, none are foolish, none are hostile to others.