तत्र तत्र पृथक् पूजां चक्रे विष्णुः सनातनः वेदाश् च सरहस्या वै गायन्ति च हसन्ति च
The eternal Viṣṇu performed worship at various places, and the Vedas, along with their secrets, sang and laughed.
नृत्यन्त्य् अप्सरसः सर्वा जगुर् गन्धर्वकिंनराः लाजाधृक् चापि मैनाको बभूव मुनिसत्तम
All the apsarases danced, the gandharvas and kinnaras sang; Maināka, best among sages, held the grains of rice.
पुण्याहवाचनं वृत्तम् अन्तर्वेश्मनि नारद वेदिकायाम् उपाविष्टौ दंपती सुरसत्तमौ
The auspicious invocation was completed within the inner chamber, O Nārada; the divine couple sat upon the altar.
प्रतिष्ठाप्याग्निं विधिवद् अश्मानं चापि पुत्रक हुत्वा लाजांश् च विधिवत् प्रदक्षिणम् अथाकरोत्
Having properly established the fire and the stone, O son, and having offered the grains according to the rite, they then circumambulated.
अश्मनः स्पर्शहेतोश् च देव्यङ्गुष्ठं करे ऽस्पृशत् विष्णुना प्रेरितः शंभुर् दक्षिणस्य पदस्य च
Because of touching the stone, the goddess's thumb was touched by Śaṃbhu, prompted by Viṣṇu, as well as the right foot.
ताम् अदर्शम् अहं तत्र होमं कुर्वन् हरान्तिके दृष्टे ऽङ्गुष्ठे दुष्टबुद्ध्या वीर्यं सुस्राव मे तदा
There, as I was performing the offering near Hara, I saw her thumb, and, with a disturbed mind, my seed was discharged.
लज्जया कलुषीभूतः स्कन्नं वीर्यम् अचूर्णयम् मद्वीर्याच् चूर्णितात् सूक्ष्माद् वालखिल्यास् तु जज्ञिरे
Ashamed and defiled, I crushed the spilled seed; from my crushed and subtle seed, the Vālakhilya sages were born.
ततो महान् अभूत् तत्र हाहाकारः सुरोदितः लज्जया परिभूतो ऽहं निर्गतस् तु तदासनात्
Then there arose a great outcry there, resounding among the gods; humiliated by shame, I left that seat.
पश्यत्सु देवसंघेषु तूष्णींभूतेषु नारद गच्छन्तं मां महादेवो दृष्ट्वा नन्दिनम् अब्रवीत्
As the assembly of gods watched in silence, O Nārada, Mahādeva saw me departing and spoke to Nandin.
ब्रह्माणम् आह्वयस्वेह गतपापं करोम्य् अहम् कृतापराधे ऽपि जने सन्तः सकृपमानसाः मोहयन्त्य् अपि विद्वांसं विषयाणाम् इयं स्थितिः
Summon Brahmā here; I will make him free from sin. Even when a person has erred, the virtuous, being compassionate, forgive; even the wise are deluded by sense objects—such is the way of the world.
एवम् उक्त्वा स भगवान् उमया सहितः शिवः ममानुकम्पया चैव लोकानां हितकाम्यया
Having spoken thus, the blessed Śiva, together with Umā, out of compassion for me and for the welfare of the worlds,
एतच् चकार लोकेशः शृणु नारद यत्नतः पापिनां पापमोक्षाय भूमिर् आपो भविष्यति
The Lord of the worlds did this, O Nārada, with great care: for the liberation of sinners from sin, the earth will become water.
तयोश् च सारसर्वस्वम् आहरिष्यामि पावनम् एवं निश्चित्य भगवांस् तयोः सारं समाहरत्
Having resolved thus, the Blessed Lord gathered the purest essence from both of them.
भूमिं कमण्डलुं कृत्वा तत्रापः संनिवेश्य च पावमान्यादिभिः सूक्तैर् अभिमन्त्र्य च यत्नतः
He made the earth into a water-pot, placed water there, and carefully sanctified it with hymns such as the Pavamāna.
त्रिजगत्पावनीं शक्तिं तत्र सस्मार पापहा माम् उवाच स लोकेशो गृहाणेमं कमण्डलुम्
There he remembered the power that purifies the three worlds and destroys sin; that Lord of the world said to me, 'Take this water-pot.'
आपो वै मातरो देव्यो भूमिर् माता तथापरा स्थित्युत्पत्तिविनाशानां हेतुत्वम् उभयोः स्थितम्
Waters are indeed divine mothers, and earth is another mother; both are the causes of creation, sustenance, and dissolution.
अत्र प्रतिष्ठितो धर्मो ह्य् अत्र यज्ञः सनातनः अत्र भुक्तिश् च मुक्तिश् च स्थावरं जङ्गमं तथा
Here abides righteousness, here is the eternal sacrifice; here are enjoyment and liberation, as well as all that is immovable and moving.
स्मरणान् मानसं पापं वचनाद् वाचिकं तथा स्नानपानाभिषेकाच् च प्रणश्यत्य् अपि कायिकम्
By remembering, mental sin is destroyed; by speech, verbal sin; and by bathing, drinking, or anointing, even bodily sin is removed.
एतद् एवामृतं लोके नैतस्मात् पावनं परम् मयाभिमन्त्रितं ब्रह्मन् गृहाणेमं कमण्डलुम्
This alone is nectar in the world; there is nothing purer than this. I have sanctified it, O Brahman—take this water-pot.
अत्रत्यं वारि यः कश्चित् स्मरेद् अपि पठेद् अपि स सर्वकामान् आप्नोति गृहाणेमं कमण्डलुम्
Whoever remembers or even recites the water here attains all desires—take this water-pot.
भूतेभ्यश् चापि पञ्चभ्य आपो भूतं महोदितम् तासाम् उत्कृष्टम् एतस्माद् गृहाणेमं कमण्डलुम्
From the five elements, water is proclaimed the greatest; among them, this is the most excellent—take this water-pot.
अत्र यद् वारि शोभिष्ठं पुण्यं पावनम् एव च स्पृष्ट्वा स्मृत्वा च दृष्ट्वा च ब्रह्मन् पापाद् विमोक्ष्यसे
Whatever water here is beautiful, holy, and purifying—by touching, remembering, or seeing it, O Brahman, you will be freed from sin.
एवम् उक्त्वा महादेवः प्रादान् मम कमण्डलुम् ततः सुरगणाः सर्वे भक्त्या प्रोचुः सुरेश्वरम् आह्लादश् च महांस् तत्र जयशब्दो व्यवर्तत
Having spoken thus, Mahādeva gave me the water-pot; then all the hosts of gods, with devotion, addressed the Lord of gods, and there arose great joy and a cry of victory.
देवोत्सवे मातुर् अजः पदाग्रं समीक्ष्य पापात् पतितत्वम् आप प्रादात् कृपालुः स्मरणात् पवित्रां गङ्गां पिता पुण्यकमण्डलुस्थाम्
At the festival of the gods, the unborn one, seeing his mother's feet, fell into sin; out of compassion, his father gave him the purifying Gaṅgā, dwelling in the sacred water-pot, simply by remembrance.
कमण्डलुस्थिता देवी तव पुण्यविवर्धिनी यथा मर्त्यं गता नाथ तन् मे विस्तरतो वद
O Lord, the goddess who dwells in the water-pot increases your merit; tell me in detail how she came to the world of mortals.
बलिर् नाम महादैत्यो देवारिर् अपराजितः धर्मेण यशसा चैव प्रजासंरक्षणेन च
There was a great demon named Bali, unconquered foe of the gods, who ruled with righteousness, fame, and by protecting his subjects.
गुरुभक्त्या च सत्येन वीर्येण च बलेन च त्यागेन क्षमया चैव त्रैलोक्ये नोपमीयते
Through devotion to his teacher, truthfulness, strength, power, generosity, and forgiveness, he was unequalled in the three worlds.
तस्यर्द्धिम् उन्नतां दृष्ट्वा देवाश् चिन्तापरायणाः मिथः समूचुर् अमरा जेष्यामो वै कथं बलिम्
Seeing his rising prosperity, the gods became anxious and said among themselves, 'How shall we defeat Bali?'
तस्मिञ् शासति राज्यं तु त्रैलोक्यं हतकण्टकम् नारयो व्याधयो वापि नाधयो वा कथंचन
While he ruled the three worlds, free from all thorns, there were no enemies, no diseases, nor any misfortune whatsoever.
अनावृष्टिर् अधर्मो वा नास्तिशब्दो न दुर्जनः स्वप्ने ऽपि नैव दृश्येत बलौ राज्यं प्रशासति
There was no drought, no unrighteousness, no talk of atheism, nor any wicked person; not even in dreams was such seen while Bali ruled the kingdom.