देवानां सदने मातर् गीयते गौतमो द्विजः यन् न साध्यं सुरगणैर् गौतमः कृतवान् इति
Mother, in the abode of the gods, the twice-born Gautama is praised: ‘What the hosts of gods could not accomplish, Gautama has done.’
एवं श्रुतं मया देवि ब्राह्मणस्य तपोबलम् स विप्रश् चालयेद् एनां मातर् गङ्गां जटागताम्
Thus I have heard, O goddess, of the power of the Brahmin’s austerity; that sage could move this Ganga, dwelling in the matted locks, O mother.
तपसा वान्यतो वापि पूजयित्वा त्रिलोचनम् स एव च्यावयेद् एनां जटास्थां मे पितृप्रियाम्
By austerity or by other means, after worshipping the three-eyed one, he alone could dislodge her, my father’s beloved, from the matted locks.
तत्र नीतिर् विधातव्या तां विप्रो याचयेद् यथा तत्प्रभावात् सरिच्छ्रेष्ठा शिरसो ऽवतरत्य् अपि
Here, a plan must be devised: let the Brahmin request her, so that by his influence, the greatest river descends from the head.
इत्य् उक्त्वा मातरं भ्रात्रा जयया सह विघ्नराट् जगाम गौतमो यत्र ब्रह्मसूत्रधरः कृशः
Having spoken thus to his mother, with his brother and Jaya, the lord of obstacles went to where Gautama, the thin bearer of the Brahma-sutra, was.
वसन् कतिपयाहःसु गौतमाश्रममण्डले उवाच ब्राह्मणान् सर्वांस् तत्र तत्र च विघ्नराट्
After dwelling for a few days in the circle of Gautama’s hermitage, the lord of obstacles addressed all the Brahmins there.
गच्छामः स्वम् अधिष्ठानम् आश्रमाणि शुचीनि च पुष्टाः स्म गौतमान्नेन पृच्छामो गौतमं मुनिम्
Let us go to our own abodes and pure hermitages; we have been nourished by Gautama’s food. Let us ask the sage Gautama.
इति संमन्त्र्य पृच्छन्ति मुनयो मुनिसत्तमाः स तान् निवारयाम् आस स्नेहबुद्ध्या मुनीन् पृथक्
Thus deliberating, the eminent sages asked the sage, and he restrained them individually, with affectionate wisdom.
कृताञ्जलिः सविनयम् आसध्वम् इह चैव हि युष्मच्चरणशुश्रूषां करोमि मुनिपुंगवाः
With hands joined in reverence and humility, I sit here and serve at your feet, O eminent sages.
शुश्रूषौ पुत्रवन् नित्यं मयि तिष्ठति नोचितम् भवतां भूमिदेवानाम् आश्रमान्तरसेवनम्
The desire to serve you, as one would a son, always abides in me; it is not proper for me to attend to other hermitages, O divine sages of the earth.
इदम् एवाश्रमं पुण्यं सर्वेषाम् इति मे मतिः अलम् अन्येन मुनय आश्रमेण गतेन वा
This hermitage alone is holy for all, so is my conviction; there is no need for another, O sages, nor for going to any other hermitage.
इति श्रुत्वा मुनेर् वाक्यं विघ्नकृत्यम् अनुस्मरन् उवाच प्राञ्जलिर् भूत्वा ब्राह्मणान् स गणाधिपः
Hearing the sage's words and recalling the obstruction, the leader of the hosts, with joined palms, spoke to the Brahmins.
अन्नक्रीता वयं किं नो निवारयत गौतमः साम्ना नैव वयं शक्ता गन्तुं स्वं स्वं निवेशनम्
We have purchased food; why do you restrain us, O Gautama? By gentle means, we are not able to return to our own dwellings.
नायम् अर्हति दण्डं वा उपकारी द्विजोत्तमः तस्माद् बुद्ध्या व्यवस्यामि तत् सर्वैर् अनुमन्यताम्
This excellent twice-born does not deserve punishment, for he is helpful; therefore, I resolve with discernment—let all consent to this.
ततः सर्वे द्विजश्रेष्ठाः क्रियताम् इत्य् अनुब्रुवन् एतस्य तूपकाराय लोकानां हितकाम्यया
Then all the foremost Brahmins replied, 'Let it be done,' for the benefit of this one and with the desire for the welfare of the worlds.
ब्राह्मणानां च सर्वेषां श्रेयो यत् स्यात् तथा कुरु ब्राह्मणानां वचः श्रुत्वा मेने वाक्यं गणाधिपः
Do as would bring the highest good to all the Brahmins; hearing the Brahmins' words, the leader of the hosts considered their statement.
क्रियते गुणरूपं यद् गौतमस्य विशेषतः
Whatever is done, let it be in accordance with the qualities and nature of Gautama, especially.
अनुमान्य द्विजान् सर्वान् पुनः पुनर् उदारधीः स्वयं च ब्राह्मणो भूत्वा प्रणम्य ब्राह्मणान् पुनः मातुर् मते स्थितो विद्वाञ् जयां प्राह गणेश्वरः
Having repeatedly sought the approval of all the Brahmins, the noble-minded one himself became a Brahmin, bowed again to the Brahmins, and, abiding by his mother's counsel, the wise lord of the hosts addressed Jayā.
यथा नान्यो विजानीते तथा कुरु शुभानने गोरूपधारिणी गच्छ गौतमो यत्र तिष्ठति
Do so, O auspicious one, so that no one else knows; take the form of a cow and go to where Gautama resides.
शालीन् खाद विनाश्याथ विकारं कुरु भामिनि कृते प्रहारे हुंकारे प्रेक्षिते चापि किंचन पत दीनं स्वनं कृत्वा न म्रियस्व न जीव च
Eat the rice, destroy it, and cause a change, O beautiful one; when struck, when shouted at, when looked at, fall down, making a pitiable sound—do not die, nor remain alive.
तथा चकार विजया विघ्नेश्वरमते स्थिता यत्रासीद् गौतमो विप्रो जया गोरूपधारिणी
Jayā, abiding by the command of the lord of obstacles, did so; where Gautama the Brahmin was, Jayā took the form of a cow.
जगाम शालीन् खादन्ती तां ददर्श स गौतमः गां दृष्ट्वा विकृतां विप्रस् तां तृणेन न्यवारयत्
She went, eating the rice; Gautama saw her, and seeing the cow deformed, the sage restrained her with grass.
निवार्यमाणा सा तेन स्वनं कृत्वा पपात गौः तस्यां तु पतितायां च हाहाकारो महान् अभूत्
Being restrained by him, the cow made a sound and fell; and when she had fallen, a great cry arose.
स्वनं श्रुत्वा च दृष्ट्वा च गौतमस्य विचेष्टितम् व्यथिता ब्राह्मणाः प्राहुर् विघ्नराजपुरस्कृताः
Hearing the sound and seeing Gautama's actions, the Brahmins, distressed, spoke, led by the king of obstacles.
इतो गच्छामहे सर्वे न स्थातव्यं तवाश्रमे पुत्रवत् पोषिताः सर्वे पृष्टो ऽसि मुनिपुंगव
We all depart from here; we must not remain in your hermitage. All have been nurtured like sons; you have been questioned, O eminent sage.
इति श्रुत्वा मुनिर् वाक्यं विप्राणां गच्छतां तदा वज्राहत इवासीत् स विप्राणां पुरतो ऽपतत्
Hearing the words of the departing Brahmins, the sage was as if struck by thunder and fell before the Brahmins.
तम् ऊचुर् ब्राह्मणाः सर्वे पश्येमां पतितां भुवि रुद्राणां मातरं देवीं जगतां पावनीं प्रियाम्
All the Brahmins said to him: Let us see this fallen one upon the earth, the mother of the Rudras, the goddess, beloved purifier of the worlds.
तीर्थदेवस्वरूपिण्याम् अस्यां गवि विधेर् बलात् पतितायां मुनिश्रेष्ठ गन्तव्यम् अवशिष्यते
O best of sages, since this cow, embodying the holy places and gods, has fallen here by the force of fate, what remains is to proceed accordingly.
चीर्णं व्रतं क्षयं याति यथा वासस् त्वदाश्रमे वयं नान्यधना ब्रह्मन् केवलं तु तपोधनाः
Just as an observed vow comes to an end, so too does our stay in your hermitage, O Brahmin; we possess no other wealth, only the wealth of austerity.
विप्राणां पुरतः स्थित्वा विनीतः प्राह गौतमः
Standing humbly before the Brahmins, Gautama spoke.