पुरा तत्र यथा वृत्तं तन् मे निगदतः शृणु आसीद् विश्वधरो नाम वैश्यो बहुधनान्वितः
Long ago, what happened there—listen as I recount it to you: There was a merchant named Vishvadhara, endowed with great wealth.
उत्तरे वयसि श्रेष्ठस् तस्य पुत्रो ऽभवद् ऋषे गुणवान् रूपसंपन्नो विलासी शुभदर्शनः
In his later years, O sage, he had a son who was virtuous, handsome, playful, and of pleasing appearance.
प्राणेभ्यो ऽपि प्रियः पुत्रः काले पञ्चत्वम् आगतः तथा दृष्ट्वा तु तं पुत्रं दंपती दुःखपीडितौ
That son, dearer to them than life itself, passed away in due time; seeing their son thus, the couple was afflicted with grief.
कुर्वाते स्म तदा तेन सहैव मरणे मतिम् हा पुत्र हन्त कालेन पापेन सुदुरात्मना
At that time, they resolved to die together with him, crying, 'Alas, son! Alas, by the hand of cruel fate, you have been taken from us by a wicked destiny.'
यौवने वर्तमानो ऽपि नीतो ऽसि गुणसागर आवयोश् च तथैव त्वं प्राणेभ्यो ऽपि सुदुर्लभः
Though you were in the prime of youth, O ocean of virtues, you have been taken away; and to us as well, you were more precious than life itself, exceedingly rare.
इत्थं तु रुदितं श्रुत्वा दंपत्योः करुणं यमः त्यक्त्वा निजपुरं तूर्णं कृपयाविष्टमानसः
Hearing such pitiful weeping from the couple, Yama, his mind filled with compassion, swiftly left his own city.
गोदावर्याः शुभे तीरे स्थितो ध्यायञ् जनार्दनम् अपि स्वल्पेन कालेन प्रजा वृद्धाः समन्ततः
Standing on the sacred bank of the Godavari, meditating on Janardana, in a short time, the people everywhere grew old.
इयत इति मे पृथ्वी कथ्यतां केन पूरिता न कश्चिन् म्रियते जन्तुर् भाराक्रान्ता वसुंधरा
'Tell me, how much of the earth is there, and by whom is it filled? No creature dies; the earth, burdened, is oppressed by the weight.'
ततो देवी गता तूर्णं वसुधा मुनिसत्तम यत्रास्ति सुरसंयुक्तः शक्रः परपुरंजयः दृष्ट्वा वसुंधराम् इन्द्रः प्रणिपत्येदम् अब्रवीत्
Then, O best of sages, the goddess Earth quickly went to where Indra, conqueror of enemy cities, was present with the gods; seeing Earth, Indra bowed and spoke thus:
किम् आगमनकार्यं त इति मे पृथ्वि कथ्यताम्
'What is the purpose of your coming? Tell me, O Earth, why you are here.'
भारेण गुरुणा शक्र पीडिताहं विना वधम् कारणं प्रष्टुम् आयाता किम् इदं कथ्यतां मम
'O Indra, I am oppressed by a heavy burden, not by destruction; I have come to ask the reason—tell me what this is.'
इति श्रुत्वा महीवाक्यम् इन्द्रो वचनम् अब्रवीत्
Hearing the words of Earth, Indra replied:
कारणं यदि नाम स्यात् तदानीं ज्ञायते मया सुराणां हि पतिर् यस्माद् अहं सर्वासु मेदिनि
If there is indeed a cause, then I shall know it, for I am the lord of the gods and of all the earth.
अथ पृथ्वी तदा वाक्यं श्रुत्वा चाह शचीपतिम् यम आदिश्यतां तर्हि यथा संहरते प्रजाः
Then Earth, hearing these words, spoke to the lord of Shachi: 'Let Yama be instructed, so that he may withdraw the creatures.'
इति श्रुत्वा वचो मह्या आदिष्टाः सिद्धकिंनराः यमस्यानयने शीघ्रं महेन्द्रेण महामुने
Hearing these words of mine, O great sage, the Siddhas and Kinnaras were ordered by Mahendra to quickly bring Yama.
ततस् ते सत्वरं याताः सर्वे वैवस्वतं पुरम् नैवापश्यन् यमं तत्र ते सिद्धाः सह किंनरैः तथागत्य पुनर् वेगाद् वार्त्ता शक्रे निवेदिता
Then all of them swiftly went to the city of Vaivasvata, but the Siddhas and Kinnaras did not see Yama there; returning quickly, they reported the news to Shakra.
यमो यमपुरे नाथ अस्माभिर् नावलोकितः महतापि सुयत्नेन वीक्ष्यमाणः समन्ततः
'O lord, we did not see Yama in his city, though we searched everywhere with great effort.'
इति श्रुत्वा वचस् तेषां पृष्टः शक्रेण वै तदा सविता स पिता तस्य यमः कुत्रास्त इत्य् अथ
Hearing their words, Shakra then asked Savitṛ, who is Yama's father, 'Where is Yama now?'
शक्र गोदावरीतीरे कृतान्तो वर्तते ऽधुना चरंस् तत्र तपस् तीव्रं न जाने किं नु कारणम्
O Śakra, on the bank of the Godāvarī, Death himself is now engaged in severe austerity; I do not know what the reason for this might be.
इति श्रुत्वा वचो भानोः शक्रः शङ्काम् उपाविशत्
Hearing these words from Bhānu, Śakra became filled with doubt.
अहो कष्टं महाकष्टं नष्टा मे सुरनाथता गोदावर्यां तपः कुर्याद् यमो वै दुष्टचेष्टितः जिघृक्षुर् मत्पदं नूनं देवा इति मतिर् मम
Alas, this is terrible, truly most terrible! My lordship over the gods is lost. If Yama performs austerity on the Godāvarī, with wicked intent, he surely seeks to seize my position—such is my thought, O gods.
इत्य् उक्त्वा सहसेन्द्रेण आहूतश् चाप्सरोगणः
Having spoken thus, Indra at once summoned the host of apsarases.
का भवतीषु कालस्य स्थितस्य तपसि द्विषः तपःप्रणाशने शक्ता इति मे शीघ्रम् उच्यताम्
Which among you is capable of destroying the austerity of this enemy, who is established in penance for a long time? Tell me quickly.
इति शक्रवचः श्रुत्वा नोचे कापि महामुने अथ शक्रः प्रकोपेण प्रत्युवाचाप्सरोगणम्
Hearing Śakra’s words, none of the great sages spoke; then Śakra, in anger, addressed the host of apsarases.
उत्तरं नाब्रवीत् किंचिद् यामस् तर्हि वयं स्वयम् सज्जा भवन्तु विबुधाः सैन्यैर् आयान्तु मा चिरम् घातयामो वयं शत्रुं तपसा स्वर्गकामुकम्
Since none of you has given an answer, then let us go ourselves. Let the gods be ready, let them come with their armies without delay. We shall destroy this enemy, who desires heaven through austerity.
इत्य् उक्ते सति देवानां सेना प्रादुर्बभूव ह इतीन्द्रहृदयं ज्ञात्वा हरिणा लोकधारिणा
When this was said, the army of the gods appeared. Knowing Indra’s heart, Hari, the sustainer of the worlds—
प्रेषितं चक्रिणा चक्रं रक्षणाय यमस्य हि चक्रं यत्राभवत् तत्र चक्रतीर्थम् अनुत्तमम्
The Discus-bearer sent his discus to protect Yama; wherever the discus was, there arose the supreme holy place called Cakratīrtha.
अथेन्द्रं मेनका प्राह शङ्कितेति वचस् तदा
Then Menakā spoke to Indra, expressing her doubt in these words.
कालावलोकने नालं काचिद् अस्ति सुरेश्वर मरणं च वरं देव भवतो न यमात् पुनः
O Lord of the gods, none of us is able to withstand the gaze of Kāla. O god, death at your hands is preferable to death at Yama’s.
रूपयौवनमत्तेयं गणिकायाचनं प्रभो प्रेषणं तत् प्रयच्छैषा स्वामित्वं मन्यते त्वया
This courtesan, intoxicated by beauty and youth, is accustomed to solicitation, O Lord. Send her; let her go. She considers herself your property.