इति श्रुत्वा वचस् तस्याः शक्रः सुरवरेश्वरः आदिदेशाबलां क्षामां सत्कृत्य गणिकां तथा
Hearing her words, Śakra, the lord of the gods, honored the slender, beautiful courtesan and gave her instructions accordingly.
गणिके गच्छ मे कार्यं कुरु सुन्दरि मा चिरम् कृतकृत्यागता भूयो वल्लभा मे यथा शची
O courtesan, go and accomplish my task, O beautiful one, without delay. Return successful, and you shall be as dear to me as Śacī.
इत्य् आकर्ण्य वचः शक्राद् उत्पत्य गणिका दिशः क्षणेन यमसांनिध्यम् आयाता चारुरूपिणी
Hearing Śakra’s command, the courtesan swiftly soared through the directions and, in a moment, arrived in the presence of Yama, radiant in form.
यमान्तिकम् अनुप्राप्ता द्योतयन्ती दिशो दश सलीलं ललितं बाला जगौ हिन्दोलकङ्कलम्
Arriving before Yama, shining in all ten directions, the graceful maiden playfully sang the Hindola melody.
ततश् चचाल कालस्य मनो लोलं चलाचलम् अथोन्मील्य यमो नेत्रे कामपावकपूरिते
Then the mind of Kāla wavered, restless and unsteady; opening his eyes, Yama’s gaze was filled with the fire of desire.
तस्यां व्यापारयाम् आस श्रेयःशत्रौ महामुने ततो विलीय सा सद्यः सरित्त्वम् अगमत् तदा
He engaged with her, O great sage, though she was his enemy for the sake of merit; then, at once, she dissolved and became a river.
गौतम्यां तु समागम्य गणिकागणकिंकरैः गीयमाना गता स्वर्गे तस्य तीर्थप्रभावतः
Having come together with her attendants and musicians at Gautamī, the courtesan, being sung to, ascended to heaven by the power of that holy place.
गच्छन्तीं गणिकां दृष्ट्वा विमानस्थां दिवं प्रति विस्मयं परमं प्राप्तः कालस् तरललोचनः अथादित्येन चागत्य एवम् उक्तो यमस् तदा
Seeing the courtesan ascending to heaven in a celestial chariot, Kāla, with restless eyes, was struck with great wonder; then, as the Sun approached, Yama was addressed thus.
कुरु पुत्र निजं कर्म प्रजानां त्वं परिक्षयम् पश्य वातं सदा वान्तं सृजन्तं वेधसं प्रजाः पर्यटन्तं त्रिलोकीं मां वहन्तीं वसुधां प्रजाः
Perform your own duty, my son; you are to oversee the end of beings. See the wind, always blowing, creating beings for the Creator; see the people wandering the three worlds, and the earth bearing all creatures.
इति श्रुत्वा यमो वाक्यं पितुर् वचनम् अब्रवीत्
Hearing these words, Yama spoke in reply to his father’s command.
एतन् न गर्हितं कर्म कुर्याम् अहम् इदं ध्रुवम् कर्मण्य् अस्मिन् महाक्रूरे समादेष्टुं न वार्हसि
This is not a blameworthy act; I shall surely do this. You should not command me to perform such a cruel deed.
इति श्रुत्वा च तद् वाक्यं भानुर् वचनम् अब्रवीत् किं नाम गर्हितं कर्म तव कर्तुम् अलं यम
Hearing those words, the Sun replied: What act is there that is blameworthy for you to perform, O Yama?
किं न दृष्टा त्वया यान्ती गणिका गणकिंकरैः गीयमाना दिवं सद्यो गौतमीतोयम् आप्लुता
Did you not see the courtesan, accompanied by her attendants, being sung to, ascending to heaven at once after bathing in the Gautamī?
त्वया चात्र तपस् तीव्रं कृतं पुत्र सुदुष्करम् नैवान्तं तस्य पश्यामि तस्माद् गच्छ निजं पुरम्
You have performed severe austerity here, my son, which is most difficult; yet I do not see its end. Therefore, return to your own city.
इत्य् उक्त्वा भगवान् भानुस् तत्र स्नात्वा गतो दिवम् यमो ऽपि संगमे स्नात्वा ततो निजपुरं ययौ
Having spoken thus, the blessed Sun, after bathing there, went to heaven; Yama also, having bathed at the confluence, returned to his own city.
भूतहापि ततः शङ्कां तत्याज च महामुने तथा दृष्ट्वा यमं यान्तं चक्रे चक्रं प्रयाणकम्
Even the slayer of beings then abandoned doubt, O great sage; seeing Yama departing, he set his wheel in motion for travel.
भगवान् यत्र गोविन्दो वनमालाविभूषितः इति यः शृणुयान् मर्त्यः पठेद् वापि समाहितः
Where the blessed Govinda, adorned with a garland of forest flowers, resides—whoever hears or recites this with concentration,
आपदस् तस्य नश्यन्ति दीर्घम् आयुर् अवाप्नुयात्
His calamities are destroyed, and he attains long life.
अहल्यासंगमं चेह तीर्थं त्रैलोक्यपावनम् शृणु सम्यङ् मुनिश्रेष्ठ तत्र वृत्तम् इदं यथा
Now hear, O best of sages, about the holy place of Ahalyā’s union, which purifies the three worlds, and what happened there.
कौतुकेनातिमहता मया पूर्वं मुनीश्वर सृष्टा कन्या बहुविधा रूपवत्यो गुणान्विताः
Out of great curiosity, O lord of sages, I formerly created many maidens, endowed with various forms and virtues.
तासाम् एकां श्रेष्ठतमां निर्ममे शुभलक्षणाम् तां बालां चारुसर्वाङ्गीं दृष्ट्वा रूपगुणान्विताम्
Among them, I fashioned one most excellent, marked by auspicious signs; seeing her, a maiden with beautiful limbs, endowed with form and virtue,
को वास्याः पोषणे शक्त इति मे बुद्धिर् आविशत् न दैत्यानां सुराणां च न मुनीनां तथैव च
The thought arose in me: Who indeed is capable of supporting her? Not the demons, nor the gods, nor the sages as well.
नास्त्य् अस्याः पोषणे शक्तिर् इति मे बुद्धिर् अन्वभूत् गुणज्येष्ठाय विप्राय तपोयुक्ताय धीमते
The thought occurred to me that there is no one capable of supporting her, except for a Brahmin, foremost in virtue, endowed with austerity and wisdom.
सर्वलक्षणयुक्ताय वेदवेदाङ्गवेदिने गौतमाय महाप्राज्ञाम् अददां पोषणाय ताम्
To Gautama, the great sage, possessed of all auspicious marks and knower of the Veda and its branches, I gave her for her maintenance.
पालयस्व मुनिश्रेष्ठ यावद् आप्स्यति यौवनम् यौवनस्थां पुनः साध्वीम् आनयेथा ममान्तिकम्
Protect her, O best of sages, until she attains youth; when she reaches young womanhood, bring the virtuous one back to me.
एवम् उक्त्वा गौतमाय प्रादां कन्यां सुमध्यमाम् ताम् आदाय मुनिश्रेष्ठ तपसा हतकल्मषः
Having thus spoken to Gautama, he gave him the slender-waisted maiden; taking her, the best of sages, purified by austerity, departed.
तां पोषयित्वा विधिवद् अलंकृत्य ममान्तिकम् निर्विकारो मुनिश्रेष्ठो ह्य् अहल्याम् आनयत् तदा
After raising her properly and adorning her, the best of sages, without any wavering, brought Ahalya to me.
तां दृष्ट्वा विबुधाः सर्वे शक्राग्निवरुणादयः मम देया सुरेशान इत्य् ऊचुस् ते पृथक् पृथक्
Seeing her, all the gods—Indra, Agni, Varuna, and the rest—said to me, each one separately, 'Give her to me, O lord of gods.'
तथैव मुनयः साध्या दानवा यक्षराक्षसाः तान् सर्वान् आगतान् दृष्ट्वा कन्यार्थम् अथ संगतान्
Likewise, sages, Sādhyas, Dānavas, Yakṣas, and Rākṣasas, all gathered there, having come for the maiden.
इन्द्रस्य तु विशेषेण महांश् चाभूत् तदा ग्रहः गौतमस्य तु माहात्म्यं गाम्भीर्यं धैर्यम् एव च
But especially for Indra, a great desire arose then; yet Gautama's greatness, depth, and steadfastness were also manifest.