किं तु जातं द्विजश्रेष्ठ क्व च प्रीतिर् गता तव किं तु वाक्यं मया चोक्तं तव चित्तविरोधकृत्
But what has happened, O best of twice-born? Where has your affection gone? And what words have I spoken that have caused distress to your heart?
आत्मानम् आत्मनाश्वास्य ब्राह्मणो वाक्यम् अब्रवीत्
Comforting himself, the Brahmin spoke these words.
धृतव्रतः पिता विप्रस् तत्पुत्रो ऽहं सनाद्यतः माता मही मम इयं मम दैवाद् उपागता
My father, the sage Dhritavrata, and I, his son from the beginning; my mother is this earth, who has come to me by divine will.
एतच् छ्रुत्वा तस्य वाक्यं साप्य् अभूद् अतिदुःखिता तयोस् तु शोचतोः पश्चात् प्रभाते विमले रवौ गालवं मुनिशार्दूलं गत्वा विप्रो न्यवेदयत्
Hearing his words, she became exceedingly sorrowful; and after both had grieved, at dawn, under the clear sun, the Brahmin went and reported to Gālava, the tiger among sages.
धृतव्रतसुतो ब्रह्मंस् त्वया पूर्वं तु पालितः उपनीतस् त्वया चैव मही माता मम प्रभो
O Brahman, Dhritavrata's son, whom you formerly protected and initiated, and this earth, my mother, O Lord, were both given by you.
किं करोमि च किं कृत्वा निष्कृतिर् मम वै भवेत्
What should I do, and by doing what will I be freed from my guilt?
तद् विप्रवचनं श्रुत्वा गालवः प्राह मा शुचः तवेदं द्विविधं रूपं नित्यं पश्याम्य् अपूर्ववत्
Hearing the Brahmin's words, Gālava replied: 'Do not grieve. I always see your twofold form as if it were something unprecedented.'
ततः पृष्टो ऽसि वृत्तान्तं श्रुतं ज्ञातं मया यथा यत् कृत्यं तव तत् सर्वं गङ्गायां प्रत्यगात् क्षयम्
Then, having been questioned, I have heard and understood your story; whatever needs to be done for you, all of it returns to completion in the Ganges.
अस्य तीर्थस्य माहात्म्याद् अस्या देव्याः प्रसादतः पूतो ऽसि प्रत्यहं वत्स नात्र कार्या विचारणा
By the greatness of this sacred place and by the grace of this goddess, you are purified every day, child; there is no need for further deliberation here.
प्रभाते तव रूपाणि सपापानि त्व् अहर्निशम् पश्ये ऽहं पुनर् अप्य् एव रूपं तव गुणोत्तमम्
At dawn, I see your forms, bearing sin, day and night; yet again I see your most excellent form.
आगच्छन्तं त्व् आगोयुक्तं गच्छन्तं त्वाम् अनागसम् पश्यामि नित्यं तस्मात् त्वं पूतो देव्या कृतो ऽधुना
I see you always coming yoked with sin, and departing free from it; therefore, you are now purified by the goddess.
तस्मान् न कार्यं ते किंचिद् अवशिष्टं भविष्यति इयं च माता ते विप्र ज्ञाता या चैव बन्धकी
Therefore, nothing remains for you to be done; this is your mother, O Brahmin, and the one known as Bandhakī.
पश्चात्तापं गतात्यन्तं निवृत्ता त्व् अथ पातकात् भूतानां विषये प्रीतिर् वत्स स्वाभाविकी यतः
Having passed through intense remorse, she is now freed from sin; affection among beings, child, is natural.
सत्सङ्गतो महापुण्यान् निवृत्तिर् दैवतो भवेत् अत्यर्थम् अनुतप्तेयं प्रागाचरितपुण्यतः
Through association with the virtuous, great merit arises, and release is granted by the divine; she was excessively repentant due to previously performed merit.
स्नानं कृत्वा चात्र तीर्थे ततः पूता भविष्यति तथा तौ चक्रतुर् उभौ मातापुत्रौ च नारद
After bathing at this sacred place, both mother and son became purified, O Nārada.
स्नानाद् बभूवतुर् उभौ गतपापाव् असंशयम् ततः प्रभृति तत् तीर्थं धौतपापं प्रचक्षते
By bathing, both became free from sin, without doubt; from then on, that sacred place is known as the remover of sin.
पापप्रणाशनं नाम गालवं चेति विश्रुतम् महापातकम् अल्पं वा तथा यच् चोपपातकम् तत् सर्वं नाशयेद् एतद् धौतपापं सुपुण्यदम्
It is renowned as the destroyer of sin, and as Gālava's tirtha; whether great or small, or even secondary sins, all are destroyed here—this place cleanses sin and bestows great merit.
यत्र दाशरथी रामः सीतया सहितो द्विज पितॄन् संतर्पयाम् आस पितृतीर्थं ततो विदुः
Where Rāma, son of Daśaratha, together with Sītā, satisfied the ancestors, O Brahmin, that place is known as the ancestral tirtha.
तत्र स्नानं च दानं च पितॄणां तर्पणं तथा सर्वम् अक्षयताम् एति नात्र कार्या विचारणा
There, bathing, giving, and offering libations to the ancestors—all attain imperishable merit; there is no need for doubt in this matter.
यत्र दाशरथी रामो विश्वामित्रं महामुनिम् पूजयाम् आस राजेन्द्रो मुनिभिस् तत्त्वदर्शिभिः
Where Rāma, son of Daśaratha, honored the great sage Viśvāmitra, the king among kings, together with sages who perceive the truth.
विश्वामित्रं तु तत् तीर्थम् ऋषिजुष्टं सुपुण्यदम् तत्स्वरूपं च वक्ष्यामि पठितं वेदवादिभिः
That sacred place of Viśvāmitra, cherished by sages and bestowing great virtue—I will describe its nature, as recited by those versed in the Vedas.
अनावृष्टिर् अभूत् पूर्वं प्रजानाम् अतिभीषणा विश्वामित्रो महाप्राज्ञः सशिष्यो गौतमीम् अगात्
Once, a terrible drought afflicted the people; the wise Viśvāmitra, accompanied by his disciples, went to the Gautamī river.
शिष्यान् पुत्रांश् च जायां च कृशान् दृष्ट्वा क्षुधातुरान् व्यथितः कौशिकः श्रीमाञ् शिष्यान् इदम् उवाच ह
Seeing his disciples, sons, and wife emaciated and distressed by hunger, the illustrious Kauśika spoke these words to his disciples.
यथा कथंचिद् यत् किंचिद् यत्र क्वापि यथा तथा आनीयतां किंतु भक्ष्यं भोज्यं वा मा विलम्ब्यताम् इदानीम् एव गन्तव्यम् आनेतव्यं क्षणेन तु
In whatever way, whatever thing, wherever, however—bring food to eat, but do not delay; go now and bring it at once.
ऋषेस् तद् वचनाच् छिष्याः क्षुधितास् त्वरया ययुः अटमाना इतश् चेतो मृतं ददृशिरे शुनम्
At the sage’s command, the hungry disciples hurried off; wandering here and there, they found a dead dog.
तम् आदाय त्वरायुक्ता आचार्याय न्यवेदयन् सो ऽपि तं भद्रम् इत्य् उक्त्वा प्रतिजग्राह पाणिना
Taking it quickly, they presented it to their teacher; he accepted it, saying, 'Let it be well,' and received it with his hand.
विशसध्वं श्वमांसं च क्षालयध्वं च वारिणा पचध्वं मन्त्रवच् चापि हुत्वाग्नौ तु यथाविधि
Cut up the dog’s flesh, wash it with water, cook it, and, reciting mantras, offer it into the fire as prescribed.
देवान् ऋषीन् पितॄन् अन्यांस् तर्पयित्वातिथीन् गुरून् सर्वे भोक्ष्यामहे शेषम् इत्य् उवाच स कौशिकः
After satisfying the gods, sages, ancestors, guests, and teachers, we shall eat what remains—so said Kauśika.
विश्वामित्रवचः श्रुत्वा शिष्याश् चक्रुस् तथैव तत् पच्यमाने श्वमांसे तु देवदूतो ऽग्निर् अभ्यगात् देवानां सदने सर्वं देवेभ्यस् तन् न्यवेदयत्
Hearing Viśvāmitra’s words, the disciples did just so; as the dog’s flesh was cooking, Agni, the divine messenger, approached the abode of the gods and reported everything to them.
देवैः श्वमांसं भोक्तव्यम् आपन्नम् ऋषिकल्पितम्
The gods were told that the dog’s flesh, prepared by the sages, was to be eaten in distress.