तर्पयित्वा सुरान् आदौ तर्पयित्वा जगत्त्रयम् विप्रः संभुक्तवाञ् शिष्यैर् विश्वामित्रः स्वभार्यया
Having first satisfied the gods, and then the three worlds, the sage Viśvāmitra, together with his disciples and his own wife, partook of the remains.
ततः प्रभृति तत् तीर्थम् आख्यातं चातिपुण्यदम् यत्रागतः सुरपतिर् लोकानाम् अमृतार्पणम्
From that time, that sacred ford has been called supremely holy, where the lord of the gods came and offered nectar to the worlds.
संजातं मांसवर्जं तु तत् तीर्थं पुण्यदं नृणाम् तत्र स्नानं च दानं च सर्वक्रतुफलप्रदम्
That holy ford, free from flesh, arose there, bestowing merit on people; bathing and giving gifts there grant the fruit of all sacrifices.
ततः प्रभृति तत् तीर्थं विश्वामित्रम् इति स्मृतम् मधुतीर्थम् अथैन्द्रं च श्येनं पर्जन्यम् एव च
From that time, that ford has been remembered as Viśvāmitra’s, as well as the Madhu-ford, the Indra-ford, the Śyena-ford, and the Parjanya-ford.
श्वेततीर्थम् इति ख्यातं त्रैलोक्ये विश्रुतं शुभम् तस्य श्रवणमात्रेण सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते
It is known as the Śveta-ford, famed throughout the three worlds, auspicious; merely by hearing of it, one is freed from all sins.
श्वेतो नाम पुरा विप्रो गौतमस्य प्रियः सखा आतिथ्यपूजानिरतो गौतमीतीरम् आश्रितः
Once there was a brāhmaṇa named Śveta, a dear friend of Gautama, devoted to hospitality and worship, who dwelled at the bank of the Gautamī.
मनसा कर्मणा वाचा शिवभक्तिपरायणः ध्यायन्तं तं द्विजश्रेष्ठं पूजयन्तं सदा शिवम्
With mind, action, and speech, he was devoted to the worship of Śiva; always meditating on and honoring Śiva, that best of twice-born men.
पूर्णायुषं द्विजवरं शिवभक्तिपरायणम् नेतुं दूताः समाजग्मुर् दक्षिणाशापतेस् तदा
When the time came to take that excellent brāhmaṇa, devoted to Śiva, at the end of his full lifespan, the messengers of the lord of the southern quarter arrived.
नाशक्नुवन् गृहं तस्य प्रवेष्टुम् अपि नारद तदा काले व्यतिक्रान्ते चित्रको मृत्युम् अब्रवीत्
O Nārada, they were unable even to enter his house; when the appointed time had passed, Citraka spoke to Death.
किं नायाति क्षीणजीवो मृत्यो श्वेतः कथं त्व् इति नाद्याप्य् आयान्ति दूतास् ते मृत्योर् नैवोचितं तु ते
'Why does Śveta, whose life is spent, not come, O Death? Why have your messengers not yet arrived? This is not fitting for you.'
ततश् च कुपितो मृत्युः प्रायाच् छ्वेतगृहं स्वयम् बहिःस्थितांस् तदा पश्यन् मृत्युर् दूतान् भयार्दितान् प्रोवाच किम् इदं दूता मृत्युम् ऊचुश् च दूतकाः
Then Death, angered, went himself to Śveta’s house; seeing his messengers standing outside, terrified, Death asked, 'What is this, messengers?' and the messengers replied to Death.
शिवेन रक्षितं श्वेतं वयं नो वीक्षितुं क्षमाः येषां प्रसन्नो गिरिशस् तेषां का नाम भीतयः
'Śveta is protected by Śiva—we are not able to even look at him. For those whom the Lord of the Mountain is gracious to, what fear can there be?'
पाशपाणिस् तदा मृत्युः प्राविशद् यत्र स द्विजः नासौ विप्रो विजानाति मृत्युं वा यमकिंकरान्
Then Death, holding his noose, entered where that brāhmaṇa was; but that brāhmaṇa did not perceive either Death or the servants of Yama.
शिवं पूजयते भक्त्या श्वेतस्य तु समीपतः मृत्युं पाशधरं दृष्ट्वा दण्डी प्रोवाच विस्मितः
Śveta was worshipping Śiva with devotion, and near Śveta, seeing Death holding the noose, the ascetic, astonished, spoke.
किम् अत्र वीक्षसे मृत्यो दण्डिनं मृत्युर् अब्रवीत्
Why do you look here, O Death, at the staff-bearing one? Death spoke:
श्वेतं नेतुम् इहायातस् तस्माद् वीक्षे द्विजोत्तमम्
I have come here to take Śveta; therefore, I look at the best of twice-born.
त्वं गच्छेत्य् अब्रवीद् दण्डी मृत्युः पाशान् अथाक्षिपत् श्वेताय मुनिशार्दूल ततो दण्डी चुकोप ह
The staff-bearer said, 'You go,' and Death cast his noose at Śveta, O best of sages; then the staff-bearer became angry.
शिवदत्तेन दण्डेन दण्डी मृत्युम् अताडयत् ततः पाशधरो मृत्युः पपात धरणीतले
With the staff given by Shiva, the staff-bearer struck Death; then Death, the noose-holder, fell to the ground.
ततस् ते सत्वरं दूता हतं मृत्युम् अवेक्ष्य च यमाय सर्वम् अवदन् वधं मृत्योस् तु दण्डिना
Then, seeing Death slain, the messengers quickly reported everything to Yama: the killing of Death by the staff-bearer.
ततश् च कुपितो धर्मो यमो महिषवाहनः चित्रगुप्तं बहुबलं यमदण्डं च रक्षकम्
Then Dharma, Yama, the buffalo-rider, became angry and summoned Citragupta, his mighty attendants, the rod of Yama, and his guards.
महिषं भूतवेतालान् आधिव्याधींस् तथैव च अक्षिरोगान् कुक्षिरोगान् कर्णशूलं तथैव च
He called the buffalo, spirits, goblins, diseases, eye ailments, abdominal diseases, and ear pain as well.
ज्वरं च त्रिविधं पापं नरकाणि पृथक् पृथक् त्वरन्ताम् इति तान् उक्त्वा जगाम त्वरितो यमः
He also summoned fever of three kinds, sins, and the various hells, saying, 'Let them hasten!' Having thus instructed them, Yama departed quickly.
एतैर् अन्यैः परिवृतो यत्र श्वेतो द्विजोत्तमः तम् आयान्तं यमं दृष्ट्वा नन्दी प्रोवाच सायुधः
Surrounded by these and others, Yama went to where Śveta, the best of twice-born, was; seeing Yama approaching, Nandi, armed, spoke.
विनायकं तथा स्कन्दं भूतनाथं तु दण्डिनम् तत्र तद् युद्धम् अभवत् सर्वलोकभयावहम्
Vināyaka, Skanda, Bhūtanātha, and the staff-bearer were also there; then a battle took place, terrifying to all the worlds.
कार्त्तिकेयः स्वयं शक्त्या बिभेद यमकिंकरान् दक्षिणाशापतिं चापि निजघान बलान्वितम्
Kārttikeya himself, with his spear, struck down Yama's attendants, and he also slew the lord of the southern quarter, though he was powerful.
हतावशिष्टा याम्यास् ते आदित्याय न्यवेदयन् आदित्यो ऽपि सुरैः सार्धं श्रुत्वा तन् महद् अद्भुतम्
Those Yama's followers who survived reported to Āditya; and Āditya, together with the gods, hearing of that great and wondrous event—
लोकपालैर् अनुवृतो ममान्तिकम् उपागमत् अहं विष्णुश् च भगवान् इन्द्रो ऽग्निर् वरुणस् तथा
Accompanied by the guardians of the worlds, came to me; I, Lord Viṣṇu, Indra, Agni, and Varuṇa as well,
चन्द्रादित्याव् अश्विनौ च लोकपाला मरुद्गणाः एते चान्ये च बहवो वयं याता यमान्तिकम्
The Moon, the Sun, the Aśvins, the guardians of the worlds, and the hosts of Maruts—these and many others, we all went to Yama.
मृत आस्ते दक्षिणेशो गङ्गातीरे बलान्वितः समुद्राश् च नदा नागा नानाभूतान्य् अनेकशः
The lord of the south lies dead, powerful, on the bank of the Ganges; the oceans, rivers, serpents, and countless various beings as well.
तत्राजग्मुः सुरेशानं द्रष्टुं वैवस्वतं यमम् तं दृष्ट्वा हतसैन्यं च यमं देवा भयार्दिताः कृताञ्जलिपुटाः शंभुम् ऊचुः सर्वे पुनः पुनः
There, the lords of the gods came to see Vaivasvata Yama; seeing Yama with his army slain, the gods, seized by fear, with hands joined, addressed Śambhu again and again.