ततः श्रेष्ठा नदी जाता प्रवरा चामृता शुभा राहुदेहसमुद्भूता रुद्रशक्तिसमन्विता
Then arose the supreme, auspicious river Amṛtā, born from Rahu’s body, endowed with Rudra’s power.
नदीनां प्रवरा रम्या चामृता प्रेरिता तहा तत्र पञ्च सहस्राणि तीर्थानि गुणवन्ति च
That lovely, supreme river Amṛtā was set in motion; there, five thousand holy places of great merit appeared.
तत्र शंभुः स्वयं तस्थौ सर्वदा सुरपूजितः तस्यै तुष्टाः सुराः सर्वे देव्यै नद्यै पृथक् पृथक्
There Śambhu himself always stood, worshipped by all the gods; all the gods, pleased, offered separate worship to the goddess and to the river.
वरान् ददुर् मुदा युक्ता यथा पूजाम् अवाप्स्यति शंभुः सुरपतिर् लोके तथा पूजाम् अवाप्स्यसि
With joyful hearts, they granted her boons: ‘As Śambhu, lord of the gods, receives worship in the world, so too shall you receive worship.’
निवासं कुरु देवि त्वं लोकानां हितकाम्यया सदा तिष्ठ रसेशानि सर्वेषां सर्वसिद्धिदा
O goddess, dwell here for the good of the worlds; always remain, O mistress of the essence, bestower of all accomplishments to all.
स्तवनात् कीर्तनाद् ध्यानात् सर्वकामप्रदायिनी त्वां नमस्यन्ति ये भक्त्या किंचिद् आपेक्ष्य सर्वदा
By praise, by recitation, by meditation, you grant all desires; those who worship you with devotion, seeking anything, always bow to you.
तेषां सर्वाणि कार्याणि भवेयुर् देवताज्ञया शिवशक्त्योर् यतस् तस्मिन् निवासो ऽभूत् सनातनः
All their undertakings succeed by the command of the goddess, for there is the eternal abode of Śiva and Śakti.
अतो वदन्ति मुनयो निवासपुरम् इत्य् अदः प्रवरायाः पुरा देवाः सुप्रीतास् ते वरान् ददुः
Therefore, the sages call that place the City of Abode; formerly, the delighted gods granted boons to the supreme goddess there.
गङ्गायाः संगमो यस् ते विख्यातः सुरवल्लभः तत्राप्लुतानां सर्वेषां भुक्तिर् वा मुक्तिर् एव च
The confluence of the Gaṅgā, renowned and beloved of the gods—whoever bathes there attains either enjoyment or indeed liberation.
यद् वापि मनसः काम्यं देवानाम् अपि दुर्लभम् स्यात् तेषां सर्वम् एवेह एवं दत्त्वा सुरा ययुः
Whatever is desired in the mind, even that which is difficult for the gods to obtain, all of it is surely granted here; having given thus, the gods departed.
ततः प्रभृति तत् तीर्थं प्रवरासंगमं विदुः प्रेरिता देवदेवेन शक्तिर् या प्रेरिता तु सा
From that time onward, that sacred place has been known as the foremost confluence, inspired by the Lord of gods, by the power that was thus set in motion.
अमृता सैव विख्याता प्रवरैवं महानदी
She herself is famed as immortal, and thus is the foremost great river.
वृद्धासंगमम् आख्यातं यत्र वृद्धेश्वरः शिवः तस्याख्यानं प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणु पापप्रणाशनम्
The confluence called Vṛddhāsaṅgama, where Vṛddheśvara Śiva abides—I shall recount its story, which destroys sin; listen.
गौतमो वृद्ध इत्य् उक्तो मुनिर् आसीन् महातपाः यदा पुराभवद् बालो गौतमस्य सुतो द्विजः
Gautama, called Vṛddha, was a sage of great austerity; once, his son was a child, a twice-born by birth.
अनासः स पुरोत्पन्नस् तस्माद् विकृतरूपधृक् स वैराग्याज् जगामाथ देशं तीर्थम् इतस् ततः
He was born without a nose, bearing a deformed appearance; out of dispassion, he wandered from place to place, to sacred sites.
उपाध्यायेन नैवासील् लज्जितस्य समागमः शिष्यैर् अन्यैः सहाध्यायो लज्जितस्य च नाभवत्
Ashamed, he did not associate with his teacher, nor did he study with other disciples.
उपनीतः कथंचिच् च पित्रा वै गौतमेन सः एतावता गौतमो ऽपि व्यगमच् चरितुं बहिः
Somehow, his father Gautama initiated him; with that, Gautama too went out to wander.
एवं बहुतिथे काले ब्रह्ममात्रा धृते द्विजे नैव चाध्ययनं तस्य संजातं गौतमस्य हि
Thus, after a long time, the twice-born Gautama was sustained only by the measure of the Veda, but did not study further.
नैव शास्त्रस्य चाभ्यासो गौतमस्याभवत् तदा अग्निकार्यं ततश् चक्रे नित्यम् एव यतव्रतः
At that time, Gautama did not practice the scriptures; then, steadfast in his vows, he performed the fire ritual daily.
गायत्र्यभ्यासमात्रेण ब्राह्मणो नामधारकः अग्न्युपासनमात्रं च गायत्र्यभ्यसनं तथा
By merely reciting the Gāyatrī, he bore the name of brāhmaṇa; his only practices were worship of the fire and recitation of the Gāyatrī.
एतावता ब्राह्मणत्वं गौतमस्याभवन् मुने उपासतो ऽग्निं विधिवद् गायत्रीं च महात्मनः
By this alone, Gautama attained the status of a brāhmaṇa, O sage, as he duly worshipped the fire and the Gāyatrī, being a great soul.
तस्यायुर् ववृधे पुत्र गौतमस्य चिरायुषः न दारसंग्रहं लेभे नैव दातास्ति कन्यकाम्
His lifespan increased, O son, Gautama became long-lived; he did not take a wife, nor was there anyone to give him a maiden.
तथा चरंस् तीर्थदेशे वनेषु विविधेषु च आश्रमेषु च पुण्येषु अटन्न् आस्ते स गौतमः
Thus, dwelling in sacred places, in various forests and holy hermitages, Gautama wandered and lived.
एवं भ्रमञ् शीतगिरिम् आश्रित्यास्ते स गौतमः तत्रापश्यद् गुहां रम्यां वल्लीविटपमालिनीम्
Thus wandering, Gautama took refuge on Śītāgiri and remained there; there he saw a delightful cave, adorned with creepers and trees.
तत्रोपविश्य विप्रेन्द्रो वस्तुं समकरोन् मतिम् चिन्तयंस् तु प्रविष्टो ऽसाव् अपश्यत् स्त्रियम् उत्तमाम्
There, sitting down, the best of brāhmaṇas resolved to dwell, and as he pondered, he saw an excellent woman enter.
शिथिलाङ्गीम् अथ कृशां वृद्धां च तपसि स्थिताम् ब्रह्मचर्येण वर्तन्तीं विरागां रहसि स्थिताम्
She was emaciated, with loosened limbs, aged, steadfast in austerity, living in celibacy, dispassionate, and dwelling in solitude.
स तां दृष्ट्वा मुनिश्रेष्ठो नमस्काराय तस्थिवान् नमस्यन्तं मुनिश्रेष्ठं तं गौतमम् अवारयत्
Seeing her, the eminent sage stood ready to offer his respects; but Gautama restrained the sage who was about to bow.
गुरुस् त्वं भविता मह्यं न मां वन्दितुम् अर्हसि आयुर् विद्या धनं कीर्तिर् धर्मः स्वर्गादिकं च यत् तस्य नश्यति वै सर्वं यं नमस्यति वै गुरुः
You will become my teacher; you should not bow to me. Whoever bows to their teacher loses their lifespan, knowledge, wealth, fame, virtue, and even heaven.
कृताञ्जलिपुटस् तां वै गौतमः प्राह विस्मितः
With hands joined in reverence, Gautama spoke to her, astonished.
तपस्विनी त्वं वृद्धा च गुणज्येष्ठा च भामिनी अल्पविद्यस् त्व् अल्पवया अहं तव गुरुः कथम्
You are an ascetic, elderly, and foremost in virtue, O radiant one; I am young and possess little knowledge. How can I be your teacher?