तस्माद् वागीश्वरी देवी सा ते विद्यां प्रदास्यति अग्निश् च रूपवान् देवस् तव रूपं प्रदास्यति
Therefore, the goddess of speech will grant you knowledge, and Agni, the beautiful god, will bestow beauty upon you.
एवम् उक्त्वा गौतमं तं वृद्धोवाच विभावसुम् प्रार्थयित्वा सुविद्यं तं सुरूपं चाकरोन् मुनिम्
Having spoken thus to Gautama, the aged woman addressed Vibhavasu; after praying, she made the sage endowed with knowledge and beauty.
ततः सुविद्यः सुभगः सुकान्तो वृद्धां स पत्नीम् अकरोत् प्रीतियुक्तः तया स रेमे बहुला मनोज्ञया समाः सुखं प्रीतमना गुहायाम्
Then, possessing knowledge, fortune, and charm, he joyfully made the aged woman his wife; with her, delightful and pleasing, he spent many happy years in the cave, his mind content.
कदाचित् तत्र वसतोर् दंपत्योर् मुदतोर् गिरौ गुहायां मुनिशार्दूल आजग्मुर् मुनयो ऽमलाः
Once, as the joyful couple dwelled in the cave on the mountain, pure sages arrived there.
वसिष्ठवामदेवाद्या ये चान्ये च महर्षयः भ्रमन्तः पुण्यतीर्थानि प्राप्नुवंस् तस्य तां गुहाम्
Vasiṣṭha, Vāmadeva, and other great sages, wandering to holy places, reached his cave.
आगतांस् तान् ऋषीञ् ज्ञात्वा गौतमः सह भार्यया सत्कारम् अकरोत् तेषां जहसुस् तं च केचन
Recognizing the arrival of the sages, Gautama, together with his wife, honored them; some among them laughed at him.
ये बाला यौवनोन्मत्ता वयसा ये च मध्यमाः वृद्धां च गौतमं प्रेक्ष्य जहसुस् तत्र केचन
Those who were young, intoxicated by youth, and those of middle age, seeing Gautama and the aged woman, laughed at them.
पुत्रो ऽयं तव पौत्रो वा वृद्धे को गौतमो ऽभवत् सत्यं वदस्व कल्याणि इत्य् एवं जहसुर् द्विजाः
Is this your son or grandson? How did Gautama become old? Speak the truth, O blessed one—thus the twice-born laughed.
विषं वृद्धस्य युवती वृद्धाया अमृतं युवा इष्टानिष्टसमायोगो दृष्टो ऽस्माभिर् अहो चिरात्
For the old, a young woman is poison; for the old woman, a young man is nectar. We have witnessed this union of opposites after a long time.
इत्य् एवम् ऊचिरे केचिद् दंपत्योः शृण्वतोस् तदा एवम् उक्त्वा कृतातिथ्या ययुः सर्वे महर्षयः
Thus some spoke as the couple listened; having said this and been received as guests, all the great sages departed.
ऋषीणां वचनं श्रुत्वा उभाव् अपि सुदुःखितौ लज्जितौ च महाप्राज्ञौ गौतमो भार्यया सह पप्रच्छ मुनिशार्दूलम् अगस्त्यम् ऋषिसत्तमम्
Hearing the words of the sages, both were deeply distressed and ashamed; Gautama, wise, together with his wife, questioned the eminent sage Agastya.
को देशः किम् उ तीर्थं वा यत्र श्रेयः समाप्यते शीघ्रम् एव महाप्राज्ञ भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायकम्
What land or holy place is there where supreme benefit is quickly attained, O wise one, granting both enjoyment and liberation?
वदद्भिर् मुनिभिर् ब्रह्मन् मया श्रुतम् इदं वचः सर्वे कामास् तत्र पूर्णा गौतम्यां नात्र संशयः
O Brahman, I have heard this statement from the speaking sages: all desires are fulfilled at Gautamī, of this there is no doubt.
तस्माद् गच्छ महाबुद्धे गौतमीं पापनाशिनीम् अहं त्वाम् अनुयास्यामि यथेच्छसि तथा कुरु
Therefore, go, O great-minded one, to Gautamī, the destroyer of sins; I will follow you—do as you wish.
एतच् छ्रुत्वागस्त्यवाक्यं वृद्धया गौतमो ऽभ्यगात् तत्र तेपे तपस् तीव्रं पत्न्या स भगवान् ऋषिः
Hearing Agastya’s words, Gautama, together with the aged woman, went there; that venerable sage performed intense austerity with his wife.
स्तुतिं चकार देवस्य शंभोर् विष्णोस् तथैव च गङ्गां च तोषयाम् आस भार्यार्थं भगवान् ऋषिः
The venerable sage offered praise to the god Śambhu and likewise to Viṣṇu, and he pleased Gaṅgā for the sake of his wife.
खिन्नात्मनाम् अत्र भवे त्वम् एव शरणं शिवः मरुभूमाव् अध्वगानां विटपीव प्रियायुतः
In this world, for those whose hearts are weary, you alone are the refuge, O Śiva, like a beloved tree full of shade for travelers in the desert.
उच्चावचानां भूतानां सर्वथा पापनोदनः सस्यानां घनवत् कृष्ण त्वम् अवग्रहशोषिणाम्
You are, in every way, the remover of sins for all beings, high and low; like a rain cloud for crops, O Kṛṣṇa, for those withered by drought.
वैकुण्ठदुर्गनिःश्रेणिस् त्वं पीयूषतरंगिणी अधोगतानां तप्तानां शरणं भव गौतमि
You are the stairway out of the fortress of Vaikuṇṭha; you are the river with nectar-like waves. O Gautamī, become the refuge for those fallen down and tormented.
ततस् तुष्टावदद् वाक्यं गौतमं वृद्धया युतम् शरणागतदीनार्तं शरण्या गौतमी मुदा
Then, pleased, Gautamī, the worthy of refuge, spoke words to Gautama, who was accompanied by the aged woman, with joy for one who had sought her protection in distress.
अभिषिञ्चस्व भार्यां त्वं मज्जलैर् मन्त्रसंयुतैः कलशैर् उपचारैश् च ततः पत्नी तव प्रिया
You should anoint your wife with water mixed with mantras, using pitchers and proper offerings; then your beloved wife—
सुरूपा चारुसर्वाङ्गी सुभगा चारुलोचना सर्वलक्षणसंपूर्णा रम्यरूपम् अवाप्स्यति
She will become beautiful, with lovely limbs, fortunate, with charming eyes, endowed with all auspicious marks, and will attain a delightful form.
रूपवत्या पुनस् त्वं वै भार्यया चाभिषेचितः सर्वलक्षणसंपूर्णः कान्तं रूपम् अवाप्स्यसि
Again, you, anointed by your beautiful wife, will attain a handsome form, endowed with all auspicious marks.
तथेति गाङ्गवचनाद् यथोक्तं तौ च चक्रतुः सुरूपताम् उभौ प्राप्तौ गौतम्याश् च प्रसादतः
Saying 'so be it' at Gaṅgā’s words, the two did as instructed; both attained beauty by the grace of Gautamī.
अभिषेकोदकं यच् च सा नदी समजायत तस्या नाम्ना तु विख्याता वृद्धाया मुनिसत्तम
And the water used for the consecration became a river, O best of sages, renowned by her name as Vṛddhā.
वृद्धा नदीति विख्याता गौतमो ऽपि तथोच्यते वृद्धगौतम इत्य् उक्त ऋषिभिः समवासिभिः वृद्धा तु गौतमीं प्राह गङ्गां प्रत्यक्षरूपिणीम्
She is known as the Vṛddhā river, and Gautama is likewise called Vṛddhagautama by the assembled sages; and Vṛddhā addressed Gautamī, Gaṅgā manifest in visible form.
मन्नाम्नीयं नदी देवि वृद्धा चेत्य् अभिधीयताम् त्वया च संगमस् तस्यास् तस्यास् तीर्थम् अनुत्तमम्
O goddess, let this river be named after me as Vṛddhā; and let your confluence with her be the most excellent of sacred fords.
रूपसौभाग्यसंपत्तिपुत्रपौत्रप्रवर्धनम् आयुरारोग्यकल्याणं जयप्रीतिविवर्धनम् स्नानदानादिहोमैश् च पितॄणां पावनं परम्
There will be increase of beauty, good fortune, sons and grandsons, long life, health, welfare, victory, and love; and by bathing, giving, and performing rites there, the ancestors are greatly purified.
अस्त्व् इत्य् आह च तां गङ्गा सुवृद्धां गौतमप्रियाम् गौतमस्थापितं लिङ्गं वृद्धानाम्नैव कीर्तितम्
Gaṅgā said, 'So be it,' to her, the greatly aged and dear to Gautama; and the liṅga established by Gautama is famed by the name Vṛddhā.
तत्रैव च मुदं प्राप्तो वृद्धया मुनिसत्तमः तत्र स्नानं च दानं च सर्वाभीष्टप्रदायकम्
There, the best of sages attained joy with the aged woman; bathing and giving there grants all desired wishes.