यथा तवाहं विदितो ऽस्मि पापस् तथापि विज्ञापनम् आशृणुष्व संश्रूयते यत्र वचः शिवेति तत्र स्थितिः स्यान् मम सोमनाथ
Though I am known to you as sinful, still hear my request; wherever the word 'Shiva' is heard, there, O Somanatha, may my abode be.
गौरीपते शंकर सोमनाथ विश्वेश कारुण्यनिधे ऽखिलात्मन् संस्तूयते यत्र सदेति तत्र केषाम् अपि स्यात् कृतिनां निवासः
O Lord of Gauri, Shankara, Somanatha, Lord of the universe, ocean of compassion, soul of all—wherever you are praised as 'the true one,' there may the abode of the virtuous be.
इत्य् आत्रेयस्तुतिं श्रुत्वा तुतोष भगवान् हरः वरदो ऽस्मीति तं प्राह योगिनं विश्वकृद् भवः
Having heard this praise of Atri, the blessed Hara was pleased and said to that yogi, 'I am the giver of boons, creator of the universe.'
आत्मज्ञानं च मुक्तिं च भुक्तिं च विपुलां त्वयि तीर्थस्यापि च माहात्म्यं वरो ऽयं त्रिदशार्चित
To you is granted self-knowledge, liberation, abundant enjoyment, and the greatness of the holy place; this boon is worshipped by the gods.
एवम् अस्त्व् इति तं शंभुर् उक्त्वा चान्तरधीयत ततः प्रभृति तत् तीर्थम् आत्मतीर्थं विदुर् बुधाः तत्र स्नानेन दानेन मुक्तिः स्याद् इह नारद
So be it—having spoken thus, Shambhu disappeared. From that time, the wise know that holy place as the 'self-holy place.' By bathing and giving there, liberation is attained here, O Narada.
अश्वत्थतीर्थम् आख्यातं पिप्पलं च ततः परम् उत्तरे मन्दतीर्थं तु तत्र व्युष्टिम् इतः शृणु
The Ashvattha holy place has been described, and then the Pippala; next, hear about the Mandatirtha in the north, and its excellence.
पुरा त्व् अगस्त्यो भगवान् दक्षिणाशापतिः प्रभुः देवैस् तु प्रेरितः पूर्वं विन्ध्यस्य प्रार्थनं प्रति
Long ago, the blessed Agastya, lord of the southern quarter, was sent by the gods to fulfill the request of Vindhya.
स शनैर् विन्ध्यम् अभ्यागात् सहस्रमुनिभिर् वृतः तम् आगत्य नगश्रेष्ठं बहुवृक्षसमाकुलम्
He slowly approached Vindhya, surrounded by a thousand sages, and upon reaching the chief of mountains, crowded with many trees—
स्पर्धिनं मेरुभानुभ्यां विन्ध्यं शृङ्गशतैर् वृतम् अत्युन्नतं नगं धीरो लोपामुद्रापतिर् मुनिः
Vindhya, adorned with hundreds of peaks, rivaled Meru and the Sun; the steadfast sage, lord of Lopamudra, beheld that lofty mountain.
कृतातिथ्यो द्विजैः सार्धं प्रशस्य च नगं पुनः इदम् आह मुनिश्रेष्ठो देवकार्यार्थसिद्धये
Having been received as a guest by the twice-born, and having praised the mountain, the foremost sage then spoke these words for the accomplishment of the gods' purpose.
अहं यामि नगश्रेष्ठ मुनिभिस् तत्त्वदर्शिभिः तीर्थयात्रां करोमीति दक्षिणाशां व्रजाम्य् अहम्
I am going, O foremost of mountains, with sages who perceive the truth, undertaking a pilgrimage to holy places; thus, I proceed toward the southern direction.
देहि मार्गं नगपते आतिथ्यं देहि याचते यावद् आगमनं मे स्यात् स्थातव्यं तावद् एव हि
Grant me a path, O lord of mountains, and offer hospitality as requested; until my arrival, it is necessary for me to remain here.
नान्यथा भवितव्यं ते तथेत्य् आह नगोत्तमः आक्रामन् दक्षिणाम् आशां तैर् वृतो मुनिभिर् मुनिः
It cannot be otherwise for you—so said the excellent mountain; then, accompanied by those sages, the sage advanced toward the southern region.
शनैः स गौतमीम् आगात् सत्त्रयागाय दीक्षितः यावत् संवत्सरं सत्त्रम् अकरोद् ऋषिभिर् वृतः
Slowly, he reached Gautamī, consecrated for a sacrificial session; for a full year, he performed the sacrifice, surrounded by the sages.
कैटभस्य सुतौ पापौ राक्षसौ धर्मकण्टकौ अश्वत्थः पिप्पलश् चेति विख्यातौ त्रिदशालये
The two evil sons of Kaitabha, the rakshasas who obstruct righteousness, known as Ashvattha and Pippala, are renowned in the abode of the gods.
अश्वत्थो ऽश्वत्थरूपेण पिप्पलो ब्रह्मरूपधृक् ताव् उभाव् अन्तरं प्रेप्सू यज्ञविध्वंसनाय तु
Ashvattha took the form of an ashvattha tree, and Pippala assumed the form of a brahmin; both, seeking to disrupt the sacrifice, desired to infiltrate.
कुरुतां काङ्क्षितं रूपं दानवौ पापचेतसौ अश्वत्थो वृक्षरूपेण पिप्पलो ब्राह्मणाकृतिः
The two danavas, wicked in mind, adopted the desired forms: Ashvattha as a tree, and Pippala with the appearance of a brahmin.
उभौ तौ ब्राह्मणान् नित्यं पीडयेतां तपोधन आलभन्ते च ये ऽश्वत्थं तांस् तान् अश्नात्य् असौ तरुः
Both continually tormented the brahmins, rich in austerity, and whoever approached Ashvattha, that tree would devour them.
पिप्पलः सामगो भूत्वा शिष्यान् अश्नाति राक्षसः तस्माद् अद्यापि विप्रेषु सामगो ऽतीव निष्कृपः
Pippala, becoming a singer of the Sama Veda, would consume his disciples as a rakshasa; therefore, even today, among brahmins, a Sāmaga is exceedingly merciless.
क्षीयमाणान् द्विजान् दृष्ट्वा मुनयो राक्षसाव् इमौ इति बुद्ध्वा महाप्राज्ञा दक्षिणं तीरम् आश्रितम्
Seeing the brahmins being diminished, the sages realized these two were rakshasas, and the wise ones took refuge on the southern bank.
सौरिं शनैश्चरं मन्दं तपस्यन्तं धृतव्रतम् गत्वा मुनिगणाः सर्वे रक्षःकर्म न्यवेदयन्
All the groups of sages went to Sauri, the slow-moving Saturn, steadfast in his vow and engaged in austerity, and reported the rakshasa deeds.
सौरिर् मुनिगणान् आह पूर्णे तपसि मे द्विजाः राक्षसौ हन्म्य् अपूर्णे तु तपस्य् अक्षम एव हि
Sauri said to the groups of sages: 'When my austerity is complete, O twice-born, I will slay the rakshasas; but if incomplete, I am unable.'
पुनः प्रोचुर् मुनिगणा दास्यामस् ते तपो महत् इत्य् उक्तो ब्राह्मणैः सौरिः कृतम् इत्य् आह तान् अपि
Again the groups of sages said: 'We will give you great austerity.' Thus addressed by the brahmins, Sauri replied, 'It is done,' to them as well.
सौरिर् ब्राह्मणवेषेण प्रायाद् अश्वत्थरूपिणम् राक्षसं ब्राह्मणो भूत्वा प्रदक्षिणम् अथाकरोत्
Sauri, in the guise of a brahmin, approached the rakshasa who had assumed the form of Ashvattha; becoming a brahmin, he performed circumambulation.
प्रदक्षिणं तु कुर्वाणं मेने ब्राह्मणम् एव तम् नित्यवद् राक्षसः पापो भक्षयाम् आस मायया
As he was performing circumambulation, the wicked rakshasa, through illusion, regarded him as a brahmin as usual and began to devour him.
तस्य कायं समाविश्य चक्षुषान्त्राण्य् अपश्यत दृष्टः स राक्षसः पापो मन्देन रविसूनुना
Entering his body, he saw the eyes and entrails; the wicked rakshasa was seen by Manda, the son of the Sun.
भस्मीभूतः क्षणेनैव गिरिर् वज्रहतो यथा अश्वत्थं भस्मसात् कृत्वा अन्यं ब्राह्मणरूपिणम्
Instantly, he was reduced to ashes, like a mountain struck by a thunderbolt; having turned Ashvattha to ashes, he approached the other, who had assumed the form of a brahmin.
राक्षसं पापनिलयम् एक एव तम् अभ्यगात् अधीयानो विप्र इव शिष्यरूपो विनीतवत्
He alone approached the rakshasa, the abode of evil, who was reciting as a brahmin, appearing as a disciple, humble in manner.
पिप्पलः पूर्ववच् चापि भक्षयाम् आस भानुजम् स भक्षितः पूर्ववच् च कुक्षाव् अन्त्राण्य् अवैक्षत
The pippala tree, as before, consumed the offspring of the sun; and, as previously, after being eaten, it examined the entrails within its belly.
तेनालोकितमात्रो ऽसौ राक्षसो भस्मसाद् अभूत् उभौ हत्वा भानुसुतः किं कृत्यं मे वदन्त्व् अथ
Merely by being seen by him, the rakshasa was reduced to ashes; having slain both, the son of the sun said, 'Now tell me, what should I do?'