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?'
मुनयो जातसंहर्षाः सर्व एव तपस्विनः ततः प्रसन्ना ह्य् अभवन्न् ऋषयो ऽगस्त्यपूर्वकाः
All the ascetics, filled with joy, became pleased, the sages headed by Agastya.
वरान् ददुर् यथाकामं सौरये मन्दगामिने स प्रीतो ब्राह्मणान् आह शनिः सूर्यसुतो बली
They granted boons as desired to Sauri, the slow-moving one; delighted, Shani, the powerful son of the sun, addressed the Brahmins.
मद्द्वारे नियता ये च कुर्वन्त्य् अश्वत्थलम्भनम् तेषां सर्वाणि कार्याणि स्युः पीडा मद्भवा न च
Those who, through my doorway, regularly hang offerings on the ashvattha tree, all their undertakings will succeed, and they will not suffer afflictions arising from me.
तीर्थे चाश्वत्थसंज्ञे वै स्नानं कुर्वन्ति ये नराः तेषां सर्वाणि कार्याणि भवेयुर् अपरो वरः
Those men who bathe at the holy place named Ashvattha, all their undertakings will succeed; another boon is granted.
मन्दवारे तु ये ऽश्वत्थं प्रातर् उत्थाय मानवाः आलभन्ते च तेषां वै ग्रहपीडा व्यपोहतु
Those people who, at the abode of Mandavara, rise in the morning and touch the ashvattha tree, may the afflictions caused by the planets be dispelled for them.
ततः प्रभृति तत् तीर्थम् अश्वत्थं पिप्पलं विदुः तीर्थं शनैश्चरं तत्र तत्रागस्त्यं च सात्त्रिकम्
From that time onward, that holy place is known as Ashvattha and Pippala; the holy place of Shanaishcara is there, along with Agastya and Sattrika.
याज्ञिकं चापि तत् तीर्थं सामगं तीर्थम् एव च इत्याद्यष्टोत्तराण्य् आसन् सहस्राण्य् अथ षोडश तेषु स्नानं च दानं च सत्त्रयागफलप्रदम्
That holy place is also called Yajnika and Samaga; thus, there were one thousand and sixteen such places. Bathing and giving there grant the fruit of sacrificial rites.
सोमतीर्थम् इति ख्यातं तद् अप्य् उक्तं महात्मभिः तत्र स्नानेन दानेन सोमपानफलं लभेत्
That place is known as Soma Tirtha, as declared by the great souls; by bathing and giving there, one attains the fruit of drinking Soma.
जगतां मातरः पूर्वम् ओषध्यो जीवसंमताः ममापि मातरो देव्यः पूर्वासां पूर्ववत्तराः
The mothers of the world were formerly the herbs, esteemed by living beings; my mothers too, divine ones, are even older than the former ones.
आसु प्रतिष्ठितो धर्मः स्वाध्यायो यज्ञकर्म च आभिर् एव धृतं सर्वं त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम्
In them are established dharma, self-study, and sacrificial acts; by them, the entire three worlds, with moving and unmoving beings, are sustained.