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.
अशेषरोगोपशमो भवत्य् आभिर् असंशयम् अन्नम् एताभिर् एव स्याद् अशेषप्राणरक्षणम् अत्रौषध्यो जगद्वन्द्या माम् ऊचुर् अनहंकृताः
By them, the removal of all diseases occurs without doubt; food is produced by them, and all living beings are protected. The herbs, revered by the world, spoke to me without pride.
अस्माकं त्वं पतिं देहि राजानं सुरसत्तम
O best among gods, grant us a husband, a king.
तच् छ्रुत्वा वचनं तासां मयोक्ता ओषधीर् इदम् पतिं प्राप्स्यथ सर्वाश् च राजानं प्रीतिवर्धनम्
Having heard their words, I said to the herbs: 'You shall all obtain a husband, a king who increases delight.'
राजानम् इति तच् छ्रुत्वा ता माम् ऊचुः पुनर् मुने गन्तव्यं क्व पुनश् चोक्ता गौतमीं यान्तु मातरः
Having heard 'a king,' they spoke to me again, O sage: 'Where should we go?' Then I told them, 'Let the mothers go to Gautami.'
तुष्टायाम् अथ तस्यां वो राजा स्याल् लोकपूजितः ताश् च गत्वा मुनिश्रेष्ठ तुष्टुवुर् गौतमीं नदीम्
When she was pleased, your king will be worshipped by the world; having gone, O best of sages, they praised the Gautami river.
किं वाकरिष्यन् भववर्तिनो जना नानाघसंघाभिभवाच् च दुःखिताः न चागमिष्यद् भवती भुवं चेत् पुण्योदके गौतमि शंभुकान्ते
What would the people living in the world do, afflicted by various groups of sins and suffering? If you do not come to earth, O Gautami, with your sacred waters at Shambhu's edge.
को वेत्ति भाग्यं नरदेहभाजां महीगतानां सरिताम् अधीशे एषां महापातकसंघहन्त्री त्वम् अम्ब गङ्गे सुलभा सदैव
Who knows the destiny of those who bear a human body, or of the rivers upon the earth, O sovereign of waters? O Mother Ganga, destroyer of great heaps of sin, you are always easily accessible.
न ते विभूतिं ननु वेत्ति को ऽपि त्रैलोक्यवन्द्ये जगदम्ब गङ्गे गौरीसमालिङ्गितविग्रहो ऽपि धत्ते स्मरारिः शिरसापि यत् त्वाम्
Who indeed knows your glory, O Ganga, revered by the three worlds, Mother of the universe? Even Smara's enemy, embraced by Gauri, bears you upon his head.
नमो ऽस्तु ते मातर् अभीष्टदायिनि नमो ऽस्तु ते ब्रह्ममये ऽघनाशिनि नमो ऽस्तु ते विष्णुपदाब्जनिःसृते नमो ऽस्तु ते शंभुजटाविनिःसृते
Salutations to you, Mother, bestower of desires; salutations to you, embodiment of Brahman, destroyer of sin; salutations to you, who issued from Vishnu's lotus feet; salutations to you, who emerged from Shambhu's matted hair.
इत्य् एवं स्तुवताम् ईशा किं ददामीत्य् अवोचत
Thus praised, the goddess said, 'What shall I grant?'