एवं विमृशतस् तस्य स्वाश्रमे चातिशोभने द्रष्टुं मुनिवरः प्रायाद् भरद्वाजं यतव्रतम्
As he thus reflected in his own splendid hermitage, a great sage came to see the steadfast Bharadvaja.
द्व्यष्टवर्षः शुभवपुः शान्तो दान्तो गुणाकरः नाम्ना कठ इति ख्यातो भरद्वाजं ननाम सः
He was sixteen years old, handsome, calm, self-controlled, a repository of virtues, known by the name Katha; he bowed to Bharadvaja.
विधिवत् पूज्य तं विप्रं भरद्वाजः कठं तदा तस्यागमनकार्यं च पप्रच्छ पुरतः स्थितः
Bharadvāja, having duly honored that Brahmin Kaṭha, then asked him, as he stood before him, the reason for his coming.
कठो ऽप्य् आह भरद्वाजं विद्यार्थ्य् अहम् उपागतः तथा च दर्शनाकाङ्क्षी यद् युक्तं तद् विधीयताम्
Kaṭha also said to Bharadvāja: 'I have come as a seeker of knowledge, desiring your audience; please do what is appropriate.'
भरद्वाजः कठं प्राह अधीष्व यद् अभीप्सितम् पुराणं स्मृतयो वेदा धर्मस्थानान्य् अनेकशः
Bharadvāja said to Kaṭha: 'Study whatever you wish—Puranas, Smritis, Vedas, and the many sources of Dharma.'
सर्वं वेद्मि महाप्राज्ञ रुचिरं वद मा चिरम् कुलीनो धर्मनिरतो गुरुशुश्रूषणे रतः अभिमानी श्रुतधरः शिष्यः पुण्यैर् अवाप्यते
'I know everything, O great wise one; speak without delay. A noble-born, dharma-devoted, obedient to the teacher, humble, learned disciple is attained through merit.'
अध्यापयस्व भो ब्रह्मञ् शिष्यं मां वीतकल्मषम् शुश्रूषणरतं भक्तं कुलीनं सत्यवादिनम्
'O Brahmin, teach me, your disciple, who is free from sin, devoted to service, faithful, noble-born, and truthful.'
तथेत्य् उक्त्वा भरद्वाजः प्रादाद् विद्याम् अशेषतः प्राप्तविद्यः कठः प्रीतो भरद्वाजम् अथाब्रवीत्
Saying 'So be it,' Bharadvāja imparted all knowledge to him; having received the knowledge, Kaṭha, pleased, then spoke to Bharadvāja.
इच्छेयं दक्षिणां दातुं गुरो तव मनःप्रियाम् वदस्व दुर्लभं वापि गुरो तुभ्यं नमो ऽस्तु ते
'I wish to give you a gift, O teacher, whatever pleases your heart; speak, even if it is difficult to obtain. O teacher, I bow to you.'
विद्यां प्राप्यापि ये मोहात् स्वगुरोः पारितोषिकम् न प्रयच्छन्ति निरयं ते यान्त्य् आचन्द्रतारकम्
'Even after obtaining knowledge, those who, out of delusion, do not give satisfaction to their teacher, go to hell for as long as the moon and stars endure.'
गृहाण कन्यां विधिवद् भार्यां कुरु मम स्वसाम् अस्यां प्रीत्या वर्तितव्यं याचेयं दक्षिणाम् इमाम्
'Accept my sister as your wife, according to proper rites; live with her with affection—this is the gift I request.'
भ्रातृवत् पुत्रवच् चापि शिष्यः स्यात् तु गुरोः सदा गुरुश् च पितृवच् च स्यात् संबन्धो ऽत्र कथं भवेत्
'A disciple should always be to the teacher as a brother or a son, and the teacher as a father; how then can this relationship be?'
मद्वाक्यं कुरु सत्यं त्वं ममाज्ञा तव दक्षिणा सर्वं स्मृत्वा कठाद्य त्वं रेवतीं भर तन्मनाः
'Do my bidding, which is true; my command is your gift. Remember everything, O Kaṭha, and take Revati with full intent.'
तथेत्य् उक्त्वा गुरोर् वाक्यात् कठो जग्राह पाणिना रेवतीं विधिवद् दत्तां तां समीक्ष्य कठस् त्व् अथ
Saying 'So be it,' Kaṭha, at his teacher's word, took Revati by the hand, as she was duly given; then Kaṭha looked upon her.
तत्रैव पूजयाम् आस देवेशं शंकरं तदा रेवत्या रूपसंपत्त्यै शिवप्रीत्यै च रेवती
There, Kaṭha worshipped the lord of the gods, Śaṅkara, at that time, along with Revati, for the sake of her beauty and to please Śiva.
सुरूपा चारुसर्वाङ्गी न रूपेणोपमीयते अभिषेकोदकं तत्र रेवत्या यद् विनिःसृतम्
She was beautiful, with lovely limbs, incomparable in form; the water from Revati's consecration flowed there.
साभवत् तत्र गङ्गायां तस्मात् तन्नामतो नदी रेवतीति समाख्याता रूपसौभाग्यदायिनी
That became, in the Gaṅgā, a river named Revati, renowned for bestowing beauty and good fortune.
पुनर् दर्भैश् च विविधैर् अभिषेकं चकार सः पुण्यरूपत्वसंसिद्ध्यै विदर्भा तद् अभून् नदी
Again, with various kinds of darbha grass, he performed consecration for the attainment of auspicious form; that became the river Vidarbhā.
श्रद्धया संगमे स्नात्वा रेवतीगङ्गयोर् नरः सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो विष्णुलोके महीयते
Whoever bathes with faith at the confluence of Revati and Gaṅgā is freed from all sins and is honored in the world of Viṣṇu.
तथा विदर्भागौतम्योः संगमे श्रद्धया मुने स्नानं करोत्य् असौ याति भुक्तिं मुक्तिं च तत्क्षणात्
Likewise, O sage, whoever bathes with faith at the confluence of Vidarbhā and Gautamī attains enjoyment and liberation at that very moment.
उभयोस् तीरयोस् तत्र तीर्थानां शतम् उत्तमम् सर्वपापक्षयकरं सर्वसिद्धिप्रदायकम्
On both banks there are a hundred excellent sacred fords, which remove all sins and bestow every accomplishment.
पूर्णतीर्थम् इति ख्यातं गङ्गाया उत्तरे तटे तत्र स्नात्वा नरो ऽज्ञानात् तथापि शुभम् आप्नुयात्
It is known as Pūrṇatīrtha, on the northern bank of the Ganges; there, even if a man bathes unknowingly, he attains auspiciousness.
पूर्णतीर्थस्य माहात्म्यं वर्ण्यते केन जन्तुना स्वयं संस्थीयते यत्र चक्रिणा च पिनाकिना
Who among beings can describe the greatness of Pūrṇatīrtha, where even the wielder of the discus and the bearer of the trident have themselves been established?
पुरा धन्वन्तरिर् नाम कल्पादाव् आयुषः सुतः इष्ट्वा बहुविधैर् यज्ञैर् अश्वमेधपुरःसरैः
Long ago, at the beginning of a kalpa, Dhanvantari by name, son of Āyuṣ, performed many sacrifices, foremost among them the Aśvamedha.
दत्त्वा दानान्य् अनेकानि भुक्त्वा भोगांश् च पुष्कलान् विज्ञाय भोगवैषम्यं परं वैराग्यम् आश्रितः
After giving many gifts and enjoying abundant pleasures, realizing the inequality of enjoyments, he embraced supreme detachment.
गिरिशृङ्गे ऽम्बुधेः पारे तथा गङ्गानदीतटे शिवविष्ण्वोर् गृहे वापि विशेषात् पुण्यसंगमे
On a mountain peak beyond the ocean, or on the bank of the Ganges, or in the house of Śiva or Viṣṇu, especially at a holy confluence—
तप्तं हुतं च जप्तं च सर्वम् अक्षयतां व्रजेत् धन्वन्तरिर् इति ज्ञात्वा तत्र तेपे तपो महत्
All austerities, offerings, and recitations performed there become imperishable; knowing this, Dhanvantari undertook great austerity there.
ज्ञानवैराग्यसंपन्नो भीमेशचरणाश्रयः तपश् चकार विपुलं गङ्गासागरसंगमे
Endowed with knowledge and detachment, taking refuge at the feet of Bhīmeśa, he performed intense austerity at the confluence of the Ganges and the ocean.
पुरा च निकृतो राज्ञा रणं हित्वा महासुरः सहस्रम् एकं वर्षाणां समुद्रं प्राविशद् भयात्
Long ago, a great demon, defeated in battle by a king, out of fear entered the ocean for a thousand years.
धन्वन्तरौ वनं प्राप्ते राज्यं प्राप्ते तु तत्सुते विरागं च गते राज्ञि ततः प्रायाद् अथार्णवात्
When Dhanvantari entered the forest, his son obtained the kingdom; when the king became detached, he then departed from the ocean.