नमाम्य् अजादीशपुरंदरादि सुरासुरैर् अर्चितपादपद्मम् नमामि देवीमुखवादनानाम् ईक्षार्थम् अक्षित्रितयं य ऐच्छत्
I bow to Him whose lotus feet are worshipped by Indra, the lord of the city of the unborn, and other gods and demons; I bow to Him who, for the sake of seeing the faces of the goddesses, desired the three imperishable eyes.
पञ्चामृतैर् गन्धसुधूपदीपैर् विचित्रपुष्पैर् विविधैश् च मन्त्रैः अन्नप्रकारैः सकलोपचारैः संपूजितं सोमम् अहं नमामि
I bow to Soma, who is worshipped with the five nectars, fragrant ointments, incense, lamps, various beautiful flowers, diverse mantras, food offerings, and all forms of service.
ततः स भगवान् आह रामं शंभुः सलक्ष्मणम् वरान् वृणीष्व भद्रं ते रामः प्राह वृषध्वजम्
Then that blessed Lord Shambhu spoke to Rama, who was with Lakshmana: 'Choose your boons, may good be yours.' Rama spoke to the bull-bannered one.
स्तोत्रेणानेन ये भक्त्या तोष्यन्ति त्वां सुरोत्तम तेषां सर्वाणि कार्याणि सिद्धिं यान्तु महेश्वर
O great Lord, those who with devotion please you with this hymn, may all their undertakings attain success.
येषां च पितरः शंभो पतिता नरकार्णवे तेषां पिण्डादिदानेन पूता यान्तु त्रिविष्टपम्
And those whose ancestors, O Shambhu, have fallen into the ocean of hell, by the offering of rice-balls and such, may they be purified and reach heaven.
जन्मप्रभृति पापानि मनोवाक्कायिकं त्व् अघम् अत्र तु स्नानमात्रेण तत् सद्यो नाशम् आप्नुयात्
From birth onward, whatever sins are committed by mind, speech, or body, here, by mere bathing, they are instantly destroyed.
अत्र ये भक्तितः शंभो ददत्य् अर्थिभ्य अण्व् अपि सर्वं तद् अक्षयं शंभो दातॄणां फलकृद् भवेत्
Here, O Shambhu, whatever even the smallest thing is given with devotion to those in need, all that becomes inexhaustible and brings fruit to the giver.
एवम् अस्त्व् इति तं रामं शंकरो हृषितो ऽब्रवीत् गते तस्मिन् सुरश्रेष्ठे रामो ऽप्य् अनुचरैः सह
Let it be so—thus, delighted, Shankara spoke to Rama. When that best of gods had departed, Rama too, with his followers—
गौतमी यत्र चोत्पन्ना शनैस् तं देशम् अभ्यगात् ततः प्रभृति तत् तीर्थं रामतीर्थम् उदाहृतम्
Came slowly to the place where the Gautami river arose; from then on, that holy place became known as Rama's Ford.
दयालोर् अपतत् तत्र लक्ष्मणस्य कराच् छरः तद् बाणतीर्थम् अभवत् सर्वापद्विनिवारणम्
There, out of compassion, an arrow fell from Lakshmana's hand; that became the Arrow-Ford, a remover of all calamities.
यत्र सौमित्रिणा स्नानं शंकरस्यार्चनं कृतम् तत् तीर्थं लक्ष्मणं जातं तथा सीतासमुद्भवम्
Where the son of Sumitra bathed and worshipped Shankara, that became Lakshmana's Ford, and likewise the place of Sita's emergence.
नानाविधाशेषपापसंघनिर्मूलनक्षमम् यद् अङ्घ्रिसंगाद् अभवद् गङ्गा त्रैलोक्यपावनी
By contact with whose feet, the Ganga became capable of uprooting all kinds of countless sins, purifying the three worlds.
स यत्र स्नानम् अकरोत् तद् वैशिष्ट्यं किम् उच्यते तद् रामतीर्थसदृशं तीर्थं क्वापि न विद्यते
Where he bathed—what need is there to speak of its greatness? Nowhere is there a ford equal to Rama's Ford.
पुत्रतीर्थम् इति ख्यातं पुण्यतीर्थं तद् उच्यते सर्वान् कामान् अवाप्नोति यन्महिम्नः श्रुतेर् अपि
That sacred ford is known as Putra-tirtha; it is said to be holy. By its greatness, even as declared in the scriptures, one attains all desires.
तस्य स्वरूपं वक्ष्यामि शृणु यत्नेन नारद दितेः पुत्राश् च दनुजाः परिक्षीणा यदाभवन् अदितेस् तु सुता ज्येष्ठाः सर्वभावेन नारद
I shall describe its true nature to you, O Nārada; listen attentively. When the sons of Diti, the Dānavas, became diminished, and the sons of Aditi, the eldest, flourished in every way, O Nārada—
क्षीणाः सुता आवयोर् एव भद्रे किं कुर्महे कर्म लोके गरीयः पश्यादितेर् वंशम् अभिन्नम् उत्तमं सौराज्ययुक्तं यशसा जयश्रिया
Our children have dwindled, O gentle one, what can we do? In this world, action is most esteemed. Behold the unbroken, excellent lineage of Aditi, endowed with sovereignty, fame, and the glory of victory.
जितारिम् अभ्युन्नतकीर्तिधर्मं मच्चित्तसंहर्षविनाशदक्षम् समानभर्तृत्वसमानधर्मे समानगोत्रे ऽपि समानरूपे
Their enemies are conquered, their fame and virtue are exalted, they are skilled in dispelling the sorrow of my heart; though equal in husband, equal in conduct, equal in lineage, and even equal in form—
न जीवयेयं श्रियम् उन्नतिं च जीर्णास्मि दृष्ट्वा त्व् अदितिप्रसूतान् काम् अप्य् अवस्थाम् अनुयामि दुःस्था ऽदितेर् विलोक्याथ परां समृद्धिम्
I cannot endure their prosperity and rise; I am worn out, seeing the sons born of Aditi. I follow some wretched state, having witnessed Aditi’s supreme abundance.
एवं ब्रुवाणाम् अतिदीनवक्त्रां विनिश्वसन्तीं परमेष्ठिपुत्रः कृताभिपूजो विगतश्रमस् तां स सान्त्वयन्न् आह मनोभिरामाम्
As she spoke thus, her face exceedingly dejected, sighing deeply, the son of Brahmā, having honored her and free from fatigue, comforted her with pleasing words.
खेदो न कार्यः समभीप्सितं यत् तत् प्राप्यते पुण्यत एव भद्रे तत्साधनं वेत्ति महानुभावः प्रजापतिस् ते स तु वक्ष्यतीति
Do not be distressed, O gentle one; what is desired is attained only through merit. The means for that is known by the great-souled Prajāpati; he will tell you.
साध्व्य् एतत् सर्वभावेन प्रश्रयावनता सती
She, virtuous and humble, bowed with all her heart.
एवं ब्रुवाणां च दितिं दनुः प्रोवाच नारद
Then Danu spoke to Diti, who had spoken thus, O Nārada.
भर्तारं कश्यपं भद्रे तोषयस्व निजैर् गुणैः तुष्टो यदि भवेद् भर्ता ततः कामान् अवाप्स्यसि
O gentle one, please your husband Kaśyapa with your own virtues; if the husband is pleased, then you will obtain your desires.
तथेत्य् उक्त्वा सर्वभावैस् तोषयाम् आस कश्यपम् दितिं प्रोवाच भगवान् कश्यपो ऽथ प्रजापतिः
Saying, 'So be it,' she pleased Kaśyapa with all her heart. Then the venerable Prajāpati Kaśyapa spoke to Diti.
किं ददामि वदाभीष्टं दिते वरय सुव्रते
What shall I give you? Speak your wish, O Diti, choose, O virtuous one.
दितिर् अप्य् आह भर्तारं पुत्रं बहुगुणान्वितम् जेतारं सर्वलोकानां सर्वलोकनमस्कृतम्
Diti also said to her husband: 'A son endowed with many virtues, a conqueror of all worlds, honored by all beings.'
येन जातेन लोके ऽस्मिन् भवेयं वीरपुत्रिणी तं वरेयं सुरपितर् इत्य् आह विनयान्विता
'By whose birth in this world I may become the mother of a heroic son—such a boon I choose, O lord of the gods,' she said, full of humility.
उपदेक्ष्ये व्रतं श्रेष्ठं द्वादशाब्दफलप्रदम् तत आगत्य ते गर्भम् आधास्ये यन् मनोगतम् निष्पापतायां जातायां सिध्यन्ति हि मनोरथाः
I shall instruct you in a supreme vow, yielding the fruit of twelve years. After that, I will come and place in you the child you desire. When one is born free from sin, all wishes are fulfilled.
भर्तृवाक्याद् दितिः प्रीता तं नमस्यायतेक्षणा उपदिष्टं व्रतं चक्रे भर्त्रादिष्टं यथाविधि
Delighted by her husband's words, Diti, with wide eyes, performed the vow as instructed by her husband, according to the proper method.
तीर्थसेवापात्रदानव्रतचर्यादिवर्जिताः कथम् आसादयिष्यन्ति प्राणिनो ऽत्र मनोरथान्
Those who neglect service at sacred places, giving to the worthy, and the practice of vows—how can living beings here attain their desires?