वदेत्य् उक्ता जगद्धात्रा दितिर् नम्राब्रवीद् इदम्
When the creator of the world said, 'Speak,' Diti, humbly, spoke these words.
संततिप्रापणं लोके दुर्लभं सुरवन्दित विशेषेण प्रियं मातुः पुत्रश् चेत् किं नु वर्ण्यते
Obtaining offspring in this world is rare and honored by the gods; especially, a son is most dear to the mother—how can this be described?
स चापि गुणवाञ् श्रीमान् आयुष्मान् यदि जायते किं तु स्वर्गेण देवेश पारमेष्ठ्यपदेन वा
And if that son is virtuous, prosperous, and long-lived, what need is there for heaven or even the highest station of Brahmā, O Lord of gods?
सर्वेषाम् अपि भूतानाम् इहामुत्र फलैषिणाम् गुणवत्पुत्रसंप्राप्तिर् अभीष्टा सर्वदैव च तस्माद् आप्लवनाद् अत्र क्रियतां समनुग्रहः
For all beings who desire rewards in this world and the next, the attainment of a virtuous son is always most desired. Therefore, let your favor be granted here through bathing.
महापापफलं चेदं यद् एतद् अनपत्यता स्त्रिया वा पुरुषस्यापि वन्ध्यत्वं यदि जायते
Indeed, childlessness—whether for a woman or a man—bears the fruit of great sin if barrenness arises.
तद् अत्र स्नानमात्रेण तद्दोषो नाशम् आप्नुयात् स्नात्वा तत्र फलं दद्यात् स्तोत्रम् एतच् च यः पठेत्
But by merely bathing here, that fault is destroyed; whoever bathes and recites this hymn attains its reward.
स तु पुत्रम् अवाप्नोति त्रिमासस्नानदानतः अपुत्रिणी त्व् अत्र स्नानं कृत्वा पुत्रम् अवाप्नुयात्
By giving gifts and bathing here for three months, one obtains a son; and a woman without children, by bathing here, will obtain a son.
ऋतुस्नाता तु या काचित् तत्र स्नाता सुतांल् लभेत् त्रिमासाभ्यन्तरं या तु गुर्विणी भक्तितस् त्व् इह
Any woman who has bathed after her period and bathes here will obtain sons within three months; and a pregnant woman who bathes here with devotion—
फलैः स्नात्वा तु मां पश्येत् स्तोत्रेण स्तौति मां तथा तस्याः शक्रसमः पुत्रो जायते नात्र संशयः
If she bathes with offerings and praises me with this hymn, her son will be born equal to Indra—of this there is no doubt.
पितृदोषैश् च ये पुत्रं न लभन्ते दिते शृणु धनापहारदोषैश् च तत्रैषा निष्कृतिः परा
And, Diti, listen: for those who do not obtain a son due to ancestral faults or the sin of stealing wealth, this is the supreme expiation.
तत्रैषां पिण्डदानेन पितॄणां प्रीणनेन च किंचित् सुवर्णदानेन ततः पुत्रो भवेद् ध्रुवम्
There, by offering rice-balls and pleasing the ancestors, and especially by giving gold, a son is surely obtained.
ये न्यासाद्यपहर्तारो रत्नापह्नवकारकाः श्राद्धकर्मविहीनाश् च तेषां वंशो न वर्धते
Those who steal deposits, who conceal jewels, or who neglect the rites for the ancestors—their lineage does not prosper.
दोषिणां तु परेतानां गतिर् एषा भवेद् इति संततिर् जायतां श्लाघ्या जीवतां तीर्थसेवनात्
For those who have committed faults, this is the path after death; but let a praiseworthy lineage be born among the living through the service of holy places.
संगमे दितिगङ्गायाः स्नात्वा सिद्धेश्वरं प्रभुम् अनाद्यपारम् अजरं चित्सदानन्दविग्रहम्
At the confluence of the Diti and Ganga rivers, after bathing, one should worship the Lord Siddheshvara, the beginningless, endless, undecaying embodiment of eternal consciousness and bliss.
देवर्षिसिद्धगन्धर्वयोगीश्वरनिषेवितम् लिङ्गात्मकं महादेवं ज्योतिर्मयम् अनामयम्
That great god, in the form of a linga, full of light and free from affliction, is served by gods, sages, perfected beings, gandharvas, and masters of yoga.
पूजयित्वोपचारैश् च नित्यं भक्त्या यतव्रतः स्तोत्रेणानेन यः स्तौति चतुर्दश्यष्टमीषु च
One who, with discipline and devotion, worships with offerings daily and praises with this hymn on the fourteenth and eighth lunar days—
यथाशक्त्या स्वर्णदानं ब्राह्मणानां च भोजनम् यः करोत्य् अत्र गङ्गायां स पुत्रशतम् आप्नुयात्
—who, according to his ability, gives gold and feeds Brahmins there at the Ganga—he obtains a hundred sons.
संप्राप्य सकलान् कामान् अन्ते शिवपुरं व्रजेत् स्तोत्रेणानेन यः कश्चिद् यत्र क्वापि स्तवीति माम् षण्मासात् पुत्रम् आप्नोति अपि वन्ध्याप्य् अशङ्कितम्
Having attained all desires, he finally goes to Shiva’s city; whoever recites this hymn anywhere, even a barren woman, without doubt, obtains a son within six months.
ततः प्रभृति तत् तीर्थं पुत्रतीर्थम् उदाहृतम् तत्र तु स्नानदानाद्यैः सर्वकामान् अवाप्नुयात्
From then on, that holy place is called Putra-tirtha; by bathing and giving gifts there, one attains all desires.
मरुद्भिः सह मैत्र्येण मित्रतीर्थं तद् उच्यते निष्पापत्वेन चेन्द्रस्य शक्रतीर्थं तद् उच्यते
Through friendship with the Maruts, it is called Mitra-tirtha; through Indra’s sinlessness, it is called Shakra-tirtha.
ऐन्द्रीं श्रियं यत्र लेभे तत् तीर्थं कमलाभिधम् एतानि सर्वतीर्थानि सर्वाभीष्टप्रदानि हि
Where Indra obtained prosperity, that place is known as Kamala-tirtha; these holy places grant all cherished desires.
सर्वं भविष्यतीत्य् उक्त्वा शिवश् चान्तरधीयत कृतकृत्याश् च ते जग्मुः सर्व एव यथागतम् तीर्थानां पुण्यदं तत्र लक्षम् एकं प्रकीर्तितम्
Having declared, 'All will be,' Shiva then disappeared; all those who had fulfilled their purpose departed as they had come. There, a hundred thousand holy places are proclaimed as bestowing merit.
यमतीर्थम् इति ख्यातं पितॄणां प्रीतिवर्धनम् दृष्टादृष्टेष्टदं सर्वदेवर्षिगणसेवितम्
The place known as Yama-tirtha increases the satisfaction of the ancestors, grants seen and unseen wishes, and is served by hosts of all gods and sages.
तस्य प्रभावं वक्ष्यामि सर्वपापप्रणाशनम् अनुह्राद इति ख्यातः कपोतो बलवान् अभूत्
I will now describe its power, which destroys all sins. There was a powerful pigeon named Anuhrada.
तस्य भार्या हेतिनाम्नी पक्षिणी कामरूपिणी मृत्योः पौत्रो ह्य् अनुह्रादो दौहित्री हेतिर् एव च
His wife was a bird named Heti, who could assume any form at will. Anuhrada was the grandson of Death, and Heti was his granddaughter.
कालेनाथ तयोः पुत्राः पौत्राश् चैव बभूविरे तस्य शत्रुश् च बलवान् उलूको नाम पक्षिराट्
In time, they had sons and grandsons. His enemy was a mighty owl, the king of birds.
तस्य पुत्राश् च पौत्राश् च आग्नेयास् ते बलोत्कटाः तयोश् च वैरम् अभवद् बहुकालं द्विजन्मनोः
That owl also had sons and grandsons, fierce and powerful as fire. Enmity existed between the two noble birds for a long time.
गङ्गाया उत्तरे तीरे कपोतस्याश्रमो ऽभवत् तस्याश् च दक्षिणे कूल उलूको नाम पक्षिराट्
On the northern bank of the Ganga was the pigeon’s hermitage, and on the southern bank was the owl, the king of birds.
वासं चक्रे तत्र पुत्रैः पौत्रैश् च द्विजसत्तम तयोश् च युद्धम् अभवद् बहुकालं विरुद्धयोः
He dwelt there with his sons and grandsons, O best of twice-born, and between the two, a prolonged conflict arose.
पुत्रैः पौत्रैश् च वृतयोर् बलिनोर् बलिभिः सह उलूको वा कपोतो वा नैवाप्नोति जयाजयौ
With sons and grandsons, the two mighty ones fought alongside other powerful allies; neither the owl nor the pigeon could achieve victory or defeat.