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.
कपोतो यमम् आराध्य मृत्युं पैतामहं तथा याम्यम् अस्त्रम् अवाप्याथ सर्वेभ्यो ऽप्य् अधिको ऽभवत्
The pigeon, having propitiated Yama, the lord of death and ancestor, obtained the Yama weapon and thus surpassed all others.
तथोलूको ऽग्निम् आराध्य बलवान् अभवद् भृशम् वरैर् उन्मत्तयोर् युद्धम् अभवच् चातिभीषणम्
Likewise, the owl, having worshipped Agni, became exceedingly strong; a battle of the two frenzied ones ensued, most terrifying.
तत्राग्नेयम् उलूको ऽपि कपोतायास्त्रम् आक्षिपत् कपोतो ऽप्य् अथ पाशान् वै याम्यान् आक्षिप्य शत्रवे
There, the owl hurled the Agni weapon at the pigeon, and the pigeon, in turn, cast the Yama nooses at his enemy.
उलूकायाथ दण्डं च मृत्युपाशान् अवासृजत् पुनस् तद् अभवद् युद्धं पुराडिबकयोर् यथा
Then, for the owl, the staff and the nooses of death were released; again, a battle occurred, as once between the crow and the crane.
हेतिः कपोतकी दृष्ट्वा ज्वलनं प्राप्तम् अन्तिके पतिव्रता महायुद्धे भर्तुः सा दुःखविह्वला
Heti, the pigeon-wife, seeing the flaming weapon approaching nearby, was overwhelmed with sorrow for her husband in the great battle.
अग्निना वेष्ट्यमानांश् च पुत्रान् दृष्ट्वा विशेषतः सा गत्वा ज्वलनं हेतिस् तुष्टाव विविधोक्तिभिः
Especially seeing her sons being encircled by fire, Heti approached the flame and praised it with various words.
रूपं न दानं न परोक्षम् अस्ति यस्यात्मभूतं च पदार्थजातम् अश्नन्ति हव्यानि च येन देवाः स्वाहापतिं यज्ञभुजं नमस्ये
I bow to the lord of offerings, the enjoyer of sacrifice, whose form is neither visible nor hidden, whose essence is all things, and by whom the gods consume oblations.
मुखभूतं च देवानां देवानां हव्यवाहनम् होतारं चापि देवानां देवानां दूतम् एव च
He is the mouth of the gods, the bearer of offerings for the gods, the priest of the gods, and also their messenger.
तं देवं शरणं यामि आदिदेवं विभावसुम् अन्तः स्थितः प्राणरूपो बहिश् चान्नप्रदो हि यः यो यज्ञसाधनं यामि शरणं तं धनंजयम्
I seek refuge in that god, the primeval deity, Vibhāvasu, who dwells within as the form of breath and outside as the giver of food; I seek refuge in him, the accomplisher of sacrifice, the victorious.
अमोघम् एतद् अस्त्रं मे न्यस्तं युद्धे कपोतकि यत्र विश्रमयेद् अस्त्रं तन् मे ब्रूहि पतिव्रते
This weapon of mine, O pigeon-wife, is unfailing and has been deployed in battle; tell me, O faithful one, where the weapon may rest.
मयि विश्रम्यताम् अस्त्रं न पुत्रे न च भर्तरि सत्यवाग् भव हव्येश जातवेदो नमो ऽस्तु ते
Let the weapon rest upon me, not upon my sons nor my husband; be truthful, O lord of offerings, Jātavedas, salutations to you.
तुष्टो ऽस्मि तव वाक्येन भर्तृभक्त्या पतिव्रते तवापि भर्तृपुत्राणां हेति क्षेमं ददाम्य् अहम्
I am pleased by your words, O faithful wife, by your devotion to your husband; for you, Heti, I grant safety to your husband and sons.
आग्नेयम् एतद् अस्त्रं मे न भर्तारं सुतान् अपि न त्वां दहेत् ततो याहि सुखेन त्वं कपोतकि
This Agni weapon of mine will not burn your husband or sons, nor you; therefore, depart happily, O pigeon-wife.
एतस्मिन्न् अन्तरे तत्र उलूकी ददृशे पतिम् वेष्ट्यमानं याम्यपाशैर् यमदण्डेन ताडितम् उलूकी दुःखिता भूत्वा यमं प्रायाद् भयातुरा
Meanwhile, the owl-wife saw her husband bound by Yama's nooses and struck by Yama's staff; distressed, she approached Yama, fearful.
त्वद्भीता अनुद्रवन्ते जनास् त्वद्भीता ब्रह्मचर्यं चरन्ति त्वद्भीताः साधु चरन्ति धीरास् त्वद्भीताः कर्मनिष्ठा भवन्ति
Out of fear of you, people flee; out of fear of you, they practice celibacy; out of fear of you, the wise act virtuously; out of fear of you, they become steadfast in their duties.
त्वद्भीता अनाशकम् आचरन्ति ग्रामाद् अरण्यम् अभि यच् चरन्ति त्वद्भीताः सौम्यताम् आश्रयन्ते त्वद्भीताः सोमपानं भजन्ते
Out of fear of you, they practice non-violence, leaving the village for the forest; out of fear of you, they embrace gentleness; out of fear of you, they partake in soma-drinking.
एवं ब्रुवत्यां तस्यां ताम् आह दक्षिणदिक्पतिः
As she spoke in this way, the guardian of the southern direction addressed her.
वरं वरय भद्रं ते दास्ये ऽहं मनसः प्रियम्
Choose a boon, auspicious one; I will grant you whatever your heart desires.
यमस्येति वचः श्रुत्वा सा तम् आह पतिव्रता
Hearing these words from Yama, the devoted wife replied to him.
भर्ता मे वेष्टितः पाशैर् दण्डेनाभिहतस् तव तस्माद् रक्ष सुरश्रेष्ठ पुत्रान् भर्तारम् एव च
My husband is bound by your nooses and struck by your staff; therefore, O best of gods, protect my sons and my husband as well.