तस्याः प्रभावं प्राशस्त्यम् अग्ने किंचिच् च कीर्त्यते सर्वत्र या तु संतिष्ठेद् आयातु विचरिष्यति
Her power and excellence, O Agni, are praised somewhat; wherever she remains, let her come and move about.
सुवर्णा कमला साक्षात् पवित्रा च भविष्यति अद्य प्रभृत्य् आत्मजयोस् तथा स्वैरं विचेष्टतोः
Suvarna will become Kamala herself, and will be pure; from today onward, let both children act freely.
तथापि चैतयोः पुण्यं न भूतं न भविष्यति
Yet, the merit of these two has never been and will never be.
एवम् उक्त्वा ततः शंभुः साक्षात् तत्राभवच् छिवः लिङ्गरूपेण सर्वेषां लोकानां हितकाम्यया
Having spoken thus, Shambhu became manifest there as Shiva, in the form of the linga, for the welfare of all worlds.
वरान् प्राप्य सुताभ्यां स अग्निस् तुष्टो ऽभवत् ततः स्वभर्त्रा च सुवर्णा सा धर्मेणाग्निसुता मुदा
Having received boons through her two sons, Agni became pleased; and Suvarṇā, the daughter of Agni, rejoiced with her husband in righteousness.
वर्तयाम् आस पुत्रो ऽपि वह्नेः संकल्पया मुदा एतस्मिन्न् अन्तरे स्वर्णाम् अग्नेर् दुहितरं मुने
Their son, too, lived joyfully, fulfilling his resolve; meanwhile, O sage, Suvarṇā, the daughter of Agni—
परिभूय च धर्मं तं शार्दूलो दानवेश्वरः अहरद् भाग्यसौभाग्यविलासवसतिं छलात्
—was deceived by Śārdūla, lord of the Dānavas, who, disregarding righteousness, abducted her, the abode of fortune and beauty.
नीता रसातलं तेन सुवर्णा लोकविश्रुता जामाताग्नेः स धर्मश् च अग्निश् चैव स हव्यवाट्
Suvarṇā, renowned in the worlds, was taken by him to the netherworld; thus the son-in-law of Agni, Dharma, and Agni himself, the receiver of offerings—
विष्णवे लोकनाथाय स्तुत्वा चैव पुनः पुनः कार्यविज्ञापनं चोभौ चक्रतुः प्रभविष्णवे
—both repeatedly praised Viṣṇu, lord of the worlds, and together made their request to the mighty Viṣṇu.
ततश् चक्रेण चिच्छेद शार्दूलस्य शिरो हरिः सानीता विष्णुना देवी सुवर्णा लोकसुन्दरी
Then Hari cut off Śārdūla's head with his discus; and Viṣṇu brought back the goddess Suvarṇā, the beauty of the worlds.
महेश्वरसुता चैव अग्नेश् चैव तथा प्रिया महेश्वराय तां विष्णुर् दर्शयाम् आस नारद
O Nārada, Viṣṇu showed her, beloved both as the daughter of Maheśvara and of Agni, to Maheśvara.
प्रीतो ऽभवन् महेशो ऽपि सस्वजे तां पुनः पुनः चक्रं प्रक्षालितं यत्र शार्दूलच्छेदि दीप्तिमत्
Maheśa, delighted, embraced her again and again; at the place where the discus, shining brightly, cut off Śārdūla's head—
चक्रतीर्थं तु विख्यातं शार्दूलं चेति तद् विदुः यत्र नीता सुवर्णा सा विष्णुना शंकरान्तिकम्
—that place is known as Cakratīrtha and also as Śārdūla; there Suvarṇā was brought by Viṣṇu to Śaṃkara.
तत् तीर्थं शांकरं ज्ञेयं वैष्णवं सिद्धम् एव तु यत्रानन्दम् अनुप्राप्तो ह्य् अग्निर् धर्मश् च शाश्वतः
That sacred place should be known as Śaṃkara's, and also as Viṣṇu's, truly accomplished; there Agni and eternal Dharma attained bliss.
आनन्दाश्रूणि न्यपतन् यत्राग्नेर् मुनिसत्तम आनन्देति नदी जाता तथा वै नन्दिनीति च
O best of sages, there tears of joy fell from Agni; thus the river was born, called Ānandā, and also Nandinī.
तस्याश् च संगमः पुण्यो गङ्गायां तत्र वै शिवः तत्रैव संगमे साक्षात् सुवर्णाद्यापि संस्थिता
The confluence of that river with the Gaṅgā is holy; there, at that very confluence, Suvarṇā still abides in person.
दाक्षायणी सैव शिवा आग्नेयी चेति विश्रुता अम्बिका जगदाधारा शिवा कात्यायनीश्वरी
She is known as Dākṣāyaṇī, Śivā, and Āgneyī; Ambikā, the support of the world, Śivā, and Kātyāyanīśvarī.
भक्ताभीष्टप्रदा नित्यम् अलंकृत्योभयं तटम् तपस् तेपे यत्र चाग्निस् तत् तीर्थं तु तपोवनम्
Always granting the wishes of devotees, adorning both banks, there Agni performed austerities; that sacred place is called Tapovana.
एवमादीनि तीर्थानि तीरयोर् उभयोर् मुने तेषु स्नानं च दानं च सर्वकामप्रदं शुभम्
O sage, such are the sacred places on both banks; bathing and giving gifts there grant all desires and are auspicious.
उत्तरे चैव पारे च सहस्राणि चतुर्दश दक्षिणे च तथा पारे सहस्राण्य् अथ षोडश
On the northern bank there are fourteen thousand, and likewise on the southern bank there are sixteen thousand.
तत्र तत्र च तीर्थानि साभिज्ञानानि सन्ति वै नामानि च पृथक् सन्ति संक्षेपात् तन् मयोच्यते
Here and there are sacred places, each with its own signs; their names are many, but I shall tell them briefly.
एतानि यश् च शृणुयाद् यश् च वा पठति स्मरेत् सर्वेषु तत्र काम्येषु परिपूर्णो भवेन् नरः
Whoever hears, recites, or remembers these, in all those desired matters, that person becomes completely fulfilled.
एतद् वृत्तं तु यो ज्ञात्वा तत्र स्नानादिकं चरेत् लक्ष्मीवाञ् जायते नित्यं धर्मवांश् च विशेषतः
Whoever, having learned of this event, performs bathing and related rites there, becomes ever prosperous and especially righteous.
अब्जकात् पश्चिमे तीर्थं तच् छार्दूलम् उदाहृतम् वाराणस्यादितीर्थेभ्यः सर्वेभ्यो ह्य् अधिकं भवेत्
The western ford from Abjaka is called Shardula; it surpasses all the other fords at Varanasi and elsewhere.
तत्र स्नात्वा पितॄन् देवान् वन्दते तर्पयत्य् अपि सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो विष्णुलोके महीयते
There, after bathing, one honors and satisfies the ancestors and gods, and, freed from all sins, is exalted in Vishnu’s realm.
तपोवनाच् च शार्दूलान् मध्ये तीर्थान्य् अशेषतः तस्यैकैकस्य माहात्म्यं न केनाप्य् अत्र वर्ण्यते
Between Tapovana and Shardula are countless fords; the greatness of each cannot be described by anyone here.
इन्द्रतीर्थम् इति ख्यातं तत्रैव च वृषाकपम् फेनायाः संगमो यत्र हनूमतं तथैव च
There, too, is the ford known as Indratirtha, and the confluence of the river Phena, where Vrishakapa and Hanumata are also found.
अब्जकं चापि यत् प्रोक्तं यत्र देवस् त्रिविक्रमः तत्र स्नानं च दानं च पुनरावृत्तिदुर्लभम्
Abjaka, as mentioned, is where the god Trivikrama is present; bathing and giving gifts there makes rebirth exceedingly rare.
तत्र वृत्तान्य् अथाख्यास्ये गङ्गाया दक्षिणे तटे इन्द्रेश्वरं चोत्तरे च शृणु भक्त्या यतव्रतः
Now I will recount the events that took place there, on the southern bank of the Ganga; listen with devotion and discipline about Indreshvara on the northern bank.
नमुचिर् बलवान् आसीद् इन्द्रशत्रुर् मदोत्कटः तस्येन्द्रेणाभवद् युद्धं फेनेनेन्द्रो ऽहरच् छिरः
Namuchi, powerful and intoxicated with pride, was an enemy of Indra; Indra fought him and, with Phena, struck off his head.