मायारूपां तु प्रमदां भक्षयाम् आस नारद तद् अद्भुतम् अतीवासीत् तन्मायाबलदर्शिनाम्
He devoured the woman in the form of illusion, O Nārada; it was exceedingly wondrous for those who witnessed the power of that illusion.
मखे विध्वंस्यमाने तु ते विष्णुं शरणं ययुः प्रादाद् विष्णुश् चक्रम् अथो मुनीनां रक्षणाय तु
When the sacrifice was being destroyed, they sought refuge in Viṣṇu; then Viṣṇu gave the discus for the protection of the sages.
चक्रं तद् राक्षसान् आजौ दैत्यांश् च दनुजांस् तथा चिच्छेद तद्भयाद् एव मृता राक्षसपुंगवाः
That discus, in battle, cut down the Rākṣasas, the Daityas, and the Dānavas; out of fear of it, the foremost among the Rākṣasas perished.
ऋषिभिस् तन् महासत्त्रं संपूर्णम् अभवत् तदा विष्णोः प्रक्षालितं चक्रं गङ्गाम्भोभिः सुदर्शनम्
Then, through the great sacrifice performed by the sages, Viṣṇu’s discus, the Sudarśana, was purified with the waters of the Gaṅgā.
ततः प्रभृति तत् तीर्थं चक्रतीर्थम् उदाहृतम् तत्र स्नानेन दानेन सत्त्रयागफलं लभेत्
From that time, that holy place has been known as Cakratīrtha; by bathing and giving gifts there, one obtains the fruit of a sacrificial session.
तत्र पञ्च शतान्य् आसंस् तीर्थानां पापहारिणाम् तेषु स्नानं तथा दानं प्रत्येकं मुक्तिदायकम्
There were five hundred holy bathing places there, destroyers of sin; bathing and giving gifts at each one grants liberation.
वाणीसंगमम् आख्यातं यत्र वागीश्वरो हरः तत् तीर्थं सर्वपापानां मोचनं सर्वकामदम्
It is called the meeting of Vāṇī, where the Lord of Speech, Hara, resides; that holy place frees from all sins and grants all desires.
तत्र स्नानेन दानेन ब्रह्महत्यादिनाशनम् ब्रह्मविष्ण्वोश् च संवादे महत्त्वे च परस्परम्
There, by bathing and giving gifts, the destruction of even brahminicide and other sins occurs, as is told in the dialogue and mutual greatness of Brahmā and Viṣṇu.
तयोर् मध्ये महादेवो ज्योतिर्मूर्तिर् अभूत् किल तत्रैव वाग् उवाचेदं दैवी पुत्र तयोः शुभा
Between the two, the great god appeared in the form of light; there, the divine speech, their auspicious daughter, spoke these words.
अहम् अस्मि महांस् तत्र अहम् अस्मीति वै मिथः दैवी वाक् ताव् उभौ प्राह यस् त्व् अस्यान्तं तु पश्यति
There, each declared, 'I am the greatest,' and thus, the divine speech said to both, 'Whoever perceives the end of this will be the elder.'
स तु ज्येष्ठो भवेत् तस्मान् मा वादं कर्तुम् अर्हथः तद्वाक्याद् विष्णुर् अगमद् अधो ऽहं चोर्ध्वम् एव च
'He will be the elder; therefore, you should not argue.' At her words, Viṣṇu went downward and I went upward.
ततो विष्णुः शीघ्रम् एत्य ज्योतिःपार्श्व उपाविशत् अप्राप्यान्तम् अहं प्रायां दूराद् दूरतरं मुने
Then Viṣṇu quickly approached and sat beside the light; unable to reach its end, I went farther and farther, O sage.
ततः श्रान्तो निवृत्तो ऽहं द्रष्टुम् ईशं तु तं प्रभुम् तदैवं मम धीर् आसीद् दृष्टश् चान्तो मया भृशम्
Then, weary, I turned back, unable to see that Lord; yet, in my mind I thought I had truly seen the end.
अस्य देवस्य तद् विष्णोर् मम ज्यैष्ठ्यं स्फुटं भवेत् पुनश् चापि मम त्व् एवं मतिर् आसीन् महामते
'Thus, my seniority over this god Viṣṇu is clear.' Again, O wise one, this was my thought.
सत्यैर् वक्त्रैः कथं वक्ष्ये पीडितो ऽप्य् अनृतं वचः नानाविधेषु पापेषु नानृतात् पातकं परम्
How can I, with truthful mouths, speak a false word, even under pressure? Among all kinds of sins, there is none greater than falsehood.
सत्यैर् वक्त्रैर् असत्यां वा वाचं वक्ष्ये कथं त्व् इति ततो ऽहं पञ्चमं वक्त्रं गर्दभाकृतिभीषणम्
How can I, with truthful mouths, speak an untruth? So, I created a fifth mouth, terrifying in the form of a donkey.
कृत्वा तेनानृतं वक्ष्य इति ध्यात्वा चिरं तदा अब्रवं तं हरिं तत्र आसीनं जगतां प्रभुम्
Having made that, I resolved to speak a falsehood with it; after pondering for a long time, I addressed Hari, the Lord of the worlds, seated there.
अस्य चान्तो मया दृष्टस् तेन ज्यैष्ठ्यं जनार्दन ममेति वदतः पार्श्वे उभौ तौ हरिशंकरौ
'I have seen its end; therefore, Janārdana, my seniority is established.' As I spoke thus, both Hari and Śaṅkara were at my side.
एकरूपत्वम् आपन्नौ सूर्याचन्द्रमसाव् इव तौ दृष्ट्वा विस्मितो भीतश् चास्तवं ताव् उभाव् अपि ततः क्रुद्धौ जगन्नाथौ वाचं ताम् इदम् ऊचतुः
The two assumed a single form, like the sun and the moon; seeing them, I was astonished and afraid. Then, both Lords of the universe, angered, spoke these words to that speech.
दुष्टे त्वं निम्नगा भूया नानृताद् अस्ति पातकम्
'You, wicked one, become a river, for there is no sin greater than falsehood.'
ततः सा विह्वला भूत्वा नदीभावम् उपागता तद् दृष्ट्वा विस्मितो भीतस् ताम् अब्रवम् अहं तदा
Then, she became distraught and took the form of a river; seeing that, I was astonished and afraid, and I spoke to her at that time.
यस्माद् असत्यम् उक्तासि ब्रह्मवाचि स्थिता सती तस्माद् अदृश्या त्वं भूयाः पापरूपास्य् असंशयम्
Because you have spoken falsely while standing in the speech of Brahma, though you are virtuous, therefore you shall become invisible and take a sinful form, without doubt.
एतच् छापं विदित्वा तु तौ देवौ प्रणता तदा विशापत्वं प्रार्थयन्ती तुष्टाव च पुनः पुनः
Knowing this curse, those two deities then bowed down, seeking release from the curse, and praised me again and again.
ततस् तुष्टौ देवदेवौ प्रार्थितौ त्रिदशार्चितौ प्रीत्या हरिहराव् एवं वाचं वाचम् अथोचतुः
Then, pleased, the two gods of gods, worshipped by the immortals, being requested, Hari and Hara, spoke these words with affection.
गङ्गया संगता भद्रे यदा त्वं लोकपावनी तदा पुनर् वपुस् ते स्यात् पवित्रं हि सुशोभने
O auspicious one, when you join with Ganga, purifier of the worlds, then your form will be restored, for you are indeed pure and radiant.
तथेत्य् उक्त्वा सापि देवी गङ्गया संगताभवत् भागीरथी गौतमी च ततश् चापि स्वकं वपुः
Having said, 'So be it,' that goddess united with Ganga; Bhagirathi and Gautami then regained their own forms.
देवी सा व्यगमद् ब्रह्मन् देवानाम् अपि दुर्लभम् गौतम्यां सैव विख्याता नाम्ना वाणीति पुण्यदा
O Brahman, that goddess attained what is difficult even for the gods; in Gautami she is renowned by the name Vani, bestower of merit.
भागीरथ्यां सैव देवी सरस्वत्य् अभिधीयते उभयत्रापि विख्यातः संगमो लोकपूजितः
In Bhagirathi, that goddess is called Sarasvati; in both places, the confluence is famous and worshipped by the world.
सरस्वतीसंगमश् च वाणीसंगम एव च गौतम्या संगता देवी वाणी वाचा सरस्वती
The confluence of Sarasvati and the confluence of Vani—there, the goddess Vani, Sarasvati by speech, joined with Gautami.
सर्वत्र पूजितं तीर्थं तत्र वाचा शिवं प्रभुम् देवेश्वरं पूजयित्वा विशापम् अगमद् यतः
Everywhere that holy place is worshipped; there, having worshipped Shiva, the lord of speech, the curse was removed.