नेत्य् उवाच तदा पूरुर् जरया क्षीयते मया विकारास् तात भावानां दुर्निवाराः शरीरिणाम्
Puru then said, 'No,' for I am worn down by old age; father, the transformations of embodied beings are hard to resist.
बलात् कालागता सह्या जराप्य् अखिलदेहिभिः सा चेद् गुरूपकाराय गृहीता त्यज्यते कथम्
Old age, which comes in due time, must be endured by all embodied beings; but if it is taken for the sake of serving elders, how can it be abandoned?
स्वीकृतत्यागपापाद् धि देहिनां मरणं वरम् अथवा तु जरां राजंस् तपसा नाशयाम्य् अहम्
For embodied beings, death is preferable to the sin of accepting and then abandoning; or else, O king, I will destroy old age through austerity.
एवम् उक्त्वा तु पितरं ययौ गङ्गाम् अनुत्तमाम् गौतम्या दक्षिणे पारे ततस् तेपे तपो महत्
Having thus spoken to his father, he went to the supreme Ganga, to the southern bank of the Gautami, and there performed great austerity.
ततः प्रीतो ऽभवद् देवः कालेन महता शिवः लोकातीतमहोदारगुणसन्मणिभूषितम् किं ददामीति तं प्राह पूरुं स सुरसत्तमः
Then, after a long time, the god Shiva became pleased, adorned with the supreme virtues that transcend the worlds; that best of gods said to Puru, 'What shall I give you?'
शापप्राप्तां जरां नाथ पितुर् मम सुराधिप तां नाशयस्व देवेश पितृशप्तांश् च कोपतः मद्भ्रातॄञ् शापतो मुक्तान् कुरुष्व सुरपूजित
O lord of gods, destroy the old age that came to me by my father's curse; O revered god, also free my brothers from the curses placed on them in anger.
तथेत्य् उक्त्वा जगन्नाथः शापाज् जातां जरां तथा अनाशयज् जगन्नाथो भ्रातॄंश् चक्रे विशापिनः
The lord of the universe, having said 'So be it,' destroyed the old age born of the curse, and made his brothers free from curses.
ततः प्रभृति तत् तीर्थं जरारोगविनाशनम् अकालजजरादीनां स्मरणाद् अपि नाशनम्
From that time, that sacred place became known as the destroyer of old age and disease; even by remembering it, premature old age and similar afflictions are destroyed.
तन्नाम्ना चापि विख्यातं कालञ्जरम् उदाहृतम् यायातं नाहुषं पौरं शौक्रं शार्मिष्ठम् एव च
By that name, it is also renowned as Kalanjara; it is called Yayata, Nahusha, Paura, Shaukra, and Sharmishtha as well.
एवमादीनि तीर्थानि तत्राष्टोत्तरम् एव च शतं विद्यान् महाबुद्धे सर्वसिद्धिकरं तथा
There are sacred places of this kind there, and also one hundred and eight in number, O wise one, all bestowing every accomplishment.
तेषु स्नानं च दानं च श्रवणं पठनं तथा सर्वपापप्रशमनं भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदं भवेत्
Bathing, giving gifts, listening, and reciting there, all remove every sin and grant both enjoyment and liberation.
अप्सरोयुगम् आख्यातम् अप्सरासंगमं ततः तीरे च दक्षिणे पुण्यं स्मरणात् सुभगो भवेत्
The pair of Apsaras has been described, and their union; on the southern bank, that holy place, by remembering it, one becomes fortunate.
मुक्तो भवत्य् असंदेहं तत्र स्नानादिना नरः स्त्री सती संगमे तस्मिन्न् ऋतुस्नाता च नारद
There is no doubt that one becomes liberated there; a man, or a virtuous woman, bathing and performing rites at that union, O Nārada, especially when the woman has bathed after her period.
वन्ध्यापि जनयेत् पुत्रं त्रिमासात् पतिना सह स्नानदानेन वर्तन्ती नान्यथा मद्वचो भवेत्
Even a barren woman will bear a son within three months, if she abides with her husband, bathing and giving gifts; otherwise, my word will not hold true.
अप्सरोयुगम् आख्यातं तीर्थं येन च हेतुना तत्रेदं कारणं वक्ष्ये शृणु नारद यत्नतः
The place called the Apsaras-pair Tīrtha, and the reason for its name, I will now explain to you, O Nārada, listen carefully.
स्पर्धासीन् महती ब्रह्मन् विश्वामित्रवसिष्ठयोः तपस्यन्तं गाधिसुतं ब्राह्मण्यार्थे यतव्रतम्
A great rivalry arose, O Brahman, between Viśvāmitra and Vasiṣṭha; the son of Gādhi was engaged in austerities, observing vows for the sake of Brahminhood.
गङ्गाद्वारे समासीनं प्रेरितेन्द्रेण मेनका तं गत्वा तपसो भ्रष्टं कुरु भद्रे ममाज्ञया
Seated at the gateway of the Ganges, Menakā was sent by Indra; 'Go to him, O blessed one, and by my command, cause him to fall from his austerity.'
तदोक्तेन्द्रेण सा मेना विश्वामित्रं तपश्च्युतम् कृत्वा कन्यां तथा दत्त्वा जगामेन्द्रपुरं पुनः
Thus instructed by Indra, Menakā caused Viśvāmitra to abandon his austerity, gave him a daughter, and then returned again to Indra's city.
तस्यां गतायां सस्मार गाधिपुत्रो ऽखिलं कृतम् तं तु देशं परित्यज्य तीर्थं तु सुरवल्लभम्
When she had departed, the son of Gādhi recalled all that had happened; leaving that place, he went to the tīrtha beloved by the gods.
जगाम दक्षिणां गङ्गां यत्र कालञ्जरो हरः तपस्यन्तं तदोवाच पुनर् इन्द्रः सहस्रदृक्
He went to the southern Ganges, where Kālañjara and Hara were engaged in austerities; then Indra, the thousand-eyed, spoke to him again.
उर्वशीं च ततो मेनां रम्भां चापि तिलोत्तमाम् नैवेत्य् ऊचुर् भयत्रस्ताः पुनर् आह शचीपतिः
Then Urvaśī, Menā, Rambhā, and Tilottamā, frightened and trembling, said they would not go; again the lord of Śacī spoke.
गम्भीरां चातिगम्भीराम् उभे ये गर्विते तदा ते ऊचतुर् उभे देवं सहस्राक्षं पुरंदरम्
Both proud and exceedingly deep, they replied together to the thousand-eyed god, Purandara.
आवां गत्वा तपस्यन्तं गाधिपुत्रं महाद्युतिम् च्यावयावो नृत्यगीतै रूपयौवनसंपदा
We will go to the son of Gādhi, radiant in austerity, and cause him to fall by dance, song, beauty, and the power of youth.
यासाम् अपाङ्गे हसिते वाचि विभ्रमसंपदि नित्यं वसति पञ्चेषुस् ताभिः को ऽत्र न जीयते
In whose glance, smile, speech, and playful charm the god of love always dwells—who could resist them?
तथेत्य् उक्ते सहस्राक्षे ते आगत्य महानदीम् ददृशाते तपस्यन्तं विश्वामित्रं महामुनिम्
When the thousand-eyed one agreed, they went to the great river and saw Viśvāmitra, the great sage, engaged in austerity.
मृत्योर् अपि दुराधर्षं भूमिस्थम् इव धूर्जटिम् सहस्रम् एकं वर्षाणाम् ईक्षितुं न च शक्नुतः
He was as unassailable as death itself, standing on earth like Dhūrjaṭi; for a thousand years they could not even look at him.
दूरे स्थिते नृत्यगीतचाटुकाररते तदा विलोक्य मुनिशार्दूलस् ततः कोपाकुलो ऽभवत्
Standing at a distance, absorbed in dance, song, and flattery, when the tiger among sages saw them, he became filled with anger.
प्रतीपाचरणं दृष्ट्वा क्रोधः कस्य न जायते निस्पृहो ऽपि महाबाहुस् तम् इन्द्रं प्रहसन्न् इव
Who would not become angry upon seeing such contrary behavior? Even the great-armed one, though free from desire, laughed at Indra.
आभ्यां मुक्तः सहस्राक्षो ह्य् अप्सरोभ्यां ब्रुवन्न् इव शशाप ते स गाधेयो द्रवरूपे भविष्यथः
Freed by the two apsarases, the thousand-eyed one, as if speaking, was cursed by the son of Gādhi: 'You shall become of a liquid form.'
द्रवितुं मां समायाते यतस् त्व् इह ततो लघु ततः प्रसादितस् ताभ्यां शापमोक्षं चकार सः
Because you came here to make me run, therefore you shall become light; then, appeased by them, he granted release from the curse.