पैशाचं तीर्थम् आख्यातं गङ्गाया उत्तरे तटे पिशाचत्वात् पुरा विप्रो मुक्तिम् आप महामते
The Piśāca tirtha is named on the northern bank of the Ganga; because of its piśāca nature, a brahmin once attained liberation there, O wise one.
सुयवस्यात्मजो लोके जीगर्तिर् इति विश्रुतः कुटुम्बभारदुःखार्तो दुर्भिक्षेण तु पीडितः
In the world, the son of Suyavasya was known as Jīgarti; burdened by the hardships of family, he was afflicted by famine.
मध्यमं तु शुनःशेपं पुत्रं ब्रह्मविदां वरम् विक्रीतवान् क्षत्रियाय वधाय बहुलैर् धनैः
He sold his middle son, Śunaḥśepa, the best among those knowing Brahman, to a kshatriya for slaughter, for much wealth.
किं नामापद्गतः पापं नाचरत्य् अपि पण्डितः शमितृत्वे धनं चापि जगृहे बहुलं मुनिः
What sin does not commit one who has fallen into calamity, even if learned? The sage accepted much wealth for the role of pacifier.
विदारणार्थं च धनं जगृहे ब्राह्मणाधमः ततो ऽप्रतिसमाधेयमहारोगनिपीडितः
That lowest of Brahmins took wealth for the purpose of division, and as a result, he was afflicted by incurable, severe diseases.
स मृतः कालपर्याये नरकेष्व् अथ पातितः भोगाद् ऋते न क्षयो ऽस्ति प्राक्तनानाम् इहांहसाम्
When he died in due course of time, he was cast into hell; except for the enjoyment (of the results), there is no end to the sins committed previously.
किंकरैर् यमवाक्येन बहुयोन्यन्तरं गतः ततः पिशाचो ह्य् अभवद् दारुणो दारुणाकृतिः
By the command of Yama and his servants, he passed through many different wombs; then he became a dreadful piśāca, terrible in form.
शुष्ककाष्ठेष्व् अथारण्ये निर्जले निर्जने तथा ग्रीष्मे ग्रीष्मदवव्याप्ते क्षिप्यते यमकिंकरैः
Then, among dry woods, in the forest, without water, in desolate places, and in the heat of summer, scorched by the summer sun, he is cast by Yama's servants.
कन्यापुत्रमहीवाजिगवां विक्रयकारिणः नरकान् न निवर्तन्ते यावद् आभूतसंप्लवम्
Those who sell daughters, sons, land, horses, or cows do not return from hell until the dissolution of the world.
स्वकृताघविपाकेन दारुणैर् यमकिंकरैः संघाते पच्यमानो ऽसौ रुरोदोच्चैः कृतं स्मरन्
Due to the consequences of his own evil deeds, he, tormented by Yama's fierce servants, is cooked in a mass (of suffering), loudly weeping and remembering what he had done.
पथि गच्छन् कदाचित् स जीगर्तेर् मध्यमः सुतः शुश्राव रुदतो वाणीं पिशाचस्य मुहुर् मुहुः
Once, as he was walking on the road, the middle son of Jīgarti repeatedly heard the voice of the piśāca weeping.
पुत्रक्रेतुर् ब्रह्महन्तुर् जीगर्तेस् तु पितुस् तदा पापिनः पुत्रविक्रेतुर् ब्रह्महन्तुः पितुश् च ताम्
At that time, the sin of selling a son, of killing a Brahmin, and of Jīgarti the father—indeed, the sin of selling a son, of killing a Brahmin, and of the father—
शुनःशेपस् तदोवाच को भवान् अतिदुःखितः जीगर्तिर् अब्रवीद् दुःखाच् छुनःशेपपिता ह्य् अहम्
Then Śunaḥśepa said, 'Who are you, so greatly afflicted?' Jīgarti replied in his misery, 'I am Śunaḥśepa's father.'
पापीयसीं क्रियां कृत्वा योनिं प्राप्तो ऽस्मि दारुणाम् नरकेष्व् अथ पक्वश् च पुनः प्राप्तो ऽन्तरालकम् ये ये दुष्कृतकर्माणस् तेषां तेषाम् इयं गतिः
Having performed a most sinful act, I have attained a dreadful birth; cooked in hell, I have again reached an intermediate state. Such is the fate of all those who commit evil deeds.
जीगर्तिपुत्रस् तम् उवाच दुःखात् सो ऽहं सुतस् ते मम दोषेण तात विक्रीत्वा मां नरकान् एवम् आप्तस् ततः करिष्ये स्वर्गतं त्वाम् इदानीम्
Jīgarti's son said to him in distress, 'O father, it is by my own fault that, having sold me, you have thus reached hell. Therefore, I will now make you attain heaven.'
एवं प्रतिज्ञाय स गाधिपुत्र पुत्रत्वम् आप्तो ऽथ मुनिप्रवीरः गङ्गाम् अभिध्याय पितुश् च लोकान् अनुत्तमान् ईहमानो जगाम
Having thus resolved, the son of Gādhi, who had obtained sonship and was a foremost sage, desiring to attain the highest worlds for his father, set out, meditating on the Ganges.
अशेषदुःखानलधूपितानां निमज्जतां मोहमहासमुद्रे शरीरिणां नान्यद् अहो त्रिलोक्याम् आलम्बनं विष्णुपदीं विहाय
For embodied beings scorched by the fire of endless suffering, sinking in the great ocean of delusion, there is, alas, no other support in the three worlds except the feet of Viṣṇu.
एवं विनिश्चित्य मुनिर् महात्मा समुद्दिधीर्षुः पितरं स दुर्गतेः शुचिस् ततो गौतमीम् आशु गत्वा तत्र स्नात्वा संस्मरञ् छंभुविष्णू
Thus deciding, the great-souled sage, wishing to rescue his father from misfortune, quickly went to the Gautamī (Godāvarī), bathed there, and remembered Śambhu and Viṣṇu.
ददौ जलं प्रेतरूपाय पित्रे पिशाचरूपाय सुदुःखिताय तद्दानमात्रेण तदैव पूतो जीगर्तिर् आवाप वपुः सुपुण्यम्
He offered water to his father, who was in the form of a preta, a piśāca, and greatly distressed; by that very act of offering, Jīgarti was instantly purified and attained a most auspicious form.
विमानयुक्तः सुरसंघजुष्टं विष्णोः पदं प्राप सुतप्रभावात् गङ्गाप्रभावाच् च हरेश् च शंभोर् विधातुर् अर्कायुततुल्यतेजाः
Endowed with a celestial vehicle, attended by hosts of gods, he attained the abode of Viṣṇu by the power of his son, by the power of the Ganges, and by the grace of Hari, Śambhu, and the Creator, shining with the brilliance of ten thousand suns.
ततः प्रभृत्य् एतद् अतिप्रसिद्धं पैशाचनाशं च महागदं च महान्ति पापानि च नाशम् आशु प्रयान्ति यस्य स्मरणेन पुंसाम्
From that time, this has become very renowned: it destroys piśācas, cures great diseases, and quickly removes even great sins by the mere remembrance of it by people.
तीर्थस्य चेदं गदितं तवाद्य माहात्म्यम् एतत् त्रिशतानि यत्र तीर्थान्य् अथान्यानि भवन्ति भुक्ति मुक्तिप्रदायीनि किम् अन्यद् अत्र
Today I have told you the greatness of this tīrtha, where there are three hundred tīrthas and others as well, bestowing enjoyment and liberation—what more is there to say?
सर्वसिद्धिदम् आख्यातम् इत्याद्य् अत्र शतत्रयम् तीर्थानां मुनिजुष्टानां स्मरणाद् अप्य् अभीष्टदम्
This has been declared as granting all accomplishments; here, the three hundred sacred places cherished by sages bestow desired results even by mere remembrance.
निम्नभेदम् इति ख्यातं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम् गङ्गाया उत्तरे पारे तीर्थं त्रैलोक्यविश्रुतम्
Known as Nimnabheda, it destroys all sins; this holy site, famed throughout the three worlds, lies on the northern bank of the Ganges.
यस्य संस्मरणेनापि सर्वपापक्षयो भवेत् वेदद्वीपश् च तत्रैव दर्शनाद् वेदविद् भवेत्
By merely remembering it, all sins are destroyed; and seeing Vedadvīpa there, one becomes learned in the Vedas.
उर्वशीं चकमे राजा ऐलः परमधार्मिकः को न मोहम् उपायाति विलोक्य मदिरेक्षणाम्
King Aila, supremely righteous, desired Urvaśī; who would not become deluded upon seeing her intoxicating eyes?
सा प्रायाद् यत्र राजासौ घृतं स्तोकं समश्नुते आनग्नदर्शनात् कृत्वा तस्याः कालावधिं नृपः
She departed to the place where the king consumed a small portion of clarified butter, having set a time limit for her appearance after the ritual of fire-viewing.
तां स्वीचकार ललनां यूनां रम्यां नवां नवाम् सुप्तायां शयने तस्यां समुत्तस्थौ पुरूरवाः
He made her his own, a delightful and ever-youthful maiden; while she slept upon the bed, Purūravas arose from her side.
विलोक्य तं विवसनं तदैवासौ विनिर्गता विद्युच्चञ्चलचित्तानां क्व स्थैर्यं ननु योषिताम्
Seeing him unclothed, she immediately departed; where is steadfastness in women whose minds flicker like lightning?
ईक्षां चक्रे स शर्वर्यां विवस्त्रो विस्मितो महान् एतस्मिन्न् अन्तरे राजा युद्धायागाद् रिपून् प्रति
He gazed upon her that night, astonished and unclothed; meanwhile, the king went forth to battle against his enemies.