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.
ताञ् जित्वा पुनर् अप्य् आगाद् देवलोकं सुपूजितम् स चागत्य महाराजो वसिष्ठाच् च पुरोधसः
Having conquered them, he returned again to the highly honored realm of the gods; and upon his return, the great king received guidance from Vasiṣṭha, the chief priest.
उर्वश्या गमनं श्रुत्वा ततो दुःखसमन्वितः न जुहोति न चाश्नाति न शृणोति न पश्यति
Hearing of Urvaśī's departure, he was overcome with sorrow; he neither offered sacrifices, nor ate, nor listened, nor saw.
एतस्मिन्न् अन्तरे तत्र मृतावस्थं नृपोत्तमम् बोधयाम् आस वाक्यैश् च हेतुभूतैः पुरोहितः
Meanwhile, the chief priest awakened the noble king, who was as if dead, with words bearing reasons.
सा मृताद्य महाराज मा व्यथस्व महामते एवं स्थितं तु मा त्वां वै अशिवाः स्पृश्युर् आशुगाः
She is dead now, O great-minded king; do not grieve. In such a state, let not inauspicious swift forces touch you.
न वै स्त्रैणानि जानीषे हृदयानि महामते शालावृकाणां यादॄंशि तस्मात् त्वं भूप मा शुचः
You do not know the hearts of women, O wise king; they are like those of jackals. Therefore, O ruler, do not sorrow.
को नाम लोके राजेन्द्र कामिनीभिर् न वञ्चितः वञ्चकत्वं नृशंसत्वं चञ्चलत्वं कुशीलता
Who in this world, O king of kings, has not been deceived by women? Deceitfulness, cruelty, fickleness, and cunning are their nature.
इति स्वाभाविकं यासां ताः कथं सुखहेतवः कालेन को न निहतः को ऽर्थी गौरवम् आगतः
Such is their inherent nature; how can they be sources of happiness? Who has not been ruined by time? Who, seeking honor, has attained it?
श्रिया न भ्रामितः को वा योषिद्भिः को न खण्डितः स्वप्नमायोपमा राजन् मदविप्लुतचेतसः
Who has not been led astray by fortune, or harmed by women? For those whose minds are intoxicated, reality is like a dream or illusion, O king.
सुखाय योषितः कस्य ज्ञात्वैतद् विज्वरो भव विहाय शंकरं विष्णुं गौतमीं वा महामते दुःखिनां शरणं नान्यद् विद्यते भुवनत्रये
For whom are women a source of happiness? Knowing this, be free from fever, O wise king. Apart from Śaṃkara, Viṣṇu, or the Ganges, there is no other refuge for the sorrowful in the three worlds.
एतच् छ्रुत्वा ततो राजा दुःखं संहृत्य यत्नतः गौतम्या मध्यसंस्थो ऽसाव् ऐलः परमधार्मिकः
Hearing this, the king diligently overcame his sorrow; Aila, supremely righteous, remained in the midst of the Ganges.
तत्र चाराधयाम् आस शिवं देवं जनार्दनम् ब्रह्माणं भास्करं गङ्गां देवान् अन्यांश् च यत्नतः
There, with great effort, he worshipped Śiva, Janārdana, Brahmā, the Sun, Gaṅgā, and other deities.
यो विपन्नो न तीर्थानि देवताश् च न सेवते स कालवशगो जन्तुः कां दशाम् अनुयास्यति
Whoever, having fallen into misfortune, does not serve holy places or deities, that creature, subject to time, what state will he attain?
तदीश्वरैकशरणो गौतमीसेवनोत्सुकः परां श्रद्धाम् उपगतः संसारास्थापराङ्मुखः
He who takes refuge in the one Lord, eager to serve the Gautamī, who has attained supreme faith and turned away from worldly attachments—
ईजे यज्ञांश् च बहुलान् ऋत्विग्भिर् बहुदक्षिणान् वेदद्वीपो ऽभवत् तेन यज्ञद्वीपः स उच्यते
He performed many sacrifices with priests, giving abundant gifts; thus, he became an island of Vedic rites, and for this reason it is called Yajñadvīpa.
पौर्णमास्यां तु शर्वर्यां तत्रायाति सदोर्वशी तस्य दीपस्य यः कुर्यात् प्रदक्षिणम् अथो नरः
On the night of the full moon, Urvaśī comes there; whoever circles that island in reverence at that time—
प्रदक्षिणीकृता तेन पृथिवी सागराम्बरा वेदानां स्मरणं तत्र यज्ञानां स्मरणं तथा
By that act, the earth with its oceans and sky is circumambulated; there, the remembrance of the Vedas and of sacrifices takes place.
सुकृती तत्र यः कुर्याद् वेदयज्ञफलं लभेत् ऐलतीर्थं तु तज् ज्ञेयं तद् एव च पुरूरवम्
Whoever performs meritorious acts there obtains the fruit of Vedic sacrifices; know that place as Ailatīrtha, and it is also called Purūrava.
वासिष्ठं चापि तत् तु स्यान् निम्नभेदं तद् उच्यते ऐले राज्ञि न किंचित् स्यान् निम्नं सर्वेषु कर्मसु
That is also called Vāsiṣṭha, and is known as the division of the channel; under King Aila, no division of the channel occurred in any of the rites.
यद् एतन् निम्नम् उर्वश्यां सर्वभावेन वर्तनम् तच् चापि भेदितं निम्नं वसिष्ठेन च गङ्गया
This division of the channel in Urvaśī’s place, the complete course, was also divided by Vasiṣṭha and by Gaṅgā.
निम्नभेदम् अभूत् तेन दृष्टादृष्टेष्टसिद्धिदम् तत्र सप्त शतान्य् आहुस् तीर्थानि गुणवन्ति च
Thus, the division of the channel became a giver of success in both seen and unseen desires; there, they say, are seven hundred excellent holy places.