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.
तेषु स्नानं च दानं च सर्वक्रतुफलप्रदम् स्नानं कृत्वा निम्नभेदे यः पश्यति सुरान् इमान्
Bathing and giving gifts there bestow the fruit of all sacrifices; after bathing at the channel’s division, whoever sees these gods—
इह चामुत्र वा निम्नं न किंचित् तस्य विद्यते सर्वोन्नतिम् अवाप्यासौ मोदते दिवि शक्रवत्
Here or hereafter, for him, there is no decline at the channel; having attained all exaltation, he rejoices in heaven like Indra.
नन्दीतटम् इति ख्यातं तीर्थं वेदविदो विदुः तस्य प्रभावं वक्ष्यामि शृणु यत्नेन नारद
The holy place known as Nandītaṭa is known to those learned in the Vedas; I will declare its greatness—listen carefully, O Nārada.
अत्रिपुत्रो महातेजाश् चन्द्रमा इति विश्रुतः सर्वान् वेदांश् च विधिवद् धनुर्वेदं यथाविधि
The mighty son of Atri, known as Candramas, properly studied all the Vedas and the science of archery as prescribed.
अधीत्य जीवात् सर्वाश् च विद्याश् चान्या महामते गुरुपूजां करोमीति जीवम् आह स चन्द्रमाः बृहस्पतिस् तदा प्राह चन्द्रं शिष्यं मुदान्वितः
Having learned all knowledge from Jīva, Candramas said, 'I will honor my teacher'; then Bṛhaspati, pleased, spoke to his disciple Candra.
मम प्रिया तु जानीते तारा रतिसमप्रभा
Know that my beloved is Tārā, radiant as Rati.
प्रष्टुं तां च तदा प्रायाद् अन्तर् वेश्म स चन्द्रमाः तारां तारामुखीं दृष्ट्वा जगृहे तां करेण सः
Then Candramas went inside the house to ask her; seeing Tārā, whose face was like a star, he took her by the hand.
स्ववेश्म प्रति तां लोभाद् बलाद् आकर्षयत् तदा तावद् धैर्यनिधिर् ज्ञानी मतिमान् विजितेन्द्रियः
Out of desire, he forcibly drew her towards his own house; then, that ocean of patience, wise, intelligent, and self-controlled—
यावन् न कामिनीनेत्रवागुराभिर् निबध्यते विशेषतो रहःसंस्थां कामिनीम् आयतेक्षणाम्
So long as a man is not especially ensnared by the net of a woman's desirous glances, he does not seek out a woman with long, inviting eyes in a private place.
विलोक्य न मनो याति कस्य कामेषु वश्यताम् अत एवान्यपुरुषदर्शनं न कदाचन
Upon seeing such a woman, whose mind does not become subject to desire? For this reason, a virtuous woman should never look upon another man.
कुलवध्वा रहः कार्यं भीतया शीलविप्लुतेः विज्ञाय तत् परिजनात् सहसोत्थाय निर्गतः
A woman of good family, fearing the loss of her virtue, should conduct her private affairs carefully; if discovered by the attendants, she should immediately rise and depart.
दृष्ट्वा तद् दुष्कृतं कर्म बृहस्पतिर् उदारधीः शशाप कोपाच् चाक्षिप्य वाग्भिर् विप्रियकारिभिः
Seeing that wrongful deed, Bṛhaspati, of noble mind, cursed in anger and reproached him with harsh words for his misdeed.
पराभिभूताम् आलोक्य कान्तां कः सोढुम् ईश्वरः युयुधे तेन जीवो ऽपि देवश् चन्द्रमसा रुषा
Who, upon seeing his beloved overcome by another, could endure it, even if he were a lord? Even the god Candra, out of anger, fought with him for her.
न शापैर् हन्यते चन्द्रो नायुधैः सुरमन्त्रितैः बृहस्पतिप्रणीतैश् च न मन्त्रैर् हन्यते शशी
The moon is not destroyed by curses, nor by weapons, nor by the spells of the gods; nor is the moon slain by the mantras composed by Bṛhaspati.
तदा चन्द्रस् तु तां तारां नीत्वा संस्थाप्य मन्दिरे बुभुजे बहुवर्षाणि रोहिणीं चाकुतोभयः
Then Candra took Tārā and established her in his palace, enjoying her for many years, and also, without fear, Rohiṇī.
न जीयेत तदा देवैर् न कोपैः शापमन्त्रकैः न राजभिर् न ऋषिभिर् न साम्ना भेददण्डनैः
At that time, he could not be overcome by the gods, nor by anger, curses, or spells; not by kings, nor by sages, nor by conciliation, division, or punishment.
यदा भार्यां न लेभे ऽसौ गुरुः सर्वप्रयत्नतः सर्वोपायक्षये जीवस् तदा नीतिम् अथास्मरत्
When the guru could not regain his wife despite every effort and all possible means being exhausted, then Jīva remembered the path of policy.
अपमानं पुरस्कृत्य मानं कृत्वा तु पृष्ठतः स्वार्थम् उद्धरते प्राज्ञः स्वार्थभ्रंशो हि मूर्खता
A wise person, putting aside honor and accepting humiliation, pursues his own interest; for the loss of one's own interest is indeed folly.
साध्यं केनाप्य् उपायेन जानद्भिः पुरुषैः फलम् वृथाभिमानिनः शीघ्रं विपद्यन्ते विमोहिताः
Those who know, by any means, should accomplish their goal; the vain and deluded quickly come to ruin.
एवं निश्चित्य मेधावी शुक्रं गत्वा न्यवेदयत् तम् आगतं कविर् ज्ञात्वा संमानेनाभ्यनन्दयत्
Having resolved thus, the wise one went to Śukra and informed him; the poet, knowing he had come, welcomed him with honor.