भगवन् केन दोषेण तपो ऽस्माकं न सिध्यति नानाविधैर् अप्य् उपायैः कुर्वतां च पुनः पुनः
"O venerable one, by what fault does our austerity not succeed, though we perform it again and again by various means?"
किं कुर्मः कः प्रकारो ऽत्र तपस्य् एव भवाम किम् उपायं ब्रूहि विप्रेन्द्र ज्येष्ठो ऽसि तपसा ध्रुवम्
"What should we do? What method is there for austerity here? Tell us the means, O best of Brahmins; you are certainly foremost in austerity."
ज्ञातासि ज्ञानिनां ब्रह्मन् वक्तासि वदतां वरः शान्तो ऽसि यमिनां नित्यं दयावान् प्रियकृत् तथा
"You are known among the wise, O Brahmin, and foremost among speakers; you are always tranquil among the self-controlled, compassionate, and a doer of good."
अक्रोधनश् च न द्वेष्टा तस्माद् ब्रूहि विवक्षितम् साहंकारा दयाहीना गुरुसेवाविवर्जिताः असत्यवादिनः क्रूरा न ते तत्त्वं विजानते
"Free from anger and hatred, therefore speak what you wish. Those who are proud, devoid of compassion, neglectful of service to their teacher, untruthful, and cruel—they do not know the truth."
अगस्त्यः प्राह तान् सर्वान् क्षणं ध्यात्वा शनैः शनैः
Agastya, after meditating for a moment, slowly spoke to them all.
शान्तात्मानो भवन्तो वै स्रष्टारो ब्रह्मणा कृताः न पर्याप्तं तपश् चाभूत् स्मरध्वं स्मयकारणम्
"You possess tranquil minds and were created by Brahmā as progenitors; yet your austerity was not sufficient—remember the cause of your downfall."
ब्रह्मणा निर्मिताः पूर्वं ये गताः सुखम् एधते ये गताः पुनर् अन्वेष्टुं ते च त्व् आङ्गिरसो ऽभवन्
"Those who were formerly created by Brahmā and attained happiness, and those who went forth again to seek, they too became the descendants of Angiras."
ते यूयं च पुनः काले याता याताः शनैः शनैः प्रजापतेर् अप्य् अधिका भवितारो न संशयः
"You too, in due course, have gone forth again and again; you will certainly become greater even than the progenitor himself, without doubt."
इतो यान्तु तपस् तप्तुं गङ्गां त्रैलोक्यपावनीम् नोपायो ऽन्यो ऽस्ति संसारे विना गङ्गां शिवप्रियाम्
"Go now to perform austerity at the Gaṅgā, purifier of the three worlds; there is no other means in this world except the Gaṅgā, beloved of Śiva."
तत्राश्रमे पुण्यदेशे ज्ञानदं पूजयिष्यथ स च्छेदयिष्यत्य् अखिलं संशयं वो महामतिः न सिद्धिः क्वापि केषांचिद् विना सद्गुरुणा यतः
"There, in the holy place, you shall worship the giver of knowledge in the hermitage; that great soul will dispel all your doubts, for without a true teacher, no one attains perfection anywhere."
ते तम् ऊचुर् मुनिवरं ज्ञानदः को ऽभिधीयते ब्रह्मा विष्णुर् महेशो वा आदित्यो वापि चन्द्रमाः
They asked that eminent sage, 'Who is called the giver of knowledge—Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśa, Āditya, or the Moon?'
अग्निश् च वरुणः कः स्याज् ज्ञानदो मुनिसत्तम अगस्त्यः पुनर् अप्य् आह ज्ञानदः श्रूयताम् अयम्
'Or is it Agni, or Varuṇa, O best of sages? Who is the giver of knowledge?' Again Agastya spoke: 'Hear who the giver of knowledge is.'
या आपः सो ऽग्निर् इत्य् उक्तो यो ऽग्निः सूर्यः स उच्यते यश् च सूर्यः स वै विष्णुर् यश् च विष्णुः स भास्करः
'That which is water is said to be Agni; that which is Agni is called Sūrya; that which is Sūrya is truly Viṣṇu; and that which is Viṣṇu is Bhāskara.'
यश् च ब्रह्मा स वै रुद्रो यो रुद्रः सर्वम् एव तत् यस्य सर्वं तु तज् ज्ञानं ज्ञानदः सो ऽत्र कीर्त्यते
'That which is Brahmā is indeed Rudra; that which is Rudra is all this. That in whom all exists, that knowledge—he is called the giver of knowledge here.'
देशिकप्रेरकव्याख्याकृदुपाध्यायदेहदाः गुरवः सन्ति बहवस् तेषां ज्ञानप्रदो महान्
There are many teachers—preceptors, inspirers, commentators, expounders, and givers of the body—but among them, the giver of knowledge is supreme.
तद् एव ज्ञानम् अत्रोक्तं येन भेदो विहन्यते एक एवाद्वयः शंभुर् इन्द्रमित्राग्निनामभिः वदन्ति बहुधा विप्रा भ्रान्तोपकृतिहेतवे
That alone is knowledge here, by which division is destroyed. The one, non-dual Śambhu is spoken of by the wise in many ways—with the names Indra, Mitra, Agni—due to the delusion caused by differences.
एतच् छ्रुत्वा मुनेर् वाक्यं गाथा गायन्त एव ते जग्मुः पञ्चोत्तरां गङ्गां पञ्च जग्मुश् च दक्षिणाम्
Hearing these words of the sage, they went on singing verses; five went to the northern Gaṅgā, and five went to the southern.
अगस्त्येनोदितान् देवान् पूजयन्तो यथाविधि आसनेषु विशेषेण ह्य् आसीनास् तत्त्वचिन्तकाः
Worshipping the deities as instructed by Agastya, they sat properly in their seats, absorbed in contemplation of the truth.
तेषां सर्वे सुरगणाः प्रीतिमन्तो ऽभवन् मुने स्रष्टृत्वं तु युगादौ यत् कल्पितं विश्वयोनिना
All the hosts of gods became pleased with them, O sage, for the role of creator was established at the beginning of the age by the source of the universe.
अधर्माणां निवृत्त्यर्थं वेदानां स्थापनाय च लोकानाम् उपकारार्थं धर्मकामार्थसिद्धये
For the removal of unrighteousness, for the establishment of the Vedas, for the benefit of the worlds, and for the attainment of dharma, kāma, and artha.
पुराणस्मृतिवेदार्थधर्मशास्त्रार्थनिश्चये स्रष्टृत्वं जगताम् इष्टं तादृग्रूपा भविष्यथ
When the meaning of the Purāṇas, Smṛtis, Vedas, and Dharmaśāstras is determined, the role of creator of the worlds is desired; you will become of such a form.
प्रजापतित्वं तेषां वै भविष्यति शनैः क्रमात् यदा ह्य् अधर्मो भविता वेदानां च पराभवः
They will gradually attain the status of Prajāpati, when unrighteousness arises and the Vedas are in decline.
वेदानां व्यसनं तेभ्यो भाविव्यासास् ततस् तु ते यदा यदा तु धर्मस्य ग्लानिर् वेदस्य दृश्यते
When the Vedas are in distress, then future Vyāsas will arise among them; whenever there is a decline of dharma or the Veda is seen to diminish.
तदा तदा तु ते व्यासा भविष्यन्त्य् उपकारिणः तेषां यत् तपसः स्थानं गङ्गायास् तीरम् उत्तमम्
Then, at those times, those Vyāsas will act for the benefit of all; the place of their austerity is the supreme bank of the Gaṅgā.
तत्र तत्र शिवो विष्णुर् अहम् आदित्य एव च अग्निर् आपः सर्वम् इति तत्र संनिहितं सदा
There, Śiva, Viṣṇu, I, Āditya, Agni, and Water—all are always present in every form.
नैतेभ्यः पावनं किंचिन् नैतेभ्यस् त्व् अधिकं क्वचित् तत्तदाकारतां प्राप्तं परं ब्रह्मैव केवलम्
There is nothing more purifying than these, nor is there anything superior anywhere; having attained those forms, it is only the supreme Brahman.
सर्वात्मकः शिवो व्यापी सर्वभावस्वरूपधृक् विशेषतस् तत्र तीर्थे सर्वप्राण्यनुकम्पया
Śiva, the all-pervading one, the essence of all beings, especially abides there at that sacred place, out of compassion for all living beings.
सर्वैर् देवैर् अनुवृतस् तदनुग्रहकारकः धर्मव्यासास् तु ते ज्ञेया वेदव्यासास् तथैव च
Attended by all the gods, he bestows his grace there; know those as Dharma-Vyāsas, and likewise as Veda-Vyāsas.
तेषां तीर्थं तेन नाम्ना व्यपदिष्टं जगत्त्रये पापपङ्कक्षालनाम्भो मोहध्वान्तमदापहम् सर्वसिद्धिप्रदं पुंसां व्यासतीर्थम् अनुत्तमम्
That holy place was designated by that name among the three worlds, its waters washing away the mire of sin, dispelling the darkness of delusion and pride, granting all attainments to people—the unsurpassed Vyasa Tirtha.
वञ्जरासंगमं नाम तीर्थं त्रैलोक्यविश्रुतम् ऋषिभिः सेवितं नित्यं सिद्धै राजर्षिभिस् तथा
There is a holy place called Vañjarāsaṃgama, renowned throughout the three worlds, constantly served by sages, perfected beings, and royal seers.