स प्राह का त्वं द्विजपुंगवो ऽपि सोवाच तं राक्षसी कामरूपा विश्वासयन्ती शपथैर् अनेकैस् तं भ्रान्तचित्तं मुनिराजपुत्रम्
He asked, 'Who are you?' Even though he was the foremost among Brahmins, she, a rakshasi able to assume any form at will, sought to win his trust with many oaths, addressing the prince among sages whose mind was confused.
कङ्कालिनी नाम जगत्प्रसिद्धा विप्रो ऽपि ताम् आह निवेदितं यत् तद् एव कर्तास्मि न संशयो ऽत्र यत् तत् प्रियं वच्मि करोमि चैव
'I am known everywhere as Kankalini.' The Brahmin replied to her, 'Whatever you have declared, I will do exactly that—there is no doubt. Whatever you say that pleases you, I will say and do.'
तद् विप्रवचनं श्रुत्वा राक्षसी कामरूपिणी वृद्धा तथापि चार्वङ्गी दिव्यालंकारभूषणा
Hearing the Brahmin's words, the rakshasi of changing form, though old, was still beautiful in body and adorned with divine ornaments.
द्विजम् आदाय सर्वत्र मत्सुतो ऽयं गुणाकरः एवं वदन्ती सर्वत्र याति वक्ति करोति च
Taking the Brahmin everywhere, she would say, 'This is my son, a repository of virtues.' Thus speaking, she went about everywhere, speaking and acting accordingly.
तं विप्रं रूपसौभाग्यवयोविद्याविभूषितम् तां च वृद्धां गुणोपेताम् अस्य मातेति मेनिरे
Seeing the Brahmin, endowed with beauty, good fortune, youth, knowledge, and distinction, and the old woman possessed of virtues, people thought she was his mother.
तत्र द्विजवरः कश्चित् स्वां कन्यां भूषणान्विताम् राक्षसीं तां पुरस्कृत्य प्रादात् तस्मै द्विजातये
There, a certain excellent Brahmin, having a daughter adorned with ornaments, gave her in marriage to that Brahmin, presenting the rakshasi as the foremost.
सा कन्या तं पतिं प्राप्य कृतार्थास्मीत्य् अचिन्तयत् स द्विजो ऽपि गुणैर् युक्तां पत्नीं दृष्ट्वा सुदुःखितः
That maiden, having obtained him as her husband, thought, 'I have achieved my purpose.' But the Brahmin, seeing his wife endowed with virtues, was deeply distressed.
माम् इयं भक्षयेद् एव राक्षसी पापरूपिणी किं करोमि क्व गच्छामि कस्यैतत् कथयामि वा
'This rakshasi, evil in form, will surely devour me. What shall I do? Where shall I go? To whom shall I tell this?'
महत् संकटम् आपन्नं रक्षयिष्यति को ऽत्र माम् भार्या ममेयं कल्याणी गुणरूपवयोयुता एनाम् अप्य् अशुभाकस्माद् भक्षयिष्यति राक्षसी
'Who here will save me from this great danger? This wife of mine is auspicious, endowed with virtue, beauty, and youth, yet even her, by some evil fate, the rakshasi will devour.'
एतस्मिन्न् अन्तरे तत्र भार्या सा गुणशालिनी वृद्धाप्य् अतिदुराधर्षा सा गता कुत्रचित् तदा
Meanwhile, that virtuous wife, though old, was exceedingly formidable and had gone somewhere else at that time.
प्रश्रयावनता भूत्वा बाला चापि पतिव्रता भर्तारं दुःखितं ज्ञात्वा पतिं प्राह रहः शनैः
The young, devoted wife, humble and bowed in respect, knowing her husband was distressed, quietly spoke to him in private.
कस्मात् ते दुःखम् आपन्नं स्वामिंस् तत्त्वं वदस्व मे
'Why have you fallen into sorrow, my lord? Tell me the truth.'
शनैः प्रोवाच तां भार्यां यथावत् पूर्वविस्तरम् किम् अकथ्यं प्रिये मित्रे कुलीनायां च योषिति
He slowly spoke to his wife, recounting everything as it happened before: 'What is there that should not be told to a dear friend or a noble-born woman?'
भर्तृवाक्यं निशम्येदं प्रोवाच वदतां वरा
Hearing her husband's words, she, the best among speakers, replied.
अनात्मनः सर्वतो ऽपि भयम् अस्ति गृहेष्व् अपि कुतो भयं ह्य् आत्मवतां किं पुनर् गौतमीतटे
'For one who lacks self-mastery, there is fear everywhere—even at home. But how could there be fear for those who possess self-mastery? What then, on the bank of the Gautami?'
वसतां विष्णुभक्तानां विरक्तानां विवेकिनाम् अत्र स्नात्वा शुचिर् भूत्वा स्तुहि देवम् अनामयम्
'Among those who dwell here—devoted to Vishnu, detached, and discerning—bathe here, become pure, and praise the flawless Lord.'
एतद् आकर्ण्य गङ्गायां स्नात्वा विगतकल्मषः तुष्टाव गौतमीतीरे द्विजो नारायणं तथा
Hearing this, the twice-born, purified of sin by bathing in the Ganges, praised Narayana on the bank of the Gautami.
त्वम् अन्तरात्मा जगतो ऽस्य नाथ त्वम् एव कर्तास्य मुकुन्द हर्ता त्वं पालकः पालयसे न दीनम् अनाथबन्धो नरसिंह कस्मात्
You are the inner soul, the lord of this world; you alone are its creator, Mukunda, its destroyer, and its protector. You care for the helpless, O Narasimha, why do you not protect?
श्रुत्वैतत् प्रार्थनं तस्य जगच्छोकनिवारणः नारायणो ऽपि तां पापां निजघान स राक्षसीम्
Hearing his prayer, Narayana, remover of the world's sorrow, destroyed that sinful rakshasi.
सुदर्शनेन चक्रेण सहस्रारेण भास्वता तस्मै प्रादाद् वरान् इष्टान् प्रापयच् च गुरुं प्रभुः
With the Sudarshana discus, radiant with a thousand spokes, the Lord granted him desired boons and brought him to his guru.
ततः प्रभृति तत् तीर्थं विप्रं नारायणं विदुः स्नानदानेन पूजाद्यैर् यत्र सिध्यति वाञ्छितम्
From then on, that sacred place was known as Narayana's, along with the Brahmin; where bathing, giving, worship, and other rites fulfill one's wishes.
भानुतीर्थम् इति ख्यातं त्वाष्ट्रं माहेश्वरं तथा ऐन्द्रं याम्यं तथाग्नेयं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम्
Bhanu Tirtha is renowned, as are the Tvastra, Maheshvara, Indra, Yama, and Agneya tirthas, all destroyers of every sin.
अभिष्टुत इति ख्यातो राजासीत् प्रियदर्शनः हयमेधेन पुण्येन यष्टुम् आरब्धवान् सुरान्
Abhishtuta, so named, was a king called Priyadarshana, who began to perform a virtuous horse sacrifice to worship the gods.
तत्रर्त्विजः षोडश स्युर् वसिष्ठात्रिपुरोगमाः क्षत्रिये यजमाने तु यज्ञभूमिः कथं भवेत्
There, sixteen officiating priests led by Vasishta and Atri would be present. When a Kshatriya is the sacrificer, how should the sacrificial ground be arranged?
ब्राह्मणे दीक्षिते राजा भुवं दास्यति यज्ञियाम् भूपतौ दीक्षिते दाता को भवेत् को नु याचते
When a Brahmin is initiated, the king gives the sacrificial land; but when the king is initiated, who is the giver and who is the receiver?
याच्ञेयम् अखिलाशर्मजननी पापरूपिणी केनाप्य् अतो न कार्यैव क्षत्रियेण विशेषतः
The act of asking is the source of all happiness but is sinful; therefore, it should not be done, especially by a Kshatriya.
एवं मीमांसमानेषु ब्राह्मणेषु परस्परम् तत्र प्राह महाप्राज्ञो वसिष्ठो धर्मवित्तमः
As the Brahmins debated among themselves in this way, the wise Vasishta, best knower of dharma, spoke there.
राज्ञि दीक्षायमाणे तु सूर्यो याच्यो भुवं प्रति देहि मे देव सवितर् यजनं देवतोचितम्
When the king is being initiated, the Sun should be asked for the land: 'Give me, O god Savitar, a place for worship suitable for the gods.'
दैवं क्षत्रम् असि ब्रह्मन् भूतनाथ नमो ऽस्तु ते याचितः सविता राज्ञा देवानां यजनं शुभम्
O Brahmin, you are divine and royal, lord of beings, salutations to you. Savitar is asked by the king for the auspicious worship of the gods.
ददात्य् एव ततो राजन् प्रार्थयेशं दिवाकरम्
Then the king gives, and prays to the lord, the Sun.