स कृतार्थो मर्त्यलोक इन्द्रतीर्थे च तर्पणम् कुर्यात् पितॄणां प्रीत्यर्थं यमतीर्थे विशेषतः
He who has attained his purpose in the world of mortals should offer libations at Indratīrtha for the satisfaction of the ancestors, especially at Yamatīrtha.
माहेश्वरं तु तत् तीर्थं पूजितो ऽभिष्टुतः शिवः भक्तियुक्तेन विप्रैश् च सर्वकर्मविशारदैः
That tīrtha is dedicated to Maheśvara; there, Śiva, worshipped and praised by devoted and expert Brahmins, is present.
वैदिकैर् लौकिकैश् चैव मन्त्रैः पूज्यं महेश्वरम् नृत्यैर् गीतैस् तथा वाद्यैर् अमृतैः पञ्चसंभवैः
With Vedic and worldly mantras, with dances, songs, and music, and with the five nectars, Maheśvara is to be worshipped.
उपचारैश् च बहुभिर् दण्डपातप्रदक्षिणैः धूपैर् दीपैश् च नैवेद्यैः पुष्पैर् गन्धैः सुगन्धिभिः
With many offerings, prostrations, circumambulations, incense, lamps, food offerings, flowers, and fragrant scents,
पूजयाम् आस देवेशं विष्णुं शंभुं धियैकया ततः प्रसन्नौ देवेशौ वरान् ददतुर् ओजसा
He worshipped the Lord of the gods—Viṣṇu and Śaṃbhu—with single-minded devotion; then, pleased, the two Lords granted boons with their power.
अभिष्टुते नरेन्द्राय भुक्तिमुक्ती उभे अपि माहात्म्यम् अस्य तीर्थस्य तथा ददतुर् उत्तमम्
Having been praised by the king, they granted both enjoyment and liberation, as well as the supreme greatness of this sacred place.
ततःप्रभृति तत् तीर्थं शैवं वैष्णवम् उच्यते तत्र स्नानं च दानं च सर्वकामप्रदं विदुः
From that time onward, that sacred place is called both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava; bathing and giving there are known to grant all desires.
इमानि सर्वतीर्थानि स्मरेद् अपि पठेत वा विमुक्तः सर्वपापेभ्यः शिवविष्णुपुरं व्रजेत्
Whoever remembers or recites all these sacred places is freed from all sins and goes to the city of Śiva and Viṣṇu.
भानुतीर्थे विशेषेण स्नानं सर्वार्थसिद्धिदम् तत्र तीर्थे महापुण्यं तीर्थानां शतम् अत्र हि
Especially at Bhānutīrtha, bathing grants the fulfillment of all aims; that sacred place is of great merit, for a hundred sacred places are there.
भिल्लतीर्थम् इति ख्यातं रोगघ्नं पापनाशनम् महादेवपदाम्भोजयुगभक्तिप्रदायकम्
It is known as Bhillatīrtha, destroyer of disease and remover of sin, bestowing devotion to the twin lotus feet of Mahādeva.
तत्राप्य् एवंविधां पुण्यां कथां शृणु महामते गङ्गाया दक्षिणे तीरे श्रीगिरेर् उत्तरे तटे
There too, hear this virtuous story, O wise one, on the southern bank of the Gaṅgā, on the northern shore of Śrīgiri.
आदिकेश इति ख्यात ऋषिभिः परिपूजितः महादेवो लिङ्गरूपी सदास्ते सर्वकामदः
There, Mahādeva, known as Ādikeśa, always grants all desires, worshipped by sages in the form of a liṅga.
सिन्धुद्वीप इति ख्यातो मुनिः परमधार्मिकः तस्य भ्राता वेद इति स चापि परमो ऋषिः
A sage named Sindhudvīpa, renowned for supreme righteousness, is known there; his brother, Veda, is also a great seer.
तम् आदिकेशं वै देवं त्रिपुरारिं त्रिलोचनम् नित्यं पूजयते भक्त्या प्राप्ते मध्यंदिने रवौ
That god Ādikeśa, the enemy of Tripura, the three-eyed one, is worshipped daily with devotion when the midday sun arrives.
भिक्षाटनाय वेदो ऽपि याति ग्रामं विचक्षणः याते तस्मिन् द्विजवरे व्याधः परमधार्मिकः
Veda, wise among twice-born, goes to the village for alms; while he is away, a hunter of great righteousness
तस्मिन् गिरिवरे पुण्ये मृगयां याति नित्यशः अटित्वा विविधान् देशान् मृगान् हत्वा यथासुखम्
In that holy mountain, the hunter goes hunting daily; wandering through various lands, he kills animals as he pleases.
मुखे गृहीत्वा पानीयम् अभिषेकाय शूलिनः न्यस्य मांसं धनुष्कोट्यां श्रान्तो व्याधः शिवं प्रभुम्
Carrying water in his mouth for the anointing of the trident-bearer, placing meat on the tip of his bow, the weary hunter approaches Śiva, the Lord.
आदिकेशं समागत्य न्यस्य मांसं ततो बहिः गङ्गां गत्वा मुखे वारि गृहीत्वागत्य तं शिवम्
Coming to Ādikeśa, he sets the meat outside, goes to the Gaṅgā, takes water in his mouth, and returns to that Śiva.
यस्य कस्यापि पत्त्राणि करेणादाय भक्तितः अपरेण च मांसानि नैवेद्यार्थं च तन्मनाः
Taking leaves in his hand with devotion, and with his mind intent, other pieces of meat as offerings,
आदिकेशं समागत्य वेदेनार्चितम् ओजसा पादेनाहत्य तां पूजां मुखानीतेन वारिणा
Coming to Ādikeśa, worshipped with power by Veda, he strikes that worship with his foot and with the water brought in his mouth.
स्नापयित्वा शिवं देवम् अर्चयित्वा तु पत्त्रकैः कल्पयित्वा तु तन् मांसं शिवो मे प्रीयताम् इति
After bathing Lord Shiva and worshipping him with leaves, he offers that flesh, saying, 'May Shiva be pleased with me.'
नैव किंचित् स जानाति शिवभक्तिं विना शुभाम् ततो याति स्वकं स्थानं मांसेन तु यथागतम्
Without auspicious devotion to Shiva, he knows nothing at all; therefore, he departs to his own place, taking the flesh as he had brought it.
करोत्य् एतादृग् आगत्यागत्य प्रत्यहम् एव सः तथापीशस् तुतोषास्य विचित्रा हीश्वरस्थितिः
He does this, coming and going, every single day; yet, the Lord was satisfied with him—such is the wondrous nature of the Lord's ways.
यावन् नायात्य् असौ भिल्लः शिवस् तावन् न सौख्यभाक् भक्तानुकम्पितां शंभोर् मानातीतां तु वेत्ति कः
As long as that hunter does not come, Shiva does not partake of happiness; who can comprehend the boundless compassion that Shambhu shows to his devotees?
संपूजयत्य् आदिकेशम् उमया प्रत्यहं शिवम् एवं बहुतिथे काले याते वेदश् चुकोप ह
He worships the Primeval Lord, Shiva, together with Uma, every day; after a long time had passed in this way, Veda became angry.
पूजां मन्त्रवतीं चित्रां शिवभक्तिसमन्विताम् को नु विध्वंसते पापो मत्तः स वधम् आप्नुयात्
Whoever destroys a worship, adorned with mantras and devotion to Shiva, is truly sinful and deserves to be slain by me.
गुरुदेवद्विजस्वामिद्रोही वध्यो मुनेर् अपि सर्वस्यापि वधार्हो ऽसौ शिवस्य द्रोहकृन् नरः
One who betrays a teacher, deity, twice-born, or master is fit for death, even by a sage; and above all, a man who is hostile to Shiva deserves to be slain.
एवं निश्चित्य मेधावी वेदः सिन्धोस् तथानुजः कस्येयं पापचेष्टा स्यात् पापिष्ठस्य दुरात्मनः
Thus reflecting, the wise Veda, along with his brother Sindhu, wondered: 'Whose wicked deed is this, belonging to such an utterly evil soul?'
पुष्पैर् वन्यभवैर् दिव्यैः कन्दैर् मूलफलैः शुभैः कृतां पूजां स विध्वस्य ह्य् अन्यां पूजां करोति यः
He who destroys a worship performed with flowers from the forest, divine bulbs, roots, and auspicious fruits, and then performs another worship—
मांसेन तरुपत्त्रैश् च स च वध्यो भवेन् मम एवं संचिन्त्य मेधावी गोपयित्वा तनुं तदा
—with flesh and tree leaves, he too is fit for death by me. Thinking thus, the wise one then concealed his body.