प्रकृतेः स परो यस्मात् पुरुषाद् अपि चोत्तमः तस्माद् वेदे पुराणे च लोके ऽस्मिन् पुरुषोत्तमः
Because he is beyond nature and even superior to Purusha, therefore, in the Veda, the Purana, and in this world, he is called Purushottama.
यो ऽसौ पुराणे वेदान्ते परमात्मेत्य् उदाहृतः आस्ते विश्वोपकाराय तेनासौ पुरुषोत्तमः
He who is spoken of in the Purana and Vedanta as the Supreme Self abides for the benefit of the universe; thus he is Purushottama.
पाथे श्मशाने गृहमण्डपे वा रथ्याप्रदेशेष्व् अपि यत्र कुत्र इच्छन्न् अनिच्छन्न् अपि तत्र देहं संत्यज्य मोक्षं लभते मनुष्यः
Whether in a sacred path, cremation ground, house, or crossroads, wherever a person, willingly or unwillingly, gives up the body there, he attains liberation.
तस्मात् सर्वप्रयत्नेन तस्मिन् क्षेत्रे द्विजोत्तमाः देहत्यागो नरैः कार्यः सम्यङ् मोक्षाभिकाङ्क्षिभिः
Therefore, with all effort, O best of twice-born, those who desire liberation should rightly abandon the body in that field.
पुरुषाख्यस्य माहात्म्यं न भूतं न भविष्यति त्यक्त्वा यत्र नरो देहं मुक्तिं प्राप्नोति दुर्लभाम्
The greatness of the place called Purusha has never been and will never be equaled; abandoning the body there, a man attains the rare liberation.
गुणानाम् एकदेशो ऽयं मया क्षेत्रस्य कीर्तितः कः समस्तान् गुणान् वक्तुं शक्तो वर्षशतैर् अपि
I have described only a portion of the virtues of this field; who is able to declare all its qualities, even in a hundred years?
यदि यूयं मुनिश्रेष्ठा मोक्षम् इच्छथ शाश्वतम् तस्मिन् क्षेत्रवरे पुण्ये निवसध्वम् अतन्द्रिताः
If you, O best of sages, desire eternal liberation, then dwell diligently in that excellent and holy field.
ते तस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा ब्रह्मणो ऽव्यक्तजन्मनः निवासं चक्रिरे तत्र अवापुः परमं पदम्
Hearing the words of Brahma, the one of unmanifest birth, they dwelt there and attained the supreme state.
तस्माद् यूयं प्रयत्नेन निवसध्वं द्विजोत्तमाः पुरुषाख्ये वरे क्षेत्रे यदि मुक्तिम् अभीप्सथ
Therefore, O best of twice-born, reside there with effort, in the excellent field called Purusha, if you desire liberation.
तस्मिन् क्षेत्रे मुनिश्रेष्ठाः सर्वसत्त्वसुखावहे धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणां फलदे पुरुषोत्तमे
In that field, O best of sages, which brings happiness to all beings, Purushottama is the giver of the fruits of righteousness, wealth, desire, and liberation.
कण्डुर् नाम महातेजा ऋषिः परमधार्मिकः सत्यवादी शुचिर् दान्तः सर्वभूतहिते रतः
There was a sage named Kaṇḍu, of great brilliance, supremely righteous, truthful in speech, pure, self-controlled, and devoted to the welfare of all beings.
जितेन्द्रियो जितक्रोधो वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः अवाप परमां सिद्धिम् आराध्य पुरुषोत्तमम्
Having mastered his senses and anger, accomplished in the Vedas and their branches, he attained the highest perfection by worshipping the Supreme Person.
अन्ये ऽपि तत्र संसिद्धा मुनयः संशितव्रताः सर्वभूतहिता दान्ता जितक्रोधा विमत्सराः
There were also other accomplished sages there, firm in their vows, devoted to the good of all beings, self-restrained, conquerors of anger, and free from envy.
को ऽसौ कण्डुः कथं तत्र जगाम परमां गतिम् श्रोतुम् इच्छामहे तस्य चरितं ब्रूहि सत्तम
Who is this Kaṇḍu, and how did he attain the supreme state there? We wish to hear his story—please tell it, O noble one.
शृणुध्वं मुनिशार्दूलाः कथां तस्य मनोहराम् प्रवक्ष्यामि समासेन मुनेस् तस्य विचेष्टितम्
Listen, O best of sages, to the delightful tale of his; I shall briefly relate the deeds of that sage.
पवित्रे गोमतीतीरे विजने सुमनोहरे कन्दमूलफलैः पूर्णे समित्पुष्पकुशान्वितैः
On the pure and charming bank of the river Gomati, in a secluded and beautiful place, abundant with roots, fruits, and flowers, and supplied with sacred sticks and kusa grass,
नानाद्रुमलताकीर्णे नानापुष्पोपशोभिते नानापक्षिरुते रम्ये नानामृगगणान्विते
Adorned with various trees and creepers, resplendent with many kinds of flowers, delightful with the calls of diverse birds, and inhabited by many groups of animals,
तत्राश्रमपदं कण्डोर् बभूव मुनिसत्तमाः सर्वर्तुफलपुष्पाढ्यं कदलीखण्डमण्डितम्
There was the hermitage of Kaṇḍu, O best of sages, rich with fruits and flowers of all seasons, and decorated with clusters of banana trees.
तपस् तेपे मुनिस् तत्र सुमहत् परमाद्भुतम् व्रतोपवासैर् नियमैः स्नानमौनसुसंयमैः
There the sage performed very great and wondrous austerities, with vows, fasts, disciplines, bathing, silence, and strict self-control.
ग्रीष्मे पञ्चतपा भूत्वा वर्षासु स्थण्डिलेशयः आर्द्रवासास् तु हेमन्ते स तेपे सुमहत् तपः
In summer, he practiced the fivefold fire austerity; in the rainy season, he lay on the bare ground; in winter, wearing wet garments, he performed intense penance.
दृष्ट्वा तु तपसो वीर्यं मुनेस् तस्य सुविस्मिताः बभूवुर् देवगन्धर्वाः सिद्धविद्याधरास् तथा
Seeing the power of his austerity, the gods, Gandharvas, Siddhas, and Vidyādharas were greatly astonished.
भूमिं तथान्तरिक्षं च दिवं च मुनिसत्तमाः कण्डुः संतापयाम् आस त्रैलोक्यं तपसो बलात्
Kaṇḍu, by the force of his austerity, caused the earth, the sky, and heaven to become heated, O best of sages, affecting all three worlds.
अहो ऽस्य परमं धैर्यम् अहो ऽस्य परमं तपः इत्य् अब्रुवंस् तदा दृष्ट्वा देवास् तं तपसि स्थितम्
Beholding him steadfast in penance, the gods then said, 'Ah, what supreme endurance! Ah, what supreme austerity!'
मन्त्रयाम् आसुर् अव्यग्राः शक्रेण सहितास् तदा भयात् तस्य समुद्विग्नास् तपोविघ्नम् अभीप्सवः
Then, together with Indra, the gods, anxious and fearful of his power, deliberated, wishing to obstruct his austerity.
ज्ञात्वा तेषाम् अभिप्रायं शक्रस् त्रिभुवनेश्वरः प्रम्लोचाख्यां वरारोहां रूपयौवनगर्विताम्
Knowing their intention, Indra, lord of the three worlds, summoned Pramlocā, of lovely form, proud of her beauty and youth.
सुमध्यां चारुजङ्घां तां पीनश्रोणिपयोधराम् सर्वलक्षणसंपन्नां प्रोवाच फलसूदनः
She was slender-waisted, graceful in limb, with full hips and breasts, endowed with all auspicious marks; to her, the fruit-destroyer spoke.
प्रम्लोचे गच्छ शीघ्रं त्वं यदासौ तप्यते मुनिः विघ्नार्थं तस्य तपसः क्षोभयस्वांशु सुप्रभे
'Pramlocā, go quickly while that sage is engaged in austerity; for the sake of disturbing his penance, O radiant one, agitate him.'
तव वाक्यं सुरश्रेष्ठ करोमि सततं प्रभो किंतु शङ्का ममैवात्र जीवितस्य च संशयः
'O best of gods, I shall always do your bidding, lord; yet I have some fear here, and a doubt about my very life.'
बिभेमि तं मुनिवरं ब्रह्मचर्यव्रते स्थितम् अत्युग्रं दीप्ततपसं ज्वलनार्कसमप्रभम्
I fear that sage, steadfast in the vow of celibacy, exceedingly fierce, ablaze with austerity, radiant like fire and the sun.
ज्ञात्वा मां स मुनिः क्रोधाद् विघ्नार्थं समुपागताम् कण्डुः परमतेजस्वी शापं दास्यति दुःसहम्
Knowing that I have come to him out of anger to cause hindrance, that supremely powerful sage Kaṇḍu will utter a curse that is unbearable.