स संभूतः समुद्रान्ते मथ्यमाने ऽमृते पुरा
He was born at the edge of the ocean, when the nectar was being churned in ancient times.
सद्यःसंसिद्धकार्यं तं दृष्ट्वा विष्णुखस्थितः
Seeing him, whose purpose was instantly accomplished, standing before Viṣṇu,
अब्जः प्रोवाच विष्णुं तं तनयो ऽस्मि तव प्रभो
The Lotus-born spoke to Viṣṇu: 'O Lord, he is your son.'
एवमुक्तः स दृष्ट्वा तु तथ्यं प्रोवाच स प्रभुः
Thus addressed, seeing that it was true, the Lord spoke accordingly.
वेदेषु विधियुक्तं च विधिहोत्रं महर्षिभिः
In the Vedas, and as prescribed by the great sages, the sacrificial rite is established.
अर्वाक्सूतो ऽसि हे देव तव मन्त्रो न वै प्रभो
O god, you are a sūta by birth; your mantra is not, O Lord.
अणिमादियुतां सिद्धिं गतस्तत्र भविष्यसि
There you shall attain perfection endowed with powers such as aṇimā.
चा (च) तुर्मन्त्रैर्घृतैर्गव्यैर्यक्ष्यन्ते त्वां द्विजातयः
And with four mantras, with ghee and cow-products, the twice-born will worship you.
अवश्यभावीह्यर्थो ऽयं प्राग्दृष्टस्त्वब्जयोनिना
This matter is destined to happen; it was previously seen by the Lotus-born.
तस्मात्तस्मै वरं दत्त्वा विष्णुरन्तर्दधे ततः
Therefore, granting him a boon, Viṣṇu then disappeared.
पुत्रकामस्तपस्तेपे नृपो दीर्घतपास्तथा
Desiring a son, the king performed austerities for a long time.
वरेण च्छन्दयामास ततो धन्वन्तरिर्नृपम्
Then Dhanvantari offered the king a boon of his choosing.
तथेति समनुज्ञाय तत्रैवान्तरधात्प्रभुः
Having consented, the Lord vanished right there.
काशिराजो महाराजः सर्व रोगप्रणाशनः
The king of Kāśī, the great king, destroyer of all diseases.
तमष्टधा पुनर्व्यस्य शिष्येभ्यः प्रत्यपादयत्
He divided it again into eight parts and imparted them to his disciples.
अथ केतुमतः पुत्रो जज्ञे भीमरथो नृपः
Then, Ketumat's son was born, the king Bhīmaratha.
दिवोदास इति ख्यातो वाराणस्यधिपो ऽभवत्
He became known as Divodāsa, the lord of Vārāṇasī.
शून्यां निवेशयामास क्षेमको नाम राक्षसः
A rakshasa named Kṣemaka settled the city when it was empty.
शून्या वर्षसहस्रं वै भवित्रीति पुनः पुनः
Again and again it was said: 'It will remain empty for a thousand years.'
विषयान्ते पुरीं रम्यां गोमत्यां संन्यवेशयत्
At the edge of the territory, he established a delightful city on the Gomati.
निकुंभश्चापि धर्मात्मा सिद्धक्षेत्रं शशाप यः
And Nikumbha, righteous in soul, cursed the sacred region.
वसते स महातेजाः स्फीतायां वै नराधिपः
That mighty king dwelled there, in the prosperous land.
देव्याः स प्रियकामस्तु वसन्वै श्वशुरान्तिके
He, desiring his beloved wife, lived near his father-in-law.
पूर्वोक्तरूपसंवेषैस्तोषयन्ति महेश्वरीम्
They pleased Maheśvarī with attire as previously described.
जुगुप्सते सा नित्यं वै देवं देवीं तथैव च
She always despises both the god and the goddess.
दरिद्रः सर्वथैवेह हा कष्टं लज्जते न वै
He is utterly poor here; alas, he feels no shame at all.
स्मितं कृत्वा तु वरदा हरपार्श्वमथागमत्
Smiling, the giver of boons then approached the side of Hara.
नेह वत्स्याम्यहं देव नय मां स्वं निवेशनम्
O god, I will not stay here; take me to my own abode.
वासार्थं रोचयामास पृथिव्यां तु द्विजोत्तमाः
For the sake of residence, the excellent twice-born ones desired a place on earth.
दिवोदासेन तां ज्ञात्वा निविष्टां नगरीं भवः
Knowing that the city had been settled by Divodāsa, Bhava (Śiva) acted.