दत्त्वा षोडशोपचारान्प्रहृष्टं तत्र नित्यशः
He offered the sixteen forms of worship there each day with delight.
पूर्वोक्तेनैव स्तोत्रेण स्तुत्वा च प्रणमेत्तदा
Then, having praised her with the previously mentioned hymn, he should bow down.
नारद उवाच अधुना श्रोतुमिच्छामि गौरीव्रतकथां शुभाम्
Nārada said: Now I wish to hear the auspicious story of the Gaurī vow.
व्रतं केन कृतं पूर्वं भूमौ केन प्रकाशितम्
By whom was this vow performed before, and by whom was it revealed on earth?
श्रीनारायण उवाच तया कृतं व्रतमिदं महातीर्थे च पुष्करे
Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: This vow was performed by her at the great holy place, Puṣkara.
समाप्तिदिवसे साक्षाद्बभूव जगदम्बिका
On the day of its completion, the Mother of the Universe herself appeared.
शातकुम्भविनिर्माणरथस्था परमेश्वरी
The supreme goddess stood in a chariot made of refined gold.
पार्वत्युवाच तव व्रतेन तुष्टाऽहं तुभ्यं दास्यामि वाञ्छितम्
Pārvatī said: I am pleased by your vow; I will grant you your desired boon.
पार्वतीवचनं श्रुत्वा दृष्ट्वा तां हृष्टमानसाम् 4.27.
Hearing Pārvatī’s words and seeing her, she became filled with joy.
वेदवत्युवाच वरेऽन्यस्मिन्स्पृहा नास्ति दृढां भक्तिं च तत्पदे
Vedavatī said: I have no desire for any other boon; I seek only steadfast devotion at her feet.
श्रुत्वा वेदवतीवाक्यं प्रहस्य जगदम्बिका
Hearing the words of Vedavati, the Mother of the Universe smiled.
पार्वत्युवाच भारतं पादरजसा पूतं कर्तुं समागता
Pārvatī said: I have come together to sanctify Bhārata with the dust of my feet.
निखिलानि च तीर्थानि पूतानि परमेश्वरी
And all the holy places have been purified, O Supreme Lady.
नारायणस्य कान्ता त्वं प्रिया जन्मनि जन्मनि
You are the beloved of Nārāyaṇa, dear to him in every birth.
रामो दाशरथिः पूर्णः कर्तुं दस्युविनिग्रहम्
Rāma, son of Daśaratha, will fully manifest to subdue the wicked.
अयोध्यायां च त्रेतायामाविर्भावो हरेरपि
Even Hari will appear in Ayodhyā during the Tretā age.
त्वामिमां प्राप्य जनकोऽप्ययोनिसंभवां सुताम्
Janaka, too, will obtain you as a daughter, born not from a womb.
गत्वा रामोऽपि मिथिलां त्वद्विवाहं करिष्यति
Rāma will go to Mithilā and marry you.
इत्युक्त्वा तां समालिङ्ग्य पार्वती स्वालयं ययौ 4.27.
Having said this, Pārvatī embraced her and returned to her own abode.
लाङ्गलस्य च रेखायां सुखात्तस्थौ च मायया
She happily remained by the furrow of the plough, through her own illusion.
तप्तकाञ्चनवर्णां च रुदन्तीं तेजसाऽन्विताम्
She shone with the color of molten gold, weeping, endowed with brilliance.
गच्छन्तं प्रति तत्रैव वाग्बभूवाशरीरिणी
As he was leaving, a bodiless voice spoke right there.
नारायणस्ते जामाता भवितेत्येव मे वचः
Nārāyaṇa will become your son-in-law—this is my word.
गत्वा ददौ स्वकान्तायै पालनाय मुदाऽन्वितः
He went and joyfully gave her to his beloved wife for protection.
व्रतस्यास्य प्रभावेण कान्तं त्रिजगतां पतिम्
By the power of this vow, one attains as a husband the Lord of the three worlds.
राधा कृत्वा व्रतमिदं श्रीकृष्णं प्राणवल्लभम्
Having performed this vow, Rādhā obtained Śrī Kṛṣṇa, dearer than life.
इत्येवं कथिता विप्र कथा गौरीव्रतस्य च स्वामिनं कृष्णतुल्यं च सा प्राप्नोति न संशयः
Thus, O brāhmaṇa, the story of the Gaurī vow has been told; she attains a husband equal to Kṛṣṇa, without doubt.
श्रीनारायण उवाच पूर्वस्तोत्रेण तां देवीं तुष्टुवुश्च दिनेदिने
Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: With the previous hymn, they praised that goddess day by day.
समाप्तिदिवसे गोप्यो व्रतं कृत्वा मुदाऽन्विताः 4.27.
On the day of completion, the cowherd women performed the vow, filled with joy.
येन स्तोत्रेण तां स्तुत्वा सीता सत्यपरायणा
By means of that hymn, Sita, devoted to truth, praised her.