मातरित्येव शब्देन यां च सम्भाषते नरः 1.10.
And the woman whom a man addresses with the word 'mother,'
तया हि संगतो यस्स्यात्कालसूत्रं प्रयाति सः
Whoever unites with her, his thread of life is cut.
मात्रा सह समायोगे ततो दोषश्चतुर्गुणः
Union with one's mother brings a fault four times greater.
कुम्भीपाके पतत्येव यावद्वै ब्रह्मणो वयः
He falls into Kumbhīpāka hell for as many ages as there are of Brahmā.
चक्राकारं कुलालस्य तीक्ष्णधारं च खङ्गवत्
Round like a potter’s wheel, and sharp-edged like a sword,
शूलवत्कृमिसंयुक्तं तप्तमग्निसमं द्रवत्
Infested with worms like a spear, molten and as hot as fire,
यावान्दोषो हि पुंसां च गुरुपत्नीसमागमे
Such is the extent of sin for a man who unites with his teacher’s wife.
अद्य यास्यामि कामस्य मन्दिरं तस्य कामिनी
Today I will go to the abode of Kāma, to that lover’s beloved.
घृताचीवचनं श्रुत्वा विश्वकर्मा रुरोष ताम्
Hearing Ghṛtācī’s words, Viśvakarman grew angry at her.
घृताची तद्वचः श्रुत्वा तं शशाप सुदारुणम्
Hearing those words of Ghṛtācī, he cursed her with a terrible curse.
घृताची कारुमुक्त्वा च साऽगच्छत्काममन्दिरम् 1.10.
Having spoken to the artisan, Ghṛtācī went to Kāma’s abode.
सा भारते च कामोक्त्या गोपस्य मदनस्य च
There, in Bhārata, by the will of Kāma and the cowherd,
जातिस्मरा तत्प्रसूता बभूव च तपस्विनी
She was born remembering her past life, and became an ascetic.
तपश्चकार तपसा तप्तकाञ्चनसन्निभा
She performed austerities, her body shining like heated gold.
वीर्येण सुरकारोश्च नव पुत्रान्प्रसूय सा
By the power of the artisan of the gods, she bore nine sons.
शौनक उवाच पुत्रान्नव प्रसूता च कुत्र वा कति वासरान्
Śaunaka said: Where did she give birth to the nine sons, and after how many days?
सौतिरुवाच जगाम ब्रह्मणः स्थानं शोकेन हृतचेतनः
The Sūta said: Overcome by grief, he went to the abode of Brahmā.
नत्वा स्तुत्वा च ब्रह्माणं कथयामास तां कथाम्
Having bowed and praised Brahmā, he recounted that story.
स एव ब्राह्मणो भूत्वा भुवि कारुर्बभूव ह
That very brāhmaṇa, being born on earth, became an artisan.
शिल्पं च कारयामास सर्वेभ्यः सर्वतः सदा । विचित्रं विविधं शिल्पमाश्चर्य्यं सुमनोहरम्
He made crafts for everyone, everywhere, always—wondrous, various, astonishing, and delightful works.
एकदा तु प्रयागे च शिल्पं कृत्वा नृपस्य च 1.10.
Once, at Prayāga, after making a craft for the king,
घृताचीं नवरूपां च युवतिं तां तपस्विनीम्
He saw Ghṛtācī, young and ascetic, in a new form.
दृष्ट्वा सकामः सहसा बभूव हृतचेतनः
Seeing her, filled with desire, he suddenly became bewildered and lost his senses.
ब्राह्मण उवाच मा मां स्मरसि रम्भोरु विश्वकर्माऽहमेव च
The Brāhmaṇa said: Do not think of me so, O slender-waisted one; I am Viśvakarmā himself.
शापमोक्षं करिष्यामि भज मां तव सुन्दरि
I shall grant you release from the curse; seek me, O beautiful one.
द्विजस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा घृताची नवरूपिणी
Hearing the words of the twice-born, Ghṛtācī, now in a new form,
गोपिकोवाच कथं त्वया संगता स्यां गंगातीरे च भारते
The cowherdess said: How could I be united with you on the banks of the Gaṅgā in Bhārata?
विश्वकर्मन्निदं पुण्यं कर्मक्षेत्रं च भारतम्
O Viśvakarmā, this Bhārata is a sacred land of action.
धर्मी मोक्षकृते जन्म प्रलभ्य तपसः फलात्
Birth here is gained as the fruit of asceticism by the righteous, for the sake of liberation.
माया नारायणीशाना परितुष्टा च यं भवेत्
She whom the goddess Nārāyaṇī, sovereign of illusion, is pleased with—