सूत उवाच एवं समुपदिष्टास्ते विष्णुना विबुधोत्तमाः । प्रतीताः प्रणताः सर्वे जग्मुर्वाराणसीं पुरीम्
Sūta said: Thus instructed by Viṣṇu, the best of the gods, full of faith and reverence, all went to the city of Vārāṇasī.
क्षणेन विबुधश्रेष्ठा गत्वा काशीपुरीं शुभाम् । मणिकर्णीं समाप्लुत्य सचैलं भक्तिसंयुताः
In a moment, the foremost of the gods reached the auspicious city of Kāśī; entering Maṇikarṇikā, clothed and filled with devotion, they bathed.
सन्तर्प्य देवांश्च पितॄन्दत्त्वा दानं विधानतः । आगत्य मुनिवर्यस्य चाश्रमं परमं महत्
Having satisfied the gods and ancestors by giving offerings according to the prescribed rites, they came to the great and exalted hermitage of the eminent sage.
प्रशान्तश्वापदाकीर्णं नानापादपसङ्कुलम् । मयूरैः सारसैर्हंसैश्चक्रवाकैरुपाश्रितम्
It was a place peaceful and free from wild beasts, dense with various trees, and frequented by peacocks, cranes, swans, and chakravaka birds.
महावराहैः कोलैश्च व्याघ्रैः शार्दूलकैरपि । मृगै रुरुभिरत्यर्थं खड्गैः शरभकैरपि
There were great wild boars, mongooses, tigers, leopards, deer, antelopes, and also rhinoceroses and sarabhas in abundance.
समाश्रितं परमया लक्ष्म्या मुनिवरं तदा । दण्डवत्पतिताः सर्वे प्रणेमुश्च पुनः पुनः
That eminent sage was endowed with supreme prosperity; all approached him, fell prostrate in reverence, and repeatedly bowed.
देवा ऊचुः जय द्विजगणाधीश मान्य पूज्य धरासुर । वातापीबलनाशाय नमस्ते कुम्भयोनये
The gods said: Victory to you, lord of the twice-born, honored and worshipped by gods and demons; salutations to you, O Kumbhayoni, destroyer of Vātāpī's strength.
लोपामुद्रापते श्रीमन्मित्रावरुणसम्भव । सर्वविद्यानिधेऽगस्त्य शास्त्रयोने नमोऽस्तु ते
O illustrious lord of Lopāmudrā, born of Mitra and Varuṇa, O Agastya, treasure of all knowledge, origin of scriptures, salutations to you.
यस्योदये प्रसन्नानि भवन्त्युज्ज्वलभांज्यपि । तोयानि तोयराशीनां तस्मै तुभ्यं नमोऽस्तु ते
At whose rising even the brightest waters of the oceans become serene; to you, salutations.
काशपुष्पविकासाय लङ्कावासप्रियाय च । जटामण्डलयुक्ताय सशिष्याय नमोऽस्तु ते
To you who cause the blooming of the Kāśa flowers, who are dear to the dwellers of Lanka, who are adorned with matted locks, together with your disciples, salutations.
जय सर्वामरस्तव्य गुणराशे महामुने । वरिष्ठाय च पूज्याय सस्त्रीकाय नमोऽस्तु ते
Victory to you, O sage praised by all the immortals, repository of virtues, most eminent and revered, together with your wife; salutations to you.
प्रसादः क्रियतां स्वामिन् वयं त्वां शरणं गताः । दुस्तराच्छैलजाद्दुःखात्पीडिताः परमद्युते
Grant us your favor, O master; we have come to you for refuge, afflicted by the unbearable suffering caused by the daughter of the mountain, O radiant one.
इत्येवं संस्तुतोऽगस्त्यो मुनिः परमधार्मिकः । प्राह प्रसन्नया वाचा विहसन् द्विजसत्तमः
Thus praised, Agastya, the supremely righteous sage, spoke with a gracious voice, smiling, O best of the twice-born.
मुनिरुवाच भवन्तः परमश्रेष्ठा देवास्त्रिभुवनेश्वराः । लोकपाला महात्मानो निग्रहानुग्रहक्षमाः
The sage said: You are the most excellent, O gods, rulers of the three worlds, guardians of the realms, great souls, capable of both restraint and favor.
योऽमरावत्यधीशानः कुलिशं यस्य चायुधम् । सिद्ध्यष्टकं च यद्द्वारि स शक्रो मरुतां पतिः
He who is the lord of Amaravati, whose weapon is the thunderbolt, at whose door are the eight siddhis—that is Śakra, lord of the Maruts.
वैश्वानरः कृशानुर्हि हव्यकव्यवहोऽनिशम् । मुखं सर्वामराणां हि सोऽग्निः किं तस्य दुष्करम्
Vaiśvānara, the fire, indeed carries offerings for gods and ancestors without ceasing; he is the mouth of all the immortals—what is difficult for him?
रक्षोगणाधिपो भीमः सर्वेषां कर्मसाक्षिकः । दण्डव्यग्रकरो देवः किं तस्यासुकरं सुराः
The formidable lord of the hosts of demons, witness of all deeds, the god whose hand wields the rod—what is hard for him, O gods?
तथापि यदि देवेशाः कार्यं मच्छक्तिसिद्धिभृत् । अस्ति चेदुच्यतां देवाः करिष्यामि न संशयः
Nevertheless, if you, O lords of the gods, have a task requiring the accomplishment of my power, then speak, O gods; I will do it without doubt.
एवं मुनिवरेणोक्तं निशम्य विबुधर्षभाः । प्रतीताः प्रणयोद्विग्नाः कार्यं निजगदुर्निजम्
Hearing these words spoken by the eminent sage, the foremost among the gods became confident, yet anxious with affection, and each stated their own purpose.
महर्षे विन्ध्यगिरिणा निरुद्धोऽर्कविनिर्गमः । त्रैलोक्यं तेन संविष्टं हाहाभूतमचेतनम्
O great sage, the passage of the sun has been obstructed by Mount Vindhya; because of this, the three worlds have become plunged into darkness and lifelessness.
तद्वृद्धिं स्तम्भय मुने निजया तपसः श्रिया । भवतस्तेजसागस्त्य नूनं नम्रो भविष्यति । एतदेवास्मदीयं च कार्यं कर्तव्यमस्ति हि
O sage, restrain the growth of that mountain by your own ascetic power and glory; surely, by your radiance, Agastya, it will become humble. This indeed is our task to be accomplished.
विन्ध्यवृद्ध्यवरोधवर्णनम् सूत उवाच इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य विबुधानां द्विजोत्तमः । करिष्ये कार्यमेतद्वः प्रत्युवाच ततो मुनिः
Description of the obstruction to Vindhya's growth.
अङ्गीकृते तदा कार्ये मुनिना कुम्भजन्मना । देवाः प्रमुदिताः सर्वे बभूबुर्द्विजसत्तमाः
When the sage born from the pot accepted the task, all the gods became exceedingly joyful, O best of the twice-born.
ते देवाः स्वानि धिष्ण्यानि भेजिरे मुनिवाक्यतः । पत्नीं मुनिवरः श्रीमानुवाच नृपकन्यकाम्
Those gods, following the sage's words, returned to their own abodes; the illustrious sage addressed his wife, the royal maiden.
अये नृपसुते प्राप्तो विघ्नोऽनर्थस्य कारकः । भानुमार्गनिरोधेन कृतो विन्ध्यमहीभृता
O princess, an obstacle has arisen, causing misfortune; by blocking the path of the sun, the Vindhya mountain has created this impediment.
आज्ञातं कारणं तच्च स्मृतं वाक्यं पुरातनम् । काशीमुद्दिश्य यद्गीतं मुनिभिस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः
The reason for this has been understood, and the ancient saying remembered, which was spoken by the seers who know the truth, regarding Kāśī.
अविमुक्तं न मोक्तव्यं सर्वथैव मुमुक्षुभिः । किन्तु विघ्ना भविष्यन्ति काश्यां निवसतां सताम्
'Avimukta' should never be abandoned by those who seek liberation; yet, obstacles will arise for the virtuous who dwell in Kāśī.
सोऽन्तरायो मया प्राप्तः काश्यां निवसता प्रिये । इत्येवमुक्त्वा भार्यां तां मुनिः परमतापनः
Beloved, such an obstacle has come to me while residing in Kāśī; thus, having spoken to his wife, the great ascetic sage—
मणिकर्ण्यां समाप्लुत्य दृष्ट्वा विश्वेश्वरं विभुम् । दण्डपाणिं समभ्यर्च्य कालराजं समागतः
Having bathed at Maṇikarṇikā and seen the Lord of the Universe, the mighty Daṇḍapāṇi, he worshipped him and then approached King Kāla.
कालराज महाबाहो भक्तानां भयहारक । कथं दूरयसे पुर्याः काशीपुर्यास्त्वमीश्वरः
O King Kāla, mighty-armed, remover of fear for devotees, how is it that you, the Lord, distance yourself from the city of Kāśī?