विवेश पावकं दीप्तं ददाह ज्वलनो ऽपि ताम्
He entered the blazing fire; even the burning flame did not consume her.
रामायादर्शयत् सीतां पावको ऽभूत् सुरप्रियः
The Fire-god, beloved of the gods, showed Sita to Rama.
चकार प्रणतिं भूमौ रामाय जनकात्मजा
Janaka’s daughter offered her respects to Rama, bowing down to the ground.
ननाम वह्निं सिरसा तोषयामास राघवः
Raghava honored the Fire with a bow of his head and was satisfied.
दग्धा भगवता पूर्वं दृष्टा मत्पार्श्वमागता
Formerly burned by the Blessed Lord, she was seen coming to my side.
यथावृत्तं दाशरथिं भूतानामेव सन्निधौ
In the presence of all beings, he recounted to the son of Dasharatha what had occurred.
आराध्य लब्धा तपसा देव्याश्चात्यन्तवल्लभा
Having been worshipped and attained through austerity, she became most beloved of the goddess.
भवानीपार्श्वमानीता मया रावणकामिता
Desired by Ravana, she was brought by me to Bhavani’s side.
मया मायामयी सृष्टा रावणस्य वधाय सा
By me, an illusory form was created for the destruction of Ravana.
मयोपसंहृता चैव हतो लोकविनाशनः
And by me it was withdrawn; the destroyer of the worlds was slain.
पश्य नारायणं देवं स्वात्मानं प्रभवाव्ययम्
Behold Narayana, the divine, your own imperishable Self, the source of all.
मानितो राघवेणाग्निर्भूतैश्चान्तरधीयत
Honored by Raghava and the beings, Agni disappeared.
स्त्रीणां सर्वाघशमनं प्रायश्चित्तमिदं स्मृतम्
This is remembered as the expiation for women, which removes all their sins.
स्वदेहं पुण्यतीर्थेषु त्यक्त्वा मुच्येत किल्बिषात्
By abandoning one's own body at holy places, one is freed from wrongdoing.
मुच्यते पातकैः सर्वैः समस्तैरपि पूरुषः
A person is released from all sins, even from every kind.
महेशाराधनार्थाय ज्ञानयोगं च शाश्वतम्
For the purpose of worshipping the great Lord, there is the eternal path of knowledge and yoga.
स पश्यति महादेवं नान्यः कल्पशतैरपि
He alone sees the great god; no other does so, even after hundreds of aeons.
न तस्मादधिको लोके स योगी परमो मतः
In this world, no one is greater than him; he is regarded as the supreme yogi.
स योगयुक्तो ऽपि मुनिर्नात्यर्थं भगवत्प्रियः
Even a sage endowed with yoga is not exceedingly dear to the Blessed Lord.
धर्मयुक्तेषु शान्तेषु श्रद्धया चान्वितेषु वै
Among those who are devoted to dharma, peaceful, and endowed with faith,
सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो गच्छेत परमां गतिम्
One, freed from all sin, attains the highest state.
पठेत नित्यं सुमनाः श्रोतव्यं च द्विजातिभिः
A person of good mind should recite this always; it should also be heard by those of twice-born status.
स दोषकञ्चुकं त्यक्त्वा याति देवं महेश्वरम्
He, having cast off the cloak of faults, goes to the god Maheshvara.
समाश्वास्य मुनीन् सूतं जगाम च यथागतम्
Having reassured the sages, Suta departed as he had come.
तानि त्वं कथयास्माकं रोमहर्षण सांप्रतम्
Now, Romaharshana, tell us those things.
कथितानि पुराणेषु मुनिभिर्ब्रह्मवादिभिः
They have been recounted in the Puranas by sages who speak of Brahman.
एकैकशो मुनिश्रेष्ठाः पुनात्यासप्तमं कुलम्
Each eminent sage purifies up to the seventh generation of his family.
प्रयागं प्रथितं तीर्थं तस्य माहात्म्यमीरितम्
Prayaga is the renowned holy place; its greatness has been proclaimed.
ऋषीणामाश्रमैर्जुष्टं सर्वपापविशोधनम्
It is frequented by the hermitages of the sages and cleanses all sins.
ददाति यत्किञ्चिदपि पुनात्युभयतः कुलम्
Whatever is given there, even a little, purifies both sides of one's family.