वसिष्ठो ऽप्यभवत्तस्मिञ् जलकुम्भे च पूर्ववत् ततः श्वेतश्चतुर्बाहुः साक्षसूत्रकमण्डलुः अगस्त्य इति शान्तात्मा बभूव ऋषिसत्तमः
Vasistha too was as before, in the water jar; then the tranquil sage, the illustrious Agastya, white, four-armed, with an eye, thread, and water pot, was born.
मलयस्यैकदेशे तु वैखानसविधानतः सभार्यः संवृतो विप्रैस् तपश्चक्रे सुदुश्चरम्
In one region of the Malaya mountains, following the Vaikhanasa rule, he, accompanied by his wife and surrounded by brahmins, performed very difficult austerities.
ततः कालेन महता तारकाद् अतिपीडितम् जगद्वीक्ष्य स कोपेन पीतवान्वरुणालयम्
Then, after a long time, seeing the world greatly afflicted by Taraka, he, in anger, drank up the ocean, the abode of Varuna.
ततो ऽस्य वरदाः सर्वे बभूवुः शंकरादयः ब्रह्मा विष्णुश्च भगवान् वरदानाय जग्मतुः वरं वृणीष्व भद्रं ते यदभीष्टं च वै मुने
Then all the bestowers of boons, beginning with Shankara, became pleased with him; Brahma and the blessed Vishnu came to grant him a boon, saying, 'Choose a boon, O sage, whatever you desire.'
यावद्ब्रह्मसहस्राणां पञ्चविंशतिकोटयः वैमानिको भविष्यामि दक्षिणाचलवर्त्मनि
For twenty-five crores of Brahma's thousand-year cycles, I shall dwell in a celestial vehicle on the southern path.
मद्विमानोदये कुर्याद् यः कश्चित्पूजनं मम स सप्तलोकाधिपतिः पर्यायेण भविष्यति
Whoever performs worship for me at the rising of my celestial vehicle shall, in turn, become the lord of the seven worlds.
एवमस्त्विति ते ऽप्युक्त्वा जग्मुर्देवा यथागतम् तस्मादर्घः प्रदातव्यो ह्य् अगस्त्यस्य सदा बुधैः
Having said, 'So be it,' the gods departed as they had come; therefore, the wise should always offer arghya to Agastya.
कथमर्घप्रदानं तु कर्तव्यं तस्य वै विभो विधानं यदगस्त्यस्य पूजने तद्वदस्व मे
But how should the offering of arghya be made to him, O Lord? Tell me the proper procedure for the worship of Agastya.
प्रत्यूषसमये विद्वान् कुर्यादस्योदये निशि स्नानं शुक्लतिलैस्तद्वच् छुक्लमाल्याम्बरो गृही
At dawn, the learned should bathe at sunrise or at night, wearing white garments and garlands, and holding white sesame seeds.
स्थापयेदव्रणं कुम्भं माल्यवस्त्रविभूषितम् पञ्चरत्नसमायुक्तं घृतपात्रसमन्वितम् नानाभक्ष्यफलैर्युक्तं ताम्रपात्रसमन्वितम्
He should place a flawless pot adorned with garlands, cloth, and ornaments, filled with five kinds of gems, a vessel of ghee, various foods and fruits, and a copper vessel.
अङ्गुष्ठमात्रं पुरुषं तथैव सौवर्णम् अत्यायतबाहुदण्डम् चतुर्मुखं कुम्भमुखे निधाय धान्यानि सप्ताम्बरसंयुतानि
He should place, at the mouth of the pot, a golden figure of a man the size of a thumb, with long arms, four faces, and seven kinds of grains wrapped in cloth.
सकांस्यपात्राक्षतशुक्तियुक्तं मन्त्रेण दद्याद्द्विजपुंगवाय उत्क्षिप्य लम्बोदरदीर्घबाहुम् अनन्यचेता यमदिङ्मुखः सन्
With a bronze vessel, unbroken rice, and a conch shell, he should, with mantra, give it to a foremost Brahmin, lifting it up, with undistracted mind, facing the south, to one with a large belly and long arms.
श्वेतां च दद्याद्यदि शक्तिरस्ति रौप्यैः खुरैर् हेममुखीं सवत्साम् धेनुं नरः क्षीरवतीं प्रणम्य सवत्सघण्टाभरणां द्विजाय
If able, he should also give a white cow with a calf, adorned with silver hooves and a golden face, full of milk, with a calf-bell, bowing to a Brahmin.
आ सप्तरात्रोदयम् एतदस्य दातव्यमेतत्सकलं नरेण यावत्समाः सप्त दशाथवा स्युर् अथोर्ध्वमप्यत्र वदन्ति केचित्
All this should be given by a man for seven days, or ten, or more, as some say, until the seventh sunrise.
काशपुष्पप्रतीकाश वह्निमारुतसम्भव मित्रावरुणयोः पुत्र कुम्भयोने नमो ऽस्तु ते
Resembling the flower of the Kash plant, born of fire and wind, son of Mitra and Varuna, O pot-born one, I bow to you.
विन्ध्यवृद्धिक्षयकर मेघतोयविषापह रत्नवल्लभ देवेश लङ्कावासिन्नमो ऽस्तु ते
O lord of gods, beloved of jewels, who causes the growth and decay of the Vindhya, remover of clouds, water, and poison, resident of Lanka, I bow to you.
वातापी भक्षितो येन समुद्रः शोषितः पुरा लोपामुद्रापतिः श्रीमान् यो ऽसौ तस्मै नमो नमः
To him who consumed Vātāpi, who once dried up the ocean, the glorious lord of Lopamudra—again and again I bow to him.
राजपुत्रि महाभागे ऋषिपत्नि वरानने लोपामुद्रे नमस्तुभ्यम् अर्घो मे प्रतिगृह्यताम् प्रत्यब्दं तु फलत्यागम् एवं कुर्वन्न सीदति
O princess, greatly fortunate, wife of the sage, beautiful-faced Lopamudra, I bow to you; accept my arghya. Performing this every year, one does not fall, and the rite bears fruit.
होमं कृत्वा ततः पश्चाद् वर्जयेन्मानवः फलम् अनेन विधिना यस्तु पुमानर्घ्यं निवेदयेत्
After performing the homa, a man should then refrain from eating the fruit; whoever offers arghya according to this rule—
इमं लोकं स चाप्नोति रूपारोग्यसमन्वितः द्वितीयेन भुवर्लोकं स्वर्गलोकं ततः परम्
He attains this world, endowed with beauty and health; with the second, the world of Bhuvar; and then, the highest heaven.
सप्तैव लोकानाप्नोति सप्तार्घान् यः प्रयच्छति यावदायुश्च यः कुर्यात् परं ब्रह्माधिगच्छति
He who offers seven arghyas attains the seven worlds; and whoever performs this throughout his life attains the supreme Brahman.
इह पठति शृणोति वा य एतद् युगलमुनिप्रभवार्घ्यसम्प्रदानम् मतिमपि च ददाति सो ऽपि विष्णोर् भवनगतः परिपूज्यते ऽमरौघैः
Whoever here reads or hears this account of the offering to the sage born of the twin seers, or even gives it thought, is worshipped by hosts of immortals in Vishnu's abode.
सौभाग्यारोग्यफलदम् अमुत्राक्षय्यकारकम् भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदं देव तन्मे ब्रूहि जनार्दन
O Janardana, tell me of that which grants prosperity and health, brings inexhaustible merit in the next world, and bestows both enjoyment and liberation.
यदुमायाः पुरा देव उवाच पुरसूदनः कैलासशिखरासीनो देव्या पृष्टस्तदा किल
O Deva, long ago, when the goddess asked, the destroyer of cities, seated atop Mount Kailāsa, spoke about the illusion of the world.
कथासु सम्प्रवृत्तासु धर्म्यासु ललितासु च तदिदानीं प्रवक्ष्यामि भुक्तिमुक्तिफलप्रदम्
Now I shall tell you that story, which is both righteous and delightful, and which grants the fruits of enjoyment and liberation.
शृणुष्वावहिता देवि तथैवानन्तपुण्यकृत् नराणामथ नारीणाम् आराधनमनुत्तमम्
Listen attentively, O Devi, to the supreme worship for men and women alike, which yields endless merit.
नभस्ये वाथ वैशाखे पुण्यमार्गशिरस्य च शुक्लपक्षे तृतीयायां सुस्नातो गौरसर्षपैः
In the months of Nabhasya or Vaiśākha, or at the head of the auspicious path, on the third day of the bright fortnight, one should bathe well, using yellow mustard seeds.
गोरोचनं सगोमूत्रम् उष्णं गोशकृतं तथा दधिचन्दनसम्मिश्रं ललाटे तिलकं न्यसेत् सौभाग्यारोग्यदं यस्मात् सदा च ललिताप्रियम्
One should apply to the forehead a tilaka made from cow's gall, mixed with cow urine, warm cow dung, curd, and sandalwood—this always bestows prosperity and health and is dear to Lalitā.
प्रतिपक्षं तृतीयासु पुमानापीतवाससी धारयेदथ रक्तानि नारी चेदथ संयता
On the third day of each fortnight, a man should wear clean garments, and a woman, if self-restrained, should wear red clothes.
विधवा धातुरक्तानि कुमारी शुक्लवाससी देवीं तु पञ्चगव्येन ततः क्षीरेण केवलम् स्नापयेन्मधुना तद्वत् पुष्पगन्धोदकेन च
A widow should wear garments dyed with red ochre, a maiden should wear white clothes; then, the goddess should be bathed with pañcagavya, then only with milk, then with honey, and likewise with water scented with flowers.