उद्भवं तीर्थराजस्य श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वतः। श्रीभगवानुवाच- मुनिर्देवैः समाराध्यः पद्मयोनिसमप्रभः
I wish to hear, in truth, the origin of the king of sacred places. The Blessed Lord said: The sage, radiant like the lotus-born, was worshipped by the gods.
शंतनुश्चेति विख्यातः पत्नी तस्य पतिव्रता। अमोघेति समाख्याता रूपयौवनशालिनी
He is renowned as Shantanu; his wife was devoted to her husband. She was called Amogha, possessed of beauty and youth.
अस्याश्च पतिमन्वेष्टुं यातो ब्रह्मा च तद्गृहम्। तस्मिन्काले मुनिश्रेष्ठः पुष्पाद्यर्थं वनं गतः
To seek her husband, Brahma went to their house. At that time, the foremost sage had gone to the forest for flowers and other purposes.
सा तं दृष्ट्वा सुरश्रेष्ठमर्घ्यपाद्यादिकं ददौ। दूरेभिवादनं कृत्वा सा गृहं प्रविवेश ह
Seeing the best of the gods, she offered him water for washing the feet and other rites. Having saluted him from a distance, she entered the house.
तां च दृष्ट्वा नवद्यांगीं धाता कामवशं गतः। स्रष्टात्मानं समाधायाचिंतयत्तां पुरोगताम्
Seeing her, young and beautiful, the Creator was overcome by desire. Fixing his mind, he contemplated her as she passed before him.
बीजं पपात खट्वायां ब्रह्मणः परमात्मनः। ततो ब्रह्मा गतस्त्रस्तस्त्वरया परिपीडितः
Brahma's seed, the supreme soul, fell upon the cot. Then Brahma, frightened, departed quickly, pressed by urgency.
अथायातो मुनिर्गेहं शुक्रं पीठे ददर्श ह। तमपृच्छद्वरारोहां कश्चाप्यत्रागतः पुमान्
Then the sage returned home and saw the semen on the seat. He asked the beautiful woman, 'Has any man come here?'
तमुवाच ततोऽमोघा ब्रह्मा ह्यत्रागतः पते। त्वामेवान्वेषितुं नाथ मया दत्तोत्र पीठकः
Then Amogha replied, 'Brahma has come here, husband. He came seeking you, and I offered him this seat.'
शुक्रस्य कारणं चात्र तपसा ज्ञातुमर्हसि। ततो ध्यानात्परिज्ञातं तेनैव च द्विजन्मना
'You should ascertain the cause of the semen here through austerity.' Then, through meditation, the twice-born understood.
ब्रह्मरेतः परं साध्वी पालयस्व ममाज्ञया। उत्पद्यते सुतस्ते तु सर्वलोकैकपावनः
'O virtuous woman, by my command, preserve Brahma's semen. A son will be born to you, the sole purifier of all worlds.'
आवयोः सर्वकल्याणं फलिष्यति मनोगतम्। ततः पतिव्रता तस्य आज्ञामागृह्य संभवात्
'All auspiciousness of our minds will bear fruit.' Then his devoted wife accepted his command and, from that union—
पपौ रेतो महाभागा ब्रह्मणः परमात्मनः। आवर्त इव संजज्ञे रौद्रगर्भ इति स्फुरन्
The blessed woman drank the semen of Brahma, the supreme soul. Like a whirlpool, it manifested, shining as 'Raudra-garbha.'
प्रसोढुं नैव शक्ता सा शंतनुं चाब्रवीत्ततः। गर्भं धारयितुं नाथ न शक्नोम्यधुना प्रभो
She was unable to endure it and spoke to Shantanu: 'Lord, I cannot bear the embryo now.'
किं करिष्यामि धर्मज्ञ प्राणो मे संचलत्यपि। आज्ञापय महाभाग गर्भं त्यक्ष्यामि यत्र च
'What shall I do, O knower of dharma? My life is even departing. Command me, O blessed one, where I should abandon the embryo.'
पत्युराज्ञां समादाय मुक्तो गर्भो युगंधरे। पयस्तेजोमयं शुद्धं सर्वधर्मप्रतिष्ठितम्
Having received the command of her husband, the embryo was released on Yugandhara; it was pure, composed of milk and light, established in all virtues.
तन्मध्ये पुरुषः शुद्धः किरीटी नीलवाससा। रत्नदाम्ना च विद्धांगो दुःप्रेक्ष्यो ज्योतिषां गणः
In the midst of that, a pure man appeared, crowned, clad in blue garments, his limbs adorned with a jeweled garland, difficult to behold, a host of radiance.
ततो देवगणाः स्वर्गात्पुष्पवर्षमवाकिरन्। प्रसूतः सर्वतीर्थेषु तीर्थराज इति स्मृतः
Then the hosts of gods showered flowers from heaven; he was born at all the sacred fords and is remembered as the King of Fords.
ततो राम इति ख्यातः प्रजातोहं भृगोः कुले। क्षत्रियान्पितृहंतॄंस्तु ससैन्यबलवाहनान्
Then I became known as Rāma, born in the lineage of Bhṛgu; I slew the Kṣatriyas, destroyers of their fathers, along with their armies and forces.
हत्वा युद्धगतान्भीतान्पंकैः सर्वैर्युतो ह्यहम्। ब्रह्महत्यासमं घोरं मद्गेहे समुपस्थितम्
Having slain in battle those fearful Kṣatriyas, covered in mud and all together, a terrible sin equal to Brahmin-slaying came upon my house.
पंकयुक्तं कुठारं मे क्षालितं नैव शुद्ध्यति। ततः खे चाभवद्वाणी राम मद्वचनं कुरु
Though I washed my axe, covered in mud, it was not purified; then a voice arose in the sky: 'Rāma, do as I say.'
यत्र तीर्थे कुठारं ते निर्मलं च भवेदिह। तत्र ते सर्वपापानां जातानां च क्षयो भवेत्
'Wherever your axe becomes spotless at a ford, there shall be the destruction of all your accumulated sins.'
जनानां तत्र सर्वेषां हितार्थं तिष्ठ मानद। चपलं गच्छ तीर्थानि सर्वाणि सुमहांति च
'For the welfare of all people, O bestower of honor, remain there; go to all the great and renowned fords.'
तेषां मध्ये महातीर्थे पर्शुः शुद्धो भवेद्यदि। तं च जानीहि तीर्थेषु मुक्तिदं परिकीर्तितम्
'Among those, at the great ford, if your axe becomes pure, know that place among the fords as famed for granting liberation.'
तच्छ्रुत्वा जामदग्न्यस्तु तीर्थानि प्रययौ तदा। गंगां सरस्वतीं शुभ्रां कावेरीं सरयूं तथा
Hearing this, Jāmadagnya then went to the fords: Gaṅgā, the pure Sarasvatī, Kāverī, and also Sarayū.
गोदावरीं च यमुनां कद्रूं च वसुदां तथा। अन्यां च पुण्यदां रम्यां गौरीं पूर्वां स्थितां शुभाम्
And Godāvarī, Yamunā, Kadrū, Vasudā, and another beautiful, meritorious, delightful Gaurī, situated in the east.
गच्छतस्तस्य धीरस्य सदागतिसमस्य च। क्षालितः सर्वतीर्थेषु न पुनर्निर्मलोऽभवत्
As that steadfast one, equal to the ever-liberated, went to all the fords, though he washed at each, his axe did not become pure again.
ततो गिरिगुहां दुर्गां महारण्यं च पर्वतम्। गिरिकूटं च दुर्लभ्यं ययौ तीर्थमसौ हरिः
Then he went to a mountain cave, a difficult wilderness, a mountain peak hard to reach; that Hari went to the ford.
न च निर्मलतामेति कुठारस्तस्य तेन च। विषादमगमत्तत्र रामः परपुरंजयः
But even there, his axe did not become pure; there, Rāma, conqueror of enemy cities, fell into despair.
हाहेति विविधं कृत्वा चोपविश्य धरातले। प्रचिंतामगमद्वीरस्तमुवाच पुनस्तथा
Crying out in many ways, he sat down on the ground; the hero fell into deep thought, and again that voice spoke to him.
पूर्वस्यां दिशि देवेश तीर्थं चास्ति गुहोदरे। तच्छ्रुत्वा नरशार्दूलो गत्वा कुंडं ददर्श सः
'In the eastern direction, O lord of gods, there is a ford within a cave; hearing this, the tiger among men went and saw the pool.'