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.'
प्रदक्षिणं जलावर्तं शुभ्रं पापहरं शुभम्। तज्जलस्पर्शमात्रेण कुठारः शुद्धतां गतः
He saw a clear, sin-removing, auspicious pool with a swirling current; by merely touching its water, the axe became pure.
ततो रामोभिषेकं तु कृतवान्प्रमुदान्वितः। शुद्धात्मनस्त्वपापस्य बुद्धिर्जाता प्रपाविनी५० 1.55.
Then Rāma, filled with joy, performed his ablution; pure in soul and free from sin, his mind became inclined toward attainment.
स रामः सुचिरं स्थित्वा तीर्थराजं प्रसाद्य तम्। ततस्ततोऽचलात्प्राप्य पुरं वेगसमन्वितः
Rāma, having remained there for a long time and propitiated the king of sacred fords, then departed swiftly from that place and reached the city.
ख्यातं कृत्वा ततश्चोर्व्यां गतोसौ लवणार्णवम्। अयं तीर्थवरः साक्षात्पितामहकृतो भुवि
Having made it renowned on earth, he went to the salt ocean; this supreme sacred ford was indeed established on earth by the Grandfather (Brahmā).
सुखदः सर्वतः शुद्धो मुक्तिमार्गप्रदः किल। एवं कामप्रभावं च विद्धि दुर्वारदुःसहम्
It bestows happiness everywhere, is completely pure, and truly grants the path to liberation; thus, know the power of desire to be difficult to resist and unbearable.
कामाज्जातं वृषं पापं पुण्यं पुण्यप्रयोगतः। स जातश्चैव लौहित्यो विरंचेश्चैव चौरसः
Sin arises from desire, and merit from the practice of virtue; thus was born the river Lauhitya, the legitimate son of Virin̄ci (Brahmā).
शंतनो क्षेत्र संजातस्त्वमोघागर्भसंभवः। विरिञ्चिना जितः कामः शांतनोरप्यमत्सरात्
You were born in the field of Śaṃtanu, conceived from the unfailing womb; desire was conquered by Viriñci (Brahmā), and also by Śāṃtanu out of absence of envy.
तस्याः पतिव्रतात्वाच्च तीर्थात्तीर्थवरो हि सः। एवं यस्तु पठेन्नित्यं पुण्याख्यानमिदं शिवम्
Because of her fidelity to her husband, that sacred ford became the foremost among fords; in this way, whoever recites daily this auspicious narrative of merit,
शृणुयाद्वा मुदा पृथ्व्यां मुक्तिमार्गं स गच्छति
or hears it with joy on earth, attains the path to liberation.
सप्तपञ्चाशत्तमोऽध्यायः। । श्रीभगवानुवाच- पुरा शर्वः स्त्रियो दृष्ट्वा युवती रूपशालिनीः। गंधर्वकिन्नराणां च मनुष्याणां च सर्वतः
Chapter Fifty-Five. The Blessed Lord said: Long ago, Śarva (Śiva), seeing women—young and beautiful—among Gandharvas, Kinnaras, and all humans,
मंत्रेण ताः समाकृष्य त्वतिदूरे विहायसि। तपोव्याजपरो देवस्तासु संगतमानसः
by means of a mantra, drew them together from a great distance in the sky; the god, under the pretense of austerity, became absorbed in union with them.
अतिरम्यां कुटीं कृत्वा ताभिः सह महेश्वरः। क्रीडां चकार सहसा मनोभव पराभवः
Having made a most delightful hut, Maheśvara (Śiva) played together with them at once, he who had conquered the god of love.
एतस्मिन्नंतरे गौर्याश्चित्तमुद्भ्रांततां गतम्। अपश्यद्ध्यानयोगेन क्रीडंतं जगदीश्वरम्
Meanwhile, Gaurī's mind became agitated; through yogic meditation, she saw the Lord of the universe sporting.
स्त्रीभिरंतर्गतं ज्ञात्वा रोषस्य वशगाभवत्। ततः क्षेमंकरी रूपा भूत्वा च प्रविवेश सा
Realizing he was among women, she became subject to anger; then, taking the form of Kṣemaṅkarī, she entered there.
व्योमैकांतेतिदूरे च कामदेव समप्रभम्। वामातिमध्यगं शुभ्रं पुरुषं पुरुषोत्तमम्
At a far-off place in the sky, she saw a man as radiant as Kāmadeva, exceedingly handsome, fair, supreme among men, surrounded by women.
स्त्रीभिः सह समालिग्य प्रक्रीडंतं मुहुर्मुहुः। चुंबंतं निर्भरं देवं हरं रागप्रपीडितम्
Embraced by women, he was playing again and again, kissing the god Hara passionately, overwhelmed by desire.
वृत्तं क्षेमंकरी दृष्ट्वा निपपाताग्रतस्तदा। तासां केशेषु चाकृष्य चकार चरणाहतिम्
Seeing this, Kṣemaṅkarī fell at the front; seizing their hair, she struck them with her feet.
त्रपया पीडितश्शर्वः पराङ्मुखमवस्थितः। केशेष्वाकृष्य रोषात्ताः पातयामास भूतले
Śarva, afflicted by shame, turned away; out of anger, she pulled their hair and made them fall to the ground.
स्त्रियः सर्वाधरां प्राप्य सहसा विकृताननाः। उमाशापप्रदग्धांगा म्लेच्छानां वशमागताः
The women, reaching the lowest state, suddenly became disfigured in face; scorched by Umā's curse, they came under the power of the Mlecchas.
ताश्चांडालस्त्रियः ख्याता अधवा धवसंयुताः। अद्याप्युमाकृतं शापं सर्वास्ताश्च समश्नुयुः
They became known as the women of the Caṇḍālas, or as those joined with the outcastes; even today, all of them equally experience the curse pronounced by Umā.