स्वर्णभारसहस्रेण कुरुक्षेत्ररविग्रहे । यत्फलं लभते माघे वेण्याः स्नानाद्दिने दिने
The merit gained each day by bathing in the Veṇī during Māgha equals that of giving a thousand loads of gold at Kurukṣetra during a solar eclipse.
राजसूयसहस्रस्य राजन्नविकलं फलम् । सितासिते तु माघे च स्नानानां भवति ध्रुवम्
The undiminished fruit of a thousand Rājasūya sacrifices is surely obtained by bathing in the white and dark waters during Māgha.
पृथिव्यां यानि तीर्थानि पुर्यः सप्त च याः पुनः । वेण्यां स्नातुं समायांति माघेमासि नृपोत्तम
O best of kings, all the sacred places on earth and the seven cities as well gather at the Veṇī to bathe during the month of Māgha.
सर्वतीर्थानि कृष्णानि पापिनां संगदोषतः । भवंति शुक्लवर्णानि प्रयागे माघमज्जनात्
Because of association with sinners, all the holy waters become dark, but at Prayāga, by bathing in Māgha, they turn pure and bright.
आकल्पसंचितं पापं जन्मभिर्यन्नरैर्नृप । तद्भवेद्भस्मसान्माघे स्नातानां च सितासिते
O king, the sins accumulated over countless ages and births are reduced to ashes for those who bathe in Māgha, whether they are fair or dark.
वाङ्मनःकायजं पापं नरस्य विलयं व्रजेत् । प्रयागे माघमासे तु त्र्यहस्नातस्य निश्चितम्
The sins committed by speech, mind, or body certainly come to an end for one who bathes for three days at Prayāga during the month of Māgha.
प्रयागे माघमासे यस्त्र्यहं स्नाति च मानवः । पापं त्यक्त्वा दिवं याति जीर्णां त्वचमिवोरगः
A person who bathes for three days at Prayāga in the month of Māgha, casting off sin, ascends to heaven like a serpent shedding its worn-out skin.
कुरुक्षेत्रसमा गंगा यत्रकुत्रावगाहिता । तस्माद्दशगुणा पुण्या यत्र विंध्येन संगता
Wherever the Gaṅgā is entered, she is equal to Kurukṣetra, but where she joins with the Vindhya, she is said to be ten times more holy.
तस्माच्छतगुणा गंगा काश्यामुत्तरवाहिनी । काश्याः शतगुणाः प्रोक्ता गंगायामुनसंगमे
There, the northward-flowing Gaṅgā at Kāśī is a hundred times more meritorious; and at the confluence of the Gaṅgā and Yamunā, Kāśī is said to be a hundred times greater.
सा सहस्रगुणा तासां भवेत्पश्चिमवाहिनी । या राजन्दर्शनादेव ब्रह्महत्यापहारिणी
Of all these, the westward-flowing Gaṅgā is a thousand times more powerful, O king, for by her very sight she removes the sin of killing a Brāhmaṇa.
या पश्चाद्वाहिनी गंगा कालिंद्या सह संगता । हंति कोटिकृतं पापं सा माघे नृप दुर्लभा 6.127.
The Gaṅgā that flows westward, united with the Kāliṃdī, destroys ten million sins, O king, but she is rare to find in Māgha.
यत्कथ्यतेऽमृतं राजन्सा वेणी भुवि कीर्तिता । तस्यां माघे मुहूर्तं तु देवानामपि दुर्लभम्
That which is called nectar, O king, is celebrated on earth as the Veṇī; even a moment there in Māgha is difficult to attain, even for the gods.
ब्रह्माविष्णुर्महादेवो रुद्रादित्यमरुद्गणाः । गंधर्वा लोकपालाश्च यक्षकिन्नरपन्नगाः
Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Mahādeva, Rudra, the Ādityas, the hosts of Maruts, the Gandharvas, guardians of the worlds, Yakṣas, Kinnaras, and serpents,
अणिमादिगुणैः सिद्धा ये चान्ये तत्त्ववादिनः । ब्रह्माणी पार्वती लक्ष्मीः शची मेनादितिर्दितिः
The Siddhas endowed with powers like aṇimā, and other teachers of truth, Brahmāṇī, Pārvatī, Lakṣmī, Śacī, Menā, Aditi, and Diti,
सर्वास्ता देवपत्न्यश्च तथा नागांगना नृप । घृताची मेनका रंभा उर्वशी च तिलोत्तमा
All these goddesses, wives of the gods, and the serpent maidens, O king, Ghṛtācī, Menakā, Rambhā, Urvaśī, and Tilottamā,
गणा ह्यप्सरसां सर्वे पितॄणां च गणास्तथा । स्नातुमायांति ते सर्वे माघे वेण्यां नराधिप
All the hosts of Apsarases and the hosts of ancestors as well, they all come to bathe at the Veṇī in Māgha, O lord of men.
कृते युगे स्वरूपेण कलौ प्रच्छन्नरूपिणः । प्रयागे माघमासे तु त्र्यहस्नानस्य यत्फलम्
In the Kṛta age they come in their true forms, in Kali in concealed forms; the fruit of bathing for three days at Prayāga in Māgha—
नाश्वमेधसहस्रेण तत्फलं लभते भुवि । त्र्यहस्नानफलं माघे पुरा कांचनमालिनी
That fruit is not obtained on earth even by a thousand horse sacrifices; in former times, Kāṃcanamālinī gave the fruit of three days' bathing in Māgha—
राक्षसाय ददौ भूप तेन मुक्तः स पापकृत् । कार्तवीर्य उवाच । भगवन्राक्षसः कोऽसौ सा का कांचनमालिनी
She gave it to a Rākṣasa, O king, and thus that sinner was freed. Kārtavīrya said: O lord, who was that Rākṣasa, and who was Kāṃcanamālinī?
कथं दत्तवती धर्मं कथं वा तस्य सद्गतिः । एतत्कथय योगींद्र अत्रिसंतानभास्कर । यदि त्वं मन्यसे श्राव्यं परं कौतूहलं हि मे
How did she give the merit, and how did he attain the good state? Tell me this, O lord of yogis, sun of the line of Atri; if you consider it worthy to be heard, for I am greatly curious.
दत्तात्रेय उवाच। शृणु राजन्विचित्रं त्वमितिहासं पुरातनम् । यस्य स्मरणमात्रेण वाजपेयफलं लभेत्
Dattatreya said: Listen, O King, to a wondrous and ancient tale, the mere remembrance of which bestows the fruit of a Vājapeya sacrifice.
अप्सरारूपसंपन्ना नाम्ना कांचनमालिनी । प्रयागे माघमासे सा स्नात्वा याति हरालयम्
There was an Apsaras of surpassing beauty named Kāñcanamālinī; in the month of Māgha, she bathed at Prayāga and then proceeded to the abode of Hara.
निकुंजे गिरिराजस्य तिष्ठता गिरिरूपिणा । दृष्टा गगनमारूढा तेन वृद्धेन रक्षसा
While she was in a grove on the king of mountains, she was seen ascending the sky by an aged Rākṣasa who had taken the form of a mountain.
तेजस्विनी सुहेमाभा सुश्रोणी दीर्घलोचना । चंद्रानना सुकेशी च पीनोन्नतपयोधरा
She was radiant, golden-hued, with beautiful hips, large eyes, a moon-like face, lovely hair, and full, high breasts.
तां दृष्ट्वा रूपसंपन्नामुवाच राक्षसस्तदा । का त्वं कमलपत्राक्षि कुत आगम्यते त्वया
Seeing her endowed with such beauty, the Rākṣasa spoke: Who are you, O lotus-eyed one? From where have you come?
आर्द्रं च वसनं कस्मात्सार्द्रा ते कबरी कुतः । कुत्र आगम्यते भीरु कुतस्ते खेचरी गतिः
Why are your garments wet, and why is your hair damp? From where do you come, O timid one, and how do you move through the sky?
केन पुण्येन वा भद्रे तव तेजोमयं वपुः । अतीवरूपसंपन्नं संभूतं च मनोहरम्
By what merit, O blessed one, do you possess this radiant, supremely beautiful and enchanting form?
त्वद्वस्त्रबिंदुपातेन मम मूर्ध्नि सुलोचने । क्षणेन ह्यगमच्छांतिं क्रूरं मे मानसं सदा
O bright-eyed one, by the mere fall of drops from your garment upon my head, my mind—always cruel—became peaceful in an instant.
नीरस्य महिमा कोऽयमेतद्व्याख्यातुमर्हसि । त्वं मे शीलवती भासि नाकृतिर्निर्गुणा भवेत्
What is the greatness of this water without taste? You should explain this to me. You appear to be virtuous; form does not arise without virtue.
अप्सरा उवाच। श्रूयतामप्सराश्चाहं भो रक्षः कामरूपिणी । प्रयागतश्चागताऽहं नाम्ना कांचनमालिनी
The Apsaras said: Listen, O Rākṣasa, I am an Apsaras, able to assume forms at will. I have come to Prayāga, and my name is Kāñcanamālinī.