श्रूयतामभिधास्यामि चरित्रं श्रेयदायकम् । द्विजस्यापि च वृत्तांतं कुंजलस्य महात्मनः
Listen as I now relate a story that bestows supreme good, the account of the great-souled Kuñjala, a twice-born sage.
विष्णुरुवाच- कुंजलश्चापि धर्मात्मा चतुर्थं पुत्रमेव च । समाहूय मुदायुक्त उवाचैनं कपिंजलम्
Viṣṇu said: Kuñjala, righteous in soul, summoned his fourth son, Kapiñjala, and, filled with joy, spoke to him.
किं नु पुत्र त्वया दृष्टमपूर्वं कथयस्व मे । भोजनार्थं तु यासि त्वमितः कस्मिन्सुतोत्तम
Tell me, my son, what new thing have you seen? For what purpose do you go from here for food, O best of sons?
तदाचक्ष्व महाभाग यदि दृष्टं सुपुण्यदम् । कपिंजल उवाच- यच्च तात त्वया पृष्टमपूर्वं प्रवदाम्यहम्
Now, O greatly fortunate one, if you have seen anything supremely auspicious, tell it. Kapiñjala said: Whatever you have asked, father, that is new, I shall tell you.
यन्न दृष्टं श्रुतं केन कस्मान्नैव श्रुतं मया । तदिहैव प्रवक्ष्यामि श्रूयतामधुना पितः
What I have not seen or heard, or why I have not heard it, I shall now declare here itself—listen now, father.
शृण्वंतु भ्रातरः सर्वे मातस्त्वं शृणु सांप्रतम् । कैलासः पर्वतश्रेष्ठो धवलश्चंद्र सन्निभः
Let all my brothers listen, and you, mother, hear now as well: Kailāsa, the foremost of mountains, shines white like the moon.
नानाधातुसमाकीर्णो नानावृक्षोपशोभितः । गंगाजलैः शुभैः पुण्यैः क्षालितः सर्वतः पितः
It is filled with various minerals and adorned with many kinds of trees; it is washed everywhere by the pure and holy waters of the Gaṅgā, O father.
नदीनां तु सहस्राणि दिव्यानि विविधानि च । यस्मात्तात प्रसूतानि जलानि विविधानि च
Thousands of divine and various rivers arise from there, O father, as well as diverse waters.
तडागानि सहस्राणि सोदकानि महागिरौ । नद्यः संति विशालिन्यो हंससारससेविताः
On that great mountain are thousands of lakes filled with water; there are broad rivers frequented by swans and cranes.
तस्मिञ्छिखरिणां श्रेष्ठे पुण्यदाः पापनाशनाः । वनानि विविधान्येव पुष्पितानि फलानि च
On that best of peaks are various forests, blossoming and bearing fruit, which grant merit and destroy sin.
नानावृक्षोपयुक्तानि हरितानि शुभानि च । किन्नराणां गणैर्युक्तश्चाप्सरोभिः समाकुलः
They are covered with many kinds of trees, green and auspicious, and are filled with hosts of Kinnaras and crowded with Apsarases.
गंधर्वचारणैः सिद्धैर्देववृंदैः सुशोभितः । दिव्यवृक्षवनोपेतो दिव्यभावैः समाकुलः
It is adorned by Gandharvas, Cāraṇas, Siddhas, and groups of gods, endowed with celestial groves and filled with divine beings.
दिव्यगंधैः सुशोभाढ्यैर्नानारत्नसमन्वितः । शिलाभिः स्फटिकस्यापि शुक्लाभिस्तु सुशोभनः
It is resplendent with celestial fragrances, rich in beauty, endowed with various gems, and shines with white crystal stones.
सूर्यतेजोमयो राजंस्तेजोभिस्तु समाकुलः । चंदनैश्चारुगंधैश्च बकुलैर्नीलपुष्पकैः
O king, it is radiant with the brilliance of the sun, filled with splendor, and adorned with fragrant sandalwood, bakula trees, and blue-blossomed flowers.
नानापुष्पमयैर्वृक्षैः सर्वत्र समलंकृतः । पक्षिणां सुनिनादैश्च दिव्यानां मधुरायते
Everywhere adorned with trees made of various flowers, it is sweetened by the melodious calls of divine birds.
षट्पदानां निनादैश्च वृक्षौघैर्मधुरायते । रुतैश्च कोकिलानां तु शोभते स वनो गिरिः
It is made delightful by the humming of bees and the clusters of trees, and the mountain forest shines with the songs of cuckoos.
गणकोटिसमाकीर्णं तत्रास्ति शिवमंदिरम् । अंशुभिर्धवलं पुण्यं पुण्यराशिशिलोच्चयम्
There stands a temple of Shiva, crowded with countless hosts, shining white with rays, holy, and crowned with peaks of merit.
सिंहैश्च गर्जमानैश्च सैरिभैः कुंजरैस्ततः । दिग्गजानां सुघोषैश्च शब्दितं च समंततः
All around, it resounds with the roaring of lions, the trumpeting of elephants, the cries of boars, and the mighty calls of the guardian elephants of the directions.
नानामृगैः समाकीर्णं शाखामृगगणाकुलम् । मयूरकेकाघोषैश्च गुहासु च विनादितम्
It is filled with various animals, crowded with herds of monkeys, and the caves echo with the loud cries of peacocks.
कंदरैर्लेपनैः कूटैः सानुभिश्च विराजितम् । नानाप्रस्रवणोपेतमोषधीभिर्विराजितम्
It is splendid with ravines, slopes, peaks, and ridges, and adorned with various springs and medicinal plants.
दिव्यं दिव्यगुणं पुण्यं पुण्यधाम समाकुलम् । सेवितं पुण्यलोकैश्च पुण्यराशिं महागिरिम्
That great mountain, filled with divine, virtuous, and holy qualities, is frequented by the righteous and is a vast storehouse of merit.
पुलिंदभिल्लकोलैश्च सेवितं पर्वतोत्तमम् । विकटैः शिखरैः कोटैरद्रिराजः प्रकाशते
The supreme mountain is visited by Pulindas, Bhillas, and Kolas, and the king of mountains shines with its rugged peaks and summits.
अन्यैर्नानाविधैः पुण्यैः कौतुकैर्मंगलैः शुभैः । गंगोदकप्रवाहैश्च महाशब्दं प्रसुस्रुवे
With other various auspicious and wondrous holy things, and with the roaring streams of the Ganga's waters, it produces a great sound.
शंकरस्य गृहं तत्र कैलासं गतवानहम् । तत्राश्चर्यं मया दृष्टं यन्न दृष्टं कदा श्रुतम्
There I reached Kailāsa, the home of Śaṅkara; there I saw a marvel, never before seen or heard.
श्रूयतामभिधास्यामि तात सर्वं मयोदितम् । शिखराद्गिरिराजस्य मेरोः पुण्यान्महोदयात्
Listen, dear one, I will tell you everything I saw, from the blessed and glorious summit of Mount Meru.
हिमक्षीरसुवर्णस्तु प्रवाहः पतते भुवि । गंगायाश्च महाभाग रंहसा घोषभूषितः
A stream of snow, milk, and gold falls to the earth, and the mighty Ganga, adorned with a great sound, flows swiftly.
कैलासस्य शिरः प्राप्य तत्र विस्तरतां गतः । दशयोजनमानेन तत्र गंगा ह्रदो महान्
Reaching the summit of Kailāsa, there it spreads wide; there is a great lake of the Ganga, ten yojanas across.
महातोयेन पुण्येन विमलेन विराजते । सर्वतोभद्रतां प्राप्तो महाहंसैः प्रशोभते
It shines with pure, holy water, and is entirely auspicious, adorned with great swans.
सामोच्चारेण पुण्येन दिव्येन मधुरेण च । हंसास्तत्र प्रकूजंति सरस्तेन विराजते
There, the swans sing with a divine, sweet, and sacred melody, and the lake is made splendid by their calls.
तस्य तीरे शिलायां वै हिमकन्या महामते । आसीना मुक्तकेशांता रूपद्रविणशालिनी
On its shore, on a rock, sat the daughter of the snow mountain, O wise one, her hair unbound, endowed with beauty and wealth.