दिव्यरूपसुसंपन्ना सगुणा दिव्यलक्षणा । दिव्यालंकारभूषा च तस्यास्तीरे विराजते
She was possessed of divine form and virtues, adorned with celestial marks and ornaments, and she shone on that shore.
न जाने गिरिराजस्य तनया वा महोदधेः । नो वास्ति ब्रह्मणः पत्नी सा वा स्वाहा भविष्यति
I do not know if she is the daughter of the king of mountains, or of the great ocean, or the wife of Brahma, or perhaps she is Svāhā herself.
इंद्राणी वा महाभागा रोहिणी वा भविष्यति । ईदृशी रूपसंपत्तिर्युवतीनां न दृश्यते
Whether she be Indrani, most fortunate, or Rohini, such beauty and grace in young women is not seen.
अन्यासां च सुदिव्यानां नारीणां तात सर्वथा । यादृशं रूपसंभावं गुणशीलं प्रदृश्यते
And among other supremely divine women, O dear one, the kind of beauty, virtue, and character that is observed is extraordinary.
अप्सरसां कदा नास्ति तादृशं रूपलक्षणम् । यादृशं तु मया दृष्टं तदंगं विश्वमोहनम्
Even among the Apsaras, there is never such a mark of beauty as I have seen—her form enchanting the whole world.
शिलापदे समासीना दुःखेनापि समाकुला । रुदते सुस्वरैर्बाला अनेकैः स्वजनैर्विना
Seated upon a stone slab, troubled even in her sorrow, the young girl weeps with sweet sounds, bereft of her many loved ones.
अश्रूणि मुंचमाना सा मुक्ताभानि बहूनि च । निर्मलानि सरस्यत्र पतंत्येव महामते
She sheds many tears, resembling pearls, pure and clear, which fall into the lake, O wise one.
बिंदवो मौक्तिकाभास्ते निपतंति महोदके । तेभ्यो भवंति पद्मानि हृद्यानि सुरभीणि तु
Those drops, shining like pearls, fall into the great water; from them arise lotuses, delightful and fragrant.
पद्मानि जज्ञिरे तेभ्यो नेत्राश्रुभ्यो महामते । गंगांभसि तरंत्येव असंख्यातानि तानि तु
Lotuses were born from those tears, O wise one; countless of them float upon the waters of the Ganga.
पतितानि सुहृद्यानि रंहसा यानि तानि तु । गंगाप्रवाहमध्ये तु हंसवृंदैः सुसेविते
Those fallen, pleasing lotuses swiftly move in the midst of the Ganga’s flow, attended by flocks of swans.
भागीरथ्याः प्रवाहस्तु तस्मात्स्थानाद्विनिर्गतः । कैलासशिखरं प्राप्य रत्नाख्यं चारुकंदरम्
The stream of the Bhagirathi, departing from that place, reaches the peak of Kailasa and the charming cave called Ratna.
वर्तते तोयपूर्णस्तु योजनद्वयविस्तृतः । हंसवृंदसमाकीर्णो जलपक्षि समाकुलः
There flows a lake, full of water, two yojanas wide, crowded with flocks of swans and teeming with water birds.
नानावर्णविशेषाणि संति पद्मानि तत्र च । प्रवाहे निर्मले तात मुनिवृंदनिषेविते
There, variously colored and remarkable lotuses are found, O dear one, in the pure stream, frequented by groups of sages.
अश्रुभ्यो यानि जातानि प्रभाते कमलानि तु । गंगोदकप्लुतान्येव सौरभाणि महांति च
The lotuses that arose from her tears in the morning are fragrant and great, having been washed by the waters of the Ganga.
प्रतरंति प्रवाहे तु निर्मले जलपूरिते । मध्ये मध्ये सुहंसैश्च जलपक्षिनिनादिते
They float in the pure, water-filled stream, and here and there are accompanied by sweet-sounding swans and water birds.
सूत उवाच- रत्नाख्ये तु गिरौ तस्मिन्रत्नेश्वरमहेश्वरः । देवदैत्यसुपूज्योपि तिष्ठते तात सर्वदा
Suta said: On that mountain called Ratna, Ratneshvara Maheshvara, worshipped by gods and demons, always resides, O dear one.
तत्र दृष्टो मया तात कश्चित्पुण्यमयो मुनिः । जटाभारसमाक्रांतो निर्वासा दंडधारकः
There I saw, O dear one, a certain sage full of merit, burdened with matted hair, wearing only a loincloth, and holding a staff.
निराधारो निराहारस्तपसातीव दुर्बलः । कृशांगोऽप्यस्थिसंघातस्त्वचामात्रेण वेष्टितः
Without support, without food, exceedingly weak from austerity, his body thin, a mere assemblage of bones wrapped only in skin.
भस्मोद्धूलितमात्राणि सर्वांगानि महात्मनः । शुष्कपत्राणि भक्षेत शीर्णानि पतितानि च
His limbs were covered only with ashes, O great-souled one; he ate dry leaves, withered and fallen.
शिवभक्तिसमासीनो दुराधारो महातपाः । अश्रुभ्यो यानि जातानि पद्मानि सुरभीणि च
Seated in devotion to Shiva, difficult to sustain, possessed of great austerity, the fragrant lotuses that arose from her tears.
गंगातोयात्समानीय देवदेवं प्रपूजयेत् । रत्नेश्वरं महाभागो गीतनृत्यविशारदः
With water brought from the Ganga, one should worship the god of gods, Ratneshvara, with great devotion, being skilled in song and dance.
गायते नृत्यते तस्य द्वारस्थस्त्रिपुरद्विषः । मठमागत्य धर्मात्मा रोदते सुस्वरैरपि
At the doorway of Tripura's enemy, he sings and dances; coming to the monastery, that righteous soul weeps, even with melodious tones.
एतद्दृष्टं मया तात अपूर्वं वदतांवर । कथयस्व प्रसादान्मे यदि त्वं वेत्सि कारणम्
This, O dear one, I have seen—something unprecedented, O best of speakers; please tell me the reason for this, if you know it, out of your grace.
सा का नारी महाभागा कस्मात्तात प्ररोदिति । कस्मात्स देवपुरुषो देवमर्चेन्महेश्वरम्
Who is that noble woman, O dear one, and why does she weep? And why does that divine being worship the great god Maheshvara?
तन्मे त्वं विस्तराद्ब्रूहि सर्वसंदेहकारणम् । एवमुक्तो महाप्राज्ञः कुंजलोपि सुतेन हि
Therefore, tell me in detail the cause of all these doubts; thus addressed by his son, the wise Kunjala spoke.
कपिंजलेन प्रोवाच विस्तराच्छृण्वतो मुनेः
Kapiñjala then spoke in detail as the sage listened.
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने गुरुतीर्थमाहात्म्ये च्यवनचरित्रे एकाधिकशततमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the one hundred and first chapter in the story of Cyavana, concerning the greatness of the Guru Tirtha, in the Vena narrative of the Bhumi Khanda of the glorious Padma Purana.
कुञ्जल उवाच- सर्वं वत्स प्रवक्ष्यामि यत्त्वयोक्तं ममाधुना। उभयोर्देवनं यत्तु यस्माज्जातं द्विजोत्तम
Kunjala said: I will tell you everything, dear one, just as you have now asked me, and also the reason for the worship of both deities, O best of twice-born.
एकदा तु महादेवी पार्वती प्रमदोत्तमा। क्रीडमाना महात्मानमीश्वरं वाक्यमब्रवीत्
Once, the great goddess Parvati, foremost among women, while playing, spoke these words to the great-souled Lord.
ममोरसि महादेव जातं महत्सु दोहदम्। दर्शयस्व ममाग्रे त्वं काननं काननोत्तमम्
"O great god, a longing has arisen in me; show me, before me, a forest, the best among forests."