तीर्थे भूतालये स्नात्वा दृष्ट्वा भूतालयं वटम् । भूतेश्वरप्रसादेन भूतेभ्यो न लभेद्भयम्
Having bathed at the sacred Bhutalaya and seen the Bhutalaya banyan tree, by the grace of Bhuteshvara, one does not experience fear from spirits.
इति श्रीभूतेश्वरतीर्थम् । अतस्तीर्थात्परं तीर्थं घटेश्वरमिति स्मृतम् । यत्र स्नात्वा तु तं दृष्ट्वा मुक्तिभागी भवेद्ध्रुवम्
Thus is the Bhuteshvara Tirtha. Beyond this sacred place is another, known as Ghateshvara; bathing there and seeing it, one certainly attains liberation.
यत्र साभ्रमती तीर्थं घटो वै परमो महान् । दृष्ट्वा चैव महादेवं मुच्यते नात्र संशयः
Where the sacred river Abhramati flows, there is the great Ghata; seeing Mahadeva there, one is freed, without any doubt.
तत्र गत्वा विशेषेण प्लक्षपूजां करोति यः । मनसाभीप्सितान्कामाँल्लभते मानवो भुवि
Whoever goes there and especially worships the Plaksha tree, attains all desired wishes on earth through the mind.
इति घटेश्वरतीर्थम् । ततो गच्छेन्नरो भक्त्या वैद्यनाथेति विश्रुतम् । तत्र स्नात्वा नरस्तीर्थे शिवपूजनतत्परः
Thus is the Ghateshvara Tirtha. Then, a person should go with devotion to the place renowned as Vaidyanatha; bathing there at the sacred site, devoted to worshipping Shiva.
पितॄन्संतर्प्य विधिना सर्वयज्ञफलं लभेत् । विजयो देवसंभूतः सर्वपापक्षयंकरः । यं दृष्ट्वा विविधान्कामान्प्राप्नुयुस्ते नराः सदा 6.165.
By properly satisfying the ancestors, one obtains the fruit of all sacrifices; victory, bestowed by the gods, destroys all sins; seeing him, people always attain various desires.
महादेव उवाच। ततोगच्छेन्महादेवि वार्त्रघ्न्या गिरिकन्यया । शक्रश्चैव तया साध्व्या संगमं यत्र लब्धवान्
Mahadeva said: Then, O great goddess, one should go to the place where the mountain maiden, the slayer of Vritra, and Indra, the virtuous one, attained union.
तत्र स्नानं प्रकुर्वंति नरा नियतमानसाः । दशानामश्वमेधानां यत्फलं स्नानकृल्लभेत्
There, people with controlled minds perform bathing; the fruit gained by bathing equals that of ten horse sacrifices.
तत्र यः कुरुते श्राद्धं पिंडान्वै तिलचूर्णजान् । पुनाति पुरुषो वंशान्सप्तसप्तपरावरान्
Whoever performs the ancestral rite there, offering balls made of sesame flour, purifies his lineage for seven generations, both past and future.
संपूज्य विधिवत्स्नात्वा संगमे गणनायकम् । न विघ्नैरभिभूयेत लक्ष्म्या नैव विहीयते
Having worshipped properly and bathed at the confluence, honoring the leader of the hosts, one is not overcome by obstacles nor deprived of prosperity.
पार्वत्युवाच। कस्मिन्कार्यसमारंभे समायातः पुरंदरः । स्वर्गलोकादिमं लोकमेतदाख्यातुमर्हसि
Pārvatī said: In the undertaking of which action did Purandara come here from the world of heaven? You ought to tell me this.
वार्त्रघ्नी च नदी केन निरुक्तेन निगद्यते । पुरंदरपुरं देव ब्रह्मघोषनिनादितम् । संभावयति योऽजस्रं मम तत्संगमं वद
By what name is Vārtraghnī, the river, spoken of? O god, in Purandara's city, resounding with the proclamation of Brahma, whoever constantly honors it—tell me of that union with it.
महादेव उवाच। अस्मिंश्चैव तु भूर्लोके प्रश्नोऽयं समभूत्पुरा । युधिष्ठिरेति विख्यातो राजा वै धार्मिको महान्
Mahādeva said: In this very earthly world, this question once arose long ago. There was a king, renowned as Yudhiṣṭhira, great and righteous.
पृष्टवान्स तु भीष्माय धर्मिणे ज्ञानरूपिणे । तेनोक्तं यत्तु तद्देवि प्रवक्ष्यामि तवाग्रतः
He asked Bhīṣma, who was righteous and embodied wisdom. What Bhīṣma spoke to him, O goddess, I will now declare before you.
दशवर्षसहस्राणि दशवर्षशतानि च । वृत्रवासवयोर्युद्धमभवल्लोमहर्षणम्
For ten thousand years and ten hundred years, there was a hair-raising battle between Vṛtra and Vāsava.
ततः पराजितः शक्रः कृत्वा वृत्रेण संविधम् । अद्रोहे स रणं त्यक्त्वा जगाम शरणं मम
Then, defeated, Śakra made an agreement with Vṛtra. Without treachery, he abandoned the battle and came to seek refuge in me.
वार्त्रघ्न्या संगमे पुण्ये तोषयामास शंकरम् । अथांतरिक्षेऽहं देवि दर्शनं दत्तवांस्तदा
At the sacred confluence with Vārtraghnyā, he pleased Śaṃkara. Then, O goddess, I appeared in the sky and granted him a vision.
ममगात्रात्तु यद्भस्म पतितं काश्यपी तटे । भस्मगात्रेति तत्पुण्यं लिंगं देवि विनिर्मितम्
From my body, the ashes that fell on the bank of the Kāśyapī—O goddess, a sacred liṅga called Bhasmagātra was established there.
भूतेश्वरं भस्मगात्रं ब्रह्मणा संप्रतिष्ठितम् । तस्य वै दर्शनादेव ब्रह्महत्या लयं व्रजेत्
Bhūteśvara, Bhasmagātra, was installed by Brahmā. By merely seeing it, one attains release from the sin of killing a Brāhmaṇa.
मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यः श्राद्धं कृत्वा युगादिषु । तदहं सुप्रसन्नोऽभूदिन्द्राय सुमहात्मने
One is freed from all sins by performing śrāddha at the beginning of the ages. Then I became very pleased with Indra, the great-souled.
यद्यत्त्वं वांछसे देव तत्सर्वं हि ददामि ते । अनेन वज्रयोगेन शीघ्रं वृत्रं हनिष्यसि
Whatever you desire, O god, I grant it all to you. With this union with the thunderbolt, you will swiftly slay Vṛtra.
शक्र उवाच। भगवंस्त्वत्प्रसादेन दितिजं च दुरासदम् । वज्रेण निहनिष्यामि पश्यतस्ते सुरोत्तम
Śakra said: O Lord, by your grace, I will slay the difficult-to-approach son of Diti with the thunderbolt, as you watch, O best of gods.
एवमुक्त्वा तदा इंद्रो गतवांश्चासुरं प्रति । तदा दुंदुभयो नेदुर्देवसैन्ये विशेषतः
Having spoken thus, Indra then went toward the demon. At that time, kettledrums resounded, especially in the army of the gods.
मृदंग डिंडिमाश्चैव भेरी तूर्याण्यनेकशः । असुराणां च सर्वेषां वृत्तिलोभो महानभूत
Mṛdaṅgas and ḍiṃḍimas, bherīs and many other instruments played. Among all the demons, a great greed for gain arose.
बलवान्मघवा चैव क्षणेन समजायत् । तमाविष्टं ततो ज्ञात्वा ऋषयः पन्नगास्तथा
Mighty Maghavān was instantly born. Seeing him possessed, the sages and serpents also recognized it.
स्तुवंति शक्रमीशानं स्तुत्या जयजयेति च । गच्छतस्तस्य शक्रस्य युद्धकामस्य सन्निधौ । ऋषिभिः स्तूयमानस्य रूपमासीत्सुदुर्भरम्
They praised Śakra, the Lord, with hymns and cries of victory. As Śakra went, eager for battle, surrounded by the sages' praises, his form became exceedingly difficult to bear.
महादेव उवाच। वृत्रस्यसहसा देवि तदा संग्राममूर्द्धनि । अभवन्यानि लिंगानि शरीरे तानि मे शृणु
Mahādeva said: O goddess, at the summit of the battle with Vṛtra, various liṅgas appeared on my body. Listen to them.
ज्वलतास्योभवद्धोरो वैवर्ण्यमभवत्परम् । गात्रकंपश्च सुमहान्श्वासः सोष्मा व्यजायत्
A fierce, blazing mouth appeared; an extreme pallor arose; great trembling of the limbs, and a heated breath manifested.
रोमहर्षश्च तीव्रोऽभूच्छ्वासश्चैव महानभूत् । निष्पपात महाघोरा उल्काः पार्श्वं प्रपेदिरे
There was horripilation and intense trembling, and a great exhalation arose; terrifying meteors fell and struck the side.
गृध्रा वटाः श्येन कंका वचो मुंचन्सुदारुणाः । वृत्रस्योपरि ते सर्वे चक्रवत्परिबभ्रमुः
Vultures, bats, hawks, and herons uttered dreadful cries; all of them circled above Vṛtra like a wheel.