कस्मिंश्चित्स कुले जातो दुर्वृत्तानां द्विजन्मनाम् । भवांतरानुवर्तिन्या विद्यया स पुरस्कृतः
Born in some family of ill-behaved twice-born, he was honored by knowledge that followed him from a previous birth.
उपयेमे दुराधर्षां कन्यकामधमे कुले । कालेन सा वयो हित्वा शैशवं यौवनं ययौ
He married a difficult-to-approach maiden from a lowly family; in time, she left childhood behind and reached youth.
पीनस्तनी च सुश्रोणी मदविह्वललोचना । पतिं न सेहे दुर्वृत्तं चकमे स्वपतीन्परान्
Full-breasted, beautiful-hipped, her eyes intoxicated with passion, she could not endure her wicked husband and desired other men.
वृत्तिमाहर्तुकामस्मिन्निर्गता सा पुराद्बहिः । संगता कामुकेनासौ चिरं चांडालजन्मना
Desiring to obtain her livelihood, she left the house, and for a long time lived with a lover born in a low caste.
दधे गर्भमसौ तस्मात्सा च कन्योपपद्यते । सैव भार्यापि तस्यासीत्पूर्वपापप्रसंगतः
She conceived from him, and a daughter was born; that very daughter became his wife, due to the influence of previous sin.
सैव वृद्धा ततः काले डाकिनी समजायत । कुसंगात्कुमतिर्जाता दुष्टनारीप्रसंगतः
In time, she grew old and became a ḍākinī; from bad company, a wicked mind arose, from association with an evil woman.
चखाद व्याधितं व्याधमसृगास्वादलालसा । भ्रमंती विपिने घोरे जनैर्दृष्ट्वा बहिष्कृता
Craving the taste of blood, she devoured the sick and the hunters, wandering in the dreadful forest, cast out by people who saw her.
परेतलोकमासाद्य व्याधौ व्याघ्रोऽभ्यवर्त्तत । नरकान्दारुणान्भुक्त्वा जीवहिंसा प्रभावतः
Reaching the world of the dead, she was reborn as a tiger among hunters; because of the effect of violence toward living beings, she endured terrible hells.
सापि कालेन दुष्टात्मा मृत्युवेगमुपागता । निरयानेत्य दुर्द्धर्षानजाजायत मद्गृहे
In time, that wicked soul, seized by the force of death, came from hell and was born in my house, hard to subdue.
तामन्या अप्यहं विद्वन्पालयन्काननांतरे । अपश्यन्द्वीपिनं घोरं जिघांसंतमिवाखिलम्
O wise one, while I was caring for her in the forest, I saw a fierce leopard, as if intent on killing everything.
समालोक्य तमायांतं भयेन प्रपलायितम् । अजायूथं परित्यज्य मया मरणभीरुणा
Seeing him approaching, I, terrified of death, abandoned the flock of goats and fled.
उपदुद्राव स द्वीपी पूर्ववैरमनुस्मरन् । अजा तु तत्समीपेऽगात्सत्वरं सरिदंतिके
That leopard, recalling an old enmity, pursued; but the goat quickly went near the river.
तत्र सा भयमुत्सृज्य हित्वा वैरमनर्गला । अवतस्थे स च द्वीपी तूष्णीमासीदमत्सरः
There, she cast off fear and abandoned enmity without restraint; she stood firm, and the leopard sat silently, free from jealousy.
तं तथाविधमालोक्य सा वक्तुमुपचक्रमे । द्वीपिन्नभीप्सितं भुंक्ष्व मांसमुद्धृत्य सादरः
Seeing him in that state, she began to speak: 'O leopard, eat as you wish, respectfully taking the flesh.'
नेयं भवति ते बुद्धिः कथं वैरमतिं त्यजः । इत्याकर्ण्य तदा वाक्यं प्राह द्वीपी विमत्सरः
'This is not your nature, so why do you not abandon your hostile intent?' Hearing these words, the leopard replied, free from envy:
स्थानेऽस्मिन्मे गतो द्वेषः क्षुत्पिपासा च निर्ययौ । न प्रार्थयामि तेन त्वां समीपे समुपस्थिताम्
'In this place, my hatred has departed, and hunger and thirst have gone away; therefore, though you are near, I do not desire you.'
सैवमुक्ता पुनः प्राह जाताहं निर्भया कथम् । किमत्र कारणं वेत्सि यदि मे वक्तुमर्हसि
Thus freed, she spoke again: 'How have I become fearless? Do you know the reason for this? If so, please tell me.'
एवमुक्तः पुनर्द्वीपी तामाहाजां न वेद्म्यहम् । पुरोगतमिमं प्रष्टुं महांतमिति निर्गतौ
So addressed, the island-dweller replied to her: 'I do not know, mother. Let us ask the one ahead, the great one,' and they went forth.
ताभ्यामुभाभ्यामागत्य पृष्टोऽहं बहुविस्मयः । अहं च सहितस्ताभ्यामपृच्छं वानरेश्वरम्
When both of them approached, I was questioned, greatly astonished; together with them, I asked the lord of monkeys.
मया पृष्टः स विप्रेदमब्रवीत्सादरं कपिः । शृणु वक्ष्याम्यजापाल वृत्तमत्र पुरातनम्
Questioned by me, the learned monkey respectfully spoke: 'Listen, goat-herd, I will tell you the ancient story here.'
इदमायतनं पश्य पुरोवनगतं महत् । अत्र त्र्यंबकलिंगं हि द्रुहिणेन प्रतिष्ठितम्
Behold this great sanctuary ahead in the forest; here, the three-eyed linga was established by Brahma.
सुकर्मानाम मेधावी पर्युपास्ते तपश्चरन् । वनपुष्पाण्यपाहृत्य सुरपूज्यं पुरोभवम्
A wise man of good deeds worshipped here, practicing austerity; he brought forest flowers and offered them to the deity before him.
संस्नाप्य सरिदंभोभिः केवलं कर्मणा वसन् । काले महति तस्यागादतिथिः कश्चिदंतिकम्
He bathed the linga with waters from the river, living solely by his actions; after a long time, a guest arrived near him.
उपाहृत्य फलाहारं स तस्मै पर्यकल्पयत् । तेनातिथ्येन संप्रीतः सुकर्माणमभाषत
He brought fruit as food and prepared it for the guest; pleased by this hospitality, the guest spoke to the virtuous man.
किमिदं कर्मणो मूलं फलं भुक्त्वा तु तिष्ठसि । गतानुगतया वृत्त्या किं वा केवलमीहसे
'What is the root of this action? Having enjoyed its fruit, why do you remain? Do you act out of habit, or do you seek something else?'
स एवमुक्तः प्रायेण प्रीतेनात्मविदा तदा । प्रत्युवाच वचः स्पष्टमात्मनो हितमुत्तमम्
Thus addressed, the self-knower, pleased, replied clearly with words of highest benefit for himself.
विद्वन्न वेद्मि तत्वेन फलमेतस्य कर्मणः । बुभुत्सया परः शंभुः सेव्यते केवलं यया
'O wise one, I do not truly know the fruit of this action; with curiosity alone, I serve Shambhu.'
फलमेतस्य सेवायाः परिपाकं कपर्दिनः । यन्मांसमनुगृह्णासि संस्पृश्यात्ममनोरथम् 6.176.
'The fruit of this service to the matted-haired one ripens as you favor me, touching my heart's desire.'
तस्यैवं सूनृतं वाक्यं श्रुत्वा प्रीतस्तपोधनः । द्वितीयमालिलेखाऽसौ गीताध्यायं शिलातले
Hearing such truthful words, the ascetic was pleased; he inscribed a second chapter of song upon the stone.
आदिदेशाशु तं विप्रं पठनाभ्यसनाय च । फलिष्यत्यात्मनः स्वैरं परितस्ते मनोरथः
He quickly instructed the Brahmin to recite and study it; his own wish would be fulfilled freely and completely.