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.
इत्युक्त्वांतर्दधे धीमान्पुरतस्तस्य पश्यतः । विस्मितस्तस्य चादेशात्सोऽन्वतिष्ठदनारतम्
Having spoken thus, the wise one vanished before him; astonished, he followed the instruction constantly.
ततः कालेन महता भावितात्मा प्रसन्नधीः । यत्रयत्र चचारासौ शांतं तत्तत्तपोवनम्
Then, after a long time, his mind purified and serene, wherever he wandered, each hermitage was peaceful.
न द्वंद्वबाधा नैव क्षुत्पिपासा न च वा भयम् । तपसा तस्य जानीहि द्वितीयाध्यायजापिनः
There was no suffering from opposites, no hunger or thirst, nor any fear; know this from the ascetic who recited the second chapter.
मित्रवानुवाच। एवमुक्तश्च तेनाऽहं ख्यापयित्वा परां कथाम् । अनुज्ञातप्रसंनेन च्छागीव्याघ्रयुतोगमम्
Mitravan said: 'Thus addressed by him, I revealed the supreme story; with his gracious permission, I departed accompanied by the goat and the tiger.'
गत्वा शिलातले पश्यमध्यायं लिखितं पठेत् । तस्यैवावर्त्तनादाप्तं तपसः पारमुत्तमम्
Going to the stone slab, let him read the written chapter; by repeating it, he attains the highest limit of austerity.
तेन त्वमपि कल्याण नित्यमाहर्तुमर्हसि । अध्यायं तेन ते मुक्तिरदूरस्था भविष्यति
Therefore, O auspicious one, you too should always recite that chapter; by that, liberation will not be far from you.
देवशर्मा समादिष्टस्तेन मित्रवता स्वयम् । अभ्यर्च्य प्रणतो भूत्वा पुरंदरपुरं ययौ
Thus instructed by that friend himself, Devaśarman, having worshipped and bowed, went to the city of Indra.
तत्रात्मविदमासाद्य देवतायतने क्वचित् । वृत्तमेतन्निवेद्यादावध्यायमपठत्ततः
There, meeting a knower of the self at a certain temple, he first reported this event and then recited the chapter.
शिक्षितस्तेन पूतात्मा पठन्नध्यायमादरात् । द्वितीयमाससादोच्चैर्निरवद्यं परं पदम्
Taught by him, pure in heart, he recited the chapter with devotion, and at the end of the second month, attained the flawless supreme state.
द्वितीयस्येदमाख्यानं कथितं शृणु सांप्रतम् । तृतीयस्याथ वक्ष्यामि माहात्म्यमपि चेंदिरे
The story of the second has been told; now listen as I will describe the greatness of the third, O Indira.