यज्ञोपवीतमात्राणि प्रविभक्तानि पांडव । तेषु स्नात्वा तु राजेंद्र सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते
The sacred divisions are measured by the length of a sacred thread, O Pandava; bathing in them, O king, one is freed from all sins.
जलेश्वरं च यत्तीर्थं त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम् । तस्योत्पत्तिं कथयतः शृणु पांडवनंदन
The holy place called Jaleshvara, renowned in the three worlds—hear, O delight of the Pandavas, the account of its origin as I relate it.
पुरा मुनिगणाः सर्वे सेन्द्राश्चैव मरुद्गणाः । स्तुवंति ते महात्मानं देवदेवं महेश्वरम्
Once, all the hosts of sages, along with Indra and the Maruts, praised that great soul, the god of gods, Maheshvara.
स्तुवमानास्तु संप्राप्ता यत्र देवो महेश्वरः । विज्ञापयंति देवेशं सेंद्राश्चैव मरुद्गणाः । भयोद्विग्नान्विरूपाक्ष परित्रायस्व नः प्रभो
While praising him, they arrived where the god Maheshvara was; Indra and the Maruts made their request to the Lord of the gods: 'O wide-eyed one, we are distressed by fear—protect us, O Lord.'
ईश्वर उवाच-। स्वागतं तु मुनिश्रेष्ठाः किमर्थमिह चागताः । किं दुःखं कोऽनुसंतापः कुतो वा भयमागतम्
The Lord said: 'Welcome, O best of sages! For what purpose have you come here? What sorrow, what distress, or what fear has arisen?'
कथयध्वं महाभागा एतदिच्छामि वेदितुम् । एवमुक्तास्तु रुद्रेणाकथयन्नमितव्रताः
'Speak, O greatly fortunate ones, for I wish to know this.' Thus addressed by Rudra, those of firm vows spoke.
ऋषय ऊचुः-। अपि घोरो महावीर्यो दानवो बलदर्पितः । बाणो नामेति विख्यातो यस्य वै त्रिपुरं पुरम्
The sages said: 'Indeed, there is a terrible and mighty demon, famed as Bana, proud of his strength, whose city is Tripura.'
गगने तु वसद्दिव्यं भ्रमते तस्य तेजसा । तस्माद्भीता विरूपाक्ष त्वामेव शरणं गताः
'Dwelling in the sky, he moves about with his brilliance; because of him, O wide-eyed one, we are afraid and have sought refuge in you.'
त्रायस्व महतो दुःखाद्देवत्वं हि परा गतिः । एवं प्रसादं देवेश सर्वेषां कर्तुमर्हसि
'Rescue us from this great distress, for divinity is the highest refuge; thus, O Lord of gods, you should grant favor to all.'
येन देवाः सुप्रसन्नाः सुखमेधंति शंकर । परां निर्वृतिमायांति तत्प्रभो कर्तुमर्हसि
'By whom the gods are well pleased and dwell in happiness, O Shankara, you should grant that supreme bliss, O Lord.'
देव उवाच-। एतत्सर्वं करिष्यामि मा विषादं करिष्यथ । अचिरेणैव कालेन कुर्यां युष्मत्सुखावहम्
The god said: 'I shall do all this; do not be disheartened. In a short time, I will bring you happiness.'
आश्वासयित्वा तान्सर्वान्नर्मदातटमास्थितः । चिंतयामास सर्वेशस्तद्वधं प्रति पांडव
Having reassured them all, he took his place on the bank of the Narmada; the Lord of all pondered, O Pandava, on the means to slay him.
कथं केन प्रकारेण हंतव्यस्त्रिपुरो मया । एवं संचिंत्य भगवान्नारदं स्मरते तदा । स्मरणादेव संप्राप्तो नारदः समुपस्थितः
How, and by what means, should I destroy Tripura? Thus reflecting, the Blessed Lord then remembers Nārada. By the very act of remembrance, Nārada immediately appears and stands before him.
नारद उवाच-। आज्ञापय महादेव किमर्थं संस्मृतो ह्यहम् । किं कार्यं तु मया देव कर्तव्यं कथयस्व मे
Nārada said: Command me, O Great God! For what purpose have I been remembered? What task must I accomplish, O Lord? Tell me.
ईश्वर उवाच-। गच्छ नारद तत्रैव यत्र तत्त्रिपुरं पुरम् । बाणस्य दानवेन्द्रस्य शीघ्रं गच्छाथ तत्कुरु
Īśvara said: Go, Nārada, to that very place where the city of Tripura is. Go swiftly to Bāṇa, the lord of the demons, and do what must be done.
भर्तारो देवताभाश्च स्त्रियश्चाप्सरसोपमाः । तासां वै तेजसा विप्र भ्रमते त्रिपुरं दिवि
Its lords are like the gods, and its women resemble celestial nymphs; by their radiance, O brāhmaṇa, Tripura shines in the heavens.
तत्र गत्वा तु विप्रेंद्र मंत्रमन्यं प्रचोदय । देवस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा मुनिस्त्वरितविक्रमः
Go there, O foremost of brāhmaṇas, and inspire another mantra. Hearing the god's words, the sage, swift and resolute, set out.
स्त्रीणां हृदयनाशाय प्रविष्टस्तं पुरं प्रति । शोभते तत्पुरं दिव्यं नानारत्नोपशोभितम्
To bring ruin to the hearts of the women, he entered that city. That divine city shone, adorned with various precious gems.
शतयोजनविस्तीर्णं ततो द्विगुणमायतम् । ततः पश्यति तत्रैव बाणं तु बलदर्पितम्
It stretched a hundred yojanas wide and twice as long. There, he saw Bāṇa, proud of his strength.
मालाकुंडलकेयूरैर्मुकुटेन विराजितम् । हाररत्नैश्च संछन्नं चंद्रकांतिविभूषितम्
He was resplendent with garlands, earrings, armlets, and a crown, covered with jeweled necklaces and adorned with the radiance of the moon.
ललनास्तस्य रत्नाढ्याः नराः कनकमंडिताः । उत्थितो नारदं दृष्ट्वा दानवेंद्रो महाबलः
His women were rich in jewels, and his men adorned with gold. Rising up, the mighty lord of the demons saw Nārada.
बाण उवाच-। स देवर्षिः स्वयं प्राप्तो मद्गृहं प्रति संप्रति । अर्घं पाद्यं यथान्यायं क्रियतां द्विजसत्तम
Bāṇa said: The divine sage himself has now come to my house. Let the proper offerings—arghya and water for the feet—be made, O best of brāhmaṇas.
चिरात्समागतो विप्र स्थीयतामिदमासनम् । एवं संभावयित्वा तु नारदं समुपस्थितम्
O brāhmaṇa, you have come after a long time—let this seat be prepared. Thus, having honored Nārada, he welcomed him.
तस्य भार्या महादेवी अनौपम्या तु नामतः
His wife was the great goddess, renowned by the name Anaupamyā.
अनौपम्योवाच-। भगवन्मानुषे लोके देवास्तुष्यंति केन वै । व्रतेन नियमेनापि दानेन तपसाथवा
Anaupamyā said: O Blessed One, by what vow, discipline, gift, or austerity are the gods pleased in the world of men?
नारद उवाच-। तिलधेनुं च यो दद्याद्ब्राह्मणे वेदपारगे । ससागरा नवद्वीपा दत्ता भवति मेदिनी
Nārada said: Whoever gives a cow made of sesame seeds to a brāhmaṇa learned in the Vedas, gives, as it were, the earth with its nine continents and oceans.
सूर्यकोटिप्रतीकाशैर्विमानैः सर्वकामिकैः । मोदते चाक्षयं कालं सुचिरं कृतशासनः
He enjoys, for an endless time, celestial palaces shining like ten million suns, filled with every desire, having fulfilled his command.
आम्रातककपित्थानि कदलीवनमेव च । कदंब चंपकाशोका अनेक विविधद्रुमाः
There are mango, āmalaka, wood-apple trees, groves of bananas, kadamba, campaka, aśoka, and many other various trees.
अष्टमी च चतुर्थी च द्वादशी च तथा उभे । संक्रांतिर्विषुवं चैव दिनच्छिद्रमुखं तथा
The eighth, the fourth, and the twelfth lunar days, both transitions of the sun, the equinox, and the juncture of day and night—
पुण्यान्येतानि सर्वाणि उपवासंति याः स्त्रियः । तासां तु धर्म्मयुक्तानां स्वर्गे वासो न संशयः
All these are auspicious occasions. Women who observe fasts on these days, endowed with righteousness, surely dwell in heaven—there is no doubt.