अतऊर्ध्वं पिशाचास्ते आहारार्थं सुदुःखिताः । इतस्ततश्च धावंतो वसंति सरसस्तटे
From then on, those piśācas, greatly distressed for food, wander here and there, dwelling on the banks of the lake.
नारद उवाच- एवं बहुतिथे काले लोमशो मुनिसत्तमः । आगतश्च महाभागस्तत्र यादृच्छिको मुनि
Nārada said: After a long time, the eminent sage Lomaśa, endowed with great fortune, arrived there by chance.
तं दृष्ट्वा ब्राह्मणं सर्वे पिशाचाः क्षुत्समाकुलाः । धावंतो ह्यत्तुकामास्ते मिलित्वा यूथवर्तिनः
Seeing that brāhmaṇa, all the piśācas, tormented by hunger, rushed together in groups, desiring to eat.
दह्यमानास्तु तीव्रेण तेजसा लोमशस्य तु । असमर्थाः पुरः स्थातुं ते सर्वे दूरतः स्थिताः
Burned by the intense radiance of Lomaśa, they were unable to stand before him and all remained at a distance.
तत्र पूर्वकर्मबलात्पिशाचः सह वै द्विजः । समीक्ष्य लोमशं राजन्साष्टांगं प्रणिपत्य च
There, by the force of previous karma, the piśāca along with the twice-born, seeing Lomaśa, O king, prostrated himself with eight limbs.
उवाच सूनृतां वाचं बद्ध्वा शिरसि चांजलिम् । महाभाग्योदये विप्र साधूनां संगतिर्भवेत्
He spoke gentle words, joining his hands on his head: 'O fortunate one, the association of the virtuous is auspicious.'
गंगादिपुण्यतीर्थेषु यो नरः स्नाति सर्वथा । यः करोति सतां संगं तयोः सत्संगमो वरः
Whoever bathes at the holy fords like the Ganges, and whoever associates with the virtuous—of these, association with the virtuous is superior.
गुरूणां संगमो विप्र दृष्टादृष्टफलो भुवि । स्वर्गदो रोगहारी च किं तमोपहरो मतः
Association with gurus, O brāhmaṇa, yields visible and invisible results on earth; it grants heaven, removes disease, and is considered to dispel darkness.
इत्युक्त्वा कथयामास पूर्ववृत्तांतमद्भुतम् । इमा गंधर्वकन्यास्ता मुने सोऽहं द्विजात्मजः
Having said this, he began to recount the wondrous previous events: 'These are Gandharva maidens, O sage, and I am the son of a twice-born.'
सर्वे पिशाचरूपेण मिथः शापविमोहिताः । दीनाननास्सुतिष्ठामस्तवाग्रे मुनिसत्तम
All, bewildered by the curse, have taken the form of piśācas; with miserable faces, we stand before you, O eminent sage.
त्वद्दर्शनेन बालानां निस्तारो नो भविष्यति । सूर्योदये तमस्तोमः किं नु लीयेत पुष्करे
By your sight, deliverance for the girls will occur for us; just as at sunrise, does a mass of darkness dissolve in the lotus pond?
श्रुत्वैतल्लोमशो वाक्यं कृपार्द्रीकृतमानसः । प्रत्युवाच महातेजा दुःखितं तं मुनेः सुतम्
Hearing these words, Lomaśa, his mind softened by compassion, replied to that sorrowful son of the sage, endowed with great radiance.
मत्प्रसादाच्च सर्वेषां स्मृतिः सपदि जायताम् । धर्मे च वर्ततां येन मिथः शापो लयं व्रजेत्
By my grace, let memory arise instantly for all, and let them act according to dharma, so that the mutual curse may dissolve.
पिशाच उवाच- महर्षे कथ्यतां धर्मो मुच्येम येन किल्बिषात् । नायं कालो विलंबस्य शापाग्निर्दारुणो यतः
The Piśāca said: O great sage, tell us the dharma by which we may be freed from sin; this is not the time for delay, for the fire of the curse is fierce.
लोमश उवाच- मया सार्द्धं प्रकुर्वंतु रेवास्नानं विधानतः । शापान्मोक्ष्यति वो रेवा नान्यथा निष्कृतिर्भवेत्
Lomaśa said: Let them perform the prescribed bath in the Revā together with me; Revā will release you from the curse—there is no other expiation.
शृणुष्वावहितो विप्र पापनाशो ध्रुवं नृणाम् । रेवास्नानेन जायेत इति मे निश्चिता मतिः
Listen attentively, O brāhmaṇa: the destruction of sin for people is certain; it arises from bathing in the Revā—this is my firm conviction.
सप्तजन्मकृतं पापं वर्तमानं च पातकम् । रेवास्नानं दहेत्सर्वं तूलराशिमिवानलः
The sin accumulated over seven births, and the present transgression, the Revā bath burns it all, like fire consumes a heap of cotton.
प्रायाश्चित्तं न पश्यंति यस्मिन्पापे पिशाचक । तत्सर्वं नर्मदातोये स्नानमात्रेण नश्यति
Whatever sin for which no expiation is seen, O Piśāca, all of that perishes merely by bathing in the waters of the Narmadā.
ज्ञानकृन्नर्म्मदास्नानमतो मोक्षफला हि सा । हिमवत्पुण्यतीर्थानि सर्वपापहराणि वै
Bathing in the Narmadā with knowledge brings the fruit of liberation; the holy places of Himavat indeed remove all sins.
इंद्रलोकप्रदं हीदं निर्मितं ब्रह्मवादिभिः । सर्वकामफला रेवा मोक्षदा परिकीर्तिता
This grants the world of Indra, established by those versed in Brahman; Revā is proclaimed as granting all desired fruits and liberation.
पापघ्नी पापहारिणी सर्वकामफलप्रदा । विष्णुलोकदआप्लावो नार्मदः पापनाशनः
Revā destroys sin, removes transgressions, and grants all desired fruits; immersion in Narmadā leads to Viṣṇu's world and destroys sin.
यामुनः सूर्यलोकाय भवेदाप्लाव उत्तमः । सारस्वतोघविध्वंसी ब्रह्मलोकफलप्रदः
Yāmuna's immersion leads to the world of the Sun; Sarasvatī's stream destroys obstacles and grants the fruit of Brahman's world.
विशालफलदा प्रोक्ता विशाला हि पिशाचक । पापेंधनदवाग्निस्तु गर्भहेतुक्रियापहः
Viśālā is said to grant vast fruits, O Piśāca; it is like a wildfire for the fuel of sin, removing the causes of rebirth.
विष्णुलोकाय मोक्षाय नार्मदः परिकीर्तितः । सरयूगंडकीसिंधुश्चंद्रभागा च कौशिकी
Narmadā is proclaimed for attaining Viṣṇu's world and liberation; Sarayū, Gaṇḍakī, Sindhu, Candrabhāgā, and Kauśikī likewise.
तापी गोदावरी भीमा पयोष्णी कृष्णवेणिका । कावेरी तुंगभद्रा च अन्याश्चापि समुद्रगाः
Tāpī, Godāvarī, Bhīmā, Payoṣṇī, Kṛṣṇaveṇikā, Kāverī, Tuṅgabhadrā, and others that flow to the ocean.
तासु रेवा परा प्रोक्ता विष्णुलोकप्रदायिनी । रेवा तु प्राप्यते पुण्यैः पूर्वजन्मकृतैर्द्विज । अपुनर्भवदं तत्र मज्जनं मुनिपुत्रक
Among them, Revā is declared supreme, granting Viṣṇu's world; Revā is attained by merits from previous births, O twice-born; bathing there brings freedom from rebirth, O sage's son.
गायंति देवाः सततं दिविष्ठा रेवा कदा दृष्टिगता हि नो भवेत् । स्नाता नरा यत्र न गर्भवेदनां पश्यंति तिष्ठंति च विष्णुसन्निधौ
The gods in heaven always sing: 'When will Revā come within our sight?' Where people bathe, they do not experience the pain of birth and remain in the presence of Viṣṇu.
मज्जंति ये प्रत्यहमत्र मानवा रेवासुतो ये बहुपापकंचुकाः । मज्जंति ते नो निरयेषु धर्म्मतः स्वर्गे तु ते चारुचरंति देववत्
Those who bathe daily here in Revā, even those covered in many sins, do not fall into hell by dharma, but instead move beautifully in heaven like gods.
तीव्रैर्व्रतैर्दानतपोभिरध्वरैः सार्धं विधात्रा तुलया धृता पुरा । रेवापिशाचाशु तयोर्द्वयोरभूद्रेवा वरा तत्र च मोक्षसाधिका
In ancient times, Revā was weighed by the Creator against intense vows, gifts, austerities, and sacrifices; Revā was found superior to both, and there it is most conducive to liberation.
नारद उवाच- एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचस्तस्य लोमशस्य पिशाचकाः । तेन सार्द्धं ययुः शीघ्रं रेवामज्जनहेतवे
Nārada said: Hearing these words of Lomaśa, the Piśācas quickly went with him for the purpose of bathing in the Revā.