अत्रागत्य मया दृष्टः स महाज्वरपीडितः । मूर्ध्ना च वंदितस्तेन दत्ताशीर्मेऽभ्यभाषि च
Arriving there, I saw him greatly afflicted by fever; I bowed my head to him, received his blessing, and he spoke to me.
शरभ उवाच- किमर्थमिह भो तात दूरमार्गे समागतः । दिनानि कतिचित्तिष्ठन्कुर्वन्नत्र निजक्रियाम्
Śarabha said: Why have you come here, dear son, on this long road? Stay here for a few days, performing your own duties.
विकटो नाम मे मित्रः राक्षसः समुपैति वै । उत्तिष्ठ वपुषामुष्य दंडवत्पत पादयोः
A friend of mine named Vikaṭa, a demon, is coming here; rise, and with your body, fall at his feet in salutation.
न भेतव्यं त्वयामुष्मात्त्यक्तहिंसादि कर्मणः । अधुना तीर्थमासाद्य सन्निधौ मम तिष्ठति
You need not fear him, for he has abandoned violent deeds; now, having reached the sacred ford, he stands here in my presence.
शिवशर्मोवाच- इत्युक्तोऽहं तदा पित्रा शरभेण महात्मना । उत्थाय पतितस्तस्य पादयोर्दंडवद्भुवि
Śivaśarman said: Thus addressed by my father, the great-souled Śarabha, I rose and fell to the ground at his feet in full prostration.
दोर्भ्यामुत्थाप्य मां सोऽथ गाढमालिंग्य राक्षसः । स्वागतं मित्रपुत्रेति जगादाशिषमीरयन्
Then the demon lifted me up with his arms, embraced me tightly, and said, 'Welcome, friend’s son,' bestowing his blessings.
राक्षस उवाच- भाग्यवानसि भो तात यत्त्वमत्र समागतः । पितुर्धर्मात्मनः श्रुत्वा ज्वरपीडां सुदारुणाम्
The rākṣasa said: O dear one, you are indeed fortunate to have arrived here, having heard of your righteous father's severe affliction with fever.
पितुराण्यमाप्नोषि तीर्थे कृत्वा तिलोदकम् । स्नात्वा कुरु क्रियां स्वीयाः पूर्वजन्मस्मरिष्यसि
You obtain merit for your father by offering sesame water at this sacred place; after bathing, perform your own rites, and you will remember your previous birth.
शिवशर्मोवाच- एवमुक्तस्तदा तेन स्नातुं तीर्थे वरांभसि । प्रविष्टोऽहं स्मरंस्तात पूर्वजन्मशुभाशुभम्
Śivaśarma said: Thus addressed by him, I entered the excellent waters of the holy place to bathe, recalling, O father, the auspicious and inauspicious deeds of my previous birth.
स्नात्वा विधिवदत्रैव पितुरंतिकमागतः । अपृच्छं रक्षसो वृत्तं कुतोऽयं धर्मधीरिति
Having bathed properly there, I came to my father's presence and asked the rākṣasa about his story, wondering how he possessed such righteousness.
पित्रोक्तं रक्षसो वृत्तं वाहानां पथिकस्य च । श्रुत्वाऽहं तीर्थराजस्य स्तुतिमस्य चकार वै
Hearing from my father about the rākṣasa's story and that of the traveler and his steeds, I then composed a hymn of praise to the lord of the holy place.
पिता मे रोगनिर्मुक्तो भविष्यति यदा तदा । यास्यामि गृहमित्यत्र दशोषितमहानि मे
My father will be freed from disease; when that happens, I will return home. Here, I have stayed for ten days.
दशाहाभ्यंतरे तात तातस्य मरणं मम । अभूदर्धजले ह्यस्य तीर्थराजस्य पश्यतः
Within those ten days, O father, my father's death occurred, as he stood in the half-submerged waters of this lordly holy place.
अथो गरुडमारुह्य वक्षसो धारयन्श्रियम् । आजगाम स्वयं विष्णुर्नवीन घनविग्रहः
Then, mounting Garuḍa and bearing splendor upon his chest, Viṣṇu himself arrived, his form like a fresh rain cloud.
पीतवासा चतुर्बाहुः पंकजारुणलोचनः । ब्रह्मेंद्रादिभिरादिव्यैः सनाथैरंधकारिणा
Clad in yellow garments, with four arms and lotus-reddened eyes, accompanied by Brahmā, Indra, and other ancient deities, all with their attendants.
सेव्यमानो गुणग्रामान्गायद्भिः किन्नरैः सह । हाहाहूहूप्रभृतिभिः स्तूयमानश्च सर्वतः
He was served by hosts of virtues, sung by Kinnaras, and praised everywhere by Hāhā, Hūhū, and others.
दत्त्वा स्वकीय सारूप्यमारोप्य गरुडं तदा । पितरं मम ब्रह्माद्यैर्वृतो वैकुंठमारुहत्
Having granted his own likeness and placed my father upon Garuḍa, surrounded by Brahmā and others, he ascended to Vaikuṇṭha.
पितुः सारूप्यमालोक्य विष्णोरहमचिंतयम् । इति चित्ते तदालोक्य जाततत्वोदये तदा
Seeing my father attain the likeness of Viṣṇu, I reflected deeply; witnessing this, realization arose within me.
न हि वर्णयितुं शक्यो ह्यस्य तीर्थशिरोमणेः । महिमा यज्जलार्द्धे स्यान्मृतो जंतुश्चतुर्भुजः
Indeed, the greatness of this supreme holy place cannot be described; one who dies in its waters becomes four-armed.
न मया सर्वथा त्याज्यं तीर्थराजमिदं ननु । अंजसा दृढमाहात्म्यं धनरोगादितृष्ण्या
I must never abandon this lord of holy places; its greatness is firm and direct, dispelling desires for wealth, disease, and other cravings.
पितुरत्रोटजे तावत्स्थातव्यं हि मया मम । यावत्तु कर्मणां भुक्तः प्रारब्धानां महीतले
Here, at my father's shrine, I must remain until the fruits of my actions, begun on earth, are exhausted.
एवं विचिंतयित्वा च पितुः कृत्वा तु सत्क्रियाम् । रक्षसा तेन सहितः स्थितोऽहं मोक्षवांछया
Having thus considered, and having performed proper rites for my father, I remained here with the rākṣasa, desiring liberation.
इति श्रीपाद्मेमहापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्साहस्र्यां संहितायामुत्तरखंडे कालिंदीमाहात्म्ये चतुरधिकद्विशततमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the two hundred and fourth chapter, concerning the glory of the Kālindī, in the Uttarakhaṇḍa of the great Padma Purāṇa, comprising fifty-five thousand verses.
सौभरिरुवाच- धर्मराजशिबिः श्रीमानाकर्ण्य तद्वचो मुनेः । नारदस्याब्रवीत्प्रीतमना इति तमुत्तमम्
Saubhari said: The illustrious king Śibi, having heard the sage Nārada's words, addressed him with a delighted mind, thus speaking to that noble one.
शिबिरुवाच- मुने तीर्थवरस्यास्य निगमोद्बोध कस्य ते । माहात्म्यं वर्णितं सम्यक्श्रुतं पापहरं मया
Śibi said: O sage, I have listened to you describe in detail the greatness of this foremost tīrtha, as revealed in the scriptures, and its power to remove sin.
इंद्रप्रस्थेत्र शतशः संति तीर्थानि वै मुने । अन्यस्यापि समाचक्ष्व माहात्म्यं यदि विद्यते
O sage, in Indraprastha there are indeed hundreds of tīrthas; if there is any other whose greatness is known to you, please tell me about it as well.
नारद उवाच- इंद्रप्रस्थांतरावर्तिन्येषा या द्वारका नृप । अस्यां पुरा हि यद्वृत्तं तत्ते वच्मि शृणुष्व मे
Nārada said: O king, within Indraprastha there is a place called Dvārakā; I shall tell you what happened there in ancient times—listen to me.
काम्पिल्येऽथ द्विजः कश्चित् पुष्पेषुर्मूर्तिमानिव । सर्वासां योषितां चित्तहारी स्यादग्रविभ्रमैः
In Kāmpilya, there was a certain brāhmaṇa named Puṣpeṣur, who seemed to be the very embodiment of beauty, captivating the hearts of all women with his exceptional charm.
संगीतविद्याकुशलः कोकिलामधुरध्वनिः । एकदा स करे वीणां धारयन्वादयन्मुहुः
Skilled in the art of music, with a voice as sweet as a cuckoo’s, he would often take up his vīṇā and play it repeatedly.
कंठेन कोकिलालाप मधुरेण नराधिप । गायन्बभ्राम नगरे प्रतिरथ्यं महामतिः
With a melodious voice like a cuckoo’s, that wise man wandered through the city, singing in every street.