तेन दोषेण स मृतो ह्यभवत्कालकुंडली । सा कुंडा श्रवणस्य स्त्री बभूवोभयदोषभाक्
Because of that fault, when he died, he became a black snake; that snake, Kundā, was Shravan's wife, sharing both faults.
अतः सा स्थावरत्वं हि लब्ध्वासीदुभयाश्रया । एतत्ते कथितं भूप तद्वृत्तं पूर्वजन्मनि
Thus, she attained the state of immobility and was of dual nature; this, O king, is the account of their previous birth.
अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि तेषां पुण्यं यतस्त्रयः । प्रापुस्तेन पुरीं रम्यां काशीं वैश्वेश्वरीं नृप
Next, I will tell you of their merit, by which the three of them reached the delightful city of Kāśī, O king, the city of Viśveśvarī.
ग्रामांतरादेकदा तौ प्रत्यायातौ निजालयम् । कस्यचित्पथिकस्याथ कूपमग्नां पयस्विनीम्
Once, returning from another village to their own home, they saw a milk-giving cow fallen into a well, belonging to a certain traveler.
अवलोक्य तदुद्धारं चक्रतुस्तेन नोदितौ । ताभ्यांगदितमाकर्ण्य कुंडा साध्वित्यभाषत
Seeing this, they rescued her, prompted by no one; hearing their words, Kundā spoke approvingly.
ते त्रयस्तेनपुण्येन मरणं प्राप्य दुर्लभम् । इंद्रप्रस्थतटस्थायां काश्यां वैकुंठमारुहन्
By that merit, the three attained a rare death and ascended to Vaikuṇṭha in Kāśī, on the bank of Indraprastha.
इयं काशी महेशस्य पुरी यद्यपि भूपते । तथाप्यस्यां मृतं जंतुर्वैकुंठे स्यात्सुखी हरेः
This Kāśī is the city of Maheśa, O king; yet, even so, one who dies here becomes happy in Vaikuṇṭha, the abode of Hari.
एतत्ते कथितं राजन्काश्या माहात्म्यमुत्तमम् । किमन्यच्छ्रोतुमिच्छा ते विद्यते तद्वदस्व मे
Thus, O king, I have told you the supreme glory of Kāśī; what else do you wish to hear? Tell me if there is anything.
शिबिरुवाच- मुने त्वया महेशस्य क्षेत्रत्रयमुदीरितम् । काशी च शिवकांची च गोकर्णं च तथापरम्
Śibiru said: Sage, you have described three fields of Maheśa: Kāśī, Śivakāñcī, and Gokarṇa as the other.
एकस्य महिमा प्रोक्तो त्वया काश्या महामुने । गोकर्णशिवकांच्योश्च कथ्यतां यदि विद्यते
You have spoken of the greatness of one, Kāśī, O great sage; tell of Gokarṇa and Śivakāñcī, if there is anything.
नारद उवाच-। गोकर्णं केवलं शैवं क्षेत्रं परमपावनम् । तस्मिन्मृतो नरो राजन्शिवः स्यान्नात्र संशयः
Nārada said: Gokarṇa is solely a Śaiva field, supremely pure; if a man dies there, O king, he becomes Śiva—there is no doubt.
स्थले जलेंतरिक्षे च जंतुस्तत्र मृयेत चेत् । तदा कैलासशिखरो शिवः संभूय दीव्यति
Whether on land, in water, or in the sky, if a creature dies there, then Śiva, lord of Kailāsa's peak, appears and rejoices.
अत्र गोकर्णतीर्थे स्यान्मृतस्य न पुनर्भवः । शिवेन स समं राजन्मुक्तिं यास्यति कर्हिचित्
At this Gokarṇa holy place, there is no rebirth for one who dies; together with Śiva, O king, he will attain liberation at some time.
अस्यापि तव माहात्म्यं गोकर्णस्य महामते । वर्णयामि यदाकर्णि मया ब्रह्ममुखात्प्रभो
I will describe to you, O wise one, the greatness of Gokarṇa, as I heard it from the mouth of Brahmā, O lord.
प्रयागादेकगव्यूतौ गुरुतीर्थसमीपगः । मर्यादापर्वतो योऽयं दृश्यते पुण्यदर्शनः
Near Prayāga, in one cow's length, beside the great holy place, is seen the boundary mountain, auspicious to behold.
तत्रैकः कर्कटो नाम भिल्ल आसीत्सुदारुणः । तस्य भार्या जरा नाम सा जघ्ने पतिपंचकम्
There, a Bhilla named Karkaṭa lived, very cruel; his wife, named Jarā, killed five husbands.
सा जरा विषसंयुक्तं षष्ठं कर्कटकं तदा । अकरोन्मोदकं हंतुं तदा तेन स्वसुः श्रुतम्
Then that old woman, having mixed poison, made the sixth sweetmeat in order to kill, as she had heard from her sister.
निजाया मुखतो राजन्भिल्लेन च महात्मना । बालां तां हंतुमारेभे कर्कटो भृशदारुणः
O King, the great-souled Bhilla, with his own wife before him, set out to kill that girl; the crab was exceedingly fierce.
खङ्गपाणिर्यदा याति तद्वधाय स भिल्लपः । यावत्तावत्तु सा यायाज्ज्ञात्वा निजवधोद्यमम्
When the Bhilla, sword in hand, came to kill her, she, realizing his intention to kill her, quickly fled.
वनमभ्यद्रवद्भीता निजप्राणपरीप्सया । तामनुद्रवता तेन कर्कटेन महीपते
Frightened and desiring to save her own life, she ran into the forest, pursued by that crab, O King.
अत्र गोकर्णतीर्थे तु गृहीता खङ्गपाणिना । शिरश्छित्वा तु खङ्गेन पातयित्वा जले वपुः
There, at the Gokarna holy place, she was seized by the sword-wielding man; he cut off her head with the sword and cast her body into the water.
तस्य गोकर्णतीर्थस्य निजस्थानमगाच्च सः । सा जरा तत्र गोकर्णे पापापि निधनं गता
He then returned to his own place at the Gokarna holy site; that old woman, though sinful, met her end there at Gokarna.
कैलासशिखरे राजन्पार्वत्या अभवत्सखी । अहं कथितवानेतत्तव गोकर्णवैभवम्
O King, on the peak of Kailasa, I became a companion of Parvati; I have told you this glory of Gokarna.
शिवकांच्याश्च माहात्म्यं पवित्रं वर्णयामि ते । इंद्रप्रस्थतटस्थायां शिवकांच्यामपि प्रभो
I will describe to you the sacred greatness of Shivakanchi, which stands on the bank at Indraprastha, O Lord.
गतिः सा परमा पुंसां गोकर्णे या मयोदिता । अत्र श्रीमन्महादेवो विष्णुं सर्वसुरेश्वरम्
That supreme state for men at Gokarna, which I have described—here, the glorious Mahadeva worshipped Vishnu, lord of all the gods.
आराध्य भक्तराजत्वं लेभे ज्ञानं च तात्विकम् । अतः सर्वे वयं पुत्रा ब्रह्मणस्तं महेश्वरम्
Having worshipped him, he attained the kingship of devotees and true knowledge; therefore, O sons of Brahma, we all worship that great Lord.
आराधयामः सततं सद्भक्तिज्ञानलिप्सया । अत्र बाणासुरो राजन्नारराध महेश्वरम्
We always worship him here, desiring true devotion and knowledge; here, O King, Bana the demon worshipped the great Lord.
निराहारो वर्षशतं तद्गुणत्वबुभूषया । तस्मै प्रसन्नो भगवान्गणत्वं दत्तवान्निजम्
Fasting for a hundred years, wishing for the quality of being his attendant, the blessed Lord, pleased with him, granted him his own attendant-hood.
स्वयं च सर्वदा तस्य पुरपालो बभूवह । इयं पुरी पुरा राजन्नासीद्विष्णोर्महात्मनः
And always, I myself became the guardian of his city; O King, this city was once the abode of the great-souled Vishnu.
दत्ता शिवाय तुष्टेन तपसा तस्य विष्णुना । अस्यामेकं पुरावृत्तं महदाश्चर्यकारकम्
It was given to Shiva by Vishnu, who was pleased by his austerity; in this city, a great and wondrous event once occurred.