वाराणसी मया दृष्टा विश्वनाथकृतालया । यत्रोपदिशते मंत्रं तारकं ब्रह्मसंज्ञितम्
I have seen Vārāṇasī, the abode established by Viśvanātha, where the mantra called Tāraka, signifying Brahman, is imparted.
यस्यां मृताः कीटपतंगभृंगाः पश्वादयो वा सुरयोनयो वा । स्वकर्मसंभोगसुखं विहाय गच्छंति कैलासमतीतदुःखाः
Where those who die—be they insects, moths, bees, cattle, or even gods—abandon the pleasures born of their own actions and, free from all suffering, go to Kailāsa.
मणिकर्णिर्यत्र तीर्थं यस्यामुत्तरवाहिनी । करोति संसृतेर्बंधच्छेदं पापकृतामपि
Where is the holy place Maṇikarṇikā, where the river flows northward; it cuts the bonds of transmigration even for those who have committed sins.
कपर्दिनः कुंडलिनः सर्पभूषाधरावराः । गजचर्मपरीधाना वसंति गतदुःखकाः
Where the followers of Kapardin, the coiled one, adorned with serpent ornaments, clad in elephant skins, dwell free from sorrow.
कालभैरवनामात्र करोति यमशासनम् । न करोति नृणां वार्तां यमो दंडधरः प्रभुः
Only Kālabhairava enforces Yama's command; Yama, the lord who wields the rod, does not concern himself with the affairs of men.
एतादृशी मया दृष्टा काशी विश्वेश्वरांकिता । अनेकान्यपि तीर्थानि मया दृष्टानि भूमिप
Such is the Kāśī I have seen, marked by Viśveśvara; I have also seen many other sacred places, O king.
परमेकं महच्चित्रं यद्दृष्टं नीलपर्वते । पुरुषोत्तमसान्निध्ये तन्न क्वाप्यक्षिगोचरम्
But the one supreme, wondrous thing I saw upon the Nīla mountain—by the presence of the Supreme Person—cannot be seen anywhere else by the eyes.
ब्राह्मण उवाच। राजंस्त्वं शृणु यद्वृत्तं नीले पर्वतसत्तमे । यच्छ्रद्दधानाः पुरुषा यांति ब्रह्म सनातनम्
The brāhmaṇa said: O king, listen to what happened on the excellent Nīla mountain, where faithful people attain the eternal Brahman.
मया पर्यटता तत्र गतं नीलाभिधे गिरौ । गंगासागरतोयेन क्षालितप्रांगणे मुहुः
As I wandered there, I went to the mountain called Nīla, whose courtyard was repeatedly washed by the waters of the Gaṅgā and the ocean.
तत्र भिल्ला मया दृष्टाः पर्वताग्रे धनुर्भृतः । चतुर्भुजा मूलफलैर्भक्ष्यैर्निर्वाहितक्लमाः
There I saw Bhillas on the mountain peak, armed with bows, four-armed, their fatigue relieved by roots, fruits, and edible things.
तदा मे मनसि क्षिप्रं संशयः सुमहानभूत् । चतुर्भुजाः किमेते वै धनुर्बाणधरा नराः
Then, a great doubt quickly arose in my mind: are these four-armed, bow-bearing men truly human?
वैकुंठवासिनां रूपं दृश्यते विजितात्मनाम् । कथमेतैरुपालब्धं ब्रह्माद्यैरपि दुर्ल्लभम्
The form of those dwelling in Vaikuṇṭha is seen among those who have mastered themselves; how have these attained what is hard to obtain even for Brahmā and the others?
शंखचक्रगदाशार्ङ्गपद्मोल्लसितपाणयः । वनमालापरीतांगा विष्णुभक्ता इवांतिके
With hands shining with conch, discus, mace, bow, and lotus, their bodies adorned with garlands of forest flowers, they seemed like devotees of Viṣṇu nearby.
संशयाविष्टचित्तेन मया पृष्टं तदा नृप । यूयं के बत युष्माभिर्लब्धं चातुर्भुजं कथम्
With my mind seized by doubt, I asked them then, O king: Who are you? How have you all obtained this four-armed form?
तदा तैर्बहु हास्यं तु कृत्वा मां प्रतिभाषितम् । ब्राह्मणोऽयं न जानाति पिंडमाहात्म्यमद्भुतम्
Then, after much laughter, they replied to me: 'This brāhmaṇa does not know the wondrous greatness of the piṇḍa-offering.'
इति श्रुत्वाऽवदं चाहं कः पिंडः कस्य दीयते । तन्मम ब्रूत धर्मिष्ठाश्चतुर्भुजशरीरिणः
Hearing this, I said: 'What is the piṇḍa? To whom is it given? Tell me, O righteous four-armed ones.'
तदा मद्वाक्यमाकर्ण्य कथितं तैर्महात्मभिः । सर्वं तत्र तु यद्वृत्तं चतुर्भुजभवादिकम्
Then, hearing my words, those great souls told me everything that had happened there, including the origin of their four-armed forms.
किराता ऊचुः। शृणु ब्राह्मण वृत्तांतमस्माकं पृथुकः शिशुः । नित्यं जंबूफलादीनि भक्षयन्क्रीडया चरन्
The Kirātas said: 'Listen, brāhmaṇa, to our story. Pṛthuka, a child among us, would always eat jambu fruits and wander about in play.'
एकदा रममाणस्तु गिरिशृंगं मनोरमम् । समारुरोह शिशुभिः समंतात्परिवारितः
One day, while playing, he climbed a delightful mountain peak, surrounded on all sides by other children.
तदा तत्र ददर्शाहं देवायतनमद्भुतम् । गारुत्मतादिमणिभिः खचितं स्वर्णभित्तिकम्
Then, there I saw a wondrous temple of the gods, set with gems from Garuḍa's mountain and walls of gold.
स्वकांत्यातिमिरश्रेणीं दारयद्रविवद्भृशम् । दृष्ट्वा विस्मयमापेदे किमिदं कस्य वै गृहम्
Its own radiance pierced the dense darkness like flowing liquid; seeing it, I was amazed: 'What is this? Whose house could it be?'
गत्वा विलोकयामीति किमिदं महतां पदम् । इति संचिंत्य गेहांतर्जगाम बहुभाग्यतः
Thinking, 'Let me go and see—what is this great abode?' he entered the house, blessed by great fortune.
ददर्श तत्र देवेशं सुरासुरनमस्कृतम् । किरीटहारकेयूरग्रैवेयाद्यैर्विराजितम्
There he beheld the Lord of the gods, honored by both gods and demons, radiant with crown, necklace, armlets, chest ornaments, and other adornments.
मनोहरावतंसौ च धारयंतं सुनिर्मलौ । पादपद्मे तुलसिका गंधमत्तषडंघ्रिके
He wore two beautiful, spotless ear ornaments, and on his lotus feet were fragrant tulasi leaves, with bees intoxicated by their scent.
शंखचक्रगदाशार्ङ्ग पद्माद्यैर्मूर्तिसंयुतैः । उपासितांघ्रिं श्रीमूर्तिं नारदाद्यैः सुसेवितम्
He was accompanied by forms bearing conch, discus, mace, bow, lotus, and other emblems; his glorious feet were worshipped by Narada and others, who served him devotedly.
केचिद्गायंति नृत्यंति हसंति परमाद्भुतम् । प्रीणयंति महाराजं सर्वलोकैकवंदितम्
Some sang, some danced, some laughed in supreme wonder, delighting the great king who is revered by all worlds.
हरिं वीक्ष्य मदीयोर्भस्तत्र संजग्मिवान्मुने । देवास्तत्र विधायोच्चैः पूजां धूपादिसंयताम्
Upon seeing Hari, my heart was overwhelmed there, O sage; the gods then performed worship with incense and other offerings, loudly and with devotion.
नैवेद्यं श्रीप्रियस्यार्थे कृत्वा नीराजनं ततः । जग्मुः स्वं स्वं गृहं राजन्कृपां पश्यंत आदरात्
For the sake of the beloved of Shri, they prepared offerings and then performed the waving of lights; afterward, O king, they returned to their own homes, observing his grace with reverence.
महाभाग्यवशात्तेन प्राप्तं नैवेद्यसिक्थकम् । पतितं ब्रह्मदेवाद्यैर्दुर्ल्लभं सुरमानुषैः
By great fortune, the offering of sweet food was obtained there, fallen from the gods led by Brahma, a delicacy rare for gods and humans alike.
तद्भक्षणं च कृत्वाथो श्रीमूर्तिमवलोक्य च । चतुर्भुजत्वमाप्तं वै पृथुकेन सुशोभिना
After eating that, and beholding the glorious form, he attained four arms, beautifully adorned and splendid.