कस्याज्ञाकारका यूयं यदधर्मप्रकारकाः । मुंचंतु वैष्णवं त्वेनं किमर्थं विधृतो ह्ययम्
'By whose command do you act, engaging in such unrighteous conduct? Release this Vaishnava—why is he being held by you?'
इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य जगदुर्यमकिंकराः । धर्मराजाज्ञया प्राप्ता नेतुं पापिनमुद्यताः
Hearing these words, the servants of Yama replied: 'By the order of Dharmaraja we have come, prepared to take away this sinner.'
नासौ कदाचिन्मनसा प्राणिमात्रोपकारकः । प्राणिहत्या महापापकारी दुष्टशरीरभृत्
'Never, even in thought, did he help any living being; he committed the great sin of killing creatures, bearing a wicked body.'
नॄन्बहूंस्तीर्थयात्रायां गच्छतोऽसौ व्यलुंठयत् । परदाररतो नित्यं सर्वपापाधिकारकः
'He robbed many people on pilgrimage, always indulged in others' wives, and was engaged in every kind of sin.'
तस्मान्नेतुं वयं प्राप्ताः पापिनं पुल्कसं नरम् । भवद्भिर्मोचितः कस्मादकस्मादागतैर्भटैः
'Therefore we have come to take away this sinful Pulka man. Why has he been released by you warriors who appeared suddenly?'
विष्णुदूता ऊचुः। ब्रह्महत्यादिकं पापं प्राणिकोटिवधोद्भवम् । शालग्रामशिलास्पर्शः सर्वं दहति तत्क्षणात्
The messengers of Vishnu said: 'Sin arising from killing even millions of beings, including brahma-hatya and the like, is instantly burned away by the touch of the Shalagrama stone.'
रामेति नाम यच्छ्रोत्रे विश्रंभादागतं यदि । करोति पापसंदाहं तूलं वह्निकणो यथा
'If the name "Rama" enters the ear with trust, it burns up sin just as a spark of fire consumes cotton.'
तुलसी मस्तके यस्य शिला हृदि मनोहरा । मुखे कर्णेऽथवा राम नाम मुक्तस्तदैव सः
'He who has tulasi on his head, the delightful stone at his heart, and the name of Rama on his mouth or ear—he is liberated at that very moment.'
तस्मादनेन तुलसी मस्तके विधृता पुरा । श्रावितं रामनामाशु शिला हृदि सुधारिता
'Therefore, this one had tulasi placed on his head before, the name of Rama was made to be heard quickly, and the stone was firmly placed at his heart.'
तस्मात्पापसमूहोऽस्य दग्धः पुण्यकलेवरः । यास्यते परमं स्थानं पापिनां यत्सुदुर्ल्लभम्
'Therefore, the mass of his sins has been burned; his body is now meritorious, and he will attain the supreme abode, which is very difficult for sinners to reach.'
वर्षायुतं तत्र भुक्त्वा भोगान्सर्वमनोहरान् । भारते जन्म संप्राप्य समाराध्य जगद्गुरुम्
'There, after enjoying all delightful pleasures for ten thousand years, he will be born in Bharata, and worship the teacher of the world.'
प्राप्स्यते परमं स्थानं सुरासुरसुदुर्ल्लभम् । न ज्ञातो महिमा सम्यक्छिलायाः परमेष्ठिनः
'He will attain the supreme abode, exceedingly rare for gods and demons; the true greatness of the stone of the Supreme Lord is not fully known.'
दृष्टा स्पृष्टार्चिता वापि सर्वपापहरा क्षणात् । इत्युक्त्वा विरताः सर्वे महाविष्णोर्गणा मुदा
'Seen, touched, or worshipped, it removes all sin in an instant.' Having spoken thus, all the hosts of Mahavishnu withdrew joyfully.
याम्यास्ते किंकरा राज्ञे कथयामासुरद्भुतम् । वैष्णवो हर्षमापेदे रघुनाथपरायणः
The servants of Yama then reported this wondrous event to their king; the Vaishnava, devoted to Raghunatha, experienced great joy.
मुक्तोऽसौ यमपाशाच्च गमिष्यति परं पदम् । तदाजगाम विमलं किंकिणीजालमंडितम्
He is freed from the bonds of Yama and will attain the supreme state; at that moment, he arrived at the spotless place adorned with a network of tinkling bells.
विमानं देवलोकात्तु मनोहारि महाद्भुतम् । तत्रारुह्य गतः स्वर्गं महापुण्यैर्निषेवितम्
A wondrous, captivating celestial vehicle came from the realm of the gods; ascending it, he reached heaven, which is served by those of great merit.
भोगान्भुक्त्वा स विपुलानाजगाम महीतलम् । काश्यां जन्म समासाद्य शुचिवाडवसत्कुले
After enjoying abundant pleasures, he returned to the earth; he obtained birth in Kāśī, in a pure and noble family of the Śucivāḍava lineage.
आराध्य जगतामीशं गतवान्परमं पदम् । स पापी साधुसंगत्या शालग्रामशिलां स्पृशन्
Having worshipped the Lord of all worlds, he attained the supreme state; that sinner, through association with the virtuous and touching the Śālagrāma stone,
महापीडाविनिर्मुक्तो गतवान्परमं पदम् । मया तेऽभिहितं राजन्गंडकीचरितं महत्
Freed from great suffering, he attained the supreme state; I have told you, O king, the great story of the Gaṇḍakī.
श्रुत्वा विमुच्यते पापैर्भुक्तिं मुक्तिं च विंदति
Upon hearing it, one is freed from sins and attains both enjoyment and liberation.
सुमतिरुवाच। एतन्माहात्म्यमतुलं गंडक्याः कर्णगोचरम् । कृत्वा कृतार्थमात्मानममन्यत नृपोत्तमः
Sumati said: Having brought the incomparable glory of the Gaṇḍakī to his ears, the noble king considered himself fulfilled.
स्नात्वा तीर्थे पितॄन्सर्वान्संतर्प्य जहृषे महान् । शालग्रामशिलापूजां कुर्वन्वाडववाक्यतः
After bathing at the holy site and satisfying all his ancestors, he rejoiced greatly, performing worship of the Śālagrāma stone according to the words of the Śucivāḍava.
चतुर्विंशच्छिलास्तत्र गृहीत्वा स नृपोत्तमः । पूजयामास प्रेम्णा च चंदनाद्युपचारकैः
There, the noble king took twenty-four stones and worshipped them with love, using sandalwood and other offerings.
तत्र दानानि दत्त्वा च दीनांधेभ्यो विशेषतः । गंतुं प्रचक्रमे राजा पुरुषोत्तममंदिरम्
There, he gave gifts, especially to the poor and the blind; the king then set out to go to the temple of Puruṣottama.
एवं क्रमेण संप्राप्तो गंगासागरसंगमम् । कृत्वाक्षिगोचरं तं च ब्राह्मणं पृष्टवान्मुदा
Thus, proceeding step by step, he reached the confluence of the Ganges and the ocean; making that place visible to his eyes, he joyfully questioned the brāhmaṇa.
स्वामिन्वद कियद्दूरे नीलाख्यः पर्वतो महान् । पुरुषोत्तमसंवासः सुरासुरनमस्कृतः
Master, tell me: how far is the great mountain called Nīla, the abode of Puruṣottama, revered by gods and demons?
तदा श्रुत्वा महद्वाक्यं रत्नग्रीवस्य भूपतेः । उवाच विस्मयाविष्टो राजानं प्रति सादरम्
Then, hearing the great words of Ratnagrīva, the king was struck with wonder; he respectfully spoke to him.
राजन्नेतत्स्थलं नीलपर्वतस्य नमस्कृतम् । किमर्थं दृश्यते नैव महापुण्यफलप्रदम्
O king, this place is revered by the Nīla mountain; why is it not seen, though it bestows the fruits of great merit?
पुनःपुनरुवाचेदं स्थलं नीलस्य भूभृतः । कथं न दृश्यते राजन्पुरुषोत्तमवासभृत्
Again and again he said: This place belongs to Nīla, the lord of the earth; why is it not seen, O king, though it is the abode of Puruṣottama?
अत्र स्नातं मया सम्यगत्र भिल्लाक्षिगोचराः । अनेनैव पथा राजन्नारूढं पर्वतोपरि
Here I have bathed properly, and here are the Bhilla people visible; by this very path, O king, none has ascended to the top of the mountain.