यत्र ते मुनयश्शान्ता नानास्वाध्यायवादिनः। ते समागत्य ऋषयस्सस्मरुर्वै सरस्वतीम्
There, the peaceful sages, each expounding different teachings, gathered together and remembered Sarasvatī.
साभिध्याता महाभागा ऋषिभिः सत्रयाजिभिः। समास्थिता दिशं पूर्वां भक्तिप्रीता महानदी
Invoked by those great, sacrificial seers, the blessed river Sarasvatī, filled with devotion and love, appeared in the eastern direction.
प्राची पूर्वावहा नाम्ना मुनिवंद्या सरस्वती। इदमन्यन्महाराज शृण्वाश्चर्यवरं भुवि
The Sarasvatī, honored by sages, is called the Eastern-flowing One; now, O King, hear another wondrous tale on earth.
क्षतो मंकणको विप्रः कुशाग्रेणेति नः श्रुतम्। क्षतात्किल करे तस्य राजन्शाकरसोस्रवत्
We have heard that the brāhmaṇa Maṅkaṇaka was wounded by a blade of kuśa grass; from the wound on his hand, O King, sugarcane juice flowed.
स वै शाकरसं दृष्ट्वा हर्षाविष्टः प्रनृत्तवान्। ततस्तस्मिन्प्रनृत्ते तु स्थावरं जंगमं च यत्
Seeing the sugarcane juice, he was overcome with joy and began to dance; then, as he danced, all that was movable and immovable there—
प्रानृत्यत जगत्सर्वं तेजसा तस्य मोहितम्। शक्रादिभिस्सुरै राजन्नृषिभिश्च तपोधनैः
—the entire world—danced as well, bewildered by his radiance; O King, the gods led by Indra and the ascetic sages were astonished.
विज्ञप्तस्तत्र वै ब्रह्मा नायं नृत्येत्तथा कुरु। आदिष्टो ब्रह्मणा रुद्र ऋषेरर्थे नराधिप
There, Brahmā was informed: 'He should not dance in this way.' At Brahmā’s command, Rudra was sent for the sake of the sage, O King.
नायं नृत्येद्यथा भीम तथा त्वं वक्तुमर्हसि। गत्वा रुद्रो मुनिं दृष्ट्वा हर्षाविष्टमतीव हि
'He must not dance so fiercely; you should tell him this.' Rudra went and, seeing the sage overwhelmed with joy—
भो भो विप्रर्षभ त्वं हि नृत्यसे केन हेतुना। नृत्यमानेन भवता जगत्सर्वं च नृत्यति
—said, 'O best of brāhmaṇas, for what reason are you dancing? As you dance, the whole world dances with you.'
तेनायं वारितः प्राह नृत्यन्वै मुनिसत्तमः। मुनिरुवाच। किं न पश्यसि मे देव कराच्छाकरसोस्रवत्
Thus restrained, the excellent sage continued dancing and replied: 'Do you not see, O god, that sugarcane juice flows from my hand?'
तं तु दृष्ट्वाप्र नृत्तोहं हर्षेण महतावृतः। तं प्रहस्याब्रवीद्देवो मुनिं रागेण मोहितम्
Seeing that, I danced, filled with great joy; the god, smiling, spoke to the sage, who was deluded by passion.
अहं न विस्मयं विप्र गच्छामीह प्रपश्य मां। एवमुक्तो मुनिश्रेष्ठो महादेवेन कौरव
'O brāhmaṇa, I am not amazed by this; look at me here.' Thus addressed by Mahādeva, O Kaurava—
ध्यायमानस्तदा कोयं प्रतिषिद्धोस्मि येन हि। अंगुल्यग्रेण राजेंद्र स्वांगुष्ठस्ताडितस्तथा
The sage, meditating, wondered, 'Who is this who has stopped me?' Then, O King, he struck his own thumb with his fingertip.
ततो भस्मक्षताद्राजन्निर्गतं हिमपांडुरं। तद्दृष्ट्वा व्रीडितश्चासौ प्राह तत्पादयोः पतन्
From the wound, O King, ash—white as snow—emerged; seeing that, he became ashamed and, falling at his feet, said—
नान्यद्देवादहं मन्ये रुद्रात्परतरं महत्। चराचरस्य जगतो गतिस्त्वमसि शूलधृत्
'I consider no one greater than Rudra, O god; you, O wielder of the trident, are the refuge of the moving and unmoving universe.'
त्वया सृष्टमिदं सर्वं वदंतीह मनीषिणः। त्वामेव सर्वं विशति पुनरेव युगक्षये
'The wise declare that all this was created by you; at the end of the age, everything again enters into you.'
देवैरपि न शक्यस्त्वं परिज्ञातुं मया कुतः। त्वयि सर्वे च दृश्यन्ते सुरा ब्रह्मादयोपि ये
Even the gods cannot fully comprehend you—how could I? In you are seen all the gods, even Brahmā and the others.
सर्वस्त्वमसि देवानां कर्ता कारयिता च यः। त्वत्प्रसादात्सुराः सर्वे भवंतीहाकुतोभयाः
You alone are the creator and cause of all the gods; by your grace, all the gods here become fearless.'
एवं स्तुत्वा महादेवमृषिश्च प्रणतोब्रवीत्। भगवंस्त्वत्प्रसादेन तपो न क्षीयते त्विह
Having thus praised the great god, the sage, bowing, spoke: 'O Lord, by your grace, my austerity is not diminished here.'
ततो देवः प्रीतमनास्तमृषिं पुनरब्रवीत्। तपस्ते वर्द्धतां विप्र मत्प्रसादात्सहस्रधा
Then the god, pleased in mind, again spoke to the sage: 'May your austerity increase a thousandfold, O Brahmin, by my grace.'
प्राचीमेवेह वत्स्यामि त्वया सार्द्धमहं सदा। सरस्वती महापुण्या क्षेत्रे चास्मिन्विशेषतः
I shall dwell always in the east here with you, especially in this field of the highly sacred Sarasvati.
न तस्य दुर्लर्भं किंचिदिह लोके परत्र च। सरस्वत्युत्तरे तीरे यस्त्यजेदात्मनस्तनुम्१५० 1.18.
There is nothing difficult to obtain in this world or the next for one who abandons his body on the northern bank of the Sarasvati.
प्राचीतटे जाप्यपरो न चेह म्रियते पुनः। आप्लुतो वाजिमेधस्य फलमाप्स्यति पुष्कलं
One devoted to recitation on the eastern shore does not die here again; having bathed, he attains the abundant fruit of a horse-sacrifice.
नियमैश्चोपवासैश्च कर्शयन्देहमात्मनः। जलाहारो वायुभक्षः पर्णाहारश्च तापसः
By disciplines and fasts, emaciating his own body, the ascetic subsists on water, air, or leaves.
तथा स्थंडिलशायी च ये चान्ये नियमाः पृथक्। करोति यो द्विजश्रेष्ठो नियमांस्तान्व्रतानि च
Likewise, those who sleep on the ground and practice other separate disciplines—whichever disciplines and vows the best of twice-born performs,
स याति शुद्धदेहश्च ब्रह्मणः परमं पदं। तस्मिंस्तीर्थे तु यैर्दत्तं तिलमात्रं तु कांचनं
He attains the supreme state of Brahman with a purified body; and whatever is given at that sacred place, even a morsel of sesame or gold,
मेरुदानसमं तत्स्यात्पुरा प्राह प्रजापतिः। तस्मिंस्तीर्थे तु ये श्राद्धं करिष्यंति हि मानवाः
Is equal to a gift of Mount Meru, so said the Lord of Creatures long ago; and those who perform ancestral rites at that sacred place,
एकविंशकुलोपेताः स्वर्गं यास्यंति ते नराः। पितॄणां च शुभं तीर्थं पिंडेनैकेन तर्पिताः
Those men, accompanied by twenty-one generations, will go to heaven; and the ancestors, satisfied by a single ball of rice at that sacred place,
ब्रह्मलोकं गमिष्यंति स्वपुत्रेणेह तारिताः। भूयश्चान्नं न चेच्छंति मोक्षमार्गं व्रजंति ते
Will go to the world of Brahma, having been delivered here by their own son; and if they do not desire food again, they proceed on the path of liberation.
प्राचीनत्वं सरस्वत्या यथा भूतं शृणुष्व तत्। सरस्वती पुरा प्रोक्ता देवैः सर्वैः सवासवैः
Hear now the ancient origin of the Sarasvati as it truly was; the Sarasvati was formerly spoken of by all the gods together with the Vasus.