द्रक्ष्यामि त्वां पुनरहं प्रयासि कुत्र मे सखि। एवमुक्ता तु सा गंगा प्रोवाच मधुरां गिरम्
'I will see you again; where are you going, my friend?' Thus addressed, Ganga spoke sweet words.
यदैवायास्यसि प्राचीं दिशं मां पश्यसे शुभे। विबुधैस्त्वं परिवृता दर्शनं तव संश्रये
'Whenever you come to the eastern direction, you will see me, O auspicious one. Surrounded by the gods, I will seek your audience.'
उदङ्मुखी तदा भूत्वा त्यज शोकं शुचिस्मिते। अहं चोदङ्मुखी पुण्या त्वं तु प्राची सरस्वति
'Then, facing north, abandon your sorrow, O smiling one. I am the holy one facing north, and you, Sarasvati, face east.'
तत्र क्रतुशतं पुण्यं स्नानदानेन सुव्रते। श्राद्धदाने तथा नित्यं पितॄणां दत्तमक्षयम्
There, a hundred sacred rites are performed through bathing and giving, O virtuous one; and by offering oblations to ancestors, the gifts given there are eternal.
ये करिष्यंति मनुजा विमुक्तास्त्ते ऋणैस्त्रिभिः। मोक्षमार्गं गमिष्यंति विचारो नात्र विद्यते
Those humans who become free from the three debts will proceed on the path of liberation; there is no doubt about this.
तामुवाच ततो गंगा पुनर्दर्शनमस्तु ते। गच्छ स्वमालयं भद्रे स्मर्तव्याहं त्वयानघे
Then Ganga spoke to her: 'May you have another meeting; go to your own abode, O blessed one, and remember me, O sinless one.'
यमुनापि तथैवं सा गायत्री च मनोरमा। सावित्र्या सहिताः सर्वाः सखीं संप्रैषयंस्तथा
In the same way, Yamuna and the lovely Gayatri, together with Savitri, all sent their companion likewise.
ततो विसृज्य तान्देवान्नदी भूत्वा सरस्वती। उत्तंकस्याश्रमपद उद्भूता सा मनस्विनी
Then, having taken leave of those goddesses, Sarasvati, possessing a noble mind, became a river and appeared at the hermitage of Uttanka.
अधस्तात्प्लक्षवृक्षस्य अवरोप्य च तां तनुम्। अवतीर्णा महाभागा देवानां पश्यतां तदा
Descending from below the plaksha tree and leaving her form there, the illustrious one manifested before the gods at that time.
विष्णुरूपस्तरुः सोत्र सर्वदेवैस्तु वंदितः। संसेव्यश्च द्विजैर्नित्यं फलहेतोर्महोदयः
There, the tree in the form of Vishnu was honored by all the gods, and constantly served by the twice-born for the great benefit of its fruits.
अनेकशाखाविततश्चतुर्मुख इवापरः। तत्कोटरकुटीकोटि प्रविष्टानां द्विजन्मनाम्
With many spreading branches, it appeared like another Four-faced One; in the hollows of its roots were countless huts of the twice-born.
श्रूयंते विविधा वाचः सुराणां रक्तचेतसाम्। वनस्पतिरपुष्पोपि पुष्पितश्चोपलक्ष्यते
Various voices of the gods, whose hearts were delighted, are heard there; though the tree bore no flowers, it was seen as if blossoming.
जातीचंपकवत्पुष्पैः शाखालग्नैः शुकैः शुभैः। केतकीभिः सुरभिभिरशोभत सरिद्वरा
The best of rivers was adorned with beautiful parrots clinging to its branches, with jasmine and champaka flowers, and fragrant ketaki blossoms.
कोकिलाभिस्स मालेव फेनकैः पुष्पितेव सा। हरेणेव यथा गंगा प्लक्षेणैव हि सा तथा
With cuckoos like garlands, with foam like blossoms, she shone, just as Ganga does with the hare or with the plaksha tree.
तत्रांभस्था तदा देवं प्रोवाचाथ जनार्दनम्। समर्पयस्व तं वह्निं देवादेशं करोम्यहम्
There, standing in the water, she then spoke to the god Janardana: 'Offer that fire; I will carry out the command of the gods.'
एवमुक्तेन सा तेन प्रत्युक्ता विष्णुना तदा। न ते दाहभयं त्याज्यस्त्वयायं वह्निराट्स्वयम्
Thus addressed by her, Vishnu replied at that time: 'You need not fear burning; this fire-lord is not to be abandoned by you.'
पश्चिमं सागरं नेतुं वाडवज्वलनं शुभे। एवं क्रमेण गच्छंत्या तदापं प्राप्स्यते शुभे
To lead the submarine fire to the western ocean, O auspicious one, proceed in this manner; thus, you will reach the waters, O blessed one.
ततस्तं शातकुंभस्थं कृत्वासौ वडवानलं। समर्पयत गोविंदः सरस्वत्या महोदरे
Then Govinda placed the submarine fire in a golden vessel and entrusted it to Sarasvati, the great river.
सा तं गृहीत्वा सुश्रोणी प्रतीच्यभिमुखी ययौ। अंतर्द्धानेन संप्राप्ता पुष्करं सा महानदी
She, the beautiful-hipped one, taking it, went westward; by her power of concealment, the great river reached Pushkara.
मर्यादापर्वते तस्मिन्संभूता विमला सरित्। पुष्करारण्यं विपुलं सुरसिद्धनिषेवितम्
At that boundary mountain, the pure river arose; the vast forest of Pushkara was frequented by gods and perfected beings.
पितामहेन यत्रासीद्यज्ञसत्रं निषेवितम्। सिध्यर्थं मुनिमुख्यानामागतासौ महानदी
There, the grandsire performed a sacrificial session; for the success of the foremost sages, the great river arrived there.
येषु तत्र कृतो होमः कुंडेष्वासीद्विरिंचिना। तानि सर्वाणि संप्लाव्य तोयेनाप्युद्गता हि सा२०० 1.18.
Wherever the sacrifice was performed by Brahma in the fire-pits, she flooded all those with her waters and then emerged.
तत्र क्षेत्रे महापुण्या पुष्करे सा तथोत्थिता। तेन तत्पूरणं प्रोक्तं वायुना जगदायुषा
There, in that sacred field, the highly meritorious Sarasvatī arose in Puṣkara; thus, it is said, the filling of that place was accomplished by Vāyu, the life-breath of the world.
सापि तत्क्षेत्रमासाद्य पुण्यं पुण्या महानदी। सरस्वती स्थिता देवी मर्त्यानां पापनाशिनी
That most auspicious and holy river, Sarasvatī, having reached that field, abides there as a goddess, destroyer of sins for mortals.
तत्र ये शुभकर्माणः पुष्करस्थां सरस्वतीम्। पश्यंति ते न पश्यंति सुघोरां तामधोगतिं
Those who perform virtuous deeds and behold Sarasvatī residing at Puṣkara do not encounter that dreadful, terrible downfall.
यः पुनस्तत्र भावेन नरः स्नानं समाचरेत्। स ब्रह्मलोकमासाद्य ब्रह्मणा सह मोदते
Moreover, any man who, with devotion, bathes there attains the world of Brahmā and delights together with Brahmā.
यस्तु दद्यात्तत्र दधि ब्राह्मणाय मनोरमम्। सोप्यग्निलोकमासाद्य भुंक्ते भोगान्सुशोभनान्
And whoever gives delightful curds there to a brāhmaṇa attains the world of Agni and enjoys splendid pleasures.
वरं प्रावरणं योपि भक्त्या दद्याद्द्विजातये। सोपि सद्वस्त्रदानस्य फलं दशगुणं लभेत्
Even one who gives, with devotion, a fine garment to a twice-born there receives a tenfold reward of the gift of good clothing.
ज्येष्ठकुंडे नरः स्नात्वा यः संतर्पयते पितॄन्। स तानुद्धरते सर्वान्नरकादपि शुद्धधीः
A man of pure mind who, after bathing in the Jyeṣṭha pool, offers oblations to the ancestors, rescues them all even from hell.
क्षेत्रे पैतामहे पूते पुण्यां प्राप्य सरस्वतीम्। नरः किं प्रार्थयेदन्यत्तीर्थं ब्रह्मसुतोब्रवीत्
In the pure ancestral field, having attained the holy Sarasvatī, what other sacred place should a man desire? So spoke the son of Brahmā.