यः स्नात्वा प्रयतो नित्यं ततः पश्येत्पितामहम्। अनुलोमविलोमाभ्यां तथा व्यस्तसमस्तयोः
He who, having bathed and purified himself daily, then beholds the forefathers, both in direct and reverse order, as well as separately and together.
स्नातव्यं पुष्करे नित्यं ब्रह्मलोकमभीप्सिता। त्रीणि शृंगाणि शुभ्राणि त्रीणि प्रस्रवणानि च
One should bathe daily at Puṣkara, desiring the world of Brahma; there are three pure peaks and three springs.
पुष्कराणि प्रसिद्धानि न विद्मस्तत्र कारणं। कनीयांसं मध्यमं च तृतीयं ज्येष्ठपुष्करं
The Puṣkaras are renowned, but we do not know the reason there; the smaller, the middle, and the third, the eldest Puṣkara.
शृंगशद्बाभिधानानि शुभप्रस्रवणानि च। धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणां संकल्पैरफलं नरः
They are called by the names of peaks and auspicious springs; a man, with intentions for dharma, wealth, pleasure, and liberation, gains fruit without fail.
यस्तत्र संत्यजेद्देहं मोक्षं प्राप्नोत्यसंशयम्। प्रयतः संयतस्तस्यां स्नात्वा दद्याद्विजे शुभाम्
He who abandons his body there attains liberation without doubt; purified and restrained, having bathed there, he should give auspicious gifts to a Brahmin.
गामेकां मंत्रपूतां च लोकानाप्नोतिमोक्षदान्। किमत्र बहुनोक्तेन रात्रावपि हि योर्थिने
He attains worlds by giving a single cow, purified by mantra; what need is there for many words? Even at night, for one who desires it.
अर्थं प्रयच्छते स्नात्वा सोनन्तं सुखमश्नुते। तत्र दानं प्रशंसंति तिलानां मुनिसत्तमाः
He who gives wealth after bathing enjoys endless happiness; the sages praise the gift of sesame seeds there.
कृष्णपक्षे चतुर्दश्यां स्नानं च विहितं सदा। पिण्याकेन गुडेनापि पिंडं योत्र प्रयच्छति
Bathing is always prescribed on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight; and he who offers a ball made of flour or even jaggery there.
पितॄणां प्रयतो भूत्वा पितृलोकं स यछति। पुष्करारण्यमासाद्य पुनस्तस्मात्सरस्वती
Having become purified for the ancestors, he attains the world of the ancestors; reaching the Puṣkara forest, then from there to Sarasvatī.
अंतर्द्धानं गता गंतुं प्रवृत्तागपश्चिमामुखी। नातिदूरे ततस्तस्य पुष्करस्य सुशोभना
Having entered concealment, she set out to go, facing west; not far from there, near that Puṣkara, is a very beautiful place.
खर्जूरवनमासाद्य फलपुष्पोपशोभितं। तत्रोषित्वा पुनर्देवी वने मुनिमनोरमे
Arriving at a palm grove adorned with fruits and flowers, after staying there, the goddess again entered a forest delightful to sages.
सर्वर्तुकुसुमाकीर्णे सिद्धचारणसेविते। नंदा नाम सरिच्छ्रेष्ठा त्रिषुलोकेषु विश्रुता२५० 1.18.
Filled with flowers of all seasons, served by siddhas and celestial beings, Nandā is the name of the best river, famed in the three worlds.
मीननक्रझषोपेता विमलोदकपूरिता। सूत उवाच। अथ देवव्रतःप्राह किमन्या सा सरिद्वरा
Abounding with fish, crocodiles, and aquatic creatures, filled with pure water; Sūta said: Then Devavrata asked, 'What other is that excellent river?'
एतन्मे कौतुकं ब्रह्मन्नंदा शब्दा सरस्वती। यथाभूता येन कृता कारणेन सरिद्वरा
This is my curiosity, O Brahman, about Nandā, called Sarasvatī; how did she come to be, and for what reason is she the best of rivers?
एवमुक्ते पुलस्त्यः स भीष्मायैतत्पुरातनं। आख्यातुमुपचक्राम नंदा नाम यतस्स्मृतं
When this was spoken, Pulastya began to recount to Bhīṣma that ancient story, how Nandā came to be so named.
क्षत्रव्रतधरो नित्यमासीद्राजा प्रभंजनः। प्रवृत्तोसौ मृगान्हंतुं वने तस्मिन्महाबलः
There was a king named Prabhaṃjana, always devoted to the warrior's vow; he was mighty and engaged in hunting animals in that forest.
स ददर्श ततस्तस्मिन्मृगीं गुल्मांतरे स्थितां। मार्गणेन सुतीक्ष्णेन तां विव्याध पुरोगतां
Then he saw a doe standing within a thicket, and struck her, who was moving ahead, with a very sharp arrow.
सा विलोक्य दिशः सर्वास्तं दृष्ट्वा शरपाणिनं। आह किं ते कृतं मूढ त्वयैतत्कर्मदुष्करं
She looked in all directions, saw him holding the arrow, and said: 'What have you done, fool? This deed is most difficult.'
स्तनं तावत्प्रयच्छामि सुतस्याधोमुखी स्थिता। मांसलोभेन विद्धाहं तरसा ह्यकुतोभया
I was only offering my breast, lowered, to my child; struck swiftly by you, fearless one, out of greed for flesh.
पिबंतं गुप्तवत्सं च गूढमैथुनमागतं। एवंविधं मृगं राजन्न हन्यात्प्राङ्मया श्रुतं
A king should not kill such a deer—one nursing her hidden fawn, or one engaged in secret mating—so I have heard before.
स्तनं तु तनयस्यास्य प्रयच्छंती त्वया हता। बाणेनाशनिकल्पेन निर्दोषा वनमागता
While I was giving my breast to this child, you killed me with an arrow like a thunderbolt, though I was blameless and had come to the forest.
तस्मात्त्वमपि दुर्बुद्धे क्रव्यादत्वमवाप्स्यसि। वनेस्मिन्कंटकाकीर्णे व्याघ्ररूपं त्वमाप्नुहि
Therefore, you of evil mind, you too shall become a flesh-eater; in this thorny forest, assume the form of a tiger.
शापप्रदानं श्रुत्वैवं स राजापुरतः स्थितः। प्रोवाच प्रांजलिर्भूत्वा तां मृगीं व्यथितेन्द्रियः
Hearing her pronounce the curse, the king stood before her, his senses disturbed, and with joined palms spoke to the doe.
स्तनं तु तनयस्येह प्रयच्छंती न मे मता। अज्ञानेन हता भद्रे प्रसीद सुसमाधिना
'It was not my intention to kill one offering her breast to her child; I acted in ignorance, O gentle one. Be gracious, with firm composure.'
व्याघ्ररूपमहं त्यक्त्वा प्राप्स्यामि मानुषं कदा। एवंविधस्य शापस्य विमोक्षं शंस मे मृगि
'When will I, after abandoning the form of a tiger, regain a human body? Tell me, doe, the release from such a curse.'
एवमुक्ते मृगी तस्य प्रोवाच वचनं शुभम्। राजन्नब्दशतांते तु शापस्यागतया गवा
Thus addressed, the doe spoke auspicious words to him: 'O king, at the end of a hundred years, when the curse has run its course, you will converse with Nandā.'
नंदया सह संवादमासाद्यांतो भविष्यति। मृग्योक्ते वचने राजा व्याघ्र एवाभवत्तदा
'After meeting and conversing with Nandā, the end will come.' When the doe had spoken, the king then became a tiger.
नखदंष्ट्रायुधोपेतो व्याघ्ररूपोति भीषणः। तत्रासौ भक्षयन्नास्ते मृगान्हत्वा चतुष्पदः
Fierce in the form of a tiger, armed with claws and fangs, there he dwelt, killing and devouring four-footed animals.
द्विपदानपि तत्रस्थान्कालेन क्रमयोजितान्। एवं तत्र वने तस्य संवत्सरशतं गतम्
In time, he also devoured the two-footed beings who dwelled there; thus, in that forest, a hundred years passed for him.
आत्मानं निंदमानस्य मृगमांसानि खादतः। कदाहं मानुषं भावं गमिष्यामीदृशं पुनः
While eating the flesh of deer, he reproached himself: 'When will I again attain a human state like this?'