पुष्करे दुष्करं दानं वासश्चैव सुदुष्करः। ब्राह्मणो वेदविद्वांस्तु गत्वा वै ज्येष्ठपुष्करं
At Pushkara, charity is difficult, and dwelling there is exceedingly hard; a Brahmin learned in the Vedas, having gone to Jyestha Pushkara,
स्नानाद्भवेन्मोक्षभागी श्राद्धेन पितृतारकः। नाममात्रोपि यो विप्रो गत्वा संध्यामुपासते
By bathing, he attains liberation; by offering ancestral rites, he uplifts his forefathers; even a Brahmin who merely goes there and worships at twilight by name,
वर्षाणि द्वादशैवेह तेन संध्या ह्युपासिता। भवेत्तु नात्र संदेहः पुरा प्रोक्तं स्वयंभुवा
If he worships at twilight here for twelve years, there is no doubt about it; this was spoken by Svayambhu in ancient times.
सावित्री कथितो दोषः कुले तस्य न जायते। या पत्नी ददते भर्तुः संध्योपास्तिं करिष्यतः
The fault of Savitri does not arise in his lineage; the wife who gives support to her husband performing twilight worship,
करकेण तु ताम्रेण तोयं मुक्ता दिवं व्रजेत्। ब्रह्मलोकमनुप्राप्य तिष्ठति ब्रह्मणो दिनं५० 1.19.
With a copper vessel, water is released and one ascends to heaven; having reached Brahma's world, one remains for a day of Brahma.
एकाकिना गतेनापि संध्या वंद्या यथाक्रमं। पौष्करेणाथ तोयेन भृंगारे निहितेन तु
Even if one goes alone, the twilight worship should be performed in due order; and with Pushkara water placed in an iron vessel.
दक्षिणां दिशमास्थाय गायत्र्या राजसत्तम। पितॄणां परमा तृप्तिः क्रियते द्वादशाब्दिकी
O best of kings, when one faces the southern direction and recites the Gāyatrī, the ancestors receive the highest satisfaction for twelve years.
युगसहस्रं पिण्डेन श्राद्धेनानन्त्यमश्नुते। एतदर्थं हि विद्वांसः कुर्वंते दारसंग्रहं
By offering a piṇḍa in the śrāddha rite, one bestows endless merit upon the ancestors, lasting for a thousand ages; for this reason, the wise undertake the gathering of a wife.
तीर्थे गत्त्वा प्रदास्यामः पिंडान्वै श्राद्धपूर्वकं। तेषां पुत्रा धनं धान्यमविच्छिन्ना च संततिः
Having gone to a sacred place, we shall offer piṇḍas with proper śrāddha rites; their sons will have unbroken wealth, grain, and lineage.
भवेद्वै नात्र संदेह एतदाह पितामहः। तर्पयित्वा पितॄन्देवानग्निष्टोमफलं लभेत्
There should be no doubt about this—so said the Grandfather; after satisfying the ancestors and the gods, one attains the fruit of the Agniṣṭoma sacrifice.
आश्रमानपि ते वच्मि शृणुष्वैकमना नृप। अगस्त्येन कृतश्चात्र आश्रमो देवसंमितः
I will also tell you about the hermitages—listen attentively, O king; here, Agastya established a hermitage, esteemed as equal to the gods.
सप्तर्षीणां पुरा चात्र आश्रमो देवसम्मतः। ब्रह्मर्षीणां तथा चात्र मनूनां परमस्तथा
Long ago, here too was the hermitage of the Seven Sages, honored by the gods, as well as the supreme hermitage of the Brahmarṣis and Manus.
नागानां च पुरी रम्या यज्ञपर्वतरोधसि। अगस्त्यस्य महाराज प्रभावममितात्मनः
There is also a delightful city of the nāgas at the foot of the sacrificial mountain, O great king, and the wondrous power of Agastya, whose soul is immeasurable.
कथयामि समासेन शृणु त्वं सुसमाहितः। पूर्वं कृतयुगे भीष्म दानवा युद्धदुर्मदाः
I will briefly recount his story—listen with full attention; formerly, in the Kṛta Yuga, O Bhīṣma, the Dānavas, intoxicated by war, arose.
कालेया इति विख्याता गणाः परमदारुणाः। ते तु वृत्रं समाश्रित्य देवान्हंतुं समुद्यताः
There were hosts known as the Kāleyas, exceedingly fierce; they, taking refuge in Vṛtra, prepared to destroy the gods.
ततो देवाः समुद्विग्ना ब्रह्माणमुपतस्थिरे। कृतांजलींस्तु तान्सर्वान्परमेष्ठीत्युवाच ह
Then the gods, greatly troubled, approached Brahmā; with hands joined in reverence, they stood before the Supreme Lord, who spoke to them.
विदितं मे सुराः सर्वं यद्वः कार्यं चिकीर्षितं। तमुपायं प्रवक्ष्यामि यथा वृत्रं वधिष्यथ
"I know all, O gods, and what you wish to accomplish; I will tell you the means by which you shall slay Vṛtra."
दधीचिरिति विख्यातो महानृषिरुदारधीः। तं गत्वा सहितास्सर्वे वरं च प्रतियाचत
"There is a great sage named Dadhīci, renowned for his noble mind; go to him together and ask him for a boon."
स वो दास्यति धर्मात्मा सुप्रीतेनांतरात्मना। स वाच्यः सहितैः सर्वैर्भवद्भिर्जयकांक्षिभिः
"That righteous soul will grant it to you with a pleased heart; he should be addressed by all of you, who desire victory."
स्वान्यस्थीनि प्रयच्छस्व त्रैलोक्यहितकांक्षया। स शरीरं समुत्सृज्य स्वान्यस्थीनि प्रदास्यति
"For the welfare of the three worlds, ask him to give his own bones; he will abandon his body and bestow his bones."
तस्यास्थिभिर्महाघोरं वज्रं संक्रियतां दृढं। महच्छत्रुहनं दिव्यं तदस्त्रमशनिः स्मृतं
"From his bones, let a mighty and terrible thunderbolt be fashioned, firm and divine, a weapon famed as the lightning bolt, destroyer of great enemies."
तेन वज्रेण वै वृत्रं वधिष्यति शतक्रतुः। एतद्वः सर्वमाख्यातं तस्मात्सर्वं विधीयतां
"With that thunderbolt, Śatakratu will slay Vṛtra; all this I have told you—therefore, let everything be done accordingly."
एवमुक्तास्ततो देवा अनुज्ञाप्य पितामहं। शतक्रतुं पुरस्कृत्य दधीचेराश्रमं ययुः
Thus addressed, the gods, having taken leave of the Grandfather, set out for Dadhīci's hermitage, led by Śatakratu.
सरस्वत्याः परे पारे नानाद्रुमलतावृतं। षट्पदोद्गीतनिनदैरुद्घुष्टं सामगैरिव
On the far shore of the Sarasvatī, covered with various trees and creepers, resounded with the buzzing of bees, as if filled with the chants of Sāma singers.
पुंस्कोकिलरवोन्मिश्रं जीवं जीवकनादितम्। महिषैश्च वराहैश्च सृमरैश्चमरैरपि
The living beings, whose cries mingled with the calls of male cuckoos and jīvaka birds, together with buffaloes, boars, deer, and antelopes—
तत्रतत्रानुचरितैः शार्दूलभयवर्जितैः। करेणुभिर्वारणैश्च प्रभिन्नकरटामुखैः
Here and there, elephants and tuskers, unafraid of tigers, wandered about, their trunks and mouths wide open.
स्वरोद्गारैश्च क्रीडद्भिः समंतादनुनादितं। सिंहव्याघ्रैर्महानादं नदद्भिरनुनादितं
The area resounded all around with the calls of playful animals and the mighty roars of lions and tigers.
मयूरैश्चापि संलीनैर्गुहाकंदरवासिभिः। तेषु तेषु च कुंजेषु नादितं सुमनोरमं
Peacocks, too, hidden in caves and mountain hollows, filled those groves with their most delightful cries.
त्रिविष्टपसमप्रख्यं दधीच्याश्रममागमन्। तत्रापश्यन्दधीचिं तं दिवाकरसमप्रभम्
Arriving at the hermitage of Dadhīci, which was as splendid as heaven itself, they saw Dadhīci shining like the sun.
जाज्वल्यमानं वपुषा यथा लक्ष्म्या चतुर्भुजम्। तस्य पादौ सुरा राजन्नभिवंद्य प्रणम्य च। अयाचंत वरं सर्वे यथोक्तं परमेष्ठिना
Blazing with radiance, four-armed like Lakṣmī, the gods, O King, bowed at his feet and, after prostrating, each requested the boon as instructed by Brahmā.