हतशिष्टास्ततः केचित्कालेयदनुजोत्तमाः। विदार्य वसुधां देवीं पातालतलमाश्रिताः
Some of the surviving danavas, the foremost among the sons of Kālaya, tore open the earth goddess and took refuge in the realm beneath the earth.
निहतान्दानवान्दृष्ट्वा त्रिदशा मुनिपुंगवम्। तुष्टुवुर्विविधैर्वाक्यैरिदं चैवाब्रुवन्वचः
Seeing the danavas slain, the gods praised the foremost among sages with various words, and spoke these words as well.
त्वत्प्रसादान्महाभाग लोकैः प्राप्तं महत्सुखम्। त्वत्तेजसा च निहताः कालेया भीमविक्रमाः
By your grace, O highly fortunate one, the worlds have attained great happiness; and by your power, the mighty and terrible Kālīyas have been destroyed.
पूरयस्व महाविप्र समुद्रं लोकभावनम्। यत्त्वया सलिलं पीतं तदस्मिन्पुनरुत्सृज
O great sage, replenisher of the worlds, restore the ocean; release again into it the water that you drank.
एवमुक्तः प्रत्युवाच भगवान्मुनिपुंगवः। जीर्णं तद्धि मया तोयमुपायोन्यः प्रचिंत्यताम्
Thus addressed, the venerable sage among sages replied: That water has already been digested by me; let another means be considered.
पूरणार्थं समुद्रस्य भवद्भिर्यत्नमास्थितैः। एवं श्रुत्वा तु वचनं महर्षेर्भावितात्मनः
For the purpose of filling the ocean, let effort be undertaken by all of you; thus, having heard the words of the great seer, whose mind is steadfast,
विस्मिताश्च विषण्णाश्च बभूवुः सहितास्सुराः। परस्परमनुज्ञाप्य प्रणम्य मुनिपुंगवम्
the gods, together, became astonished and disheartened; after mutually taking leave and bowing to the eminent sage,
प्रजाः सर्वा महाराज विप्रा जग्मुर्यथागतम्। त्रिदशा विष्णुना सार्द्धमनुजग्मुः पितामहम्
all the people, O great king, and the brahmins departed as they had come; the gods, along with Viṣṇu, followed the Grandfather (Brahmā).
पूरणार्थं समुद्रस्य मंत्रयंतः परस्परम्। ऊचुः प्रांजलयः सर्वे सागरस्य हि पूरणम्
For the purpose of filling the ocean, they deliberated among themselves; with joined palms, they all spoke about the replenishment of the sea.
तानुवाच समेतांस्तु ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः। गच्छध्वं विबुधास्सर्वे यथाकामं यथेप्सितम्
Then Brahmā, the Grandfather of the worlds, addressed them as they were assembled: Go, all you gods, as you wish, as you desire.
महता कालयोगेन प्रकृतिं यास्यतेऽर्णवः। ज्ञातींस्तु कारणं कृत्वा महाराजो भगीरथः
In due course of time, the ocean will return to its natural state; but King Bhagiratha, making his ancestors the cause,
गंगौघेन समुद्रं च पुनः संपूरयिष्यति। एवं ते ब्रह्मणा देवाः प्रेषिता ऋषिसत्तमाः
will again fill the ocean with the stream of the Ganges; thus, at Brahmā’s command, the gods and the best of sages departed.
उवाच भगवांस्तुष्टस्त्वगस्त्यमृषिसत्तमम्। देवकार्यं तु भवता दानवानां विनाशनम्
Then the blessed one, pleased, spoke to Agastya, the eminent sage: By you, the task of the gods—the destruction of the Dānavas—has been accomplished.
यतस्संतारिता देवास्तेन तुष्टोस्मि वै मुने। अभिप्रेतो वरो यस्ते याचयस्व ददामि तम्
Because the gods have been delivered by you, O sage, I am indeed pleased; ask for whatever boon you desire, I shall grant it.
एवमुक्तस्तदागस्त्यः प्रणिपातपुरःसरम्। इहस्थेन मया देव देवकार्यमिदं कृतम्
Thus addressed, Agastya then, with deep reverence, said: O god, this task for the gods has been accomplished by me while residing here.
सर्वाश्रमाणां प्रवरो भवत्वेष ममाश्रमः। त्वया चोक्तस्तु भगवन्भविता नात्र संशयः
May my hermitage become the foremost of all hermitages; and as you have declared, O Lord, so shall it be—of this there is no doubt.
ब्रह्मोवाच। यात्रां तु पुष्करे कृत्वा इहागत्य नरास्तु ये। इह कुंडेषु ये स्नानं तर्पणं पितृदेवयोः
Brahmā said: Those men who, after making pilgrimage to Puṣkara, come here; and those who bathe in these pools and offer libations to the ancestors and gods,
अर्चनं चैव देवेषु सर्वमक्षयकारकम्। अर्घ्यं चोच्चावचं गृह्य शष्कुलापूपकांस्ततः
and also perform worship of the gods here—all these acts yield inexhaustible merit; and those who offer arghya, whether great or small, and cakes of rice and barley,
दास्यंति द्विजमुख्येभ्यस्तेषां वासस्त्रिविष्टपे। श्राद्धेन पितरस्तृप्ता यावदाभूतसंप्लवम्
will give them to the foremost brahmins; their dwelling will be in heaven; by their śrāddha, the ancestors will be satisfied until the cosmic dissolution.
कंदमूलफलैर्वापि तर्पयिष्यति यो मुनिम्। सप्तर्षिस्थानमासाद्य मोदते शास्वतीः समाः
Whoever, even with roots, fruits, or tubers, satisfies a sage, reaching the abode of the Seven Sages, will rejoice for countless ages.
यज्ञपर्वतमारूढो दृष्ट्वा गंगाविनिर्गमम्। उदङ्मुखी देवनदी निर्गता पुष्करं प्रति
Having ascended the mountain of sacrifice and seen the emergence of the Ganges, the divine river flowed northward, departing towards Pushkara.
अत्राभिषेकं यः कुर्यात्पितृदेवार्चने रतः। अश्वमेधफलं तस्य भवत्येव न संशयः
Whoever performs ablution here, devoted to honoring ancestors and gods, attains the fruit of an ashvamedha sacrifice without doubt.
यस्त्वेकं भोजयेद्विप्रं कोटिर्भवति भोजिता। अक्षयं त्वन्नपानं च अत्र दत्तं मुनीश्वर
But whoever feeds a single Brahmin here is as if feeding a crore; and the food and drink given here, O great sage, become inexhaustible.
यो यमिच्छति कामं तु सर्वं तस्य भविष्यति। न वियोनिं व्रजत्यत्र स्नातमात्रो नरो भुवि२०० 1.19.
Whatever desire a person wishes for, all of it will be fulfilled for him; and a man who bathes here on earth does not enter a lower womb.
स्थानानां परमं स्थानं तीर्थानां तीर्थमुत्तमम्। मया दत्तं मुनिश्रेष्ठ भविष्यति न संशयः
Among places, this is the highest place; among sacred sites, this is the foremost; I have granted it, O best of sages, and it will be so without doubt.
जन्मप्रभृति यत्पापं स्त्रिया वा पुरुषस्य वा। अत्रैव स्नातमात्रस्य सर्वमेतत्प्रणश्यति
From birth, whatever sin belongs to a woman or a man, all of it is destroyed here immediately upon bathing.
एवमुक्त्वा तु भगवान्ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः। जगामामंत्र्य स मुनिमगस्त्यं मुनिसत्तमम्
Having spoken thus, the blessed Brahma, grandfather of the worlds, departed after bidding farewell to the sage Agastya, the foremost among sages.
अगस्त्योपि स्थितस्तत्र आश्रमे स्वे परंतप। अगस्त्यस्याश्रमोत्पत्तिरेषा ते परिकीर्तिता
Agastya too remained there in his own hermitage, O scorcher of foes; the origin of Agastya's hermitage has thus been recounted to you.
सप्तर्षीणामाश्रमांश्च कीर्त्तयिष्ये कुरूद्वह। अत्रिश्चैव वसिष्ठोथ पुलस्त्यः पुलहः क्रतुः
I will now describe to you, O descendant of the Kurus, the hermitages of the seven sages: Atri, Vasishta, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu,
अंगिरा गौतमश्चैव सुमतिः सुमुखस्तथा। विश्वामित्रः स्थूलशिराः संवर्तश्च प्रतर्दनः
Angiras, Gautama, Sumati, Sumukha, Vishvamitra, Sthulashira, Samvarta, and Pratardana,