अश्वमेधफलं तस्य दर्शनादेव जायते। एकविंशगणोपेतो वैकुंठे वासमाप्नुयात्
He attains the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice merely by seeing it, and, accompanied by twenty-one groups, obtains residence in Vaikuṇṭha.
भुक्त्वा तु विपुलान्भोगान्कल्पानां तु शतत्रयम्। तदंते जायते राजा सार्वभौमः क्षिताविह
After enjoying vast pleasures for three hundred kalpas, at the end of that, he is born as a universal monarch on this earth.
तोयधारा तु सा भीष्म अंगुष्ठाग्राद्विनिःसृता। नदी सा वैष्णवी प्रोक्ता विष्णुपादसमुद्भवा
O Bhīṣma, that stream of water which issued from the tip of the big toe is called the Vaiṣṇavī river, born from the foot of Viṣṇu.
अनेन कारणेनाभूद्गंगा विष्णुपदी नृप। यया सर्वमिदं व्याप्तं त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम्
For this reason, O king, the Gaṅgā became Viṣṇupadī, by which this entire threefold world, with all that moves and does not move, was pervaded.
अंगुष्ठाग्रक्षतादंडाद्यत्प्रविष्टं जलं शुभम्। प्राप्तं देवनदीत्वं तु यातु विष्णुपदी नदी
The pure water that entered from the wound at the tip of the big toe attained the status of the divine river, and became the river Viṣṇupadī.
देवनद्या तया व्याप्तं ब्रह्मांडं सचराचरम्। विभूतिभिर्महाभाग सर्वानुग्रहकाम्यया
By that divine river, the entire cosmic egg, with all that moves and does not move, was pervaded, O greatly fortunate one, out of the desire to bestow grace upon all.
स बाष्कलिर्वामनेन उक्तः पूरय मे क्रमान्। अधोमुखस्तदा जात उत्तरं नास्य विंदति
Then Bāṣkali, addressed by Vāmana, was told, 'Fulfill my steps.' At that, he became downcast and found no reply.
मौनीभूतं तु तं दृष्ट्वा पुरोधा वाक्यमब्रवीत्। स्वाभाविकी दानशक्तिर्न तु स्रष्टुं वयं क्षमाः
Seeing him rendered silent, the priest spoke these words: 'The power to give is innate; we are not able to create it ourselves.'
यावतीयं धरा देव सा दत्तानेन ते प्रभो। उक्तो बाष्कलिना विष्णुर्यावन्मात्रा वसुंधरा
'O Lord, as much as this earth exists, so much has been given to you by him,' said Bāṣkali to Viṣṇu, 'as much as the earth extends.'
या सृष्टा भवता पूर्वं सा मया न च गोपिता। अल्पाभूमिर्भवान्दीर्घो न तु सृष्टेरहं क्षमः
'What was created by you before, that I have not withheld; the land is small, you are vast, but I am not able to create more.'
इच्छाशक्तिः प्रभवति प्रभोस्ते देव सर्वदा। निरुत्तरस्तदा विष्णुर्मत्वा तं सत्यवादिनम्
'The power of will, O Lord, always rests with you.' Then Viṣṇu, recognizing him as a speaker of truth, remained without reply.
ब्रूहि दानवमुख्य त्वं कं ते कामं करोम्यहम्। मम हस्तगतं तोयं त्वया दत्तं तु दानव
'Speak, O chief of Dānavas, what boon shall I grant you? The water in my hand was given by you, O Dānava.'
तेन त्वं वरयोग्योसि वराणां भाजनं शुभं। दास्येहं भवतः काममर्थीयेन वृणुष्व ह
'Therefore, you are worthy to choose a boon, a fit recipient of blessings. I will grant you your wish here—ask for whatever you desire.'
विज्ञप्तो हि तदा तेन देवदेवो जनार्दनः। भक्तिं वृणोमि देवेश त्वद्धस्तान्मरणं हि मे
Thus addressed, the Lord of gods, Janārdana, was petitioned by him: 'O Lord of gods, I choose devotion; let my death come only at your hands.'
व्रजामि श्वेतद्वीपं ते दुर्लभं तु तपस्विनाम्। आहैवमुक्ते विष्णुस्तं तिष्ठस्वैव युगांतरम्
'I will go to Śvetadvīpa, which is hard to attain for ascetics.' When he had spoken thus, Viṣṇu said to him, 'Remain there until the end of the age.'
वाराहरूपी यदाहं प्रवेक्ष्यामि धरातलम्। तदा हनिष्येहं त्वां तु मदग्रे च यदैष्यसि
'When I, in the form of the Boar, enter the earth, then I will slay you here, when you come before me.'
उक्तोथ दानवस्तेन अपासर्प्पत्तदग्रतः। वामनेन समाक्रांताः सर्वे लोकास्तदा नृप
Thus addressed by him, the Dānava withdrew from that place; and then all the worlds were encompassed by Vāmana, O king.
असुरैस्तैस्तदा त्यक्तं देवानां सत्यभाषणम्। देवो हृत्वा तु त्रैलोक्यं जगामादर्शनं विभुः
Then, abandoned by those Asuras, the truthfulness of the gods was established; and the Lord, having seized the three worlds, became invisible.
पातालनिलयश्चापि सुखमास्ते स बाष्कलि। शक्रोपि पालयामास विपश्चिद्भुवनत्रयम्
Bāṣkali, dwelling in Pātāla, remained there happily; and Śakra, wise, protected the three worlds.
अयं त्रैविक्रमो नाम प्रादुर्भावो जगद्गुरोः। गंगासंभवसंयुक्तस्सर्वकल्मषनाशनः
This manifestation of the Guru of the world is called Trivikrama, joined with the origin of the Ganges, destroyer of all sins.
विष्णोः पदानामेषा ते उत्पत्तिः कथिता नृप। यां श्रुत्वा तु नरो लोके सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते
O king, the origin of Viṣṇu’s three steps has thus been told to you; hearing which, a man in this world is freed from all sins.
दुःस्वप्नं दुर्विचिंत्यं च दुःष्करं दुःष्कृतानि च। क्षिप्रं हि नाशमायांति दृष्टे विष्णुपदत्रये
Evil dreams, dreadful thoughts, difficult deeds, and misdeeds—all these quickly perish upon seeing Viṣṇu’s three steps.
युगानुक्रमशो दृष्ट्वा पापिनो जंतवस्तथा। सूक्ष्मता दर्शिता भीष्म विष्णुना पददर्शने1.30.
Beings who are sinful, seeing the succession of ages, O Bhīṣma, subtlety is revealed by Viṣṇu in the vision of his steps.
यस्त्वारोहति तस्मिंस्तु मौनवान्मानवो भुवि। कृत्वा त्रिपुष्करी यात्रामश्वमेधफलं व्रजेत्
Whoever ascends there in silence, having performed the pilgrimage to Tripuṣkarā, attains the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice.
मुच्यते सर्वपापैश्च मृतो विष्णुपुरं व्रजेत्
Freed from all sins, one who dies goes to the city of Viṣṇu.
भीष्म उवाच। भगवन्महदाश्चर्यं बाष्कलेर्बंधनं हि यत्। कृतं त्रिविक्रमं रूपं यदा संयमितो बलि
Bhīṣma said: O Lord, it is truly wondrous, the binding of Bāṣkala, and the form of Trivikrama that was assumed when Bali was restrained.
एतन्मया श्रुतं पूर्वं कथ्यमानं द्विजोत्तमैः। पाताले वसतेद्यापि वैरोचनसुतो बलि
I have previously heard this, as it was recounted by the foremost of twice-born; that Bali, son of Virocana, still dwells in Pātāla.
नागतीर्थं यथाभूतं पिशाचानां तु संभवम्। शिवदूती कथं चात्र केनेयं मंगलीकृता
How did the Nāga-tīrtha come to be as it is, and what is the origin of the Piśācas? How did Śivadūtī arise here, and by whom was she made auspicious?
अंतरिक्षे पुष्करं तु केन नीतं महामुने। एतदाचक्ष्व मे सर्वं यथा बाष्कलिबंधनम्
By whom, O great sage, was Puṣkara brought into the sky? Tell me all this, and how the binding of Bāṣkala happened.
भूमिप्रक्रमणं पूर्वं कृतं देवेन विष्णुना। द्वितीये कारणं किं च येन देवश्चकार ह
Formerly, Viṣṇu traversed the earth; what was the second reason for which the god acted thus?