अयोध्यासदृशी कापि दृश्यते नापरा पुरी
No other city is seen that is equal to Ayodhya.
यस्यां स्थितो हरिः साक्षात्सेयं केनोपमीयते
Hari himself dwells in it; with what can it be compared?
अहो विष्णुरहो तीर्थमयोध्याऽहो महापुरी
Ah, Vishnu! Ah, the holy place! Ah, Ayodhya! Ah, the great city!
इत्युक्त्वा तत्र बहुशो ननर्त प्रमदाकुलः
Having said this many times, he danced, overwhelmed with joy.
तं तथा नर्तमानं वै धर्मं दृष्ट्वा कृपान्वितः तं प्रणम्य च धर्मोऽथ तुष्टाव हरिमादरात्
Seeing Dharma dancing thus, moved by compassion, Dharma bowed to him and then praised Hari with reverence.
नमः शंकरसंस्पृष्टदिव्यपादाय विष्णवे ।। 2.8.4.
Salutations to Vishnu, whose divine feet are touched by Shankara.
भक्त्यार्च्चितसुपादाय नमोऽजादिप्रियाय ते
Salutations to you, whose feet are worshipped with devotion, beloved of Brahma and others.
नमोऽरविन्दपादाय पद्मनाभाय वै नमः
Salutations to the lotus feet, and to Padmanabha, indeed, salutations.
ॐ नमो योगनिद्राय योगर्क्षैर्भावितात्मने
Om, reverence to Yoga-Nidra, whose soul is contemplated by the luminaries of yoga.
सुकेशाय सुनासाय सुललाटाय चक्रिणे
To the one with beautiful hair, fine nose, lovely forehead, and bearer of the discus.
सुबाहवे नमस्तुभ्यं चारुजंघाय ते नमः
To you with handsome arms, I bow; to you with graceful thighs, I offer my salutations.
केशवाय च शांताय वामनाय नमोनमः
Repeated homage to Keśava, the peaceful one, the dwarf.
उवाच स हृषीकेशः प्रीतो धर्ममुदारधीः
Then Hṛṣīkeśa, pleased and noble-minded, spoke about dharma.
वरं वरय धर्मज्ञ यस्ते स्यान्मनसः प्रियः
Ask for a boon, O knower of dharma, whatever would be dear to your heart.
स्तोत्रेणानेन यः स्तौति मानवो मामतन्द्रितः
Whoever, without sloth, praises me with this hymn,
त्वामहं स्थापयाम्यत्र निजनाम्ना जगद्गुरो ।। 2.8.4.
I establish you here, O teacher of the world, by your own name.
स्मरणादेव मुच्येत नरो धर्महरेर्विभोः
By mere remembrance, a man is freed from the sins of Dharma Hari, the mighty.
सरयूसलिले स्नात्वा सुचिंताकुलमानसः
Having bathed in the waters of the Sarayu, with a mind free from impure thoughts,
अत्र दानं तथा होमं जपो ब्राह्मणभोजनम्
Here, giving gifts, performing homa, reciting japa, and feeding Brahmins—
अज्ञानाज्ज्ञानतो वापि यत्किंचिद्दुष्कृतं भवेत्
Whatever sin may arise, whether knowingly or unknowingly,
प्रायश्चित्तेन विधिना पापं तस्य प्रणश्यति
By the prescribed expiation, that sin is destroyed.
अज्ञानाज्ज्ञानतो वापि राजादेर्निग्रहात्तथा तेनाप्यत्र विधातव्यं प्रायश्चित्तं प्रयत्नतः
Whether through ignorance or knowledge, or by the punishment of a king and others, here too, expiation must be performed with effort.
अत्र साक्षात्स्वयं देवो विष्णुर्वसति सादरः
Here, the god Viṣṇu himself dwells directly, with devotion.
आषाढे शुक्ल पक्षस्य एकादश्यां द्विजोत्तम
On the eleventh day of the bright fortnight of Āṣāḍha, O best of the twice-born,
स्वर्गद्वारे नरः स्नात्वा दृष्ट्वा धर्महरिं विभुम्
Having bathed at the gate of heaven and seen Dharma Hari, the mighty,
तस्माद्दक्षिणदिग्भागे स्वर्णस्य खनिरुत्तमा 2.8.4.
Therefore, in the southern direction, is the best mine of gold.
व्यास उवाच भगवन्ब्रूहि तत्त्वज्ञ स्वर्णवृष्टिरभूत्कथम्
Vyāsa said: O blessed one, knower of truth, tell me—how did the shower of gold occur?
एतत्सर्वं समाचक्ष्व विस्तरान्मम सुव्रत
Please recount all this to me in detail, O virtuous one.
यस्य श्रवणतो नृणां जायते विस्मयो महान्
Hearing of this brings great wonder to people.
आसीत्पुरा रघुपतिरिक्ष्वाकुकुलवर्द्धनः
Long ago, there was a king from the lineage of Raghu, an enhancer of the Ikṣvāku dynasty.