भूर्भुवःस्वः प्रदेशेषु काशीपरमपावनम्
Among the regions of Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ, and Svaḥ, Kāśī is supremely pure.
कुतः पंचनदं नाम तस्य तीर्थस्य षण्मुख
O Ṣaṇmukha, why is that tīrtha called Pañcanada?
कथं च भगवान्विष्णुरंतरात्मा जगत्पतिः
How does the blessed Viṣṇu, the inner soul and lord of the universe, exist?
अरूपो रूपमापन्नो ह्यव्यक्तो व्यक्ततां गतः
He is formless, yet assumes form; unmanifest, yet attains manifestation.
अजन्मानेकजन्मा च त्वनामास्फुटनामभृत्
He is unborn, yet has many births; you bear names both clear and obscure.
अहृषीकोहृषीकेशो प्यनंघ्रिरपिसर्वगः 4.2.59.
Without senses, yet called Hṛṣīkeśa; without feet, yet all-pervading.
स्कंद उवाच कथयामि कथामेतां नमस्कृत्य महेश्वरम्
Skanda said: I will recount this tale, having bowed to Maheśvara.
यथा पंचनदं तीर्थं काश्यां प्रथितिमागतम्
How the sacred place Pañcanada gained renown in Kāśī.
प्रयागोपि च तीर्थेशो यत्र साक्षात्स्वयं स्थितः
Even at Prayāga, the lord of the sacred places stands manifest there himself.
हरंति सर्वतीर्थानि प्रयागस्य बलेन हि
By the power of Prayāga, all sacred places are drawn there.
प्रत्यब्दं निर्मलानि स्युस्तीर्थराज समागमात्
Each year, they become pure through the gathering at the king of sacred places.
महाघिनां महाघं च हरेत्पांचनदाद्बलात् तमेकमज्जनादूर्जे त्यजेत्पंचनदे ध्रुवम्
By the strength of Pañcanada, one may remove great sins of the sinful; by a single bath in Pañcanada, one surely abandons them.
यथा पंचनदोत्पत्तिस्तथा च कथयाम्यहम्
Just as the origin of Pañcanada, so too I shall narrate.
पुरा वेदशिरा नाम मुनिरासीन्महातपाः
Long ago, there was a sage named Vedaśirā, of great austerity.
तपस्यतस्तस्य मुनेः पुरोदृग्गोचरं गता 4.2.59.
While that sage was engaged in austerity, a woman appeared before him, visible to his sight.
तस्या दर्शनमात्रेण परिक्षुब्धं मुनेर्मनः
At merely seeing her, the mind of the sage was disturbed.
दूरादेव नमस्कृत्य तमृषिं साभ्यभाषत
From a distance, she bowed to the sage and spoke to him.
नापराध्नोम्यहं किंचिन्महोग्रतपसांनिधे
I have committed no offense, O repository of fierce austerity.
मुनीनां मानसं प्रायो यत्पद्मादपि तन्मृदु
The minds of sages are generally softer than even a lotus.
इति श्रुत्वा वचस्तस्याः शुचेरप्सरसो मुनिः
Hearing the words of that pure apsaras, the sage...
उवाच च प्रसन्नात्मा शुचे शुचिरसि ध्रुवम्
And he, with a tranquil mind, said: 'O pure one, you are indeed pure, without doubt.'
वह्निस्वरूपा ललना नवनीत समः पुमान्
A woman is of the nature of fire, and a man is like fresh butter.
स्निह्येदुद्धृतसारोपि वह्नेः संस्पर्शमाप्य वै
Even butter that has had its essence removed, upon contact with fire, will still melt.
अतः शुचे न भेतव्यं त्वया शुचि मनोगते
Therefore, O pure-minded one, you need not be afraid, for your mind remains pure.
स्खलनान्न तथा हानिरकामात्तपसो मुनेः 4.2.59.
From an unintentional lapse, there is not such loss of ascetic merit for a sage who is without desire.
कोपात्तपः क्षयं याति संचितं यत्सुकृच्छ्रतः
But from anger, the ascetic merit that has been accumulated with great difficulty is destroyed.
अमर्षे कर्षति मनो मनोभू संभवः कुतः
When the mind is consumed by resentment, how can the creation of mental resolve arise?
ज्वलतो रोषदावाग्नेः क्व वा शांतितरोः स्थितिः
Where is the place for the tree of tranquility in the blazing wildfire of wrath?
तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन प्रतीपः प्रतिघातुकः
Therefore, by every effort, one must oppose and restrain anger.
इदानीं शृणु कल्याणि कर्तव्यं यत्त्वया शुचे
Now, O auspicious one, listen to what you must do, O pure one.