यस्तु केदारमुद्दिश्य गेहादर्धपथेप्यहो
Whoever, even halfway from home, sets out with Kedāra as the goal—
तदाश्चर्यं समालोक्य स वशिष्ठस्तपोधनः
Beholding that wonder, Vasiṣṭha, rich in austerity, was amazed.
अथ कृत्वा स कैदारीं यात्रां वाराणसीमगात्
Then, having completed the pilgrimage to Kedāra, he went to Vārāṇasī.
प्रति चैत्रं सदा चैत्र्यां यावज्जीवमहं ध्रुवम्
Every year, always in the month of Caitra, I shall certainly do so as long as I live.
तेन यात्राः कृताः सम्यक् षष्टिरेकाधिका मुदा
Thus, with joy, he completed sixty-one pilgrimages in full.
पुनर्यात्रां स वै चक्रे मधौ निकटवर्तिनि
Again, he undertook the pilgrimage when spring was near.
तपोधनैस्तन्निधनं शंकमानैर्निवारितः
He was restrained by ascetics, fearing his end was near.
ततोपि न तदुत्साहभंगोभूद्दृढचेतसः 4.2.77.
Yet, even then, his firm resolve was not broken, nor did his enthusiasm waver.
इति निश्चितचेतस्के वशिष्ठे तापसे शुचौ
Thus, to Vasiṣṭha, the pure-minded and self-controlled sage, with a determined heart—
स्वप्रेमया स संप्रोक्तो वशिष्ठस्तापसोत्तमः
He, the foremost of ascetics, Vasiṣṭha, was addressed by me with my own affection.
अभीष्टं च वरं मत्तः प्रार्थयस्वाविचारितम्
Ask from me, without hesitation, whatever boon you desire.
ततोपि स मया प्रोक्तः स्वप्नो मिथ्याऽशुचिष्मताम्
Then I said to him: 'The dream is false, O pure-hearted one.'
वरं ब्रूहि प्रसन्नोस्मि स्वप्नशंकां त्यज द्विज
Speak your boon, for I am pleased; abandon your doubt about the dream, O twice-born one.
इत्युक्तं मे समाकर्ण्य वरयामास मामिति
Hearing this from me, he then began to request his boon from me.
यदि प्रसन्नो देवेश तदा मे सानुगा इमे
If you are truly pleased, O Lord of the gods, then may these here, along with their followers, [receive the boon].
देवि तस्येदमाकर्ण्य परोपकृतिशालिनः
O Goddess, hearing this from him, who is devoted to the welfare of others—
पुनः परोपकरणात्तत्तपो द्विगुणीकृतम्
Again, because of his beneficence, his austerity was doubled.
स वशिष्ठो महाप्राज्ञो दृढ पाशुपतव्रतः 4.2.77.
That Vasiṣṭha, great in wisdom and firm in the vow of Pāśupata observance—
ततस्तत्तपसाकृष्टः कलामात्रेण तत्र हि
Then, drawn by that austerity, in but a moment, there—
ततः प्रभाते संजाते सर्वेषां पश्यतामहम्
Then, when morning had come, in the sight of all—
वशिष्ठं पुरतः कृत्वा सर्वसार्थसमायुतम्
Placing Vasiṣṭha at the front, accompanied by the entire group—
मत्परिग्रहतः सर्वे हरपापे कृतोदकाः
All, by accepting me, became purified from the sin of harming Śiva.
तदा प्रभृति लिंगेस्मिन्स्थितः साधकसिद्धये
From that time onward, I have remained in this liṅga for the accomplishment of practitioners.
तुषाराद्रिं समारुह्य केदारं वीक्ष्य यत्फलम्
Ascending Mount Tuṣāra and beholding Kedāra, the fruit obtained—
गौरीकुंडं यथा तत्र हंसतीर्थं च निर्मलम्
Just as there is there the lake of Gaurī and the pure Haṃsa-tīrtha—
इदं तीर्थं हरपापं सप्तजन्माघनाशनम्
This sacred place destroys the sins of harming Śiva and the accumulated demerit of seven births.
अत्र पूर्वं तु काकोलौ युध्यतौ खान्निपेततुः
Here, in ancient times, the crow and the owl fought and fell down while eating.
गौरि त्वया कृतं पूर्वं स्नानमत्र महाह्रदे 4.2.77.
O Gauri, it was you who once performed a bath here in this great lake.
अत्रामृतस्रवा गंगा महामोहांधकारहृत्
Here flows the Ganga, streaming with nectar, dispelling the great darkness of delusion.
सरसा मानसेनात्र पूर्वं तप्तं महातपः
Here, in former times, the great ascetic penance was performed by the sage Manasa at the lake.