एवं तस्य नरेंद्रस्य सार्धं तेन महात्मना। अतिक्रांतो महान्कालो भ्रममाणस्य भूतले॥६.४.
Thus, with that great soul, a long time passed for the king as he wandered over the earth.
मुच्यते न च पापेन चंडालत्वेन स द्विजाः। एवंविधेषु तीर्थेषु स्नातोपि च पृथक्पृथक्॥६.४.
He was not freed from sin or from the state of a caṇḍāla, O twice-born, even though he bathed separately at such holy places.
ततः क्रमात्समायातः सोऽर्बुदं पर्वतं प्रति। तत्रारुह्य समालोक्य पापघ्नमचलेश्वरम्॥६.४.
Then, in due course, he arrived at Mount Arbuda; ascending there, he beheld Acaleśvara, the destroyer of sin.
यावदायतनात्तस्मान्निर्गच्छति मुनीश्वरः। तावत्तेनेक्षितो नाममार्कंडो मुनिसत्तमः॥६.४.
As the great sage was leaving that shrine, he was seen by the illustrious sage Mārkaṇḍeya.
सोऽपि दृष्ट्वा जगन्मित्रं विश्वामित्रं मुनीश्वरम्। प्रोवाचाथ कुतः प्राप्तः सांप्रतं त्वं मुनीश्वर॥६.४.
He too, seeing Viśvāmitra, friend of the world and great sage, spoke: 'From where have you come now, O great sage?'
कोऽयं तवानुगो रौद्रो दृश्यते चांत्यजाकृतिः। एतत्सर्वं समाचक्ष्व पृच्छतो मम सन्मुने॥६.४.
Who is this fierce companion of yours, appearing in the form of an outcaste? Tell me all this, O noble sage, as I ask.
विश्वामित्र उवाच। एष पार्थिवशार्दूलस्त्रिशंकुरिति विश्रुतः। वसिष्ठस्य सुतैर्नीतश्चंडालत्वं प्रकोपतः॥६.४.
Viśvāmitra said: This is Triśaṃku, renowned among kings; by the sons of Vasiṣṭha, he was made an outcaste in anger.
मया चास्य प्रतिज्ञातं सप्तद्वीपवतीं महीम्। प्रभ्रमिष्याम्यहं यावन्मेध्यत्वं त्वमुपेष्यसि॥६.४.
I have vowed to him that I will wander the earth with seven continents until you regain purity.
भ्रांतोऽहं भूतले यानि तीर्थान्यायतनानि च। नचैष मेध्यतां प्राप्तः परिश्रांतोस्मि सांप्रतम्॥६.४.
I have wandered across the earth to all the sacred places and shrines, yet I have not attained purity; now I am utterly exhausted.
तस्मात्सर्वां महीं त्यक्त्वा लज्जया परया युतः। द्वीपान्महार्णवांस्त्यक्त्वा संप्रयास्याम्यतः परम्॥६.४.
Therefore, filled with deep shame, I will abandon the entire earth, and even the islands and great oceans, and depart from here.
मा वसिष्ठस्य पुत्राणामुपहासपदं गतः। प्रतिज्ञारहितो विप्र सत्यमेद्ब्रवीम्यहम्॥६.४.
O Brahmin, let me not become an object of ridicule for the sons of Vasiṣṭha, nor be one who breaks his vow; I speak this to you in truth.
श्रीमार्कंडेय उवाच। यद्येवं मुनिशार्दूल कुरुष्व वचनं मम। सप्तद्वीपवतीं पृथ्वीं मा त्यक्त्वा कुत्रचिद्व्रज॥६.४.
Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said: If this is so, O best of sages, then heed my words: do not abandon the earth with its seven continents and go elsewhere.
एतस्मात्पर्वतात्क्षेत्रं हाटकेश्वरसंज्ञितम्। अस्ति नैर्ऋतदिग्भागे देशे चानर्तसंज्ञके॥६.४.
From this mountain, there is a sacred field known as Hāṭakeśvara, located in the southwestern direction, in the land called Anarta.
तत्राद्यं स्थापितं लिंगं हाटकेन सुरोत्तमैः। यत्तत्संकीर्त्यते लोके पाताले हाटकेश्वरम्॥६.४.
There, the first liṅga was established by Hāṭaka and the best of gods; that which is renowned in the world and in the netherworld as Hāṭakeśvara.
पातालजाह्नवीतोयं यत्रैवास्ति द्विजोत्तम। उद्धृते शंभुना लिंगे विनिष्क्रांतं रसातलात्॥६.४.
O best of twice-born, there is the water of the subterranean Jāhnavī, which emerged when Śambhu drew forth the liṅga from the netherworld.
तत्र प्रविश्य यत्नेन पातालं वसुधाधिपः। करोतु जाह्नवीतोये स्नानं श्रद्धासमन्वितः॥६.४.
Entering there with effort, let the king of the earth bathe with faith in the waters of the Jāhnavī in the netherworld.
पश्चात्पश्यतु तल्लिंगं हाटकेश्वरसंज्ञितम्। भविष्यति ततः शुद्धश्चंडालत्वविवर्जितः॥६.४.
Afterwards, let him behold that liṅga called Hāṭakeśvara; then he will become pure, freed from the state of a caṇḍāla.
त्वमपि प्राप्स्यसि श्रेयः परं हृदयसंस्थितम्। ततोन्यदपि यत्किंचित्तत्रैव तपसि स्थितः॥६.४.
You too will attain supreme good, established in your heart; and whatever else you desire, remain there engaged in austerity.
सूत उवाच। तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा विश्वामित्रो मुनीश्वरः। त्रिशंकुना समायुक्तो गतस्तत्र द्रुतं ततः॥६.४.
Sūta said: Hearing these words, the great sage Viśvāmitra, together with Triśaṃku, quickly went there.
पाताले देवमार्गेण प्रविश्य नृपसत्तमम्। त्रिशंकुं स्नापयामास विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा॥६.४.
Entering the netherworld by the path of the gods, he performed the prescribed rites and bathed the excellent king Triśaṃku.
स्नातमात्रोथ राजा स हाटकेश्वदर्शनात्। चंडालत्वेन निर्मुक्तो बभूवार्कसमद्युतिः॥६.४.
As soon as the king had bathed and beheld Hāṭakeśvara, he was freed from the state of a caṇḍāla and shone with the brilliance of the sun.
ततस्तं स मुनिः प्राह प्रणतं गतकल्मषम्। दिष्ट्या मुक्तोसि राजेंद्र चंडालत्वेन सांप्रतम्॥६.४.
Then the sage spoke to him, who had bowed and was freed from sin: 'By good fortune, O king, you are now released from the state of a caṇḍāla.'
दिष्ट्या प्राप्तः परं तेजो दिष्ट्या प्राप्तः परं तपः। तस्माद्यजस्व सत्रेण विधिवद्दक्षिणावता॥६.४.
'By good fortune you have attained supreme brilliance, by good fortune you have attained supreme austerity; therefore, perform a sacrifice here, properly and with due gifts.'
येन संप्राप्स्यसे सिद्धिं नित्यं या हृदये स्थिता। त्वत्कृते प्रार्थयिष्यामि स्वयं गत्वा पितामहम्॥६.४.
'By this you will attain the perfection that always abides in your heart; for your sake, I will personally go and petition Brahmā.'
मखांशं सर्वदेवाद्यो येन गृह्णाति ते मखे। तस्मादत्रैव संभारान्सर्वान्यज्ञसमुद्भवान्। आनय ब्रह्मलोकाच्च यावदागमनं मम॥६.४.
'In your sacrifice, the one who first receives a share from all the gods—bring here all the necessary materials for the sacrifice from Brahmā's world, until I return.'
बाढमित्येव सोऽप्याह स मुनिः संशितव्रतः। पितामहमुपागम्य प्रणिपत्याब्रवीद्वचः॥६.४.
He replied, 'So be it,' and that sage of firm vows approached Brahmā, bowed to him, and spoke these words.
याजयिष्याम्यहं भूपं त्रिशंकुं प्रपितामह। मानुषेण शरीरेण येन गच्छति ते पदम्॥६.४.
I will cause King Trishanku to perform a sacrifice, O Grandsire, by which he shall reach your abode in his human body.
तस्मादागच्छ तत्र त्वं यज्ञवाटं पितामह। सर्वैः सुरगणैः सार्धं शिवविष्णुपुरःसरैः॥६.४.
Therefore, come there, O Grandsire, to the sacrificial ground, together with all the hosts of gods, led by Shiva and Vishnu.
प्रगृहाण स्वहस्तेन यज्ञभागं यथोचितम्। सशरीरो दिवं याति येनासौ त्वत्प्रसादतः॥६.४.
Receive with your own hand the proper share of the sacrifice, by whose grace he will ascend to heaven with his body, thanks to your favor.
ब्रह्मोवाच। न यज्ञकर्मणा स्वर्गःस्वेन कायेन लभ्यते। मुक्त्वा देहांतरं ब्रह्मंस्तस्मान्मैवं वदस्व माम्॥६.४.
Brahma said: Heaven cannot be attained with one's own body through sacrificial acts; only after leaving the body does one reach Brahman—therefore, do not speak thus to me.