यस्यां मानमदौ पुंसां करिणां यौवनागमे
Where pride and intoxication arise in men and elephants with the coming of youth.
तारागणे ऽकुलीनत्वं गद्ये वृत्तच्युतिर्विभो
Among the stars, there is lack of nobility; in prose, the loss of meter, O Lord.
चन्द्रभूषितदेहाश्च यस्यां त्वमिव शङ्कर
Those whose bodies are adorned with the moon, like you, O Śaṅkara.
वसते भवांल्लोलः सर्वपापहरो रविः
There dwells the restless Sun, remover of all sins.
तत्र गत्वा सुरश्रेष्ठ पापमोक्षमवाप्स्यसि
Going there, O best of gods, you will attain liberation from sin.
जगाम वेगाद् गरुडो यथासौ वाराणसीं पापविमोचनाय
Garuda swiftly went, as he did, to Vārāṇasī for the removal of sin.
स्नात्वा च तीर्थेषु विमुक्तपापः स केशवं द्रष्टुमुपाजगाम
Having bathed at the sacred fords, freed from sin, he went to see Keśava.
तवत्प्रसादाद् हृषीकेश ब्रह्महत्या क्षयं गता
By your grace, O Hṛṣīkeśa, the sin of killing a Brahmin has been destroyed.
कारणं वेद्मि न च तदेतन्मे वक्तुमर्हसि
I know the reason, but it is not proper for me to speak of it.
विद्यते कारणं रुद्र तत्सर्वं कथयामि ते
There is a reason, O Rudra; I will tell you everything.
एष तीर्थवरः पुण्यो देवगन्धर्वपूजितः
This is a most holy ford, honored by gods and gandharvas.
स्नातमात्रस्य चाद्यैव कपालं परिमोक्ष्यति
For one who bathes here today, the skull will immediately be released.
कपालमोचनेत्येवं तीर्थं चेदं भविष्यति
Therefore, this ford will be known as Kapālamocana, the place where the skull is released.
कपालमोचने सस्नौ वेदोस्तविधिना मुने
He bathed at Kapālamocana according to Vedic rite, O sage.
नाम्ना बभूवाथ कपालमोचनं तत्तीर्थवर्यं भगवत्प्रसादात्
By the grace of the Blessed Lord, that excellent ford became known by the name Kapālamocana.
अनेन कारणेनासौ दक्षेण न निमन्त्रितः
For this reason, he was not invited by Dakṣa.
यज्ञे चार्हापि दुहिता दक्षेण न निमन्त्रिता
Nor was his worthy daughter invited by Dakṣa to the sacrifice.
जया जगाम शैलेन्द्रं मन्दरं चारुकन्दरम्
Jayā went to the lord of mountains, to Mandara with its lovely caves.
किमर्थं विजया नागाज्जयन्ती चापराजिता
Why did Vijayā not go, and Jayantī and Aparājitā?
गता निमन्त्रिताः सर्वा मखे मातामहस्य ताः
All those who were invited went to their maternal grandfather’s sacrifice.
अहं समागता द्रष्टुं त्वां तत्र गमनोत्सुका
I have come here, eager to see you and to go there.
नामन्त्रितासि तातेन उताहोस्विद् व्रजिष्यसि
Were you not invited by your father, or will you go anyway?
मातृष्वसः शशाङ्कश्च सपत्नीको गतः क्रतुम्
My maternal uncle Śaśāṅka also went to the sacrifice with his wife.
निमन्त्रिताः क्रतौ सर्वे किं नासि त्वं निमन्त्रिता
All were invited to the sacrifice; why were you not invited?
मन्युनाभिप्लुता ब्रह्मन् पञ्चत्वमगमत् ततः
Overcome by anger, O Brahmin, she then met her end.
मुञ्चती वारि नेत्राभ्यां सस्वरं विललाप ह
Tears streaming from her eyes, she wailed aloud.
आः किमेतदितीत्युक्त्वा जयाभ्याशमुपागतः
Saying, 'Ah, what is this?' he approached Jaya.
कृत्तां परशुना भूमौ श्लथाङ्गीं पतितां सतीम्
He saw her, righteous and fallen to the ground, her limbs slack, struck down by an axe.
किमियं पतिता भूमौ निकृत्तेव लता सती
Why has she fallen to the ground, like a severed vine, though virtuous?
श्रत्वा मखस्था दक्षस्य भगिन्यः पतिभिः सह
Hearing of this, Daksha's sisters at the sacrifice, along with their husbands—