प्रत्याश्रमं पर्यटन् स तं काल्याश्रममागतः
Wandering from hermitage to hermitage, he came to Kālī's hermitage.
पूजयित्वा यथान्यायं पर्यपृच्छदिदं ततः
Having worshipped her according to custom, he then asked this:
क्व च त्वं प्रतिगन्तासि मम शीघ्रं निवेदय
Where and when will you depart? Quickly tell me.
अथातस्तीर्थयात्रायां गमिष्यामि पृथूदकम्
Now, for the pilgrimage, I will go to Pṛthūdaka.
पथि स्नानेन च फलं केषु किं लब्दवानसि
By bathing on the way, in which places, what merit have you obtained?
ततो ऽथ तीर्थे कुब्जाम्रे जयन्ते चण्डिकेश्वरे
Then, at the holy place Kubjāmra and at Jayanta Caṇḍikeśvara.
सरस्वत्यामग्निकुण्डे भद्रायां तु त्रिविष्टपे
On the Sarasvati, at the fire altar, and at Bhadra in the heavenly realm,
निथ्कामेन कृतं स्नानं ततो ऽभ्यागां तवाश्रमम्
I performed a bath there, without desire, and then I came to your hermitage.
पृच्छामि यदहं त्वां वै तत्र न क्रोद्धुमर्हसि
I wish to ask you something; do not be angry with me for that.
बाल्ये ऽपि संयततनुस्तत्तु श्लाघ्यं द्विजन्मनाम्
Even in childhood, self-restraint of the body is praiseworthy among the twice-born.
तपः समाश्रिता भीरु संशयः प्रतिभाति मे
O timid one, you have taken up austerity, but I sense some doubt within you.
सुभोगा भोगिताः काले व्रजन्ति स्थिरयौवने
Pleasures, once enjoyed in their time, depart even when youth remains steady.
रूपाभिजनमैश्वर्यं तच्च ते विद्यते बहु
Beauty, noble birth, and wealth—all these you possess in abundance.
चीनांशुकं परित्यज्य किं त्वं वल्कलधारिणी
Having cast aside your silk garments, why do you wear bark-cloth?
भिक्षवे कथयामास यथावत् सा हि नारद
To the mendicant, O Narada, she spoke as it truly was.
तं शृणुष्व त्वियं काली हरं भर्तारमिच्छति
Listen: this Kāli desires Hara as her husband.
विहस्य च महाहासं भिक्षुराह वचस्त्विदम्
Laughing with great mirth, the mendicant then spoke these words:
कथं करः पल्लवकोमलस्ते समेष्यते शार्वकरं ससर्पम्
How will your hand, soft as a tender shoot, unite with Shiva's hand, which bears a serpent?
त्वं चन्दनाक्ता स भस्मभूषितो न युक्तरूपं प्रतिभाति मे त्विदम्
You are anointed with sandalwood, he is adorned with ashes—this union does not seem fitting to me.
मा मैवं वद बिक्षो त्वं हरः सर्वगुणाधिकः
Do not speak so, mendicant; Hara surpasses all in virtues.
अलङ्कृतो वा देवेशस्तथा वाप्यनलङ्कृतः
Whether adorned or unadorned, the Lord of gods is the same.
न तथा निन्दकः पापी यथा शृण्वन् शशिप्रभे
One who hears, O moon-bright one, is not as sinful as one who slanders.
ततो ऽत्यजद् भिक्षुरूपं स्वरूपस्थो ऽभवच्छिवः
Then the mendicant abandoned his form and Shiva stood in his own true form.
तवार्थाय प्रहेष्यामि महर्षिन् हिमवद्गृहे
For your sake, I will send the great sages to the house of Himavat.
असौ भद्रेश्वरेत्येवं ख्यातो लोके भविष्यति
He will be known in the world as Bhadreśvara.
पूजयिष्यन्ति सततं मानवाश्च शुभेप्सवः
People who desire auspiciousness will always worship him.
जगामाम्बरमाविश्य स्वमेव भवनं पितुः
Having entered the sky, he went to his own father's abode.
पृथूदकं जगामाथ स्नानं चक्रे विधानतः
Then Pṛthu went to the water and performed his bath according to the rite.
कृत्वा सनन्दिः सगणः सवाहनो महागिरिं मन्दरमाजगाम
Having done so, joyful, with his attendants and vehicle, he came to the great mountain Mandara.
चक्रे दिव्यफलैर्जलेन शुचिना मूलैश्च कन्दादिभिः पूजां सर्वगणेश्वरैः सह विभोरद्रिस्त्रिनेत्रस्य तु
Together with all the lords of the gaṇas, he worshipped the mighty three-eyed mountain-lord with divine fruits, pure water, roots, and tubers.