अष्टमेन तु भक्तेन मम कर्मविधौ स्थितः
By the eighth devotee, steadfast in performing my rites,
यत्र तप्तं तपस्तेन सोमेन सुमहात्मना
Where that great-souled Soma performed severe austerity,
पञ्चवर्षसहस्राणि तथैवोर्द्ध्वमुखः स्थितः
He stood upright, facing upward, for five thousand years.
ममापराधान्मुक्तश्च ब्राह्मणानां पतिस्तथा
Freed from my offense, he became the lord of the brāhmaṇas.
त्रिंशद्वर्षसहस्राणि त्रिंशद्वर्षशतानि च
For thirty thousand years, and for thirty hundred years as well,
द्रव्यवान्गुणवांश्चैव संविभागी यशस्विनि १३७.
He was endowed with wealth, virtues, and generosity, O illustrious one.
स एष ब्राह्मणो भूत्वा संसाराद्विप्रमुच्यते
Having become a brāhmaṇa, he is thus liberated from worldly existence.
तत्तीर्थं येन विज्ञेयं मम मार्गानुसारिणा
That tīrtha should be known by one who follows my path.
प्रवृत्ते चान्धकारे तु यत्र कश्चिन्न दृश्यते
When darkness prevails and no one can be seen,
आलोकश्चैव दृश्येत सोमस्तत्र न दृश्यते ।। एवं त्वां वच्मि हे भद्रे एष ३ विस्मयः परः
Light alone is visible there, but Soma is not seen. Thus I tell you, O blessed one—this is indeed a great wonder.
एतच्चिह्नं महाभागे पुण्ये सौकरवे मम
This, O highly fortunate one, is the mark in my sacred Saukara region.
अन्यच्च ते प्रवक्ष्यामि तच्छृणुष्व वसुन्धरे
And now I will tell you something else—listen to this, O Vasundharā.
अकामा तु मृता तीर्थे आत्मनः कर्मनिश्चयात्
A woman died at the tīrtha, not by her own will, but due to the destiny of her actions.
राजपुत्री विशालाक्षी श्यामा सर्वाङ्गसुन्दरी
She was a princess, broad-eyed, dark-complexioned, and beautiful in every limb.
वाक्यं नारायणाच्छ्रुत्वा धरणी शुभलक्षणा 137.
Hearing the words of Nārāyaṇa, the Earth, adorned with auspicious marks,
अहो तीर्थप्रभावो वै त्वया प्रोक्तो महान्मम गृध्रश्चैव सृगाली च प्राप्तौ वै मानुषीं तनुम्
Ah! The great power of the holy place you have described to me—both the vulture and the jackal have attained human bodies.
स्नानेन तत्र तीर्थे च मरणाद्वा जनार्दन
By bathing at that holy place, or by dying there, O Janārdana,
चिह्नं च कीदृशं तेषां जायन्ते येन ते तथा
What kind of mark arises for them, by which they are thus born?
ततो महीवचः श्रुत्वा विष्णुर्धर्मविदां वरः
Then, hearing the words of the Earth, Viṣṇu, the best among knowers of dharma,
शृणु तत्त्वेन मे भूमे यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि
Listen in truth, O Earth, to what you have asked me.
तस्मिन्काले ह्यतिक्रान्ते मम कर्मविनिश्चयात्
When that time had passed, by the determination of my actions,
तत्र राजा महाभागः स्वधर्मकृतनिश्चयः
There was a king, greatly fortunate, firmly established in his own duty.
तस्य पुत्रो महाभागः सर्वधर्मेषु निष्ठितः
His son, greatly fortunate, steadfast in all duties,
पित्रर्थे मृगयां यातो मृगलिप्सुर्वने तदा
Went into the forest to hunt, desiring game, for the sake of his father.
न तत्र लभते किञ्चित्पितृकार्ये नराधिपः 137.
But in that place, the lord of men found nothing for his father's purpose.
अङ्गमध्ये तु विद्धा सा स्फुरन्ती सर्वमङ्गला
There, a most auspicious creature, struck in the middle of its body, was trembling.
पीत्वा सा सलिलं तत्र वृक्षं शाकोटकङ्गता
Having drunk water there, she went to the branch of a tree.
अकामा मुञ्चती प्राणान् तीर्थं सोमात्मकं प्रति
Unwillingly, she gave up her life at the holy place belonging to Soma.
प्राप्तो गृध्रवटं तीर्थं विश्रामं तत्र चाकरोत्
He reached the holy place called Gṛdhravaṭa and rested there.
एकेन स तु बाणेन तया गृध्रो निपातितः
With a single arrow, the vulture was struck down by her.