Varaha Purana

यदा नन्दी शूलपाणिर्गोधनेन पुरस्कृतः

When Nandī, holding the trident, was preceded by the herd of cows,

देवानामटनाच्चैव देवाट इति संज्ञितम्

Because the gods wandered there, it became known as Devāṭa.

स शूलपाणिर्देवेशो भक्ताभयविधायकः

That Lord of the gods, holding the trident, grants fearlessness to devotees.

तस्मिन्स्थाने महादेवः सालङ्कायनकस्य हि

In that place, Mahādeva is indeed of the Sālaṅkāyana lineage.

स्वयं चैव महायोगी योगसिद्धिविधायकः

And he himself, the great yogi, bestows the attainment of yoga.

त्रिजटाभ्योऽभवन्धारा स्तिस्रो वै परमाद्भुताः

From the Trijaṭās, three streams arose, truly most wondrous.

एतत्त्रैधारिकं तीर्थं त्रिजटाभ्यः समुत्थितम् १४४.

This three-streamed sacred site emerged from the Trijaṭās.

शालग्रामाभिधे क्षेत्रे हरिशीलनतत्परः

In the field called Śālagrāma, one devoted to worshipping Hari,

तीर्थे त्रिधारे यः स्रात्वा सन्तर्प्य पितृदेवताः

Who, having bathed at the three-streamed site, satisfies the ancestors and gods,

तस्यैव पूर्वदिग्भागे हंसतीर्थमिति स्मृतम्

On its eastern side, it is remembered as Haṃsa-tīrtha.

कदाचिच्छिवरात्र्यां तु भक्तैः पूजामहोत्सवे

At times, on the night sacred to Śiva, during the great festival of worship by devotees,

तत्र काकाः समुत्पेतुरन्ने तस्मिन्बुभुक्षिताः

There, crows, hungry for food, flew up towards that offering.

तावुभौ युध्यमानौ तु कुण्डे तस्मिन्निपेततुः

Both of them, while fighting, fell into that pit.

तत्र हंसौ ततो भूत्वा निर्गतौ चन्द्रवर्चसौ

There, they became two swans, radiant as the moon, and emerged from it.

हंसतीर्थमिति प्रोचुस्ततःप्रभृति सत्तमे

From that time, O noble one, it has been called 'Hamsa-tirtha'—the holy place of the swans.

पूर्वं यक्षकृतं तत्तु यक्षतीर्थमिति स्मृतम्

Formerly, it was made by a Yaksha and was known as 'Yaksha-tirtha.'

तत्राऽथ मुंचते प्राणाञ्छिवभक्तिपरायणः १४४.

There, then, a devotee wholly dedicated to Shiva gave up his life.

एवं प्रभावं तत्तीर्थं महायोगिप्रभावतः

Such is the power of that sacred place, due to the greatness of the great yogi.

एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं क्षेत्रं गुह्यं वसुन्धरे

All this, O Earth, I have told you—the secret holy field.

गुह्यानां परमं गुह्यं किमन्यच्छ्रोतुमिच्छसि

Of all secrets, this is the highest; what else do you wish to hear?

अथ सालग्रामक्षेत्रमाहात्म्यम् भगवन्देवदेवेश सालंकायनको मुनिः

Now, the glory of the Salagrama field: O Lord of gods, the sage Salankayana—

श्रीवराह उवाच तप्यमानो यथान्यायं पश्यन्वै सालमुत्तमम्

Sri Varaha said: Performing austerities as prescribed, he beheld the excellent sala tree.

अभिन्नमतुलच्छायं विशालं पुष्पितं तथा

Unbroken, of incomparable beauty, vast and blossoming as well.

ऋषिर्ज्ञानपरिश्रान्तः सालंकायनकोऽद्भुतम्

The sage Salankayana, weary from his pursuit of knowledge, saw that wondrous tree.

ततो दृष्ट्वा महासालं परिश्रान्तो महामुनिः

Then, seeing the great sala tree, the great sage, exhausted, paused.

सालस्य तस्य पूर्वेण स्थितः पश्चान्मुखो मुनिः

To the east of that sala tree, the sage stood facing west.

ततः पूर्वेण पार्श्वेन तस्य सालस्य सुन्दरि

Then, O beautiful one, on the eastern side of that sala tree—

दृष्ट्वा मां तत्र स मुनिस्त पस्वी संशितव्रतः

There, seeing me, that sage, steadfast in his vows, gazed intently.

मत्तेजसा ताडिताक्षः शनैरुन्मील्य लोचने

Struck by my radiance, he slowly opened his eyes.