स्नात्वा तौ विधिवत्तत्र लब्ध्वा भक्तिं हरेः पराम् । चेलतुः प्रणिपत्येदं भाषमाणौ मिथस्तदा
Having bathed there according to the proper rite, and having obtained supreme devotion to Hari, they moved about, bowing down, and spoke to each other at that time.
द्विजावूचतुः । यथावयोर्हि संयोगः पथिजातो विचारतः । यथा गृहकलत्रादि संयोगो भुवि जायते । सांप्रतं विरहोभावी यथा नौ मार्गवर्तिनौ
The two brāhmaṇas said: Just as our meeting occurred by chance on the road, so, on earth, the union of house, wife, and so on arises; now, separation is destined for us, as for travelers on a path.
तथादारसुतादीनां कालव्यास्यवर्तिनाम् । धन्यः स पुरुषो लोके यो दारसुतसंगमम्
So it is with wives, sons, and others, subject to the play of time; blessed is that man in the world who, knowing the fleeting nature of union with wife and son,
विज्ञाय क्षणिकं नित्यं संश्रयेत्श्रीपतिं भजेत् । नारद उवाच- स्मरणं करणीयं मे दासोऽहं त्वत्पदाश्रयः
Recognizing its transience, always seeks refuge in and worships the Lord; Nārada said: I must remember—I am your servant, sheltered at your feet.
संदेशः प्रेषणीयो मामित्युक्त्वा स्वगृहं गतौ । शृणु राजन्यथा तेन मित्रेण विमलस्य तु
Saying, 'A message must be sent by me,' they went to their own homes; listen, O King, to what happened next with Vimalā's friend.
मोक्षणं राक्षसीनां तु विहितं पथिगच्छता । व्रजन्स ब्राह्मणः प्राप्तस्तं देशं जलवर्जितम्
The liberation of the rākṣasīs was accomplished as he traveled the path; journeying, the brāhmaṇa reached that waterless region.
यत्र ताः पापविप्लुष्टा राक्षस्यः क्षुत्तृषाकुलाः । अथ ताः पथिगच्छंतं दूराद्दृष्ट्वा द्विजोत्तमम्
There, those demonesses, tormented by sin and overwhelmed by hunger and thirst, saw from afar the best of twice-born men walking along the path.
सजलामत्रहस्तं तं मिथस्त्विति बभाषिरे । राक्षस्य ऊचुः - आयाति पथिकः कश्चिज्जलपात्रं करे दधत्
Seeing him holding a water vessel in his hand, they spoke among themselves: The demonesses said— 'A traveler is approaching, carrying a water pot in his hand.'
अस्माकं क्षुत्तृषोः शांतिर्मनागपि भविष्यति । एनं संभक्षयिष्यामः पास्यामोऽस्य करे स्थितम्
'Perhaps our hunger and thirst will be somewhat appeased; we will devour him and drink what is in his hand.'
पात्रं जलं वयं तृष्णा क्षुधार्ताः शतवर्षतः । नारद उवाच- काचिदाहेत्यहं पूर्वमस्योष्णं कालखंडकम्
'We are parched with thirst and starving for a hundred years; the vessel, the water, and our thirst—' Narada said: 'Let one of us first eat the hot flesh from his body,'
भक्षयित्वा ततो रक्तं पीत्वा यास्यामि जीवितम् । अन्या प्राह कियद्द्रव्यं विद्यतेऽस्य गजानने
'Then, after drinking his blood, I will regain my life.' Another said, 'How much substance does this elephant-faced one possess?'
मम व्याघ्राननायास्तु पानायापि न दृश्यते । अन्या वै रथचक्राख्या श्रूयतां वचनं मम
'Even for my tiger-faced self, there does not appear to be enough to drink.' Another, called Rathacakra, said, 'Listen to my words.'
करिष्ये कुंडलमहं केनांत्रैरस्य मेखलाम् । अन्यावददहं दंतैरेकतः श्यामलीकृतैः
I will make earrings and a girdle from his intestines.' Another said, 'I will make dice for the gaming hall from his teeth, blackened together.'
रमे षोडशभिर्द्यूतशालायां तद्विशारदः । इत्युक्त्वा ताः मिथः सर्वास्तंद्विजं प्रति दुद्रुवुः
He is skilled in the game with sixteen dice in the gambling hall. Having spoken thus among themselves, they all rushed at the twice-born man.
विवृतास्या ललज्जिह्वाः प्रद्योतैकमहाभुजाः । आयांतीस्ताः समालोक्य ब्राह्मणो भयविह्वलः
With mouths wide open, tongues lolling, and arms shining like great pillars, as they approached, the brahmin, seeing them, was seized with fear.
आत्मानमभितश्चक्रे रक्षां वेदोदितां नृप । ता आगत्य स्थिता दूरं राक्षस्यो भीमविक्रमाः
O King, he protected himself on all sides with Vedic mantras as prescribed; those demonesses of terrible might came near and stood at a distance.
तेजसा तस्य मंत्रैश्च प्रत्यादिष्टा नराधिपः । ऊचुश्च को भवानत्र कुतः प्राप्तोऽसि तद्वद
Repelled by his brilliance and mantras, O king, they said: 'Who are you here? From where have you come? Tell us that.'
त्वद्दर्शनान्मनोऽस्माकं प्रसादमधिगच्छति । त्वत्पादस्पर्शनात्किं नो न विप्र भविता फलम् । अतो मूर्द्धसु नो देहि स्वकीयं पादपंकजम्
'By seeing you, our minds attain peace; what fruit, O brahmin, will not come from touching your feet? Therefore, place your lotus-like foot on our heads.'
नारद उवाच- इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तासां जगाद हरिदत्तजः । द्विज उवाच- कृत्वा पवित्रतीर्थानि ब्राह्मणोऽहं समागतः
Narada said: Hearing their words, Haridatta's son replied. The brahmin said: 'Having performed sacred baths at holy places, I, a brahmin, have come here.'
सांप्रतं पुष्करं यामि भवतीभिः किमिच्छते । यतस्तत्प्रार्थ्यतां दातुं शक्तो दास्यामि चेत्तदा
'Now I am going to Pushkara. What do you wish from me? Ask for whatever you desire; if I am able, I will give it.'
राक्षस्य ऊचुः । येषु तीर्थेषु विप्रेंद्र त्वया स्नातं वदस्व नः । तानि सर्वाणि पुण्यानि मोचयातः कुजन्मनः । अस्मानतितरां तृष्णा क्षुद्भ्यां दारुणदुःखदात्
The demonesses said: 'O best of brahmins, tell us at which holy places you have bathed. All those are sacred and can liberate those of evil birth. Our suffering from thirst and hunger is exceedingly harsh.'
ब्राह्मण उवाच- अवंतीमाश्रमात्पूर्वमहं हरिपुरीमितः । गतोऽहं द्वारकां तस्मात्स्नात्वा सोमोद्भवा जले
The brahmin said: 'From the hermitage at Avanti, I went to the city of Hari; from there, to Dvaraka, where I bathed in the water born of Soma.'
ततः प्राप्तः प्रभासाख्यं तीर्थं नीरधितीरगम् । तस्मात्सेतुनिबंधेऽहं स्नातः परमपावने
Then I reached the holy place called Prabhasa, on the shore of the ocean; from there, I bathed at the Setu, the supremely pure causeway.'
तस्मादहं महापुण्यां किष्किंधां समुपागतः । हतो यत्र तु रामेण वाली कपिगणेश्वरः
From there, I have come to the greatly sacred Kishkindha, where Vali, lord of the monkeys, was slain by Rama.'
तस्मान्मठं सरस्वत्यानर्मदातीरसंस्थितम् । समागतोऽहं यत्रास्ति भारती सर्वसेविता
Therefore, I came to the monastery situated on the banks of the Sarasvati and Narmada, where Bhāratī is revered by all.
ततोऽहंमावेशंवेणींतांनत्वादक्षिणापथे । शिवकांची विष्णुकांच्यौ दृष्टे तत्र मया पुरौ
Then, I entered Veṇī in the southern region, where I saw the cities of Śiva-Kāñcī and Viṣṇu-Kāñcī.
ययोर्मरणतो जंतुः शिवो विष्णुश्च जायते । ततोऽहंमुत्कलं प्राप्तो यत्रास्ति हरिरीश्वरः
Where, upon death, a creature is born as Śiva or Viṣṇu; from there, I reached Utkala, where Hari and Īśvara reside.
चतुर्वर्गप्रदः साक्षाद्भक्तानामपि कांक्षितम् । तमर्चयित्वा विधिवद्भक्षयित्वा निवेदितम्
He directly grants the four aims of life and is desired by devotees; after worshipping him properly and offering the prescribed food,
प्रसादभूतं तस्यैव गंगासागरसंगमम् । तत्र देवानृषीन्पितॄंस्तर्पयित्वा यथाविधि
Having received his grace, I went to the confluence of the Ganges and the ocean; there, I satisfied the gods, sages, and ancestors according to the rites.
यत्र गंगाशतमुखी जाता तत्राहमागमम् । ततो गयामुपागत्य पिंडान्दत्त्वा यथाविधि
Where the Ganges emerged with a hundred mouths, I arrived there; then, going to Gayā, I offered oblations as prescribed.