Critical Edition
जनमेजय उवाच अत्यद्भुतमिदं ब्रह्मञ्श्रुतवानस्मि तत्त्वतः अभिषेकं कुमारस्य विस्तरेण यथाविधि
M. N. Dutt: Janamejaya said "This history, O Rishi, that I have heard from you is highly wonderful, namely this detailed description of the installation according to due rites of Skanda.
यच्छ्रुत्वा पूतमात्मानं विजानामि तपोधन प्रहृष्टानि च रोमाणि प्रसन्नं च मनो मम
M. N. Dutt: O you having asceticism for your wealth, I consider myself cleansed by having listened to this account. My hair stands on end and my mind has become cheerful.
अभिषेकं कुमारस्य दैत्यानां च वधं तथा श्रुत्वा मे परमा प्रीतिर्भूयः कौतूहलं हि मे
M. N. Dutt: Having heard the history of the installation of Kumara and the destruction of the Daityas, I have been greatly pleased, I feel a curiosity, however, regarding another subject.
अपां पतिः कथं ह्यस्मिन्नभिषिक्तः सुरासुरैः तन्मे ब्रूहि महाप्राज्ञ कुशलो ह्यसि सत्तम
M. N. Dutt: How was the king of the waters installed by the celestials in that Tirtha formerly. O best of men, tell me all that, for you are highly wise and are skilled narrator.
वैशंपायन उवाच शृणु राजन्निदं चित्रं पूर्वकल्पे यथातथम् आदौ कृतयुगे तस्मिन्वर्तमाने यथाविधि वरुणं देवताः सर्वाः समेत्येदमथाब्रुवन्
M. N. Dutt: Vaishampayana said "Listen, O king, to this wonderful history as it took place in a previous Kalpa. In days of Yore, in the Satya Yoga, O king, all the celestials, duly approaching Varuna, said to him these words.
यथास्मान्सुरराट्शक्रो भयेभ्यः पाति सर्वदा तथा त्वमपि सर्वासां सरितां वै पतिर्भव
AI Translation: Just as the king of the gods, Shakra, protects us from all fears at all times, so also be the lord of all rivers.
वासश्च ते सदा देव सागरे मकरालये समुद्रोऽयं तव वशे भविष्यति नदीपतिः
AI Translation: And your abode shall always be in the ocean, the abode of Makaras. This ocean shall be under your control, O Lord of Rivers.
सोमेन सार्धं च तव हानिवृद्धी भविष्यतः एवमस्त्विति तान्देवान्वरुणो वाक्यमब्रवीत्
AI Translation: And with Soma, your increase and decrease will take place. Thus it will be," said Varuna to those gods.
समागम्य ततः सर्वे वरुणं सागरालयम् अपां पतिं प्रचक्रुर्हि विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा
AI Translation: Then all of them, having assembled, made Varuṇa, the lord of the ocean, the lord of waters, according to the prescribed ritual.
अभिषिच्य ततो देवा वरुणं यादसां पतिम् जग्मुः स्वान्येव स्थानानि पूजयित्वा जलेश्वरम्
AI Translation: Having consecrated Varuṇa, the lord of the waters, the gods went to their own abodes, having worshipped the lord of the waters.
अभिषिक्तस्ततो देवैर्वरुणोऽपि महायशाः सरितः सागरांश्चैव नदांश्चैव सरांसि च पालयामास विधिना यथा देवाञ्शतक्रतुः
AI Translation: Then the very famous Varuna was consecrated by the gods. He protected the rivers, oceans, streams, lakes, according to the rules, just as Indra protects the gods.
ततस्तत्राप्युपस्पृश्य दत्त्वा च विविधं वसु अग्नितीर्थं महाप्राज्ञः स जगाम प्रलम्बहा नष्टो न दृश्यते यत्र शमीगर्भे हुताशनः
M. N. Dutt: Bathing in that Tirtha also and giving away various kinds of presents, Baladeva, the destroyer of Pralamba, endued with great wisdom, then proceeded to Agni Tirtha, where to the cater of the clarified butter, disappearing from the view, became concealed within the entrails of the Shami word.
लोकालोकविनाशे च प्रादुर्भूते तदानघ उपतस्थुर्महात्मानं सर्वलोकपितामहम्
M. N. Dutt: When the light of the words thus disappeared, O sinless one, the gods then went to the Grandsire of the universe.
अग्निः प्रनष्टो भगवान्कारणं च न विद्महे सर्वलोकक्षयो मा भूत्संपादयतु नोऽनलम्
M. N. Dutt: And they said-"The worshipful Agni has disappeared. We do not know the reason. Let not creation go to destruction. Create fire, O powerful Lord?"
जनमेजय उवाच किमर्थं भगवानग्निः प्रनष्टो लोकभावनः विज्ञातश्च कथं देवैस्तन्ममाचक्ष्व तत्त्वतः
M. N. Dutt: Janamejaya said "For what reason did Agni, the Creator of all the worlds, disappear? How also was he found out by the celestials? Tell me all this fully."
वैशंपायन उवाच भृगोः शापाद्भृशं भीतो जातवेदाः प्रतापवान् शमीगर्भमथासाद्य ननाश भगवांस्ततः
M. N. Dutt: Vaishampayana said The highly powerful Agni became very much frightened at the curse of Bhrigu, Concealing himself within the entrails of the Shami wood, that worshipful god disappeared from the view.
प्रनष्टे तु तदा वह्नौ देवाः सर्वे सवासवाः अन्वेषन्त तदा नष्टं ज्वलनं भृशदुःखिताः
M. N. Dutt: Upon the disappearance of Agni, all the gods led by Vasava, in great affliction, searched for the missing god.
ततोऽग्नितीर्थमासाद्य शमीगर्भस्थमेव हि ददृशुर्ज्वलनं तत्र वसमानं यथाविधि
M. N. Dutt: Finding Agni then, they saw that god lying within the entrails of the Shami wood,
देवाः सर्वे नरव्याघ्र बृहस्पतिपुरोगमाः ज्वलनं तं समासाद्य प्रीताभूवन्सवासवाः पुनर्यथागतं जग्मुः सर्वभक्षश्च सोऽभवत्
M. N. Dutt: The celestials, O foremost of kings, with Brihaspati at their head, having found out the god, became very glad with Vasava amongst them.
भृगोः शापान्महीपाल यदुक्तं ब्रह्मवादिना तत्राप्याप्लुत्य मतिमान्ब्रह्मयोनिं जगाम ह
AI Translation: O king of the earth, what was said by the speaker of the Vedas due to the curse of Bhrigu, Having bathed there also, the wise one went to the source of Brahma.
ससर्ज भगवान्यत्र सर्वलोकपितामहः तत्राप्लुत्य ततो ब्रह्मा सह देवैः प्रभुः पुरा ससर्ज चान्नानि तथा देवतानां यथाविधि
M. N. Dutt: Formerly the Lord Bramhan having with all the gods bathed in that Tirtha, created all the Tirthas according to due rites, for the celestials.
तत्र स्नात्वा च दत्त्वा च वसूनि विविधानि च कौबेरं प्रययौ तीर्थं तत्र तप्त्वा महत्तपः धनाधिपत्यं संप्राप्तो राजन्नैलबिलः प्रभुः
M. N. Dutt: Bathing there and distributing various kinds of gifts, Baladeva then proceeded to the Tirtha called Kaurava where the powerful Ailavila, having practised severe austerities, became the king of riches.
तत्रस्थमेव तं राजन्धनानि निधयस्तथा उपतस्थुर्नरश्रेष्ठ तत्तीर्थं लाङ्गली ततः गत्वा स्नात्वा च विधिवद्ब्राह्मणेभ्यो धनं ददौ
M. N. Dutt: While he dwelt there (practising austerities), all kinds of wealth and all the precious gems, came to him of their own accord. Baladeva, having gone to that Tirtha and bathed in its waters, distributed immense wealth amongst the Brahmanas with due rites.
ददृशे तत्र तत्स्थानं कौबेरे काननोत्तमे पुरा यत्र तपस्तप्तं विपुलं सुमहात्मना
M. N. Dutt: Rama saw at that spot the excellent woods of Kuvera. In days of yore, the great Kuvera the king of the Yakshas, having practised the severest austerities there, obtained many boons.
यत्र राज्ञा कुबेरेण वरा लब्धाश्च पुष्कलाः धनाधिपत्यं सख्यं च रुद्रेणामिततेजसा
AI Translation: Where the king Kubera obtained excellent boons, The lordship of wealth and friendship with Rudra of immeasurable splendor,
सुरत्वं लोकपालत्वं पुत्रं च नलकूबरम् यत्र लेभे महाबाहो धनाधिपतिरञ्जसा
AI Translation: The status of a guardian of the world, the son Nalakūbara, Where the mighty lord of wealth obtained them effortlessly.
अभिषिक्तश्च तत्रैव समागम्य मरुद्गणैः वाहनं चास्य तद्दत्तं हंसयुक्तं मनोरमम् विमानं पुष्पकं दिव्यं नैरृतैश्वर्यमेव च
AI Translation: And having been consecrated there itself, he came together with the group of Maruts. And to him was given a vehicle, delightful, yoked with swans. And the divine Pushpaka vimāna, and the sovereignty of the Nāgas.
तत्राप्लुत्य बलो राजन्दत्त्वा दायांश्च पुष्कलान् जगाम त्वरितो रामस्तीर्थं श्वेतानुलेपनः
AI Translation: Having bathed there, O king, and having given abundant gifts, Rama, smeared with white clay, quickly went to the holy place.
निषेवितं सर्वसत्त्वैर्नाम्ना बदरपाचनम् नानर्तुकवनोपेतं सदापुष्पफलं शुभम्
M. N. Dutt: Abounding in various creatures, that Tirtha is known by the name of Badarapachana. There the fruits of every reason are always available and flowers and fruits of every kind always abundant."