Chapter 198

[English text for this chapter is available]

sūta uvāca |
etasminneva kāle tu daśārṇādhipatistadā |
ratnavatyā vivāhārthaṃ tatra sthāne samāgataḥ || 1 ||
[Analyze grammar]

sa śrutvā tatra vṛttāṃtaṃ ratnavatyāḥ samudbhavam |
viraktiṃ paramāṃ kṛtvā prasthitaḥ svapuraṃ prati || 2 ||
[Analyze grammar]

taṃ śrutvā prasthitaṃ bhūpamānartaḥ svapuraṃ prati |
pṛṣṭhato'nuyayau tasya vyāgho ṭanakṛte tadā || 43 ||
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athābravīcca taṃ prāpya kasmāttvaṃ prasthito nṛpa |
pāṇigrahamakṛtvā tu mama kanyāsamudbhavam || 4 ||
[Analyze grammar]

daśārṇa uvāca |
dūṣiteyaṃ tava sutā kanyakātvavivarjitā |
yasyāḥ pīto'dharo'nyena marditau ca tathā stanau || 5 ||
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punarbhūriti saṃjñā sā sañjātā duhitā tava |
punarbhūrjanayetputraṃ yaṃ kadācitkathaṃcana || 6 ||
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sa pātayatyasaṃdigdhaṃ daśa pūrvāndaśāparān |
ekaviṃśatimaṃ caiva tathaivātmānameva ca || 7 ||
[Analyze grammar]

na variṣyāmyahaṃ tena sutāṃ te'haṃ narasipa |
nirdākṣiṇyamiti procya daśārṇādhipatistadā || 8 ||
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chaṃdyamāno'pi vividhairhastyaśvarathapūrvakaiḥ |
avajñāya mahīpālaṃ prasthitaḥ svapuraṃ prati || 9 ||
[Analyze grammar]

athānartto gṛhaṃ prāpya mṛgāvatyāḥ samākulaḥ |
tadvṛttaṃ kathayāmāsa yaduktaṃ tena bhūbhujā |
svabhāryāyāḥ sutāyāśca mantriṇāṃ duḥkhasaṃyutaḥ || 10 ||
[Analyze grammar]

te procuḥ saṃti bhūpālāḥ saṃkhyāhīnā mahītale |
rūpāḍhyā yauvanopetā hastyaśvarathasaṃyutāḥ || 11 ||
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teṣāmekatamasya tvaṃ dehi kanyāṃ nijāṃ vibho |
mā viṣāde manaḥ kṛtvā duḥkhasya vaśago bhava || 12 ||
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ānarto'pi ca tacchrutvā teṣāṃ vākyaṃ suduḥkhitam |
tataḥ prāha prahṛṣṭātmā tānsarvānmantripūrvakān || 13 ||
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tāṃ ca kanyāṃ sthitāṃ tatra sāmnā paramavalgunā |
putri dṛṣṭā mahīpālāḥ sarve citragatāstvayā || 14 ||
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teṣāṃ madhyānnṛpaṃ cānyaṃ kañcidvaraya śobhane |
yaste cittasya santoṣaṃ kurute dṛkpathaṃ gataḥ || 15 ||
[Analyze grammar]

ratnāvatyuvāca |
na cāhaṃ varayiṣyāmi patimanyaṃ kathaṃcana |
daśārṇādhipatiṃ muktvā śrūyatāmatra kāraṇam || 16 ||
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sakṛjjalpaṃti rājānaḥ sakṛjjalpaṃti ca dvijāḥ |
sakṛtkanyāḥ pradīyaṃte trīṇyetāni sakṛtsakṛt || 17 ||
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evaṃ jñātvā na māṃ tāta tvamanyasminmahīpatau |
dātumarhasi dharmo'yaṃ na bhavecchāśvato yataḥ || 18 ||
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ānarta uvāca |
vāṅmātreṇa pradattā tvaṃ daśārṇādhipatermayā |
na te hastagrahaṃ prāpto viprāgnigurusannidhau || 19 ||
[Analyze grammar]

tatkathaṃ sa patirjātastavaḥ putri vadasva me || 20 ||
[Analyze grammar]

ratnāvatyuvāca |
manasā ciṃtyate kāryaṃ sakṛttātapurā yataḥ |
vācayā procyate paścāt karmaṇā kriyate tataḥ || 21 ||
[Analyze grammar]

tanmayā manasā dattastasyātmā'yaṃ purā kila |
tvayā ca vācayā cāsmai pradattāsmi tathā vibho |
tatkathaṃ na patirme syādbrūhi vā yadi manyase || 22 ||
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sāhaṃ tapaścariṣyāmi kaumāravratadhāriṇī |
nānyaṃ patiṃ kariṣyāmi niścayo'yaṃ mayā kṛtaḥ || 23 ||
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tacchrutvā vacanaṃ raudraṃ mātā tasyā mṛgāvatī |
aśrupūrṇekṣaṇā dīnā vākyametaduvāca ha || 24 ||
[Analyze grammar]

mā putri sāhasaṃ kārṣīstapo'rthaṃ tvaṃ kathañcana |
bālā tvaṃ sukumārāṃgī sadaiva sukhabhāginī || 25 ||
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kathaṃ tapaḥ samarthāsi vidhātuṃ tvamaniṃdite |
kandamūlaphalāhārā cīravalkaladhāriṇī || 26 ||
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tasmānmukhyasya bhūpasya kasyacitvāṃ dadāmyaham || 27 ||
[Analyze grammar]

eṣā te brāhmaṇīnāma sakhī paramasaṃmatā |
pratīkṣate vivāhaṃ te kaumāraṃ bhāvamāśritā || 28 ||
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yasya bhūpasya tvaṃ harmye prayāsyasi vivāhi tā |
purodhāstasya yo rājño bhāryeyaṃ tasya bhāvinī || 29 ||
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ratnāvatyuvāca |
na ca bhūyastvayā vācyaṃ vākyamevaṃvidhaṃ kvacit |
madarthe yadi me prāṇāstvaṃ vāṃchasi sutaiṣiṇī || 30 ||
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athavā tvaṃ haṭhārthaṃ ca tapovighnaṃ kariṣyasi || 31 ||
[Analyze grammar]

tatastyakṣyāmyahaṃ dehaṃ bhakṣayitvā mahadviṣam |
khaṃḍayiṣyāmyahaṃ jihvāṃ pravekṣyāmi ca vā jalam || 32 ||
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evaṃ sā niścayaṃ kṛtvā procya tāṃ jananīṃ tadā || 33 ||
[Analyze grammar]

tataḥ provāca tāṃ kanyāṃ brāhmaṇīṃ saṃmatāṃ sakhīm |
kṛtāṃjalipuṭā bhūtvā samāliṃgya ca sādaram || 34 ||
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gaccha tvaṃ svapiturharmyaṃ preṣitāsi mayā śubhe |
yena te yacchati pitā nāgarāya mahātmane || 35 ||
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kṣamasva yanmayā proktā kadācitparuṣaṃ vacaḥ |
tvayāpi yanmama proktaṃ kṣāṃtaṃ caitanmayā dhruvam || 36 ||
[Analyze grammar]

brāhmaṇyuvāca |
aṣṭavarṣā bhavedgaurī navavarṣā tu rohiṇī |
daśavarṣā bhavetkanyā ata ūrdhvaṃ rajasvalā || 37 ||
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kaumāryaṃ ca praṇaṣṭaṃ me tvatsaṃparkādvarānane |
jātaṃ ṣoḍaśakaṃ varṣaṃ strīdharmeṇa samanvitam || 38 ||
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na me pāṇigrahaṃ kaścinnāgaro'tra kariṣyati |
budhyamānastu smṛtyarthaṃ vakṣya māṇaṃ varānane || 39 ||
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rajasvalāṃ ca yaḥ kanyāmudvāhayati nirghṛṇaḥ |
tasyāḥ santānamāsādya pātayetpuruṣāndaśa || 40 ||
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rajasvalā tu yaḥ kanyāṃ pitā yacchati nirghṛṇaḥ |
sa pātayedasaṃdigdhaṃ daśa pūrvāndaśāparān || 41 ||
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tasmādahaṃ kariṣyāmi tvayā sārdhaṃ tapaḥ śubhe |
pitrā naiva hi me kāryaṃ na ca mātrā kathaṃcana || 42 ||
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sūta uvāca |
evaṃ te niścayaṃ kṛtvā kanyake dve dvijotamāḥ |
gate yatra sthitaḥ sākṣādbhartṛyajño mahāmuniḥ || 43 ||
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sthito vāstupade ramye sarvatīrthamaye śubhe |
tasya tapaḥprabhāvena jātu kopo na dṛśyate || 44 ||
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kasyacitkvāpi martyasya tiryagyoniga tasya ca |
krīḍaṃti nakulāḥ sarpairmārjārāḥ saha mūṣakaiḥ || 46 ||
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sāraṃgā dvīpibhiḥ sārdhaṃ kākāśca saha kauśikaiḥ |
bhartṛyajñaṃ sukhāsīnaṃ tatra gatvā tu te śubhe |
procaturvinayopete kṛtāṃjalipuṭe sthite || 46 ||
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brāhmaṇyuvāca |
ahaṃ sakhyā samaṃ yātā hyanayā rājakanyayā |
tapo'rthe tava pādāṃte tadbrūhi tapaso vidhim || 47 ||
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vadasva yena tatkṛtsnaṃ prakaromi mahāmate || 48 ||
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bhartṛyajña uvāca |
ahaṃ te kathayiṣyāmi tapaścaryāvidhiṃ pṛthak |
yena saṃprāpyate mokṣaḥ ki punastridaśālayaḥ || 49 ||
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cāṃdrāyaṇāni kṛcchrāṇi tathā sāṃtapanāni ca |
ṣaṣṭhe kāle tathā bhojyaṃ dināṃtaritameva ca || 50 ||
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brahmakūrcaṃ trirātraṃ ca ekabhaktamayācitam |
tapodvārāṇi sarvāṇi kṛtānyetāni vedhasā || 51 ||
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svaśaktyā caiva kāryāṇi rāgadveṣavivarjitaiḥ |
vāṃchitavyaṃ phalaṃ caiva sarveṣāmeva putrike |
tataḥ siddhimavāpnoti yā sadā manasi sthitā || 52 ||
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samatvaṃ śatrumitrābhyāṃ tathā pā ṣāṇaratnayoḥ |
yadā saṃjāyate citte tadā mokṣamavāpnuyāt || 53 ||
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yo liṃgagrahaṇaṃ kṛtvā tataḥ kopaparo bhavet |
tasya vṛthā hi tatsarvaṃ yathā bhasmahutaṃ tathā || 54 ||
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sūta uvāca |
sā tathetipratijñāya brāhmaṇī sahitā tayā |
ratnāvatyā jagāmātha kiṃciccaiva jalāśayam || 55 ||
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svacchodakena saṃpūrṇaṃ padminīṣaṃḍamaṃḍitam |
tataścāṃdrāyaṇaṃ cakre tapasaḥ prathamaṃ vratam || 56 ||
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tataḥ kṛcchravrataṃ cakre tataḥ sāṃtapanaṃ ca sā |
ṣaṣṭhānnakālabhojyā ca sā cābhūdvatsaratrayam || 57 ||
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trirātropoṣaṇaṃ paścādyāvadvarṣatrayaṃ tathā |
ekāntaropavāsaiśca sā'nayadvatsaratrayam || 58 ||
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hemaṃte jalamadhyasthā sā babhūva tapasvinī |
paṃcāgnisādhakā grīṣme sā babhūva yaśasvinī || 59 ||
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nirāśrayā'bhavatsādhvī varṣākāla upasthite |
dhyāyamānā divānaktaṃ devadevaṃ janārdanam || 60 ||
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yadyadvrataṃ purā cakre brāhmaṇī sā ca suvratā |
anyaṃ jalāśayaṃ prāpya sā taccakre nṛpātmajā |
prītyā paramayā yuktā tadā sā dvijasa ttamāḥ || 61 ||
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tato varṣaśataṃ sārdhaṃ phalāhārā babhūva sā |
śīrṇaparṇāśanā paścāttāvanmātraṃ vyavasthitā || 62 ||
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tataścaiva jalāhārā yāvadvarṣaśatāni ṣaṭ |
vāyubhakṣā babhūvātha sahasraṃ parivatsarān || 63 ||
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yathāyathā tapaścakre sā kumārī dvijottamāḥ |
tathātathā'bhavattasyāstejovṛddhiranuttamā || 64 ||
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etasminneva kāle tu bhagavāñchaśiśekharaḥ || 65 ||
[Analyze grammar]

gauryā saha prasannātmā tasyā gocaramāgataḥ |
meghagaṃbhīrayā vācā tatovacanamabravīt || 66 ||
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vatse taponivṛttiṃ tvaṃ kuruṣva vacanānmama |
prārthayasva mano'bhīṣṭaṃ yena sarvaṃ dadāmi te || 67 ||
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brāhmaṇyuvāca |
abhīṣṭametadevaṃ me yattvaṃ dṛṣṭo'si śaṃkara |
svapne'pi darśanaṃ deva durlabhaṃ te nṛṇāṃ yataḥ || 68 ||
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bhagavānuvāca |
na me syāddarśanaṃ vyarthaṃ kathaṃcitsutapasvini |
tasmādvaraya bhadraṃ te varaṃ yena dadāmyaham || 69 ||
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brāhmaṇyuvāca |
eṣā me susakhī sādhvī rājaputrī yaśasvinī |
khyātā ratnāvatīnāma prāṇebhyo'pigarīyasī || 70 ||
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mama tulyaṃ tapaścakre śūdrayonāvapi sthitā |
nivartate tu yadyeṣā tapasastu nivartanam |
karomyadya jagannātha tadahaṃ saṃśayaṃ vinā || 71 ||
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asyāḥ snehena saṃtyakto mayā bhartā sureśvara |
tasmāddeva varaṃ dehi tvamasyā manasi sthitam || 72 ||
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sūta uvāca |
tasyāstadvacanaṃ śrutvā bhagavāñchaśiśekharaḥ |
abravīdrājaputrīṃ tāṃ meghagaṃbhīrayā girā |
vatse madvacanādadya tapastvaṃ tyaktumarhasi || 73 ||
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varaṃ varaya kalyāṇi nityaṃ manasi saṃsthitam |
adeyamapi dāsyāmi sāṃprataṃ tava bhāmini || 74 ||
[Analyze grammar]

ratnāvatyuvāca |
etajjalāśayaṃ puṇyaṃ padminīṣaṇḍa maṇḍitam || 75 ||
[Analyze grammar]

yatraiṣā brāhmaṇī sādhvī nityaṃ ca tapasi sthitā |
asyā nāmnā ca vikhyātiṃ tīrthametatprapadyatām || 76 ||
[Analyze grammar]

atra yaḥ kurute snānaṃ śraddhayā parayā yutaḥ |
tasya bhūyātsadā vāso devadeva triviṣṭape au || 77 ||
[Analyze grammar]

madīyaṃ mama nāmnā tu śūdrāsaṃjñaṃ tu jāyatām |
tasya tulyaprabhāvaṃ tu tīrthasya pratipadyatām || 78 ||
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āvābhyāṃ nityaśaḥ kāryaṃ kumāratve mahattapaḥ |
ārādhyastvaṃ suraśreṣṭho vāṅmanaḥkarmabhistathā || 79 ||
[Analyze grammar]

etasminneva kāle tu nirbhidya dharaṇītalam |
liṃgaṃ māheśvaraṃ viprā niṣkrāṃtaṃ sūryasaṃnibham || 80 ||
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tataḥ provāca te devaḥ svayameva maheśvaraḥ |
tābhyāṃ sutapasā tuṣṭaḥ sādaraṃ bhaktavatsalaḥ || 81 ||
[Analyze grammar]

etattīrthadvayaṃ khyātaṃ trailokyepi bhaviṣyati |
śūdrīnāma tvadīyaṃ tu brāhmaṇī ca sakhī tava || 82 ||
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tīrthadvaye'pi yaḥ snātvā etasmiñchraddhayā'nvitaḥ |
tvattaḥ padmāni saṃgṛhya asyāstoyaṃ ca nirmalam |
etacca māmakaṃ liṃgaṃ snāpayitvā'rcayiṣyati || 83 ||
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paścātpadmaiścaturdaśyāṃ śuklāyāṃ somavāsare |
caitre māsi ca saṃprāpte cirāyuḥ sa bhaviṣyati || 84 ||
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sarvapāpavinirmukto yadyapi syātsupāpakṛt || 85 ||
[Analyze grammar]

evamuktvā sa bhagavāṃstataścādarśanaṃ gataḥ |
tatra nityaṃ ca tapasi sthite sakhyāvubhāvapi || 86 ||
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yāvatkalpaśataṃ tāvajjarāmaraṇavarji te |
adyāpi gagane te ca dṛśyete tārakātmake || 87 ||
[Analyze grammar]

tataḥprabhṛti tatkhyātaṃ tīrthayugmaṃ dharātale |
āgatyātha naro dūrāttābhyāṃ kṛtvā nimajjanam || 88 ||
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pūjayitvā tu talliṃgaṃ tato yāti divālayam |
mahāpātakayukto'pi tatprabhāvādasaṃśayam || 89 ||
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etasminnaṃtare martye naṣṭā dharmasya ca kriyā |
yajñadānakṛtā yā ca devārcanasamudbhavā || 90 ||
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vyāptastathākhilaḥ svargo mānavaiḥ spardhayānvitaiḥ |
sārdhaṃ devairvimānasthairapsarogaṇasevitaiḥ || 91 ||
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etasminneva kāle tu dharmarājaḥ samāyayau |
yatra vedadhvanirbrahmā brahmalokaṃ samāśritaḥ || 92 ||
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abravīdduḥkhito dīnaḥ kṣiptvāgre patrakadvayam |
ekaṃ pāpasamudbhūtamanyaddharmasamudbhavam || 93 ||
[Analyze grammar]

citreṇa likhitaṃ yacca vicitreṇa tathā param |
hāṭakeśvaraje kṣetre devatīrthayugaṃ sthitam || 94 ||
[Analyze grammar]

śūdrākhyaṃ brāhmaṇīnāma tathānyatpadmamaṃḍitam |
tathā tatrāsti liṃgaṃ ca puṇyaṃ māheśvaraṃ mahat || 95 ||
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trayāṇāmatha teṣāṃ ca prabhāvātsarvamānavāḥ |
api pāpasamāyuktāḥ prayāṃti tridaśālayam || 96 ||
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śūnyā me narakā jātāḥ sarve te rauravādayaḥ || 97 ||
[Analyze grammar]

na kaścidyajanaṃ cakre na dānaṃ na ca tarpaṇam |
devatānāṃ pitṝṇāṃ ca manuṣyāṇāṃ viśeṣataḥ || 98 ||
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tasmānmukto mayā sarvo yo'dhikārastavodbhavaḥ |
niyojayasva tatrānyaṃ kañcicchaktatamaṃ tataḥ || 99 ||
[Analyze grammar]

apramāṇaṃ sthitaṃ sarvametatpatradvayaṃ mama |
tacchrutvā padmajaḥ prāha samānīya śatakratum || 100 ||
[Analyze grammar]

gatvā śīghratamaṃ martye tvaṃ śakra vacanānmama |
hāṭakeśvaraje kṣetre tīrthadvayamanuttamam || 101 ||
[Analyze grammar]

śūdryākhyaṃ brāhmaṇītyeva yacca liṃgamanuttamam |
tatrasthaṃ nāśaya kṣipraṃ kṛtvā pāṃsupravarṣaṇam || 102 ||
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sūta uvāca |
tacchrutvā satvaraṃ śakro gatvā bhūmitalaṃ tataḥ |
pāṃsubhiḥ pūrayāmāsa te tīrthe liṃgameva ca || 103 ||
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adyāpi kalikāle'smindvābhyāṃ gṛhya sumṛttikām |
snātvā ca tilakaṃ kāryaṃ sarvapāpaviśuddhaye || 104 ||
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caturdaśīdine prāpte somavāre ca saṃsthite |
dvābhyāṃ yaḥ kurute śrāddhaṃ śraddhayā parayā yutaḥ |
gayāśrāddhena kiṃ tasya manuḥ svāyaṃbhuvo'bravīt || 105 ||
[Analyze grammar]

etadvaḥ sarvamākhyātaṃ yatpṛṣṭo'smi dvijottamāḥ |
yathā sā brāhmaṇī jātā śūdrī cāpi tathāparā || 106 ||
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yaścaitacchṛṇuyādbhaktyā paṭhedvā dvijasattamāḥ |
so'pi taddinajātpāpānmucyate nātra saṃśayaḥ || 107 ||
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evaṃ naro na kaḥ siddhastasya liṃgasya pūjanāt |
cirāyuśca tathā jāto yathānyo nātra vidyate || 108 ||
[Analyze grammar]