Passage 1
अघवारोवाच— पुराहं सोमपीथस्य भार्गवस्य मुनेः सुता। तपश्चरन्ती विपुलं विषयैर्निःस्पृहान्तरा॥१॥
Aghavārā said: “Long ago I was the daughter of Somapītha, a sage of the Bhārgava line. I practiced great austerity, inwardly free of desire for sense objects.
Passage 2
पर्वते विपुलेऽरण्ये सुनासीरध्वजे वने। पित्रा कदाचिदुक्ताहं भवेः परिणयोन्मुखी॥२॥
“In a vast mountain wilderness, in the forest called Sunāsīradhvaja, my father once told me, ‘Turn your mind toward marriage.’
Passage 3
विगणय्य पितुर्वाक्यं स्थिताहं तेन मे पिता। शशाप जलरूपेऽसि सततं त्वमचेतना॥३॥
“I disregarded my father's words and remained as I was. Therefore my father cursed me: ‘You shall exist perpetually in the form of insentient water.’
Passage 4
भूत्वा ततोऽम्मयी नित्यं प्रवहामि तदाश्रमे। अथ दीर्घेण कालेन साध्यमानः स्वभार्यया॥४॥
“I then became water and flowed continually through his hermitage. After a long time, his wife began entreating him.
Passage 5
अनुकूलितः स मे मात्रा तुतोष तां प्रति कञ्चित्। तुष्टं विज्ञाय योगीन्द्रं तमृषिं शंशितव्रता॥५॥
“Won over by my mother, he softened somewhat toward her. Perceiving that the lord of yogins was pleased, that resolute woman approached the sage.
Passage 6
मदर्थं शापमुक्त्यर्थं ययाचे भार्गवं द्विजम्। तामाह भार्गवः साक्षाज्जनकस्य गृहे प्रथाः॥६॥
“For my sake she begged the Bhārgava brahmin to free me from the curse. The Bhārgava told her: ‘When she manifests directly in Janaka's house—
Passage 7
आद्या सीता स्वयं प्रीता तदा त्वं मोक्ष्यसेऽमुतः। पूर्वकल्पे त्वियं जाता प्रमोदविपिने क्वचित्॥७॥
“‘—the primordial Sītā herself, the beloved—then you will be released from this condition.’ In an earlier kalpa this very Sītā was once born in Pramodā Forest.
Passage 8
क्रीडन्ती तत्र कान्तेन गवेन्द्रस्य च सूनुना। ततस्तव गृहे जातां विभाव्यैनां महीपते॥८॥
“There she sported with her beloved, the son of the chief of cowherds. Now, great king, recognizing that she has taken birth in your home,
Passage 9
जातास्मि साकमनया तव कन्यास्मि साम्प्रतम्। अघवारेति मन्नाम तद्धेतुः श्रूयतां प्रभो॥९॥
“I too have been born together with her and am now your daughter. Lord, my name is Aghavārā; hear the reason for it. How Aghavārā Received Her Name
Passage 10
भार्गवस्य पितुः साक्षादाश्रमे प्रवहज्जला। नित्यं तिष्ठामि राजर्षे कदाचित्समजायत॥१०॥
“Royal sage, I remained there perpetually, my waters flowing visibly through the hermitage of my Bhārgava father. On one occasion there arose—
Passage 11
ब्राह्मणस्य पितुर्गेहे सोमो नाम ममाध्वरः। तस्मिन् मखे द्विजश्रेष्ठा नानादेशनिवासिनः॥११॥
“—a soma sacrifice at the home of my brahmin father. Eminent twice-born men from many regions came to that sacrifice,
Passage 12
आर्षेणः समुपागच्छन् भार्गवाश्चैव भूरिशः। यज्ञे तत्र समेतेषु बहुष्वेव द्विजातिषु॥१२॥
“The Ārṣeṇas arrived, as did a great many Bhārgavas. When the numerous twice-born men had assembled at the sacrifice,
Passage 13
स्वान् गणान् समुपादाय ब्राह्मणास्तस्थिरेऽध्वरे। पश्वालम्भनकार्येषु गौतमा ब्राह्मणाः स्थिताः॥१३॥
“The brahmins took up their respective groups and stood at their posts in the rite. Brahmins of Gautama's line were assigned to the work involving the sacrificial animals.
Passage 14
तानाविश्य हविर्जक्षे दुष्कुक्षिर्नाम राक्षसः। जग्धेषु यज्ञपशुषु भार्गवो द्विजसत्तमः॥१४॥
“A rākṣasa named Duṣkukṣi entered them and devoured the offering. When the sacrificial animals had been consumed, the eminent Bhārgava brahmin—
Passage 15
शशाप रक्षसा साकं विप्रान् गौतमगोत्रजान्। यावन्ति पशुदेहेषु रोमाणि प्रतिभान्ति वै॥१५॥
“—cursed the brahmins born in Gautama's lineage together with the rākṣasa: ‘As many hairs as appear upon the bodies of the animals,
Passage 16
ब्राह्मणाः काकतां यात तावत्सहस्रकं समाः। ततस्ते रक्षसा साकं ब्राह्मणा वेदपारगाः॥१६॥
“‘For that many thousands of years, brahmins, go into the state of crows.’ Those brahmins, though masters of the Veda, then shared the rākṣasa's fate.
Passage 17
काकयोनिमवाप्यैव तस्थुर्मुनिवराश्रमे। अथो चिरेण कालेन मम कूले बिलेशयः॥१७॥
“Having entered birth as crows, they remained in the great sage's hermitage. Then, after a long time, the cave-dwelling rākṣasa was on my bank.
Passage 18
केनचिद्दीर्घशृङ्गेण महोक्षेणातिगर्जता। निहतः स तु दुष्टात्मा क्षणात्तेषां प्रपश्यताम्॥१८॥
“A certain long-horned, mighty bull, roaring terribly, killed that wicked being in an instant before their eyes.
Passage 19
शिवो भूत्वा समारूढो वृषभं नन्दिरूपिणम्। वृतो गणसमूहेन कैलासं समगात्ततः॥१९॥
“He assumed the form of Śiva, mounted the bull in the form of Nandī, and, surrounded by a company of gaṇas, then departed for Kailāsa.
Passage 20
तद्दृष्ट्वा गौतमा विप्राः काकयोनिमवापिताः। ममज्जुर्मज्जले दिव्ये तत्क्षणादघहारिणि॥२०॥
“Seeing this, the Gautama brahmins who had been made to enter crow-birth plunged into my divine, sin-removing waters.
Passage 21
कोटिवर्षोपभोग्यं तं शापं मुक्त्वा तु गौतमाः। पुनः स्वरूपतां प्रापुस्तद्दृष्ट्वा भार्गवो मुनिः॥२१॥
“The Gautamas escaped a curse that was to be endured for ten million years and regained their own forms. Seeing this, the Bhārgava sage—
Passage 22
सम्भ्रमाविष्टचित्तस्तु नाम चक्रे तदा मम। अघं वारयते सद्यो दर्शनस्पर्शनादिभिः॥२२॥
“—his mind filled with astonishment, then gave me a name: ‘By merely seeing, touching, and otherwise encountering her, she immediately wards off sin.
Passage 23
अघवारेति नामासौ भविष्यति जगत्त्रये। तेनाहमघवारेति प्रसिद्धास्मि सरिद्वरा॥२३॥
“‘Therefore she will be named Aghavārā throughout the three worlds.’ Thus I, the eminent river, am renowned as Aghavārā. Serving Sītā and Rāma on the Riverbank
Passage 24
मृगयां विहरन् रामः कदाचिदनया सह। क्षुत्क्षामादिपरिक्लान्तो मम तीरमुपागतः॥२४॥
“Once, while hunting with her, Rāma came to my bank, worn down by hunger, exhaustion, and other hardships.
Passage 25
अहं हि दिव्येन वेशेन वेशयित्वा निजं वपुः। चिरं परिचचारास्मै रामाय च महात्मने॥२५॥
“I clothed my own form in divine attire and served this great-souled Rāma for a long time.
Passage 26
बिसैर्जलरुहैः कन्दैर्मधुरेणाम्बुना तथा। वन्यैः फलैः सुपक्वान्नैः स्वेच्छाशक्तिसमुद्भवैः॥२६॥
“I served them with lotus stalks, water-born blossoms, roots, sweet water, forest fruits, and well-ripened food, all manifested through the power of my will.
Passage 27
चिरमाराधितो रामस्तुतोष रमया सह। सम्यग्भक्तासि मे स्तुत्या चिरमाराधितस्त्वया॥२७॥
“Long worshipped in this way, Rāma became pleased together with Ramā and said: ‘You are rightly devoted and worthy of my praise; you have worshipped me for a long time.
Passage 28
क्षुत्क्षामौ च विनीतौ मे भृशं तुष्टोऽस्मि कूलिनि। आगामिनि महाकल्पे सारस्वतसमाह्वये॥२८॥
“‘We were both weakened by hunger and humbled; river-dweller, I am greatly pleased with you. In the coming great kalpa named Sārasvata,
Passage 29
सर्वोद्धारार्थमनघे भवितास्मि रघोः कुले। इयं च भविता सीता निमिवंशे त्वयोनिजा॥२९॥
“‘Sinless one, I shall be born in Raghu's lineage to uplift everyone. She will become Sītā, appearing without a womb in Nimi's dynasty.
Passage 30
भूत्वा तत्रानया साकं मम सान्निध्यमेष्यसि। इत्युक्त्वा प्रययौ रामो रामया सहितो वनम्॥३०॥
“‘Manifest there together with her, and you will attain my presence.’ Having spoken thus, Rāma went into the forest with Ramā.
Passage 31
साहं कालं प्रतीक्षन्ती जातास्मि जनकाधुना। अनया सह गन्तास्मि पुरुषोत्तमसन्निधिम्॥३१॥
“I am she. Having awaited that appointed time, I have now been born to Janaka. Together with her I shall go into the presence of the Supreme Person.”