Shloka 17
Ārṣṭiṣeṇa’s Siddhi and the Tīrtha-Boons; Sindhudvīpa–Devāpi Brāhmaṇya; Viśvāmitra’s Tapas Begins
स तु गत्वा ततस्तत्र तीर्थमौशनसं द्विज:,तदनन्तर वे ब्रह्मर्षि वहाँ औशनसतीर्थमें गये और उसके जलसे आचमन एवं स्नान किया। उसी समय वह कपाल उनके चरण (जाँघ)-को छोड़कर पानीके भीतर गिर पड़ा
sa tu gatvā tatastatra tīrtham auśanasaṃ dvijaḥ | tad-anantaraṃ vai brahmarṣiḥ tatra auśanasa-tīrthe gatvā tasya jalena ācamanaṃ ca snānaṃ ca cakāra | tasminn eva kāle tat kapālaṃ tasya ūru-caraṇau vihāya jalāntare nipapāta |
Rồi vị Bà-la-môn ấy đi đến bến thánh mang tên Auśanasa. Khi tới nơi linh địa, bậc brahmarṣi làm lễ ācamana (nhấp nước thanh tẩy) và tắm trong dòng nước ấy. Ngay khoảnh khắc đó, chiếc sọ vốn bám chặt nơi đùi/bàn chân ông liền buông ra và rơi xuống nước.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the purificatory power of tīrtha and right ritual conduct: through ācamana and snāna at a consecrated place, a troubling attachment (symbolized by the clinging skull) is released, suggesting the easing of karmic burden through disciplined purification.
A brahmin/seer reaches the Auśanasa pilgrimage ford, performs ritual sipping and bathing, and at that very moment the skull that had been stuck to his thigh/foot drops off and falls into the water.