प्रतिगृह्य च तां पूजां नारदो भगवानृषिः। आश्वासयद्धर्मसुतं युक्तरूपमिवानघ
And having accepted that worship, the blessed sage Narada comforted the son of Dharma in a manner appropriate to the occasion, O sinless one.
उवाच च महात्मानं धर्मराजं युधिष्ठिरम्। ब्रूहि धर्मभृतां श्रेष्ठ केनार्थः किं ददानि ते
And he spoke to the great-souled King Yudhishthira: 'Speak, O best of the upholders of Dharma, for what purpose have I come? What shall I give you?'
अथ धर्मसुतो राजा प्रणम्य भ्रातृभिः सह। उवाच प्राञ्जलिर्भूत्वा नारदं देवसंमितम्
Then King Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma, together with his brothers, bowed down and, with joined palms, addressed Narada, who is esteemed among the gods.
न्वयि तुष्टे महाभाग सर्वलोकाभिपूजिते। कृतमित्येव मन्येऽहं प्रसादात्तव सुव्रत
O greatly fortunate one, honored by all the worlds, if you are pleased, I consider my purpose accomplished solely by your grace, O steadfast one.
यदि त्वहमनुग्राह्यो भ्रातृभिः सहितोऽनघ। संदेहं मे सुनिश्रेष्ठ तत्वतश्छेत्तुमर्हसि
If I, together with my brothers, am worthy of your favor, O sinless one, then you, best of the virtuous, ought to dispel my doubt in its entirety.
प्रदक्षिणां यः कुरुते पृथिवीं तीर्थतत्परः। किं फलं तस्य कार्त्स्न्येन तद्भवान्वक्तुमर्हति
What is the complete fruit for one who, intent on holy places, circumambulates the earth? You should declare this, O blessed one.
शृणु राजन्नवहितो यथा भीष्मेण धीमता। पुलस्त्यस्य सकाशाद्वै सर्वमेतदुपश्रुतम्
Listen attentively, O king, to what was once heard by the wise Bhishma from Pulastya, as it was related in full.
पुरा भागीरथीतीरे भीष्मो धर्मभृतांवरः। पित्र्यं व्रतं समास्थाय न्यवसन्मुनिभिः सह
Long ago, on the banks of the Bhagirathi, Bhishma, foremost among the righteous, undertook ancestral vows and dwelt there with sages.
शुभे देशे तथा राजन्पुण्ये देवर्षिसेविते। गङ्गाद्वारे महाभाग देवगन्धर्वसेविते
In that auspicious and sacred place, O king, frequented by divine sages, at the gateway of the Ganga, honored by gods and gandharvas,
स पितॄंस्तर्पयामास देवांश्च परमद्युतिः। ऋषींश्च तर्पयामास विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा
That illustrious one offered oblations to the ancestors and to the gods, and also satisfied the sages with rites prescribed by tradition.
कस्य चित्त्वथ कालस्य जपन्नेव महायशाः। ददर्शाद्भुतसंकाशं पुलस्त्यमृषिसत्तमम्
Then, at some point in time, as he was reciting prayers, the renowned Bhishma beheld the wondrous and eminent sage Pulastya.
स तं दृष्ट्वोग्रतपसं दीप्यमानमिव श्रिया। प्रहर्षमतुलं लेभे विस्मयं परमं ययौ
Seeing that sage, blazing with ascetic power and radiant with splendor, Bhishma felt incomparable joy and was filled with great wonder.
उपस्थितं महाभागं पूजयामास भारत। भीष्मो धर्मभृतां श्रेष्ठो विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा
Bhishma, best among the righteous, performed the prescribed honors for that illustrious sage who had arrived, O descendant of Bharata.
शिरसा चाघमादाय शुचिः प्रयतमानसः। नाम संकीर्तयामास तस्मिन्ब्रह्मर्षिसत्तमे
With pure heart and mind restrained, Bhishma bowed his head and recited the name of that foremost of brahmarshis.
भीष्मोऽहमस्मि भद्रं ते दासोऽस्मि तव सुव्रत। तव संदर्शनादेव मुक्तोऽहं सर्वकिल्वपैः
"I am Bhishma, may good come to you; I am your servant, O steadfast one. By merely seeing you, I am freed from all sins."
रएवमुक्त्वा महाराज भीष्मो धर्मभृतांवरः। वाग्यतः प्राञ्जलिर्भूत्वातूष्णीमासीद्युधिष्ठिर
Having spoken thus, O great king, Bhishma, foremost among the righteous, restrained his speech, joined his palms, and sat in silence, O Yudhishthira.
तं दृष्ट्वा नियमेनाथ स्वाध्यायाम्नायकर्शितम्। भीष्मं कुरुकुलश्रेष्ठं मुनिः प्रीतमनाऽभवत्
Seeing Bhishma, the best of the Kurus, emaciated by discipline and devoted to study, the sage became pleased in heart.
ततः स मधुरेणाथ स्वरेण सुमहातपाः। उवाच वाक्यं धर्मज्ञः पुलस्त्यः प्रीतमानसः
Then that great ascetic Pulastya, his mind filled with joy, spoke these words in a sweet voice, O knower of dharma.
अथ सन्ध्यां समासाद्य संवेद्ये तीर्थ उत्तमे। उपस्पृश्य नरो विद्यां लभते नात्र संशयः
Then, approaching the twilight and touching the supreme holy waters, a person surely attains knowledge—of this there is no doubt.
रामस्य च प्रसादेन तीर्थं राजन्कृतं पुरा। तल्लौहित्यं समासाद्य विन्द्याद्बहु सुवर्णकम्
By the grace of Rama, O king, that place became a holy site in ancient times; reaching that Lauhitya, one obtains much gold.
करतोयां समासाद्य त्रिरात्रोपोषितो नरः। अश्वमेधमवाप्नोति प्रजापतिकृतो विधिः
A man who, having reached the Karatoya, observes a fast for three nights attains the merit of an Ashvamedha sacrifice, as prescribed by Prajapati.
गङ्गायास्तत्र राजेन्द्र सागरस्य च सङ्गमे। अश्वमेधं दशगुणं प्रवदन्ति मनीषिणः
O king, at the confluence of the Ganga and the ocean there, the wise declare the merit to be ten times that of an Ashvamedha.
गङ्गायास्त्वपरं पारं प्राप्य यः स्नाति मानवः। त्रिरात्रमुषितो राजन्सर्वान्कामानवाप्नुयात्
O king, a person who, having reached the far shore of the Ganga, bathes there and remains for three nights, obtains all desired objects.
ततो वैतरणीं गत्वा सर्वपापप्रमोचनीम्। विरजातीर्थमासाद्य विराजति यथा शशी
Then, having reached the Vaitarani, which frees from all sins, and the holy Viraja ford, one shines like the moon.
प्रभवेच्च कुले पुण्ये सर्वपापं व्यपोहति। गोसहस्रफंल लब्ध्वा रपुनाति स्वकुलं नरः
He is born in a virtuous family, removes all sin, obtains the fruit equal to a thousand cows, and purifies his lineage.
शोणस्य ज्योतिरथ्यायाः संगमे नियतः शुचिः। तर्पयित्वा पितॄन्देवानग्निष्टोमफलं लभेत्
At the confluence of the Shona and Jyotirathya, being disciplined and pure, after offering libations to the ancestors and gods, one obtains the fruit of an Agnishtoma sacrifice.
शोणस्य नर्मदायाश् प्रभेदे कुरुनन्दन। वंशगुल्म उपस्पृश्य वाचजिमेधफलं लभेत्
O descendant of the Kurus, at the junction of the Shona and Narmada, by touching the bamboo thicket, one attains the fruit of a Vajapeya sacrifice.
वाजपेयमवाप्नोति त्रिरात्रोपोषितो नरः। गोसहस्रफलं विन्द्यात्कुलं चैव समुद्धरेत्
A man who fasts for three nights attains the merit of a Vajapeya sacrifice, gains the fruit of a thousand cows, and uplifts his lineage.
कोसलां तु समासाद्य कालतीर्थमुपस्पृशेत्। वृषभैकादशफलं लभते नात्र संशयः
Upon reaching Kosala and touching the holy Kālā ford, one obtains the fruit of eleven bulls; there is no doubt about this.
पुष्पवत्यामुपस्पृश्य त्रिरात्रोपोषितो नरः। गोसहस्रफलं लब्ध्वा पुनाति स्वकुलं नृप
By touching the waters at Pushpavati, after fasting for three nights, a man obtains the fruit of a thousand cows and purifies his lineage, O king.