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.
ततो बदरिकातीर्थे स्नात्वा भरतसत्तम। दीर्घमायुरवाप्नोति स्वर्गलोकं च गच्छति
Then, O best of the Bharatas, by bathing at the Badarika ford, one attains long life and goes to the world of the gods.
तथा चम्पां समासाद्य भागीरथ्यां कृतोदकः। दण्डाख्यमभिगम्यैव गोसहस्रफलं लभेत्
Likewise, by reaching Champa, offering water on the Bhagirathi, and then going to the place called Danda, one obtains the fruit of a thousand cows.
लपेटिकां ततो गच्छेत्पुण्यां पुण्योपशोभिताम्। वाजपेयमवाप्नोति देवैः सर्वैश्च पूज्यते
Then one should go to Lapeṭikā, holy and adorned with virtue; there, one attains the merit of a Vajapeya sacrifice and is honored by all the gods.
ततो महेन्द्रमासाद्य जामदग्न्यनिपेवितम्। रामतीर्थे नरः स्नात्वा वाजिमेधफलं लभेत्
Then, reaching Mahendra, frequented by Jamadagni's son, by bathing at Rama's ford, a man attains the fruit of a Vajimedha sacrifice.
मतङ्गस्य तु केदारस्तत्रैव कुरुनन्दन। तत्र स्नात्वा कुरुश्रेष्ठ गोसहस्रफलं लभेत्
There, O descendant of the Kurus, is the Kedara of Matanga; by bathing there, O best of the Kurus, one obtains the fruit of a thousand cows.
श्रीपर्वतं समासाद्य नदीतीरमुपस्पृशेत्। रअश्वमेधमवाप्नोति पूजयित्वा वृषध्वजम्
Upon reaching Shri Parvata, by touching the riverbank and worshipping the bull-bannered god, one attains the merit of an Ashvamedha sacrifice.
श्रीपर्वते महादेवो देव्या सह महाद्युतिः। न्यवसत्परमप्रीतो ब्रह्मा च त्रिदशैः सह
On Shri Parvata, the great god of brilliant splendor dwelt with the goddess, supremely pleased, and Brahma with the gods as well.
तत्र देवह्रदे स्नात्वा शुचिः प्रयतमानसः। अश्वमेधमवाप्नोति कुलं चैव समुद्धरेत्
By bathing with a pure and devoted mind in the divine lake there, one attains the merit of an Ashvamedha sacrifice and uplifts his lineage.
ऋषभं पर्वतं गत्वा पाण्ड्येषु नृपपूजितम्। वाजपेयमवाप्नोति नाकपृष्ठे च मोदते
Having reached the Ṛṣabha mountain, honored by kings in the land of the Pāṇḍyas, one attains the fruit of a Vājapeya sacrifice and rejoices in the world of heaven.
ततो गच्छेत कावेरीं वृतामप्सरसां गणैः। तत्रस्नात्वा नरो राजन्गोसहस्रफलं लभेत्
Then, proceeding to the Kāverī, surrounded by hosts of Apsarases, a man who bathes there, O King, obtains the merit equal to a thousand cows.