पुनाति कीर्तिता पापं दृष्टा भद्रं प्रयच्छति। अवगाढा च पीता च पुनात्यासप्तमं कुलम्
When spoken of, it purifies sin; when seen, it grants auspiciousness; when entered or drunk, it purifies up to the seventh generation.
यावदस्थि मनुष्यस् गङ्गायाः स्पृशते जलम्। तावत्स पुरुषो राजन्स्वर्गलोके महीपते
As long as a person's bones touch the water of the Ganga, O King, that person remains in the heavenly realm, O Lord of the Earth.
यथा पुण्यानि तीर्थानि पुण्यान्यायतनानि च। उपास्य पुण्यं लब्ध्वा च भवत्यमरलोकभाक्
Just as holy places and sacred shrines, when worshipped and having gained merit, make one a partaker in the world of the immortals.
न गङ्गासदृशं तीर्थं न देवः केशवात्परः। ब्राह्मणेभ्यः परं नास्ति एवमाह पितामहः
There is no sacred place equal to the Ganga, no god greater than Kesava, and nothing higher than the Brahmanas; so says the grandsire.
यत्र गङ्गा महाराज स देशस्तत्तपोकवनम्। सिद्धिक्षेत्रं च तज्ज्ञेयं गङ्गातीरसमाश्रितम्
Where the Ganga flows, O great king, that land is called Tapovana; know that as the field of accomplishment, situated on the banks of the Ganga.
इदं सत्यंद्विजातीनां साधूनामात्मनोपि च। सुहृदां च जपेत्कर्मे शिष्यस्यानुगतस्य च
This is truth for the twice-born, for the virtuous, for oneself, for friends; let one recite it for the actions of a disciple and for one who follows.
इदं धन्यमिदं मेध्यमिदं स्वर्ग्यमिदं सुखम्। इदं पुण्यमिदं रम्यं पावनं धर्म्यमुत्तमम्
This is blessed, this is pure, this leads to heaven, this is happiness; this is meritorious, this is delightful, purifying, supremely righteous.
महर्षीणामिदं गुह्यं सर्वपापप्रमोचनम्। अधीत्यद्विजमध्ये च निर्मलः स्वर्गमाप्नुयात्
This is the secret of the great sages, the remover of all sins; having studied it among the twice-born, one attains heaven, purified.
श्रीमत्स्वर्ग्यं तथा पुण्यं सपत्नशमनं शिवम्। मेधाजननमग्र्यं वै तीर्थवंशानुकीर्तनम्
It is glorious, heavenly, meritorious, destroys enemies, auspicious; it is the foremost producer of intelligence, the recounting of the lineage of sacred places.
अपुत्रो लभते पुत्रमधनो धनमाप्नुयात्। शूद्रो यथेप्सितान्कामान्ब्राह्मणः पारगः पठन्। महीं विजयते राजा वैश्यो धनमवाप्नुयात्
The childless gains a son, the poor obtains wealth; the Shudra attains desired pleasures, the Brahmana crosses over by reciting; the king conquers the earth, the Vaishya acquires wealth.
यश्चेदं शृणुयान्नित्यं तीर्थपुण्यं नरः शुचिः। जातीः स स्मरते बह्वीर्नाकपृष्ठे च मोदते
Whoever, pure in mind, hears this merit of the sacred places daily, remembers many births and rejoices in the heavenly realm.
गम्यान्यपि च तीर्थानि कीर्तितान्यगमानि च। मनसा तानि गच्छेत सर्वतीर्थसमीक्षया
Even those sacred places which are difficult to reach or only spoken of, one may go to them in mind, considering all the holy places.
एतानि वसुभिः साध्यैरादित्यैर्मरुदश्विभिः। ऋषिभिर्देवकल्पैश्च स्नातानि सुकृतैषिभिः
These have been bathed in by Vasus, Adityas, Maruts, Ashvins, sages, and those who are like gods, by the virtuous seekers of merit.
एवं त्वमपि कौरव्य विधिनाऽनेन सुव्रत। व्रत तीर्थानि नियतः पुण्यं पुण्येन वर्धयन्
Thus, O Kaurava, you too, steadfast in vows, by this method, visiting sacred places with discipline, increase merit with merit.
भाषितैः करणैः पूर्वमास्तिक्याच्छ्रुतिदर्शनात्। प्राप्यन्ते तानि तीर्तानि सद्भिः शास्त्रार्थदर्शिभिः। सद्भिः शास्त्रार्थतत्वज्ञैर्ब्राह्मणैः सह गम्यताम्
By words, actions, faith, and hearing, those sacred places are attained by the good who understand the meaning of the scriptures; let them be visited with good Brahmanas who know the essence of the scriptures.
नाव्रती नाकृतात्मा च नाशुचिर्न च तस्करः। स्नाति तीर्थेषु कौरव्य न च वक्रमतिर्नरः
One who is without vows, who has not mastered oneself, who is impure, who is a thief, who is crooked-minded, O Kaurava, does not bathe in the sacred places.
त्वया तु सम्यग्वृत्तेन नित्यं धर्मार्थदर्शिना। `पितरस्तात सर्वे च तारिताः प्रपितामहाः
But by you, who act rightly, always seeing the meaning of dharma and artha, O dear one, all your ancestors and forefathers are rescued.
पिता पितामहस्चैव सर्वे च प्रपितामहाः। पितामहपुरोगाश्च देवाः सर्षिगणा नृप। तव धर्मेण धर्मज्ञ नित्यमेवाभितोषितः
Father, grandfather, and all forefathers, the gods led by the grandsires, together with the sages, O king, are always gratified by your righteousness, O knower of dharma.
अवाप्स्यसि त्वं लोकान्वै वसूनां वासवोपम। कीर्तिं च महातीं भीष्म प्राप्स्यसे भुविशाश्वतीं
You will indeed attain worlds equal to those of the Vasus, like Indra, and, O Bhishma, you will gain great and everlasting fame on earth.
एवमुक्त्वाऽभ्यनुज्ञाय पुलस्त्यो भगवानृषिः। प्रीतः प्रीतेन मनसा तत्रैवान्तरधीयत
Having spoken thus and granted permission, the venerable sage Pulastya, pleased in mind, vanished there itself.
भीष्मश्च कुरुशार्दूल शास्त्रतत्त्वार्थदर्शिवान्। पुलस्त्यवचनाच्चैव पृथिवीं परिचक्रमे
And Bhishma, O tiger among the Kurus, learned in the true meaning of the scriptures, traveled the earth as instructed by Pulastya's words.
एवमेषा महाभागा प्रतिष्ठाने प्रतिष्ठिता। तीर्थयात्रा महापुण्या सर्वपापप्रमोचनी
Thus, this most blessed and meritorious pilgrimage, established at Pratishthana, is supremely holy and absolves all sins.
अनेन विधिना यस्तु पृथिवीं संचरिष्यति। अश्वमेधशतं साग्रं फलं प्रेत्य स भोक्ष्यति
Whoever travels the earth in this manner will enjoy, after death, the fruit of a hundred and more Ashvamedha sacrifices.
ततश्चाष्टगुणं पार्थ प्राप्स्यसे धर्ममुत्तमम्। भीष्मः कुरूणां प्रवरो यथा पूर्वमवाप्तवान्
Then, O Partha, you will obtain eightfold supreme merit, just as Bhishma, foremost of the Kurus, acquired before.
नेता च त्वमृषीन्यस्मात्तेन तेऽष्टगुणं फलम्। रक्षोगणबिकीर्णानि तीर्थान्येतानि भारत। अगम्यानि मनुष्येन्द्रैस्त्वामृते कुरुनन्दन
And you alone, O joy of the Kurus, will be the leader of the sages; for this, your reward will be eightfold, for these holy places, scattered with hosts of Rakshasas, are inaccessible to men except you, O prince.
इदं देवर्षिचरितं सर्वतीर्ताभिसंवृतम्। यः पठेच्छृणुयाद्वाऽपिसर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते
Whoever recites or hears this account of the gods and sages, filled with all the sacred places, is freed from all sins.
ऋषिमुख्याः सदा यत्रवाल्मीकिस्त्वथ कश्यपः। आत्रेयः कुण्डजठरो विश्वामित्रोऽथ गौतमः
Where always are the foremost sages—Valmiki, Kasyapa, Atreya, Kundajathara, Vishvamitra, and Gautama—
असितो देवलश्चैव मार्कण्डेयोऽथ गालवः। भरद्वाजो वसिष्ठश्च मुनिरुद्दालकस्तथा
Asita, Devala, Markandeya, Galava, Bharadvaja, Vasistha, and also the sage Uddalaka—
शौनकः सह पुत्रेण व्यासश्च तपतांवरः। दुर्वासाश्च मुनिश्रेष्ठो जाबालिश्च महातपाः
Shaunaka with his son, Vyasa, foremost of ascetics, Durvasa, the best of sages, and Jabali, great in austerity—
एते ऋषिवराः सर्वे त्वत्प्रतीक्षास्तपोधनाः। एभिः सह महाराज तीर्थान्येतान्यनुव्रज
All these eminent sages, rich in penance, are awaiting you; together with them, O great king, visit these holy places.