महानदी च तत्रैव तथा गयशिरो नृप। यत्रासौ कीर्त्यते विप्रैरक्षय्यकरणो वटः
There too is the great river and the head of Gaya, O king, where the imperishable banyan tree is praised by the Brahmanas.
यत्रदत्तं पितृभ्योऽन्नमक्षय्यं भवति प्रभो। सा च पुण्यजला तत्र फल्गुनामा महानदी
Whatever food is offered there to the ancestors becomes inexhaustible, O lord; and there flows the sacred river Phalguni, pure and holy.
बहुमूलफला चापि कौशिकी भरतर्षभ। विश्वामित्रोऽध्यगाद्यत्र ब्राह्मणत्वं तपोधनः
O best of the Bharatas, the Kauśikī river, rich in many roots and fruits, is where Viśvāmitra, the wealth of asceticism, attained Brāhmaṇahood.
गङ्गा यत्रनदी पुण्या यस्यास्तीरे भगीरथः। अयजत्तत्रबहुभिः क्रतुभिर्भूरिदक्षिणैः
On the sacred river Gaṅgā, on whose banks Bhagīratha performed many sacrifices with abundant gifts.
पाञ्चालेषु च कौरव्य कथयन्त्युत्पलावतम्। विश्वामित्रोऽयजद्यत्र शक्रेण सह कौशिकः
In the land of the Pāñcālas, O Kaurava, they speak of Utpalāvata, where Viśvāmitra of the Kauśika line performed a sacrifice together with Indra.
यत्रानुवंशं भगवाञ्जामदग्न्यस्तथा जगौ। विश्वामित्रस्य तां दृष्ट्वा चिभूतिमतिमानुषीम्
There, the venerable Jāmadagnya recited the genealogy, having witnessed the extraordinary, almost superhuman, prosperity of Viśvāmitra.
कान्यकुब्जेऽपिबत्सोममिन्द्रेण सह कौशिकः। ततः क्षत्रादपाक्रामद्ब्राह्मणोस्मीति चाब्रवीत्
At Kānyakubja, Kauśika drank soma together with Indra; then he renounced the kṣatriya order and declared, 'I am a Brāhmaṇa.'
पवित्रमृषिभिर्जुष्टं पुण्यं पावनमुत्तमम्। गङ्गायमुनयोर्वीर संगमं लोकविश्रुतम्
The confluence of the Gaṅgā and Yamunā, O hero, is renowned in the world as pure, blessed, and supremely sanctifying, cherished by sages.
यत्रायजत भूतात्मा पूर्वमेव पितामहः। प्रयागमिति विख्यातं तस्माद्भरतसत्तम
There, in ancient times, the self-born grandsire performed a sacrifice; therefore, O best of the Bharatas, it is famed as Prayāga.
अगस्त्यस्य तु राजेन्द्र तत्राश्रमवरो नृप। तत्तथा तापसारण्यं तापसैरुपशोभितम्
O king, there is the excellent hermitage of Agastya, adorned by ascetics, and thus that forest is known as the ascetics' woodland.
हिरण्यबिन्दुः कथितो गिरौ कालञ्जरे महान्। आगस्त्यपर्वतोरभ्यः पुण्यो गिरिवः शिवः
On the great Kālañjara mountain is the renowned Hiraṇyabindu, a sacred and auspicious peak, dear to the Agastya lineage.
महेन्द्रो नाम कौरव्य भार्गवस्य महात्मनः। अयजत्तत्रकौन्तेय पूर्वमेव पितामहः
O Kaurava, on the mountain called Mahendra, the great-souled Bhārgava performed a sacrifice there, as did the grandsire in ancient times.
यत्रभागीरथी पुण्यां सरस्यासीद्युधिष्ठिर। यत्र सा ब्रह्मशालेति पुण्याख्याता विशांपते। धूतपाप्मभिराकीर्णा पुण्यं तस्याश्च दर्शनम्
Where the sacred Bhāgīrathī once formed a lake, O Yudhiṣṭhira, and where it is known as Brahmaśālī, famed among men, filled with those cleansed of sin—beholding her is holy.
पवित्रो मङ्गलीयश्च ख्यातो लोके सनातनः। केदारश्च मतङ्गस्य महानाश्रम उत्तमः
Kedāra, the great and excellent hermitage of Mataṅga, is renowned in the world as pure, auspicious, and eternal.
कुण्डोदः पर्वतो रम्यो बहुमूलफलोदकः। नैषधस्तृषितो यत्र जलं शर्म च लब्धवान्
The delightful mountain Kuṇḍoda, abundant in roots, fruits, and water, is where the thirsty Naiṣadha found water and relief.
यत्र देववनं पुण्यं तापसैरुपशोभितम्। बाहुदा च नदी यत्रनन्दा च गिरिमूर्धनि
There is the sacred Devavana, adorned by ascetics, and the rivers Bāhudā and Nandā, which arise on the mountain's summit.
तीर्थानि सरितः शैलाः पुण्यान्यायतनानि च। प्राच्यां दिशि महाराज कीर्तितानि मया तव
O great king, I have recounted to you the sacred fords, rivers, mountains, and holy places in the eastern direction.
तिसृष्वन्यासु पुण्यानि दिक्षु तीर्थानि मे शृणु। सरितः पर्वतांश्चैव पुण्यान्यायतनानि च
Now hear from me of the sacred fords in the other three directions, as well as the holy rivers, mountains, and sanctuaries.
दक्षिणस्यां तु पुण्यानि शृणु तीर्थानि भारत। विस्तरेण यथाबुद्धि कीर्त्यमानानि तानि वै
Now hear, O Bhārata, of the sacred fords in the southern direction, described in detail and to the best of my knowledge.
यस्यामाख्यायते पुण्या दिशि गोदावरी नदी। बह्वारामा बहुजला तापसाचरिता शिवा
In that direction is the sacred river Godāvarī, famed for its many groves and abundant waters, holy and frequented by ascetics.
वेणा भीमरथी चैव नद्यौ पापभयापहे। मृगद्विजसमाकीर्णे तापसालयभूषिते
The rivers Venā and Bhīmarathī, indeed, remove sin and fear; teeming with deer and birds, adorned with hermitages.
राजर्षेस्तस् च सरिन्नृगस्य भरतर्षभ। रम्यतीर्था बहुजला पयोष्णी द्विजसेविता
O bull among Bharatas, the river Payoṣṇī of King Nṛga, with delightful banks and abundant waters, is frequented by twice-born ones.
अपि चात्र महायोगी मार्कण्डेयो महायशाः। अनुवंश्यां जगौ गाथां नृगस्य धरणीपतेः
Here, too, the great yogi Mārkaṇḍeya, renowned, sang a lineage song of King Nṛga, O lord of the earth.
नृगस् यजमानस्य प्रत्यक्षमिति नः श्रुतम्। `मरुतः परिवेष्टारः सदस्याश्च दिवौकसः
We have heard that Nṛga, the sacrificer, was visible to us; the Maruts were attendants, and the celestial beings were participants.
पयोष्ण्यां यजमानस्य वाराहे तीर्थ उत्तमे। उद्धृतं भूतलस्थं वावायुना समुदीरितम्। पयोष्ण्या हरते तोयं पापमामरणान्तिकम्
At the excellent Vārāha tīrtha on Payoṣṇī, the water, raised from the earth and stirred by the wind, removes sin leading to death.
स्वर्गादुत्तुङ्गममलं विषाणं यत्र शूलिनः। स्वमात्मविहितं दृष्ट्वा मर्त्यः शिवपुरं व्रजेत्
There, where the pure and lofty horn of Śiva rises above heaven, seeing what is fashioned by one's own soul, a mortal attains the city of Śiva.
एकतः सरितः सर्वा गङ्गाद्याः सलिलोच्चयाः। पयोष्णी चैकतः पुण्या तीर्थेभ्यो हि मता मम
On one side are all the rivers, like Gaṅgā and others, with abundant waters; on the other, Payoṣṇī alone is holy, for among tīrthas, it is my opinion.
माठरस्य वनं पुण्यं बहुमूलफलं शिवम्। यूपश्च भरतश्रेष्ठ वरुणस्रोतसे गिरौ
The sacred forest of Māṭhara, rich in roots and fruits and auspicious, and the sacrificial post, O best of Bharatas, on the mountain by Varuṇa's stream.
प्रवेण्युत्तरपार्स्वे तु पुण्ये कण्वाश्रमे तथा। तापसानामरण्यानि कीर्तितानि यथाश्रुति
On the northern side of Praveṇī, in the holy Kaṇva hermitage, the forests of ascetics are described as heard.
वेदी शूर्पारके तात जमदग्नेर्महात्मनः। रम्या पाषाणतीर्था च पुरश्चन्द्रा च भारत
O dear one, the altar at Śūrpāraka of the great-souled Jamadagni, the delightful stone tīrtha, and Puracandra, O Bhārata.