तपसा ब्रह्मचर्येण सङ्गत्यागेन यत् फलम् तत् फलं सततं तत्र प्राप्नुवन्ति मनीषिणः
The fruit gained by austerity, celibacy, and renunciation of attachment, that fruit the wise always obtain there.
सर्वतीर्थेषु यत् पुण्यं स्नानदानेन कीर्तितम् तत् फलं सततं तत्र प्राप्नुवन्ति मनीषिणः
Whatever merit is declared to arise from bathing and giving gifts at all holy places, that fruit the wise always obtain there.
सम्यक् तीर्थेन यत् प्रोक्तं व्रतेन नियमेन च तत् फलं लभते तत्र प्रत्यहं प्रयतः शुचिः
There, one who is pure and devoted, gains every day the fruit that is declared to arise from proper pilgrimage, vows, and discipline.
यस् तु नानाविधैर् यज्ञैर् यत् फलं लभते नरः तत् फलं लभते तत्र प्रत्यहं संयतेन्द्रियः
There, a person with controlled senses obtains daily the same result that is gained by men through various kinds of sacrifices.
देहं त्यजन्ति पुरुषास् तत्र ये पुरुषोत्तमे कल्पवृक्षं समासाद्य मुक्तास् ते नात्र संशयः
Those who give up their bodies there, in that supreme place of Purushottama, attain liberation, reaching the wish-fulfilling tree—of this there is no doubt.
वटसागरयोर् मध्ये ये त्यजन्ति कलेवरम् ते दुर्लभं परं मोक्षं प्राप्नुवन्ति न संशयः
Those who abandon their bodies between the Banyan and the Ocean attain the rare supreme liberation—there is no doubt of this.
अनिच्छन्न् अपि यस् तत्र प्राणांस् त्यजति मानवः सो ऽपि दुःखविनिर्मुक्तो मुक्तिं प्राप्नोति दुर्लभाम्
Even a man who, without desire, gives up his life there becomes free from suffering and attains the difficult-to-obtain liberation.
कृमिकीटपतंगाद्यास् तिर्यग्योनिगताश् च ये तत्र देहं परित्यज्य ते यान्ति परमां गतिम्
Creatures such as worms, insects, moths, and others born in lower wombs, abandoning their bodies there, attain the highest state.
भ्रान्तिं लोकस्य पश्यध्वम् अन्यतीर्थं प्रति द्विजाः पुरुषाख्येन यत् प्राप्तम् अन्यतीर्थफलादिकम्
See, O twice-born, the delusion of people regarding other holy places; whatever is obtained at other sacred sites by the name of Purusha is surpassed here.
सकृत् पश्यति यो मर्त्यः श्रद्धया पुरुषोत्तमम् पुरुषाणां सहस्रेषु स भवेद् उत्तमः पुमान्
He who, even once, beholds Purushottama with faith becomes the best among thousands of men.
प्रकृतेः स परो यस्मात् पुरुषाद् अपि चोत्तमः तस्माद् वेदे पुराणे च लोके ऽस्मिन् पुरुषोत्तमः
Because he is beyond nature and even superior to Purusha, therefore, in the Veda, the Purana, and in this world, he is called Purushottama.
यो ऽसौ पुराणे वेदान्ते परमात्मेत्य् उदाहृतः आस्ते विश्वोपकाराय तेनासौ पुरुषोत्तमः
He who is spoken of in the Purana and Vedanta as the Supreme Self abides for the benefit of the universe; thus he is Purushottama.
पाथे श्मशाने गृहमण्डपे वा रथ्याप्रदेशेष्व् अपि यत्र कुत्र इच्छन्न् अनिच्छन्न् अपि तत्र देहं संत्यज्य मोक्षं लभते मनुष्यः
Whether in a sacred path, cremation ground, house, or crossroads, wherever a person, willingly or unwillingly, gives up the body there, he attains liberation.
तस्मात् सर्वप्रयत्नेन तस्मिन् क्षेत्रे द्विजोत्तमाः देहत्यागो नरैः कार्यः सम्यङ् मोक्षाभिकाङ्क्षिभिः
Therefore, with all effort, O best of twice-born, those who desire liberation should rightly abandon the body in that field.
पुरुषाख्यस्य माहात्म्यं न भूतं न भविष्यति त्यक्त्वा यत्र नरो देहं मुक्तिं प्राप्नोति दुर्लभाम्
The greatness of the place called Purusha has never been and will never be equaled; abandoning the body there, a man attains the rare liberation.
गुणानाम् एकदेशो ऽयं मया क्षेत्रस्य कीर्तितः कः समस्तान् गुणान् वक्तुं शक्तो वर्षशतैर् अपि
I have described only a portion of the virtues of this field; who is able to declare all its qualities, even in a hundred years?
यदि यूयं मुनिश्रेष्ठा मोक्षम् इच्छथ शाश्वतम् तस्मिन् क्षेत्रवरे पुण्ये निवसध्वम् अतन्द्रिताः
If you, O best of sages, desire eternal liberation, then dwell diligently in that excellent and holy field.
ते तस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा ब्रह्मणो ऽव्यक्तजन्मनः निवासं चक्रिरे तत्र अवापुः परमं पदम्
Hearing the words of Brahma, the one of unmanifest birth, they dwelt there and attained the supreme state.
तस्माद् यूयं प्रयत्नेन निवसध्वं द्विजोत्तमाः पुरुषाख्ये वरे क्षेत्रे यदि मुक्तिम् अभीप्सथ
Therefore, O best of twice-born, reside there with effort, in the excellent field called Purusha, if you desire liberation.
तस्मिन् क्षेत्रे मुनिश्रेष्ठाः सर्वसत्त्वसुखावहे धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणां फलदे पुरुषोत्तमे
In that field, O best of sages, which brings happiness to all beings, Purushottama is the giver of the fruits of righteousness, wealth, desire, and liberation.
कण्डुर् नाम महातेजा ऋषिः परमधार्मिकः सत्यवादी शुचिर् दान्तः सर्वभूतहिते रतः
There was a sage named Kaṇḍu, of great brilliance, supremely righteous, truthful in speech, pure, self-controlled, and devoted to the welfare of all beings.
जितेन्द्रियो जितक्रोधो वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः अवाप परमां सिद्धिम् आराध्य पुरुषोत्तमम्
Having mastered his senses and anger, accomplished in the Vedas and their branches, he attained the highest perfection by worshipping the Supreme Person.
अन्ये ऽपि तत्र संसिद्धा मुनयः संशितव्रताः सर्वभूतहिता दान्ता जितक्रोधा विमत्सराः
There were also other accomplished sages there, firm in their vows, devoted to the good of all beings, self-restrained, conquerors of anger, and free from envy.
को ऽसौ कण्डुः कथं तत्र जगाम परमां गतिम् श्रोतुम् इच्छामहे तस्य चरितं ब्रूहि सत्तम
Who is this Kaṇḍu, and how did he attain the supreme state there? We wish to hear his story—please tell it, O noble one.
शृणुध्वं मुनिशार्दूलाः कथां तस्य मनोहराम् प्रवक्ष्यामि समासेन मुनेस् तस्य विचेष्टितम्
Listen, O best of sages, to the delightful tale of his; I shall briefly relate the deeds of that sage.
पवित्रे गोमतीतीरे विजने सुमनोहरे कन्दमूलफलैः पूर्णे समित्पुष्पकुशान्वितैः
On the pure and charming bank of the river Gomati, in a secluded and beautiful place, abundant with roots, fruits, and flowers, and supplied with sacred sticks and kusa grass,
नानाद्रुमलताकीर्णे नानापुष्पोपशोभिते नानापक्षिरुते रम्ये नानामृगगणान्विते
Adorned with various trees and creepers, resplendent with many kinds of flowers, delightful with the calls of diverse birds, and inhabited by many groups of animals,
तत्राश्रमपदं कण्डोर् बभूव मुनिसत्तमाः सर्वर्तुफलपुष्पाढ्यं कदलीखण्डमण्डितम्
There was the hermitage of Kaṇḍu, O best of sages, rich with fruits and flowers of all seasons, and decorated with clusters of banana trees.
तपस् तेपे मुनिस् तत्र सुमहत् परमाद्भुतम् व्रतोपवासैर् नियमैः स्नानमौनसुसंयमैः
There the sage performed very great and wondrous austerities, with vows, fasts, disciplines, bathing, silence, and strict self-control.
ग्रीष्मे पञ्चतपा भूत्वा वर्षासु स्थण्डिलेशयः आर्द्रवासास् तु हेमन्ते स तेपे सुमहत् तपः
In summer, he practiced the fivefold fire austerity; in the rainy season, he lay on the bare ground; in winter, wearing wet garments, he performed intense penance.