दृष्ट्वा तं पूजयामास मुनिं दैत्यपतिस्तदा । पप्रच्छ कारणं किं ते पातालागमने वद
Seeing him, the lord of the demons honored the sage, and then asked, 'Tell me, what is the reason for your coming to the netherworld?'
प्रेषितोऽसि किमिन्द्रेण सत्यं ब्रूहि द्विजोत्तम । दैत्यविद्वेषयुक्तेन मम राज्यदिदृक्षया
'Have you been sent by Indra, O best of twice-born? Speak the truth. Is it with the intent to harm the demons and seize my kingdom?'
च्यवन उवाच किं मे मघवता राजन् यदहं प्रेषितः पुनः । दूतकार्यं प्रकुर्वाणः प्राप्तवान्नगरे तव
Cyavana said: 'What concern have I with Maghavan, O king, that I should be sent again? Having come to fulfill a messenger's task, I have arrived in your city.'
विद्धि मां भृगुपुत्रं तं स्वनेत्रं धर्मतत्परम् । मा शङ्कां कुरु दैत्येन्द्र वासवप्रेषितस्य वै
'Know me as Cyavana, son of Bhrigu, steadfast in righteousness. Do not suspect, O lord of demons, that I have been sent by Vasava.'
स्नानार्थं नर्मदां प्राप्तः पुण्यतीर्थे नृपोत्तम । नद्यामेवावतीर्णोऽहं गृहीतश्च महाहिना
'For the purpose of bathing, I came to the holy Narmada, O best of kings. I descended into the river and was seized by a great serpent.'
जातोऽसौ निर्विषः सर्पो विष्णोः संस्मरणादिव । मुक्तोऽहं तेन नागेन प्रभावात्स्मरणस्य वै
'That serpent became devoid of poison, as if by the remembrance of Vishnu. I was released by that serpent, through the power of remembrance.'
अत्रागतेन राजेन्द्र मयाप्तं तव दर्शनम् । विष्णुभक्तोऽसि दैत्येन्द्र तद्भक्तं मां विचिन्तय
'Having arrived here, O king, I have obtained your audience. You are a devotee of Vishnu, O lord of demons; consider me also as his devotee.'
व्यास उवाच तन्निशम्य वचः श्लक्ष्णं हिरण्यकशिपोः सुतः । पप्रच्छ परया प्रीत्या तीर्थानि विविधानि च
Vyasa said: Hearing those gentle words, the son of Hiranyakashipu asked, with great affection, about the various holy places.
प्रह्लाद उवाच पृथिव्यां कानि तीर्थानि पुण्यानि मुनिसत्तम । पाताले च तथाकाशे तानि नो वद विस्तरात्
Prahlada said: 'Which are the holy places on earth, O eminent sage? And likewise in the netherworld and in the sky? Tell us of them in detail.'
च्यवन उवाच मनोवाक्कायशुद्धानां राजंस्तीर्थं पदे पदे । तथा मलिनचित्तानां गङ्गापि कीकटाधिका
Cyavana said: 'For those pure in mind, speech, and body, every step is a holy place, O king; but for those of impure mind, even the Ganga is inferior to the region of Kikata.'
प्रथमं चेन्मनः शुद्धं जातं पापविवर्जितम् । तदा तीर्थानि सर्वाणि पावनानि भवन्ति वै
If first the mind becomes pure, free from sin, then indeed all the sacred places become purifying.
गङ्गातीरे हि सर्वत्र वसन्ति नगराणि च । व्रजाश्चैवाकरा ग्रामाः सर्वे खेटास्तथापरे
On the banks of the Ganges, everywhere, there are cities, settlements, villages, and other hamlets.
निषादानां निवासाश्च कैवर्तानां तथापरे । हूणबङ्गखसानां च म्लेच्छानां दैत्यसत्तम
There are also dwellings of the Niṣādas, Kaivartas, Hūṇas, Baṅgas, Khasas, Mlecchas, and others, O best of Daityas.
पिबन्ति सर्वदा गाङ्गं जलं ब्रह्मोपमं सदा । स्नानं कुर्वन्ति दैत्येन्द्र त्रिकालं स्वेच्छया जनाः
They always drink the water of the Ganges, which is ever like Brahman; people bathe there at their will, three times a day, O lord of Daityas.
तत्रैकोऽपि विशुद्धात्मा न भवत्येव मारिष । किं फलं तर्हि तीर्थस्य विषयोपहतात्मसु
Yet not even one person there becomes pure in soul, O Māriṣa; what then is the fruit of the sacred place for those whose minds are overcome by sense-objects?
कारणं मन एवात्र नान्यद्राजन्विचिन्तय । मनःशुद्धिं प्रकर्तव्या सततं शुद्धिमिच्छता
Here, the mind alone is the cause—nothing else, O King, consider this; one who desires purity must always purify the mind.
तीर्थवासी महापापी भवेत्तत्रात्मवञ्चनात् । तत्रैवाचरितं पापमानन्त्याय प्रकल्पते
A great sinner dwelling at a sacred place, through self-deception, becomes so; the sin committed there leads to endless suffering.
यथेन्द्रवारुणं पक्वं मिष्टं नैवोपजायते । भावदुष्टस्तथा तीर्थे कोटिस्तातो न शुध्यति
Just as a ripe, sweet fruit does not arise from a tree watered with brine, so too, one with a corrupt disposition is not purified at a sacred place, even after a crore of visits, dear one.
प्रथमं मनसः शुद्धिः कर्तव्या शुभमिच्छता । शुद्धे मनसि द्रव्यस्य शुद्धिर्भवति नान्यथा
First, one who desires auspiciousness must purify the mind; when the mind is pure, the substance becomes pure—never otherwise.
तथैवाचारशुद्धिः स्यात्ततस्तीर्थं प्रसिध्यति । अन्यथा तु कृतं सर्वं व्यर्थं भवति तत्क्षणात्
Likewise, purity of conduct should be maintained; then the sacred place becomes effective. Otherwise, whatever is done becomes fruitless in that very moment.
(हीनवर्णस्य संसर्गं तीर्थे गत्वा सदा त्यजेत् ।) ॥ भूतानुकम्पनं चैव कर्तव्यं कर्मणा धिया । यदि पृच्छसि राजेन्द्र तीर्थं वक्ष्याम्यनुत्तमम्
(One should always avoid association with those of degraded conduct at a sacred place.) One must show compassion to beings, both in action and thought. If you ask, O king of kings, I shall tell you the supreme sacred place.
प्रथमं नैमिषं पुण्यं चक्रतीर्थं च पुष्करम् । अन्येषां चैव तीर्थानां संख्या नास्ति महीतले
First is holy Naimisha, then Cakra-tirtha and Pushkara; and the number of other sacred places on earth is without count.
पावनानि च स्थानानि बहूनि नृपसत्तम । व्यास उवाच तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं राजा नैमिषं गन्तुमुद्यतः
There are many purifying places, O best of kings. Vyāsa said: Hearing this, the king set out to go to Naimisha.
नोदयामास दैत्यान्वै हर्षनिर्भरमानसः । प्रह्लाद उवाच उत्तिष्ठन्तु महाभागा गमिष्यामोऽद्य नैमिषम्
With a heart filled with joy, he roused the Daityas. Prahlāda said: 'Arise, O blessed ones, today we shall go to Naimisha.'
द्रक्ष्यामः पुण्डरीकाक्षं पीतवाससमच्युतम् । व्यास उवाच इत्युक्ता विष्णुभक्तेन सर्वे ते दानवास्तदा
'We shall see the lotus-eyed, yellow-robed, imperishable one.' Vyāsa said: Thus addressed by the devotee of Viṣṇu, all those Dānavas at that time—
तेनैव सह पातालान्निर्ययुः परया मुदा । ते समेत्य च दैतेया दानवाश्च महाबलाः
Together with him, joyfully emerged from the netherworld; those Daiteyas and mighty Dānavas assembled together.
नैमिषारण्यमासाद्य स्नानं चक्रुर्मुदान्विताः । प्रह्लादस्तत्र तीर्थेषु चरन्दैत्यैः समन्वितः
Reaching the Naimisha forest, they joyfully bathed; Prahlāda, accompanied by the Daityas, wandered among the sacred places there.
सरस्वतीं महापुण्यां ददर्श विमलोदकाम् । तीर्थे तत्र नृपश्रेष्ठ प्रह्लादस्य महात्मनः
He saw the most holy Sarasvatī, with pure waters, at that sacred place, O best of kings, Prahlāda the great-souled.
मनः प्रसन्नं सञ्जातं स्नात्वा सारस्वते जले । विधिवत्तत्र दैत्येन्द्रः स्नानदानादिकं शुभे
His mind became serene after bathing in the waters of the Sarasvati; there, the lord of the Daityas performed the prescribed rites of bathing, charity, and other auspicious acts.
चकारातिप्रसन्नात्मा तीर्थे परमपावने
With a heart exceedingly pleased, he performed these at that supremely pure holy place.