अनादिनिधनं देवं धार्मिकं प्राप्नुयात् सुतम्
He attains a son who is righteous, devoted to the god who is without beginning or end.
तमादिकृष्णमीशानमाराध्याप्नोति सत्सुतम्
By worshipping that primordial Krishna, the Lord, one obtains a virtuous son.
तमाराध्य हृषीकेशं प्राप्नुयाद्धार्मिकं सुतम्
By worshipping that Hṛṣīkeśa, one attains a righteous son.
आराधयन्महायोगं वासुदेवं सनातनम्
By worshipping the great yogi, the eternal Vāsudeva—
निर्मिता येन श्रावस्तिर्गौडदेशे महापुरी
By whom the great city of Śrāvastī was established in the land of Gauḍa,
धुन्धुमारत्वमगमद् धुन्धुं हत्वा महासुरम्
He attained the status of Dhundhumāra, having slain the great demon Dhundhu.
दृढाश्वश्चैव दण्डाश्वः कपिलाश्वस्तथैव च
And Dṛḍhāśva, Daṇḍāśva, and likewise Kapilāśva,
हर्यश्वस्य निकुम्भस्तु निकुम्भात् संहताश्वकः
Nikumbha was the son of Haryaśva, and from Nikumbha came Saṃhatāśvaka.
युवनाश्वो रणाश्वस्य शक्रतुल्यबलो युधि
Yuvanāśva, son of Raṇāśva, was equal to Indra in strength in battle.
मान्धातारं महाप्राज्ञं सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरम्
Māndhātṛ, the great wise one, the best among all bearers of arms,
मुचुकुन्दश्च पुण्यात्मा सर्वे शक्रसमा युधि
And Mucukunda, of virtuous soul—all were equal to Indra in battle.
हरितो युवनाश्वस्य हारितस्तत्सुतो ऽभवत्
Harita was the son of Yuvanāśva, and Hārita was his son.
नर्मदायां समुत्पन्नः संभूतिस्तत्सुतो ऽभवत्
Saṃbhūti was born in the Narmadā, and he was the son of Hārita.
बृहदशवो ऽनरण्यस्य हर्यश्वस्तत्सुतो ऽभवत्
Bṛhadaśva was the son of Anaraṇya, and Haryaśva was his son.
प्रसादाद्धार्मिकं पुत्रं लेभे सूर्यपरायणम्
By grace, he obtained a righteous son devoted to the Sun.
लेभे त्वप्रतिमं पुत्रं त्रिधन्वानमरिन्दमम्
He obtained an incomparable son, Tridhanvan, subduer of enemies.
स्वाध्यायवान् दानशीलस्तितिक्षुर्धर्मतत्परः
He was devoted to study, generous in giving, patient, and intent on righteousness.
वसिष्ठकश्यपमुखा देवाश्चेन्द्रपुरोगमाः
The gods headed by Vasiṣṭha and Kaśyapa, with Indra at the forefront,
समाप्य विधिवद् यज्ञं वसिष्ठादीन् द्विजोत्तमान्
Having duly completed the sacrifice, he honored Vasiṣṭha and the other foremost Brahmins.
यज्ञस्तपो वा संन्यासो ब्रूत मे सर्ववेदिनः
O all-knowing ones, tell me: is sacrifice, austerity, or renunciation the highest?
इष्ट्वा यज्ञेश्वरं यज्ञैर् गच्छेद वनमथात्मवान्
Having worshipped the Lord of Sacrifice with sacrifices, a self-controlled person should then go to the forest.
प्रव्रजेद् विधिवद् यज्ञैरिष्ट्वा पूर्वं सुरोत्तमान्
One should properly enter the renounced life, having first worshipped the excellent gods with sacrifices.
तमाराध्य सहस्त्रांशुं तपसा मोक्षमाप्नुयात्
By worshipping the thousand-rayed one through austerity, one attains liberation.
बीजं भगवता येन स देवस्तपसेज्यते
That seed by which the Blessed Lord, the god, is worshipped through austerity—
स रुद्रस्तपसोग्रेण पूज्यते नेतरैर्मखैः
That Rudra is worshipped by fierce austerity, not by other sacrifices.
स सर्वदैवततनुः पूज्यते तपसेश्वरः
He, the Lord of Austerity, whose form is all the deities, is worshipped through austerity.
तपः सुमहदास्थाय पूज्यते स महेश्वरः
By undertaking great austerity, that great Lord is worshipped.
स देवदेवस्तपसा पूजनीयः सनातनः
He, the eternal God of gods, is to be worshipped through austerity.
प्रसीदति महायोगी पूजितस्तपसा परः
The supreme great yogi is pleased when worshipped with austerity.
नान्तरेण तपः कश्चिद्धर्मः शास्त्रेषु दृश्यते
No dharma is seen in the scriptures without austerity.