त्रिगुणं चाश्वमेधस्य फलं प्राप्नोति मानवः
A man obtains three times the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice.
तत्र स्नात्वा नरो राजन् रुद्रलोके महीयते
Having bathed there, O King, a man is honored in the realm of Rudra.
सप्तजन्मकृतं पापं हित्वा याति शिवालयम्
Casting off the sin accumulated over seven births, he goes to the abode of Śiva.
अस्य तीर्थस्य माहात्म्यान्मुच्यते ब्रह्महत्यया
By the greatness of this sacred place, one is freed from the sin of killing a Brahmin.
न शक्या विस्तराद् वक्तुं संख्या तीर्थेषुपाण्डव
O Pāṇḍava, it is not possible to recount in detail the number of holy places.
नर्मदा सरितां श्रेष्ठा महादेवस्य वल्लभा
The Narmadā is the foremost of rivers, beloved of Mahādeva.
चान्द्रायणशतं साग्रं लभते नात्र संशयः
One obtains the merit of a hundred Cāndrāyaṇa vows, with nothing lacking; of this there is no doubt.
पतन्ति नरके घोरे इत्याह परमेश्वरः
Those who fall into terrible hell—so declares the Supreme Lord.
तेन पुण्या नदी ज्ञेया ब्रह्महत्यापहारिणी
Therefore, know this river as holy, the remover of the sin of killing a brāhmaṇa.
महादेवप्रियकरं महापातकनाशनम्
It brings delight to Mahādeva and destroys great sins.
ब्रहामणा निर्मितं स्थानं तपस्तप्तुं द्विजोत्तमाः
It is a place established by the brāhmaṇas, O best of twice-born, for the practice of austerity.
भृगवो ऽङ्गिरसः पूर्वा ब्रह्माणं कमलोद्भवम्
The ancient Bhṛgus and Aṅgirasas approached Brahmā, the lotus-born.
पृच्छन्ति प्रणिपत्यैनं विश्वकर्माणमच्युतम्
Having bowed to him, they questioned Viśvakarman, the imperishable one.
केनोपायेन पश्यामो ब्रूहि देवनमस्कृतम्
By what means may we see the revered Lord of the gods? Tell us.
देशं च वः प्रवक्ष्यामि यस्मिन् देशे चरिष्यथ
I shall tell you of the land in which you will dwell.
यत्रास्य नेमिः शीर्येत स देशः पुरुषर्षभाः
Wherever the rim of his wheel decays, that, O best of men, is the land.
नैमिसं तत्स्मृतं नाम्ना पुण्यं सर्वत्र पूजितम्
That place is known by the name Naimiṣa, holy and honored everywhere.
स्थानं भगवतः शंभोरेतन्नैमिशमुत्तमम्
This is the supreme Naimiṣa, the abode of the blessed Śambhu.
तपस्तप्त्वा पुरा देवा लेभिरे प्रवरान् वरान्
In ancient times, the gods performed austerities there and obtained excellent boons.
सत्रेणाराध्य देवेशं दृष्टवन्तो महेश्वरम्
By worshipping the Lord of gods with a sacrificial session, they beheld the great Lord.
एकैकं पावयेत् पापं सप्तजन्मकृतं द्विजाः
Each one is purified of the sins committed over seven births, O twice-born.
प्रोवाच वायुर्ब्रह्माण्डं पुराणं ब्रह्मभाषितम्
Vāyu spoke the ancient Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa, as uttered by Brahmā.
रमते ऽध्यापि भगवान् प्रमथैः परिवारितः
Even now, the Blessed Lord delights, surrounded by the Pramathas.
ब्रह्मलोकं गमिष्यन्ति यत्र गत्वा न जायते
They will go to Brahmaloka, where, having arrived, one is not born again.
जजाप रुद्रमनिशं यत्र नन्दी महागणः
There, the great leader Nandī constantly recited the Rudra mantra.
ददावात्मसमानत्वं मृत्युवञ्चनमेव च
He granted equality with himself, and also the overcoming of death.
आराधयन्महादेवं पुत्रार्थं वृषभध्वजम्
Desiring a son, he worshipped the great god, the Bull-bannered One.
शर्वः सोमो गणवृतो वरदो ऽस्मीत्यभाषत
Śarva, Soma, surrounded by the Gaṇas, spoke: 'I am the granter of boons.'
अयोनिजं मृत्युहीनं देहि पुत्रं त्वया समम्
Grant me a son, unborn from a womb, free from death, equal to you.
पश्यतस्तस्य विप्रर्षेरन्तर्धानं गतो हरः
As the sage watched, Hara vanished from sight.