तथा ताञ्जारयाम्येतानुपायैर्दारुणैः किल । वासुदेव उवाच- नैमित्तिकं तथा कालं पुण्यं चैव तवाग्रतः
Thus, I torment these people with harsh means; Vasudeva said: Now I shall tell you, in your presence, about the occasional and timely acts of merit.
प्रवक्ष्यामि नरश्रेष्ठ सुबुद्ध्या शृणु तत्परः । अमावास्या महाराज पौर्णमासी तथैव च
I shall explain them, O best of men, listen attentively with clear understanding: the new moon, O great king, and likewise the full moon—
यदा भवति संक्रांतिर्व्यतीपातो नरेश्वर । वैधृतिश्च यदा प्रोक्ता यदा एकादशी भवेत्
When there is a solstice, or an eclipse, O lord of men, when Vaidhriti is declared, or when it is the eleventh day (Ekadashi)—
महामाघी तथाषाढी वैशाखी कार्तिकी तथा । अमासोमसमायोगे मन्वादिषु युगादिषु
On the great Magha, Ashadha, Vaishakha, and Kartika days, at the conjunction of new moon and full moon, at the beginnings of Manus and of the ages—
गजच्छाया तथा प्रोक्ता पितृक्षया तथैव च । एते नैमित्तिकाः ख्यातास्तवाग्रे नृपसत्तम
The shadow of an elephant, and likewise the period of ancestral decline—these are known as special occasions, O best of kings, which have been mentioned before you.
एतेषु दीयते दानं तस्य दानस्य यत्फलम् । तत्फलं तु प्रवक्ष्यामि श्रूयतां नृपसत्तम
When a gift is given during these times, I shall now declare to you, O best of kings, the fruit that arises from such a gift.
मामुद्दिश्य नरो भक्त्या ब्राह्मणाय प्रयच्छति । तस्याहं निर्विकल्पेन प्रयच्छामि न संशयः
When a man, with devotion, offers something to a Brahmin on my behalf, I grant him the result without reservation—there is no doubt of this.
गृहं सौख्यं महाराज स्वर्गमोक्षादिकं बहु । काम्यं कालं प्रवक्ष्यामि दानस्य फलदायकम्
O great king, I shall tell you the desirable times that bestow the fruits of giving—times that bring about happiness in the home, prosperity, heaven, liberation, and much more.
व्रतानामेव सर्वेषां देवादीनां तथैव च । दानस्य पुण्यकालं तु संप्रोक्तं द्विजसत्तमैः
The auspicious times for all vows and for the worship of gods, as well as for giving gifts, have been declared by the foremost twice-born.
आभ्युदयिकमेवापि कालं वक्ष्यामि ते नृप । मखानामेव सर्वेषां वैवाहिकमनुत्तमम्
O king, I shall also tell you the prosperous times, especially the most excellent occasions for all sacrifices and for marriage ceremonies.
पुत्रस्य जातमात्रस्य चौलमौंज्यादिकं तथा । प्रासादध्वजदेवानां प्रतिष्ठादिककर्मणि
For a son who is just born, for the tonsure and the investiture with the sacred thread, and for the installation rites of temple flags and deities—
वापीकूपतडागानां गृहवास्तुमयं नृप । तदाभ्युदयिकं प्रोक्तं मातॄणां यत्र पूजनम्
O king, for wells, ponds, and tanks, and for the construction of houses—these are said to be prosperous times, as are occasions for the worship of mothers.
तस्मिन्काले ददेद्दानं सर्वसिद्धिप्रदायकम् । आभ्युदयिक एवायं कालः प्रोक्तो नृपोत्तम
At such times, one should give gifts, which grant all accomplishments; this time is indeed called prosperous, O best of kings.
अन्यच्चैव प्रवक्ष्यामि पापपीडानिवारणम् । मृत्युकाले च संप्राप्ते क्षयं ज्ञात्वा नरोत्तम
Moreover, I shall tell you another thing—the removal of the affliction of sin, O best of men, when the time of death approaches and decline is known.
तत्र दानं प्रदातव्यं यममार्गसुखप्रदम् । नित्यनैमित्तिकाः कालाः काम्याभ्युदयिकास्तथा
There, a gift should be given, which brings comfort on the path of Yama; the times are constant, occasional, desired, and prosperous.
अंत्यःकालो महाराज समाख्यातस्तवाग्रतः । एते कालाः समाख्याताः स्वकर्मफलदायकाः
O great king, the final time has also been described before you; these times have been explained, each yielding the fruit of its own action.
तीर्थस्य लक्षणं राजन्प्रवक्ष्यामि तवाग्रतः । सुतीर्थानामियं गंगा भाति पुण्या सरस्वती
O king, I shall describe before you the characteristics of a sacred place; among holy places, this Ganga shines, as does the holy Sarasvati.
रेवा च यमुना तापी तथा चर्मण्वती नदी । सरयूर्घर्घरा वेणा सर्वपापप्रणाशिनी
And also the Reva, Yamuna, Tapi, and the river Carmanvati; the Sarayu, Gharghara, and Vena—all destroy every sin.
कावेरी कपिला चान्या विशाला विश्वतारणी । गोदावरी समाख्याता तुंगभद्रा नरोत्तम
The Kaveri, Kapila, and other great rivers, the vast and all-crossing Vishala, the Godavari, and the renowned Tungabhadra, O best of men.
पापानां भीतिदा नित्यं भीमरथ्या प्रपठ्यते । देविका कृष्णगंगा च अन्याः सरिद्वरोत्तमाः
Always causing fear to sinners is the Bhimarathi, which is well known; the Devika, Krishna-Ganga, and other most excellent rivers.
एतासां पुण्यकालेषु संति तीर्थान्यनेकशः । ग्रामे वा यदि वारण्ये नद्यः सर्वत्र पावनाः
At their auspicious times, there are countless sacred places; whether in a village or in the forest, rivers everywhere are purifying.
तत्र तत्र प्रकर्तव्याः स्नानदानादिकाः क्रियाः । यदा न ज्ञायते नाम तासां तीर्थस्य सत्तमाः
In those places, one should perform acts such as bathing and giving gifts; when the names of those foremost sacred places are not known.
नामोच्चारं प्रकुर्वीत विष्णुतीर्थमिदं नृप । तीर्थस्य देवता तद्वदहमेव न संशयः
One should utter the name, O king, for this is a sacred place of Viṣṇu; I myself am the deity of this holy place, of this there is no doubt.
मामेवमुच्चरेद्यो वै तीर्थे देवेषु साधकः । तस्य पुण्यफलं जातं मन्नाम्ना नृपनंदन
Whoever, being devoted, utters my name in this holy place among the gods, O delight of kings, obtains the merit that arises from my name.
अज्ञातानां सुतीर्थानां देवानां नृपसत्तम । स्नाने दाने महाराज मन्नाम हि समुच्चरेत्
O best of kings, when bathing or giving gifts at unknown holy places or to unknown deities, one should indeed utter my name, O great king.
तीर्थानामेव राजेंद्र धात्रा धात्र्य इमाः कृताः । सिंधवः सर्वपुण्यानां सर्वस्थाः क्षितिमंडले
O king, the creator has made these very rivers as forms of holy places on earth, and the oceans are the abodes of all merit, present everywhere on the earth.
यत्रतत्र प्रकर्त्तव्यं स्नानदानादिकं नृप । अक्षयं फलमाप्नोति सुतीर्थानां प्रसादतः
Wherever bathing, giving, and similar acts are performed, O king, one attains inexhaustible fruit by the grace of the holy places.
तीर्थरूपा महापुण्याः सागरा सप्त एव च । मानसाद्यास्तथा राजन्सरस्यश्च प्रकीर्तिताः
The seven oceans, beginning with Mānasa and others, O king, as well as the famous lakes, are indeed forms of holy places and are supremely meritorious.
निर्झराः पल्वलाः प्रोक्तास्तीर्थरूपा न संशयः । स्वल्पा नद्यो महाराज तासु तीर्थं प्रतिष्ठितम्
Streams and ponds are also declared to be forms of holy places, without doubt; and even small rivers, O great king, in them the holy place is established.
खातेष्वेवं च सर्वेषु वर्जयित्वा च कूपकम् । पर्वतास्तीर्थरूपाश्च मेर्वाद्याश्च महीतले
So too, in all excavated places except wells, and on mountains such as Meru and others on the earth, are forms of holy places.