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.
यज्ञभूमिश्च यज्ञश्च अग्निहोत्रे यथा स्थितः । श्राद्धभूमिस्तथा शुद्धा देवशाला तथा पुनः
Just as the sacrificial ground and the sacrifice itself are established in the agnihotra, so too are the pure places for ancestral rites and temples for the gods.
होमशाला तथा प्रोक्ता वेदाध्ययनवेश्म च । गृहेषु पुण्यसंयुक्तं गोस्थानं वरमुत्तमम्
So too, the place for fire offerings and the house for Vedic study are spoken of; among houses, the best and most excellent is the cowshed endowed with merit.
सोमपायी भवेद्यत्र तीर्थं तत्र प्रतिष्ठितम् । आरामो यत्र वै पुण्यो अश्वत्थो यत्र तिष्ठति
Where soma is drunk, there a holy place is established; where there is a sacred grove, or where the aśvattha tree stands.
ब्रह्मवृक्षो भवेद्यत्र वटवृक्षस्तथैव च । अन्ये च वन्यसंस्थाने तत्र तीर्थं प्रतिष्ठितम्
Where the sacred fig tree or the banyan tree stands, and in other places where wild trees grow, there a holy place is established.
एते तीर्थाः समाख्याताः पितामाता तथैव च । पुराणं पठ्यते यत्र गुरुर्यत्र स्वयं स्थितः
These holy places have been described, as well as where the father and mother are present; where the Purāṇa is recited, and where the teacher himself resides.
सुभार्या तिष्ठते यत्र तत्र तीर्थं न संशयः । सुपुत्रस्तिष्ठते यत्र तत्र तीर्थं न संशयः
Where a virtuous wife dwells, there is a holy place, without doubt; where a good son dwells, there is a holy place, without doubt.
एते तीर्थाः समाख्याता राजवेश्म तथैव च । वेन उवाच- पात्रस्य लक्षणं ब्रूहि यस्मै देयं सुरोत्तम
These holy places have been described, as well as the royal palace; Vena said: Tell me the characteristics of the recipient to whom the gift should be given, O best of gods.
प्रसादसुमुखो भूत्वा कृपया मम माधव । वासुदेव उवाच- शृणु राजन्महाप्राज्ञ पात्रस्यापि सुलक्षणम्
With a gracious and kind face, out of compassion for me, O Mādhava; Vāsudeva said: Listen, O king, most wise one, to the excellent characteristics of the recipient.
यस्मै देयं सुदानं च श्रद्धापूतैर्महात्मभिः । ब्राह्मणं सुकुलोपेतं वेदाध्ययनतत्परम्
To whom should the excellent gift be given by the great-souled, purified by faith? To a brāhmaṇa of good family, devoted to Vedic study.
शांतं दांतं तपोयुक्तं शुक्लमेव विशेषतः । प्रज्ञावंतं ज्ञानवंतं देवपूजनतत्परम्
One who is peaceful, self-controlled, endowed with austerity, especially pure; intelligent, wise, and devoted to the worship of the gods.