तं दृष्ट्वा नियमेनाथ स्वाध्यायेन च कर्षितम् । दिलीपं नृपतिश्रेष्ठं मुनिः प्रीतमनाभवत्
Seeing Dilīpa, the best of kings, disciplined by observance and study, the sage became pleased in his heart.
वसिष्ठ उवाच- अनेन तव धर्मज्ञ प्रश्रयेण दमेन च । सत्येन च महाभाग तुष्टोस्मि तव सर्वशः
Vasiṣṭha said: By your humility, self-restraint, and truthfulness, O knower of dharma, I am entirely pleased with you, O most fortunate one.
यस्येदृशस्ते धर्मोयं पितरस्तारितास्त्वया । तेन पश्यसि मां पुत्र याज्यश्चासि ममानघ
Because you possess such dharma, your ancestors have been delivered by you; by that, you see me, my son, and are worthy of my sacrifice, O sinless one.
प्रीतिर्मे वर्द्धते तेऽद्य ब्रूहि किं करवाणि ते । यद्वक्ष्यसि नरश्रेष्ठ तस्य दातास्मि तेनघ
My affection for you grows today—tell me, what shall I do for you? Whatever you say, O best of men, I shall grant it, O sinless one.
दिलीप उवाच-। वेदवेदांगतत्त्वज्ञ सर्वलोकाभिपूजित । कृतमित्येव मन्ये हि यदहं दृष्टवान्प्रभुम्
Dilīpa said: Knower of the essence of the Vedas and their branches, honored by all the worlds, I consider it already accomplished that I have seen you, O lord.
यदि त्वहमनुग्राह्यस्तव धर्म्मभृतां वर । प्रक्ष्यामि हृत्स्थं संदेहं तन्मे त्वं वक्तुमर्हसि
Yet, if I am worthy of your favor, O best of the righteous, I will ask a doubt that dwells in my heart; you ought to tell me of it.
अस्ति मे भगवन्कश्चित्तीर्थे यो धर्मसंशयः । तदहं श्रोतुमिच्छामि पृथक्संकीर्तनं त्वया
O revered one, I have a certain doubt about dharma at a holy place; I wish to hear it from you, explained distinctly.
प्रदक्षिणां यः पृथिवीं करोति द्विजसत्तम । किं फलं तस्य विप्रर्षे तन्मे ब्रूहि तपोधन
O best of twice-born, what is the fruit for one who circumambulates the earth? Tell me that, O sage rich in austerity.
वसिष्ठ उवाच-। कथयिष्यामि तदहमृषीणां मत्परायणम् । तदेकाग्रमनास्तात शृणु तीर्थेषु यत्फलम्
Vasiṣṭha said: I shall tell you what is held supreme by the sages; therefore, with one-pointed mind, listen to the fruit gained at holy places.
यस्य हस्तौ च पादौ च मनश्चैव सुसंयतम् । विद्या तपश्च कीर्तिश्च स तीर्थफलमश्नुते
He whose hands, feet, and mind are well-controlled, whose knowledge, austerity, and fame are established—he attains the fruit of pilgrimage.
प्रतिग्रहादुपावृत्तः संतुष्टो नियतः शुचिः । अहंकारनिवृत्तश्च स तीर्थफलमश्नुते
He who has turned away from accepting gifts, is content, disciplined, pure, and free from pride—he attains the fruit of visiting a sacred place.
अकल्किको निराहारोऽलब्धाहारो जितेंद्रियः । विमुक्तः सर्वदोषैर्यः स तीर्थफलमश्नुते
He who is without deceit, who fasts or has not obtained food, who has mastered his senses, and is free from all faults—he attains the fruit of visiting a sacred place.
अक्रोधनश्च राजेंद्र सत्यशीलो दृढव्रतः । आत्मोपमश्च भूतेषु स तीर्थफलमश्नुते
He who is free from anger, O King, who is truthful in conduct, firm in his vows, and regards all beings as himself—he attains the fruit of visiting a sacred place.
ऋषिभिः क्रतवः प्रोक्ता देवेष्वपि यथाक्रमम् । फलं चैव यथातत्त्वं प्रेत्य चेह च सर्वशः
The sages have prescribed sacrifices for the gods in due order, and the results, both in truth and in their entirety, are obtained after death and here as well.
न ते शक्या दरिद्रेण यज्ञाः प्राप्तुं महीपते । बहूपकरणा यज्ञा नानासंभारविस्तराः
O King, such sacrifices cannot be performed by the poor; sacrifices require many implements and a great variety of materials.
प्राप्यंते पार्थिवैरेते समृद्धैर्वा नरैः क्वचित् । न निर्धनैर्नरगणैरेकात्मभिरसाधनैः
These are attained by kings or sometimes by wealthy men, but not by the poor or by those who are alone and without means.
यो दरिद्रैरपि विधिः शक्यः प्राप्तुं जनेश्वर । तुल्यो यज्ञफलैः पुण्यैस्तं निबोध महीपते
O lord of men, listen: there is a rite that even the poor can accomplish, which yields merit equal to the fruit of sacrifices.
ऋषीणां परमं गुह्यमिदं धर्म्मभृतां वर । तीर्थाभिगमनं पुण्यं यज्ञैरपि विशिष्यते
This is the supreme secret of the sages, O best of the righteous: the meritorious act of visiting sacred places surpasses even sacrifices.
अनुपोष्य त्रिरात्राणि तीर्थाभिगमनेन च । अदत्वा कांचनं गाश्च दरिद्रो नाम जायते
Without fasting for three nights or giving gold and cows, a poor man is still called such by visiting a sacred place.
अग्निष्टोमादिभिर्यज्ञैरिष्ट्वा विपुलदक्षिणैः । न तत्फलमवाप्नोति तीर्थाभिगमनेन यत्
Even by performing sacrifices like Agniṣṭoma with abundant gifts, one does not obtain the result that comes from visiting a sacred place.
नृलोके देवलोकस्य तीर्थं त्रैलोक्यविश्रुतम् । पुष्करं तीर्थमासाद्य देवदेवसमो भवेत्
In the world of men, the sacred place of Puṣkara is renowned throughout the three worlds; by reaching Puṣkara, one becomes equal to the lord of gods.
दशकोटिसहस्राणि तीर्थानां वै महीपते । सान्निध्यं पुष्करे येषां त्रिसंध्यं सूर्यवंशज
O descendant of the solar dynasty, O king, at Puṣkara, the presence of ten billion sacred places is found at the three junctions of the day.
आदित्या वसवो रुद्रा साध्याश्च समरुद्गणाः । गंधर्वाप्सरसश्चैव तत्र सन्निहिताः प्रभो
There, O lord, the Ādityas, Vasus, Rudras, Sādhyas with the Maruts, and also the Gandharvas and Apsarases are present.
यत्र देवास्तपस्तप्त्वा दैत्या ब्रह्मर्षयस्तथा । दिव्ययोगा महाराज पुण्येन महता द्विजाः
There, O great king, the gods, the demons, and the Brahmarṣis performed austerities, with divine concentration and great merit, O twice-born ones.
मनसाप्यभिकामस्य पुष्कराणि मनीषिणः । पूयंते सर्वपापानि नाकपृष्ठे च पूज्यते
For the wise who even desire Puṣkara in their minds, all sins are purified, and they are honored in the highest heaven.
अस्मिंस्तीर्थे महाभाग नित्यमेव पितामहः । उवास परमप्रीतो देवदानवसंमतः
In this sacred place, O highly fortunate one, the Grandfather (Brahmā), ever delighted and esteemed by gods and demons, resided.
पुष्करेषु महाभाग देवाः सर्षिपुरोगमाः । सिद्धिं परमिकां प्राप्ताः पुण्येन महतान्विताः
O highly fortunate one, at Puṣkara, the gods led by the sages attained the highest accomplishment, endowed with great merit.
तत्राभिषेकं यः कुर्यात्पितृदेवार्चने रतः । अश्वमेधाद्दशगुणं प्रवदंति मनीषिणः
There, whoever performs ablution and is devoted to worshipping ancestors and gods, the wise declare that he obtains ten times the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice.
अप्येकं भोजयेद्विप्रं पुष्करारण्यमाश्रितः । तेनैति पूजिताँल्लोकान्ब्रह्मणः सदने स्थितान्
Even if one feeds a single Brahmin while residing in Puṣkara forest, by that act he attains the worlds honored in the abode of Brahmā.
सायंप्रातः स्मरेद्यस्तु पुष्कराणि कृतांजलि । उपस्पृष्टं भवेत्तेन सर्वतीर्थेषु पार्थिव
Whoever, with joined palms, remembers Puṣkara in the evening and morning, O King, becomes as if purified at all sacred waters.