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.
जन्मप्रभृति यत्पापं स्त्रियो वा पुरुषस्य वा । पुष्करे गतमात्रस्य सर्वमेव प्रणश्यति
Whatever sin has been committed by a woman or a man from birth onwards, all of it is destroyed upon merely arriving at Puṣkara.
यथा सुराणां सर्वेषामादिस्तु मधुसूदनः । तथैव पुष्करो राजन्तीर्थानामादिरुच्यते
Just as Madhusūdana is the foremost among all the gods, so too, O King, is Puṣkara said to be the foremost among sacred places.
उष्ट्वा द्वादशवर्षाणि पुष्करे नियतः शुचिः । क्रतून्सर्वानवाप्नोति ब्रह्मलोकं च गच्छति
Having dwelt for twelve years at Puṣkara with discipline and purity, one attains the fruit of all sacrifices and goes to the world of Brahmā.
यस्तु वर्षशतं पूर्णमग्निहोत्रमुपाश्नुते । कार्तिकीं वा वसेदेकां पुष्करे सममेव तत्
Whoever performs the Agnihotra for a full hundred years, or dwells for a single Kārtikā month at Puṣkara, gains the same result.
दुष्करं पुष्करे गंतुं दुष्करं पुष्करे तपः । दुष्करं पुष्करे दानं वस्तुं चैव सुदुष्करम्
It is difficult to go to Puṣkara, difficult to perform austerity at Puṣkara, difficult to give gifts at Puṣkara, and most difficult to dwell there.
त्रीणि शृंगाणि शुभ्राणि त्रीणि प्रस्रवणानि च । पुष्कराण्यादि तीर्थानि न विद्मस्तत्र कारणम्
Three shining peaks and three springs—these are the original sacred places of Puṣkara; we do not know the reason for this.
उष्ट्वा द्वादशवर्षाणि नियतो नियताशनः । स मुक्तः सर्वपापेभ्यो सर्वक्रतुफलं लभेत्
Having dwelt for twelve years with discipline and regulated food at Puṣkara, one is freed from all sins and attains the fruit of all sacrifices.
वसिष्ठ उवाच- प्रदक्षिणमुपावृत्तो जंबूमार्गे समाविशेत् । जंबूमार्गं समाविश्य पितृदेवर्षिपूजितम्
Vasiṣṭha said: Having completed the circumambulation, one should enter the Jambū path; entering the Jambū path, honored by ancestors and sages.
अश्वमेधमवाप्नोति विष्णुलोकं च गच्छति । तत्रोष्य रजनीः पंच षष्ठकालेश्नुवन्नरः
He attains the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice and goes to the world of Viṣṇu; staying there for five nights, observing the sixth period, O King.
न दुर्गतिमवाप्नोति सिद्धिं चाप्नोत्यनुत्तमाम् । जंबुमार्गादुपावृत्तो गच्छेत्तु दुलिकाश्रमम्
He does not meet with misfortune and attains supreme success; departing from the Jambū path, he should go to the Dulikā hermitage.
न दुर्गतिमवाप्नोति स्वर्गलोके च पूज्यते । अगस्त्याश्रममासाद्य पितृदेवार्चने रतः
He does not meet with misfortune and is honored in the heavenly world; reaching the hermitage of Agastya, devoted to worship of ancestors and gods.
त्रिरात्रोपोषितो राजन्नग्निष्टोमफलं लभेत् । शाकवृत्तिः फलैर्वापि कौमारं विंदते परम्
Having fasted for three nights, O King, he attains the fruit of an Agniṣṭoma sacrifice; living on vegetables or fruits, he obtains supreme youthfulness.
कन्याश्रमं समासाद्य श्रीपुष्टं लोकपूजितम् । धर्मारण्यं हि तत्पुण्यमाद्यं च पार्थिवर्षभ
Reaching the hermitage of Kanyā, resplendent and honored by the world, that forest of righteousness is indeed sacred and foremost, O best of kings.
यत्र प्रविष्टमात्रो वै पापेभ्यो विप्रमुच्यते । अर्चयित्वा पितॄन्देवान्प्रयतो नियताशनः
There, upon merely entering, one is freed from sins; having worshipped ancestors and gods with purity and regulated food.
सर्वकामसमृद्धस्य यज्ञस्य फलमश्नुते । प्रादक्षिण्यं ततः कृत्वा ययातिपतनं व्रजेत्
He attains the fruit of a sacrifice that fulfills all desires; having performed circumambulation there, he should proceed to Yayāti’s descent.
हयमेधस्य यज्ञस्य फलमाप्नोति तत्र वै । महाकालमतो गच्छेन्नियतो नियताशनः
There, he attains the fruit of the horse sacrifice; then, with discipline and regulated food, he should go to Mahākāla.
कोटितीर्थमुपस्पृश्य हयमेधफलं लभेत् । ततो गच्छेत धर्मज्ञ स्थानं तीर्थमुमापतेः
By touching the waters of Koṭitīrtha, one attains the fruit of a horse-sacrifice; then, O knower of dharma, proceed to the place of the sacred site of Umāpati.
नाम्ना भद्रवटं नाम त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम् । तत्राभिगम्य चेशानं गोसहस्रफलं लभेत्
By name, it is called Bhadravaṭa, renowned in the three worlds; upon approaching Īśāna there, one obtains the merit equal to giving a thousand cows.
महादेवप्रसादाच्च गाणपत्यमवाप्नुयात् । समृद्धमसपत्नं तु श्रियायुक्तं नरोत्तम
By the grace of Mahādeva, one attains the status of Gaṇapati, prosperous, without rival, and endowed with fortune, O best of men.
नर्मदां तु समासाद्य नदीं त्रैलोक्यविश्रुताम् । तर्पयित्वा पितॄन्देवानग्निष्टोमफलं लभेत्
Upon reaching the Narmadā river, famed throughout the three worlds, and offering oblations to ancestors and gods, one gains the fruit of an Agniṣṭoma sacrifice.