काश्मीरेष्वेव नागस्य भवनं तक्षकस्य च । वितस्ताख्यमिति ख्यातं सर्वपापप्रमोचनम्
In Kashmir itself is the abode of the serpent Nāga and Takṣaka; it is known as Vitastā, the place that frees from all sins.
तत्र स्नात्वा नरो नूनं वाजपेयमवाप्नुयात् । सर्वपापविशुद्धात्मा गच्छेत परमां गतिम्
By bathing there, a man certainly attains the fruit of a Vājapeya sacrifice; purified from all sins, he reaches the supreme state.
ततो गच्छेत मलदं त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम् । पश्चिमायां तु संध्यायामुपस्पृश्य यथाविधि
Then one should go to Malada, renowned in the three worlds; at the time of evening, one should perform the proper ablution according to the rules.
चरुं सप्तार्चिषे राजन्यथाशक्ति निवेदयेत् । पितॄणामक्षयं दानं प्रवदंति मनीषिणः
One should offer a cooked oblation with seven flames to the ancestors, according to one's ability, O king; the wise declare this to be an inexhaustible gift for the ancestors.
गवांशतसहस्रेण राजसूयशतेन च । अश्वमेधसहस्रेण श्रेयान्सप्तार्चिषश्चरुः
The seven-flamed oblation surpasses the merit gained by offering a hundred thousand cows, a hundred royal sacrifices, and a thousand horse sacrifices.
ततो निवृत्तो राजेंद्र रुद्रास्पदमथाविशेत् । अभिगम्य महादेवमश्वमेधफलं लभेत्
Afterwards, the king withdraws and enters the abode of Rudra; approaching Mahadeva, he attains the fruit of the horse sacrifice.
मणिमंतं समासाद्य ब्रह्मचारी समाहितः । एकरात्रोषितो राजन्नग्निष्टोमफलं लभेत्
Having reached the jewel altar, the devoted celibate who spends a single night there, O king, obtains the fruit of the Agniṣṭoma sacrifice.
अथ गच्छेत राजेंद्र देविकां लोकविश्रुताम् । प्रसूतिर्यत्र विप्राणां श्रूयते भरतर्षभ
Then, O king, he should proceed to Devikā, renowned throughout the worlds, where the birth of the Brahmins is heard of, O bull among the Bharatas.
त्रिशूलपाणेः स्थानं यत्त्रिषुलोकेषु विश्रुतम् । देविकायां नरः स्नात्वा अभ्यर्च्य च महेश्वरम्
The place of the wielder of the trident, famed in the three worlds, is there; bathing in Devikā and worshipping Maheshvara,
यथाशक्ति नरस्तत्र निवेद्य भरतर्षभ । सर्वकामसमृद्धस्य यज्ञस्य लभते फलम्
A man, offering according to his ability, O bull among the Bharatas, attains the fruit of a sacrifice fulfilled with all desires.
कामाख्यं तत्र रुद्रस्य तीर्थं देवर्षिसंमतम् । तत्र स्नात्वा नरः क्षिप्रं सिद्धिमाप्नोति भारत
There is Kāmakhya, the sacred place of Rudra, esteemed by divine sages; bathing there, a man quickly attains perfection, O Bhārata.
यजनं याजनं गत्वा तथैव ब्रह्मवालकम् । पुष्पन्यास उपस्पृश्य न शोचेन्मरणं ततः
Going to the place of worship and the Brahmavālaka, and touching the flowers offered, one need not grieve death thereafter.
अर्द्धयोजनविस्तारां पंचयोजनमायताम् । एतावद्देविकामाहुः पुण्यां देवर्षिसंमताम्
Devikā is said to be holy and esteemed by divine sages, spanning half a yojana in width and five yojanas in length.
ततो गच्छेत धर्मज्ञ दीर्घसत्रं यथाक्रमम् । यत्र ब्रह्मादयो देवाः सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः
Then, O knower of dharma, proceed in due order to the long sacrificial session, where Brahma and other gods, siddhas, and supreme sages gather.
दीर्घसत्रमुपासंते दीक्षिता नियतव्रताः । गमनादेव राजेंद्र दीर्घसत्रमरिंदम
At the long sacrificial session, the initiated, observing strict vows, assemble; merely by going there, O king, to the long session, O subduer of foes,
राजसूयाश्वमेधाभ्यां फलं प्राप्नोति मानवः । ततो विनाशनं गच्छेन्नियतो नियताशनः
A man attains the fruit of the royal and horse sacrifices; then, with discipline and regulated food, he should go to Vināśana.
गच्छंत्यंतर्हिता यत्र मेरुपृष्ठे सरस्वती । चमसे च शिवोद्भेदे नागोद्भेदे च दृश्यते
There, where the Sarasvatī disappears on the summit of Meru, she is seen at the Camasa, at the emergence of Śiva, and at the emergence of Nāga.
स्नात्वा तु चमसोद्भेदे अग्निष्टोमफलं लभेत् । शिवोद्भेदे नरः स्नात्वा गोसहस्रफलं लभेत्
Bathing at the emergence of Camasa, one obtains the fruit of the Agniṣṭoma sacrifice; bathing at the emergence of Śiva, a man attains the merit of a thousand cows.
नागोद्भेदे नरः स्नात्वा नागलोकमवाप्नुयात् । शशयानं च राजेंद्र तीर्थमासाद्य दुर्लभम्
Bathing at the emergence of Nāga, a man attains the world of Nāgas; and, O king, reaching the rare tīrtha called Śaśayāna,
शशरूपप्रतिच्छन्ना पुष्करा यत्र भारत । सरस्वत्यां महाभाग अनुसंवत्सरंहिते
Where the lotus pond is concealed by the form of a hare, O Bhārata, and the Sarasvatī is united with the annual cycle,
स्नायंते भरतश्रेष्ठ वृत्ता वै कार्त्तिकीं सदा । तत्र स्नात्वा नरव्याघ्र द्योतते शिववत्सदा
There, O best of the Bharatas, people always bathe during the Kartikī period; bathing there, O tiger among men, one shines always like Śiva's devotee.
गोसहस्रफलं चैव प्राप्नुयाद्भरतर्षभ । कुमारकोटिमासाद्य नियतः कुरुनंदन
And, O bull among the Bharatas, one attains the merit of a thousand cows; reaching Kumārakoṭi with discipline, O descendant of Kuru.
तत्राभिषेकं कुर्वीत पितृदेवार्चने रतः । गवामयुतमाप्नोति कुलं चैव समुद्धरेत्
There, one should perform an abhiṣeka, devoted to honoring ancestors and gods; he attains the merit of ten thousand cows and uplifts his lineage.
ततो गच्छेत धर्मज्ञ रुद्रकोटिं समाहिताः । पुरा यत्र महाराज ऋषिकोटिः समाहिता
Then, those who know righteousness should proceed, with focused mind, to Rudrakoṭi, O King, where in ancient times a multitude of seers gathered in concentration.
वर्षेण च समाविष्टा देवदर्शनकांक्षया । अहंपूर्वमहंपूर्वं द्रक्ष्यामि वृषभध्वजम्
Year after year, filled with longing to see the divine, each would think, 'I will be the first, I will be the first to behold the Bull-bannered One.'
एवं संप्रस्थिता राजनृषयः किलभारत । ततो योगीश्वरेणापि योगमास्थाय भूपते
Thus, O King, the sages set out, O Bhārata; then, even the Lord of Yogis, having entered into yoga, O ruler of men—
तेषां मन्युप्रशांत्यर्थमृषीणां भावितात्मनाम् । सृष्टा तु कोटिरुद्राणामृषीणामग्रतः स्थिता
For the appeasement of the anger of those sages of purified minds, a crore of Rudras was created, standing before the sages.
मया पूर्वं हरो दृष्टो इति ते मेनिरे पृथक् । तेषां तुष्टो महादेव ऋषीणामुग्रतेजसाम्
Each thought separately, 'I saw Hara first.' Pleased with those sages of fierce energy, the great god Mahādeva—
भक्त्या परमया राजन्वरं तेषां प्रदत्तवान् । अद्यप्रभृति युष्माकं धर्मवृद्धिर्भविष्यति
By their supreme devotion, O King, he granted them a boon: 'From this day forward, your righteousness will increase.'
तत्र स्नात्वा नरव्याघ्र रुद्रकोट्यां नरः शुचिः । अश्वमेधमवाप्नोति कुलं चैव समुद्धरेत्
There, after bathing at Rudrakoṭi, a pure man attains the merit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice and uplifts his lineage.